بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Three things, if you have them, by Allah's grace, will open up everything for you, inshaAllah.
Serve Allah and His creations for His sake only (seeking His pleasure with gratitude and humility)
Patient and persevere in the face of difficulties, problems or hardship
Content with everything--what you have or don't have, what comes your way--little or much, good or bad
The Arabic name for Egypt is Misr. It's Arabic letters are م ص ر. Each letter is said to have the beginning of an Arabic word that can be understood to have the above-mentioned words/meanings.
If you have lived or seen Egypt, you can understand how particularly important this is. Egypt is not like many countries I have been. Some people called this place a factory of knowledge. Indeed, there is a lot of truth to this. But people who come to Egypt or live in Egypt for something else other than to know Allah miss the abundant knowledge that Allah is putting before them in each and every moment.
If you want good, you can find abundant good in Egypt, more than anywhere else I have been, and you feel the compassion and mercy of Allah everywhere. You are thankful for any good and you overlook the bad.
"With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none knows but He. He knows whatever there is on the earth, and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is written in a Clear Record." Qur'an An'Am 6:59
Bottom line, wherever you go, wherever you are, whatever you encounter in your daily lives, you should constantly feel the compassion and mercy of Allah. He is Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim. You yourselves invoke these Names many times a day--e.g. before you eat, before you take your wudu', before reciting any surah of the Qur'an, and before many of your mundane actions. You should be the same to His creations, especially to the people around you and especially to your parents, your children and your spouse.
The Creation we see around us is not idle sport or play, or whim on the part of Allah. It is the medium through which we develop our spiritual life. This life is our testing time.
"And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six days and His Throne was on the water, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds..." Qur'an Hud 11:7
Yesterday, my son and I had to travel to downtown Cairo (my son lost count on how many times we had to do this) in order to try to resolve my son's college admission matters. We wound up having to walk from one place to another or stand most of the 8 hours we were out. We have gone through this similar experience many times before for the past almost 3 months for the same reason. So, I decided not to fast yesterday (Thursday) because I haven't been well and didn't want to worsen my condition with dehydration. At one of the many stops to ask for directions, I saw a fresh juice stand, so I asked my son if he would like a glass of fresh sugar cane juice, his favorite. And of course his answer was "yes." It was a hot day and he was sweating! As I was ordering, I saw from the corner of my eyes, a middle aged woman in all black dress and hijab, who was sitting on the sidewalk next to the store and reciting Qur'an. She looked poor and weak. I ordered another glass of sugar cane juice and offered it to her. But she politely refused and said she was fasting. MashaAllah. I looked at her again. I could see the light in her face. SubhanAllah. I then asked my son to give her some money and he did. May Allah have mercy on the lady.
My son was quiet all throughout the rest of our journey and made my job so much easier.
May Allah shower us with His Light and have mercy on us and all the Muslims. Ameen. Please keep us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Showing posts with label content. Show all posts
Showing posts with label content. Show all posts
Friday, September 24, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
When I Love Him...
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that Ramadhan is full of blessings for you and your families.
Somebody whose hearing, seeing, hand and foot are with Allah is not a normal person. His life is not a normal life. He might have difficulties, might have tests, might have lost his loved ones, might not have much to speak of, but he is content and pleased with Allah. This is a life of a strong person.
This is a tremendous goal--for Allah to love us. But it means practicing Islam. First you do the obligatory acts of worship, then increase with recommended acts of worship. This will lead to Allah loves you and when Allah is completely with you in everything.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Allah (Mighty and Sublime be He) 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 al-Bukhari)
'O soul at peace, Return 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 89:27-30
May Allah grant us righteous deeds so He loves 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 Ramadhan is full of blessings for you and your families.
Somebody whose hearing, seeing, hand and foot are with Allah is not a normal person. His life is not a normal life. He might have difficulties, might have tests, might have lost his loved ones, might not have much to speak of, but he is content and pleased with Allah. This is a life of a strong person.
This is a tremendous goal--for Allah to love us. But it means practicing Islam. First you do the obligatory acts of worship, then increase with recommended acts of worship. This will lead to Allah loves you and when Allah is completely with you in everything.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah, Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: Allah (Mighty and Sublime be He) 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 al-Bukhari)
'O soul at peace, Return 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 89:27-30
May Allah grant us righteous deeds so He loves us. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
wassalaam
Friday, July 30, 2010
Aiming For That Big Prize!
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In The Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Of all the common discomfort in our lives is being in the heat. When you are in 113° F (45° C) + for days and nights, what do you do? Find AC, fans or go in or under a shade? What happen when you don't have any of those? Maybe you are in a desert and there are no trees. Maybe you can't afford AC or fans, or maybe you have them but there is no electricity--maybe the whole city lost power because it can't handle the high usage or someone ran into the power pole and cause the blackouts! It is a common occurrence living in the African desert. SubhanAllah. Nothing you experience in life, good or bad, is without a purpose if only you reflect.
People usually become impatient when they are faced with discomfort or problems. Likewise, people often forget to thank Allah in good times. If you are alone, who is there to remind you all these? You have to tell yourself often, "I am not going to fail this test!" And be prepared for the next test which can be harder. But if you surround yourself with righteous people, it would be easier for you. You go through good and bad times the same. You find happiness in both. You are content in both. You remind each other of the favors of Allah. You remind each other of patience. You remind each other of that big prize you are aiming for!
"(Some) faces on that day shall be bright, looking to their Lord. And (other) faces on that day shall be gloomy, knowing that there will be made to befall them some great calamity." Al-Qiyaamah 75:22-25
May Allah grant us much patience to go through this life and make us His thankful slave. Ameen. Please remember 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.
Of all the common discomfort in our lives is being in the heat. When you are in 113° F (45° C) + for days and nights, what do you do? Find AC, fans or go in or under a shade? What happen when you don't have any of those? Maybe you are in a desert and there are no trees. Maybe you can't afford AC or fans, or maybe you have them but there is no electricity--maybe the whole city lost power because it can't handle the high usage or someone ran into the power pole and cause the blackouts! It is a common occurrence living in the African desert. SubhanAllah. Nothing you experience in life, good or bad, is without a purpose if only you reflect.
People usually become impatient when they are faced with discomfort or problems. Likewise, people often forget to thank Allah in good times. If you are alone, who is there to remind you all these? You have to tell yourself often, "I am not going to fail this test!" And be prepared for the next test which can be harder. But if you surround yourself with righteous people, it would be easier for you. You go through good and bad times the same. You find happiness in both. You are content in both. You remind each other of the favors of Allah. You remind each other of patience. You remind each other of that big prize you are aiming for!
"(Some) faces on that day shall be bright, looking to their Lord. And (other) faces on that day shall be gloomy, knowing that there will be made to befall them some great calamity." Al-Qiyaamah 75:22-25
May Allah grant us much patience to go through this life and make us His thankful slave. Ameen. Please remember us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
What do you weep about?
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 truly believe that everything comes Allah, it is very easy to handle losses, disappointments, difficulties and the like. The same way Allah take away something from you, allow disappointments to creep into your hearts, afflict you with pain, Allah can give you back what you have lost or give you something better; Allah can give you satisfaction and contentment, Allah can ease your problem. He says, "Be" and it is. That does not mean you can be a passive human being and wait for it to "be" or the unemotional one--that you don't cry, that you don't feel. Far from that. In fact, the opposite. You must act in a positive manner--take steps to relieve your burden, keeping in mind that Allah has chosen what is best for you so you should not resent it. You are allowed to cry and grieve for a time--it is the mercy that you have in your heart whether you are a man or a woman. I don't know who came up with this statement that boys don't cry. Well, all my brothers cry (sometimes worse than me) and I saw my father cry when I was a girl. MashaAllah they are among the most compassionate and helpful people I know.
Actually, we all need a big cry. The biggest cry is when you see the ummah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is deteriorating, and we are deteriorating. Religion is on the wayside for many and ignorance is pretty common. This affects us all collectively. You see thousands of people going to occasional Islamic knowledge-based events but once the event is over, the knowledge disappears before it even brought into practice.You see hardly any people come to the masjids and it is always the same people who come or contribute their time and money to the masjids.
We forget and some don't know that the first thing that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, did when he entered an area was to build a masjid for people to congregate in worship and provide a place where knowledge can be acquired. The masjid An-Nabawi in Madinah for example, was not only a place of worship but also a center of learning and it was there many great early scholars were produced whose knowledge we benefit until today.
But many of our mosques today are pretty quiet because not many people frequent them and so no activities take place or maybe people don't frequent them because there are no activities. But Allah already set some activities for us to follow everyday--the five daily prayers and the Friday prayer. Especially for a resident man, it is obligatory to perform the Jum'ah prayer (with a few exceptions) and it is important for man to pray at the masjid. The wisdom behind this is obvious.
So when bad things happen to you or something happen that you don't like, perhaps it is a wake up call, perhaps it is begging you to do something positive, perhaps it is to strengthen your iman, perhaps it is to raise you higher. Regardless, it is the most suitable for you for your circumstance and you should be grateful that it is happening. The minimum you should do is don't complain. Be content with it and if you can't then be patient and endure for that which is unpleasant lies much good.
We should learn from Umm Ayman Barakah, Allah be pleased with her, who was the first person to hold the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in her arms when he was born and the only person who knew him from that point until his death. Her devotion to the religion of Islam was strong and unshakable. She tied her well-being to that of Islam. During a visit from the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, he asked: "Ya Ummi! Are you well?" and she would reply: "I am well, O Messenger of Allah so long as Islam is." After the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, had died, Umm Ayman would often be found with tears in her eyes. She was asked by Abu Bakr and Omar, Allah be pleased with them, "Why are you crying?" and she replied: "By Allah, I knew that the Messenger of Allah would die but I cry now because the revelation from on high has come to an end for us." (and Abu Bakr and Omar wept along when they heard this).
What do you weep about? When you cry, you don't cry about losing something of this world--your job, your house, your money, your wife, your children--but about losing the opportunity to do good for the next world. And we have plenty of opportunities to do good for this world and the next eternal world--all for our own well-being. Grab it while you can.
May Allah guide us to do good with excellence. 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 truly believe that everything comes Allah, it is very easy to handle losses, disappointments, difficulties and the like. The same way Allah take away something from you, allow disappointments to creep into your hearts, afflict you with pain, Allah can give you back what you have lost or give you something better; Allah can give you satisfaction and contentment, Allah can ease your problem. He says, "Be" and it is. That does not mean you can be a passive human being and wait for it to "be" or the unemotional one--that you don't cry, that you don't feel. Far from that. In fact, the opposite. You must act in a positive manner--take steps to relieve your burden, keeping in mind that Allah has chosen what is best for you so you should not resent it. You are allowed to cry and grieve for a time--it is the mercy that you have in your heart whether you are a man or a woman. I don't know who came up with this statement that boys don't cry. Well, all my brothers cry (sometimes worse than me) and I saw my father cry when I was a girl. MashaAllah they are among the most compassionate and helpful people I know.
Actually, we all need a big cry. The biggest cry is when you see the ummah of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, is deteriorating, and we are deteriorating. Religion is on the wayside for many and ignorance is pretty common. This affects us all collectively. You see thousands of people going to occasional Islamic knowledge-based events but once the event is over, the knowledge disappears before it even brought into practice.You see hardly any people come to the masjids and it is always the same people who come or contribute their time and money to the masjids.
We forget and some don't know that the first thing that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, did when he entered an area was to build a masjid for people to congregate in worship and provide a place where knowledge can be acquired. The masjid An-Nabawi in Madinah for example, was not only a place of worship but also a center of learning and it was there many great early scholars were produced whose knowledge we benefit until today.
But many of our mosques today are pretty quiet because not many people frequent them and so no activities take place or maybe people don't frequent them because there are no activities. But Allah already set some activities for us to follow everyday--the five daily prayers and the Friday prayer. Especially for a resident man, it is obligatory to perform the Jum'ah prayer (with a few exceptions) and it is important for man to pray at the masjid. The wisdom behind this is obvious.
So when bad things happen to you or something happen that you don't like, perhaps it is a wake up call, perhaps it is begging you to do something positive, perhaps it is to strengthen your iman, perhaps it is to raise you higher. Regardless, it is the most suitable for you for your circumstance and you should be grateful that it is happening. The minimum you should do is don't complain. Be content with it and if you can't then be patient and endure for that which is unpleasant lies much good.
We should learn from Umm Ayman Barakah, Allah be pleased with her, who was the first person to hold the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, in her arms when he was born and the only person who knew him from that point until his death. Her devotion to the religion of Islam was strong and unshakable. She tied her well-being to that of Islam. During a visit from the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, he asked: "Ya Ummi! Are you well?" and she would reply: "I am well, O Messenger of Allah so long as Islam is." After the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, had died, Umm Ayman would often be found with tears in her eyes. She was asked by Abu Bakr and Omar, Allah be pleased with them, "Why are you crying?" and she replied: "By Allah, I knew that the Messenger of Allah would die but I cry now because the revelation from on high has come to an end for us." (and Abu Bakr and Omar wept along when they heard this).
What do you weep about? When you cry, you don't cry about losing something of this world--your job, your house, your money, your wife, your children--but about losing the opportunity to do good for the next world. And we have plenty of opportunities to do good for this world and the next eternal world--all for our own well-being. Grab it while you can.
May Allah guide us to do good with excellence. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
Friday, March 19, 2010
Choose your companions
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
I pray that you are well.
You love someone because you feel they are close to Allah. Their closeness to Allah wins your love for them. It is a very virtuous deed indeed when you love someone for Allah. Through it you get the sweetness of faith. You feel content and your heart is tranquil. The heart moves with Allah. The sign that you love someone for Allah is that you can leave that someone when he/she is distant from Allah. People who are distant from Allah, you have an aversion of them. You don't want to be their best friend.
It is good to love the believers because this is our means of success in the Day of Judgment.
So choose your companions carefully. You will be like them. These are the people that can bring you closer to Allah or away from Allah. When you see righteousness in your companions, it is good to say I love you. And to all my teachers and my companions, I love you.
May Allah resurrect us with His beloved and enter us into Paradise with him. Ameen. Please do not forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
P.S. Today is our group recitation of Juz 'Amma and du'a at Masjid Al-Ittehad, Vista for the khatma Qur'an. Begin at 6:00 pm. Potluck dinner after Maghrib. InshaAllah. Those nearby please being your families and join us at the masjid. May Allah reward you well. Ameen.
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
I pray that you are well.
You love someone because you feel they are close to Allah. Their closeness to Allah wins your love for them. It is a very virtuous deed indeed when you love someone for Allah. Through it you get the sweetness of faith. You feel content and your heart is tranquil. The heart moves with Allah. The sign that you love someone for Allah is that you can leave that someone when he/she is distant from Allah. People who are distant from Allah, you have an aversion of them. You don't want to be their best friend.
It is good to love the believers because this is our means of success in the Day of Judgment.
So choose your companions carefully. You will be like them. These are the people that can bring you closer to Allah or away from Allah. When you see righteousness in your companions, it is good to say I love you. And to all my teachers and my companions, I love you.
May Allah resurrect us with His beloved and enter us into Paradise with him. Ameen. Please do not forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
Wassalaam
P.S. Today is our group recitation of Juz 'Amma and du'a at Masjid Al-Ittehad, Vista for the khatma Qur'an. Begin at 6:00 pm. Potluck dinner after Maghrib. InshaAllah. Those nearby please being your families and join us at the masjid. May Allah reward you well. Ameen.
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