Yusuf Circle Sheffield

Hafsah bint Umar (رضي الله عنهم) (S2) Umar رضي الله عنه first went to Uthmaan رضي الله عنه to ask if he wanted to marry Hafsah رضي الله عنها, however he stated he was not ready. Umar رضي الله عنه went to tell the messenger ﷺ of this, to which he ,ﷺ, said: “Hafsah will marry a man better than Uthmaan. Uthmaan will marry a woman better than Hafsah”. (رضي الله عنهم). The blessed marriage took place in 3 A.H, in the month of shabaan. The first time our messenger ﷺ called Umar رضي الله عنه ‘Abu Hafsa’ رضي الله عنها was at the battle of Badr!

Hafsah bint Umar (رضي الله عنهم) (S1) Our beloved mother, Hafsah رضي الله عنها, had a blessed family tree - her father, Ameer-ul-mumineen Umar رضي الله عنه needs no introduction. Her mother is Zainab bint Madhoon رضي الله عنها, the sister of our messenger’s ﷺ half brother, Uthman Ibn Madhoon رضي الله عنه. She was the full sibling of Abdullah Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهم. Her father, Umar, his brother Zayd, her husband Khunais Ibn Hudafa, her 3 maternal uncles (Uthman, Qudama and Abdullah Ibn Madhoon [رضي الله عنهم]) and her cousin, Saa’ib Ibn Uthman (رضي الله عنهم) were all Badris - thus she had a unique honour of having 7 relatives fighting in the greatest battle of history. Our mother Hafsah رضي الله عنها was born 5 years before prophethood - making her the same age as Faatima رضي الله عنها.

The Afterlife (S7) Our messenger ﷺ: “Without doubt, sleep is like death, and there is no death in Paradise”. Sleep is only a pleasure when one is fatigued - otherwise one does not desire it. Our messenger ﷺ: “Today is the bet. Tomorrow is the race. The end of that is Paradise. Losers are those in the Hellfire”. The messenger ﷺ: “Verily indeed, I fear weakness of certainty for my Ummah”. Have you asked for certainty and wellbeing? Our messenger ﷺ said: “Remember, mankind has not been given anything better than certainty and wellbeing, so ask Allah ﷻ for them”. Hasan al-Basri (r.h) commented: “Through certainty, one is free from the fire, strives for Paradise…and in wellbeing people come together, and when there is commotion they separate”. Our messenger ﷺ said: “The best iman, is knowing that Allah ﷻ is with you, wherever you are”.

The Afterlife (S6) Our messenger ﷺ: “Verily, the world is paradise for a disbeliever and prison for the believer. When a believers soul is taken, he has left prison. He is able to roam (the Earth) freely”. Unbelievers souls are imprisoned in ‘Sijeen’ - a place low in the 7th Earth. Different ranks of believers can traverse on different levels. The dead see us from their graves, just as we see water through a glass! Attend the funeral prayers! For our messenger ﷺ said: “When a person destined for Paradise dies, Allah ﷻ will not punish the ones who carry the bier, walk behind it and those who attended the funeral prayer”. Dawood (a.s) asked Allah ﷻ: “What is the reward for one who accompanies a funeral procession, solely for Your sake?”. Allah ﷻ replied: “When he dies, I will send down angels (a.s) to attend his funeral procession, and I will forgive him”.

The Afterlife (S5) Our messenger ﷺ: “When Allah ﷻ created the world, He ﷻ said to it and swore by His Honour: ‘I have not created you except for the worst of My creation’.”. That which was not needed will be a burden for us on the Day of Judgement - An Ansari passed away and Abdullah Ibn Umar (رضي الله عنهم) said: “May Allah ﷻ have mercy on him”. Someone mentioned that the man left behind 100,000 dirhams. Ibn Umar said: “But it did not leave him”. Lighten your load! Eesa (a.s) described the pointless excess of this Duniya as ‘Rijs’, the same word Allah ﷻ used to describe the intoxicants, gambling and idol worship in Surah [5:90]. Hasan Ibn Ali (رضي الله عنهم): “The least of this world is sufficient. The whole of it does not enrich”.

The Afterlife (S4) Shaytaan has given us his game plan - will you plan to beat him? Our messenger ﷺ: “Shaytaan has said: ‘I get to the wealthy in one of three ways. Firstly, I beautify wealth so he doesn’t spend it [in zakat]. Secondly, I’ll make it so easily earned that he’ll spend it improperly. Thirdly, I’ll make him love it so much he won’t care earning it the haram way!’”. Wahb Ibn Munabih (r.h): “The example of this world and the hereafter is like the man with 2 wives - if you please one, the other gets angry”. Our messenger ﷺ: “The world is the home for the one who has no home, it is the wealth for the one who has no wealth”. Filling you heart with love for this world gives no fulfilment, it leaves a void which can only be filled by cultivating for the Akhirah! Our messenger ﷺ: “When a person fails to do good deeds, Allah ﷻ puts him through trials with worries”. We are preferring clay [this Duniya] over gold [the hereafter]. (Fudayl Ibn Iyad (r.h)) Haythama رضي الله عنه: “Anyone who isn’t d

The Afterlife (S3) Our messenger ﷺ: “The world is the prison of a believer and his slumber. When he leaves it, he leaves the prison and his slumber”. We are all asleep: Imam Ali رضي الله عنه: “Mankind is asleep. They wake up when they die”. Hasan al-Basri (r.h): “Love of this world is the head of all error”. Thus by turning your back on it, you cut off the root cause of sin. Malik Ibn Dinar (r.h): “Come, let us now repent for a sin which most have ignored: love of this duniya”. “Do not be surprised at someone who was strong in faith, then fell - be surprised at one who was steadfast and remained so consistently!”. It is of utmost importance that one must supplicate for steadfastness. Such duas are mentioned in the Qur’an. Surah [3:8]: “O our Lord ﷻ, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us, but grant us mercy from Yourself, You are The Granter of bounties without measure”. Yusuf (a.s) made the dua [Surah 12:101]: “Take my soul as a Muslim and gather me with the righteous” - A Noble Pr

The Afterlife (S2) Our messenger ﷺ: “Visit the ailing and follow funerals, for they remind you of the hereafter”. Is your spiritual bank account being loaded? We are doing good works to send to the next life, yet don’t see the fruits of our labour - Here Imam Ali رضي الله عنه said: “Verily, today there is action without reckoning. Tomorrow, there will be reckoning without action”. Eesa (a.s): “Work for Allah ﷻ, not your bellies. Look at these birds, they don’t till not harvest yet Allah ﷻ provides for them. You may say: ‘Our bellies are larger than bird’s”, then look to the cows and donkeys! They don’t till nor harvest and Allah ﷻ provides for them. Fear the pointless excess of this world, for Allah ﷻ despises it!”. Do you desire rotten mean?

The Afterlife (S1) Shaytaan once disguised himself, took a bottle of water and went to the messenger ﷺ. Shaytaan said: “At the time of death, I trade this bottle of water for someone’s iman!” Our messenger ﷺ wept profusely, so much so his family (a.s) wept also. Allah ﷻ comforted His messenger ﷺ by saying: “Weep not my beloved, I will protect the believers at the time of their deaths”. Our messenger ﷺ: “Encourage the dying to say ‘La Ila Ha Il Allah’ and give them glad tidings of paradise. Shaytaan is closest to him at this time, for it is his last opportunity!”. Abu Musa al-Ashari رضي الله عنه: “O Messenger ﷺ, when does a person stop recognising people?” (I.e. at the time of death). Our messenger ﷺ replied: “When he sees…” (I.e. the unseen). At the time of one’s death, the unseen realm is unveiled. If a believer was a person of remembrance, then he will see good company around him. If he was a person of futility, then he will be surrounded by evil company (from the unseen world!). Amr Ibn Utbah (r.h

Humour in Islam Our messenger ﷺ had the title: ‘al-Dahook’ - meaning ‘the cheerful’. He ﷺ is called this in the Torah. He ﷺ would lighten up any situation, bringing a smile to one’s face no matter what one was previously lost in. Our messenger ﷺ had humour, and used it perfectly, as he himself is. Umm Ayman (رضي الله عنها) once requested a mount. Our messenger ﷺ said: “I will give you an offspring of a she-camel”. Umm Ayman رضي الله عنها was confused and said: “How can an infant camel support me?”. The messenger ﷺ said again: “I will give you an offspring of a she-camel”. When the time came, he ﷺ gave her a healthy beautiful camel - to her surprise. The joke was that all camels are offspring’s of she camels - umm ayman assumed it was an infant! Such the is humour of our messenger ﷺ. Humour amongst the Salaf: Ibraaheem Ibn Adham (r.h) said: “A believer, complete with iman, could shake mount Abu Qubais if he wanted to”. He had a friend with him called Abu Qubais (r.h), and he started to shake jokingly! Ibr

Purification of the soul (S5) Sit with the righteous, for our messenger ﷺ said: “One day with an upright imam is better for you than to worship 60 years on your own”. Our messenger ﷺ: “The head of intelligence after belief in Allah ﷻ, is to have love and compassion for mankind”. Who are the friends of Allah? ﷻ. Our messenger ﷺ said it is those who, when you see them, remind you of Allah ﷻ. Due to a persons righteousness, Allah ﷻ will rectify his son, and his son’s son! He (ﷻ) guards him within his house (I.e makes it a fortified place), and protects the surrounding dwellings! The messenger ﷺ: “ Three traits will harden the heart; love of food, love of sleep and love of ease”. These 3 traits seem to be the purpose of the disbelievers existence - one must strive to avoid them, and seek comfort in discomfort.

Purification of the soul (S4) Virtues and importance of visiting one’s brothers/sisters: The messenger ﷺ: “Walk one mile to visit the sick. Travel two miles to reconcile two brothers. Journey three miles to visit your brother” Whoever visits someone for the sake of Allah ﷻ, then 7,000 (or 70,000 according to another report) angels (a.s) accompany him - they supplicate for him: “O Allah ﷻ, he’s maintaining ties for your sake, so maintain him”. Our messenger ﷺ: “The Prophets (a.s) will be in Paradise. The Siddiques will be in Paradise. The Martyrs will be in Paradise. Babies will be in Paradise. A man who visits his brother in an isolated area, solely for Allah’s ﷻ sake, will be in Paradise”. Our messenger ﷺ: “The one who visits his brother in his dwelling eats what is served, is greater than the one who served it”. Conceal the faults of your brothers, both small or large. The messenger ﷺ said: “The one who conceals the faults of his brother, then As-Sattaar (I.e. a name of Allah ﷻ, which means ‘The Co

Purification of the soul (S3) Wishing the best for your brothers and sisters in this ummah, and serving them is one of the greatest methods to purify one’s nafs. Allah ﷻ : “My servant devotes himself to me with nothing I love more than wishing well for others”. The noble companions (رضي الله عنهم) would meet to exchange words, solely to praise Allah ﷻ. Abdullah Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهم: “We would meet eachother and ask: ‘How are you?’, solely to praise Allah! ﷻ”. Our messenger ﷺ: “If someone pleases a believer, then Allah ﷻ will assuredly please him on the Day of Judgement!”. One cannot comprehend what is this pleasing would be! How does one attain half of wisdom? Our messenger ﷺ said: “Showing affection to people is indeed half of wisdom”. A great act which is belittled. Our messenger ﷺ: “The look of a person at his brother in yearning (I.e wanting better for him), is better than a months itikaaf in my masjid!”. A deed which requires such little effort yet rewards thousand-fold, literally. Our

Purification of the soul (S2) The messenger ﷺ: “The People who backbite, taunt, mock, tell tales and find fault with the innocent, will be risen as dogs on the Day of Judgement!”. Our beloved mother, Aisha (a.s): “ "The attribute that the Companions (r.a) hated the most, was lying". Our messenger ﷺ: “"He has no Iman, the one who isnt trustworthy”. Thus it is crucial - one must avoid lying at all costs in order to purify their souls. Serve others! For our messenger ﷺ said: “" Allah ﷻ does not cease to attend to His servants needs, as long as the servant attends to his brothers needs". By serving your brothers and sisters in times of need, you are protected from an evil death. Our messenger ﷺ said: “ If one helps his brother, then Allah ﷻ will make his feet firm on the Day Where even mountains will Perish!". Why do we sometimes feel as if our relationships are failing, or on the contrary, being rekindled? Our messenger ﷺ said: “when 2 people love one another in Islam, the first sin committed by one

Purification of the soul (S1) Surah [79:40-41]: “ But as for him who and Fears the Standing before his Lord (ﷻ ), and who reigns in his lust, Paradise is Surely his abode". Purifying one’s soul is of utmost significance - one cannot enjoy the true fruits of revelation without it. What is purification of the soul? The messenger ﷺ said: “It is that you realise that Allah ﷻ is with you, wherever you are". Our messenger ﷺ: “The best iman is that you realise that Allah ﷻ is with you, wherever you are”. Samura Ibn Jundub (رضي الله عنه): “Whoever wants to see Shaytaans authority over himself, Should see how he acts In private!". Jihad of the Nafs - purifying your soul - is the greatest jihad, ranking one even above Martyrs, for jihad on the battlefield is temporary, whilst conquering your nafs lasts your entire life time!

Family (S2) The messenger ﷺ: “Name your children after good people”. He (ﷺ) instructed a companion رضي الله عنه to name his son ‘Hamza’. Hamza رضي الله عنه was the messengers’s most beloved uncle. Talha رضي الله عنه named his sons after prophets (a.s) [Muhammad, Ibraaheem, Musa], Zubayr رضي الله عنه named his sons after martyrs: [Urwa, Abdullah, Hamza]. Your name has an effect on who you are! Saeed Ibn al-Musayib’s (r.h) [the most learned of the Tabi’een] grandfather had a negative name, meaning: “grief“. Saeed said due to this he himself had a flaw in his character! The messenger ﷺ instructed us to name foetuses in miscarriages; for they will be heavy on the scales on the Day of judgment! The messenger ﷺ: “Do not name your children after angels (a.s)”. If one has name with bad meaning, he or she must strive to change it immediately - as the messenger ﷺ did. He ﷺ once met an elderly woman whose name meant ‘Nightmare’. He ﷺ told her to change it immediately.

Family (S1) Parents: 2 sins are immediately punished for in this world: Oppression, and disobedience to one’s parents. The messenger ﷺ: “Verily, I ﷺ requested Allah (ﷻ) not to accept the du’a of a beloved against their beloved.” (Here, du’a refers to a curse. In anger, a parent may curse their child — it is this curse that the Prophet ﷺ sought to intercede against so it would not take effect.) The messenger ﷺ: “Deliberation is from Allah ﷻ, haste is from Shaytaan” Surah [21:37]: “Man is a creature of haste” It is in our nature to slack in our commitment. To rush things - this is from Shaytaan. Doing things cautiously is in line with the teachings of all the Prophets (a.s). “The dua of the father reaches the veil” Anas رضي الله عنه stated: “ The dua of a parent for their child is similar to the Dua of a prophet!”. “May his nose be rubbed in dust (disgraced), whoever reaches their parents in old age and still they did not be the cause of him or her entering paradise”.

The Haramains (S2) Our grandfather, Adam (a.s), is buried under mount Abu Qubais. Some erroneously claim that when Adam (a.s) and Hawwa (r.a) were told to leave Paradise, it was a disgrace. However, they were honourably removed by Jibraaeel and Mikaeel! (A.s) Jibraaeel removed Adam’s crown, and Mikaaeel removed Adam’s mace (a.s) - description of a king! Adam (a.s) was a genius! Hasan Al Basri r.h: “ Adam (a.s) had the intelligence of all his children combined”. Jannatul Baqee: The Messenger ﷺ supplicated for the residents of Baqee in plethora. 70,000 of Baqee will enter Paradise with no accountability - they will then intercede for 70,000 people further! (4.9 Billion). Love the inhabitants of Baqee, so that they may intercede for you!

The sacred Harams (S1) The sacred haram had an effect even on the noble prophets (a.s): When the messenger ﷺ reached Hudaybeeyah to perform the umrah, his camel stopped. “She has been made to stop by The One Who caused the elephant to stop! The haram (I.e. Makkah) is heavy upon her, and heavy upon me”. The noble prophet and ancient grandfather of our messenger ﷺ, Ismaaeel (a.s) once complained to Allah ﷻ about the heat of Makkah. Allah ﷻ revealed: “I will open a door of paradise in your grave, which will blow cool air onto you until Qiyamah”. Ibn Abaas رضي الله عنه: “Whoever bears the heat of Makkah for 1 hour, Allah ﷻ keeps him away from the hellfire the distance of 70 autumns”. Makkah being a desert is a mercy: were it to be a beautiful oasis, people would travel ignorantly for reasons other than pilgrimage! Our beloved messenger ﷺ in the auspicious Makkan days would align the Kabah to masjid al aqsa, the original Kiblah. He would do this by standing between the Yemeni corner and the black stone!

Salah (S3) 3 things Allah ﷻ dislikes for us: Frivolity in Salah, obscenity whilst fasting and laughing at graves. Umar al-Farooq رضي الله عنه once slightly delayed maghrib due to his responsibilities as the Ameer Ul-Mumineen… he grieved over this so much that he freed 2 slaves! Abdullah Ibn Masud رضي الله عنه had the recitation of Jibraaeel (ﷺ), yet never showed it off to the people and kept it private in tahajjud. By sleeping in wudhu, Abu Dardar رضي الله عنه says your soul will prostrate near the Arsh! The messenger ﷺ: “Salah is half of imaan!”