My Home
All praise be to Allaah, I praise Him and I seek His help and forgiveness. I seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of my own self and from my evil deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides, no one can lead astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. My home, to me is a blessing, Allaah says:“And Allaah has made for you in your homes an abode…” [al-Nahl 16:80]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Here Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, is mentioning His complete blessing to His slaves: He has given them homes which are a peaceful abode for them, to which they retreat as a haven which covers them and gives them all kinds of benefits.”
What does the term “home” means to me? Is it not the place where I could enjoy what Allah has given me from His abundant rizq; food, drink; clothing? etc, is it not the place where I enjoy my sleeps and rests? Is it not the place where I can be alone and I can meet with my wife and children? Is the home not the place that offers protection to my family? Indeed it is…..Allaah tells us:
“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance…” [al-Ahzaab 33:33]
If I think about those who are homeless, who live in shelters, or on the streets, or as refugees scattered in temporary camps, I realized the blessing of having a home, how lucky and fortunate I am, thank you Allah for this blessed dwelling. When Allaah punished the Jews of Banu Nadeer, He took away this blessing and expelled them from their homes, as He said :
“He it is Who drove out the disbelievers among the people of the Scripture (i.e.the Jews of the tribe of Banu al-Nadeer) from their homes at the first gathering.” Then He said: “… they destroyed their own dwellings with their own hands and the hands of the believers. Then take admonition, O you with eyes (to see).” [al-Hashr 59:2].
There are many motives that I have to pay attention to in putting my household in proper order. There many things that I need to realize before I take my step.
I need to realize that my responsibility is to protect myself and my family from the Fire of Hell, and I need to keep them safe from the burning punishment. Allah said:
“O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded.” [al-Tahreem 66:6].
Frankly, sometime, I tend to forget about things, things that is urgent and important such as this, but all praise be to Allah who gives constant reminders to His servants. I remembered and I realized that the life that I am experiencing right now is just part of the long journey towards eternal life, the physical part of it; and its duration is prescribed by Allah, known only to Him and not me. Instead, I will be the one who has to answer to Him; I will be accounted for all the things that he has given me!. I will be responsible over the well being of myself, my wife and my children in the hereafter. Am I prepared for that? Allahu musta’an.
I realized the responsibility borne by me as the head of the household on the Day of Reckoning. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Allaah will ask every shepherd (or responsible person) about his flock (those for whom he was responsible), whether he took care of it or neglected it, until He asks a man about his household.”
I need to focus on developing my home to be a place that will protect myself and my family; my wife, my children, I have to build a home that will keep me away from evil and to keep my own evil away from people. It should be a refuge prescribed by Islam at times of fitnah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Blessed is the one who controls his tongue, whose house is sufficient for him, and who weeps over his mistakes.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“There are five things, whoever does one of them, Allaah will be with him: visiting the sick, going out for jihaad, entering upon his leader with the intention of rebuking and respecting him , or sitting in his home so that the people are safe from him and he is safe from the people.”The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The safety of a man at times of fitnah is in his staying home.”
I should focus on spending time at home, I mean quality time; a time where I would spent in worship and halaal pursuits, and not the otherwise. I am telling myself all these because I know that my home; my family, my household is part of the Muslim society, my household form neighborhood, and the neighborhood form the society. If the building blocks are sound; based on the guidance of Allah and His messenger, then it will be the pillars that will stand firm in the face of enemies and filled with goodness that evil cannot penetrate. Then the society will produce exemplary individuals, exemplary dai’yahs, seekers of knowledge, sincere mujaahideen, righteous wives, caring mothers and all other types of righteous people.
But….how do I go about reforming my home, my household? How do I go about establishing that which is right and good, and warding off evil? How do I remove that which can cause catastrophe and damage to my home. The answer is yet to prevail…..soon insyaAllah.
