The Attributes of God

God is the creator.  When God creates it means he brings things from the state of nonexistence to the state of existence and only God can do this.  God in English in Arabic He's called Allah, and Allah means the one who's properly worshiped.
A creation is anything that has a beginning and therefore everything except Allah (God) is a creation.  Everything has a beginning And Allah is the only one without a beginning.  God is not Male or Female and nothing can be compared to Him.  We call Him "He" because this is the term used in the Quran and other revealed books such as the pure unchanged, untempered gospel, Torah, and other books.  All books have been tampered with, translated into several variation to other languages, and Quran is the only book still recited and memorized just as it was revealed.  However, other translation of the Quran may contain inaccurate translations.

Attributes of God (Allah)

Existence:  Allah existence is without a beginning or an end.  He existed before time, space, before anything.  There was nothing but Allah and He brought everything into existence.  He exist as he was and His existence is not bond to Time and He exist without a place.  This is beyond your imagination.  God is not measured or compared to other creation and God is not imagined in the mind.  You imagination is susceptible to your senses.  You see everything having shapes, sizes, and being confined to a place and direction and within a state of light or darkness.  God existed before time, place and before light or darkness ever existed.  If I tell you to imagine a state of being without any form of light or darkness you would not be able to imagine.  Like wise you can't imagine something without a Place and this is why Muslim scholars say: Whatever you imagine in your mind Allah is different from it.

Eternity:  God is without a beginning
Everlasting: God is without an end
Oneness:  God is one in self and attributes.  That means God does not have a partner in Godhood and no one has attributes comparable to God.  For example God has the attribute of knowledge, which is an attributes without a beginning and without an end.  God knows everything and nothing is hidden from his knowledge and there is no one equal to God in knowledge and no none knows everything except God. Hence God is One in Godhood and one also in his attributes.
Power: God has the power to do anything
Will:  Everything happens according to the will of God.  Prophet Muhammad صلى الله  عليه وسلم  thought one of his daughters to say

ماشالله كان ومالم يشاء لم يكن

Which means:  "Whatever Allah will to be shall be and whatever Allah did not will to be shall not be."

Knowledge: God knows everything.  He's knowledge does not increase because nothing is hidden from Him and his knowledge does not decrease because He's not forgetful.

Sight: God sees everything without an eye or any other instrument.  He sees all creation and all particles and nothing is hidden from Him

Hearing: God hears everything without an ear or any other instrument.

Speech:  The speech of God is not created and without a beginning or end.  Languages and sounds have a beginning and are created by God.  God's attributes of speech is unlike the speech of the creation

Life:  God has the life which is without a beginning or end.  Hes life is unlike our life.  Our life is a combination of flesh, blood, and sole.  The life of God is not with flesh, blood or sole because God does not resemble the creation in any form or shape.

None neediness of others: God doesn't need anything and everything needs him.  Nothing moves or rests in the universe except by the will, knowledge, creation of the creator (God).  The worship of a worshiper only benefits the worshiper and doesn't add anything to God.  Likewise, the sin of a sinner only harms the sinner and does not take anything a way from God.

None resemblance to the creation: God is not like the creation.  Whatever you imagine in your mind Allah is different from it.

Story of a pious husband

Among the stories reported about some of the pious Muslim of the past is a story of a man whom at the time near wedding his wife was inflicted with a skin disorder. This came as a shock to her and her family and thought that the marriage will not happen.  However this pious man wanted to be rewarded in next world for being good to his wife to be and to be patient.  Thus, he pretended to have been inflicted with some type of blindness , and that put the new bride and her family at ease, thinking he would not notice the color disorder of her skin.  He continued and continued to pretend for twenty years to be inflicted with blindness until his wife died before him.  He then returned normal and explained he did it for the sake of Allah and to protect the heart of his wife.  Just imaging being patient for twenty years to do something that you are not even obligated to do.  He could have chosen not to get married and he would not have been sinful, and he is not obligated to get married to this person in particular.  He rather has chosen to be patient with the calamity that has befallen this poor women and this is a noble act of goodness that if its done with sincerity one will be greatly rewarded in the hereafter.

sincerity in Doing the Good Deeds

Al Hakim narrated in Al-Mustakrak: A man asked the messenger of Allah Sallallahu ^Alayhi Wasallam and said:

Oh Messenger of Allah, A man seeks reward and praise what does he get? He (the prophet) said: Nothing.  The Man asked the messenger of Allah  Sallallahu ^Alayhi Wasallam  a second time and said Oh Messenger of Allah  Sallallahu ^Alayhi Wasallam a Man seeks reward and praise what does he get? He (the Messenger) said he gets nothing then the messenger of Allah  Sallallahu ^Alayhi Wasallam said: Allah does not except from the good deeds except that which was done in sincerity for Him and seeking the reward from Him."

روى الحاكم في المستدرك أن رجلا سأل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: يا رسول الله الرجل يبتغي الأجر والذكر ما له؟ قال :" لا شيء 

له " (أي الرجل يعمل العمل يبتغي الأجر من الله تعالى ومدح الناس له) فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " لا شيء له " أي لا ثواب له بهذا العمل لأنه يريد مدح الناس له ثم سأل الرجل رسول الله مرة ثانية فقال يا رسول الله الرجل يبتغي الأجر والذكر ما له؟ فقال :" لا شيء له " ثم قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " إن الله لا يقبل من العمل إلا ما كان خالصا له وابتغي به وجهه " أي إن نوى بعمل الطاعة الأجر من الله والذكر من الناس فليس له من الثواب شيء.

Therefore, when you do a good deed don't focus on getting praised by other but do it for the sake of Allah only.  If you truly properly understand this and practice it, it will help you greatly in this world and in the next. Some people do good deeds and they are so focused on the reaction of others to thank them or reward them to the point if they are not recognized for good they have done they feel bothered and start to complain. The one who is sincere he/she is satisfied to do it for Allah and doesn't expect a return from others.  In-fact, it was said that the last sin a Waliyy departs  from before reaching the station of Wilaayah is the sin of insincerity.

So strive to cleanse your heart.  

An interesting advise from a scholar.  

One of my friends once asked a pious genuine scholars about women denying the husband good deeds toward her and how one can protect his wife from falling in this sin.  You see to deny the good one has done for your is among the major sins.  This tend to be more common with women, thus, at a moment of anger she would tell her husband "You have done nothing for me" and this is common in many cultures today and in the past.  You should not say such words and rejects all the good one has done for you at a moment of anger, and anger is not excuse.  So this man wanted to save his wife from being sinful and asked the scholar.  The scholar told him do not do anything for her, but do it for the sake of Allah, hence, if she says "you have done nothing for me" she will not be laying, since the husband has done it for the sake of Allah.  And when you do it for the sake of God you do not expect a return favor. Equally then man should be satisfied that he has done the good for his wife for the sake of Allah.   

Time

Time

Most people waste their time in doing things that don't benefit them in this world or the next world.

Time is precious  and if it is not used in that which concerns you  it will be waste it in that which doesn't concern you.

Hence, focus on that which brings benefit to you in this world and the next world and don't be lazy.  Don't leave doing what your suppose to do for chances and hope for the best result.  If you go to school you can't avoid studying and hope to get an excellent grade.

If you want a good result you have to put hard work to achieve what you desire.  You don't lose weight by wishing, nor do you attain wealth by dreaming, and you will not be God-fearing while sinning.

The Man Who Wanted to Change the World

The Man Who Wanted to Change the World 

I once came across a story about someone who wanted to change the world.  It says that he wanted first to change the world when this was not possible to him he then wanted to change his country and when he couldn't he wanted to change his town and then his surrounding area going down to his family and when he couldn't he settled to change himself; He then wondered if he had focused on changing himself may then he would have had a positive impact on his family and maybe to his surrounding and maybe to the world.

The essence of this story is that before you focus on changing others to be better you should focus on yourself to be better.  This doesn't mean not to encourage others and advise others, but it stresses to look from within, take responsibility for your mistakes and don't blame others, and focus on yourself to be a pious person for the sake of Allah.  You see, you can advise others but their hearts are not under your power, but yourself you can control. 

Be Patient and Master Your Deed

Whenever you aim to do a specific deed then learn it well, master it, and do it well.  And, this is what is advised in religion.

In a hadith narrated by Al-Tabaraniy and Abu Ya^alaa, Allah's messengerصلى الله عليه وسلم  said:
 إن الله يحب إذا عمل أحدكم عملا أن يتقنه

Which means:  "Allah love for one to master (do well) what he does" 

So, today when you go to school, or perform other types of work or service think how can you do it better. If you have a business, think about this deeply, and if you have to buy a book and read about your particular area in order to excel then do so.  And always strive to be the best at what you do.  It will most likely take time and effort to perfect it, but be strong and don't give up, and be very careful to use your time wisely in that which benefits and not only that which gives you temporary satisfaction. 

Likewise acts of worship must be done with knowledge and don't just simply copy what others do without knowledge, but be keen to learn and do better and thus it was stated in the Hadith:

Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

 مَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ 

Which means: "He who goes on a path to seek knowledge Allah will facilitate for him(or her) the path to paradise."

Hence you seek the worldly knowledge to be an expert of what you do, and that is a means of success in this world.  Likewise, you seek the Islamic knowledge to perfect your acts of worship and to better differentiated between what is good and what is sinful.

Enmity and forgiveness

As long as you live in this world do your best to be kind, forgiving, and busy with what concerns you.
Prophet Muhammad  صلي الله عليه وسلام said:
من حسن إسلام المرءتركه ما لا يعنيه 
which means: "Among the traits of being a good Muslim is for one to leave what doesn't concern him"

Therefore, a sign of a good Muslim is for one to leave that which doesn't concern him/her. Therefore, Be busy with what benefits you in this world and the hereafter, and don't be keen to indulge yourself into the affairs of others, and do your best to think positively and have a good intention.

And do your best not to show animosity to others, regardless of how low the other person may seem to be and regardless of how strong you think you are.  For times changes and people's status in life also changes and how many times in life have we seen the week raise to power and the strong falls.  Even if you think you are stronger avoid jumping and making enemies.  A person who shows enmity is like a person waving his sword visibly high, and no matter how careful that person might be, he might be hit from where he may not expect. Hence, do your best not to show your animosity and treat people the way you like to be treated, and this is important advice that will become evident in the changing and passing of time.

The believer is never satisfied of seeking knowledge

Allah's Messenger said:

:" لا يشبع مؤمن من خير يسمعه حتى يكون منتهاه الجنة "
A believer is never satisfied with the good he hears until he ends in paradise" 

Hence, a believer is always seeking knowledge to elevate his faith and to be a better person. Knowledge is the gateway to success and misguidance is a result of ignorance, arrogance, and stubbornness.  Islam is a religion of knowledge, wisdom, and justice and not a religion of fanatics and ignorant.  It is a religion that agrees with sound intellect and that's why it states in the Quran in surat Tabarak:

وقالوا لو كنا نسمع أو نعقل ما كنا في أصحاب السعير

which means: "Had we listening and used our intellect we would not have been among the people of Hell"

Therefore, Know that all groups that call for injustice, murder in the name of Islam are very ignorant of Islamic knowledge.  They are not guided by seeking knowledge and spending years in study but are motivated by emotion, and when emotions are high and knowledge is absent what one destroys is more than what one builds.  So don't be a mean of destruction, and know that every means of good is a result of knowledge and evil comes from ignorance.


Gemstone beads @ hararistyle.com

Sincerity and the Final words of Al-Ghazaliy

Sincerity is for one to do the good deeds for the sake of Allah only.  Hence, when you pray, give charity, assist those in need or any other good deed you do it seeking Allah's reward only; not, seeking the recognition praise and the admiration of others.  sincerity is a condition for one's good deeds to
be accepted. Some scholars said the last sin one is able to stay away from before reaching Wilaaya is the sin of insincerity.
Moreover, it was said that while Imam Al-Ghazali was near his death someone said
to him "Advice" and Al Ghazali said "be Sincere, be sincere" and kept on repeating it
until he died.