Sowing The Seeds

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We need to sow the seeds of Islam and the first place we need to do that is in the hearts of our children. Life is short, and the wind is blowing against us. If we don't make a conscious effort to do this, we can be wiped out. Look at Muslim Spain--it is now a history. Read the many stories in the Qur'an about nations that were destroyed--they are for us to reflect on ourselves.

As a single mother, I know how hard it is to raise children to be good and strong Muslims. Never a day is without any challenge. But we must do what we must and be patient. Nothing precious comes without a big price tag. It is easy to give in, to leave them in front of a TV or computer. They are quiet, they don't argue, and they don't give us trouble--so we think. But that is not where Allah wants them to be, and anywhere that Allah doesn't want us to be is not good for us. If we persist to be where Allah doesn't want us to be, the troubles will surface sooner or later. Allah chose us to be their parents and entrusted them to us. So we must do our job, and do it well. This is being a thankful servant. We always go back to Him and ask Him to help us do our job well. He is the only One who can guide and help us.

When you find no where to turn to for the moment, remember what Lukman said to his son:

"O my son! Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong: and bear with patient constancy whatever befalls you; for this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs. "And swell not your cheek (for pride) at men nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah loves not any arrogant boaster. "And be moderate in your pace, and lower your voice; for the harshest of sounds without doubt is the braying of the ass." Qur'an Lukman 31:17-19

Apply this advice to ourselves first as the best teacher is a good example.

We just left the month of Ramadhan where we had trained our children to wake up before Fajr to eat the pre-dawn meal. Then we prayed Fajr with them. For some, you stayed up with them after Fajr and read the Qur'an, and for many others, you took them to the masjid for iftar, prayed Maghrib, 'Isha and taraweeh. Don't lose this momentum. Keep waking them up before Fajr and do a couple rak'ah of prayer, then Fajr, then read a few pages of Qur'an with them. Try to do Maghrib and 'Isha at the masjid. In between these prayers, they can do their homework and/or read/learn Qur'an. Ramadhan should not come and go without them reaping the benefits of it the whole year. It was their training ground. What is life without Allah in your hearts and you want to sow this in your precious children's hearts while you still have the say so in their lives. Each moment you let your children watch shows on TV or computer, you are taking them away from the pre-disposition which Allah created them with.

Remember, Shaytan to us is our clear enemy and so we should treat him like an enemy. He is always there lurking to snatch our Faith away and for sure TV and internet have more soldiers of Shaytan than anywhere else waiting to get your entire family into his domain. So protect your precious ones by giving them Islam.

"Allah cursed him.And he [Shaytan] said: "I will take an appointed portion of your slaves; Verily, I will mislead them, and surely, I will arouse in them false desires; and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah." And whoever takes Shaytan as a Wali (protector or helper) instead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss." Qur'an An-Nisa 4:118-119

May Allah help us raise our children well and guide them. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

Farmland for the next life

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

I pray that you are well.

This life is farmland for the next life. If you sow excellent seeds and nurture them properly, you will reap excellent harvest in the next life. Otherwise, what a lousy crop you will have for your eternal life?

We have a responsibility to improve our lives and we must take the best steps possible to improve it. We cannot sit back and watch where the tree falls because the tree might fall right on top of you. Whatever you do to improve your lives, if it is religiously motivated, then you will be successful even if all odds are against you. Otherwise, you will be among the losers. Remember we are on this earth for an appointed time only. Our graves are closer than we think. When the angel of death comes and pulls your soul out, all doors of repentance are closed and you have no right to appeal. What remains is what you have sown on this earth.

"... those are they brought nigh the Throne, in the Gardens of Delight a throng of the ancients and how few of the later folk) upon close-wrought couches reclining upon them, set face to face, immortal youths going round about them with goblets, and ewers, and a cup from a spring (no brows throbbing, no intoxication) and such fruits as they shall choose, and such flesh of fowl as they desire, and wide-eyed houris as the likeness of hidden pearls, a recompense for that they labored. Therein they shall hear no idle talk, no cause of sin, only the saying 'Peace, Peace!' The Companions of the Right (O Companions of the Right!) mid thornless lote-trees and serried acacias, and spreading shade and outpoured waters, and fruits abounding unfailing, unforbidden, and upraised couches. Perfectly We formed them, perfect, and We made them spotless virgins, chastely amorous, like of age for the Companions of the Right. A throng of the ancients and a throng of the later folk.

The Companions of the Left (O Companions of the Left!) mid burning winds and boiling waters and the shadow of a smoking blaze neither cool, neither goodly; and before that they lived at ease, and persisted in the Great Sin, ever saying, 'What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be raised up? What, and our fathers, the ancients? Say: 'The ancients, and the later folk shall be gathered to the appointed time of a known day. Then you erring ones, you that cried lies,you shall eat of a tree called Zakkoum, and you shall fill therewith your bellies and drink on top of that boiling water lapping it down like thirsty camels.' This shall be their hospitality on the Day of Doom."

Qur'an Al-Waqi'ah 56:11-56

May Allah make us among the Companions of the Right and keep us away from the Companions of the Left. Ameen. Please keep us in your prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

Wassalaam