Ayahs of the day:
And God it is who made the stars for you, that you may be guided by them in the darknesses of land and sea. We have made the signs clear to people who discern. [6: 97]
Hadith of the day:
A friend cannot be considered a friend until he is tested on three occasions -- in time of need, behind your back, and after your death. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Wise quote of the day:
Fear of God is knowledge enough, to be pleased with one's knowledge is ignorance enough. [Abdul Hakim Murad]
Guidance of the day:
Among saving things are hope in God and fear of Him. Both are noble stations which God has attributed to His Prophets, Messengers, and those among the virtuous believers who followed them with excellence. Hope and fear are like the wings of the bird, or the pans of the scales. Fear is a rebuke that restrains people from sins and contraventions, while hope is a leader that leads the servant to acts of obedience and conformity. He who is not rebuked by his fear from disobeying God nor led by his hope to obey Him, both his hope and fear are but ineffective ruminations of the soul that are of no consequence, for they have failed to lead to their intended goal and benefit.
Let the believer beware of both extremes -- feeling secure from God's ruses on the one hand, or despairing of His mercy on the other. For a person to feel secure from God's ruse is to have so much hope and so little fear of Him as to think it highly unlikely that He will chastise and torment him. As for the despair, it is to have so much fear and so little hope in God as to feel it highly unlikely to be shown mercy and forgiven. Both are major sins, so beware of them. Remain between fear and hope. Do not deceive yourself concerning your Lord and do not be too bold with Him, for your Lord is swift in chastisement, but He is also Forgiving and Compassionate. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
The common people give thanks for being fed and clothed, while the elite give thanks for meanings that enter their hearts. Thankfulness of the eyes is that you conceal a fault you see in your companion, and thankfulness of the ears is that you conceal a fault that you hear about him. Thankfulness is delighting in praising Him for giving what you do not deserve.
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]
Monday, August 31, 2015
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Lesson of the day 1386
Ayahs of the day:
And God it is who made the stars for you, that you may be guided by them in the darknesses of land and sea. We have made the signs clear to people who discern. [6: 97]
Hadith of the day:
A friend cannot be considered a friend until he is tested on three occasions -- in time of need, behind your back, and after your death. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Wise quote of the day:
Fear of God is knowledge enough, to be pleased with one's knowledge is ignorance enough. [Abdul Hakim Murad]
Guidance of the day:
Among saving things are hope in God and fear of Him. Both are noble stations which God has attributed to His Prophets, Messengers, and those among the virtuous believers who followed them with excellence. Hope and fear are like the wings of the bird, or the pans of the scales. Fear is a rebuke that restrains people from sins and contraventions, while hope is a leader that leads the servant to acts of obedience and conformity. He who is not rebuked by his fear from disobeying God nor led by his hope to obey Him, both his hope and fear are but ineffective ruminations of the soul that are of no consequence, for they have failed to lead to their intended goal and benefit.
Let the believer beware of both extremes -- feeling secure from God's ruses on the one hand, or despairing of His mercy on the other. For a person to feel secure from God's ruse is to have so much hope and so little fear of Him as to think it highly unlikely that He will chastise and torment him. As for the despair, it is to have so much fear and so little hope in God as to feel it highly unlikely to be shown mercy and forgiven. Both are major sins, so beware of them. Remain between fear and hope. Do not deceive yourself concerning your Lord and do not be too bold with Him, for your Lord is swift in chastisement, but He is also Forgiving and Compassionate. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
The common people give thanks for being fed and clothed, while the elite give thanks for meanings that enter their hearts. Thankfulness of the eyes is that you conceal a fault you see in your companion, and thankfulness of the ears is that you conceal a fault that you hear about him. Thankfulness is delighting in praising Him for giving what you do not deserve.
And God it is who made the stars for you, that you may be guided by them in the darknesses of land and sea. We have made the signs clear to people who discern. [6: 97]
Hadith of the day:
A friend cannot be considered a friend until he is tested on three occasions -- in time of need, behind your back, and after your death. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Wise quote of the day:
Fear of God is knowledge enough, to be pleased with one's knowledge is ignorance enough. [Abdul Hakim Murad]
Guidance of the day:
Among saving things are hope in God and fear of Him. Both are noble stations which God has attributed to His Prophets, Messengers, and those among the virtuous believers who followed them with excellence. Hope and fear are like the wings of the bird, or the pans of the scales. Fear is a rebuke that restrains people from sins and contraventions, while hope is a leader that leads the servant to acts of obedience and conformity. He who is not rebuked by his fear from disobeying God nor led by his hope to obey Him, both his hope and fear are but ineffective ruminations of the soul that are of no consequence, for they have failed to lead to their intended goal and benefit.
Let the believer beware of both extremes -- feeling secure from God's ruses on the one hand, or despairing of His mercy on the other. For a person to feel secure from God's ruse is to have so much hope and so little fear of Him as to think it highly unlikely that He will chastise and torment him. As for the despair, it is to have so much fear and so little hope in God as to feel it highly unlikely to be shown mercy and forgiven. Both are major sins, so beware of them. Remain between fear and hope. Do not deceive yourself concerning your Lord and do not be too bold with Him, for your Lord is swift in chastisement, but He is also Forgiving and Compassionate. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
The common people give thanks for being fed and clothed, while the elite give thanks for meanings that enter their hearts. Thankfulness of the eyes is that you conceal a fault you see in your companion, and thankfulness of the ears is that you conceal a fault that you hear about him. Thankfulness is delighting in praising Him for giving what you do not deserve.
Friday, August 14, 2015
Pearls of Wisdom 380
. A friend cannot be considered a friend until he is tested on three occasions -- in time of need;
behind your back; and after your death. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
2. One of your sins should seem weightier to you than a thousand of your virtues. [Imam Ja'far al Sadiq]
3. There can be no good in excess, just as there is no excess in good. [Imam Abu Hanifah]
4. If there is a good deed which is difficult, hold on to it, for in the end, the good deed will remain and
the difficulty will perish. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
5. To be humble is to accept the truth and submit to it even if you heard it from a child or someone who
is uneducated or ignorant. [Fudhayl ibn Iyaadh]
6..Even if you studied for a hundred years and collected a thousand books, you would not be eligible for
the mercy of Allah except through action. [Imam al Ghazali]
7. Live as long as you want, but you must die; love whoever you want, but you will become separated
from it; and do what you want, but you will be repaid for it. [Imam al Ghazali]
8. Allah loves the voice of the one who recites the Qur'an, and the voice of the one who seeks forgiveness
before dawn break. [Sufyan al Thawri]
9. Knowledge without action is madness and action without knowledge is void. [Imam al Ghazali]
10. Know that the knowledge which does not remove you from sins today and does not convert you to
obedience, will not remove you tomorrow from the Hell fire. [Imam al Ghazali]
behind your back; and after your death. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
2. One of your sins should seem weightier to you than a thousand of your virtues. [Imam Ja'far al Sadiq]
3. There can be no good in excess, just as there is no excess in good. [Imam Abu Hanifah]
4. If there is a good deed which is difficult, hold on to it, for in the end, the good deed will remain and
the difficulty will perish. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
5. To be humble is to accept the truth and submit to it even if you heard it from a child or someone who
is uneducated or ignorant. [Fudhayl ibn Iyaadh]
6..Even if you studied for a hundred years and collected a thousand books, you would not be eligible for
the mercy of Allah except through action. [Imam al Ghazali]
7. Live as long as you want, but you must die; love whoever you want, but you will become separated
from it; and do what you want, but you will be repaid for it. [Imam al Ghazali]
8. Allah loves the voice of the one who recites the Qur'an, and the voice of the one who seeks forgiveness
before dawn break. [Sufyan al Thawri]
9. Knowledge without action is madness and action without knowledge is void. [Imam al Ghazali]
10. Know that the knowledge which does not remove you from sins today and does not convert you to
obedience, will not remove you tomorrow from the Hell fire. [Imam al Ghazali]
Friday, August 07, 2015
This too will pass....
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said: “O Allah! There is no life worth living except the life of the Hereafter, so (please) make righteous the Ansaar and the emigrants.” [Sahih al Bukhari]
Commentary: A powerful king, ruler of many domains, was in a position of such magnificence that wise men were his mere employees. And yet one day he felt himself confused and called the sages to him.
He said: “I do not know the cause, but something impels me to seek a certain ring, one that will enable me to stabilize my state. I must have such a ring. And this ring must be one which, when I am unhappy, will make me joyful. At the same time, if I am happy and look upon it, I must be made sad.”
The wise men consulted one another, and threw themselves into deep contemplation. Finally, they came to a decision as to the character of this ring which would suit their king.
The ring which they devised was one upon which was inscribed the legend: THIS, TOO, WILL PASS.
This life, however it is, will pass. A drop compared to the ocean is what this life is compared to the Hereafter. And the ocean of the next existence will be wonderful only for the righteous. That is why the Messenger of Allah ( peace and blessings upon him) prayed to Allah (Most high) to make his Companions righteous.
Commentary: A powerful king, ruler of many domains, was in a position of such magnificence that wise men were his mere employees. And yet one day he felt himself confused and called the sages to him.
He said: “I do not know the cause, but something impels me to seek a certain ring, one that will enable me to stabilize my state. I must have such a ring. And this ring must be one which, when I am unhappy, will make me joyful. At the same time, if I am happy and look upon it, I must be made sad.”
The wise men consulted one another, and threw themselves into deep contemplation. Finally, they came to a decision as to the character of this ring which would suit their king.
The ring which they devised was one upon which was inscribed the legend: THIS, TOO, WILL PASS.
This life, however it is, will pass. A drop compared to the ocean is what this life is compared to the Hereafter. And the ocean of the next existence will be wonderful only for the righteous. That is why the Messenger of Allah ( peace and blessings upon him) prayed to Allah (Most high) to make his Companions righteous.
Monday, August 03, 2015
Lesson of the day 1385
Ayahs of the day:
It is God who causes the grain and the date stone to split and sprout; God brings forth the living from the dead, and is the one who brings forth the dead from the living. That is God for you; so how can you be deceived? [6: 95]
Hadith of the day:
Circulate knowledge and teach the ignorant, for knowledge does not vanish except when it is kept secretly (to oneself). [Bukhari]
Wise quote of the day:
Whenever you interact with people, deal with them as you would wish yourself to be dealt with by them, for a believer's faith is incomplete until he wants for other people what he wants for himself. [Imam al Ghazali]
Guidance of the day:
It is a most certain duty upon all Muslims to guard themselves thoroughly against all sins, for in them lies God's wrath and loathing, and furthermore, they are the cause of all the afflictions and catastrophes that befall people both in this world and the next. Should a person fall into a sin, he must repent to God immediately and strive neither to persist nor feel comfortable with it.
Every believer should repent continuously to God, renewing his repentance at every moment and in every situation, for sins are numerous, there are minor as well as major ones, manifest as well as hidden ones, and sins that the servant is aware of as well as others he is not. He may be asked to account for not making an effort to learn whether certain acts are sinful or not, as well as their having preliminaries and signs that, had he known them, might have allowed to do something about them. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
You must give time to your fellow men, even if it's a little thing, do something for others -- something for which you get no pay but privilege of doing it. What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other!
It is God who causes the grain and the date stone to split and sprout; God brings forth the living from the dead, and is the one who brings forth the dead from the living. That is God for you; so how can you be deceived? [6: 95]
Hadith of the day:
Circulate knowledge and teach the ignorant, for knowledge does not vanish except when it is kept secretly (to oneself). [Bukhari]
Wise quote of the day:
Whenever you interact with people, deal with them as you would wish yourself to be dealt with by them, for a believer's faith is incomplete until he wants for other people what he wants for himself. [Imam al Ghazali]
Guidance of the day:
It is a most certain duty upon all Muslims to guard themselves thoroughly against all sins, for in them lies God's wrath and loathing, and furthermore, they are the cause of all the afflictions and catastrophes that befall people both in this world and the next. Should a person fall into a sin, he must repent to God immediately and strive neither to persist nor feel comfortable with it.
Every believer should repent continuously to God, renewing his repentance at every moment and in every situation, for sins are numerous, there are minor as well as major ones, manifest as well as hidden ones, and sins that the servant is aware of as well as others he is not. He may be asked to account for not making an effort to learn whether certain acts are sinful or not, as well as their having preliminaries and signs that, had he known them, might have allowed to do something about them. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
You must give time to your fellow men, even if it's a little thing, do something for others -- something for which you get no pay but privilege of doing it. What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other!
Friday, July 31, 2015
Pears of Wisdom 379
1. Agreeing with everything one hears is from the habits of hypocrites and disputing
with everything one hears is the breeding ground of enmity.
2. The sign that Allah is pleased with His servant is that His servant is pleased with His decree.
3. For those of spiritual insight, everything they lay eyes upon have within it a lofty message and a gentle reminder.
4. Slay your lowly desires with the sword of knowledge (ilm), and your anger with the sword of forbearance (hilm).
5. Go not near places of wickedness and indecency, for they are the epicenters of Allah's wrath and punishment.
6. The worst sin committed by one -- is the one not deemed so when it is done.
7. The best of the words is that which is confirmed with the best of actions.
8. When a man's character becomes goodly, his words become lofty.
9. What a tremendous gift has been given to the one who finds acts of disobedience difficult.
10. Perfecting one's intellect causes one to speak less, and those words spoken will be adorned with wisdom. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
with everything one hears is the breeding ground of enmity.
2. The sign that Allah is pleased with His servant is that His servant is pleased with His decree.
3. For those of spiritual insight, everything they lay eyes upon have within it a lofty message and a gentle reminder.
4. Slay your lowly desires with the sword of knowledge (ilm), and your anger with the sword of forbearance (hilm).
5. Go not near places of wickedness and indecency, for they are the epicenters of Allah's wrath and punishment.
6. The worst sin committed by one -- is the one not deemed so when it is done.
7. The best of the words is that which is confirmed with the best of actions.
8. When a man's character becomes goodly, his words become lofty.
9. What a tremendous gift has been given to the one who finds acts of disobedience difficult.
10. Perfecting one's intellect causes one to speak less, and those words spoken will be adorned with wisdom. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Monday, July 20, 2015
Beautiful duas....
Dua is not just asking, it is a longing of the soul. It is
a daily admission of one's weakness before the Almighty.
It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than
words without a heart.
O Allah, make our love for You the most beloved thing to us,
and our fear for You the most fearful thing to us.
O Allah, Remove from us all worldly needs and wants,
by instilling a passion for meeting You,
O Allah, when You have given the people of the world the
pleasures of this world, give us pleasure in worshipping
You,
O Allah, Please don't let us turn away from You, no matter
how many trials You test us with, let these difficulties
serve to make us close to You.
O Allah, grant us the best of company as our friends --
those who will inspire us to love and worship and obey You.
O Allah, grant us a heart that loves to obey You.
O Allah, shine Your light on any secret or unseen rebellion in our
hearts and destroy it before it takes root.
O Allah, guide us away from any pride, selfishness, jealousy,
hypocrisy, malice, and greed and make us uncomfortable with sins.
O Allah, penetrate our hearts with Your love and reverence today and always.
O Allah, make apparent to us the truth in any situation and let them not be
misled by falsehood.
O Allah, grant us the ability to make clear decisions and let us always be attracted
to good things that are pure, noble, true and just.
O Allah, guide us in making choices that please You.
O Allah, help us to taste the sweetness of walking with a humble spirit in obedience and
submission to You.
O Allah, grant us the wisdom to choose our words carefully and bless us with a generous
and caring spirit.
O Allah, we pray that we never stray from the path of deen and that You give us a future
filled with Your best promises.
O Allah, always keep us cleansed and pure from the evil Satan.
O Allah, keep us steadfast in establishing Salah and help us revere the Glorious Quran as
Your Word and Law and help us read it with understanding daily, let it be our source of light
and guidance, ameen.
a daily admission of one's weakness before the Almighty.
It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than
words without a heart.
O Allah, make our love for You the most beloved thing to us,
and our fear for You the most fearful thing to us.
O Allah, Remove from us all worldly needs and wants,
by instilling a passion for meeting You,
O Allah, when You have given the people of the world the
pleasures of this world, give us pleasure in worshipping
You,
O Allah, Please don't let us turn away from You, no matter
how many trials You test us with, let these difficulties
serve to make us close to You.
O Allah, grant us the best of company as our friends --
those who will inspire us to love and worship and obey You.
O Allah, grant us a heart that loves to obey You.
O Allah, shine Your light on any secret or unseen rebellion in our
hearts and destroy it before it takes root.
O Allah, guide us away from any pride, selfishness, jealousy,
hypocrisy, malice, and greed and make us uncomfortable with sins.
O Allah, penetrate our hearts with Your love and reverence today and always.
O Allah, make apparent to us the truth in any situation and let them not be
misled by falsehood.
O Allah, grant us the ability to make clear decisions and let us always be attracted
to good things that are pure, noble, true and just.
O Allah, guide us in making choices that please You.
O Allah, help us to taste the sweetness of walking with a humble spirit in obedience and
submission to You.
O Allah, grant us the wisdom to choose our words carefully and bless us with a generous
and caring spirit.
O Allah, we pray that we never stray from the path of deen and that You give us a future
filled with Your best promises.
O Allah, always keep us cleansed and pure from the evil Satan.
O Allah, keep us steadfast in establishing Salah and help us revere the Glorious Quran as
Your Word and Law and help us read it with understanding daily, let it be our source of light
and guidance, ameen.
Monday, July 13, 2015
Eid Mubarak!!!
InshaAllah we are almost there, may He accept all our ibadahs and duas, ameen.
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.
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.
Sunday, July 05, 2015
Lesson of the day 1383
Ayahs of the day:
And so leave those who take their religion for play and amusement, whom the life of the world has deceived. Remind them that a soul is delivered to perdition by what it has earned; it has no protector but God, and no intercessor; and even if it pays every ransom, none will be accepted from it. [6: 70]
Hadith of the day:
The earth has been made for me (and my followers) as a place for praying and a means to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due. [Abu Dawood]
Wise quote of the day:
One who often thinks and reflects develops his foresight and vision. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the day:
One of the greatest faults of the tongue is lying, which is to state other than what is, whether by affirming what is not, or by denying what is.
Another great fault of the tongue is backbiting, which is for you to say things about your brother in his absence which he would have resented had he heard them. Backbiting is strictly forbidden.
Among the tongue's faults is tale-bearing, which is to inform each party of what the other said about him, so as to cause discord and sedition.
Of the tongue's faults is to insult a Muslim and offend him to his face, to mock and scorn a Muslim, or laugh at him in disdain. Also among the faults of the tongue are false oaths, false witness, cursing, making false promises, double talk, all other forms of repulsive or indecent speech, as well as disputing, arguing contentiously, competing for speech, frequent quarreling, and talking about that which does not concern them. These were all dispraised in numerous verses of the Qur'an and well known hadiths. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
When the believer is overcome by misfortune, only by repenting can he truly find a way out of his difficulties. All that we achieve and all that we fail to achieve is the direct result of our own thoughts. Our thoughts, not our circumstances, determine how we feel. An absence of negative thought brings forth a positive feeling.
And so leave those who take their religion for play and amusement, whom the life of the world has deceived. Remind them that a soul is delivered to perdition by what it has earned; it has no protector but God, and no intercessor; and even if it pays every ransom, none will be accepted from it. [6: 70]
Hadith of the day:
The earth has been made for me (and my followers) as a place for praying and a means to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due. [Abu Dawood]
Wise quote of the day:
One who often thinks and reflects develops his foresight and vision. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Guidance of the day:
One of the greatest faults of the tongue is lying, which is to state other than what is, whether by affirming what is not, or by denying what is.
Another great fault of the tongue is backbiting, which is for you to say things about your brother in his absence which he would have resented had he heard them. Backbiting is strictly forbidden.
Among the tongue's faults is tale-bearing, which is to inform each party of what the other said about him, so as to cause discord and sedition.
Of the tongue's faults is to insult a Muslim and offend him to his face, to mock and scorn a Muslim, or laugh at him in disdain. Also among the faults of the tongue are false oaths, false witness, cursing, making false promises, double talk, all other forms of repulsive or indecent speech, as well as disputing, arguing contentiously, competing for speech, frequent quarreling, and talking about that which does not concern them. These were all dispraised in numerous verses of the Qur'an and well known hadiths. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
When the believer is overcome by misfortune, only by repenting can he truly find a way out of his difficulties. All that we achieve and all that we fail to achieve is the direct result of our own thoughts. Our thoughts, not our circumstances, determine how we feel. An absence of negative thought brings forth a positive feeling.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Don’t Stop Being Kind: The Small Things Are Greater than You Think
Ramadan’s a great time to be kinder
We plant trees to overcome pollution, take vitamins to beat fatigue, vacuum the house to clean the dust; it makes sense to conquer the negative with a positive, and what’s more beautiful than a fresh batch of hope to revive this ummah? Investing in small acts of kindness this Ramadan should be our ultimate goal. It’s effortless, simple and free. You make someone happy, which makes you feel better and makes the world a better place. Win. Win Win. This isn’t just about the mega bonus of Ramadan’s multiplied rewards! (Actually it so is, who are we kidding?)
Here’s a list to get you started:
For your lovely parents
Thank your mom every day for the food she cooked and make yummy noises! (Cooking while you’re fasting is not easy! Trust me). Kiss her hands that have done so much for you.
Ask your dad daily: “What can I do to make your day better?” Help him out with organizing his stuff, clearing his email or even just discussing things he loves to talk about.
For your precious grandparents
Umm, hello! Call and visit them! Make them feel special before they’re gone. Make them feel wanted and relevant by asking them to tell you stories – because there’s nothing they want more!
For your spouse and children
Hide a note with a funny joke, compliment or piece of advice in your kids’ backpacks or clothes.
Text your husband or wife saying ‘I Love You’ or how much you appreciate what they do.
A minimum of three hugs a day for each member of the family (I’m serious! Sometimes all we need is a warm embrace).
Be kind to your children whenever they nag about being hungry or tired. It’s the best time to teach them patience!
Ask if your spouse needs any help in the kitchen or would like a nice warm foot massage after a tiring day at work. Keep your love alive.
For relatives, neighbors and friends:
Send flowers (or yummy dessert) to a distant relative with a card saying “Just a little something to make you smile”. Invite them for iftar or share some specially made delicacies with them.
Offer to mow your neighbor’s lawn or wash their cars.
Go out of your way to restore ties of kinship this Ramadan.
Tell your friends how much they mean to you and make dua for them.
Volunteer to offer drinks and dates at a nearby masjid during taraweeh for the people. Make a flask of tea or coffee for the late night prayers (Qiyam al Layl) for the ones who come to the mosque!
For co-workers and other workers:
Bring homemade cookies to share at work (with chocolate chips please!) Don’t worry, we will save them till after iftar!
Praise clerks, assistants and workers and thank them for their hard work. Try doing this everyday!
Leave a nice comment on articles you enjoyed (Uhmm Hint Hint).
For absolute strangers:
Greet people with a smile (it’s a sunnah too!).
Give up your seat for the elderly or a pregnant woman or just anyone who looks like they need to sit down!
Hand out balloons to kids on the street. Distribute packs of dates and water (and additionally any delicacy if you wish) along your street to those who pass by.
For God’s beautiful creations:
Leave a bowl of water outside for the birds (that’s when I had to explain to my son why animals don’t fast).
Make tasbih (glorifying Allah) outdoors. Trees, insects, even the mountains and soil will join and bloom.
For those in dire need of small kindnesses:
Leave a couple of colors and coloring books in the waiting room of a public hospital.
Do some fun story-telling at an orphanage and bring them toys or snacks.
Share a meal with a homeless person and sit with them on the ground.
Listen to someone who is sad or lonely.
The ideas are endless. Just doing one simple act of kindness a day without expecting anything in return can truly change the world, and is beyond joyful and fulfilling. It’s in fact the number one reason behind success, inner peace and sound sleep! Helping others feel better is simply the meaning of happiness because:
“Is there any reward for good other than good?” [Qur’an: Chapter 55, Verse 60]
So believe in your Lord’s promise, have compassion, pray from the heart and invest in those simple acts of kindness during this blessed Holy month. And if that makes you a pushover, well, consider yourself the luckiest person on Earth for being one!
Share with us more small kindnesses that we can engage in daily during Ramadan and after!
Click to read more: http://productivemuslim.com/dont-stop-being-kind/#ixzz3eHf87b5s
We plant trees to overcome pollution, take vitamins to beat fatigue, vacuum the house to clean the dust; it makes sense to conquer the negative with a positive, and what’s more beautiful than a fresh batch of hope to revive this ummah? Investing in small acts of kindness this Ramadan should be our ultimate goal. It’s effortless, simple and free. You make someone happy, which makes you feel better and makes the world a better place. Win. Win Win. This isn’t just about the mega bonus of Ramadan’s multiplied rewards! (Actually it so is, who are we kidding?)
Here’s a list to get you started:
For your lovely parents
Thank your mom every day for the food she cooked and make yummy noises! (Cooking while you’re fasting is not easy! Trust me). Kiss her hands that have done so much for you.
Ask your dad daily: “What can I do to make your day better?” Help him out with organizing his stuff, clearing his email or even just discussing things he loves to talk about.
For your precious grandparents
Umm, hello! Call and visit them! Make them feel special before they’re gone. Make them feel wanted and relevant by asking them to tell you stories – because there’s nothing they want more!
For your spouse and children
Hide a note with a funny joke, compliment or piece of advice in your kids’ backpacks or clothes.
Text your husband or wife saying ‘I Love You’ or how much you appreciate what they do.
A minimum of three hugs a day for each member of the family (I’m serious! Sometimes all we need is a warm embrace).
Be kind to your children whenever they nag about being hungry or tired. It’s the best time to teach them patience!
Ask if your spouse needs any help in the kitchen or would like a nice warm foot massage after a tiring day at work. Keep your love alive.
For relatives, neighbors and friends:
Send flowers (or yummy dessert) to a distant relative with a card saying “Just a little something to make you smile”. Invite them for iftar or share some specially made delicacies with them.
Offer to mow your neighbor’s lawn or wash their cars.
Go out of your way to restore ties of kinship this Ramadan.
Tell your friends how much they mean to you and make dua for them.
Volunteer to offer drinks and dates at a nearby masjid during taraweeh for the people. Make a flask of tea or coffee for the late night prayers (Qiyam al Layl) for the ones who come to the mosque!
For co-workers and other workers:
Bring homemade cookies to share at work (with chocolate chips please!) Don’t worry, we will save them till after iftar!
Praise clerks, assistants and workers and thank them for their hard work. Try doing this everyday!
Leave a nice comment on articles you enjoyed (Uhmm Hint Hint).
For absolute strangers:
Greet people with a smile (it’s a sunnah too!).
Give up your seat for the elderly or a pregnant woman or just anyone who looks like they need to sit down!
Hand out balloons to kids on the street. Distribute packs of dates and water (and additionally any delicacy if you wish) along your street to those who pass by.
For God’s beautiful creations:
Leave a bowl of water outside for the birds (that’s when I had to explain to my son why animals don’t fast).
Make tasbih (glorifying Allah) outdoors. Trees, insects, even the mountains and soil will join and bloom.
For those in dire need of small kindnesses:
Leave a couple of colors and coloring books in the waiting room of a public hospital.
Do some fun story-telling at an orphanage and bring them toys or snacks.
Share a meal with a homeless person and sit with them on the ground.
Listen to someone who is sad or lonely.
The ideas are endless. Just doing one simple act of kindness a day without expecting anything in return can truly change the world, and is beyond joyful and fulfilling. It’s in fact the number one reason behind success, inner peace and sound sleep! Helping others feel better is simply the meaning of happiness because:
“Is there any reward for good other than good?” [Qur’an: Chapter 55, Verse 60]
So believe in your Lord’s promise, have compassion, pray from the heart and invest in those simple acts of kindness during this blessed Holy month. And if that makes you a pushover, well, consider yourself the luckiest person on Earth for being one!
Share with us more small kindnesses that we can engage in daily during Ramadan and after!
Click to read more: http://productivemuslim.com/dont-stop-being-kind/#ixzz3eHf87b5s
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Why we Muslims pray the way we pray....
An onlooker (Muhammad Asad -- before Islam), unfamiliar with the Islamic mode of prayer, asked a simple Muslim:
"Might it not be better only to look into one's self and to pray to Him in the stillness of one's heart? Why all these movements of your body?"
This was his response....
1. 'How else should we worship God? Did He not create us both, soul and body, together? And this being so,should man not pray with his body as well with his soul? Listen, I will tell you why we Muslims pray the way we pray.
2. We turn toward the Kaaba, God's holy temple in Mecca, knowing that the faces of all Muslims, wherever they may be, are turned to it in prayer, and that we are like one body, with Him as the center of our thoughts.
3. First we stand upright and recite from the holy Qur'an, remembering that it is His word, given to man that he may be upright and steadfast in life.
4. Then we say "God is the Greatest," reminding ourselves that no one deserves to be worshipped but Him; and bow down deep because we honor Him above all, and praise His power and glory.
5. Thereafter we prostrate ourselves on our foreheads because we feel that we are but dust and nothingness before Him, and that He is our Creator and Sustainer on High.
6. Then we lift our faces from the ground and remain sitting, praying that He forgive us our sins and bestow His grace upon us, and guide us aright, and give us health and sustenance.
7. Then we again prostrate ourselves on the ground and touch the dust with our foreheads before the Might and the Glory of the One.
8. After that, we remain sitting and pray that He bless the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) who brought His message to us, just as He blessed the earlier Prophets; and that He bless us as well, and all those who follow the right guidance;and we ask Him to give us the good of this world and of the good of the world to come.
9. In the end we turn our heads to the right and to the left, saying,"Peace and the grace of God be upon you" -- and thus greet all who are righteous, wherever they may be.
10. It was thus that our Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) used to pray and taught his followers to pray for all times, so that they might willingly surrender themselves to God -- which is what Islam means -- and so be at peace with Him and with their own destiny.' [The Road to Mecca by Muhammad Asad]
"Might it not be better only to look into one's self and to pray to Him in the stillness of one's heart? Why all these movements of your body?"
This was his response....
1. 'How else should we worship God? Did He not create us both, soul and body, together? And this being so,should man not pray with his body as well with his soul? Listen, I will tell you why we Muslims pray the way we pray.
2. We turn toward the Kaaba, God's holy temple in Mecca, knowing that the faces of all Muslims, wherever they may be, are turned to it in prayer, and that we are like one body, with Him as the center of our thoughts.
3. First we stand upright and recite from the holy Qur'an, remembering that it is His word, given to man that he may be upright and steadfast in life.
4. Then we say "God is the Greatest," reminding ourselves that no one deserves to be worshipped but Him; and bow down deep because we honor Him above all, and praise His power and glory.
5. Thereafter we prostrate ourselves on our foreheads because we feel that we are but dust and nothingness before Him, and that He is our Creator and Sustainer on High.
6. Then we lift our faces from the ground and remain sitting, praying that He forgive us our sins and bestow His grace upon us, and guide us aright, and give us health and sustenance.
7. Then we again prostrate ourselves on the ground and touch the dust with our foreheads before the Might and the Glory of the One.
8. After that, we remain sitting and pray that He bless the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) who brought His message to us, just as He blessed the earlier Prophets; and that He bless us as well, and all those who follow the right guidance;and we ask Him to give us the good of this world and of the good of the world to come.
9. In the end we turn our heads to the right and to the left, saying,"Peace and the grace of God be upon you" -- and thus greet all who are righteous, wherever they may be.
10. It was thus that our Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) used to pray and taught his followers to pray for all times, so that they might willingly surrender themselves to God -- which is what Islam means -- and so be at peace with Him and with their own destiny.' [The Road to Mecca by Muhammad Asad]
Monday, June 15, 2015
Ramadan Mubarak!!!
My Ramadan Prayer
Imam Zaid Shakir
As we stand on the verge of beginning the great fast,
let us pray that the blessings we enjoy are decreed to last.
Let us pray for the people, who have lost their homes, fields and cattle in the flood, that they
are patient and see their sins washed away by torrents of forgiveness and divine love.
Let us pray for all of those living in lands that have been invaded and occupied, that their resolve
for deliverance is not weakened nor their hearts rendered cold, callous and dry.
Let us pray for the elders who have seen only war as successive decades pass by, that they are
not so traumatized that they cannot find tears to cry.
Let us pray for the fathers, who watch as their sons are mercilessly dragged away, that they will
live to see the justice of a better day.
Let us pray for our sisters, who with such great dignity represent all of us, that they never lose sight
of the fact that they are carrying a divine trust.
Let us pray for the teachers, who toil sometimes in unbearable situations, that they remain strong and
undaunted in their commitment to future generations.
Let us pray for the believers everywhere,
that they are the recipients of divine aid and celestial care.
Let us pray for the babies, be they little boys or girls,
that they will be blessed to inherit a saner, safer and more secure world.
Let us pray for this troubled nation we live in,
to realize that we cannot forever escape the wages of our sins.
Let us pray for the children, whose mothers or fathers have been deported, that their dreams will not be deferred nor their hearts distorted.
Let us pray for the legions, who for someone’s profits have been incarcerated, that through the message of the Prophet their minds can be liberated.
Let us pray for all of the boys and girls in the ‘hood,
to learn that virtue is its own reward, and that its recompense is always good.
Let us pray for even the malicious fools, who picket Masjids and burn the Qur’an, that they repent, are guided, and come to know the blessings of Ramadan.
Imam Zaid Shakir
As we stand on the verge of beginning the great fast,
let us pray that the blessings we enjoy are decreed to last.
Let us pray for the people, who have lost their homes, fields and cattle in the flood, that they
are patient and see their sins washed away by torrents of forgiveness and divine love.
Let us pray for all of those living in lands that have been invaded and occupied, that their resolve
for deliverance is not weakened nor their hearts rendered cold, callous and dry.
Let us pray for the elders who have seen only war as successive decades pass by, that they are
not so traumatized that they cannot find tears to cry.
Let us pray for the fathers, who watch as their sons are mercilessly dragged away, that they will
live to see the justice of a better day.
Let us pray for our sisters, who with such great dignity represent all of us, that they never lose sight
of the fact that they are carrying a divine trust.
Let us pray for the teachers, who toil sometimes in unbearable situations, that they remain strong and
undaunted in their commitment to future generations.
Let us pray for the believers everywhere,
that they are the recipients of divine aid and celestial care.
Let us pray for the babies, be they little boys or girls,
that they will be blessed to inherit a saner, safer and more secure world.
Let us pray for this troubled nation we live in,
to realize that we cannot forever escape the wages of our sins.
Let us pray for the children, whose mothers or fathers have been deported, that their dreams will not be deferred nor their hearts distorted.
Let us pray for the legions, who for someone’s profits have been incarcerated, that through the message of the Prophet their minds can be liberated.
Let us pray for all of the boys and girls in the ‘hood,
to learn that virtue is its own reward, and that its recompense is always good.
Let us pray for even the malicious fools, who picket Masjids and burn the Qur’an, that they repent, are guided, and come to know the blessings of Ramadan.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Lesson of the day 1382
Ayahs of the day:
And when you see those who take up Our signs rashly, avoid them until they take up another topic. And if Satan would make you forget, then after remembering do not sit with people who are wrong. For the conscientious have no responsibility for anything on their account, except reminder, that they may become conscientious. [6: 68,69]
Hadith of the day:
Whoever builds a masjid for Allah, Allah will build for him a palace in Jannah. [Bukhari]
Wise quote of the day:
The responsibility of maintaining a religious and modest society weighs on the shoulders of both Muslim men and women, so let us take this role seriously. [Shaykh Amjad Rasheed]
Guidance of the day:
The affairs of the tongue are most important, for it is the organ with most control over the servant and most influence in leading him to perdition should he fail to control it and prevent it from what God forbids.
The perils of the tongue are immense and frightening. Only maintaining silence and speaking only when strictly necessary may save one from them. A person should keep so occupied with reciting the Book of God and remembering Him in abundance as to prevent him from delving into falsehood or what does not concern him. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. We should be as careful of the books we read, as of the company we keep. No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them all.
And when you see those who take up Our signs rashly, avoid them until they take up another topic. And if Satan would make you forget, then after remembering do not sit with people who are wrong. For the conscientious have no responsibility for anything on their account, except reminder, that they may become conscientious. [6: 68,69]
Hadith of the day:
Whoever builds a masjid for Allah, Allah will build for him a palace in Jannah. [Bukhari]
Wise quote of the day:
The responsibility of maintaining a religious and modest society weighs on the shoulders of both Muslim men and women, so let us take this role seriously. [Shaykh Amjad Rasheed]
Guidance of the day:
The affairs of the tongue are most important, for it is the organ with most control over the servant and most influence in leading him to perdition should he fail to control it and prevent it from what God forbids.
The perils of the tongue are immense and frightening. Only maintaining silence and speaking only when strictly necessary may save one from them. A person should keep so occupied with reciting the Book of God and remembering Him in abundance as to prevent him from delving into falsehood or what does not concern him. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. We should be as careful of the books we read, as of the company we keep. No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them all.
Monday, June 08, 2015
Pearls of Wisdom 378
1. Friendships with the ignorant and the heedless are as fickle as the changing times and as quick
to disappear as the setting sun.
2. Consider not a man worthless until you had a chance to converse with him.
3. Health and well-being on the one hand and gluttony on the other are mutually exclusive.
4. Face off your difficulties with patience; and fence in your blessings with thankfulness.
5. A man's intellect becomes apparent from his speech; as does his character from the goodness
of his action.
6. Always consider your intellect to be lacking; otherwise too much faith in it surely leads to error.
7. Seek Allah's refuge from the heedlessness which comes from prosperity; so deep it is, that it will
take one very long to climb out of it.
8. It is not in the make-up of a noble person to delay in rewarding nor is it that of a generous one to
exact revenge.
9. Even if Allah had not decreed to abstain from the foul and impure the man of intellect would still
surely do so.
10. Do not consider admitting ignorance as a necessarily bad thing, for saying, "I do not know"
is itself half of knowledge. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
to disappear as the setting sun.
2. Consider not a man worthless until you had a chance to converse with him.
3. Health and well-being on the one hand and gluttony on the other are mutually exclusive.
4. Face off your difficulties with patience; and fence in your blessings with thankfulness.
5. A man's intellect becomes apparent from his speech; as does his character from the goodness
of his action.
6. Always consider your intellect to be lacking; otherwise too much faith in it surely leads to error.
7. Seek Allah's refuge from the heedlessness which comes from prosperity; so deep it is, that it will
take one very long to climb out of it.
8. It is not in the make-up of a noble person to delay in rewarding nor is it that of a generous one to
exact revenge.
9. Even if Allah had not decreed to abstain from the foul and impure the man of intellect would still
surely do so.
10. Do not consider admitting ignorance as a necessarily bad thing, for saying, "I do not know"
is itself half of knowledge. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Friday, June 05, 2015
Tips for a peaceful life....
1. Be like the bee, which lands on fragrant flowers and fresh branches.
2. You do not have time to seek out people's defects and mistakes.
3. If Allah is with you, them who do you have to fear?
4. If Allah is against you, what hope do you have?
5. The fire of envy consumes the body, and excessive jealousy is like a raging fire.
6. If you do not prepare today, then you will not be able to do anything tomorrow.
7. Withdraw peacefully from places where idle arguments are going on.
8. Let your morals and attitude be even more beautiful than a garden.
9. Do acts of kindness and you will be the happiest of people.
10. Leave people to their Creator, leave the envier to death and forget about any enemy.
11. The pleasure of haram actions is followed by regret, loss and punishment.
2. You do not have time to seek out people's defects and mistakes.
3. If Allah is with you, them who do you have to fear?
4. If Allah is against you, what hope do you have?
5. The fire of envy consumes the body, and excessive jealousy is like a raging fire.
6. If you do not prepare today, then you will not be able to do anything tomorrow.
7. Withdraw peacefully from places where idle arguments are going on.
8. Let your morals and attitude be even more beautiful than a garden.
9. Do acts of kindness and you will be the happiest of people.
10. Leave people to their Creator, leave the envier to death and forget about any enemy.
11. The pleasure of haram actions is followed by regret, loss and punishment.
Monday, June 01, 2015
Lesson of the day 1381
Ayahs of the day:
Say, "God is able to send torment upon you from above you, or from beneath your feet; or to confuse you with factions and make you taste each other's viciousness." See how We explain the signs so that they may understand. [6: 65]
Hadith of the day:
Know that victory accompanies perseverance, relief accompanies affliction, and ease accompanies hardship. [Tirmidhi]
Wise quote of the day:
Adherence to Sunnah, increase in one's worship and obedience to the Sacred Law are all signs of intimacy with the Divine. [Ibrahim bin Dawud Warqi]
Guidance of the day:
Tongue is also among the greatest of God's graces upon His servant. There is in it much good and great benefits for he who preserves it and uses it only in what it was created for. But there will be much evil and immense harm in it for he who neglects to preserve it and uses it in other than what it was created for.
God the Exalted created it for the servant to invoke Him abundantly, recite His Book, counsel His servants, invite them to His obedience, teach them His immense rights upon them, and to express whatever thoughts need to be expressed for the fulfillment of his needs, both of this world and the next. If he uses it in this manner, he will have shown gratitude; but if he uses it for other than what it was created for, he will have been one of the iniquitous transgressors. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening. Prayer is a confession of of one's own unworthiness and weakness. Pray as if everything depended on God, and work as if everything depended on man. No man prayed heartily without learning something.
Say, "God is able to send torment upon you from above you, or from beneath your feet; or to confuse you with factions and make you taste each other's viciousness." See how We explain the signs so that they may understand. [6: 65]
Hadith of the day:
Know that victory accompanies perseverance, relief accompanies affliction, and ease accompanies hardship. [Tirmidhi]
Wise quote of the day:
Adherence to Sunnah, increase in one's worship and obedience to the Sacred Law are all signs of intimacy with the Divine. [Ibrahim bin Dawud Warqi]
Guidance of the day:
Tongue is also among the greatest of God's graces upon His servant. There is in it much good and great benefits for he who preserves it and uses it only in what it was created for. But there will be much evil and immense harm in it for he who neglects to preserve it and uses it in other than what it was created for.
God the Exalted created it for the servant to invoke Him abundantly, recite His Book, counsel His servants, invite them to His obedience, teach them His immense rights upon them, and to express whatever thoughts need to be expressed for the fulfillment of his needs, both of this world and the next. If he uses it in this manner, he will have shown gratitude; but if he uses it for other than what it was created for, he will have been one of the iniquitous transgressors. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening. Prayer is a confession of of one's own unworthiness and weakness. Pray as if everything depended on God, and work as if everything depended on man. No man prayed heartily without learning something.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Pearls of Wisdom 377
1. The more worldly greed in one's heart, the less certainty in God.
2. Why expect an evil person to hold a good opinion of others, when the best he can do is to think that others are like him.
3. Time wasted in youth must be made up in later years, if what you seek is a solicitous end.
4. Remain silent about favors done by you, yet proclaim the favors others do for you.
5. Self satisfaction is a sure sign of lacking intellect.
6. The one to whom small afflictions seem large, will certainly be afflicted by truly large calamities.
7. He whose thoughts are vile and low can have nothing but the worst opinion of others.
8. Thankfulness to the Creator in the form of service to His creation is the ultimate expression of gratitude.
9. The one who acts as if death will come tomorrow feels no sorrow when it finally comes.
10. The excellence of knowledge lies in its practice; and the excellence of kindness to others lies in mentioning it not. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
2. Why expect an evil person to hold a good opinion of others, when the best he can do is to think that others are like him.
3. Time wasted in youth must be made up in later years, if what you seek is a solicitous end.
4. Remain silent about favors done by you, yet proclaim the favors others do for you.
5. Self satisfaction is a sure sign of lacking intellect.
6. The one to whom small afflictions seem large, will certainly be afflicted by truly large calamities.
7. He whose thoughts are vile and low can have nothing but the worst opinion of others.
8. Thankfulness to the Creator in the form of service to His creation is the ultimate expression of gratitude.
9. The one who acts as if death will come tomorrow feels no sorrow when it finally comes.
10. The excellence of knowledge lies in its practice; and the excellence of kindness to others lies in mentioning it not. [Ali radi Allah anhu]
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Preparation for Ramadan Mubarak!
Highlights of Shaykh Amin's Pre-Ramadan Talk - May 17, 2015
--Allah is capable of doing much more than we think He is capable of doing for us, but we consistently undervalue His Ability
--Personal hygiene was made Fard `Ayn so that we could draw the attention of Angels who are otherwise repelled by foulness. Angels love purity and good smells, especially when that purity comes from Muslims making dhikr of Allah
--We must rediscover not only the academic legacy of the ummah, but also its spiritual legacy: that all humans are eligible for the Fadl of Allah, provided they access it through obligatory and extra acts of worship. Islam's greatest gift is to connect human beings to the Creator, we must remember this.
--If Allah gave Maryam(A) fruits out of season, realize that this came about because of her intense personal devotion to Allah. Islam isn't in season these days, but He can give us fruits if we immerse ourselves spiritually as she did. Maryam (A) was not a Prophet, she was literally secluded in a closet making dhikr, but she was able to experience the Fadl of Allah. Muslims are given this month of Ramadan to similarly seclude themselves and make it easier to be eligible to receive similar fruits out of season. In Ramadan, Allah wants us to focus on this spiritual realm by secluding ourselves from the dunya, so that we can gain some of this Fadl
--There are many Muslims who are closet deniers of Allah's Fadl because they see nothing happening for Muslims in the dunya. They think that because Muslims aren't winning in the games of the dunya, that Islam has failed us and isn't useful anymore.
--Allah has made it easy for us to access this Fadl by giving us this month wherein all you have to do is immerse yourself in the culture of this month, which is to remove yourself from the world for a few days. Hence Prophet(S) cursed the one who missed out on Ramadan: you don't have to do much to benefit. If you miss out, its on you, not on Him
--Ramadan is not a time for you to be concerned with the Ummah's affairs. You have the other 11 months for this. Be concerned with your soul for at least 1 month!
--Ramadan is the time for each of us to renew and increase our share of Allah's Fadl for another year
--American Muslims must change how we view Ramadan: an opportunity to gain Fadl through Ibadah. This must become a civilizational value if we truly wish to benefit from this month. Every other agenda that we have for Ramadan -- da'wah, fundraising, etc.--must be removed from our mindsets.
--Historically, Muslim civilizational values were such that everyone took extra time out during their daily lives for extra dhikr/awrad. Today, if you mention this, one group of Muslims will cry bid'ah, and another group will say that this has no benefit for fixing the problems of the Ummah.
--Imam al-Ghazali (R) writes that during his time (wherein he lamented about the death of spirituality in the Ummah), people would line up at the Jami` Masjid (the main Mosque in a city where Friday Prayers were held) on Thursday night itself in order to be the first to arrive for Jumu'ah and gain that immense reward for early arrival. They would stand all night with candles in line, but even then, many people wouldn't get in. Today, we only stand at night with candles when it's time for a vigil when people die, rather than doing something for ourselves when we're alive.
--Only when we come to terms that the reality of this spiritual realm exists, and that we need to benefit from this realm, only then we will see change in our physical world as well.
--Ramadan is a time to access that spiritual realm. Today, we spend more time in Ramadan buried in the physical dunya than outside of it.
--You should reject unnecessary social gatherings in Ramadan. We have made it a communal value to attend every single iftar and social gathering during this month, thinking that being "social" in this month is being Islamic. We have committed civilizational bidah with the amount of socializing we do today under excuse of Ramadan. The Ummah historically never did this: they socialized outside of Ramadan, not inside it like we do.
--We need to benefit ourselves from Ramadan first before going around trying to benefit others. We bring people to this watering hole under the banner of da'wah but don't drink ourselves.
--If you absolutely must do social da'wah during Ramadan by attending Iftar for 3 hrs for interfaith dialogue, then that's fine if it's a rare occurrence. But what are you doing to make up for those 3 hours for your self?
--I'tikaf isn't just a physical act that we are recommended to do for the last 10 days. It's a total month-long mindset for the Muslim in Ramadan to isolate himself from everyone else and focus on his own soul.
--All the awliya that were great social reformers that we praise today, look at their personal practices in Ramadan: they focused on ibadah/dhikr/dua/recitation of the Qur'an during this month, they did not focus on fixing the Ummahs problems. Because they did this focused spiritual practice for a month, it provided them with the energy to bear the burdens of the Ummah for the other 11 months.
--When Muslims make time for themselves in Ramadan, it climaxes in Laylat al-Qadr, such that Angels come down to invite us into their world. Laylat al-Qadr allows us to plan for a 1000 months, but this is a plan based on spirituality and worship. This is how our ancestors planned for the Ummah. We cannot praise the social and reform work of our ancestors while ignoring their level of personal worship.
--You lament that there is no Abu Hanifah of our times. Realize that Abu Hanifah saw Laylat al-Qadr every year, sometimes even outside of Ramadan! How? Because of his worship regimen on a personal level. He prayed Isha and Fajr for 40 years with the same wudu. Do his regimen first, then you can start talking about opening doors of ijtihad. Otherwise, without excess ibadah, you will fall flat on your face after merely saying the word "ijtihad"
--"Flee towards Allah": that is our theme for Ramadan. This is how our dunya will be improved, when we run away from it during this 1 month.
--You have 11 months to worry about your dunya, Allah asks you to take 1 month for your akhirah, but we think even this is too much?
Notes by Kamran M Riaz
(Darul Qasim)
--Allah is capable of doing much more than we think He is capable of doing for us, but we consistently undervalue His Ability
--Personal hygiene was made Fard `Ayn so that we could draw the attention of Angels who are otherwise repelled by foulness. Angels love purity and good smells, especially when that purity comes from Muslims making dhikr of Allah
--We must rediscover not only the academic legacy of the ummah, but also its spiritual legacy: that all humans are eligible for the Fadl of Allah, provided they access it through obligatory and extra acts of worship. Islam's greatest gift is to connect human beings to the Creator, we must remember this.
--If Allah gave Maryam(A) fruits out of season, realize that this came about because of her intense personal devotion to Allah. Islam isn't in season these days, but He can give us fruits if we immerse ourselves spiritually as she did. Maryam (A) was not a Prophet, she was literally secluded in a closet making dhikr, but she was able to experience the Fadl of Allah. Muslims are given this month of Ramadan to similarly seclude themselves and make it easier to be eligible to receive similar fruits out of season. In Ramadan, Allah wants us to focus on this spiritual realm by secluding ourselves from the dunya, so that we can gain some of this Fadl
--There are many Muslims who are closet deniers of Allah's Fadl because they see nothing happening for Muslims in the dunya. They think that because Muslims aren't winning in the games of the dunya, that Islam has failed us and isn't useful anymore.
--Allah has made it easy for us to access this Fadl by giving us this month wherein all you have to do is immerse yourself in the culture of this month, which is to remove yourself from the world for a few days. Hence Prophet(S) cursed the one who missed out on Ramadan: you don't have to do much to benefit. If you miss out, its on you, not on Him
--Ramadan is not a time for you to be concerned with the Ummah's affairs. You have the other 11 months for this. Be concerned with your soul for at least 1 month!
--Ramadan is the time for each of us to renew and increase our share of Allah's Fadl for another year
--American Muslims must change how we view Ramadan: an opportunity to gain Fadl through Ibadah. This must become a civilizational value if we truly wish to benefit from this month. Every other agenda that we have for Ramadan -- da'wah, fundraising, etc.--must be removed from our mindsets.
--Historically, Muslim civilizational values were such that everyone took extra time out during their daily lives for extra dhikr/awrad. Today, if you mention this, one group of Muslims will cry bid'ah, and another group will say that this has no benefit for fixing the problems of the Ummah.
--Imam al-Ghazali (R) writes that during his time (wherein he lamented about the death of spirituality in the Ummah), people would line up at the Jami` Masjid (the main Mosque in a city where Friday Prayers were held) on Thursday night itself in order to be the first to arrive for Jumu'ah and gain that immense reward for early arrival. They would stand all night with candles in line, but even then, many people wouldn't get in. Today, we only stand at night with candles when it's time for a vigil when people die, rather than doing something for ourselves when we're alive.
--Only when we come to terms that the reality of this spiritual realm exists, and that we need to benefit from this realm, only then we will see change in our physical world as well.
--Ramadan is a time to access that spiritual realm. Today, we spend more time in Ramadan buried in the physical dunya than outside of it.
--You should reject unnecessary social gatherings in Ramadan. We have made it a communal value to attend every single iftar and social gathering during this month, thinking that being "social" in this month is being Islamic. We have committed civilizational bidah with the amount of socializing we do today under excuse of Ramadan. The Ummah historically never did this: they socialized outside of Ramadan, not inside it like we do.
--We need to benefit ourselves from Ramadan first before going around trying to benefit others. We bring people to this watering hole under the banner of da'wah but don't drink ourselves.
--If you absolutely must do social da'wah during Ramadan by attending Iftar for 3 hrs for interfaith dialogue, then that's fine if it's a rare occurrence. But what are you doing to make up for those 3 hours for your self?
--I'tikaf isn't just a physical act that we are recommended to do for the last 10 days. It's a total month-long mindset for the Muslim in Ramadan to isolate himself from everyone else and focus on his own soul.
--All the awliya that were great social reformers that we praise today, look at their personal practices in Ramadan: they focused on ibadah/dhikr/dua/recitation of the Qur'an during this month, they did not focus on fixing the Ummahs problems. Because they did this focused spiritual practice for a month, it provided them with the energy to bear the burdens of the Ummah for the other 11 months.
--When Muslims make time for themselves in Ramadan, it climaxes in Laylat al-Qadr, such that Angels come down to invite us into their world. Laylat al-Qadr allows us to plan for a 1000 months, but this is a plan based on spirituality and worship. This is how our ancestors planned for the Ummah. We cannot praise the social and reform work of our ancestors while ignoring their level of personal worship.
--You lament that there is no Abu Hanifah of our times. Realize that Abu Hanifah saw Laylat al-Qadr every year, sometimes even outside of Ramadan! How? Because of his worship regimen on a personal level. He prayed Isha and Fajr for 40 years with the same wudu. Do his regimen first, then you can start talking about opening doors of ijtihad. Otherwise, without excess ibadah, you will fall flat on your face after merely saying the word "ijtihad"
--"Flee towards Allah": that is our theme for Ramadan. This is how our dunya will be improved, when we run away from it during this 1 month.
--You have 11 months to worry about your dunya, Allah asks you to take 1 month for your akhirah, but we think even this is too much?
Notes by Kamran M Riaz
(Darul Qasim)
Monday, May 18, 2015
Lesson of the day 1380
Ayahs of the day:
Say, "Who delivers you from the darkness of land and sea, whom you call in humility and awe: 'If only God delivers us from this, we will certainly be grateful!?" Say, God delivers you from these and from all distress, yet you worship idols." [6: 63, 64]
Hadith of the day:
Do not insult the dead, for they have moved on to what they sent forth. [Bukhari]
Wise quote of the day:
Islam is not just a religion, it is everything. [Yusuf Islam]
Guidance of the day:
Among the most important things to every believer is to watch his heart and bodily members and senses, look after them, and strive to guard and keep them from that which is hateful to God, and use them in that which is liked by God and pleasing to Him.
The heart and the bodily members and senses are among the greatest favors of God upon His servants. He who uses them in His obedience and adorns them with what is pleasing to Him, and uses them in that for which they were created thus shows gratitude for the favor, guards what should be guarded, and excels in service. For him God shall give the reward of the thankful and the recompense of the excellent.
He who lets loose his heart and bodily members and senses in that which God has forbidden, neglects them and leads them to perdition, and leaves them unguarded, he thus denies the favor of God upon him and deserves to be censured and punished. They shall testify against him before God and reveal whatever acts of disobedience he has used them to commit. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose. Consider the postage stamp, it secures success through its ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.
Say, "Who delivers you from the darkness of land and sea, whom you call in humility and awe: 'If only God delivers us from this, we will certainly be grateful!?" Say, God delivers you from these and from all distress, yet you worship idols." [6: 63, 64]
Hadith of the day:
Do not insult the dead, for they have moved on to what they sent forth. [Bukhari]
Wise quote of the day:
Islam is not just a religion, it is everything. [Yusuf Islam]
Guidance of the day:
Among the most important things to every believer is to watch his heart and bodily members and senses, look after them, and strive to guard and keep them from that which is hateful to God, and use them in that which is liked by God and pleasing to Him.
The heart and the bodily members and senses are among the greatest favors of God upon His servants. He who uses them in His obedience and adorns them with what is pleasing to Him, and uses them in that for which they were created thus shows gratitude for the favor, guards what should be guarded, and excels in service. For him God shall give the reward of the thankful and the recompense of the excellent.
He who lets loose his heart and bodily members and senses in that which God has forbidden, neglects them and leads them to perdition, and leaves them unguarded, he thus denies the favor of God upon him and deserves to be censured and punished. They shall testify against him before God and reveal whatever acts of disobedience he has used them to commit. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]
Food for thought:
There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose. Consider the postage stamp, it secures success through its ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.
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