Seeing this, Shaytan was frustrated. He again complained to Allah: “I have stripped Ayub of all his wealth, but he still remains grateful to You. However, he is only hiding his disappointments, for he places great love on his many children. The real test of a parent is through his children. You will then see how he will reject You.”  Allah granted Shaytan authority, but warned him that it would not reduce Ayub’s faith in his Lord nor his patience.

Shaytan again shook the very foundation of Ayub’s house and sent the building crashing, killing all of his children. Then he went to Ayub disguised as a man who had come to sympathize with him. In a comforting tone he said to him: “The circumstances under which your children died were sad.

Surely, your Lord is not rewarding you properly for all your prayers.” Ayub, firm in his faith, replied:  “Allah sometimes gives and sometimes takes. He is sometimes pleased and sometimes displeased with our deeds. Whether a thing is beneficial or harmful to me, I will remain firm in my belief and remain thankful to my Creator.” He then prostrated again to his Lord.

At this Shaytan was extremely humiliated. He again called on Allah:  “O my Lord, Ayub’s wealth is gone, his children are dead, but he is still healthy in body, and as long as he enjoys good health he will continue to worship You in the hope of regaining his wealth and producing more children. Grant me authority over his body so that I may weaken it. He will surely neglect worshipping You and thus become disobedient.”

Allah wanted to teach Shaytan lesson that Ayub was a devoted servant of Him, and so He granted Shaytan his third request but placed a condition:  “I give you authority over his body but not over his soul, intellect, or heart, for in these places reside the knowledge of Me and My religion.”

Armed with this new authority, Shaytan began to destroy Ayub’s body and filled it with disease until it was reduced to mere skin and bone, making him suffer severe pain. But through all the period, Ayub remained strong in his faith, patiently bearing all the hardships without complain.

He did not despair, nor did he turn to others for help but remained hopeful of Allah’s Mercy. Even close relatives and friends deserted him. Only his kind loving wife stayed with him who remained his sole companion and comforter through many years of his suffering.

In desperation, Shaytan went to Ayub’s wife in the form of a man, and asked, “Where is your husband?” She pointed to an almost lifeless form crumpled on the bed and said: “There he is, suspended between life and death.” Shaytan reminded her of the days when Ayub had good health, wealth and children. Suddenly, the painful memory of years of hardship overcame her, and she wept.

She said to her husband: “How long are you going to bear this torture from our Lord? Are we to remain without wealth, children or friends forever? Why don’t you call upon Allah to remove these sufferings?” Ayub sighed, and in a soft voice replied, “ Shaytan must have whispered to you and made you dissatisfied. Tell me, how long did I enjoy good health and riches?” She replied, “For eighty years.” Then Ayub asked, “How long am I suffering like this?” She said, “For seven years.”

Then Ayub told her, “In that case, I am ashamed to call on my Lord to remove the hardship, for I have not suffered longer than the years of good health and plenty. It seems that your faith has weakened and you are dissatisfied with the fate of Allah. If I ever regain health, I swear I will punish you with a hundred strokes! From this day onward, I forbid myself to eat or drink anything from your hand. Leave me alone and let my Lord do with me as He pleases.”

Crying bitterly and with a heavy heart, she had no choice but to leave him and seek shelter elsewhere. In his helpless state, Ayub turned to Allah, not to complain but to seek His mercy:  Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show Mercy. (21:83)  What a man of patience, faith, and self-respect! Even in this miserable condition, he did not ask Allah to remove his affliction but merely stated that He is the Most Merciful of all who have mercy!

Can there be any trial more difficult and painful then what Job went through one after another? He lost all his wealth and property, all of his children were killed when the building in which they were living collapsed on them, his friends and people left him, and he suffered from a sever skin disorder for years. Yet, he did not complain to Allah nor was he dissatisfied with Him throughout these extremely difficult trials. The result of his patience and faith in Allah was this: he came out of all these trials with superb success. He asked for Allah’s Mercy, and rushing down it came:

So, We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his family to him (that he had lost) and the like thereof along with them – as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all who worship Us. (21:84)
Allah (swt) praised him in the Qur’an, saying:

Truly We found him full of patience and constancy, how excellent in Our service! Ever did he turn (to Us)! (38:44)
And He rewarded him with more than what he had:  And We gave him (back) his people and doubled their number as a Grace from Ourselves and a thing for commemoration for all who have understanding. (38:43)

The verse above significantly ends with “for all who have understanding.” Indeed, for people of understanding, there are lessons to be learned from the example of Job, a mortal human being who left behind immortal lessons for patience, forbearance, and faith in Allah (swt) that will continue to inspire believers, generation after generations.

Back to those who continued to call Islam names inspite of clarifications by leaders in different fora, they will be put to shame, they will never triumph in their bid to decimate Islam. For them is disgrace and torment in this world, and certainly doom in the Hereafter.

They have refused to reason and so will they continue in their illogical argumentent just to favour their path.  Muslims should never border about their viltuperations, Islam has been existing long before they were created, the Qur’an has no similitude and no greater man in history of mankind than Prophet Muhammad.  But Allah has made it impossible for them to believe so that they can be used to stoke the fire in hell.

Their hearts have been afflicted with incurable disease, they have lost their inner sights and so they can not see.  The Qur’an says: “Allah took away their light and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see. Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path).” (Q2: 17-18).
Brothers, how are you preparing for Ramadan?

Etiquettes of preparing for Ramadan

By Harun Razaq
The importance of preparing for the blessed month of Ramadan cannot be overemphasized. It is the habit of the conscious Muslims to start preparation six month before Ramadan. Lack of proper planning impede the proper observation of the religious duties in the month of Ramadan. We hereby present below some steps that will – insha Allah –help to achieve full reward of the month.

FASTING:  To fast in part of Sha’ban in line with the sunnah of the prophet (SAW), but it should be noted that, this fasting is expected to start from the beginning of Sha’ban to the middle of the month. And to use the other part of the month to rest before Ramadan, but those are in habbit of observing this sunnah such as the fast of Mondays and Thursday etc may continue.

INTENTION: Determine in your mind to carry out a lot of good deeds during the month of Ramadan. Even if one dies before the month with that intention, one would still have the reward according to the saying of the prophet (SAW) in a famous Hadith.

MARK OUT YOUR OBJECTIVES: for Ramadan and plan out how to realize them by gradually putting them into practice before the month.

DISCARD SIN: By moving away from at least one sin daily and never return to it again.
TAUBAH (REPENTACE): try to make sincere taubah daily by saying “astagfirlla” 100 times daily or making nafilah taubah.