TEN

THINGS NOT TO WASTE

A collection of pondering writings for the soul.

PART 1



By Umm Umar Khaled
































Umm Umar Khaled
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TEN
THINGS NOT TO WASTE


From the 10 Things We Waste written by Imaam Ibn Qayyim Al
Jawziyyah this collection of pondering writings urges the soul to realize
and make use of them.

PART 1















TEN THINGS NOT TO WASTE
RAMADHAN 1435











Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem.

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

Alhamdulillah. Firstly, I would like to thank you for having the effort to actually
download this file, I pray Allah Azza Wa Jall bestows upon you guidance and mercy.

Amin.

I chose this issue for this week because I know the first week of Ramadhan is usually
the crucial one, as here we try our best to adjust to the hunger, the hardship, the
tolerance and abstinence from things we used to do from dawn to sunset.

Based on the 10 things that we waste as pointed by Imaam Qayyim Al Jawziyyah (May
Allah have Mercy on him), I have written pondering essays wherein you will be able to
regain and redeem these things by realizing how and why we should take keen
observation and importance to them.

This file has the first 5 things, as it is Ramadhan and I do not want to avail much of
your time as we want to dedicate this month truly to the Quran in sha Allah. So I have
divided this issue into two.

If you find fault in anything written here then I ask all of you to please forgive me and
advise you to take the good and leave the bad in sha Allah.

May Allah Azza Wa Jall reward you all for having the intention to learn more about our
deen, I pray He guides us all to the path of those whom He have guided before.

Amin

Umm Umar Khaled

















ONE
Our Knowledge
Wasted by not taking action with it.















Abu Abdillah Muhammad Said Raslan says in his book The Manners of
the Knowledge Seeker;
Knowledge is the worship of the heart, the secret of its life, and the source of its
power, it is a must for its seeker to come to know the manners related to it, and to
strive his utmost to obtain these manners.
The purpose of attaining knowledge of the Shariah is to perfect ones clarity of
expression, and the purpose of perfecting ones clarity of expression is to single out
Allah and worship him.
Therefore, the purpose of seeking knowledge is to single out Allah Azza Wa Jall and
worship Him, and the message gets across much better when the one who has
positioned himself to deal with this knowledge whether he is a student or teacher-
clearly shows these signs of singling out Allah and worshipping Him by submitting
completely to pure Shariah and noble Religion.
Indeed before we could start seeking knowledge we have to purify our
intentions and then ask ourselves for what purpose are we attaining
knowledge.
Are we among those people who buy mountains of books but nor for
reading but just to beautify our collection? Or are we among those people
who dont want to read and seek knowledge and be satisfied with the
ignorance we have about our deen?
Both or neither of the two, you have to put a stop on that, My dear brother
and sister in Islam, you have to read to learn, you have to reflect to feel and
you have to put effort so youll get a result.
What is knowledge without action, and what is action without
knowledge, right?
If you are among those people who have a library of books then start
reading it, remember not all the people have the blessing of buying even a
10-page book. Remember the people before us, how they became
fountains of ilm?
Yes, Allah had bestowed upon them such knowledge but we have to realize
that these were not spoon fed to them.
They have struggled to learn and because they wanted to learn in fear of
the reckoning of Allah, in both the fear they had for Allah and the love
they had for Allah.
Abdullah ibn Mubarak Radiyallahu Anhu was a companion of
Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wassalaam who learned from 4,000 teachers
during his lifetime and he had to go to them to learn.
[1] He said; "I spent thirty (30) years learning manners, and I spent
twenty (20) years learning knowledge."
Now, imagine his patience, diligence and tolerance, not anyone of us
nowadays would even stand having 3-5 teachers a day without complaining
and talking about their mannerisms, Astagfirullah.
[2] Kath!r Ibn Qais Radiyallahu Anhu narrates that;
"I was sitting with Abu Darda Radiyallahu Anhu in a masjid in Damascus,
when a person came to him and said, "O, Abu Darda, I have come all the
way from Madinah to learn one Had!th from you, as I understand you
have heard it directly from the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi wassalaam."
Abu Darda Radiyallahu Anhu asked him: Do you have any other business
in Damascus?
He answered: No.
Abu Darda Radiyallahu Anhu asked again: "Are you sure that you have no
other work in Damascus?"
He said: "I have come to this place with the sole purpose of learning this
hadith."
Abu Darda Radiyallahu Anhu then said: "Listen. I have heard the
Prophet Sallallahu Allaihi wassalaam saying;
"Allah eases the way to Paradise for one who traverses some distance to
seek knowledge. The angels spread their wings under his feet, and all
things in heavens and earth (even the fish in the water) pray for his
forgiveness. The superiority of a person possessing knowledge over a
person doing worship is as the superiority of the moon over the stars.
The Ulama are the inheritors of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi
wassalaam. The legacy of Prophets Alaihimussalaam is neither gold nor
silver. Their legacy is knowledge. A person who acquires knowledge
acquires a great wealth.
SubhanAllah a person would travel places like from Madinah to Syria just
to learn one had!th, because they knew that their hijra and travel to these
places are of seeking knowledge, and they knew the reward for such act is
just beautiful, (and yet we say we seek knowledge already by surfing the internet.
Sad thing, really)
See, the point Im trying to make here is that these books we have that we
dont want to read but just look at are actually filled with years of
research, effort, patience and love for Allah. So dont waste them by
making them as decorations.
People before us had to struggle so much for the ilm that we have right in
our shelves. Wouldnt this very thought not make you seek for it and
showcase it by ACTUALLY APPLYING it in your life?
Will it hurt you if you found a forgotten sunnah and revive it?
Every change starts within you, not in your community nor in your
family, it starts and it begins within yourself, be the change you want to be,
act upon the knowledge that Allah Azza Wa Jall has granted you to have.
But be reminded, O dear ilm seeker, of the words of our beloved Prophet
Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam:

[3]Whoever seeks knowledge in order to compete with the scholars, to
prove himself superior to the ignorant, or to make the people look up to
him, he is in the Fire.

Seek knowledge and apply it, dont just seek knowledge to refute scholars,
learn for yourself & for your own benefit then let this knowledge be seen in you.
-Umm Umar Khaled
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[1] Adab Talib ul-ilm
[2] Abu Dawud,Hadith 1631
[3] Al Abani graded it authentic in Sahih Ibn Majah 205, Mishkat al-Masahih (225 & 226), and at Taliq ar-
Raghib (1/68)









TWO
Our Actions
Wasted by committing them without sincerity.













Why do you do what you do?
Thats the question we should always ask ourselves.
These two things go hand in hand, knowledge and action.
Let us ponder, do you think you can seriously and sincerely do something
without any knowledge of it?
Of course, no.
You cant even speak of something you do not know of without stuttering,
so how much more doing something you have no knowledge about?
Have you ever thought why the eminent Sahabah Radiyallahu Anhum had
lesser sayings quoted than the rest of the people before us?
It is because they are very keen to what they were to say, they were very
careful on sayings words that the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi
Wassalaam once uttered to them.
There was once an incident with Abdullah Ibn Masud Radiyallahu Anhu,
when he was asked about a certain thing that concerned something that
the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam said.
When he started to say the words, his knees started to tremble and he had to
stop what he was saying and rephrase it many times as he was afraid he is going
to say something that the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi
Wassalaam havent said.
SubhanAllah, look at their fear of transmitting words that the Prophet
Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam said, when some of us these days
would easily throw ahadith not even thinking if they are fabricated or
authentic, we just go on and say The Prophet said No, the Nabi said
Astagfirullah.

When our knowledge is gained and attained in a way that we pursue it
with the right intention then so will our actions be. For one to be able to
do a thing with sincere devotion, one must learn the what, when, why, and
how of it.
[1] Umar Ibn Al Khattab Radiyallahu Anhu narrated that the Prophet
Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam once said;
Indeed, actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he
intended. So, whoever migrated to Allah and His Messenger, his
migration is to Allah and His Messenger. And whoever migrated to
obtain a portion of the world or to marry a woman, his migration is to
what he migrated for.
Realize my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, doing something with
sincerity brings about a light in our heart and that is happiness, without
sincerity all these things we do are nothing but lamps without light,
without function, the core value of your works lie on your sincerity.
So next time you do something, be sure you are sincere, and when you do
that, believe me, a smile on your face will come naturally.
In sha Allah.

With sincerity, you attain happiness and doing acts of worship with sincerity, you
will attain the connection youve been ever wanting with Allah.
-Umm Umar Khaled












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[1] Reported by Al-Bukhari at the beginning of his Sahih, as well as Muslim and others.










THREE
Our Wealth
Wasted by using on things that will not bring us any reward.
















A child comes to you with shattered clothes, dirty hands and asks you for a
penny, what would you do?
Would you turn away and ignore? Or would you have the heart to talk to
this child and actually give a penny?
Ponder, ponder hard on it.
My brother and sister in Islam, we all know that money runs, sometimes to
you and sometimes away from you. Thats reality.
Its just quite sad that people depend almost everything on money
nowadays, that people are now lured with the thought that happiness lies
on money, alone. How lame.
Reality is that happiness isnt like money, because money has this
somehow cycle that needs and requires much effort to stay, need work for
it, need to earn it and all that but with happiness, its not like that.
Happiness only requires what is in your heart, its just like you need to tap
it to keep it going and activated. Believe me, Happiness is pleasing Allaah
Azza Wa Jall and keeping him in it.
Your happiness will stay in your heart as long as you make Allaah Azza Wa
Jall stay in your heart, let the happiness grow in your heart as you travel
along this journey back to your Creator.
Indeed death shouldnt be seen as something to that will put a barrier
between you and Allaah Azza Wa Jall, that everything stops at this point.
No, it isnt, death is but a portal a door that every person will pass through to be
able to find the eternal happiness of being with Allaah Azza Wa Jall.
Remind yourself everyday that no matter how much money you get in
this dunya you cannot bring it with you in your grave, you cannot bribe
the Angel of Death nor can you this mean anything to Allaah Azza Wa
Jall.
If here, in this world, you get all the VIP treatments and privileges because
of your money, well in the hereafter they mean nothing, what matters
there is your deeds and have you checked what is the status of your deeds
right now?
Do you think with all these missed & delayed salah, displeasing your parents, no
time for dhikr (all these minute things that you know in your heart pleases Allaah
Azza Wa Jall the most) will earn you eternal happiness in Paradise?

Have you not thought of instead of using all these wealth that you have
gained on luxurious items, why not spend it on helping the needy, feeding
a poor person, spending in the cause of Allah Azza Wa Jall?
Yes! Its a waste of money, buying these things you can just wear one time
or just wear for some show off? Your money can mean and can have real
value when you know how to spend it.
Man is ever wanting of happiness. Why do we want to earn money? For
happiness. Why do we need to strive so much to achieve things? For
happiness. We strive so much for worldly things because we THINK they
would give us HAPPINESS.
Reality is as long as you desire for happiness by achieving a worldly/
temporary thing then will your happiness be. It will also be temporary.
have you realized that?
But why dont you try to compile all these blessings that Allaah Azza Wa
Jall has bestowed upon you and use it to become closer to Him, by
putting him in your heart, do you think you wont find happiness?
Let these very words of Abu Dardas Radiyallahu Anhu words tickle your
minds
[1] Everyone falls short of his wisdom and knowledge sometimes. If this
life brought him an increase in money, he becomes happy and elated.
Meanwhile, the nights and the days keep decreasing his life term, but he
does not become sad on account of this decrease. What good will the
increases in wealth bring, when the life-term is ever decreasing?
Remember that rizq is from Allah, and should be used for Allah.
Learn the essence of charity, read about the wonderful rewards you get from it. If
Allah Azza Wa Jall provides you with abundant rizq, why cant you spend a little
of it for Him?
-Umm Umar Khaled

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[1] As-Siyar Volume 19, p. 483










FOUR
Our Hearts
Wasted because they are empty from the love of Allah, and the feeling of
longing to go to Him, and a feeling of peace and contentment. In its place,
our hearts are filled with something or someone else.










When was the last time you longed for Allah?
A child is born in a home full of love, then he learns to walk in this home,
then he goes to school and finds this home as a refuge from the bullies at
school, then he comes to his teens and still he find this home as a place
where he could be who he truly is, then he graduates and gets married and
he finds a new home yet he would come back again and again to this home
where he grew up with full of love.
This child who grew up still longs for his home, even with all the things he
has done and went through, he still comes back to this home.
If a child who were sheltered by this home feels attachment and longs for it
every now and then, then why does ones soul do not feel same with
Allah Azza Wa Jall?
Why cant one feel same attachment to His Creator, when His Creator is
the One who have Provided, Sustained and Nourished him all his life? Is it
because we are more attached to dunya?
Hearts only become blind when it cant find its way back to Allah Azza
Wa Jall, and it becomes darker when you fill it more and more with the
luxurious of the dunya.
Dont you feel wasted? Dont you feel unhappy?
One day it will come to you and you will recognize all the wasted days and
years of not being able to recognize the One who you should have given
your attachment, love, effort and time.
Do not wait until the time comes when dunya makes you realize that all
your efforts are nothing because you will never get dunya. Know that with
Allah Azza Wa Jall even the minutest act of worship done is rewarded
abundantly, nothing goes to waste when it is for Allah Azza Wa Jall.
I ask you to have a moment with yourself, no one else, just you and start to
enumerate all the blessings you have in this life, and in sha Allah you will
start to long for Allah Azza Wa Jall.
With every remembrance of your blessing, your heart
gets to be filled with His Love.
-Umm Umar Khaled








FIVE
Our Bodies
Wasted because we dont use them in worship & service of Allah.

















Youre so strong. Ma sha Allah.
You are so blessed of how Allah Azza Wa Jall has made you physically
strong, but have you in return given what He truly deserves from you?
My brothers and sisters in Islam, you are all well and able to do things of
worship and service to Allah Azza Wa Jall, but why dont you?
Have you ever seen an old person reading the Quran at your home or in
the masjid? What do you feel? Dont you feel little bit ashamed, that even
though old age has reached them they still struggle to read and go to the
masjid when you yourself is strong enough having clear vision and strong
legs to walk to the masjid yet you do not?
What is stopping you?
Why do you waste such a blessing?
But you know what is more fascinating? Its when its for shopping or going
to concerts or clubs or those places full of temptations, you are able, you
make effort actually, but when it comes to worshipping Allah Azza Wa Jall,
you do not make effort. You hear the athan and thats it, its just like the
passing of birds chirping.
O sound soul, do not let yourself life a wasted life, you can always
reconnect and start anew. You can start today, start with asking for His
Forgiveness and asking for His Guidance.
Allah Azza Wa Jall gave you two hands, use it, raise it up and call upon
Him. He never neglects nor ignores anyone who calls upon Him as
Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalaam once said;

[1]"Allah the Most High is Munificent and generous and is ashamed to
turn away empty and disappointed the hands of a man when he raises
them to Him."

Let every reason of your blessing become a means for worshipping Him and getting
yourself closer to Him.

-Umm Umar Khaled

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