Thursday Halaqa Notes
12/20/12
Sr. Dana Jarrar
MCA Santa Clara, CA
Increasing your Love of Allah
- If you want to connect with Allah on a deeper level- get to know Him through his 99 names - Al Asmaa ul Allah Al Husna. Then you will be able to use these names in your du'as while understanding what they mean. This helps you develop khushu' in your Dua and make it more powerful.
- There are two reasons to love Allah, first you love Him for what He does for you and gives you. Second you love Him because of His characteristics. The second reason is the better one.
- A beautiful du'a: 'O Allah, I love you, because of everything you do for me (use your own detail), and because you are Al-Rahman and Al-Wali (use any name that you know). Teach me how to get closer to you
- In the halaqa, each week one sister draws a name from the box and prepares a short talk about it the following week. Today we discussed Al-Wali: the Protecting Friend. Here we learn that Allah is our ultimate protector. And a protector has several responsibilities: to support, to be with you in all situations, help you succeed, take care of you, be near, and be all you need. The other names that fall under this name are: Al Muhib, Al Qareeb, Al Kafee, and Al Mutawalli.
- When you learn about this name then all your worries will disappear. When you are in a difficulty you will remember that Allah is Al-Wali, and you can make du'a with this name.
- This name is mentioned in the last 2 Ayahs of Surat Al Baqarah (Amana alrasoolu...), and if you recite them every night, or use them in your salat, Allah will protect you.
The 10 things that increase your love of Allah:
By Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
1. Reading Qur'an with meaning and understanding. Ask yourself, are you finishing reciting the whole Qur'an in a certain period of time (khatm)? Are you taking half an hour a week to read tafseer to try to understand the meaning of what you are reciting? How much is the Qur'an changing you? The Qur'an is from Allah, and you should want to spend time with it because it reminds you of Allah. Like a flower from your fiancé that you've dried and preserved, you keep going and looking at it to remind you of him.
2. Sunnah Acts (Nawaafil) after Obligatory Acts (Faraaid). Faraaid are the obligatory acts: for example praying your salat in the beginning of its time and understanding what you are saying in salat. You can do this by choosing ayahs to recite that you know and are special to you and give you khushoo'. Consistently doing the obligatory acts develops your love for Allah. After this, you start adding the sunnah acts like praying sunnah, qiyaam ul layl the night prayer, etc. Doing these sunnah acts causes Allah to love you back.
3. Thikr in every situation, good and bad. Remembering Allah with your tongue, heart, and actions. In an emergency do you start swearing or do you remember Allah by saying for example Bismillah? Also, having khushu3 in your thikr. When someone asks how you are, and you say alhamdulillah - do you actually feel in your heart what you are saying? You are actually saying praise be to Allah. That whatever good and bad things going on in your life, you thank Allah for that. That you are feeling good as long as Allah is with you and knows what's best for you. And when you train yourself to do this and develop it, you will feel more love for Allah.
4. Giving priority to what Allah loves over what you love. When you are trying to decide something, do you choose what would please Allah or what pleases yourself? It's about going out of your way to do something that Allah loves. Because when you love someone you would do anything for them, even if it's hard for you.
5. Learning the names of Allah Asmaullah al Husna and understanding them in your heart. When you learn about Allah, that He is the most merciful, the most generous, the protector, etc., then you are getting to know Allah. As you get to know Him more, you will love Him more.
6. Reflecting on what Allah gave you and gave others. Reflecting on Allah's kindness to you and others.
7. Having Ridaa (contentment) with Allah in your heart. When your heart breaks but you say to yourself it was khayr. That something good will come out of it in this world and/or the hereafter.
8. Being alone with Allah during the time when He descends during the last portion of the night by reading Qur'an, praying, making du'a, and asking for forgiveness. Here you are getting out of your warm bed to put some effort to show your love of Allah. It's hard but has a sweetness. It is one of the best times for istighfar.
9. Sitting with the people who love Allah and listening to their talks in order to benefit from their wisdom and manners. And not to speak unless speaking is more beneficial and you know that it will improve your state and be beneficial to others.
10. Staying away from anything that could come between your heart and Allah. Wasting time, obsession in making money, etc.
1. Reading Qur'an with meaning and understanding. Ask yourself, are you finishing reciting the whole Qur'an in a certain period of time (khatm)? Are you taking half an hour a week to read tafseer to try to understand the meaning of what you are reciting? How much is the Qur'an changing you? The Qur'an is from Allah, and you should want to spend time with it because it reminds you of Allah. Like a flower from your fiancé that you've dried and preserved, you keep going and looking at it to remind you of him.
2. Sunnah Acts (Nawaafil) after Obligatory Acts (Faraaid). Faraaid are the obligatory acts: for example praying your salat in the beginning of its time and understanding what you are saying in salat. You can do this by choosing ayahs to recite that you know and are special to you and give you khushoo'. Consistently doing the obligatory acts develops your love for Allah. After this, you start adding the sunnah acts like praying sunnah, qiyaam ul layl the night prayer, etc. Doing these sunnah acts causes Allah to love you back.
3. Thikr in every situation, good and bad. Remembering Allah with your tongue, heart, and actions. In an emergency do you start swearing or do you remember Allah by saying for example Bismillah? Also, having khushu3 in your thikr. When someone asks how you are, and you say alhamdulillah - do you actually feel in your heart what you are saying? You are actually saying praise be to Allah. That whatever good and bad things going on in your life, you thank Allah for that. That you are feeling good as long as Allah is with you and knows what's best for you. And when you train yourself to do this and develop it, you will feel more love for Allah.
4. Giving priority to what Allah loves over what you love. When you are trying to decide something, do you choose what would please Allah or what pleases yourself? It's about going out of your way to do something that Allah loves. Because when you love someone you would do anything for them, even if it's hard for you.
5. Learning the names of Allah Asmaullah al Husna and understanding them in your heart. When you learn about Allah, that He is the most merciful, the most generous, the protector, etc., then you are getting to know Allah. As you get to know Him more, you will love Him more.
6. Reflecting on what Allah gave you and gave others. Reflecting on Allah's kindness to you and others.
7. Having Ridaa (contentment) with Allah in your heart. When your heart breaks but you say to yourself it was khayr. That something good will come out of it in this world and/or the hereafter.
8. Being alone with Allah during the time when He descends during the last portion of the night by reading Qur'an, praying, making du'a, and asking for forgiveness. Here you are getting out of your warm bed to put some effort to show your love of Allah. It's hard but has a sweetness. It is one of the best times for istighfar.
9. Sitting with the people who love Allah and listening to their talks in order to benefit from their wisdom and manners. And not to speak unless speaking is more beneficial and you know that it will improve your state and be beneficial to others.
10. Staying away from anything that could come between your heart and Allah. Wasting time, obsession in making money, etc.
Du'as for the love of Allah:
اللَّهمَّ إِني أسألك حُبَّك ، وحبَّ من يحبُّك ، والعَمَل الذي يُبَلِّغُني حبَّكَ
"Oh Allah, grant me your love, grant me that I love those who love you; grant me that I might do the deeds that win your love."
اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّىْ اَسْئَلُكَ حُبَّكَ وَ حُبَّ مَنْ يُّحِبُّكَ وحُبَّ عَمَلٍ يُّقَرِّبُ اِلى حُبِّكَ
"Oh Allah, grant me your love, and the love of those who love you, and the love of the deeds that bring me closer to Your love."
اللهم اجعل حبك أحب إلى من نفسي، وأهلي، ومن الماء البارد
"Oh Allah, make Your love dearer to me than myself, my family, and cold water." (Tirmidhi)
“O Allah! Grant me Your love, and the love of a person whom my loving him will get me closer to You. O Allah! Whatever You have granted me from what I love, make it a means of strength for me to use in the way You love. O Allah! Whatever love (of things) You have removed from me then grant in its place the love (of things) that You love.” (Tirmidhi)
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