Good Friends

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Do they only wait for the Hour that it shall come upon them suddenly, while they perceive not? Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except Al-Muttaqûn (pious - see V.2:2) [43:66-67]

Those who disbelieve

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

Al-Baqara

Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them whether you (O Muhammad Peace be upon him ) warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe. (6) Allâh has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearings, (i.e. they are closed from accepting Allâh's Guidance), and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be a great torment. (7) And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: "We believe in Allâh and the Last Day" while in fact they believe not. (8) They (think to) deceive Allâh and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not! (9) In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allâh has increased their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies. (10) And when it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth," they say: "We are only peacemakers." (11) Verily! They are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not. (12) And when it is said to them (hypocrites): "Believe as the people (followers of Muhammad Peace be upon him , Al-Ansâr and Al-Muhajirûn) have believed," they say: "Shall we believe as the fools have believed?" Verily, they are the fools, but they know not (13) And when they meet those who believe, they say: "We believe," but when they are alone with their Shayâtin (devils - polytheists, hypocrites), they say: "Truly, we are with you; verily, we were but mocking." (14) Allâh mocks at them and gives them increase in their wrong-doings to wander blindly. (15) These are they who have purchased error for guidance, so their commerce was profitless. And they were not guided. (16) Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allâh took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see. (17) They are deaf, dumb, and blind, so they return not (to the Right Path). (18) Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allâh ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allâh will gather them all together). (19) The lightning almost snatches away their sight, whenever it flashes for them, they walk therein, and when darkness covers them, they stand still. And if Allâh willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Certainly, Allâh has power over all things. (20)

Al-Baqara

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

Alif-Lâm-Mîm. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'ân and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings] (1)This is the Book (the Qur'ân), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqûn [the pious and righteous persons who fear Allâh much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allâh much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. (2) Who believe in the Ghaib[] and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and spend out of what we have provided for them [i.e. give Zakât, spend on themselves, their parents, their children, their wives, etc., and also give charity to the poor and also in Allâh's Cause - Jihâd,]. (3) And who believe in (the Qurân and the Sunnah)[] which has been sent down (revealed) to you (Muhammad Peace be upon him ) and in that which we sent down before [the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel), etc.] and they believe with certainty in the Hereafter. (Resurrection, recompense of their good and bad deeds, Paradise and Hell,) (4) They are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful. (5)

A large scale

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Ali (peace be upon him) said,

"Whoever desires his reward be weighed on the Day of Judgment in a large scale should recite this prayer at the end of a meeting:

وَٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (١٨٢)

And all the praises and thanks are to Allâh, Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

[As-Saffat.182]

Change their sins into good deeds,

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

سُوۡرَةُ الفُرقان

إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً۬ صَـٰلِحً۬ا فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ يُبَدِّلُ ٱللَّهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمۡ حَسَنَـٰتٍ۬‌ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورً۬ا رَّحِيمً۬ا (٧٠)

Except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allâh will change their sins into good deeds, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful

[Al Furqan:70]

Firewood only

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Hakim Tirmizi writes

"Zikr moisten the heart and softens it. A heart that is devoid of zikr becomes dry and hard, due to the excessive heat of lust and desires. All parts of the body likewise become stiff and abstain from submission to Allah; if you try to bend them, they break like a dry piece of wood, which can be used as firewood only."

The living and the dead

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The Contrast between a person who glorifies Allah and one who does not remember Him is like that between the living and the dead.

[Bukhari, Muslim]

The Mufarridin

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Once Rasululah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,

"The mufarridin have gone far ahead."

'Who are the mufarridin' enquired the Sahaba.

Rasululah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied, "Those who are intensively devoted to the zikr of Allah"

To teach or not to teach?

السلام عليكم

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Whoever teaches the reading of the Quran to his son (without memorizing it), all his sins, whether previous or subsequent, will be forgiven. And whoever makes his child memorize the Quran, will be raised on the Day of Judgement in the appearance of a full moon; and his son will be asked to start reciting, and for every ayat read by the child, the status of the parent will be raised to the next higher grade of Jannat, till the recitation of the Quran is completed.

[Tabarani]

Conversely if you deprive your child of knowledge (of religion) for the sake of a few dollars, not only will you be deprived of eternal reward, but you will be held accountable before Allah. Are you depriving your child of reading the Quran for fear that after memorizing the Quran they will be dependent on others for their living?

Please remember that not only do you expose your children to eternal misery, but you carry a very heavy accountability. A hadith says

"Each one of you is a guardian, and will be questioned about those under his control."

Everyone will be questioned about his subordinates and dependents as to what extent he taught them. As a proverb says, " Should one discard clothes for fear of lice?"

If you share religious education to your child, you will be free from your responsibility.

As long as the child lives whatever good deeds he does, whatever salat he performs, and forgiveness that he seeks from Allah for you will elevate your position in Jannah. If for the sake of this life and for a few dollars you keep him ignorant of deen, not only will you have to suffer for this misdeed but whatever evil and misdeeds he does, your account will not be free from this burden. For God's sake have pity on yourselves. This life in only a passing phase and death will put and end to all its hardships, however great, but the sufferings for which there is no end will be everlasting.

At the end of the day Allah will provide for you if you have faith in him. Your child can be a hafiz and have a worldly education as well.

Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Masood R.A. relates that I heard

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say " The one who reads Suratul Waaqiah every night, poverty will not befall him. (Abu-Yala, Baihaqi)

Don't sell your self out for a couple of bucks. The money wont last but the suffering or joy in the hereafter will.

Make your choice.

* Note* Some of this is an excerpt from Faza'il e A'maal