Life Lessons From My Grandfather Mohamed bin Ali (RahimahUllah)

Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un – verily, to Allah we belong, and verily to Him we shall return..

2 weeks ago, on the morning of Saturday, 23^rd February 2013, my grandfather of 81 years old, Mohamed ibn Ali – passed away. May Allah have Mercy on him, rahimahUllahu rahmatan wasi’ah.

My grandfather – whom we call Tok Wei – was indeed a good man, and here I’d like to share a humble list of three (3) valuble Reminders about life, which really struck a cord in me, upon reflecting his life and death. 

It is with the intention that this is a means that people will benefit from as beneficial knowledge, which will add to his account of continuous good deeds even after his departure from this world, as described in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam):

“When a man dies, his deeds come to an end (in being written), except three:

(i)                 recurring charity, or

(ii)               knowledge (by which people) benefit, or

(iii)             a righteous son, who prays for him (for the deceased).”

(Sahih Muslim, Book 13, Hadith #4006)

Of course, 3 lessons alone definitely don’t do justice - in comparison to the ocean of good deeds that he has done: rather this personal tribute is intended as a concise life reminder, restricted by the relatively little time being spent with him (may Allah have mercy on him), and this author’s personal weakness in his wisdom, knowledge, and ability of deriving more lessons & benefit.

Alhamdulillah ala kulli hal, it is hoped that this humble tribute will be of benefit to him, however small or big it may be, and with hopes that you, dear reader, will share this to others, out of love for your Muslim brother.

To sum it up – here is a translation of an Arab poetry:

“O son of Adam, when you came into this world, you were crying and people around you were smiling in happiness.

Live your live such that, when you leave this world, you are smiling in happiness, and people around you are crying”

1.     Leave Behind A Good Legacy

Tok Wei’s defining character trait was that of an exemplary teacher with a huge list of successful students; and as we mentioned in the saying of the Prophet earlier, this is a great investment to him, rewards of which he will continue to reap even after his departure from this world. 

But his iconic footprints left more than just ‘knowledge’ amongst students: He wasn’t a dato’ or a tan sri, or even had a PhD: he was a teacher who was passionate about educating others & enriching their lives with knowledge; so much so that he was awarded with the “Tokoh Guru Negara” (National Teacher Figure) award in the year 2000.

Even while he was alive, this man was a walking legend. While we were young (while he was in his 60s), we would walk with him in his hometown Kota Bharu – and he would receive warm greetings, handshakes and casual conversations from just about every middle-aged person in town. And when you looked at the kind of greetings he received from these random people in the streets, it wasn’t the “Oh, it’s my ex-boss” kind of stare, or the “oh it’s HIM” evasive manoeuvre to avoid any form of contact – rather, it’s a greeting with the genuine look of gratitude from his former students whom, from the look of their eyes, harboured a deep feeling of love and respect.

And here’s a recent incident I’ll never forget: In 2011, he was with us in KL for a family gathering for a few days. After a few days, the Sultan of Kelantan – who, by the way, sets a fine example to the people for being very diligent at consistently praying the daily congregational prayers at the mosque in the same area as Tok Wei’s house – he noticed that Tok Wei hasn’t been around for prayers at the mosque.

At this, one day after Fajr/Subuh (morning) prayer, he asked the people & the congregation, in a concerned tone: “Mana cikgu saya? Lama saya tak nampak dia” (Where is my teacher? I haven’t seen him for quite a while!)

Now this is something you gotta take a step back and think about: A few days gone from prayer and the Sultan is concerned & asks about you by name.

Now that’s a genuine sign of gratitude that money or fame can’t buy.

But it’s interesting to reflect back at how he built such a great reputation for himself. After all, there are so many teachers out there: what makes him standout with such high level of personal & societal recognition?

It was a passion to educate & enrich people’s lives with knowledge.

From what my mother and the aunties/uncles described to us, the first defining aspect was because he personally conducted extra tuition classes. In those days (60s & 70s), this was a rare thing: most students didn’t have extra tuition, because hardly any teachers would do this. Unlike the situation today, back then teachers were in short supply, and most would have their hands full with their educational efforts at school (on top of their regular family duties); conducting additional tuition classes would be difficult, drain a lot of their time & be very tiring.

So, when you have a family of six children & still have the determination to conduct extra tuition classes, this reveals something more than teaching as a profession or a “job”: it’s your passion. And perhaps it was this passion that drove & inspired so many of his students achieving success.

We could see this reflected in the way he taught us. He would talk to us in private, motivate and reward us for our achievements in our studies: even in the final weeks before his death he was sending personal messages to my sister, uplifting her spirits and promising to reward her good results.  

A little passion can go a long way, indeed. Again, the question to us is: what do WE want to be remembered for? When we leave this world, what sort of footsteps do we want others to follow in?

Here lies a profound lesson to all of us today: sometimes we fail to truly give justice in acknowledging or commending the numerous teachers – especially ustazs or shaykhs who conduct classes or give reminders for us, at night or during weekends. Many of them have full-time job commitments and families to take care of – yet they would find time at nights or during the weekends to squeeze in so they can spread extra knowledge for the sake of Allah. Some of them don’t even expect a single cent in payment

The fact that they receive their rewards from Allah is one thing, but on our side, it is upon us to recognize their efforts in helping make a difference in our lives.

the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) said:

“Those who are not thankful to the people, they are not thankful to Allah” (narrated in Tirmidzi, Ahmad & Abu Daud)

Sometimes, subconsciously we have this selfish thought that “oh they have knowledge so it’s expected they must spread knowledge” – but the reality is, it’s a demanding task & requires serious effort. Many people don’t even make commitment to GO to class: how about those who prepare & CONDUCT them? They have families too, they have chores too, they have challenges too.. so do we truly give them the recognition they deserve?

At the very least, we should make sincere du’aa (invocations & supplications) to Allah for every single one of our teachers - to forgive all them, give barakah (blessings) to their knowledge, keep them steadfast, and reward them with Jannah (Paradise).

The du’aa for another Muslim in their absence has a special place & reward in the sight of Allah; the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “The du’aa (supplication) of a Muslim for his brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Every time he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: `Ameen! May it be for you, too’.” (Sahih Muslim, Book #035, Hadith #6589).

But back to the lesson at hand: leaving behind a good legacy.

As we live our lives, we should take a step back, and honestly ask ourselves the question – what do we want to be remembered for? What legacy do I want to leave behind? If I were to die today, what would people remember or acknowledge me for? What will GOD remember ME as?

Really, we have only one shot at life: one shot to set our mark, and it’s too short to live our 

lives in autopilot & on mechanical routines. Way too short to just ‘survive’ from cradle to the grave. 

Have a genuine passion of what you want to pursue in your life, and never let go of that passion: that very passion will be what defines you, and the legacy you leave behind.

2.     A Good Life, a Good Ending

Tok Wei led a simple life – but he enjoyed it. He would appreciate & enjoy good food, love good books, like good scenery, take long & healthy morning walks, and was consistent at praying in congregation at the  mosque every day. He never busied himself with relentless pursuits of hoarding wealth or fame.

He was also blessed with good health; with the exception of a bypass surgery he undertook about 10 years ago, he did not suffer from any ailments or diseases. In fact, no one saw his death coming – only 2 weeks before that we were having a family holiday & picnic together and he was 100% with his friendly smile and warm words of encouragement.

It’s an important reminder for all of us to live simple, happy and thankful lives – right NOW. Don’t wait for retirement. How many of us, we get caught up so badly in the web of our busy schedule, complicated politics, relentless pursuit of material wealth, that we become grumpy, irritable, unthankful, defensive, always complaining – and we just forget to simply take a step back and enjoy life. There a thousands of reasons why we should be happy and thankful – and yet we allow those few little things to ‘ruin my day’.

But the most touching aspect of his departure was the beautiful ending (Husn Al-Khatimah) which Allah had blessed him with - at the end of the day, when he left this world, everyone who knew him, held him in high regard & did not harbour any ill-feelings whatsoever with him.

In fact, as far as I know, I have never heard of any individual harbour any ill-feelings toward him or see anyone treat him with any sign of negativity. It seemed that everyone who knew him, loved – or at least greatly respected – him.

Perhaps – and I pray that this is indeed the case – this is a good sign that Tok Wei is amongst those whom the Prophet described was the result of being a person who is beloved to Allah :

"When Allah loves a slave, He calls (the angel) Jibreel and says: Verily, I so and so; you should also love him, and then Jibreel begins to love him.

Then he (Jibreel) makes an announcement in the heaven saying: Allah loves so and so and you also love him,

and then the inhabitants of the Heaven (the angels) also begin to love him

and then there is conferred honour upon him in the earth"

(Sahih Muslim, Book #032, Hadith #6373)

The "beautiful ending" was indeed something memorable to me. There was a huge blessing & wisdom that Allah took away his life at around 2:00am on a Saturday morning (i.e. Friday midnight): that left family members enough time to rush off to buy last minute air tickets to fly to hometown; and since it was a Saturday – on a weekend – our jobs did not get in the way. Alhamdulillah, all praise and thanks to Allah, by late morning almost the entire family was there in time for the funeral procession. It was indeed a sad day, but at the same time, it was heartwarming & positively touching that the whole family got together. 

Amazingly the timing subsequently allowed for a bigger crowd for the congregational funeral prayer. Because the funeral (washing & shrouding of the body) could only start in the morning after sunlight (and we were done around 12pm), we would pray the funeral prayer in congregation after Zuhur prayer (around 1:30pm): this gave us plenty of time to rest and announce the funeral prayer to get as many people as possible to the congregation. Numerous ex-students and distant family members flew in just for his funeral: some of which we didn’t even know. 

So when it did take place, Tok Wei’s funeral prayer had quite a big crowd: a privilege that many deceased don’t get, especially when things are in a rush or when timing’s not right. And that is an amazing blessing.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said,

“If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah stand over his prayer (they offer prayer over him), Allah will accept them as intercessors for him.”  (Sahih Muslim, Book #004, Hadith #2072)

“If a Muslim dies and his funeral prayer is attended by a group of a hundred Muslims, and they all sincerely pray for his forgiveness, he is forgiven'." (Hadith narrated by Ahmad, Muslim, and Tirmidzi)

And since the weather was fine, funeral procession was very quick & straightforward: by around 3pm, we were done: very easy on all of us.

In retrospect, all these facts indeed indicate that on top of the simple & enjoyable life he lived, Allah had honoured Tok Wei with a beautiful ending. And although we were in tears and sad of his departure, I also felt happy that he departed peacefully in the company of his loved ones in a very straightforward funeral procession.

And pondering about this brings tears down my eyes: tears of joy for him, and for fear of myself & other family members & friends around me.

Who knows what our ending may be? Who knows that our true evil will only be made manifest in the final moments of our lives? Who knows that perhaps: those people we thought were ‘lost’ might make a turn towards the final moments of their lives, and Allah brings out the true goodness in them that they become the people of Paradise?

The Prophet said,

“a man may do deeds characteristic of the people of the (hell) Fire, so much so that there is only the distance of a cubit between him and it, and then what has been written (by the angel) surpasses, and so he starts doing deeds characteristic of the people of paradise and enters paradise.

Similarly, a person may do deeds characteristic of the people of paradise, so much so that there is only the distance of a cubit between him and it, and then what has been written (by the angel) surpasses, and he starts doing deeds of the people of the (hell) Fire and enters the (hell) Fire."  (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #55, Hadith #549)

“And (the results of) deeds depend on the last actions” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

May Allah keep us steadfast upon His obedience, to bless us with a good ending, and allow us to depart from this world leaving behind a good legacy that will be of continual benefit to us after we depart, and may He unite us with our families in the highest levels of Jannah amongst those which He described: 

“And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith,

to them shall We join their offspring,

and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything.

Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned.” 

(Qur’an Surah At-Tur 52:21)

3.     A Man of Peace

For as long as I can remember, Tok Wei has never ever spoken ill, spoken against, or backbitten against anyone at all. The same holds true for any physical harm: I have never even heard rumours about him harming anyone or anything – save from foxes and snakes in his backyard.

And perhaps this – and I pray that it is - a sign that he is amongst the best of Muslims.

A person asked the Prophet who was among the Best of the Muslims.

The prophet said: "(the one) whose hand and tongue, other Muslims are safe (from)"
(sahih Muslim, Book #001, Hadith #0064)

He never participated in group discussions (you know, the type where the most gossips, backbiting and rumour mills spreading): his conversations are one-on-one, personal discussions, very straight to the point, very pleasant, with a smile never leaving his face.

There’s a physical reason behind this: the thing about Tok Wei is that since I was very young (perhaps for the past 20 years or so), he couldn’t hear very well. As a result of that for quite a significant portion of his later life, he didn’t have much conversations. But instead of it being seen like a handicap, he managed to utilize this to a beneficial advantage : he would never participate in any vain, negative or idle talk whatsoever.

This allowed him to completely disassociate himself from any form of gossip and backbiting; thus, coupled with his peaceful and harmless nature, and his very consistent ibadah (worship) at the masjid, this allowed him to retain perhaps all of his good deeds.

Unlike many of us who DO have the perfect ability of speech and hearing, that we always abuse ourselves by negative use of our tongue – inadvertently eroding our good deeds.

The Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Do you know who is the one who is bankrupt?”

They said: “Among us, the one who is bankrupt is the one who has no dirhams and no goods.”

He said: “Rather, the one who is bankrupt amongst my ummah (nation) is the one who will come on the Day of Resurrection with (his good deeds, of) prayer, fasting and zakaah,

but he will come having insulted this one, slandered that one, consumed the wealth of this one, shed the blood of that one and beaten this one,

all of whom will be given some of his hasanaat (good deeds), and if his hasanaat run out before the scores have been settled, some of their sins will be taken and thrown onto him, then he will be cast into the Fire.” (Sahih Muslim, Book #032, Hadith #6251)

So, while he wasn’t a great scholar or a memorizer of Qur’an, but because he didn’t oppress anyone with his tongue or his hand, all of his deeds remain intact. And this reminds me of how important akhlaq (good character) is in our lives. On the other hand, many of those who claim to have knowledge and are very active in the deen, are guilty of so much verbal abuse and risk nullifying their deeds.

This is a reminder to us about a very devious way in which Satan subconsciously attacks us – by shifting our priorities & making us belittle the importance of good character, especially of guarding the tongue from harmful and oppressive speech: as a result, we are continuously led down a hole which slowly eats away the good deeds which we spent so much effort in sowing.

So for those of us who do have perfect hearing and perfect speech, let everyone never forget this golden rule – the Prophet said,

“.. whomsoever believes in Allah and the Last Day (i.e. Day of Judgment), let him speak what is good, or just remain silent!” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #73, Hadith #47)

And subhanAllah the following hadith gives a real optimism about Tok Wei, and makes me ponder my own shortcomings  

“I will tell you the distinguishing marks of a person for whom the fire of Hell has been made unlawful and who is a forbidden person for Hellfire to consume:

He is a man who bears a sweet temper, tender heart and is soft spoken” (Narrated in Tirmidzi)

As per Lesson #1, it’s worth reflecting from this point of view: what if we were to die TODAY? Will it be a sad departure of a person who brought benefit to others – or a sigh of relief as the world releases a big burden from itself?

It’s easy to let petty worldly arguments let our guard down in terms of observing our good character, as we lose professionalism and sometimes leaves heavy marks on people’s hearts. From our backbiting, our slander, our offensive demeanor: Is this ‘baggage’ something that we want to drag with us when we leave? A source

Because really, if our tongues and bad character can lead to our destruction, are we better of being mute and deaf? How ungrateful are we for these great blessings that God has blessed us with.

Our tongue, our character – can make or break us.

Tread carefully: depart in peace!

Alhamdulillah, that’s the end of this entry. While – I must say again, these 3 points definitely do not do justice to the ocean of good deeds and goodness that was my grandfather, Mr. Mohamed Ali a.k.a. “Tok Wei”, it is hoped that, with this small effort, in my individual capacity as his eldest grandson, it is a means of attaining the highest levels of Paradise, with Allah Most High.

Once again, I remind myself and to all readers out there, to make du’aa (supplications to Allah) for him, especially with this du’aa taught by the Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasallam):

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ، وَعَافِهِ، وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ، وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدْ، وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَما نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَاراً خَيْراً مِنْ دَارِهِ، وَأَهْلاً خَيْراً مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَزَوْجاً خَيْراً مِنْ زَوْجِهِ، وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ النَّارِ

O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him and give him strength and pardon him. Be generous to him and cause his entrance to be wide and wash him with water and snow and hail. Cleanse him of his transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give him an abode better than his home, and a family better than his family and a wife better than his wife. Take him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave (and from the punishment of Hell-fire).
(Sahih muslim)

Selling your Subordinates' Ideas

A very inspiring leadership trait is that, when your subordinate proposes an initiative or an idea, you challenge them to ensure the proposal is solid enough, and when you finally become convinced, you take ownership of the idea and really try to sell it to others too, because you believe in it.

Some bosses, when you finally convince them, they agree, yet when they get a bit challenge, remarks , or criticism from higher management, or other stakeholders, etc, they become defensive politicians; they look at you and say “you tell them”, and shift the blame to you and just remark “I don’t know – it was his idea”, or “yeah, you’re right - I always thought it was a stupid idea”.

Some bosses don’t care about initiatives or new ideas - they don't want to challenge the status quo or make their lives difficult: they just want to have things easy.

But some bosses, have this remarkable trait that, after you convince them, they will have so much faith & belief in your idea that they will drive your proposal for you, and sometimes even do a better job than you to sell your ideas to make it fly. They display utmost conviction in their decision to sell your idea, and they inspire you to become more progressive, productive, and motivated.

And this is the leadership trait that Caliph Abu Bakr (radhiAllahu anhu) had when Umar tried to convince him to scribe the Qur’an, and then he sold the idea to his scribe, Zaid ibn Thabit - (radhiAllahu anhum). 

(Take note: He never said, “Umar, I told you it wasn’t a good idea – YOU explain to this guy”)

Narrated Zaid bin Thabit:

Abu Bakr (the Khalifah) sent for me after the large number of casualties in the battle of Al-Yamama, while 'Umar was sitting with him.

Abu Bakr said (to me), 'Umar has come to me and said, “A great number of memorizers of the Holy Quran were killed on the day of the battle of Al-Yamama, and I am afraid that the casualties among the Qaris of the Quran may increase on other battle-fields whereby a large part of the Quran may be lost.

Therefore I consider it advisable that you (Abu Bakr) should have the Qur'an collected.'

I (Abu Bakr) said, 'How dare I do something which Allah's Messenger did not do?'

'Umar said, By Allah, it is something beneficial.' '

Umar kept on pressing me for that till Allah opened my heart for that for which He had opened the heart of 'Umar, and I had in that matter, the same opinion as 'Umar had."

Abu Bakr then said to me (Zaid), "You are a wise young man and we do not have any suspicion about you, and you used to write the Divine Inspiration for Allah's Apostle.

So you should search for the fragmentary scripts of the Quran and collect it (in one Book)."

Zaid further said: By Allah, if Abu Bakr had ordered me to shift a mountain among the mountains from one place to another it would not have been heavier for me than this ordering me to collect the Qur'an.

Then I said (to 'Umar and Abu Bakr), "How can you do something which Allah's Apostle did not do?"

Abu Bakr said, "By Allah, it is something beneficial."

Zaid added: So he (Abu Bakr) kept on pressing me for that until Allah opened my heart for that for which He had opened the hearts of Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and I had in that matter, the same opinion as theirs.

So I started compiling the Quran by collecting it from the leafless stalks of the date-palm tree and from the pieces of leather and hides and from the stones, and from the chests of men (who had memorized the Quran).

(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #60, Hadith #201)

Your contributions = A Piece of the Puzzle: Playing your part in the Big Picture

Reflections from last weekend's Twins of Faith 2012 -

"What difference can i make? I am only one person?"

Many of us underestimate the potential of our contributions and the true goodness it can bring.

As the saying goes, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts", and Alhamdulillah - all praise and thanks to Allah - i witnessed and experienced this myself first hand last weekend, with the successful event that was Twins of Faith 2012 (29-30 December 2012).

This year I played a much smaller role than in 2011 - but interestingly, being closer on the ground, as part of the guys "behind the scenes", it actually gave me a better perspective of the big picture.

I am reminded of what Shaykh Yahya Ibrahim reminded us during Twins of Faith 2011 postmortem last year:

"When it comes to events like this, a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that the event is thanks to the Speakers who motivated the audience.

When in reality, all we do is just come onstage and talk.

But those hundreds of brothers and sisters who worked behind the scenes to make this happen - to ready the hall, the audio, the seats, ready the speakers, the tickets, the registration - they're the ones that made it happen for us."

It was definitely a motivating statement, but it didn't really hit me at first.. until I felt it last weekend.

Amidst the running up and down coordinating the stage events...
chasing the hospitality team to get the next speaker/performer ready, setting the timer for the next slot , giving constant timekeeping reminders, briefing the MCs on any scheduled announcements, setting up the microphones, modifying stage settings, greeting and briefing each speaker and performer, being at the centre of what was happening onstage..

subhanAllah it was a truly exhilarating experience!

And yet, I could have never been able to do those tasks without all those amazing hardworking and dedicated individuals who helped put the stuff ready for me to manage the stage – and I don’t even know most of their names.

But you know what, I just realized that better yet, at the end of the day, probably no one in the thousands of audience will ever know any of us or what we did for the entire event. 

Amazing!! I love it !

I realized a profound lesson behind all this : behind every achievement, in fact behind every success, behind every icon and role model who drive themselves to success, there were always people - largely unknown to others - who were the drivers to these achievements: people who helped & assisted them, who taught and mentored them, who comforted them, who made things easy for them, or even as simple as people who made sure they always had breakfast so that they were always ready to change the world.

And yet, mankind at large will perhaps never know who they are.

But Allah does. And the angels do. And every single bit of goodness achieved by these achievements are recorded clearly without fail.

And they marked their legacy. Their footprints in this dunya.

Think about it: Do we realize the role of the mother in being the sole person to raise and nurture some of the greatest scholars – orphaned at youth – but nurtured so well that they managed changed the nation: such as, Imam Ash-Shafi'ee, al-Bukhari and Malik ibn Anas?

Or even those thousands/millions of narrators of hadith who narrated hadith but perhaps more than 95% of the ummah don't even know their names - but in fact are responsible for authentically transmitting all the 30,000+ hadith we have today?

Or those Arab traders who had such beautiful akhlaq (good character) that caused the whole of the Malaysian and Indonesian region of people to be so attracted to the beauty of their manners, to the point where the huge majority of them embraced Islam (in fact, Indonesia today being the largest Muslim country)? Do we even know a single name amongst these traders?

No, the huge majority of mankind will ever know them. And yet Allah and His angels record every single atom’s weight of their contributions, and record the magnitude of the goodness that they have brought to mankind at large.

It all comes down to this:

Our role is to contribute to the big picture of His Deen, in our own individual capacities, matched to our own individual talents, competencies and abilities. We don’t all have to be leaders or scholars to make a massive positive impact to the ummah – we are all a piece of the puzzle: so make it a beautiful piece.
 

The Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wasalam) truly appreciated the efforts of an old dark-skinned woman who voluntarily swept the masjid, and he insisted to pray janazah on her when she passed away – in fact rebuked the companions for not informing him about her death (Narrated in Bukhari & Muslim). Why did he care so much for her? I mean, “it’s just a simple task of sweeping the mosque”, right?

Think about it: She wasn’t a great companion scholar who had the knowledge and ability to teach others; she didn’t have children to nurture to become great leaders; she didn’t have the strength to assist the efforts in war – but she did what she could in her own capacity: make the masjid a clean and comfortable environment so that the Prophet and companions would be able to pray with better tranquillity and peace of mind, 5 times a day every day.

And for that, she earned the honour of being given a janazah prayer by the Prophet himself – the best of creation. And on top of that, Allah preserved her deeds in hadith until this very day, in Recognition of her deeds. So that we can be inspired by this great legacy – the greatest of intentions with the smallest of means. 

And yet we don’t even know her name!! AMAZING!

So that’s how we should aim for in our deeds; as part of something greater. And in our own individual missions, strive to achieve the BEST in it. The Prophet said –

“Verily, Allah has enjoined excellence (Ihsan) with regard to everything….

… So, when you slaughter, slaughter with Ihsan” (Muslim)

imagine, the Prophet went to the extent to say that even a short and straightforward deed such as slaughtering an animal (which typically takes approximately 2 to 10 seconds), you should do it with excellence (Ihsan). What more about other deeds of good that you do for the sake of Allah?  

Have we ever wondered about the massive potential our small deeds can do to others?

The Prophet said  “Do not belittle (consider insignificant) any good deeds, even if it is to meet your brother with a cheerful face” (Muslim)

Why? Because you never know what good that small deed can do. You never know what sort of barakah (blessings) that Allah can place in your deeds as a result of your sincerity and keen-ness to seek His Pleasure. Perhaps what you do may not have an effect now, but somewhere down the road, it might trigger another person who was affected by your deed, to inspire him/her to make a small move, to change for the better. And perhaps that person might be the great mujaddid of this age of the ummah – and it all began with a cheerful face!

Or perhaps our deed collaborates with others who also do the deed and in the end has a massive effect on others. Imagine – for example, in Twins of Faith – if all the volunteers were smiling and giving salams to all guests in the event, and a non-Muslim or a not-so-practicing Muslim would observe this super positive and happy environment. Imagine the potential wildfire effect this can bring!

Or think about this: You give some advice to person A, he doesn’t listen. Your friend also gives advice to person A, he still doesn’t listen. Suddenly after the 50^th person giving advice, person A starts to think “perhaps they are correct after all”. But if it was any less than 50, he probably wouldn't have made that first step to change. But thanks to our role in the 50, that drove him one ant-step closer. 

Our deeds can do wonders, but what wonders do happen, that’s not our job. That’s Allah’s job. Our job is to play our roles with Ihsan and to the best of our capacity.

We put in the effort, Allah puts in the Results – out of His Wisdom, Mercy and Knowledge.

Our role is to put our utmost sincerity, to have that intention in our hearts, that we’re contributing to the big picture towards the greater good - to be a functional cog in the great machinations of goodness. Our role is to then put our tawakkal in Allah, and believe in the words of Allah that NOTHING - that was done for His sake – will ever be lost. 

“.. Verily, he who fears Allah with obedience to Him, and is patient, then surely, Allah shall never allow the reward of the Muhsinun (those who do good deeds with Ihsan) to be lost” (Surah Yusuf 12:90)

This is what we have as Muslims. We have a reward that we can look forward to – if not in this world, in the Akhirah. We live knowing that our deeds are acknowledged by one who is All-Appreciative, All-Rich and free of needs, All-Merciful and All-Just. We acknowledge that every effort, every drop of sweat, every ounce of difficulty in His Cause is a massive investment, not a sacrifice. The Prophet said:

"If any one of you beautifies (i.e. follows strictly, makes good) 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, Book #2, Hadith #40)

This is why we don’t burn out or get demotivated. This is why, when we strive for Ihsan, it doesn’t bother us that that people don’t know or acknowledge our deeds, that we don’t achieve good name or wealth by doing our deeds.

But of course, as a reminder to myself and to all out there, we should not let our guard down and allow shaytan to make us feel arrogant and proud of our deeds. Always maintain our ikhlas, be thankful to Allah that He allowed us to do any acts of good, and do not be complacent.

Let’s keep up the effort (in fact ramp in up a few notches higher), play our part in the big picture and succeed in the best way we can achieve as individuals. Because if we all do, we will contribute to a change the ummah. Allah says (meaning of which is):

“Verily, Allah will not change the state of the people until they change what is in themselves” (Ar-Ra’d 13:11)

So let’s put things in perspective in our daily lives. All the little things in your life, think BIG. You might be housewife, teacher in a small class, a student, a person working in the corporate environment, a janitor, a receptionist, business person at an online marketplace, or any other place at all – in all of these you have the opportunity to play your role towards the betterment of the ummah: have your aspirations, stay steadfast on it, and work towards it in your own capability. 

• “Just a housewife”? Well, be the “Khadijah” to the husband that will change the world! Be the Khadijah who nurtured Fatimah – who grew up to be the leader of the women in Jannah!
• "Just another worker in a boring corporate environment”? “Just another student”?  Be the role model Muslim of Ihsan in the environment you’re in! Be the one whom people can honestly say “when I see this person, I remember to remember Allah”. 
• "Just a teacher of a small class”? Perhaps one – or two – or three – or all of them – will be the next Salahuddin al ayoubi or the next Muhammad Fateh. And you played a part in that!
• "Just another retiree”? Carpool with other retirees to go to the masjid 5 times a day! Let others in your neighbourhood spend their last moments cultivating in themselves love for the masjid – perhaps you may guide 1 or 2 to be amongst those who will be granted the shade of Allah, on the Day that there is no Shade except His shade. How awesome is that ?!

Yes, you can change the world. If you play your part.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we should stick to unambitious stuff and be content with the status quo. Yes, aim for the stars and keep going higher and keep going forward, but if you don’t physically get there (yet), at least be motivated by the very fact that you are making a difference where you are standing! 

We’re all a piece of a puzzle. Make it a beautiful piece: Live our lives with Ihsan.

The question is: what picture do we want to be a part of?

What legacy – foot prints – are we planning to leave behind when we leave this dunya? And what role do we see we fit in those footprints?

May Allah grant us barakah in all our efforts, the steadfastness to continue doing good for His Sake Alone, and to always have the correct intention in performing acts of good for the “greater good”.

And Allah knows best.

Story of Amr ibn Salamah

An awesome, enlightening, and cute narration by companion Amr ibn Salamah.

From here we learn that:
- most quraysh were 'bystanders', waiting on the sidelines until the Prophet was victorious, only then made the choice to follow him. Don't be a sideliner.
- when hearing good advice (i.e. Quran), listen to it & remember it, even if you don't know how to use it yet - it will come in handy later!
- the righteous companions found no issue in a six year old being their imam. today six year old's not even allowed in first saff. instead they get a special VIP grand stand marked as "saf kanak-kanak bermula di sini". So they group up behind and make noise instead of keeping quiet with the daddies and uncles. Someone lost the plot.
- the little boy was the happiest boy in the world for getting a new shirt! How thankless are we for all the abundant blessings we have Allahul musta'an

Narrated 'Amr bin Salamah (radhiAllahu 'anhu) :
We were at a place which was a thoroughfare for the people, and the caravans (of people teaching and spreading da'wah of Islam) used to pass by us; and we would ask them, "What is wrong with the people? What is wrong with the people? Who is that man?".

They would say, "That man claims that Allah has sent him (as a Messenger), that he has been divinely inspired, that Allah has revealed to him such-and-such (and they would recite Qur'an)"

I used to memorize that (Divine) Talk (i.e. portions of the Qur'an), and feel as if it was inculcated in my chest (i.e. mind)

And the 'Arabs (other than Quraish) delayed their conversion to Islam till the conquest (of Mecca). They used to say." "Leave him (i.e. Muhammad) and his people Quraish: if he overpowers them then he is a true Prophet."
So, when Mecca was conquered (in the 8th year After Hijrah), then every tribe rushed to embrace Islam, and my father hurried to embrace Islam before (the other members of) my tribe.

When my father returned (from the Prophet) to his tribe, he said, "By Allah, I have come to you from the Prophet for sure!" The Prophet afterwards said to them, 'Offer such-and-such prayer at such-and-such time, and when the time for the prayer becomes due, then one of you should pronounce the Adhan (for the prayer), and let the one amongst you who knows Qur'an most should, lead the prayer."

So they looked for such a person and found none who knew more Qur'an than I because of the Quranic material which I used to learn from the caravans.

They therefore made me their Imam ((to lead the prayer) and at that time I was a boy of six or seven years, wearing a Burda (i.e. a black square garment) proved to be very short for me (and my body became partly naked).

A lady from the tribe said, "Won't you cover the anus of your reciter for us?" So they bought (a piece of cloth) and made a shirt for me. I had never been so happy with anything before, as I was with that shirt! 

(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #59, Hadith #595)

Reflections of Gaza and Syria today: the Day of Judgment

It makes one look forward to the Day of Judgment.. The Absolute Justice of Allah will be so great on the Day of Judgment that He will even allow a sheep to get its revenge.

The Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "On the Day of Judgment, the rights will be paid to those to whom they are due so much so, that a hornless sheep will be retaliated for by punishing the horned sheep which broke its horns"
(Sahih Muslim, Book #032, Hadith #6252)

A sheep! SubhanAllah - What more those innocent women, children, old men and women, our brothers and sisters who have their honour, blood and wealth ruthlessly usurped and oppressed?

What about the soul of a believer? Of whom his/her blood is more sacred than the city of Makkah itself? More sacred than the day of Eid al-Adha and the month of Hajj?

"Verily! Your blood, property and honor are sacred to one another (i.e. Muslims) like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this city of yours." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #3 Hadith #67)

Images of Gaza & Syria today make us look forward to how Allah will defend the honour of His believers, and how He will exact His Retribution against the tyrants and oppressors.

But taking a step back, la hawla wala quwata illa billah - how quickly do we wish to hasten the judgment upon others!
They will be judged, but so shall we. How ready are WE to read our own book of deeds? When all our deeds, even done in secret, big or small - will be scribed in detail?

So don't wish to hasten it: it's going to come. They'll get what they deserve, and so shall you.
Prepare for it, invest in it - cash it out when the time comes.

“Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages (i.e. deeds) in full.
And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he is indeed successful.
The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception”
(Surah Al-Imran 3:185)