From the benefits of Tawheed and Al-Istighfaar:

Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

“For Tawheed removes the essence of Shirk and al-Istighfaar erases its branches. Therefore the most lofty Praise is saying: لا اله الا الله (Laa ilaaha illallaah) and the most lofty du`aa is saying: أستغفر الله (astaghfiru-llaah).”

[Majmoo` al-Fataawa (11/697)]

(Source: bintnadeem)

The means to a righteous heart – Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan

Question: What is the way to the righteousness of the heart and to purify it from hatred and envy? And what are the most helpful means to make the heart righteous in this life?

Answer:

Righteousness of the heart is achieved by a few things.

The first: having a sincere intention for Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, in the righteous deeds. And remembering the Greatness of Allaah, the Majestic and Exalted, remembering that you stand in need of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and increasing in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah. Allaah, the Most High, has said:

{Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah – Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allaah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest.}

[Soorah ar-Ra’d (13): 28]

So from that which brings the heart to life, is increasing in the remembrance of Allaah. And verily, he (the Prophet) – sallal-Laahu ‘alayhi wa sallam – has said:

“The example of the one who remembers Allaah and the one who doesn’t remember Allaah, is like the example of the living and the dead.”

Also from the means of bringing the heart to life, is eating from halaal (legal, permissible food) and staying away from eating haraam (forbidden food). For verily, eating from haraam hardens the heart, corrupts the heart or makes the heart sick. Because bad food influences the heart and the body.

Also from the means of bringing the heart to life… Allaah, the Most High, has said:

{O (you) Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibaat (all kinds of Halaal foods which Allaah has made legal), and do righteous deeds.}

[Soorah al-Mu’minoon (23):51]

And Allaah has ordered the believers with that which He ordered the Messengers with. He said:

{O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah – Islamic Monotheism)! Eat of the Tayyibaat that We have provided you with.}

[Soorah al-Baqarah (2):172]

He should eat from the Tayyibaat, meaning: the permissible things. Because Allaah makes the Tayyibaat permissible for us and makes the Khabaa’ith (all evil and bad things) forbidden for us. So eating from the Tayyibaat, which are the permissible things, feeds the hearts a good meal. And eating from the Khabaa’ith feeds the hearts a bad meal.

That which makes the hearts sick as well, is listening to songs and musical instruments, which has increased alot in this time! And that which makes the hearts sick as well or makes it die, is being devoted to satellite TV, the internet and what is broadcasted in these media from wickedness, evil thoughts, forbidden desires and disgusting scenes. This is from that which makes the hearts sick.

Also, accompanying bad people and sitting with them corrupts the hearts. Similarly, accompanying the best people, the scholars and the people of khayr (good), is from that which brings the hearts to life.

Translated by: Yâsîn Abu Ibrâhîm

(Source: abdurrahmanorg)

The Importance of Tawheed

pearlsofislam:

17 Points on the Benefits and Virtues of Tawheed

1. It is the pillar upon which Islam is built.The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said “Islaam is built upon five: the tawheed of Allah…” [Related by Muslim, no. 19]

2. The greatest need for mankind, since there is no life for the hearts nor delight nor tranquility except through knowing their Lord, the one to be worshipped, the Creator.

3. It is the most noble branch of knowledge. As Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) mentioned, when he called his book which he compiled concerning the Usool ud Deen (Fundamentals of the Religion) “Fiqh al Akbar” (the Greatest Fiqh).

4. It was the key and essence of the call of the messengers “Verily we have sent to every nation a messenger saying worship Allah and avoid the worship of false gods” (Qur’an, 16:36)

5. Because Allah has created us to worship Him, “I have not created the jinn and mankind but to worship me” then how can we worship Allah if we don’t know who He is? It is only through knowledge of His names and attributes we can learn about Allah.

6. Firmness upon the deen, excellence in this world and salvation in the Hereafter is built upon this.

1. a) because when you know Allah, His names, attributes and Actions this necessitates loving Him, fearing Him, placing reliance upon Him etc.
2. b) when you know what allah loves and is pleased with or angered and displeased with, you will rush to fulfil what He loves and avoid what He hates.

7. Its great emphasis in the Qur’an. The Qur’an begins with Tawheed (Surah Al Fatihah) and ends with Tawheed (Surah Al Ikhlas), likewise the greatest ayat in the Qur’an describes Tawheed (of knowledge).

8. The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) began his day with Tawheed by reciting Surah Al Kafiroon and Surah Al Ikhlas in the Sunan of Fajr and end with reciting these two Surahs in the Witr prayer [Related by Muslim].

9. The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) mentioned it during his last illness (shows its importance) when he said “the curse of Allah be upon the Jews and the Christians for they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship.” [Sahih Bukhari]

10. It’s the first thing the prophet invited to and preached to for thirteen years. “say, none has the right to be worshipped and thus be successful.” [Imam Ahmad 4/63]

11. And he ordered his compnions to preach Tawheed when sending them to various communities. He sent Muadh ibn jabal (radhiAllahu ‘anhu_ to Yemen saying “indeed you are going to the people of the book so let the first thing that you invite them to be the Tawheed of Allah” [SahihBukhari, 1/13]

12. You have to compromise the three aspects together and not just believe in one, merely with the meaning “the one who has the power to create and originate” as the arab mushriks used to agree that Allah alone is the creator of everything, despite this they were still mushriks. Plus this was not the true reality which Allah sent the messengers with, but rather we must believe in his Ruboobiyah, Uloohiyah, and Asma was Sifaat together.

13. When you belive in the three aspects of Tawheed. i.e Ruboobiyah - you will negate any source of harm, blessing, power from any other than Allah. Uloohiyah - this will stopyou from committing shirk. Asma was sifaat - to have the correct knowledge of this will prevent you from distorting any of Allah’s Names and Attributes, or explaining them, or denying them or asking how they are.

14. If a person dies upon this he will enter Paradise. When the Jewish boy accepted Islam, the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “All praise is for Allah who saved this boy from the fire.” Although this person had no good deed.  [Bukhari]

15. Tawheed is a condition for an action to be accepted, because for a deed to be accepted it requires 2 conditions.

1. a) The intention is purely for Allah (Tawheed al Ibaadah)
2. b) It must be in accordance with the Shari’ah of Muhammad (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

16. It strengthens ones heart and makes one firmer and well rooted. Then as a result ones deeds will multiply and likewise his worship of Allah will be greater.

17. It makes it easier to fulfil the commands of Allah and leave the prohibitions as Aaisha (radhiAllahu ‘anha) said: “Had the first revelation been do not drink and fornicate or commit adultery etc they would have said we shall not give up adultery and fornication etc.” [Bukhari from Yusuf ibn Maalik]

For it was only after Tawheed was understood by the companions and had settled in their hearts that Allah began to order them with various commands.

(Source)

“We were once in a time when we did not think anyone learned the Quran seeking anything but Allâh the Exalted, but now I fear there are men who learn it and intend the people and what they can get from them. So seek Allâh with your recitation and deeds. For verily, we used to know you when Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – was amongst us, when revelation would descend and Allâh would tell us about you. As for today, Allâh’s Messenger – peace and blessings be upon him – has passed on, and the revelations has stopped; and I only know you as I say: whoever shows what is good, we love him for it and think good of him, and whoever shows what is evil, we hate him for it and suspect him. Your secret and private matters are between you and your Lord the Mighty and Majestic.”

-Umar b. Al-Khattâb (radi allahu anhu) [Al-Âjurrî, Akhlâq Hamalat Al-Qur`ân article 26]

(via nonchalante)