Islam Is a Blessing… and Iman Is an Even Bigger Blessing

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Islam Is a Blessing… and Iman Is an Even Bigger Blessing

Sometimes we forget how special it is just to be Muslim.

Out of billions of people in the world, Allah chose us to know Him, to hear the Qur’an, and to follow the way of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
That alone is an incredible gift.
Islam gives us direction when life feels confusing, hope when life feels heavy, and purpose when everything around us feels meaningless.

Islam teaches us how to pray, how to treat people, how to build families, and how to live with dignity.
It protects our hearts, our minds, and our lives.
So yes—Islam itself is a huge blessing.

But there is something even deeper than Islam.

That is iman.

Iman is what happens inside the heart.
You can know the rules of Islam… but iman is when you feel close to Allah.
You can pray with your body… but iman is when your heart is also present in the prayer.
You can say “Alhamdulillah”… but iman is when you truly mean it even during hardship.

Islam is like having the map… but iman is actually walking the journey.
Islam shows the road.
Iman gives the strength to keep going.

And when someone has iman, everything changes.

Problems are still there—but the heart feels calm.
Difficulties still come—but there is trust in Allah.
The future is unknown—but there is hope instead of fear.

That peace… that quiet strength… that feeling that Allah is near—
that is iman.

And this is why iman is an even greater blessing than Islam alone.
Because Islam guides your life,
but iman fills your life with light.

So the most important thing we should keep asking Allah for is simple:

“O Allah, don’t just make us Muslim…
Make us people of true iman.”

Because when iman lives in the heart,
even an ordinary life becomes something beautiful.

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Preparing for Fasting of the Elite

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Preparing for Fasting of the Elite

Preparing for the fasting of the elite starts before Ramadan even begins. It means getting our hearts ready, not just our bodies. We try to clean our intentions, ask Allah for forgiveness, stay away from bad speech and harmful habits, and spend more time with the Qur’an, du’a, and remembering Allah. Little by little, the fast becomes more than just not eating and drinking—it becomes a peaceful time of drawing closer to Allah, feeling calm inside, and growing in patience and faith.

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Turning Back to Allah Before Ramadan Arrives

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Turning Back to Allah Before Ramadan Arrives

As we wait in eager anticipation for the arrival of our noble guest—the blessed month of Ramadan—we begin preparing both physically and spiritually.

 Allah calls the believers:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

“O you who have believed, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain righteousness.”

(Qur’an, Al-Baqarah 2:183)

And He reminds us of the honor of this month:

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ

“The month of Ramadan is that in which the Qur’an was revealed—a guidance for humanity and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever witnesses the month, let him fast it.”

(Qur’an, Al-Baqarah 2:185)

Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, the month of mercy, forgiveness, and nearness to Allah. Preparing for Ramadan begins now—by turning our hearts back to the Qur’an, renewing sincere intentions, and taking small, steady steps toward worship. Even the simplest effort today can open the door to a deeply blessed Ramadan tomorrow.

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Preparing for Ramadhan

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Preparing for Ramadhan

The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ demonstrated remarkable devotion in the way they approached Ramadan. For six months before its arrival, they would sincerely pray to Allah to allow them to reach the blessed month in good health and faith. Then, for six months after Ramadan, they would continue to supplicate—asking Allah to accept their fasting, prayers, and all their acts of worship.

The righteous predecessors prepared their intentions before Ramadhan, so the month would not arrive except that they were already firmly resolved to obey their Lord.

But we have become heedless. Ramadhan comes and goes like an ordinary month.

Whoever returns to Allah—Allah returns to them.

My Intentions for This Ramadhan

 • To follow the example of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the righteous.

 • To fast and worship with faith and hope for reward.

 • To guard my time and fill it with what brings me closer to Allah.

 • To devote myself to worship and rejoice in Ramadhan’s arrival.

 • To leave what corrupts and adorn myself with saving deeds.

 • To protect my limbs from sin.

 • To preserve the five daily prayers on time and in congregation.

 • To increase Qur’an recitation and reflection.

 • To send abundant blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ.

Frequent Supplications

أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله

 أستغفر الله

 أسأل الله الجنة

 وأعوذ به من النار

Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh,

 astaghfirullāh,

 as’alullāha al-jannah,

 wa aʿūdhu bihi mina an-nār.

“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.

 I seek forgiveness from Allah.

 I ask Allah for Paradise,
and I seek refuge in Him from the Fire.”

اللهم إنك عفوٌّ تحبُّ العفوَ فاعفُ عنّي

Allāhumma innaka ʿafuwwun tuḥibbul-ʿafwa faʿfu ʿannī.

“O Allah, You are Most Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me.”

Acts to Revive the Heart in Ramadhan

• Perform Taraweeh with calmness and presence.

 • Increase charity and help others.

 • Attend the masjid and honor its etiquette.

 • Remain steadfast in night prayer.

 • Revive the time between Fajr and sunrise.

 • Feed those who are fasting, even a little.

 • Observe the manners of ifṭār and suḥūr.

 • Maintain Witr, Sunnah prayers, and Duha.

 • Purify the heart and improve character.

 • Reduce eating, sleeping, and worldly distractions.

 • Attend gatherings of knowledge and reminders.

 • Increase worship in the last ten nights.

 • Seek Laylat al-Qadr with sincerity.

 • Continue righteous deeds after Ramadhan.

A Final Du’a

اللهم تقبّل منا

 إنك أنت السميع العليم

 وتب علين

 واهدِنا إلى الخير

 وأعِنّا عليه

 وتقبّله منا

Allāhumma taqabbal minnā,

 innaka anta as-Samīʿul-ʿAlīm.

 Wa tub ʿalaynā,

 wahdinā ilā al-khayr,

 wa aʿinnā ʿalayh,

 wa taqabbalhu minnā.

O Allah, accept from us;
indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
and accept our repentance,
guide us to goodness,
help us to do it,
and accept it from us.

اللهم أعِنّا على صيامنا وقيامنا وتلاوة القرآن.

Allāhumma aʿinnā ʿalā ṣiyāminā, wa qiyāminā, wa tilāwati al-Qurʾān

O Allah, help us in our fasting,
our standing in night prayer,
and our recitation of the Qur’an.

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Preparing for Ramadhan

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Preparing for Ramadhan

Ramadhan is just around the corner—a special time of reflection, mercy, and getting closer to Allah. As it approaches, we prepare our hearts for fasting, prayer, reading the Qur’an, and being more mindful of how we treat others. 

Fasting during Ramadhan is required for every adult Muslim who is mentally sound and physically able, with clear exceptions for those who are ill, traveling, pregnant, breastfeeding, or menstruating, as Allah is Most Merciful and does not intend hardship. 

Preparing for Ramadhan can be as simple as setting sincere intentions, asking Allah for forgiveness, starting to attend circles of knowledge (ʿilm), taking a Ramadhan refresher course, and building the habit of reading Qur’an every day, even if just a few verses. These small steps help us enter the month focused, grounded, and spiritually ready.

“Allahumma bārik lanā fī Rajab wa Sha‘bān wa ballighnā Ramaḍhan” — O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha‘bān, and allow us to reach Ramadhan.

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