Time Out!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

If you are confused, fearful, depressed or stressed out, before Shaytan gets the chance to play on your emotions and make things worse for you, and cause others to be your victims, take time out. Perform wudu' and pray 2 raka'as. Take this as another reason to be close to Allah. Ask Him. He listens.

"And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer): But those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell in humiliation!"" Qur'an Ghafir 40:60

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that Allah is angry with those who do not ask Him for anything. (Tirmidhi)

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, once said that in prayer, he would find rest and relief (Nasai). He would also regularly ask for Allah's forgiveness and remain in prostration during prayer praising Allah and asking for His forgiveness. (Bukhari).

"Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope; Surely, Allah's Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers." Qur'an al-Araf 7:55-56

Then do your part, have an action plan. Execute it to the best of your abilities.
"...Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)..." Qur'an 13:11

Leave the outcome to Allah and be patient.

"...seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and prayer: it is indeed hard, except to those who are humble. Who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Lord, and that they are to return to Him." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:45-46

Always take time out at least 5 times a day, leave the world behind--do your five prescribed prayers on time (and increase your time outs with sunnah and nafl prayers). This is a means for you to start to be less attached to this temporal world, the cause of many of our worries and anxieties.

Remember that life is short and temporary, and the everlasting life is in the Hereafter. This will put everything in perspective.

Begin you day on a positive note. Get up early and thank Allah that He has given you another day.

Whenever your heart feels heavy, remember Allah and surround yourself with His Dhikr. Dhikr refers to all forms of remembrance of Allah, including Prayers, Tasbeehah (SubhanAllah), Tahmeedah (alHamdulillah), Tahleelah (laa ilaaha illa Allah), Takbeerah (Allahu Akbar), making supplication, and reading the Qur'an.

"Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salat (the prayer). Truly! Allah is with As-Sabirun (the patient.) Quran al-Baqarah 2:152-153.

"Purity is half of Faith. 'al-Hamdu lillah' (Praise be to Allah) fills the scales, and 'subhanAllah' (How far is Allah from every imperfection) and 'al-Hamdu lillah' fill that which is between heaven and earth. And the Salah (Prayer) is a Light, and charity is a Proof, and Patience is Illumination, and the Qur'an is a Proof either for you or against you. Every person starts his day as a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or causing its ruin." (related by Muslim)

Practice giving charity regularly. Charity is a good deed and good deeds wipe out minor sins. Sins can lay heavy on our souls.

"Each morning, upon every joint of a person's body is due a charity; so every tasbeehah (SubhanAllah) is a charity, and every tahmeedah (AlHamdulillah) is a charity, and every tahleelah (Laa ilaha illa Allah) is a charity, and every takbeerah (Allahu Akbar) is a charity, and ordering the good is a charity, and forbidding the evil is a charity. These dues are fulfilled by praying two rakaa's of prayer at the time of duhaa (late morning)". (related by Muslim)

May Allah forgive our sins and save us from the trials of this life and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam