Hi guys,
Trust you’re doing good. I’m doing as well, AlhamduliLlah.
You’re welcome to another episode of Aleem’s compendium.
Good health is one of the most expensive blessings Allah bestowed upon His servants and if you have one, make good use of it.
I have an apt and thought-provoking message for you this week. I hope it meets you in a good state and parachutes you to instant action. Remember, the fruit of knowledge is to act by it.
So, let’s ride in.
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When Allah made you understand this deen and guided you to the light of sunnah, your eeman was high, and all acts of worship seemed easy on you as you upheld them as expected.
But, when the travails of life now befell you, out of negligence, you start decreasing in vigour and losing your grip. Your eeman drops below the gauge, and you fear for your life. You start imagining what your situation could be if your time is up and you pass away soon.
It is expected all these happen to you because that is how eeman is. It increases sometimes, and it decreases some other times.
What you shouldn’t surrender to is becoming an evil man. Yeah! An evil man.
There are some voluntary acts of worship you shouldn’t let any ups and downs of life take away from you. They rejuvenate your eeman and often time bring you back on track. Leaving these voluntary acts of worship might, in turn, make you an evil man on earth or remove you out of the fold of the excellent men.
Let me remind you of these two scenarios. May Allah grant us steadfastness, aameen.
An excellent man
Salim bin 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with them) reported, on the authority of his father, that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "What an excellent man 'Abdullah is! If only he could perform optional prayers at night." Salim said that after this, (his father) 'Abdullah slept very little at night.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
This hadith points to the importance of standing up in the night for prayer, and it is what makes one an excellent man in all ramifications.
An evil man
It’s narrated that Imam Ahmad (rahimahullah) said, “The one that abandons Sunan rawaatib (the 10 voluntary prayers ) is an evil man”. [Al-Insaaf]
This statement stresses the importance of upholding the Sunan always without getting tired or lazy. When last have you kept up with these Sunan? I hope you are not an evil man.
PS: Sunnan Rawaatib can be observed as follow; 2 units of prayer before Solatu dhuhr and 2 units after, 2 units after maghrib and 2 units after ‘Ishaa, and 2 units of prayer before solatul fajr as narrated by AbduLlah bn Umar in Saheehayn (Saheehul Bukhari and Saheehu Muslim)
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The Extra
Being an intentional parent is not enough; always remember your children and their descendants in your prayers. Take after your father, Ibraheem Alayhi Salaam; he supplicated for himself and his descendants, and Allah answered his prayer.
14:40
رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْنِى مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ
My Lord! Make me and those ˹believers˺ of my descendants keep up prayer. Our Lord! Accept my prayers
Abdulaeem Akinyoola ✍️
You are an evil man!
In your last post, u encouraged readers to get a copy of a book, I showed interest but u didn't reply up till now.
What an excellent reminding! May Allah make it easier for me and you, accept it as an act of 'ibãdah, and reward you with goodness