Poem: Why Talk Badly About People When You Too Are Imperfect

💐 In The Name Of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful
💌 You don't need a degree to understand and admit
That there is no benefit in rumors nor gossip.
If your words regarding others would make them upset
Or they're untrue, then be smart enough to stay quiet.
~•~
What good do you gain by announcing someone's weakness,
Ranting about their flaws like doing so makes you rich?
Richness in ignorance, in manners impoverished,
And morally unaccomplished are unattractive.
~•~
Does mocking a person's scent, accent, body image,
Height, slips, and efforts to learn signify you're perfect?
Why ridicule how someone talks, walks, behaves or smells
When you also discharge human fluids and feces?
~•~
Some laugh at so-and-so as though they're fully flawless,
Never fell, not once slipped, cannot bleed, without blemish.
Scorning people's blunders while you too are imperfect
Simply resembles the wicked traits of hypocrites.
~•~
Only the insecure, sad and uneducated
Cowardly backbite about those of whom they're jealous.
Fear Allah. Know your actions are being recorded.
Watch what you say if you don't want your good deeds wasted.
~•~
📖 Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “Do you know who is the bankrupt?” They said, “The one without money or goods is bankrupt.” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “Verily, the bankrupt of my nation are those who come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers, fasting, and charity, but also with insults, slander (gossipping, falsely accusing and spreading rumors), consuming wealth, shedding blood, and beating others. The oppressed will each be given from his good deeds. If his good deeds run out before justice is fulfilled, then their sins will be cast upon him and he will be thrown into the Hellfire.”
Source: Sahih Muslim 2581
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Muslim
📖 Abdullah ibn Amr RadhiAllahu 'anhu reported that they mentioned a man in front of the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam and they said, “He only eats if he is fed! He only moves if he is made to move!” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “You have backbitten him.” They said, “We only said what is true about him.” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “It is enough sin to mention bad things about your brother.”
In another narration, the Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “If what you said about him were not true, you would have slandered him.”
Source: Musnad ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubārak 2
Grade: Hasan (Fair) according to Al-Mundhiri
📖 Abu Barzah Al-Aslami RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “O you who have faith with their tongues but faith has not entered their hearts! Do not backbite the Muslims nor seek their faults. Whoever seeks their faults (searches for their mistakes or counts their flaws), Allah will seek his faults. And if Allah seeks his faults, He will expose him even in the privacy of his own house.”
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4880
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
📖 Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day speak good, or keep silent; and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbour; and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)
Forty Hadith Nawawi 15
English translation: Hadith 15

Note: Virtues Of Including Our Parents In Our Du'as

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

💌 None of us is perfect, since we're human beings prone to sinning and making mistakes from time to time. At one point or another, especially during our teenage years when mood swings and peer pressure often cause an individual to make illogical decisions, we've been guilty of disrespecting our beloved parents in the past. Maybe there were numerous instances when we raised our voices at them in heated arguments, wrongfully accused them of being "unfair" while they were only trying to care for us, complained to some friends about their strictness, insisted on granting access to a shrink or guidance counselor instead of confiding in them, and writing in our journals or diaries about how much we despised them. With that, we were ignorantly unaware that someday in the future they'd be gone and we'd miss their valuable words of advice, warnings, scoldings, gifts and savory dishes they endearingly prepared for us.
It is usually after the death of our parents when a lot of us realize their significant value, and distressful feelings of remorse creep in when we're reminded of the rewards of treating our parents with respect and love for Allah's sake. For those whose parents passed away, it is possible to rectify our previous shortcomings and ignorant conduct by constantly mentioning our dear mother and father in our loving Du'as/supplications, praying to Allah the Most Forgiving to forgive us and them, to accept their good deeds, protect them from torment, and reunite us with them in Jannah Paradise.
Besides including our parents in our frequent prayers, particularly while fasting, we could do certain good deeds on their behalf, such as doing charity and performing Hajj with the intention that they be the ones to be rewarded for those actions, so they gain additional rewards on their accounts. Maintaining peaceful relations with the people whom they loved when they were alive, ensuring all their debts are fully paid if they had any, applying the positive teachings they taught us, giving their belongings to the needy Muslims when possible, and continuing whatever legacy they left behind for Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala are other commendable and rewarding tasks we can do.
📖 Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “Verily, Allah the Almighty will raise the status of His righteous servants in Paradise and they will say: 'O Lord, what is this?' Allah will say: 'This is due to your child seeking forgiveness for you.'”

Source: Musnad Ahmed 10232

Grade: Hasan (Fair) according to Al-Albani

📖 Abu Bakrah RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: The Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said three times, “Shall I not tell you about the worst of major sins?” They said, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “They are (shirk) to associate partners with Allah and to be disrespectful to one's parents.” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam was reclining and he sat up, saying, “And surely to speak falsely.” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam continued to repeat it (emphasizing the severity of the wickedness of purposely telling lies) until we wished he had stopped.
Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 2511, Sahih Muslim 87

Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (Authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

📖 Ibn 'Abbas RadhiAllahu 'anhuma narrated: A woman came to the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam and she said, “My mother has died and she owed a month of fasting.” The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “Do you think if she had a debt you would repay it on her behalf?” She said 'yes'. The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, “The debts of Allah are more worthy to be repaid.”

Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 1902, Sahih Muslim 1132

Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (Authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Poem: We're Here To Serve Allah, Not Impress People

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

💌 Since Allah made us to worship Him, not His servants,
People's enmity or distance isn't a problem.
Drifting friendships and swift breakups are bound to happen
Often due to miscommunication, impatience,
Excessive conflict, or the closure was just destined.
~•~
It's not a tragedy to be left or abandoned
By those whose decisions don't align with your mission,
Who envy your achievements, suspect your intentions,
Or who choose 'quit' or 'average' instead of 'hardworking'.
Clinging to toxic friends is what's a predicament.
~•~
Be gratefully content you prefer to keep going,
Pursuing your main goal to serve Allah with patience,
Unaffected by critics and haters' rejection,
Because you live for Allah not for His creation.
Strangers' resentment inspire you to be resilient.
~•~
Let opponents exit chat groups or group discussions,
Accept that those who clash with you are too different,
Allow those who find you weird to keep their eyes rolling,
Their envy, pride and hateful thoughts spoil their well-being.
We can't force anyone to value faith and learning.
~•~
Don't fret if in your circle you witness reduction.
Sometimes some souls' departures give space for improvement,
Their fleeing is a protection from bad influence,
And they train us to trust Allah, not feeble humans.
Thrive with Allah's Love by Whom we're never forgotten.
~•~
📖 Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger 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 
📖 Abu Umamah RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Whoever loves for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake of Allah, gives for the sake of Allah, and withholds for the sake of Allah has perfected the faith."
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4681
Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Al-Albani
Al-Azimabadi said, “That he hates for the sake of Allah does not mean he harms the one he hates. Rather, the hatred is for his unbelief and disobedience.”
Source: ‘Awn al-Ma’būd 4681
📖 Abu Huraira RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "The souls are troops collected together. They come close upon what they recognize, and they differ upon what they reject."
Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 3109
Sahih Muslim 2638
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (Authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim
Al-Nawawi said, “When bodies meet in the world, they come together or differ according to how they were created. The righteous will incline to the righteous, and the evil will incline to the evil.”
Source: Sharh Al-Nawawī ‘alá Sahih Muslim 2638

Note: Tips On How Extroverts And Introverts Can Understand Each Other

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

💌 3 Ways introverts can better understand extroverts:

1) When an extrovert likes you, they tend to be chatty and enjoy asking you lots of questions so you can become closer friends. Their interviews are not necessarily meant to cause annoyance or inconvenience.

2) Don't be offended if some extroverts seem to ignore you at times. Because of their wide range of network and acquaintances, it's not easy for them to have lengthy conversations offline and online with every individual they know. It's normal to see an extrovert who talks faster than you do or seems like they're always rushing. They may want to get done with the dialogue to complete their assignment of conversing with each person in a gathering.

3) Not all extroverts intend to be attention seekers if they post regularly on their Facebook timelines or if they are outspoken in real life. Sharing some of their thoughts or ideas with the public, expressing themselves loudly and letting others know about how they feel are part of being an extroverted personality type. Since they like to socialize with various kinds of people, connecting with others, frequently updating their social media accounts and chatting do not make them less energized. 

3 Ways extroverts can better understand introverts:

1) Don't be offended if it takes time for some introverts to answer your messages. A lot of them prefer to think very carefully of what to say and analyze how to deliver it before they actually reply. Some have a habit of overthinking so much to the point that they seldom respond to your text because they already replied to it in their mind. Follow up with another friendly message if you insist on receiving their response, or talk to them one-on-one offline.

2) Many introverts like their privacy, cherish their alone time and prefer planned activities instead of getting surprised. So if you don't want to give them a heart attack, avoid calling them on the phone without prior notice or going to their house without an invite. 

3) An introvert's silence doesn't always indicate they dislike your company. They're probably waiting for you to speak so they can listen to you attentively, or they don't want to ask too many questions so they don't seem annoying, disrespectful or nosy. Overly socializing and talking unnecessarily, especially with a stranger or an acquaintance they've just met recently, can cause them to lose energy. Thus have compassion and give them the space they need.

Whether you're introverted, extroverted or an ambivert who can be flexible in different social settings, always make sure that you maintain good manners for Allah's sake with everyone, and whatever action you decide to take doesn't harm other Muslims for no reason.

📖 Abdullah Ibn Amr RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: The Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the Muslims are safe."

Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 10

Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Hadith: Virtues Of Trusting Only Allah And Not Being Dependent On People

📖 Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Some people from the Ansaar asked the Messenger of Allah SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam and he gave them. Then they asked for charity again and he SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam gave them. Then they asked again and he SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam gave them until all he had was gone. The Prophet SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "If I had anything, I would not withhold it. Whoever refrains from asking others, then Allah will make him content. Whoever would be independent, then Allah will make him independent. Whoever would be patient, then Allah will make him patient. There is no gift that is better and more comprehensive than patience." 

Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari 6105, Sahih Muslim 1053 

Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (Authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

📖 ‘Iyad ibn Himar RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "The people of Paradise are three kinds: an authority who is fair, truthful, and guided; a man who has mercy and kindness in his heart towards his relatives and every Muslim; and one who refuses to beg (from people) although he has dependents." 

Source: Sahih Muslim 2865 

Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Muslim

📖 Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas RadhiAllahu 'anhu narrated: Allah's noble Messenger Muhammad SallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam said, "Verily, Allah loves a servant who is righteous, independent, and obscure (hidden from publicity, not famous or popular among the people)."

Source: Sahih Muslim 2965 

Grade: Sahih (Authentic) according to Muslim