Biggest Opportunity* [[-- Episode Six --]]

 *Biggest Opportunity*

[[-- Episode Six --]]
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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Two reasons that should encourage us to increase in our worship during these blessed days are:

(1) Abu Hurairah (ra) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said, *“There are no days more loved to Allah for you to worship Him than the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Fasting any day during it is equivalent to fasting one year, and to offer tahajjud prayer (late night prayer) during one of its nights is like performing the night of power, Lailatul Qadr.”* 📚 (At-Tirmidhi)

(2) Abu Qatadah reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said, *“Fasting on the day of Arafah is expiation for two years, the year preceding it and the year following it. And fasting the day of Ashura is expiation for the year preceding it.”* 📚Muslim

So,

As Muslims, we should strive harder in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah with the same enthusiasm as we do the last ten days of Ramadan.

Now

*Rewarding Act Number 5:* Kindness to parents

You buy both desirable & undesirable materials for your children, wife or husband every festive period. When last did you do same to your parents (if alive)? Be sincere!

Parents are held in very high esteem in religion of Islam, especially the mothers. Yes. I remembered a hadith, *“Your paradise lies under the feet of your mother,”* 📚 Authentic

*Learn from the story below:*

Uwais Qarni from Yemen was the one prophet Muhammad (saw) told a story about taking care of his mother to a group of his companions.

Prophet Muhammad told his companions that there is man who will come to you from Yemen. He comes from Murad and the tribe of Qaran. The Prophet (pbuh) went on to tell them about the leprosy and finished the description of Uwais saying, *"and he has a mother, he treats her extremely well, and is obedient to her."*  He then said, if Uwais al-Qarni takes an oath by Allah, Allah will surely honor that oath. If you meet him, ask him to seek forgiveness for you.

Umar ibn al-Khattab never forgot this advice, and when he became the leader of the Muslims, every year he would go out to meet those coming from Yemen for the pilgrimage. Umar would ask, "Is Uwais al-Qarni among you?" This continued for ten years. Finally, the people from Yemen said yes and pointed him out to Umar.

Umar went straight to Uwais to determine if he was the man Prophet Muhammad described. He asked, "Are you Uwais al-Qarni?"

He said, "Yes."

Umar continued, "From Murad and the tribe of Qaran?"

He said, "Yes."

Umar then asked, "Were you once afflicted with leprosy and your skin healed except for an area on your shoulder the size of a coin?"

Uwais said, "Yes."

Umar finally asked, "Do you have a mother that you respect, honor, and take care of?"

He said, "Yes."

Umar then explained that Prophet Muhammad advised him to ask Uwais to seek forgiveness from Allah for him (Umar). Uwais was taken aback; he pointed out to Umar that he was a companion of the Prophet and the leader of the Muslims. You should ask Allah to forgive me, Uwais insisted. However, Umar was not deterred, and Uwais supplicated that Allah (swt) forgive the sins of Umar ibn al-Khattab.

To be continued