بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
You see people are preparing for the New Year, not sure what excites them about a new year.
A year that has passed by only means that we have lost a year of opportunity to do much good and to do that extra good deed that we had procrastinated, and we are that much closer to our eternal homes. If one dies with Faith in the Oneness of Allah (believer), his abode will eventually be Paradise. He might be punished for a time in Hellfire for his sins but he will eventually get to Paradise. If one dies without Iman (disbeliever), his abode will be Hellfire till eternity.
So, we should be afraid to face what might be coming before the new year that we might not live to see--the punishment of the grave and Hellfire. We should protect ourselves against this. This is the basic meaning of taqwa. We do something to place between ourselves and the wrath of Allah. How do we do this? By running to Allah.
First, we repent to Allah from our slips. Then we start working on our character. Your character is the way that you are. The nature of character is second nature.
For example, you don't have to stop and think before you give or before you help people. When you see an old lady carrying a heavy grocery bag, you immediately help her. When you hear someone is in the hospital, you make du'a for the person and visit the person. When you see a beggar, you reach into your pockets and give. When someone come to your home, you serve what you have in your fridge even if you are saving them for your children. You don't stop to think because your character beats your mind to it.
The weightiest thing that one can bring to the Day of Judgment is not something he did but the way that he was--his character.
"Verily, of the most beloved to you to me and the closest of you to me in the seating of Judgment Day, are the most excellent of you in character." (Tirmidhi)
So, the best good deed you can do now before the new year, is to pick one trait of you that Allah doesn't like and change it--ingratitude into gratitude, arrogance into humility, impatience into patience, greed into charity, pride into humility, anger into calmness, heedless of Allah into mindful of Allah, etc. This is the thing you are going to bring back to Allah. It is the weightiest thing you can busy yourself with--your character.
You can make this drastic change through taqwa and repentance. Through them change takes place. Taqwa is the fuel to make one wants to change and repentance keeps the flame going. If there is no taqwa, there is no impetus for change, and when repentance dies the flame slowly dies with it. You make this change for the sake of Allah. That is why it makes it a great form of worship. You intend to transform your bad character traits for good and better traits for the sake of Allah. You resolve to please Allah and avoid His anger and repenting from your slips. The whole process is for the sake of Allah. As you get closer to this transformed character, the more natural it becomes. Your great reward is the fact that you acquired that character.
"What most enters people into the Garden? Taqwa of Allah and good character." (Ahmad)
"Surely those of taqwa shall be in in the Gardens and Rivers, in an Assembly of Truth, in the Presence of a Sovereign Omnipotent." Qur'an Qamar 54:50-51
People of taqwa will always have Allah to take care of the needs.
"...And those who fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things." Qur'an At-Talaq 65:2-3
"And (commanding you): "Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with his wealth, and even with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). To Allah is your return, and He is Able to do all things." Qur'an Hud 11:3-4
"And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden in crowds: until behold, they arrive there; its gates will be opened; and its keepers will say: "Peace be upon you! well have you done
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Your First Step
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Ask Allah for your needs. Allah is the One who fulfills our needs. So, make the whole relationship between you and Allah. If Allah wants you to do something, you do it. Don't worry about people. People cannot add or subtract to anything. So, you put people in the background and you deal with everybody through Allah.
On the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas, Allah be pleased with both father and son, who said : One day I was behind the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said to me: "Young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." (Tirmidhi)
You make your first step towards Allah and then you turn to people. Asking people is just a means because Allah want you to do that. People cannot change a matter that is coming to you. So don't change what you are doing because people don't like it. This takes courage and patience. This courage and patience are fruits of your faith and trust in Allah.
"If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, let believers put their trust." Qur'an AleImran 3:160
May Allah guide us. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Ask Allah for your needs. Allah is the One who fulfills our needs. So, make the whole relationship between you and Allah. If Allah wants you to do something, you do it. Don't worry about people. People cannot add or subtract to anything. So, you put people in the background and you deal with everybody through Allah.
On the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas, Allah be pleased with both father and son, who said : One day I was behind the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said to me: "Young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." (Tirmidhi)
You make your first step towards Allah and then you turn to people. Asking people is just a means because Allah want you to do that. People cannot change a matter that is coming to you. So don't change what you are doing because people don't like it. This takes courage and patience. This courage and patience are fruits of your faith and trust in Allah.
"If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, let believers put their trust." Qur'an AleImran 3:160
May Allah guide us. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The Coolness Of My Eyes
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
There is no act more powerful than praying the five times regular prayer daily--Dhuhr (afternoon), 'Asr (mid-afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), 'Isha (night) and Fajr (dawn). They take the weight of fifty prayers. It is a very potent concentrated medicine to pray these prayers. Prayer is our support and strength, and joy for those people who Allah blessed them in their prayers.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The coolness of my eyes is in the prayer." Prayer is an absolute tranquility and peacefulness. The call to prayer is a comfort to People of Allah. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it." Meaning give the call to prayer.
Praying five times a day is our personal school as long as we keep it for the rest of our lives. We will learn knowledge that we cannot learn from books.
Imagine someone who prays five times a day no matter where they are, no matter what conditions they are in, the prayer will teach him things that books cannot teach. Praying in parking lots, sidewalks, roadside, airports, malls and many other awkward places, would teach him who is more important and whose eyes he care about more. Books cannot teach him that.
Imagine praying five times a day in places where there are the four seasons--summer, fall, winter and spring. It can be quite challenging in the winter when Fajr is very early in the morning and in the summer when 'Isha is very late at night. It requires planning and readjusting your sleep and work schedule in order to pray at their prescribed times. This teaches you an important virtue in our daily lives, flexibility. Books cannot teach you this.
Someone who prays five times a day faithfully under whatever circumstances is not a normal person with Allah. He is a very special person.
"Verily, I am God. There is no god but I: So serve Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise." Qur'an Taha 20:14
"And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship)." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:43
"Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:277
"Those who rehearse the Book of Allah, establish regular Prayer, and spend (in Charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail. For He will pay them their wages, nay, He will give them (even) more out of His Bounty: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service)." Qur'an Fatir 35:29-30
"Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,- those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship)." Qur'an Al-Maeda 5:55
May Allah grant us steadfastness in prayers and the coolness of our eyes in our prayers. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
There is no act more powerful than praying the five times regular prayer daily--Dhuhr (afternoon), 'Asr (mid-afternoon), Maghrib (sunset), 'Isha (night) and Fajr (dawn). They take the weight of fifty prayers. It is a very potent concentrated medicine to pray these prayers. Prayer is our support and strength, and joy for those people who Allah blessed them in their prayers.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The coolness of my eyes is in the prayer." Prayer is an absolute tranquility and peacefulness. The call to prayer is a comfort to People of Allah. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said : "O Bilal, comfort us with it." Meaning give the call to prayer.
Praying five times a day is our personal school as long as we keep it for the rest of our lives. We will learn knowledge that we cannot learn from books.
Imagine someone who prays five times a day no matter where they are, no matter what conditions they are in, the prayer will teach him things that books cannot teach. Praying in parking lots, sidewalks, roadside, airports, malls and many other awkward places, would teach him who is more important and whose eyes he care about more. Books cannot teach him that.
Imagine praying five times a day in places where there are the four seasons--summer, fall, winter and spring. It can be quite challenging in the winter when Fajr is very early in the morning and in the summer when 'Isha is very late at night. It requires planning and readjusting your sleep and work schedule in order to pray at their prescribed times. This teaches you an important virtue in our daily lives, flexibility. Books cannot teach you this.
Someone who prays five times a day faithfully under whatever circumstances is not a normal person with Allah. He is a very special person.
"Verily, I am God. There is no god but I: So serve Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise." Qur'an Taha 20:14
"And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship)." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:43
"Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:277
"Those who rehearse the Book of Allah, establish regular Prayer, and spend (in Charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a commerce that will never fail. For He will pay them their wages, nay, He will give them (even) more out of His Bounty: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (service)." Qur'an Fatir 35:29-30
"Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers,- those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship)." Qur'an Al-Maeda 5:55
May Allah grant us steadfastness in prayers and the coolness of our eyes in our prayers. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, December 27, 2010
A Transformation
بسم اللخ الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
It is important to realize that Islam is for our advantage. It is not a burden that Allah has put on us. If Allah said to do something it is only because He wants us to enter Paradise. These are the best actions for us. They are not something we must do and we will only see the benefits after we die. It is not like that. Our world is only rectified through Islam and our next world's rank is only through this religion. If we understand this, we will love doing what Allah wants us to do.
Allah created us and He didn't leave us to wander alone to figure out things. He sent His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to teach us and to guide us to excellence. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought a program of change. He didn't bring philosophies. He brought things to do. So Islam is our own personal school of change.
No doubt change takes time. So what? Time is the creation of Allah. And success is from Him alone. But you have to take the steps now even a small one. Each step you take you are that much closer to Allah.
It maybe difficult for you to wake up for fajr prayer for example. But you make up the prayer once you wake up. And you try harder tomorrow to wake up for fajr. You fight the nafs and the Shaytan. You might still not able to overcome them tomorrow but you try again the next day, much harder this time, and keep trying until not only you can wake up for fajr, you find yourself waking up for tahajjud. Maybe you like to look at girls. Now you know it is unlawful to do that. Next time when you see a girl passing by, you lower your gaze and turn the other way. You do this until you don't care about looking at girls anymore. Maybe you dress to attract guys or to show off. Now you know that is unlawful. So you tone down your clothing when you go out until you are able to put on a full proper hijab and don't care about what people think of you.
By learning what is obligatory, by trying your best, sometimes falling on your face, praying for forgivness, trying again, you are on the road to Allah. And there is no road other than the road of the obligatory. The most important thing we can do is to learn what is obligatory on us. This is what the scholars of Fiqh has detailed for us. All of us should learn the basics of Islamic law. Once we get the obligatory in place, then comes the recommended. It is not to say that you wait until you have done the obligatory before you do the recommended, but the obligatory is the basis. Without it there is no one going anywhere.
Our religious life flourishes by doing more and more recommended acts, e.g. extra charity, extra prayers, extra fasting, good character, and doing the things that Allah loves. We keep doing them and increase them until we die.
There is no door to excellence other than learning Islam and submitting to Islam. We are talking about a very powerful change, a transformation. Only something powerful from Allah can take us there. It involves doing what is not familiar and doing it whether we like it or not until we enter the realm of "He loves them and they love Him." This is when we have entered the world of closeness to Allah. May Allah give us tawfiq and make us among those who He loves. Ameen.
And Allah knows best.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
It is important to realize that Islam is for our advantage. It is not a burden that Allah has put on us. If Allah said to do something it is only because He wants us to enter Paradise. These are the best actions for us. They are not something we must do and we will only see the benefits after we die. It is not like that. Our world is only rectified through Islam and our next world's rank is only through this religion. If we understand this, we will love doing what Allah wants us to do.
Allah created us and He didn't leave us to wander alone to figure out things. He sent His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to teach us and to guide us to excellence. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought a program of change. He didn't bring philosophies. He brought things to do. So Islam is our own personal school of change.
No doubt change takes time. So what? Time is the creation of Allah. And success is from Him alone. But you have to take the steps now even a small one. Each step you take you are that much closer to Allah.
It maybe difficult for you to wake up for fajr prayer for example. But you make up the prayer once you wake up. And you try harder tomorrow to wake up for fajr. You fight the nafs and the Shaytan. You might still not able to overcome them tomorrow but you try again the next day, much harder this time, and keep trying until not only you can wake up for fajr, you find yourself waking up for tahajjud. Maybe you like to look at girls. Now you know it is unlawful to do that. Next time when you see a girl passing by, you lower your gaze and turn the other way. You do this until you don't care about looking at girls anymore. Maybe you dress to attract guys or to show off. Now you know that is unlawful. So you tone down your clothing when you go out until you are able to put on a full proper hijab and don't care about what people think of you.
By learning what is obligatory, by trying your best, sometimes falling on your face, praying for forgivness, trying again, you are on the road to Allah. And there is no road other than the road of the obligatory. The most important thing we can do is to learn what is obligatory on us. This is what the scholars of Fiqh has detailed for us. All of us should learn the basics of Islamic law. Once we get the obligatory in place, then comes the recommended. It is not to say that you wait until you have done the obligatory before you do the recommended, but the obligatory is the basis. Without it there is no one going anywhere.
Our religious life flourishes by doing more and more recommended acts, e.g. extra charity, extra prayers, extra fasting, good character, and doing the things that Allah loves. We keep doing them and increase them until we die.
There is no door to excellence other than learning Islam and submitting to Islam. We are talking about a very powerful change, a transformation. Only something powerful from Allah can take us there. It involves doing what is not familiar and doing it whether we like it or not until we enter the realm of "He loves them and they love Him." This is when we have entered the world of closeness to Allah. May Allah give us tawfiq and make us among those who He loves. Ameen.
And Allah knows best.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Key To Blissful Life
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When Allah tells us to obey Him and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, -- pray, pay zakat, fast, perform hajj, take care of the orphans, lower our gazes, be kind to our parents, eat halal, cover our nakedness, do certain things certain way, have good character, etc, and to avoid something--alcohol, fornication, etc, He is not trying to burden us or to deprive us of anything but to give us the keys to unlock the greatest bliss in this life.
At the highest level of religious practice is to worship Allah as if you actually see Him. Allah is not a physical body. He is outside of space and time. He is eternal and He is perfect. Seeing Him is not seeing Him as image but it is certitude that is so strong as if you are seeing Him, an awareness that stems from the heart as if you are seeing him.
People of Allah who have reached in such degrees find it difficult to put in words when they describe what this experience really like. Though, mystical poets have beautiful expressions to which they teach these meanings. One described the experience in worship like purity but there is no water, gentleness without breeze, light without fire and being without body. This is something the mind cannot picture but it is an experience. May Allah shows us the key to this level of certitude.
If you cannot worship Allah as if you see Him, then know that He sees you. So pray like that, fast like that, give like that, treat people like that, work like that, do your mundane actions like that. Do whatever you want to do but be aware that Allah sees you. If you have this awareness, you will have a different experience in your life inshaAllah. We ask Allah to give us these meanings.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When Allah tells us to obey Him and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, -- pray, pay zakat, fast, perform hajj, take care of the orphans, lower our gazes, be kind to our parents, eat halal, cover our nakedness, do certain things certain way, have good character, etc, and to avoid something--alcohol, fornication, etc, He is not trying to burden us or to deprive us of anything but to give us the keys to unlock the greatest bliss in this life.
At the highest level of religious practice is to worship Allah as if you actually see Him. Allah is not a physical body. He is outside of space and time. He is eternal and He is perfect. Seeing Him is not seeing Him as image but it is certitude that is so strong as if you are seeing Him, an awareness that stems from the heart as if you are seeing him.
People of Allah who have reached in such degrees find it difficult to put in words when they describe what this experience really like. Though, mystical poets have beautiful expressions to which they teach these meanings. One described the experience in worship like purity but there is no water, gentleness without breeze, light without fire and being without body. This is something the mind cannot picture but it is an experience. May Allah shows us the key to this level of certitude.
If you cannot worship Allah as if you see Him, then know that He sees you. So pray like that, fast like that, give like that, treat people like that, work like that, do your mundane actions like that. Do whatever you want to do but be aware that Allah sees you. If you have this awareness, you will have a different experience in your life inshaAllah. We ask Allah to give us these meanings.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Saturday, December 25, 2010
The Sweetness Of Faith
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
What does it mean that I love someone? Does it mean I am always fighting with them. No, true love entails agreement. There is harmony.
Following the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is harmony. That's what Allah wants. If you do that Allah will love you. Submission is the key to this love.
"Say: "If you do love God, Follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Qur'an AleImran 3:31
A poet said:
You disobey God while declaring love for Him
This is impossible, and a far fetched hope
Had your love been true, you have obeyed
Verily! The lover is obedient to the one he loves.
Love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, makes Iman (Faith) extremely sweet and delicious.
"Whoever possesses the (following) three qualities will have the sweetness of faith (1)The one to whom Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, becomes dearer than anything else;
(2) Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's Sake;
(3) Who hates to revert to kufr (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the Fire." (Bukhari)
All of them return back to love and hate for the sake of Allah, the transformation of values, and Iman will become extremely tasty. If you want to taste the sweetness of Iman, you have to be people of love. Part of this love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is that you are satisfied for what Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, have chosen for you.
"We sent not a messenger, but to be obeyed, in accordance with the will of God. If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked God’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found God indeed Oft-returning, Most Merciful. But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction" Qur'an An-Nisaa 4:64-65
"It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by God and His Messenger to have any option about their decision. If any one disobeys God and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path." Qur'an Al-Ahzab 33:36
Love of God is not only a goal but also a means to the purity of the perfection in Iman, Islam and Ihsan, and it is something Allah has ordered us.
"Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained; the commerce in which you fear a decline: or the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving in His cause; then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and God guides not the rebellious." Qur'an Repentance 9:24
This verse is basically saying that if your love of worldly things is above your love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, watch out! Allah does not grant success to those who do not submit themselves to Him Alone.
May Allah grant us the sweetness of faith. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
What does it mean that I love someone? Does it mean I am always fighting with them. No, true love entails agreement. There is harmony.
Following the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is harmony. That's what Allah wants. If you do that Allah will love you. Submission is the key to this love.
"Say: "If you do love God, Follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Qur'an AleImran 3:31
A poet said:
You disobey God while declaring love for Him
This is impossible, and a far fetched hope
Had your love been true, you have obeyed
Verily! The lover is obedient to the one he loves.
Love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, makes Iman (Faith) extremely sweet and delicious.
"Whoever possesses the (following) three qualities will have the sweetness of faith (1)The one to whom Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, becomes dearer than anything else;
(2) Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's Sake;
(3) Who hates to revert to kufr (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the Fire." (Bukhari)
All of them return back to love and hate for the sake of Allah, the transformation of values, and Iman will become extremely tasty. If you want to taste the sweetness of Iman, you have to be people of love. Part of this love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is that you are satisfied for what Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, have chosen for you.
"We sent not a messenger, but to be obeyed, in accordance with the will of God. If they had only, when they were unjust to themselves, come unto thee and asked God’s forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found God indeed Oft-returning, Most Merciful. But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction" Qur'an An-Nisaa 4:64-65
"It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by God and His Messenger to have any option about their decision. If any one disobeys God and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path." Qur'an Al-Ahzab 33:36
Love of God is not only a goal but also a means to the purity of the perfection in Iman, Islam and Ihsan, and it is something Allah has ordered us.
"Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred; the wealth that you have gained; the commerce in which you fear a decline: or the dwellings in which you delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger, and striving in His cause; then wait until Allah brings about His decision: and God guides not the rebellious." Qur'an Repentance 9:24
This verse is basically saying that if your love of worldly things is above your love of Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, watch out! Allah does not grant success to those who do not submit themselves to Him Alone.
May Allah grant us the sweetness of faith. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Unseen Reality
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Paradise and Hellfire are real. They are part of the unseen which we must believe. We all want Paradise, the highest Paradise. Nobody wants to go to Hell, the Pit. But because we cannot see Paradise and Hell with our own eyes, we tend to forget about them and about how close we are to the Day when we will be sorted into groups and we will take our seats in our final abodes--Paradise or Hell.
"So those on the Right Hand — how (fortunate) will be those on the Right Hand! (As a respect for them, because they will enter Paradise). And those on the Left Hand — how (unfortunate) will be those on the Left Hand? (As a disgrace for them, because they will enter Hell). And those foremost [(in Islamic Faith of Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds) in the life of this world on the very first call for to embrace Islam,] will be foremost (in Paradise). These will be those nearest (to Allâh). Qur'an al-Waqi'a 56:8-11
Allah mentions and describes Paradise and Hell a lot in the Qur'an. If we read the Qur'an everyday, we will be reminded of this unseen reality everyday.
But most people are too busy thinking about and preparing for their lives on this earth. They don't have time to read and reflect on the verses of the Qur'an. If they did, it would cause them to fear Allah and rush to do good deeds.
You might live for another 100 years, but that day will come, when your good deeds will be cut off and when the door of repentance is closed. You don't know when exactly the Angel of Death will come to take your souls from your body. But the clock is ticking. We should remember this all the time. If we are aware that the clock is ticking then we will make the most of the moments we have on this earth, rushing to do good deeds and falling into line with what Allah has asked us to do. This is not to say we shouldn't work for this life but the work that we do should have the final goal, Paradise, in mind.
The time you are investing for this life should be proportionate to the time you are going to spend in the next life, which is a lot longer than this life. If you are spending more time preparing for your future in this life and little or none for your eternal life in the Hereafter, then you are doing it all opposite!
"This is the Book (Qur'an); in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God, who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them and who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper. Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:2-5
"O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:208
"..and who is more astray than one who follow his own lusts, devoid of guidance from God. for God guides not people given to wrong-doing." Qur'an al-Qasas 28:50
May Allah guide us and strengthen our Iman. May Allah join us all in the highest Paradise. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Paradise and Hellfire are real. They are part of the unseen which we must believe. We all want Paradise, the highest Paradise. Nobody wants to go to Hell, the Pit. But because we cannot see Paradise and Hell with our own eyes, we tend to forget about them and about how close we are to the Day when we will be sorted into groups and we will take our seats in our final abodes--Paradise or Hell.
"So those on the Right Hand — how (fortunate) will be those on the Right Hand! (As a respect for them, because they will enter Paradise). And those on the Left Hand — how (unfortunate) will be those on the Left Hand? (As a disgrace for them, because they will enter Hell). And those foremost [(in Islamic Faith of Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds) in the life of this world on the very first call for to embrace Islam,] will be foremost (in Paradise). These will be those nearest (to Allâh). Qur'an al-Waqi'a 56:8-11
Allah mentions and describes Paradise and Hell a lot in the Qur'an. If we read the Qur'an everyday, we will be reminded of this unseen reality everyday.
But most people are too busy thinking about and preparing for their lives on this earth. They don't have time to read and reflect on the verses of the Qur'an. If they did, it would cause them to fear Allah and rush to do good deeds.
You might live for another 100 years, but that day will come, when your good deeds will be cut off and when the door of repentance is closed. You don't know when exactly the Angel of Death will come to take your souls from your body. But the clock is ticking. We should remember this all the time. If we are aware that the clock is ticking then we will make the most of the moments we have on this earth, rushing to do good deeds and falling into line with what Allah has asked us to do. This is not to say we shouldn't work for this life but the work that we do should have the final goal, Paradise, in mind.
The time you are investing for this life should be proportionate to the time you are going to spend in the next life, which is a lot longer than this life. If you are spending more time preparing for your future in this life and little or none for your eternal life in the Hereafter, then you are doing it all opposite!
"This is the Book (Qur'an); in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God, who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them and who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper. Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:2-5
"O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:208
"..and who is more astray than one who follow his own lusts, devoid of guidance from God. for God guides not people given to wrong-doing." Qur'an al-Qasas 28:50
May Allah guide us and strengthen our Iman. May Allah join us all in the highest Paradise. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Friday, December 17, 2010
Mother's Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Every woman at certain point in her life yearns to be a mother because that is how Allah created her. If somehow she cannot have children, she becomes worried. She prays for Allah to make her able to bear children. When she goes for hajj or umrah, the first thing she asks Allah is for a child. When people go to hajj or umrah, the only thing she asks them to do for her is to make du'a for her so she can have a child. She doesn't mind going through years of painful fertility procedures only to have a child. Even with a successful career and a successful husband who loves her, she feels a void in her life--motherhood.
Her life will change if Allah blesses her with a child. She will spend all day running after this child and spend sleepless nights for this child. When she goes shopping, it is for this child, and nothing for herself. But this struggle and sacrifice seem easy for her. Even when the child has grown up and independent, the mother still caters for him and still worries about him. He is still her focal point. If her child hurts her, no matter how bad and horrible it is, no matter how often, but when the child gives her a hug and say sorry even while she is fuming, her heart melts. Why? Because Allah has put the love of her child in her heart. A mother loves her child whether he is obedient or disobedient, whether he is good or bad. Her love for her child is unconditional.
But Allah loves His creation much more than a mother loves her children. No matter how much someone has strayed from the right path, Allah will forgive him if he sincerely seek His forgiveness.
On the authority of Anas bin Malik, Allah be pleased with him, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: Allah the Almighty said: O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it. (related by Tirmidhi)
We are not free from sins--major, minor, clear and not so clear sins. Even if you broke off a small wood, a size of a toothpick, from a firewood belonging to someone without permission, this is stealing. Stealing is considered a major sin. What if you happened to bring home some pencils from your office and thought of it as nothing? What if you borrowed a book from the masjid's library and let it becomes part of your library at home? This is also called stealing. We don't want to account for any of these sort of things in the Day of Judgment. So, as long as we are alive, sincerely seek forgiveness from Allah much.
May Allah have mercy on us and forgive all our sins. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Every woman at certain point in her life yearns to be a mother because that is how Allah created her. If somehow she cannot have children, she becomes worried. She prays for Allah to make her able to bear children. When she goes for hajj or umrah, the first thing she asks Allah is for a child. When people go to hajj or umrah, the only thing she asks them to do for her is to make du'a for her so she can have a child. She doesn't mind going through years of painful fertility procedures only to have a child. Even with a successful career and a successful husband who loves her, she feels a void in her life--motherhood.
Her life will change if Allah blesses her with a child. She will spend all day running after this child and spend sleepless nights for this child. When she goes shopping, it is for this child, and nothing for herself. But this struggle and sacrifice seem easy for her. Even when the child has grown up and independent, the mother still caters for him and still worries about him. He is still her focal point. If her child hurts her, no matter how bad and horrible it is, no matter how often, but when the child gives her a hug and say sorry even while she is fuming, her heart melts. Why? Because Allah has put the love of her child in her heart. A mother loves her child whether he is obedient or disobedient, whether he is good or bad. Her love for her child is unconditional.
But Allah loves His creation much more than a mother loves her children. No matter how much someone has strayed from the right path, Allah will forgive him if he sincerely seek His forgiveness.
On the authority of Anas bin Malik, Allah be pleased with him, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, say: Allah the Almighty said: O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it. (related by Tirmidhi)
We are not free from sins--major, minor, clear and not so clear sins. Even if you broke off a small wood, a size of a toothpick, from a firewood belonging to someone without permission, this is stealing. Stealing is considered a major sin. What if you happened to bring home some pencils from your office and thought of it as nothing? What if you borrowed a book from the masjid's library and let it becomes part of your library at home? This is also called stealing. We don't want to account for any of these sort of things in the Day of Judgment. So, as long as we are alive, sincerely seek forgiveness from Allah much.
May Allah have mercy on us and forgive all our sins. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Don't Just Take My Word For It
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We are Muslims not because our parents are Muslims or because Islam makes us feel good. We are Muslims because we independently believe there is the One God, the Creator of the universe, that we are here for an appointed time to serve His cause, and that we shall die and be resurrected and gathered for judgment before we are placed in our final abodes--Paradise or Hell. Knowing what is going to happen to you after you die give your life purpose and you will live it accordingly.
If you haven't come to grip with this reality, read the Qur'an and contemplate on the meaning of the verses. Don't take people's words alone because understanding the verses first hand give you certainty and this make a whole lot of difference in your practice. InshaAllah.
"This is a Book (the Qur'an) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember." Qur'an Sad 38:29
The heavens and the earth, the night and day, are some of the symbols and reminders of the glorious majesty of the Creator and His goodness to man.
"Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding." Qur'an AleImran 3:190
"Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): 'Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.'" Qur'an AleImran 3:191
"He it is Who has appointed for you the night that you may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily, in this are Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who listen (i.e. those who think deeply)." Qur'an Yunus 10:67
"'Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) find any helpers. 'Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace) calling to Faith: ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die (in the state of righteousness) along with Al-Abrar (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism). 'Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break (Your) Promise.' So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), 'Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another, so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will expiate from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards.'" Qur'an AleImran 3:191-195
May Allah makes us among the people of deep understanding and among the good-doers, and admits us into the highest Paradise. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We are Muslims not because our parents are Muslims or because Islam makes us feel good. We are Muslims because we independently believe there is the One God, the Creator of the universe, that we are here for an appointed time to serve His cause, and that we shall die and be resurrected and gathered for judgment before we are placed in our final abodes--Paradise or Hell. Knowing what is going to happen to you after you die give your life purpose and you will live it accordingly.
If you haven't come to grip with this reality, read the Qur'an and contemplate on the meaning of the verses. Don't take people's words alone because understanding the verses first hand give you certainty and this make a whole lot of difference in your practice. InshaAllah.
"This is a Book (the Qur'an) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember." Qur'an Sad 38:29
The heavens and the earth, the night and day, are some of the symbols and reminders of the glorious majesty of the Creator and His goodness to man.
"Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding." Qur'an AleImran 3:190
"Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): 'Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.'" Qur'an AleImran 3:191
"He it is Who has appointed for you the night that you may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily, in this are Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for a people who listen (i.e. those who think deeply)." Qur'an Yunus 10:67
"'Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) find any helpers. 'Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace) calling to Faith: ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die (in the state of righteousness) along with Al-Abrar (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism). 'Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break (Your) Promise.' So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), 'Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another, so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will expiate from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allah, and with Allah is the best of rewards.'" Qur'an AleImran 3:191-195
May Allah makes us among the people of deep understanding and among the good-doers, and admits us into the highest Paradise. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
It Is About Being A Muslim
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We are reminded to fast on 10th of Muharram, day of 'Ashura. which is this Thursday inshaAllah. Although it is not obligatory, it is good to fast on this day. Fasting on this day has great merits. We are told that fasting the day of `Ashura' expiates the sins of the previous year.
Ibn `Abbas, Allah be pleased with them both, used to say that we should fast on two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish community. (At-Tirmidhi)
As Muslims, we should know the virtuous days and occasions in Islam so we can take advantage of these blessed occasions and days of Islam. We should rush to follow the sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, as a means to drawing closer to Allah.
Fasting on this day(s)or any other day or any other worship is not only about doing it, but it is about being a Muslim--submitting your whole body and soul to Allah.
Only when we are with Allah that we will experience tranquility and glow in our lives inshaAllah. Whether we are struck with riches or with poverty, whether we are on top of the world or at the bottom of the world, we find peace in our hearts. This is when we live our lives as Muslims, submitting to the will of Allah, for every breathe we take.
"Nay,whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:112
May Allah accept your worship and forgive all your sins. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We are reminded to fast on 10th of Muharram, day of 'Ashura. which is this Thursday inshaAllah. Although it is not obligatory, it is good to fast on this day. Fasting on this day has great merits. We are told that fasting the day of `Ashura' expiates the sins of the previous year.
Ibn `Abbas, Allah be pleased with them both, used to say that we should fast on two days: the 9th and 10th of Muharram to distinguish ourselves from the Jewish community. (At-Tirmidhi)
As Muslims, we should know the virtuous days and occasions in Islam so we can take advantage of these blessed occasions and days of Islam. We should rush to follow the sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, as a means to drawing closer to Allah.
Fasting on this day(s)or any other day or any other worship is not only about doing it, but it is about being a Muslim--submitting your whole body and soul to Allah.
Only when we are with Allah that we will experience tranquility and glow in our lives inshaAllah. Whether we are struck with riches or with poverty, whether we are on top of the world or at the bottom of the world, we find peace in our hearts. This is when we live our lives as Muslims, submitting to the will of Allah, for every breathe we take.
"Nay,whoever submits His whole self to Allah and is a doer of good, He will get his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:112
May Allah accept your worship and forgive all your sins. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, December 13, 2010
Facebook Fitnah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Most of us have facebook. Some have more than one accounts. We have to fear Allah when we open our facebook. It should only be used for da'wah and other Islamic purposes, and to show people how to do things that can help them in this life.
You must let Islam govern your conduct on facebook. Otherwise facebook can become a major fitnah for you and the society. You either have something beneficial to do on facebook or you must not go there!
You don't need profile images of you (man and woman, in niqab or not) on facebook either. That is a fitnah in of itself.
You are inviting fitnah and spreading evil if you allow people to send post of half-naked people to your facebook because other people can see as well. Remove these people from your facebook. Delete their posts and images if you have them and know of them. They are doing more harm than good to our souls.
For woman, don't be conversing with man on facebook (or other chat rooms) and for man, don't be conversing with woman on facebook (or other chat rooms). This is extremely dangerous! Love can ignite within moments. Shaytan will try to find some words that appear to be seductive and attractive to you or to the other person and the fitnah begins. Everything you have will be out the window--your marriage (if you are married), your iman, your piety, etc.
You chat with your wives or your husbands. For man you don't chat with other people's wives or other people's daughters, and for woman, you don't chat with other people's husbands or other people's sons. If you don't have a spouse to chat with, go get married, if you can. Islam has made it easy for man or woman to be together--through marriage. There are Islamic rules that govern this process of finding a spouse and getting married which are all for your benefit. Follow them. Don't let shaytan get in your way.
There is no flirting or dating, on the internet or otherwise. You must follow the Islamic etiquette in gender interaction, and that includes your interaction in cyberspace with the opposite sex.
May Allah protect us from the trials of this world and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
related article:
Grab The Opportunity To Meet The King
Don't Look, Don't Touch
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Most of us have facebook. Some have more than one accounts. We have to fear Allah when we open our facebook. It should only be used for da'wah and other Islamic purposes, and to show people how to do things that can help them in this life.
You must let Islam govern your conduct on facebook. Otherwise facebook can become a major fitnah for you and the society. You either have something beneficial to do on facebook or you must not go there!
You don't need profile images of you (man and woman, in niqab or not) on facebook either. That is a fitnah in of itself.
You are inviting fitnah and spreading evil if you allow people to send post of half-naked people to your facebook because other people can see as well. Remove these people from your facebook. Delete their posts and images if you have them and know of them. They are doing more harm than good to our souls.
For woman, don't be conversing with man on facebook (or other chat rooms) and for man, don't be conversing with woman on facebook (or other chat rooms). This is extremely dangerous! Love can ignite within moments. Shaytan will try to find some words that appear to be seductive and attractive to you or to the other person and the fitnah begins. Everything you have will be out the window--your marriage (if you are married), your iman, your piety, etc.
You chat with your wives or your husbands. For man you don't chat with other people's wives or other people's daughters, and for woman, you don't chat with other people's husbands or other people's sons. If you don't have a spouse to chat with, go get married, if you can. Islam has made it easy for man or woman to be together--through marriage. There are Islamic rules that govern this process of finding a spouse and getting married which are all for your benefit. Follow them. Don't let shaytan get in your way.
There is no flirting or dating, on the internet or otherwise. You must follow the Islamic etiquette in gender interaction, and that includes your interaction in cyberspace with the opposite sex.
May Allah protect us from the trials of this world and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
related article:
Grab The Opportunity To Meet The King
Don't Look, Don't Touch
Friday, December 10, 2010
Count Your Blessings
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 don't have to carry bricks and concrete blocks, or clean streets to earn a few hundred dollars a month, but you are making a few hundred dollars an hour like some lawyers and doctors, or you have a successful business or a good job, don't think that it is your intelligence and your degrees that enable you to have a successful job. This is a test for you. How many intelligent people are without a paying job? How many PhD's and engineers are without a job? Many!
If you are not grateful to Allah, if you don't thank Allah profusely, if you are not generous to your family, if you don't spend some of your money on the poor, if you become arrogant or proud, you fail the test. Allah can make you lose everything. It is easy for Him. He could send you a sickness that you become unable to work. As a result, you lose your job, your life savings and investments, perhaps your so called friends, and maybe your marriage. You were somebody yesterday and today you are nobody! This is His warning for you. You should know that you should quickly turn to Allah and ask for His forgiveness.
Allah's grant of certain gifts to some and His withholding of certain gifts from others, are themselves Signs (trial or warnings) to people of faith and understanding.
"See they not that Allah enlarges the provision and restricts it, to whomsoever He pleases? Verily in that are Signs for those who believe. So give what is due to kindred, the needy, and the wayfarer. That is best for those who seek Allah's Countenance, and it is they who will prosper." Qur'an Ar-Room 30:37-38
May Allah forgive us and make us among those He is well pleased with. May Allah grant us His Noble Countenance. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
If you don't have to carry bricks and concrete blocks, or clean streets to earn a few hundred dollars a month, but you are making a few hundred dollars an hour like some lawyers and doctors, or you have a successful business or a good job, don't think that it is your intelligence and your degrees that enable you to have a successful job. This is a test for you. How many intelligent people are without a paying job? How many PhD's and engineers are without a job? Many!
If you are not grateful to Allah, if you don't thank Allah profusely, if you are not generous to your family, if you don't spend some of your money on the poor, if you become arrogant or proud, you fail the test. Allah can make you lose everything. It is easy for Him. He could send you a sickness that you become unable to work. As a result, you lose your job, your life savings and investments, perhaps your so called friends, and maybe your marriage. You were somebody yesterday and today you are nobody! This is His warning for you. You should know that you should quickly turn to Allah and ask for His forgiveness.
Allah's grant of certain gifts to some and His withholding of certain gifts from others, are themselves Signs (trial or warnings) to people of faith and understanding.
"See they not that Allah enlarges the provision and restricts it, to whomsoever He pleases? Verily in that are Signs for those who believe. So give what is due to kindred, the needy, and the wayfarer. That is best for those who seek Allah's Countenance, and it is they who will prosper." Qur'an Ar-Room 30:37-38
May Allah forgive us and make us among those He is well pleased with. May Allah grant us His Noble Countenance. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Understanding Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that that you are well.
For most people, their understanding of love is an abstract feeling that they have in the hearts but no consequence. Love should be a feeling and an action. It is not a lip service, not a claim of how you feel. When you love somebody, you would put them in high esteem, think about them a lot, you would sacrifice yourself for them. If you are confronted with a situation between your interest and the interest of the person you claim you love, that is a test whether you love that person or not. If you put your interest first, then your love is nothing but a claim.
If you love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, you would send lots of blessings (salawat) upon him him everyday.
"Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'O you who believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.'" Qur'an Ahzab 33:56
You would sacrifice your desires, your ego, your time, your energy and your wealth to act upon his teachings. If he tells you "pray the way you see me pray", if he tells you to eat from lawful income, if he tells you to cover your body a certain way, if he tells you to guard your tongue, if he tells you to lower your gaze, if he tells you to treat your women well and be kind to them, if he tells you not to get angry, if he tells you to help the orphan and needy, you would do it. You don't find excuses or convince yourself not to do it.
You would consider his sunnah more important than your comfort or your image. When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked you to do something in a hadith you would be willing to do it. You won't say, "Oh! it is just sunnah, I don't have to do it!" You will try your hardest to follow his sunnah. You should not just think sunnah as the the outward sunnah but also how he lived his life. And you do as much to emulate him because you love him.
Why should we love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace? Because when we love him, we will naturally follow him. Ultimately, we want Allah to love us and forgive our sins. Allah tells us in the Qur'an how we can have this.
Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. Muhammad), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers...Qur'an AleImram 3:31-32
May Allah increase our love for His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that that you are well.
For most people, their understanding of love is an abstract feeling that they have in the hearts but no consequence. Love should be a feeling and an action. It is not a lip service, not a claim of how you feel. When you love somebody, you would put them in high esteem, think about them a lot, you would sacrifice yourself for them. If you are confronted with a situation between your interest and the interest of the person you claim you love, that is a test whether you love that person or not. If you put your interest first, then your love is nothing but a claim.
If you love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, you would send lots of blessings (salawat) upon him him everyday.
"Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'O you who believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.'" Qur'an Ahzab 33:56
You would sacrifice your desires, your ego, your time, your energy and your wealth to act upon his teachings. If he tells you "pray the way you see me pray", if he tells you to eat from lawful income, if he tells you to cover your body a certain way, if he tells you to guard your tongue, if he tells you to lower your gaze, if he tells you to treat your women well and be kind to them, if he tells you not to get angry, if he tells you to help the orphan and needy, you would do it. You don't find excuses or convince yourself not to do it.
You would consider his sunnah more important than your comfort or your image. When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked you to do something in a hadith you would be willing to do it. You won't say, "Oh! it is just sunnah, I don't have to do it!" You will try your hardest to follow his sunnah. You should not just think sunnah as the the outward sunnah but also how he lived his life. And you do as much to emulate him because you love him.
Why should we love the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace? Because when we love him, we will naturally follow him. Ultimately, we want Allah to love us and forgive our sins. Allah tells us in the Qur'an how we can have this.
Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. Muhammad), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace): "Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers...Qur'an AleImram 3:31-32
May Allah increase our love for His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, December 6, 2010
Overflowing With Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah has not only created men, but "made their joints strong", i.e. given men the power and strength to withstand the temptations of evil and stand firmly on the right.
"It is We Who created them, and We have made their joints strong; but, when We will, We can substitute the like of them by a complete change." Qur'an Al-Insan 76:28
But some people misuse their powers or willfully disobey Allah's law. They reject, or at least put away the thought of a Hereafter, a Day that will be difficult, for the easy pleasures of a fleeting life.
"Verily, man is ungrateful to his Lord; And to that he bears witness (by his deeds); And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth. Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth (all mankind is resurrected)?" Qur'an Al-Adiyat 100:8
And Allah knows best.
May Allah make us among those who are overflowing with their love for Allah. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah has not only created men, but "made their joints strong", i.e. given men the power and strength to withstand the temptations of evil and stand firmly on the right.
"It is We Who created them, and We have made their joints strong; but, when We will, We can substitute the like of them by a complete change." Qur'an Al-Insan 76:28
But some people misuse their powers or willfully disobey Allah's law. They reject, or at least put away the thought of a Hereafter, a Day that will be difficult, for the easy pleasures of a fleeting life.
"Verily, man is ungrateful to his Lord; And to that he bears witness (by his deeds); And verily, he is violent in the love of wealth. Knows he not that when the contents of the graves are poured forth (all mankind is resurrected)?" Qur'an Al-Adiyat 100:8
And Allah knows best.
May Allah make us among those who are overflowing with their love for Allah. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Saturday, December 4, 2010
What Happen To Our Children?!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
In today's society, more often than not we see children who, by cultural standards of 20-30 years ago, are utterly rude to their parents. Back then, our parents would only need to raise their eyebrows or make a quick stare at us and we immediately understood what it meant and immediately correct our behavior. Those behaviors which our parents found unacceptable or detestable are considered benign or non-issue (and some even think it is funny) in many households today.
How much things have deteriorated in the last few decades and have become worse and worse! You see little and big bosses running around, raising their voices like the bray of a donkey, telling their parents what to do! Indeed, one of the signs of the Hour is that children will become so ill-mannered and insolent towards their parents that they treat their parents as though they are their slaves. May Allah save us from this calamity. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.
The solution is simple but implementation is not as simple. Granted. It all goes back to our Islam. Do we want to follow Allah's guidance or what everybody else are doing? We have to consciously put our best effort to live Islam if we want good in this life and the next. The result of our efforts is for Allah to determine. But we have to do what we must because each individual, each generation, and each people is responsible for its own good deeds or misdeeds.
What values are we instilling in our children? What are we telling our children when we ourselves are not kind to our parents? What examples are we setting for our children when we hardly visit our parents, when we don't bring them over, when we don't eat with them often, when we don't sit with them much, when we don't call our parents much, when we don't hug our parents much, when they live in the pits and you live in a nice comfy home? If you cannot appreciate your parents' sacrifices for bringing you to this world, look at your own kids, how you struggle for them, and if you don't have kids, look at your neighbor's or friend's kids, how their parents struggle for them.
If we were to spend a few moments reflecting on the sacrifices that our parents have made for us from the time we were a little clot until we become this beautiful butterfly, we cannot but dearly love our parents and feel how selfish we have been towards them. Why can't you make them feel like a butterfly?
If you have a wonderful relationship with your parents, that's a good sign, but I reckon it is still not enough. Good parents never ask for anything back from their children. They are satisfied with whatever little that their children give. They are not selfish--they only want all good to come to their children. But you can do more for them. There is never enough good that someone can do for their parents.
To begin, you should always ask Allah to forgive and have mercy on your parents--you do this much, at least 5 times a day after each prescribed prayers, and whenever they come to your mind. You ask Allah that He be pleased with you.
If your parents are still alive, the next best gift for them is your regular companionship with them. Remember, you were hanging on them when you were little and they did not push you away. If you don't have parents anymore, don't despair, you can do these good deeds to their sisters, brothers and their good friends who are still alive.
Seriously, we need to show good examples to our children in our treatment of our parents (and our elders for that matter) even if our children are still small, because they see, they look and they learn fast. Before you know it they start talking back to you and before your next blink, they start yelling at you!
"We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as You may approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to You and truly do I bow (to You) in Islam. Such are they from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and pass by their ill deeds: (They shall be) among the Companions of the Garden: a promise! of truth, which was made to them (in this life)."
"But (there is one)who says to his parents, "Fie on you! Do you hold out the promise to me that I shall be raised up, even though generations have passed before me (without rising again)?" And they two seek God’s aid, (and rebuke the son): "Woe to you! Have faith! for the promise of God is true." But he says, "This is nothing but tales of the ancients! Such are they against whom is proved the sentence among the previous generations of Jinns and men, that have passed away; for they will be (utterly) lost."
"And to all are (assigned) degrees according to the deeds which they (have done), and in order that (God) may recompense their deeds, and no injustice be done to them."
Qur'an al-Ahqaf 46:15-19
And Allah knows best.
May Allah forgive us and our parents and bestow His Grace and Mercy on us and our parents. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
In today's society, more often than not we see children who, by cultural standards of 20-30 years ago, are utterly rude to their parents. Back then, our parents would only need to raise their eyebrows or make a quick stare at us and we immediately understood what it meant and immediately correct our behavior. Those behaviors which our parents found unacceptable or detestable are considered benign or non-issue (and some even think it is funny) in many households today.
How much things have deteriorated in the last few decades and have become worse and worse! You see little and big bosses running around, raising their voices like the bray of a donkey, telling their parents what to do! Indeed, one of the signs of the Hour is that children will become so ill-mannered and insolent towards their parents that they treat their parents as though they are their slaves. May Allah save us from this calamity. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.
The solution is simple but implementation is not as simple. Granted. It all goes back to our Islam. Do we want to follow Allah's guidance or what everybody else are doing? We have to consciously put our best effort to live Islam if we want good in this life and the next. The result of our efforts is for Allah to determine. But we have to do what we must because each individual, each generation, and each people is responsible for its own good deeds or misdeeds.
What values are we instilling in our children? What are we telling our children when we ourselves are not kind to our parents? What examples are we setting for our children when we hardly visit our parents, when we don't bring them over, when we don't eat with them often, when we don't sit with them much, when we don't call our parents much, when we don't hug our parents much, when they live in the pits and you live in a nice comfy home? If you cannot appreciate your parents' sacrifices for bringing you to this world, look at your own kids, how you struggle for them, and if you don't have kids, look at your neighbor's or friend's kids, how their parents struggle for them.
If we were to spend a few moments reflecting on the sacrifices that our parents have made for us from the time we were a little clot until we become this beautiful butterfly, we cannot but dearly love our parents and feel how selfish we have been towards them. Why can't you make them feel like a butterfly?
If you have a wonderful relationship with your parents, that's a good sign, but I reckon it is still not enough. Good parents never ask for anything back from their children. They are satisfied with whatever little that their children give. They are not selfish--they only want all good to come to their children. But you can do more for them. There is never enough good that someone can do for their parents.
To begin, you should always ask Allah to forgive and have mercy on your parents--you do this much, at least 5 times a day after each prescribed prayers, and whenever they come to your mind. You ask Allah that He be pleased with you.
If your parents are still alive, the next best gift for them is your regular companionship with them. Remember, you were hanging on them when you were little and they did not push you away. If you don't have parents anymore, don't despair, you can do these good deeds to their sisters, brothers and their good friends who are still alive.
Seriously, we need to show good examples to our children in our treatment of our parents (and our elders for that matter) even if our children are still small, because they see, they look and they learn fast. Before you know it they start talking back to you and before your next blink, they start yelling at you!
"We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as You may approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to You and truly do I bow (to You) in Islam. Such are they from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and pass by their ill deeds: (They shall be) among the Companions of the Garden: a promise! of truth, which was made to them (in this life)."
"But (there is one)who says to his parents, "Fie on you! Do you hold out the promise to me that I shall be raised up, even though generations have passed before me (without rising again)?" And they two seek God’s aid, (and rebuke the son): "Woe to you! Have faith! for the promise of God is true." But he says, "This is nothing but tales of the ancients! Such are they against whom is proved the sentence among the previous generations of Jinns and men, that have passed away; for they will be (utterly) lost."
"And to all are (assigned) degrees according to the deeds which they (have done), and in order that (God) may recompense their deeds, and no injustice be done to them."
Qur'an al-Ahqaf 46:15-19
And Allah knows best.
May Allah forgive us and our parents and bestow His Grace and Mercy on us and our parents. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Thursday, December 2, 2010
What Better Love Than Allah's Love
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We acquire closeness to Allah by worshiping Him. We obey Him and we don't disobey Him.
We wake up in the morning for prayer, eat from lawful income and lawful food, dress appropriately and cover our nakedness, observe the rules of Allah in social interactions and transacting, avoid interest/riba, tell the truth, avoid backbiting, pay zakat, etc. We struggle. This is difficult for many.
We continue to struggle to do extra worship such as performing the night vigil prayer, praying much sunnah prayers such as the ones before and after the prescribed prayers (Dhuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr) and dhuha prayer, reciting plenty of Qur'an, performing sunnah fasting--Mondays, Thursdays and other recommended days, give charity, and performing other supererogatory worship. This is extremely difficult for most people.
But we must struggle against our self, forcing it to worship Allah even though it is difficult because we want Allah to love us. There is no better love than His love.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Allah said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. (related by Bukhari)
May Allah help us draw closer to Him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
We acquire closeness to Allah by worshiping Him. We obey Him and we don't disobey Him.
We wake up in the morning for prayer, eat from lawful income and lawful food, dress appropriately and cover our nakedness, observe the rules of Allah in social interactions and transacting, avoid interest/riba, tell the truth, avoid backbiting, pay zakat, etc. We struggle. This is difficult for many.
We continue to struggle to do extra worship such as performing the night vigil prayer, praying much sunnah prayers such as the ones before and after the prescribed prayers (Dhuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr) and dhuha prayer, reciting plenty of Qur'an, performing sunnah fasting--Mondays, Thursdays and other recommended days, give charity, and performing other supererogatory worship. This is extremely difficult for most people.
But we must struggle against our self, forcing it to worship Allah even though it is difficult because we want Allah to love us. There is no better love than His love.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Allah said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. (related by Bukhari)
May Allah help us draw closer to Him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Don't Get Hooked!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Beneficial
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
A lousy marriage can literally make you sick. It can raise your risk for heart disease--that is what medical researchers reported.
So if you are experiencing marital strife, you need to do something about it. You cannot shove it under the rug. What to do? It is not as difficult as you want to believe. If you go back to the purpose of marriage, it will be clear to you what you should do. But we are creatures of much desires and so we cannot make up our minds. We complain and complain for years but we are afraid to take a stance.
You either stay together in harmony or you go separate ways in peace. It is that simple. Anything in between is calling misery to all concern--you, your spouse and your children. Sooner or later the inevitable will happen and meanwhile sins pile heap and deep. So why not stop the bleeding this very moment? Choose one or the other.
If you want to choose to separate but cannot leave for whatever reason--maybe you are thinking about your young children, maybe you don't have a job and depend on your spouse to support you, maybe you have an image to protect or to project, then realize that you need your spouse. So stop complaining, ignore and overlook the differences and be patient. No marriage is perfect. And certainly you are not perfect. It you are patient, the reward is tremendous with Allah.
If you can't do this, know that you cannot change someone if he or she doesn't want to change. Don't be blinded by false hopes. If the complaints escalate to hostility, your children become collateral damage in the crossfires. You do not want this to happen to innocent people. What to do? You can call it quits if a few sessions of counseling or third party intervention didn't help. There is no point arguing and cause more hostility. Separate in peace. Don't worry about what the other person is going to do.
Do what you must and leave the outcome to Allah. Allah sees and hears everything. You might ask, "But what is going to happen to my children?" First take care of yourself and leave your children to Allah to protect. He is the best Protector. If you think about it, if you become seriously ill and die, you are not going to be able to protect them anyway!
May Allah protect us and our families. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Beneficial
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
A lousy marriage can literally make you sick. It can raise your risk for heart disease--that is what medical researchers reported.
So if you are experiencing marital strife, you need to do something about it. You cannot shove it under the rug. What to do? It is not as difficult as you want to believe. If you go back to the purpose of marriage, it will be clear to you what you should do. But we are creatures of much desires and so we cannot make up our minds. We complain and complain for years but we are afraid to take a stance.
You either stay together in harmony or you go separate ways in peace. It is that simple. Anything in between is calling misery to all concern--you, your spouse and your children. Sooner or later the inevitable will happen and meanwhile sins pile heap and deep. So why not stop the bleeding this very moment? Choose one or the other.
If you want to choose to separate but cannot leave for whatever reason--maybe you are thinking about your young children, maybe you don't have a job and depend on your spouse to support you, maybe you have an image to protect or to project, then realize that you need your spouse. So stop complaining, ignore and overlook the differences and be patient. No marriage is perfect. And certainly you are not perfect. It you are patient, the reward is tremendous with Allah.
If you can't do this, know that you cannot change someone if he or she doesn't want to change. Don't be blinded by false hopes. If the complaints escalate to hostility, your children become collateral damage in the crossfires. You do not want this to happen to innocent people. What to do? You can call it quits if a few sessions of counseling or third party intervention didn't help. There is no point arguing and cause more hostility. Separate in peace. Don't worry about what the other person is going to do.
Do what you must and leave the outcome to Allah. Allah sees and hears everything. You might ask, "But what is going to happen to my children?" First take care of yourself and leave your children to Allah to protect. He is the best Protector. If you think about it, if you become seriously ill and die, you are not going to be able to protect them anyway!
May Allah protect us and our families. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Who Is In Control?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When we first came to Egypt, someone had to hold my hand and force me to cross the road/highway or I would never cross the road or highway. I am not blind, Alhamdulillah, but it was just impossible to cross the road with the fast and heavy traffic. People and automobiles (sometimes the 4-legged too) were weaving the road that you cannot tell who is the king of the road! I would wait for a long time until the traffic lightens and then only I would proceed to cross. No Egyptian does this! It could mean you will never get to the other side. My boys learned this very fast and they were not about to wait like me. One day, they crossed the road and ignored my admonition. When I saw them on the other side alone and anxious, I gathered my courage, put my trust in Allah and crossed the road like everybody else!
So, what's the point of them crossing while I haven't--they still have to wait for me? I asked them this. But I realized Allah wants them to learn patience--something they need a lot of to study in Egypt. They have to wait, and waiting is not fun for many. Waiting is being patient.
Sitting in an old taxi, almost falling apart, driven by a reckless driver, and watching automobiles and pedestrians alike darting in front of the taxi, you cannot forget the One who is in control, the One who can let an accident happen or not to happen. At that moment, you see the reality of Egypt being a factory of knowledge. The actual experiences living in Egypt is a big part of learning about Allah, not just from formal studies at universities and with scholars.
Had Allah willed to take away my strength, my ability to speak, my ability to read and write, my ability to sit, stand, walk and run, I could have been in a big accident at that time. But He did not will that to me but He had willed it to many others. Just visit a hospital emergency room, inevitably you will see victims of road accidents, some with no hope of ever walking again, some with no hope of surviving much longer, and some being rolled to the mortuary. This is the will of Allah.
We should be grateful to Allah, the All Powerful, the All Merciful, that we have our strength and our limbs to enjoy this short life, by living a life of obedience to Him.
May Allah keep us and our families under His infinite care. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When we first came to Egypt, someone had to hold my hand and force me to cross the road/highway or I would never cross the road or highway. I am not blind, Alhamdulillah, but it was just impossible to cross the road with the fast and heavy traffic. People and automobiles (sometimes the 4-legged too) were weaving the road that you cannot tell who is the king of the road! I would wait for a long time until the traffic lightens and then only I would proceed to cross. No Egyptian does this! It could mean you will never get to the other side. My boys learned this very fast and they were not about to wait like me. One day, they crossed the road and ignored my admonition. When I saw them on the other side alone and anxious, I gathered my courage, put my trust in Allah and crossed the road like everybody else!
So, what's the point of them crossing while I haven't--they still have to wait for me? I asked them this. But I realized Allah wants them to learn patience--something they need a lot of to study in Egypt. They have to wait, and waiting is not fun for many. Waiting is being patient.
Sitting in an old taxi, almost falling apart, driven by a reckless driver, and watching automobiles and pedestrians alike darting in front of the taxi, you cannot forget the One who is in control, the One who can let an accident happen or not to happen. At that moment, you see the reality of Egypt being a factory of knowledge. The actual experiences living in Egypt is a big part of learning about Allah, not just from formal studies at universities and with scholars.
Had Allah willed to take away my strength, my ability to speak, my ability to read and write, my ability to sit, stand, walk and run, I could have been in a big accident at that time. But He did not will that to me but He had willed it to many others. Just visit a hospital emergency room, inevitably you will see victims of road accidents, some with no hope of ever walking again, some with no hope of surviving much longer, and some being rolled to the mortuary. This is the will of Allah.
We should be grateful to Allah, the All Powerful, the All Merciful, that we have our strength and our limbs to enjoy this short life, by living a life of obedience to Him.
May Allah keep us and our families under His infinite care. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Which Group Do You Want To Be With?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
A young lady wrote to me and asked me for resources about the Day of Resurrection. That is a good sign about the future of our youths. I suggested to her to first read surah Waqi'ah which we are recommended to read every night. One of the benefits of reading this surah is protection from poverty. We all should encourage our children to learn and memorize this surah and read it every night before they go to sleep.
The Surah tells us that in the Day of Judgment we all will be sorted into 3 groups.
Some will be on the right of Allah's Throne, and they are those who were brought forth from `Adam's right side. This category will be given their Books of Records in their right hand and will be taken to the right side. As-Suddi explained that they will comprise the majority of the residents of Paradise. Another category is those who will be placed to the left of Allah's Throne, and they are those who were brought forth from `Adam's left side. This category will be given their Books of Records in their left hands and will be taken to the left side. They are the residents of the Fire, may Allah save us from their actions. A third category is comprised of those who are the foremost and nearest before Allah. They are in a better grade and status and nearer to Allah than those on the right side. They are the chiefs of those on the right side, because they include the Messengers, Prophets, true believers and martyrs. They are fewer than those on the right side. (Tafsir ibn Kathir)
Which group do you want to be with?
The vivid description of this Day in this surah should not leave you so soon. Immediately before you go to sleep you will set your alarm so you can wake up to do the tahajjud prayers. You will not miss the fajr prayer. You will not go back to sleep after fajr prayer but read some Qur'an before going about to take care of your family, your livelihood and your community. You will be kind to your parents. You will be charitable to the needy. You will be merciful to those under your charge. You will visit the sick. You will be honest and truthful in your dealings. You will not cheat in your business. You will not find time to argue, to fight, to bicker and to gossip.
In short, you will rush to obey Allah and race to good deeds, and you will stay away from evil deeds and disobedience of Allah. You are more conscious of your time to do only good.
Such is a life of a slave of Allah, working our way to draw near to Allah, until the angel of death comes to take our soul away to meet our Lord. And all that matters now is our Faith in Allah and our good deeds before this. This is the point of reading Surah al-Waqi'ah every night and knowing the Day of Resurrection.
And Allah knows best.
May we be given our Books of Records from our right hands and may Allah resurrect us with the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and enter us into Paradise with him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
A young lady wrote to me and asked me for resources about the Day of Resurrection. That is a good sign about the future of our youths. I suggested to her to first read surah Waqi'ah which we are recommended to read every night. One of the benefits of reading this surah is protection from poverty. We all should encourage our children to learn and memorize this surah and read it every night before they go to sleep.
The Surah tells us that in the Day of Judgment we all will be sorted into 3 groups.
Some will be on the right of Allah's Throne, and they are those who were brought forth from `Adam's right side. This category will be given their Books of Records in their right hand and will be taken to the right side. As-Suddi explained that they will comprise the majority of the residents of Paradise. Another category is those who will be placed to the left of Allah's Throne, and they are those who were brought forth from `Adam's left side. This category will be given their Books of Records in their left hands and will be taken to the left side. They are the residents of the Fire, may Allah save us from their actions. A third category is comprised of those who are the foremost and nearest before Allah. They are in a better grade and status and nearer to Allah than those on the right side. They are the chiefs of those on the right side, because they include the Messengers, Prophets, true believers and martyrs. They are fewer than those on the right side. (Tafsir ibn Kathir)
Which group do you want to be with?
The vivid description of this Day in this surah should not leave you so soon. Immediately before you go to sleep you will set your alarm so you can wake up to do the tahajjud prayers. You will not miss the fajr prayer. You will not go back to sleep after fajr prayer but read some Qur'an before going about to take care of your family, your livelihood and your community. You will be kind to your parents. You will be charitable to the needy. You will be merciful to those under your charge. You will visit the sick. You will be honest and truthful in your dealings. You will not cheat in your business. You will not find time to argue, to fight, to bicker and to gossip.
In short, you will rush to obey Allah and race to good deeds, and you will stay away from evil deeds and disobedience of Allah. You are more conscious of your time to do only good.
Such is a life of a slave of Allah, working our way to draw near to Allah, until the angel of death comes to take our soul away to meet our Lord. And all that matters now is our Faith in Allah and our good deeds before this. This is the point of reading Surah al-Waqi'ah every night and knowing the Day of Resurrection.
And Allah knows best.
May we be given our Books of Records from our right hands and may Allah resurrect us with the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and enter us into Paradise with him. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Friday, November 26, 2010
Bad Things Happen
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Why do we need to struggle to explain why bad things happen to good people, to children, to innocent people?
Allah is the Creator of everything. He can do whatever He pleases. He can let bad things happen to anyone.
لَا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفۡعَلُ وَهُمۡ يُسۡـَٔلُونَ
"He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs)." Qur'an Al-Anbiya' 21:23
What now? Are we going to stop praying? Are we going to forget Islam? Bad things happen to bad people, to non-Muslims, to atheist too! Bad things are not going to stop happening.
There is wisdom and benefit in every difficulties.
When our child get bullied in school, he will learn from the difficulty and he will be better equipped to deal with people when he grows up. You know this but your child doesn't know. You can try to explain this but he probably won't understand.
We, compare to people who are closer to Allah are like children. They see the wisdom but we don't see the wisdom. As we come closer to Allah, as we have greater and stronger relationship with Allah, there is more wisdom we will see, inshaAllah.
يُؤْتِى ٱلْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُؤْتَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِىَ خَيْرًۭا كَثِيرًۭا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ
"He gives wisdom to whoever He wills and whoever He gives wisdom has been given a tremendous good. But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:269
When bad things happen, we should be reminded of the Power of Allah, put away our pride and humble ourselves to Allah.
May Allah 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
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Why do we need to struggle to explain why bad things happen to good people, to children, to innocent people?
Allah is the Creator of everything. He can do whatever He pleases. He can let bad things happen to anyone.
لَا يُسۡـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفۡعَلُ وَهُمۡ يُسۡـَٔلُونَ
"He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs)." Qur'an Al-Anbiya' 21:23
What now? Are we going to stop praying? Are we going to forget Islam? Bad things happen to bad people, to non-Muslims, to atheist too! Bad things are not going to stop happening.
There is wisdom and benefit in every difficulties.
When our child get bullied in school, he will learn from the difficulty and he will be better equipped to deal with people when he grows up. You know this but your child doesn't know. You can try to explain this but he probably won't understand.
We, compare to people who are closer to Allah are like children. They see the wisdom but we don't see the wisdom. As we come closer to Allah, as we have greater and stronger relationship with Allah, there is more wisdom we will see, inshaAllah.
يُؤْتِى ٱلْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَمَن يُؤْتَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِىَ خَيْرًۭا كَثِيرًۭا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ
"He gives wisdom to whoever He wills and whoever He gives wisdom has been given a tremendous good. But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:269
When bad things happen, we should be reminded of the Power of Allah, put away our pride and humble ourselves to Allah.
May Allah 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
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Grab The Opportunity To Meet The King
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Maybe you don't think about it but if you have the opportunity to meet with the King of Saudi Arabia or the Sultan of Brunei or the Queen of England or even the King of Malaysia, wouldn't you grab the opportunity to meet them? If you are invited to their palaces today, you would quickly hop on the next flight. You would not let your boss say NO to giving you a few days off work. In fact, your boss might very well offered more days than you have asked or he might offered it to you the moment he heard about the royal invitation! If you are going to school, you would work around your school work to make sure you get to meet with this king. Everybody around you are excited about this, not just you. Why? You all will have a similar answer. And it boils down to because they are kings! Who wouldn't want to meet a king!
Yes, we know about kings a lot. We can see them with our eyes or at least picture them in our minds, what they look like, the splendor of their palaces and the glamor of their royal lives. We have been exposed to these details from little. Remember all those many "happily ever after" bedtime stories and movies? Each culture has its own version of Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin and princess Jasmine, and now we have Shrek and princess Fiona. So no wonder we are fascinated by kings, palaces, princes and princesses. And when this opportunity to meet with a king comes, you naturally run for it. You want to know more and perhaps to experience the glamor of being around a king.
I remember when Shaykh Mishari Rashid Al-Afasy, the well known Qur'an reciter came to town, may Allah preserve and protect him, some people came from far away to the masjid to get a closer look at a member of a royal family. You could hear the whispers and the fascination about this. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.
But how about the King of kings? Many don't know Him. They didn't learn about Him or they don't want to learn about Him. Those who know something about Him, many don't care to meet with Him. When He invited them to come to Him, they don't go. They are too busy and some refused the invitation. They ignore the call to prayer, they don't pray, they don't make dhikr of Allah, they don't read Qur'an. These are opportunities that have passed them by to be with the King of kings and they cannot bring them back. Don't be among these people. If nothing else, the King of kings has far more to offer than all these kings combined have to offer. He is the Creator of everything, including those kings, their palaces, their bodyguards and all their glamorous royal lives.
Now, when you open that facebook with no intention to worship Allah, close it. Otherwise, you will miss the opportunity to be with the King of kings. If you miss this opportunity enough times, you are at risk of losing it forever. You are at risk of not getting invited ever again. Remember, Allah can seal the hearts from His Light and make evil seemingly good for the wrongdoers. May Allah protect us from this. May Allah guide us to His Light. Ameen.
Facebook has become a very serious social issue. You don't need to read much about it because that is in itself a distraction from doing dhikr of Allah but suffice with your own common sense, experience or hearing about it to turn you away from using facebook to socialize, play games and answer quizzes, in short, to entertain and to pass time.
In a recent survey conducted by an international firm TNS, Japanese users had the least number of friends, averaging 29. Chinese consumers have an average of 68 friends in their networks. Malaysians have the most number of friends on social networking websites like facebook, average 233 friends in their social network. They also spend the most hours per week on such sites, average nine hours weekly. This is quite embarrassing for me, as a Malaysian and as a Muslim, to know this and to tell you this but it need to be told.
So, if you are spending such amount of time or more on facebook and other social network sites, you need to cut down by whole lot, so you can help yourself come closer to the King of kings, and be a good example to the non-Muslims around you. We want to rank high in technology and using technology to spread and teach the message of Islam, not using technology to waste our time.
وَٱلۡعَصۡرِ (١) إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسۡرٍ (٢) إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ (٣
"By Al-'Asr (the time). Verily, man is in loss, except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf) which Allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allah has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allah's Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad)." Qur'an al-'Asr 103
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Maybe you don't think about it but if you have the opportunity to meet with the King of Saudi Arabia or the Sultan of Brunei or the Queen of England or even the King of Malaysia, wouldn't you grab the opportunity to meet them? If you are invited to their palaces today, you would quickly hop on the next flight. You would not let your boss say NO to giving you a few days off work. In fact, your boss might very well offered more days than you have asked or he might offered it to you the moment he heard about the royal invitation! If you are going to school, you would work around your school work to make sure you get to meet with this king. Everybody around you are excited about this, not just you. Why? You all will have a similar answer. And it boils down to because they are kings! Who wouldn't want to meet a king!
Yes, we know about kings a lot. We can see them with our eyes or at least picture them in our minds, what they look like, the splendor of their palaces and the glamor of their royal lives. We have been exposed to these details from little. Remember all those many "happily ever after" bedtime stories and movies? Each culture has its own version of Cinderella, Snow White, Aladdin and princess Jasmine, and now we have Shrek and princess Fiona. So no wonder we are fascinated by kings, palaces, princes and princesses. And when this opportunity to meet with a king comes, you naturally run for it. You want to know more and perhaps to experience the glamor of being around a king.
I remember when Shaykh Mishari Rashid Al-Afasy, the well known Qur'an reciter came to town, may Allah preserve and protect him, some people came from far away to the masjid to get a closer look at a member of a royal family. You could hear the whispers and the fascination about this. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.
But how about the King of kings? Many don't know Him. They didn't learn about Him or they don't want to learn about Him. Those who know something about Him, many don't care to meet with Him. When He invited them to come to Him, they don't go. They are too busy and some refused the invitation. They ignore the call to prayer, they don't pray, they don't make dhikr of Allah, they don't read Qur'an. These are opportunities that have passed them by to be with the King of kings and they cannot bring them back. Don't be among these people. If nothing else, the King of kings has far more to offer than all these kings combined have to offer. He is the Creator of everything, including those kings, their palaces, their bodyguards and all their glamorous royal lives.
Now, when you open that facebook with no intention to worship Allah, close it. Otherwise, you will miss the opportunity to be with the King of kings. If you miss this opportunity enough times, you are at risk of losing it forever. You are at risk of not getting invited ever again. Remember, Allah can seal the hearts from His Light and make evil seemingly good for the wrongdoers. May Allah protect us from this. May Allah guide us to His Light. Ameen.
Facebook has become a very serious social issue. You don't need to read much about it because that is in itself a distraction from doing dhikr of Allah but suffice with your own common sense, experience or hearing about it to turn you away from using facebook to socialize, play games and answer quizzes, in short, to entertain and to pass time.
In a recent survey conducted by an international firm TNS, Japanese users had the least number of friends, averaging 29. Chinese consumers have an average of 68 friends in their networks. Malaysians have the most number of friends on social networking websites like facebook, average 233 friends in their social network. They also spend the most hours per week on such sites, average nine hours weekly. This is quite embarrassing for me, as a Malaysian and as a Muslim, to know this and to tell you this but it need to be told.
So, if you are spending such amount of time or more on facebook and other social network sites, you need to cut down by whole lot, so you can help yourself come closer to the King of kings, and be a good example to the non-Muslims around you. We want to rank high in technology and using technology to spread and teach the message of Islam, not using technology to waste our time.
وَٱلۡعَصۡرِ (١) إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَفِى خُسۡرٍ (٢) إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ (٣
"By Al-'Asr (the time). Verily, man is in loss, except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf) which Allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allah has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allah's Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad)." Qur'an al-'Asr 103
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
We Are Lagging Behind!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
All inhabitants of the heavens and the earth celebrate the praises of God. Each has his own mode of prayer and praise, with actions and their peculiar modes of self-expression recognizing and declaring the Glory of God. Waves roaring, moving mightily lapping the shores; birds with their wings outspread in their flight; clouds floating about in fantastic shapes, all in complete submission to Allah Al-Mighty. SubhanAllah.
"See you not (O Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah, He it is Whom glorify whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, and the birds with wings out-spread (in their flight)? Of each one He (Allah) knows indeed his Salat (prayer) and his glorification, [or everyone knows his Salat (prayer) and his glorification], and Allah is All-Aware of what they do." Qur'an An-Nur 24:41
The pure angelic hosts, high in the spiritual world, near the Throne of God Himself, serve Him without ceasing and are not too proud to do so.
"To Him belong all (creatures) in the heavens and on earth: Even those who are in His (very) Presence are not too proud to serve Him, nor are they (ever) weary (of His service). They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit." Qur'an Al-Anbiya' 21:19-20
Where are you at in serving Allah and His religion?
May Allah increase us in our worship of Him and in serving His religion. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
All inhabitants of the heavens and the earth celebrate the praises of God. Each has his own mode of prayer and praise, with actions and their peculiar modes of self-expression recognizing and declaring the Glory of God. Waves roaring, moving mightily lapping the shores; birds with their wings outspread in their flight; clouds floating about in fantastic shapes, all in complete submission to Allah Al-Mighty. SubhanAllah.
"See you not (O Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah, He it is Whom glorify whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, and the birds with wings out-spread (in their flight)? Of each one He (Allah) knows indeed his Salat (prayer) and his glorification, [or everyone knows his Salat (prayer) and his glorification], and Allah is All-Aware of what they do." Qur'an An-Nur 24:41
The pure angelic hosts, high in the spiritual world, near the Throne of God Himself, serve Him without ceasing and are not too proud to do so.
"To Him belong all (creatures) in the heavens and on earth: Even those who are in His (very) Presence are not too proud to serve Him, nor are they (ever) weary (of His service). They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever flag or intermit." Qur'an Al-Anbiya' 21:19-20
Where are you at in serving Allah and His religion?
May Allah increase us in our worship of Him and in serving His religion. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Light upon Light!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
"And to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the return (of all)." Qur'an Nur 24:42
When we read this verse we should feel very very small. We should not need anything except Allah. He is the Master. He can do whatever He wills and to whoever He wills. We seek guidance from Him to do what pleases Him.
"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp is in glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything." Qur'an Nur 24:35
Allah increases in guidance to those who adopts guidance. Those who choose to be guided are those who choose to obey Allah and those who choose to be misguided are those who choose to disobey Allah. If we want to be the people of Allah's tawfiq, we must choose to obey Him.
"Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: "What did Allah intend by this parable?" By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah)." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:26
We ask Allah to guide us and protect us from misguidance. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
"And to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the return (of all)." Qur'an Nur 24:42
When we read this verse we should feel very very small. We should not need anything except Allah. He is the Master. He can do whatever He wills and to whoever He wills. We seek guidance from Him to do what pleases Him.
"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as (if there were) a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp is in glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i.e. neither it gets sun-rays only in the morning) nor of the west (i.e. nor it gets sun-rays only in the afternoon, but it is exposed to the sun all day long), whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself), though no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His Light whom He wills. And Allah sets forth parables for mankind, and Allah is All-Knower of everything." Qur'an Nur 24:35
Allah increases in guidance to those who adopts guidance. Those who choose to be guided are those who choose to obey Allah and those who choose to be misguided are those who choose to disobey Allah. If we want to be the people of Allah's tawfiq, we must choose to obey Him.
"Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: "What did Allah intend by this parable?" By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah)." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:26
We ask Allah to guide us and protect us from misguidance. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, November 22, 2010
You Got A Problem?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
You are excited about a vacation you have been waiting for or perhaps you have an important business trip in another city. Your flight is at 6 a.m. You make sure you get up to catch that flight. You calculate how much time you need to get ready--shower, get dressed, get something to eat, get to the airport, check in, go through security and boarding. This would mean, perhaps waking up at 2 or 3 a.m. You set your alarm to make sure you wake up and not miss this important flight. Some might decide to just stay up!
Are we this excited, this conscious about getting up for tahajjud and fajr prayer? If the answer is no, this is not a good sign especially if you sleep through fajr. It means you got a problem. Your priority is wrong. You don't have the right attitude towards prayer. You need to change.
Prayer is something big. Bigger than any PhD projects. When prayer time comes, you pray. Everything can wait--the shopping can wait, the oil change can wait, the boss can wait, the pet walking can wait. But your prayer cannot wait. Like if you missed your flight, you might be able to catch another flight, but it is not the same--You have missed the fun or business deals which you could have enjoyed had you not missed your flight and arrived at your destination on time. You cannot make up the lost opportunity ever.
If you want to wake up for fajr (and tahajjud), you can wake up. You do whatever it takes to wake up, just as you did to make sure you don't miss your flight. Our lives change at least 5 times a day, with our 5 daily prayers, and it is a wonderful change.
"Verily, the Muttaqun (pious) will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs (in the Paradise), Taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them. Verily, they were before this Muhsinun (good-doers). They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allah) and praying, with fear and hope]. And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allah) for forgiveness, And in their properties there was the right of the Sa'il (the beggar who asks), and the Mahrum (the poor who does not ask the others)." Qur'an adh-dhariyat 51:15-19
"Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:277
"Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer; and stand before God in a devout (frame of mind)." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:238
May Allah grant us steadfastness and righteousness. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
You are excited about a vacation you have been waiting for or perhaps you have an important business trip in another city. Your flight is at 6 a.m. You make sure you get up to catch that flight. You calculate how much time you need to get ready--shower, get dressed, get something to eat, get to the airport, check in, go through security and boarding. This would mean, perhaps waking up at 2 or 3 a.m. You set your alarm to make sure you wake up and not miss this important flight. Some might decide to just stay up!
Are we this excited, this conscious about getting up for tahajjud and fajr prayer? If the answer is no, this is not a good sign especially if you sleep through fajr. It means you got a problem. Your priority is wrong. You don't have the right attitude towards prayer. You need to change.
Prayer is something big. Bigger than any PhD projects. When prayer time comes, you pray. Everything can wait--the shopping can wait, the oil change can wait, the boss can wait, the pet walking can wait. But your prayer cannot wait. Like if you missed your flight, you might be able to catch another flight, but it is not the same--You have missed the fun or business deals which you could have enjoyed had you not missed your flight and arrived at your destination on time. You cannot make up the lost opportunity ever.
If you want to wake up for fajr (and tahajjud), you can wake up. You do whatever it takes to wake up, just as you did to make sure you don't miss your flight. Our lives change at least 5 times a day, with our 5 daily prayers, and it is a wonderful change.
"Verily, the Muttaqun (pious) will be in the midst of Gardens and Springs (in the Paradise), Taking joy in the things which their Lord has given them. Verily, they were before this Muhsinun (good-doers). They used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allah) and praying, with fear and hope]. And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allah) for forgiveness, And in their properties there was the right of the Sa'il (the beggar who asks), and the Mahrum (the poor who does not ask the others)." Qur'an adh-dhariyat 51:15-19
"Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:277
"Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer; and stand before God in a devout (frame of mind)." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:238
May Allah grant us steadfastness and righteousness. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
No Escape
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
For 9 months (more or less) we live in comfort and warmth of our mother's body, small and cozy. When we came to this world, it was a completely different world, a big open space. It was a difficult transition. We cried! But soon we get used to this world. Some get too attached to it. Here we will spend our lives for a time.
Soon, sooner than we think, we will face death. There is no escape. At that time we are aware that we are leaving this world to an unknown world, al-barzakh. The ones who have been busy building their lives for this world will hate leaving it, but the ones who have been busy building their mansions for the next life will welcome the angel of death.
Living in the grave is another story--it can be easy or it can be very difficult. May Allah has mercy on us.
Whenever 'Uthman ibn Affan, Allah be pleased with him (the son-in-law of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, third righteous Caliph, one of the 10 being promised Paradise) came near a grave, he wept so much that his beard became wet. Someone remarked to him that when he mentioned the Garden and the Fire he never wept as much, and he said: 'I heard the Messenger of God, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The grave is the first of the Hereafter's stages. If one is saved from it then what comes next is easier, but if one is not saved from it, then what comes next is ever harder."
Next, we will find ourselves crawling out of our graves. The sky cracking, the moon knocked out of its orbit, the sun is over our heads, the stars are falling, the mountains exploding, the ocean is catching fire and burning, earthquakes everywhere, people are running around as if they are drunk. This is the worst stage and we will need tranquility!
"...The day that men shall be like scattered moths, and the mountains shall be plucked wool-tufts. Then he whose deeds weigh heavy in the Balance shall inherit a pleasing life but he whose deed weigh light in the Balance shall plunge in the womb of the Pit. And what shall teach thee what is the Pit? A blazing Fire!" Qur'an Al-Qari'ah 101:4-11
"As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honor and bounties, then he says (in): "My Lord has honored me." But when He tries him, by straitening his means of life, he says: "My Lord has humiliated me!" Nay! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity (i.e. you neither treat them well, nor give them their exact right of inheritance)! And urge not one another on the feeding of AlMiskin (the poor)! And you devour inheritance all with greed, And you love wealth with much love! Nay! When the earth is ground to powder, And your Lord comes with the angels in rows, And Hell will be brought near that Day. On that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance (then) avail him? He will say: "Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my life!" So on that Day, none will punish as He will punish, And none will bind as He will bind. (It will be said to the righteous — believers of Islamic Monothesim): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! "Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! "Enter you, then, among My (honored) slaves, "And enter you My Paradise!" Qur'an Al-Fajr 89:15-30
May Allah gives us peace and tranquility in this life and the next. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
For 9 months (more or less) we live in comfort and warmth of our mother's body, small and cozy. When we came to this world, it was a completely different world, a big open space. It was a difficult transition. We cried! But soon we get used to this world. Some get too attached to it. Here we will spend our lives for a time.
Soon, sooner than we think, we will face death. There is no escape. At that time we are aware that we are leaving this world to an unknown world, al-barzakh. The ones who have been busy building their lives for this world will hate leaving it, but the ones who have been busy building their mansions for the next life will welcome the angel of death.
Living in the grave is another story--it can be easy or it can be very difficult. May Allah has mercy on us.
Whenever 'Uthman ibn Affan, Allah be pleased with him (the son-in-law of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, third righteous Caliph, one of the 10 being promised Paradise) came near a grave, he wept so much that his beard became wet. Someone remarked to him that when he mentioned the Garden and the Fire he never wept as much, and he said: 'I heard the Messenger of God, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "The grave is the first of the Hereafter's stages. If one is saved from it then what comes next is easier, but if one is not saved from it, then what comes next is ever harder."
Next, we will find ourselves crawling out of our graves. The sky cracking, the moon knocked out of its orbit, the sun is over our heads, the stars are falling, the mountains exploding, the ocean is catching fire and burning, earthquakes everywhere, people are running around as if they are drunk. This is the worst stage and we will need tranquility!
"...The day that men shall be like scattered moths, and the mountains shall be plucked wool-tufts. Then he whose deeds weigh heavy in the Balance shall inherit a pleasing life but he whose deed weigh light in the Balance shall plunge in the womb of the Pit. And what shall teach thee what is the Pit? A blazing Fire!" Qur'an Al-Qari'ah 101:4-11
"As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honor and bounties, then he says (in): "My Lord has honored me." But when He tries him, by straitening his means of life, he says: "My Lord has humiliated me!" Nay! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity (i.e. you neither treat them well, nor give them their exact right of inheritance)! And urge not one another on the feeding of AlMiskin (the poor)! And you devour inheritance all with greed, And you love wealth with much love! Nay! When the earth is ground to powder, And your Lord comes with the angels in rows, And Hell will be brought near that Day. On that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance (then) avail him? He will say: "Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my life!" So on that Day, none will punish as He will punish, And none will bind as He will bind. (It will be said to the righteous — believers of Islamic Monothesim): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! "Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! "Enter you, then, among My (honored) slaves, "And enter you My Paradise!" Qur'an Al-Fajr 89:15-30
May Allah gives us peace and tranquility in this life and the next. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, November 18, 2010
I Am In Complete and Utter Need of Allah, Most High
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Everything we have is from our Lord and we should be grateful and thankful to Him. We are in complete and utter need of Allah, Most High, in every single moment. Were Allah, Most High, to withdraw His maintaining us in existence for even a second, everything will cease to exist.
Allah does whatever He wills. He is the Creator. Whether you like it or not things happen. Bad things happen. Good things happen. But we are responsible and accountable for our actions. Allah created choice within us to choose between doing good and doing bad, between obeying Him and not obeying Him.
When we obey Allah, we are grateful and thankful to Allah for His tawfiq. We focus on the fact that Allah created the good act. We don't focus on the fact that we acquired it because we will become proud and will have this sense of self-consequence or self-deserving. This is not becoming of a slave. A slave should have a deep sense of duty and deep sense of need for His Master. A slave does not feel independent of His Master.
When we make mistakes and disobey Allah, we are remorseful and immediately turn towards Allah in regretful repentance. We look and focus on the fact that we acquired the disobedience and we are responsible for it.
We don't do the opposite like the Shaytan. When Iblis disobeyed Allah, he looked at the fact that Allah created the action and he didn't accept responsibility. When he did a good act (he worshiped Allah for long time before the creation of Adam, peace be upon him), he looked at the fact that he acquired the action and he became proud. And look where he ended up.
"Whoever finds good let him thank Allah and whoever finds anything else, let him blame no one but himself." (related by Muslim)
قَالَ يَـٰقَوۡمِ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّى وَرَزَقَنِى مِنۡهُ رِزۡقًا حَسَنً۬اۚ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنۡ أُخَالِفَكُمۡ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنۡهَٮٰڪُمۡ عَنۡهُۚ إِنۡ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا ٱلۡإِصۡلَـٰحَ مَا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُۚ وَمَا تَوۡفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡتُ وَإِلَيۡهِ أُنِيبُ
"He (Prophet Shu'ayb, peace be upon him) said: "O my people! see ye whether I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord, and He hath given me sustenance (pure and) good as from Himself? I wish not, in opposition to you, to do that which I forbid you to do. I only desire (your) betterment to the best of my power; and my success (in my task) can only come from God. In Him I trust, and unto Him I look." Qur'an Hud 11:88
May Allah grant us tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Everything we have is from our Lord and we should be grateful and thankful to Him. We are in complete and utter need of Allah, Most High, in every single moment. Were Allah, Most High, to withdraw His maintaining us in existence for even a second, everything will cease to exist.
Allah does whatever He wills. He is the Creator. Whether you like it or not things happen. Bad things happen. Good things happen. But we are responsible and accountable for our actions. Allah created choice within us to choose between doing good and doing bad, between obeying Him and not obeying Him.
When we obey Allah, we are grateful and thankful to Allah for His tawfiq. We focus on the fact that Allah created the good act. We don't focus on the fact that we acquired it because we will become proud and will have this sense of self-consequence or self-deserving. This is not becoming of a slave. A slave should have a deep sense of duty and deep sense of need for His Master. A slave does not feel independent of His Master.
When we make mistakes and disobey Allah, we are remorseful and immediately turn towards Allah in regretful repentance. We look and focus on the fact that we acquired the disobedience and we are responsible for it.
We don't do the opposite like the Shaytan. When Iblis disobeyed Allah, he looked at the fact that Allah created the action and he didn't accept responsibility. When he did a good act (he worshiped Allah for long time before the creation of Adam, peace be upon him), he looked at the fact that he acquired the action and he became proud. And look where he ended up.
"Whoever finds good let him thank Allah and whoever finds anything else, let him blame no one but himself." (related by Muslim)
قَالَ يَـٰقَوۡمِ أَرَءَيۡتُمۡ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ۬ مِّن رَّبِّى وَرَزَقَنِى مِنۡهُ رِزۡقًا حَسَنً۬اۚ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنۡ أُخَالِفَكُمۡ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنۡهَٮٰڪُمۡ عَنۡهُۚ إِنۡ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا ٱلۡإِصۡلَـٰحَ مَا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُۚ وَمَا تَوۡفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡتُ وَإِلَيۡهِ أُنِيبُ
"He (Prophet Shu'ayb, peace be upon him) said: "O my people! see ye whether I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord, and He hath given me sustenance (pure and) good as from Himself? I wish not, in opposition to you, to do that which I forbid you to do. I only desire (your) betterment to the best of my power; and my success (in my task) can only come from God. In Him I trust, and unto Him I look." Qur'an Hud 11:88
May Allah grant us tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Monday, November 15, 2010
Nothing Is Difficult
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamua alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Nothing is difficult if we sought help through our Lord. Our problem is we don't ask Allah and we are impatient. We ask everybody except Allah. When people don't help or couldn't help, we get depressed, disappointed or upset. What can people do except what Allah lets them. Only Allah can make things happen.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
"Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshiped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtake Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter . And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursî extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:255
When Prophet Ya'qub, peace be upon him, saw the blood stains on his beloved son's shirt, he saw there had been some foul play by his older sons against young Yusuf, peace be upon him, but he was patient and implore Allah's assistance.
وَجَآءُو عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِۦ بِدَمٍ۬ كَذِبٍ۬ۚ قَالَ بَلۡ سَوَّلَتۡ لَكُمۡ أَنفُسُكُمۡ أَمۡرً۬اۖ فَصَبۡرٌ۬ جَمِيلٌ۬ۖ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُسۡتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ
"They stained his shirt with false blood. He said: "Nay, but your minds have made up a tale (that may pass) with you, (for me) patience is most fitting: Against that which ye assert, it is God (alone) Whose help can be sought" Qur'an Yusuf 12:18
Prophet Ya'qub has faith and he knows that all that Allah does is for the best. Indeed, Allah plans and His promise is true. Many years later the family of Ya'qub reunited in the blessed land of Egypt.
فَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ ءَاوَىٰٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَبَوَيۡهِ وَقَالَ ٱدۡخُلُواْ مِصۡرَ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ءَامِنِينَ وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيۡهِ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ وَخَرُّواْ لَهُ ۥ سُجَّدً۬اۖ وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ هَـٰذَا تَأۡوِيلُ رُءۡيَـٰىَ مِن قَبۡلُ قَدۡ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّى حَقًّ۬اۖ وَقَدۡ أَحۡسَنَ بِىٓ إِذۡ أَخۡرَجَنِى مِنَ ٱلسِّجۡنِ وَجَآءَ بِكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡبَدۡوِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَن نَّزَغَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ بَيۡنِى وَبَيۡنَ إِخۡوَتِىٓۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَطِيفٌ۬ لِّمَا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ
"Then, when they came in before Yusuf, he betook his parents to himself and said: 'Enter Egypt, if Allâh wills, in security.' And he raised his parents to the throne and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of the bedouin-life, after Shaytan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He wills. Truly He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.'" Qur'an Yusuf 12:99-100
So seek Allah night and day and be patient.
May Allah hold us by the hand. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamua alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Nothing is difficult if we sought help through our Lord. Our problem is we don't ask Allah and we are impatient. We ask everybody except Allah. When people don't help or couldn't help, we get depressed, disappointed or upset. What can people do except what Allah lets them. Only Allah can make things happen.
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
"Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshiped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtake Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter . And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursî extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:255
When Prophet Ya'qub, peace be upon him, saw the blood stains on his beloved son's shirt, he saw there had been some foul play by his older sons against young Yusuf, peace be upon him, but he was patient and implore Allah's assistance.
وَجَآءُو عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِۦ بِدَمٍ۬ كَذِبٍ۬ۚ قَالَ بَلۡ سَوَّلَتۡ لَكُمۡ أَنفُسُكُمۡ أَمۡرً۬اۖ فَصَبۡرٌ۬ جَمِيلٌ۬ۖ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُسۡتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ
"They stained his shirt with false blood. He said: "Nay, but your minds have made up a tale (that may pass) with you, (for me) patience is most fitting: Against that which ye assert, it is God (alone) Whose help can be sought" Qur'an Yusuf 12:18
Prophet Ya'qub has faith and he knows that all that Allah does is for the best. Indeed, Allah plans and His promise is true. Many years later the family of Ya'qub reunited in the blessed land of Egypt.
فَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ ءَاوَىٰٓ إِلَيۡهِ أَبَوَيۡهِ وَقَالَ ٱدۡخُلُواْ مِصۡرَ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ءَامِنِينَ وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيۡهِ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِ وَخَرُّواْ لَهُ ۥ سُجَّدً۬اۖ وَقَالَ يَـٰٓأَبَتِ هَـٰذَا تَأۡوِيلُ رُءۡيَـٰىَ مِن قَبۡلُ قَدۡ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّى حَقًّ۬اۖ وَقَدۡ أَحۡسَنَ بِىٓ إِذۡ أَخۡرَجَنِى مِنَ ٱلسِّجۡنِ وَجَآءَ بِكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡبَدۡوِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَن نَّزَغَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ بَيۡنِى وَبَيۡنَ إِخۡوَتِىٓۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَطِيفٌ۬ لِّمَا يَشَآءُۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ
"Then, when they came in before Yusuf, he betook his parents to himself and said: 'Enter Egypt, if Allâh wills, in security.' And he raised his parents to the throne and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said: "O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true! He was indeed good to me, when He took me out of the prison, and brought you (all here) out of the bedouin-life, after Shaytan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Certainly, my Lord is the Most Courteous and Kind unto whom He wills. Truly He! Only He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.'" Qur'an Yusuf 12:99-100
So seek Allah night and day and be patient.
May Allah hold us by the hand. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Catch The Final Moments Of Blessed First 10 Days of Zulhijjah!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
What To Do On The First 10 Days Of Zulhijjah?
Plan to sacrifice an animal this Eid if you can afford it. There is a lot of blessing in it. And Remember The Homeless
May Allah accept your worship and good deeds. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers.
Hajj Mabrur to those who are performing hajj this year. Please don't forget us in your du'as and at Arafah.
Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
What To Do On The First 10 Days Of Zulhijjah?
Plan to sacrifice an animal this Eid if you can afford it. There is a lot of blessing in it. And Remember The Homeless
May Allah accept your worship and good deeds. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers.
Hajj Mabrur to those who are performing hajj this year. Please don't forget us in your du'as and at Arafah.
Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wassalaam
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Our Protective Shield
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
All of us know that we need to earn a living so we can feed our families and have a comfortable life. So it is no wonder that parents will make sure that their children go to school and on to college. They spend lots of energy, time and money on this, day in and day out, for many years. They take time off work so they can take their children to far away colleges and pick them up during vacations. They borrow money to pay for the expensive tuition and books. They send them for extra help so they can pass their exams or get better grades. They want their children to get their degrees, be successful, have a good career. That's their goal. This is well and good.
But is this what life is all about? Very seldom you see parents spend even 10% of that amount of energy, time and money for their children's success (in turn theirs) in the life hereafter. If you go to the masjid bathroom/wudu' area, you will see most children, even adult children, even parents, who couldn't even make wudu' (ablution) properly. Teaching someone how to make wudu' properly does not take more than 10 minutes but why do parents neglected to fulfill this very simple but very important obligation--sending their children to qualified teachers to teach them how to make wudu' and pray properly?
We are moved to do for the one we are attached to. So if our hearts are attached to good colleges, to money, to the comfort of this life, we will do our best to get our children to good colleges, to earn that money and get that comfort. But if our hearts are attached to Allah, then we will be moved to do our best to earn the pleasure of Allah. How do we get there? Only knowledge can get us there. And Tawfiq is from Allah.
But let's begin with getting our wudu' done properly because without proper wudu', there will be no proper prayer. Prayer is an important pillar of Islam. If this pillar is shaking, our iman is also shaking. Wudu', like prayer, is an act of worship. It is not a game that we splash some water on our faces, hands and feet. Someone with his heart attached to Allah will perform his wudu' with much reverence and focus, and with every action during the wudu' he hopes for his sins falling off his limbs.
It was reported that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that anyone who does wudu' and does it well and then prays will be forgiven everything that he does between then and the time he does his prayer. So learn how to do wudu' well and make sure we teach our children how to do wudu' well. The way we do this is by following the way of people whose hearts are attached to Allah. And that is the way of the people who perform the wudu' according to the sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Your life should be in constant remembrance of Allah, even during wudu', for it is a light that drives away the shaytan, our avowed enemy who is lurking to snatch our iman away and the one causing dissension among us. So be in constant wudu' because it is our protective shield against shaytan.
May Allah protect us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
All of us know that we need to earn a living so we can feed our families and have a comfortable life. So it is no wonder that parents will make sure that their children go to school and on to college. They spend lots of energy, time and money on this, day in and day out, for many years. They take time off work so they can take their children to far away colleges and pick them up during vacations. They borrow money to pay for the expensive tuition and books. They send them for extra help so they can pass their exams or get better grades. They want their children to get their degrees, be successful, have a good career. That's their goal. This is well and good.
But is this what life is all about? Very seldom you see parents spend even 10% of that amount of energy, time and money for their children's success (in turn theirs) in the life hereafter. If you go to the masjid bathroom/wudu' area, you will see most children, even adult children, even parents, who couldn't even make wudu' (ablution) properly. Teaching someone how to make wudu' properly does not take more than 10 minutes but why do parents neglected to fulfill this very simple but very important obligation--sending their children to qualified teachers to teach them how to make wudu' and pray properly?
We are moved to do for the one we are attached to. So if our hearts are attached to good colleges, to money, to the comfort of this life, we will do our best to get our children to good colleges, to earn that money and get that comfort. But if our hearts are attached to Allah, then we will be moved to do our best to earn the pleasure of Allah. How do we get there? Only knowledge can get us there. And Tawfiq is from Allah.
But let's begin with getting our wudu' done properly because without proper wudu', there will be no proper prayer. Prayer is an important pillar of Islam. If this pillar is shaking, our iman is also shaking. Wudu', like prayer, is an act of worship. It is not a game that we splash some water on our faces, hands and feet. Someone with his heart attached to Allah will perform his wudu' with much reverence and focus, and with every action during the wudu' he hopes for his sins falling off his limbs.
It was reported that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that anyone who does wudu' and does it well and then prays will be forgiven everything that he does between then and the time he does his prayer. So learn how to do wudu' well and make sure we teach our children how to do wudu' well. The way we do this is by following the way of people whose hearts are attached to Allah. And that is the way of the people who perform the wudu' according to the sunnah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Your life should be in constant remembrance of Allah, even during wudu', for it is a light that drives away the shaytan, our avowed enemy who is lurking to snatch our iman away and the one causing dissension among us. So be in constant wudu' because it is our protective shield against shaytan.
May Allah protect us from the trials and tribulations of this life and the next. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Do Your Part for Help
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When you think your life is tough, it is tough, but you can handle it.
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
"Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope..." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:286
The moment it is going to be beyond your ability, help will come inshaAllah. But you have to do your part.
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ
"Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the Help of Allah?" Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!" Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:214
If you want something from Allah, you have to take the first step. If you wait and expect things will come to you without any effort, nothing will happen. Allah does not reward laziness and procrastination.
Remember Maryam binti Imran, the mother of 'Isa, peace be upon them;
فَأَجَآءَهَا ٱلۡمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذۡعِ ٱلنَّخۡلَةِ قَالَتۡ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى مِتُّ قَبۡلَ هَـٰذَا وَڪُنتُ نَسۡيً۬ا مَّنسِيًّ۬ا
"And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!" Qur'an Maryam 19:23
When it became unbearable for Maryam to bear the pain, Allah sent her comfort.
فَنَادَىٰهَا مِن تَحْتِهَآ أَلَّا تَحْزَنِى قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّۭاوَهُزِّىٓ إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ ٱلنَّخْلَةِ تُسَٰقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًۭا جَنِيًّۭا فَكُلِى وَٱشۡرَبِى وَقَرِّى عَيۡنً۬اۖ فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡبَشَرِ أَحَدً۬ا فَقُولِىٓ إِنِّى نَذَرۡتُ لِلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ صَوۡمً۬ا فَلَنۡ أُڪَلِّمَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ إِنسِيًّ۬ا
"Then [the baby 'Isa or Jibril] cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you; And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad, And if you see any human being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.'" Qur'an Maryam 19:24-26
She was told to shake the palm trunk and dates fell for her to eat to gain back her strength. What's the point with shaking the tree? If you have seen a date palm tree and ask a group of men to shake it at the base, they won't be able to move it even a fraction. How could a woman in labor, weak and exhausted, shake it? Allah can make the dates fell on her lap without any effort from her. But Allah wants her to do her part.
So until the help comes, hang in there patiently but also do your part to the best of your ability.
If you seek help from Allah, Allah will give it to you. But remember Him always, do your part and be patient.
"I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assemble better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed." (related by Bukhari)
May Allah grant us steadfastness and patience. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
When you think your life is tough, it is tough, but you can handle it.
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
"Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope..." Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:286
The moment it is going to be beyond your ability, help will come inshaAllah. But you have to do your part.
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ
"Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the Help of Allah?" Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!" Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:214
If you want something from Allah, you have to take the first step. If you wait and expect things will come to you without any effort, nothing will happen. Allah does not reward laziness and procrastination.
Remember Maryam binti Imran, the mother of 'Isa, peace be upon them;
فَأَجَآءَهَا ٱلۡمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذۡعِ ٱلنَّخۡلَةِ قَالَتۡ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى مِتُّ قَبۡلَ هَـٰذَا وَڪُنتُ نَسۡيً۬ا مَّنسِيًّ۬ا
"And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!" Qur'an Maryam 19:23
When it became unbearable for Maryam to bear the pain, Allah sent her comfort.
فَنَادَىٰهَا مِن تَحْتِهَآ أَلَّا تَحْزَنِى قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِيًّۭاوَهُزِّىٓ إِلَيْكِ بِجِذْعِ ٱلنَّخْلَةِ تُسَٰقِطْ عَلَيْكِ رُطَبًۭا جَنِيًّۭا فَكُلِى وَٱشۡرَبِى وَقَرِّى عَيۡنً۬اۖ فَإِمَّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡبَشَرِ أَحَدً۬ا فَقُولِىٓ إِنِّى نَذَرۡتُ لِلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ صَوۡمً۬ا فَلَنۡ أُڪَلِّمَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ إِنسِيًّ۬ا
"Then [the baby 'Isa or Jibril] cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you; And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad, And if you see any human being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.'" Qur'an Maryam 19:24-26
She was told to shake the palm trunk and dates fell for her to eat to gain back her strength. What's the point with shaking the tree? If you have seen a date palm tree and ask a group of men to shake it at the base, they won't be able to move it even a fraction. How could a woman in labor, weak and exhausted, shake it? Allah can make the dates fell on her lap without any effort from her. But Allah wants her to do her part.
So until the help comes, hang in there patiently but also do your part to the best of your ability.
If you seek help from Allah, Allah will give it to you. But remember Him always, do your part and be patient.
"I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assemble better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed." (related by Bukhari)
May Allah grant us steadfastness and patience. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Motherhood
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that the best of women are four: Mariam, mother of Isa, Khadijah binti Khuwalid, Fatima binti Muhammad and Aasiya, wife of Fir'aun, peace be upon them all.
Notice, two of them, Mariam and Aasiya, each raised a Prophet. Mariam raised Isa, Allah grant him peace, and Aasiya raised Musa, Allah grant him peace.
What we can glean from this fact is that the nurturing that a pious woman gives her child, bringing up the child to be a strong Muslim character can elevate her to the highest level.
So, remember the Gardens when you are about to give up on your children who when it comes to Qur'an they fell asleep but they could go on for hours playing stupid quizzes and games on the computer or socializing with their facebook friends. Remember the Gardens if you haven't put Islam at the forefront of your child's life.
You carried them for 9 months like nobody carries anybody. You protected them during pregnancy with your whole being, suffering patiently all the worries, pains, difficulties and sorrows of pregnancy; in pain you gave birth to them while your life was hanging on the thread; you gave them every comfort with your own hardship; lulling them to sleep while keeping yourself awake; you fed them the fruits of your heart which nobody feeds anybody, with much discomfort and pain sometimes, until they can feed themselves. Your job does not end here. You cannot leave them now. You cannot take a break. You cannot give up. You have to continue to nurture them. Nurturing them to be good and strong Muslims takes time. This is your jihad. You have to brave the heat and cold of this challenging world of motherhood.
There are no short cuts to the highest Paradise.
And Allah knows best.
May Allah help us raise our children to be strong Muslims, grant us patience and tawfiq. May Allah grant us Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said that the best of women are four: Mariam, mother of Isa, Khadijah binti Khuwalid, Fatima binti Muhammad and Aasiya, wife of Fir'aun, peace be upon them all.
Notice, two of them, Mariam and Aasiya, each raised a Prophet. Mariam raised Isa, Allah grant him peace, and Aasiya raised Musa, Allah grant him peace.
What we can glean from this fact is that the nurturing that a pious woman gives her child, bringing up the child to be a strong Muslim character can elevate her to the highest level.
So, remember the Gardens when you are about to give up on your children who when it comes to Qur'an they fell asleep but they could go on for hours playing stupid quizzes and games on the computer or socializing with their facebook friends. Remember the Gardens if you haven't put Islam at the forefront of your child's life.
You carried them for 9 months like nobody carries anybody. You protected them during pregnancy with your whole being, suffering patiently all the worries, pains, difficulties and sorrows of pregnancy; in pain you gave birth to them while your life was hanging on the thread; you gave them every comfort with your own hardship; lulling them to sleep while keeping yourself awake; you fed them the fruits of your heart which nobody feeds anybody, with much discomfort and pain sometimes, until they can feed themselves. Your job does not end here. You cannot leave them now. You cannot take a break. You cannot give up. You have to continue to nurture them. Nurturing them to be good and strong Muslims takes time. This is your jihad. You have to brave the heat and cold of this challenging world of motherhood.
There are no short cuts to the highest Paradise.
And Allah knows best.
May Allah help us raise our children to be strong Muslims, grant us patience and tawfiq. May Allah grant us Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Excuse Not Accuse
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah granted the du'a of Prophet Sulayman (King Solomon), peace be upon him, for a kingdom that none after him would have. Besides wisdom, Allah had blessed Prophet Sulayman with many abilities. He could command the winds and understand and talk to birds and animals.
One day Prophet Sulayman gathered his army, which comprised of different battalions of men, jinns, birds, and animals. He marched them towards a country.
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌۭ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
"Till, when they came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulayman and his hosts should crush you, while they perceive not." Qur'an The Ant 27:18
The ant, which saw the army approaching, did not run away to save her life because she had concerned for her colony. Even if she escapes the danger, she is going to perish because she cannot survive alone.
We should have concern for the Ummah like this ant did for her colony. If we don't care about the Ummah, we are dead before we even die. Sometimes very minor things cause relationships to drift apart. We should realize we need to stick together and take care of each other or we will perish. We cannot standalone. We should find excuses for our brother/sister for their bad actions, not quick to accuse your brother/sister. Learn from the ant. The ant gave Sulayman and his army an excuse, "they don't know," instead of accusing them of intentionally wanting to harm them, while she and her colony were facing this huge danger of being crushed by Prophet Sulayman and his army.
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًۭا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَٰلِحًۭا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِى بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِى عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
"So he (Prophet Sulayman) smiled, amused at her speech and said: "My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves." Qur'an The Ant 27:18
Prophet Sulayman accredited the thanks to Allah. Whenever Allah gives us something good or a blessing, our first reaction should not be jumping up and down but we say Alhamdulillah, all praises be to Allah, and follow it up with good deeds.
May Allah makes us among His grateful and righteous servants. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah granted the du'a of Prophet Sulayman (King Solomon), peace be upon him, for a kingdom that none after him would have. Besides wisdom, Allah had blessed Prophet Sulayman with many abilities. He could command the winds and understand and talk to birds and animals.
One day Prophet Sulayman gathered his army, which comprised of different battalions of men, jinns, birds, and animals. He marched them towards a country.
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌۭ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّمْلُ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ مَسَٰكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
"Till, when they came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulayman and his hosts should crush you, while they perceive not." Qur'an The Ant 27:18
The ant, which saw the army approaching, did not run away to save her life because she had concerned for her colony. Even if she escapes the danger, she is going to perish because she cannot survive alone.
We should have concern for the Ummah like this ant did for her colony. If we don't care about the Ummah, we are dead before we even die. Sometimes very minor things cause relationships to drift apart. We should realize we need to stick together and take care of each other or we will perish. We cannot standalone. We should find excuses for our brother/sister for their bad actions, not quick to accuse your brother/sister. Learn from the ant. The ant gave Sulayman and his army an excuse, "they don't know," instead of accusing them of intentionally wanting to harm them, while she and her colony were facing this huge danger of being crushed by Prophet Sulayman and his army.
فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًۭا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَٰلِحًۭا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِى بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِى عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ
"So he (Prophet Sulayman) smiled, amused at her speech and said: "My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves." Qur'an The Ant 27:18
Prophet Sulayman accredited the thanks to Allah. Whenever Allah gives us something good or a blessing, our first reaction should not be jumping up and down but we say Alhamdulillah, all praises be to Allah, and follow it up with good deeds.
May Allah makes us among His grateful and righteous servants. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Saturday, October 30, 2010
I Will Not Give Up!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Even so that wisdom did not comprehend everything. Divine knowledge, as far as man is concerned, is unlimited. Even after Prophet Musa received his divine mission, his knowledge was not so perfect that it could not receive more. So he was determined to go and learn from this mysterious teacher who he could find at the junction of two seas.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَىٰهُ لَآ أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰٓ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِىَ حُقُبًۭا
"Behold, Musa said to his attendant, "I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travel." Qur'an al-Kahf 18:60
How far are you willing to seek Divine knowledge? If you cannot go too far, take the opportunity of the programs at your local masjid. Even if they are not quite organized and perhaps inadequate, you can still learn something. And then you can build on it and try to improve it. Have patience. Allah sees what you are doing. If the intention is sincere and you are consistent, Allah will bless your efforts and open up things for you in ways that you couldn't imagine. InshaAllah.
May Allah give you tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Even so that wisdom did not comprehend everything. Divine knowledge, as far as man is concerned, is unlimited. Even after Prophet Musa received his divine mission, his knowledge was not so perfect that it could not receive more. So he was determined to go and learn from this mysterious teacher who he could find at the junction of two seas.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَىٰهُ لَآ أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰٓ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ ٱلْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِىَ حُقُبًۭا
"Behold, Musa said to his attendant, "I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I spend years and years in travel." Qur'an al-Kahf 18:60
How far are you willing to seek Divine knowledge? If you cannot go too far, take the opportunity of the programs at your local masjid. Even if they are not quite organized and perhaps inadequate, you can still learn something. And then you can build on it and try to improve it. Have patience. Allah sees what you are doing. If the intention is sincere and you are consistent, Allah will bless your efforts and open up things for you in ways that you couldn't imagine. InshaAllah.
May Allah give you tawfiq. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Thursday, October 28, 2010
What Appears To Be Evil
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The story of Khidr, peace be upon him, finds its source in the Qur’an Surah Kahf 18:60-82. Khidr was met by Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, and Khidr taught Musa by means of a series of practical lessons about the Will of God and His Actions. One of the three actions of Khidr which Prophet Musa couldn't hold his patience was when Khidr killed a boy.
"Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy, he (Khidr) killed him. Musa said: "Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none? Verily, you have committed a thing "Nukr" (a great Munkar - prohibited, evil, dreadful thing)!" (Khidr) said: "Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?" Qur'an al-Kahf 18:74-75
We can imagine how the parents of this boy reacted when they found their child murdered. If they are parents like most of us, they would cry, moan, grieve, upset and angry because they didn't know what Allah has planned for their future but Khidr knew.
(Khidr) said: "This is the parting between me and you, I will tell you the interpretation of (those) things over which you were unable to hold patience...
"And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief. "So we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in righteousness and nearer to mercy. Qur'an Kahf 18:78-81
Allah was hiding good from them in what appeared to be evil.
We don't despair when calamity strikes, but we ask Allah to give us support in our misfortune and compensate us with something better, and give us the reward that is in the difficulties.
Always remember, we might love something but it is not good for us and we might dislike something but it is good for us.
May Allah protect 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
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The story of Khidr, peace be upon him, finds its source in the Qur’an Surah Kahf 18:60-82. Khidr was met by Prophet Musa, peace be upon him, and Khidr taught Musa by means of a series of practical lessons about the Will of God and His Actions. One of the three actions of Khidr which Prophet Musa couldn't hold his patience was when Khidr killed a boy.
"Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy, he (Khidr) killed him. Musa said: "Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none? Verily, you have committed a thing "Nukr" (a great Munkar - prohibited, evil, dreadful thing)!" (Khidr) said: "Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?" Qur'an al-Kahf 18:74-75
We can imagine how the parents of this boy reacted when they found their child murdered. If they are parents like most of us, they would cry, moan, grieve, upset and angry because they didn't know what Allah has planned for their future but Khidr knew.
(Khidr) said: "This is the parting between me and you, I will tell you the interpretation of (those) things over which you were unable to hold patience...
"And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should oppress them by rebellion and disbelief. "So we intended that their Lord should change him for them for one better in righteousness and nearer to mercy. Qur'an Kahf 18:78-81
Allah was hiding good from them in what appeared to be evil.
We don't despair when calamity strikes, but we ask Allah to give us support in our misfortune and compensate us with something better, and give us the reward that is in the difficulties.
Always remember, we might love something but it is not good for us and we might dislike something but it is good for us.
May Allah protect 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
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