Allah is Not Your Teddy Bear

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Allah Is Not Your Teddy Bear

“And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us to [remove] an affliction that touched him. Thus, it is made pleasing to the transgressors, which they have been doing.” [Quran,Yunus 10:12]

Allah is not simply a comforting presence to be turned to only in times of need or distress, like a child clinging to a stuffed toy for comfort. Rather, Allah is the Almighty, the Creator, and the Sustainer of the universe, deserving our utmost reverence, obedience, and submission.

We should approach our relationship with Allah with a sense of awe, humility, and accountability, recognizing His greatness and authority and not reducing Him to a mere source of comfort or a means to personal ends. 

We should deepen our understanding of who Allah is and honor Him in all aspects of our lives, not just when we seek solace.

The Prophet (ﷺ) says, “... Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. Recognize and acknowledge Allah in times of ease and prosperity, and He will remember you in times of adversity...” [Hadith 19, 40 Hadith An-Nawawi]

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The Essence of Life

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

The Essence of Life

A knower of Allah, someone deeply connected to their Creator, summarizes:  “This life boils down to waiting for prayer (salah) time until we are prayed upon.” 

Salah serves as a constant reminder of our relationship with Allah and our purpose in this life. 

Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, it is necessary to pause for salah at its time and concentrate on our spiritual growth and preparation for the Hereafter. 

As Allah Almighty reminds us, "And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers. And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me."  [Quran, 51:55-56)]

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The Blessed Life of Old Age

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

The Blessed Life of Old Age

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The lifespan of my Ummah is between sixty and seventy years. Few of them exceed this period." [Sunan Ibn Majah]

A hadith that highlights the blessings of reaching old age: "No one reaches forty years in Islam, but Allah protects him from three: madness, leprosy, and vitiligo. When he reaches fifty, Allah makes his reckoning lighter. When he reaches sixty, Allah grants him to return to Him in a manner He loves. When he reaches seventy, the inhabitants of heaven love him. When he reaches eighty, Allah records his good deeds and erases his sins. When he reaches ninety, Allah forgives his past and future sins, permits him to intercede for his family, and he becomes the prisoner of Allah on the earth." [Musnad Ahmad]

"If a young man honors an elder person on account of his age, Allah appoints someone to show reverence to him in his old age." [At-Tirmidhi]

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from helplessness, laziness, cowardice, and feeble old age; I seek refuge with You from afflictions of life and death and seek refuge with You from the punishment in the grave.".[Bukhari]  May Allah have mercy on us. Aameen.

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Have You Hug Your Mother Lately?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Have You Hug Your Mother Lately?

A study from the University of North Carolina found that hugs increase the "bonding" hormone oxytocin and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially benefiting women. 

So, have you hugged your mother today? If not, hug her now or call her and say, "I love you, Mom." Keeping in touch brings joy to her heart and earns blessings. 

“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous (taqwa) of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted” (Quran, 49:13).  

Taqwa is about self-control, humility, and obedience to Allah. One way to achieve this is through honoring and caring for your mother, as Allah commands in the Quran, reminding us of the hardships mothers endure for their children. 

The Prophet (ﷺ) taught us that kindness to a parent continues even after their death, as acts of goodness in their name can benefit their souls in the Hereafter. 

Mothers deserve our utmost respect, patience, and kindness, more so than fathers, as emphasized by the Prophet (ﷺ). Neglecting or mistreating her is a serious wrongdoing.

Pleasing your mother and treating her well is a direct path to gaining Allah's pleasure and a place in Paradise. 

Treat your mother with the highest respect and care, developing the best character, which holds great weight on the Day of Judgment. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The closest to me on the Day of Judgment and the most beloved to me are those who have the best character.”

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Gossip is Like a Feather Blown in the Wind. Don't Take It Lightly.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Gossip is Like a Feather Blown in the Wind. Don't Take It Lightly.

Gossip is likened to something that, once spoken (or posted on social media), is like a feather blown in the wind—it spreads quickly and uncontrollably, reaching far beyond the initial intent, and cannot be retrieved or stopped. Just as a person cannot gather back all the feathers scattered by a strong wind, it is impossible to take back or control the harm caused by gossip once it is spread. 

This analogy highlights the destructive nature of gossip, which damages reputations and relationships and sows discord within the community. 

It is important to guard one’s tongue, avoid idle talk, and refrain from spreading rumors to protect individuals and the wider community from unnecessary harm and discord. 

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day must either speak good or remain silent." [Muslim]

Sincere repentance is necessary as gossip is considered a sin. It's also necessary to make amends with those harmed by the gossip, whether directly apologizing and/or trying to restore their reputation.

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