إيمان and احتساب is not something uttered by the tongue or merely an action they do. It is a matter you believe in and hope in Allah. Every righteous deed you do requires a hope from Allah. Why are you doing it?
The Prophet mentions facts about the virtues of fasting and the month of Ramadan. The more these facts are alive in your heart when performing the good deed, the more reward you will get. The stronger your belief is, the more alert you will be when you observe the fast.
HADITH: The Prophet said, "The obligatory prayers to the obligatory prayers, and the Friday prayer to the Friday prayer, and the Ramadan until the next Ramadan expiate the sins committed between them if the person avoids the major sins"
Ibn Othaimeen said, "This Hadith has two meanings:
1) Observing the fast in Ramadan until you observe the next fast in Ramadan while avoiding the major sins will expiate your minor sins.
2) This opinion is preponderant. Observing the fast in Ramadan will expiate the minor sins between two Ramadans."
The minor sins will be forgiven because the major sins require repentance.
How can you tell if something is a major sin?
1) Every sin or action where the Prophet has cursed its doer
2) Every action in which there is a penalty in this world.
3) Every action where there is a threat from Allah or the Prophet in the next world. (Eg. Riba)
4) Every action where the Prophet negated ايمان from its doer. (لا يؤمن احدكم....Until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself)
5) Any action in which the Prophet disassociated himself from that person (ليس منا...who cheats) (ليس منا who doesn't respect the elders, have mercy on the youngers)
This Hadith creates an eagerness to reach Ramadan. It is a blessing that Allah granted us opportunities as an expiation for our sins. You may look lightly at the fact that it is an expiation of minor sins, however there are many risks involved when a person commits minor sins.
What are minor sins? Eg. listening to music, not replying to the سلام, playing which diverts the heart from the remembrance of Allah, bad behaviour, ill treatment of the people, not returning something you have taken, obscene talk, mixing between the sexes without necessity, etc.
Ibn Abbas counted smiling and laughing at unlawful things a minor sin.
We may be committing minor sins profusely during the day. Taking them lightly is very dangerous, it indicates weak faith and that you are not magnifying Allah and giving him His due estimate.
You don't realise the seriousness of these minor sins.
HADITH: The Prophet said, "Beware of the minor sins. If they are gathered upon a person they will destroy him. This is an example of a group of travellers walking in the land and their servant calls them for food. Every one of them will bring one stick of firewood until they collect a big amount and kindle a fire"
When all the minor sins gather, they may kindle a big fire. They are a burden on our shoulders which we carry day and night.
Many people are aware of the major sins but belittle the minor sins because they are under the notion that they are minor and forgivable. They don't consider it a big deal.
6 risks in taking minor sins lightly:
1) According to scholars, when minor sins are committed with belittlement and without remorse and fear of Allah, they will be considered major sins. The sin will not be considered minor with persistence.
The person does this sin daily. He knows it's wrong but persists. He is turning this minor sin into a major sin.
Be wary when it comes to phones and technology. Many minor sins are being committed without a person being aware of it. A person may forward a YouTube video with music. He will bear the sin and the sin of every one who heard it.
It makes the person delay the prayer, waste time, etc.
There are people who laugh at the sins they commit. A shopkeeper may be happy because he deceived the customer. He feels proud of himself and happy.
Some people are happy that they expose others and they talk boastfully of it.
The Hadith encourages us to:
1) Be heedful of our minor sins
2) Not take sins lightly
3) Take account of ourselves
2) Many people think minor sins are forgiveable.
They are under the impression that as long as they are praying and fasting, their minor sins are being forgiven. But how do you even know that your prayer and fasting is accepted by Allah?
Even if it is accepted by Allah, is it enough to expiate your minor sins? Nobody knows.
HADITH: Shaytan has despaired from making the people in the Arabian peninsula worship idols, but he is pleased with less than that. To make the people commit minor sins which are الموبقات on the Day of Judgement. Beware of ظلم as much as you can, because on the Day of Judgement and will ask Allah, "O Allah this Slave of yours oppressed and wronged me" and it will be taken from his good deeds until no good deed will remain for him.
HADITH: Oh Ayesha, beware of the minor sins because verily they are pursued by Allah.
Allah will ask us about these minor sins, which the people deem forgiveable. If the Prophet, whose past and future sins have been forgiven asked Allah for forgiveness 70 or 100 times a day, what about us?
One of the Salaf used to say, "One kind of deception is to commit evil and you will be dealt with احسان"
We may commit sins and not see a hastened punishment, be wary of thinking that Allah has forgiven that sin. Allah may not punish the person immediately because He is الحليم. Allah will open the gate of goodness for him.
3) Minor sins occupy the person from repentance and cause laziness which prevent the person from doing good which expiate the sins.
When explaining (2:82), Rabee' Ibn Kuthaym said, "This is the person who will die without repenting from his sins"
His sins, even if they are minor, will encircle him on the Day of Judgement.
Abu Ayyub al Ansari said, "Verily the man may perform a good deed and trust himself (that he's done something good) and forgets his minor sins, so he will meet Allah on the Day of Judgement while his sins encircled him"
4) Belittling the minor sins will gradually lead a person to belittle the major sins
Gradually, the Shaytan will lead him to commit major sins and he will find no remorse in his heart when committing them.
Committing sins boldly opens the door to committing it habitually.
(2:168) و لا تتبع خطوات الشيطان
Abu Ubaydah said, "The steps of the Shaytan are minor sins"
5) They bring a burden of sins for a person in ways the person never even thought of.
The person may commit a sin and not take it lightly. Others will see this person not taking it lightly and will imitate him.
You may do an action or an utter a word carelessly which encourages other people to imitate you, you will bear the sin of all your followers.
People will take you as an example and it will be added to your record of evil deeds.
HADITH: A slave of Allah may utter a word without giving it much importance and Allah will raise him degrees in Paradise. A person may utter a word without giving it much importance and Allah will throw him in the hellfire
Ibn AlHajr said, "Carelessly means he did not think of its consequence"
We press one button and send something to every one in our list.
6) This is the most serious. When minor sins are accumulated in the heart of a person they cause hardness of the heart.
You may advise the person but it will have no effect on the person. The persons heart is sealed.
HADITH: When a person commits a sin a black dot is dotted on his heart. If he repents it will be polished. If he doesn't it will accumulate until the heart becomes black and is covered in ران.
كلا بل ران على قلوبهم بما كأنو يكسبون
Ibn AlJawzi said, "The greatest punishment is that a person is punished by Allah and he doesn't feel of it"
A person with a hardened heart doesn't feel that his heart is hardened or blackened because of the sins he commits day and night. He is happy and rejoices in committing the sin and deceiving the people. They think deceiving people equates intelligence and don't realise that it is a sin. He is blind, deaf, dumb, etc.
Don't be heedless. In Surah Qamar Verse 53:
Every minor and major thing is recorded.
In (18:49):
This is a very serious situation. We will be shown our deeds openly.
We are responsible of our deeds.
Sufyan Ath-Thawri, "We will be even asked why we smiled on such and such day"
So when we say that minor sins committed between Ramadan are expiated, it is a great thing. If you don't know what a minor sin is, you may be committing them in Ramadan and not realise that they are minor.
We have to train and control ourselves from now. Don't look and listen to everything, forward everything you send, etc.
Many people think they are doing something good and they don't realise the harm they are causing. How many clips and messages we received caused harm to us?
Minor sins will encircle the person on the Day of Judgement.
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الحي القيوم in آيات الكرسي
ايات الكرسي came in the context of Jihad as well as spending (From verses 246-255). All the verses in the Qur'an are related to each other.
آيات الكرسي is the greatest verse in the entire Qur'an.
HADITH: The Prophet asked Ubay Ibn Ka'b what the greatest Verse was in the Qur'an and he said, "آيات الكرسي"
It consists of ten sentences.
1) الله لا اله الا هو
This sentence talks about Allah whom we worship alone with utmost love and magnification. No one deserves to be worshipped other than Him, because no one is perfect in attributes except Him. No one deserves our hearts attachment except Him. He is the قبلة of our hearts. We have to ask, implore, attach our hearts to Him and no one else. Your heart does not turn to anyone except Him.
2) الحي القيوم
You may ask, Why do I worship Allah and no one else? It is as if Allah is answering us in this second sentence. He is الحي، القيوم.
الحي
Allah is the The Ever-living, never dies. His life was not preceded by non existence, nor does it end with death. His life is perfect, and a perfect life entails perfect attributes. His hearing is perfect, his ability is perfect, etc.
Compare Allah to any other deity. Eg. Buddha. Allah says He is the ever living, Bhuddha is dead.
Jesus. The Christians claimed he died for three days then was raised to the heavens. Allah never dies.
No one deserves our hearts attachment except Allah.
القيوم
Allah is self-subsistent. He is not in need of anyone. It is he who subsists everyone else. He is rich and is in no need of his creation, rather they are in need of Him. He doesn't need a partner, a helper, etc. We are in need of everything. We need air to remain alive, we need water, we need our clothes, our shows, etc.
Who then deserves to be worshipped alone?
When you are talking to a مشرك this is what you need to ask him about. Ask him about his deities, and if they have these attributes.
Allah is قائم over everyone. He is in charge of all the creations in the heavens and the earth. He is the one who created them, guides, sustains, nurtures, etc. We cannot live without Allah. The attribute of قيوميه is not suitable to anyone except Allah, therefore no one can be called قيوم.
3) لا تأخذه سنة و لا نوم
Allah is negating slumber from overtaking him. If you want to praise Him, you should affirm the opposite attribute. Allah is الحي، القيوم and that is why He doesn't sleep or need rest.
Eg. If you say 'so-and-so is generous' then it might mean that sometimes she is generous and sometimes she isn't. When you say 'so-and-so is generous and is never miserly' it indicates she is always generous.
To praise Allah you affirm the attribute and negate the opposite.
HADITH: When you retire to bed recite ايات الكرسي
It is as if you are saying, I am going to sleep, and I will be under the guardianship of the One who never sleeps. When we sleep, all our senses are lost, and we aren't aware of what is happening around us. So we are relying on Allah to protect us.
We can't rely on people. They are defective. They die, and sleep, and forget, etc.
If you wake up in the night with some pain and there is no one around to help you, everyone is asleep. Who can help you? No one except Allah.
4) له ما في السماوات و ما في الارض
Everything belongs to Allah. Me, my life, my death, my children, my family, my money, my car, my house, my everything, all truly belong to Allah.
Allah granted us the blessings we have as a trust, and he may take them sooner or later. Therefore, if you really believe that Allah created the whole dominion and owns everything He created as well as disposing the affairs of His creation you will:
a) Not behave in a way contrary to what He has commanded while you live in His dominion.
b) Not judge among the people except with what He has legislated. You will judge according to His laws, and not man-made laws.
c) be consoled during time of loss and calamity. Allah is the One who granted you that blessing, and it is Allah who has taken that blessing from you. It could be money, a husband, children, job, etc.
When the Prophets daughter called him because her son was dying he said, "To Allah belongs what He has taken, and to Allah belongs what He has given, and everything with Allah has a fixed term"
Eg. Life and death. When Allah has granted life for someone, He knows when to take it. This is something that is in His hand. He granted us life as a trust, for an appointed time. As this term finishes, Allah will take that blessing from us. And this applies to everything in our lives.
If you lose something, then know it belongs to Allah, and Allah disposes the affairs of His creation according to His wisdom and knowledge. So be pleased with Allah and be content with what Allah has decreed for you.
Yes, we may become sad and cry because we are humans, and there is nothing wrong with that. But your heart should be content and pleased with the Qadar of Allah, not angry or blaming Allah.
Everything belongs to Allah. Our jobs, friends, family, etc. So we should be pleased with Him when they are taken from us.
d) When we get a blessing we should not be proud and boast. Don't feel with self-conceit or admiration. Allah gives, and He may take it. Don't envy people for a blessing, rather you should be happy for them. If it is a worldly matter, it could be a فتنة for them. If you see someone been given a religious blessing, then ask Allah to grant it to you.
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