Living Islam: A commentary on the “book of assistance” by Imam al-Haddad Ilm Intensive Courses presents Presented by Mln Abdurragmaan Khan Presented by Mln Abdurragmaan Khan

On recitation of Quran Virtue and merits عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ ، يَقُولُ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : مَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُ بِهِ حَسَنَةٌ ، وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا ، لَا أَقُولُ الم حَرْفٌ ، وَلَكِنْ أَلِفٌ حَرْفٌ وَلَامٌ حَرْفٌ وميم حرف عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ ، يَقُولُ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى ال هُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : نْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُ بِهِ حَسَنَةٌ ، وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا ، لَا أَقُولُ الم حَرْفٌ ، وَلَكِنْ أَلِفٌ حَرْفٌ وَلَامٌ حَرْفٌ وميم حرف Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Whoever recites a letter of the Book of Allah earns a good deed, and each good deed is worth ten like it. I do not say that 'Alif-lam-mim' is one letter, but that alif is a letter, lam is a letter, mim is a letter." نَافِعَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْحَارِثِ ، تَلَقَّى عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ إِلَى عُسْفَانَ ، وَكَانَ نَافِعٌ عَامِلا لِعُمَرَ عَلَى مَكَّةَ ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ : مَنِ اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْوَادِي ؟ يَعْنِي أَهْلَ مَكَّةَ ، قَالَ : ابْنَ أَبْزَى ، قَالَ : وَمَنِ ابْنُ أَبْزَى ؟ قَالَ : رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمَوَالِي ، قَالَ عُمَرُ : اسْتَخْلَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَوْلًى ؟ ! فَقَالَ لَهُ : إِنَّهُ قَارِئٌ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ ، فَقَالَ : أَمَا إِنَّ نَبِيَّكُمْ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : " إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيَرْفَعُ بِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ أَقْوَامًا ، وَيَضَعُ بِهِ آخَرِينَ 'Umar ibn al-Khattab reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "By this Book Allah elevates some people and abases others."

On recitation of Quran Etiquettes of recitation Clean the mouth with siwak (tooth stick) Imam al-Haddad advises, "You must reflect and comprehend while you recite; slow melodious recitations will assist you in this. Feel in your heart the magnitude of the Speaker and that you are before Him reciting His Book to Him, in which He addresses His commands, prohibitions, counsels,and exhortations to you." To recite in a state of purity To recite in a clean place (Masjid) To recite in while facing qiblah To recite the isti'adhah and basmalah عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " إِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَجْلِسٍ شَرَفًا ، وَإِنَّ أَشْرَفَ الْمَجَالِسِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ ". "Every gathering has some honor, but the most honorable gathering is where the Qiblah is faced." عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " إِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَجْلِسٍ شَرَفًا ، وَإِنَّ أَشْرَفَ الْمَجَالِسِ مَا اسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ ". "Every gathering has some honor, but the most honorable gathering is where the Qiblah is faced."

On recitation of Quran How much should one recite Ibn Abi Dawud transmits that that the practice of the salaf was: Many completed a khatm (complete recital of the Quran) every 3 days Some would complete a khatm every two months while others completed one every month Some completed a khatm every 10 days Most however completed a khatm every 7 days Most however completed a khatm every 7 days Some every 6 days Some every 5 days Some every 4 days Many every 2 days Many every 2 days Others completed a khatm every day

On recitation of Quran How much should one recite Ibn Abi Dawud transmits that that the practice of the salaf was: Others completed 3 khatms every day The most recorded was 8 khatms a day, 4 during the day and 4 at night HOW MUCH ARE YOU GOING TO RECITE??

On recitation of Quran Recommended chapters to recite at particular times I m a m a l - H a d d a d t h e n e m p h a s i z e s t h a t o n e r e c i t e s Surah as-Sajdah, al- Mulk, al-Waqi'ah and last two verses of surah al-Baqarah every evening before sleeping Ad-Dukhan on Sunday and Thursday evenings Ad-Dukhan on Sunday and Thursday evenings Al-Kahf on Thursday evenings or Friday mornings عن النبي ( صلى الله عليه وآله ): من قرأها في ليلة الجمعة غفر له ذنوبه السابقة، وعنه ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) قال : من قرأ سورة الدخان في ليلة الجمعة اصبح يستغفر له سبعون ألف ملك وعنه ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) قال : من قرأ سورة الدخان ليلة الجمعة ويوم الجمعة بنى الله له بيتا في الجنة.

On acquiring knowledge Having a set wird in acquiring knowledge Special attention should be given to knowledge that "increases your knowledge of the Essence of Allah, His Attributes, Acts and Favours; (that) makes you aware of His commands and prohibition, leads you to renounce the things of this world and wish only for the hereafter, and brings your faults, the defects in your acts and the plots of your enemy to your notice" This knowledge is to be found in the Quran and Sunnah, and dealt with in depth in the works of Imam al-Gazzali Imam Haddad warns the seeker from studying certain texts, such as the works of Ibn al-Arabi... Preference should be given to compulsory knowledge of Salah, zakah, hajj and fasting

On remembering Allah (dhikruLlah) Having a set wird of dhikruLlah From the important etiquettes of dhikruLlah so as to reap the fruits are: 1. Setting a specific time. 2. Cutting yourself off from all. 3. Freeing your mind from all worldly thoughts You must have wird of remembering Allah which you define with either a determined time or number Preference is always given to Prophetic adhkar and thereafter that which is related from our salaf Imam al-Haddad said, "The one who sits in a secluded place, in a state of purity, facing the Qiblah, keeping his limbs still and his head down and then remembers Allah with an attentive heart and complete courtesy, will see in his heart a manifest influence of the remembrance. If he perseveres the lights of proximity will descend upon his heart, and the secrets of the unseen will become unveiled for him." Imam al-Haddad said, "The one who sits in a secluded place, in a state of purity, facing the Qiblah, keeping his limbs still and his head down and then remembers Allah with an attentive heart and complete courtesy, will see in his heart a manifest influence of the remembrance. If he perseveres the lights of proximity will descend upon his heart, and the secrets of the unseen will become unveiled for him."

On remembering Allah (dhikruLlah) Importance, virtues and fruits The virtues of dhikruLlah are too many to mention and many great works have been authored discussing its virtue The virtues of dhikruLlah are too many to mention and many great works have been authored discussing its virtue Imam al-haddad summed up its importance when he said, "Know that remembrance is, as a gnostic once said, the pillar of the the key to realization the weapon of the seekers, and the unfolding of sainthood." Imam al-haddad summed up its importance when he said, "Know that remembrance is, as a gnostic once said, the pillar of the the key to realization the weapon of the seekers, and the unfolding of sainthood." Remembrance has fruits and consequences which those who persevere in it with good manners and attentiveness find. The least of these is to find it so sweet and pleasurable that every worldly pleasure that one knows becomes insignificant. The highest is to become extinct in the Remembered subhanahu wa ta'ala