#avoid riyaa

[ynx1]

‎Fudayl bin Iyaad رحمه الله said:

‎“Whoever avoids 5 affairs, indeed he is protected from the evils of the world and akhira.

‎- Self-amazement

‎- Riyaa (Showing off)

‎- Pride

‎- Power [neither seek nor desire it]

‎- Fame [neither seek nor desire it]."

‎ [Hilyatul Awliya 8/95]

[aysufs]

Fudayl bin Iyaad رحمه الله said:

‎“Whoever avoids 5 affairs,

indeed he is protected from the evils of the world and akhira.

‎1. Self-amazement

‎2. Riyaa (Showing off)

‎3. Pride

‎4. Power [neither seek nor desire it]

‎5. Fame [Neither seek nor desire it]”

‎[Hilyatul Awliyaa 8/95]

[nuxhstuff]

Fudayl bin Iyaad رحمه الله said:

“Whoever avoids 5 affairs, indeed he is protected from the evils of the world and akhira.

- Self-amazement

- Riyaa (showing off)

- Pride

- Power (neither seek nor desire it)

- Fame (neither seek nor desire it)."

📚:Hilyatul Awliya 8/95

[khutbahs]

Tauheed and Shirk • Tawheed means attributing Oneness to Allah and describing Him as being One and Unique, with no partner or peer in His Essence and Attributes. Importance of Tauheed Repeatedly stating the subject of Tauheed in diverse ways and styles and at different places in Quran indicates the emphasis and importance on the belief of Tauheed “And We did not send any Messenger before you, but We revealed to him (saying): none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah), so worship Me (Alone).” [al-Anbiya 21:25] And at another place in Quran He mentioned, And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut.” [an-Nahl 16:36] Parts of Tauheed 1.Rububiyah (Lordship)-This means to single out Allah for His lordship. Allah is the sole creator, provider and sustainer in charge of all the affairs of the creation. 2.Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah(Worship)-Also known as Tawheed al-Ibaadah. This means that all worship is directed solely for Allah. It includes prayer, dua, trust, slaughtering etc. All acts of obedience and worship are means of getting closer to Allah so all acts must be done for His sake. 3.Tawheed al-Asmaa’ was-sifaat(Names & attributes)-This is where we affirm Allah’s names and attributes as Allah affirmed for Himself in the theQur'aan, and those affirmed by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).  Unity of Allah’s names and attributes to be maintained in the first aspect. Shirk - The Unforgivable Sin-Shirk is to associate someone other than Allah in those aspects which are unique to Allah and His exclusive right.  Shirk is to worship created beings like Allah is worshipped, to venerate created beings like Allah must be venerated, and to assign a portion of His divinity to someone else. “Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him, but He forgives what is less than that to whomever He wills…” [An-Nisa 4:48] But the door of repentance is always opened for us before our last breath. Types of Shirk -Scholars divided shirk into two types which they call shirk akbar (major shirk) and shirk asghar (minor shirk). I. Major Shirk • This means ascribing to someone other than Allah something that belongs only to Allah, such as Lordship (ruboobiyyah), divinity (uloohiyyah) and the divine names and attributes (al-asma’ wa’l-sifaat). • Such as the belief that there is someone else who creates, gives life and death, reigns or controls the affairs of the universe along with Allah. II. Minor Shirk • This includes everything that may lead to major shirk, or which is described in the texts as being shirk, but does not reach the extent of being major shirk. Such as Ar-riyaa. Showing off

#Tawheed #Tawhid #Tauhid #The Oneness of Allah #Shirk #major shirk #Minor Shirk #Tauheed and Shirk #parts of tawhid #parts of tawheed #Types of shirk

[kalimatoealhikmah]

Can you please spare some advice for your sisters fi din

-I’d like to advice myself and others to spend our time orienting by diving ourselves into solitude at least 10 min a day and to focus on the distractions and heaviness that keep us from pushing forward in life.  Like Aboe ‘Abdis Salaam al-Juyanee حفظه الله said; ‘separate yourselves from the separating factors that keep you away from Allaah. Empty your hearts from everything except ar-Rahmaan and abandon that which you know will hurt you in the Aakhirah. And that is the observation of al-Ihsaan. ‘ 

-Learn to grow attentive on your psyche in the moments of your solitude and observe the missing pieces of your mind. Seek that which will soothe you and what ‘’fills’’. Do not be hard on yourselves by only focusing on your shortcomings and sins. Ease your mind and complete the process of repentance by emptying the heart of its wrongs and find ease by asking yourselves what will ‘’fill’’ and replace your shortcomings. I remember reading somewhere that the pursuit of calm isn’t about making every moment perfectly tranquil. As it is impossible. The pursuit of calm is not a way of avoiding engagement with the challenging and difficult parts of existence. You will fall and stumble, but the best of those are the ones who are observant of their falls and allow it to mature them emotionally and spiritually. 

-Let your comfort be in learning and seek joy from it. Maximize your time for sacred knowledge and the Arabic language and have patience with yourself while doing so. Seek it from its right sources, for the time has come wherein the tongues are many, but a few are without poison. The glorification for the hizbiyeen has become intense wa Allaahu al musta3aan, so be steadfast on holding on to the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Be careful for many (including me) fell into their traps. Seek your knowledge from the ‘Rabbani’ scholars.Try to hold on to your Hifdh and your prayers and do not see them merely as a obligations, but as moments of relief. Teach yourself to know the Qur’aan not only intellectually, but also emotionally. Again; empty your hearts from everything except ar-Rahmaan and you will find serenity in His Words.. Set your ambitions and teach by participating in your communities. Perhaps Allaahoe ta3alaa will benefit your land through you. Every community is need of its women.

- Teach yourself the importance of humility, for you won’t go far without it. Accompany the sisters who seek help in their spirituality and be diligent by accompanying the circles of those who are righteous. Their company will teach you the lessons of humility, which will keep you away from overloading the tongue with gossip. Seek those whose presence will make you want seek the satisfaction of Allaah again the moment you leave their circle.

-Practice silence and leave off that which does not benefit and harms. Most women are known for their endless talks. As it has been mentioned; how many people have we seen bringing harm to themselves and others due to their own statements? While we have never seen anyone who has been told that he has brought harm by being silent? As Shaykh Saleh al-‘Usaymi hafidhahullaah adviced; ‘’if you make silence a habit, it becomes a strong skill that displays his complete ability to restrain himself’ [..] ‘The silent people that speak when needed are the most complete minded people.’

-Learn to pursue a quiet and private life, which entails that if you desire to become more tranquil, then know that some experiences need to be cherished alone and need to be served as reminders for you only. 

-Learn to have common sense and try to stay in your homes and leave only when its necessary. Be dutiful to your parents and your husbands (for those who are married) and bring serenity and love to them as Allaah commanded you to do.Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle as it affects many things in your life. 

- Be careful not to get attached to online personalities and only take their lessons for your own good. Be careful who you follow here, because anyone who does not settle a balance for their own emotions and turns away from the narrations will grow into supporting the ideas of the deviants, namely the Khawaarij and Qutbiyyeen. As the famous statement follows; ‘’Therefore we do not know Truth by the way of men, rather we know men by the way of Truth.’’ 

There are many virtuous names buried in history who had carried the fruits of knowledge. These are the names that should be explored by your mind. Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaq  al-’Abbaad said; ‘’One who studies the condition of these righteous people, reads their biographies, perceives their sublime qualities and virtues and reflects on what they were upon, such as the tremendous character and mannerisms they had; their adherence to the noble Messenger – sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam -; their preservation over eemaan, fear of sins and disobedience; wariness of riyaa’ and hypocrisy; their responsiveness to obedience; vying in performance of good deeds; their aversion to this transitory world and dedication to the everlasting Hereafter.One who does this, will come across during this contemplation and study, a number of fine qualities and numerous characteristics and attributes that attract him towards a truthful impersonation of them and a desire to adorn oneself with their qualities. Mention of them, reminds of Allaah and contemplation over their condition, strengthens eemaan and cleanses the heart.

 Fine indeed, is the verse of poetry: ‘’Relate again their tale to me, O caravan leader for their tale polishes the very thirsty heart.’’

Lastly; smile, laugh and enjoy your life while you can. Find balance in solemnity and enjoyment. "The wise, sensible person places every situation in its right place." May Allaah guide and aid us.

#. #women

[fil-jannah]

Let this Ramadan be a time you’ve been the closest ever to Allah through ibaadah and adiyyah. Allah has blessed with the opportunity and motivation for Qiyaam but we are not limited to it. Remember that our secret deeds are the best and most sincere because they are between us and Allah alone, free from any form of riyaa. Many people (including me) get through Ramadan fully focused on Qiyaam but miss out on other forms of ibaadah. Another common error among us is how steadfastly we stick to praying Qiyaam/Taraweeh but slack in fulfilling the fardh prayers, the former is a voluntary ibaadah but the latter is obligatory, we have to pray them at the right time in the most befitting manner. These are among the best nights of the year and we’re all guilty to some extent for wasting them in useless matters, sleeping would actually be considered productive because that would prevent us from being drained and drowsy during the day which in turn holds us back from ibaadah. All of this is for me first and foremost because I have much to fix up myself in order to make the most of this month bithnillah; all of this is through experience and regret over the missed opportunities during the previous Ramadans. Take some moments yourself to sit down and think about the past Ramadans with the intention to avoid the wrongs and make the most of this blessed month. 

[seharified]

Hasad- to dislike that someone should possess a blessing and/or happiness and to want that blessing and/or happiness to be removed from that individual and/or be transferred from him to oneself' Yousuf AS had a magnificent dream and when he told his father about it he advised him to keep it a secret and asked him not to share it with his brothers as they might conspire against him because of what Shaytaan may put into their heads. Lessons to learn: Do not share everything with everyone, especially on social media. This does not mean to become secretive or always scared. Just be careful. Why? First, It can ruin our intentions. For example, you wanted to do charity and you went ahead and shared it on social media. Shaytaan can mess with your head and put Riyaa (show off) in your mind. Second, it can make people jealous. Jealousy is natural. It can rise between colleagues, our closest friends, and even siblings. We can express our blessings but sharing each and everything should be avoided. Prophet SAW said, “Seek help for fulfilling your needs by being discrete.” Meaning, if you want to fulfill your goals then be discrete about them, don’t publicize them. Why? “Because every owner of the blessing is envied” (hadith) What made the brothers of Yousuf AS dump him into well? Hasad. Another thing to note here is, Yaqoob AS did not say that your brothers might harm you, he said, “ Shaytaan is a clear enemy, he could put things into their heads.” So when you keep your blessings to yourself for protecting them, do not think that your brother/sister, friends, colleagues, might harm you, or they are your enemies. They are not. It is Shaytaan who messes with the heads. Our family, friends, people on social media, might love but they are not safe from the whispers of Shaytaan so we ourselves have to be careful. This will prevent us from falling into danger and them as well from jealousy. An example of Hasad is Iblees himself. Why did he refuse to prostrate to Adam AS? Hasad made him. Hasad made him Shaytaan while he was in the company of angels. Now his goal is to make us the same. https://www.instagram.com/p/CWNsbF4tAlG/?utm_medium=tumblr

[islamicrays]

We live in an iWorld. Surrounded by iPhones, iPads, MYspace, YOUtube, the focus is clear: Me, my, I. One need not look far to see this obsession with the self. In order to sell, advertisers must appeal to the ego. For example, many ads appeal to the part of us that loves power and being in charge. DirectTV tells you: “Don’t watch TV, direct TV!” Yogurtland says: “You rule! Welcome to the land of endless yogurt possibilities, where you rule the portions, the choices and the scene.” But advertisers aren’t the only ones who appeal to our ego. There is a global phenomenon that provides a breeding ground and platform for that ego. And it’s called Facebook. Now, I’ll be the first to assert that Facebook can be a powerful tool for good. It is, like many other things, what you make of it. A knife can be used to cut food which feeds the hungry, or it can be used to kill someone. Facebook can be used for great good—after all it was Facebook that helped facilitate the toppling of a dictator. Facebook can be used as a powerful tool to organize, call, remind, and unite. Facebook can also be used to strengthen our connection to God and to each other… Or Facebook can be used to strengthen the hold of our nafs (lower self or ego). The Facebook phenomenon is an interesting one. In each and every one of us is an ego. It is the part of ourselves that must be suppressed (if we are to avoid Anakin’s fate of turning to the dark side, that is). The danger of feeding the ego is that, as the ego is fed, it becomes strong. When it becomes strong, it begins to rule us. Soon we are no longer slaves to God; we become slaves to ourselves. The ego is the part of us that loves power. It is the part that loves to be seen, recognized, praised, and adored. Facebook provides a powerful platform for this. It provides a platform by which every word, picture, or thought I have can be seen, praised, ‘liked’. As a result, I begin to seek this. But then it doesn’t just stay in the cyber world. I begin even to live my life with this visibility in mind. Suddenly, I live every experience, every photo, every thought, as if it’s being watched, because in the back of my mind I’m thinking, “I’ll put it on Facebook.” This creates a very interesting state of being, almost a constant sense that I am living my life on display. I become ever conscious of being watched, because everything can be put up on Facebook for others to see and comment on. More importantly, it creates a false sense of self-importance, where every insignificant move I make is of international importance. Soon I become the focus, the one on display. The message is: I am so important. My life is so important. Every move I make is so important. The result becomes an even stronger me-focused world, where I am at the center. As it turns out, this result is diametrically opposed to the Reality of existence. The goal of this life is to realize the Truth of God’s greatness and my own insignificance and need before Him. The goal is to take myself out of the center and put Him there instead. But Facebook perpetuates the illusion of the exact opposite. It strengthens my belief that because of my own importance, every inconsequential move or thought should be on display. Suddenly what I ate for breakfast or bought at the grocery store is news important enough to publish. When I put up a picture, I wait for compliments; I wait for acknowledgement and recognition. With the number of likes or comments, physical beauty becomes something that can now be quantified. When I put up a post, I wait for it to be ‘liked’. And I am ever conscience of—and even compete in—the number of “friends” I have. (Friends, here, is in quotation marks because no one knows 80% of their “friends” on Facebook.) This preoccupation and rivalry to acquire more, is mentioned in the Quran. God says: “The mutual rivalry for piling up (of worldly things) has preoccupied you.”(102:1) Whether that rivalry is in piling up wealth, or friends and ‘likes’ on Facebook, the result is the same: We have become preoccupied by it. Facebook also strengthens another dangerous focus: the focus on other people, what they’re doing, what they like. What they think of me. Facebook feeds the preoccupation with others’ assessment of me. Soon, I enter the orbit of the creation. Inside that orbit, my definitions, my pain, my happiness, my self-worth, my success and my failure is determined by the creation. When I live in that orbit, I rise and fall with the creation. When the people are happy with me, I’m up. When they’re not, I fall. Where I stand is defined by people. I’m like a prisoner because I have given up the keys to my happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and disappointment to the people to hold. Once I enter and live in the orbit of the creation—rather than the orbit of God—I begin to use that currency. See, the currency of God’s orbit is: His pleasure or His displeasure, His reward or His punishment. But, the currency of the orbit of creation is: the praise and criticism of people. So, as I enter deeper and deeper into that orbit, I covet more and more of its currency, and I fear more and more of its loss. While I’m playing Monopoly, for example, I covet more and more of its currency. And it feels great to be ‘rich’ for a moment. But when the game is over, what can I buy in the Real world with Monopoly money? The human currency of praise is Monopoly money. It feels great for a moment to collect, but when the game is over, it’s worthless. In the Reality of this life and the next, it’s worthless. And yet, I even covet this false currency in my worship. In this way, I fall victim to the hidden shirk: Riyaa (showing off in worship). Riyaa is a consequence of living in the orbit of the creation. The deeper and deeper I enter into that orbit, the more I become consumed with gaining human praise, approval and recognition. The more I enter that orbit, the more I fear loss—loss of face, loss of status, loss of praise, loss of approval. But the more I fear the people, the more I become enslaved. True freedom only comes when I let go of the fear of anything and anyone other than God. In a profound hadith (Prophetic teaching), a man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of God, direct me to an act, which if I do, God will love me and people will love me.” He ﷺ said: “Detach yourself from the world, and God will love you. Detach yourself from what is with the people, and the people will love you.” [Ibn Majah] Ironically, the less we chase after the approval and love of the people, the more we gain it. The less needy we are of others, the more people are drawn to us and seek our company. This hadith teaches us a profound Truth. Only by breaking out of the orbit of the creation, can we succeed with both God and people. So while Facebook is indeed a powerful tool, let it be a tool of your freedom—not a tool of your servitude to yourself and the assessment of others.

"Reclaim Your Heart" by Yasmin Mogahed

#yasmin mogahed

[mr-mbacke-faal-blog]

Imaam Sufyaan Ath-Thawree (rahimahullaah) said: “Beware of that which corrupts your deeds, for indeed Riyaa is what corrupts your deeds. And if it is not Riyaa, then it may be you being amazed with yourself until it makes you think that you are more virtuous than your brother. It may be that you have not achieved actions the likes of which he has achieved, and it may be that he has more apprehensive fear towards that which Allaah has forbidden and more righteous actions than you. And if it is not self-amazement, then beware of loving the praise of the people—loving their praise so that they may honour you due to your deeds and see you as someone of nobility and high status in their hearts, or due to a need you seek from them in many affairs; because you should wish for the home of the afterlife through your actions and not other than it. And remembering death a lot is enough as a means of having less concern for the things of the worldly life and a means to a fervent desire for the afterlife. A prolonged hope (for the things of this worldly life) is enough as a (means) to having little fear of (Allaah) and committing acts of disobedience; and the distress and regret on the Day of Judgment is enough for the one who knows but does not act.” The Messenger of Allah, the Salutations and Peace of Allah be upon him, named this ‘the small polytheism’ [al-shirk al-asghar]- that is, mild polytheism. Ostentation means to seek people’s respect, reverence and patronage through the performance of religious devotions such as praying, fasting, charity, Ḥajj, Jihād, the recitation of the Qur’ān and so forth. An ostentatious person’s deeds are rejected and his religious exertions are useless in the sight of Allah – even if he does not receive what he hopes for from other people. Ostentation Shaykh Muhammad b. `Alawī al-Mālikī al-Hasanī Importance of Knowledge to avoid falling into Bid’ah Knowing what is in the Qur’an and Sunnah helps us fromfalling into bid’ah. Muhammad (S) warned us about what will happen when we do nothave knowl (at Maryvale, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5WBozTHG62/?igshid=t17pameugep3

[ynx1]

‎Fudayl bin Iyaad رحمه الله said:

‎“Whoever avoids 5 affairs, indeed he is protected from the evils of the world and akhira.

‎1. Self-amazement

‎2. Riyaa (Showing off)

‎3. Pride

‎4. Power [neither seek nor desire it]

‎5. Fame [Neither seek nor desire it]”

‎[Hilyatul Auliyaa 8/95]

[30daysoframadan]

Day 17 - The seven under the shade of Allah (swt)

The Prophet ﷺ said "There are seven whom Allah will shade in His Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each other for Allah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position (for illegal intercourse), but be says: 'I fear Allah', a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.'"

A just ruler: Allah says: '...And do not let hatred cause you to act unjustly, that is nearer to piety (al-Maa'idah 8). Justice means to give someone what they deserve, no matter how you feel towards them. We often praise those we love, but only speak bad about those we hold a difference with.This is far detached from the justice which Allah loves and gives great reward for, as mentioned in the following Hadith: 'The doers of justice will be on thrones of light at Allah's Right Hand - and both of Allah's Hands are Right Hands" - those who were just in their Ruling, with their families and in all that over which they were given authority. The concept of justice is most important for the Ruler, since he is in charge of his people and the primary disposer of justice in the land. For this reason, the Ruler is given special mention as one of the seven who will be honored with Allah's Shade. But only if He is just.

A youth who grew up in the worship of Allah: It is a great blessing from Allah (swt) for a youth to be guided towards worship and instilled with the importance of Allah (swt) at a young age. People are most vulnerable to shy away from Islam and turn towards other tempations when they are young. This becomes evident when we look at society around us and we see that most of the worldly distractions, such as music, games, clubs, fashion etc. are all specifically targeted at the young. "You're only young once!" they are told, which is why many Muslims nowadays waste their youth thinking that they will pray, wear Hijaab and go to Hajj, etc. when they are old, as if they are promised tomorrow. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Take benefit of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied and your life before your death.' 

A man whose heart is attached to the mosques: There is great encouragement in the Sunnah for men to pray in the mosques. Not only does it make the person eligible for Allah's Shade on the day of Judgment, but, 'he does not take a step towards the mosque except that because of it, he is raised by one rank and one sin is removed from him. Then when he prays, the Angels do not cease supplicating for him (for) as long as he remains at his place of Prayer (sayings): O Allah send blessings upon him, O Allah have mercy upon him...' (Abu Hurairah & collected in Sahih al-Bukhari (Eng. trans.) vol. 1 p.352 no.620). Even though there are many Hadiths encouraging the men to be attached to the mosques, it is not intended to rule that a muslim’s life should be confined to the mosque. Rather, the mosque should be at the heart of the Muslim community. The ones are visit often are responsible for making the mosque welcoming for prayer and khutbahs, rather than an area for politics. 

Two men who love each other for Allah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that: Loving one another for sake of Allah means that the Muslim loves the other for the upholding of his Deen. So it does not matter what the person looks like, what he wears, how rich or poor he is, where he comes from, or what the color of his skin is - maybe you dislike everything about him, but you love him for his imaan: this is loving for Allah's sake.'Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent says: 'Those who have mutual love for the sake of My Glory will have pillars of light and will be envied the Prophets and martyrs.' (Sahih - Collected in Sunan at-Tirmidhee & Musnad Ahmad: 5/336-7).Subhan Allah! Imagine being envied by Allah's chosen Messengers and those who were slain in His Path! Such is the reward of those who love one another for Allah's sake. 

A man who is called by a woman of beauty and position but he says: 'I fear Allah: The Prophet ﷺ warned his Ummah specifically about this. He said, "The world is sweet and green and verily Allah is going to install you as successors upon it in order to see how you act. So avoid the allurement of women: verily the first trial for the Children of Israa'eel was caused by women." (Aboo Sa'eed al-Khudree & collected in Saheeh Muslim (Eng. trans.) vol.4, p.1432, no.6606) Allah (swt) will provide shade for the men strong enough to refrain from a woman’s seduction.

A man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity: This describes the type of person who goes to great lengths to protect himself from ar-Riyaa. Ar-Riyaa means to do deeds in order to earn the praise and recognition of people. This sin destroys all the benefits that lie in righteous deeds and brings on a serious punishment for the one who commits it. In today’s society, this is commonly seen as charity being filmed to post online or to post a status about it on Facebook. It is important to make sure all good deeds originate and remain with pure intention! Do not boast about your good deeds, keep that only between you and Allah (swt).

A man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears: The Prophet ﷺ: "If you knew what l knew, you would laugh little and weep much." (Aboo Hurairah and Anas & collected in Saheeh al-Bukhari (Eng. trans.) vol.8, p.326-327, nos.492 and 493) Tears are a form of genuine expression once one truly understands the fear of Allah's Punishment but also His adorned mercy and love. The Prophet ﷺ said, 'There is nothing more beloved to Allah than two drops and two marks: A tear shed due to fear of Allah, and a drop of blood spilled in the path of Allah. And as for the two marks, then a mark caused in the path of Allah, and a mark caused by fulfilling one of the duties made obligatory by Allah." (Hasan - collected by at-Tirmidhee and al-Mishkaat: 3837)

#day #ramadan #ramadan2017 #ramadankareem #pray #islam #allah #muslim

[miquerisxh-blog]

‘​LIKE-O-MANIA’: ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA? By Dr. Farhat Zafar When was the last time you checked your countless social media apps to see the number of likes and shares for your post? Just a minute ago, or within the last hour? Since the growing popularity of social media a decade back, like-o-mania has affected many individuals. This is when we write and share posts, create pages and groups and spend quality time – all to fame in the virtual world of social media. People nowadays have become addicted to uploading pictures of what they wear, things they cook and eat, places they go onto their social media platforms – the list is endless! According to a report by Informate Mobile Intelligence, an average 4.7 hours a day (a third of our day, if we are awake for 16 hours!) is spent on our smartphones. We must ask ourselves, if we are awake for 16 hours a day how much of this time is spent doing things that are useful? In this article, we will consider the implications of wastage of time on smartphones, and how it is destructive to our productivity. HOW DOES OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ‘TIMELINE’ AFFECT US AS MUSLIMS? It is now incredibly easy to respond and react to anything and everything in our social media newsfeed. It has instilled an urge to react even to the matters of little concern sometimes solely for being noticed by people. However, the teachings of Islam tell us that we should not become involved in matters that do no good to anyone or can trick us to get into arguments; it can be even a false news.The Messenger of Allah ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “Part of the perfection of one’s Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him.” [Hadith Nawawi] But, this is not what I want to shed light on in this article rather how the obsession of likes and shares steals away our excellence without us even knowing. SEEKING ATTENTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA The main goal of social media sharing is to gain the attention of the people while boasting and taking pride in halal and haram activities that are posted. Here are some matters through which people attract attention on social media: 1. MARITAL LIFE We may be living with the person in the same house, but it has become a trend (or an essential!) to post birthday wishes, anniversary wishes or grand declarations of love on networking sites. Gestures of love that should be personal and special between the husband and wife are uploaded for the whole world to see. This is as unpleasant as living in a house with glass walls all around, with all private on-goings made public for all to witness. QUICK TIP: Instead of posting a romantic status, say these words to your spouse directly and watch how the love between you two grows. 2. LUXURIES AND FOOD It has become normal to see posts such as “I just checked into this swanky hotel!” and “here I’m with my brand new phone/laptop/car.” This gives validation to the individual as we show the whole world the material things that Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) blessed us with. QUICK TIP: Instead of posting a picture of your latest gadget, make du’a to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) that it will benefit you in this world and the Hereafter. 3. BEAUTY “Looking awesome, bro!” “Hey, you look beautiful!” These comments are like drugs for some and they just cannot live without them. They get into the habit of dressing up and posting pictures with deep quotes and then, chase those posts all day long to see how many likes and comments they get. In an age of advanced photo-editing, men and women are desperate to attain an unrealistic body image, with constant selfies to try and build up their self-worth. QUICK TIP: Next time you want to post a selfie, post a picture of beautiful scenery or nature instead and ponder over Allah’s subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) creation, so that we learn to detach from our ego. Believe that Allah is ‘Al-Musawwir’ (The Fashioner), Who fashioned you in the best shape – you do not need to display and get approval of from the world. 4. AGONIES It is not just the happy moments, people also go on to share their agonies and painful moments with the whole world, be it a failed love story, a broken marriage or an ailment they may be suffering from. QUICK TIP: In order to be successful, we are required to be patient during trials. Complaining to people contributes to being ungrateful towards the Lord and hence, should be avoided. We also end up exposing our weaknesses to friends and foes. So expose your problems only to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and seek His help. 5. RELIGIOUS DUTIES The sad reality is that the attention seeking behavior has crossed the boundaries and infiltrated our religious duties as well. More of worshippers are found busy filming themselves in Haramain rather than concentrating on worshipping Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). QUICK TIP: Keep your ibadah a secret! ADVERSE EFFECTS OF “LIKE-O-MANIA” 1. IT IS A WASTE OF TIME We do not realize how much time we may be losing because of our attention seeking activities. Being obsessed and preoccupied in a continuous display of our looks, accessories, gadgets etc., and the urge to have the maximum number of likes, leads us to check and re-check our networking apps, upload new photos and update our check-in status every day. Thus, a large proportion of our time which we may have spent in actually improving our talents and productivity is spent browsing the smartphone like a dummy on a couch. 2. IT INCREASES OBSESSION AND INSECURITY When we intend to gain worldly admiration, we try to increase the actions which give us likes and shares. Awake or asleep, on the prayer mat or at the dining table, our mind starts to worry about it! Gradually, worldly gain and loss start to matter more than internal peace and spirituality. Keeping an eye on what other people think about us, and what other people are doing, causes envy and jealousy, and a vicious cycle of competition. Consider when Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) says, “Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you, Until you visit the graveyards.” [Qur’an: Chapter 102, Verses 1 – 2] At this point, we must remember that not every person who likes our uploads is necessarily happy about our success and happiness. And, when we step into the reality, it may be shocking to realize that we are not as admired by others as the number of likes on our pictures may suggest. 3. IT DISTURBS AND DISTRACTS OTHERS While posting all the happy moments, new gadgets, tours and dining plates on social media, we need to be careful of the evil eye. The evil eye can cause a break in relationships, a fall in health and a loss of wealth and property. Additionally, we must realize that many people out there are not blessed with what we have or may be in great need. The more we post about our material things, the more possible it is to sadden and distract people who have less than us. This can make them feel bad, ashamed or ungrateful for what they do not have. We should also remember that the luxuries we do have, can be taken away by Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) at any time. 4. IT FOSTERS RIYAA‘ AND INSINCERITY For any acts of worship or good deeds to be accepted, there are two conditions: It should be based on the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) and, it should be done with the sincere intention to please Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). Showing off in religious acts is called riyaa’. Riyaa’ means to perform acts which are pleasing to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) with the intention of pleasing others. Prophet Muhammed ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) explains in a hadith that riyaa’ is a form of shirk: “Shall I not tell you of that which I fear more for you than Dajjal?” We said: “Yes.” He ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Hidden polytheism; when a man stands to pray and makes it look good because he sees a man looking at him.” [Sunan Ibn Majah] Riyaa’ is not just limited to acts of worship like salah and sawm, but any good deeds such as giving charity or helping others that may be done to show off to the people rather than earning the pleasure of the most glorious Lord and it has a diminishing effect on our rewards. The Messenger of Allah ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “Actions are (judged) by niyyah (motives), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose hijrah (migration) was to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] 5. IT INSTILLS PRIDE The person who makes a wanton display of his blessings granted to him/her by Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and gains ‘likes’ from people, believes him/herself to be admired by the people and may think oneself to be superior. While boasting and publicizing our luxuries, looks, and piety, we must remind ourselves of the stern warnings of Prophet Muhammed ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him). “He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise.” A person (amongst his hearers) said: “Verily a person loves that his dress should be fine, and his shoes should be fine.” The Holy Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) remarked: “Verily, Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) is Graceful and He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) loves Grace. Pride is disdaining the truth (out of self-conceit) and contempt for the people.” [Sahih Muslim] Ultimately, this will cause the worst form of pride, which is a result of boasting about our so-called piety. A person praised for piety and knowledge can begin to think him/herself free of weaknesses, mistakes, and sins. When s/he falls into this trap of pride by Shaytaan, s/he doesn’t hesitate in criticizing and humiliating others for their weaknesses and mistakes. If we behave in such a way, how can we be sure our good deeds are being accepted? HOW TO STOP BEING AN ATTENTION SEEKER? 1. IMPROVE SELF-AWARENESS The main reason for making our life colorful with others’ paint is the lack of our own paint. We need to know and accept ourselves, and respect ourselves. We need to like ourselves and spend our time productively – this will ensure that we don’t need approval from others. Make a list of your good and bad behaviors from ‘your point of view’ and analyze why they are good or bad. Then, try to improve/eliminate/compliment each one. 2. DEVELOP SELF-CONTROL People in the habit of attention seeking are engaged in compulsive uploading and following of posts. The moment we get such compulsive thoughts, we should remind ourselves that the acts which are worth doing and spending time after are those which are pleasing to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). Wasting an enormous time on networking sites will cause our productivity to decline and our personalities will become rotten. Having self-discipline when it comes to technology and social media is a huge benefit. It means that your strong will and determination will penetrate other areas of your life. Giving up social media is not an easy feat! 3. HAVE DEFINITE AND PURE INTENTIONS While doing acts of worship or any good deed, we must always keep our intention purely to seek the pleasure of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and not to show off. We should be cautious that our deeds may be rejected based on our corrupted intentions. Refine your intentions through self-reflection. Identify which actions may have impure intentions; every time you perform that action again, make an internal intention that you are only doing it for the sake of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He). 4. TIME MANAGEMENT In order to limit the time spent on networking sites, we should dedicate a fixed time during the day to browse social media. Apart from these times, we should not log on to these sites. Free time should be utilized for beneficial activities, like gaining knowledge and studying Islamic sciences, productive hobbies and using your skills for the benefit of the society. Once we have this aim, we will come outside the realm of the virtual world of networking sites and get involved in the real world. We might even forget that we have profiles on social networking sites, in sha Allah. SEEK ATTENTION FROM WHOM IT MATTERS I would like to conclude that when certain wrong things are done in the society for a long time, they become a norm. Attention seeking through social media has also become a norm in the society despite its adverse effects. We must strive to break this vicious cycle. If we do wish to seek attention, we must strive to seek the attention of the inhabitants of heaven. What greater audience can we find than them? Allah’s Messenger ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “When Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) loves a person, He subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) calls Jibreel 'alayhi'l-salām (peace be upon him) and says: ‘I love So and so, so love him.’ So Jibreel 'alayhi'l-salām (peace be upon him) loves him, then he 'alayhi'l-salām (peace be upon him) calls out to the people of heaven, ‘Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) loves So and so, so love him.’ So the people of heaven love him and he finds acceptance on earth.” [Sahih al-Bukhari] What methods do you suggest to decrease “like-o-mania”? Share your ideas in the comments below! Source: https://productivemuslim.com/like-o-maniac/ #WriteUpOfTheDay #LearnApplyGetMotivated #PersonalProductivityWeek #ProductiveRamadhan2018

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Fudayl bin Iyaad said:

Whoever avoids 5 affairs, indeed he is protected from the evils of the world and akhera.

1. Self-amazement

2. Riyaa (Showoffs)

3. Pride

4. Power [neither seek nor desire it]

5. Fame [Neither seek nor desire it]

[Hilyatul Auliyaa 8/95]