Monday 30 July 2012

Summary Dhikr and Istighfaar 4pages

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Summary Dhikr and Istighfaar Charts 4 pages








Dhikr Quiz Answers

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Dhikr Quiz Answers


Dhikr Quiz

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Dhikr Quiz


Rewards for Dhikr Quiz[1]

1.     What is the best Dhikr (Remembrance of Allaah)?     ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­
___________________________________________________________________
2.     What is better than giving in charity, jihaad and martyrdom?
___________________________________________________________________
3.     Fill the blanks in the table below:

Name
Arabic
Transliteration
English Meaning
1

سُبْحان الله



2


Alhamdulillaah


3
Takbeer




4

لا إله إلا الله



5

لا حَولَ وَ لا قُوّة إلا بالله


6

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allaah, the All Merciful, the Especially Merciful
7

صلى الله عليه وسلّم
SallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam


8
Istighfaar





4.     How can you plant a palm tree in Paradise? 
___________________________________________________________________
5.     How can you wipe away a thousand (1,000) bad deeds?     
___________________________________________________________________
6.     Which two sayings are light on the tongue, heavy on the scales and beloved to the Most Merciful?            
_______________________    _______________________
7.     What two sayings fill what is between the heavens and the earth? ___________________________________________________________________
8.     What phrase fills the scales?
            ___________________________________________________________________
9.     Which phrases make your sins fall away like the dry leaves falling off a tree?
________________________________________________________________
10.  How can you give charity without paying any money?          
________________________________________________________________
11.  Which phrases are most beloved to Allaah?
________________________________________________________________
12.  Which phrases circulate the throne with a buzzing sound? ___________________________________________________________________
13.  What are the everlasting good deeds?
___________________________________________________________________
14.  Which phrases lead to sins being forgiven even if they were as much as the foam on the sea?
___________________________________________________________________
15.  What dhikr is equal to 100 sacrifices?
___________________________________________________________________
16.  What dhikr is equal to giving 100 horses in charity?
___________________________________________________________________
17.  What dhikr is equal to freeing 100 slaves?
___________________________________________________________________
18.  What dhikr fills what is between the heavens and the earth? ___________________________________________________________________
19.  Which dhikr was more beloved to the Prophet (r) than everything the sun has risen over?
______________________________________________________________
20.  How many good deeds do you get when you say alhamdulillaahi rabbil ‘aalameen? __________________________________________________________________
21.  What can you say so that you will be mentioned around Allaah’ sThrone? ___________________________________________________________________
22.  Which dhikr can save a person from the Fire? ___________________________________________________________________
23.  Which dhikr is one of the doors of Paradise? ___________________________________________________________________
24.  Which dhikr is one of the treasures of Paradise?
___________________________________________________________________
25.  Which dhikr is better for you than having a servant and when do you say it? ___________________________________________________________________
26.  When do you say takbeer 34 times? After salaah or before bed? ___________________________________________________________________
27.  Which two actions will lead to Paradise? ___________________________________________________________________
28.  What is 150 on the tongue and 1500 in the balance? ___________________________________________________________________
29.  What is 100 on the tongue and 1000 in the balance? ___________________________________________________________________
30.  Which dhikr is equal to freeing slaves?
One slave        ___________________________________________________
10 slaves         ___________________________________________________
100 slaves       ___________________________________________________
31.  What are the four virtues and rewards for saying ‘subhaanAllaah’? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
32.  What will be a protection from the devil? ___________________________________________________________________
33.  What will give you 100 good deeds and wipe away 100 bad deeds? ___________________________________________________________________

34.  What will raise you in degrees?          10 degrees                  __________________
__________________
                                                                        A million degrees        __________________
35.  How can you earn 1 million good deeds and have 1 million bad deeds wiped away? __________________________________________________________________
36.  What is the best du’aa?   _______________________________________________
37.  What can you say that will mean you enter Paradise? ___________________________________________________________________
38.  How can you gain wealth, children, gardens and rivers? ___________________________________________________________________
39.  What will be a protection from Allaah’s punishment? ___________________________________________________________________
40.  What will mean that Allaah sends peace and blessings on you ten times? ___________________________________________________________________
41.  What is a protection from harm? ___________________________________________________________________
42.  When will Allaah send a guardian to you so no shaytaan can come near you till morning?
___________________________________________________________________
43.  What will be a disassociation from shirk?
___________________________________________________________________
44.  How can you earn 1 good deed (10 rewards)__________________________
45.  10 good deeds            __________________________
46.  20 good deeds            __________________________
47.  30 good deeds            __________________________
48.  100 (hundred)             __________________________
49.  1,000 (thousand)         __________________________
50.  1,000, 000 (million)     __________________________
Total out of      _____  /50                                  Percentage   _____ 100


[1] Based on the ‘Rewards for Dhikr Chart’ which can be found at www.dhikrcharts.blogspot.com

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Dhikr Charts


Dhikr - Zikr - ذكر -  Remembrance


O You who believe! Remember Allâh with much remembrance. [Ahzaab 33:41]

The Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Shall I not tell you the best of your deeds, the nicest to Your Owner, the highest in your ranks, better for you than spending gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your enemy whereupon you strike their necks and they strike your necks?” They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam).” He said, “The remembrance of Allaah (dhikr).”[1] (i.e. Dhikr is better than giving in charity, jihaad and martyrdom)

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Full Dhikr Charts and Hadeeth


Understand and Pay Attention to Dhikr

First, it is important to mention that it is not enough to say the phrases of dhikr on your tongue without understanding the meanings or paying attention to what you are saying. This will have little benefit and no affect. To reap the fruits and achieve the benefits of the remembrance you must understand what you are saying and pay attention to what your tongue is saying (i.e not repeat phrases automatically without thinking about them).

Four Phrases[1]

The best dhikr is the Qur’aan. After that come the four phrases SubhaanAllaah, al hamdulillaah, laa illaaha illAllaah, Allaahu akbar which are also from the Qur’aan.
Tasbeeh and Hamd go together (salah, hadeeth, Qur’aan)
Tahleel and takbeer go together (adhaan, on Mounts Safaa and Marwa, Battles, on high place etc.)
Tahleel best out of the four phrases because of what it contains of tawheed, difference between people of paradise and Hell; no-one’s Islaam is correct without it; say it before a person dies he will enter paradise; highest branch of faith. Best good deed. Tahleel is the foundation (asl) and tasbeeh and hamd are branches from tahleel.

All of Allaah’s Names are included in these four phrases:
SubhaanAllaah includes His Names of tanzeeh (removing imperfections) such as al Quddoos and as Salaam.
Alhamdulillaah includes the confirmation of the types of perfection that Allaah has in His Names and Attributes.
Allaahu Akbar includes exalting Allaah’s greatness.
Laa ilaaha illAllaah means ‘None has the right to be worshipped  except Allaah’.

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1. Tasbeeh: SubhaanAllaah[2]

Tasbeeh negates all imperfections and anything unsuitable being attributed to Allaah such as the sayings of the Mumaththilah (those who say Allaah is like His creation) and the Mu'attilah (those who deny Allaah's Attributes)
Tasbeeh negates imperfections and tahmeed affirms completeness to Allaah's attributes.
Tasbeeh and tahmeed are mentioned together in the Qur'aan.


2. Tahmeed: Alhamdulillaah[3]

Allaah is 'al Hameed' in His Self, His Names, His Attributes and His Actions. He deserves all praise and love.

Out of all the creation, Prophet Muhammad (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) was the person who praised Allaah the most and in the most complete way. Allaah will give him the flag of praise on the Day of Resurrection. He will hold it in his hand and those who praise Allaah will gather behind him and those who praised Allaah the most will be nearest to the flag.

Those who praise Allaah in ease and in hardship and are patient with what is decreed for them will have a house in paradise called 'House of Praise. '

The Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "When a servant's child dies, Allaah says to His angels, 'Have you taken (the soul) of My servant's child?' They will say, 'Yes.' He will say, 'Have you taken the apple of his eye?' They will say, 'Yes.' He will say, 'What did My servant say?' They will say, 'He praised You and said innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon.’ (To Allaah we belong and to Him is the return).So Allaah will say, ‘Build a house in Paradise for My servant and call it ‘the House of Praise’” (Saheehah 1408)

When is hamd required from a Muslim? It is required at all times as he is constantly enjoying Allaah’s blessings apparent and hidden, in his religion and his worldly life. Allaah repels evil and harm from him. Allaah deserves praise from His servants at all times. He deserves praise due to His Great Names and perfect Attributes. There are certain situations where praising Allaah is emphasised more. For example, when starting matters, in the khutbah, in prayer, after eating and drinking, when getting dressed, after sneezing, when seeing someone afflicted with a harm, etc.

Two types of praise:

  1. Praise for Allaah’s good treatment of His servants, which is shukr (thanks).
  2. Praise for what Allaah deserves Himself due to His perfect Names and Attributes and Noble descriptions.

A servant’s having the correct knowledge of Allaah’s Names and Attributes is the best, most complete and greatest way of fulfilling the duty of praising Allaah.
“Praising Allaah for a blessing is a greater blessing than the blessing itself.”[4] Allaah granting a person the ability to give thanks and praise Allaah for a blessing is greater than the blessings of health, wealth, children etc.

3. Takbeer: Allaahu Akbar[5]

Takbeer means that Allaah is greater than everything to the servant. It is exaltation (ta’dheem) and reverence (ijlaal) of the Lord and believing that there is nothing greater (akbar, a’dham) than Him.

Takbeer is said hundreds of times a day in salaah, adhaan, during the two ‘Eids, on high places etc.
Allaahu Akbar cannot be replaced by other phrases such as Allaah ‘Adham in the salaah. ‘adham also has the meaning of greatness but akbar is more complete in meaning ‘greatest’. Our minds cannot comprehend Allaah’s greatness. We cannot even comprehend much of the creation, so what about the Creator.

Ibn Mas’ood (RadiAllaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Between the sky of the world and the heaven that is above that, is 500 years. Between each heaven there is 500 years. Between the seventh heaven and the Foot stool is 500 years. Between the Foot stool and the water is 500 years. The Throne is above the water and Allaah is above the Throne. Nothing is hidden from him of your actions.”[6]

4. Tahleel: Laa ilaaha illAllaah[7]

Tahleel is the best and greatest out of the four phrases. The creation was created because of it, Messengers were sent and books were revealed. It makes the difference between the Muslim and the Kaafir, the people of Paradise and the people of Hell. It is the greatest pillar of the Religion and the most important branch of faith.

It is called by different names in the Qur’aan:

kalimah at Tayyib [Ibraaheem: 24];
al qawl ath Thaabit [Ibraaheem:27];
kalimah baaqiyyah [Zukhruf :28];
kalimat Tawheed; kalimat ash Shahaadah; Miftaah Dar as Sa’aadah; ‘Urwatul Wuthqaa [Luqmaan :22], [2:256]; kalimat at Taqwaa [Fath :26];
as Sawaab [Naba’ 79:38];
da’watul Haqq [Ra’d :14].

Sufyaan bin ‘Uyaynah (RadiaAllaahu anhu) said, “Allaah has not given one of His servants a greater blessing than ‘laa ilaaha illAllaah[8]

It is the true connection which gathers the people of Islaam – al walaa’ wal baraa’, love and hate, one body, one building supporting each other.

Shinqeetee said the phrase laa ilaaha illAllaah unites the Muslims and links the angels to Banee ‘Aadam. Eemaan in Allaah links the angels to man and makes them make du’aa for him. The connection of laa ilaaha illAllaah is what links the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) to the inhabitants of the earth:


Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allâh) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh) (saying): "Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire! Our Lord! And make them enter the 'Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens) which you have promised them – and to the righteous among their fathers, their wives, and their offspring! Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. And save them from (the punishment for what they did of) the sins, and whomsoever You save from (the punishment for what he did of) the sins (i.e. pardon him) that Day, him verily, You have taken into mercy." And that is the supreme success.”
[Soorah al Ghaafir 40:7-9].

It is the best of the good deeds:

Whoever brings a good deed (i.e. belief In the Oneness of Allâh along with Every deed of righteousness), will have better than its worth, and they will be safe from the terror on that Day. [an Naml 27:89]


Whosoever brings good (Islâmic Monotheism along with righteous deeds), He shall have the better thereof, and Whosoever brings evil (polytheism along with evil deeds) then, those who do evil deeds will Only be requited for what they used to do.
[al Qasas :84].

In part of a hadeeth the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said that the best good deed is laa ilaaha illAllaah (Ahmad 5/169).
Itbaan (RadiAllaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Indeed Allaah has prohibited Hell Fire for the one who says laa ilaaha illAllaah seeking Allaah’s Face.” (Bukhaaree 6938; Muslim 33).

There are seven conditions of laa ilaaha illAllaah that must be present for it to be correct: knowledge, certainty, sincerity, truthfulness, love, compliance and acceptance.
It is not enough to simply say laa ilaaha illAllaah with the tongue without accompanying it with actions.
“Whoever dies and he knows that laa ilaaha illAllaah will enter Paradise.” (Muslim 26). (This shows the need for knowledge).
laa ilaaha illAllaah means that “There is no true object worthy of worship except Allaah.” It is worshipping Allaah alone sincerely and avoiding the worship of taaghoot (false gods). It is negation and affirmation. It is distancing oneself from the worship of everything other than Allaah such as intercessors and partners. It is singling out Allaah alone for worship not simply saying it. There has to be knowledge and belief in the heart, action of the limbs and truthfulness. A hypocrite does the actions but is not truthful.


And those whom they invoke instead of Him have no power of intercession; except those who bear witness to the Truth (i.e. believed In the Oneness of Allâh, and obeyed his Orders), and they know (the facts about the Oneness of Allâh). [Zukhruf :86]

5.  Al Hawqalah: Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah[9]

The Four Phrases (SubhaanAllaah, alhamdulillaah, laa illaaha illAllaah, Allaahu akbar) and the hawqalah (la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah) together encompass tawheed (worshipping Allaah alone) and qadr (Pre-Decree).

Ibn Abee Awfaa said, a man came to the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) and said, “I cannot learn the Qur’aan, so teach me something that will suffice me. He said, SubhaanAllaah, wal hamdulillaah, wa laa illaaha illAllaah, wAllaahu akbar, wa la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah...” (Aboo Daawood 832; Nisaa’ee 2/143; Daarqutnee 1/313-314).
Aboo Hurayrah (RadiAllaahu anhu) “Shall I inform you of a phrase which is under the throne and from amongst the treasures of Paradise? Say, ‘la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah.’ Allaah will say, ‘My servant has submitted himself in intention, action and worship. (aslama wastaslama) (Haakim; Dhahabee. Saheeh). Similar narration in Fath al Baari (11/501).

A servant does not control any of his affairs. He does not have the means to repel harm or the ability to attain goodness except by Allaah’s Will. A servant cannot change disobedience to obedience, sickness to health, weakness to strength, deficiency to perfection except by Allaah’s Help. He does not have the ability to take care of his affairs or realize any of his goals except by Allaah’s help. What Allaah Wills will happen and what He does not Will will not happen. The affairs of creation are tied to His Decree and Pre-Destination.

la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah is a weighty phrase which means being sincere to Allaah alone in asking for help. Just as the phrase of tawheed: laa ilaaha illAllaah means being sincere to Allaah in worship.

In Soorah al Faatihah: “iyyaaka na’budu wa iyyaaka nasta’een” You alone we worship (This phrase is tawheed al ibaadah. Distancing oneself from shirk) and You alone we ask for help (sincerely asking Allaah alone and referring all power and might to Allaah). Worship is the goal which is connected to Allaah’s Worship (Uloohiyyah) and asking for help is the means which is connected to Allaah’s Lordship (Ruboobiyyah).

Ibn Taymiyyah mentions in Istiqaamah (2/81) that many people wrongly use la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah in situations of calamity and say it out of fear not out of patience. The hawqalah is a phrase to seek help and not a phrase of calamity (innaa lilaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon).

Ibn Abbaas (RadiAllaahu anhu) defined la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah as:
“We have no ability to act in obedience except through Allaah and we have no power to leave disobedience except through Allaah.”
Zaheer bin Muhammad defined it as: “You cannot take what you like except by Allaah and you cannot be prevented from what you dislike except by Allaah’s help.”

Ibn Taymiyyah mentions that the reason behind saying the hawqalah after the mu’aththin says ‘come to prayer/come to success’ is to seek Allaah’s help in performing the salaah.

Istighfaar and Tawbah (Asking for Forgiveness and Repenting)[10]

Piling up sins can be a reason why a du’aa is not answered. Tawbah on the other hand can lead to the acceptance and answering of a du’aa.
Yahyaa bin Mu’adh ar Raazee said, “When you make du’aa, do not seek to slow down the answer by blocking its path with sins.” (Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al Eemaan 2/54).
Sins remove blessings and cause disasters. Alee (RadiAllaahu anhu) said, “No calamity befalls a person except due to a sin, and it is not removed except through repentance (Ibn al Qayyim in Jawaab al Kaafi p85).
‘Abdullaah bin Mas’ood (RadiAllaahu anhu) said, “Good deeds brighten the face, are a light in the heart, an expanse in provision, strength for the body and love in the hearts of the creation. (On the other hand) bad deeds darken the face, are a darkness in the heart, a weakness for the body, a decrease in provision and cause hatred in the hearts of the creation. (Ibn al Qayyim mentioned this in Al Jawaab al Kaafi p62).

Tawbah leads to success. Without it a person is oppressing himself. Tawbah is compulsory to do immediately without delay. If a person delays tawbah that’s another sin to repent from. There are general du’aas for asking forgiveness for what we know we have done wrong and also for what we do not know.

Tawheed (laa ilaaha illAllaah) removes shirk and istighfaar wipes away the rest of the stumbling blocks. All sins branch from shirk. Tawheed removes the origin of shirk and istighfaar wipes away its derivatives. (Ibn Taymiyyah in Majmoo Fataawaa 11/696-7).

Az Zubayr (RadiAllaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whoever wants to be pleased with his book (of account on the Last Day) should increase in saying istighfaar (seeking Allaah’s forgiveness).” (Tabaraanee in Awsaat no. 839; Saheehah 2299).
‘Abdullaah bin Busr (RadiAllaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “Toobaa, glad tidings are for the one who finds lots of istighfaar in his book (of account).”

The Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to ask for Allaah’s forgiveness more than 70 times a day and in another narration, a hundred times a day. This was so even when he knew that his past and present sins were forgiven but he wanted to be a grateful servant.

Virtues of Aayatul Kursee[11]

Aayatul Kursee is the greatest aayah in the Qur’aan. It directs you to the tawheed of Allaah, to exalt Him and praise Him. It mentions a few descriptions of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. It is the only aayah that contains all of these descriptions in one aayah. It contains five of Allaah’s Names (Allaah, al Hayy, al Qayyoom, al ‘Alee, al ‘Adheem) and over 20 of Allaah’s Attributes. It is also reported that it contains Allaah’s Greatest Name.


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Virtues of Dhikr

Ibn 'Umar (RadiAllaahu anhu) narrated that AlIaah's Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "For everything there is a polish, and the polish for the hearts is the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah. There is nothing more potent in saving a person from the punishment of Allaah than the dhikr of Allaah." It was said: Not even Jihaad in the path of Allaah. So he replied: "Not even if you were to continue striking with your sword until it breaks." (Saheehul-Jaami' no.5644).

Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (RadiAllaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The people of Paradise will not have any regrets except for those moments in which they were not engaged in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah." (Saheehul-Jaami' (no.5446).)


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Dhirkr is counted on the right hand

‘Abdullaah bin ‘Aamir (RadiaAllaahu anhu) said ‘I saw the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) make tasbeeh[12] with his right hand.’



[1] P140-149, p255-258. Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar
[2] P180-199. Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar
[3] P 200-236. Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar
[4] P226 Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar
[5]  P246-254 Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar
[6] Daarimee in A Refutation of the Jahmiyyah p26-27; Tabaraani in al Kabeer 9/228; al Bayhaqee in The Names and Attributes 2/290; and others.
[7] P150-179.  Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar
[8] Ibn Rajab in Kalimatul Ikhlaas p53.
[9] P259-268. Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar
[10].Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar P498-510
[11] Fiqh al Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar , vol.1 p81
[12] Here it means saying, ‘subhaanAllaah, alhamdulillaah, Allaahu akbar.’

[1] Tirmidhee 3377; Ibn Maajah 3790; Ahmad 195/5. Authentic Supplications of the Prophet (r) by Waleed K.S. Al-Essa.1996. pg5.