Poem: Don't Backbite. You're Not Perfect Either.

💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
💌 When you know that you're always being watched by Allah,
Monitored by Angels who check your deeds and niyyah,
You wouldn't get involved in gheeba and nameemah,
There's nothing nice in being an expert chismosa.
~*~
Even if you dislike some for whatever reason,
It's irrational to give out your rewards to them
And expose yourself to collecting their previous sins
By backbiting and ruining their reputation.
~*~
Why cowardly criticize them when they're not around,
Why whisper bad jokes about them, just say it aloud,
Why post gossipy updates and guess they won't be found,
Why let lies, rumors, and tsismis uglify your mouth?
~*~
Only the very insecure, deeply miserable,
And ungrateful souls backbite about other people.
Talks about others' lives for the wise are minimal,
They ensure their statements are kind, helpful and truthful.
~*~
If you can't assist verbally, then help with silence,
Careful not to accuse nor actualize suspicion,
Aware Allah hears us and Angels are recording,
Alert to the fact all humans have imperfections.
~*~
📖 Anas Ibn Malik RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "When I was taken on my night journey, I passed by people who had metal hooks in their hands and they were clawing at their faces and necks. I said: 'Who are these, O Jibreel?' Angel Jibreel said: 'These are the ones who ‘eat the flesh of people’ (49:12) and attack their honor.'"
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4878
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
📖 Ibn Umar RadhiAllahu 'anhuma narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever argues in favor of falsehood and he knows it, Allah will continue to be displeased with him until he stops. Whoever says something about a believer that is not true, Allah will lodge him in a sinkhole until he recants what he has said."
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 3597
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
📖 Shaqiq Al-Balkhi reported: It was said to Ibn Al-Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, “When you pray, why do you not sit with us?” Ibn Al-Mubarak said, “I sit with the companions and the successors (with the Sahabas and salaf RadhiAllahu 'anhum). I look into their books and what they left behind. What would I do with you? You backbite people.”
Source: Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā’ 8/398

Hadith: Practice What You Preach.

📖 Anas Ibn Malik RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "I saw some men on the night of my ascension, whose lips were being sheared by scissors of fire. I said: 'O Jibreel, who are these people?' Angel Jibreel said: 'Preachers from your nation who commanded people to be righteous and they forgot it themselves, yet they recited the Book. Will they not reason?'"

In another narration, the Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Preachers from your nation who said what they did not do, and who recited the Book of Allah and did not act upon it."

Source: Musnad Aḥmed 13103

Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani

Poem: From Self-Care Is To Choose Friends Wisely.

💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
💌 From self-care is to choose friends who bring you near Allah,
Those whose righteous deeds remind you to strive for Jannah,
While avoiding toxic companions who cause fitnah,
Who try to guilt-trip you or who insist on bid'ah.
~*~
The kind of people whom you should distance yourself from
Are the jealous who see you like you're competition,
The hateful who mistreat or question your intention,
And liars who can't promise they can be relied on.
~*~
You cannot trust someone who envies you secretly,
Who plays passive-aggressive tricks, frequently deceives,
Often rolls their eyes when you speak to confirm envy,
And keeps comparing their life to your unique journey.
~*~
Detach from those who suspect your good traits constantly,
From habitual gossipers, from the untrustworthy,
From critics who don't add value to your piety,
And whose negative mindsets deplete your energy.
~*~
Still maintain noble manners with them. Smile when they greet.
Their lack of morals mustn't lower your dignity.
Simply disengage from souls who act like enemies.
Just focus on being whom Allah wants us to be.
~*~
📖 Abdullah Bin Amr RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands the Muslims are safe."
Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 10
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
📖 Aisha RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Verily, the believer may reach by his good character the rank of one who regularly fasts and stands for prayer at night."
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4798
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
📖 Abu Al-Ahwas narrated: Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud RadhiAllahu 'anhu said, "Remember Allah the Almighty often. You must not accompany anyone unless they help you remember Allah the Almighty."
Source: Shu’ab Al-Imān 8998

Note: It's Your Prerogative To Choose Your Close Friends.

💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful

💌 You're displaying self-care, not arrogance, when you detach yourself from negative and toxic "frenemies" who, instead of inspiring you to become a better Muslim, only cause your level of faith/Imaan to drastically decrease. Rather than encouraging you to do Da'wah for Allah's sake, they claim you're just "promoting yourself, so stay quiet" and instead of supporting your halal business, promoting it so you can have more customers who prefer halal products over ones that are uncertain, they secretly hope that your income and profits only get lesser.

You want a pious friend who can encourage you to reconcile with your struggling husband, to accept his apology and persevere in marriage patiently, instead of one who instantly demands that you ditch him because you can always remarry.

A friend who reminds you to fear Allah upon hearing you backbite about another Muslim is more deserving of your Du'as and affection than one who adds hilarious statements to your jokes, merely gaining others' sins due to childish backbiting.

If someone's presence doesn't benefit you at all in your Deen and their companionship isn't helpful for your well-being, you're seriously better off without them, while still answering their salaams if you do bump into each other at social gatherings.

You need a sincere friend who can motivate you to love Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala more, not one who makes you doubt yourself and question your existence. You require like-minded companions who can help you in your journey to Jannatul Ferdaus, genuine friends who never envy your achievements nor obnoxiously suspect your intentions.

If righteous friends are difficult to find in your area, be content with seclusion and spending more quality time with Allah the Most Merciful Who wants to train you to be more patient through encountering certain people's rejection. As long as you strive to obey Him Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala and you always have Allah, you'll never feel lonesome. Isolation while being loved by Allah is more rewarding than forcing yourself to like incompatible, unsupportive and enviously critical persons who are only a bad influence.

📖 Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: The Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "A man is upon the religion of his best friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends."

Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2378

Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Nawawi

Note: The Danger Of Riyaa/Showing-Off

💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
💌 Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala knows best. "Riyaa" is to do a good deed for the sake of people when it should be done solely to please Allah the All-Knowing. "Riyaa" is doing righteous actions which Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala commanded, not to obey Him but to impress His servants or show off that one is more superior in terms of piety and religiousness.
🔹Examples of "Riyaa":
1] Doing charity and giving relief goods to the needy, while taking photos of themselves to upload the pictures on social media mainly to display they're generous or wealthy enough to assist others financially. Pleasing Allah the Almighty and trying to inspire others to do the same so they can be closer to Allah are not what they intend to do.
2] Taking a photo of your prayer mat after you've prayed Taraweeh or Tahajjud then uploading it so your stalkers can be impressed by how pious you appear.
3] Offering free Islamic lectures not to spread Allah's Message and advise others for Allah's sake, but to portray how much Islamic knowledge you have and showcase your ability to understand Arabic language.
4] Posting selfies with a verse from the Noble Qur'an or a Hadith with the purpose of gaining many fans as though you're some sort of religious celebrity.
5] Cooking a special exotic dish and handing it to a particular somebody with the goal of proving your culinary skills or highlighting your expertise at preparing fancy international dishes. Your motive isn't to feed the hungry and fasting for Allah's sake but to make them realize you're a competent, creative and charitable chef.
6] Typing status updates to demonstrate how linguistically capable and intelligent you are, instead of sincerely doing Da'wah and striving to call others towards Allah's Way.
7] Sharing Islamic posts and links not to encourage Muslims to seek authentic knowledge of Islam and join you in the path to Jannah, but actually doing so to gain likes and followers.
🔶Tips to avoid "Riyaa" / showing off:
1] Before doing anything, pause and actively purify your niyyah/intention. Ensure that all your good deeds are done only to please Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala Who sees His slaves' hearts and conditions.
2] Say Du'a and beg Allah the Most Merciful that He keeps you sincere, accepts your good deeds and that the rewards of serving Him aren't wasted.
3] Do more good deeds for the sake of Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala in private which do not require an audience. Pray Qiyaam Al-Layl and Salat Ad-Duha often, feed birds and stray cats, and give what you can of financial assistance to the poor without announcing what you did to any human.
4] Even if you're falsely accused of showing off and "Riyaa", steadfastly continue doing the good deeds which you believe render you more deserving of Allah's Love.
5] One of shaytan's traps to prevent Muslims from their duty to enjoin right and forbid evil is threatening them with the likelihood of committing "Riyaa". Don't listen to shaytan's waswaas. If you are certain that an action can lead to Jannah Paradise, especially if it is a Sadaqah Jaariyah, then keep doing it with pure intention, regardless of what critics assume and claim.
~*~
Major Sins - Showing off in Acts of Worship (Ar-Riya) - Abu Hakeem Bilal Davis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-iAFRRaSrE
📖 Mahmud Ibn Labid RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “Verily, my greater fear for you is the lesser idolatry (minor shirk/polytheism).” They said, “What is the lesser idolatry, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “It is ostentation. Allah the Almighty will say to them on the Day of Resurrection, when people are being recompensed for their deeds: 'Go to those for whom you made a show in the world and look, do you find any reward with them?'"
Source: Musnad Ahmed 23119
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
📖 Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: The Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam came to us while we were discussing the False Messiah (the dajjaal). The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “Shall I not tell you about my greater fear for you than the False Messiah?” We said, “Of course!” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “It is hidden idolatry (riyaa), that a man stands for prayer and beautifies his prayer when he sees another man looking at him.”
Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 4204
Grade: Hasan (Fair) according to Al-Albani
📖 Umar Ibn Al-Khattab RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Verily, deeds are only with intentions. Verily, every person will have only what they intended. Whoever emigrated to Allah and His Messenger, his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger (SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Whoever emigrated to get something in the world or to marry a woman, his emigration is for that to which he emigrated."
Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 54, Sahih Muslim 1907
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (Authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim