~ E I D M U B A R A K ~

‘“Labbayka Allaahumma labbayk,
labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk.
Inna al-hamd wa’l-ni’mata laka wa’l-mulk, laa shareeka lak

Here I am, O Allaah, here I am.
Here I am, You have no partner, here I am.
Verily all praise and blessings are Yours, and all sovereignty, You have no partner

The first tens day of Dhul-Hijjah have passed. The days that there are no days during which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah[1], the days where the righteous action are more preferable, that cant even replace with the jihad in the case of Allah except if someone were to go out (to fight) taking himself and his wealth, then he (lost) his life (doing so) [2], the best days in this worldly life [3]…

Today is Eid al-Adha, the day that should be full the joys and the celebrations, especially for them who did hajj and for them who have utilized their first 10 days with a lot of righteous deed…

But, in those first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah

If our fasting but just got the hunger and thirst ?
if recite the Qur’an but just to fulfill the target, no think what have been read ?
If we do the tahajud and nawafil but soulless ?
If do the prayers but with heart and mind somewhere?
If did righteous deeds but race with the time?

astaghfirullah…

Have we missed the best 10 days of the year?
Still we deserver the feeling of joy today??
astaghfirullah al azim wa atubuilaika…

Dear ikhwan wa akhwat fillah… InshaAllah….this not happened with you…… InshaAllah you have passed these days successfully. InshaAllah you all gain the best reward; the blessing , the forgiveness and the love from Allah SWT. Ameen…

Today is Eid al-Adha, the day full of blessing and the mercy of Allah. The day of joy to give our sacrifice for the needed people, to share delicious foods, to share sweet drinks. This is the day of happiness; to celebrate the happiness for the reward that Allah will bestow us because have sacrificed animal with the true faith… the taqwa… …. the joy of giving that touch others’ lives that far greater and deeper than the joy of receiving.

Today is Eid al-Adha, The blessing day that tied to unique events: theHajj; an unique city, the Makkah and the an unique family; the family of Ibraaheem (alaihis wassalam; peace be upon him).

Today is Eid al-Adha, There is a hadist of Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wassalam to be ponder and reflect.

On the authority of Abu Hurayra Radiyallhu anhu, Rasulullah sallahu alaihi wassalam said,

"If a human being died, his ability to perform deeds comes to an end except in three.
An on-going charity or
a knowledge that is of benefit or
a righteous child who does supplication [to Allah] for him" [4]

A short hadist…but has very deep meaning…..

This hadist make me remember an unique family: our beloved prophet Ibraaheem alahis wassalam ‘s family, his wife Siti Hajar [ra], and his first son Ishmael alahiwassallam.

This hadist buzzes us to think, especially for them who have performed hajj, for all of us, …. Have ever come across in our mind, in our heart :

If we die, what things that I have left behind ?
How to follow the trait of Ibraaheem alahiwassallam who has left sooooo many knowledge of tawheed, knowledge of hajj, not only been being remembering but also have been being practicing for centuries….?

How many knowledge that we have and how many that we have shared to other?

What kind of sadaqah jariyah [charity] that I will do?
So if one day I die I will get such great reward like what have been accepting by Siti Hajar?

Can I [one day] raise, educate my children like Siti Hajar have raised Ishmael alahiwassallam, to be a precious treasure; a devoted , a pious child….?

Siti Hajar was left alone with her new born son, moving and struggling …..not even remembering herself any longer, but to find some water and save her infant.

“When the water in the water-skin had all been used up,
she became thirsty and her child also became thirsty.

She started looking at him (i.e. Ishmael) tossing in agony;
She left him, for she could not endure looking at him,
and found that the mountain of Safa was the nearest mountain to her on that land.

She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody,
but she could not see anybody.

Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley,
she tucked up her robe and ran in the valley like a person in distress and trouble,
till she crossed the valley and reached the Marwa mountain where she stood
and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see anybody.
She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwa) seven times." [5]

Then when found the water she made something like a basin with her own hand.

And behold! She saw an angel at the place of Zam-zam,
digging the earth with his heel (or his wing),
till water flowed from that place.

She started to make something like a basin around it,
using her hand in this way,
and started filling her water-skin with water with her hands,
and the water was flowing out after she had scooped some of it."
been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth." [6]

Her action to make a basin at that time… seem simple deed… but subhanallah… even…Our beloved prophet sallallahu alaihi wassalam praised her and prayed for her :

"May Allah bestow Mercy on Ishmael's mother!
Had she let the Zam-zam (flow without trying to control it)
(or had she not scooped from that water) (to fill her water-skin),
Zam-zam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth." [7]

Can we imagine how big reward that Siti Hajar has been receiving because of that “small deed” of making a basin with her hand…. ??

Billions people already drunk from the same basin [that made by Hajar], people will on-going drink zam-zam from that basin utill the end of this world…..MashaAllah… The Well of Zamzam indeed a blessing of Allah to Siti Hajar and her son Isma`il

Siti Hajar is an great role model, an example how a mother struggle to raise and to educate a son alone [without the companion of her husband] .

When prophet Ibraaheem alahiwassallam left her alone, her immediate reaction like any other woman whom being abandon by their husband; wondering, asking….. “why”??

Prophet Ibraaheem alaiwassallam couldn’t answer her questions, even he didn’t dare to look back, he kept walking away …..When she knew that must the ordered from Allah The Exalt… …. She left all her trust to Allah and totally submission to the will of her Rabb….she showed her quality as a devoted woman.

"O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this valley where there is no person whose company we may enjoy, nor is there anything (to enjoy)?"

She repeated that to him many times, but he did not look back at her Then she asked him,

"Has Allah ordered you to do so?"

He said, "Yes."
She said, "Then He will not neglect us," [8]

She did successfully, raised and educated Ishmael alahiwassallam alone…… Prophet Ishmael alahiwassallam grew become a perfect young man, a very pious and a very devote son….

At the first time Ismael alahiwassallam met Ibraaheem alahiwassallam… He didn’t angry to his father [who had left him alone with his mother [in barren desert ] for years]…. The otherwise he apologized for not search his father during those years… subhanallah…

I can’t imagine what will be probably happen if the same “scene” happened nowadays… probably “woman”/man “tend” to instil their children’s heart with hatred to their father/mother …nauzubillah…

Prophet Ishmael alahiwassallam’s characters are not less ideal than his mother and his father…. “Like father like son”….. He was raised and educated by a special woman….. Siti Hajar kept tell Ishmael alahiwassallam about his father, she taught him to love him and to respect him even if he was away, even if he has left them in barren dessert.

What kind of faith, what kind of heart he has, what kind of great devotion as a son. A son observed such great trust to the will of his Lord, trust to his father; a father who had left him for years; who had been separated for years …a father that he longing … wishing to meet one day….. but suddenly his father came and asked him to sacrifice his life…. But His answer was so beautiful "0 my father! Do that which you are commanded, Insha'Allah (if Allah wills), you shall find me of the patient."

"0 my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offer you in sacrifice to Allah),
so look what do you think!"

He said: "0 my father! Do that which you are commanded,
Insha'Allah (if Allah wills), you shall find me of the patient." [9]

Subhanallah….. Can we create, Can we educate, Can we raise our children…..to grow have such great characteristics like Prophet Ishmael alaihiwassallam? A pious child who will always pray for us…who will help us with their prayers…children who will make us leave this mundane world in peace??

This great family also left the “great” knowledge. Most [all] of the rituals in Hajj came from the journey of this family. Hajj can’t be separated from the history of this unique family. The rituals of hajj is knowledge that have been left by our prophet Ibraaheem alahiwassallam… he left us the knowledge of the pure tauhid [like other prophets who came before him]

“And mention in the Book (the Qur’aan) Ibraaheem (Abraham).
Verily, he was a man of truth, a Prophet [10]

“Then, We have sent the Revelation to you (O Muhammad saying):
‘Follow the religion of Ibraaheem Haneef (Islamic Monotheism — to worship none but Allaah)
and he was not of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers)” [11]

Allaah guided prophet Ibraaheem alaihiwassallam and honoured him with virtues and praiseworthy characteristics.

Allah mentions many his prays in Qur’an… then we can learn from his sincerity… we can see how Allah always answers the prayers from a devote slave like him….

When he left his wife and son in barren desert prophet Ibraaheem alaihiwassallam prayed:

"O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley
without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House;
in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer:
so fill the hearts of some among men with love towards them,
and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks. [12]

Nowadays we see how the pilgrims go rush towards the House of Allah with enthusiasm. Allah has answered the prayer of prophet Ibraaheem alaihiwassallam to give the inclination the heart of people to visit that place. Ali bin Abu Thalib radiyallah anhu described it by said “... The people go to it as beasts or pigeons go towards spring water.”

“And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage).
They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel,
they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj)” [13]

Our prophet Ibraaheem alaihiwassallam also offered great supplication for Mecca and for those who live in it:

And remember Abraham said:
"My Lord, make this a City of Peace, and feed its people with fruits,-such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day”…..[14]

We can see how Allah The Exalt also answered this pray. People in Mecca live in prosperity and peace now… Allah sends Mecca fruits from every corner of the world… we can find any kind fruits available there…..

He prayed not only for himself but also for us [his descendents] and he also prayed for us to send a Messenger [Rasulullah sallahu alaihiwassallam] to guide us to the full knowledge of Islam.

Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You
and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You,
and show us our Manaasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage — Hajj and ‘Umrah),
and accept our repentance.
Truly, You are the One Who accepts
repentance, the Most Merciful” [15]

“Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own,
who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qur’aan)
and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence
or wisdom or Prophethood),
and purify them. Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise” [16]

Subhanallah…. he not only has left us with great knowledge of Hajj and tawheed…but He prayed a lot for us…….. How we thank to him for his sincere prayers…. ?

Salawat and salam for Ibraaheem and his family…..and people after him who follow the religion of Ibraaheem …..[Islamic Monotheism — to worship none but Allaah]

May Allah help all of us to keep trying grow inside, to encourage to do more . May this also can be reminder for all ….to reflect more the life of our beloved Ibraaheem alahihissalam’s family….into our life….

May we can be like ismael,… a devote young people who tied our heart to Our Lord and to respect our parents… May we can be like his parents...

May Allah makes us among the people who will always enjoin in just and forbid in evil, who will always try to be practice and feel the spirit of deen inside…. Who will do anything for the sake of Allah… And….. May Allah bestow us…. the husnul khatimah… amen

EID MUBARAK
TaqabaAllaahu minna waminkum "May Allaah accept our good deeds".


Rytha
MEDAN, 15th January 2006

Astaghfiruka wa atubu ilaika
Subhankallahumma wa bihamdika ashadu ala ilaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilaika
Wassallammu’alaikum warohmatullahi wabarokatuh
Fi aman Allah

[1] HR Bukhari & Tarmidhi
[2] HR Ahmad
[3] Narrated by Al-Bazzar
[4] HR Muslim , Al-Nawawi, Gardens of the Righteous, p.308
[5] HR Bukhari
[6] HR Bukhari
[7] HR Bukhari
[8] HR Bukhari
[9] Qur’an Ash Shaaffaat 37: 99 -111
[10] Qur’an Maryam 19:41
[11] Qur’an al-Nahl 16:123
[12] Quran Ibraaheem 14:37
[13] Qur’an al-Hajj 22:27
[14] Qur’an Al Baqaarah 2:126
[15] Qur’an al-Baqarah 2: 128
[16] Qur’an al-Baqarah 2:129