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Bismillah Ir-Rahman, Ir-Raheem. I begin with ALLAH's auspiciousness,whose Name is the Best among all the names. All Revences, All Sanctities and All Worships are due to ALLAH alone. Ashahadu An Laa illaaha illal llahu

Wa Ash Hadu Anna Muhammadan Abdu Hu Wa Rasooluhu

''I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah

who is without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) is the Rasool.''

"O Allah, Shower Your Peace come upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have brought peace to Ibrahim and his family.

Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, Shower your blessing upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious". Iam Satisfied with Allâh as My Rabb and Cherisher,Iam Satisfied With Islam as My Din(religion) and I am satisfied with Muhammad as a Rasulallah (Messenger)sallallahu alaihi was salam) I seek Protection with ALLAH! With the Glorious and Noble Face of ALLAH! With the Complete and Perfect words of ALLAH! With the Exalted Attributes of ALLAH! From the Punishment of Hell; From chastisement in the Grave; From the Trial of Life and Death; From the Mischief of the dajjal. There is no power nor strength with (anyone) save Allah. ALLAH is Good and Only accept that which is Good. ALLAH is the Truth and only accept that which True. ALLAH is Pure and only accept that which is Pure. Ya ALLAH! ALL the praises are for You,You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are are the Substaner of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for you;You have the Possession of the Heavens and the Earth and whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for You; You are Light(Nur) of the Heavens and Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the Truth, And Your word is the Truth and the Meeting with You is true, And Parardise is True And Hell is true and All the Prophets(peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) is true,And the Day of Resurrection is True. Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your promise is the truth,Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your words is the truth, Ya ALLAH! You have promise and You are the Truth!.
---------------------------THE 8 STAGES OF Unconditional surrender to the will of ALLAH! 1st Stage: Seeking or Having knowledge of ALLAH. ---------------------- "Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have been granted knowledge to high ranks."(Qur'an) "Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and female)." (Hadith) THE VIRTUES OF KNOWLEDGE. Allah (Most Exalted is He), Who created us and gave us sustenance, has also given us guidance. He said: "Verily We have created man into toil and struggle… Have We not made for him a pair of eyes; and a tongue, and a pair of lips; and shown him the two ways (obedience and disobedience)?"(Qur'an, Al-Balad 90:4-10)

After providing us with the capability to contemplate, think and differentiate between things, He instructed us to know Him, to know his Prophets and to know His Deen, Islam. He said: "So know that there is no god save Allah, ask forgiveness for your sins and for the believing men and the believing women. Allah knows well your moving and your place of rest." (Qur'an, Muhammad 47:19) This verse shows the importance of knowledge and the virtues that Allah has given to it. It also shows that knowledge comes before deeds, since Allah instructed His Prophet to know that He is One and the only One worthy of worship. After that, He commanded him to ask forgiveness for himself, his family and for his Ummah. If Muslims truly realise the importance Islam places on knowledge and its virtues, they will definitely be keen to learn and teach others. They would start with themselves and their families; then their neighbours and the community at large. Once Mu'awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her) gave a sermon in which he said, "I heard Allah's Messenger saying, "If Allah wants to do good to a person, he makes him very knowledgeable in the Deen." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim). This is because knowledge is the basis of all good; it generates actions that are based on the commandments of Allah and the instructions of the Prophet . Hence, every Muslim must instil in his mind a desire to seek knowledge. Allah (Most Exalted is He) instructed His Prophet -- and thus all Muslims -- to ask Allah to increase him in knowledge. He said: "And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge."(Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:114) Though, initially, all Muslims are equal in the sight of Allah, those who believe, have taqwah (fear of Allah and righteousness), and have been granted knowledge move up to higher ranks. Allah says about those who have taqwah: "Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who has most taqwah." (Qur'an, Al-Hujurat 49:13). And He said about those who believed and acquired knowledge:Allah will raise up, to (suitable) ranks and (degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is well-acquainted with all you do."(Qur'an, Al-Mujadilah 58:11).When a servant of Allah is granted knowledge, he appreciates Allah's creation more, and becomes more acquainted with Allah's attributes and qualities. Consequently, he wholeheartedly witnesses that his Creator is the only one worthy of worship, and then submits to Him humbly. This, in return, generates in his heart a fear, which is akin to a full appreciation and love of His Lord. Allah (Most Exalted is He) has witnessed in favour of His learned servants these qualities, full appreciation of His Oneness and fear of Him. He stated in two verses, to be recited until Doomsday: "There is no one worthy of worship but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels and those endowed with knowledge, Standing firm in Justice (or maintaining His Creation in Justice). There is no god but He, the Exalted in power, the Wise." (Qur'an, Al-'Imran 3:18)."It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah."(Qur'an, Fatir 35:28)The Messenger of Allah gave glad tidings to anyone who undertakes the task of seeking knowledge. Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said, "For him who embarks on the path of seeking knowledge, Allah will ease for him the way to paradise." (Related by Muslim) If no Hadith on the importance of knowledge besides this one had been uttered by the Prophet , it would have been enough for Muslims. Yet the Prophet did more than that: He used to stimulate his companions to seek knowledge: Ibn Mas'ud relates that the Prophet said, "Only two persons are worthy of being envied; a person upon whom Allah bestows riches and gives him the power to spend it in a righteous cause; and a person upon whom Allah bestows wisdom by which he judges and which he teaches." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim).He used to congratulate the companions whenever they issued a right judgement or correctly answered a question. Imam Muslim narrates that once the Prophet asked Ubayy Ibn Ka'b, "Do you know which verse in Allah's Book is the greatest?" Ubayy answered by reciting Ayat-ul-Kursi (the verse of the Throne, i.e. Al-Baqarah, 2:255): "Allah! None has the right to be worshiped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…) The Messenger kindly patted him on the chest, saying, "Congratulations, Abul-Munthir for this knowledge". He used to call upon Allah to grant them the correct knowledge and understanding of this Deen: Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, "Once the Prophet embraced me and said, 'O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Qur'an)." (Related by Bukhari).He ordained all his companions and, thus, every Muslim who possesses some knowledge -- even as little as one verse -- to disseminate what they know to others: He said, "Convey (what you learn from me) even if only one verse…" (Related by Bukhari).

He made special du'a (supplication) for those who learn his sayings and transmit them to others: Zayd Ibn Thabit narrated that the Prophet said, "May Allah brighten the face of the person who hears what I say and retains it, then conveys it to others: for sometimes one who hears from another remembers it better than the original hearer himself." (Related by Ahmad and Tirmithi).He assured all those who disseminate his knowledge that they will get the same reward of any Muslim who acts upon that knowledge: Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said, "He who calls another to guidance will have a reward equal; to the reward of him who follows him without diminishing the reward of either of them." (Related by Muslim).He showed to us the noble status of the learned people of His Ummah: Abu Umamah relates that the Prophet said, "A learned one is as much above an (ordinary) worshiper as I am above the least of you; and he added: Allah, His angels and all those in the heavens and in the earth, even the ants in their holes and the fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct people in beneficent knowledge." (Related by Tirmithi).

Better still, he declared that the 'Ulama' (those who have Islamic knowledge) are his heirs: Abu Darda' said that he heard the Prophet saying, "The 'Ulama' are heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets do not leave an inheritance of Dirhams and Dinars but (they left) only knowledge. He who acquires knowledge acquires a vast portion." (Related by Abu Dawud and Tirmithi).After reading all these promises and glad tidings, one might ask, what more do we need to awaken our consciousness? We have been promised an easy way to paradise; the inheritance of our Prophet; a lofty rank, high and noble in status; a blessing from Allah and a supplication of all that exists in the heavens and earth; a face beaming in brightness and beauty on the Day of Judgement, when other faces will be sad and dismal. So, let us embark on the road to paradise; let us seek knowledge today. 2st Stage: Those who seek nearness to ALLAH. The ultimate aim of the journey of a believer is to get close to Allah. To have a position with Him that is special. It is the cherished goal and hope of all those who love Allah. Life in this world is a journey towards that goal. Every action carried out, every deed performed is a step forward in that direction. Human beings have been given life in this world, as an opportunity to achieve the pleasure of Allah, to serve and worship Him and to achieve nearness to Him. We should worship Allah seeking nearness to Him in love and devotion. At the same time, Allah loves us to hope for His blessings and rewards. He wants us to fear His punishment. All of this is, indeed, worship, and should accompany our outward acts of devotion. Allah says: “They seek a means of nearness to their Rabb – even those who are nearest: they hope for His mercy and fear His wrath: for the wrath of thy Rabb is something to take heed of.” [Sûrah al-Isrâ’: 57]
“Their limbs do forsake their beds of sleep, the while they call on their Rabb, in fear and hope: and they spend (in charity) out of the sustenance which We have bestowed on them.” [Sûrah al-Sajdah: 16]
Our devotions should indeed be a joy, an expression of our love for Allah.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Prayer has been made the delight of my eyes.” [Sûrah al-Nasâ’î (3940)]
When he wanted to tell Bilâl to make the call to prayer, he said: “Give us our relaxation in prayer.” [Sunan Abî Dâwûd (4985)]
All of these texts tell us that we should cultivate in our hearts a rich mix of virtuous feelings and noble aspirations when we approach the worship of Allah. The fuller our hearts are, the greater the act of worship will be.
We should have a sense of duty when offering our obligatory worship, we should desire nearness to Allah, and we should take pleasure in the remembrance of our Rabb. The best means by which seekers of nearness to Allah, the Glorified, the Exalted, seek nearness, is the belief in Him and His Prophet, fighting in His cause – for it is the high pinnacle of Islam – and (to believe) in the Kalimaatul-Ikhlas (the expression of Divine purification) for it is just nature, and the establishment of prayer for it is (the basis of) community, payment of Zakaat (Islamic tax) for it is a compulsory obligation, fasting for the month of Ramadan for it is the shield against chastisement, the performance of Hajj of the House of Allah and its Umrah (other than annual visit) for these two acts banish poverty and wash away sins, regard for kinship for it increases wealth and length of life, to give alms secretly for it covers shortcomings, giving alms openly for it protects against a bad death, and extending benefits (to people) for it saves from positions of disgrace. 3nd Stage: those who turn to ALLAH in Repentance.The Quran :(Surah 66:8) O ye who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance: In the hope that your Rabb will remove from you your ills and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow,- the Day that Allah will not permit to be humiliated the Prophet and those who believe with him. Their Light will run forward before them and by their right hands, while they say, "Our Rabb! Perfect our Light for us, and grant us Forgiveness: for Thou hast power over all things."The concept of tawbah(Repentance) is amazingly beautiful and unique in Islam. We don’t confess to any intermediary; we turn to our Creator(ALLAH) directly. .Sincere repentance is a deep sorrow or contrition for sins as an offense and disobedience to Allah and the sins are seen as violations of His Divine law and the Commandments of ALLAH.through the mercy and grace of ALLAH repentance can lead to a change in life. Sincere repentance is a change of mind and heart. Allah al-Ghaffaar opened the gate of repentance and commanded us to turn to Him. This is an amazing combination! The fact that we can repent at any time and the fact that Allah gave us the knowledge of how to repent is a great rahmah (mercy).Tawbah is an opportunity to clean the heart and purify the soul. ALLAH SWT tells us in the Qur’an, in Surah Tawbah 9:103, that charity causes the heart to be purified. Charity extinguishes the sins as water extinguishes fire. And the word Zakah, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, literally means purification. The Quran:91:7-8-9]By the Soul, and the proportion and order given to it; And its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right;Truly he succeeds that purifies it. 4rd Stage: Submission of Man’s Spirit to Allah. {When the Spirit of man humble itself before ALLAH in submission to His will}. This spirit of humility(khushoo) before Allah is not just limiting itself to Salah! Submissiveness and humbleness cannot possible end with Salah! but rather it takes on a life of its own before the world. A person may feel that he has khushoo' yet this is not apparent in his actions.(Khusoo) It affects the entire essence of the human being, his Heart,his mind, his soul,his spirit, his attitude and action. And this can only come about when the heart is open to the words of ALLAH!And it inspires the heart to have a more profound Love, Honor,Respect, And Appreciation for ALLAH and His Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) and His sunnah!And he will gain a stronger spirit of devotion with more sincere practice of the Din! {The Quran:2:45-46 }And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah ] Who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Rabb, and that they are to return to Him.{The Quran:5:54}soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him,- lowly(humble) with the believers, mighty against the rejecters, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault. That is the grace of Allah, which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth. And Allah encompasseth all, and He knoweth all things. (Surah Al-A?raf, 205)And do thou (O reader!) Bring thy Rabb to remembrance in thy (very) soul, with humility and in reverence, without loudness in words, in the mornings and evenings; and be not thou of those who are unheedful. (Surah Hud, 23)But those who believe and work righteousness, and humble themselves before their Rabb,- They will be companions of the gardens, to dwell therein for aye! 39 AZ - ZUMER 18: They (SAHABA): listen to the Word, and depend on (follow) the best of them (the Word said by our Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) they are those who have attained HIDAYET (The True Guidance Leading To Allah) (those who have made their spirits reach Allah in this life before they die). And they are ULUL ELBAB (to whom the secrets of Allah are revealed) (they are of CONTINUOUS DHIKR (constantly remembering and repeating the name of Allah).
5th Stage: Submission of Physical Body to Allah. 1. The first thing you are required to do after pronouncing Shahadah is Salah. Salah is a primary pillar of Islam. In other words, it upholds one's Islam. Abandonment of prayer will negate a person's Islam. Without Salah, one becomes a Kaffir."Verily between man and between polytheism and unbelief is the negligence of prayer."Muslim" 2. The performance of prayer, as well as the grade of performance, affects all other deeds in life. Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) said: "The first thing that the servant will be called to account for on the Day of Judgment will be Salah. If it is good, his deeds will have been good. If it is bad, his deeds will have been bad." At-Tabarani. Salah, performed correctly with khushoo' is the key to success and true faith. Allah, (swt), tells us: "Successful indeed are The Believers, those who humble themselves in their prayers.(Qur'an 23:1-2) Muslims, in general are very deficient in their Salah. These deficiencies range from small to severe, yet everyone suffers as a consequence. Prayer benefits the individual as well as the society. If this benefit is not gained, not only will the individual Muslim suffer but the society will face the loss as well. The situation of today's Islamic society is not very optimistic and it is worsening. This is due to progression of sin and lack of repentance. In order to combat this we must return to the performance of obligatory acts and render them as they should be performed. This, especially in the case of Salah, will do much to improve the state of Muslims. Why be astonished at our deterioration if our own Salah is cursing us/ A "return to Islam", involves true, sincere repentance and obedience of Allah's commands, If believers don't stop sinning, punishment will come from Allah, (swt). The Definition of Khushoo' Khushoo', which may loosely be translated as submission, incorporates:
Absence of Haughtiness: This characteristic, which is found in most, constitutes pride and self-sufficiency. It must be completely removed. This does not mean that we must belittle ourselves to a state of worthlessness. It simply means that we should realise our deficiencies and eliminate any feeling of lack of need for Allah. We are in need of Him not He of us. Humbleness: Once the self-pride and self-sufficient feelings are removed, Allah's greatness is magnified. We cannot but feel meek, insignificant, and submissive and thereby humble ourselves and acknowledge our true need for Allah(swt). Acceptance of Commandments and Compliance Through Actions: This refers to the total surrender to the Creator, The owner of the Worlds. Khushoo' is a complex of different morals, feelings, and intentions, all of which are directed to Allah, the fruit of which is compliance through physical actions, This constitutes true extraction of oneself from whatever may prevent this sincerity, feeling the Might and Glory of Allah, and feeling humility and the tremendous power of Allah coupled with complete poverty to Him only, (swt). It is to stand before Him with our hearts placed sincerely in His hands. Though this submission, this khushoo', is emphasised in Salah it should be characteristic of every intention, word, and deed we perform. "Say: Verily, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, Rabb of the Worlds." (Qur'an, 6:162) The place of submission, true submission, is in the heart. It bears fruit in the different parts of the body; the eyes, tongue, hands, feed. In essence, our whole life should be a submissive prayer if we wish to be of the Muflihoon, the Successful: "Successful indeed are the Mu-mineen, those who humble themselves in their prayer."(Qur'an, 23:1-2)Submission, or khushoo', is most often mentioned with Salah, as it is the act of worship that is the common denominator of all other acts of devotion, e.g. Ihraam/Hajj, Sawm, Shahadah, expenditure of oneself, supplication and remembrance of Allah, Recitation of Qur'an, and acts of devotion of the heart, which are the most important Salah is the most important pillar of Islam after the Shahadah. It is a true action of Shahadah - Declaration of Faith. When we are praying we are directing ourselves to Allah confirming our belief in Tawheed. . Compare Salah to fasting. When we fast we abstain from the intake and output of many things other than food and drink, such as evil thoughts, words and deeds. Salah is similar act - the abstention of everything but prayer. Zakah, as well as Sadaqah, purifies us in our actions, as does Salah. Salah contains the best supplication: "Show us the Straight Way."(Qur'an 1:6) We recite this verse regularly in our prayer, at least seventeen times daily. How often do we recite it for the sake of recitation outside of prayer? We should do so more often. It is actually a complete prayer of supplication to Allah for guidance. When you are bowing in rukoo' you praise Allah. When you are in prostration you are the closest you can come to Allah. It is here that you should supplicate and ask Him for your needs. All of your life's problems should come out in your prostration's, remembering that it is we who are in need of Allah not Him of us. "The closest a servant comes to his Rabb is in Sujood; therefore make excessive du'a, for it is most likely to be answered."Related by Muslim When submission is truly established in the heart, only then will a Muslim be known as a humble person. Only through true submission of the heart will the rest of the body. - which carries out words and actions - comply with discipline to the commands of Allah. This is the true meaning of Islam - actual acceptance then compliance through obedience to and performance of whatever command Allah has commanded. So submission is not confined to Salah alone. Actually, submission is Islam. To understand this, we must grasp the deeper connotations of khushoo'. A person may feel that he has khushoo' yet this is not apparent in his actions. This is not true khushoo'. Submissiveness and humbleness cannot possible end with prayer. It affects a person's entire attitude and action, not limiting itself to Salah. Many of today's Muslims feel that their level for Islam is sufficient. When you advise them to improve themselves and their deeds they respond by saying that fanaticism is not necessary. They don't want to be labeled a 'fundamentalist'. Any person who feels satisfied with his level of Islam should remember the following ayah: "Has not he time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and the Truth which has been revealed (to them) and that they should not become like those to whom was given the Book aforetime? But long ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious transgressors."(Qur'an 57:16) This ayah addressed the Sahabah of Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) .Though they were pious, righteous and very devoted, Allah (swt) wanted them to improve themselves. Factors of Khushoo' True Faith. The Islamic definition of faith is: The belief in the heart, the words of the tongue, accompanied by actions of the body. All three must be found in a person to have true faith. The belief in the heart is evidenced by the actions which are performed, and the actions are accepted according to what is in the heart, so it's a combination of the two. They cannot stand alone. Faith is bound by the following precepts: To pronounce the Shahadah as well as spread it to others. To believe in whatever we were told by Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) .To believe the truth of the complete knowledge and wisdom of Allah in what he has commanded us to perform or abandon.
To perform good deeds and refrain from bad ones. To comply and obey and accept. "And they say; 'We hear and we obey; (we seek) Your forgiveness our Rabb; and to You is the end of all journeys'."(Qur'an, 2: 285) If these things are applied to Salah, along with firm belief in the importance and benefit of Salah, then it is sure, Insh Allah, to increase our khushoo' which will in turn increase our faith. The main constituents of faith may be grouped under two important conditions: Ikhlas - sincerity
Emulation - following the Sunnah. "Blessed be He in Whose hands is Dominion, and He has power over all things. He Who created death and life that He may try which of you is best in deed." (Qur'an, 67:1-2). "Blessed in deed" involves sincerity and emulation of the Sunnah. No better advice is given to a brother Muslim than to tell him to fulfill these two things. Without them, he will have lived his life for nothing; all his deeds will have been lost. Through them, all deeds will be saved and protected, and by Allah's mercy, accepted. Ikhlas. Ikhlas, or sincerity, refers to the complete absence of shirk. It means not only performing Salah to fulfill the obligation, but to really feel your need, your poverty for it, and to purify ourselves, all out of total love for Allah, wanting to get nearer and nearer to Him, hoping for the highest level in paradise amongst the Muqarraboon, those close to Allah. Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) related the following: "Allah the Almighty has said: Whosoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have imposed upon him, and my servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask (something) of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant it to him." Related by Al-Bukhari. Salah is indeed a gift. There are many who don't like Salah at all, and when they hear the Adhan they could car less. Those who find in Salah the benefits that Allah bestows upon His servants, who perform it as it should be performed, are joyful to be called to prayer. Be thankful and appreciative in your heart for the gift of being able to perform Salah. One of the enemies of sincerity is admiration of one's self. Pride is a type of shirk, an association of oneself with Allah. "He who has in his heart a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise."Muslim. Never admire yourself or your deeds, particularly your prayer. Look to those who are better than you. This will encourage you and humble you. As true sincerity is built mainly on true love, desire, and fear of Allah, the following will assist you in establishing your sincerity: Knowing Allah (swt) by His names and attributes, appreciating His Lordship. Ihsan: "To worship Allah as though you see Him, knowing that though you cannot see Him, He sees you."Muslim. To acknowledge religion and guidance as being from Allah."And you have no good thing but it is from Allah."(Qur'an, 16:53). If it wasn't for Allah's guidance we would not be Muslims, so at least out of thankfulness we should be humble and sincere. "But Allah has endeared faith to you and has made it beautiful in your hearts and he has made hateful to you unbelief, wrongdoing and rebellion; such indeed are those who walk in righteousness. A grace and favor from Allah; and Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom."Qur'an, 49:7-8 To look at our defective selves and actions. No matter how much we try, we will never be able to perform worship to the level that Allah deserves. This should build a competitive feeling in us, an ambition to do more, to try harder, hoping for Allah's mercy. This is what it means to feel complete poverty to Allah. As well, we should look to those who are better, who are very ALLAH-conscious and fearing. This will help to develop the desire for humility. Failure to apply reflective inspection to oneself will only serve to increase one's defects. To appreciate the blessings bestowed upon us. Anas bin Malik related that on the Day of Judgement every servant will be presented with a record of is good deeds and a record of his bad deeds. Then he will be shown a record of all of the blessings he was given by Allah (swt) (such as sight, hearing, feeling, etc.). The Rabb will say (to the blessings he granted his servant) "Take from the good deeds of my servant what you deserve." If only one of the blessings of Allah were to come forth and take what it deserves from the servants good deeds, there would be none remaining. (Al-Khushoo' fis Salah 'Abdullah Al-Jaar Allah) "And He gave you (the faculties) of hearing and sight and understanding; little thanks do you give!"Qur'an, 32:9 Go and visit the sick, the very sick, that lie in the hospitals. You will deeply appreciate your seemingly simple blessings which will in turn increase your sincerity in worship. Emulation of the Sunnah Emulation is a required principle of every act of worship in Islam. The act you perform and the way you perform it cannot be a fabrication of your own which has no basis in the Sunnah. This is according to the Hadeeth of 'Ai-ishah (ra) who related Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) as saying: "Whoever innovates something into this religion of ours which does not belong to it will have it rejected."Muslim According to the words of Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam): "Pray as you have seen me pray." Prayer, as well as all other acts of worship, can only be considered perfect and complete if it is in accordance with the Sunnah of Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam). They must be totally free of innovation. Otherwise they will be rejected by Allah (swt). "The Day that the wrongdoer will bite at his hands, He will say, "Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger!" Qur'an 25:27 Recitation of the Qur'an and Remembrance of Allah (Dhikr) "Don't speak a lot without remembering Allah, for verily speaking much without remembering Allah hardens the hearts. And the people who are most distant from Allah are those with hard hearts."Tirmidhi. Recitation of the Qur'an and Dhikr, accompanied by contemplation of the meaning is one of the most tremendous ways of softening one's heart. "Allah has revealed the most beautiful Message in the form of a book, consistent with itself, repeating; the skins of those who fear their Rabb tremble threat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the remembrance of Allah."Qur'an 39:23. Recitation of the Qur'an and Dhikr is a protection from shaytan and a cause of tranquillity of the heart. Sadly, the hearts of today's Muslims are no longer sensitive to the Qur'an. If our hearts are really pure, then we never stop reciting Qur'an. 'Uthmaan bin' Affaan, radi Allaahu 'anhu, would pray Fajr then remember Allah in Dhikr. Then he would recite Qur'an till Dhuhr! If our hearts were purified, we would never stop reciting Qur'an: "Those who believe and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah; for without a doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction." Qur'an 13:28. "And remember Allah frequently that you may prosper." Qur'an 62:10. 3 AL-'IMRAN 20: So if they dispute with you, then say: "I and those who depended on me have submitted our physical bodies (Wajh) to Allah." And say to the People of the Book and to those who are illiterate: "Have you also submitted (your physical bodies)?" If they have, truly they are in HIDAYET (The True Guidance Leading To Allah). If they turn away, your duty is to convey the Message. Allah sees His servants. 6th Stage: Submission of Man’s Soul to Allah.
The most important task for man after knowing Allah (S.W.T.) is Tazkiyah or (soul purification). Man's success or failure in this life and in the Hereafter depends on whether man purifies his soul or not. Islam prescribed to us means that help purify the souls. It is a must that we use these means when we are in the process of Tazkiyah or (soul purification). We can not use any means that are not prescribed by Islam. Allah (S.W.T) says in the Noble Qur'an after He swore several times in surat Ash-Shams, (Verses 9&10), what can be translated as, "Indeed he succeeds who Zak-Kaha purifies his ownself, and indeed he fails who Das-Saha corrupts his ownself."
Imam Ibn Katheer says: "This verse means: He who purified his soul obeying Allah (S.W.T), and purified it from vices and bad manners, he succeeded. And he who corrupted it by immersing it in sins and disobeying Allah (S.W.T), he utterly failed." This verse was also interpreted by Ibn Abbas (R.A.). He said: "He whom Allah (S.W.T) purified his soul, he succeeded, and he whom Allah (S.W.T) corrupted his soul, he failed utterly." Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) frequently used to say in his supplication: "Oh Allah! Grant me the sense of piety and purify my soul as You are the best to purify it, You are its Guardian and its Master…" {Reported by Imams Muslim and Ahmad}
Allah (S.W.T) also said in surat Al-A'la, (Verse 14), what can be translated as, " Indeed whosoever purifies himself shall achieve success." which means he purified his soul from the evil morals and followed what Allah (S.W.T) revealed to His Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam).
Purifying the souls of people was one of the most important tasks of the great messengers including Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam). Allah (S.W.T) described him in surat Al-Baqarah, (Verse 151), what can be translated as, "Similarly We have sent (Muhammad Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) of your own, reciting to you Our verses and sanctifying you, and teaching you the book and Al-Hikmah…"Also Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Emran, (Verse 164), what can be translated as, "Indeed Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses, and purifying them …" He (sallallahu alayahi wa salam) purifies them with what is revealed to him. He purifies their convictions and their conduct because man's life in this world and his destiny in the Hereafter do not succeed with knowledge only; rather there has to be purification. "Taz-ki-yah": Linguistically, it means spiritual cleansing, growth, and blessing. Based on this, purification from the Islamic perspective means cleansing the soul from corruption, and growing it with the belief in Allah, and by doing good deeds and refraining from doing evil so that the soul will be blessed in this world and in the Hereafter. The purified soul is the one that is purified according to Allah's legislation and deserves all the beautiful traits in this world and the great rewards in the Hereafter. "Tad si yah" (Corruption) is the opposite of "Taz-ki-yah" (purification) because corruption makes the soul filthy with sins and disobeying Allah (S.W.T). So, the soul deserves all the bad traits in this world and the severe punishment in the Hereafter. The Noble Qur'an proclaimed that man success depends on purifying his soul, and that failure is the result of corrupting the soul. Allah (S.W.T) swore to confirm this reality several times; the fact that shows its seriousness. Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) confirmed that man's righteousness or corruption starts with the heart. If the heart is righteous, man becomes righteous, and if the heart is corrupted, man becomes corrupted. Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam)says: "Truly in the body there is a lump of flesh which, if it be good, the whole body is good, and which, if it be corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Truly it is the heart."{Reported by Imam Bukhari} In another Hadith, Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) told us that the immediate reason for the righteousness or the corruption of the heart is the way it deals with sins that confront it. If the heart accepts those sins and embrace them, a dark spot is left behind in the heart. If the heart rejects those sins, a bright spot is left behind. Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) said: "Trials are presented to the hearts like a mat, one stick at a time. If any heart accepts it, a dark spot is left in it. If any heart rejects it, a bright spot is left in it. Consequently, the hearts become two types: Bright heart like the Safa that gets no harm from any sin as long as the skies and the earth exist, and a dark heart that does not know any good deed and does not reject any evil unless it is from its whims and desires." {Reported by Imam Muslim} This is confirmed in the Noble Qur'an: Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Mutaffifeen, (Verse 14), what can be translated as, "Nay! But on their hearts in the raan (covering of sins and evil deed) which they used to earn."
In an authentic hadith reported by Imam At-Trmizi that Muhammad Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) said: "When a person commits a sin a dark dot is dotted on his heart. Then if that person leaves that evil deed, begs Allah to forgive him, and repents, then his heart is cleaned, but if he repeats the evil deed, then that covering is increased till his heart is completely covered with it, and that is Ar-Raan which Allah mentioned (in the Qura'n)…" Be careful! All our convictions and our deeds have direct influence on our hearts to the extent that those convictions and those deeds will either purify the hearts or kill them or make them sick. The heart was made by Allah (S.W.T) to be the place for reasoning, contemplation, peace, calm, belief, pity, mercy.
The process of soul purification is an on-going process as long as man is alive. It is implied by the sincere submission to Allah (S.W.T.) who created man and Jinn for no purpose other than the sincere submission to Him alone. Allah (S.W.T) says the Noble Qur'an in surat Ath-Tharyat, (Verse 56), what can be translated as, "I did not create the Jinn and the humans but to ya'bodoon (submit to me)." "The "ibadah" is a collective noun that includes every thing that Allah (S.W.T.) loves and accepts from sayings and the physical acts; the hidden (acts of the heart) and the openly (acts of the limbs). The acts by limbs are many, which we start with the useful knowledge: The useful knowledge is the first means to purify the soul. This is every knowledge that brings man closer to Allah (S.W.T.), increases man's fear of Allah (S.W.T.) and guides man to do good deed. This knowledge includes the knowledge of Islamic rules that apply to Aqheeda, acts of worship, dealings. This knowledge also includes other types of knowledge that guide man to contemplate about Allah's creation, His Great Power,Authority and Perfection.

Knowledge is the foundation of deeds and its guide. It is as useless to do something without knowledge as having knowledge without a deed. Allah (S.W.T.) ordered us to have knowledge before the deed: Allah (S.W.T.) says the Noble Qur'an in surat Muhammad, (Verse 19), what can be translated as, "(O Muhammad) Have knowledge that there is no god except Allah and seek forgiveness for your sin and for the believers males and females." So, Allah (S.W.T.) commanded Muhammad Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) that he has to have knowledge of the Oneness of Allah first followed by asking for forgiveness which is an action. Imam Al-Bukhari in his authentic book cited this verse to show the importance of knowledge and that it should precede the deed. The useful knowledge based on the Oneness of Allah (S.W.T.) is the fundamental and first practical means to purify the soul and bring it closer to Allah (S.W.T.). It is also the means to increase the fear of Allah (S.W.T.) and corrects the path and increases belief. For this reason, seeking knowledge is one of the greatest acts of worship. There are many verses and Ahadiths that show the importance of knowledge, its status in the sight of Allah (S.W.T.), and the position of those who have knowledge.

For knowledge to have an effect in the process of Tazkiyah of the soul.two conditions must be met: 1.Good deeds must follow knowledge with sincerity for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.), performed according to their rules upheld equally by the scholar and the student.
2.The person who has knowledge must avoid the arguments that lead to animosity and evil soul.
The first condition includes:
Acting according to the knowledge. Allah (S.W.T.) warned us from knowledge that is not followed with action and from a saying that is not followed with action. The prophet (S.A.W.) also clarified to us that the scholar would be asked on the Day of Judgment about his knowledge and what he did with it. Did he seek it and teach it for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) alone.
The prophet (S.A.W.) also used to ask Allah (S.W.T.) the useful knowledge and seek His refuge from the knowledge that is useless. So, the prophet (S.A.W.) used to say: "Oh Allah, I seek your refuge from a knowledge that is not useful, from a heart that does not humble, and from a soul that is not satisfied and from a supplication that is not granted."
Imam Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali said: "If someone does not acquire this useful knowledge, he will fall into the four things that the prophet (S.A.W.) used to seek Allah's refuge from. His knowledge will be against him. So, he will not benefit from it because his heart does not humble before Allah (S.W.T.) and his soul is not satisfied with this world. Rather he is holding tight to this world and always seeking it. His supplication will not be heard because he does not obey Allah's orders and does not refrain from anything that displeases Allah." Imam Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali also said: "A sign of the people of knowledge is that they are humble, they hate reverence and people's high remarks of them, they do not look down on people, they are always seeking the Hereafter taking from this world only what they need, they are constantly worshipping Allah (S.W.T.). The more knowledge they have, the more fearful of, the more humble, and the more submissive to Allah (S.W.T.) they become."
The second condition is:
Avoiding arguments because this will lead to evil soul, and the animosity towards others. In an authentic Hadith the prophet (S.A.W.) said: "No people got misguided after they were guided, but they were plagued with argument." Then, the prophet (S.A.W.) recited what Allah (S.W.T) says the Noble Qur'an in surat Az-Zukhrf, (Verse 58), what can be translated as, "…They quoted it for you not except for argument. Nay! But they are a quarrelsome people."{Reported by Imams At-Trmthi, Ahmad and Abn Majah}
A scholar from the Salaf generation said: "If Allah (S.W.T.) loves a man, He will provide to him the opportunity to do good deeds and keep off the argument. And if Allah (S.W.T.) wants harm for a man, He will keep off the good deed and will plague him with argument."
Imam Malik said: " Argument concerning knowledge turn off the light of knowledge and stiffen the heart."
Imam Al-Hasan Al-Bassri heard a folk arguing. So, he said: "These people are bored with worship, they find it easy to talk in vain, and their righteousness is diminished so they vainly talked."
Some of the effects of the useful knowledge on purifying the soul: 1.The Muslim would know the correct Aqheedah, strengthen his belief and keep away from false beliefs.
2.The Muslim would know the rules of Halal and Haram and all that he needs from the rules of worship and dealings.
3.The Muslim would know the due right of every act of worship. This way he is not busy doing a recommended deed and forgetting an obligatory deed.
4.The knowledge would protect the Muslim from everything that would destroy him, like the whims and desires and Satan’s traps.
5.The knowledge helps the Muslim fear Allah (S.W.T.), love Him, and get closer to Him.
6.The knowledge helps the Muslim become more humble with others.
7.The knowledge helps wipe out the sins because knowledge is from the greatest good deeds. Allah (S.W.T) says the Noble Qur'an in surat Huod, (Verse 114), what can be translated as, "…Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds…" and the prophet (S.A.W.) says: "Follow the bad deed with a good one that will wipe it off." Omar (R.A.) used to say: "A man walks out with sins like the mountains of Tehamah (to a circle of knowledge). If he hears some knowledge, he fears Allah, reassesses himself and repents. So, he leaves the circle of knowledge with no sin. So, do not leave the circles of knowledge."
8.The knowledge helps Muslim long for the Hereafter and takes only what he needs from this worldly life. So, he is not busy going after things that will vanish in this life instead of being busy running after the everlasting life in the Hereafter. "Our Rabb! You have not created (all) this in vain! Glory to You! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire. 7th Stage: Sanctification of Heart. (Surah 26:88-89) The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, "But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart; A sound heart is comprised free of character defects and spiritual blemishes. Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) said, “I have only been sent to perfect noble character”. This is the fundamental message of the religion of Islam that human being has forgotten over time. This message, of having the connection of love with our Creator and being kind to His Creation, is the Sanctified Trust that was passed onto us through the chain of Prophet hood, and finally through Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) .

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala sent Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) with a mission that He has explained in His holy book: Allah did bestow a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, purifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and the Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error (3:164) All four missions of Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) will remain until the Day of Judgment.Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has informed us that He will preserve His book that was given to Rasulallah(sallallahu alayahi wa salam) , the wordings of it, and the recitation.It is vital that the meanings must be preserved, so that it is understood in the manner that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala wants it to be, and this is achieved through the preservation of the wisdom (sunnah of the Prophet).In order to implement this in our lives, the individual must have sincerity and struggle towards purification of the soul and the heart.This is the primary reason that the instruction was given to the Prophet in regards to purifying people first, and subsequently teaching Quran and the Sunnah.Reason being, this could be viewed as necessary means towards understanding the Quran and the Sunnah, and most importantly, implementing into our daily lives. 2 Al-Baqarah 139: Say: “Do you dispute (argue) with us about Allah? And He is our Lord and your Lord, and our deeds belong to us (we are to be rewarded for our deeds), and your deeds belong to you (and you for your deeds). And we are sincere (utterly pure servants) to Him. 49 AL-HUJURAT 7: And know that among you is Allah’s Messenger. If he followed your way in most of the orders, you would certainly be cursed. But Allah has endeared the Faith to you, and has made it beautiful (with Faith) in your hearts (by gathering FAZLs (virtues) around the word Faith and filling the heart with light). And He has made Blasphemy, Rebellion and Disobedience hateful to you. They are those who have attained IRSHAD (the True Guidance to Allah).
8th Stage: Submission of Free Will to Allah.
3 / AL-'IMRAN 104: Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong (helping people get rid of the vices in the hearts of their souls (ego). They are the ones who attain salvation. 3 AL-'IMRAN 110: You are the best nation that ever existed among humanity. You command people to good and prohibit them from evil (you help them get rid of the vices in their souls (ego)), and you have Faith in Allah. Had the People of the Book had faith, it would certainly have been better for them. Some of them are MUMIN, but most of them are FASIQ (in blasphemy). 9 AT-TAUBAH 100: It was the vanguard of Islam, SABIQUN-AL AWWALEEN (the ones in the first three ranks of those who were always ready to give and help for the cause of good deeds: ULUL ELBAB (to whom the secrets of Allah were revealed), IKHLAS (who have also submitted their souls (ego) to Allah), SALAH (who have attained the very last stage through their submissions)) some of whom were MUHAJIRs (who migrated from Mecca to Medina), some of whom were ANSARS (the helpers in Medina), and some of whom were those who depended on (followed) them (MUHAJIRs and ANSARs) (since SAHABA (disciples of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)) were of the IRSHAD POST (True Guidance, they were depended on (followed)). Allah is well pleased with them, as they are with Him. Allah has prepared for them the Gardens under which rivers flow, and they will dwell therein forever. That is the greatest reward. 12 YÛSUF 108: Say: "This is the Way I and those who have depended on (followed) me invite unto Allah on seeing Him (with heart-eyes). I exclude Allah from all things. And I am not one of those who are MUSHRIK (who attribute partners to Allah)." 39 AZ-ZUMER 17: For those who avoid being servants to the way of Satan and who turn to Allah (made their spirits reach Allah before death), there is Good News. So announce the Good News to My Servants.----------------- 12 YÛSUF 108: Say: "This is the Way I and those who have depended on (followed) me invite unto Allah on seeing Him (with heart-eyes). I exclude Allah from all things. And I am not one of those who are MUSHRIK (who attribute partners to Allah)."



(Human beings have mobility and the free will to move as they choose. If we consider a plant - it is alive, it grows, but it is rooted in place. It cannot move from one location to another. Whatever sustenance it needs to survive it must obtain right where it is. It cannot go seeking what it needs somewhere else. Then consider an animal - it's alive, it grows, and it can move from place to place as the animal has physical mobility. But he is rooted in a different way, in a way that very much limits his free will. The animal is rooted in instinct. Each and every action he takes comes from an instinctive nature by which he is bound from birth until death. Now consider the human being. He is alive, he grows, he is able to move. But the human being transcends physical mobility. He has in addition mental, emotional, moral, and spiritual mobility. We can move, we can grow, we can be elevated. We are not meant to be static beings. We are on a spiritual quest, traveling from stage to stage in the journey on the steep path.

Imam Al-Shafa'a was asked why he often used a walking stick since he was not old or ill. He said that the walking stick reminded him that he was journeying. (from "Kitab Madarej Al-Saleekeen," Ibn Al-Qayyim)

Now, in order to adhere to an uncompromising set of moral and ethical principles, one has to cultivate self-discipline (see article on self-governance which is all about practicing sabr in its totality of patience and perseverance; the patient restraining of oneself from all deeds that are disobedient to Allah SWT and harmful to oneself or others; and also the perseverant directing of self toward obedience to Allah SWT; moving forward toward all that is beneficial.) It is also necessary to know why one chooses to adhere to these principles. This is, of course, within the domain of purifying the intention. Some Muslims, if asked why they try to live a moral life, will answer that it is ordained by Allah SWT and it is their duty. There is certainly nothing wrong about this view of moral living. Yet, if we push a bit deeper, we find that if we choose to live a moral, ethical life and do so entirely for the sake of Allah SWT, then we can begin to realize a more articulated and undeniably more joyful and exhilarating understanding of our intention. For under the overarching purpose of wanting to please and obey Allah SWT, are the countless other aspects of that unitary intention. Living in a moral way for the sake of Allah is like having the firm earth beneath one's feet and the heavens as one's canopy. In between are the myriad and diverse attributes of living in this way (wanting to please and obey Allah), the abundance of blessings that emerge from this upright posture in daily living, in journeying through the earth. These attributes include the enriching of the self/soul, the attaining to tranquility and ease, the expansion of the chest, feeling a reverent awe of the Creator and the creation, certainty about the meaning and purpose of life. To do what is expected or required by moral or religious obligation, to fulfill one's duty, is also to experience enrichment, joy, health, fulfillment, and success! These are some of the qualities of feeling whole and complete. Which brings us to the next connotation of the meaning of integrity.

With regard to being whole and complete, with a sound or unimpaired condition, we are here talking about the self or soul. The state of being whole and complete is interesting and comes up again and again when we are exploring transformation of self. Integrity in this sense is a matter of the individual harmonizing the various parts of his personhood, his thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, motives, and behaviors, into an uncompromised, congruent whole. We can look at the personhood as a system whose various parts (thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, motives, and behaviors) are combined and organized, an arrangement of personality and character aspects and attributes that form a complex yet unitary whole.