The Most Excellent Manner of Seeking Forgiveness

Shaddaad ibn Aws from the Prophet (SAW) that he said, "The noblest and most excellent manner of seeking forgiveness is that the servant says:

‘O Allaah, You are my Lord. None has the right to be wrshipped except You. You created me, and I am Your slave/worshipper. And I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as far as I am able. I seek Your refuge from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge before You all the favours that You have bestowed upon me. And I confess all my sins to You. So forgive me, since none can forgive sins except You.'

The Importance of Azaan

I have deleted the entry I posted here, please follow this link.

I ask Allah's forgiveness for my sins and negligence. May Allah increase us all in knowledge and distance us from all innovations and fabrications.

To Anonymous: Jazakallahu khayran.

Four Things

The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him & his progeny) said:

1) Four things that make your body sick:

a) Excessive talking
b) Excessive sleeping
c) Excessive eating and
d) Excessive meeting other people

2) Four things that destroys the body:

a) Worrying
b) Sorrow (Sadness/Grief)
c) Hunger
d) Sleeping late in the night

3) Four things that dry the face & take away its happiness:

a) Lying
b) Being disrespectful / impudent (insisting on something wrong knowingly)
c) Arguing without adequate knowledge & Information.
d) Excessive immorality (doing something wrong without fear).

4) Four things that increases the wetness of face & its happiness:

a) Piety
b) Loyalty
c) Generosity (being kind)
d) To be helpful to others without he/she asking for that.

5) Four things that stop the Rizq (Sustenance):

a) Sleeping in the morning (from Fajr to sunrise)
b) Not Performing Namaz or Ir-regular in Prayers
c) Laziness / Idleness
d) Treachery / Dishonesty

6) Four things that bring / increase the Rizq:

a) Staying up in the night for prayers.
b) Excessive Repentance
c) Regular Charity
d) Zikr (Remembrance of Allah / God).

Supplicate to the Sustainer, The Provider

O Allah, make me self-sufficient with that which is halal (lawful) so that I am not compelled to go for what is haram (unlawful); make me self-sufficient with obedience to You so that I am not led to disobedience; make me self-sufficient with Your favor so that I do not need to look for favor from others!

Drinking

(From http://www.inter-islam.org/Actions/manners.htm)

There are five sunnats of drinking:

1. Never drink from a bottle (carbon dioxide is released in the bottle).

2. Do not drink from the mug's cleft and do not breathe in the beverage.

3. Drink in three drafts. (sips). The Holy Prophet Peace and blessings be upon him has said: "The water quenches the thirst and is sanitary."

4. Invoke Allah (s.w) when you drink and praise him when you finish. It is reported in a hadith that the Holy Prophet Peace and blessings be upon him said: "Do not drink the water in one draft just like camels but drink it in one or three gushes, and invoke Allah (s.w) when you drink and praise him when you finish."

5. Do not drink while standing up. The Holy Prophet Peace and blessings be upon him used to drink while sitting. This way was his usual guidance. It was true that he prohibited a person to drink while standing and infact he ordered the standing drinker to vomit this water as he drank it while standing up. One group of people have stated that this order was just to guide people and to adopt the best option. Drinking Zam Zam water is permissible while standing up as the Holy Prophet Peace and blessings be upon him did because this is a case of necessity.

The Holy Prophet Peace and blessings be upon him has prohibited us to drink water lying our faces downwards, as he prohibited us from drawing water with the hands, saying: "Do not lick the water like a dog and do not taste the water at night before examining it out of fear that the recipient is covered during the night."

If a person drinks by the mouth while standing up from an elevated basin, there would be no difference between drinking with the hand or by the mouth, because drinking with the mouth is very dangerous if the drinker is lying faced down on his venture.

Learn the Quran

The Last Prophet (PBUH) said: "Verily the one who recites the Qur'an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses (because he doesn't know how to read it but is trying to), then he will have TWICE that reward."

Gentleness

From Abû Hurayrah (radiyAllâhu 'anhu) who said that Allâh's Messenger (salAllâhu 'alaihi wa'sallam) said:

"Indeed Allâh is gentle and loves gentleness, and gives due to gentleness that which He does not give to harshness."

Love and hate moderately

From Abû Hurayrah (radiyAllâhu 'anhu) who said that Allâh's Messenger (salAllâhu 'alaihi wa'sallam) said:

"Love the one whom you love to a certain degree (moderately), perhaps one day he will be someone for whom you have hatred, and hate the one for whom you have hatred to a certain degree (moderately), perhaps one day he will be one whom you love."

Actions are by intentions...

From 'Umar ibn al-Khattâb (radiyAllâhu 'anhu) who said that Allâh's Messenger (salAllâhu 'alaihi wa'sallam) said:

"Actions are but by intentions and there is for every person only that which he intended. So he whose migration was for Allâh and His Messenger, then his migration was for Allâh and His Messenger, and he whose migration was to attain some worldly goal or to take a woman in marriage, then his migration was for that which he migrated."