Happy New Year!

How can we make this year the best ever to get us closer to Paradise?

We need an intention with determination and discipline we pray.

There are easy ways to raise us each day closer to our goal with intention, determination and discipline.

Do we have the will???

Remember...Every good deed we do earns 10 virtues!  Surah Al-An'am ayah 160 states:  "Whoever brings a good deed shall have ten times the like thereof..."

How can we read the complete Qur'an each and every day?

Easy!  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "By Him whose hand is my soul, certainly surah Al-Iklas (112) is equal to one third of the Qur'an."  (Al-Bukhari)  By reciting it with our heart, tongue and ears three times a day we have completed the Qur'an!

Does anyone have a minute to spare to gain 1220 virtues?  In one minute surah Al-Fatiha can be read 6 times.  Surah Al-Fatiha has 122 letters.  Each letter of the Qur'an is equal to 10 virtues.  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever recites one letter from the Book of Allah will receive one virtue and one virtue is equivalent to ten virtues. I don't mean to say that Alif-Lam-Meem is one letter but Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter and Meem is a letter."  (Tirmidthi)                                         

There are approximately 1.7 billion Muslims in the world today. (Wikipedia)  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever asks Allah for the forgiveness of the believing men and believing women, Allah will record virtues  equal to the number of believing men and women."  (Sahih Al-Jumae) Saying, "Oh Allah, forgive all the believing men and women" takes seconds to say which will bring you approximately 1.7 billion virtues daily and 598.4 billion a year!!!!!!

The Prophet (pbuh) said, "The person who says, "subhanAllah" 100 times in the morning and 100 times in the evening is like the person who has performed 100 hajj.  Saying, "Alhamdulilah" 100 times in the morning and 100 times in the evening is like the person who gave 100 horses to ride in the path of Allah.  The person who says, "La ilaha ila Allah"  100 times in the morning and evening is like a person who freed 100 slaves from the children of Ismail (pbuh)  The person who says, "Allahu Akbar" 100 times in the morning and evening, no one can bring better than him or her except s/he who recited similar or more."  (Timidthi) 

Have you heard how by simply saying "subhan Allah" 100 times will bring 1000 virtues?  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever recites "subhanAllah" 100 times, 1000 virtues are written and 1000 of his/her sins are forgiven."  (Muslim)

Did you know that by praying the mid-morning duha prayer (2 cycles of prayer) earns you 3600 virtues each day, approximately 1,267,200 virtues a year!!!!  The Prophet (pbuh) said,  "A sadaqah becomes compulsory on you for every joint of your body(360) by the rise of dawn.  A tasbeeh is a sadaqah; saying, 'La ilaha ila Allah" is a sadaqah; saying "Allahu Akbar" is a sadaqah; to order to do good is a sadaqah; to stop harm is a sadaqah; offering 2 cycles of mid-morning prayer is sufficient for all this."  (Muslim)

The poor Muhajirin complained to the Prophet (pbuh) that the rich were able to spend in charity for the sake of Allah and they weren't able.  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Shall I tell you of something that will get you to the ranks of people before you and you will get ahead of the ones that will come after you and none can be better than you except one who does the same as you do?  They said, "Yes, O prophet of Allah! Please tell us!"  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Say "SubhanAllah 33 times, alhamdulilah 33 times and, Allahu Akbar 34 times after each salat."  (Muslim)

         The Islamic greeting:  Alsalam alaykum wa rahmah Allah wa barakatuhu can bring many virtues!     A person came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said, "Alsalam alaykum".  The Prophet (pbuh) replied to the greeting and said, "Ten virtues".  A second person came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said, "Alsalam alaykum wa rahmat Allah".  The Prophet (pbuh) replied to him with salam and said, "Twenty virtues".  Then a third person came to the Prophet (pbuh) and greeted him adding 'wa barakatuhu'.  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Thirty virtues"."  (Abu Dawood, Tirmidthi)

The Prophet (pbuh) said, "One who says "Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi" 100 times in the morning and 100 times in the evening, on the Day of Judgment he will be raised such that no one will have done anything better than him except one who did the same or more."  (Muslim)

Forgiveness of sins in 5 seconds?  How?  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever recites upon hearing the athan:  "And I also testify that there is no deity except Allah who is alone and has no partner and Muhammad is His servant and messenger.  I am happy with Allah as my Lord and Islam as my religion"  Allah will forgive His sins."  (Muslim)

How about obtaining forgiveness in 2 seconds? Merely shake hands!!!  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "When two  meet and shake hands they are forgiven before their separation."  (Tirmidhi)

Would you like Allah to be happy with you?  Simply say "Alhamdulilah" after you eat or drink.  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Verily, Allah becomes happy with a person who eats food and praises Allah for it or consumes a drink and praises Allah for it."  (Muslim)

May Allah increase His blessings on us this year and may we increase our own blessings by sending salutations upon the Prophet (pbuh).  The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever will send salutations upon me once, Allah will descend 10 blessings upon him."  (Muslim)

Let's summarize:

1. Say Surah Al-Iklas (112) 3 times each day and complete the whole Qur'an!

 

1. Say Surah Al-Fatiha and earn 1220 virtues in a minute!

 

1.  Pray daily for Allah to forgive all the believing men and believing women and get 1.7 billion virtues.

 

1.   Say:   "SubhanAllah (performed 100 hajj), Alhamdulilah (gave 100 horses), La ilaha ila Allah (freed 100 slaves), Allahu Akbar (become better)" 100 times morning and evening.

 

1.  Say:   "SubhanAllah" 100 times for 1000 virtues.

 

1.  Pray the mid-morning duha prayer (2 cycles of prayer)  which earns you 3600 virtues each day.

 

1. To raise our rank, say, "SubhanAllah (33 times), alhamdulilah (33 times) and, Allahu Akbar (34 times) after each salat.

 

1.   Greet with "Alsalam alaykum wa rahmah Allah wa barakatuhu" and earn 30 virtues multiplied by 10 equaling 300 virtues.

 

1.   Say "Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi" 100 times in the morning and evening and be raised high on the Day of Judgment!

 

1.   Upon hearing the athan say, "I also testify that there is no deity except Allah alone without partners and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.  I am happy with Allah as my Lord and Islam as my religion."  Our sins will be forgiven!

 

1.   Shake hands with our fellow Muslims and erase our sins!

 

1.   Say "Alhamdulilah" after we eat and drink and make Allah happy.

 

1.   Say salutations on the Prophet (pbuh) and gain blessings!

What are we doing here???

What is the purpose of our creation???

We pray to have the strength and discipline to take control of our minds and our time to remember Allah.  May He give us success this new year in this life and in the Hereafter. Ameen.