Mashaa-Allah – Book 3 (Stairway to Heaven)

Allah, The Most High, Said, “The men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” [Al-Ahzab, 35]. He also Said, “O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance, And exalt Him morning and afternoon…” [Al-Ahzab, 41] Al-Bukhari recorded a report from AbuMusa al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) who narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, “The example of a person who makes dhikr of his Lord and a person who does not, is like that of a living and a dead person.”

Making dhikr (remembrance of Allah) has a lofty place in the Din of Islam and is inherently inscribed in the souls of the believers; for it is from the greatest acts of worship and provides enumerable fruits and benefits in this life and the next.

Dhikr is distinguished with many virtues through its perfect meanings, beautiful phrasings and comprehensiveness that contains depth of meaning and incorporating all types of goodness. Its wordings are concise while reflecting great reward, is easy to remember and pronounce possessing tangible effects on the body and soul.

From such great adhkar the Prophet used to consistently make and encourage others regarding it, is the Hawqala, or the saying of ‘La Hawla wa la Quwwata illa Billah’. This remembrance has merits and virtues none but Allah fully encompasses – the meanings and implications of which, lead to certainty and solace through strengthening ones’ faith and connection with Allah. This special dhikr is of such importance that the author (may Allah preserve him) saw the need to single it out in this short treatise, entitling it, “The Hawqala: Its meanings, virtues, and creedal implications”. It is hoped Muslims will focus their efforts in meaningfully utilising this phrase and making it a regular feature of their every day lives, along with other types of remembrances of Allah.

What is Islamic medicine? Is it medical knowledge that is completely subject to the will of Allah The Exalted, or is it the art of treatment adopted and followed by Muslims when the Muslims were at the peak of their development? Or is it the most modern medicine, guided by divine teachings and completely in accordance with them?

On the basis of Islamic teachings in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah, this book devises the following six basic categories for Islamic medicine:

• Adhering to Islamic teachings and etiquette.
• Adhering to logic in practicing medicine.
• Holistic approach, paying equal attention to the body, mind and soul, for individuals as well as societies.
• Universal approach, taking into account all resources and aiming to benefit all people.
• Scientific approach, based on logical conclusions drawn from sound observations, accurate statistics and trustworthy experience.
• Excellence, achieving what other kinds of treatment have failed to achieve.