Lowering the gaze


Sahih Al - Bukhari HadithVolume 8, Book 74, Number 247:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas: Al-Fadl bin 'Abbas rode behind the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) as his companion rider on the back portion of his she camel on the Day of Nahr (slaughtering of sacrifice, 10th Dhul-Hijja) and Al-Fadl was a handsome man. The Prophet stopped to give the people verdicts. In the meantime, a beautiful woman From the tribe of Khath'am came, asking the verdict of Allah's Apostle. Al-Fadl started looking at her as her beauty attracted him. The Prophet looked behind while Al-Fadl was looking at her; so the Prophet held out his hand backwards and caught the chin of Al-Fadl and turned his face (to the owner sides in order that he should not gaze at her. She said, "O Allah's Apostle! The obligation of Performing Hajj enjoined by Allah on His worshipers, has become due (compulsory) on my father who is an old man and who cannot sit firmly on the riding animal. Will it be sufficient that I perform Hajj on his behalf?" He said, "Yes."


Sahih Al - Bukhari hadithVolume 8, Book 74, Number 248:

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) said, 'Beware! Avoid sitting on the roads." They (the people) said, "O Allah s Apostle! We can't help sitting (on the roads) as these are (our places) here we have talks." The Prophet said, ' l f you refuse but to sit, then pay the road its right ' They said, "What is the right of the road, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, 'Lowering your gaze, refraining from harming others, returning greeting, and enjoining what is good, and forbidding what is evil."


Volume 8, Book 74, Number 249: Narrated 'Abdullah:

When we prayed with the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) we used to say: As-Salam be on Allah from His worshipers, As-Salam be on Gabriel, As-Salam be on Michael, As-Salam be on so-and-so. When the Prophet finished his prayer, he faced us and said, "Allah Himself is As-Salam (Peace), so when one sits in the prayer, one should say, 'At-Tahiyatu-lillahi Was-Salawatu, Wat-Taiyibatu, As-Salamu 'Alaika aiyuhan-Nabiyyu wa Rah-matul-lahi wa Barakatuhu, As-Salamu 'Alaina wa 'ala 'Ibadillahi assalihin, for if he says so, then it will be for all the pious slave of Allah in the Heavens and the Earth. (Then he should say), 'Ash-hadu an la ilaha illalllahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'Abduhu wa rasulu-hu,' and then he can choose whatever speech (i.e. invocation) he wishes " (See Hadith No. 797, Vol. 1)


Truthfulness – the greatest station



“….It is the foundation of the building of Islam, the central pillar of the edifice of certainty and the next in level in ranking after the level of the prophet hood” A man, was walking in the state of Janaabah, and he saw Muhammad S.A.W. and he quickly ran away, to go and purify himself. He then met Muhammad S.A.W. and the Rasool S.A.W. asked him why did he go away when he saw him? He explained that he was in the state of Janaabah and did not want to meet him being impure. Muhammad S.A.W. informed him that the muslim is never impure. The man, Abu Hurrairah R.A. was truthful in what he felt, what he did, what he replied and Muhammad S.A.W. as always, spoke a straight word.

Allah SWT gives us glimpse of a result: “That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He wills, or turn mercifully towards them..” Al-Ahzaab: 64As-Sidq is the truth that permits neither falsehood nor hypocrisy. It is truthfulness that negates hypocrisy. It is truthfulness in all aspects of ones life which contradicts dishonesty, lies and false speech. It is As-Sidq in public and private. It is truthfulness to Allah SWT and His creation. It is truthfulness not only in speech, but also in our actions and in our belief.

Alif Lam Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We Believe”, and will not be tested. And we indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test).” [Al-Ankabut 29:1-3] It was narrated by Mu’adh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه ) that Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said: “There is none who testifies truthfully from his heart that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) is His abd (His worshipper) and Messenger, except that Allah will save him from Hell-Fire.” [Reported by Al-Bukhari]

Similar words that correspond to Truthfulness in the English language are honest, trustworthy; candid, frank. SubhanAllah, if we can understand what is the status of truthfulness, perhaps we may realize that if you have it, you need to hold on, if you do not have it, then what do you think you have to do, to try and acquire it bi’idhnillah? The status is very high, listen to Allah SWT“..Such are together with those who Allah has blessed: the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. What an excellent company such people are”

It was reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim that Anas (رضي الله عنه ) narrated from Mu'adh (رضي الله عنه ), the text of which states in Al-Bukhari that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ), when Mu'adh (رضي الله عنه ) was alongside him as a companion rider, said: “O Mu'adh ibn Jabal, “Mu'adh replied: “Labbaik, O Messenger of Allah and Sa’daik.” The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said: O Mu'adh! he replied: ‘Labbaik, O Messenger of Allah and Sa’daik’, three times. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said: “There is none who testifies truthfully from his heart, that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, except that Allah will save him from the Hell-Fire”. (Mu'adh) asked: “O Messenger of Allah, should I not inform the people about it so that they may have glad tidings?” The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) replied: “When the people hear about it they will solely depend upon it.” Mu'adh (رضي الله عنه ) narrated this Hadith just before his death- fearing that he may be committing a sin by withholding knowledge from the people.

Imaan and Nifaaq cannot exist together, except that one will eventually over take the other. Imaan is based on truthfulness, while nifaaq is based on dishonesty. A man can be performing salat and fasting, yet he only wants to implement one part of the shariah and not the rest – he follows hypocrisy instead of true imaan.

A man abandons divine laws, even though he hears the words of Allah SWT being recited, he hears sincere and true advice given to him, yet he ignores it and deliberately turns away, neglects it, desiring other than it – what truth is there in his faith? “None of you truly believes until his desire is in accordance with what I brought” NawawiSo lets try to be truthful.

Truthful to Allah SWT as Allah SWT informs us: “This day on which the truthful will profit from their truth. They shall have gardens underneath which rivers flow to live therein forever. Allah is well pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. This is supreme success.” So lets try to be truthful. Truthful to Muhammad S.A.W. by fulfilling all that the shahaadahtain requires of us for there is a time when Muhammad S.A.W. will come to the kauthar and the angels will stop some people, and after Muhammad S.A.W. identifies them as part of His Ummah, then he will be told, ‘you do not know what they did after you died’.

So lets be truthful to our fellow muslims, not only in advising and helping but also in criticizing and preventing. “Guarantee me six and I will guarantee you Paradise: be truthful when you speak, fulfill your promises, carry out what you are entrusted with, safeguard your private parts, lower your gaze and restrain your hands.” Ibn Hibban – Ubadah bin Samit.This includes in business: “Two parties in trade are free [to accept or reject the commodity], so long as they do not part. If they are truthful and clarify, their transaction will be blessed, but if they lie and conceal, the blessings of their transaction will be eradicated” Bukhari and muslim

COMPANY: “O you who believe! Have Taqwa of Allah and be with the truthful” Take you your week, and break it down, into days and hours. How many hours do you spend with other people? Of those no. of hours, who are these people? Are they amongst the truthful?

UPHOLD TRUTHFUL SPEECH, KEEP PROMISES AND FULFILL TRUSTS: “The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he makes an oath he breaks it and when is entrusted with something he betrays that trust.” Speak if you going to speak the truth, otherwise better to be silent. Give your word, if you know you able to fulfill it or will do your very best. Do your utmost best to fulfill trust given to you.

SPEECH AND ENTERTAINMENT WITH TRUTH: Do not lie, do not lie, do not lie, not even in joking. Not even to lighten up the atmosphere: “Woe to the person who lies to make people laugh, woe to him, woe to him” ….”I guarantee a house in the middle of Paradise for the one who leaves of lying even if it is in jest” Tirmidhi Always remember that this does not mean that one cannot be light hearted, pleasant and enjoy a good laugh. “A servant will not attain the clarity of faith, until he leaves of jest, lying and arguing even he is on the right” Aby Ya’la – Umar

STRIVE TO BE TRUTHFUL, MAYBE ALLAH WILL ACCEPT AND MAKE YOU SUCH: “Truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to paradise, a person remains truthful until he is written as a Siddiq with Allah. Lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to the Fire, a person keeps lying until he is written as a Khaddhab with Allah”


ISLAM menjadikan ilmu pengetahuan penggerak utama mencapai maksud merubah kehidupan ke arah lebih baik. Ilmu diangkat ke tahap paling tinggi kerana tanpa ilmu pengetahuan, segala kegiatan akan menemui kegagalan dan tidak sampai kepada matlamat sebenar, iaitu mencari keredaan Allah.


Menurut Islam, ilmu pengetahuan adalah ukur tara yang jelas bagi membezakan antara seseorang dengan yang lain. Ini dijelaskan melalui firman Allah bermaksud: “Katakanlah, adakah sama orang yang mengetahui dengan yang tidak mengetahui.” (Surah Az-Zumar, ayat 9)


Selain itu, ilmu pengetahuan juga alat bagi mencapai tahap keimanan sempurna dan pengukur ketakwaan seseorang kepada penciptanya. Ilmu dan iman tidak dapat dipisahkan. Kedua-duanya saling berhubungan dan saling mempengaruhi.


Seseorang Muslim dinilai dari segi ilmu, iman serta amalannya bagi mengukur sejauh mana ketakwaannya kepada Allah. Ia bukan dinilai dari segi keturunan, kedudukan, bangsa, kekayaan, rupa dan warna kulit. Allah meletakkan orang beriman dan berilmu ke tahap paling tinggi, seperti ditegaskan Allah dalam firmannya bermaksud: “Allah akan meninggikan orang yang beriman antara kamu dan orang yang diberikan ilmu pengetahuan beberapa darjat.” (Surah Al-Mujadalah, ayat 11)


Ilmu dapat meninggikan dan membezakan taraf di kalangan manusia. Firman Allah bermaksud: “Katakanlah adakah sama orang berilmu dengan orang yang tidak berilmu? Sesungguhnya mereka yang mendapat peringatan dan petunjuk hanyalah di kalangan hambanya yang berilmu dan bijaksana.” (Surah al-Zumar, ayat 9)


Daripada Ka’ab bin Malik, katanya: Aku mendengar Rasulullah SAW bersabda bermaksud: “Sesiapa yang menuntut ilmu (agama) untuk menyaingi ulama, atau berbahas dengan orang jahil, atau supaya dengan ilmu itu wajah orang ramai tertumpu kepadanya, maka Allah masukkan dia ke dalam neraka.” (Hadis riwayat al-Tirmizi dan Ibn Majah)


Ilmu agama atau ilmu yang ada dalam al-Quran dan sunnah akan menjadi benteng mencegah seseorang daripada melakukan perkara dilarang syariat, dapat menolak kejahilan dan kebodohan sama ada dalam perkara agama atau mengejar kebendaan duniawi.


Pelbagai jenis ilmu keduniaan seperti kejuruteraan, kedoktoran, pertanian dan sebagainya dapat membantu kesejahteraan hidup manusia di dunia. Penekanan terhadap kepentingan dan keperluan menuntut ilmu membuktikan Islam memartabatkan ilmu pengetahuan dan orang yang berilmu. Baginda Rasulullah SAW bersabda bermaksud: “Menuntut ilmu itu adalah wajib ke atas tiap-tiap orang Islam lelaki dan perempuan.” (Hadis riwayat Ibn 'Adiyy, Al-Bayhaqi dan Al-Tabarani)


Kedudukan serta martabat orang berilmu diangkat dan diletakkan di tempat yang tinggi. Ilmu dapat mengangkat darjat seseorang kepada darjat yang tinggi di sisi Allah dan masyarakat. Firman Allah bermaksud: “Allah mengangkat beberapa darjat orang yang beriman dan orang yang diberi ilmu pengetahuan.” (Surah al-Mujadalah, ayat 11)


Ilmu pengetahuan akan membawa manusia ke arah kebahagiaan hidup di dunia dan akhirat, memberi kekuatan ketika dalam kesusahan dan berhadapan dengan musuh. Dengan ilmu, manusia dapat menjalankan ibadah secara sempurna serta melaksanakan peranan sebagai khalifah Allah di muka bumi dengan sebaiknya.


Di Malaysia, sumber ilmu melalui penghasilan buku sangat sedikit. Hasil kajian profil membaca Malaysia oleh Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (PNM) pada 1996 mendapati hanya 10,310 judul buku dalam pelbagai bidang didaftarkan setahun, berbanding 180,000 judul di China, 116,000 judul di United Kingdom, 60,000 judul di Amerika Syarikat dan 45,000 judul di India. Daripada 10,310 judul buku berdaftar setahun yang dihasilkan perangkaan PNM itu, hanya 1,273 atau 32 peratus saja buku ilmiah dikategorikan boleh meningkatkan minda, inovasi dan keilmuan kepada pembaca. Yang lain adalah bahan bacaan santai di samping buku teks akademik dan kanak-kanak.


Rasulullah SAW mengajarkan sahabat untuk selalu berlindung daripada sifat malas. Rasulullah SAW bersabda yang bermaksud: “Siapa merintis jalan mencari ilmu, maka Allah akan memudahkan baginya jalan ke syurga.” (Hadis riwayat Muslim)


Sebenarnya, ilmu yang ada pada kita amat sedikit. Alangkah sayangnya jika ilmu yang sedikit dikurniakan Allah gagal untuk dimanfaatkan bagi tujuan agama dan ummah. Allah berfirman bermaksud: “Katakanlah wahai Muhammad, kalaulah semua jenis lautan menjadi tinta untuk menulis kalimah Tuhanku, sudah tentu akan habis kering lautan itu sebelum habis kalimah Tuhanku, walaupun kami tambahi lagi dengan lautan yang sebanding dengannya sebagai bantuan.” (Surah Al-Kahfi, ayat 109)


Justeru, kajian yang dibuat adalah bertujuan untuk mencari ilmu, bukan untuk bersaing dengan ilmuwan yang ada, bukan berbahas demi memperoleh kemenangan dan bukan untuk menjadi masyhur. Ia ditulis hanyalah untuk mencari keredaan Allah semata-mata. Satu peringatan keras daripada Rasulullah SAW, dilaporkan daripada Abu Hurairah, sabda Baginda SAW bermaksud: “Sesiapa yang mempelajari sesuatu ilmu yang dengannya dicari reda Allah, tetapi dia tidak mempelajarinya kecuali untuk mendapatkan habuan dunia, maka dia tidak akan mendapat bau syurga pada hari kiamat.” (Hadis riwayat Abu Daud dan Ibn Majah)


Niat menuntut ilmu juga penting kerana jika tujuan mendalami sesuatu bidang tidak bagi mencapai keredaan Allah, maka rugi di dunia apatah lagi di akhirat. Saidina Ali bin Abi Thalib pernah berkata: “Ilmu diiringi dengan perbuatan. Barang siapa berilmu maka dia harus berbuat. Ilmu memanggil perbuatan. Jika dia menjawabnya, maka ilmu tetap bersamanya, namun jika tidak maka ilmu pergi darinya.” Seharusnya ketika ini kita sudah bersedia untuk memecahkan gumpalan pemikiran lama yang menjadikan tesis dan bahan kajian sekadar menjadi simbol kebanggaan yang langsung tidak dimanfaatkan.


Alangkah baiknya jika semua analisis dan kajian dibuat dapat diterjemahkan untuk tujuan pelaksanaan demi kepentingan dan pembangunan ummah. Tidak bolehkah kajian itu diwakafkan demi kepentingan tamadun ummah. Memecahkan gumpalan pemikiran yang sudah berabad itu memang tidak mudah. Tetapi itulah agenda besar yang harus dilaksanakan jika ingin mengembalikan dinamik Islam ke arah berdaya saing.


Sudah lama kita dilihat lemah dan tidak berkeupayaan untuk membuktikan Islam adalah pelopor serta menjadi paksi kemajuan dunia. Ingatlah, buku adalah gudangnya ilmu dan membaca itu adalah kuncinya. Diriwayatkan, Rasulullah SAW ada memberitahu kepada Abu Dzar: “Wahai Abu Dzar, kamu pergi mengajarkan ayat dari Kitabullah lebih baik bagimu dari solat seratus rakaat. Dan, pergi mengajarkan satu bab ilmu pengetahuan, dilaksanakan atau tidak, itu lebih baik dari solat seribu rakaat.” ( Hadis riwayat Ibnu Majah)

Characteristics of Solat


Sahih Al - Bukhari hadithVolume 1, Book 12, Number 701:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) said, "The Imam is to be followed. Say the Takbir when he says it; bow if he bows; if he says 'Sami a-l-lahu Liman hamida', say, ' Rabbana wa-laka-l-hamd', prostrate if he prostrates and pray sitting altogether if he prays sitting."


Sahih Al - Bukhari HadithVolume 1, Book 12, Number 703:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: I saw that whenever Allah's Apostle (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) stood for the prayer, he used to raise both his hands up to the shoulders, and used to do the same on saying the Takbir for bowing and on raising his head from it and used to say, "Sami a-l-lahu Liman hamida". But he did not do that (i.e. raising his hands) in prostrations.


Sahih Al - Bukhari HadithVolume 1, Book 12, Number 705:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: I saw Allah's Apostle (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) opening the prayer with the Takbir and raising his hands to the level of his shoulders at the time of saying the Takbir, and on saying the Takbir for bowing he did the same; and when he said, "Sami a-l-lahu Liman hamida ", he did the same and then said, "Rabbana wa laka-l-hamd." But he did not do the same on prostrating and on lifting the head from it."


Sahih Al - Bukhari HadithVolume 1, Book 12, Number 707:

Narrated Sahl bin Sa'd: The people were ordered to place the right hand on the left forearm in the prayer. Abu Hazim said, "I knew that the order was from the Prophet ." (sallalahu alayhi wa salam)


Sahih Al - Bukhari HadithVolume 1, Book 12, Number 711:

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) used to keep silent between the Takbir and the recitation of Qur'an and that interval of silence used to be a short one. I said to the Prophet "May my parents be sacrificed for you! What do you say in the pause between Takbir and recitation?" The Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) said, "I say, 'Allahumma, ba'id baini wa baina khatayaya kama ba'adta baina-l-mashriqi wa-l-maghrib. Allahumma, naqqim min khatayaya kama yunaqqa-ththawbu-l-abyadu mina-ddanas. Allahumma, ighsil khatayaya bil-ma'i wa-th-thalji wal-barad (O Allah! Set me apart from my sins (faults) as the East and West are set apart from each other and clean me from sins as a white garment is cleaned of dirt (after thorough washing). O Allah! Wash off my sins with water, snow and hail.)"

Pearls of Wisdom


1. Worship has four characteristics: the fulfillment of pledges, observing the limits of the law, contentment with one's actual condition, and patience in the midst of loses. [Ibn Abbad]


2. Worship is a quality inherent in the servant, which prompts him to obey the Divine Commands, avoid what is forbidden, and be resigned to the Divine decrees. [Ibn Abbad]


3. You must understand that God more than substitutes for every transient thing. Indeed the one who finds God wants nothing else; but the one who loses Him possesses nothing. [Ibn Abbad]


4. Contentment is the widest door to God, the garden of this world, and the resting place for God's servants. [Ibn Abbad]


5. A person who renounces something for his Lord will be more than compensated with strong faith and the rewards of obedience to the Lord of the Universe. [Ibn Abbad]


6. Anyone who makes the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) his rule in word and deed speaks with wisdom. [Othman al Hariri]


7. When one conforms himself to the examples of the Prophet (peace be upon him), God illumines his heart with the light of intimate knowledge. [Ibn Ata'Allah]


8. Learn from those who know more than you do and teach those who know less than you do. [Ibn Mas'ud radi Allah anhu]


9. Lead men to God and none other than Him; for anyone who leads you to this world has deceived you, and anyone who leads you to work alone makes you weary, and anyone who leads you to God has befriended you. [Ibn Abbad]


10. Wisdom is the lost property of the Believer, so take wisdom wherever you find it, even from a disbeliever. [Ali radi Allah anhu]


Sahih Al - Bukhari Hadith


Good deeds are multiplied for those who follow Islam strictly


Assalammualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam
All praises are due to Allah subhana wa taala The owner of the day of judgement, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.



Sahih Al - Bukhari HadithVolume 1, Book 2, Number 40:
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) said, "If any one of you improve (follows strictly) his Islamic religion then his good deeds will be rewarded ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed and a bad deed will be recorded as it is."

Sahih Al - Bukhari HadithVolume 1, Book 2, Number 43:
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: Once a Jew said to me, "O the chief of believers! There is a verse in your Holy Book Which is read by all of you (Muslims), and had it been revealed to us, we would have taken that day (on which it was revealed as a day of celebration." 'Umar bin Al-Khattab asked, "Which is that verse?" The Jew replied, "This day I have perfected your religion For you, completed My favor upon you, And have chosen for you Islam as your religion." (5:3) 'Umar replied,"No doubt, we know when and where this verse was revealed to the Prophet. It was Friday and the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) was standing at 'Arafat (i.e. the Day of Hajj)"

Sahih Al - Bukhari HadithVolume 1, Book 2, Number 49:
Narrated An-Nu'man bin Bashir: I heard Allah's Apostle (sallalahu alayhi wa salam) saying, 'Both legal and illegal things are evident but in between them there are doubtful (suspicious) things and most of the people have no knowledge about them. So whoever saves himself from these suspicious things saves his religion and his honor. And whoever indulges in these suspicious things is like a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king has a Hima and the Hima of Allah on the earth is His illegal (forbidden) things. 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.