Solve Stubbornness, Read Surah Sad

SURA 38. Sad
1. Sad: By the Qur’an, Full of Admonition: [This is the Truth]. 2. But the Unbelievers [are steeped] in self-glory and Separatism.
3. How many generations before them did We destroy? In the end they cried [for mercy]- when there was no longer time for being saved!
4. So they wonder that a Warner has come to them from among themselves! and the Unbelievers say, “This is a sorcerer telling lies!
5. “Has he made the gods [all] into one Allah? Truly this is a wonderful thing!”
6. And the leader among them go away [impatiently], [saying], “Walk ye away, and remain constant to your gods! For this is truly a thing designed [against you]!
7. “We never heard [the like] of this among the people of these latter days: this is nothing but a made-up tale!”
8. “What! has the Message been sent to him -- [Of all persons] among us?” … but they are in doubt concerning My [Own] Message! Nay, they have not yet tasted My Punishment!
9. Or have they the treasures of the mercy of thy Lord,- the Exalted in Power, the Grantor of Bounties without measure?


Surah Sad (38) -- Sheikh Fahd Al Kanderi



1. This surah reveals the meaning, that although you Muslim surrender to Allah’s (SWT) orders and commands, you might do wrong. The question is will you turn back to Him repentantly? Or will you remain arrogant, and insist on your opinion?

2. Going back to the right path without being stubborn:

The surah relates the story of three Messengers who made quick decisions, but they soon realized their mistake. This is one of the most important types of submission to Allah(SWT) because he who is arrogant never surrenders to the right path, and if he finds himself doing wrong he will insist on it. Therefore the surah relates the story of Satan who is the symbol of arrogance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=8bg1i3V25B4

Be firm

31:17 (Y. Ali) “O my son! establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong: and bear with patient constancy whatever betide thee; for this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs

2:63 (Y. Ali) And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (The towering height) of Mount (Sinai) : (Saying): “Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: Perchance ye may fear Allah.”

11:120 (Y. Ali) All that we relate to thee of the stories of the apostles,- with it We make firm thy heart: in them there cometh to thee the Truth, as well as an exhortation and a message of remembrance to those who believe.

Prophet (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) used to supplicate frequently saying, “O’ Allah, The One Who changes hearts, make my heart firm on your deen.” Tirmidhi

A touching story of a mother firm in Faith- Islamic Lecture by Bilal Assad!


Action Plan

Firmness does not mean hostility. The firm behavior is not aggressiveness, scolding, threatening, rough or sarcasm. Firmness is different from aggressiveness. When you defend your self and prove your presence, you are not transgressing the rights of others

. Firmness means you convey what you want to say to others in a clear way with respect to your rights and feelings and to the others’ rights and feelings.

How you can be more firm?

*Compose a group of values and rules for your self that make you able to prove your presence. Or in other words, permit for your self to get upset, to reject or to ask for help.

.*Avoid using platitude questions like: (the weather is hot today, isn’t it?), disclaimer talk like: (I may be wrong, but….), and statement sentences in a question form like: ( Don’t you close the door?). All of these formulas decrease from the firm confirmatory speech effect.

*Stop the self limitation behaviors like: too much smiling, too much head gesturing, head inclination and others signs that indicate the absence of self-confidence.

*When you refuse, be firm in your refusal and explain your refusal’s reasons but don’t escape the apology.

.*Use statements like: (I want) or ( I feel).

*Appreciate others attitude and feelings but follow your talk by a speech which means that you are defending your rights. You could say for example: ( I know that you are so and so, but I feel so and so).

*Use the word (I). (This usage benefits especially when you express a negative feeling).The usage of (I) helps on focusing on your anger in a constructive way and make you sure from your personal feelings.

*Remember! Use personal pronoun and avoid speaker pronoun like: (You are so…so).

*look in the eyes of who you are talking with, be relax in your seat or posture, let your face expressions indicate that you are convinced about what you are saying, and let your voice tone harmonized.

*Hear others and let them feel that you heard what they have said. Ask clarifying questions.

*Practice in front of your family and friends and ask them to give their opinion in your behavior.

First, treat the situations that cause minimum worries. Gather your power of firm and confirmation. Do not let your determination depressed if you didn’t do a firm behavior. Determine where you did the mistake and how you could improve the situation next time. Reward your self when ever you press on your self to be firm without looking if the wanted results were achieve or not.

Dr. Telman suggest – as Narat Al-Magrab website- the usage of (sequence appreciation); the psychological expression that means the trial of passing a part of the road toward the target. Like: if it is impossible for you to to talk firmly, try to say one paragraph firmly. And after you achieve that, try the next time to say two paragraphs firmly.

Each opportunity lets you to practice your self, will be in the same time an opportunity to be satisfied with your self because you talked firmly. This feeling compose a step forward to get the self respect.

Say this dua often
1. Yaa muqalibal-quloob thabit quloobanaa-ala-deenik

Oh ye who turns hearts, make our hearts firm upon the deen

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Reward for Good Deeds in the Quran

Verse’s from the Holy Qur’an referring to the Believers who do good deeds and their reward of Jannah (i.e. Paradise).

And give glad tidings to those who believe and do righteous good deeds, that for them

will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). Every time they will be provided with a fruit there from, they will say: “This is what we were provided with before,” and they will be given things in resemblance and they shall have therein Azwajun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives) and they will abide therein forever.
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Surah Al-Baqarah 2: Ayah 25

And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers or paradise, they will dwell therein forever.

➢Surah Al-Baqarah 2: Ayah 82
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But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), abiding therein forever. Therein they shall have Azwajun Mutahharatun (purified mates or wives), and We shall admit them to shades wide and ever deepening.

➢Surah An-Nisa’ 4: Ayah 57
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But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to

Gardens under which rivers flow (i.e. in Paradise) to dwell therein forever. Allah’s promise is the Truth; and whose words can be truer than those of Allah?

➢Surah An-Nisa’ 4: Ayah 122
• And whoever does righteous good deeds, male or female, and is a (true) believer, such will enter Paradise and not the least injustice, even to the size of a speck on the back of a date-stone, will be done to them.
➢ •

Surah An-Nisa’ 4: Ayah 124

Allah has promised those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, that for them there is forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).

➢Surah Al-Maidah 5: Ayah 9
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Verily, those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, their Lord will guide them through their faith; under them will flow rivers in the Gardens of Delight (Paradise).

➢Surah Yunus 10: Ayah 9

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Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds: those, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (Paradise).

➢Surah Hud 11: Ayah 11
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Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and humble themselves before their Lord, they will be dwellers of Paradise to dwell therein forever.

➢Surah Hud 11: Ayah 23
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Verily as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, certainly We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous deeds in the most perfect manner to be lost. These! For them will be ‘And (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens); wherein rivers flow underneath them; therein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine and thick silk. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good is the reward, and what an excellent Murtafaq (dwelling, resting place.)!

➢Surah Al-Kahf 18: Ayat 30 – 31

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Verily those who believe and do righteous deeds shall have the Gardens of Al-Firdaus (Paradise) for their entertainment.

➢Surah Al-Kahf 18: Ayah 107
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Truly, Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous good deeds to Gardens underneath which rivers flow (in Paradise). Verily, Allah does what He wills.

➢Surah Al-Hajj 22: Ayah 14
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Truly, Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous good deeds, to Gardens underneath which rivers flow (in Paradise), wherein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls and their garments therein will be of silk.

➢Surah Al-Hajj 22: Ayah 23.
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So those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them is forgiveness and Rizqun karim (generous provision, i.e. Paradise).

➢Surah Al-Hajj 22: Ayah 50
• Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them are Gardens of Delight (paradise).

➢Surah Luqman 31: Ayah 8
• That He may recompense those who believe and do righteous good deeds. Those, theirs is forgiveness and Rizq karim (generous provision, i.e. Paradise).

➢Surah Saba 34: Ayah 4
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… and those who believe and do righteous good deeds, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).

➢Surah Fatir 35: Ayah 7
• Truly, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them will be an endless reward that will never stop (i.e. Paradise).

➢Surah Fussilat 41: Ayah 8
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… But those who believe and do righteous deeds (will be) in the flowering meadows of the Gardens (Paradise). They shall have whatsoever they desire with their Lord. That is the supreme grace, (Paradise).

➢Surah Ash-Shura 42: Ayah 22
• Then, as for those who believed and did righteous good deeds, their Lord will admit

them to His Mercy. That will be the evident success.

➢Surah Al-Jathiya 45: Ayah 30
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But those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and believe in that which is sent down to Muhammad (salla allahu alaihi wa salaam) for it is the truth from their Lord – He will expiate from them their sins, and will make good their state.

➢Surah Muhammad 47: Ayah 2
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… And whosoever believes in Allah and performs righteous good deeds, He will expiate from him his sins, and will admit him to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) to dwell therein forever; that will be the great success.
➢

Surah At-Taghabun 64: Ayah 9 • Save those who believe and do righteous deeds. Then they shall have a reward without end (Paradise).

➢ •

Surah At-Tin 95: Ayah 6

Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are the best of creatures. Their reward with their Lord is ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of eternity), underneath which rivers flow. They will abide therein forever, Allah will be pleased with them, and they with Him. That is for him who fears his lord.

➢Surah Al-Bayyinah 98: Ayah 7-8

“Sadaqalla hul adheem”
(Almighty Allah has spoken the truth).

Source : Reward for good deeds in Quran

Quran & Hadith Reminder. #3 " Good Deeds"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2xDHf1jV_U&feature=player_embedded

Admiring oneself after doing a good deed

Sometimes a person finds himself filled with self-admiration or showing off after doing a good deed or act of worship, and he is scared that this will cancel out what he has done. What do you advise?
Source: My Islam

Praise be to Allaah.

If a person feels self admiration after doing something good or fears that he may show off, he should ward that off and resist it by seeking refuge with Allaah from it, and saying Allaahumma inni aoodhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana alam, wastaghfiruka lima laa alam (O Allaah, I seek refuge with you from knowingly associating anything with You, and I seek Your forgiveness for that of which I am unaware)“ as was reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

These kind of feelings happen to everyone, but you have to try to be sincere towards Allaah, seek His forgiveness, and remember that there is no strength and no power except with Allaah; if it were not for the help of Allaah, you would not have been able to do this good deed, so to Allaah be praise in the beginning and at the end.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Muadh ibn Jabal: O Muaadh, by Allaah indeed I love you, and I advise you, O Muaadh, do not forget at the end of every prayer to say: Allaahumma inni ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni ibaaditika (O Allaah, help me to remember You, give thanks to You and worship You in the best way).(Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawood, al-Nasaai, and others; it is saheeh).

Do not forego doing good deeds for fear of showing off, because this is one of the tricks that the Shaytaan uses to weaken people’s resolve and stop them from doing things that Allaah loves and is pleased with.

As for merely feeling happy that one has done a good deed, this does not contradict sincerity and faith, for Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

Say: In the Bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islam and the Quran); ”therein let them rejoice. That is better than what (the wealth) they amass” [Yoonus 10:58] “ meaning, if he attains guidance, faith and righteous deeds, and the mercy resulting from that overwhelms him and he feels joy and success as a result. Hence Allaah commanded us to rejoice over such things.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: If your good deeds make you happy and your bad deeds make you sad, then you are a believer.(Narrated by Ahmad, Ibn Majaah and others from the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah; it is a saheeh hadeeth).

By the same token, if people praise you for your good deed, then this is a portion of the glad tidings of the Hereafter, which Allaah gives a person in this world. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked,What do you think if a man does a good deed and the people praise him for it? He said: That is the portion of the glad tidings for the believer which he is given in this world. (Narrated by Muslim from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him).

So this praise is a sign that Allaah is pleased with him and loves him, so He makes him dear to other people.

We ask Allaah to make our intentions and deeds right.

Reference: Masaail wa Rasaail by Muhammad al-Mahmood al-Najdi, p. 21

ShowOff - Pray and do good deed only for Allah

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Keep good deed momentum after Ramadan

Here are ten means of keeping on doing good deeds after Ramadan:

1. Seek Allah’s support, beseeching Him Almighty to guide you to the right path and help you remain steadfast in faith. Allah Almighty has praised the supplication of those who are of sound instruction when they (have ) said: [Our Lord! Cause not our hearts to stray after Thou hast guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Thy Presence. Lo! Thou, only Thou art the Bestower.] (Al `Imran 3: 8)

2. Be keen on being in the company of the righteous and attending dhikr meetings such as religious lectures or visiting a righteous friend to make dhikr (remembrance of Allah) together.

3. Acquire knowledge about the biographies of the Prophet’s Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) and the righteous believers by reading books and listening to tapes. This will stimulate you to keep firm in faith and follow in their footsteps.

4. Listen to tapes that deal with religious admonitions and righteous speeches.

5. Be keen on observing the obligatory acts of worship.

6. Keep on offering supererogatory acts of worship; do what you are most inclined to and can do regularly, even if it is little. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “O people! Do only those good deeds which you can do, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) till you get tired, and the best deeds to Allah are the incessant ones, even though they may be few.”

7. Start learning Allah’s Book by heart. Recite what you have learned during Prayer and keep reciting the Qur’an as much as you can.

8. Perform dhikr a lot and ask Almighty Allah for forgiveness. This may seem a tiny good act, yet observing it regularly increases faith and strengthens the heart.

9. Keep away from every thing that may cause your heart to divert from the right path such as bad people, indecent television programs, pornographic pictures, and love songs.

10. Last, but not least in importance, truly repent to Almighty Allah and be keen on not deviating from the right path again. Allah Almighty rejoices when His bondman returns to Him Most High in true repentance.

Dear brother, do not be one of those who do not pay heed to Allah Most High except in Ramadan. The righteous predecessors said about them, “Woe to those people who do not become mindful of Almighty Allah but in Ramadan!”

May Allah help you be steadfast in the right path until you reach the following Ramadan in best health and condition.