Sometimes in this Dunya (world) we are given what we do not want or ask for, and sometimes that which we wish for is just not attainable. Allah `azza wa jall keeps some things away from us, things which our hearts may ardently request, and yet He at times places the world at our feet. He chooses,  He commands and He runs our affairs out of wisdom which belongs only to Him. We thus remain suspended between being given of our wishes and being given other than that. The smart one therefore realises that he or she remains suspended between patience and gratitude…

Were He to let the Dunya loose on us and give us of our every want, will and desire, then indeed we would have forgotten Him and we would have become arrogant in the land without right. So He, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, withholds some things and gives us others in order to keep us as believers, humble ones, constantly in a state of iftiqar (dire need) to His Majesty.

وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَٰكِن

يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ

“And if Allah were to expand the provision for His slaves, they would have surely rebelled on the earth, but He sends down what He wills by a due measure. Verily! He is in respect of His slaves, the Well-Aware, the All-Seer.” [al-Shura: 27]

Rasulullah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) taught us to say after each prayer the following supplication, and he himself was foremost in saying it:

اللهم لا مَانِعَ لِما أعْطَيتَ ولا مُعْطِي لِما مَنَعْتَ

‘O Allah, nothing can withhold what You have given and no-one can give what You have withheld.’

It is a true beauty, which reminds every believer and renews his/her strength, belief and reliance. It’s a powerful wall for us to lean on whenever difficulties arise and it is an ascending set of stairs for us to use when we need to walk out of each and every calamity.

And it was once said to me, ‘When Allah withholds, He actually gives…’ – deep, if only we pondered.

Source: http://fajr.wordpress.com

Sometimes in this Dunya (world) we are given what we do not want or ask for, and sometimes that which we wish for is just not attainable. Allah `azza wa jall keeps some things away from us, things which our hearts may ardently request, and yet He at times places the world at our feet. He chooses,  He commands and He runs our affairs out of wisdom which belongs only to Him. We thus remain suspended between being given of our wishes and being given other than that. The smart one therefore realises that he or she remains suspended between patience and gratitude…

Were He to let the Dunya loose on us and give us of our every want, will and desire, then indeed we would have forgotten Him and we would have become arrogant in the land without right. So He, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, withholds some things and gives us others in order to keep us as believers, humble ones, constantly in a state of iftiqar(dire need) to His Majesty.

“And if Allah were to expand the provision for His slaves, they would have surely rebelled on the earth, but He sends down what He wills by a due measure. Verily! He is in respect of His slaves, the Well-Aware, the All-Seer.” [al-Shura: 27]

Rasulullah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) taught us to say after each prayer the following supplication, and he himself was foremost in saying it:

‘O Allah, nothing can withhold what You have given and no-one can give what You have withheld.’

It is a true beauty, which reminds every believer and renews his/her strength, belief and reliance. It’s a powerful wall for us to lean on whenever difficulties arise and it is an ascending set of stairs for us to use when we need to walk out of each and every calamity.

And it was once said to me, ‘When Allah withholds, He actually gives…’ – deep, if only we pondered.

Relying on Allaah is one of the greatest forms of worship. Allaah Says (what means): “…And upon Allaah rely, if you should be believers.” [Quran 5: 23] 

Allaah Almighty made relying upon Him a condition for faith. Allaah said to His Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) (what means): “…Rely upon Allaah. Indeed, Allaah loves those who rely [upon Him].” [Quran 3: 159]

Allaah also Says (what means): “…And whoever relies upon Allaah — then He is sufficient for him.” [Quran 65: 3]
 
Furthermore, Allaah has linked this reliance to worship, as occurs in His statement (which means): “…So worship Him and rely upon Him.” [Quran 11: 123]
 
The meaning of reliance on Allaah
 
Reliance on Allaah means entrusting one’s affairs to Allaah and relying on Him in all matters. Entrusting one’s affairs to Allaah entails not turning to something or someone else for support.
 
So reliance on Allaah can be with regard to matters of creed, such that the servant’s heart does not turn to anyone else besides Allaah. Therefore, he is always putting his reliance in Allaah, entrusting all of his affairs to Him.
 
The pagans did not fall into polytheism and disbelief except due to the fact that they put their reliance in other than Allaah, entrusted their affairs to other than Him, and believed in their hearts that someone besides Allaah was able to grant their requests, alleviate their worries and repel harms from them. So they relied on statues, idols, trees, stones, graves, shrines and the deceased. They put their trust in created beings to grant them things that only Allaah could do. So they began to ask them for help, offer sacrifices to them, make oaths to them, and direct various forms of worship to them.
 
This is since they relied on them apart from Allaah, thinking that they have the power to benefit them, harm them or grant their requests. Due to this, when they put their reliance in other than Allaah and directed their beliefs and worship to other than Him, they disbelieved in Him.
 
Relying upon Allaah is from the actions of the heart – so it is an act of worship of the heart. Therefore, putting one’s trust in Allaah is not to be done with one’s limbs and body parts. Rather, it is found in the heart, just like fear, awe, longing, dreading and dutifulness of Allaah – all of these are acts of worship of the heart.
 
The position of reliance on Allaah:
 
The position of reliance on Allaah is as some of the scholars have stated: “The position of reliance upon Allaah in the religion is like that of the head on a body.”
 
So a person who does not have reliance upon Allaah does not have religion, just like a body that has no head. If the religion lacks reliance upon Allaah, it lacks correctness – meaning that one will not have a correct religion.
 
Relying on Allaah has a great standing amongst the stations of servitude to Allaah. Allaah distinguishes by it His believing servants from everyone else. Whoever doesn’t put his trust in Allaah at all is a disbeliever. And whoever puts his trust in Allaah and also on others besides Allaah is a polytheist. And as for the one who puts his trust in Allaah alone – he is a monotheistic believer whom Allaah loves and whose actions and statements He is pleased with. This is since he has established his actions and statements upon a correct foundation.
 
The foundation of Shirk (polytheism) is: entrusting one’s affairs and putting one’s reliance on other than Allaah. This is why Allaah Says (what means): “…And upon Allaah rely, if you should be believers.” [Quran 5: 23]
 
Allaah has made reliance on Allaah here a sign of one’s Faith in Him and proof of one’s monotheism.
 
As for the one who claims to be a believer and an adherent of monotheism, but yet then goes on to put his trust in other than Allaah, such as stones, trees, statues, graves, the deceased, and so on, then this person’s claim is false. And he is not a believer because he has entrusted his affairs to someone besides Allaah.
 
Relying upon Allaah can be in religious matters as well as worldly matters. Thus you should rely on Allaah in your creed and your monotheism as well as for fulfilling your worldly needs, such as seeking provision, clothing and accomplishing some set goals. Put your reliance and trust in Allaah for all matters.
 
When it comes to fulfilling any goal, do not rely on anyone besides Allaah. This is since all of the affairs are in the Hand of Allaah. The keys of the Heavens and the Earth are in His Hand, so we must put our trust and reliance in Him.

Source: www.islamweb.net

Farwa' b. Naufal Ashja'i reported: I asked: 'A'isha, in what words did Allaah's Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) supplicate Allaah? She said that he used to utter:" I seek refuge in Thee, from the evil of what I did and from the evil of what I did not" [Muslim, 6557].

'Abdullah reported Allaah's Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) as saying: Nothing is more loveable to Allaah than His praise as He has praised Himself and no one is more self-respecting than Allaah Himself, and it is because of this that He has prohibited abominable acts [Muslim, 6645].

In the Quran, it is mentioned that the unbelievers are the people who does not recognize and appreciate the signs of Allaah. The significance of a believer is his ability to see those signs and proofs. They know that these are not created in vain; they can realize the power and great art of Allaah everywhere and find ways to appraise Him. About such people Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "Who remember Allaah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], 'Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.'"[Quran 3:191]

Many times in the Quran, there are expressions like "will you not take heed?" "...there is a sign for thinking men" which emphasize the importance of pondering on the signs of Allaah. Allaah has created an endless list of things to be the subjects of pondering. Everything we see and sense is indeed a manifestation and sign of Allaah; so all those in heavens and in earth and in between may be a means of pondering for us. Allaah Saya (what means): "He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and from all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought." [Quran 16: 11]
 
Let's think for a while of one of the items mentioned in the above verse; for instance, the "date-tree, as well known, grows up from a seed out of the earth. From this tiny seed (a seed is not even 1 cm3 in size), an enormous wooden mass of several meters long and hundreds of kilograms of weight, forms. The only thing that seed can use while constituting this great mass is the earth in which it is buried.
 
How can a seed know how to constitute a tree? How does it know how to decompose the necessary substances in the soil to form food? How can it predict the required shape and structure? This last question is especially important, because it is not an ordinary wooden piece that emerges out from the seed. The seed develops a complex living organism with roots for assimilating substances from the earth, with veins in itself and with branches that are perfectly organized. A human being has difficulty while drawing even a picture of a tree, but on the other hand a simple seed can produce that extremely complex object using the substances in the soil.
 
This observation concludes that a seed is extremely intelligent and wise, even more than us. Or better to say, there is an amazing intelligence in what a seed does. But what is the source of that intelligence? How can it be possible for a seed to have such an intelligence and memory like a computer "chip"?
 
The chips are produced by people who have intelligence and knowledge. Just like a seed which is created by Allaah with the ability to develop a tree. Every seed on earth is encompassed by Allaah and grows within His knowledge. He Almighty Says (what means): "Indeed, Allaah is the cleaver of grain and date seeds. He brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living. That is Allaah; so how are you deluded?"[Quran 6: 95]

A seed is merely one of the numerous signs that Allaah has created in the universe. If men begin to think with not only their minds but also with their hearts, asking the question of 'why' and 'how' to themselves, they can understand that all the universe is a proof of the existence and power of Allaah, the Most Exalted.
 
However, the unbelievers cannot understand such things, since they don't have the ability to "see" this purpose- as the Quran expresses (what means): "…They have eyes with which they do not see…" [Quran 7: 179] i.e., they do not have the wisdom and comprehension to realize the important reality with their materialistic vision.
 
On the other hand, believers are different than this 'blind' group, because they realize and accept that the whole universe is created by Allaah with a certain aim and wisdom. This belief is the first step of faith. As faith and wisdom, both of which are in parallel, increase, they will start to identify every detail of Allaah's creation.
 
One of the things to be done to identify the details of Allaah's Creation is to be careful and observant. Because the ability to see the signs of Allaah and not to be "blind" like the unbelievers, require a high concentration.
 
Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "Unquestionably, to Allaah belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth. Already He knows that upon which you [stand] and [knows] the Day when they will be returned to Him and He will inform them of what they have done. And Allaah is Knowing of all things.."[Quran 24: 64]

"Unquestionably, they are in doubt about the meeting with their Lord. Unquestionably He is, of all things, encompassing." [Quran 41:54]

One should train himself to recognize the signs of Allaah and should always keep this in mind. Otherwise, mind will start to wander, jumping from one topic to another, wasting time thinking about useless things.
 
Mind is like water; unless it is directed which way to flow, it spreads away, to the places that you would not want it to flow. This is a kind of unconsciousness; you can not control your mind. You can not focus and concentrate on a subject. Actually, you can not conceive the truth behind the events happening and also can not ever have the competence to interfere in them. On the contrary, your mind gets directed by those events. You are "bewildered" all the time, which is not an attribute of a believer, but the unbelievers, as Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "...And he who associates with Allaah – it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place."[Quran 22: 31]
 
Believers, on the other hand, are the ones who direct their minds, try to better perceive Allaah, and who try to better serve His religion. The believers are the ones "who turn away from ill speech" [Quran 23:3]. They free their minds from any useless thoughts and whenever they realize the appeal of Satan, they rescue themselves just like Allaah Almighty Says in the Quran (what means): "Indeed, those who fear Allaah – when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight."[Quran 7: 201]

Therefore, the believers should be careful to keep their minds free of useless thoughtsand ponder only on useful things that serve them in their life and keep them close to the Mighty Creator.

Source: www.islamweb.net

Tawheed (Islamic monotheism) is the greatest foundation of Islamic belief. In fact, a person is considered as Muslim if he/she accepts that there is no god worthy of worship but Allaah and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and His messenger to humankind.

Almighty Allaah Says in the Noble Quran (what means): Allaah- there is no deity except Him, the Ever- Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi (literally, a footstool) extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great." [Quran 2: 255]

In these marvelous verses, Allaah describes Himself as The Only One- Most Powerful, Ever-Living Lord of us. Tawheed is the bedrock of Islam and it states that it is Allaah Who has created the universe with whatever is in it and administers it. What we deduce from the operation of the universe and call ‘natural laws’ are, in fact, Allaah’s regular ways of creating things and events and administering the universe.

According to Islam, all religions revealed to the prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, have the same essence and knowledge of Tawheed and unity of Allaah, but, with the time, the message was misinterpreted, mixed with superstition, and degenerated into magical practices and some rituals. That was the same message with which Aadam was sent down to earth, the same knowledge that Allaah revealed to Nooh (Noah), Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosaa (Moses) and 'Eesaa (Jesus), may Allaah exalt their mention, and the last Prophet sent to humanity, Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ).

Islam rejects characterizing Allaah in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on the basis of wealth, power, or race. However, our human minds are often in search of understanding the concept of Allaah in materialistic ways, although we are not capable to completely comprehend this concept. When Prophet Muhammad’s sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) contemporaries asked him about Allaah, Allaah revealed the chapter of Ikhlaas (Quranic Chapter No. 112) which is considered as the motto of Tawheed, Saying (what means): "Say (O Muhammad), “He is Allaah, [who is] One. Allaah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor was He begotten. Nor is there to Him any equivalent." [Quran 112:1-4]

The Creator must be a different nature from the things created, because if He is of the same nature as they are, He will be temporal and will, therefore, need a maker. If the maker is not temporal, He must be eternal. But if He is eternal, He cannot be caused. If nothing apart from Him causes Him to continue to exist, He must be Self-Sufficient and Self-Subsistent. If He does not depend upon anything for the continuance of His own existence, this existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore Eternal and Everlasting Allaah Says (what means): "He is the First and the Last" [Quran 57:3].

The Creator does not create only in the sense of bringing things into being, in other words, He is not only a Starter, He also preserves everything, takes them out of the existence, and is the ultimate cause of whatever happens to them.

'Ali Ibn Abu Taalib may Allaah be pleased with him the fourth Muslim Caliph, is reported to have said: "He is being but not through the phenomenon of coming into being. He exists but not from non-existence. He is with everything but not physical nearness. He is different from everything but not by physical separation. He acts but without the accompaniment of movements and instruments. He is the One, only such that there is none with whom He keeps company or whom He misses in his absence."

In Islam, Allaah is known by His Names and Attributions and the manifestation of these names in the universe.

Another aspect of Tawheed in Islam is that it implies the equity and unity of all people in their relation with Allaah. Thus, people of different social strata were not created by separate deities with varying levels of power, since this would violate Tawheed by putting barriers between them. Instead, social dimension of Tawheed states that the same Allaah created everyone, and so all people have the same fundamental essence. In fact, the noblest person in Allaah’s Sight is the one who is most Allaah-conscious.

Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Your Lord is One. You are from Aadam and Aadam was created from dust. An Arab is not superior to a non-Arab, nor a white person over a black person, except for his/her piety and righteousness.” [Ahmad]

Source: www.islamweb.net

Narrated Ibn Abbas: The Prophet said, "Allah said, 'The son of adam 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.'" (Bukhari, 4157)