Friday

Friday's Super Prayer:

After the sun rises up to one bow's distance or more, make full ablution

2 rakaas, with faith, hoping for good reward

God will write for you 200 hundred rewards, and remove 200 sins.

4 rakaas 

God will open for you in Paradise 800 doors and forgive all your sins.

12 rakaas

1200 merits will be written, 1200 sins will be erased, and 1200 doors will be opened for you in Paradise.

4 rakaa's, in the Masjid after Jumaa prayer, 

Recite in each rakaa:

• Al Fatiha 50 times
• Al Ikhlas 50 times

You will not die until you see your place in Paradise, or your place in Paradise is shown to you.

Monday

Monday's super prayer:

2 Rakaa's in the early part of Monday

Recite in each rakaa:

• Al Fatiha
• Ayatul Kursi
• Surat Ikhlas
• Surat Al Falaq
• Surat An Nas

Upon completion of the salat (i.e after salams)

• Istighfar 12 times (ask forgiveness 12 times.)
• Darud 12 times
• Darud or Darood, also known as Salawat is to send blessings upon prophet Muhammad (SAW). I've read a LOT of things about this, most of which I don't understand, so I think this will suffice:
• Allahumma salli `ala Muhammadin, wa `ala aali Muhammadin, kama sallaita `ala aali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidum Majid. Allahumma barik `ala Muhammadin, wa `ala aali Muhammadin, kama barakta `ala aali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidum Majid 
• O Allah, exalt the mention of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as you exalted the family of Ibrahim. You are Praised and Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed the family of Ibrahim. You are Praised and Glorious.

Allah (SWT) will forgive all your sins

12 Rakaa's 

Recite in each Rakaa:

• Al Fatiha
• Ayatul Kursi

Upon completion of the salat (i.e after salams)

• Surat Al Ikhlas 12 times
• Istighfar 12 times (as forgiveness 12 times)

You will be told on Judgement Day: "O son (or daughter I assume) of so and so, rise up and take rewards from God." The first reward that you will get is one thousand clothes to wear (the book says dresses though) and a crown for your head,  then you will be told to enter Paradise. Then one lac (1 lac or lakh = 100,000) angels will greet you and each angel will have one present and they will accompany you and carry you to one thousand palaces of light. ONE THOUSAND PALACES OF LIGHT!!! LIGHT!!! :D

The Salat to End All Salat: Sunday

I was reading in The Book of Religious Learnings (Ihya Ulum-Id-Din) and I came across some salat that make Tahajjud look like a mere "Bismillah". These are the most intense prayers I've ever heard of, and they yield some of the biggest rewards I've too.

**I'm not making this up. This book is very well known, and the author says these prayers an on the authority of the Prophet (SAW) himself.

Also, I don't know if these rukaa (i.e if the prayer calls for something like 12 rukaa) are all in one big prayer, or if it's broken up into groups of 2 or what. Although, I'd imagine that they should be done in groups of 2 rukaa's. Since, any time we have to do some funny number like that, we do it in 2's, like for night prayer, or taraweeh. 

Sunday

4 Rakaa's

Recite in each rakaa:

• Al-Fatiha (as usual)
• Amanar Rasul: 2:285-286 In the Quran
• 285) Amana alrrasoolu bima onzila ilayhi min rabbihi waalmuminoona kullun amana biAllahi wamalaikatihi wakutubihi warusulihi la nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulihi waqaloo samiAAna waataAAna ghufranaka rabbana wailayka almaseeru
• 286) La yukallifu Allahu nafsan illa wusAAaha laha ma kasabat waAAalayha ma iktasabat rabbana la tuakhithna in naseena aw akhtana rabbana wala tahmil AAalayna isran kama hamaltahu AAala allatheena min qablina rabbana wala tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bihi waoAAfu AAanna waighfir lana wairhamna anta mawlana faonsurna AAala alqawmi alkafireena
• 
  
• 285) The Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say), "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers" - and they say, "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all)."
• 286) Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maula (Patron, Supporter and Protector, etc.) and give us victory over the disbelieving people. "

Innumerable merits will be written for you like the number of Christian males and females. 

Come back next week for Monday's Prayer!

Argumentation, Again

I mentioned before that arguing is discouraged in Islam, and lucky for me, I hardly ever argue: 9.5 times out of 10 I'd rather keep the peace than have my way. Today however, I had a chat with a friend who basically said people should argue, and that they admire argumentative people. And for a moment I actually considered changing my ways. 


Then I read these and decided against it.


Narrated 'Aisha: The Prophet said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome person."  (Bukhari Book #43, Hadith #637)      

Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind. (Muslims & Bukhari)

Rasul Allah (SAW) said: "Whoever does not argue when he is in the wrong will have a home built for him on the edge of Paradise. Whoever avoids it when he is in the right will have a home built for him in the middle of Paradise. And whoever improves his own character, a home will be built for him in the highest part of paradise." Tirmidhi  

Sa’eed bin Musayyeb says: Once the Prophet was sitting with his Companions, and one person used insulting words against Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), causing him pain. But Abu Bakr remained silent. The person again used bitter words against Abu Bakr, and still Abu Bakr did not respond. The third time when this ignorant person hurt Abu Bakr with his tongue, Abu Bakr tried answering back.
At this point the Prophet got up. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him, “Are you displeased with me, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet replied, “No, but (when you remained silent) an angel came down from the heaven responding to this man’s talk. But the moment you started replying to that man, the angel went away and the devil sat down. And I cannot sit where the devil is sitting.” Abu Dawood 041 4878


I'm not going to trade that which is better for that which is worse simply for the approval of one (or more) people. I'd rather have a house (or two or three or...lots) in paradise than have my way or my voice heard. That doesn't mean I'm going to be a complete pushover. Obviously if someone tells me to stick my head in an oven, I'm going to protest, but if nothing bad is going to happen except me being a bit inconvenienced I'm probably not going to bicker. It's not worth it, and it hasn't made me any enemies or lost me any friends yet. n_n

On Arguing

I have an Iphone application that gives me a new hadith with commentary every day. I really liked today's one so I decided to share it.

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Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does not argue when he is in the wrong will have a home built for him on the edge of Paradise. Whoever avoids it when he in the right will have a home built for him in the middle of Paradise. And whoever improves his own character, a home will be built for him in the highest part of Paradise.” [Tirmidhi]

Arguing with people is strongly discouraged in Islam. We are to state our point of view and then leave it at that. Nor are we to involve ourselves in matters that do not affect a person’s deen. Note that a person is to shun argument whether he is in the right or whether his stand is wrong. Both get houses built for them in Paradise. But since the person who knows that he is right finds it more difficult to leave the argument and let things be, he/she is promised a greater reward.

Arguing with people rarely gets anyone to change their minds. It usually only produces defensiveness and creates ill feelings between people. The issue becomes a matter of one’s ego and makes it more difficult for a person to change their stance. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) loves to have Muslims live harmoniously with each other. Try this hadith out in practice, and you will see that your relations improve with people and that you have greater peace of mind.
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