Contentment -- An Inexhaustible Treasure

A crow lived in the forest and was absolutely satisfied in life.

But one day he saw a swan. "This swan is so white," he thought,  "and I am so black.

This swan must be the happiest bird in the world."

He expressed his thoughts to the swan. "Actually," the swan replied, "I was feeling that I was the happiest bird around until I saw a parrot, which has two colors. I now think the parrot is the happiest bird in creation."

The crow then approached the parrot. The parrot explained, "I lived a very happy life—until I saw a peacock. I have only two colors, but the peacock has multiple colors."

The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo and saw that hundreds of people had gathered to see him.

After the people had left, the crow approached the peacock. "Dear peacock," the crow said, "you are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird on the planet."

The peacock replied, "I always thought that I was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo.

I have examined the zoo very carefully, and I have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. So for past few days I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could happily roam everywhere."

Lesson of the Day 1360

Ayahs of the day:

Whether you let a good work be known or you conceal it, or you pardon an evil, God is most forgiving, most powerful. [4: 149]

Hadith of the day:
Verily charity to a poor is charity; charity to a relative is two things -- charity and upholding ties of kinship. [Sunan an Nasai]

Wise quote of the day:
The one who blindly follows the dictates of his ego, is like the one who has befriended as sworn enemy of Allah. [Sahl bin Abdullah]

Guidance of the day:
He who witnesses a blameworthy thing that he has no power to change or forbid should detest he who is committing it and detest his act in his heart. He should leave the place, for to witness evil things by choice is not permissible.

Let those who are being enjoined good and forbidden evil beware to the extreme from arrogance, haughtiness, and rejecting the truth; or of saying to he who is counseling them, "See to yourself first!" or any similar utterance explicitly rejecting the truth. It is to be feared for such persons that God shall loathe them, that His wrath will afflict them.  [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
An honest man is the noblest work of God. Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure there is one less rascal in the world. We must make the world honest before we can honestly say to our children that honesty is the best policy.

Student Loans

Pearls of Wisdom 356

1. Repentance of liars is mere lip service, for the true repentance liberates one from sins. [Rabia Basri]

2. Even after burying your own parents you take no lesson; knowing that death is inevitable, you choose to remain heedless of it. [Ibrahim al Adham]

3. He who desires honor in this world should not make his needs known to anyone in creation, nor should he seek out the faults of any other. [Bishr Al Hafi

4. The wealthiest person is the one who has abundance of taqwa .

5. Satan does not bother to misguide the one who runs after the world for he is already misguided. [Mohammad Waa'se]

6. Those who Allah loves are granted three things -- the overflowing generosity of the river, the illumination of the sun, and the humbleness of the earth. [Bayazeed al Bustami]

7.He who truly fears his Lord has freed his tongue of vain talk. [Fudhail ibn Iyaadh]

8. He whose heart is in the awe of his Lord, everything in creation is in awe of him. [Fudhail ibn Iyaadh]

9. The one who remains fearful of Allah is never touched by the worries of the world. [Sufyan al Thawri]

10. One's wordly abstinence is commensurate with one's longing for the world to come. [Fudhail bin Iyaadh]

How To Have An Islamic Wedding? - Mufti Menk

Reality of Time and Wisdom.....

1. Much may be done with those little shreds and patches of time which everyday produces, and which most people throw away.

2. Minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars and each moment is a day.

3. Until we value ourself; we won't value time, until we value time; we will not do anything with it.

4. Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.

5. To be satisfied with a little, is the greatest wisdom, and he who increases his riches increases his cares, but a contented mind is a treasure hidden.

6. Patience is the companion of wisdom.

7. In seeking wisdom we are wise, in imagining that we have attained it, we are a fools.

8. Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.

9. We are made wise not by the recollection of our past but by the responsibility of our future.

10. The art of wisdom is the art of knowing what to overlook.

Lesson of the Day 1359

Ayahs of the Day:
Believers, be supporters of justice, as witnesses to God, even be it against yourselves, or your parents or relatives; whether one be rich or poor, God is closer and more worthy than either. And do not follow desire, lest you pervert it or neglect it, God is aware of what you do. [4: 135]

Hadith of the Day:
Upholding ties of kinship increases one's lifespan. [Tabarani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The sign that one intimately knows Allah is that his heart is ever increasing in His remembrance. [Sahl bin Abdullah]

Guidance of the Day:
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is one of the greatest pillars of religion and most important responsibilities for believers. It is collective (Kifaya) obligation, which means that when some Muslims do it, the others are relieved of the obligation and no blame is attached to them. However, the reward goes only to those who were engaged in it.

When the obligation is not fulfilled, all those will share in the sin and censure who were aware of blameworthy things being committed and were capable of stopping them, either by direct action or by exhortation, but did not do so. A person should do what he can, should not neglect to support God's religion, should not seek a way out by coming up with unacceptable excuses that do not relieve him from the obligation imposed upon him by God the Exalted. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for Thought:
A ready hand is better than a ready tongue. Light is the task where many share the toil. The race of mankind would perish did they cease to aid each other. We cannot exist without mutual help. All therefore that need aid have a right to ask from their fellow-men; and no one who has the power of granting can refuse it without guilt. 

A Beautiful Du'a for the Intelligent

Almighty God you know that I am growing older.

Keep me from becoming too talkative, from repeating all my jokes and anecdotes,
and particularly keep me from falling into the tiresome habit of expressing an opinion on every subject.

Release me from craving to straighten out everyone's affairs. Keep my mind free from recital of endless details. Give me wings to get to the point.

Give me the grace, dear God, to listen to others as they describe their aches and pains.

Help me endure the boredom with patience and keep my lips sealed,
for my own aches and pains are increasing in number and intensity,
and the pleasure of discussing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally, I might be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet.

Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not pushy; independent,
yet able to accept with graciousness favors that others wish to bestow on me.

Free me of the notion that simply because I have lived a long time, I am wiser than those who have not lived so long; I am older, not necessarily wiser!

If it please God, when the end comes,
I would like to have a friend or two left.

Ameen.

Lesson of the Day 1358

Ayahs of the Day:
If anyone wants the reward of the world, God has the reward of the world and of the hereafter; and God is all-hearing, all-seeing. [4: 134]

Hadith of the Day:
Doing acts of kindness will protect one from calamity and a bad end. [Tabarani]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The worshippers of Allah do not worship in any way better than avoiding what Allah has forbidden. [Hasan al Basri]

Guidance of the Day:
Hajj -- If the pilgrim is wealthy, let him be liberal in giving to the poor and the destitute, in helping the weak and the needy, followed by all other Muslims. Let it be done sincerely for the Lord of the worlds.

During his journey, let him be humble, modest, and submissive. This is how he should approach the King, the Compeller and Proud. Behaving with arrogance or indulging in extreme forms of comfort will cause him to be rejected by God. The more humble and modest the pilgrim, the poorer he looks for the sake of God, the better, purer, more honorable and complete will his pilgrimage be. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for Thought:
The  wicked work harder to reach hell than the righteous to reach heaven. To be in hell is to drift; to be in heaven is to steer. Hell is truth seen too late -- duty neglected in its reason. To get to heaven, turn right and keep straight.

Eid Mubarak!

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah Dear readers,

A dear student of mine sent me this beautiful poem as well as her summation of what we had attempted to learn in our Character Building and Soul Searching Class.

Anything that is good is from Allah, anything deficient is from my own self. It just reminds me of what my own teacher says : "The teacher is simply the traffic cop making sure the traffic is going in the right direction -- into the presence of Allah."

As for my part all I can do is echo what Moulana Rumi said " Don't look at my face but take what's in my hand."

BismillahiRahman-nirRaheem

A Guiding Light  

I was lost and I found you

I was hopeless and you showed me how to find hope through dua

I was weak and you showed me strength through Tahajjud

I was blinded in darkness and you showed me light through seeking knowledge

I said my loved ones are ailing; you said the cure is in sadaqa

I was running off the track and you showed me how to get back on track

I said my children are in pain you said heal them, protect them through sadaqa

I came to you crying and you showed me the place to cry was in front of Almighty ALLAH

I came to you in a panic you said panic makes the calamity worse

I came to you wounded and you said it was temporary

I was looking for a shortcut in life and you said find it in the long rakahs of Tahajjud

I was tangled in this dunya you showed me how to be free

I said my duas need to be heard, you said dollar – a - day sadaqa or what you can afford -
 – and neither your sadaqa nor your dua will be rejected by The MOST HIGH

I was running and you asked me to slow it down

I would be confused and you said WHY??

I had doubts and you provided clarity

I was hurt and you said I would heal

After 6 days of a marathon I used to stop at your tafsir to breathe – now where do I go?
After defeat where do I go?
When I panic where do I go?
When I am lost where do I go to?
When I am wounded where do I go?
When I need you where do I go?

This poem is written as a farewell for Iffath Hasan (Iffath Aunty) for her relentless service to the community character building, soul searching class for 21years. Please free to share.

By: Nusrat Ahmed student 07/22/2014
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Summation

1. I am forgetting I said, cure is in reading a Juz a day, cure for Alzheimer’s she proclaimed

2.Migraine my head is splitting I said Read it daily she said, believe in it, blow on it, for any illness, aches or pains….41 times Surah Fatiha, 41 times Ya Salaamu, 100 time Lahaoula Wala Khuwwata Illa Billahil Aliyul Azeem, of course before and after 7 times Darood she proclaimed

3. I would like to control my Nafs (lower self) I said, follow the Sunnah Fast on Monday and Thursday she proclaimed

4. My Duas need to be fulfilled I said, do it through Sadaqa Dollar a Day or what you can afford but consistency is the key she proclaimed.  ALLAH SWT does not reject Sadaqa and nor your Dua she proclaimed
5. I am afraid of long term illness I said, read Surah Tagabun she proclaimed

6. I need to strengthen my Eimaan develop my sincerity, read Surah Ikhlas 100 times daily she proclaimed

7. I need to protect my loved ones I said, Hisaar (protection through) – Surah Fateha, Ayatalkursi and the 4 khulonce, before and after Darood she proclaimed

8. Haya, modesty I said, avoid mixed gatherings – Do it for ALLAH she proclaimed

9. The purpose of life I said, follow the Sunnah she proclaimed

10. Through her smile, calm voice, persistent on the same issues, same topics, same people, she said it again and again.

11. If you have attained one lesson it is this she proclaimed – use your time wisely

12. Do not buy anything you do NOT need.

14. Treat him (your husband) like a king -- he will treat you like a queen she proclaimed

15. Last but not the least learn to forgive, be relentless in your journey to forgive, be good to everyone especially to your enemies, your foes, people that you have conflict with she proclaimed.

16. Control your tongue the root cause of all evil is not YOU it is your tongue she proclaimed!

This narrative is written as a farewell for Iffath Hasan (Iffath Aunty) to capture some of the essence from her teachings. Please free to share.

By: Nusrat Ahmed student 07/22/2014
Bullet points by Nusrath Ahmed, capturing some of the essence of Iffath Hasan's teachings.

A strong person / A person of strength....

1. A strong person works out everyday to keep his/her body in shape.... but a person of strength kneels in prayer to keep his/her soul in shape.

2. A strong person isn't afraid of anything .... but a person of strength shows courage in the midst of his/her fear.

3. A strong person won't let anyone get the best of his/her..... but a person of strength gives the best of his/her to everyone.

4. A strong person makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future .... but a person of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them.

5. A strong person walks sure footedly .... but a person of strength knows God will catch him/her when he/she falls.

6. A strong person wears the look of confidence in his/her face .... but a person of strength wears grace.

7. A strong person has faith that he/she is strong enough for the journey .... but a person of strength has faith that it is in the journey that he/she will become strong.

Resolve to improve life this Ramadan.....

POINTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE LIFE

1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey
is all about.

2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest
your energy in the positive present moment.

3. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does.

4. Don't waste your precious energy and time on gossip.

5. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

6. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind people of their mistakes
of the past. That will ruin their present happiness.

7. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

8. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

9. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away
but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

10. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

11. Each day give something good to others.

13. Forgive everyone for everything -- hoping to be forgiven by Allah.

14. What other people think of you is none of your business,
just do the right things.

15. Put Allah first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.

16. The best is yet to come -- Paradise!-- strive for it.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. If you know Allah you will always be happy. So, know Him and be happy.

19. The hardship of obedience disappears and its reward remains.

20. The pleasure of sins disappears and its punishment remains.

Lesson of the Day 1357

Ayahs of the day:
If God willed, God would remove you, humankind, and bring forth, others. And God is able to do that. [4: 133]

Hadith of the day:
Indeed charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord and it protects against the evil death. [Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
There can be no good in excess, just as there is no excess in good. [Imam Abu Hanifah]

Guidance of the day:
It is most important for he who is about to set out for the pilgrimage to do his utmost to make his provision halal and his expenses from licit source, for he who uses illicit money for the pilgrimage will not be accepted.

Let the pilgrim feel pleased when he spends his money in the course of his journey, for these are expenditures that he will be compensated for and the consequence of which will be goodness, benedictions, ease, and affluence. It has been transmitted that that which is spent on pilgrimage is similar to that spent on Jihad, the reward for every Dirham will be seven hundred. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Their is no instinct like that of the heart. The head learns new things, but the heart forever more practices old experiences. Wealth and want equally harden the human heart. Two things are bad for the heart -- running up stairs and running down people.

Beauty of a woman.....

1. The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries,
or the way she combs her hair.

2. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

3. The beauty of a woman is not in her facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

4. It is the caring, that she lovingly gives, the passion she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years will only grow.

5. She is not made to be the admiration of all, but the happiness of one.

6. Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother -- the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.

Ramadan Mubarak!!!

                                                      Beauty Tips

1. For attractive lips -- speak words of kindness

2. For lovely eyes -- seek out the good in people

3. For a slim figure -- share your food with the hungry

4. For beautiful hair -- let a child run his or her finger through it once a day

5. For poise -- walk with the knowledge you you'll never walk alone -- people, more than the things have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed.

6. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand -- you'll find one at the end of your arm.

7. As you grow, you'll discover that you have two hands -- one for helping yourself, the other for helping others. 

The Reality of Life

Life is a journey and death is not the end.

No human being ever created will ever cease to exist: we were created for eternity.

This life is brief, the next life is forever.

Everything in life is a test. All our deeds, good or bad, will remain with us for eternity.

The material possessions will remain in this world and be inherited by others who may fight over it after we are gone.

We need to prioritize our life and work for our the Akhirah and not just chase after the Dunia.

Although we live in this world and have to raise families and earn our living, we shouldn't get attached to it.

The next life is eternal thus we need to be ever more concerned about how we would be there: whether we'll have a nice house in Jannah or not?

Let us prepare ourselves for the 'real life' that is to come, without wasting a single moment.

let us be prepared for our deaths before it catches up with us -- when we are unaware.

Lesson of the Day 1356

Ayahs of the day:
And who is better in faith than the one who surrenders his being to God, and is a doer of good, and follows the way of Ibrahim, rightly oriented? For God took Ibrahim as a friend. [4: 125]

Hadith of the day:
No people ever withhold zakah except that Allah tests them with famine. [Tabarani]

Wise quote of the day:
Everyone in this world is a guest, and his money is but a loan. The guest must go sooner or later and the loan must be returned. [Ibn Mas'ud]

Guidance of the day:
He who yearns so much for the Sacred House of God and is so eager to perform that religious obligation that he strains himself to go to pilgrimage, although he is not able in every way, his faith is more complete and his reward is greater and more liberal.

 A believer should not postpone, act lazily, or procrastinate, producing excuses year after year, when he is able to go. How can he be sure that death will not overtake him, or that he will lose the ability he now possesses. He will remain indebted with pilgrimage and when he meets God, will do so as a disobedient sinner. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule. Hatred is the madness of the heart. A man who lives, not by what he loves but what he hates, is a sick man. When our hatred is violent, it sinks us even beneath those who we hate. Hatred is self-punishment.

Father's day -- 365 days a year

Fathers: The Gates to Paradise

It has been related to us by the Best of Creation:
He who thanks not people, can show no appreciation

To the exalted Creator and Cherisher of humanity.
Thus is gratitude one of the keys to unending Felicity.

Many are those who enrich our lives, time and again
During our brief sojourn on this earthly plane.

But near the top of the list, we must never forget
the gratitude we owe the man whose name we inherit,

He who Allah made the cause of our worldly existence.
After this, thanks of any amount becomes a pittance.

We speak of course, of fathers, if you are not yet aware,
and all the hardships and sacrifices they selflessly bear.

Not only in securing for us our means of well-being,
But in teaching us virtues, to our Lord so pleasing.

Whence did we first learn of traits defining nobility
like decency, honor, manhood, and integrity?

Where else but the school of our fatherly exemplar
Who taught so much simply through his character.

He taught us in hardship and ease, through thick and thin,
How ennobling it is to serve one's family, kith, and kin.

He taught us more through his silent contemplation
Than one ever learns from others’ endless conversation.

He taught us what it means to be truly human, upright
And how one stands on principle, regardless of one’s plight.

Without doubt, we owe so much to our mothers’ nurturing care
But he who toiled for her every comfort also deserves a share.

As so my plea to us all, that we not earmark one single day
Out of the year, to buy him a cheap gift and be on our way.

Rather, from this day forth we resolve to adhere
To observing a Father’s Day on every day of the year,

By striving to serve him in excellence, fulfilling his needs,
Showing him utmost respect and love, in word and in deeds.

O Allah, through our parents, grant us the best of endings and a goodly fate!
For if Paradise lies at the mother's feet, then the father is surely its gate!

By a Son

Pearls of Wisdom 355

1. The noblest form of mercy is to protect others from yourself.

2. Attentiveness in prayers makes us attentive to life.

3. Should you wish to ascend, look down.

4. Domestic violence -- he should remember that she is not his, she is His.

5. Master your wrath, or taste the Master's wrath.

6. To follow Sunnah is to conform body to spirit.

7. You may sometimes have to pray fast, but always pray well.

8. Do not be proud of what you have done; be proud of what you have been asked to do.

9. Inner peace comes from ignoring the verdict of others, but this is only possible when one correctly trusts the verdict of God.

10. Do not wait until your body starts to fail before you wonder who you really are. [Abdul Hakeem Murad]

Please watch and share....

Loving those with disabilities

Just sharing a short video done by Sh. Omar Suleiman released a few nights ago
on Youtube, Quran Weekly, FB, Twitter etc..,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9ZYdl2aRauo

Lesson of the Day 1355

Ayahs of the day:
There is no good in most of their private conferences, except those who enjoin charity, or fairness, or reconciliation between people. And whoever does so seeking the pleasure of God, We will give a tremendous reward. [4: 114]

Hadith of the day:
There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm. [Ahmad]

Wise quote of the day:
Of the signs that one loves Allah are that one is preoccupied in contemplation and reflection (of the Divine beauty), and that one enjoys being alone (with his Beloved). [Ahmad bin Antaki]

Guidance of the day:
To recompense for every good work is known except for fasting, its recompense is neither determined, nor limited. Allah the Exalted, Himself has said "Every work of the Son of Adam is multiplied ten to seven hundred times, except fasting, for it is Mine an I Myself shall reward it. Reflect on the promise of limitless reward from the Generous, Liberal, and Compassionate Master. Reflect also on the odor of the fasting person's mouth being more fragrant near God than the scent of musk.

The spirit of fasting is to refrain from sins and prohibited things, and neglect no obligation or duty. He who refrains from eating, drinking, and intercourse, but does not refrain from contraventions will have gained nothing from his fast but pains and discomfort. When you fast or engage in any other good work, do it well. Strive to perform all good works with excellence, perfection, and sincerity, so that God may allow you to profit from them and grant you the immense reward on the day when you return to Him. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Good habits result from resisting temptation. Good habits, which bring our lower passions and appetites under automatic control, leave our natures free to explore the larger experiences of life.
Sow an act and you reap a habit.
Sow a habit and you reap a character.
Sow a character and you reap a destiny.

How much gratitude do we have?

THE WORLD IS MINE

Today, upon a bus, I saw a very beautiful woman,
And wished I were as beautiful.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
But as she passed, she passed a smile.
Oh, Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have two legs; the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy,
The lad who sold it had such charm,
I talked with him, he seemed so glad,
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
"I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."
Oh, Allah, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes; the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go,
With eyes to see the sunset's glow,
With ears to hear what I'd know.
With loving family & friends to enjoy life
Oh, Allah, forgive me when I whine,
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

-------

If this poem makes you feel thankful,
Just forward it to your friends.
After all, it's just a simple reminder that we have so much to be thankful for!
Give the gift of love.
It never comes back empty

Pearls of Wisdom 354

1. Love the Holy Prophet because he makes it possible for you to be human.

2. He that considers a part of Sunnah to be small is uninterested in the Prophetic light.

3. If your birth is humble, let the Sunnah make you a noble man. If your birth is noble, endure that your acts are not less so.

4. Anyone can fear His law, but they only love it who are close to Him.

5. He that is close to God is saturated with love and acceptance, he that is far from Him burns in the hell of anger and anxiety.

6. See with God's light, and happiness will never desert you.

7. If you wish to be settled remember God properly..

8. Even if you cannot live simply, be sure to enjoy simple pleasures the most.

9. Misery is only for those without hope.

10. Forgiveness is only complete when you love those who have given you the opportunity to be forgiving. [Abdul Hakim Murad]

Heart Corruptors....

The heart becomes corrupt through six things:

1. Committing a sin in the hope of repenting.

2. Seeking knowledge and not applying it.

3. Practice without sincerity for Allah.

4. Eating the sustenance of Allah without appreciating Him.

5. Not being pleased with what Allah has destined.

6. Burying the dead without learning from it -- not preparing for it.
    [Hasan al Basri]

Lesson of the Day 1354

Ayahs of the day:
But if anyone commits an error or a sin and then blames an innocent for it, he has taken on a burden of slander and open  iniquity. [4: 112]

Hadith of the day:
He does not thank Allah who does not thank the people. [Sunan Abi Dawood]

Wise quote of the day:
When the heart is imbued with love for Allah Most High, then each word creates an impression on the hearts of the listeners. [Shah Abdul Qadir]

Guidance of the day:
To fast every Monday and Thursday is also extremely meritorious. The Prophet (peace and blessing upon him) used to fast them and say, 'These are two days on which works are presented to the Lord of all beings. It pleases me that my works are presented even as I am fasting."

To fast on Friday is recommended, due to the merits and rank of that day, but on condition that it be paired with either Thursday or Saturday, for it has been transmitted that the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) discouraged the people from fasting it on its own. Generally speaking, one should fast with frequency, for it is a most effective manner of disciplining the soul and breaking its  passion, in softening and illuminating the hearts, and in refining  the senses and imposing rectitude upon them. There is in it an immense wage and a generous reward that has neither limit nor end. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity. Cultivate only the habits that you are willing should master you. The chain of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. Each year, one vicious habit rooted out, in time ought to make the worst man good.

Understanding the best....

1. I looked at all my friends, and did not find a better friend than safeguarding the tongue.

2. I thought about all the outfits, but did not find a better outfit than piety.

3. I thought of all types of good deeds, but did not find a better deed than offering good advice.

4. I looked at all types of sustenance, but did not find a better sustenance than patience. [Omar radi Allah anhu]

Pearls of Wisdom 353

1. Put your hope in no one except your Lord, have fear of nothing other than your sins.

2. The extent to which one understands the nature of dunya (this world) is measured through the degree of his detachment from it.

3. A slip of tongue is more hazardous than a slip of the foot.

4. If you are bent on committing that sin, then seek out that place which is bent on keeping God out of it.

5. To deem that God is with one every moment is the greatest expression of faith.

6. The scandal monger harms three people with his tongue -- himself, his listener, and his target.

7. The surest way of achieving heaven on earth is contentment with His decree.

8. Indeed the sword may wound the body, but it is foul speech which wounds the soul.

9. Steeped in error is he who can find time to seek out the faults of others.

10. A Muslims humiliation comes from his heedlessness of his religion, not in his lack of wealth or stature. [Othman radi Allah anhu]

Mother's day -- 365 days a year for a Muslim....

                                                           Mothers

From Surah al-Rahman are the glorious words of our Creator:  "Then which of the favors of your Lord will your deny?" 

Yet how often we deny the greatest of favors that the Bestower has granted us.  This favor, in the form of a woman......

A woman who carried us within her for almost a whole year of her short life in this world, bearing every hardship and discomfort to protect and nurture our frail being as the Fashioner gently prepared us to come into this worldly realm....

A woman who braved death's door, embracing pain unimaginable to even the most stalwart of warriors, that our tiny form may chance to take its first breath, open its eyes to the light of a new home, and feel her warm, soft caress, as she forgets all that she went through, to make comfortable our awakening into a new world....

A woman who had forsaken rest, slumber, and dreams for far too many nights; to rise instead, and answer the pitiful wail of a helpless creature that always knew she would be there to answer its plaintive cry, even as the whole world slumbered on into the dead of the night......

A woman who bore weakness to give forth from her being, a pure and heavenly nectar to nourish our growing bodies and our thirsty souls with sustenance to define our humanity ever onward......

A woman who watered and pruned our character with all the patience and care of a master gardener turning a wild shrub into a beautiful tree.......

A woman who was always there for us, no matter how many backs were turned to us, no matter how many doors closed in our face, to give us a shoulder to cry on, an ear to heed our complaint, a comforting bosom to embrace when there was no other.......

A woman who, even after all of our blunders, all of our impudence, all of our ungrateful gestures and insolent remarks, will not hesitate to say I forgive you when no one else in the world will....

A woman who we call Mother.

If we only knew her lofty station in the sight of He whose mercy is endless, a single portion of which He showered upon the world and it manifested itself as the undying compassion of the mother to her child.

"THEN WHICH OF THE FAVORS OF YOUR LORD DO YOU DENY?" 

To deny is to show ingratitude.  To show ingratitude is to lose one's blessings......like sand flowing through one's fingers.

To show ingratitude to the all Merciful is to show ingratitude to the means He creates out of His endless mercy.  WHAT OF THE MEANS WHICH BROUGHT US INTO THE WORLD?

If one's mother is alive, then cry out of thankfulness to Allah, go to her, sit at her feet, kiss her on the forehead, look her in the eyes and tell her how blessed you are for someone like her......

Tell her how much you love her.....

And never forget the immortal words of our beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace):

"Paradise is under the feet of the mother...."

From,
a son

Lesson of the day 1353

Ayahs of the day:
And whoever commits a sin only sins against his own soul; and God is most knowing, most wise. [4: 111]

Hadith of the day:
Whoever constantly prays for forgiveness, Allah will give him a way out of every difficulty and relief from every worry, and will grant him provision from where he did not expect. [Sunna Abi Dawood]

Wise quote of the day:
Know that it is not your family and friends, but rather your deen which truly looks after you. [Hasan radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the day:
It is a sunnah to fast six days in Shawwal, to bid farewell to Ramadan and compensate fro any other deficiency in one's fast, for supererogatory (nafl) devotions compensate for deficiencies in obligatory ones. It is meritorious to fast the Day of 'Arafat, which is the day of Hajj, the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah'. Then comes the Day of 'Ashura', which is the tenth day of Muharram. 

It is strongly recommended to fast three days every month. It is better and more meritorious for the person wishing to fast to make them the White days -- these are the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of every month, and should be given priority. However, to fast any other three days is also good, even if not consecutively. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
The grave wherever found, preaches a short and pithy sermon to the soul. How small a portion of earth will hold us when we are dead, who ambitiously seek after the whole world while we are living. We weep over the graves of infants and the little ones taken from us by death; but an early grave may be the shortest way to heaven.

Friends who bring us closer to Allah should be sought....

Not everyone suits to be your friend

Friends have a large influence on our lives. Islam has emphasized on choosing companions who are upright and noble. The Prophet (peace be upon him said), “Man is on his friend’s religion. Therefore, man should see with whom he is making friends.” (Abu Dawood, no.4815).

Friendship that leads one to Allah’s disobedience is not worth it. Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi mentions in his book Mukhtasar Minhaj Al-Qasidin (pg. 126-132) some valuable points on this topic:

Know that not everyone is suitable to be your friend. You must verify that this potential friend has the necessary characteristics that make friendship with him something to be desired. The one you seek to befriend must have five characteristics:

• He must be intelligent, as there is no good in befriending an idiot, as he will only harm you when he wants to benefit you. By intelligent, we mean one who understands things as they are, either on his own, or if they are explained to him.

• He must have good manners, and this is a must. One who is simply intelligent might be overcome by anger or desire, and obey his desire. Thus, there would be no benefit in befriending him.

• He must not be a fasiq, the one who openly disobeys Allah, as such a person would not fear Allah, and whoever does not fear Allah cannot be trusted.

• He must not be an innovator, as his over-indulgence innovation is feared from befriending him.

• He should not be too eager in seeking the dunya. Which means that he is not willing to sacrifice his hereafter for it.

Pearls of Wisdom 352

1. Wasted is the scholar who is not asked about what he knows.

2. Wasted is the wealth which is not used in good.

3. Wasted is the knowledge which is not acted upon.

4. Wasted is the goodly advice which is ignored.

5. Wasted is the Mus'haf (copy of the Qur'an) which is not recited from.

6. Wasted is the heart which is firmly planted in the mud of this world.

7. Wasted is the life which has made no provision for the ultimate journey of the Akhira (next world).

8. How strange is the one who claims to know death's reality and yet can go on enjoying himself heedlessly.

9.  How strange is the one who knows Reckoning to be true and yet goes on hoarding ceaselessly.

10. How strange is the one who believes in destiny and yet cries over the loss of that which is fleeting.  [Othman radi Allah anhu]

Good reflection....

Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout.

Do you know why a Car's WINDSHIELD is so large & the Rear view Mirror is so small?
Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. Look Ahead and Move on.

Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.

Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamonds! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!

Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says,
"Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in Your Abilities.

A blind person asked a wise person "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"

When you pray for others, God listens to you, blesses you and them. Sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

WORRYING does not take away tomorrows' TROUBLES, it takes away today’s' PEACE.

Lesson of the day 1352

Ayahs of the day:
Whoever does evil or wrongs his own soul then asks forgiveness of God will find God most forgiving, most merciful. [4: 110]

Hadith of the day:
Whoever removes a worldly hardship from a believer, Allah will remove one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection from him. [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
The one who detaches himself from the world and turns to the Divine, is honored by the Divine turning unto him. [Ma'ruf Kharkhi]

Guidance of the day:
The sagacious believer should be ready for Layla t'ul-Qadr. He must remain watchful and constantly engaged in good works. The important thing is that when it does come it finds him absorbed in his good works, remembering Allah the Exalted, neither distracted, heedless, nor absorbed in frivolity.

It is unimportant whether he actually witnesses Laylat'ul-Qadr or not, for the works of he who is absorbed in devotions during it will be equivalent to the works of a thousand months, whether he is aware or not which specific night it is. He should watch for it and be  prepared every night of the month, because much disagreement exists between scholars as to which night it is. It can occur in other than the last ten nights, but more frequently does in them. This is the opinion of the majority of the scholars. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
Gratitude is a duty ought to be paid, but which none have a right to expect. Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul. Gratitude is not only the greatest virtues, but the parent of all the others. There is as much greatness of mind in acknowledging a good turn, as in doing it. Nothing tires a man more than to be grateful all the time.

Love of God -- the essence of every good

Allah Most High says in His Noble Qur'an:

Those of faith (Imaan) are overflowing in their love for Allah. [2:165]

Say (O Mohammad), "If you love God, then follow me; God will love you and forgive you your sins; for God is most forgiving, most merciful." [3: 31]

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give more than
100%?

 Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving
 more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants us to
give over 100%.

How about achieving 101%?

 What equals 100% in life?

 Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these
 questions:

 If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
 23 24 25 26.

 If:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K

 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:

 K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E

 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E

1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

 Then, look how far the love of God will take us:

L-O-V-E O-F-G-O-D

 12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty
that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get us close, and
Attitude will get us there, It's the Love of God that will put us
over the top!

To increase our love of God all we need to do is to be grateful for
all we have been blessed with, and show our gratitude through
always being obedient to Him.

Pearls of Wisdom 351

1. When both the lawful and the prohibited are present in a thing, it is its prohibited aspect which will always be most prominent.

2. If there is fear that even a tenth is haram, then our way is to leave the remaining nine-tenths, though they be halal.

3. Worldly honor may be through wealth, but heavenly honor is certainly through works.

4. Death -- A single word which contains within it every goodly advice.

5. Do not look at a man's prayers nor his fasts, rather, measure him by how well he deals with others, the compassion he shows his fellow men, his wisdom and his integrity.

6. No matter how correct it may be, one should still strengthen one's opinion through consulting people of knowledge. [Omar radi Allah anhu]

The easiest way to memorize the Noble Qur'an....

By: Shaikh ‘Abdul Muhsin Bin Muhammad Al Qaasim an Imaam and Khateeb in the Masjid of Prophet (SallAllaahu alaihi wa sallam).
Translated by: Abu ‘Abdis Salaam Siddiq Al Juyaanee

All praise and thanks belongs to Allah and may the peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and all of his companions.

The following method (for memorizing the Qur’an) is distinguished due to its facilitation of a well-grounded and strong memorization of the entire Qur’an in a relatively short period of time. The following is an example of this method utilizing the first page of Suratul Jumu’ah as an example:

1-Recite the first verse 20 times
2-Recite the second verse 20 times
3-Recite the third verse 20 times
4-Recite the fourth verse 20 times
5-Recite these four verses together 20 times to fortify the order of verses (1-4)
6-Recite the fifth verse 20 times
7-Recite the sixth verse 20 times
8-Recite the seventh verse 20 times
9-Recite the eighth verse 20 times
10-Recite verses five to eight 20 times to fortify the order of verses (5-8)
11-Recite verses one to eight 20 times to solidify the memorization of this page

Similarly, utilize this method for every page of the Qur’an, to proceed to a new page the following day; first start by reciting the previous page 20 times to fortify the memorization of that page, then proceed to memorize the new page utilizing the method I previously mentioned.

And all success is from Almighty Allah.

Lesson of the day 1351

Ayahs of the day:
Whoever migrates for the sake of God will find many a refuge on earth, and plenitude. And anyone who leaves his home taking refuge in God and the messenger of God, and then death overtakes him, his reward is up to God; and God is most forgiving, most merciful. [4: 100]

Hadith of the day:
Be indifferent towards this world, and Allah will love you. Be indifferent to what is in people's hands, and they will love you. [Ibn Majah]

Wise quote of the day:
Don't grieve, everything you lose comes around in a another form. [Mawlana Rumi]

Guidance of the day:
Just as the believer should identify his good works in the month of Ramadan and show diligence, so should he be extremely careful to avoid transgressions and maintain himself at a distance from them, for sins committed during blessed times are much worse and deserving of much more severe punishment, as a counterpart for the the multiplication of rewards for good works at those same times.

In this noble month one should increase one's charities, assistance and comfort to the poor and inquire after the widows and orphans. One should increase one's recitations and studying of the Qur'an, secluding oneself in the mosques (I'tikaf), especially during the last ten days.  [Counsels of Religion]

Food for thought:
Every quarrel begins in nothing and  ends in a struggle for supremacy. A long dispute means that both parties are wrong. In quarreling the truth is always lost. When we quarrel, how we wish we had been blameless!

Pearls of Wisdom 350

1. The strength in one's resolve is that one does not leave for tomorrow what one can do today.

2. Know that it is by ilm (knowledge) that one must speak, and that it is with hilm (forbearance) that one must remain silent.

3. Imaan is that one recognizes the One True God in the depths of his heart, and that he confirms it with his tongue, and that he acts upon the Divine Prescriptions of Shariah.

4. Covetousness is itself poverty regardless of how rich one is; detachment is itself wealth regardless of how poor one is; not wanting vengeance is itself patience regardless if one was wronged or not.

5. Doing good for a good done to one is simply repayment, whereas doing good for an evil done to one is a tremendous virtue.

6. Decrease in one's speech brings wisdom, decrease in one's food brings health, decrease in one's sleep brings worship, and decrease in one's meeting with the common folk brings aafia (safety). [Omar radi Allah anhu]

Visiting the sick....

Rasul Allah (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "The one who visits the sick is in fact like one who is in the fruit garden of Paradise so long as he does not return." [Sahih Muslim]

There is great merit in paying a visit to the sick, whether one knows the patient or not. The following is a story of how a man came to take the shahada. 

The man was in a hospital sharing a room with a Muslim. One day some people came to visit the Muslim. They came in, hugged the Muslim brother, kissed him, and talked to him with love and affection. They stayed for a while and shared a closeness that was true. After they left, the man asked the Muslim if those were his brothers who had just visited him. The Muslim replied, "No, they learned that I was sick today, at the Friday prayer, and so they came to visit me. I just met them today." This shocked the man. Those people had not acted in an awkward stranger fashion but like true brothers.

This led to the man asking more questions and finally accepting Islam. This duty of visiting the sick is always blessed by Allah (Subhana wa ta’ala). In addition, this time it also served as a vehicle to guide a man to Islam.

Lesson of the day 1350

Ayahs of the day:
Whoever intercedes for good has a share in it, and whoever intercedes for evil has some responsibility for it. And God is watching over all things. [4: 85]

Hadith of the day:
No money has ever diminished because of charity. [Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
The human heart comes into the world overflowing with light (nur). But be warned that as the world (dunya) encroaches upon it, this light slowly fades away and darknesses take root therein. [Mansur Ammar]

Guidance of the day:
Never request those to whom you give to do something for you, or serve, or respect you, for if you do, this will be all the reward that you will receive. Never request the poor to thank or praise you, nor to mention to others what you have given, for  this will diminish or altogether cancel your reward.

Never refrain from giving charity for fear of poverty or diminution in your wealth, on the contrary, charity is that which attracts wealth and affluence, and protects from poverty and need. Refraining from charity brings about the opposite, it attracts poverty and drives away affluence. You must give charity and expend of those things that you love best in order to attain goodness. Rejoice when someone solicits at your door, for it is God the Exalted's gift to you. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
A true gentleman is one who never hurts anyone's feelings unintentionally. The final test of a gentleman -- his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him. The man who is always talking about being a gentleman, never is one.

Pearls of Wisdom 349

1. Rein in your tongue from complaining about others, and you will be granted a life of happiness.

2. The reward for every virtue has its measure, yet the reward for patience has no measure.

3. Your fear of Allah is commensurate of what you know of Him, and your lack of fear regarding Him is commensurate with your ignorance of Him.

4. You are determined to lose yourself in the baggage of this world, while the world is equally determined to remove you from itself.

5. Taking pains to remove the pains of others is the true essence of generosity.

6. The heart is dead, but its living again lies in knowledge; Knowledge too is dead, but its living again lies in the seeking after it.

7. Erase old sins with new virtues.

8. The amount of knowledge which suffices the believer is that which keeps him in awe of the Divine.

9. Man knows he is weak, yet how strange that he continues to disobey the One Who is strongest of all. [Abu Bakr Siddiq radi Allah anhu]

7 Tips for Understanding the Quran

Lesson of the day 1349

Ayahs of the day:
God -- there is no other deity; God will certainly gather you together to face the day of judgment, on which there can be no doubt. And who speaks more truly than God? [4: 87]

Hadith of the day:
There is nothing dearer to Allah than supplication (du'a). [Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
The presence of taqwa is recognized by three things: rushing to fulfill Allah's commands; seeking nothing from people; speaking and acting only for what benefits one in this life and in the Hereafter. [Shaqeeq al-Balkhi]

Guidance of the day:
It is good manners for the fasting person not to sleep too much by day, nor eat too much by night. Let him be moderate in both, that he may feel some hunger and thirst, that his soul may be disciplined, his appetites weakened, and his heart illuminated. This is the secret and purpose of fasting. Let him avoid luxuries and excess in indulging his appetites and pleasures. Self-discipline and refraining from indulging the appetites of one's soul have a great effect in illuminating the heart and are more incumbent in Ramadan.

Strive to make your acts of goodness and benevolence as abundant as you can in Ramadan, for it is a blessed time when wages are multiplied, reward is abundant, and good works are made easy, since the soul that incites to evil is imprisoned by hunger and thirst, and the evils that discourage people from good works and place obstacles from them are shackled, unable to spread corruption. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Gossip is always a personal confession either of malice or imbecility. It is the art of saying nothing in a way that leaves practically nothing unsaid. Of every ten persons who talk about you, nine will say something bad, and the tenth will say something good in a bad way.

Five reasons why God tests us....

The problems we face will either defeat us or develop us - depending on how we respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways God wants us to draw benefit from our problem:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT us.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get our attention? "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways."

2. God uses problems to INSPECT us.
People are like tea bags...if we want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God tested our faith with a problem What do problems reveal about
us? "When we have many kinds of troubles, we should be full of joy, because we know that these troubles test our faith, and this will give us patience."

3. God uses problems to CORRECT us.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child our parents told us not to touch a hot stove.... But we probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something -- health, money, a relationship  by losing it. "It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to Your laws."

4. God uses problems to PROTECT us.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents us from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered.

5. God uses problems to PERFECT us.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in our character than our comfort. Our relationship to God and our character are the only two things we're going to take with us into eternity. "We can rejoice when we run into problems...they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady."

Here's the point:

God is at work in our life - even when we do not recognize it or understand it.

But it's much easier and profitable when we cooperate with Him.

"Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way"

Pearls of Wisdom 348

1. To repent from a sin is a necessary obligation, but to prevent oneself from sin is even more so.

2. Showing patience in adversity is difficult, but safeguarding the fruits of patience is even more so.

3. The changing of the times is always strange, but being heedless throughout them is even more so.

4. The unfolding of your affairs is always imminent, but the arrival of death is even more so.

5. Shyness and modesty of men is an excellent virtue, but the shyness and modesty of women is even more so.

6. Repentance of an old man is a wonderful thing, but that of the youth is even more so.

7. The generosity of a prince is an excellent affair, but that of a peasant is even more so.

8. The sin of a youth is a grave thing indeed, but that committed by an old man is even more so.

9. The fools indulgence in petty worldliness is an evil thing, but the indulgence of the learned is even more so.

10. Laziness of the common folk in worshiping their Lord is a grave matter, but laziness of teachers and students of Sacred knowledge is even more so.

11. The arrogance of wealthy is something to be detested, but that shown by the poor is even more so. [Abu Bakr Siddiq radi Allah anhu]

Amazing story about accepting the Truth....

God chooses for Himself whomever He wants,
and He guides to the Divine whoever turns to Him.
[al Quran: 42: 13]

O God! What has he found who has lost You,
O God! What has he lost who has found You.


SubhanAllah -- All praise to God,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vthRr3gk4W4

The story of Robert Davila -- Nouman Ali Khan

Lesson of the day 1348

Ayahs of the day:
When you are greeted with a salutation, give an even nicer greeting, or reciprocate. For God takes account for everything. [4: 86]

Hadith of the day:
Give sadaqa (charity) without delay for it stands in the way of calamity. [Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
Wisdom can only be found in three people: the one who leaves the vain pursuits of the world, the one who seeks after the glories of the Hereafter, and the one who is intoxicated in his love for the Divine. [Yahya bin Mu'adh]

Guidance of the day:
There are good manners for the fast, without which it cannot be complete. Among the most important are that one keeps one's tongue from lying and backbiting, as well as from what does not concern one, to keep one's eyes and ears from looking at or listening to that which is prohibited or that which is superfluous. One should be circumspect and careful about what one breaks one's fast with.

He who fasts should also guard all his members, first from sins, then from unnecessary things. This is how the fast becomes complete and pure. How many a person may fast, suffer the hardship of hunger and thirst, yet because he does not restrain his bodily members from sins, spoils his fast. To refrain from sin is always obligatory, for fasting and non-fasting persons alike. However, it is more emphatically incumbent upon the fasting person, more of a duty for him -- may Allah give us the understanding. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
Glory built on selfish principles, is shame and guilt. Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Real glory springs from the silent conquest of ourselves.

Words of Wisdom....

1. Whoever puts their trust in Allah, Allah will never disappoint them.

2. Allah's help always comes so long as one has patience and perseveres.

3. The love and dedication that parents have for their children is extra special.

4. We need to appreciate our parents while they are still with us.

5. Practicing Islam is not an obstacle to our material progress, in fact it aids our progress.

6. Never give up hope despite the odds.

7. If we work for Allah, Allah will work for us.

"Don't tell Allah how big your problems are...

tell your problems how big your Allah is"

Keep Smiling

Pearls of Wisdom 347

1. Much may be done with those little shreds and patches of time which everyday produces, and which most men throw away.

2. Minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars and each moment is a day.

3. Until you value yourself; you won't value time, until you value time; you will not do anything with it.

4. Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.

5. To be satisfied with a little, is the greatest wisdom, and he who increases his riches increases his cares, but a contented mind is a treasure hidden.

6. Patience is the companion of wisdom.

7. In seeking wisdom you are wise, in imagining that you have attained it, you are a fool.

8. Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.

9. We are made wise not by the recollection of our past but by the responsibility of our future.

10. The art of wisdom is the art of knowing what to overlook.

Death -- a positive outlook

http://www.halaltube.com/abdelrahman-murphy-death-a-positive-outlook


Our past mistakes are meant to guide us, not define us.

Amazing reward for obedience!!!

Allah Most High has said in one of His early Scriptures -- "O Son of Adam, I am Allah, there is none worthy of worship but I alone. I say to a thing "Be" and it comes into being."

"O Son of Adam obey Me and I will make you such that you say to a thing "Be", and it will come into being."{Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

Purity does not lie in rituals, nor can human nature be changed by effort. Those who love God and remain conscious only of their Beloved attain purity. [Al Hujwiri]

The effect of sincere tawba and dua....

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf – The Rain Prayer (Salatul Istisqa)

Lesson of the day 1347

Ayahs of the day:
Whoever intercedes for good has a share in it, and whoever intercedes for evil has some responsibility for it. And God is watching over all things. [4: 85]

Hadith of the day:
No money has ever diminished because of charity. [Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
The human heart comes into the world overflowing with light (nur). But be warned that as the world (dunya) encroaches upon it, this light slowly fades away and darknesses take root therein. [Mansur Ammar]

Guidance of the day:
Never request those to whom you give to do something for you, or serve, or respect you, for if you do, this will be all the reward that you will receive. Never request the poor to thank or praise you, nor to mention to others what you have given, for  this will diminish or altogether cancel your reward.

Never refrain from giving charity for fear of poverty or diminution in your wealth, on the contrary, charity is that which attracts wealth and affluence, and protects from poverty and need. Refraining from charity brings about the opposite, it attracts poverty and drives away affluence. You must give charity and expend of those things that you love best in order to attain goodness. Rejoice when someone solicits at your door, for it is God the Exalted's gift to you. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
A true gentleman is one who never hurts anyone's feelings unintentionally. The final test of a gentleman -- his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him. The man who is always talking about being a gentleman, never is one.

Is Marriage like dating....

Assalamu alaikum

A very short  potent advice by Nouman Ali Khan for all married and soon to be married people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-f1oNzC-Yw&feature=youtu.be

and Allah (swt) knows best!

Pearls of Wisdom 346

1. Nothing pleads on your behalf like extreme need, nor does anything speed gifts to you quicker than lowliness and want.

2. People praise you for what they suppose is in you; but you must blame your soul for what you know is in it.

3. When He lets praise of you burst forth, and you are not worthy of it, praise Him for what He is worthy of.

4. Your desire that people know your particular distinction is a proof of insincerity in your servanthood.

5. Make mankind's looking at you disappear by being content with God's looking at you!

6. Slip away from people's approach to you by contemplating His approach to you.

7. He who knows God contemplates Him in everything.

8. He who is extinguished by Him is absent from everything.

9. He who loves Him prefers nothing to Him.

10. Sometimes you will find more benefit in states of need than you will find in fasting or ritual prayer. [Ibn Ata'Illah]

Five Wisdoms....

1. If we are right, then there is no need to get angry.
And if we are wrong then we don't have any right to get angry.

2. Patience with family is love
Patience with others is respect.
Patience with self is confidence.

3. Never think hard about past, It brings tears.
Don't think more about future, It brings fears.
Live this moment with a smile, It brings cheers...

4. Every test in our life makes us bitter or better.
Every problem comes to make us or break us.
Choice is ours, whether we become victim or victorious.

5. Search a beautiful heart, not a beautiful face.
Beautiful things are not always good, but good things are always beautiful.

Lesson of the Day 1346

Ayahs of the Day:
Whoever heeds the messenger is being obedient to God. As for those who turn away, We have not sent you as a guard over them. [4: 80]

Hadith of the Day:
Charity to indigent is charity, but charity to kin is both charity and nurturing of (kinship) bonds. [ Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Everyone in this world is a guest, and his wealth and belongings are but a loan. The guest must go sooner or later and the loan must be returned. [Ibn Mas'ud radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
When you give charity, begin with your poor relatives and kinsmen, and your needy neighbors, for they are more deserving than others, and the reward for giving them is greater and more abundant.

Make your charity secret, for it is stated in hadith that its reward is seventy times that of publicly donated charity. Secret charity is better because it is more likely to be sincere, and sincerity is the spirit of works. It is less likely to be subject to ostentation which ruins works. So beware of ostentation in your charity and in all your works. Beware of showing the poor how obliged you expect them to be, for there are severe threats against such behavior. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for Thought:
If there be any truer measure of a man than by what he does, it must be by what he gives. Generosity during life is a very different thing from generosity in the hour for death; one proceeds from genuine liberality and benevolence, the other from pride or fear. What we gave, we have; what we spent, we had; what we kept, we lost.

Imam Ibn al Jawzi's precious advice....

Imam Ibn al-Jawzi (ra) in his letter of advice to his son, wrote:

Know, dear son, that days are but hours, and hours are but breaths, and every soul is a container, hence let not any breath pass without any benefit, such as on the Day of Judgment you find an empty container and feel regret! Be aware of every hour and how it passes, and only spend it in the best possible way; do not neglect yourself, but render it accustomed to the noblest and best of actions, and send to your grave that which will please you when you arrive to it."

This world is transitory and our life therein but a moment borrowed, our breaths numbered, yet our indifference reckless. [Abu Bakr al Siddiq]

Strive for Paradise. A small nook within its bliss is better than the whole world and all the riches within. [al Hadith]

A believer is never tired of hearing about good deeds until he enters Paradise. [al Hadith]

Pearls of Wisdom 345

1. We care more about burning calories and loosing weight than abandoning sins and lightening our burden on the day of Qiyamah.

2. Character is made by many noble deeds, but it may be lost by a single bad act.

3. Life is all about balance, and one of the most difficult balances is between freedom and responsibility, and balance between this world and the hereafter.

4. He lives a long life who lives in the hearts of people.

5. The real knowledge is that which is translated into action.

6. Between the hopes of tomorrow and the regrets of yesterday lies the opportunities of today.

7. Keep your fear to yourself and share your courage with others.

8. Let it not be that the people donate their funds to you and earn Paradise, and you abuse their accumulated funds and earn hell for yourself.

9. A missed opportunity to give is surely a lost opportunity to receive. [Shaykh Sulaiman Moola]

An emotional true story -- the nurse and the Muslim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHa1ST7-JNU&feature=em-subs_digest

The most needed advice....

“O my eye! All men have eyes!”

Let not your tongue mention the shame of another
For you yourself are covered in shame-

And all men have tongues.

If your eye falls upon the sins of your brother
Shield them and say:-

“O my eye! All men have eyes!”

Imam Shafi'i (Rahimahullah)

"Never Despair Of The Mercy Of Allah"

'Son of Adam! You are nothing but a number of days, whenever each day passes then part of you has Gone.'

[Al-Hasan Al-Basree]

Lesson of the day 1345

Ayahs of the day:
What good happens to you is from God, and what bad happens to you is from yourself. [4: 79]

Hadith of the day:
God -- Exalted is He -- says, 'O son of Adam! Expend and I shall expend upon you.' [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
Silence -- the best remedy for anger. [Othman radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the day:
Never disdain any act of goodness to the extent of failing to do it. Give a charity every day, however small and start early in the day with your charity, for hardship does not bypass charity. The meaning here is that the charity you give becomes a barrier that prevents the hardships that threaten you from reaching you.

Should a beggar come to you, never send him away disappointed, but give him something however small. Should you choose not to or are unable to, beware of rebuking or insulting him, but send him away gently and amiably. It is possible for a person to rebuke a beggar in such a manner that were he to give him half his wealth, it would still outweigh it; neither will the reward for giving it ever equal the sin of that rebuke.  [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
The only way to have a friend is to be one. Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity. Friendship without self-interest is one of the rare and beautiful things of life.

The Fruit of Imaan

The Messenger of Allah (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “A Momin does not taunt, does not curse and reproach, does not indulge in obscene talk and obscene acts.” [Tirmidhi]

Daily check list:

Did we make any sarcastic comments to anyone today?
Did we by word or gesture make fun of anyone today?
Did we insult anyone today?
Did we demoralize anyone today?
Did we put someone down for a mistake that they made?
Did we curse anyone today?
Did we say anything vulgar today?
Did we do anything obscene today?

We need to check ‘No’ next to each of these questions everyday to qualify as Momineen, inshaAllah. May Allah Most High grant us the tawfeeq to implement this hadith in our lives, ameen.

Pearls of Wisdom 344

1. Do not isolate or magnify the mistake of your companion, but rather view it in relation to all of his/her other good deeds.

2. One of the many reasons why the pious had "barakah" in their lives is they spent minimum time on necessities and zero time in sins.

3. Life has become hectic, we meet only at weddings or funerals. We should not spoil those rare meetings with nasty comments -- lest we lose that too.

4. Old age is a great boom for those who fear Allah, they have ample time to atone for their previous sins, otherwise a serious liability.

5. A smile is a passport that will take us any where we want to go, and a charity that will fill the hearts of humanity.

6. Avoid disappointment through minimizing expectations from others, including your children. [Shaykh Sulaiman Mulla]

The true understanding of intellect and knowledge....

Any intellect which does not have three things is overpowered by lust:

1. To give preference to obedience (to Allah Most High) over disobedience.

2. To give preference to knowledge over ignorance.

3. To give preference to Islam over this world.

Any knowledge that does not have three things is even worse:

1. Abstaining from harm by severing desire.

2. Presence of deeds with fear.

3. Meting out justice through generosity and mercy.

An intellect that is overpowered by lust is an intellect that deludes the person. It causes him to look at evil as being something good and vise versa.

No one has been embellished with anything better than intellect. And no one has worn a garment more beautiful than knowledge. This is because Allah Most High can only be truly recognized through the intellect. And He can only be truly obeyed through knowledge.

The great Tabai'i Urwa bin Zubayr (may Allah has mercy on him) said: "The best thing that the servants are given in this world is intellect, and the best thing they are given in the hereafter is the pleasure of Allah Most High." [Imam Harith al Muhasibi]

Lesson of the day 1344

Ayahs of the day:
God commands you to repay pledges to the people due them; and to judge with justice when you judge between people. Excellent is what God instructs you; for God is all-knowing, all-seeing. [4: 58]

Hadith of the day:
There is nothing dearer to Allah than supplication. [Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
Worrying about this world is a darkness in the heart, while worrying about the Hereafter is a light in the heart. [Imam al Hajr al-Asqalani]

Guidance of the day:
To withhold zakah is one of the greatest major sins. Against such behavior great threats and severe warnings have been proffered by God and His Messenger.

It is part of good manners of paying zakah to do so from the best of one's possessions. This is the most praiseworthy manner of doing it. And also to do it willingly, with pleasure, feeling good about it, grateful to those who deserve to receive it, never acting as if they are indebted to you.  To give away one's zakat while seeming to reproach for taking it annuls its reward. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
"I can forgive, but cannot forget,"is only another way of saying, "I will not forgive." Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note -- torn in two, and burnt up, so that it never can be shown against one. Humanity is never so beautiful as when praying for forgiveness, or else forgiving another.

We should always thank Allah for giving us:

1. Enough happiness to keep us sweet.

2. Enough trials to keep us strong.

3. Enough sorrow to keep us human.

4. Enough hope to keep us happy.

5. Enough failure to keep us humble.

6. Enough success to keep us eager.

7. Enough friends to give us comfort.

8. Enough enthusiasm to make us look forward.

9. Enough wealth to meet our needs.

10. Enough determination to make each day a better day than the last.

Pearls of Wisdom 343

1. The righteous man entrusts his dependents to Allah and commits them to His safe keeping. As for the immoral hypocrite, his dependents must rely on his wealth  and whatever legacy he leaves for them from his real estate and his business.

2. The human is mixed, a blend of good and evil, so if the good predominates he is connected to the angels, and if the evil predominates he is linked to the devils.

3. Destiny (Qadar) smiles at those who are content with the divine judgment. It takes them by the hand and leads them to the King.

4. You must observe your duty (taqwa) to Allah and practice obedience to Him. Fear no one and pin your hopes on no one. Entrust all your needs to Allah, and look to Him to supply them.

5. Surrender yourselves before God in the manner of the devout saints; then God will hold you just as dearly as He did the devout who went before you. Therefore follow His command and bear every affliction with patience. Adhere consciously for this was the path chosen by the sages, the  path that will lead you to the ultimate freedom.

6. Do not lose hope  in adversity and complain that God singled you out for punishment, remitting others guilty of worse sins. Your present state could very well be His intent to elevate your spiritual station; or He could just be testing your faith. Every day that you persevere, you grow closer to perfection. Thus your present despair may be the beginning of an infinite blessing.

7. If you are destined for good fortune you will be blessed; if afflictions have been ordained, no matter where you abide they will seek you out. Submit therefore before the will of God; be grateful in well-being and endure adversity with fortitude that His light may radiate within your being.

8. Do not be confused with ignorance; turn toward and not away from Allah. Have faith in Him and refrain from transgression. For it is Allah and no other creature who can grant or take away life. He is the Infinite and will always reign Supreme. He bestows prosperity, and decrees poverty. Fear Him alone and none other; adhere to Him that you may prevail. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]

Life of this world -- finger dipped in ocean.....

Rasul Allah (Sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) said: “By Allah, this world in comparison to the Hereafter is nothing but as though one of you dipped his finger in the sea. So ponder how much (of sea water), the finger returns with.” [Mishkaat]

The duration of the Day of Judgment is equal to 50,000 years. The sun will be brought overhead so that it is unbearably hot. People will be drenched in their sweat according to the amount of their sins. Some will be ankle deep in it, some will be in it up to their ears. In this condition, people will be standing for hundreds of earth years and not even a minute of that day will have gone by. Those who love Allah (Subhana wa ta’ala) in this world will be under the shade of Allah’s Throne on the Day of Judgment – the only shade available that Day.

That is why Luqman Hakeem advised his son: “Serve this world according to the time you are going to spend in it, and work for the Akhirah according to the time you are going to spend in it.” After we have been standing in the same spot for thousands of years, our life on earth is going to look like nothing!

We need to make a ration of our time on earth compared to our time on the single Day of Judgment. If we live for a hundred years, it is 100: 50,000. The time to spend each day in the pursuit of dunya comes out to be less than 3 minutes! The rest of the day should be spent preparing for the Day of Judgment. If we were to make a ratio between the time to be spent in dunya compared to the time in Akhira, it would be 100 years: infinity. Any number compared to infinity becomes zero. Effectively, the significance of the duration of dunya becomes zero. 0 minutes, not even 3 minutes! How is it possible that we spend all our time preparing for the Akirah?

We can be in the state of worship (ibadah) every single moment of our lives just by living according to the Quran and the Sunnah. We need to evaluate what we do -- shun the things Allah has prohibited, and act upon the things we do in accordance with the teachings of our Deen. We need to realize that our lives are too precious to be wasted -- not trying to please our Creator/Sustainer every moment of our lives.

Our dunya can be spent working for the Akhirah -- at the same time that we fulfill our duties on earth just by fulfilling our roles and responsibilities according to the guidance of Allah (Subhana wa ta'ala). We need to ask ourselves, "Are we spending all our time on earth working for the Akhirah?"  May Allah grant us tawfeeq and the company of those who bring us closer to Himself, ameen.

Lesson of the day 1343

Ayahs of the day:
And do not desire what God has favored some of you with more than others. Men are to have a portion of what they have earned and women are to have a portion of what they have earned. And ask God for plenitude from divine grace; for God knows everything. [4: 32]

Hadith of the day:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to forsake his brother for more than three (days). [Bukhari]

Wise quote of the day:
He who remembers Allah with all his heart will find that everything other than Allah will leave his heart. [Yahya bin Mu'adh]

Guidance of the day:
Do not prefer the life of this world over the next, for the next is better and more enduring  -- zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam and God has bound it to the ritual prayer in His Book. He who pays his zakah receives a great reward, a generous recompense. By so doing he will enjoy many benefits, both religious and worldly. There are in wealth afflictions, temptations, and problems. He who pays his zakah will be safe from these.

The possessions of he who pays his zakah remains safe from damage or ruin, it is protected and guarded by God, for it is full of barakah, but possessions for which zakah has not been paid will suffer damage, for it is evil and devoid of barakah. What good, what benefit can there be in wealth the barakah of which has been removed, leaving the evil and temptations? [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
The one who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears. Nothing in life is to be feared -- it is only to be understood. Fear is the tax that conscience pays to guilt. Logic and cold reason are poor weapons to fight fear and distrust. Only faith and generosity can overcome them.

Glad tidings to the strangers!

Rasul Allah (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Islam initiated as something strange, and it will revert to its (old position) of being strange. So,glad tidings to the stranger!” [Muslim]

Today, we have become so distant from Islam that the way in which the Prophet (Sal Allahu alaihi wasallam) did some things appears strange to us. Even people who welcome Islam in their lives, find Muslims behaving strangely, which on further investigation turns out to be the recommended behavior in Islam.So we should not shy from being perceived as strange.

Someone asked the Prophet (Sal Allahu alahi wa sallam), “Who are the strangers?” He replied, “The ones who break away from their people for the sake of Islam.” The Prophet (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) gave glad tidings to those who will be cut off from their people because they choose to follow Islam. Everybody else’s lifestyle will have become so contrary to Allah's wishes, that the person who follows Islam will appear strange and will be rejected.

http://dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com

Pearls of Wisdom 342

1. Give priority to the hereafter over this world, because you will then gain both of them.

2. Before you can preach to others, there is a necessary precondition to be met: you must be a Believer. It is not proper for the servant to summon his fellow creatures to the Lord of Truth before having personally attained Him.

3. Every single one of the people of Allah has a police force to protect his heart, they combat the lower self, the natural urges, the passions and highway robbers on the road to Allah.

4. You must soon return to the Lord of Truth, who will ask about your deeds. He created you for a purpose of affirming His Oneness.

5. He did not create you for the sake of this world, nor for the sake of the hereafter -- but rather He created you for Himself.

6. This world can neither satisfy your hunger nor quench your thirst. It is deceitful and cunning. Your tragedy is due to the attachment you pay to your lower self.

7. Your fascination with the superficial aspect of this world is due to the controlling influence of your lower self.

8. If you become detached from your lower self, your heart will speak to you. Then the inner most being will relate to you both. Then the Lord of Truth will befriend you.

9. Assign your outer being to the creation and your heart to the hereafter. As for the inner most being you must lodge it to the Lord of Truth, beyond both this world and the hereafter. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jillani]

Who do we really love?

A man asked the Prophet (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam), "When will the Hour be established O Allah's Apostle?" The Prophet (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) asked, "What have you prepared for it?" The man said, "I haven't prepared for it much of prayers or fast or alms, but I love Allah and His Apostle." The Prophet (Sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "You will be with those whom you love." [Bukhari]

Three important points to be noted are:

1. There is something more important than knowing when the Day of Judgement will occur. The more important thing is our preparation for that Day. What good or bad deeds have you sent forth for that Day? Each person's Judgement begins as soon as they die, and their grave becomes either a pit of fire or a garden of Paradise. Therefore, the most relevant thing to worry about is our daily deeds, as we never know when we will die and our Judgement commence.

2. The questioner in the hadith did the Fardh (required) prayers, fasts, and charity but not a whole lot extra. Some people do the opposite; they neglect the Fardh while doing a lot of the nafil (supererogatory). This is misguidance, because the greatest reward is for Fardh deeds and punishment is for neglecting the Fardh, not the nafil

3. Most sobering is that we will be with the people we love on the Day of Judgement. If we love the righteous, God fearing Believers, we will be with them and will follow them to Jannah. We can peek into our heart to see who it is we really love -- the proof of love is in appreciating and trying our best to do what they. This will tell us where we will be on the Day of Judgement.

May Almighty Allah fill our hearts with the love of His lovers, ameen. 

Lesson of the day 1342

Ayahs of the day:
If you avoid the worst of what you are forbidden, We will efface your evils from you and introduce you to noble behavior. [4: 31]

Hadith of the day:
None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. [Bukhari]

Wise quote of the day:
Every one in this world is a guest, and his wealth is but a loan. The guest must go sooner or later and the loan must be returned. [Ibn Mus'ud radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the day:
Night vigils are among the most difficult things for the soul, especially for one to rise after having slept little. However, they become lighter to bear when one becomes accustomed to them and performs them regularly, when one has patience in enduring hardship and strives hard at the beginning. Then the door is opened to intimate comfort with God, the sweetness of communing with Him, and the pleasure of being alone with Him.

At this point one not only no longer finds night vigils too difficult, nor is inclined to surrender to indolence, but on the contrary remains ever eager for more. This happens to the virtuous among God's servants. So much so that one of them said, "If the people of the Gardens are in a state similar to ours during night, they are living pleasantly indeed." Another said, "The people of the night in their nights have more pleasure than the people of frivolity in their play." Yet another said, "Were it not for the night vigils and the company of the brothers in God, I would not have wished to remain in this world." There are innumerable well known anecdotes to this effect. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
A happy family is but an earlier heaven. The family is one of the nature's masterpieces. Family life is too intimate to be preserved by the spirit of justice. It can be sustained by a spirit of love which goes beyond justice.