.:: JANNATULFIRDAUZ ::. ..This Life is not our Real Life....

Seeking Knowledge - The Way to Paradise

2011-12-13T18:51:00.002+08:00

"Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have been granted knowledge to high ranks."
(Qur'an)

"Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and female)." (Hadith)

THE VIRTUES OF KNOWLEDGE

Allah (Most Exalted is He), Who created us and gave us sustenance, has also given us guidance. He said:
"Verily We have created man into toil and struggle… Have We not made for him a pair of eyes; and a tongue, and a pair of lips; and shown him the two ways (obedience and disobedience)?"
(Qur'an, Al-Balad 90:4-10)

After providing us with the capability to contemplate, think and differentiate between things, He instructed us to know Him, to know his Prophets and to know His Deen, Islam. He said:

"So know that there is no god save Allah, ask forgiveness for your sins and for the believing men and the believing women. Allah knows well your moving and your place of rest."
(Qur'an, Muhammad 47:19)

This verse shows the importance of knowledge and the virtues that Allah has given to it. It also shows that knowledge comes before deeds, since Allah instructed His Prophet to know that He is One and the only One worthy of worship. After that, He commanded him to ask forgiveness for himself, his family and for his Ummah.

If Muslims truly realise the importance Islam places on knowledge and its virtues, they will definitely be keen to learn and teach others. They would start with themselves and their families; then their neighbours and the community at large.

Once Mu'awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her) gave a sermon in which he said, "I heard Allah's Messenger saying, "If Allah wants to do good to a person, he makes him very knowledgeable in the Deen." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim)

This is because knowledge is the basis of all good; it generates actions that are based on the commandments of Allah and the instructions of the Prophet . Hence, every Muslim must instil in his mind a desire to seek knowledge. Allah (Most Exalted is He) instructed His Prophet -- and thus all Muslims -- to ask Allah to increase him in knowledge. He said:

"And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge."
(Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:114)

Though, initially, all Muslims are equal in the sight of Allah, those who believe, have taqwah (fear of Allah and righteousness), and have been granted knowledge move up to higher ranks. Allah says about those who have taqwah:

"Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who has most taqwah."
(Qur'an, Al-Hujurat 49:13)

And He said about those who believed and acquired knowledge:
"Allah will raise up, to (suitable) ranks and (degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is well-acquainted with all you do."
(Qur'an, Al-Mujadilah 58:11)

When a servant of Allah is granted knowledge, he appreciates Allah's creation more, and becomes more acquainted with Allah's attributes and qualities. Consequently, he wholeheartedly witnesses that his Creator is the only one worthy of worship, and then submits to Him humbly. This, in return, generates in his heart a fear, which is akin to a full appreciation and love of His Lord. Allah (Most Exalted is He) has witnessed in favour of His learned servants these qualities, full appreciation of His Oneness and fear of Him. He stated in two verses, to be recited until Doomsday:

"There is no one worthy of worship but He: That is the witness of Allah, His angels and those endowed with knowledge, Standing firm in Justice (or maintaining His Creation in Justice). There is no god but He, the Exalted in power, the Wise."
(Qur'an, Al-'Imran 3:18)

"It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah."
(Qur'an, Fatir 35:28)

The Messenger of Allah gave glad tidings to anyone who undertakes the task of seeking knowledge. Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said, "For him who embarks on the path of seeking knowledge, Allah will ease for him the way to paradise." (Related by Muslim) If no Hadith on the importance of knowledge besides this one had been uttered by the Prophet , it would have been enough for Muslims. Yet the Prophet did more than that:

He used to stimulate his companions to seek knowledge: Ibn Mas'ud relates that the Prophet said, "Only two persons are worthy of being envied; a person upon whom Allah bestows riches and gives him the power to spend it in a righteous cause; and a person upon whom Allah bestows wisdom by which he judges and which he teaches." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim)

He used to congratulate the companions whenever they issued a right judgement or correctly answered a question. Imam Muslim narrates that once the Prophet asked Ubayy Ibn Ka'b, "Do you know which verse in Allah's Book is the greatest?" Ubayy answered by reciting Ayat-ul-Kursi (the verse of the Throne, i.e. Al-Baqarah, 2:255): "Allah! None has the right to be worshiped but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists…) The Messenger kindly patted him on the chest, saying, "Congratulations, Abul-Munthir for this knowledge".

He used to call upon Allah to grant them the correct knowledge and understanding of this Deen: Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, "Once the Prophet embraced me and said, 'O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Qur'an)." (Related by Bukhari)

He ordained all his companions and, thus, every Muslim who possesses some knowledge -- even as little as one verse -- to disseminate what they know to others: He said, "Convey (what you learn from me) even if only one verse…" (Related by Bukhari)
He made special du'a (supplication) for those who learn his sayings and transmit them to others: Zayd Ibn Thabit narrated that the Prophet said, "May Allah brighten the face of the person who hears what I say and retains it, then conveys it to others: for sometimes one who hears from another remembers it better than the original hearer himself." (Related by Ahmad and Tirmithi)

He assured all those who disseminate his knowledge that they will get the same reward of any Muslim who acts upon that knowledge: Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said, "He who calls another to guidance will have a reward equal; to the reward of him who follows him without diminishing the reward of either of them." (Related by Muslim)

He showed to us the noble status of the learned people of His Ummah: Abu Umamah relates that the Prophet said, "A learned one is as much above an (ordinary) worshiper as I am above the least of you; and he added: Allah, His angels and all those in the heavens and in the earth, even the ants in their holes and the fish in the water, call down blessings on those who instruct people in beneficent knowledge." (Related by Tirmithi)

Better still, he declared that the 'Ulama' (those who have Islamic knowledge) are his heirs: Abu Darda' said that he heard the Prophet saying, "The 'Ulama' are heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets do not leave an inheritance of Dirhams and Dinars but (they left) only knowledge. He who acquires knowledge acquires a vast portion." (Related by Abu Dawud and Tirmithi)

After reading all these promises and glad tidings, one might ask, what more do we need to awaken our consciousness? We have been promised an easy way to paradise; the inheritance of our Prophet; a lofty rank, high and noble in status; a blessing from Allah and a supplication of all that exists in the heavens and earth; a face beaming in brightness and beauty on the Day of Judgement, when other faces will be sad and dismal. So, let us embark on the road to paradise; let us seek knowledge today.

By Habib Ahmad
http://www.missionislam.com/

THE GREAT VIRTUE OF LOWERING THE GAZE

2011-11-30T19:24:00.002+08:00

Allaah, the Exalted said,
‘’Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their private parts; that will make for greater purity for them. Indeed Allaah is well acquainted with all that they do.’’ [an-Nur (24):30]
So Allaah made purification and spiritual growth to be the outcome of lowering the gaze and guarding the private parts. It is for this reason that lowrering ones gaze from (seeing) the prohibited things necessarily leads to three benefits that carry tremendous value and are of great significance.

The First: experiencing the delight and sweetness of faith.

This delight and sweetness is far greater and more desirable that which might have been attained from the object that one lowered his gaze from for the sake of Allaah. Indeed, ‘’whosoever leaves something for the sake of Allaah then Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, will replace it with something better than it.’’
The soul is a temptress and loves to look at beautiful forms and the eye is the guide of the heart. The heart commissions its guide to go and look to see what is there and when the eye informs it of a beautiful image it shudders out of love and desire for it. Frequently such inter-relations tire and wear down both the heart and the eye as is said:
When you sent your eye as a guide
For your heart one day, the object of sight fatigued you
For you saw one over whom you had no power
Neither a portion or in totality, instead you had to be patient.

Therefore when the sight is prevented from looking and investigating the heart finds relief from having to go through the arduous task of (vainly) seeking and desiring.
Whosoever lets his sight roam free will find that he is in a perpetual state of loss and anguish for sight gives birth to love (mahabbah) the starting point of which is the heart being devoted and dependant upon that which it beholds. This then intensifies to become fervent longing (sabaabah) whereby the heart becomes totally dependant and devoted to the (object of its desire). Then this further intensifies and becomes infatuation (gharaamah) which clings to the heart like the one seeking repayment of a debt clings firmly to the one who has to pay the debt. Then this intensifies and becomes passionate love (ishk) and this is a love that transgresses all bounds. Then this further intensifies and becomes crazed passion (shaghafa) and this a love that encompasses every tiny part of the heart. Then this intensifies and becomes worshipful love (tatayyuma). Tatayyum means worship and it is said: tayyama Allaah i.e. he worshipped Allaah.

Hence the heart begins to worship that which is not correct for it to worship and the reason behind all of this was an illegal glance. The heart is now bound in chains whereas before it used to be the master, it is now imprisoned whereas before it was free. It has been oppressed by the eye and it complains to it upon which the eye replies: I am your guide and messenger and it was you who sent me in the first place!

All that has been mentioned applies to the heart that has relinquished the love of Allaah and being sincere to Him for indeed the heart must have an object of love that it devotes itself to. Therefore when the heart does not love Allaah Alone and does not take Him as its God then it must worship something else.
Allaah said concerning Yusuf as-Siddeeq (AS),

‘’Thus (did We order) so that We might turn away from him all evil and indecent actions for he was one of Our sincere servants.’’ [Yusuf (12): 24]
It was because the wife of al-Azeez was a polytheist that (the passionate love) entered her heart despite her being married. It was because Yusuf (AS) was sincere to Allaah that he was saved from it despite his being a young man, unamarried and a servant.

The Second: the illumination of the heart, clear perception and penetrating insight.

Ibn Shujaa` al-Kirmaanee said,’’whosoever builds his outward form upon following the Sunnah, his internal form upon perpetual contemplation and awareness of Allaah, he restrains his soul from following desires, he lowers his gaze from the forbidden things and he always eats the lawful things then his perception and insight shall never be wrong.’’
Allaah mentioned the people of Lut and what they were afflicted with and then He went on to say,

‘’Indeed in this are signs for the Mutawassimeen.’’ [al-Hijr (15): 75]

The Mutwassimeen are those who have clear perception and penetrating insight, those who are secure from looking at the unlawful and performing indecent acts.
Allaah said after mentioning the verse concerning lowering the gaze,
‘’Allaah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.’’ [an-Nur (24): 35]
The reason behind this is that the reward is of the same type as the action. So whosoever lowers his gaze from the unlawful for the sake of Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, He will replace it with something better than it of the same type. So just as the servant restrained the light of his eye from falling upon the unlawful, Allaah blesses the light of his sight and heart thereby making him perceive what he would not have seen and understood had he not lowered his gaze.

This is a matter that the person can physically sense in himself for the heart is like a mirror and the base desires are like rust upon it. When the mirror is polished and cleaned of the rust then it will reflect the realities (haqaa`iq) as they actually are. However if it remains rusty then it will not reflect properly and therefore its knowledge and speech will arise from conjecture and doubt.

The Third: the heart becoming strong, firm and courageous.

Allaah will give it the might of aid for its strength just as He gave it the might of clear proofs for its light. Hence the heart shall combine both of these factors and as a result, Shaytaan shall flee from it. It is mentioned in the narration, ''whosoever opposes his base desires, the Shaytaan shall flee in terror from his shade.''{2}
This is why the one who follows his base desires shall find in himself the ignominy of the soul, its being weak, feeble and contemptible. Indeed Allaah places nobilty for the one who obeys Him and disgrace for the one who disobeys Him,

‘’So do not lose heart nor fall into despair; for you must gain mastery if you are true in faith.’’ [Aali Imraan(3): 139]

‘’If any do seek for nobilty and power then to Allaah belongs all nobility and power.’’ [Faatir(35): 10]
Meaning that whosoever seeks after disobedience and sin then Allaah, the Might and Magnificent, will humiliate the one who disobeys Him.
Some of the salaf said, ‘’the people seek nobilty and power at the door of the Kings and they will not find it except through the obedience of Allaah.’’
This is because the one who who obeys Allaah has taken Allaah as his friend and protector and Allaah will never humiliate the one who takes his Lord as friend and patron. In the Du`aa Qunut their occurs, ‘’the one who You take as a friend is not humiliated and the one who You take as an enemy is not ennobled.’’
By Imaam ibn al-Qayyim

The upbringing of Muslim children (4)

2011-11-19T10:01:00.004+08:00

EMOTIONAL CARE

One should be kind and merciful to his children
Abu Hurairah reported that Al-Aqra’ bin Habis saw Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, kissing Hasan. He said: “I have 10 children but I have never kissed anyone of them,” whereupon Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who does not show mercy, no mercy will be shown to him.” [Muslim, Kitab al-Fadail.]

Abdullah ibn abi Qatadah narrated: “My father said: The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “When I stand for prayers, I intend to prolong it but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut it short as I dislike to trouble the child’s mother.” [Bukhari]

Aisha, radiallahu ‘anha, narrated: “A lady along with her two daughters came to me asking for some alms, but she found nothing with me except one date which I gave her. She divided it between her to daughters, and did not eat anything herself, and then got up and went away. Then the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam came in and I informed him about this story. He said: “Whoever is put to trial by these daughters and he treats them generously (with benevolence) then these daughters will act as a shield for him from Hellfire.” [Related by Bukhari in the Book of Zakat.]

Playing with them and making them happy

For a child, playing is an important part of his daily schedule. It is by playing that he learns and develops affectively, intellectually and physically. Anas, radiallahu ‘anhu, reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was playing with Zaynab bint Umm Salamah and telling her: “O Zuwaynib O Zuwaynib ... several times” [Related in Sahih al-Jami’.]

Being just with them

One has to be fair in his interest in them, enthusiasm for them, cheerfulness to them, no difference being made between a boy and a girl. ‘Amir narrated: I heard An-Numan ibn Bashir, radiallahu ‘anhu, on the pulpit saying: “My father gave me a gift but ‘Amra bint Rawaha (my mother) said she would not agree to it unless he made Allah’s Messenger sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam as a witness to it. So my father went to Allah’s Messenger ssallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and said: “I have given a gift to my son from Amra bint Rawaha, but she ordered me to make you as a witness to it, O Allah’s Messenger!’ Allah’s Messenger asked: ‘Have you given the like of it to every one of your sons?’ He replied in the negative. Allah’s Messenger said: ‘Fear Allah and be just to your children.’ My father then returned and took back his gift.” [Related by al-Bukhari in the Book of gifts.)

Parents are ordered to be just to their children so that the child feels secure at home. A child may not learn the meaning of justice if he is continuously oppressed at home.

Teaching them Islam

Jundub ibn Abdullah said: “We were with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, we were boys and we learned Iman before learning Qur’an. We then learned Qur’an and it increased our Iman.” [Hadith with sahih isnad narrated by Ibn Majah.] This Hadith shows that the parents should first teach their children the pillars of faith, what it means to believe in Allah and in His oneness. When the child becomes able to understand, he should be taught how to make wudhu’ and Salat.

Sabura, radiallahu ‘anhu, narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Teach the child Salat when he reaches seven and spank him for it when he reaches 10.” [Related by Tirmithi who said it is a Hasan Sahih Hadith.] Hence, the parents have three years to get their child in the habit of offering regular prayers. By the age of 10, the parents should be more strict in their orders concerning the prayer. When the child reaches puberty, Salat becomes obligatory on him. The above hadith has singled out Salat because of its high position in Islam but the principle applies to all other acts of worship.

Teaching them good manners

Such as not to lie, steal or cheat. It is imperative in this respect that the parents themselves observe these manners. Children should also be taught to ask for permission to enter their parents’ bedroom during three periods of the day. Allah said: “O you who believe, let your legal slaves and those among you who have not reached the age of puberty ask your permission before they come to your presence on three occasions: before fajr prayer, and while you put off your clothes for the noonday rest, and after the ‘isha prayer. These three times are of privacy for you. Outside those times, it is not wrong for you or for them to move about attending to each other. Thus Allah makes clear the verses of this Qur’an to you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. But when the children among you come to puberty, then let them also ask for permission, as those senior to them. Thus Allah makes clear His commandments for you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (Qur’an 24:58-59)

Choosing the right friends for them.

Abu Musa narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The example of a good companion and a bad one is that of a person carrying musk and another blowing a pair of bellows. The one who is carrying musk will either give you some perfume as a present, or you will buy some from him, or you will get a good smell from him; but the one who is blowing a pair of bellows will either burn your clothes or you will get a bad smell from him.” [Bukhari and Muslim.]
Because children learn mostly from other children, it is important that we choose good friends for our children. Good friends reinforce the good manners and habits while bad friends reinforce the bad manners and habits.

Conclusion

Our children are a trust given to us by Allah. They are born with a natural predisposition to accept the teachings of Islam. Depending on the upbringing we give them, we may make them good Muslims or we may make them non-Muslims. That is how great our responsibiltiy is. This responsibility has to be borne by both the father and the mother. On the other hand, the reward they would get for upbringing a good Muslim is also great. When a child asks forgiveness for his parents from Allah, their position in paradise is raised. We pray to Allah to be from those who are saved on the Day of Judgment and not from the losers. Allah said: “Say: ‘The losers are those who will lose themsleves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Verily, that will be a manifest loss!’” (Qur’an 39:15)

http://muslimchild.blogspot.com/

The upbringing of Muslim children (3)

2011-11-16T17:27:00.004+08:00

AFTER BIRTH

PHYSICAL CARE

Breastfeeding

It is best that the mother nurses her child as her milk is the most beneficent nutrient for him and she is more merciful to him than any other woman. Allah said: “The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, that is for those who desire to complete the term of suckling.” (Qur’an 2:233)

Modern research proved that the mother’s milk strengthens the child’s immune system at a time when the child is most vulnerable.Ibn ‘Umar, radiallahu ‘anhu, reported that a group of merchants arrived to Madinah and settled in the mosque. So Umar told Abdurrahman ibn Awf, radiallahu ‘anhu, “Let’s guard them tonight from thieves.” So they spent the night watching and praying as much as Allah had destined to them. Umar heard the weeping of a child so he went towards him and told his mother:

“Fear Allah and be good to your child” and he went back to his place. He heard the child crying again and told his mother the same thing and went back to his place. By the end of the night he heard him crying again so he told his mother: “You are a bad mother, your child did not sleep all night.” So she said: “I am trying to wean him but he refuses.” He said: “Why are you doing that?” She said: “Because Umar does not prescribe child support except for children who are already weaned.”

He said: “How old is he?” She said: “Such and such.” He said: “No! Do not hurry him.”
Umar prayed Fajr and was weeping during the prayer to the extent that his recitation was barely understandable. After he made tasleem he said: “Misery is for Umar. He has killed Muslim children.” He then asked someone to make the call that people should not rush their children to weaning, child support is prescribed to every child. And he sent letters to that effect to all the Muslim land.” (The History of Umar ibn al-Khattab by ibn Aljawzy, pages 74-75.)

Spending for all the needs of the child

Thawban reported Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, as saying: “The most excellent Dinar is one that a person spends on his family, and the Dinar which he spends on his animal in Allah’s path, and the Dinar which he spends on his companions in Allah’s path.” [Muslim.]

The upbringing of Muslim children (2)

2011-11-15T15:01:00.004+08:00

AT BIRTH

Making Athan and Iqamah in the ear of the newborn baby.

Abu Rafi, radiallahu ‘anhu, reported that he saw the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, making athan in Hasan’s ear when Fatima gave birth to him. (Related by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmithi who said it is an authentic hadith). This is to make the words that glorify Allah the first ones to reach a child’s ear and affect his heart.The second wisdom is to prevent the Shaitan from getting close to the unborn child. Abu Hurairrah, radiallahu ‘anhu, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “When the athan is pronounced, Shaitan runs back and breaks wind during his flight in order not to hear the call being made. When the athan is completed, he comes back. When Iqama is pronounced, he turns his back and after its completion, he returns again and whispers into the heart of the person (to divert his attention from his prayer) and makes him remember things which he does not recall to his mind before the prayer and this causes him to forget how much he has prayed.” [Bukhari and Muslim.]

Tahneek is to chew a piece of date and then to rub it inside the newborn’s mouth.

Aisha, radiallahu ‘anha, said: “Babies were brought to Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. He blessed them, and after having chewed some dates, he rubbed therewith their soft palates.” [Muslim]

Shaving the head of the baby is a Sunnah.

Samurah Ibn Jundub related the Messenger of Allah as saying “A newborn is in pledge for his aqiqah. Sacrifice is made for him on the seventh day, his head is shaved and he is given a name.” (Abu Dawud, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, Ad-Darami and Ahmad).

Choosing a good name for the child is one of the baby’s rights upon his parents.

Ibn Umar, radiallahu ‘anhu, said: Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The most beloved names for Allah are Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman” [Muslim]. Bad names should be changed to good names. Ibn-Umar reported that Umar had a daughter who was called ‘Asiya (Disobedient). Allah’s Messenger gave her the name of Jamila (good and handsome). [Related by Muslim.] Parents should be careful not to give their children names that will make them a mockery with their friends and will prevent them from playing in a group.

Making aqeeqah to the baby:

Salman ibn Amir narrated that he heard Allah’s Messenger saying: “Aqiqah is to be offered for the newborn child, so slaughter for him and relieve him of his suffering.” [Bukhari.] The Sunnah is to slaughter one sheep for the baby girl and two sheep for the baby boy.Imam Ahmad was asked about a father who did not have money to offer the aqiqah for his newborn child: Should he borrow money? He answered: Yes because it is a revival of a Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. He was also asked whether it is better, instead of slaughtering a sheep, to offer its price to the poor. He answered: No.Among the benefits of the aqiqah is that it lets the child intercede for his parents on the Day of Judgment, it strengthens the social bonds between Muslims, it is a help for the poor and a revival of the Sunnah of the Prophet.

Making circumcision is one of the acts of fitrah.

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The actions of the fitrah are five: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, clipping the nails and plucking the armpit hairs.” [Bukhari.]

Confirming the descent of the child:

Abu Hurairah, radiallahu ‘anhu, reported he heard the Messenger of Allah saying: “Any women who brings to her family one who does not belong to it has nothing to do with Allah (ie expects no mercy from Allah), and Allah the exalted will veil Himself from any man who disowns his child when he looks at him, Allah will disgrace him in the presence of all creatures first and last.” [Abu Dawud, Annasai, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim.]

Allah has ordered us to confirm the line of descent of the child. Allah said: “And call them by the name of their fathers, that is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you know not their father’s names, they are your brothers in faith and your friends.” (Qur’an 33:5)

The upbringing of Muslim children (1)

2011-11-14T18:49:00.004+08:00

BEFORE BIRTH

Choosing the right spouse

Religion is the most important criterion in choosing the right spouse. Abu Hurairah, radiallahu ‘anhu, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “A woman is married for four things: her wealth, her family status, her beauty and her religion. So marry the religious woman if you do not want to be a loser.” [Bukhari and Muslim.] Choosing a spouse who is observing the correct Islamic behaviour in life will establish the Muslim home on sound Islamic principles from the first day and will prevent children from learning bad habits from their parents.

Mental and physical sanity is another criterion. The spouse should not have a grave physical sickness with a high risk of being inherited by the children, or be mentally sick and unable to raise children.

The family status of the spouse is also a criterion in choosing the best spouse. Spouses coming from families that are strongly committed to Islam have a better chance of succeeding in raising good Muslim children.

Observing the rights of the unborn child

A child who is still in the womb has legitimate rights, among which are that:*The father must support the pregnant mother until she delivers even if the two spouses are separated. Allah said: “And if they are pregnant, then spend on them until they deliver.” (Qur’an 65:6)*The pregnant mother may break her Ramadan fast if she is afraid for her well-being or the well-being of her child.
*A child in the womb has the right to inheritance. All scholars agree that the inheritance should not be divided until the child is born and that he should get his share.

How Muslims Should Treat Each Other

2011-10-29T15:47:00.005+08:00

It is very easy to say how Muslims should treat each other. Muslims should treat each other as brothers and sisters. Every Muslim has a right to be taken care of, protected and respected by the other Muslims.

Allah Ta'ala is merciful and compassionate. Allah Ta'ala is loving and kind. He wants us to be like Him. And so we should be loving and kind, merciful and compassionate to each other. Being a Muslim makes you a brother and sister of all other Muslims every where. The believers are but a single brotherhood. We should behave as brothers and sisters to all the other Muslims in the world.

And above all, Allah Ta'ala loves the Muslims. Allah Ta'ala especially loves the followers of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). And so we who are Muslims should never forget that Allah loves the Muslims, and we must do all we can to take care of the Muslims.

Firstly, Muslims should get to know each other. This is very important today in this society we live in. We live in vast cities, where we are surrounded by strangers. But the Muslims must not be strangers to us. The Muslims are our brothers. So we should make every effort to meet Muslims, and become real friends.

Above all we must not shun each other. It is forbidden to Muslims to avoid another Muslim or turn away from him or her. Loneliness is a terrible thing. No Muslim should be lonely. There should be none of this boycotting anyone, or turning the cold shoulder to them.

Modern society is full of lonely and isolated individuals, lonely little atoms. No Muslim should be an atom. Every Muslim should be part of the Muslim brotherhood.
Secondly, we must do nothing to destroy the brotherhood of the Muslims. The Muslim Ummah, which is the Muslim community, is especially holy and sacred. It is a holy act to keep this community together, and nothing must be allowed to destroy this community.

We should love each other, not hate each other. We should not envy each other. We should be sincere to each other, and come together. There should be no falseness or separation.

Thirdly, quarrels are bound to happen. Relatives and friends fall out. When this happens, brotherhood and community disappear.
And so, when Muslims quarrel, this must not be allowed to destroy brotherhood and community. When Muslims quarrel, they must be ready to forgive and forget, and become friends again.

If two quarrel, they should leave three days for the anger to cool, and then go and apologise. And if someone apologises, you must accept the apology.
This is especially the case with relatives. Relations who quarrel must not keep away from each other. And if a relative is nasty, you must be friendly with them.
Fourthly, the only reason to keep away from anyone is the service of Allah Ta'ala. You must never keep away from anyone for a Worldly reason.

In the lifetime of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there was a military expedition to a place called Tabuk. Some men refused to go. Because they did this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) refused to meet them.

A Muslim should never take seriously a quarrel over money. The only serious difference between Muslims must be the service of Allah Ta'ala.

But of course, if the people apologise and improve their behaviour, you must forgive them. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forgave the men who had refused to go to Tabuk after fifty days.

You only stay away from people to make them better people.

Fifthly, there is a great blessing for anyone who helps to keep the Muslim community together. And so a Muslim should help to settle quarrels that arise between Muslims.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that to put right a dispute between people was better than fasting, charity and namaz.

The reason for this is simple. Islam is a religion of spiritual peace. The aim of Islam is to do Zikr, to be conscious of Allah, to think of Allah. Quarrelling takes away that peace of mind. And so quarrelling ruins Islam.

And the aim of Islam is an Islamic life. Such a life can only be led in a community, in a friendly group of people. And so quarrelling also ruins the Islamic life.
To end a quarrel restores the religion and restores the religious life. To encourage people to quarrel ruins the religion, and the life.

Sixthly, everything that causes quarrelling and spoils brotherhood between Muslims is forbidden.It is forbidden to laugh at people and make fun of them. Many people laugh at the sick, or the poor or the unfortunate, or the downtrodden.
Islam says that those who laugh at others will themselves be laughed at, but on the Day of Judgement

It is also forbidden to say evil things about people, to tell lies about them. The Muslims are one body, and if you say evil things about a Muslim, you are really saying evil things about yourself. The whole Community suffers if any Muslim has a bad name. So we should never do anything which helps to give any Muslim a bad name. Muslims are one family, and obviously every member of a family suffers if one family member has a bad name. Many people call others by nasty nicknames, and foul names. Muslims should never do this. No Muslim should call another Muslim by nasty and foul nicknames.

Seventhly, we should treat each other as brothers and sisters.
We should trust each other. We should not be suspicious of each other. We should always assume people are good, and only change our opinions of them when we really know they have done bad deeds. We should not be imagining the worst, and looking for faults.

We should think the best of anyone, and think so just because he or she is a Muslim.
We should also not attempt to discover if our brother Muslims are committing sins. We should not spy on Muslims. Every Muslim should have complete privacy and we should completely respect their privacy.

No-one is perfect. Everyone commits sins. If people sin, it is no matter to us as long as they don’t do it openly. And if we know people have faults, we should give them advice to make them better.

We shouldn't be nosey. We shouldn't peep into people's houses. We should not listen in to other people's conversation. Those who do listen like that will have molten lead poured into their ears on the Day of Judgement.You should also not be running telling tales. You should not be a sneak.

Eighthly, you should not backbite. To slander someone is to say something bad about someone which is false. For example you say that someone has been stealing, and they have never stolen.

To backbite is to say something bad about someone which is perfectly true, but which the person would not like to hear you say. A Muslim should not do this. He or she should not backbite.When people are not present, you should say only nice things about them, and avoid saying unpleasant things.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that to backbite was to eat the flesh of the absent person.Backbiting is only done out of dislike for the person talked about. Those who backbite attack everyone they meet. If you hear them criticising someone, they'll be attacking you as soon as you are out of the room.
And so you should not tolerate backbiting.

Someone who listens and does not protest when backbiting happens is as guilty as the one who speaks. And you should not be ready to believe what is said, if it's bad. And you should not pass backbiting on. If you meet someone who has been attacked behind his back, you don't tell him what has been said, and you even say nice things were said about him. The person who repeats backbiting is just as bad as the backbiter.

You should defend the person who is attacked. You should avoid conversation which contains backbiting or slander.

Source: http://www.theislamictimes.co.uk/

I ASKED FOR STRENGTH

2011-10-25T20:07:00.004+08:00

I asked for Strength.........
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom.........
And God gave me Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity.........
And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage.........
And God gave me Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love.........
And God gave me Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favours.........
And God gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted
I received everything I needed
My Prayer has been answered

ALHAMDULILLAH

source:http://www.jannah.org/articles/poems.html#26

Parent-Child Relationship in Islam

2011-10-06T10:19:00.002+08:00

(1) Rights of Parents (and Duties of children)
Islam recognises family as a basic social unit. Along with the husband-wife relationship the Parent-child relationship is the most important one. To maintain any social relationship both parties must have some clear-cut Rights as well as obligations. The relationships are reciprocal. Duties of one side are the Rights of the other side. So in Parent-child relationship the Rights of parents are the obligations (duties) of the children and vice versa, the Rights of children are obligations (duties) of parents. Islam clearly defines the Rights of Parents (which mean duties of children) and obligations of parents (which means Rights of children).

It is clear that after Allah parents are the persons who give us innumerable favors. They provide protection, food and clothing to the newly born. The mother sacrifices her comforts and sleep to provide comfort to her children. The father works hard to provide for their physical, educational and psychological (and spiritual) needs. It is a matter of common courtesy that if a person does you some favor you feel obliged to him. Verbally you say ‘thank you’ to him. You try to repay and compensate him for his gifts and favors. You feel a sense of gratitude towards him. So it is with Allah and with parents. Allah’s favors cannot be counted or repaid except by thanking Him and obeying His orders. After Allah our parents deserve our thanks and obedience for the favors they had done us. That’s why Quran lays stress on feeling grateful to parents, and doing good to them. “And your Lord has ordained that you shall worship none save Him and shall do your parents a good turn.” What does a ‘good turn’ mean? It includes obeying them, speaking softly, avoiding harsh words or harsh tone, giving them company when they are lonely, caring for their physical and psychological needs (especially in their old age), and praying to Allah that He may bless them and have mercy on them.

As between parents the mother has more rights than the father. The reason is apparent. Mother has borne the child’s burden during pregnancy, has undergone birth pains in delivering the baby, has sacrificed her own comforts to provide comfort to her children, has looked after them and felt worried for their well-being. That is why mother deserves our good treatment more than the father. A Tradition of the Prophet (PBUH) tells us that a Companion asked the Prophet, “ Who deserves my good treatment most?” “Your mother”, said the Prophet. “Who next?” “Your mother”. “Who next?” “Your mother”. “Who after that?” “Your father”. This means that the mother deserves three times more good treatment from her children than the father deserves. Another Tradition wants us to extend kind treatment to close relations on the mother’s side also (even to her friends). A famous Hadith (Tradition) says, “Paradise lies under the feet of the mother”. This means doing good to our mother lead us to Paradise.

As to the reward for doing good to our parents a Hadith mentions the following story: “Three persons of ancient days were once travelling in a mountaneous region. The rain, thunder and lightning made them take refuge in a cave. Mudslide made a stone block the opening to the cave. The persons were entrapped inside. When the storm stopped they tried to push back the heavy stone to get out of the cave but they could not. They wondered ‘what to do now’. At last seeing that their joint efforts also cannot move the stone they decided to pray to Allah sincerely. One of them suggested, ‘each one of us should relate one good thing he has done in his life and beg Allah to move the stone. One said, “One night my old mother asked me to bring a cup of milk for her. During the time I milched the goat and brought it to her she had gone to sleep. I did not think it proper to disturb her. So I stood by her bedside for the whole night till she got up in the morning and then I offered her the cup of milk. O God, if this act of mine was approved by You please shift this stone.” The stone slipped a little but not enough to let them get out. Similarly, the second and the third man mentioned an act of goodness and prayed to God to shift the stone. The stone slipped down and the entry to the cave opened up. So the men got out. This story shows how service to one’s parents leads to blessings from God and rescue from troubles. Now let us summarize the Rights of Parents (Duties of children):

(1) Right to be respected and obeyed:
Parents have a right to be respected and obeyed by children. All parents are well wishers of children. They issue orders and instructions that are in the best interest of children (though children might think ottherwise). So it is the duty of children to obey their orders and act accordingly. Some children listen to parental orders but do not act upon these or show laziness in carrying out these orders. This causes annoyance to parents. Children should remember that annoying one’s parents can lead to God’s wrath.

(2) Right to scold and rebuke:
It is instinctive obligation of parents to protect their children from physical and moral harm. If a small child puts its hand in fire it is natural urge for you to push the child back, even if the child does not want. It is in child’s interest. So it is with parents. They are duty bound to protect their children in every way, physical, intellectual, moral. If the children have a temptation to do an act that is not in their long-term interest it is the duty of the parents to keep them back from that act or behavior. To this end they may resort to advice, rebuke, scolding, even hitting them. Good children should take all this ‘harshness’ in their own interest. If parents scold them they should bear it calmly. No rude replies, no arguing, no explanations, no comments unless asked for. Parental advice should be listened to and acted upon, even if against children’s own wishes.

(3) Right to be looked after.
Parents have looked after the children for decades. So it is the duty of grown-up children to repay them by way of caring for them and looking to their physical and financial needs. A Quranic verse says: “People ask you (O Prophet) how should they spend. Say, ‘whatever you spend should be spent on Allah (in good cause), on parents, near relatives, on orphans, destitutes and travelers (who fall short of money in foreign lands)”.

(4) Right to be helped:
As parents grow old their energies also decline. So it is the duty of children to help their parents in any household chore in which they can help. Sons can help in lifting heavy things, cleaning home, arranging things etc. Daughters can help in mother’s household work—cooking, washing, cleaning, serving food etc. With good children such help should come automatically, not when asked for. Whenever you see your mother or father doing something extend a helping hand to her/him without their asking. This is what Islam expects from children.

(5) Right to kind words/good behaviour:
Quran urges children to be soft-spoken towards parents and show respect and kindness in their behavior towards parents.
Unforunate as it is, the Western societies have forgotten these lessons. Young children are rude towards parents and show disobedience. As the parents grow old they drive them out from their homes and put them in “Senior Citizens Homes”. Grown up children cannot spare time to attend to the needs of old parents. The busy Western life has led to a break-up of the family unit (so much upheld in Islam). As Muslims we expect our children to adhere to Islamic values and show respect, obedience, kindness, leniency and care towards parents, especially in their old age. Children must not forget the favors and sacrifices of their parents. As good mannered persons they must feel and remain obliged towards parents and try to repay them by kind words and deeds, even with money and material needs. These are the Rights of Parents due from their children (or the Duties of Children towards parents). These Rights and obligations are not found in Islam only. Such values are to be found in all true religions. Quran mentions Hazrat Yahya (John the Baptist) as “kind towards his parents, not tough and disobedient”. Similarly Hazrat Isa (Jesus) is quoted saying to his people, “God made me kind towards my mother (Mary) and did not make me tough and disobedient”. Hazrat Yousuf (Joseph), as a royal Minister in Egypt, called his old, poor parents from their far off home and offered them seats on a high platform (he did not feel shy of behaving in a kind manner to poor parents in the presence of his officials).

(2) Rights of Children

Now let us see the other side of the coin. We have mentioned that Parent-child relation is a reciprocal one. The Rights of Parents (discussed above) are the Duties of children. Now let us see what are the Rights of Children (and Duties of Parents) in Islam. These can be summarized as under:
(1) Children have the right to be fed, clothed and protected till they grow up to adulhood. It is, primarily, the duty of the father to do that. Mother can provide help if necessary. Protection means protection against physical as well as moral and intellectual harm. Parents are duty bound to see that the child’s personality develops in all fields. So if the parents have to resort to strictness for the sake of disciplining the children and protecting them from intellectually, morally and religiously undesirable behaviour, children should not resent their strictness. Let them perform their duty as parents. Children’s duty is not to protest or be rude but to listen and obey. “Their’s not to question why; their’s but to do and die”.

(2) Right to education.
In Islam education is not limited to bookish knowledge but includes moral and religious training also. It means healthy all-round growth of child’s personality. Parents must not only provide for children’s education in schools and colleges but should also take personal interest in their studies, helping them if they can. This gives children a feeling of ‘working with the parents’ and encourages them in studies. Parents should sacrifice their own comfort and social activities and must spare some time to take interest in children’s studies, especially when they are young. Leaving children to the mercy of teachers or tutors is not a wise policy. And of course, parents should not forget or neglect imparting religious/moral training to children. A little sacrifice on part of parents will save children from moral disasters. Effective moral training comes not from sermons, advice and precepts but from parents’ personal examples of good behaviour. It is a famous Tradition of the Prophet (PBUH) that acquisition of knowledge is a must for every Muslim boy and girl. Another Hadith says, “The best of you is one who gives a good education (intellectual and moral) to his children”. Another Hadith lays stress on education of daughters. The Prophet (PBUH) once said, “He who provides good upbringing to 3 daughters shall go to Paradise”. A man asked, “what if one has only two daughters”. “He also shall go to Paradise”. Another man asked, “and what if one has only one daughter?” “He too”, replied the Prophet (PBUH).

(3) Right to love and affection:
Children have many psychological needs also. Small children need to be loved, caressed, kissed and hugged. The Prophet loved children greatly. He would allow his grandsons Hassan and Hussain (R.A) to ride his shoulders even during his prayers. In streets he would offer ‘salaam’ to children, play and cut jokes with them. Sometimes he would even kiss small children in the street. Once a Bedouin saw the Prophet kissing a small kid. Out of wonder he said, “I have eight children but I never kiss them”. The Prophet remarked, “What can I do if Allah has taken away love and compassion from your heart”. The Prophet would show special kindness to orphaned children. Some parents believe that being frank with children is not good from discipline point of view. This is wrong. Love and leniency can do much that fear and strictness cannot do. If leniency leads to rudeness on the part of children it should be mixed with strictness. That will tell the children that parents are basically kind but can be tough if children show rudeness and bad manners. Over-protection and over-care are undesirable. Let the child grow up as a responsible person. Only provide them guidance.

(4) Right to be well provided (materially)
A Hadith says, “It is better for parents to leave their children well provided (financially) than to leave them in poverty”. This means that parents should not spend all that they have on their own comforts and luxuries but must make provisions for children’s welfare after the parents die. These are brief outlines of the Rights and Duties of both parties in the Parent-child relationship. If the parents and children act according to these guidelines they can make the family environment most conducive to peace and satisfaction for the parents and healthy personality growth for children. May Allah bless us all. AMEN.
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© (Dr.) I.A. Arshed, 1919, Valleria Courts, Sugarland. Tx 77479

Avoiding Nightmares and Sleep Disturbances

2011-10-01T20:14:00.003+08:00

Most nightmares have their basis in our waking lives. They can stem from something we have seen or from what had been preoccupying our thoughts during the day. They can be the consequence of stressful or frightening experiences.
Nightmares are most common among small children. Their frequency generally decreases with age up to the time of puberty. Among adults, nightmares are more common among women than among men.

Someone who has a nightmare should not become worried. A major cause of nightmares is eating late at night right before going to sleep. When a person sleeps right after eating, his accelerated metabolic processes affect his body and mental activity during sleep.

Apart from that, it is recommended for a Muslim to sleep in a state of ritual purity. This mean it is best to perform wudû’ before going to bed.
It is also recommended to lie on the right side when going to sleep. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to sleep on his right side and instructed his followers to do so.

He said [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (247) and Sahîh Muslim (2710)]:
If you come to your sleeping place, perform your ablutions as you would for prayer, then lay down on your right side, then say:

“O Allah, I have submitted myself to You and have entrusted to You my affairs, and I have taken refuge in You, in both hope and fear of You. There is no refuge or sanctuary from You except with You. O Allah! I believe in Your Book that You have revealed and Your Prophet whom You have sent.”
If you die in on this night of yours, then you will be on the natural faith. Make these words the last thing that you utter.

It is also strongly recommended to recite the other remembrances prescribed for sleeping that we find in the Sunnah.

Among the most important of these is to recite Ayah al-Kursî, which is verse 255 of Sûrah al-Baqarah. Abu Hurayrah relates [Sahîh al-Bukharî (3275)]:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) put me in charge of guarding the Zakâh of Ramadan. Someone came and began to take handfuls of food. I grabbed him and said:

“By Allah, I will take you to the Messenger of Allah!”

He said: “I am poor and have a large family and I am in dire need.”
So I let him go and in the morning the Prophet said: “O Abû Hurayrah! What did you do with your prisoner yesterday?”

I said: “O Messenger of Allah, he complained of dire need and a large family, so I showed mercy to him and let him go on his way.”

He said: “He lied to you and he will come back.” So, from the words of the Messenger of Allah, I knew that he would come back. Therefore, I lay in wait for him and he came and once more began to take handfuls of food.

I seized him and said: “I will take you to Allah’s Messenger!”
He said: “Let me go. I am poor and have a large family. I will not come back again.” So I had mercy upon him and let him go his way.

In the morning the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to me: “O Abû Hurayrah! What did you do with your prisoner yesterday?”
I said: “O Messenger of Allah, he complained of dire need and a large family, so I showed mercy to him and let him go on his way.”

He said: “He lied to you and he will come back.” So I lay in wait for him a third time and he came and began to take handfuls of food. I grabbed him and said: “I will take you to Allah’s Messenger! This is the third time. You claimed you would not come back and then you came back.”

He said: “Let me go. I will teach you some words which will help you with Allah.”
I said: “What are they?”
He said: “When you go to bed, recite Ayah al-Kursî, “Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the Self-Sustaining…” to the end of the verse. You will have someone guarding over you from Allah and the devils will not come near you until the morning.”

So I let him go on his way. In the morning, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to me: “What did you do with your prisoner yesterday?”
I said: “O Messenger of Allah! He claimed that he would teach me some words which would help me with Allah, so I let him go on his way.”
He said: “What are they?”

I said: “He said to me, ‘When you go to bed, recite Ayah al-Kursî to the end.’ He said to me: ‘You will have someone guarding over you from Allah and the devils will not come near you until the morning’.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “He told you the truth even though he is a liar. Do you know whom you were speaking with on these three days, Abû Hurayrah?”
I said: “No.”

The Prophet said: “It was Satan.”

It is also recommended to recite the last two chapters of the Qur’ân – Sûrah al-Falaq and Sûrah al-Nâs. They are known as “the two chapters of seeking Allah’s refuge.”

One important supplication by which we seek refuge with Allah from the evil of human beings and jinn is: “In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing brings harm in the heavens or on Earth.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed us that whoever recites this three times every morning and evening, that he will not come to harm. [Sunan Abî Dâwûd (4425) Sunan al-Tirmidhî (3310) and Sunan Ibn Mâjah

TO REMOVE AN ANNOYING OBJECT FROM THE ROAD

2011-09-17T20:20:00.001+08:00

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (r.a) narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) stated:
"I saw a person enjoying the delectabilities of paradise simply because he had chopped from the road a tree that was annoying the Muslims." [Muslim]

Mustaneer bin Akhdar bin Muaawiyah bin Qurrah narrates from his grandfather Muaawiyah,

"I was once walking with Hadhrat Ma'qil bin Yasaar (r.a) on a road when we passed by a vexatious object which he then removed. A little while later, I noticed a similar object and removed it from the road. He grasped my arm asking why I had done this."

I replied:

"Uncle! I saw you doing it so I followed suit."
Thereupon he said:
" I heard the Holy Prophet (pbuh) saying:
Whomsoever clears a troublesome object from the path of the Muslims Allah will record a good deed to his credit. And the person whose good deed is accepted will surely enter paradise." [Suyooti in Jamie Sagheer]

A troublesome object is a reference to anything harmful or irksome, such as stones, sand, trees, broken glass, filth, water or anything of that sort. Clearing such objects off the road entitles one entry into paradise.

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (r.a) narrates that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said:
"A person was once walking down a road when he saw the branch of a thorny tree leaning out towards the road. He pushed it aside. Allah favoured him by pardoning all his sins." [Muslim]

Hadhrat Abu Barzah Aslami (r.a) states that I once asked the Holy Prophet (pbuh) to appraise me of a (perpetually) beneficial deed. He said:
"Go on removing vexatious objects from the pathways of the Muslimeen." [ibne Majah]

Source: the 40 Pathways to Jannah

Subhanallah, such an easy path to Jannah for doing a small action which could take less than a minute for us to do!! May Allah (swt) gives us the ability to practise upon the above for His sake and may He grant us Jannah for it.

Source of article: http://www.ahmed2004uk.blogspot.com/

Allah knows, sees and hears everything

2011-09-10T00:48:00.005+08:00

(surah Al-An'aam ayah 59)

Allah is aware of everything that happens on earth-every single falling leaf and every private thought people have. This is what Allah says in one of the verses of the Qur'an:

The keys of the Unseen are in His possession. No one knows them but Him. He knows everything in the land and sea. No leaf falls without His knowing it. There is no seed in the darkness of the earth, and nothing moist or dry which is not in a Clear Book. (Surat al-An'am: 59)

For instance, two people having a secret conversation may think that only they themselves know about it; however, Allah is also with them while they are talking. Allah hears and is aware of their secret conversation and of everything they whisper to each other. Those who are not mindful of Allah's presence think that these secret talks in which they plan evil deeds will remain secret and never be found out, so they will never be punished for their plans. However, Allah sees and hears them, all the time:

Do they not know that Allah knows their secrets and their private talk, and that Allah is the Knower of all unseen things? (Surat at-Tawba: 78)
When Allah, Who knows and sees everything, gives people the reward of their actions on the Day of Judgement, He will reveal the actions and thoughts that they imagined would remain secret. Allah knows everything, even that which is most secret, as He tells us in the Qur'an in the following words:

Everything in the heavens and everything on the earth and everything in between them and everything under the ground belongs to Him. Though you speak out loud, He knows your secrets and what is even more concealed. (Surah Ta Ha: 6-7)
On the Day of Judgement, everything will be revealed; nothing can be kept secret from Allah, and Allah will give everyone the just reward of their actions, as we are told in the following verse:

He is the Raiser of ranks, the Possessor of the Throne, He sends the Spirit by His command to whichever of His servants He wills so that he may warn mankind about the Day of Meeting: the Day when they will issue forth and when not one thing about them will be hidden from Allah."To whom does the kingdom belong today? To Allah, the One, the Conqueror! Every self will be repaid today for what it earned. Today there will be no injustice. Allah is swift at reckoning". (Surat al-Mu'min: 15-17)

In order for a just judgement to be given about someone or something, every visible and invisible detail must be known. For example, the intentions we had in doing something must be known, and what we were thinking and doing at times and in places where no one could see us must also be known; judgement must be given according to this information. Only Allah knows everything and sees what is unseen. That is why only Allah can pronounce judgement on people with absolute justice. In the following verse, we are told that Allah is the All-Knowing-He is aware of the inner nature of everything and of all hidden aspects of affairs:

You who believe! Observe your duty to Allah and let each self look to what it has sent forward for tomorrow. Observe your duty to Allah. Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Hashr: 18)

source:HarunYahya.com

Idul Fitri

2011-08-28T07:22:00.002+08:00

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar!
La ilaha ilallah, Allahu Akbar!
Allahu Akbar, Walillahilhamdu!

a harmonious, joyous voice
echo all around earth, sea, and sky
everybody cheer up, everything shine

a victorious, amorous sound
soar so beautifully, proudly and confidently
human and nature join in gorgeous celebration

all hearts bow to Allah
all eyes cries in faithfully pray
all families smile to face a new day

only to God, only to Allah
all thanks dedicate, all best wishes go
all praises ascend, all greetings deliver

the Most Merciful, the Greatest
forgive us, our children, our parents
guide us to the bright path, to the right way

the Most Powerful, the Greatest
bless us, our nature, our environment
save us, our friends, our families, our leaders

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar!
La ilaha ilallah, Allahu Akbar!
Allahu Akbar, Walillahilhamdu!

by Ahmad Shiddiqi

FAMILY TIES IN RAMADHAN

2011-08-21T10:43:00.003+08:00

Ramadān provides us with many unique opportunities to bring the family together and strengthen the fabric of our family ties. Ramadan fortifies our religious faith in ways that brings people’s hearts together as one.

Reading the Qur’ān

When family members, young and old, male and female, all spend time at home reading the Qur’ān, it provides a special pleasure and brings a renewed commitment to adopt its noble manners in our lives.

Parents should therefore encourage their children to read the Qur’ān in Ramadan, if possible from beginning to end. The whole family should participate in reading the Qur’ān in a spirit of seeking Allāh’s blessings and they should supplicate to Allāh together as a family. This is especially so when any member of the family completes reading the Qur’ān in full.

Ibn al-`Uthaymīn informs us that: “coming together at home when someone completes reading the Qur’ān in full has its basis in the practice of the Companions. It is related that when Anas b. Mālik (raḍiyallāhu anhu) completed reading the Qur’ān, he would gather his family together and offer supplications.”

In this light, an-Nawawī writes in at-Tibyān: “It is very much recommended to attend the gathering of someone who completes reading the Qur’ān.”

Starting and Breaking the Fast

The whole family gathers together at the table before dawn to take their morning meal before the start of the fast. They do so again at Sunset to break the fast. This is a unique and special gathering, since it is founded upon faith and obedience to Allāh. It is the commencement and completion of an act of worship. These two gatherings at the table are times of blessings and prayer as well as times of festive joy. It is a sweet experience for the family to share this occasion together.

It is a time when our prayers are answered. The Prophet (Aallallāhu `alayhi wa-sallam) said: “A fasting person at the time of breaking the fast offers a supplication that will not be refused.” [Sunan Ibn Mājah]

Charity

There is a great opportunity for family togetherness in giving charity. When an adult family member goes out to give charity to poor relatives or strangers, or to charitable centres, they should really involve their children. This gives the children a sense of importance and of real participation.

Similarly, children can get involved in laying out the tables and preparing meals in providing for the poor to break their fasts. These activities teach our youth about the love that human beings should have for each other and it also strengthens their sense of fraternity with their fellow Muslims. It is also a way of developing character and remedy for whatever selfish tendencies the children might have.

Moreover, we should know and remind our children that whatever we spend for the sake of Allāh, we know that Allāh compensates us for it with what is far, far better.

A man once donated a finely haltered camel in charity, saying: “This is for Allāh’s sake.” The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa-sallam) said: “On the Day of Judgment, you will have 700 camels, all of them finely haltered.” [Sahīh Muslim]

Learning Patience

Ramadan is a time for bettering ourselves, for learning self-restraint, consideration for others, and for bringing our tempers under control. The first place we put these valuable skills into practice is in our homes.

The month of fasting is a time when we hold back on our desires, which merely starts with our restraining our desire to eat and drink. When we fast, we also strive to treat other people with kindness and generosity, and we exercise self-restraint in our interpersonal dealings, especially our disagreements.

Our Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa-sallam) teaches us that when someone insults us or tries to instigate an argument with us when we are fasting, we should say to them: “I am a person who is fasting.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī and Sahīh Muslim] We indicate in this way that we are not going to argue. We are not going to return that person’s bad behavior. This is Ramadan when the devils are restrained, and we want only to compete with others in who can show the most kindness, goodwill, and generosity.

Allāh says: “The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one that is better, then lo! he between you and whom there had been enmity will become as though he were a bosom friend.” [Sūrah FuSSilat: 35]

Ramadan teaches us patience and forbearance, even when we see from others what displeases us. This is all the more true when those others happen to be our nearest and dearest.

Ramadan is a special time that calls upon us as husbands and wives to see the beauty and goodness in our life partners, to stress their good qualities. The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa-sallam) advised husbands: “A believing man should never despise a believing woman. If he dislikes one of her personality traits, he will surely be pleased with another.” [Sahīh Muslim]

Ramadan is a special time that calls us as husbands and wives to express our love for our spouses, and as parents to express our love for our children. We can see this in the reward Allāh gives us for the good that we do for family. The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa-sallam) said: “A coin that is spent in Allāh’s path, or for freeing a slave, or for helping the poor, or for providing for your family, the greatest of these in blessings is what is you spend on your family.” [Sahīh Muslim]

When you gather as a family at the Ramadan table, make our love and regard for one another more visible. Every kindness, no matter how small, is blessed. The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wa-sallam) said: “Whatever you spend, it is charity, even the morsel that you bring to your wife’s lips.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī]

Ramadan is a chance for family members to renew their commitments to one another, to correct their former errors, forgive each other, and turn over a fresh page. This is easy during Ramadan, the month that brings everyone together in fasting and devotion

source: http//www.muslimlinkpaper.com:

Companionship and Friendship in Islam

2011-07-14T19:58:00.002+08:00

There are friends who remain true and trustful under all circumstances and there are friends who remain with you only desiring the good. Islam urges to have cordial relations with others and to avoid corruption and the harmful effects of the company of the wicked and the mischievous, strictly forbidding every kind of contact and intimacy with them.

The first kind of friend are very few, and their friendship is like a mirror to you. In deed, we must be fair to our friends, and must want for them that which we want for ourselves. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said,"A true believer is a mirror to his brother. He prevents him from any harm." Friends wish well for their friends, and feel a strong grief when they see them in any kind of distress or suffering. They work hard by all means, by their wealth and their hands to restore the rights of their friends, and give them all the help they need. They keep the secrets of their friends. This kind of friendship is the basic necessity of social life. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said,"A person follows the ways and conducts of his friends."

On the other hand, one encounters fools, avaricious, people cowards, and liars. The fool wants to help others, but cause more harm to them despite good intentions. The avaricious one takes but does not give back to anyone. The coward flees at the smallest danger, abandoning everyone. And the liar does not benefit others, brings animosity and resentment, and causes serious damage to others. Also, the liar is not trusted even if he/she is telling the truth. It is reported,"As for a liar, life with him can never be pleasant for you. He carries tales from you to others and from others to you. If he gives you a true report, a false one follows it. His reputation is slurred. So much so that when he says something true, nobody believes him. Due to the enmity which he entertains in his heart for people, he estranges them from one another and creates malice in their hearts. Be careful and do your duty to Allah." These kinds of individuals might call themselves as your friends, but they do more ill-service to you as well as to the society and in the long run. It is adviced,"Avoid the company of the vicious, because your character would pick up their degenerate and deviant qualities without your knowing it."

The Glorious Qur'an says,"O woe is me! Would that I had not taken
such a one as my friend." 25:28

There are many characterizes of true friends: their heart and face should be alike, they should be honest with their friends and show them both the good and the bad side: wealth and children should not change them; they should help whenever able to do so, and they should not leave their friends during difficulties.

To choose a friend, one must assess his real worth. One must bear in mind that temperaments and personalities are associated with one, relationships with others. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said,"Every Muslim should try to select the best companion for the life span. A companion could be a friend from the same gender. If the companion is to be from the other gender, then that companion should be a spouse to live together within the confines of rules and regulations."

Our beloved Nabiy (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) encouraged us to select a good friend with whom to share our feelings. He said,"Don't take a companion unless he is a believer; and don't let your food be eaten except by a godly person." Also, one must take a friend for who he or she is as an individual, and not force them to conform with one's warp and ideas, so long as everything remains within the boundaries of Islam.

Muslims are advised by the Nabiy (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) to select a good friend to associate with, and to have him as a social companion in life. By selecting a good companion, to be a friend, a Muslim enriches his/her life. Nabiy (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) said,"The similitude of a good companion is like an owner of musk; if you don't get anything, you will get the smell of it. The similitude of a bad companion is like the blacksmith's bellows; if you are not affected by its black dirt, you will be touched by its smoke."

Islam approves associating with individuals who have violated moral and social laws for the purpose of helping them through beneficial guidance. Friends of the right path father and discuss what is beneficial, but not vain. Friends love the souls and smells of their friends. Friends sympathies with their friends and they comfort each other. Friends exert each other toward piety and righteous deeds. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said,"Fear Allah and help each other for the sake of Allah. Have mercy upon each other. Visit each other and remember our matter and keep it alive."

However, one who keeps company for the sake of helping a friend, would have fulfilled the rights of companionship in the worthiest manner. It is reported,"When someone observes a friend taking a wrong and sinful course and, while possessing the capacity to restrain him, does not do so out of indifference, he has actually betrayed his friend."

Today, in this world of ignorance and personal desires, there are few who keep their friendship. Hence, everyone should be careful in choosing friends, and study the character of those with whom they wish to develop terms of friendship.

Moderation in JOY and GRIEF

2011-07-01T23:18:00.002+08:00

Muslims’ commitment to Allah and His religion entails an unconditional loyalty.

For this reason, fluctuating conditions and circumstances never change believers’ zeal, enthusiasm and determination to live by the Qur’an.

Allah mentions two basic reactions shown by a believer.

First, hardship or severe conditions never daunt him.
Second, he never exults or feels pride because of what he obtains in this world. Allah reveals this in the Qur’an as:

That is so that you will not be grieved about the things that pass you by or exult about the things that come to you. Allah does not love any vain or boastful man. (Surat al-Hadid; 23)

Man is always vulnerable, since he has no idea about what awaits him in life.
A young person may suddenly be seized by a serious disease or become bedridden because of an accident. Anyone may lose all his wealth in a day or encounter events he never anticipated.

In such a situation, those of weak faith will despair or feel rebellious. Forgetting all the blessings of Allah in an instant, they may even lose their love for and trust in Him.

Aware that there is a divine purpose and good in every event that Allah creates, believers merely persevere in the face of unexpected events and trust firmly in Allah's wisdom, compassion and justice.

Meanwhile, believers may sometimes experience loss of material wealth, have to risk their lives or abandon their homes. Yet all such seemingly adverse occasions will bring great reward, joy and glory in the Hereafter.

As well as unexpected losses, people may also experience unexpected gains. Allah opens His infinite dominion to whom He wills and grants success, authority and power.
But He warns Muslims against exulting in pride since any person receiving a great possession, authority or benefit becomes only a trustee, while it is Allah Who is the real possessor of everything.

In the Qur’an Allah reveals this fact.

Mankind! you are the poor in need of Allah whereas Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surah Fatir: 15)

Aware of this fact, believers never forget their own weakness and do not become arrogant even when they enjoy great blessings and wealth. They feel only a deep gratitude to Allah, and they strive to use their blessings for His cause in the best way possible.

Source: http://www.harunyahya.com/

'Grumbling' is a repugnant habit of ignorance

2011-06-16T19:37:00.003+08:00

But there are some people who trade in distracting tales to misguide people from Allah’s Way knowing nothing about it and to make a mockery of it. Such people will have a humiliating punishment. (Surah Luqman: 6)

Some people voice their ideas about the things they live through all day long by continuously muttering to themselves. Sometimes something that bothers them, sometimes a subject they think is faulty, sometimes a flawed attitude they observe, sometimes a word they hear uttered may cause such people to express their discomfort about these point without thinking much on it.

Actually, it is of course not wrong for a person to voice something he sees at fault. However for such a talk not to be wrong, the aim to do this should definitely be –for the approval of Allah- 'to correct that mistake'. And if there is a faulty behavior, word or incident in question, then this point should definitely be communicated to people who can solve it. And at the same time, the mistake done should be explained to the other party with the nicest and most wise wording.

In this habit of "grumbling", there is no place for any of those mentioned goals. The aim in this is only to "quell one's anger and rage" by saying everything that comes across his mind. And this, clearly manifests how vain and wrong such a manner is.

Sometimes such people continuously grumble not only about the things others do, but also about the things they live through themselves:

They voice all their negative thoughts about almost every subject about their daily life, while working on one side.The common point of all these talks is, never the aim to find a solution for those. The aim is only to voice the discomfort one feels. As a matter of fact, since no precaution is taken for the solution and no attempt is made in this regard, this irritating situation goes on and on. Consequently this person continues to grumble as he is used to do.

However according to the morality of the Qur'an, a person is responsible from everything he sees around him, everything he hears around him and every incident he bears witness to. If there is something wrong going on, it is the responsibility of a Muslim to "correct it or to strive for the correction of it". Consequently, a Muslim's point of view about an irritating situation should be about "coming up with a solution".

Along with that, such people ignore the discomfort that the ones around them, who bear witness to their muttering and grumblings, would feel about this situation. However, to be with someone who complains about almost everything is both spiritually and physically grueling and wearing.

First and foremost, the fact that the state of mind of a person who keeps grumbling is not compliant with the Qur'an and that such a person would actually be living completely by the morality of ignorance, would cause a serious discomfort and oddity for Muslims witnessing these. That is because a grumbling person would give the impression that he had "forgotten that Allah created everything and that there is benefaction and wisdom in every incident, and that everything happens within the scope of destiny and especially for the test of people".
Such behavior creates the suspicion that he is unaware of the fact that one should respond to all incidents which seem to be hardship and trouble, which requires one to show patience and selflessness, with the morality of the Qur'an. It of course raises doubt for that person to leave himself spinelessly to the morality of the ignorance, even though he is responsible of living by the morals which requires him "to control his rage when he faces things that might make him angry; to say the best of the words; to preach people around in the best possible way; to command the good and to forbid the wrong."

A Muslim is the person who uses his conscience. He is responsible of fearing from Allah and of behaving according to the morality of the Qur'an at every moment and of saying every word by thinking if it is compliant with the Qur'an or not.

A Muslim knows that the habit of grumbling is not compatible with the morality of a person who believes in Allah, who knows destiny and that this world is a place for testing and who is aware of the Hereafter. Grumbling is an unbecoming attitude to nobility of a Muslim and it is indecorum to the awareness and conscience of a Muslim.
A Muslim would make good every defect he sees, on his own by his own means, if necessary but nonetheless does not speak in such a complaining manner. No matter how wronged he might appear to be, he never reflects these in a complaining manner. He tries to correct this situation by talking to the related people or by taking the necessary precautions; but never tells about those in the shallow turn of phrase of ignorance. Even if he comes across something irritating, he controls his anger. He never reflects his anger aimlessly just because he feels angry inside. A Muslim knows that that grumbling is not the way of freeing oneself from anger. He is well aware of the fact anger can only be removed by submission to Allah and abiding by the morality of the Qur'an.

Consequently, "grumbling" is one of the most important moral attributes that differentiates the Muslims from the people of society of ignorance. Accordingly, approaching this subject with such point of view and using one's mind, conscience and willpower in the best way, to live by the morality of the Qur'an in the most perfect manner, is a beautiful responsibility faith lays on them.

And say to My servants to speak that which is best. The satan plants animosity between them. The satan was to mankind a clear enemy. (Surat Al-Isra': 53)

Source: http://www.harunyahya.com/

I KNOW.....

2011-06-10T01:23:00.003+08:00

I know that the place where I now stand; where I live my life, is my path in life, so I am not lost

I know that what happened to me was written as my destiny and no one can change it and I don’t want to, because it has made me who I am

I know that what I fear is from the unknown and belongs to Allah, so I have to trust in Him – not in myself – so I should not fear

I know that the people in my life were sent to me and if some are taken away I have to let them go, trusting in Allah that He will send another

I know Allah loves me for I feel His mercy, forgiveness and compassion all around me – so I have to love myself

I know that barakah is peace and that ease exists within the difficulty so I shouldn’t resist hardship but embrace it looking for the joy and allow myself to feel it

I know that everything changes even myself, so I have to be open to transform and evolve – knowing that everything from Allah is good even if we don’t always see it

I know I am part of all that exists because I feel the affect of life around me and because when I’m sincere and determined the universe moves to make room for me

BY SELMA COOK

SOURCE:http://www.islamicgarden.com

I KNOW.....

2011-06-10T01:23:00.001+08:00

HOW TO ACHIEVE TRANQUILITY OF THE HEART

2011-05-25T21:27:00.002+08:00

Sometimes it feels like it’s just too much – these fluctuations in our iman, the repeated sinning, the feeling that “I just don’t deserve Allah’s mercy.” The tests always feel like punishments. There is a constant worry about the future: my marriage, my money, my career, my Ummah… And some difficulties just feel like they are too great to overcome. We know we’re not supposed to ask this, but the question at the back of our minds is, “Why me?”

We have all heard that we should never despair of Allah’s Mercy. And on the surface, we try not to, but Shaytaan (the Devil) has a trick. We tend to despair of ourselves and our incapacity to change things, especially the inner turmoil that we feel. And the effect of this is basically the same as despairing of Allah’s mercy. We do not always accept that Allah can take us out of the situation we are in and we don’t need to ‘deserve’ the trouble; Allah isn’t punishing us and we don’t need to be perfect.

This doesn’t mean, however, that we shouldn’t strive, or take ourselves to account when we do mess up. The key is to develop our relationship with Allah during that trouble. If we know Allah, no situation is too hopeless. No sadness is ever permanent. We perceive trials as they are meant to be perceived – as tests of our trust in Allah, forcing us to put our knowledge into practice and bringing us closer to Him. These trials could potentially be a punishment too, that is if we let it affect us negatively by completely turning away from Him because of our sadness. But our awareness of our own state and our understanding of Allah’s Mercy allows us to turn the punishment into something positive that is manifested through repentance to Allah, alongside increasing in hasanat (good deeds) in order to erase the bad deeds.

The first exercise is for us to consciously realize that Allah knows. Whatever grief we go through, whatever hardship we endure, we must understand that we are never alone. Even if we feel abandoned by the world and those closest to us, Allah is there. He reminds us in the Qur’an,

“Fear not. Indeed, I am with you [both]; I hear and I see.” (20:46)

As long as we begin by recognizing that Allah is with us and He is close to us, there remains a solution to our inner worries. There are things we need to know in order to develop our relationship with Allah. Then there are things we need to do in order to maintain that closeness to Allah. And finally, there are things we need to aspire for to achieve the ideal relationship with our Lord. We pray that by the end of the series, we will all have developed a stronger relationship with Allah.

SOURCE:http://www.suhaibwebb.com/

WHY GOD MADE TEACHERS

2011-05-15T15:43:00.001+08:00

When God created teachers,
He gave us special friends
To help us understand His world
And truly comprehend
The beauty and the wonder
Of everything we see,
And become a better person
With each discovery.

When God created teachers,
He gave us special guides
To show us ways in which to grow
So we can all decide
How to live and how to do
What's right instead of wrong,
To lead us so that we can lead
And learn how to be strong.

Why God created teachers,
In His wisdom and His grace,
Was to help us learn to make our world
A better, wiser place

- Kevin William Huff

WHY TEACHERS are CREATED.....

2011-05-15T15:37:00.001+08:00

EVERYDAY IS ‘’MOTHER’S DAY’’ IN ISLAM

2011-05-08T19:33:00.002+08:00

One day a man came to see the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. It seemed that he was trying to solve something but couldn’t quite work it out. So he asked the Prophet. ”Tell me, O Prophet!” I have many relatives and many friends whom I love, and whom I wish to care for and help. But I often find it difficult to decide which of them has the greatest claim upon me?

Which of them should come first?” The Prophet replied immediately, ”Your mother should come first and before all others.”

The man was very pleased to have this clear guidance from the Prophet. But of course there were all his other relatives and his friends, so he asked ”and after my mother, who has the greatest claim upon me?” The Prophet’s reply this second time surprised him. ”Your mother!” he said again.

The man wondered why the Prophet was repeating himself. Perhaps he had not spoken clearly, the man thought, so he asked the question again, ”What I want to know is, after my mother, who has the greatest claim upon me? Again the Prophet said ”your mother!”
Your mother, your mother, your mother!

The Prophet had now said it three times. Slowly, the man realized why he had done so. ”The Prophet means that my mother is extremely important, so much so that my duty to her must be stressed over and over again. Even so, the man’s thoughts ran on, ”what about all the others I love and wish to care for?” Still uncertain and wanting to know more, he once again turned to the Prophet and said, ”and after my mother, who comes after her? Is there anyone besides her?” The Prophet then replied ”after your mother, your father.” ”And then?” asked the man. ”Then people who are nearest to you,” said the Prophet. Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Prophet

WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS,THEY BECOME WORDS

2011-04-18T18:52:00.002+08:00

Watch your Thoughts, they become Words!
Watch your Thoughts, they become Words!
Watch your Words, they become Actions!
Watch your Actions, they become Habits!
Watch your Habits, they become Character!
Watch your CHARACTER!, It becomes your DESTINY!!!

DEEP THINKING

2011-03-04T19:42:00.005+08:00

Have you ever thought about the fact that you did not exist before you were conceived and then born into the world and that you have come into existence from mere nothingness?

Have you ever thought about how the flowers you see in your living room everyday come out of pitch black, muddy soil with fragrant smells and are as colourful as they are?

Have you ever thought about how mosquitoes, which irritatingly fly around you, move their wings so fast that we are unable to see them?

Have you ever thought about how the peels of fruits such as bananas, watermelons, melons and oranges serve as wrappings of high quality, and how the fruits are packed in these wrappings so that they maintain their taste and fragrance?

Have you ever thought about the possibility that while you are asleep a sudden earthquake could raze your home, your office, and your city to the ground and that in a few seconds you could lose everything of the world you possess?

Have you ever thought of how your life passes away very quickly, and that you will grow old and become weak, and slowly lose your beauty, health and strength?

Have you ever thought about how one day you will find the angels of death appointed by God before you and that you will then leave this world?

Well, have you ever thought about why people are so attached to a world from which they will soon depart when what they basically need is to strive for the hereafter?

Man is a being whom God furnishes with the faculty of thought. Yet, most people do not use this very important faculty as they should. In fact, some people almost never think.

In truth, each person possesses a capacity for thought of which even he himself is unaware. Once man begins to use this capacity, facts he has not been able to realise until that very moment begin to be uncovered for him. The deeper he goes in reflection, the more his capacity to think improves, and this is possible for everyone. One just has to realise that one needs to reflect and then to strive hard.
Someone who does not think will remain totally distant from truths and lead his life in self-deception and error. As a result, he will not grasp the purpose of the creation of the world, and the reason for his existence on the earth. Yet, God has created everything with a purpose. This fact is stated in the Qur'an as follows:

We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them as a game. We did not create them except with truth but most of them do not know it. (Surat ad-Dukhan: 38-39)

Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us? (Surat al-Muminun: 115)

Therefore, each person needs to ponder the purpose of creation, first as it concerns him himself, and then as it pertains to everything he sees in the universe and every event he experiences throughout his life. Someone who does not think, will understand the facts only after he dies, when he gives account before God, but then it will be too late. God says in the Qur'an that on the day of account, everybody will think and see the truth:

That day Hell is produced, that day man will remember; but how will the remembrance help him? He will say, "Oh! If only I had prepared in advance for this life of mine!" (Surat al-Fajr: 23-24)

The truth can be told to a person in many different ways; it can be shown by the use of details, pieces of evidence and by every means. Yet, if this person does not think over this truth on his own, sincerely and honestly with the purpose of comprehending the truth, all these efforts are useless. For this reason, when the messengers of God communicated the message to their people, they told them the truth clearly and then summoned them to think.

While God has given us a chance in the life of this world to reflect and derive conclusions from our reflections, to see the truth will bring us great gain in our life in the hereafter. For this reason, God has summoned all people, through His prophets and books, to reflect on their creation and on the creation of the universe:

Have they not reflected within themselves? God did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them except with truth and for a fixed term. Yet many people reject the meeting with their Lord. (Surat ar-Rum: 8)

A man who reflects grasps the secrets of God's creation, the truth of the life of this world, the existence of hell and paradise, and the inner truth of matters. He gets a deeper understanding of the importance of being a person with whom God is pleased, and so he lives religion as is its due, recognises God's attributes in everything he sees, and begins to think not according to what the majority of people demand but as God commands. As a result, he takes pleasure from beauty much more than others do, and does not suffer distress from baseless misapprehensions and worldly greed.

These are only a few of the beautiful things a person who thinks will gain in the world. The gain in the hereafter of someone who always finds the truth by thinking, is the love, approval, mercy and the paradise of our Lord, which are above everything else.

Source: http://www.harunyahya.com

HAVE YOU DONE YOUR DUTY?

2011-02-28T19:03:00.003+08:00

Have you done your duty?
As a Muslim – significantly with integrity
Definitely no question about your loyalty
As to Allah and Rasul you obey with much modesty

Have you done your duty?
As an Imam or a Mufti
"Amar ma'ruf nahi mungkar" should be your policy
Thus building an Ummah with dignity.

Have you done your duty?
As the head of family,
Guiding, serving and protecting your ahli
From the torment of fire just as mentioned in Surah Al-Tahrim,O! So rightfully!***

Have you done your duty?
As a wife, whole-heartedly with sincerity
Upholding your husband's name and property
Insya'allah Jannah will be your place come eternity

Have you done your duty?
As a child showing piety
to your parents, you love and serve properly
just after Allah and Rasul in that priority!

Have you done your duty?
As brothers and sisters with great responsibility
Maintaining the peace and tranquility
While spreading Islam in unity.

Have you done your duty?
As the head of an Islamic country
Preserving her sovereignty
Ultimately bringing Islam to its height and glory

Have you done your duty?
As a member of a society
Promoting friendship and goodwill within the community
Regardless of race, language or religion with such impartiality

Have you done your duty?
To the poor and needy
Bridging the gap between them and the wealthy
With your act of sympathy, hence erasing a cause for animosity

Have you done your duty?
To Allah, individually pouring your time and energy
To heaven or hell – What will it be?
The choice is clear, dear brothers and sisters that is if YOU HAVE DONE YOUR DUTY!

Source:http://www.islamicpoem.com/

Little Things Mean A LOT

2011-02-25T14:10:00.003+08:00

Too often we don't realize
What we have, until it is gone.
Too often we wait too late to say,
"I'm sorry - I was wrong."

Sometimes it seems we hurt the ones
Who're dearest to our hearts,
And allow the little foolish things
To tear our lives apart.

We let the unimportant things
Clutter up our minds,
And then it's often far too late
To see what made us blind.

So be sure that you let people know
How much they mean to you,
Take time to say those special words
Before your time is through.

Be sure that you appreciate
Everything you've got,
And be thankful for the little things
In life that mean a lot!

source:http://www.wrensworld.com/littlethings.htm

AVOIDING SINS OF THE TONGUE

2011-02-23T20:06:00.003+08:00

Unfortunately, one of the infamous signatures of many youth today is a bad mouth. School hallways and teen hangouts are replete with sounds of bragging, backbiting, cussing, sex talk, trash talk, bullying, lying, and every other sin of the tongue that can be imagined. Kids say horrible things to each other constantly and have little to no self-censorship. Many adults have the same vices of the tongue, and some make large sums of money through horrible uses of their tongues in the news media and in music. It seems people take lightly the words that come out of their mouths, yet words can be more damaging than swords both to others and to the self, and have caused everything from suicide to murder.

In Usul al-Kafi, it is narrated, "Preserve your tongue from idle talk, because the majority of the sins committed by the son of Adam is due to the tongue only. No other part of the body commits more sins than the tongue." And in Nahjul Balagha: "When Allah wishes to bless His servant, then He helps him in controlling his tongue. Instead of finding faults in others, Allah keeps him busy in looking at his own defects. Those who speak less, their intelligence is complete and their hearts are pure. Those who speak more, their intelligence is incomplete and their hearts are hard. A God-fearing man's tongue should be behind his heart. First, he should think, then he should speak justly. Otherwise he should keep quiet. A hypocrite acts just the opposite of this. He keeps talking rubbish. He is not worried about what he is saying."

All of us should worry about words and take care in what we say.

Advice for avoiding sins of the tongue includes the following ten tips:

1. Stay out of conversations that do not concern you.

2. Avoid arguing, even if you are in the right.

3. Do not say anything about someone else unless it is true, good, and useful. Say something bad about someone only if it is truly necessary to avoid a greater harm, such as to protect someone from becoming a victim of a crime.

4. Think before you speak; like feathers from a pillow blown away by the wind, words cannot be taken back, and their effects cannot be undone. You cannot control how others will respond to your careless words or what their effects will be. All you can do is control what comes out of your mouth to begin with.

5. Do not use language to try to impress people or sound cool. Use normal, proper speech and avoid slang, excessive eloquence, and false accents.

6. Do not swear or use obscene language. One narration from the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) states, "Heaven is forbidden to whoever is used to swearing/cussing. He cannot enter it." It also destroys your respect in the eyes of others.
7. Speak the truth, even if it is against you. Let your word be reliable.
8. Avoid sexualized speech or dirty talk. Do not degrade the opposite sex or your own through your words, ever, and do not cheapen marital relations with your tongue.

9. Do not break confidences with your tongue. You should avoid saying anything to anyone that you would not want revealed to all, unless truly necessary. Likewise, you should never mention about someone else what they would wish to be kept private. For example, men and women should not talk about their quarrels or relations with their spouses to others, children should not carelessly reveal the bad habits of their parents, parents should not embarrass their children by talking about their past mistakes, etc.

10. Do not listen to any of the negative speech above, even in poetry or music – do not lend your ear to arguments, backbiting, bad-mouthing, cussing, obscenity, lies, etc., as even choosing to listen to such speech is sinful, it promotes such behavior from your own tongue, and it hardens your heart. Actively avoid such speech, and prevent or stop it when possible.

People who are careful about their words enjoy many benefits. Those known for gentle, kind, good speech and avoiding unnecessary and negative talk earn respect and trust from other people. Friends will feel safe with them, and people will be more at ease to do business with them. They will enjoy a good reputation. They hear more good things and thus learn more and are more likely to have an expansive and enlightened heart. There is no down side to guarding your tongue, and everyone can do it with practice and effort. No other part of the body commits more sins than the tongue, but if we are diligent, we can make ourselves the exceptions.

Source:http://www.islamicinsights.com/

THOSE WHO REPENTED TO ALLAH

2011-02-19T14:06:00.003+08:00

Those who repented to Allah SWT [True Story]
Posted by: KING-slave of ALLAH ! on: May 15, 2010

This is an interesting account of a true story of Layla Al Helw, a Moroccan woman who had been afflicted by cancer, and the doctors were completely helpless to cure her.

The best specialists of Europe had no hope for her recovery – even Layla herself lost all hope – but Allah Subhanuhu wa ta’ala (SWT) had the solution….
Sister Layla tells of her ‘Imaan-boosting’ story in her own words – as it is originally a translation from French, please do excuse any grammatical errors. Translated, edited and abridged from the book titled: “Those who repented to Allah”, written by: Ibrahim Abdullah Al Hazemy.

Layla says:
“9 years ago I found out that I have a very dangerous disease, cancer… everyone here knows even the mention of this name is scary!”.. My faith in Allah was very weak. I had completely drifted away from the remembrance of Allah SWT, and I used to think that one’s beauty and health shall remain all her life… I never ever thought I would be afflicted by a disease like cancer… and so when I found out, it did shake me so strongly from the inside… I thought of escaping… but, where? Where in the world I can escape from this disease that is inside me wherever I go? I thought of committing suicide! But… I was deeply in love with my husband and my children… I did not think of Allah’s punishment if I committed such a sin… because, as I told you before, I was far away from remembering Allah.. It was of Allah’s will that this disease was the reason for my guidance and the reason for guiding a lot of people as well.

I went to Belgium, and I visited many doctors there.. they told my husband that I first have to remove my breasts, then go on certain medication! I knew that such medication would make my hair fall and my eye lashes and brows to disappear.. it shall also grow a beard on my face and make the nails and teeth fall as well… so I completely refused this solution.. “I would rather die with my breasts, teeth and everything that Allah has created for me than to live without them”, I said… I asked the doctors to give me another medication course that is less effective.. and so they did.

I went back to Morocco.. I used the medication course and it did not have any bad effects on my body which made me so happy.. I thought; maybe the doctors were wrong and I didn’t have cancer… However, after about six months, I started losing weight quickly, my colour started to change and I had a continuous pain.. My Moroccan doctor advised me to go back to Europe, and so I did.

There, in Belgium, was the disaster!.. the doctors told my husband that the disease has spread all over my body, that the lungs were completely infected and that they now have no solution for my case… they said: “you better take your wife back to her country so that she dies there!”..

My husband got shocked… and instead of going back to Morocco, we went to France thinking that we might reach to a solution there…… But, we got in France, nothing more than what we achieved to in Belgium!

Finally, we decided to enter the hospital to remove my breasts through a surgical therapy and go on the strong medication (the doctors prescribed before).. However…. my husband thought of something that we had always forgot.. something that was always too far away from our thoughts, sadly.. God inspired my husband to take me to His holy house in Mecca.. maybe we can stand in front of Allah and ask Him to help us find away out of this problem…

We left Paris saying: “Allaho Akbar, La Ilaha Illa Allah” (Allah is the Greatest, No God but Allah)… I was very happy because this was the first time for me to visit the Holy House of Allah and see the “Kaaba”.. I bought a copy of the Quran from Paris, I did not even have that with me before that!…
And we went to Mecca… When I entered the holy mosque and first saw the Kaaba I cried a lot.. the sight, of the place of worship of the prophets of God, the Holy Mosque, the multitude of Muslims and Majesty, the Bounty and the sheer Splendour of my Lord, Allah…!

I was crying because I couldn’t face all this, because I regretted all those past years I had spent without praying and seeking Allah’s help… I said: “O’ Lord, the doctors were disabled to cure me… (You) have the cure for every disease.. All the doors are locked in front of me.. I have nothing left to seek except Your door, so please.. please Lord, don’t close Your door on me…” I kept on praying to Allah and making Dua’a while I was going around the Kaaba.. I asked Him not to disappoint me or send me back with empty hands…

As I said before, I was completely ignorant regarding the religion of Allah, so I went to the scholars there and asked them to guide me to the little books and supplications that can be easy to read.. They advised me to read as much as I can from the Quran.. They have also advised me to make a lot of “Tadhalloo” from Zamzam water (Tadhalloo: is to drink a lot of water until the water reaches your ribs)… They have also advised me to mention Allah’s name a lot and make Salat on the prophet SAAWS.. In Allah’s holy place I felt very peaceful and relieved.. I asked my husband to allow me to not go back to the hotel and stay in the “Haram” all the time (the holy mosque).. He gave me his permission to stay there.. In the holy mosque, there were some Egyptian and Turkish sisters beside me, who saw me crying a lot.. They asked me about the reason.. I told them that I came to the holy house of Allah and I never thought I would love it that much! I also told them that I have cancer.. They kept beside me all the time and did not leave me.. they also took the permission of their husbands to stay with me at the mosque…

During that time, we rarely slept.. we ate very little quantities of food.. but we drank a lot of “Zamzam” water.. And as the prophet SAAWS said, “Zamzam water is for whatever you drink it for, If you drink it for the intention of being cured, Allah SWT shall cure you.. If you drink it because you are thirsty, Allah shall quench you out of thirst…” etc. and so we didn’t feel hungry.. We kept on doing Tawaf (going around the Kaaba) continuously.. and read Quran a lot.. This was the way we were day and night.

When I came to the holy house of God I was very thin, and the upper part of my body and my breasts were filled with swells, blood and pus… This was because the cancer had completely spread all through the upper part of my chest… so the sisters kept on begging me to wash the upper part of my body with Zamzam water.. but I was very afraid to even touch it.. I was afraid to remember my sickness, because then that sickness shall occupy my thoughts instead of remembering Allah and worshipping Him in complete submission…. hence I was always washing my body without touching the part affected by cancer..

On the fifth day, my friends insisted that I should go over my whole body with Zamzam water.. at the beginning I refused.. but I felt something forcing me to do it! I slowly started trying to go through the parts I always avoided, over my chest.. but I became frightened again… then I felt this thing forcing me again.. I hesitated… and on the third turn, I forced my hand to the upper part of my body and finally went over my breasts! Something unbelievable happened.. there were no swells.. no blood.. no pus!!! I couldn’t believe what I felt.. I went over my breasts with my hand again, and it was true! Yes that was true!.. I shivered!! But I remembered that Allah SWT is capable of doing anything whatsoever….

I asked one of my friends to touch my body with her hand and look for the swells.. she did! ..and they all automatically shouted: Allahu Akbar.. Allahu Akbar!! I ran to my husband in the hotel… When I saw him, I tore my shirt up and said: “look at Allah’s Mercy!” I told him of what happened and he couldn’t believe it!!.. He cried and cried.. He said: “Do you know that the doctors swore that you shall die within a period of three weeks only”? .. I said: all fate is within the Hands and Will of Allah (Praised be He), no one knows what the future is holding for us except for Him SWT.

We stayed in the holy house of Allah for one week, I thanked Him for His un-countable Graces.. Then we went to the prophet’s mosque in Medina.. then we travelled to France.. There, the doctors were confused and surprised.. they nearly become crazy!! “Are you the same person?!”, they asked me.. I was very proud to say: YESS!! .. and this is my husband.. we have returned to God.. and I now fear nothing but Allah SWT.. The fate is from Him SWT…. They told me that mine is a very strange case.. they said they want to examine me again.. They did it again, and they found… nothing! Before, I could hardly breath because of the swells.. but when I went to Allah’s holy place and asked Him to cure me, the cancer has all gone…

I looked for the “seerah” (biography) of the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them).. I read them and I cried a lot.. I cried, as I was regretting all what I have missed in my past life.. I missed the love of Allah and His prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam)… I, a humble slave of My Lord, who should have Loved Allah with all my soul, had spent my love, for all these years, on meaningless things of this world…. I cried for the time I have wasted away from Allah SWT, my Creator….. time which we should all spend worshipping Allah whilst loving Him truly, and loving the Messenger by following His Noble Example, his Sunnah and the Hadiths…

I ask Allah to forgive me, my husband and all Muslims… and to accept me as His sincere worshipper.

And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, then I am indeed near. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led right. (Qur’an 2:186)

The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said that: ” Zamzam water is what one intends to drink it for. When one drinks it to be healed, Allah heals him; when one drinks it to be full, Allah makes him full; and when one drinks it to quench his thirst, Allah quenches it. ” [ Ahmad, and Ibn Majah]

SOURCE:http://islamgreatreligion.wordpress.com/

Those who repented to Allah SWT

2011-02-19T13:53:00.000+08:00

(This is a True story)

How to Create a Positive Classroom Atmosphere

2011-02-15T20:55:00.003+08:00

When you create a positive classroom atmosphere, students learn better. Every student must feel safe and important in the class in order for maximum learning to take place. A positive classroom environment does not just happen; the teacher creates it.

Instructions

Create a Positive Physical and Emotional Atmosphere

Lead your students by example. Changes begin with the teacher's positive caring attitude and thoughtful construction of the physical environment.

Begin each class greeting students with a smile and a personal welcome. Help each child feel important and set a positive tone to the class.

Organize your classroom neatly and methodically to control confusion and stress. You and the students need to know where to find books and materials at all times.

Plan lessons that allow students to actively participate in the learning process, and arrange the desks to meet the needs of the students and lessons.

Teach children to set measurable academic and behavior goals. Acknowledge the completion of the goals with stickers, treats, public announcements and certificates.

Search for students' strengths and build on them. Put activities in your lesson plans that allow every child to feel a measure of success.

Create a Positive Classroom Discipline System

Allow students to help set classroom rules to give them ownership in the discipline process. Post the rules and consequences in the room.

Stick to the rules and fairly and consistently execute the consequences.
Use negative consequences infrequently by reinforcing positive behaviors with a reward system.

Integrate correct behavior and accountability instruction into your lesson plan.

Hold each student accountable for her actions and don't allow the blame game.

Discipline students privately. This demonstrates respect and protects the student from public humiliation.

Praise the children frequently and find something positive to say about each student.

http://www.ehow.com/

Keys to Happiness

2011-01-30T22:01:00.004+08:00

Happiness is the only goal on earth that all people without exception are seeking to attain. Believers and unbelievers alike seek to be happy, but each party is using different methods.

However, only believers can achieve genuine happiness. All forms of happiness attained without a firm belief in God, the Almighty, are mere illusions.
The following are tips for the attainment of happiness:

1. Know that if you do not live within the scope of today, your thoughts will be scattered, your affairs will become confused, and your anxiety will increase. These realities are explained in the following hadith:
“When you are in the evening, do not expect to see themorning, and when you are in the morning, do not expect to see the evening.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

2. Forget the past and all that it contained, focus on the present.

3. Do not completely preoccupy yourself with the future and then discard the present. Be balanced in life, prepare yourself adequately for all situations.

4. Do not be shaken by criticism; instead, be firm. Be sure that in proportion to your worth, the level of people's criticism rises. Also, make good use of criticism in discovering your shortcomings and faults, and let it drive you toward self-improvement.

5. Have complete faith in God and perform good deeds; these are the ingredients that makeup a good and happy life.

6. If you desire peace, tranquility, and comfort, you can find it all in the remembrance of God.

7. You should know with certainty that everything that happens, occurs in accordance with the divine decree.

8. Do not expect gratitude from anyone.

9. Train yourself to be prepared for the worst possibility.

10. Perhaps what has happened is in your best interest, even though you may not comprehend how that can be so.

11. Everything that is decreed for the believer is the best for him.

12. Enumerate the blessings of God and be thankful for them.

13. Remember that you are better off than many others.

14. Relief comes from one hour to the next. Indeed, with each difficulty there is relief.

15. In both times of hardship and ease, one should turn to supplication and prayer, either patiently contented or thankful.

16. Calamities should strengthen your heart and reshape your outlook in a positive way.

17. Do not let trivialities be the cause of your destruction.

18. Always remember that your God is Oft-Forgiving.

19. Assume an easy-going attitude and avoid anger.

20. Life is bread, water, and shade; so do not be perturbed by a lack of any other material thing.

“And in the heaven is your providence and that which you are promised.” (Quran 51:22)

21. A daunting evil that seemingly will happen usually never occurs.

22. Look at those who have more afflictions and be grateful that you have less.

23. Bear in mind the fact that God loves those who endure trials with steadfastness, so seek to be one of them.

24. Constantly repeat those supplications that the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, taught us to say during times of hardship.

25. Work hard at something that is productive, and cast off idleness.

26. Do not spread rumors and do not listen to them. If you hear a rumor inadvertently, do not believe it.

27. Know that your malice and your striving to seek revenge are much more harmful to your health than they are to your antagonist.

28. The hardships that befall you atone for your sins, if you endure with patience.

source: http://www.islamreligion.com/

SIGNS OF WEAK IMAN AND HOW TO INCREASE IT

2011-01-24T00:00:00.003+08:00

Signs of weak IMAN:

1. Committing sins and not feeling any guilt.
2. Having a hard heart and no desire to read the Quran.
3. Feeling too lazy to do good deeds, e.g. being late for salat
4. Neglecting the Sunnah.
5. Having mood swings, for instance being upset about petty things and bothered and irritated most of the time.
6. Not feeling anything when hearing verses from the Quran, for example when Allah warns us of punishments and His promise of glad tidings.
7. Finding difficulty in remembering Allah and making dhikr.
8. Not feeling bad when things are done against the Shariah.
9. Desiring status and wealth.
10. Being mean and miserly, i.e. not wanting to part with wealth.
11. Ordering others to do good deeds when not practising them ourselves.
12. Feeling pleased when things are not progressing for others.
13. Being concerned with whether something is haram or halal only; and not avoiding makroo (not recommended) things.
14. Making fun of people who do simple good deeds, like cleaning the mosque.
15. Not feeling concerned about the situation of Muslims.
16. Not feeling the responsibility to do something to promote Islam.
17. Liking to argue just for the sake of arguing without any proof.
18. Becoming engrossed and very involved with dunya, worldly things, i.e. feeling bad only when losing something in terms of material wealth.
19. Becoming engrossed and obsessive about ourselves.

How to increase our IMAN?

1. Recite and ponder on the meanings of the Quran. Tranquility then descends and our hearts become soft. To get optimum benefit, remind yourself that Allah is speaking to you. People are described in different categories in the Quran; think of which one you find yourself in.

2. Realize the greatness of Allah. Everything is under His control. There are signs in everything we see that points us to His greatness. Everything happens according to His permission. Allah keeps track and looks after everything, even a black ant on a black rock on a black moonless night.

3. Make an effort to gain knowledge, for at least the basic things in daily life e.g. how to make wudu properly. Know the meanings behind Allah's names and attributes. People who have taqwa are those who have knowledge.

4. Attend gatherings where Allah is remembered. In such gatherings we are surrounded by angels.

5. We have to increase our good deeds. One good deed leads to another good deed. Allah will make the way easy for someone who gives charity and also make it easy for him or her to do good deeds. Good deeds must be done continuously, not in spurts.

6. We must fear the miserable end to our lives; the remembrance of death is the destroyer of pleasures.

7. Remember the different levels of akhirah, for instance when we are put in our graves, when we are judged, whether we will be in paradise or hell.

8. Make dua, realize that we need Allah. Be humble. Don't covet material things in this life.
9. Our love for Subhana Wa Ta'Ala must be shown in actions. We must hope Allah will accept our prayers, and be in constant fear that we do wrong. At night before going to sleep, we must think about what good we did during that day.

10. Realize the effects of sins and disobedience- one's faith is increased with good deeds and our faith is decreased by bad deeds. Everything that happens is because Allah wanted it. When calamity befalls us- it is also from Allah. It is a direct result of our disobedience to Allah.
Source: www.missionislam.com

OBEDIENCE TO OUR PARENTS

2011-01-03T20:16:00.002+08:00

Islam builds a family in which prevails mutual respect and care. Parents and children in Islam are bound together by mutual obligations and reciprocal arrangements. Allah (SWT) Says “…No mother should be harmed through her child, and no father through his child…” [Quran 2: 233]

The Quran has made it compulsory for the child to treat his parents with all goodness and mercy.

Every Muslim must show goodness and mercy to his parents throughout their lives. There is only one exception to this, and that is, if the parents ask their children to associate anything with Allah (SWT) and to commit sins, then the children must not obey their parents. In all cases, the children must show love and gratitude to their parents. They must always speak to them gently and respectfully. They must try their best to make them happy, provided they do not disobey Allah (SWT) in the process.

Allaah says “But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with me others of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not; but behave with them in the world kindly…” [Quran 31:15]

Being patient and tolerant with parents:

The children must take great care not to react to what their parents have to say. If they say or do anything which is not liked or approved of by the children, then they must show patience and tolerance instead of giving vent to their anger. The children must scrupulously try to refrain from disobeying their parents since the Prophet (PBUH) regarded this as one of the grave sins.

Supplicating for them:

Far from showing signs of displeasure, the children must pray for them saying, as Allah teaches us in the verse (which means): "…My Lord and Sustainer! Be kind and have mercy on them as they cherished, nurtured and sustained me in childhood.” [Quran 17: 24]

We must continue praying for them even after they die. Such prayer will be regarded as a continuous charity as the Prophet (PBUH) told us.

The greater right of the mother:

The children must be kinder and more grateful to their mothers since they took greater pains in their upbringing. That is why the Prophet (PBUH) emphasized that it is the mother who has the first claim on the child's care and attention.

Once a companion (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (PBUH) as to whom he should show more kindness. The Prophet (PBUH) replied: "Your mother." He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked who comes next and the Prophet (PBUH) again replied: "Your mother." He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (PBUH) yet again who comes next. The Prophet (PBUH) replied: “Your mother." When the companion asked for the fourth time, only then did the Prophet (PBUH) reply: "Your father."

Recognizing their great status:

The Muslim should recognize the status of the parent and know his duties towards them. The status of parents in Islam is a status which mankind had not known before. Allah Has placed the respect for the parents just one step below the belief in Allah and true worship of Him.

Allah says “And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.” [Quran 17: 23]

The Prophet (PBUH) placed kindness and respect towards parents just after the prayer offered on time as the prayer is the foundation of Islam.

‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood (RA) said: “I asked the Prophet (PBUH) which deed is most liked by Allah? He (PBUH) said: ‘Prayer offered on time.’ I asked him: ‘Then what? He (PBUH) said: ‘Kindness and respect towards parents.’…” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Knowing the duties towards them:

It is also the duty of the child to provide for his parents, if he is able to do so. The Quran sums up the whole matter in a master concept called Ihsaan, which denotes what is right, good and beautiful (i.e. showing to them kindness, compassion, gratitude, reverence and respect, praying for them and supporting them financially if they are in need.)

Concluding, we mention a verse that shows the significance of obedience and gratitude due to parents: Allah says: “And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.” [Quran 31:14]

SOURCE:http://fight4allah.blogspot.com/

Where We Belong

2010-12-15T20:01:00.003+08:00

Once, I was drowning in my fears
and the twinkle in my eye disappeared
and I had no way to look on
my horizon seemed to have gone
and my whole life, seemed empty and bleak
each day and night, the answers I seek

Chorus: (1):
But when, the darkness seemed so strong
and I couldn't go on
to the sky I raised my hands
making right what was so wrong
I found the strength to carry on
up to heaven where I belong
In life, there are lessons to be learned
with steadfastness, paradise Is earned
and if, all hope seems to be gone
just hold on till after the storm
and if you ask, what purpose have I
why am I here, and why do I cry?

Chorus: (2):
And when, the darkness seems so strong
and you just cant go on
pray for your helping hand
you'll see the sun will rise again
you'll find the strength to carry on
up to heaven where you belong
Cos life is but a journey for us all
we cry, we laugh, we run sometimes we fall
but through it all, always recall
God never gives, a burden too tall

By Zain Bhikha

18 Ways to Achieve Greatness through Gratefulness

2010-12-11T19:06:00.001+08:00

Whether you consider yourself a positive, easy-going person or a demanding, hard to please person, these tips can help you become a more grateful, caring, and content individual.

There is much more to gratitude and Shukr (thankfulness) in Islam than a mere “Thank You” that our ears have become so used to ignoring. Discover how you can be more thankful to Allah and His creation.

• Stop Complaining and be positive! This is the first step towards being thankful to Allah and people around you. We have become a community of complainers and whiners, which has lead to a collective psychology of negativity and unproductively.Stop complaining about the economy, weather, politicians, traffic, or ‘the system’. Refrain from blaming your Masjid, Imams, parents, spouse, in-laws, children, or boss. If you think with an open mind, you may find more positives in your circumstances and the people around you than negatives.

• Say “Al-hamdulillah” (All thanks and praise belongs to Allah) often: A constant utterance of this phrase reminds you of the source of all blessings and happiness in this life. This practice of attributing all good actions to Allah keeps you humble and content and has a positive affect on your relations with people.Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, has instructed us to say “Al-hamdulillah” on daily basis: “Allah is pleased with His servant if, when he eats something he thanks Allah for it, and when he drinks something he thanks Allah for it” (Muslim).

• Respect others’ time and schedule: Part of ungratefulness is wastage of time. As a scholar once said, “Time is not just money. It is more expensive than gold, diamonds and pearls. Time is life itself!”Arriving late at a meeting or a class, cancelling appointments last minute, or starting off a program late, are not only a big waste of time and disrespectful to others, but also a lack of appreciation of others’ time on your part.

• Seize the opportunity while you can. Procrastination in offering your prayers, delaying a donation to a humanitarian cause, or filling your leisure time with unproductive or unlawful activities is ingratitude to Allah for the limited time and opportunity He has given you to do good and to achieve Paradise.Prophet Muhammad warned us, “Good health and spare time are two of the blessings of Allah with respect to which many people are deceived.” (Bukhari)Even if you live till tomorrow, what guarantee do you have that there won’t be any obstacles in carrying out a good action. The Prophet used to call on Muslims to take the initiative to do good deeds before any problems arise.

• Spend 15 minutes daily to think about things that you should be thankful for: Recall people in your life, whom you may have taken for granted like your parents, spouse, children, co-worker, or teacher, who were caring and loving.List some of Allah’s gifts that are not tangible or were not obvious to you before. Sulayman, a follower of the Prophet’s Companions, once said: “Remembering His blessings makes one love Allah.”This simple mental exercise not only makes you a grateful person, but also a healthy one. According to a 2001 research bythe Institute for Research on Unlimited Love (IRUL), based in Ohio, just 15 minutes a day focusing on the things you are grateful for will significantly increase your body’s natural antibodies, will make you less vulnerable to clinical depression, and will keep your blood pressure and heart rate stable.

• Be patient and grateful when disasters strike: The depth and strength of your gratitude is tested in difficult times. Allah wants to see how thankful you truly are when you loose your job or a loved one, or when you feel ill and or get injured.It helps to know that in times of calamity and distress, there will be some good for you, provided you respond appropriately. The Prophet said, “How wonderful is the case of a Believer! There is good for him in whatever happens to him -and none, apart from him, enjoys this blessing.” (Muslim)Sufyan al-Thawri, a famous early scholar of Islam, said, “He does not understand religion properly who does not count affliction as a blessing and ease as a trial.”

• Donate your time, talent, money, and advice to social work and non-profit efforts: In our profit-driven culture, it is burdensome to squeeze out time and wealth for others. Your selfless service and generosity towards people in need and non-profit organizations is a sure way of showing gratitude to Allah and to your community.The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said, “People are dependants of Allah; the closest to Him are those who are most useful to His dependants” (Muslim).”As the blessings from Allah to a servant increase, so will the people’s needs of that blessed servant’s services. If the servant ignores their needs, it will cause those blessings to be removed” (lbn Hibban).

• Visit the sick, the terminally ill, and the disabled: Frequenting patients and families of the deceased, not only brings comfort to them and brings multiple rewards from Allah to you, it also helps you appreciate your own good health and opportunities you have in life to serve others.

• Share the message of Islam: If you appreciate the guidance of Islam as your most precious treasure, don’t hesitate to share it with others. If Islam has changed your life for the better, what’s holding you back from inviting your friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers to explore this message of hope and positive transformation?

• Recite and memorize the Duas of Prophet Muhammad: The most natural and beautiful way to thank Allah is the words of the Prophet himself.The Prophet told Muadh, “By Allah, I love you, so do not forget to say at the end of every prayer, ‘O Allah, help me to remember You and to give thanks to You and to worship You well’” (Ahmad and At-Tirmidhî).

• Fall in Prostration (Sajda) when you receive a blessing from Allah:Prophet Muhammad used to prostrate (Sajda) to Allah whenever he received something pleasant or was told good news to thank Allah for the grace he had received.

• Don’t consider any blessing too small: Treat all gifts of Allah with equal respect
and gratitude, lest you lose it one day for good. Aishah said that the Prophet entered upon her one day and saw a small piece of bread on the floor, so he picked it up and wiped it, then told her: “O Aishah, treat the blessings of Allah with respect, for when it departs from a household it may never come back to them” (Abud Dunya).

• Use and display Allah’s blessings moderately. Part of being grateful to Allah is to look presentable and clean, and spend money on yourself with moderation.Abul-Akhwas nar¬rated that his father said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah looking dishevelled and scruffy. He asked me, ‘Do you have any possessions?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He asked me what sort, and I told him, ‘I have all sorts. Allah has given me camels, horses, slaves and sheep.’ The Prophet said: ‘If Allah has given you all of that, then let Him see His blessing on you.’”

• Don’t be too picky and accommodate others! Some people express their discomfort (perhaps unintentionally) with anything that they are not used to. They may be too picky about their taste of food, clothing and furniture; they may get irritated easily in new environments; they may like meeting only a certain type of people; they may not like working with others.This insensitivity to other people’s preferences and inability to accommodate others is a sign of selfishness, arrogance, and ungratefulness. Be content in every situation and you will become grateful.

• Admire those below you and keep your expectations low: A lot of times the reason for our ungrateful behaviour is that we are constantly comparing our material success with the wealthier, healthier, and more accomplished. In our race to ‘keep-up-with-the-Ahmad-family’ next door, we forget so many obvious blessings that others may not enjoy and we should be thankful for.The Prophet admonished us, “Look at those people who have less than you and never look at those who have more grants than you, this will ensure that you will not depreciate Allah’s favours” (Muslim).

• Thank people for littlest things: People like to be appreciated for little favours they do for us, which often get ignored in our busy routines. When was the last time you thanked your little son for taking care of simple chore for you? Has your husband heard a compliment from you lately?Take the time to thank them for their thoughtfulness. As the Prophet stated, “The one who does not give thanks for a small blessing will not give thanks for a great blessing, and the one who does not give thanks to people will not give thanks to Allah” (Abud Dunya).

• Compliments & recognition and motivate team members: Whether you are an employer or a manager at work, or lead a volunteer based project, or simply a team player, a personal recognition significantly boosts the employee or volunteer morale.As Stephen Robbins in his book “The Truth about Managing People” explains, several organizational behaviour studies have indicated employees and volunteers rate personal thanks and recognition from a superior for a job well-done as the most motivating of a variety of incentives; yet not many team leaders use this simple, cost-effective technique that works like magic! What kinds of personal recognition and group success incentives does your organization have in place?

• When you thank someone, make sure you mean it: When you say “Jazakallahu Khayran” (May Allah reward you the best) to your wife, does it come from your heart? Or is it received as another cold cliché?Be a little creative when you really want to express your gratitude to someone. Say it with a personal thank you card. Show it with flowers. Accompany it with a genuine smile. Charge it with emotions. Enhance it with a meal or a meaningful gift.

This post was kindly prepared and submitted by Br. Taha Ghayyur
http://www.productivemuslim.com/

The miracle of rain

2010-12-09T09:57:00.003+08:00

Rain is indeed one of the most important factors for the permanence of life on earth. It is a prerequisite for the continuation of activity in a region. Rain, which carries great importance for all living things, including human beings, is mentioned in various verses of the Qur'an, where substantial information is given about the formation of rain, its proportion and effects. This information, which never could have been known by the people of the time, shows us that the Qur'an is the word of Allah.
Now, let us examine the information given in the Qur'an about rain.

The Proportion of Rain

In the eleventh verse of Surat az-Zukhruf, rain is defined as water sent down in "due measure". The verse is as follows:
He sends down (from time to time) water from the sky in due measure, and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead. Even so will you be raised (from the dead). (Surat az-Zukhruf, 11)

This "measure" mentioned in the verse has to do with a couple of characteristics of rain. First of all, the amount of rain that falls on the earth is always the same. It is estimated, that in one second, 16 million tones of water evaporate from the earth. This number is equal to the amount of water that drops on the earth in one second. This means that water continuously circulates in a balanced cycle according to a "measure".

Another measure related with rain is about its falling speed. The minimum altitude of rain clouds is 1,200 meters. When dropped from this height, an object having the same weight and size as a rain drop, would continuously accelerate and fall on the ground with a speed of 558 km/h. Certainly, any object that hits the ground with that speed would cause great damage. If rain happened to fall in the same way, all harvested lands would be destroyed, residential areas, houses, and cars would be damaged, and people would not be able to walk around without taking extra precautions. What is more, these calculations are made just for clouds at a height of 1,200 meters; there are also rain clouds at altitudes of 10,000 meters. A rain drop falling from such a height could normally reach a very destructive speed.

But this is not how it works; no matter from what height they fall, the average speed of rain drops is only 8-10 km/h when they reach the ground. The reason for this is the special form they take. This special form increases the friction effect of the atmosphere and prevents acceleration when the rain drops reach a certain speed "limit". (Today parachutes are designed by using this technique.)

This is not all about the "measures" of rain. For instance, in the atmospheric layers where it starts to rain, the temperature may fall as low as 400 C below zero. Despite this, rain drops never turn into ice particles. (This would certainly mean a fatal threat to the living things on the earth.) The reason is that the water in the atmosphere is pure water. As is well-known, pure water hardly freezes even at very low temperatures.

The Formation of Rain

How rain forms remained a great mystery for people for a long time. Only after weather radar was invented, was it possible to discover the stages by which rain is formed. The formation of rain takes place in three stages. First, the "raw material" of rain rises up into the air. Later clouds are formed. Finally, rain drops appear.
These stages are clearly defined in the Qur'an centuries ago where precise information is given about the formation of rain:
It is Allah Who sends the Winds, and they raise the Clouds: then does He spread them in the sky as He wills, and break them into fragments, until you see rain-drops issue from the midst thereof: then when He has made them reach such of his servants as He wills, behold, they do rejoice! (Surat ar-Room, 48)

Now, let us look at the three stages mentioned in the verse;

1ST STAGE: "It is Allah Who sends the winds..."

Countless air bubbles formed by the foaming in the oceans continuously burst and cause water particles to be ejected towards the sky. These particles, which are rich in salt, are then carried away by winds and move upwards in the atmosphere. These particles, which are called aerosols, form clouds by collecting around themselves the water vapor, which again ascends from the seas, as tiny drops by a mechanism called "water trap"

2ND STAGE: " ...and they raise the Clouds: then does He spread them in the sky as He wills, and break them into fragments..."

The clouds form from the water vapor that condenses around the salt crystals or the dust particles in the air. Because the water drops in these are very small (with a diameter between 0.01 and 0.02 mm), the clouds are suspended in the air and they spread in the sky. Thus the sky is covered with clouds.

3RD STAGE: "... until you see rain-drops issue from the midst thereof."

Water particles that surround salt crystals and dust particles thicken and form rain drops. So, the drops, which become heavier than air, depart from the clouds, and start to fall on the ground as rain.

Every stage in the formation of rain is told in the verses of the Qur'an. Furthermore, these stages are explained in the right sequence. Just as with many other natural phenomena in the world, it is again the Qur'an that provides the most correct explanation about this phenomenon as well, and more, that has announced these facts to people centuries before they were discovered by science.
Source: http://www.harunyahya.com/

THE MIRACLE OF TRUST IN ALLAH

2010-12-06T17:27:00.001+08:00

If One Puts Their Trust in Allah, He will Always Help & Guide Them
Whoever believes in Allah - He will guide his heart. Allah has knowledge of all things. (64/11)

Whoever puts his trust in Allah - He will be enough for him. (65/3)
Putting ones trust in Allah is a very important part of a Muslims faith and any that wants to follow God's True Religion. To put trust in Allah means one relies on their Lord at all times whether that be something that seems significant or insignificant, whatever it is a true believer always puts their trust in Allah. The awareness that Allah their Lord has power over all things is a great comfort for them. Everything in the heavens and everything on earth glorifies Allah. Sovereignty and praise belong to Him. He has power over all things. (64:1)

Man was actually created to put his trust in Allah and this is how he finds true peace, a lot of people ignorant of Islam and the guidance and morals of Allah’s Qur’an always try to find ways to be peaceful, but they never actually achieve that. The simple reason for this is because they do not follow the Religion God, their Creator, has perfected for His servants and the high morals He has commanded in the Qur’an, also they don’t know how brilliant putting trust in Allah is, they may often hear people telling them ‘Put Your Trust in Allah’ yet they never actually realise what this really means, or fail to grasp the full meaning and effect of trusting Allah;

TRUSTING ALLAH IS ACTUALLY A MIRACLE COMPREHENDED BY THE ONE WHO PUTS HIS TRUST IN HIM & OTHER TRUE BELIEVERS

In truth putting ones trust in Allah is actually a miracle comprehended by the one who puts their trust in Allah, and other true believers. The significance and vast potential of trusting Allah can be seen in the following verse of the Qur’an; 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. (3/160)

A believer who puts his trust in Allah notices the clear difference between not putting his trust in Him, and putting his trust in Him. Many people who will try to assess this fact from a superficial point of view generally will not notice, that is why this miracle is mainly comprehended by the believer himself and other believers. Also the difference that the believer notices in his life since he started putting his trust in Allah is unambiguous, and this change in his life he astonishingly and with great excitement realises is the actual mercy and help of Allah. (This is one thing those who disbelieve can never experience or realise, because they have a distorted and aberrant view of religion and God. In fact if the veil that Allah has placed on their hearts and intellect, which is due to their own arrogance and denial, was lifted, these people would crawl over ice to experience the peace from trusting Allah.)

The believer realises with great astonishment that Allah responds to the trust he places in Him, as He has promised in the Qur’an; Whoever has taqwa of Allah - He will give him a way out and provide for him from where he does not expect. Whoever puts his trust in Allah - He will be enough for him. Allah always achieves His aim. (65/2,3)

The believer compares his new found trust in Allah against his life in the time of ignorance (either before becoming a Muslim or practising Islam properly) before he started putting his trust in Allah, and realises this is what he was missing from his life, as already mentioned this difference is so unambiguous that it is a sign of Allah's existence and a miracle of trusting Allah. The believer actually realises with great excitement and astonishment Allah arranges his affairs in such a way that he knows it is the result of putting his trust in Him, Allah gives him help, answers, solutions, ways of being patient, etc., … from where he does not expect … (65/2), because; Whoever puts his trust in Allah - He will be enough for him. Allah always achieves His aim. (65/2,3)

Once a believer realises the miraculous and beneficial result of his trust in Allah, he never becomes disheartened at anything. He is always prepared to put his trust in his Lord the Al-Waduud (the All-Loving), in fact, it makes him even more confident and devoted to Allah, when he is confronted by difficulty or any problem he looks forward to putting his trust in Allah and waits with excitement to see how Allah arranges his affairs.

Another important fact the believer keeps in mind is that he knows that Allah will never wrong him and that He will never place a burden on him greater than he can bear:

Allah does not impose on any self any more than it can stand. For it, is what it has earned; against it, what it has merited. (2/286)

For this reason any misfortune that comes his way, he knows that is because of his own shortcomings and that Allah never wrongs His slaves by even the smallest amount;

Allah does not wrong anyone by so much as the smallest speck. And if there is a good deed Allah will multiply it and pay out an immense reward direct from Him. (4/40)

Allah informs us in another verse of the Qur’an that He wishes things to be easy for His servants and that He does not want to put them to difficulty, but that any difficulty that comes his way is because Allah, out of His Mercy wishes to purify his servant of all the bad deeds and traits that will cause grief and harm to himself and even others around Him; Allah does not want to make things difficult for you, but He does want to purify you and to perfect His blessing upon you so that hopefully you will be thankful. (5:6)

As a result of taking all the above into account a believer becomes extremely strong and steadfast against all that confronts him, a good example of this can be seen in the following verses of the Qur’an;

Many a Prophet has been fought, when there were many thousands with him! They did not give up in the face of what assailed them in the Way of Allah, nor did they weaken, nor did they yield. Allah loves the steadfast. (3:146)

Say: ‘Nothing can happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is Our Master. It is in Allah that the believers should put their trust.’ (9:51)

(Their Messengers said,) ‘And why indeed should we not put our trust in Allah when He has guided us to our ways? We will be steadfast however much you harm us. Those who trust put their trust in Allah.’ (14:12)

SOURCE: http://www.allahforever.co.uk/index.html

Balancing matters of Duniya and Aakhirah

2010-12-03T12:01:00.001+08:00

Allah has sent us to this world (the duniya) for a purpose, and the purpose is nothing but to worship Him Azza Wajal and do righteous deeds to seek His pleasure. And the religion He wants us to follow is one of total submission and obedience - and a complete way of life.

Allah SWT says:

“He Who created death and life to test which of you is best in action. He is the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving.” (Surah Al-Mulk: 2)

And Allah says:

"Oh mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may acquire Taqwa.” (Surah Al-Baqara: 21)

Islam should be inculcated into every action and deed in our everyday routine, be it at our work, in our business transactions, our family life (with our spouse and kids), our parents, our social life among our friends, community and everything that surrounds us and to matters of our heart. And inshAllah with this in our mind, all of us will be able to balance our time between the matters of Duniya and matters of the Hereafter. For a believer, all matters of the duniya are also matters of the Hereafter. He does not keep them separate. He indulges in matters of the duniya in such a way that will him benefit for him and not bring harm or evil to him in The Hereafter.

Allah says in the Qur'an:

“The life of this world is nothing but a play and amusement. The hereafter is better for those who guard against evil. So will you not use your intellect?” (Surah al-An'am: 32)

A true believer will always, therefore, remember his final destination. He does not forget the Hereafter, even for a second. He will live in this life as though he is a traveller, and he has to earn and prepare for his eternal abode, a luxurious, successful life.

Ibn 'Umar Radhiyallahu anh narrated that Prophet Sallallahu alihiwassalam said: “Be in this life as if you were a stranger or a traveller on a path.” (Sahih Al Bukhari)

Allah SWT says in the Qur'an:

“Verily! It is Allah Who causes the seed grain and the fruit stone to split and sprout. He brings forth the living from the dead, and it is He Who brings forth the dead from the living. Such is Allah, then how are you deluded away from the truth.” (Surah Al-An'am: 95)

The Qur'an is like The GPS and more, that keeps guiding us, and we should pay serious heed to it, with strong faith in the instructions and guidelines it provides endlessly. The Qur'an is perfect in all senses and flawless, and if we stick to it, we will never be led astray with The Mercy and Blessings of Allah Azza Wajal.

Allah says:

“That is the Book in which there is no doubt, guidance for the Muttaqin." (Surah Al-Baqara: 2)

If a matter of Duniya that will not benefit us, attracts us from a distance away from the straight path we are on, we should not think that maybe for once, we can move towards it, and then run back to the path we are supposed to be on, as we never know what is in store for us at that point. Maybe we could end up moving further away because of other worldly mirages, and ultimately leave us in darkness and lead to Hell-fire. Shaytan has a way of making our evil thoughts and actions look like "harmless fun" and nothing more.

Allah says:

“Those are the people who trade the hereafter for the world. The punishment will not be lightened for them nor shall they be helped.” (Surat al-Baqara: 86)

InshAllah, let's be cautious of ourselves so that we will not be included in this type of people, may Allah save us all. Allah says:

“Leave alone those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement, and are deceived by the life of this world.” (Surah Al-An'am: 70)

This does not mean that one cannot have fun in this world. Have fun, but within the boundaries of Islam. And keep it balanced. How do we balance it?.

Firstly,like mentioned above, a true believer tries to make his whole life an ibadah. And his life can be an ibadah only if he is obeying His Lord at all times. For example, at his work place, he follows the etiquettes and laws of Islam by being nice to his colleagues, trying to give Da'wah when he gets a chance (needn't be through speech, his actions speak too), abstaining from intermingling (talking unnecessarily, coming in contact like shaking hands, patting each other etc.), being sincere to his work not just for worldly gains but out of fear of Allah SWT and most of all, having a halal job. In his business transactions, he will be fair, stay away from interest and any other kind of dealings that are against the shariah of Islam. Even when he relaxes and has fun, he keeps thanking Allah SWT.

Secondly, let's weigh the time we spend to make our life here better and the time we spend to make our Aakhirah better, by keeping in mind that the Aakhirah is eternal and this world is for such a short span of life. Surely, we spend quite an amount of unavoidable time for the duniya. How can we then, be satisfied with ourselves for the amount of time we spent only to worship Allah SWT and the little or no time we spend in learning His dheen? (Indeed, He is The Most Merciful that inshAllah, we will enter Paradise, for the little we do here for our own Aakhirah's sake as gratitude for this life he has Blessed us with!)

Allah SWT says:

“Oh mankind! Have Taqwa of your Lord, and fear a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the promise of Allah is true, let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver deceive you about Allah.” (Surah Luqman: 33)

Thirdly, let's always stop ourselves and think twice when we feel tempted to think/say, "We have no time", when it comes to doing a good deed or an act or worship. Allah has given each and everyone of us 24 hours a day and 7 days in a week. All men are equal. If the companions of The Prophet Sallallahu alihiwassalam and the rightly guided scholars of the Islamic Era, (may Allah be pleased with them all) were able to run homes (sometimes more than one) with many kids, run businesses or do some work in order to earn their bread, govern the nation/state, do da'wah and teach Islam to their people, recite the Qur'an and contemplate on it on a daily basis, participate in battles, travel to seek knowledge of dheen, pray thahajjud and other extra prayers etc, why cannot we find time then?

"O Lord! Give unto us in the world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good and guard us from that doom of the Fire ".

By Umm Hibathain
http://www.areweprepared.ca/

Appreciating Beauty

2010-11-24T11:57:00.001+08:00

One of the attributes of a true believer is his or her ability to appreciate beauty in all things Allah has created. Whenever he sees things in nature, he is immediately reminded of the great power and majesty of the Creator who made it. In this way, all moments of life are causes for reflection for the true believer.

Such a thinking believer is also free from the prejudices of today’s society, namely the conditioning of the mind by the media. He can see that all human beings have been created in a pleasant form that is appealing to the viewer. He notices in all people, the perfection in the symmetry of the body, the face and the pleasant appearance of the human smile as well as countless other details that makes the human body pleasant to see. This leads him to render thanks to Allah and feel Allah's ever presence in all human beings He has created. The real believer views people as precious creation manifesting Allah's great power and purpose in creation. He can easily see the marvellous complexity involved in the design of the human body and knows that simply appreciating the outer appearance in a superficial manner would be ungratefulness to Allah.

"(People), do you not see how Allah has made what is in the heavens and the earth useful to you, and has lavished His blessings on you both outwardly and inwardly?" (Qur'an 31:20)

That is why, the believers are those who are able see and appreciate beauty in a way disbelievers do not. However, what differentiates a person from another is their fear and love of Allah, which comes from an understanding of the existence of Allah and the purpose of creation. The human body comes to a bitter end only within a few decades. That is why believers only judge one another on the level of their moral perfection and adherence to Allah's commands.
source:http://www.quranicpath.com/

REMAINING PATIENT IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTIES

2010-11-15T20:22:00.003+08:00

In the Qur’an, God has described Himself as:

"The one who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 67, Verse 2

He draws attention to the fact that the life of this world is a time for testing. Indeed, events which appear to be favorable or unfavorable in the course of this life are critical in terms of revealing a person's actual character. Calamities, in particular, serve to reveal the degree of a person's sincerity.

One of the most noticeable qualities of believers is their stable character. In times of prosperity and hardship alike, they display the same sincerity and enthusiasm.Their unique perception of the concept of "difficulty" accounts for this, for they consider times of difficulty as opportunities by which they can prove their devotion to God and the strength of their faith. They acknowledge that they are special situations created by God to discriminate between "those in whose hearts is a disease" and "those who are sincere in faith to Him." In the face of all they encounter, they show forbearance and put their trust in God in compliance with His words:

"So be patient with gracious patience." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 70, Verse 5

The Qur’an also states:

"God does not charge a soul except [within] its capacity. It will have whatever [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] whatever [evil] it has earned." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, Verse 286

Believers feel the security and comfort of knowing that God does not impose on them more than they can bear. In the face of an ordeal they remember that this is an incident they will manage to overcome, and therefore they meet it with patience.

Thus, no matter how trying an ordeal may be, they earnestly strive while displaying a submissive attitude to God.

In addition, they know that ordeals befell believers in the past and that the trials people of the past encountered will come to them as well. A believer aware of this fact is prepared long before he actually encounters difficulties; he has determined that he will remain loyal to his Lord and is thus committed to display patience and submission and put his trust in God under all circumstances.

"And they had already promised God before not to turn their backs. And ever is the promise to God [that about which one will be] questioned." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 33, Verse 15

A believer fulfills his commitment to God. He faces hunger, poverty, fear, injury or death with steadiness, accepts them and shows a thankful attitude towards his Lord. Even if innumerable difficulties should come upon him one after another and his entire life is spent in hardship, he knows that when he accepts difficulties in this life (lasting but a few decades) with good patience for God, he will experience no difficulty throughout eternity – not for a single moment. His earnest behavior will, by God’s will, earn him the most beautiful blessings: the pleasure and mercy of God and His Paradise.

This good news is given in the Qur’an:

"And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, Verse 155

There is a final point to be kept in mind. The way believers face difficulties with patience is different from the ignorant person's understanding of patience, which is simply to endure. Believers' understanding, however, is not only "endurance" but facing the problems that one must solve and overcome. Therefore, believers do their best to provide solutions by exercising their reason and resorting to all material and physical means. While doing so, they pray to God to give them strength and relief:

"Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people." The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, Verse 286

It is indeed this attitude in the face of hardship – sincere efforts coupled with acceptance – which reveals genuine zeal. The strength of their faith in God and the Hereafter enables believers to struggle hard against difficulties without ever feeling weak-hearted.

Excerpted from Zeal and Enthusiasm by Harun Yahya

The Signs of HYPOCRISY

2010-11-09T20:06:00.006+08:00

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said, "The signs of the hypocrite are there: That he utters falsehood when he speaks and that he breaks his promise and that he betrays when entrusted", Imam Muslim added in another narration, "Even though he fasts, prays, and claims he is a Muslim."

Hypocrisy is a contradiction between what appears and what is concealed and, thus, a hypocrite is one who shows different to what he conceals.

Hypocrisy is divided into two types:

• Hypocrisy in belief.

• Hypocrisy in action.

Hypocrisy in belief is when one shows Islam and conceal Kufr (disbelieve), and this was the status of the hypocrites during the time of the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) after his migration to Medina. This is the most dangerous and malignant form of disbelieves.

To that effect, Allah (S.W.T.) said in surat An-Nisa’, (Verse 140), what can be translated as, "Allah will gather the Hypocrites and the disbelievers all in the Hell-Fire." Allah (S.W.T.) also says in the same surat in (Verse 145), what can be translated as, "The Hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of Hell-Fire."

Allah (S.W.T.) mentioned many of their attributes, and exposed much of their reality and uncovered the extent of their hostility towards Muslims in many verses of the Qur’an, for the purpose of alerting the Muslims to their danger and conspiracies;

Later on, Gabriel, mentioned their names to the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), and the prophet told that to his most trusted companion, Huzaifah-Bn-Alyaman. This was on the hypocrisy of belief.

For the second As type of hypocrisy, which is hypocrisy in action, It is to abandon all or some religious act in privacy, while complying with it publicly. This conduct fits under the terminology of Hypocrisy, but not under that of disbelief.
The hadith that was mentioned earlier has specified for us three of the signs of hypocrisy.

The first sign is lying. Which is one of the worst and gravest sins, since it is a means to immorality, and leads the person to the hell fire (we ask Allah (S.W.T.) for refuge from that). Imam Bukhari and Muslim reported that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said, "Honesty guides to righteousness, and righteousness guides to paradise, and a person does preserve his honesty until Allah (S.W.T.) gives him recognition for being honest." The prophet added, "and dishonesty guides to immorality, and immorality leads to the Hell-Fire, and a person does preserve his dishonesty until Allah (S.W.T.) gives him recognition for being dishonest."

In another authentic hadith reported by Imam Ahmad, Ibn-Hibban and Al-Baihaqi, that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said, "Maintain six virtues and I guarantee you paradise: Tell the Truth when you talk, fulfill your promises, and give what has been entrusted with you, preserve your chastity, lower your gaze, and do not harm anyone."

Imam Ahmad and others reported in an authentic hadith that the Aisha’, may Allah be pleased with her said, "There had not been worse conduct than lying in the eyes of the companions. And the prophet (S.A.W.) would know the man of his companions who has been lying, and that would not clean away from the heart of the prophet, until he (S.A.W.) knows that person made repentance to Allah."

The second sign of hypocrisy is breaking the promise. Thus whoever promised another of good thing and did not fulfill it, then he would have a quality of hypocrisy. Allah (S.W.T.) has ordered us Muslims to fulfill our promises, when he said in surat Al-Israh, (Verse 34), what can be translated as, "And fulfill (every) covenant. Verily! The covenant, will be questioned about."

Imam Bukhari reported that the prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) said, "A man form the children of Israel, asked someone to lend him a thousand dinars until a set date. Someone lent him the money, and when the time came that man wanted to pay it off. He went out to the sea to go to the lender, but could not find a ship; thus, he took a piece of wood and drilled a hole through it, then he put in it a thousand dinar and threw it in the sea. The lender came out in another sea shore to find the log before him, and he took it as a fire wood to his family and when he sawed it, he found his money in it". Because of his eagerness to payoff the debt on time, Allah (S.W.T.) has helped him in directing the money to its owner.

The third sign of hypocrisy is the betrayal when entrusted, and not returning this trust to which it belongs to or using it without permission given from the owner. Allah (S.W.T.) has commanded us in surat An-Nisa’, (Verse 58), what can be translated as, "Verily! Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due…"

Trusts are of many types. It may be in the form of money and in the form of rights. There are some Muslims who are conscious about money trusts, but are not conscious about the rights and duties that Allah trust every one of us with. Thus, yourself is a trust given to you by Allah. Your wealth, which you gather is a trust, entrusted to you by Allah, the time that you made use of is also a trust, again your health, your youth, your mind, your hearing, and your vision, are all trusts to you from Allah. Also your wife and children are a trust entrusted to you by Allah. Also your community is a trust entrusted to you by Allah. And the most important trust is the deen of Allah that entrusted you with. So let us be ware from the betraying all of these trusts or the loss of them, surely Allah will question us, on that, on the day of Judgment.

The preservation of all of these trusts that we have mentioned lies in observing Allah’s rights in them. And to follow the commands of Allah in all of them. Allah (S.W.T.) has praised the believers in surat Al-Mu’minoun, (Verse 8), what can be translated as, "Those who are faithfully true to their trusts and to their covenants."

http://www.raleighmasjid.org/

TIPS TO MAINTAIN CONCENTRATION IN PRAYER

2010-10-22T09:48:00.001+08:00

A Muslim should be mindful and attentive while offering the Prayer. He should reflect on the meaning of the Qur’anic verses and du`aa’ he reads. He should be humble and concentrate while praying.

In order to gain proper concentration in Prayer, it is important to keep one’s mind free of all pre-occupations with worldly affairs. Since our minds tend to dwell on the things which we are currently absorbed with, it is important to break the hold of this world upon our minds by conditioning ourselves to think consistently of Allah and the Last Day. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A true believer is one who has made all of his thoughts subservient to the bigger thought: Allah.”

Another important point to remember is that often because of our indulgence in major sins, we may be deprived of true joy in Prayer as a penalty for these sins. Such sins include displeasing one’s parents, fornication or adultery, indiscriminate mingling and mixing with members of the opposite sex, unethical conduct and behavior in financial dealings, and so on.

Therefore, as a prerequisite step towards improving our concentration in Prayer, we must examine our life and purge it of all the major sins according to the best of our ability. After having done so, we can follow these tips which have been gleaned from the discussions of the salaf as-salih (pious predecessors):

1. Before standing up for Prayer, try to deal with all the minor urgent matters which demand your attention. If you are pressed by hunger, eat first; if you are pressed to attend to the call of nature, relieve yourself; if you are the parent of an infant, feed him or her, or keep him or her busy.

2. Perform your wudu’ (ablution) well, paying due care and attention.

3. Approach the Prayer with zest and passion as if it is the most important task in your life. Actually the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us that we could do nothing in this world that could ever surpass Prayer in merit and excellence.

4. Visualize that in your Prayer you are going to have a special audience with Allah, Lord of the worlds, and that you are enjoying a direct communion with Him—which, in fact, is true.

5. Think of the Prayer you are performing as if it were the last Prayer of your life. In fact, it could very well be the last one, since no one is given a guarantee that he would live to perform another Prayer.

6. Picture the scene of the Last Day when people will be lined up into two groups, one destined for Heaven, and another for Hell, and ask yourself where you would be placed

7. Focus your mind on what you are reading in your Prayer.

8. If, in spite of your best efforts, your mind is still wandering, seek refuge in Allah and bring your mind back to Prayer.

9. Pray to Allah and beg Him to grant you true the joy of concentrating in your Prayer and protection against the wanderings of your mind

The pleasures of seeking knowledge

2010-10-17T09:09:00.006+08:00

The rise of Muslims to the zenith of civilization in a period of four decades was based on lslam's emphasis on learning. This is obvious when one takes a look at the Qur'an and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad which are filled with references to learning, education, observation, and the use of reason. The very first verse of the Qur'an revealed to the Prophet of Islam on the night of 27th of Ramadan in 611 AD reads:

"Recite: In the name of thy Lord who created man from a clot. Recite: And thy Lord is the Most Generous Who taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not." (Quran, 96:1-5)

"And they shall say had we but listened or used reason, we would not be among the inmates of the burning fire." (Quran, 67:10)

"Are those who have knowledge and those who have no knowledge alike? Only the men of understanding are mindful. " (Quran, 39:9)

The Qur'an encourages people towards scientific research:.
"And whoso brings the truth and believes therein such are the dutiful." (Quran, 39:33)

Every Muslim man's and every Muslim woman's prayer should be:

"My Lord! Enrich me with knowledge.." (Quran, 20:114)

The pursuit of knowledge and the use of reason, based on sense and observation is made obligatory on all believers.

The following traditions of the Prophet supplement the foregoing teachings of the Qur'an in the following way:

• Seek knowledge "even though it be in China."

• "The acquisition of knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim, whether male or female."

• "The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr."

• "Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave."

• "God has revealed to me, 'Whoever walks in the pursuit of knowledge I facilitate for him the way to heaven.'

• "The best form of worship is the pursuit of knowledge."

• "Scholars should endeavor to spread knowledge and provide education to people who have been deprived of it. For, where knowledge is hidden it disappears."

• Some one asked the Prophet : "Who is the biggest scholar?" He replied: "He who is constantly trying to learn from others, for a scholar is ever hungry for more knowledge."

• "Seek knowledge and wisdom, or whatever the vessel from which it flows, you will never be the loser."

• "Contemplating deeply for one hour (with sincerity) is better than 70 years of (mechanical) worship."

• "To listen to the words of the learned and to instill unto others the lessons of science is better than religious exercises."

• "Acquire knowledge: it enables its possessor to distinguish right from the wrong, it lights the way to heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our society in solitude, our companion when friendless - it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is an ornament among friends and an armor against enemies."

Learning is a natural pleasure. This pleasure is inborn and instinctive. The pleasure of learning is one of the essential pleasures of the human race. Without learning, survival itself is threatened.

The process of learning starts right after birth. It is true that babies who can barely talk investigate problems with all the zeal and excitement of explorers, make discoveries with the passion and absorption of dedicated scientists. At the end of each successful investigation, one can see on the tiny face an expression of innocent and pure heartfelt pleasure. The process of physical growth stops when a boy or girl reaches puberty, that is with the on set of menarche in the girls and with the change in the voice and growth of moustache and beard in boys. After puberty it is impossible to increase the height both in boys and girls.

On the other hand the mental faculties grow from birth until death. At some point in our lifetime, the physical body becomes sick or ill and gradually dies; even the emotions become duller. But the mind continues to live, and even grows more lively and active, enjoys itself more, works and plays with more expansion and delight. I have seen grandparents obtaining Bachelors, Masters and Ph. D. degrees at the ages of 70, 80 or 90.

The pleasure of learning is not confined to learning from textbooks, which are too often tedious. But it does include learning from book magazines (periodicals), newspapers, movies, television, radio and traveling.

When you stand in a big library in front of thousands of books do not think they are lumps of lifeless paper, but minds alive on the shelves. Each has its own voice, which is as inaudible as the radiobroadcast waves falling directly on ears. Just as one switches on the radio to listen, similarly a person needs to open a book to hear the voice far distant in time and space. One can hear the voice speaking, mind to mind, and heart to heart. Reading of books gives you two different delights. One is the pleasure of understanding the unknown and the unexpected. The other pleasure is of deepening one's knowledge of a specified field.

Apart from books, learning means keeping the mind open and active to receive all kinds of experience. As pointed out earlier there is great emphasis on learning and seeking knowledge in Islam.

The Prophet Mohammed ordered Muslims to be active in their search for learning, crossing oceans and continents if necessary. " Seek knowledge even in China" he said. Learning also means learning to practice one' s own professional skills - that of a physician, engineer, musician or craftsman.

Crafts and hobbies lead you into fresh fields of enjoyment and give you relaxation and activity without tension. One should know that tension is the prime cause of heart attacks, ulcers, hypertension, and most of the human diseases.

Traveling is an important activity in the pleasures of learning. There are many examples of exceptionally informed people who never read books and newspapers, but acquire knowledge through traveling. One should travel with an open mind, an alert eye and a wish to understand other people and other places.

A saying of Prophet Muhammad is ... With knowledge man rises to the heights of goodness and to a noble position, associated with sovereigns in this world, and attains the perfection of happiness in the next.

There are many people in this world who have played themselves to death, or eaten and drunk themselves to death. Nobody ever died because of thinking or learning. People who avoid learning, or abandon it, find no joy in life, find that life is dry. No learner has ever run short of subjects to explore. The pleasures of learning lead to happiness. One can live a long, healthy and rewarding life by attaining and preserving the happiness of learning. Learning is everyone's birthright. Everyone - young or old, rich or poor, male or female, has access to learning. Exercise your birthright. Remember what you have learned cannot be taken away by others.

Source: article By: Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D. IslamiCity* -

How To Overcome Inferiority Complex

2010-10-16T01:09:00.004+08:00

Lack of confidence and low self esteem can make a person feel inferior and much less talented than the people around him/her. Difficult though, overcoming inferiority complex is vital, because it builds up negative thoughts in a person's mind. As a result, he/she finds it difficult to do even those things that he/she could accomplish very easily earlier. If you are also facing the same problem, then you should learn to get rid of it as soon as possible. The tips listed below will help you learn how to overcome inferiority complex and increase your self esteem as well as your confidence tremendously.

Overcoming Inferiority Complex

• Positive thinking is essential for the development of a good personality. Discard all the negative thoughts and replace them with optimistic ones. You should think about yourself as well as the people around you, in a positive light.

• People often feel inferior for the things lacking in them. To overcome the complex, you need to concentrate on your positive attributes, rather than regretting about what you do not have. Write down all the things that you like about yourself, on a piece of paper, and make the most of them. Remember, no one in this world is perfect.

• Physical appearance often triggers inferiority complex in people and leads to a lack of self confidence. If you feel that you look less attractive than others, groom yourself. Improve your dressing sense and wear clothes that flatter your body structure. This will boost your self confidence and make you feel pleased about yourself. You would not feel inferior to others, when you score on your good looks!

• The lack of proficiency also makes one feel inferior to others. If you are in the same situation, then you need to concentrate on improving your skills. Develop your aptitude. Keep yourself updated about the events happening around you. If you are more talented, at least equally skilled, than others, you won’t feel inferior at any point of time.

• Some people enjoy degrading others. They deliberately wish to hurt and humiliate other people, in order to feel superior about themselves. If you are surrounded by such people, learn to handle them. Answer them back confidently. Remember, you should not let anyone hurt your self esteem.

• Every person is gifted in at least one way. Give time to yourself. Explore your talents and try to improve them. This will build up your self esteem and make you feel good about yourself, banishing the inferiority complex.

• Last, but not the least, learn to be happy and enjoy life to the fullest. Smile whenever you can. Do not frown. Do things that you enjoy. This will help you a great deal in overcoming inferiority complex.

The Qur’an Says, “Be Good to Your Parents”

2010-10-13T19:05:00.006+08:00

Islamic morality guarantees all people's social and personal lives and shows them how to live the easiest, most content, and happiest life. This morality prescribes justice, tolerance, compassion, and helpfulness toward all people, regardless of gender, age, and economic status. Irrespective of whom they are dealing with, Muslims are required to always abide by this morality as best they can. Muslims adopt these superior moral characteristics because Allah tells them to do so. As a result, a person's social status, gender, age, and other such characteristics are irrelevant to them.

Allah states the importance of treating parents well. Parents do their best to give their children a good education, a decent character, and teach them to treat all other people properly. Given that they make many sacrifices, financial or otherwise, for many years, the children are obligated to return their efforts and selfless support with respect and service. Allah reveals this responsibility in the Qur'an:

We have instructed man to honor his parents. (Surat al-'Ankabut: 8)

We have instructed man to be good to his parents. (Surat al-Ahqaf: 15)

Say: "Come, and I will recite to you what your Lord has made forbidden to you: that you do not associate anything with Him, that you be good to your parents, that you do not kill your children because of poverty-We will provide for you and them, that you do not approach indecency-outward or inward, and that you do not kill any person Allah has made inviolate-except with the right to do so. That is what He instructs you to do so that, hopefully, you will use your intellect." (Surat al-An'am: 151)

The Qur'an also reveals that one must treat parents well and avoid arrogance and pride:

Worship Allah, and do not associate anything with Him. Be good to your parents and relatives, orphans and the very poor, neighbors who are related to you and neighbors who are not related to you, companions and travelers, and your slaves. Allah does not love anyone vain or boastful. (Surat an-Nisa': 36)

Clearly, Allah advises people to always be tolerant, understanding, compassionate, and respectful toward their parents, especially toward their mothers. He also reminds us of the difficulties that mothers suffer while giving birth and raising their children. For example:

We have instructed man concerning his parents. Bearing him caused his mother great debility, and the period of his weaning was two years: "Give thanks to Me and to your parents. I am your final destination." (Surah Luqman: 14)

We have instructed man to be good to his parents. His mother bore him with difficulty and, with difficulty, gave birth to him; and his bearing and weaning take thirty months. Then when he achieves his full strength and reaches forty, he says:

"My Lord, keep me thankful for the blessing You bestowed on me and on my parents, and keep me acting rightly, pleasing You. Make my descendants righteous. I have repented to You, and I am truly one of the Muslims." (Surat al-Ahqaf: 15)

Every mother suffers for many months and displays great devotion in order to give birth. As Allah reveals, this is an agonizing process for her. After this period, she adopts a selfless devotion and begins to feed and nurture her child. Allah reminds people of this reality and points out that mothers are very special beings.

In addition, He advises people not to forget their parents' selfless devotion to them and to treat them equally well when they reach old age and become dependent:

Your Lord has decreed that you should worship none but Him, and that you should show kindness to your parents. Whether one or both of them reach old age with you, do not say "Ugh!" to them out of irritation, and do not be harsh with them; rather, speak to them with gentleness and generosity. Take them under your wing, out of mercy, with due humility and say: "O Lord, show mercy to them as they did in looking after me when I was small." (Surat al-Isra': 23-24)

As we all know, old age means the loss of physical strength, dynamism, health, and energy. Such people become dependent on other people's care, protection, and help. Their mental faculties decrease, and they come face to face with memory loss and other problems. Muslims, as required by Allah, treat their elderly parents with compassion, tolerance, understanding, and care.

In the verses cited above, Allah reveals how Muslims should treat their elderly parents. As we see, He forbids Muslims to show even the slightest disrespect toward their parents and commands them to say nice things and treat them gently so that they will have no reason to become upset. As a result, Muslims are very understanding, considerate, and careful with their elderly parents. They do their best to make their parents comfortable and continue to love and respect them.

Considering the difficulties and complaints associated with old age, Muslims try to provide for their parents' needs before being asked to do so. Whatever the circumstances, they are always polite and giving.

Muslims not only provide for their parents' spiritual and psychological needs, but also do everything to meet their material and financial needs. Allah reveals that parents have rights to their children's financial assistance:

They will ask you what they should give away. Say: "Any wealth you give away should go to your parents and relatives, orphans and the very poor, and travelers." Wher good you do, Allah knows it. (Surat al-Baqara: 215)

Prophet Yusuf's (Joseph's) (as) exemplary treatment of his parents is a perfect example for all people ("as" is short for "alayhis salam", which means "peace be upon him".) Following his appointment by the King as treasurer of Egypt, he hosted his parents in the most respectable manner and then expressed his gratitude and devotion to them by seating them on the throne. Allah reveals Yusuf's (as) behavior:

Then when they entered into Yusuf's presence, he drew his parents close to him and said: "Enter Egypt safe and sound, if Allah wills." He raised his parents up onto the throne. The others fell prostrate in front of him. He said: "My father, truly this is now the interpretation of the dream I had. My Lord has made it all come true, and He was kind to me by letting me out of prison and brought you from the desert when Satan had caused dissent between me and my brothers. My Lord is kind to anyone He wills. He is indeed All-Knowing and All-Wise." (Surah Yusuf: 99-100)

The Qur'an reveals that believers pray for their parents and for Allah's forgiveness and mercy for them. From some of the verses, we gather that the Prophets made similar prayers. Allah reveals that Prophet Nuh (Noah) (as) prayed for his parents:

"O My Lord, forgive me and my parents and all who enter my house as believers, and all the men and women of the believers. But do not increase the wrongdoers except in ruin" (Surah Nuh: 28).

We understand from the Qur'an that Islamic morality places a great value on parents. Allah makes clear that such character traits are important for all Muslims when they are young as well as when they are old.

However, in certain cases believers are required to disobey their parents. For example:

But if they try to make you associate something with Me about which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Keep company with them correctly and courteously in this world, but follow the way of him who turns to Me. Then you will return to Me, and I will inform you about the things you did. (Surah Luqman: 15)

Through this verse, Allah advises Muslims to disobey their parents only if the latter choose to rebel against Allah and encourage their children to do the same. But still, as required by Islam's morality, one must not be disrespectful toward them and must honor their wishes and treat them well.

Source:
http://www.womaninthequran.com/

The Quran Speaks of Happiness

2010-10-11T19:49:00.002+08:00

The concept of happiness in Islam is expressed in the Qur’ân and Sunnah in a number of different ways. First, we find the Qur’ân discussing the “good life”. Allah says: “Whosoever does right, whether male or female, and is a believer, we shall make them live a good life, and We shall pay them a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do.” [Sûrah al-Nahl: 97]

This “good life” is happiness itself. It is realized through faith and good deeds. This does not mean that we will not face difficulties in our good life. Our worldly lives, even when they are bolstered by faith and good works, are never free from distress and vexations. This world is the abode of toil, as Allah says: “Certainly We have created man to be in toil.” [Sûrah al-Balad: 90]

This world is the abode of tests and trials. Allah says: “Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him: so We gave him (the gifts) of hearing and sight.” [Sûrah al-Insân: 2]

Allah also says: “Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial, and to Us is your return.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 35]

The concept of happiness is also expressed in the Qur’ân as a negation of wretchedness and misguidance. It is also expressed through by contrasting it with the description, of a narrow, straightened life.

Allah says: “But he who turns away from remembrance of Me, his will be a narrow life, and I shall bring him blind to the assembly on the Day of Resurrection.” [Sûrah TâHâ: 124]

Wretchedness is the opposite of happiness. It is a state of being bereft of Allah’s remembrance. The way to distance oneself from wretchedness is to follow the path of guidance. This is what brings about happiness.

The Qur’ân also uses the concept of “the openness of the heart” to express happiness. Allah says: “Those whom Allah wills to guide, He opens their breast to Islam; those whom He wills to leave straying, He makes their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus does Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.” [Sûrah al-An`âm: 125]

Another expression is the “contentment of the heart”. Allah says: “Those who believe, and whose hearts find contentment in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find contentment.” [Sûrah al-Ra`d: 28]

The contentment and openness of the heart are aspects of happiness which are achieved through keeping up the remembrance of Allah and through following the guidance of Islam.

Total and perfect happiness is achieved through true devotion in worship to Allah, salvation from Hell, and admission to Paradise in the Hereafter.

Allah says: “On the day when it shall come, no soul shall speak except with His permission, then (some) of them shall be unhappy and (others) happy. Those who are wretched shall be in the Fire: There will be for them therein (nothing but) the heaving of sighs and sobs. Abiding therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord please; surely your Lord is the mighty doer of what He intends. And as to those who are made happy, they shall be in the garden, abiding in it as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord please; a gift which shall never be cut off.” [Sûrah Hûd: 105-108]

Believers can be tested with tribulations and illness, though when they are granted patience to endure and they seek their reward with their Lord, it is best for them.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “How amazing are the believer’s affairs; all his affairs are good for him. If good befalls him, he is grateful and that is good for him, and if he is afflicted by calamity he is patient and that is also good for him. This is only for the believer.” [Sahîh Muslim]

Ibn Mas`ûd said: “Allah has placed ease and happiness in certainty of faith and contentment. He has placed worry and misery in discontent and doubt.”

The contentment that Ibn Mas`ûd is referring to here is to be reconciled to Allah’s decree and with the portion that Allah has allotted to His servant. This is the way to attain peace of mind and happiness. By contrast, being discontented and resentful about one’s circumstances, unsatisfied with one’s portion that Allah has allotted, and having doubts about one’s faith, this is the way to anxiety, misery, and distress.

I ask Allah to make us all among those who attain happiness.

by Sheikh `Abd Allah b. Abd al-Aziz al-Zayidi

Effects Of Arrogance On The Soul

2010-10-03T14:18:00.005+08:00

The arrogant are distinctly avaricious and desirous of prestige. They are known both for their ambition as well as their desire to gain prestige. Wherever they are, they want to be the supreme, unique and most powerful one. They rely on their beauty, possessions, intelligence or status, that is, in the things of which they boast. Moreover, they believe they will never lose these qualities or possessions. Not for a moment do they feel any doubt about their flawed way of thinking. Although those around them are aware of their shortcomings, they believe themselves irreproachable. In actuality, they suffer many weaknesses due to their failure to grasp these facts. This mental deficiency is related in the Qur' an as follows:

Among them there are some who listen to you. But can you make the deaf hear even though they cannot understand? Among them there are some who look at you. But can you guide the blind, even though they cannot see? (Surah Yunus: 42-43)
Though the reasons for arrogance differ from one person to another, depending on their respective traits, there is a state of mind common to nearly all arrogant people. In the following section, we will consider some general character traits that result from this state of mind.
They are in a Diseased and Disturbed State of Mind
A normal person, who enjoys a stable state of mind, is extroverted, open and sincere. An arrogant person, however, suffers a darkened and disturbed state of mind. Being deceived and carried away by his pride, his inner-world is a sombre place of distress and anxiety; consumed with devious thoughts and schemes. Such a state of mind becomes exhausting, and causes them to age before their time.
Lacking in character, they are cold and ill-tempered. It is rare to see a pleasant expression or sign of affection or appreciation on their face, or to hear an encouraging word from them. One cannot feel relaxed among them or enjoy their company. Men tend to become aggressive and irascible. In woman, on the other hand, arrogance manifests itself as uneasiness. Wherever they are, a minor problem is likely to cause tension in them and absorb them in quarrel.
They Greatly Fear Making Mistakes
All acts and thoughts of those who are abundantly proud are directed towards earning the appreciation of others, and of making themselves out to be superior. For this reason, they excessively fear making mistakes. For them, making mistakes is a form of humiliation. They have total confidence in themselves, yet, paradoxically, feel the constant worry of doing the wrong thing. The arrogant ardently avoid all kinds of mistakes; making a mistake for them is an embarrassment. Therefore, they deny even the possibility. They are in a constant struggle to escape accusation of any faults. In a verse, Allah describes a disposition of these people:
Do you not see those who praise themselves for purity? No, Allah purifies whoever He wills. They will not be wronged by so much as the smallest speck. (Surat an-Nisa' : 49)

The arrogant humiliate others when they discover their mistakes. They exaggerate the errors other people make, taking every opportunity to bring these to light. They show no pity for anyone who commits an error, and become condescending towards them. They erroneously assume that if they reveal others' mistakes they make apparent their own faultlessness. Therefore, no one can feel at ease in their company. Such people always create an atmosphere of negativity.

Due to these reprehensible qualities, the arrogant can never master sincerity in its true sense. They remain deprived of this quality because they are aloof, always scheming. Such traits hinder them from being sincere towards others, being the reason why others distance themselves from them. They always fear that sincere behaviour, or natural shortcomings may become an object of ridicule. Due to their bad character, the arrogant are usually abandoned by others when they lose their power or fortune. Yet, we need to remember that, even at those times when they feel they are powerful, they are still alone in their own inner-world, so distant from the morality of the Qur' an.

They Cannot Stand Criticism

Being subject to criticism is something an arrogant person dislikes immensely. When criticised, his facial muscles tense up, and his expression dulls. Concerned about damage to his prestige, he is dismayed. He assumes that, if he makes a mistake, he will be ridiculed or humiliated by others, just as he is accustomed to reprove others in similar situations. He believes that being subject to criticism or admonition is degradation. To adopt such a state of mind is detrimental both in the spiritual and physical sense. Their tone of voice fluctuates, they are impaired by twitching, and in their face, you will not find signs of sincerity. Ultimately, they never find peace and comfort.

They maintain goals such as being "the most beautiful," "the most clever" or "the most qualified." Such pursuits place them under constant pressure. Seeing themselves as so perfect or superior, (or rather that they aim to prove themselves to be so), even a minor admonishment suffices to infuriate them. However, there is a point on which they are forgetful; they may seek to present themselves as perfect and infallible, and in some cases even succeed at doing so. Yet, on the Day of Judgment, they will be confronted with all their wrongdoings, whether minor or grave. As Allah informs us in the Qur' an, "Do they not know that Allah knows what they keep secret and what they make public?" (Surat al-Baqara: 77), everything about them is known to Allah, the Almighty. But being forgetful of their Lord and the Day of Judgment, they only deceive and humiliate themselves.

Praise Is What Pleases Them

That state of mind peculiar to the arrogant is discernible in their looks and their manner of speaking. These people either praise themselves openly, or place themselves in those circumstances by which they will gain praise. On the other hand, other people' s good qualities make them envious. This envy becomes immediately perceptible in their facial expression. Because of their arrogance, they become unsociable. Basically, they are tense and distressed, trying to appear "cool" and different to others. What they enjoy most is praising themselves or to be praised by others.

On the contrary, believers are aware that they are merely servants of Allah, and only Allah is Praiseworthy. The Prophet Muhammad (saas) sets an example of modesty for all Muslims, as revealed in his saying:
Do not exceed bounds in praising me; I am only the Lord' s servant; then call me the servant of Allah and His messenger. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Arrogance Prevents Man from Loving and Being Loved

The arrogant love themselves most, and thus, can never experience true love. At most, they can only pretend to love. They find it demeaning to show their love to others; they always desire to be the one to whom love and attention is shown. They deem it to be a kind of weakness to love others and to show them affection.

Due to their overbearing pride, they are incapable of love. Loving another person demands, primarily, that one be able to discern those qualities that are deserving of love. Yet, an arrogant person is loath to recognise these favourable qualities in people. Indeed, in their eyes, it is they who are most worthy of love. For this reason, they feel jealous of the beauty, intelligence, virtue or possessions of others. Sometimes, this jealousy reaches to such an extent that they wish others to lose all their good.

Another reason why they are incapable of showing love is that they cannot appreciate other people' s good qualities. Moreover, even if they were to recognise them, they expressly avoid mentioning them. The presence of someone else with better qualities than they make them feel uneasy. Consumed with jealousy, they are malicious and hostile.

The arrogant, with such disquieted spirit, are, in actuality, in great loss; throughout their lives, they are never able to experience true love, a feeling which is a great blessing from Allah. Apart from not being able to love, they are also not loved in the true sense, though they may be good-looking or intelligent. Because they share certain mutual interests, they may have established relationships with some people. Otherwise, most dislike their company. There is something unpleasant about their character and air. Considering the absence of tenderness, warmth, sincerity and modesty in their character, it is not difficult to understand why people avoid such people, no matter what their status or privilege.

They Are Unable to Enjoy Anything

An arrogant person is also unable to enjoy anything. Events and places that others generally take pleasure in do not meet up to their taste. In such circumstances, they seek the imperfections of others, and, all the while, strive to make known their supposed superiority. They consider being "cool" and "indifferent" as a mark of that superiority, and find it degrading to enjoy themselves.

Nevertheless, it is again only themselves who suffer from the consequences of such a disposition; they cannot taste the blessings of having joy, constantly submerged in their gloomy world. Curiously, they are incapable of understanding the reason for their uneasiness. Although they possess many superior features, according to them, they cannot rid themselves of distress and unhappiness. This demonstrates the fact that those who are arrogant towards Allah are bereft of understanding; they cannot grasp that it is Allah Who inspires this anxiety into their hearts.
A verse gives a detailed account of the sort of the arrogance of these people:
When he is told to have fear of Allah, he is seized by pride which drives him to wrongdoing... (Surat al-Baqara: 206)

Allah causes these people to feel depressed and buries them in ignominy, on account of their "pride" and "forgetfulness" of Him:
When Allah desires to guide someone, He expands his breast to Islam. When He desires to misguide someone, He makes his breast narrow and constricted as if he were climbing up into the sky. That is how Allah defiles those who disbelieve. (Surat al-An' am: 125)

Surely these are the troubles inflicted upon people in this world; their repayment in the hereafter will be much severer.

Jihad al-Nafs: Spiritual Striving

2010-09-28T21:56:00.003+08:00

There's a hadtih regarding jihad an nafs: "The best type of jihaad is the jihaad of the one who strives against his own self (jihaad al-nafs) for the sake of Allaah." it doesnt state which hadith it is from. But some people also say that this is fabricated? is this correct?

Allah Most High said:

{And whosoever STRIVES (JAAHADA), STRIVES (YUJAAHIDU) only for himself} (29:6). {As for those who STRIVE (JAHADU) in Us (the cause of Allah), We surely guide them to Our paths, and lo! Allah is with the good doers.} (29:69) This is a Meccan Sura and the two verses refer to Jihad al-Nafs. There was no military jihad then.
Without jihad of the nafs, fighting leads to Hellfire.

Allah Most High said:

{WA NAFSIN WA MAA SAWAAHA, FA-ALHAMAHA FUJURAHA WA TAQWAHA. QAD AFLAHA MAN ZAKAAHA WA QAD KHAABA MAN DAS- SAAHA} "By the nafs and the proportion and order given to it, and its inspiration as to its wrong and its right; Truly he succeeds who purifies it, and he fails that corrupts it" (91:7-10). This is also a Meccan Sura.
Without purification, the nafs remains a "soul that enjoins evil" (al-nafs al-ammara bil-su') until it surrenders itself in total obedience to the call of animal passions and shaytan.

Allah Most High said:

{Have you seen the one who chooses for his god his own lust?} (25:43). {He followed his own lust. Therefore his likeness is as the likeness of a dog; if you attack him he pants with his tongue out and if you leave him he pants with his tongue out} (7:176). These are both also Meccan Suras.

About the person who controlled the passion of his ego Allah says: {But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust, Lo! The garden will be his home} (79:40-41). This is also a Meccan Sura.
The above are among the many Meccan verses and Suras enjoining jihad al-nafs. One that denies that there was/is such a Divine command commits kufr. Such a command cannot mean military jihad, as there was no permission - much less an order - for such a jihad until the Madinan period.

Further, the Prophet said upon him peace:

1. "The mujahid is he who makes jihad against his nafs (ego) for the sake of obeying Allah.
- Ibn Hibban (#1624, 2519): Authentic;
- Shu`ayb al-Arna'ut (Commentary on Ibn Hibban): authentic;
- al-Hakim: sahih;
- `Iraqi confirms him;
- it is also in Tirmidhi, Ahmad, and Tabarani;
- Albani included it in the "Sahiha".

2. "`A'isha, Allah be well-pleased with her, asked: 'Messenger of Allah, we see
jihad as the best of deeds, so shouldn't we join it?' He replied, 'But the best jihad is a perfect Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah).'" (Sahih Al-Bukhari #2784)

3. On another occasion, a man asked: "Should I join the jihad?" The Prophet asked upon him peace, "Do you have parents?" The man said yes. The Prophet said: "Then do jihad by serving them!" (Sahih Al-Bukhari #5972)

4. Another man asked: "What kind of jihad is better?" The Prophet replied upon him peace: "A word of truth spoken in front of an oppressive ruler." (Sunan Al-Nasa'i #4209)

5. The Prophet also said upon him peace: "The strong one is not the one who overcomes people, the strong one is he who overcomes his nafs [ego]. Al-Haythami declared it authentic in Majma` al-Zawa'id.

6. The Prophet upon him peace, said to Abu Sa`id al-Khudri: "Even if one strikes unbelievers and idolaters with his sword until it breaks, and he is *completely* dyed with their blood, the Rememberers of Allah are above him one degree."

The above authentic hadiths provide additional explicit evidence - especially 1 and 5 - refuting the lie that "all the evidence for jihad al-nafs is fabricated or weak."

Further:

Allah Most High is Tayyibun and accepts only the Tayyib. He declares in the Qur'an that He accepts acts of worship only if they are based on:
- purification of the self (qad aflaha man zakkaha)
- soundness of the heart (illa man ata Allaha bi-qalbin salim)
- an humble spirit (wa-innaha lakabiratun illa `alal khashi`in)
Purification of the Intention is the general heading for these. That is why the Imams (eg Bukhari, Shafi`i, Nawawi) always began their books of fiqh with the hadith of intention: "Actions count only according to intention."
An act outwardly considered worship but performed without pure intention is not considered worship, even fighting and dying in defense of Muslims. The Prophet upon him peace, explicitly said of one such fighter that he was bound for the fire.
In fact, purification of intention is needed for all five pillars of Islam. Such purification is a fard `ayn and is required of all.

Thus those that claim there is no jihad al-nafs in Islam have imperiled their Islam and might make their shahada, salat, zakat, sawm, hajj, AND jihad worthless. Allah is our refuge from this.

Source:livingislam.com by Hajj Gibril GF Haddad
________________________________________

HAPPY HARI RAYA EIDUL FIRTI

2010-09-09T07:40:00.003+08:00

Zakat Al-Fitr

2010-09-05T16:07:00.004+08:00

What is Zakat Al-Fitr?

Zakat Al-Fitr is a small amount of alms that Muslims are obliged to pay as charity at the end of Ramadan.The origin of the obligation can be dated to the month of Sha`ban in the second year of Hijrah. Ibn `Umar said: “Allah’s Messenger enjoined the payment of one Sa` of dates or one Sa` of barley as Zakat Al-Fitr on every Muslim slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the `Eid prayer.”

What is the purpose of Zakat Al-Fitr?

1) For the individual, his or her payment of Zakat Al-Fitr is to ensure the completion of their fast and compensation for any shortcomings in their acts or speech.
2) For the society it is for spreading love and happiness among its members, particularly the poor and needy, during the day of Eid.
3) It also purifies one’s soul from such shortcomings as the adoration of property, and from miserliness.
4) It purifies one’s property from the stain of unlawful earnings.

When is Zakat Al-Fitr paid?

It is not permissible to delay giving Zakat Al-Fitr after the day of Eid.
Most scholars believe that it is permissible to pay Zakat Al-Fitr a day or two before Eid. Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet Mohamed PBUH ordered them to pay Zakat Al-Fitr before the people went out to perform the `Eid prayer. However some scholars like Al-Shafii & Abu Hanifa reported that it is permissible to pay Zakat Al-Fitr even in the beginning of Ramadan. Scholars who supported this opinion explained that it is better for the needy, and also to make sure that the payment reaches its intended destination. This is especially important these days as Zakat Al-Fitr is transferred from country to another and that may take at least several days.

What is the amount of Zakat Al-Fitr?

The amount of the Zakat Al-Fitr mentioned by the Prophet Mohamed PBUH is a Sa' (four handfuls with the two hands together, not closed and not opened) of dates, raisins, wheat or barley. Some scholars say it is permissible to give any kind of food as long as it is the main staple in that particular region or the normal food of the person.

However, it is permissible to give the amount of the Zakat Al-Fitr in money. This can be calculated according to the amount of food mentioned previously.

Lailatul-Qadr

2010-08-30T21:40:00.002+08:00

L ailat-ul-Qadr is

A very special time

I n the year, and

L ailat-ul-Qadr must be taken

A advantage of

T o exceed in reward, and this

U nique night

L asts only a few hours, so read

Q ur’an

And pray a lot, and

D o

R ememberance of Allah, and ask for forgiveness.

Blessings & Benefits Of Fasting

2010-08-13T19:56:00.003+08:00

THE MONTH OF RAMADHAAN IN WHICH WAS REVEALED THE QUR'AAN, A GUIDANCE FOR MANKIND AND CLEAR PROOFS FOR THE GUIDANCE AND CRITERION (BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG). SO WHOEVER OF YOU IS PRESENT DURING THIS MONTH SHOULD OBSERVE ITS FAST. AL QUR'AAN

After Imaan, Salaah and Zakaah, the most important pillar of Islaam is Sawm (Fasting) during the month of Ramadhaan (the 9th month of the Islaamic calendar).

Fasting in the month of Ramadhaan is amongst the fundamentals of Islaam; one who denies its obligation goes out of the fold of Islaam. One who does not fast during this month is a faasiq (an immoral and flagrant transgressor) of the highest degree. Such a faasiq completely destroys his spirituality and morality.

Sawm literally means 'to abstain’. But in the terminology of the Sharee'ah, it means 'to refrain from eating, drinking and cohabitation from sub'h saadiq to sunset, with the intention of fasting’.

There are numerous spiritual benefits of fasting. Fasting is extremely efficient for the acquisition of taqwaa (piety), without which a Muslim cannot gain closeness to Allah. The prime benefit in the pursuit of taqwaa is the suppression of the erratic desires and demands of nafs (based carnal desire), which is always working in collusion with Shaytaan, to spiritually and morally ruin the believer. If the nafs is allowed freedom, then it will succeed in making man a slave of lust, passion and base emotions, due to which his Imaan will suffer. Therefore, it is essential that the nafs be restrained.

Fasting greatly aids towards pursuing this objective. By fasting, a Muslim learns to suppress his lowly desires. Thus the ability of inculcating taqwaa is created.

Further, fasting purifies the soul, and creates gratification in worship, making the heart conducive for worship. The bond with Allah is also strengthened. Once our beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam supplicated, "O Lord of the universe! When does the servant become closest to you?" The Divine Reply came, "When the servant is hungry and when he is in sajdah (prostration)."

Another outstanding feature of fasting is that it lifts man above the level of beasts and animals - who eat, drink and copulate at will, whenever the urge comes - and takes him to the parallel of the angels. Since the latter do not eat or drink, they are devoid and free of evil inclinations and all things base. Man, by reducing his worldly relations and emotional desires, moves himself to the realms of the angels.

As well as the many spiritual benefits of fasting, there are physical benefits and advantages of fasting too. Notably, feeling for the poor and hungry is engendered. Man becomes more aware and conscious of his less fortunate brethren and their deprivation, which in turn teaches him to sacrifice his wealth and assist others in need. Thus feeling for humanity is generated and inculcated in man.

There are innumerable Ahaadeeth of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam which illustrate great virtue and blessing for the fasting person.

• Sahl Ibne Sa'd radhiyallahu anhu narrates from our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam that he said, "Verily! In Jannah, there is a door called ‘Ar Rayyaan’, through which will enter the fasting people on the Day of Judgement. No one will enter through this door besides them. It will be announced, 'Where are the fasting people?' They will stand (and enter). No one will enter besides them. Once they will enter, the door will be locked so no one can enter through it (after them)."
(Bukhaari, Muslim)

• Aboo Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu reports from our beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, that he said, 'Allah says, 'Every deed of Ibne Aadam (son of Aadam) is for him, except for fast. Verily, fasting is for me, and I shall (personally) apportion out the reward for it."' It is further said, "For a fasting person, there are two pleasures, which please him. When he eats upon completing the fast, he becomes happy, and when he will meet his Lord he will be pleased due to his fast."
(Bukhaari)

• Aboo Hurayrah radhiyallahu anhu narrates from our beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam that he said, "One who keeps the fast of Ramadhaan with Imaan (faith) and longing for reward, all his previous sins are forgiven."
(Bukhaari, Muslim)

For the acquisition of the numerous virtues and benefits of fasting, there is however, one essential condition: a person takes extra precaution in making sure he abstains from sin and futility. A person should spend much of his time in the recitation of the Qur'aan and also engage himself in the constant Remembrance of Allah. If one does not abstain from sin and futility then his fasting will merely be staying hungry and thirsty, without any reward or spiritual upliftment.

A few common evils, which are regarded lightly, but are very detrimental to a fasting person, should be taken into consideration and avoided totally:

1. Telling lies.
2. Backbiting.
3. Quarrelling.
4. Eating haraam items.
5. Earning through unlawful means.
6. Any act which may harm or cause grief to a person.

In short, a person should try to refrain from all kinds of sins - protecting his ears, eyes, tongue and all other organs from indulging in unlawful activities. When a Muslim spends his Ramadhaan in this manner then he will notice great changes in his life. Spiritual strength will be gained, which will facilitate him to conduct his life according to Islaam, together with Allah's Pleasure.

Welcome RAMADHAN

2010-08-06T18:56:00.002+08:00

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan
In the name of Allah the Merciful the Beneficent
Greetings and welcome O month of Ramadan
Greetings and welcome O month of the Qur'an
Greetings and welcome O month of light
Greetings and welcome O month of gathering
Greetings and welcome O month of the poor
Greetings and welcome O month of repentence and return
Greetings and welcome O month of invocation and standing in supplication
Greetings and welcome O month of the poor and the weak
Greetings and welcome O month of doing one's best
Greetings and welcome O month of the sinners
Greetings and welcome O month of victory and success
Greetings and welcome O month of intimate discourse and glorification
Greetings and welcome O month of the call and the guidance
Greetings and welcome O month of rest-between-prayers and standing to pray
Greetings and welcome O month of lanterns and lights
Greetings and welcome O month of coffers and treasures
Greetings and welcome O month of angels and safety
Greetings and welcome O month of breaking fast and eating before the fast
Greetings and welcome O month of tilling and of deafness to sin
Greetings and welcome O month of the weak
Greetings and welcome O month of repayment and reward
Greetings and welcome O month of fast and patience
Greetings and welcome O month of felicity
Greetings and welcome O month of the key
Greetings and welcome O month of union and reunion
Greetings and welcome O month of friendship and love
Greetings and welcome O master of all months
We have not treated you according to your immense price
Nor truly sanctified you, O month of forgiveness,
But be pleased with us nevertheless, do not blame us before the Merciful,
And testify for us with grace and goodness!

Real Happiness and Inner Peace

2010-08-03T22:40:00.003+08:00

Real happiness and peace can be found in submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world. God has said in the Quran:

“Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28)
On the other hand, the one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship in this world.

God has said:

“But whoever turns away from the Quran,[1] he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment.” (Quran 20:124)

SELF-EVALUATION

2010-07-29T20:07:00.004+08:00

The Prophet emphasised the necessary of lhtisab or self evaluation at every opportunity: `Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin'. (Muslim.) Umar ibn al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, also said in this respect:

Judge yourself before you are judged, evaluate yourself before you are evaluated and be ready for the greatest investigation.

At every Prayer time, especially in the early hours of the morning, when you are alone and can feel your own heart beating -seek forgiveness from Allah. The time of Salat al-Fajr, before the start of each day, is an ideal occasion to take account of yourself and plan for the day ahead.

Imam Tirmidhi related that the Prophet said, on the Day of judgment no child of Adam will move from the presence of God, unless he has answered the following five questions:

- In what pursuits and work did he spend his time?

- For what ends did he use his mental and physical energies?

- By what means did he earn his wealth?

- How did he spend his wealth?

- How far did he act according to what he knew was right?

These five points can serve as a useful self-analysis programme. They can assist in checking our moral motivations, God-consciousness and determination to work for the cause of Allah. This self-analysis programme, when implemented on a regular basis, will serve as an important measure of your readiness to meet with Allah.

SEEKING ALLAH'S FORGIVENESS

2010-07-28T23:04:00.007+08:00

The decision to live our lives for the sake of Allah is no guarantee that we will not forget Allah and commit mistakes for `all children of Adam are sinners, but best among sharers are those who constantly repent'. (Tirmidhi.)

Imam Bukhari recorded that even the Prophet, though he was sinless, `sought Allah's forgiveness 70 times a day'. We should therefore, constantly seek the forgiveness of Allah for every single sin, small or great.

Allah says:

Ask forgiveness from your Lord, then turn towards Him in repentance; He will loosen the sky over you in abundance, and He will add strength unto your strength. [Hud 11: 52.]

Seeking continuous forgiveness of Allah will assist in ensuring that our hearts and souls remain pure and wholesome. The Prophet said in this regard:

When a Believer sins, a black spot appears on his heart. But if he repents and seeks Allah's forgiveness, his heart becomes cleansed and polished. However if he continues to commit more and more sins [without seeking forgiveness, the spot continues to spread and ultimately covers all of his heart.

This is the rust which Allah mentions [in the Quran]:

What deeds they earn rust upon their hearts. [al-Mutaffifin 83: 14.] (Ahmad, Tirmidhi.)

Whatever the magnitude of our misdeeds, Allah is always ready to respond with an even greater amount of pardon. Therefore, never despair of the mercy of Allah, in seeking His forgiveness, even for those sins committed repeatedly: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, despair not of Allah's mercy; for Allah forgives all sins, surely He is the all-forgiving, the Mercy-giving. [az-Zumar 39: 53.]

Thus, as long as there is hope there remains opportunity for redemption and salvation. Be aware, though, that the best form of repentance involves a firm resolve to reform and do better.

The Messenger of Allah said:

Remain conscious of Allah and Fear Him wherever you are, and follow a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out, and behave well towards people. (Tirmidhi.)

SEEKING ALLAH’S MERCY

2010-07-28T15:02:00.003+08:00

The abundance of Allah's rahma or mercy will not come without pure actions. Pure actions, however, when performed, will make you deserving of Allah's mercy. This, in turn, will enable you to earn the delights of janna and His pleasure.

The Quran proclaims: Call on Him with fear and longing. Surely, Allah's mercy is ever near to the doers of good. [al-Araf 7:56.] The Messenger of God also said:

`No one will be saved [from the Hell fire and admitted into Paradise] by his deeds alone.' When asked, `Not even you, O Messenger of God!', he said, 'Yes, not even me, unless Allah covers me with His mercy. So, do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately in the morning, in the afternoon and during part of the night. Always remember moderation and always abide by moderation. Thus, you will reach your destination.' (Bukhari, Muslim.)

Be reassured that Allah is not a vengeful God, ready to punish, but rather, one who is full of mercy and compassion. He, Himself has declared: My mercy encompasses all things. [al-Araf 7: 156.]

Likewise, consider, the manner in which our actions are recorded in His scale of justice, as explained by the Prophet:

Allah records the good deeds and the bad deeds thus: If anyone intends to do a good deed but does not actually do it, Allah writes it down with Him as a full good deed. If he intends it, and does it too, Allah writes it down with Him as ten to seven hundred times that good deed, or many times over. If anyone intends to do a bad deed but does not actually do it, Allah writes it down with Him as a full good deed. When he intends a bad deed and does it as well, only then Allah writes it down as one bad deed. (Bukhari, Muslim.)

Thus, as long as our actions are worthy and deserving of Allah's mercy, His mercy will not be denied to us. The Prophet has again explained:

There are one hundred parts of mercy. Allah has given only one part which is distributed among the jinn, humankind, animals and insects. It is because of this that they are kind to one another, show mercy to one another; it is because of it that a wild animal is kind to its young. But, Allah has kept ninety-nine parts of mercy with Him, which He will show to His servants on the Day of Resurrection. (Bukhari, Muslim.)

CONQUERING FEAR OF DEATH

2010-07-26T16:03:00.005+08:00

The Day of judgment, though it is to be feared, must also inspire in us a desire and eagerness to meet Allah. Sayyida Aisha reported that the Prophet said:

`Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet with him; and whoever dislikes the meeting with Allah, Allah also dislikes the meeting with him.'

I asked: `O Prophet of God, is it because of the dislike of death, for all of us dislike death?'

He said: `It is not so, but rather it is that when the Believer is given news of Allah's mercy. His approval and His Paradise, he likes to meet Allah and Allah likes to meet him; but when the unbeliever is given news of Allah's punishment and His displeasure, He dislikes to meet Allah and Allah dislikes to meet him.' (Muslim.)

Our eagerness and desire to meet Allah should therefore, be echoed in all our Prayers. The Prophet Muhammad used to supplicate repeatedly:

O Allah, I ask you for a soothing life after death, and I ask you for the pleasure of looking upon Your Face and for the yearning to meet You, free from suffering distress or from trial that leads one astray. O Allah, adorn us with the ornament of faith and make us guides and rightly guided. (an-Nasai.)

This desire to meet Allah will calm our fear of death, which is only a natural instinct. Even the Prophet Musa, on whom be peace, out of fear ran away when he saw his staff turning into a serpent. [Ta Ha 20: 17-24.]

Fear, though, can be conquered with dhikr, doing good and keeping ever before us, our meeting with the Lord and Master of the Day of Judgment.
Whoever hopes to meet his Lord He should do good deeds and associate none other in the service of his Lord [al-Kahf 18: 110.]

Preparation to meet Allah must be the purpose and ultimate goal of our existence. It is the most critical decision and resolution we must make today. This will set the course and direction of our entire lives - to live according to the Quran, as shown by that most noble of exemplars, Muhammad, upon whom be peace.

The knowledge that Allah is pleased with us will be the climax of our mission in life. This will be attained when we find Him responding, God willing, to each of us in our hour of greatest need with the reassuring and welcoming words:
O soul at peace, return unto your Lord, well-pleased, well pleasing! Enter among My servants! Enter My Paradise! [al-Fajr 89: 27-30.]

I pray to Allah in the Heavens above,
I pray to Allah asking Him for His love.

I pray to Allah to keep me safe and warm,
I pray to Allah to keep me away from harm.

I pray to Allah to keep my family safe,
I pray to Allah to keep us all in His embrace.

I pray to Allah so that I have no fear,
I pray to Allah for all that I hold dear.

I pray to Allah for me and for you,
I pray to Allah that He forgives the wrong that we do.

I pray to Allah in the Heavens above,
I pray to Allah asking Him for His love.

MAN'S FORGETFULNESS

2010-07-19T19:17:00.004+08:00

Though death is certain, we tend to forget from time to time our meeting with our Lord. This forgetfulness, although part of human nature can make us stray from our true mission in life:

If anyone withdraws himself from Allah's remembrance, Most Gracious, We appoint for him an evil one to be his intimate companion. [az-Zukhruf 43: 36]

Forgetfulness, however, can be overcome by remembering Allah in all of life's activities, as the Quran again declares: Those who fear Allah, when a thought of evil from Shaytan assaults them, bring Allah to remembrance -whereupon, lo! They see aright. [al-Araf 7: 201.] Additionally, we are urged in the Quran to make the following supplication:

Our Lord take us not to task if we forget or make mistakes. Our Lord lay not upon us a burden like that which you laid on those before us.
Our Lord, make us not bear burdens which we have no strength to bear. Pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Lord Supreme: Help us against people who deny the truth. [al-Baqara 2: 286.]

Know that to fear death from which there is no escape is foolish. Having no fear of what is going to happen after death, though it is within our power to change it in our favour, is reckless. Allah reminds us in the Quran, Do not throw yourself into destruction with your own hands. [al-Baqara 2: 195.]

For, no effort to please Allah will be left unrewarded, while every effort made to seek the pleasures of this world will come to naught. Moreover, the Prophet reminded us that nothing will go with us to our graves except our deeds and that constant reminder of death will assist in keeping our indulgence in Dunya in perspective: `Remember often the terminator of pleasures [i.e. death]'. (Tirmidhi.)

He also advised that we should take time to attend janaza or funeral prayers, as well as visit the graves of those who have made the transition into the Next-life, for these too will serve as reminders of our eventual fate: `

He who expects to meet God should visit the graves for they remind us of the Hereafter'. (Muslim.)

The Prophet also wanted us that if we seek only the fulfillment of our selfish worldly desires, our lives may well become filled with frustration:

Whoever allows the world to become his biggest concern has nothing to do with Allah, and Allah will instill four qualities into his heart: anxiety which will never leave him, business which he will never be free from; poverty which he will never rid himself of, and hope which he will never fulfill. (Tabarani.)

Additionally, one of the worst punishments the Quran describes is reserved for those who remain forgetful of Allah. On the Day of Judgment Allah will not speak to them. He will not even look in their direction. In this world they will claim to belong to Allah but they are heedless of His commands. On the Day that matters most, there will be a wall between them and Allah. His mercy and His compassion will be overflowing, but not for them.

Behold those who barter away their bond with Allah and their pledges for a trifling gain - they shall not partake in the blessings of the life to come; and Allah will neither speak unto them nor will He cleanse them of their sins; and grievous suffering awaits them. [Ali Imran 3: 77.]

THE CERTAINTY OF DEATH

2010-07-17T22:51:00.001+08:00

Allah has created everything with a fixed life span. The Quran states: It is not given to any soul to die save by Gods permission, and at an appointed time. [Ali Imran 3: 145.] Indeed there is no certainty in life except death. Every soul will taste death. [Ali Imran 3:185.]

Not only is death itself inescapable, but the place and the very day and hour of death have been forever fixed: No person knows what he will earn tomorrow and no person knows in what land he will die. [Luqman 31: 34.]

When the time arrives they cannot tarry a single moment nor can they go ahead. [an-Nahl 16: 61.]

In death, we are compelled to return to God. In life, however, we can choose to draw closer to God voluntarily by living our lives according to His will. In this way, we have the opportunity to meet Allah and gain His pleasure even before we leave this world.

Those who fail to use the bounties of Allah to earn His pleasure during this life, will forever regret their mistakes for the cessation of life brings the cessation of opportunities for redemption and salvation, as the Quran warns:

When death comes to one of them, he says, My Lord, let me return, let me return to life, so that I may act righteously in whatever I have left behind"Nay, it is but a meaningless word he utters; for behind them now is the barrier of death until the day they shall be raised up. Then, when the Trumpet will be blown, no lies of kinship will remain between them that day, neither would anyone be able to take care of another. Then, they whose weight of good deeds is heavy in the balance will attain salvation. But, they whose weight is light in the balance, will have squandered their own lives. In Hell will they abide forever. [al-Muminun 23: 99-103.]

OUR DESTINATION…

2010-07-15T17:45:00.001+08:00

When the lifestyle of one who is working solely for the material gains of this world is compared with that of a person who is striving for the everlasting rewards of the Hereafter, there is seemingly very little difference. In both cases, each person is seen to be striving to maintain a quality life. The Quran, however, states that the two parties are far from equal: Is then the one who believes equal to the man who is a transgressor and wicked? Not equal are they. [as-Sajda 32: 18.]

It is clear that the non-believer, limited to himself and feeding upon his own desires cannot, compare with the true Believer. The non-believer may find that all his worldly desires are fulfilled, but his accomplishments will only bring temporary satisfaction;

To him who desires only this fleeting life, We grant him only here and only as much as We please, only to whomever We will: but in the end We consign him to Hell. [al-Isra 17: 18.]

The true Believer on the other hand, may achieve worldly gains but he realises that true contentment will only come when the ultimate reward of Paradise and the pleasure of his Lord is achieved.

Verily, that which is with Allah is best for you, if you, but knew all that which is with you is bound to end, whereas all that which is with Allah is everlasting. [an-Nahl 16:95-96.]

This understanding of life and its true objective is the secret of the believer's strength and support. This makes him the most powerful and resourceful person to walk upon the earth, The Quran continues in Sura al-Isra:
But, as for those who desire the life to come, and strive for it as it ought to be striven for, and are true Believers- they are the ones whose strivings find acceptance and reward. [al-Isra 17: 19.]

Start, then, to prepare for the Akhira today! Why waste your time and energy on what will perish when you can use the same to earn the delights and pleasures of the life to come? Everything you have must be put forward as an investment for that life, but you must keep in mind that the investment is not the objective. All that Allah has bestowed on you -body, mind, faculties and property -are valuables for investment, but the real objective is to earn the pleasure of Allah and the rewards of Janna.

Remember that your personal destiny and, therefore, the end of all your life's pursuits, lie in the Akhira, but the road to that destiny lies in Dunya, in this world. Indeed the achievements made during the time of the Prophet were the results of full participation in this world - neither withdrawing nor retiring from it - for the sake of the Life to Come. The Prophet and his Companions planned for this world as though they were going to stay here forever but equally they sought the rewards of the Hereafter as though death was close at hand. It is this delicate balance that you must strive to achieve in your approach to life.

The Prophet Muhammad said:

This Din or way of life is easy. But if anyone overdoes it, it gets the better of him. So keep to the right course, approximate to perfection, rejoice, and ask for help in the mornings, the evenings, and some of the later part of the night. (Bukhari.)

Meeting ALLAH

2010-07-09T20:40:00.003+08:00

THE most important questions in life are those that deal with the meaning and purpose of man's existence. The Quran explains that the human being has been placed on this earth to utilise his enormous potential to conduct himself in a manner which will fulfill his purpose in life.

It is He who has created death and life that He may test which of you is best in deed. [al-Mulk 67: 2.]

The Quran further explains that man's role on earth is to live as his Creator desires him to live: in surrender and worship to Him alone. This is not because Allah in any way needs his worship, but because man needs to worship only his Creator and none else so that his own nature is not perverted and corrupted, and so that he does not live in opposition to his intrinsic character. Only by so living will his earthly life be set on the right path and prosper, bringing him peace and happiness.

I have not created jinn and men except to serve Me. I desire of them no provision; neither do I desire that they should feed Me. Surely God is the All-provider; the Possessor of Strength, the Eternal. [adh-Dhuriyat 51: 56-58.]

Man, with no 'mentionable' history before birth, has been given the faculties of hearing and seeing, [ad-Dahr 76: 2] two eyes and a tongue, and a pair of lips, [al-Balad 90: 8-9] as well as the capacity to reason and discern between right and wrong in using his freedom of will.

Given freedom of will, judgment is inevitable. The human being must give an account of his conduct and must face the consequences of how he lives his life. Obviously, to be judged fairly, this judgment must be made only after his earthly life has come to an end, and only by the One who gave this life, who knows everything, and who is All-powerful and All-just. Only then can he be judged fairly, and duly rewarded and punished, for everything-from his innermost thoughts to the consequences of his conduct that extend far and wide, and beyond his life for generations to come.

What, did you think that We created you in mere idle play, and that you would not be returned to Us? But, high exalted is God, the King; the True! There is no god but He, the Lord of the Noble Throne. [al-Muminun 23: 115-116]

A person's ultimate destiny, therefore, lies in the Life to Come, in the Akhira Everyone will be judged there by due process of justice, fairly and equitably, mercifully and kindly. No one will be wronged or dealt with unjustly even by an atom's weight.

Surely God shall not wrong so much as an atom's weight. [an-Nisa 4: 40.]
This as only what you had sent forth, you are being recompensed only for what you had done before. [al-Kahf 18: 49]

Thus, everything in our lives is being recorded. Even the smallest of incidents will be replayed before our eyes on the Day of Judgment. That Judgment will be final and one from which there will be no escape. Paradise will be the reward for excellence in doing good, while Hell-fire will be the penalty for those who were ungrateful and indulged in evil:

The parable of the Paradise promised to those who are conscious of God [is that of a Garden] through which running waters flow: [but, unlike an earthly garden,] its fruits will be everlasting, and [so will be] its shade. Such will be the destiny of those who remain conscious of God -just as the destiny of those who deny the truth will be the fire. [ar-Rad 13: 35]

The delights and pleasures of the Hereafter, as well as, the penalty for those who condemn themselves to darkness and the wrath of Allah are described in such great detail in the Quran that almost one quarter of it is related to the Akhira. This is what the Prophet came to convey and this is what instills meaning and purpose to our lives.

DEATH: A BEAUTIFUL GIFT FOR A BELIEVER

2010-07-05T10:30:00.007+08:00

"To Allah (Almighty God) we belong, and to Him is our return." (Holy Qur'an 2:156)

Multitudes of men have walked on the surface of this Earth. They all belonged to different nations and cultures. A few of them made history for which they were remembered, whereas others were never to be mentioned again. Although each one was personally different from another - their habits, thinking and tastes differed - they all had two things in common, first, they were all delivered from their mothers womb (birth) and second, they all tasted death. Who claims he has lived a thousand years?

"The Sun travels to an appointed place. This is the decree of the Mighty, the All-Knowing." (Holy Qur'an 36:38)

Almighty God blesses us with all His gifts. The Sun gives us light during the day to help us see and it helps our crops grow so that we can eat. But the Sun also teaches us other things. Almighty God causes the day to die with its setting and allows the night to take over, which is a time for rest. In this way, He may be showing us that all of us will eventually have to die just like the day. And when the Sun rises in the morning again after our period of rest, it is as if Almighty God is telling us that we too will be raised to life after we have died. These are all signs of Almighty God to teach us to take care of our life.

One thing that we must remember is that death is inevitable, and everything except the Almighty God of course, will perish. Signs of death can be seen all around us. At funerals we see people who were once walking among us being buried in their graves. In the fall we see the leaves turn from green to yellow and fall one at a time, and in the winter we see trees, lifeless. In this way, all things in this world will wither away and die.

According to an old fable, a man made an unusual agreement with Hazrat Izraeel (pbuh) - the angel of death. He told Izraeel (pbuh) that he would be willing to accompany him (as though he had a choice) only if Izraeel (pbuh) would send him a notice well in advance. The agreement was made. Weeks became months and the months into years. One bitterly cold night, as the man sat alone thinking of his success in life, Izraeel (pbuh) tapped on his shoulder. "You are here too soon" the man cried out. "You sent no messenger. I thought we had an agreement!" Izraeel (pbuh) whispered "Notice your hair, once it was full and black, now it has streaks of silver in it! Observe your face in the mirror and see the wrinkles. Yes! I have sent many messages through the years! I have kept my part. I am sorry that you are not ready for me but the order of Almighty God cannot be averted!"

Hence, hair color turning gray from black or wrinkles on the face are also the signs of nearing death, and the Almighty God is the only one who can bring the dead back to life.

Surely all men die, and just surely Almighty God give them life with His ability, and judges them on their deeds and actions. We know Almighty God is the Creator and can recreate us, because if one can do something he has the ability to do it again.
For instance, if your teacher asks you to draw a picture on the blackboard and color it. Then if after you have drawn it with beautiful colors, the teacher asks you to rub it out and do it again, could you repeat the same drawing again?
Of course you would be able to repeat the picture. It is what you created and are capable of doing again.

From this example, we can understand Almighty God is able to give life to the dead because it is He Who created us in the beginning. Almighty God can surely give life to the dead. He judges them on their deeds. On Resurrection Day He will re-create the dead for judgment, and then allow the doer of good to enter paradise but cast the evil-doer into hell.

Hatred towards death and love of the world is the outcome of an ignorant person's mind, who thinks that the happiness of this world is his prosperity and good fortune. The world beset with numerous troubles and anxieties is about to end in misery and does not enjoy eternity, perpetuity and sincerity. A poet has referred to this in the following words - "Do not give your heart to this world, for its example is of an unfaithful bride who has never loved you, even for a night."
Imam Ali (pbuh) says: "If man will see how speedily his death is coming toward him he will abhor ambitions and will give up admiring the world."

It is of utmost importance that man should hold death dear and consider it an opportunity of meeting with his Almighty, and not hate it and consider it as evil, but should take lessons from it. He should ask forgiveness from Almighty for his sins and tame the rebellious self (Nafs). When the call of his Lord comes, he should welcome it with open arms accepting it to be a blessing from Almighty. He should be contented with the decree (Qadr) of Almighty. He should also rejoice that shortly he would be taken to the presence of Ahlul Bait [Household of Prophet] (pbut) and meet his deceased companions and other believer brothers. He should also not be disheartened by the delay in death but should consider it as an opportunity afforded by Almighty to him to repent. This delay would give him a chance to gather provisions useful for his journey to the other world, for the journey is tiresome and full of dangerous valleys and difficult paths.

In fact a believer always remembers death, since his or her main goal is to reach the Almighty God. Hazrat Qasim (pbuh), the son of Imam Hasan Al-Mujtaba (pbuh), when asked concerning death at Karbala, answered: "death to me is sweeter than honey." Therefore true believers, those who are sincerely devoted to the Almighty God, anticipate death since to them it signifies the long-awaited meeting with their creator.

During imprisonment, Imam Ali An-Naqi, Al-Hadi (pbuh) had a grave dug up ready by the side of his prayer mat. Some visitors expressed concern or surprise. The Imam explained, "In order to remember my end I keep the grave before my eyes."
Before a believer approaches the final moment of his/her life and death overtakes him, it is necessary that he wakes up from the state of negligence and prepares for the final everlasting place. This way he will be able to avoid bewilderment and the fear of the so-called untimely death.

At the time of leaving this world, as attested to by the Holy Qur'an, a person will be in one of two states - either he will be of the Companions of the Right, or the Companions of the Left (Refer Holy Qur'an 56:7-56). If he is counted amongst the Companions of the Right, he will be in a good, final state, but if he is one of the Companions of the Left, he will be of those who have suffered a great loss..

Benevolence Towards Parents

2010-07-01T01:52:00.006+08:00

If your friends give you a nice present, you will certainly thank them and your love will grow towards them...

Allah, the Exalted, says:
"And your lord has commanded that you shall not worship (any) but Him and (show) goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) 'Ah' nor chide them, but speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively gently to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! Have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) small."
Holy Qur'an (17:23-24)

If your friends give you a nice present, you will certainly thank them and your love will grow towards them.

If someone offers you help and assistance in your life, surely you will respect them and recognize their favour and kind attitude.

No one does more for you than your parents and it is they of all people who deserve great love, thanks, and respect. They are the ones who bear tiredness and difficulty for the sake of us, their children.

A mother first carries her child as an embryo (foetus) in her womb and it is fed by her blood. Then when she has given birth, she spends nights on attendance, taking care of and watching over her baby with love and affection.

Fathers also take part in caring and giving affection, and go to work and strive to provide food, shelter and other material necessities. In addition, both parents spend time educating their children and rearing them towards adulthood.
In the verses quoted above, Allah commands us to worship and obey none but Him. And at the same time He commands us to love our parents and acknowledge their favour and benevolence to us.

Allah also enjoins us not to speak unkindly or harm them, not to give even as much as a sigh against them, especially when they grow old or are in need, or unable to do things for themselves.

The Difference Between GOOD & EVILS that Befalls You

2010-06-25T14:42:00.005+08:00

Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself.[ An-Nisa’ 79]

The Scholars of Tafseer view the words “Good” and “Evil” in the Quran to mean blessings and misfortune. They don’t just refer to the acts a person does by his freewill.

If a good befalls you, it grieves them, but if some evil overtakes you, they rejoice at it. But if you remain patient and become Al-Muttaqun (the pious – see V.2:2), not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allah surrounds all that they do.[Al-Imran 120]

If good befalls you (O Muhammad ), it grieves them, but if a calamity overtakes you, they say: “We took our precaution beforehand,” and they turn away rejoicing.[Taubah 50]

The good deeds which we are commanded to do and the bad deeds we are prohibited from doing.Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.[ Al-Furqan 70]

Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins).[Hud 114]
Abu Aaliyah said: “ Good is obedience and bad is disobedience.
Ibn Munabbih said: “ Good is the blessing and bad is the trial.

Some differences between Good and Bad are:

1. Allah’s blessings and favors happen to His slaves without reason from them at the start. Allah gives good health, provisions, help and the like to people that never did anything at all. Allah creates man for Paradise to dwell therein in its bounties. He has only created them for the hereafter, while they never did anything at all. The Muslim children and their insane enter Paradise through Allah’s mercy, even though they never did a single deed.
Now then about punishment, no one is punished except on account of his actions.

2. The good deeds that a servant does are a gift from Allah. It’s a gift that He favors towards him due to guidance and faith. This resembles the words from the people in Paradise:

“All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has guided us to this, never could we have found guidance, were it not that Allah had guided us! [ Al-Araf 43].
Bad deeds only occur due to the servant’s sin that he committed.

3. Good deeds multiply and increase themselves. The servant is rewarded with their multiplicity. Bad deeds on the other hand don’t multiply. The servant isn’t punished with a bad deed that multiplies itself. The person who does a good deed is rewarded over and above that single good deed. The person who commits a bad deed is recompensed based on that single bad deed and its degree.

Whoever brings a good deed (Islamic Monotheism and deeds of obedience to Allah and His Messenger ) shall have ten times the like thereof to his credit, and whoever brings an evil deed (polytheism, disbelief, hypocrisy, and deeds of disobedience to Allah and His Messenger ) shall have only the recompense of the like thereof, and they will not be wronged.[Al-Anam 160]

4. Good is linked to Allah. He is the One that is good in all aspects. Bad isn’t linked or connected to the Most High. Bad deeds are only acts that Allah allows to occur due to His infinite wisdom. The Lord of All the Worlds never does anything bad. On the contrary every single thing that He does is good and beautiful.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to begin his prayers by saying,” All good in Your hands and evil doesn’t belong to You”.

Taken from Al-Hasanat was Sayee’at or Tafseer of Verse 79 in Surah An-Nisa’ by Shaykul Islam Ibn Taymeeyah 728H
Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle http://abuaaliyah.multiply.com/

Do Not Expect Gratitude From Anyone

2010-06-23T19:51:00.004+08:00

Almighty Allah has created His servants so that they may worship and remember Him, and He has provided sustenance for them so that they may be grateful to Him. Nevertheless, many have worshipped other than Him, and the majority of people are thankful not to Him, but to others. Indeed, the characteristic of ingratitude is widespread among human beings. So, do not be dismayed when you find that others forget your favors or disregard your kind acts. Some people might even despise you and make you an enemy for no other reason than that you have shown them kindness.

Almighty Allah says:

(And they could not find any cause to bear a grudge, except that Allah and His Messenger had enriched them of His Bounty.] (ِAt-Tawbah 9:74)

From among the ever-repeating pages of history is a story of a father and his son:

The father raised his son, fed him, clothed him, and taught him; he would stay up nights so that his son could sleep, stay hungry so that his son could eat, and toil so that his son could feel comfort. And when the son became older and stronger, he rewarded his father with disobedience, disrespect, and contempt.

So, be at peace if you are requited with ungratefulness for the good you have done. Rejoice in your knowledge that you will be rewarded from the One Who has unlimited treasures at His disposal. This is not to say that you should refrain from performing acts of kindness toward others; the point is that you should be mentally prepared for ingratitude.

Perform acts of charity seeking solely Allah's pleasure, because with this attitude you will assuredly be successful. The ungrateful person cannot really harm you. Praise Allah that that person is the transgressor and that you are the obedient servant. Also, remember that the hand that gives is better than the hand that receives.

Allah, the Most–High, says:
[We feed you seeking Allah's Countenance only. We wish for neither reward nor thanks from you.] (Al-Insan 76:9)

Many people are shocked at the nature of ingratitude in others, as though they had never come across this verse and others like it, such as:

[And when harm touches a person, he invokes Us [Allah], lying down on his side or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on his way as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him.] (Yunus 10:12)

Hence, do not be in a state of agitation if you give someone a pen as a gift and he or she uses it to satirize you, or if you give someone a walking stick to lean upon and he strikes you with it. As pointed out earlier, most human beings are ungrateful to their Lord, so what kind of treatment should you expect?

source: http://www.islamonline.net

The POWER of 'DUA'

2010-06-20T19:03:00.005+08:00

Once Prophet Muhammad passed by a people who were suffering from some affliction. "Why don't they make dua (pray ) to Allah for protection," he said. With all the suffering and disasters Muslims are facing in various parts of the world, the question can be directed to all of us today.

It is not that we have forgotten dua completely; we refer to it regularly. But, our ideas and practice regarding dua have become distorted. Often it is reduced to the level of a ritual. Generally it is considered when all our efforts have failed --- an act of last resort. It is belittled through actions and sometimes even with words. Is it any wonder that today mostly a mention of dua is meant to indicate the hopelessness of a situation.

What a tragedy, for dua is the most potent weapon of a believer. It can change fate, while no action of ours ever can. It is the essence of ibadah or worship. With it we can never fail; without it we can never succeed. In the proper scheme of things, dua should be the first and the last resort of the believer, with all his plans and actions coming in between.

Dua is conversation with Allah, out Creator, our Lord and Master, the All Knowing, the All Powerful. This act in itself is of extraordinary significance. It is the most uplifting, liberating, empowering, and transforming conversation a person can ever have. We turn to Him because we know that He alone can lift our sufferings and solve our problems. We feel relieved after describing our difficulties to our Creator. We feel empowered after having communicated with the All Mighty. We sense His mercy all around us after talking to the Most Merciful. We get a new commitment to follow His path for that is the only path for success. We feel blessed with each such commitment

In every difficulty our first action is dua, as is our last. We ask Allah to show us the way to handle that difficulty; we seek His help in following the path He shows to us; we seek His aid in making our efforts successful. When we fall sick, we know that we cannot find the right doctor without His Will; that the best doctor may not be able to diagnose our condition without His Command; that the best treatment plan will not succeed without His Permission. We make dua for all of these. We make dua before we seek medical help, while we are receiving it and after it has been delivered. The same is true of all other difficulties we may encounter.

Dua is the essence of ibadah. A person engaged in dua affirms his belief in Tawheed (monotheism) and shuns belief in all false gods. With each dua his belief in Allah grows. He beseeches Him, affirming his own powerlessness. A person seriously and sincerely engaged in dua understands exactly the relationship between himself and the Creator and affirms it through his actions. That is the essence of worship! Additionally, such a person can never become arrogant or proud, a logical result of true worship.

Dua is our most potent weapon in all struggles of life as well as in jihad in the battlefield. During the battle of Badr, the Prophet Muhammad stood up all night in prayer seeking Allah's help in the battle between unequal armies that would follow the next day. In the decisive battles against the crusaders, Sultan Salatuddin Ayyubi was busy day and night. His days were devoted to Jihad. His nights were spent making dua, crying, seeking Allah's help. This has been the practice of all true mujahideen.

We should make it a point to make dua for all things big and small. It is the beginning of wisdom to realize that big and small are arbitrary labels that are totally irrelevant in this context. Nothing is too big for Whom we are asking from; nothing is too small for the one who is asking. That is why we have been taught to ask Allah when we need something as small as shoelaces. We should ask as a beggar, as a destitute person, for that is what we in reality are in relationship to Allah. At the same time we should ask with great hope and conviction that we shall be granted our prayers. We should remember the Hadith: "There is nothing more dear to Allah than a servant making dua to Him." On the other hand, a prayer lacking concentration and conviction is no prayer at all.

We should make dua at all times, not only during times of distress. The Prophet Muhammad said: "Whosoever desires that Allah answers his duas in unfavorable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful dua in days of ease and comfort." Also he said: "The person who does not ask from Allah, Allah becomes angry with him."
We should ask for all of our needs: those related to this world as well as those related to the Hereafter. Those who only concentrate on the former are, in effect, announcing that they don't care for their life in the permanent abode. They should blame no body but themselves for the total ruin in that world that Qur'an assures us awaits them. Those who only concentrate on the later are also showing lack of balance, for we need Allah's help to lead a good life here as well.

We should make dua not only for ourselves but also for our parents, brothers and sisters, spouses and children, relatives and friends, teachers and other benefactors, and destitute and struggling Muslims everywhere. We should pray for them for the good in this world as well as in the Hereafter. The Prophet said: "The dua of a Muslim for his brother (in Islam) in his absence is readily accepted. An angel is appointed to his side. Whenever he makes a beneficial dua for his brother the appointed angel says, 'Aameen. And may you also be blessed with the same.'" [Sahih Muslim]

.source: http://www.albalagh.net

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Islam Is Against BLACK MAGIC and SORCERY

2010-06-18T21:23:00.002+08:00

There are certain things forbidden by Allah Ta’ala and are explicitly explained in the Quran. Among such forbidden acts is the act of black magic and sorcery. ‘Black magic’ may include amulets, talismans, potions, charms, spells, exorcism, witchcraft, oracles, palmistry, fortune telling etc. The forbidding of such things or acts in Islam is for the betterment of mankind.
Black magic is an undeniable fact as it is mentioned on many occasions in the Holy Quran and Sunnah. However, its practice is denounced in Islam and makes one’s prayer unacceptable for forty days, and believing in what the magician or sorcerer says considers one to be a disbeliever as well.

Islam forbids black magic (sihr) and many Quran verses and Hadith have strongly condemned this as a sinful act. For instance Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says:
“Whoever blows on knots practices magic, and whoever practices magic is a mushrik (polytheist).” (At-Tabarani)

The word “sihr” has been mentioned almost 60 times in the Quran, explaining how the non-believers attributed the miracles of Allah’s prophets with black magic. These verses have been stated to clear that Allah’s messengers can never be like the worldly magicians.

Black magic basically involves the worship of Satan and evil spirits to gain demonic powers and harm the innocent people of Allah. Worshipping anything other than The Allah is considered “kufr” in Islam and thus these magicians are practicing the art of Infidelity (kufr) which is totally prohibited in Islam. The basic motive of black magic practitioners is to harm and mislead others by delusion, which is again outside the boundaries of Islam.

One more thing observed in black magicians is that they start believing the world is in their hands and they can do whatever they want, forgetting that the supreme creator of the entire living and non living things is alone Allah. They even exploit innocent people into believing the same. In order to prevent the human generation from falling into the offence of “shirk”, Allah has forbidden black magic and sorcery. Allah says in the Quran:

“And they followed what the Shaitans chanted of sorcery in the reign of Sulaiman, and Sulaiman was not an unbeliever, but the Shaitans disbelieved, they taught men sorcery and that was sent down to the two angels at Babel, Harut and Marut, yet these two taught no man until they had said, “Surely we are only a trial, therefore do not be a disbeliever.”

Even then men learned from these two, magic by which they might cause a separation between a man and his wife; and they cannot hurt with it anyone except with Allah’s permission, and they learned what harmed them and did not profit them, and certainly they know that he who bought it should have no share of good in the hereafter and evil was the price for which they sold their souls, had they but known this.” (Al-Baqarah: 102)

In order to relieve a person from the clutches of black magic, reciting certain Quran verses can have a tremendous impact. Quran, the one Book among many, has been sent as a cure and mercy for its followers and for those who seek this Holy book for healing purposes. Recitation of Surah Al-Falak, Surah Al-Naas, and the above mentioned verses of Surah Al-baqarah can be helpful in dispelling the effects of black magic.

Although no one has the power to harm or protect us except Allah, yet every Muslim should empower them through practicing Islam, reading the Qur’an, offering Prayers and following Allah’s commands. Let Allah be your supreme protector (Amen).

Source: http://www.quranreading.com/

COMPANIONSHIP & FRIENDSHIP in ISLAM

2010-06-12T09:04:00.002+08:00

There are friends who remain true and trustful under all circumstances and there are friends who remain with you only desiring the good. Islam urges to have cordial relations with others and to avoid corruption and the harmful effects of the company of the wicked and the mischievous, strictly forbidding every kind of contact and intimacy with them.

The first kind of friend are very few, and their friendship is like a mirror to you. In deed, we must be fair to our friends, and must want for them that which we want for ourselves. Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said,"A true believer is a mirror to his brother. He prevents him from any harm." Friends wish well for their friends, and feel a strong grief when they see them in any kind of distress or suffering. They work hard by all means, by their wealth and their hands to restore the rights of their friends, and give them all the help they need. They keep the secrets of their friends. This kind of friendship is the basic necessity of social life.

Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said,"A person follows the ways and conducts of his friends." On the other hand, one encounters fools, avaricious, people cowards, and liars. The fool wants to help others, but cause more harm to them despite good intentions. The avaricious one takes but does not give back to anyone. The coward flees at the smallest danger, abandoning everyone. And the liar does not benefit others, brings animosity and resentment, and causes serious damage to others. Also, the liar is not trusted even if he/she is telling the truth. It is reported,"As for a liar, life with him can never be pleasant for you. He carries tales from you to others and from others to you. If he gives you a true report, a false one follows it. His reputation is slurred. So much so that when he says something true, nobody believes him.

Due to the enmity which he entertains in his heart for people, he estranges them from one another and creates malice in their hearts. Be careful and do your duty to Allah." These kinds of individuals might call themselves as your friends, but they do more ill-service to you as well as to the society and in the long run. It is adviced,"Avoid the company of the vicious, because your character would pick up their degenerate and deviant qualities without your knowing it." The Glorious Qur'an says,"O woe is me! Would that I had not taken such a one as my friend."25:28

There are many characterizes of true friends: their heart and face should be alike, they should be honest with their friends and show them both the good and the bad side: wealth and children should not change them; they should help whenever able to do so, and they should not leave their friends during difficulties.

To choose a friend, one must assess his real worth. One must bear in mind that temperaments and personalities are associated with one, relationships with others. Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said,"Every Muslim should try to select the best companion for the life span. A companion could be a friend from the same gender. If the companion is to be from the other gender, then that companion should be a spouse to live together within the confines of rules and regulations." Our beloved Nabiy (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) encouraged us to select a good friend with whom to share our feelings. He said,"Don't take a companion unless he is a believer; and don't let your food be eaten except by a godly person." Also, one must take a friend for who he or she is as an individual, and not force them to conform with one's warp and ideas, so long as everything remains within the boundaries of Islam.

Muslims are advised by the Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) to select a good friend to associate with, and to have him as a social companion in life. By selecting a good companion, to be a friend, a Muslim enriches his/her life. Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) said,"The similitude of a good companion is like an owner of musk; if you don't get anything, you will get the smell of it. The similitude of a bad companion is like the blacksmith's bellows; if you are not affected by its black dirt, you will be touched by its smoke."

Islam approves associating with individuals who have violated moral and social laws for the purpose of helping them through beneficial guidance. Friends of the right path father and discuss what is beneficial, but not vain. Friends love the souls and smells of their friends. Friends sympathies with their friends and they comfort each other. Friends exert each other toward piety and righteous deeds. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) said,"Fear Allah and help each other for the sake of Allah. Have mercy upon each other. Visit each other and remember our matter and keep it alive."

However, one who keeps company for the sake of helping a friend, would have fulfilled the rights of companionship in the worthiest manner. It is reported,"When someone observes a friend taking a wrong and sinful course and, while possessing the capacity to restrain him, does not do so out of indifference, he has actually betrayed his friend."

Today, in this world of ignorance and personal desires, there are few who keep their friendship. Hence, everyone should be careful in choosing friends, and study the character of those with whom they wish to develop terms of friendship.

Creating an ISLAMIC HOME

2010-06-05T18:03:00.001+08:00

The home, in Islam, is known to be heaven on earth – a sanctuary to rest and relax away from the congestion of crowds, pollution, traffic jams and noise. Unfortunately, because many Muslims are busy in the outdoors, the home becomes the neglected child, often an unruly dumping grounds of groceries, schoolbags and dirty clothes. Here are a few ways to create an Islamic environment in the comfort of your own home.

Freshen up the House and Tidy Up
There is nothing like a well ventilated house. Open up the windows and allow the fresh air to infiltrate your home. Take the weekend off to do this and start decluttering the shelves, boxes and drawers around your living room, dining, kitchen and bedrooms. Throwing things away allows you to concentrate on the activities that matter most, and more importantly, makes room for storage. Only keep the items you need and find ways to keep the floor clean of any clutter – this means find a storage place for your books, toys, crockery and picture frames. Hang up all your clocks. A tidier home is inevitably a more relaxing home.

Clean up the House
Once you have managed to dispose of the bin liners, it is time to really clean up the house. Dust, vacuum, sweep and mop the floors. Wash all the bed linens, curtains and give the carpets a good beating. If you are going green, which is highly recommended, ditch the chemical-based products and use natural cleaners such as water, vinegar and baking soda to give your home a good scrub.
A clean house is a more Islamic home as cleanliness is said to be half of faith. Once you have a clean house, it will be easier to pray at home, since you know the floor is clean.

Add Natural Elements to your Home
A good way to keep in touch with God is to keep in touch with nature. Add houseplants and pots of flowers to your house. This will give your home a breath of fresh air and allow you to enjoy the beauty of nature. Create a rock garden or buy an acquairium with your favourite fish. Keeping in touch with natural elements will help you unwind at the end of a long hectic day.

Let the Qur'an Play
Qur'anic verses have a special effect on those who listen to them. Give you CD player a dust and arrange your Qur'anic CDs on a nearby rack. Let the verses play throughout the day and enjoy the benefits just by listening to them. Alternatively, various Muslim nasheed artists such as Sami Yusuf, Native Deen, Yusuf Islam and Raihan will add to the Islamic atmosphere in your home.

Create Special Areas for the Family
The family is a cornerstone in Muslim society. Ensure that all areas of your home are conducive for you and your children to gather as a family. For example, ensure there is enough space in the living room to read together. The dining area should also be clean to faciliate proper meals. Lastly, make sure there is a big open space for congregation prayers.

Your family home is a special area in this world for you and your family. The home is said to be heaven on earth – as long as it is clean and uncluttered. It is easy to create an Islamic environment – and it is important as it will help you unwind and will allow you to spend valuable time as a family.

Before you regret

2010-06-02T22:57:00.004+08:00

Occasionally a person faces various physical and spiritual sorrows and troubles in the world. Amongst these are feelings so intense that they cannot be compared with any other physical pain. This feeling that causes such great distress in the human soul is a feeling called 'regret'.

There are two completely different forms of regret, however. The regret felt by people of faith and the regret that non-believers experience.
Believers are the people who have an absolute faith in the fact that events take place by God's Will, and whatever befalls them does so by God's Will. This explains their all-important distinctive attribute of putting their unyielding trust in God, at good times, in trouble or when they make a mistake. Upon making a mistake, a believer immediately repents with sincerity and hopes for God's forgiveness. As a result, he does not suffer from a distressful and long-lived feeling of regret. The regret felt by believers urges them to ask for repentance, to purify themselves and prevents them from repeating this error. It helps them rectify their errors and prevents them from plunging into a distressful and pessimistic mood. Moreover, this regret does not reduce their enthusiasm, devotion, or religious zeal nor does it drag them downward into a spiral of apprehension and depression.

Regret felt by disbelievers, on the other hand, is very distressing and constant, as they do not put their trust in God when they encounter a difficulty or commit a transgression. Throughout their lives, they often use phrases like "I wish I had not done this..." "I wish I had never said this...", and so on.

More importantly, they are subject to a much greater regret in the Hereafter. Those who lived a life apart from the religion (deen) in this world will regret every moment of their lives. They were warned before and invited to the straight path. They had enough time to contemplate and embrace the right way. Yet they did not listen when they were warned, ignoring the Hereafter as if they would never die. Then in the Hereafter, they will have no chance to get back to this world and correct their errors. In the Qur'an, their regretful expressions are related as follows:

We have warned you of an imminent punishment on the Day when a man will see what he has done, and the disbeliever will say, 'Oh, if only I were dust!' (Surat an-Naba': 40)

If only you could see when they are standing before the Fire and saying, 'Oh! If only we could be sent back again, we would not deny the Signs of our Lord and we would be among the believers.' (Surat al-An'am: 27)

They will say:

They will say, 'If only we had really listened and used our intellect, we would not have been Companions of the Blaze.' (Surat al-Mulk: 10)

Keep in mind that that day no one's regret will save him from God's wrath. The only way to avoid this regret is to submit to God while there is still time and to comply with the commands of God.

Respond to your Lord before a Day comes from God which cannot be turned back. On that Day you will have no hiding-place and no means of denial. (Surat ash-Shura: 49)

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RAISING OUR CHILD WITH GOOD ISLAMIC VALUES

2010-05-26T22:39:00.003+08:00

Children are easily influenced by their surroundings. These days, it is extremely difficult to expose our children to an ideal Islamic environment given the influences from media, friends and even other members of the family.
With television, radio, Internet and forms of media mostly touting un-Islamic values, it is up to parents and adults close to the children to set the correct example.

It is impossible to shield our children from all the negative forces that can shape their minds and, ultimately, their behavior.
However, by our own example and showing them better options, we can set them on the true path, which is to obey the commandments of Allah (swt) and our Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).

Here are some tips you may want to follow in helping your children grow up with Islamic values.

1. Start by teaching them the importance of Worshipping only Allah: The best thing any Muslim parent could ever teach their children is to emphasize, from the day they can comprehend, that Allah (swt) is One and no one is worthy of worship except Allah (swt). This is the fundamental message of our Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and it is our key to Paradise.

2. Treat them kindly: Kindness begets kindness. If we were kind to our children, they in turn would show kindness to others. Our Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was the best example in being kind to children.

3. Teach them examples of Muslim heroes: Instead of Batman or Superman, tell them about real heroes such as Abu Bakr, Umar ibn Khattab, Othman bin Affan, Ali bin Abi Talib and others. Tell them how Muslim leaders brought a real peaceful change in the world and won the hearts of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

4. Let children sit with adults: It is preferable for children to be among adults, especially when listening to Islamic lectures. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would often put children in the front row when he spoke to the people.

5. Make them feel important: Consult them in family matters. Let them feel they are important members of the family and have a part to play in the growth and well being of the family.

6. Go out as a family: Take family trips rather than allowing your children to always go out only with their friends. Let your children be around family and friends from whom you want them to pick up their values. Always remember that your children will become who they are around with most of the time. So, watch their company and above all give them YOUR company.

7. Praise them: Praise is a powerful tool with children, especially in front of others. Children feel a sense of pride when their parents’ praise them and will be keen to perform other good deeds. However, praise must be limited to Islamic deeds and deeds of moral value.

8. Avoid humiliation: Similarly, do not humiliate them in front of others. Children make mistakes. Sometimes, these mistakes occur in their efforts to please the parents. If you are unhappy with your children, tell them in private.

9. Sports: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged sports such as swimming, running and horse riding. Other sports that build character and physical strength are also recommended, as long as the children maintain their Islamic identity, wear appropriate clothes and do not engage in unnecessary mixing.

10. Responsibility: Have faith in their abilities to perform tasks. Give them chores to do in line with their age. Convince them that they are performing an important function and you will find them eager to help you out again.

11. Don’t spoil them: Children are easily spoiled. If they receive everything they ask for, they will expect you to oblige on every occasion. Be wise in what you buy for them. Avoid extravagance and unnecessary luxuries. Take them to an orphanage or poor area of your city once in a while so they can see how privileged they are.

12. Don’t be friends: It is common in the West for parents to consider their children as friends. In Islam, it doesn’t work that way. If you have ever heard how friends talk to each other, then you will know that this is not how a parent-child relationship should be. You are the parents, and they should respect you, and this is what you should be teaching them. The friendship part should be limited to you and them keeping an open dialog so they can share their concerns with you and ask you questions when they have any.

13. Pray with them: Involve them in acts of worship. When they are young, let them see you in act of salaah (salat). Soon, they would be trying to imitate you. Wake them up for Fajr and pray as a family. Talk to them about the rewards of salaah so that it doesn’t feel like a burden to them.

14. Emphasize halaal: It is not always good to say “this is haraam, that is haraam”. While you must educate them on haraam things, Islam is full of halaal and tell your children to thank Allah (swt) for the bounties He has bestowed on them- not just for food and clothes. Tell them to be thankful for having eyes that see, ears that hear, arms and legs and, the ultimate blessing, Islam in their hearts.

15. Set an example: As parents, you are the best example the children can have. If you talk to your parents rudely, expect your children to do the same to you. If you are disrespectful to others, your children will follow too. Islam is filled with Divine advice on the best ways to bring up your children. That makes it an obligation upon parents to be good Muslims so their children will try to emulate them. If you don’t take Islam seriously, neither will your children. It goes back to our third point, which is to give them Islamic heroes. As a parent, you should be their number one hero.

Friendship: The Medicine Of Life

2010-05-22T07:06:00.003+08:00

“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing…not healing, not curing…that is a friend who cares.” - Henri Nouwen

Friendship is an art. We are born into families but we must cultivate our friends. A true friend is priceless- someone you can call when you are confused, have a problem, or when you are excited and want to celebrate. Sometimes we need a friend to listen and not fix our problems or advise us with the best solution. Yet, how many people have someone in their life who will listen and love unconditionally without an ulterior motive; without asking for anything in return; someone whose own spirit is lifted by allowing you to share your dreams, worries, fears, confusion, anger, and other emotions.

This is rare in today’s society, because we are in a hurry and listening takes time.
Like doctors, we want to give our friend a solution. Often we don’t want a solution; we just want to talk it out. A true healer will listen until they don’t exist so the other person can come up with their own solution, but this takes time.
You may have a “ton of friends,” but how many of your friendships are open and unreserved allowing you both to expose your soul and unleash your feelings and emotions without fear. You are fortunate if among the multitudes of people you know, you have one or two trusting friends who will be there for you even when they don’t understand you.

Cultivating friendship takes time and thought and the ability to give and to forgive. It is the desire to want to be in a relationship with another human being for no other reason than the healing energy of knowing you can count on that person and they can count on you in life when it is challenging or when it is exciting. This kind of friendship is the best medicine.

AVOID CURSING EACH OTHER

2010-05-20T20:13:00.003+08:00

Muslims should neither curse nor imprecate each other with words such as, ‘May the Curse of Allah be upon you,’ or ‘I wish you to burn in Hell-fire,’ etc.

‘Do not curse one another, invoking curse of Allah or Wrath of Allah or the fire of Hell.’ [Abu Dawood, at-Tirmidhee]

To curse a Muslim is akin to killing him. Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘Cursing a believer is like murdering him.’ [Agreed upon]The act of cursing is such that one who does it can himself become a recipient of it.

Narrated Abu Darda (radhi allahu anhu), ‘Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘When a person curses (La’nah; to ask that something be deprived of Allah’s Mercy) somebody or something, the curse goes up to the heaven and the gates of the heaven are closed. Then it comes down to the earth and its gates are closed. Then it turns right and left, and if it does not find an entrance to go anywhere, it returns to the person or thing that was cursed, if he or it deserves to be cursed; otherwise, it returns to the person, who uttered it.’

[Abu Dawood]Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) also warned, ‘Those who frequently resort to cursing would neither be accepted as witnesses nor as intercessors on the Day of Resurrection.’ [Saheeh Muslim]

It is not allowed to curse, disgrace or humiliate even a sinner because in doing so, one helps the Shaytan, who is avowed to disgrace and humiliate Muslims before Allah.

Narrated Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu), ‘A drunkard was brought to the Prophet (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam). He (r) said, ‘Give him a beating.’ Then some beat him with their hands, some with their shoes, and some with (a folded) piece of cloth. When he left, someone said to him, ‘May Allah disgrace you!‘ The Prophet (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘Do not help Shaytan overcome him by uttering such words.’ [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

Moreover, it is incorrect to curse a sinner because perhaps, the person may have sought Istagfar (seek forgiveness for one’s sins) and Allah, the All-Forgiving, may have forgiven the person for his transgression.

It is related in Saheeh Muslim that during the time of Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam), when a woman was being punished for the sin of adultery, her blood spurted upon Khalid Ibn Waleed (radhi allahu anhu), who swore at her. Thereupon, the Prophet (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘Khalid, be gentle. By Him, in Whose Hand is my life, she has made such a repentance that even if a wrongful tax collector were to repent, he would have been forgiven.’ He (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) then prayed over her and she was buried. Therefore, the right conduct would be to pray for his or her guidance and refrain from any critique, cursing or humiliation.

Even the deceased Muslims should not be censured or condemned for their wrongdoings, for, they have reached their end and they are receiving the return of their deeds in the Hereafter. Aa’isha (radhi allahu anha) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘Do not abuse the dead, because they have attained that which they had forwarded (i.e., their deeds, good or bad).’ [Saheeh al-Bukharee]

Taunting is prohibited
Taunting is to insult, reproach mockingly or disgrace someone, for e.g. with reference to his lineage, appearance or shortcoming. Narrated Ibn Mas’ood (radhi allahu anhu), ‘Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘A true believer is not involved in taunting, or frequently cursing or in indecency or abusing.” [At-Tirmidhee]Abusing is prohibited

Narrated Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu), ‘Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu aliahi wa-sallam) said, ‘When two persons indulge in abusing each other, the beginner will be the sinner, so long, as the oppressed does not transgress the limits.’ [Saheeh Muslim]

This Hadeeth tells us that if a Muslim abuses another and says unfair things about him and in return, the recipient also abuses him and says unfair things to the same extent, then the entire burden of the sin of abusing lies upon the person who initiated the quarrel. However, if the one, who is wronged, exceeds the limits in revenge, then he will also be guilty to the degree of his excess. Thus, even though, revenge is permissible, it is better to forgive and be patient

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY

2010-05-18T20:43:00.002+08:00