Anas bin Malik RA narrated that Rasulullah [Saw] spoke about four forerunners. He said: “I am the forerunner of Arabs; Suhaib Ar-Rumi is the forerunner of Romans; Bilal is the forerunner of Habsha and Salman is the forerunner of Persia.”

The Story of Dhul-Kifl is a bit of a mystery. There is not much information known or recorded and a lot of debate as to whether he truly is a Prophet. What we know about him is that he was a righteous man and a ‘company of the good’ who was also extremely patient. As Allah says in Surah al-Anbiya’ after the story of Ayyub, “And Isma‘eel, Idris, and Dhul Kifl, all of them were among the patient ones. And We admitted them to Our mercy, verily they were among the righteous.” (Qur’an 21: 85-86).

So, Ayyub (A) had everything, he was strong and healthy, he had large plots of land, abundant livestock, and a righteous and beautiful family, and then suddenly, Ayyub (A) lost his family, lost his wealth, and he lost his health, and this did not happen gradually, it happened suddenly, he lost everything, he lost everything that a person loves in the dunya. Ayyub’s AS steadfastness in the face of the most awesome trials originated the well-known expression, “the patience of Ayyub”.

The life of this world is just like rain We send down from the sky, producing a mixture of plants which humans and animals consume. Then just as the earth looks its best, perfectly beautified, and its people think they have full control over it, there comes to it Our command by night or by day, so We mow it down as if it never flourished yesterday! This is how We make the signs clear for people who reflect. Quran 10:24.

It doesn't take much to realize how blessed we are as Muslims. Allah SWT has allowed us to have a direct and open relationship with Him 24/7, with absolutely no middle-man in between. As Muslims, we have two main ways of communicating with Allah SWT. The first way is through our five daily prayers, which are an obligation upon us. The second way of communicating with Allah is, by making dua (supplication). In contrast to prayer, there is no fixed time or place for making dua. Wudu is not obligatory for dua. We don't even need to have wudu to make dua. We are allowed to put our hands up and ask Allah for what we need - at any time and any place. This is a huge mercy from Allah SWT.

To Heraclius the Arabs were a backward people living in a desert wasteland. The Arabs he knew were an unsophisticated lot in constant conflict with each other, just barely eking out an existence under the unforgiving desert sun. The Arabs were not a military threat let alone a military power they were just a thorn in his side, But united for the first time under the banner of Islam, the Arabs unleashed a gale force wind that would sweep across the Middle East and blow as far East as China and West across North Africa.

The prophet said, “Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?” [Bukhari].

Delivered by our dear brother Belal Assaad

"Listen to our latest episode where we share the story of Barsisa, a sincere monk who faces tricky situations. Find out how he makes a big mistake and learns important lessons about trust and redemption. This timeless story teaches us about making the right choices and seeking forgiveness when we mess up. Join us for a short and powerful exploration of Barsisa's journey that holds valuable insights for all of us."

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