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                   What caused me to lose my love and passion for the Lord?”

Suhaib Ashraf Bhat 
One cause of spiritual apathy is sin in the believer’s life. There are several causes of apathy and before dealing with the problem we have to pause and find out the cause. There are several ways of finding out the cause and dealing with apathy. 
Some of these causes are: a weak relationship with Allah swt, laziness in worship, keeping company with careless people, being distracted by this world and its delights, and not thinking about the end of this world and the consequences of being ill-prepared to meet Allah swt. 
As for how to treat the Muslim who has been afflicted by apathy in worship, there are several ways of doing so including the following: 
1 – Strengthening his relationship with his Lord, by reading the Qur’aan and pondering its meanings, realizing the greatness of Allah swt by seeing the greatness of His Book, thinking about the greatness of His names and attributes and actions. 
2 – Regularly offering naafil prayers and persisting in doing so, even if they are few, because one of the greatest causes of the Muslim becoming apathetic is when he starts to do acts of worship and does a great deal in the beginning. This is not the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) and is not what he advised his ummah to do. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah swt be pleased with her) described his actions as ongoing, i.e., not interrupted or infrequent. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) told us that, “The most beloved of actions to Allah swt are those which are done persistently, even if they are little.” If a Muslim wants not to be afflicted by apathy, then let him strive to do a small action persistently, because this is better than doing a lot infrequently. 
3 – Striving to keep company with righteous and active people. A man who is energetic (in worship and Islamic activities) will make you more active and lazy people do not like active companions. So look for active friends who strive to memorize Qur’aan, seek knowledge and call people to Allah swt. Friends like that will encourage you to worship and will show you the way to good things. 
4 – Read books that tell the stories of active people so that you will have good examples in your journey towards Allah swt. 
5 – To make du’aa’, especially in the latter part of the night. The one who turns to his Lord and seeks His help to remain steadfast in worshipping Him and to worship Him well will never be let down.
May Allah swt make things easy for us.  Aameen 

Suhaibhatt85@gmail.com

SOCIAL EVILS IN OUR SOCIETY

By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
There are many evils prevalent in our society. Some of them are attached with it since time immemorial. But some have recently entered into our society. The evils prevalent in our society are: dowry, drug addiction, domestic violence,  female foeticide, female infanticide, illegal abortions, corruption, gender inequality, racism, human trafficking, casteism, poverty, food adulteration, hoarding, etc., to name a few. All these evils adversely affect our lives. But some are more grave than others. Like female infanticide and female foeticide are against humanity and the natural plan. No one has the liberty to kill a living being especially a human being. It directly attacks the very survival of generations. But this sort of behavior is not the culmination of some days; but it has a long history that slowly and steadily prepared  ground for such a behavior that we see in our society. Here, I will throw some light over some causes.      First is materialism. Materialism is such a path that is to be treaded upon carefully. It has the potential of creating as well as destroying. But the experience shows that a majority of people are destroyed by the harmful side of materialism. They worship materialism. Humanity is humiliated in the pursuit of this. The destruction of the Central Asia, Myanmar, Syria, Kashmir, Africa, etc., to name a few has made it clear to us that when the crown of humanity acts against his or her capacity, the fate of the whole world is destined to be destructive. This destruction gives rise to a number of other crimes. Drug addiction, sex scandals, human trafficking, etc., happen in these areas because in the backdrop of failure of the government, might becomes right. Anti-social elements take place of morality and the result is that the society falls into an abyss of immortality, where from it is very difficult to come out.      Second is religiosity. Religions almost teach peace and comfort. There are some rare occasions when violence of very less magnitude is permitted. In today’s world, religiosity has taken the place of religion. Dowry system in Islam has been permitted on the pretext that the last Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH) gave his daughter Hazrat Fatima some household things, at the time of her marriage. The things discussed in the most authentic books show that they were some household things and nothing more like a cushion with date leaves. This incident is taken as a condition for forceful dowry. A girl is forced by her in-laws to bring the modern gadgets from her parents’ home. But the reality is that when a father according to his wish gives some things to his daughter as a heart’s contentment, it is legal. But when it becomes matter of life and death, it becomes religiosity and becomes a life-taking evil.      Third is that we lack scientific temper. Every religious and non-religious text stress upon this fact that a person should ponder over the creation of  Universe. The perfect design of the Universe will make a person realize that there is someone who is the most intelligent and the perfect designer. The diversity among the living beings, will allow him or her to appreciate his or her Creator. The diversity among the non-living things will also leave him or her amazed. The natural phenomena will force him or her to think that they happen due to natural causes. There is no human contribution in it. This kind of mindset is an asset for the whole humanity. In contrast, the superstitious mind never thinks like this. He or she fears the natural phenomena. The rainbow is something to be worshipped. The big trees on account of their size are to be called sacred. Animals are for the service of man but in a humanitarian manner, are worshipped without any solid base. God becomes happy when we help each other, regardless of colour, age, religion, etc. But what when we sacrifice human beings to appease gods, means that we are more nasty than animals. God hates violence but we kill each other on the pretext that certain people bring ill-omen and they should be killed instantly. This approach is quite dangerous and its fruits are quite bitter to taste.       Fourth is the lenient government. They actually are hand in glove. If they are serious, no crime will happen on large scale. The culprits should be dealt harshly. There should be no complacency in punishing the culprits. The culprits, due to many reasons, get  freedom without much pain. In politics, a ruler should be an embodiment of both mercy and dread. A ruler will rule according to the situations. The other side of him or her that is dread, is more important in the contemporary world. The language of love is not understood by  the majority of people. So, it becomes necessary to get them on the right track by the use of stick. I feel it is nice to punish the guilty so that others get a lesson. It will somehow bring down the graph of evils down.      And the last is gender discrimination. A girl and a boy are discriminated on the basis of useless things. A boy is generally taken as a source of pride while a girl as a source of shame. This mindset will not allow girls to live. The ways will be sought to kill them so that the shame they bring with them is ended forever. Our social structure makes it possible to distinguish between a boy and a girl. A girl is always looked with suspicion. Most of the times, boys get scot free while girls are subjected to different harassments for the same activity that is done by a boy. This inequality is found everywhere. From homes to the markets, the story is same. This atmosphere brings no comfort but only gloom and frustration. And we are eyewitnesses to this. No day passes without some girl raped, teased, molested, etc., due to prejudices. It is a long story of misery with no end in future.      We call ourselves modern but we still live in an orthodox manner. We have not understood the reality of a man’s creation. If we had known, we would have mended our ways. If someone knows it, he or she still follows others and the society becomes devoid of the ethically good persons that create so many problems for the society. Let humanity prevail.
By: syed Mustafa Ahmad.

GLOBALIZATION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Globalization can be defined as free flow of ideas, goods, services and people. Globalization has existed through out history. However, the speed and the scale of the movements of the goods has been different from period to period. In the past, during to lack of Science and technology, the rate of globalization was slow. But in the contemporary world, its pace is very quick. The main reason, apart from other reasons,  is the age of information technology. The quickest services provided by information technology have enabled us to spread ideas, goods, services, people, etc., quickly from one place to another.       Globalization is not the result of a single factor. Necessity is the main motive that results in globalization. No country or nation wants to remain aloof from others. A nation or country cannot be self sufficient in every respect. So, the circumstances force a nation or country to opt for globalization. Moreover, in the backdrop of the Covid-19 in December, 2019, it has become quite clear that how closely the world is knitted in the present world. The emergence of the Covid-19 in China, has almost engulfed the whole world. Any toward incident in any part of the world has a direct bearing on all the affairs of the countries. In short, we can say that the world is a global village, where everything is shared from one corner of the world to another in the quickest time. Now, we have some idea of globalization. We are in a position to understand that necessities are the main building blocks of globalization. But what about its impacts? On the paper, it looks like that it is full of advantages. But when we delve deep into it,  reality comes to the surface. In the next lines, I will throw some light over the consequences of globalization.
Consequences of GlobalizationPolitical: The first consequence of globalization is that it has reduced the state from a welfare state to a minimalist state. The core functions of a state include the maintainence of law and order and protection from any external aggression. Moreover, a state has to strive for the creation of socially and economically well being state. The entrance of globalization has eroded the capacity of a state to only look out for the maintainence of law and order and forget about the social and economic well being of a state. The entry of MNCs has made the state the toothless tigers. There is a compromise on the name of sovereignty. A powerful country interferes in the internal and external affairs of a state.  A state’s own laws and regulations are compromised on the name of development. It is a tight rope and to walk upon it is not a cakewalk at all.Social or Cultural: Apart from the political repercussions or consequences, globalization has affected our culture as well. It has affected our domestic life, food, drink, clothes, ideas, etc. It has also affected the people’s preferences leading to the threat of the common culture that can threaten the other cultures of the world. America, being the most powerful country in the world, rules over the physical life, social life, economic life, ethical life, mental life, etc., of people. America’s hegemony is found in many ways. In case of Soft Power, America dominates in ideological and cultural dimensions. They manipulate the world cultures in their own favour and we call it the Cultural Homogenization. The examples of this culture include the “ jeans culture” and the usage of “ fast foods”. However, it doesn’t mean that other cultures only get subdued. But they also learn new things. It shows that culture is a dynamic concept. It is a give and take method. But here again, it is a path to be treaded upon carefully.Economic: Globalization has economic dimension as well. When it comes to the economic Globalization, our eyes fall on the international institutions like IMF and the World Bank. It is because these institutions play a major role in determining not only the economic policies but also the political and social policies of a country. Economic globalization means to merge a country’s economy with the world economy. But this process is fraught with many dangers. A developing economy can be wiped out if it merges its economy with the developed countries. Recession may or may not harm the developed countries but there are cent percent chances that a developing country will be left in ruins. There will be no recovery from this shock. However, there are chances that a developing country may have access to the world market and try its best to develop itself like the developed countries. But this fact should be kept in mind that any mistake from the side of a developing country can prove fatal. Moreover, economic globalization doesn’t benefit everyone equally. The rich become richer while the poor become poorer. There is a wide gap between the  rich and the poor. One percent people  control ninety percent population in America. So, it can be easily deduced that economic globalization is a sugar-coated poison in my opinion.       The above discussion makes it clear that there are both positive as well negative sides of globalization. It is up to a country now how to tread on this path. It is a risky path. The largest economies of the world can walk up on this path without any hesitation. But for a country like India, that is a developing country with a myriad of problems, it is very dangerous. India is the fifth largest economy of the world. Its economy is about 2.7 trillion dollars. America has about 20 trillion dollars. China has about 14 or 15 trillion dollars. In this case, India lags behind. India cannot afford to merge its economy with these economies because at some time in the future, it may prove disastrous. So, our country should try to become self-reliant and then try to look out for the world market. 

Neglectful Husband and depressed wife

Suhaib Bhat 
Harming wife a sin : This is one of the basic principles of Islam. Because harming even others is haraam in the case of strangers, it is even more so in the case of harming one’s wife.
 It was narrated from ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit that the Messenger of Allah swt (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) ruled, “There should be no harming nor reciprocating harm.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah,, 2340)
This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Imaam Ahmad, al-Haakim, Ibn al-Salaah and others. See Khalaasat al-Badr al-Muneer, 2/438.
 Among the things to which the Lawgiver drew attention in this matter is the prohibition of hitting or beating in a severe manner.
 It was narrated from Jaabir that the Messenger of Allah swt (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) said in his Farewell Sermon:
“Fear Allah swt concerning women! Verily you have taken them on the security of Allah swt, and intercourse with them has been made lawful unto you by words of Allah swt. You too have rights over them, and that they should not allow anyone to sit on your bed [i.e., not let them into the house] whom you do not like. But if they do that, you can chastise them but not severely. Their rights upon you are that you should provide them with food and clothing in a fitting manner” (Narrated by Muslim, 1218).
The husband’s rights over his wife.
 The rights of the husband over his wife are among the greatest rights; indeed his rights over her are greater than her rights over him, because Allah swt says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them [al-Baqarah 2:228]
 al-Jassaas said: Allah swt tells us in this aayah that each of the spouses has rights over the other, and that the husband has one particular right over his wife which she does not have over him.
 Ibn al-‘Arabi said: this text states that he has some preference over her with regard to rights and duties of marriage.
 These rights include:
 (a)The obligation of obedience. Allah swt has made the man a qawwaam (protector and maintainer) of the woman by commanding, directing and taking care of her, just as guardians take care of their charges, by virtue of the physical and mental faculties that Allah swt has given only to men and the financial obligations that He has enjoined upon them. Allah swt says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah swt has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means” [al-Nisaa’ 4:34]
 ‘Ali ibn Abi Talhah said, narrating from Ibn ‘Abbaas: “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women” means, they are in charge of them, i.e., she should obey him in matters of obedience that Allah swt has enjoined upon her, and obey him by treating his family well and taking care of his wealth. This was the view of Muqaatil, al-Saddi and al-Dahhaak.(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/492)
 (b)Making herself available to her husband. One of the rights that the husband has over his wife is that he should be able to enjoy her (physically). If he marries a woman and she is able to have intercourse, she is obliged to submit herself to him according to the contract, if he asks her. That is after he gives her the immediate mahr, and gives her some time – two or three days, if she asks for that – to sort herself out, because that is something that she needs, and because that is not too long and is customary. 
If a wife refuses to respond to her husband’s request for intercourse, she has done something haraam and has committed a major sin, unless she has a valid shar’i excuse such as menses, obligatory fasting, sickness, etc.
 It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah swt be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah swt (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) said: ‘When a man calls his wife to his bed and she refuses, and he went to sleep angry with her, the angels will curse her until morning.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3065; Muslim, 1436)
 (c)Not admitting anyone whom the husband dislikes. One of the rights that the husband has over his wife is that she should not permit anyone whom he dislikes to enter his house.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah swt be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah swt (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) said: “It is not permitted for a woman to fast when her husband is present without his permission, or to admit anyone into his house without his permission. And whatever she spends (in charity) of his wealth without his consent, ….” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4899; Muslim, 1026)

A good relationship between the spouses means that each of them should pay attention to the feelings of the other and they should try to make one another happy. It also means paying attention to the spouse’s circumstances and relationship with those who have right over him or her, so as to help him fulfil those rights, such as the rights of parents, relatives, neighbours and so on. The basis for all of that is understanding, love and compassion. 
Our Lord, the All-Knowing, All-Aware, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah swt ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.
But none is granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient, and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of the happiness in the Hereafter i.e. Paradise and in this world of a high moral character)”
[Fussilat 41:34-35]. 
As-Sa‘di said in Tayseer al-Kareem al-Rahmaan (p. 749):
Then Allah swt enjoins showing a special type of kindness that will have a great impact, which is treating kindly the one who mistreats you. Allah swt says, “Repel (the evil) with one which is better” i.e., if  someone mistreats you, especially if he has significant rights over you, such as relatives, friends and so on, in word or deed, then respond in a way that is better. If he severs ties with you, uphold ties with him; if he wrongs you, forgive him; if he talks about you behind your back or in your presence, do not respond in kind – rather forgive him and speak to him gently; if he shuns you and does not speak to you, then speak to him kindly and greet him with salaam. If you respond to mistreatment with kindness you will attain great benefits.
“then verily! he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend” i.e., as if he is near and dear
“But none is granted it” i.e., no one is granted this praiseworthy quality “except those who are patient” in putting up with what they dislike and respond to it in the way that Allah swt likes, for people are naturally inclined to respond to bad treatment with more bad treatment, and not to forgive it. So, how about responding with kind treatment. If a person is patient, obeys the command of his Lord, is aware of the great reward, and knows that responding to bad treatment in kind will not benefit him in any way and will only make the enmity stronger, whereas treating him kindly will not lower his esteem and that in fact the one who is humble for the sake of Allah swt, He will raise him in status — then it will be easy for him and he will find joy in doing that.
“and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of happiness in the Hereafter i.e. Paradise, and in this world of a high moral character)” because it is one of the attributes of the elite among mankind, by means of which a person attains high status in this world and in the Hereafter, which is the greatest of noble characteristics.
It was narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir said: I met the Messenger of Allah swt (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him), and I took him by the hand and said: O Messenger of Allah swt, tell me of the most virtuous deeds. He said: “O ‘Uqbah, uphold ties with those who cut you off, give to those who withhold from you and turn away from those who mistreat you.” 
Narrated by Ahmad, 16883; classed as saheeh (authentic) by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Targheeb, 2536 

Interference of relatives and others in a couple’s life in ways that spoil it and cause trouble is not acceptable according to sharee‘ah (Islamic law) and people’s customs. This matter has to be dealt with wisely and carefully, so as to reduce negative consequences and achieve that which is in everyone’s best interests. The basis for that is achieving mutual understanding and cooperation between the spouses in dealing with it. It may sometimes need patience. So long as the matter has nothing to do with halaal (lawful) and haram (unlawful), 
Du‘aa’(supplication) is one of the greatest means of attaining what one seeks and being saved from what one fears, but that should be without a specific order or specific prayer.Bringing about reconciliation between people is something very important in Islamic teachings, and immense reward results from bringing about such reconciliation. By the same token, there are stern warnings against creating division among people. It was narrated from Abu’d-Dardaa’ (may Allah swt be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah swt be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you something that is better than the status of (voluntary) fasting, prayer and charity?” They said: “Yes.” He said: “Reconciling in a case of discord, for the evil of discord is the shaver.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2509), who said: It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah swt be upon him) said: “It is the shaver, and I do not say that it shaves hair, but that it shaves (i.e., destroys) religious commitment.” End quote.
Islamic teaching describes several guidelines that will lead to having a peaceful and sound atmosphere in the home, including the following:
Choosing a good wife.Making the home a place of remembrance of Allah swt.Establishing the laws of Allah swt in the home.Teaching the members of the household about Islamic faith and manners.Continually reciting Soorat al-Baqarah in the home to drive away the Shaytaan from the home.Not allowing anyone into the home whose religious commitment is not good.Keeping family secrets.

7 September issue

    Suicide“And do not kill yourselves.  Surely, Allah swt is Most Merciful to you.” (Quran 4:29)
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By Suhaib Ashraf Bhat

Suicide, which is increasing day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute and second by second. Thinkers are thinking; Philosophers making another philosophy out of it yet the rate of the suicide is increasing. Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting effects on the people left behind.  Life is an unending succession of moments.  At the two extremes there are joyful moments that make our hearts soar and dark moments that plunge us into sadness and worry or even despair.  Gladness and its opposite sadness are part of the human condition, however when we lose control over our emotions we can easily fall into despair.  Despair is the feeling that we get when all hope has disappeared and it is a very dangerous situation. Calamity is part of the natural order of things and hardly anyone is safe from it.
 The Messenger of Allah  swt Muhammad Salalahualihwasalam narrated from his Lord that He Said: “I am as my slave expects Me to be.
Ahmad bin ‘Umar al-Qurtubi Rahimullah said:“It is said that His Saying “I am as my slave expects Me to be” means if one expects an answer when he supplicates, his repentance to be accepted, something repugnant to be repelled from him, his deeds to be accepted that are performed with their proper conditions. And this is supported by his saying: “Call upon Allah swt while you are certain that you will be answered.” Likewise, it is incumbent upon the one who repents, seeks Forgiveness, and does good deeds to exert himself in fulfilling his obligations while he is certain that Allah swt will accept his actions and Forgive his sins, as Allah swt has promised that He will accept any truthful repentance and righteous deeds. So, whoever performs such a deed and believes and expects that Allah swt will not accept it and that it will not benefit him, this is despair from the Mercy of Allah swt, and is from greatest of the major sins. Whoever dies upon this will be delivered to that which he expected.”‘Al-Mufhim li ma Ushkil min Talkhis Kitab Muslim’ (5/267)
Suicide is a complex issue and therefore suicide prevention efforts require coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors of society, including the health sector and other sectors such as education, labour, agriculture, business, justice, law, defence, politics, and the media. These efforts must be comprehensive and integrated as no single approach alone can make an impact on an issue as complex as suicide.

 “And whoever oppresses (commits injustice) among you, We will make him taste a great punishment.” (Quran 25:19)
Prophet Muhammad Salalahualihiwasalam said: “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor.  Whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah swt will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah swt will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever covers the faults of a Muslim, Allah swt will cover his faults on the Day of Resurrection.”
Thus there is certainly a benefit in treating others well, especially in coming to the aid of friends or family members who are overwhelmed by life’s cruelties and injustices.  However what of the people who feel alone, crushed by circumstance and are teetering on the edge of despair.  How can a person suffering from suicidal thoughts bring themselves back from the brink? This can be achieved in many ways; firstly by strengthening one’s relationship with Allah swt. This is achieved by reading the Quran, being mindful of Him and making lots of dua (supplication) to Allah swt. Next a person would do well to recognise Satan’s hand in this matter.  He whispers frightening scenarios of poverty and helplessness.  They are not true for Allah swt’s mercy conquers all.  Cling to Him and to Islam even in the darkest hour and the longest night.
 If you suspect that a family member or friend may be considering suicide, talk to them about your concerns. You can begin the conversation by asking questions in a non-judgmental and non-confrontational way.
Talk openly and don’t be afraid to ask direct questions, such as “Are you thinking about suicide?”
During the conversation, make sure you:
Stay calm and speak in a reassuring toneAcknowledge that their feelings are legitimateOffer support and encouragementTell them that help is available and that they can feel better with treatmentMake sure not to minimize their problems or attempts at shaming them into changing their mind. Listening and showing your support is the best way to help them. You can also encourage them to seek help from a professional.
Offer to help them find a healthcare provider, make a phone call, or go with them to their first appointment.
It can be frightening when someone you care about shows suicidal signs. But it’s critical to take action if you’re in a position to help. Starting a conversation to try to help save a life is a risk worth taking.
Dear brothers and sisters, don’t forget, Trouble is inevitable in the life of this world; this is how Allah swt has decreed it and He swt has made it a place of trials and tests, and a bridge to the Hereafter. Even the best of His creation, the prophets, were never free of troubles. Life is never plain sailing for anyone, young or old. You may have reason to rejoice one day, then reason to feel sad for many other days; this is how it always is in the life of this world and this is how people are all the time.
May Allah swt make things easy for us and make us among those who always provide helping hand to others. Aameen

Suhaib Ashraf Bhat Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com

Patience and Gratitude 

Suhaib Ashraf Bhat
Allah swt has made patience like a horse that never gets tired, an army that can never be defeated and a strong fortress that can never be breached. Patience and victory are twin brothers, for victory comes with patience, relief comes with distress and ease comes with hardship. Patience is of more help to the one who has it than men, as it helps without any need for equipment or numbers and its relationship to victory is like that of the head to the body.  The degree of difficulty in abstaining from some things depends on the strength of one’s motive and one’s ability to do the action in question. Whoever has no motive to kill, or steal, or drink alcohol, or whatever, and at the same time in not able to do it, will find it very easy to exercise patience in abstaining from those things. Whoever has a strong motive to commit a wrong action and has the means to do so, will face great difficulty in exercising enough patience to abstain. There it is very difficult for a ruler to refrain from committing injustice and oppression , and it is difficult for a young man to refrain from fornication, and it is difficult for a rich man to refrain from pursuing physical desires and pleasures.
The Prophet Salalahualihiwasalam is reported to have said: “Allah swt will commend a young man who never behaved in an ignorant way” (Ahmad). In another hadith, he referred to those who will be shaded in the shade of Allah swt’s throne for their perfect patience – such as the patience of an absolute ruler in being just in all situations, regardless of his own feelings, and the patience of a young man in worshipping and obeying Allah swt and suppressing his own whims and desires, and the patience of the man who gives sadaqah in keeping his sadaqah secret, and the patience of a man who resists the temptation of a woman of beauty and high status, and the patience of two men who meet for the sake of Allah swt and part for the sake of Allah swt, in keeping their relationship for the sake of Allah swt, and the patience of one who weeps out of fear of Allah swt, in keeping that secret and not telling others about it. All of these are among the most difficult types of patience. Therefore the punishment of an old man who commits adultery, a king who tells lies and a poor man who is arrogant is more severe, because it is easy for them to keep away from such wrong actions, and does not require much in the way of patience. Their attitude indicates that they are wilfully rebelling against Allah swt.
In the Qur’aan, Allah swt has guaranteed those who are patient that He will give them reward without measure.  He tells them that He is with them by guiding and supporting them and granting them a clear victory. Allah swt says (interpretation of the meaning):                                                                    
“Surely, Allah swt is with those who are As‑Saabiroon (the patient)”
[al-Anfaal 8:46] 
Allah swt has made leadership in terms of religion conditional upon patience and certain faith, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):   
“And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)”
[al-Sajdah 32:34] 
Allah swt tells us that patience is better for those who are patient, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“But if you endure patiently, verily, it is better for As‑Saabiroon (the patient)”
[al-Nahl 16:126] 
Allah swt tells us if we are patient and pious, the plot of the enemy cannot do any harm, even if he is powerful, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“But if you remain patient and become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious), not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allah swt surrounds all that they do”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:120]  
(gratitude, gratefulness, thankfulness) is defined with respect to ni’mah (blessing, bounty). It is a feeling in a beneficiary regarding a benefactor who has bestowed some good, fortune, or favour upon him. The essence of gratitude is the realisation and acknowledgement that ‘I owe this bounty to so-and-so, and it was because of him that I received this benefit.’ The Qur’an says:
“Whatever blessing you have is from Allah (16:53).”
For this reason, it instructs us to be grateful to Him for His bounties
Allah swt tells us: “Then remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject Me” (al-Baqarah 2:152). And He has told us that only those who are grateful to Him truly worship Him: “and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship” (al-Baqarah 2:172)Allah has mentioned gratitude alongside imaan, and has made it clear that He gains nothing from punishing His people if they give thanks to Him and believe in Him: “What can Allah gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you believe?.” (an-Nisâ’ 4:147)In other words: if you carry out the duties for which you were created, namely gratitude and Imaan, why should Allah punish you? Allah has divided people into two categories, the people of gratitude (shukr) and the people of ingratitude (kufr). The thing most disliked by Him is kufr and the people of kufr, the thing most liked by Him is gratitude and the people of gratitude: “We showed him (i.e. man) the way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).”(al-Insan 76:3)
In the battle between reason/religion and whims/desires, we have the following “weapons” at our disposal:1. We should remember the glory and greatness of Allah swt, and feel that He is too great to be sinned against as He is all-seeing and all-hearing. Whoever thinks of the greatness of Allah swt will never be at ease in committing wrong actions.2. If we claim to love Allah swt, then we should not disobey Him, because of that love. A person should be obedient to the One he claims to love. Those who refrain from committing wrong action out of their love for Allah swt are of the highest status in His sight, as are those who worship Him out of love for Him. There is great difference between the one who obeys Allah swt and abstains from wrong action out of love, and the one who does so out of fear of punishment.3. We should think of the blessings and favours of Allah swt, as a decent and noble person would never act against the one who has been treating him kindly. Only base and ignoble people do such a thing. If we think of the blessings and favours of Allah swt, we will realise that we should not respond by doing against His commands and committing wrong action.4. We should think of the wrath and punishment of Allah swt, as He will be angry with the person who persists in committing wrong action. Nothing can stand in the way of the consequences of His anger, least of all this weak slave of His.5. We should think of what the person who commits wrong action has to lose, in this world and the next. It should be sufficient to think of the loss of Imaan (faith), of which the smallest amount is worth much more than everything in this world. How can anyone be willing to lose his Imaan in return for some brief moment of pleasure the consequences of which might last forever? In a sahih hadith, the Prophet Salalahualihiwasalam said: “No adulterer is a believer at the time of when he is committing adultery.” Commenting on this hadith, one of the Sahabah said: “His Imaan will be dragged out of him until it goes over his head like a cloud. If he repents, then his Imaan will return to him.”
The reward of gratitude is unlimited: “If you are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you…” (Ibrahim 14:7) In contrast, other rewards and divine favours are conditional upon His will, for example, relief from poverty: “but if you fear poverty, soon will Allah swt enrich you, if He wills.” (at-Tawbah 9:28)
Patience and gratitude are the fruits and implications of this same belief that differ due to a believer’s circumstances. For this reason – according to several hadiths – the reward of one who is grateful and benevolent in health, wealth, and comfort is the same as the reward of one who is patient in affliction, poverty, and fasting.

The writer can be emailed at: Suhaibbhatt85@gmail.com