SX43%LIVERPOOL.AC.UK@evans.ucar.edu (SX43) (11/19/90)
Salaam.
Another extract from USRA, a free but well produced family
magazine here in the UK. I have tried to put comprehensive details in
the header.
Regards,
Fazal
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Topic : Forgiving attitude leads to paradise without too
much extra worship.
Title : 'The Key to Paradise'
Source : USRA The Family Magazine, Nov 1990, p3.
Organisation : The Islamic Education Center
Contact : 73 Alston Drive,
Bradwell Abbey,
Milton Keynes,
MK13 9HG
England, UK.
Telephone : 0908-318633/319598
Fax : 0908-322071
Telex : 825094 & 82462
Price : FREE, excluding postage.
Frequency : Monthly
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THE KEY TO PARADISE
===================
One day, the Nabi (SAW) was sitting in the Masjid with his Sahaba. He
told them, "The next person who enters the Masjid is one of the People
of Paradise (Ahl-u Janna)." A man duly entered the Masjid, and all the
Sahaba there recognised him.
The following day, the same thing happened. The Nabi (SAW) told
his companions that the next person to enter the Masjid was one of the
People of Paradise, and the same man came in.
On the third day, the incident was repeated : the same words, the
same man.
One of the Sahaba was particulary puzzled by all this. He
wondered what this man had done to deserve such a great reward: how many
extra prayers did he do ? How often did he fast? How much Zakat and
Sadaqa did he pay? If he could learn this man's secret, it would be a
great lesson for himself and other Muslims. So he thought of a way he
could find out more about this man...
The Sahabi found a reason to visit the man, and went to his
house. He asked for the three days of hospitality which is the right of
one Muslim from another. The man welcomed his brother in faith into his
home and made him welcome. During these three days the Sahabi said
nothing about the real purpose of his visit, but he watched the man
closely. He observed him performing all the daily prayers, including
Fajr, on time, praying the Sunna prayers but not going to extremes in
the number of extra Rak'as he prayed. The man did not fast every day,
although the Sahabi knew that he fasted in Ramadan and did the Sunna
fasts which he was able to. All in all there seemed nothing
extraordinary in the amount or quality of the man's 'Ibada (worship).
Naturally, the Sahabi was still puzzled. By the end of his three
day stay, he still hadn't discovered the man's secret. He approached his
host with the reason for his visit, and asked him what it was that he
did which was so highly valued by the Nabi (SAW). The man could not, at
first, think of a reply. "You have seen me: this is all I do," he said.
Then he remembered : "Well, there is something else I do," he said.
"Every night, before I go to sleep, I forgive all those people who may
have harmed me in any way. I empty my heart of hatred towards them".
This, then, was the man's secret. He did not bear grudges against
those who had harmed him. He didn't try to seek revenge, or 'get his own
back'. He forgave them freely. He performed the prayers and other
'Ibadah required of the Muslim, but he also let his faith affect his
attitude towards others. This forgiving attitude was, for him, the key
to Paradise.
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"... Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that
Allah should forgive you ? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful"
[Al-Nur 24:22]
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NOTES :
^^^^^ {SAW = SallAllahu Alaihi WaSallam
{PBUH= Peace Be Upon Him
Rak'a =Unit of the five daily prayers
Sadaqa=Voluntary charity
Sahabi=Companion of the Prophet (SAW) (pl. sahaba)
Sunna =Life-example of the Prophet (SAW)
Zakat= Charity due to the poor
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Editor : Sister Huda Khattab.
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