Why Your Children Don't Listen To You?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Why your children don't listen to you and worse, yell at you? Because they don't have respect for you as a parent. Who to blame? When you don't give them the attention growing up, they don't have much connection with you except material connection. Children need more than food, clothes and roof over their heads to become that loving, caring and compassionate children to you. They need physical and emotional attachment with you from their birth. 

Before embarking into parenthood, learn parenting first. We go to school for other things but we think we can wing it on how to raise kids. Don't do this to your children.

For the first 7 years of their life, play more with them. Don't rush them to school the moment they can walk. They need your touch and presence more than friends or navigating the electronic screens or becoming a math viz at the age of 3. If you do that, by the time they reach puberty they will be tired of school and learning.

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah  (ﷺ) was the best of people in character. I had a brother who was called Abu ‘Umayr. When the Prophet would come and see him, he said, “What has the little sparrow done?” And he would play with him.

From age 7 to 14, teach them about life and their Creator, be their mentor. Learn to control your temper and show your unconditional love.

Anas ibn Malik said about the Prophet (ﷺ): I served the Prophet (ﷺ) at Medina for ten years. I was a boy. Every work that I did was not according to the desire of my master, but he never said to me: Uff (a minor harsh word denoting impatience), nor did he say to me: Why did you do this? or Why did you not do this?

Ibn 'Abbas narrated, ‘One day I was riding behind the Prophet when he said, “O lad, be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you shall find Him with you. When you ask (for anything), ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help from Allah.” [At-Tirmidhi]

Befriend them for the next 7 years and beyond.

Make this du'a after each prayer.

رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.

May Allah grant us righteous children who bring joy and happiness to the Prophet (ﷺ).

Aameen.

Busy Yourself Seeking Allah's Attention.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

The vast majority of time has passed where you and I were completely irrelevant. ٍSo much human history has passed and no one in that history knew who we were. We were never mentioned.

هَلْ أَتَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْإِنسَٰنِ حِينٌ مِّنَ ٱلدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْـًٔا مَّذْكُورًا ‎﴿١﴾‏ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَٰهُ سَمِيعَۢا بَصِيرًا ‎﴿٢﴾‏ 

Has there [not] come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing [even] mentioned? (1) Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing. (2)  [Quran, Al Insaan 76:1-2] 

This is Allah's way of reminding us that the few moments that we do exist after we came out of our mother's womb, we want attention. This desire that Allah put inside human beings that is driving the multi billion dollar social media industry. If human beings didn't want attention, you couldn't have social media. It wouldn't exist. Why do people look for acknowledgement all the time? Why do people feel something is missing if they don't get acknowledged? Allah says,

إِنَّا هَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا ‎﴿٣﴾

Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful. (3)  [Quran, Al Insaan 76:3] 

There is a time that's coming pretty soon where you and I are going to be in the grave and some people will remember us and they will cry over us and then time will pass, we will be forgotten. We become irrelevant again. We remember famous people like scholars in the Islamic history. They had a big family but nobody remembers them. A lot of those people are invisible to us now. We don't remember the rulers, the millionaires, the billionaires, the good looking people, the popular and famous people. They are gone and they become irrelevant again.

Allah is teaching us that you are running after this thing to be relevant, to be remembered, to be recognized, to be acknowledged, but Allah reminded us that you were created to be irrelevant and you will be going back to irrelevant again.

Life is a journey towards death. Every single day passed is one day closer to death. That journey is happening on auto pilot, that's not controlled by you. That's already been decided by Allah. There is another journey, not the journey of your lifespan, but the journey inside our hearts and our minds. Allah wants us to make a journey back towards Him in our heads and in our minds but the mind is too preoccupied wanting to be acknowledged by someone else. Allah wants that heart and that mind to first be busy looking for the acknowledgement of Allah -- Is my Rabb pleased with me? Is my Rabb looking at this good deed and is He happy with this deed? Is my Rabb happy with this service? Am I living my life in a way that eventually when this life journey ends I am going to get to meet Him? 

Allah gives the ability for everyone to go on this journey with two choices, either we are grateful or we are ungrateful.

إِنَّا هَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا ‎﴿٣﴾

Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful. (3)  [Quran, Al Insaan 76:3] 

When Allah gave you guidance and if you are not using the guidance, you can say alhamdulillah all you want, but it is meaningless because you are not using His gift to you. Living a life of gratitude to Allah, Allah will acknowledge you one day. Allah says,

إِنَّ هَٰذَا كَانَ لَكُمْ جَزَآءً وَكَانَ سَعْيُكُم مَّشْكُورًا ‎﴿٢٢﴾

[And it will be said], "Indeed, this is for yoR u a reward, and your effort has been appreciated." (22) [Quran, Al Insaan 76:22]

May Allah make us of those who are grateful and follow His guidance. Aameen.

www.darannoor.com

Becoming A Better Person

Becoming A Better Person...means you try to stay away from things that are filthy. As you do that, it enhances you and  as it enhances a lot, it adds barakah and more goodness in your life  --  which means Allah opens more doors for you to do more good and give you more strength to get away from bad stuff in your life. This cycle keeps on strengthening you to get further and further away from the bad stuff.

Nobody turns into an angel overnight. Nobody becomes perfect overnight. Nobody starts praying 5 times daily at the masjid, etc, but you take steps. You are not going to be perfect tomorrow, but you are at least on the way, go one step after another, one stage after another.  This is at least what is expected of you.

May Allah give barakah to our lives. Aameen.

www darannoor.com

Good Character In Enjoining Good and Forbid Evil

Bismillah

Good Character In Enjoining Good and Forbid Evil

People who get to represent Islam need to know how to present themselves, display good manners,  remain calm and  be on point. They can't be people who readily act on their emotions. When you teach people or calling them to religion, make things easy and simple for them. Don't make things difficult for people.  The Prophet sallallahu  alayhi wasallam said the religion is ease. Allah taught us these manners when He asked Prophet Musa alayhissalaam to go to Fir'aun and to speak to him softly. What more if the person you are talking to is your parents, children or your spouse. Aren't they more worthy of your kindness and tenderness?

May Allah grant us ease and noble character. Aameen.

www.darannoor.com

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday)...The Great Losers

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

The adornments on this earth is a test for us as who among us is best in deeds. Allah says, 

     إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ﴿٧

Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed. (7)

[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:7]

Materialism or the love of 'adornments on the earth' can make even acts of worship are done for worldly gains, recognition, respect, power and money. And those are the great losers. So, Allah reminds us in Surah al Kahf,

    أَفَحَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَن يَتَّخِذُوا۟ عِبَادِى مِن دُونِىٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۚ إِنَّآ أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ نُزُلًا ﴿١٠٢﴾ قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِٱلْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَـٰلًا ﴿١٠٣﴾ ٱلَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا ﴿١٠٤

Say, [O Muhammad], "Shall We inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? (103) [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work." (104)

[Quran, Al-Kahf 18:103-104]

Sincere intention is indispensable prerequisite for the acceptance of a good deed. Renew your intentions often as intention that once good and sincere may become rusty.

May Allah make us of those who are sincere. Aameen.

www.darannoor.com

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Great Things Begin With Du'a

Bismillah

The beginning of great things begins with a du'a. The power of du'a is captured inside Surah Kahf. It is the major turning point for a few young men who flee to the cave from the people of their city who were forcing them to worship other than Allah. As these young men flee towards the cave, they turned to Allah and made this du'a,

رَ‌بَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَ‌حْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِ‌نَا رَ‌شَدًا

Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance. [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:10]

Allah granted them their du'a and protected them for more than three centuries. Generations after generations of people derived lessons and benefited from their story, recite the Surah which is named after them every Friday, and made their du'a everyday in various settings -- imagine all the reward they are getting until the end of time. 

If you are concerned about your future, increase your du'a. Learn this du'a and make it your daily supplication.

رَ‌بَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَ‌حْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِ‌نَا رَ‌شَدًا

May Allah grant us mercy from Himself and prepare for us right guidance in all our affairs. Aameen.

www.darannoor.com

Let's Read Surah Kahf Today (Friday) -- Enjoying Tranquility and Happiness with Quran

Bismillah

Friday is Eid for the Muslims and we celebrate it by performing various actions that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam has taught us. One of the highlights of Friday for Muslims is to read Surah Kahf, the 18th chapter of the Quran.

Perhaps many of us read Surah Kahf on Friday because we want the protection that some hadiths mention:

"One who recites Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu'ah will remain protected from every fitnah. And if Dajjal appears, he will stay safe against the trying challenges released by him as well."

And it appears in some narratives that a person who recites Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu'ah will have light from his feet up to the sky. This light will serve him well on the day of Qiyaamah, and every sin committed by him between the past and the present Jumu'ah will be forgiven.

So perhaps we are motivated to read Surah Kahf on Friday because we want our sins forgiven and want that light on that difficult Day.

Whatever the thing that brought you to read Surah Kahf, you are moving in the path towards the Divine.

Whether we act upon the Sunnah knowing the benefit or not, we should strive to do what we know. This religion is all about obedience to the Almighty. And through obedience to Him, we enjoy the closeness to our Lord.

It maybe difficult to read more than a few pages at first, or to keep it up every Friday, but you must force yourself to do it. The first stage in the path towards Allah is to force yourself and bring yourself to do those actions which you know that Allah wants you to do.

The practical injunctions is a large part of this religion. Religion is meant to lead to a transformation in a human being whereby he is no longer chained to what other people are chained to of lusts, desires, laziness, or what people think. He has a much higher purpose and reflected in this person. He become a person of God.

Islam is a great blessing for those who understand it. Islam is not here to burden you but to provide you a wholesome and happy life. But it takes knowledge for a person to realize this. Surah Kahf reminds you to seek knowledge even if it means you have to travel to an unknown place in a far away land (from the story of Musa and Khidr, peace be upon them).

Once you get your two feet standing in the middle of the religion, you will find that this religion is easy and each routine becomes easier and easier and you will do more and more. Reading Qur'an becomes enjoyable and a thing you look forward to everyday. But you cannot be lazy.

In a hadith Qudsi, Allah Almighty said,

I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshiper of mine. and the most beloved things with which my slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him;

And my slave keeps on coming closer to me through performing Nawafil (Prayer or Doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) until I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks;

And if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks my protection, I will protect him; and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.

[Bukhari]

Umar ibn al-Khattab (radhiaAllahu 'anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, said:

There are people from the servants of Allah who are neither Prophets nor martyrs; the Prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Resurrection, for their rank from Allah, the Most High.” They (the people) asked: “Tell us, Messenger of Allah, who are they?” He replied: “They are people who love one another for the spirit of Allah (i.e. the Qur'an), without having any mutual kinship and giving property to one. I swear by Allah, their faces will glow and they will be (sitting) in (pulpits of) light. They will have no fear (on the Day) when the people will have fear, and they will not grieve when the people will grieve.” He then recited the following Qur'anic verse [10:62]: “Behold! Verily for the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve.

[Abu Dawud]

The friend of Allah does not only enjoy the benefit after he dies. Rather he enjoys tranquility and happiness that everybody all over the world is looking for, but no one finds it except the true slave of Allah.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, gives us things to do. Through these actions, among them reading Surah Kahf every Friday, transformation takes place. Such a person if he asks Allah for something, Allah will give it to him. Why? Because Allah loves him.

So strive to continue this Friday tradition from the Sunnah of His beloved Messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam, until you die. Don't let shaytan whisper to you otherwise. Don't let Shaytan take you away from your opportunity to be loved by Allah.

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا ﴿٣٠﴾ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضْرًا مِّن سُندُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُّتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرَآئِكِ ۚ نِعْمَ ٱلثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا ﴿٣١

Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds. (30) Those will have gardens of perpetual residence; beneath them rivers will flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and will wear green garments of fine silk and brocade, reclining therein on adorned couches. Excellent is the reward, and good is the resting place. (31)

[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:30-31]

May Allah enable us to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam and grant us tranquility and happiness in this life and the next. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam