Akhlaaq (Good Manners) in regards to the rights of Allaah:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

We read many Ahaadeeth on the virtues of having proper etiquette and good manners, that it will be the heaviest on the Scale on the Day of Judgment, that that person will be closer to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and much more.

But remember that good manners should start with Allaah first:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah تعالى said: {The son of Aadam tells a lie against me though he has no right to do so, and he abuses Me though he has no right to do so. As for his telling a lie against Me, it is that he claims that I cannot recreate him as I created him before; and as for his abusing Me, it is his statement that I have offspring. No! Glorified be Me! I am far from taking a wife or offspring.}” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]

Similarly, denying the Names and Attributes of Allaah or changing their meaning; or giving preference to logic over the Sunnah, innovating in the Deen or speaking without knowledge is not good manners.

How can someone have good manners with creation but then speak without knowledge about the Creator and His Deen? This is not giving priority and in reality isn't good manners at all.

So that’s why: “Defending the rights of Allaah takes precedence and is more important than the honor of any other creation.”

The 3 types of sins that Shaitaan commands:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

  

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ * إِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِالسُّوءِ وَالْفَحْشَاءِ وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّـهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾

{and follow not the footsteps of Shaitaan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy.  He commands you only what is Soo’ (evil) and Fahshaa’, and that you should say against Allaah what you know not.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 168-169]

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله explained:

Al-Soo’: every type of disobedience and Minor sins.

Al-Fahshaa’: Major sins, like fornication.

From the Proofs of `Uluww (Highness/Transcendency) of Allaah تعالى:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Among the many proofs, Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Saaleh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله also mentioned:

As for the proof from the Fitra: Allaah has made all of the creation, the Arabs and non-Arabs, even the animals upon the natural disposition of believing in Him and His `Uluww. There is no servant that turns toward his Lord with supplication or worship except that he finds within himself a sense of requesting from One High above. He turns with his heart towards the sky, not to the right or left. And no one deviates away from this reality except someone who has been corrupted by Shayaateen and desires.

Always have good thoughts about Allaah جل وعلى

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

In a Hadeeth Qudsee Allaah تعالى said:

أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي

{I am to my slave as he thinks of Me} [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (7405, 7505) and Saheeh Muslim (6471, 6495, 6498, 6610)]

Jaabir bin `Abdullaah رضي الله عنه reported: I heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying three days before his death: “Let none of you die except thinking positively of Allaah.” [Saheeh Muslim (6875)]

Abu Musa رضي الله عنه reported Allaah’s Apostle صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying: “He who loves to meet Allaah, Allaah too loves to meet him, and he who dislikes to meet Allaah, Allaah abhors to meet him.” [Saheehain]

Seeking Ilm for reviving Islaam

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“Whoever seeks `Ilm to revive Islaam* with it, then he is among the Siddiqeen, his status is second only to that of the status of Prophethood.”

[Miftaah Daar al-Sa`aadah (1/121)]

* Islaam – As revealed by Allaah تعالى, as taught by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, as understood by the Companions and followed by the Salaf al-Saaleh; and NOT as misinterpreted by the apologetic modernists.

A trial in disguise:

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

Favors/Blessings are of two types: 1) Absolute Grace and 2) Confined Blessing.

1) Absolute Grace:  It is the continuous and the permanent bliss, i.e. the blessing of Islaam and the Sunnah. It is the blessing which Allaah سبحانه وتعالى commanded us to ask Him in every prayer, that He تعالى guides us to follow the path of such people whom He had selected for it, and made them the people of Highest Companionship (الرفيق الأعلى), when He تعالى said:

﴿وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّـهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا﴾

{And whoso obeys Allaah and the Messenger, then they will be in the company of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddeeqoon (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 69]

…what is intended here is that this Blessing is an Ultimate Grace and it is specific only for the Believers. And if it is said: “For the Kuffaar there is no blessing from Allaah in this perspective”, then it is true.

2) Confined Blessing: The second blessing is the Confined Blessing, like the blessing of good health, riches, healthy body, high status, lots of children, a good wife and the like. These blessings are distributed between the pious and the sinner, and between a Believer and a Kaafir. So if it is said: “Allaah has bestowed blessings upon the Kuffar from this perspective”, then it is true. But when this Confined Blessing takes the Kaafir away from the truth and towards the (everlasting) punishment and suffering, then this is not a favor. It is rather a trial as Allaah تعالى has mentioned it in His Book:

﴿فَأَمَّا الْإِنسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ * وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ * كَلَّا﴾

{As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honor and gifts, then he says (puffed up): “My Lord has honored me.” But when He tries him, by straitening his means of life, he says: “My Lord has humiliated me!” Nay!} [Surah al-Fajr (89): 15-17]

Meaning: “Not everyone to whom I (Allaah) gave honor and favor in this world has really been favored; rather, it was a trial upon him from Me and a test. And not everyone for whom his means of sustenance were restricted by Me is humiliated. Rather, I test My slave with favors in the same way as I test him with sufferings.”

[Ijtimaa` al-Juyoosh al-Islaamiyyah (1/3-7) of Ibn al-Qayyim]

So when your wealth, your children, the internet, the social networking, your work or any other thing which prevents you from obedience to Allaah and His Messenger, prevent you from offering the 5 daily prayers, prevent you from offering the late night prayers, prevent you from the recitation of the Qur'aan, then indeed this is more of a trial than a blessing!

The first ones to make Takfeer

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

“The Khawaarij are the first ones who made Takfeer of the Muslims; making Takfeer of people due to sins (they might have committed) and making Takfeer of those who opposed them in their Bid`ah; making it permissible to shed blood and to take away the wealth (of the Muslims). This is the state of affair of Ahl al-Bid`ah; they first innovate (in the matters of the Deen) and then make Takfeer of those who oppose them regarding it.

As for Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah, (they do not innovate), they follow the Book and the Sunnah, and they obey Allaah and His Messenger, and they follow the Truth and are merciful to the creation.

The first Bid`ah in Islaam was the Bid`ah of the Khawaarij and the Shi`aa, both of which happened during the Khilaafaj of Ameer al-Mu’mineen, `Alee ibn Abu Taalib رضي الله عنه and he punished both of them.”

[Majmoo` al-Fataawa (3/279)]