Islamic Experiences

Laylatul Qadr Plan (Night of Power)

2023-04-12T08:31:00.000-04:00

As we approach the last ten days of Ramadan, I would like to say a few things

1. Stay away from useless talks. Limit your social interaction. Avoid too much texting or facebooking or any other social media activities.

2. Don't be distracted by so many things during these days. Focus your mind on Allah SWT. Reflect upon the Qur'an. Pray and make dua with concentration

3. Spend time in a corner at the Masjid or in your room by yourself. Do as much worship as you can. You don't have to do the same action over and over again. You can pray, relax, read Quran, read Hadith, do tasbih (dhikr), just sit and think of Allah's names and attributes, and lastly make lots and lots of duas.

4. When making dua, make lots of them during Sujood. Pour out your heart in front of Allah SWT. Just ask anything you ever wanted and make dua for others and Ummah.

5. Be sincere in your worship. Don't show off. Give charity as much as you can without letting anyone know.

6. Forgive people. I know it's hard. I myself have a hard time with it but don't let these nights go by without you forgiving them. Remember how much you want Allah SWT to forgive you. Remember the prophets from the Qur'an how they forgive people and we learn from their example. For ex: Prophet Yusuf (AS) forgave his brothers even though they threw him in a well. He could have punished his brothers but he chose something great which is forgiveness. If you really want to do something great these last ten days then please forgive others

7. Don't let Ramadan go by without helping you achieve Taqwa (consciousness of Allah SWT). Fear Allah and love Him in private. Improve your inner self and have good opinion of others.

8. Make Tawbah, sincere repentance. This is the best time to ask Allah for forgiveness. No matter how great your sin is but Allah's forgiveness is more greater than anything Subhan Allah! So keep asking Him for forgiveness

9. Send Salawat (peace and blessings upon the Prophet Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). Show your love for Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) by doing as much sunnah as you can insha Allah. At least please keep smiling

10. Treat others with love, mercy and respect. Doesn't matter if they are younger than you or older. Everyone deserves to be loved and respected. Be kind to others and ask Allah to grant you the best of manners. Be good to both Muslims and non Muslims. Take care of your neighbors, animals and surroundings.

Please do your best to please Allah SWT. May Allah SWT help us catch Laylatul Qadr and forgive all our sins Ameen

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Original Experience below:

A friend and I are doing a Laylatul Qadr plan. It is very simple, but with potential for maximizing each night insha Allah! All we will do is 3 simple tasks every night and make sure the other one of us are doing it as well! Keep things simple folks, don't overwhelm yourself. So what are we doing?

- Dua- Lots and lots of dua. The dua for Laylatul Qadr, dua for our life, our hereafter, our families, friends and the nation at large

- Prayer- We both have done Taraweeh till now. We plan to increase on it by praying extra when we wake up for Sahoor as that is a blessed time to pray

- Zikr/Dhikr- We have done dhikr till now, we plan to increase it. And we are focusing on three specific dhikr

1. Qur'an- best of dhikr. increasing on what we did before

2. Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, la ilaha illa Allah, Allahu akbar a 100 times (less than 10 minutes)

3. Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi a 100 times (less than 2 minutes)

That's it, folks- our minimum for each night and increase on it if possible. We all pray, we all make dua, and we all make a little bit of dhikr. Just increase on what you have been doing so far, and that's your Laylatul Qadr plan!

Experience submitted by Raiiq Ridwan & published by Umm Haroon on 7/12/2015. Edited by DaBash and updated on 4/12/2023.

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A Dialogue With My 8-Year Old About Why God Must Exist

2023-04-02T13:02:00.005-04:00

(This was prompted by a question coming from my 8-year old out of the blue. I don't propose bringing up these questions to an 8-year old unless THEY bring it up. When your child studies religion more formally as a teenager, they should be exposed to these ideas at that time. However, some of our children are highly inquisitive and will ask very early. This discussion is for those of us with these kids. Notes at the bottom.)

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*8*: How do we know Allah is there?

*Me*: Well, how do you think anything got here? Who made the universe?

*8*: Yeah, I know Allah made everything - but why couldn’t the universe always have been here? If Allah was always here, the universe could too right? How do we know the universe wasn’t always there?

*Me*: That’s a great question that our scholars spent a lot of time explaining. Do you know what infinity means?

*8*: Yeah, it means it keeps going. There’s no stop to it.

*Me*: Yeah, that’s a good way of putting it. Infinity means that there’s no end at all. It keeps going and going with absolutely no stop. So no matter how much you count, it never ever comes to an end. Agreed?

*8*: Yes.

*Me*: So what’s something we notice about the Universe right now. Does it change all the time or stay still? Is time passing or is it still?

*8*: It’s changing, time is passing.

*Me*: Ok, is there anything wrong with the idea that time will keep going forever and ever into the future? Like, no matter what day it is, you can always add one more day. Is that OK?

*8*: Yeah, that seems fine, there’s nothing wrong with any day having one after it.

*Me*: What about before?

*8*: Yeah that seems fine too. You can just have days going back forever.

*Me*: Really? Think about what that means very carefully. If AN INFINITE NUMBER of days go back into the past, and they keep going and going, there’s more and more and more yesterdays and days before yesterday and it never ever ends. What does that mean?

*8*: That it goes back forever.

*Me*: Good - so what does that mean. If there are an INFINITE NUMBER of days in the past, and INFINITE moments in time, how many moments had to finish in order for us to get where we are today, right now, me and you sitting here together on the couch?

*8*: Umm…I’m not sure. A lot of days.

*Me*: You said it’s possible for an INFINITE NUMBER of days to be there going back and back into the past. So how many had to finish for me and you to be here in this time today?

*8*: Ohhhhh. Yes, an infinite number of days have to finish. For us to get here.

*Me*: Is it possible for infinite anything to finish and come to an end?

*8*: No. Ohhhhh. No. There can’t be infinite days in the past. It has to stop. I’m having trouble explaining why but it has to stop.

*Me*: Correct. It has to STOP. There HAS to be a beginning. Why? You said it yourself. If there’s no beginning to the Universe, then we’d have to wait for an infinite number of days to have ended for me and you to be here. Is that even possible? For an infinite number of days to come to an end? Infinite means there’s no end.

*8*: NO, I GOT IT. That’s impossible. Infinite days can’t ever come to an end. That means that the days before us have to be…..not infinite. Like counted.

*Me*: The word is finite. Limited.

*8*: Finite. Yes, there’s only so many days there could have been.

*Me*: That means something. This universe by its nature, and you can see it, has always been changing, moving, it is always in motion. But we just proved it wasn’t always around, and Time wasn’t always around. It all had a beginning 13.6 billion years ago. If it keeps going back, those moments would never finish and we’d never be here.

*8*: So the universe had a beginning. Has to have a beginning.

*Me*: Correct. Keep this in mind and let’s imagine something else. So imagine there is a line of soldiers. And you give ALL the soldiers the same order - “You can’t fire unless the soldier before you fires.” Imagine each soldier is a moment in time (1). It can’t “happen” until the soldier before it “happens”, or fires. Can there be an infinite number of soldiers going back?

*8*: No. It’s the same with the days thing. You have to have a first soldier.

*Me*: Good. There has to be a first soldier who sets it off. But….if the first soldier is bound to the rules of Time, and of Cause-and-Effect, if the first soldier has to wait for someone else to fire, will any of them fire?

*8*: No.

*Me*: So what does that mean about the first soldier. Is it like everyone else? Is it even a soldier under the rules?

*8*: No. It’s special. It fires without anyone telling it to fire, it’s the only way the rest will do it.

*Me*: So the entire universe has to have a beginning, has to be created by something else, and that something else does NOT have to depend on ANYONE ELSE to tell it anything. It acts independently. It can make the soldier at front of the line fire, without anyone else firing before it, because there’s nothing before it. Does that make sense?

*8*: YES. Is that Allah?

*Me*: Correct. Allah is the Cause that began the Universe, created it, brought it into motion, and sustains it, but nothing came before Him because He is outside of cause-and-effect. Nothing causes Him because He’s always there. But His presence solves our problem. He HAS to be there, independently causing the universe to start, at a specific time, because otherwise nothing could exist. Nothing could even come into Being. And he has to be absolutely One with no one else sharing power with Him for the same reason.

We have to ask a few questions though. Could the Universe have been a different way than the way it is now? In your imagination is it even possible?

*8*: Yes.

*Me*: So the fact that it is this way means that Allah could have chosen different options but chose this set of options for the Big Bang and however else He created the Universe. Which means he CHOSE. Which means He has what?

*8*: He has choice. He can pick stuff.

*Me*: He has WILL. Correct. Ok, if Allah is starting the Big Bang or however else it happened, did He need to know HOW to do it all?

*8*: Yes, so he has….knowing, knowledge!

*Me*: And the fact that He did it at all means He could do it. Which means He has….

*8*: Power. He has the power to do it.

*Me*: Correct. This being that started everything, He has to be One, no one else influencing Him because He’s the start. He has to have Knowledge, Power, and Will. And these are the Key attributes of Allah through which all His infinite attributes manifest themselves. This being HAS to have these qualities or else we literally would not be here. So explain to me again, how do we know there HAS to be a Creator who is not caused by anything else, and has Knowledge, Power, and Will? Or else we could not even exist today?

*8*: (explains and stumbles a little, but we continue walking through until she can explain it flawlessly).

*Me*: Perfect.

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Note: This argument is a HIGHLY stripped down version of what is known as the Cosmological Argument (CA). We use time and continuity instead of contingency because an 8-year old is likely too young to process contingency beyond very basic cause-and-effect. But they have a strong intuitive sense of before and after. We also ignore summing infinite series issues because although they may work on time-based arguments, the counterargument suffers when discussing contingency which is the true heart of the CA.

There are a number of criticisms and discussions, beyond what is presented here. We have to remember that we are talking to children so overwhelming them is not a good thing. This argument was rooted in Aristotle’s Physics (in the West), and the Sunni schools of Kalam where it was highly developed and made into a formidable force that would last till today and be co-opted by European scholars, and also exists in Nyaya Philosopher Udayana’s work.

The Islamic theologians did considerable work on those modes of explanation, drawing deeply from the Qur’an and Sunnah to establish it. On the surface, recent findings in Quantum Mechanics and cosmology *seem* to threaten the argument but on further examination you’ll find that this is a highly immature understanding of both the argument and of QM (who really understands QM?)

(1) The most accurate way to frame this is actually cause and effect, but for this age, time may be easier, because it is easy to conceptualize that one day comes before another. Also, thank you to Mufti Yusuf Mullan for this example.

Suggested Resources For Learning:

Books:

Al-Fiqh al-Akbar Explained
The Beneficial Message and the Definitive Proof In The Study Of Theology

Alternative link

Study this one with a teacher: The Sanusi Creed

Classes:

What Muslims Believe and Why
[Link to this class is no longer active]
An Intermediate Look at Tahawi's Creed

I also suggest reaching out to any of the seminaries below to learn about their options for learning creed so that we know our own faith and are equipped to teach our children:

Experience from Abdul Sattar via Facebook (with permission) submitted and edited by DaBash

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The most beautiful true love story ever!

2023-03-24T08:43:00.002-04:00

Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem

A night in the city of Madinah was more beautiful than any night because I was in front of two moons. The moon next to me was my husband and other standing in the sky. I glanced at my husband with eyes filled with love. His words were so precious and dear to me. Every time he said he loved me, I smiled. I asked him, what love meant to him. I really wanted to know how he felt about our love and how he would describe it.

[Before reading this story, it is very important that you understand properly what Islam commands us in terms of 'bedroom manners'. This book should be in everyone's bedroom before and after marriage.]

He said, “Love reminds me of the verse from the Qur’an:

“And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts). Verily in that are signs for those who reflect.” [Ar Room 30:21]

I could see the kindness flowing in his words which he said with so much love and compassion. In my heart, I knew he always looked at me with love and mercy.

My husband then said,

My love, the deep meaning of love is not found in the depths of forests, neither in the depths of the oceans and seas. Rather it is deeply enveloped inside our hearts. To love is to sacrifice your own self for the comfort of your beloved. Love means everything to me. Let me tell you a true story. It is the greatest love story ever recorded in the history of mankind.

I looked at him with my eyes full of confusion, “You mean? Romeo and Juliet?” He looked at me as if I was talking about something he disliked. He stood leaning on the tree, the night felt so peaceful. I could feel the coolness of the wind coming from the leaves of the trees near us. My husband said, “No, my dear” and held my hands in his gently. “The love story of our beloved Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and Khadija (Radi Allahu Anha).” I felt very much happy and listened to him with all my heart.

He began,

“I have read many love stories in my life and they either ended in suicide or divorce. True love is embedded inside our hearts. Its sweetness can be experienced when we love someone for the sake of Allah Subhana Wa Ta’ala. We seek happiness through His pleasure. What is a love, which is not done for the sake of Allah which dies when one dies? However the true love for the sake of Allah is honored on the Day of Judgment. It is when the loved ones remain in Jannah together forever.

The love story of Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) begins from the day he went to Syria as a merchant for Khadijah (Radi Allahu Anha). Our beloved Rasulullah (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was known for his good manners, honesty, deep thought, sincerity and faith. Khadijah (Radi Allahu Anha), a business-woman of great honor and fortune sent a proposal to him for marriage. After her marriage, she bore all of his children except Ibrahim. She was the first woman Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) married and did not get married to anyone until she passed away.

"When Jibreel (Alayhi Salam) came with Allah’s revelation to the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) in Hira' Cave, the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) went home scared, pale and trembling. He said to Khadija, "cover me, cover me." After she knew what had happened, he said to her, "I am scared, Khadija". Khadija (Radi Allahu Anha) encourage him saying, By Allah, Allah will never make you lose. You keep good terms with your relatives, are truthful, help the weak, are a good host to your guests and help the afflicted." [Reported by Al-Bukhari]

Khadijah (Radi Allahu Anha) comforted the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). She was the first to enter the fold of Islam and always trusted him. She never doubted him and was a great wife to him. She was always there for him and loved him very much. According to “Ar Raheeq Al Makthum, “She, for twenty-five years, shared with him the toils and trials of life, especially in the first ten years of his Prophethood. He deeply mourned over her death, and once he replied in an honest burst of tender emotions:

“She believed in me while the people disbelieved in me. And she trusted in me while the people belied me. And she helped and comforted me, in person and wealth, when the people would not. Allah provided me with children by her, and He did not with others.” (Musnad Imam Ahmed 6/118)

What makes this love story very special is that it is true. Khadijah (Radi Allahu Anha) was always truthful to her husband and she never failed in helping him. Our beloved Allah’s Messenger (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was facing the worst kind of oppression from the people of Quraish. The beauty of their relationship was they understood each other. They took care of one another and helped each other become stronger in faith. Khadijah (Radi Allahu Anha), the mother of the believers went through every hardship along with Rasulullah (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). She always encouraged the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) in the deen of Islam. After the death of his beloved wife, the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) always remembered her and was kind towards her friends. If you look deeply and get to know this love story, you will know what true love itself is! Khadijah (Radi Allahu Anha) was very strong in her faith and she helped the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) spread out the true message of Islam. Allah Subhana Wa Ta’ala honored her and blessed Rasulullah (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) with her.

“Jibreel (Alayhi Salam) came to the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) and said: ‘O’ Messenger of Allah, Khadeejah is coming to you with vessels containing food and drink. When she comes to you, convey to her the greeting of salaam from her Lord and from me, and give her the glad tidings of a house of pearls of Paradise, in which there is no noise or hard work.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Love is a gift. It is one of the signs of Allah Subhana Wa Ta’ala and a great blessing bestowed upon us. It does not come or go according to our moods. It always stays and remains inside us. Love connects one heart to another with a feeling of understanding, faith and happiness. The bliss of love cannot be compared, it is unique. Love calls for patience, tolerance and forgiveness. In love, people sacrifice everything for Allah’s sake.

My husband paused and saw my eyes filled with tears. He wiped them off and I wiped his. He then asked me, “If I would like to accompany him to his Palace.” I wasn’t sure about what he meant by that, so I asked, “where?” He said, “In Jannah Insha’Allah!” I said, “Yes, I would love to accompany you in your Palace in Jannah Insha’Allah.”

Love has so many meanings. Love is a feeling. Love is sacrifice. Love is unconditional. It brings two people closer. However, in time it fades... It becomes the cause of our sadness. Love dies when the person dies...

However true love always remains alive in our heart. Its light always shines inside us. We talk about the person we love as if it was fresh and new regardless of age. We tend to love the people who love our spouse. We love to a point we can't stop taking care. We honor them in our lives. To fall in love is to be in the sky with wings.

Ibn Hazm says describing the nature of love:

Of Love–may God exalt you! -the first part is jesting, and the last part is right earnestness. So majestic are its diverse aspects, they are too subtle to be described; their reality can only be apprehended by personal experience. Love is neither disapproved by Religion, nor prohibited by the Law; for every heart is in God’s hands. [Tawq Al Hamamah]

Hubb is the Arabic word for love and it is made up of the letters Ha (ح) and Ba (ب). On a side note, to recognize the beauty of the Arabic language, when one says Hubb, the Ha comes from deep inside the throat which almost chokes you (as love does) and when you end the word with Ba, the lips come together as if it were a kiss.

According to the book “Garden of the Lovers by Imam Ibn Qayyim (Rahimahullah), “Love is the divine endowment unto humanity, a serum of the soul's passion and the niche of the heart's innermost light. It is what flows with ease and sets at the scene of a long-winded aspiration, remaining in the deepest streams of life. Like a first breath, it comes with cherished sacredness and does not cease until death overcomes life. And though sometimes heavy on the tongue and rigid to handle with the bare hands, it dominates the subconscious of every creature.”

Praise be to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Lord of the Worlds, and may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) and his family and the Companions.

Story submitted by Ishrat Ali on 2/3/12, edited by DaBash and republished on 3/24/23.

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Ramadan Mubarak 2023! - Tips and Advices to Avoid Overloading Yourself

2023-03-22T14:25:00.010-04:00

بسم الله الرحمان الرجيم

We welcome the new Islamic month with open arms. We've all been waiting a long time for this moment and alhamdulilah by the mercy of Allah, we have been granted another year to take advantage of this holy month.

How our Ramadan will turn out will depend on what we did in the months prior to prepare for it. There are 3 types of people during this month. The first type is the one who has spent the entire year worshipping Allah abundantly in various ways. The second type is the one who worships Allah but not as much as type one. The third type is the one that rarely worships Allah. I will explain all 3 types in detail and give advices and tips to make the best out of this blessed month for anyone who falls into these 3 types.

1. Those who worship Allah abundantly:

These people on a day to day basis remember Allah literally all the time. They pray all their sunnah prayers, do their morning and evening supplications, perform many sunnah acts, perform many permissible acts with good intentions which transform those regular acts into virtuous ones, etc. Basically, they live and sleep remembering Allah and his beloved ﷺ.

These people can afford to push themselves even further this month. If they regularly read 1 or 2 juz a day, they can easily do 3-4 juz during Ramadan. If they always stay up 1-2 hours during the night worshipping Allah, they can stay up for an additional hour or more. In fact, if these types of people don't push themselves to worship even more, they might be blameworthy for not taking advantage of this month when they know they could have done more.

My advice for people who fall into type one is to not allow anyone to distract your flow and rhythm. You already have a solid connection with Allah and his Messenger ﷺ so don't ruin it during this month with excess eating and drinking which may cause you to feel too full and tired to continue your worship. Stay focused and keep your eye on the prize. Also, DO NOT look down at your brothers and sisters who cannot do as much as you. Be THANKFUL to Allah that He has blessed you to constantly remember Him. That blessing can be taken away in an instant so don't be proud of yourself! It is Allah that has honored you with no power from yourself. Keep that in mind!

2. Those who worship Allah normally:

These people pray their obligatory prayers and most of the time, pray their sunnah prayers as well. They take advantage of some virtuous days and sometimes can be distracted with the dunya but overall, they try their best.

These people can set goals for themselves in order to push themselves to do more during this blessed month. If they only read the entire Quran during Ramadan, then they will make sure to do so again this month while also pushing to do a second. If they never read the entire Quran during the year, they make it a goal to do so during this month. They sometimes go to the masjid but will make sure to go every day during this month.

My advice for people who are of type two, is to pace yourselves. Don't overdo it. Do what you can. Ramadan burn out is real. You want to establish habits that are not only sustainable, but ideally habits that can continue beyond Ramadan and for the rest of your life. Buy a Ramadan planner and keep track of your progress. Remember, Allah has chosen you to live another Ramadan so don't waste it! Also don't take on too much worship that will cause you to do less as the month progresses. Have high hopes but be realistic with your approach.

3. Those who don't worship Allah often:

These people may pray their obligatory prayers but don't pray their sunnah prayers. Some may not even pray their obligatory prayers or are constantly late in performing them. Some only pray Jummah prayers and some may not even pray at all until Ramadan arrives. Most of their days are spent in enjoying this world and thinking little of the Hereafter. Actors and fictional characters are their role models instead of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Some may not even fast this month but if they have other Muslim friends and family members who worship Allah, they may feel forced/pressured to do so. They hate or fear Ramadan as the days approach it due to not being able to eat during the day.

These types of people vary in their approach to this month. Some will capitalize on the late night drama shows and various foods that are cooked specifically for this month. Some will smoke hookah and other various harmful substances nightly like as if Ramadan is a month to socialize and waste time. Others, will seek to change. They have a spark in their hearts that make them want to at least walk into the masjid. They want to at least read a few pages of the Quran no matter how hard it is. They want to stand in taraweeh no matter how badly their feet aches.

My advice for those who are of type three and don't have any intentions to do any additional worship during this holy month is to fear Allah. He has blessed you to live another year to witness this blessed month. Many have died before this month arrived and Allah has continuously given you second chances out of His mercy. The fact that you are a Muslim means that ALLAH LOVES YOU! Yes, Allah loves you and wants to see you worshipping Him. That's why you are still alive. Turn back to Him before your end arrives or else there is no way to turn back anymore.

Those who are trying hard to worship after spending the entire year of not doing so, here are some tips for you to make the most out of this month (May Allah reward you):

Take it easy - If you joined a 10 mile marathon while having never ran a single mile in your entire life, don't look up at those who spent 20 years running and say I can't do this or I'm not fit for this. Everything comes with repetition. You came into Ramadan with barely anything and you will come out with everything if you put in the effort to do what you can. Don't attend mosques that pray 8 rakaat if you cannot handle standing for hours. Attend a mosque that does 20 rakaat instead because each rakaat will be shorter and more manageable and you can leave after 8 if you wish or stay longer if you can take it. If even that is too much, you can still pray taraweeh at home and recite any surah you wish. Even if its the same small surah over and over! It's ok! Allah wants to see you try! Come to Allah and He will honor you and raise your ranks!
Push negative thoughts behind - Any thoughts of you not being worthy or that you can't do certain acts of worships are complete nonsense. Push those thoughts away and say, "It may not be possible but it HAS to be done". Your desires doesn't want you to do what's hard on it. That's why its important to take it easy while also pushing forward and ignore the negativity that comes up either from your mind or people around you.
Allah loves you - Aren't you a Muslim? Aren't you feeling an urge to do something special in this month and worship Allah in any capacity? Who inspired you to have these thoughts? Allah! He wanted you to worship Him so He made you remember Him! What an honor to be chosen by Allah to remember and worship Him! Be thankful for this honor and ask Allah to continue to be blessed with this honor for the rest of your life!

I hope everyone has a blessed Ramadan this year and may Allah honor us and shower us with His mercy and accept our acts of worship. Ameen! Ramadan Mubarak everyone!

Post submitted by DaBash

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How I Gained Faith in Scholarship

2023-03-12T11:40:00.002-04:00

Once upon a time, I was a non-madhabist. After many years of trying to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah directly, without blindly following scholars, I reached the conclusion that I was unqualified to derive rulings directly from primary sources. I only reached this conclusion after I’d tried to set up my own hermeneutic methodology and had realized that I was duly unqualified to do so.

I realized that if I really wanted to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah, a standard madhab was the best option. Not only did a madhab have a fixed, solid methodology, it also went through centuries of checks and balances. While there’s no doubt that many scholars of the madhabs were mere followers, the luminaries would always analyze the positions of the school. Following a madhab doesn’t mean following its founding imam. It means following a large academy of some of history’s greatest minds. [Click here to learn more].

For a while after becoming a madhabist, doubts remained. As a former DIYer, I would remain skeptical of a position here or there in the Shafi’i school. I would rush to books of Shafi’i evidence, most often Al-Majmu’, and read up on the evidence that the school used to reach its conclusions. This continued for some years.

It finally reached the point where I stopped doubting the Shafi’i school, and, by extension, the other three madhabs. If they say something, they’ve got proof that’s strong enough to act on. No non-prophet is infallible, but depending on them is far safer than depending on the opinions of individual scholars, or, a fortiori, myself. [To learn more about the founders of the 4 schools of thought, click here].

Experience from Moustafa Elqabbany via Facebook (with permission) submitted by DaBash

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A Special Dua for Syria

2023-02-10T12:30:00.004-05:00

Below is a very long dua for Syria and its people. They are in need of our duas every day. Please make an effort to make dua for them. The duas below are an inspiration of what to say if you lack the words needed to make dua.

Also, if you're interested in duas from the Quran and Sunnah that you can make for yourself and family for success in this life and the hereafter, please click here.

Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem

O Allah! The Compassionate The Merciful

Ar Rahman Ar Raheem

Today and everyday

I ask You for Syria

O King, O the Holy One

Al Malik Al Quddus

I raise my hands

That You have given me

Begging Only You for Mercy

O The Source of Peace and the Guardian of Faith

Ya Salam Ya Mu'min

Please grant peace to

My Muslim brothers and sisters

In Syria

Please grant them strength to fight

And give them Your Protection

O Guardian O The Mighty One!

Ya Al Muhaymin Ya Aziz

Please take care of my Muslim brothers

And sisters in Syria

O Enforcer O Supreme One

Ya Al Jabbar Al Mutakabbir

I prostrate myself to You

Humbling myself to You

Please free Syria

O Lord, Our Creator, The Evolver

Al Khaliq Al Bari

Please do not let any more

Of my Muslim brothers and sisters

In Syria die O Allah please

O Fashioner O my Lord

You are the Forgiver

Ya Musawwir Ya Gaffar

You are Our Creator

Please forgive the people of Syria

And please forgive us all

Ya Gaffar, I know I am covered in sins

Ya Rabb, please forgive me

And accept my Duas for my dear brothers and sisters in Syria

The Ummah of our beloved Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam)

Ya Al Qahhar Al Wahhab

The Subduer The Bestower

Please bestow upon Syria

Your Great Mercy Ya Allah!

Ya Razzaq Ya Al Fattah

O The Provider The Opener

Please open the gates of Victory

For the people in Syria

O Allah please also open the gates of Jannah

For my muslim brothers and sisters who have died in Syria

O Allah please provide sustenance for Syria

Please provide for them everything they need

And take care of them Ameen

Ya Alim Ya Qabid

O the All-Knowing O The Seizer

O Allah You know everything

Nothing is hidden from You

O Allah! Please do not let any blood be shed

From my brothers and sisters

O Allah I cannot even imagine

What they are going through

Please help them Ya Malik Ya Rahim

Ya Al Basit Al khafid

O The Expander The Abaser

Please make it easy

On the people of Syria

Ya Ar Rafi Al Muizz

O The Exalter The Dignifier

Please Exalt honor to the Syrians

In the world, on the Day of Judgement

And the Hereafter Ya Rabb Al Alameen

Ya Mujill Ya As Sami

O Humiliator The All-Hearing One

Please protect and preserve them during natural disasters

Please listen to our Duas and accept them O Allah!

Ya Al-Basir Al Hakam

O All-Seeing One, Our Judge

Please grant justice to Syria

Please help Syria O Allah

Ya Adl Ya Latif

The Just The Subtle

Ya Khabir Ya Halim

O The Aware The Forbearing One

Please O Allah

You see everything and You know everything

We turn to You O Allah

For help please O Allah

Ya Al-Azim Ya Gafur

The Magnificent The Forgiver

Please forgive this Ummah

Please O Allah

We cry to You

And Complain to You

For our helplessness

We are far away from Syria

But You are closer to them

Than their jugular veins

Please listen to this dua

And accept this from me

This is all I want today

Right now Ya Rabb

This Yaum Al Jummah

My eyes are filled with tears

And I want Only You

To wipe it away from me

How you clear the clouds from darkness

After Rain

O Allah I have never heard such things

In my life

I cannot bear an inch of what is happening

To the people of Syria

How men has lacked mercy

And became harder than any stone

In the world

But You are the Lord of the Worlds

To You we thank O The Appreciative One

Ya Ash Sakur

Ya 'Ali The Most High

Please hear our plight

Ya Kabir Ya Hafiz

My Lord, Most Great

To You I humble my body, my soul

My heart in pain

Asking You to preserve the people of Syria

O Allah! Al Muqit, Al Hasib

The Nourisher The Reckoner

Al Jalil Al Karim

The Glorious The Munificent

To You I ask for Help

Please O Allah!

Ya Raqib Ya Al Mujib

The Vigilant The Responder to Prayer

Please respond to my prayer

And send Your army full of angels

And believers to Syria O Allah!

Ya Wasi Ya Hakim

Only You are the Wise One, The Embracing One

Please embrace Syria with Your Love

And please don't let any harm or grief touch them

Ya Wadud Ya Majid

The Loving The Majestic

Ya Wadud I love Syria for Your sake Only

Please Ya Majid it hurts me when I

Look through my Islamic books

And find the name of Syria written in there

May the blessed city be free

O Allah please love the people of Syria

I call out to You

With my love for You

With my love for my Muslim

Brothers and sisters

Who say La Ilaha Ill Allah

Muhammad Ar Rasulullah

(Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam)

Please grant victory to Syria

Ya Al Baith Al Sahid Ya Haq Ya Wakil

The Resurrector, The Witness, The Truth, The Ultimate Trustee

I invoke You please O Allah

Only You know what is going on in Syria

Only You know their every tear

Only You know what their hearts are going through

Please O Allah! They are oppressed, they are weak

They need You more than anything O Allah!

Ya Al Qawi Ya Matin Ya Wali Ya Hamid

O The Strong One, The Firm One, The Protector, The Praiseworthy

Ya Hamid, All praise is Yours alone

Please grant Syria Your Ultimate Protection

Please help them O Allah! You are our Wali!

Ya Muhsi Al Mubdi Al Muid Al Muhyi Al Mumit

The Appraiser, The Originator, The Restorer, The Giver of Life, The Giver of Death

Everything is in Your Hands Ya Rabb

Please don't let them take away

Any of my brothers and sisters life in Syria

Ya Al Haye Al Qayyum Al Wajid Al Majid

O The Eternal The Self Existing The Finder The Splendid

Please destroy the Oppressors

And Save Syria from Oppression Ya Allah!

Ya Wahid Ya Ahad Ya Samad Ya Qadir

O The One, The Unique, The Absolute, The Able

You are able to do all things

Please protect Syria and grant them relief O Allah!

Ya Muqtadir Ya Muqaddam Ya Muakkhir Al Awal Al Akhir

The Powerful, The Expeditor, The Delayer, The First, The Last

Yours is the Power alone

Please destroy the wrongdoers

Ya Zahir, Ya Batin, Ya Wali, Ya Mutaali

O The Manifest, Hidden, Supreme Governor, The Most Exalted

Please help Syria

Ya Al-Barr, At-Tawwab, Al-Muntaqim

The Source of All Good, The Acceptor of Repentance, The Avenger

Please forgive us all

O Allah, please avenge every Syrian death

And grant them Shahadah

Every day people in Syria are dying

People are losing their loved ones

And are being tortured and murdered

Please envelop Syria in Your Mercy

O Most Gracious Most High Lord!

Ya Al-Afu, Ar-Rauf, Al Malik ul Mulk

O The Pardoner, The Clement, The Master of Soverignty

Yours is the Soverignty, Yours is the Praise

No one forgives sins except You

Please forgive Syria and grant them victory

Ya Jul-Jalali-Wal-Ikram, Ya Muqsit, Ya Jame

The Lord of Majesty & Generosity, The Equitable, The Gatherer

I seek Only Your help

For my brothers and sisters in Syria

For I cannot do anything for them

But I have hope in You

Ya Gani Ya Mugni Ya Al Mani Ya Ad-Dar

The Self Sufficient, The Enricher, The Preventor, The One who causes Loss)

Please prevent any harm from coming

To the people of syria

Ya Nafi, Ya Nur, Ya Hadi, Ya Badi, Ya Baqi, Ya Warith, Ya Rashid, Ya Sabur

O The Propitious, The Light, The Guide, The Originator, The Everlasting, The Inheritor, The Righteous, The Patient

O Allah! I Invoke You with Your Great Special 99 Names and Attributes!

Please help the Masakeen, This Ummah, The People of Syria for I cannot help but cry for them. When I get even a small inch of tiny hurt, I can't help but think for the greatest of pains they have been suffering. I might have lost a few loved ones in life but they have lost many and watched them die in front of their own eyes. They have been the victims of massive oppression and crimes. They are oppressed. While the world waits and lets them die, I cannot for they are my brothers and sisters in faith. Their pain is mine as well. I thank You for everything You have given me but I cannot be happy if they are deprived of every happiness. I know You love them so much, I know You are testing them. In Only You they put their trust in and I have hope in You that You will accept my dua today that You will take good care of my dear brothers and sisters in Syria.

Ameen thumma Ameen O Allah! Please Help! Please Please I beg You to help my dear brothers and sisters in Syria! Ya Rabb Al Alameen! O Lord of the Heavens and the Earth!! Allahu Akbar!!

Poem submitted by a sister who wishes to remain Anonymous (3/10/2012) and edited by Admin (2/10/2023)

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7 Important Duas For Life To Consider In 2023

2022-11-27T16:16:00.008-05:00

The past few years have been quite difficult for everyone worldwide—a global pandemic followed by a record-high increase in the cost of living. Things have been hard on most people.

The world is fraught with wars, conflict, uncertainty, and restlessness. There is a lack of peace and harmony. We must all turn towards Allah more than ever to get peace of mind.

Importance Of Dua To Allah

Allah is All-Powerful and All-Knowing. We should always turn towards Allah to ask for anything. The Al-Mighty alone has the power to grant us our wishes and to relieve us of our hardships.

This is why all Muslims believe that it is Allah alone who is worthy of all worship, and this includes supplication to Him. This is very clearly mentioned in the very first chapter of the Holy Quran:

"You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help" [1:5]

The above verse highlights the importance of seeking Allah's help. Seeking Allah's assistance through supplication, in particular, is encouraged. According to a tradition narrated by Hazrat Anas bin Malik, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) said:

"The supplication is the essence of worship." [Jami at-Tirmidhi, Vol. 6, Book 45, Hadith 3371]

There is beauty in supplication. It is an integral part of the five daily prayers; however, supplication is not a compulsion. It is also not subject to any rules other than that it should be directed towards Allah alone, and one must not ask for something that goes against the teachings of Islam.

Aside From these minor qualifications, supplication to Allah can include anything. It does not have to be Arabic. A person can ask Allah in his or her native language. It can be highly personalized. This is what makes supplication so wonderful. It can alleviate worries and anxieties, and it can provide hope.

Seven Important Duas for Life

Supplication of all kinds is beautiful because it is straight from the heart. It is genuine, and while prayer is full of praise of Allah, supplication is a time to ask Allah for His favor. Here are seven great Duas that are meaningful and necessary for the times ahead:

1. Supplication To Combat Anxiety And Depression

It is hard to survive in the world today. Everyone seems to be struggling. No one seems at peace.

All around the world, there is a rising mental health epidemic. More people suffer from psychological issues than ever before in history. 970 million people suffer from mental health or substance abuse disorders. Additionally, 14.3% of deaths yearly are due to mental health issues.

As Muslims, we can always turn towards Allah and seek deliverance from mental health concerns. Stress, anxiety, and depression can be difficult to deal with. Here is a wonderful supplication that can help anyone suffering from any mental health problem:

“O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts, and from being overpowered by men."[Al-Bukhari 7/158]

2. Supplication To Keep Safe From Illness

Dealing with a global pandemic has taught us that despite all the medical advances, we are still prone to diseases. Illnesses and sickness can become major barriers to healthy and full life.

Only Allah has the power to keep us safe. This is why reciting this supplication daily is very important:

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from possession, leprosy, leukoderma and bad sickness (that may lead to visible deformity)” [Sunanan-Nasai,Vol. 6, Book 50, Hadith 5495]

3. Supplication Seeking Allah's Protection

Allah's protection is all-encompassing. We need not worry about any problem, be it physical or psychological. The protection of the Al-Mighty keeps us safe from harm as well as all other kinds of problems, like financial and even social.

The following is the supplication that can be used to invoke Allah's protection:

“O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness and Your protection in this world and the next. O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness and Your protection in my religion, in my worldly affairs, in my family, and my wealth. O Allah, conceal my secrets and preserve me from anguish. O Allah, guard me from what is in front of me and behind me, from my left, and my right, and from above me. I seek refuge in Your Greatness from being struck down from beneath me.”[Sahih ibn Majah 2/332]

4. Supplication Offering Thanks To Allah

Supplication does always have to involve us asking Allah for something. It can be a simple expression of gratitude as well.

If someone is experiencing good fortune, we must not forget that it is from Allah. We must thank Him for His favors. Here is a short supplication to offer thanks to Allah:

“Praise is to Allah Who by His blessings all good things are perfected.”[Hisn al-Muslim 218]

5. Supplication Against A Weakness Of Faith

Nowadays, there is so much information as well as misinformation that it can weaken our faith. It is a time of confusion, which is why even the strongest Muslims must protect themselves.

Weakness in faith can occur, which is why we must pray to Allah to keep us on the straight path and steadfast. It is easy to deviate. We must all recite the following supplication regularly:

يقول" آمنت بالله ورسله"

(Say:) “I believe in Allah and His Messengers.” [1/119-20]

6. Supplication For Seeking Allah's Guidance

Allah is All-knowing. He has complete knowledge of what is good for us and what is not. This is why we need to invoke Allah's favor and guidance whenever making an important decision.

Here is a supplication that should be made before we make any major decision:

"O Allah, I seek the counsel of Your Knowledge, and I seek the help of Your Omnipotence, and I beseech You for Your Magnificent Grace. Surely, You are Capable and I am not. You know and I know not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter [then mention the thing to be decided] is good for me in my religion and my life and for my welfare in the life to come, - [or say: in this life and the afterlife] - then ordain it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion and my life and for my welfare in the life to come, - [or say: in this life and the afterlife] - then distance it from me, and distance me from it, and ordain for me what is good wherever it may be, and help me to be content with it." [Al-Bukhari 7/162]

7. Greatest Supplication

The verse of the Throne or Ayat-ul-Kursi in the second chapter of the Holy Quran is the greatest Supplication. The verse is full of praise of Allah and seeks His protection against all evil.

Reciting the verse multiple times a day will keep us safe. It is as follows:

"Allah! There is no god worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who could intercede with Him without His permission? He fully knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but no one can grasp any of His knowledge-except what He wills to reveal. His Seat encompasses the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of both does not tire Him. For He is the Most High, the Greatest." [2:255]

If you're interested in 100+ duas for success, click here to purchase this wonderful dua book!

Turning To Allah

We must turn to Allah for every need and wish we may have. No matter how small or big our requests may be, they should all be directed toward Allah.

Supplication is not simply a way of asking Allah for His favor; it is also a form of worship. By asking only Allah, we acknowledge His Power. Above are some simple supplications to recite daily. Each one is beautiful in its way.

You can check out the Arabic and transliteration for each one of the supplications online. Some wonderful resources, like Muslim Pro, provide all the details and many other supplications that we should incorporate into our life.

Guest post submitted by Dar-e-Sabih

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Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhu)

2021-11-08T19:10:00.001-05:00

Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhu) was the cousin of Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). He was the son of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s uncle, Abbas Ibn Abdul Muttalib. He was born, three years before Hijrah. He was one of the most knowledgeable of the Companions of the Prophet (SAW). He was very humble and always respected the people who had knowledge. He had great memory, knowledge and wisdom. He was known for his eloquence in speech and manners. He was enthusiastic towards learning and educating people about Islam. He narrated 1,660 Ahadith from the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) which was one of his greatest achievements.

The key factors that made him one of the greatest scholars of the ummah are humility, patience, wisdom, good memory, attentiveness, willingness to learn, and respect for teachers.

Childhood- Enthusiasm

During the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), he was a young child. He always followed the Prophet (SAW) in everything he did. He attended almost every one of his gathering and memorized everything he had said. He always admired Rasulullah (SAW) and served him greatly. In Sahih Bukhari, Narrated by Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhu) himself that he said, “Once the Prophet (SAW) embraced me (pressed me to his chest) and said, “O Allah, teach him Al-Hikmah (i.e. the understanding of the knowledge of the Qur’an).” [5:100-O.B] and also in another Hadith of Sahih Al Bukhari, The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to make du’a for him, “O Allah, teach him (Ibn Abbas) the Book (i.e. the understanding of the knowledge of the Qur’an).” [5:101-O.B]

Teenage Years- Humbleness

After the death of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Abdullah (Ra) kept on learning Hadith from other Sahabas (Companions of Prophet (SAW). After learning and recording them, he would also make sure to verify what he has heard. He was careful with the knowledge he had and always held to the truth. He once said, “If I wanted to know something about an issue I would ask 30 Companions.” He never asked his teachers to come to his house to teach him knowledge. He always went to them to learn it.

Wisdom and Respect for Teachers

In a lecture, Shaykh Omar Suleiman (2015) mentioned a famous statement of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Ra), “Knowledge is sought.” Abdullah Ibn Abbas had so much respect for his teachers that whenever he would go to their house to learn, he would not knock on their door, in order not to disturb them. He would sit outside for hours until they would come out of their houses.

His Companionship

The Sahaba had a lot of love of respect for him as he was Ahl al bayt. Whenever he had something to say, they always listened to him. Umar (Ra) used to consult him for advices during his caliphate. If any companion of the Prophet (SAW) had a Hadith that he never listened to, he would be eager to learn it. He had so much respect for the people of knowledge that he would go listen to them as a slave and treat them like master.

Sad ibn abi Waqqas (Radi Allahu Anhu) described him with these words: "I have never seen someone who was quicker in understanding, who had more knowledge and greater wisdom than Ibn Abbas. I have seen Umar summon him to discuss difficult problems in the presence of veterans of Badr from among the Muhajirin and Ansar. Ibn Abbas would speak and Umar would not disregard what he had to say."

His Knowledge

He spent most of his life teaching Hadith, Fiqh, Qur’anic sciences, Qur’an Tafseer etc to many people. His house would be full of students learning each day a different topic on Islam.

He was once asked, “How could you acquire all that knowledge?” He answered, By means of a questioning tongue and a reasoning mind.” Through his continuously inquiring tongue, his ever-detecting mind and moreover, his humility and gentleness, Ibn ‘Abbas became the nation’s scholar.”

Umar bin Al Khattab RA was well aware of the knowledge and wisdom of Abdullah ibn Abbas, despite of his young age he gave him a place in his shura council in his caliphate. He would consult him on the tough decisions. Once he requested Abdullah ibn Abbas to explain the verse of Surah Nasr where, Abdullah ibn Abbas related it to the departure of Prophet Mohammed SAW and everyone in the gathering were amazed by the understanding of Abdullah Ibn Abbas RA.

One of the major achievements of Abdullah Ibn Abbas was during the Battle of Siffeen when Ali RA took stand against Muawiyah. A large number of supporters of Ali RA had some concerns over his leadership which Abdullah ibn Abbas eloquently cleared up through his excellent knowledge of Quran and Seerah and was able to convince most of them. During his last days he dedicated himself purely towards knowledge and worship, he passed away around seventy in Taaif, it was said that the Scholar of Ummah has died.

Personal Thoughts

After reading the biography of Abdullah ibn Abbas, I learned that similar to how Prophet Muhammad (SWS) made dua for him. I think the student of knowledge should sincerely make dua to Allah SWT to help them sustain and implement the knowledge. It’s relatively easy to acquire the knowledge but it’s hard to sustain and implement in real world. I pray to Allah (SWT) that he help us out in our initiatives of knowledge and keep up with it. We should not only be humble but also respect our teachers in order to attain knowledge and wisdom.

Conclusion

There is so much a student of knowledge can learn from the life of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (Ra). From a very young age, He began to seek knowledge from the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the Sahaba. While at that age, children nowadays would spend their time playing sports, video games etc. He dedicated his entire childhood in seeking knowledge. Although he was the cousin of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), he never had pride. He approached the people of knowledge with humility and respect. He always verified the authenticity of the knowledge he had received. He gave advices according to the Qur’an and Sunnah. He deeply studied the knowledge of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and spent his entire life teaching what he had learned.

Story of Prophet Musa (AS)

2021-05-01T03:08:00.000-04:00

Prophet Musa (AS) lived in Egypt with his brother Haroun (AS). At that time Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, was a bad person who thought of himself as god. One day Pharaoh thought that one of the baby boys from the poor families would try to kill him so they could be king. So, he ordered all the baby boys to be killed every other year. Prophet Musa (AS) was born on one of those years. His mother was worried but Allah told her to place Musa (AS) into a basket and she asked her daughter to watch him until he reached the pharaoh’s palace. Pharoah’s wife was so happy to see baby Musa and decided to adopt him. When he grew up, pharaoh had the poor people work for him.

Allah asked Prophet Musa (AS) to save the poor workers and he took them to Sinai. They had to cross the water, so Prophet Musa (AS) hit his stick on the ground and Allah made the water split in half. Musa (AS) and the people crossed to safety. Pharaoh followed them to try to kill them, but right after he entered, the water the sea went back to the right place, pharaoh and his army drowned and Prophet Musa (AS) got to Sinai safely and they did not die.

There was a lot of gold left behind from the Pharaoh and his people after they drowned. The people following Prophet Musa (AS) were fighting over it. Prophet Musa (AS) told his brother to gather all the gold and he buried it so they would stop fighting. He said that the gold didn’t belong to them. When Prophet Musa left, Al samri took the gold out to make an idol for the people to worship. He melted the gold and made a golden cow, and after he built it people were very happy and they forgot what Prophet Musa had taught them. Haroon(AS) was very upset when he saw that, he reminded that Allah is the only God. They didn’t listen to him. Prophet Musa(AS) returned, he was very sad and upset when he saw the idol. He said what have you done after I left and asked his brother why he didn’t stop them. Haroon said that he tried but they didn’t listen. Prophet Musa (AS) decided to destroy the idol and punish Alsamri for what he did. He kept reminding the people that Allah is our only God and that Alsamri shouldn’t have done that.

The story of Prophet Musa (AS) taught me that if you believe in Allah, even if you are weak and have no way to protect yourself, He can save you if you are in danger and protect you from evil. Also that if I see someone doing something wrong , I don’t follow them and stick to what I believe in.

By Yasmeen Molokhia (Age 8)

References:

1. The Story of the Prophets-Musa and Haroun. Dar Al-Farouk press.

2. Islamic Studies. Mansour Ahmad and Husain A. Nuri.

3. The stories of quran Alsamri wa Alejl. Dar Alshrouk

Best ways of using Social media

2021-05-01T02:57:00.004-04:00

Social media is a great way to connect to families and learn new information every day. Although it has many negative uses, we can still find ways to use it in a good way within the comfort of our homes. It’s a blessing when it comes to being able to access so much information on Islam, learn Qur’an and its translation, listen to Islamic lectures, share our travel stories, express ourselves, find friends and connect with the people of the world. There are many apps in the app store that has good benefits. Today we will talk about some of the apps and their uses. The apps I will be discussing are Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook, Go fund me, Athan app, Quran memorization app, Youtube, and Instagram. These apps can all be used in bad and good ways but hopefully, you will use them in great ways.

The first app I will be discussing is Skype. Skype is an app used to facetime people from back home or people that live far away. You can use this app to maintain your ties with your relatives who live far away.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him maintain good relation with kins” [Al Bukhari and Muslim]

You can also use this app to wish your family members a happy Eid or Ramadan Mubarak for occasions. This app has many good uses to it. I would definitely recommend it because it has a great connection and is a great app.

The second app I will be discussing is WhatsApp. This is an app very much similar to messages, except you can add friends and family that also have the app. You can make groups and share Hadiths or verses from the Qur’an with each other. You can also send duas for each other to read and learn. You can use the voice feature and you can send voice messages to your family.

Facebook is the third app I will talk about as this app is used by many people and is well known. In this app, you can make an account and add friends you know from school or add relatives as well. You can use this app by telling people to follow you and post daily hadiths and duas on there as well. These days especially during Ramadan, a lot of scholars post Islamic lectures on Facebook Live. I also like to follow the news and Islamic pages.

The fourth app I will talk about is “go fund me”. This app is used to raise money for people in need. You can create a fund and people can donate money to a cause. This is an app used for charity and donations the money made from the go fund me can be used for different charities like people with disabilities. It can also be used for the poor and needy. Also if your masjid needs money for renovations, you can also use the money for that need.

The fifth app is the athan app. This app is used to tell and remind you of the adhan for prayers. You can download the app then choose your city and country, it will tell you the five prayers time. When it’s time for prayer, it will make an athan sound to remind you to pray. In some apps, they include daily adhkar, duas, hadiths, and show Qibla. For Qiblah, you point your phone and it shows you which way is the qibla. This is helpful for when you are traveling and don’t know where the qibla is!

The sixth app is the Qur’an memorization app. This app can be used to memorize or read Qur’an. It shows you the translation as well. You can bookmark and choose the ayah and verse you want to stop reading at. To learn or listen to the correct pronunciation, you can choose the Shaykh you want to read with. You can use this app for quick memorization or read the translation to understand the meaning of the verse.

The seventh app is Instagram. You can use this app to share posts with others. You can also put things on your story which are visible to all people. You can put pictures of your masjid, share the events happening in your community. You can collect donations, share videos of stories of the Prophets, share Quran verses and you can share videos on how to do things that some new Muslims might not know how to do.

The last app is youtube. I personally find this app very useful. You can listen to nasheeds, watch lots of Islamic lectures and videos. There are many amazing series on youtube such as the Qur’an tafsir series, stories of Sahaba and Prophets, Inspiration series, etc., in which you can learn and share with others. You can also watch videos and tutorials on all sorts of things like how to wrap a hijab, how to make a certain dessert, how to recite a surah, what is the story behind a prophet, and many more educational purposes.

I hope you found this article very useful and I would definitely recommend installing these apps because they have great uses and can be used to learn about Islam and can teach you many great things.

By Mariam Shakora (Age 12)

The Story of Prophet Nuh (AS)

2021-05-01T02:48:00.004-04:00

Nuh (AS) also known as Prophet Noah is one of our beloved Prophet in Islam. Allah gave him the duty of preaching his people who worshipped Idols. He asked his people to worship One God and nobody but God could save them from the flood.

Allah commanded Nuh (AS) to build a ship "The Ark". He asked him to load the Ark with pairs of every animals and a group of believers. The people mocked him and did not believe in his message. One day a big storm came and flooded the city. Prophet Nuh (AS) asked his believers to get safety in the ship. The flood took away all the disbelievers including his wife and son. The ship traveled for 150 days until it sailed on top of a mountain. The animals and the believers found the ground and the first thing Prophet Nuh (AS) did was to put his forehead down in prostration.

That was the new beginning of the human race.

By Mira Hasan (Age 7)

Story of Prophet Yunus (AS)

2021-05-01T02:30:00.001-04:00

Yunus Ibn Matta (Alayhi Salam) referred to as Jonah in English, was a messenger of Allah sent to Nineveh, a

city in northern Iraq. The booming city of Nineveh had long forgotten the message of Allah and

became a city filled with idol worshiping and sin. Allah decided to send Prophet Yunus (AS), a

man born among them, as a Messenger to guide them to His path—the path of light.

Prophet Yunus (AS) immediately set out to fulfill Allah’s wish and invited his people to turn to

Allah and shun idol worship, but the people of Nineveh rejected Yunus (AS), just as many nations

rejected the Prophets and Messengers before him. Yunus (AS) was not deterred; he continued to

call them to the worship of Allah, reminding them of the terrible wrath of Allah that was directed

at Ad, Thamud and the people of Nuh, but they rejected him. Yunus (AS) was so angry, he left. He

sailed away in a Ship but the ship was so full and heavy that the people in the ship decided to throw one person out. Due to this, they drew lots and every time the name of Yunus (AS) came up. Therefore, Yunus (AS) was thrown overboard and got swallowed by a whale. Deep in the stomach of the whale, Prophet Yunus (AS) prostrated to Allah and said, “O Allah, I am prostrating to you in a place where no one has prostrated to you before, in the stomach of a fish.”

He then called out to Allah, repeating, “None has the right to be worshipped but You. Glorified

be You. Truly, I have been among the wrongdoers.” "“la ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntum minaz-zalimin”

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The supplication of Jonah when he called upon Allah inside the belly of the whale was this, ‘There is no God but you, glory be to you, for I have been among the wrongdoers,’ (21:87). Verily, a Muslim never supplicates for anything with it but that Allah will answer him.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3505

The creatures of the deep sea heard the invocations of Yunus (AS), and gathered around the whale to join along in the celebration of the praises of Allah. He was very ill but Allah was protecting him. When the whale vomited him out, A plant grew and its leaves protected Yunus (AS) from the sun and kept the flies away. A wild goat provided him with milk.

Then Allah Exalted caused Yunus (AS) to recover and forgave him. Allah told him that if it had

not been for his praying to him, he would have stayed in the whale's stomach till the Day of

Judgment. Prophet Yunus (AS) repented to Allah SWT and Allah SWT accepted his repentance and elevated his rank.

Almighty Allah recounted: "And, verily, Yunus was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the

laden ship, he agreed to cast lots and he was among the losers, Then a big fish swallowed him

and he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, he would

have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection. But We cast him

forth on the naked shore while he was sick and We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him.

And We sent him to a hundred thousand people or even more, and they believed; so We gave

them enjoyment for a while." (Ch 37:139-148 Quran).

When Yunus (AS) was completely recovered, he traveled back to Nineveh to complete his

mission. Upon arriving at his hometown, Yunus (AS) was stunned that the entire population of

Nineveh had accepted Islam and were awaiting his arrival. Together with his people, Yunus (AS)

prostrated to Allah SWT and thanked Him for all his blessings.

Sources:

https://www.islamawareness.net/Prophets/yunus.html

https://myislam.org/prophet-yunus/

by Hatem Alghzawi (Age 9)

Khushoo in Prayer

2021-04-29T01:57:00.002-04:00

Khushoo in prayer happens to be when a person’s thoughts, mind, and concentration is on Allah

and in prayer. Khushoo is defined and translated to the tranquility of the heart and calmness of

the organs. It is important to have khushoo in prayer. Shaytan tries and attempts to take khushoo

in prayer away from Muslims. We should not listen to the shaytan. It is very important to concentrate during the salah.

Khushoo happens to be used in all forms of actions. If you don’t have khushoo then that

action or thing is incomplete. To improve khushoo you always have to make dua. You should

also listen to the adhan. You should also know the times of prayers. You must pray on time and

not procrastinate. Pay attention to the wudhu and be in the moment. While praying, keep it in

your mind that you are praying a certain salah. (ex. Fajr, Dhur, Asr, Maghrib, Isha.)

Khushoo in prayer happens to be very important. It is important because many people are

not focusing on their prayer. I hope many people improve their khushoo. In Sha Allah

By Rohaan Malik (Age 10)

6 Pillars of Iman (Faith)

2021-04-29T01:47:00.001-04:00

The Pillars of Iman shows the strength of faith. It is to show our strong belief to Allah. Iman is what a good Muslim have. If a person holds onto the pillars he will be upon Allah’s mercy. It also means to have faith in Allah. Iman makes a person strong and true believer.

There are six pillars of Iman.

1. Belief in Allah: It means that Allah is One and we only worship Him.

2. Belief in Angels: It means believing in all Angels.

3. Belief in Allah’s Books:

Torah (Tawrat) = Musa (AS)
Gospel (Injil) = Isa (AS)
Psalms (Zabur) = Dawud (AS)
Qur’an = Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
Suhuf (Scrolls) = Ibrahim (AS)

4. Belief in all Prophets. Adam (AS) was the first Prophet and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the last Prophet of Allah. There are no prophets after Him.

5. Belief in Day of Judgment

6. Belief in Qadr or Fate, which means to believe all what happens in our life is from Allah and accepting the decision of Allah.

In conclusion, having Iman is being a good Muslim. Having Iman also brings you closer to Allah. Iman is like a light that glows in our heart. We should always be strong in our faith. When we have Iman, we will do lots of good deeds and stay away from bad deeds.

By Amir Ali (Age 7)

Brothers of Yusuf (AS) - Surah Yusuf

2021-04-28T07:10:00.001-04:00

Do you know the story of Yusuf(A.S)’s brothers and what they did to him? Well, I will tell you what I learned from Surah Yusuf (Surah no.12, Makkan Surah) about the jealousy Yusuf(A.S) had to face in the light of this beautiful 12^th Chapter of Holy Quran.

Yaqoob(A.S) had 12 sons. He loved them all. He was a great father. He treated Yusuf(A.S) more lovingly because of his good characteristics and manners. However, this made the other brothers very angry. One night, Yusuf(A.S) saw a dream that 11 stars, the sun and the moon are bowing in front of him. He went to his father and told him about his dream. Yaqoob(A.S) told him not to share this dream with his brothers because he already knew they were jealous of him. Also the dream meant Yusuf AS would become a Prophet and it would make the brothers more jealous of him. Meanwhile, the jealousy of the brothers reached its peak and they made a plan to throw him in a well.

At first Yaqoob(A.S) was very reluctant in sending Yusuf(A.S) with them because he knew they were jealous of him but finally gave them permission. The brothers threw him in the well. Yusuf(A.S) was all alone and scared in the well. It is when Allah SWT sent him the revelation that one day He will tell them about this. The brothers came back with a blooded shirt and told father that a wolf ate Yusuf(A.S). But YaqoobA.S) knew they were lying.

A group of travelers came near the well and found Yusuf(A.S). The travelers put Yusuf(A.S) for auction. The Chief Minister of Egypt got him for few coins. After Yusuf AS grew up, the wife of the Minister made false accusations against him and threw him in Prison. Years later, when the King of Egypt had a dream of 7 skinny cows eating 7 fat cows, he was very disturbed by it. Allah SWT gave Prophet Yusuf AS the miracle of the interpretation of Dreams, so Yusuf AS interpreted the King’s dream. The King became very pleased with Prophet Yusuf (AS) and made him the Minister of Egypt.

Prophet Yusuf(A.S) became the controller of cultivation, harvesting and storage of crops. He saved enough grains for the coming seven dry years. When dry season came, he helped the people. During this time of Famine, Prophet Yaqoob(A.S) sent all his 10 sons to Egypt to get grains for the family except his younger one. Prophet Yusuf(A.S) immediately recognized them but they didn’t. Prophet Yusuf(A.S) said to them to bring the younger brother next time and he will double the ration, or he will not give them grains. Next time the brothers wanted the younger brother to go with them, but the father hesitated. Eventually he has to agree but before they left, he made them take an oath that they will bring him back.

When the brothers were adding the bags of grains, Prophet Yusuf (AS) ordered his servant to put the golden cup in his younger brother’s bag secretly and the soldiers found it. The rest of the brothers left and told their father everything. Prophet Yaqoob(A.S) cried so much that he lost his sight. He sent his sons to Egypt again and finally Yusuf(A.S) told them that I am your brother. The brothers realized their mistake and Yusuf(A.S) asked Allah (SWT) to forgive them. He gave his shirt to recover his father's eyesight. Finally, the father went to meet Yusuf(A. S). Yusuf(A. S) received them with joy and placed his parents on the throne. Then, his parents and all his brothers prostrated in front of him [Yusuf’s parents and his eleven brothers prostrated before him out of respect, not as an act of worship. This was permissible in their tradition, but in Islam, Muslims prostrate only to Allah.], and this was the dream that he saw when he was young.

by Aisha Shehzad (Age 9)

Spiritual Preparation for Ramadan

2021-04-28T06:29:00.004-04:00

Ramadan is a very special and holy month of year on the Arabic Calendar. It’s a time where everyone no matter where they’re from to rejoice and come together to break their fast with a symbolic food: a date. However, before Ramadan begins, Muslims always prepare themselves physically and mentally for this wonderous month. They must cleanse their spirits before they can fast. Ways in which a Muslim can spiritually cleanse and prepare their souls for the of Ramadan are to clear their minds of bad intentions, secure their relationships with the Quran, and focusing on their prayers.

When people clear their mind of bad intentions, they will have no bad deeds to preform and can stay on the right path of following the Quran. While preparing everyone must realize that during Ramadan, they want to stay on the righteous path to receive all the good deeds they can get. When people pray it helps them stay true to the path and achieve Taqwa. Taqwa is the fear and love of Allah (SWT). It allows people to retain their faith and to rid the mind of bad intentions so they can fast in the name of their Rab. This is the reason Allah (SWT) asked that when people pray, they have a clear mind and think of nothing.

To prepare people for Ramadan they must secure the relationship they have with the Quran. Muslims always want to read the Quran even if there is no occasion happening. Reading one letter of the Quran gives the person 10 good deeds and reading surahs really help individuals connect with Allah (SWT). The Prophet Muhammed (ASWS) was sent the Quran and would read and recite every day until he passed away. The Quran is the holiest book to the Muslims and tells stories the enrich the mind and cleanse the soul to help people start Ramadan.

Prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam so we can worship Allah. It will be the first thing asked about on judgement day and is all about giving praise to Allah and asking for forgiveness which can help cleanse the soul. During prayer the mind must be clear and to focus on nothing but Allah. In prayer people recite the Fatiha which roughly translates to In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). The Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e., the Day of Resurrection) You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). Guide us to the Straight Way the Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians). Saying the Fatiha reminds Muslims of the might of Allah (SWT) and how they should always thank him. People also pray during Ramadan to help them see the clear path and to not be tempted by the Shaytan.

Overall, there are plenty of ways to prepare for the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a month of Wisdom and true connection with Allah (SWT). Allah is merciful and even when people have done something wrong they can pray for forgiveness and have their sins washed away but not forgotten. Muslims can prepare their souls for Ramadan by clearing their minds of bad deeds and sins, securing their relationships with the holy book: the Quran, and focusing on their praying.

by Omar Molokhia (Age:15)

Beautiful Forgiveness

2019-01-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite Surah in the Qur'an is Surah Yusuf. It's the most beautiful story ever! It's the story of a Young Prophet whose journey starts from one place to another. At his young age, he was thrown into a well by his 10 older brothers. It was a very painful feeling for Yusuf ( AS). Imagine being away from home, away from a loving father and betrayed by not just one but ten brothers!

Yusuf (AS) was alone in the well but his afflictions didn’t end here. A group of people found him but decided to sell him into slavery in a far place. Very soon, Allah Swt turned his calamity into a blessing. Yusuf (AS) was sold as a slave in Egypt and was purchased by a Finance Minister of that time. He was treated more like a son than a slave. He was taught the knowledge of finance of that country. When everything was going well, he was seduced by the Minister's wife. He got blamed although he was innocent. He went to prison for many years. At last when his innocence was cleared, he then became the finance minister of that same town.

This time, his brothers came for some food. Then later on they found out that he was their own brother who they threw into the well. Realizing what they had done, they asked him for forgiveness. Yusuf (AS) forgave his brothers.

The story of Yusuf (AS) is a beautiful story that teaches us patience and forgiveness. Although Yusuf (AS) was in a very high position than his brothers, he never put them down. He forgave them in a very beautiful and kind way.

When someone hurts us, it doesn't give us the right to put that person down. If you don’t wish to forgive that person, just leave that person alone. If they apologize, accept it or keep a distance. However, don’t make that person feel bad about him/her every time you see them.

Islam teaches us to be easy going. We have to understand each other and move on. The truth is we are always struggling with our manners. Now a days, the way we text or chat with someone, we hardly think too much and just write what we feel at the moment. However the message, once sent is sent. There is nothing we can do about it. We have to do our best to not hurt others. It’s difficult but if we try our best, we can achieve this. It's not right to text anything to someone without giving it a read at least once. We may mean something else but the person reading it would feel something different.

Be forgiving, be humble, be honest and move on in life. This is how you can live and be happy. The more grudges you keep, the more it will prolong. Keep your heart away from malice towards anyone.

There is a hadith which has become one of my favorite ever since I have heard about it in a khutbah (Friday sermon). It helps me forgive others and not to have any grudge in my heart. I try...

Anas ibn Malik reported: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said, “Coming upon you now is a man from the people of Paradise.” A man from the Ansar came whose beard was disheveled by the water of ablution and he was carrying both of his shoes with his left hand. The next day the Prophet repeated the same words, and the man came in the same condition. The third day the Prophet repeated the same again, and the man came in the same condition. When the Prophet stood up to leave, Abdullah ibn Amr followed the man and he said, “I am in a dispute with my father and I have sworn not to enter my home for three days. May I stay with you?” The man said yes.

Abdullah stayed three nights with the man but he never saw him praying at night. Whenever he went to bed, he would remember Allah and rest until he woke up for morning prayer. Abdullah said that he never heard anything but good words from his mouth. When three nights had passed and he did not see anything special about his actions, Abdullah asked him, “O servant of Allah, I have not been in dispute with my father nor have I cut relations with him. I heard the Prophet say three times that a man from the people of Paradise was coming to us and then you came. I thought I should stay with you to see what you are doing that I should follow, but I did not see you do anything special. Why did the Prophet speak highly of you?” The man said, “I am as you have seen.” When Abdullah was about to leave, the man said, “I am as you have seen, except that I do not find dishonesty in my soul towards the Muslims and I do not envy anyone because of the good that Allah has given them.” Abdullah said, “This is what you have achieved and it is something we have not accomplished.”Source: Musnad Aḥmad 12286 Source: Sahih (authentic) according to Ibn Kathir

May Allah SWT grant us the ability to forgive easily, help us keep our hearts clean and grant us the best of manners Ameen

My Journey So Far

2016-06-23T11:48:00.000-04:00

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Rahim

All praise is for Allah, and Blessings and Peace be upon our beloved Nabi Muhammad (sallallaahu alahi wasallam)

La ilaha illa llah Muhammadur Rasul Allah

28th June 2011 was the most blessed day in my life as I read the Shahadah. After reading the Shahadah, Alhumdullilah I never looked back and I endeavoured and am continually trying to change everything in my life for better… my wardrobe, my friends, my likes-dislikes, my thinking, my conduct, MYSELF.

It’s been four years, one month and 28 days since Allah (SWT) opened the doors of Islam for me and made me the ‘Chosen ONE’. This is my story, my journey so far which I never tire telling and sharing with all praise and thanks to Allah (SWT) for His love and benevolence.
It is my journey, my transition from being an ignorant bare headed woman, to covering myself with a scarf to wearing an abhaya and now a niqab. And believe you me, it feels like finally coming home. I know this sounds clichéd but after reverting I realised that life is indeed very beautiful and we have many reasons to be grateful and no matter how much people doubt you, accuse you they are still good. Islam brought in me the much needed peace, tranquillity, contentment, self-respect and made me fearless as I know now that I have my Lord to turn to for protection.

Being a niqabi, not only protects me from prying eyes but makes me strong and dignified and made me learn that beauty is not skin deep.

My ability to read and the desire to seek knowledge were blessings in disguise from Allah because they eventually led me to discover the truth and this thirst is unquenchable. In my journey so far…I learnt and understood the importance of being steadfast in offering my Salat and the manifold blessings it offers, the importance of Wudu and cleanliness, the need for fasting and the innumerable benefits it offers, the beauty of covering and dressing properly, the need for kindness, modesty, gratitude and humility. I learned the immense amount of struggle and sacrifices our Prophet (saw) and all his shahabahs had to go through to bring Islam to us. Most importantly, that I am no one and can’t do anything without the will of my Creator. I have learned that it is very difficult to please and forgive people but rather it is very easy to please my Lord and ask for His forgiveness and be best assured that Inshallah, it will be granted. So why shouldn’t I strive for that and be a grateful servant of Allah.

Being inherently patient, Islam enabled me to be strong in the face of extreme adversity, and to live with a nightmare, I pray and wish no woman in this world has to go through.

My journey so far… would not have been so easy and beautiful without the love and support of my husband (who introduced me to the beauty of Islam), my mother-in-law, my teacher Sister Nazira and her husband Hazrat Nafees Ahmed, my teacher Sister Nikhat, Lulu Aunty, Asma Madam, my friend Naufia and even my parents who even though did not introduce me to the folds of Islam, neither supported my decision, but in spite of that I thank them for instilling in me understanding to differentiate right from wrong. For them, I pray that Allah (swt) opens their sealed hearts.
Moreover, I also owe my gratitude to learned scholars, Dr. Yasir Qadhi, Mufti Menk, Sister Aamina Elahi, Dr. Israr Ahmed, Maulana Tariq Jamil, whom I never had the privilege to meet in person but whose lectures and knowledge have left me spellbound… asking for more and lastly Islamic Experiences for providing such an excellent platform.

Oh Allah, You know me better than I know myself, You know every sin I have committed and every good deed I have done. I beg for forgiveness and plead for Your benevolent mercy and pray that You always keep me in your love and kindness.

Experience submitted by Sarah Zameer Shaikh

Where Did My Share Go?

2016-06-13T11:34:00.000-04:00

It may sound like being ungrateful but the clouds of frustration hovered over me long enough to make me appreciate the beams of sunlight penetrating through. It wasn't like my husband was a bad person or Allaah didn't bless me with kids, or my mum in law was a brutal lady. There were no financial ups n downs either... The cause was just hard to find. It was hard to explain my discontentment...I wasn't even sure who's to blame. Was it just depression? Any psychological help that I was in need of? Or just being grumpy is my thing? I never really realized and may be because I never gave it much of the required thought. Years passed and I found no cure to my helplessness. It wasn't like I was unaware of deen or the power, mercy and will of Allaah. When I came to deen, I was a good struggling Muslim. At Least when I stepped on that path, I also strove to achieve its essence. How did it all come to this? Was the foundation of our marriage wrong? No! The only reason I said yes to this proposal was that we were friends with my in laws and they were sound in their aqeedah and much practicing Muslims since the time when we just knew of deen as a deen of salat, saum, hajj, zakat and good deeds, with least of its rulings and essence. How can this possibly be wrong then?

Pondering over it and recalling where did I go wrong, I learned that I married my husband to complete half of my deen. Which is a great thing. Right? But what I expected from him was...to do it for me... I wanted him to take me to Jannah and become the strong pillar, not only for me but also for our family ahead. I wished him to steer our life and make us among those momineen who are praised by Allaah in His awesome book and it seemed like the only thing that I kept relying on with passing time. But where did my connection with my Rabb go? How much did I really do to be that momin? I guess I just wanted an easy way - to run away from my responsibilities. I wanted someone else to do much of my required deeds for me. It is true that a religious spouse is a blessing from Allaah but obviously if he's responsible for us, I should also remember that I'm also responsible for myself and my kids...

As Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The ameer (ruler) who governs the people is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of the members of his household and is responsible for them. A woman is the shepherd of her husband’s house and children and is responsible for them. A slave is the shepherd of his master’s wealth and is responsible for it. Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock.” [Bukhaari, 7138; Muslim, 1829]

Seems like I overlooked my share to act upon. Now realizing all this makes me struggle Alhamdulillah. I didn't like it at first of course but then doing it all for the sake of Allaah and to bring my kids up and make them our sadaqah jariyah while striving to make my husband love his Lord, made me realize how much I needed it from the very first day. It's a struggle that I do only to please my Rabb and it has loosened most of my jumbled knots, making me a better wife and a kind mother. After all, this dunya is a test and a place to strive in, to make it to our home sweetest home - Jannah!

Article submitted by Umm Abdullah

Death Has No Time or Place

2016-06-11T11:10:00.000-04:00

Asalamulaikum,

So I wake up in the middle of my sleep to get a glass of water then all of a sudden for some reason I imagined that death was standing before me. Shortly after that I went back to bed then I started to think how none of us ever think before we sleep that what if we never wake up? We have our alarm clock set, even plans for the following day planned but what about death? Are you prepared for that?

Death is a topic most people do not like discussing about but remember Allah(swt) says

"Every soul shall taste death". Surat 'Ali `Imran [verse 185]

I'm pretty sure we know someone or even a family member who has passed away and I'm also pretty sure the day before their last breath they had no idea it was their last day. Yes this dunya seems so beautiful and we don't want to leave it. If we can let go of this dunya how can we get to jannah.

Tomorrow is promised to no one so why not prepare for the hereafter, that means we take Islam seriously in our lives, make time for Allah, Salah, and Quran. I promise you will see a difference in your life. When you are intact with your deen, this world will mean nothing.

We are in this world like a traveler. Our days are numbered our actual destination is jannah! That's where we want to be. The shaytan says to us "why wait for jannah, have your fun now" but Allah tells us to be patient. Certainly for us lies something 100 times better than this world.

Please take some time out of your day to ponder over these things. Surely we are not immortal.

Say the Shahadah before going to bed.
Say the dauas before going to bed.
Most importantly pray Salah.

No one knows if we will see tomorrow but death is certain.

Article submitted by Shima Nahar

Less than 10 minutes of worship for a mountain of rewards!

2015-07-12T01:58:00.001-04:00

Assalam Alaykum

As we head into the last ten nights of Ramadan we all want to maximize our worship so that we may benefit from Laylatul Qadr. So how about deeds which are easy to do yet tremendous in reward? Do we not want to fill our scales with as much good deeds as possible? Here comes the opportunity...

The Prophet [Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam] said, 'Shall I tell you of the best of deeds, the most pure in the sight of your Lord and of the highest order? That which is far better than spending gold and silver, better than meeting your enemy at the battlefield where you strike at their necks and they at yours?' The companions replied, 'Yes O Messenger of Allah.' The Prophet replied, 'It is Dhikr/zikr (Remembrance) of Allah [Narrated by Tirmidhi]

1. The Prophet [Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam] said that the four most beloved dhikr/zikr to Allah are- subhan Allah, alhamdulillah, la ilaha illa Allah, Allahu akbar [Narrated by Muslim]. If we recite each a hundred times it takes about five minutes in total. Yet what are the possible rewards? [The name in brackets is the narrator of the saying of the Prophet]

- reward for 400 acts of charity [Muslim]
- 100 plants planted in paradise [Tirmidhi]
- sins fall away like leaves fall off an old tree [Tirmidhi]
- given safety from hellfire [Tirmidhi]
- Subhan Allah a 100 times carries the reward of 1000 good deeds, 1000 sins removed and reward of freeing 100 slaves [Muslim]
- Subhan Allah a 100 times also carries reward of freeing 100 slaves from the children of Ismail [Ahmad]
- Alhamdulillah a 100 times carries the reward of donating 100 horses in charity [Ahmad]
- Allahu akbar a 100 times carries the reward for making a 100 sacrifices [Ahmad]
- these words make tawaf around the throne of Allah, mentioning the name of the one who uttered them [Ibn Majah, Ahmad, Tabarani]

2. The phrase is- Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from all imperfection and all praise be to Him)

So what are the rewards for saying subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi a hundred times? It takes just over a minute of our night. The Prophet peace be upon him says (and in the brackets are the narrators)
- Whoever says this a hundred times will have all their sins forgiven even if they are like the foam of the sea [Muslim]
- 100 palm trees will be planted in paradise [Tirmidhi and Hakim]
- The phrase is one of two phrases dear to the all-Merciful along with subhan Allahil adheem (Allah, the all-Mighty is free from Imperfection) [Muslim]
- This phrase along with subhan Allahil adheem is very heavy on our scale of good deeds [Muslim]

So tonight and every night till the end of Ramadan, take out ten minutes (or even less) from the night and say a 100 times each (or even more if you want!)- subhan Allah (Allah is free from imperfection), Alhamdulillah (all praise and thanks are due to Allah), la ilaha illa Allah (there is none worthy of worship but Allah), Allahu akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and to Him is all praise and thanks). Praying that we all have a successful Laylatul Qadr!

submitted by Raiiq Ridwan

Those who inspire me....

2015-04-01T02:02:00.003-04:00

Assalam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barkatuhu

This is where I tell you all one of the random tales of my life and share my lessons.

I live with 4 Malaysian students. My 1st roommate has stopped staying in the room and stays in the living room. Why? Because it's easier to wake up for fajr prayer there. He forsook his comfort of bed to live on a floor!! He has over half of Surah Al Baqarah memorized. Once I was praying behind him and he recited the middle ayat of Surah Al Baqarah! Once I was outside the door and saw him praying inside the house. Instead of walking in, I kept staring at him through the glass. Each rakat of his Asr prayer was like 5 minutes long and this is when he was praying alone.

2nd roommate of mine is a phd student. He prays Tahajjud almost every night. His recitation is magnificent and his cooking sensational. Always a smile on his face and praying behind him is like the quran going like an arrow into the heart. Many a times my sleep broke at night and i heard him reciting Qur'an in the other room. In the stillness of the night I could hear it from the other room.

My 3rd roommate is a 5th year medical student. Initially ppl wud judge him. No beard, has a guitar in his room and what not. But I swear that there are times I stand outside his room creepily just because he is reciting Qur'an and I enjoy it. One day he lead us all in prayer and recited the first 11 ayat of surah al mu'minoon. Sensational.

4th roommate is a lot like me but just better. He also does beautiful recitation of Qur'an, especially his recitation of Surah Fatihah is the best. He travels a lot and shares his reflections like me.

This is the kind of people i live with. I am taught humility every single day.

Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk, and the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows. So as for the seller of musk then either he will grant you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows then either he will burn your clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him.” [Muslim]

In his commentary of this Hadith, Imam an-Nawawi said that the Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) compared a good companion to a seller of musk and spoke of the virtue of having companions who are good, who have noble manners, piety, knowledge and good culture. Such are those who grant us from their virtue. And he ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) forbade us to sit with those who do evil, commit a lot of sins and other bad deeds, as well as with innovators, backbiters, and so forth.

Another scholar said: “Keeping good company with the pious results in attainment of beneficial knowledge, noble manners and righteous actions, whereas keeping company with the wicked prevents all of that.”

May Allah SWT grant us good company always and make us among His righteous slaves Ameen

submitted by Raiiq Ridwan

10 Things Muslim Women can do for this Ummah

2015-03-26T21:00:00.001-04:00

Assalam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa barkatuhu

I believe that every man and woman is capable of doing great things. Of all the thousands of years that have passed, we know of so many men and women who are famous. Individuals who never gave up and contributed their lives for Islam. If you were to look at the lives of the Sahabas, you will find out how their imaan became strong and the tough trying times became easy for them. They actually lived through the time of huge fitnah that surrounded their communities. Men and women worshipped idols, dressed inappropriately, committed robbery, adultery, and oppressed many people. Nevertheless, what made them different was their faith in Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam).

I, as a Muslim woman in this time is happy to be one of the ummah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I am happy and grateful to be a muslim. Also I feel honored, since all muslim women have been given so much honor by God Himself. Which no one can ever take away from her, and I say this in truth.

Allah Swt says in the Qur'an:

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)" [Qur'an 49:13] Surah Al-Hujurat

In Islam, every man and women do their best to become righteous. They compete with one another to do good deeds. In this article, I would like to talk about how we as muslim women after we are married can contribute towards our community. Our duties and responsibilities do not end after we take care of our husband and children. We have a duty towards Allah Swt as well. There are few things we can do:

1. Encourage your husband to pray at the Masjid: I think it's very important that we encourage our husband to pray in the Masjid everyday. If they work all day, at least they can pray Salatul Fajr and Isha prayer in congregation. If they go to Allah's house everyday, they will build a relationship with Allah Swt. If their relationship with Allah Swt is good, then it will be with us. Prayer relaxes us and keeps our hearts content. Most importantly, it increases our imaan. I highly encourage every muslim to pray with Jama'ah (congregation). Once our hearts become attached to Allah's house, we can be one of those who are shaded on the Day of Judgement. Also if we stay at home and send our husband to go pray, if they do so then we get rewarded as well.

2. Be Generous: When was the last time you gave Sadaqah at the masjid or to a person? Please ask yourself. I will tell you my personal experience. Once in my Masjid, the donation box had only 10 dollars in it after a month. Usually there are so many people who attend the Jumuah prayer but hardly anyone gives charity. Usually I see women walk in with designer purses and Abayas but only few would give in charity. When a person volunteered to collect charity at the masjid, some women said usually their husband would give charity. So basically, they depend on their husband to give charity but won't do it themselves. This is very saddening. Women in the times of the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) used to give charity all the time. They gave away everything they had.

Ibn `Abbas stated, that the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) prayed two rak`ahs on the day of `Eid with no prayer before or after them (i.e., he prayed only two rak`ahs), then he came to the women, and Bilal was accompanying him; he commanded them to give in charity, and the women began to throw down their earrings.[Fath al-Bari, 10/331, Kitab al-libas, bab al-qurt li'l-nisa']

3. Share food with others: When you cook something special at home, share that food with others as well. Send some to your neighbors, friends and relatives. Whoever is closest to you, send them some of the food. If your husband finds a traveller at the masjid, or if you know people who live alone without their families etc, help them out. Our Imam and his wife always are one step ahead when it comes to giving food to others. They are always the first ones to give food to the travellers, the needy, and they share food with everyone. They always remind me of a Hadith of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam).

Allah's Messenger (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: "The best of you is the one who offers food freely and returns the greeting of salam." (A hasan Hadith narrated by Ahmad,6/16)

4. Seek knowledge and share knowledge: When you get free time, read Qur'an, try to understand its meaning, watch new lectures. Do you best and try not to spend too much time watching dramas and tv shows, phone calls, chatting/facebooking etc... Your time is precious. Once you gain knowledge, then share it with others. When you are in the company of your husband, share a verse from the Quran or a Hadith with him. Read to your children. Also when you meet your friends in a gathering, do your best to remember Allah Swt.

Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said that Allah ,the Exalted and Glorious said, "I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him." (Sahih Muslim).

5. Be politically active: When our lives revolve around our own difficulties and ease, we often tend to forget about others. Everyday there is a helpless cry, an unjust suffering, months of starvation of people, deaths and sadness covering the skies of this world like a black smoke. Do not fail to see them. Always check on the facts and look for the truth. Donate, sign petitions, help out, and in the end make dua for the oppressed people everywhere in the world. How can so many days go by and that you haven't checked upon your brothers and sisters around the world? How can you blindly close your eyes and ears and not hear a single cry of theirs while you live your life so peacefully? There are so many people suffering which we don't even know about or heard of but Allah Swt knows. So please make dua to Him for the ummah.

6. Educate children as the future leaders of this ummah: First it is your duty to seek knowledge and act upon it. Then teach your children about the differentiation between right and wrong. Always take more attention to their sources of information and develop them as thinkers. Discipline them in the best way, teach them the best of manners and guide them with kindness and wisdom.

Luqman (peace be upon him) said to his son:

"O my son! Aqim-is-Salat (perform As-Salat), enjoin (people) for Al-Ma'ruf (Islamic Monotheism and all that is good), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief in the Oneness of Allah, polytheism of all kinds and all that is evil and bad), and bear with patience whatever befall you. Verily! These are some of the important commandments ordered by Allah with no exemption. (Quran: 31:17)

Imaam Maalik bin Anas said:

"My mother would dress me up in the clothes of the scholars whilst I still was a young boy and she would tell me "Go to the Masjid and seek knowledge from Imaam ar-Rabee'ah, study his manners before you take from his knowledge"

6. Cleanliness: Always keep your house neat and clean. Do not get lazy towards your household duties. Cleanliness is half of our faith. It is very important to keep your home clean everyday. There are three meanings of cleanliness (Taharah):

1) mind and soul
2) body and clothes
3) home and surroundings

We should do our best to keep our mind and soul clean from hatred, lies, jealousy, bad thoughts and bad deeds. Wear our best clothes and thank Allah Swt for everything.

7. Respect the creation: Give respect to the people around you,the animals, and our environment. Consider recycling, start gardening, cleaning the parks etc and help your environment. Do not waste food or water. If you see birds as animals in the parks or at your porch, feed them, leave some water for them especially on a hot weather.

Allah's Messenger (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "A man was walking along the road when he felt very thirsty. He saw a well, so he went down into it, drank his fill, then came out. He saw a dog panting and biting the dust with thirst, and said, "This dog's thirst is as severe as mine was.' So he went back into the well, filled his shoes with water, held them in his mouth (while he climbed out), and gave the dog water. Allah thanked him and forgave him. They asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, will we be rewarded for kindness towards animals?' He said, "In every living creature there is reward." (Bukhari and Muslim)

8. Maintain the ties of kinship: Do not get so busy in your life that you hardly call your parents or contact them. If you keep good ties with your parents and family then also help your husband keep the ties of kinship as well. There is reason why marriage is half our deen. As husband and wife, we help each other. A wife has an amazing role when it comes to giving advice to her husband. She makes sure he does good deeds that are pleasing to Allah Swt and not anger Him.

Allah Swt says in the Qur'an:

"Then, is it to be expected of you, if you were put in authority, that you will do mischief, in the land, and break your ties of kith and kin? Such are the men whom Allah has cursed for He has made them deaf and blinded their sight." (Quran 47:22-23)

Ibn Umar used to say:

"Whoever fears his Lord and upholds the ties of kinship, his life will be extended, his wealth will increase and his family will love him more." (Bukhari: Adab Al Mufrad, 1/140)

9. Be a positive role model for others: There are so many ways of doing community service in our community. We can help out at the Sunday school in our masjid, teach Islamic studies or Quran to little kids, start a reading club, volunteer to clean the masjid or help Islamic schools, nursing homes, recycle etc.. We can do so much only if we are willing to do it. There is no such thing as we don't have time. We can always find time to help others. We have to be someone who young girls can look upto. We have to start thinking positively and inspire others to do great things.

10. Keeping secrets: When your sisters or friends talk to you about something do not mention it to your husband. Do not disclose their. Personal information to your husband just so you want to talk about it. Also whatever you converse with your husband, do not mention it to your mom, friends, sisters of anyone. Some women like to share their daily routine with their mother about everything but they shouldn't share about their husband's personal things. Muslim women should refrain from disclosing any private moments with their husband.

Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: "Among the worst type of people in the sight of Allah on the Day of judgement is a man who enjoys his wife's intimate company, and she enjoys his intimate company, then one of them goes and discloses the secret of the other." (Muslim, 10/8)

Husband and wife are the garments of one another. They should keep their trust between each other and fear Allah Swt.

In some traditions it is said that Luqman (peace be upon him) said that he maintained his honourable and noble qualities by, "Lowering my gaze, watching my tongue, eating what is lawful, keeping my chastity, undertaking my promises, fulfilling my commitments, being hospitable to guests, respecting my neighbours, and discarding what does not concern me. All these made me the one you are looking at." [Narrated Ibn Wahb in Chapter 16, Stories of the Quran by Ibn Kathir]

Over all, I think as a Muslim woman, our lives are not revolved only around our husband and children. Neither our lives should be just to spend the entire day in the kitchen, or just in beautifying ourselves, or watching dramas/ TV or shopping. Our lives should be about worshipping Allah Swt and being His slave. We have to find our way towards our ultimate goal which is Jannah Insha Allah. We cannot let our lives keep going without Dawah or working towards making a better society. We have to start with ourselves first, second our home, doing simple things and then making our way to make our society better.

May Allah Swt beautify our hearts with Imaan and let us die in a state in which He is pleased with us Ameen

30 Prophetic Sunnah for the month of Ramadan

2014-06-27T23:32:00.001-04:00

Allah's Messenger (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) is reported to have said " Whoever revives my Sunnah then he has loved me. And whoever loved me, he shall be with me in Paradise.' [Tirmidhi]

Day 1: Use Miswaak once daily :

“Make a regular practice of the Miswaak, for verily, it is healthy for the mouth and it is a Pleasure for the Creator (i.e. Allah is pleased with the Muslim who uses the Miswaak)’.” (Bukhari)

Day 2: Read Surah Mulk before sleeping :

"Whoever reads ‘al-Mulk’ every night, Allaah will protect him from the torment of the grave…” (Sahih)

Day 3: Recite Dua’a after eating:

“Whoever recites after eating الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا الطَّعَامَ وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ

"Alhamdu lillaahil-lathee 'at'amanee haatha, wa razaqaneehi, min ghayri hawlin minnee wa laa quwwatin"

"All Praise belongs to Allah who granted this meal, (which I received) without my power or effort". all his past sins will be forgiven. (Tirmidhi)

Day 4: Drink water in three gulps/sips:

Anas ibn Malik radiyallahu anhu relates that the prophet drank water in three breaths (i.e. in three gulps/sips) and used to say, “It is more pleasing and satisfying in this manner.” (Tirmidhi)

Day 5: Sleep with Wudhu:

The Prophet (SAW) told al-Baraa` bin Aazib (RA) "If you go to your bed, then do your wudoo (ablution) as you would do it for prayer, then lie on your right" (Muslim)

Day 6: Read Dua’a when wearing clothes:

When the Prophet (SAW) wore clothes, he said:

Alhamdu lillaahil-lathee kasaanee haathaa (aththawba) wa razaqaneehi min ghayri hawlim-minnee wa laa quwwatin.

Praise is to Allah Who has clothed me with this (garment) and provided it for me, though I was powerless myself and incapable. (Bukhari)

Day 7: Read Dua’a before going to bathroom:

When the Prophet (SAW) went to the bathroom, he said:

"[بِسْمِ اللهِ]

الخَبَائِثِ وَ الخبُثِ مِنَ بِكَ أَعُوْذُ إِنِّيْ اَللّهُمَّ

[Bismillaahi] Allaahumma ’innee ’a’oothu bika minal-khubthi walkhabaa'ith.

(Before entering) [ln the Name of Allah]. (Then) O Allah, l seek protection in You from the male and female unclean spirits] (Bukhari)

Day 8: Pray Salatul Duha (Forenoon Prayer):

Abu Dharr Radhiallahu ‘anhu reported: The Prophet (saw) said, “In the morning, charity is due on every joint of the body of every one of you. Every utterance of Allah’s Glorification (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity, every utterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha ill Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of declaration of His Power (i.e. saying Allah Akbar); and enjoining M`aruf (good) is an act of charity, and forbidding Munkar (evil) is an act of charity, and two Rak`ats of Doha Prayers which one performs in the Forenoon is equal to all this (in reward).” [Muslim]

Day 9: Mix honey in water and drink:

The Prophet (SAW) would mix honey in water and drink it in the morning. (Ibn Qayyim)

Day 10: Clip nails Thursday or Friday

Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to clip his nails either on Thursday or Friday. (Tirmidhi)

Whie clipping his finger nails Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) started from his right hand from the index finger, then forefinger, ring finger and then little finger. Then to the left hand he started from the little finger across to the ring finger, forefinger, index finger, thumb and then lastly the thumb of the right hand.

Day 11: Lie down for a short while after Sunnah of Fajr:

`A’isha (Ra) reported: When the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had performed two Rak’ahs before the Fajr prayer, he would lie down on his right side.(Al-Bukhari)

Day 12: Recite Dua’a after Fajr Prayer:

Muslim Taimi narrates from Prophet Mohammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) to recite the following seven times before speaking to anyone:

النَّارِ مِنَ أَجِرْنِي اللَّهُمَّ Allaahumma Ajirnee minannaar "O Allah, save me from the fire (Jahannam)."
If a person recites the above dua and dies the same night, he will be saved from Jahannam and if he recites it seven times after Fajr Salaat before speaking to anyone and if he dies on that same day, he will be saved from Jahannam. (Mishkaat from Abu Dawood)

Day 13: Read Dua’a when leaving home:

It is stated in a Hadith that whoever reads this du'aa upon leaving the home, Shaytaan abstains from misleading or inflicting harm to him.

Bismillaahi, tawakkaltu 'alallaahi, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata ‘illaa billaah. In the Name of Allah, I have placed my trust in Allah; there is no might and no power except by Allah. (Dawud, Tirmidhi)

Day 14: Pray Tahiyyatul Masjid when visiting mosque:

Abu Qataadah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)said:“If any one of you enters a mosque, he should pray two rakaats before sitting.” (Bukhari and Muslim) This is a 2 Rak’ah Nafl prayer which one should perform every time one enters the Masjid. It is very rewarding and takes a matter of minutes.

Day 15: Repeat words of Adhaan after Muazzin (The caller to Prayer):

When one hears the Muazzin (The caller to prayer) calling out Azaan then it is Musthahab (Preferable) to repeat the same words after the Muazzin. In reply to “Hayya alas salaah” and “Hayya alal Falaah” one should say:

La Hawla walaa Quwatha illah billah hilaliyyil Azeem- There is no protection (Against evil) and no power (To do good) except with the help of Allah the Mighty and Great. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Day 16: Recite Istighfar when leaving a gathering:

When Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam )intended to leave any gathering in which he participated then he would recite Asthaghfaar (asking for forgiveness) 10 to 15 times. (Ibn Sunni)

Day 17: Recite Dua’a before eating:

The Prophet (SAW) would recite: Bismilllaahi wa ‘alaa barakathillah
“In the name of Allah and with the blessings of Allah”. (Abu Dawud)

Day 18: Take a nap before or after Dhuhr prayer:

It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya (also known as Alamgiriyya),“It is recommended to take the noon nap (Qayloolah), because the Prophet said, “Take the noon nap, for the Shaytaan does not nap.” (Tabarani (Awsat)) This was mentioned in al-Ghiyathiyya.”

Day 19: Recite Bismillah (In the name of Allah) in the night:

Recite Bismillah (In the name of Allah) before closing the doors of the house, before covering utensils with food in them, switch off or turn off fires, light etc (Bukhari)

Day 20: Do some house work:

The Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, however, used to "sew his own clothes, mend his own shoes and do whatever other work men do in their homes." (Ahmad)

Day 21: Read Ayaatul Kursi after every obligatory prayer:

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Whoever recites Ayat Al-Kursi immediately after each prescribed prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death.” (Nasa’I and Ibn Hibban)

Day 22: Wipe your eyes when you wake up:

When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلّم) woke up he would sit and rub the traces of sleep off his face with his hands. [Bukhari]

Day 23: Pray Nawafil at home:

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him )reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "When you have finished your (Fard) Salat (prayer) in the mosque, you should observe some of your (Sunnah and Nawafil) Salat at home; Allah will bless your homes because of your Salat (in your homes).'' [Muslim]

Day 24: Drink water sitting down:

The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade us from drinking while standing. Qatadah reported: "We asked him: 'What about eating?"' He said: "That is even worse, (or may be he said) more detestable." (Muslim)

Day 25: Wash nose three times after waking up from sleep:

Narrated Abu Huraira (ra): Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w) said: “When one of you wakes up from his sleep, he must blow of his nose three times, for the Satan spends the night inside one’s nostrils. (Bukhari)

Day 26: Supplicate with whatever you want after final Tashahud in salah:

"When you sit after every two Rak‘ahs, then say: At-tahiyyaat al-tayyibaat As-salawaatu Lillaahi (All compliments, blessed words, prayers, pure words are due to Allaah ..." Until he, peace and blessing be upon him, said: "And that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger and then each of you should select the supplication he likes best and supplicate Allaah." [Reported by Ahmad and An-Nasaa'i]

Meaning, that when one finishes his Attahiyaat, then Ash-hadu Allaah ilaaha and the Durood e Ibraahim, then he may supplicate to his lord with any dua'a he knows or wants to make (but in 'Arabic only). He may use supplications he knows from the Qur'an (such as rabbana aatinah fid-dunya hasanah wa fil....) or he may supplicate with any dua'a from the sunnah (such as Allahumma Inni zalamtu nafsi... or Allahumma inni 'audhubika min adhaabil qabr ....). and then they may say the tasleem (salaam on both sides to conclude the prayer)

Day 27: Leave any arguments:

“I guarantee a house in lowest parts of Jannah for the one who leaves off argument even when he is right, and a house in the middle part of Jannah for the one who leaves off lying even if hes just joking, and a house in the highest part of Jannah for the one with good manners” (Dawud)

Day 28: Reciting a bit of Qur’an before sleeping or in a day:

Umar ibn Al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever falls asleep and forgets to recite his portion of the Quran or a part of it, then if he recites it between the dawn and noon prayers it will be recorded as if he recited it during the night.” (Muslim)

Day 29: Incorporate olive oil in your food:

Allah’s Messenger said, “Eat olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for it comes from a blessed tree.” (Mishkat)

Day 30: Give a gift to family (possibly for Eid)

“The Prophet (s.a.w) said, exchange gifts, as that will lead to increasing your love to one another.” (Bukhari)

submitted by Amina Wasi

Journey towards beautiful Ramadan

2014-06-22T13:47:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago I travelled to New Orleans. At first, when I found out that we were going there, I felt so excited and started packing. I made a checklist of things I am going to need when I go over there. I also had a party to attend, so I packed everything up without missing anything. Now I am here at my home in wondering what I will do in Ramadan. I remember preparing extra things for my journey to New Orleans. Ramadan is only few days away. What have I prepared? Alhamdulillah I have made few goals for this Ramadan which I plan to do insha Allah. May Allah Swt help us reach Ramadan Ameen!

Here are some of my goals which I like to share,

1. Seek Allah's forgiveness

We all make mistakes and many times we also forget them. It's always good to try to seek Allah's forgiveness all the time and Ramadan is the best time to seek forgiveness from all our sins. Subhan Allah!

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day.”( Bukhari)

Our beloved Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) used to seek forgiveness from Allah seventy times a day, even though he never committed a sin while we have mountains full of sins and we fail to seek forgiveness from Allah. Let's try to seek Allah's forgiveness everyday. We never know when we are going to die. It could be that one day we seek Allah's forgiveness and Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala decides to take our soul on that day? May Allah Swt grant us a blessed end Ameen

2. Kindness towards parents.

Kindness to parents is indeed one of the best acts that can get us closer to Allah Swt. Ramadan is the time we should try to do more good deeds and I find this one of the best deeds. If you live far away from your parents then call them up and talk with them in a pleasant tone insha Allah. It will mean a lot to them.

Our Prophet (ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, “The pleasure of Allāh is found in pleasing the parents, and the anger of Allāh is found in making the parents angry.” [Musnad of imām Aḥmad].

Ka'ab bin Ujra (may Allah be pleased with him) relates, "And we came near the pulpit. When he (Prophet Muhammad, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) ascended the first step of the pulpit, he said: "Aameen". When he ascended the second step he said: "Aameen". When he ascended the third step, he said: "Aameen." When he descended, we said: "O Prophet of Allah, we have heard from you today something which we never heard before." He said "(When I ascended the first step) Jibra'il (peace be upon him) appeared before me and said: "Woe to him who found the blessed month of Ramadan and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness." Upon that I said: "Aameen." When I ascended the second step, he said: "Woe to him before whom your name is mentioned and he does not invoke Allah's blessings on you." I replied: "Aameen." When I ascended the third step, he said; "Woe to him in whose presence his parents or one of them attain old age, and through failure to serve them is not allowed to enter Paradise." I said "Aameen." (Hakam, Tabarani)

3. Give lots of Sadaqah (Charity):

How many times we go to the masjid and never put even a dollar in the Sadaqah box? How many days go by we do not even give a single penny in charity? It's really sad. Ramadan is the best time to be generous just like Rasulullah (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam).

"The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was the most generous person, and he used to become more so particularly in the month of Ramadhan because Jibreel used to meet him every night of the month of Ramadhan till it elapsed. Allah's Messenger used to recite the Quran for him. When Jibreel met him, he used to become more generous than the fair winds sent (by Allah) with glad tidings (of rain) (in doing good)." [Sahih Bukhari]

4. Smile at others

My four month old baby is the most smiling one Masha Allah. He smiles even in his sleep. Smile is a charity in Islam. It is also the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam). We should try to be more easy going and smiling at others. Smile at your siblings, your parents, friends, neighbors etc..

Abdullah ibn Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) said:“I never came across a person who smiled as much as Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu Alayhi was Sallam) regarded smiling to a brother as an act of charity.” (At-Tirmidhi, 3641)

5. Share food with your neighbors

One of the most amazing times in Ramadan is "Iftar Time". Everyone's eyes are on the Maghrib time so that they can all rush to open their fast and start eating. While you do that, do not forget your neighbors. Before Iftar, send some food to them as well.

I have read this in the book, The Ideal Muslim: "The true Muslim is always alert to the spirit of social responsibility which the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) instilled in the Muslims in the words he spoke to Abu Dharr (Ra):

´O Abu Dharr (r), if you cook some broth, add extra water to it, and take care of your neighbour.' (Muslim)

According to another report he said, ´If you cook some broth, add extra water to it, then think of the families in your neighbourhood and send some of it to them.' (Muslim)

Zaid ibn Khalid Al-Juhani reported: The Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever feeds a person who is breaking his fast will earn the same reward as his without anything being lessened from the reward of the fasting person.”
[Sunan At-Tirmidhi 807, Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to At-Tirmidhi]

6. Make Qur'an your companion:

Spend more time with the Qur'an by reading it and understanding it. Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed.

“It is a Book that We have sent down to you blessed, so that they may contemplate its verses and so that people of understanding may take heed.” [38:29]

It is reported that Al-Bukhârî used to complete a recitation [of the Quran] once a day in Ramadan, and would pray after Tarâwîh every night, completing another recitation every three nights.

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` 12:439

I am sure we can at least try to finish reading the entire Quran once in Ramadan.

7. Tahajjud prayer

Tahajjud prayer is one of the most amazing prayers and one of my favorite also. I remember whenever I needed something, I knew the best thing I could do is pray Tahajjud prayer and ask Allah Swt for it. This is the time Allah Swt is closest to us in the seventh sky.

Abu Huraira (Radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said: “Our Lord Descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: `Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?”[ Bukhari and Muslim.]

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.” [Muslim]

I will tell you an easy way to catch Tahajjud prayer. You already wake up for Sahoor in Ramadan. While your mom, wife, sister or brother or your friend prepares the food in the kitchen. Before you even drink water, just go use miswaak or brush your teeth. Then make wudu, you will feel so fresh. After this, pray at least 2 Rakat Tahajjud prayer. It will only take 5 minutes to do so. In these minutes, you will feel so much peace in your heart. It's like you have been honored to pray this night prayer and talk to the King of the kings. Allahu Akbar! Whenever I find it hard to pray Tahajjud prayer, I tell myself it must be because of my sins I find it difficult. I, then try harder and go pray.

Ibn Mas`ud (Allah be pleased with him) was asked, “I cannot pray at night.” He said, “Your sins have prevented you."

Abu Umama al-Bahili (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, “Hold fast to night prayer, for it was the way of the righteous before you, a way of drawing closer to your Lord, an expiation for wrong deeds, and a shield from sin.” [Tirmidhi, and others] In some narrations, there is an addition, “And it repels sickness from the body.”

8. Itikaaf

This year in Ramadan, let's try our best to do as many acts of Sunnah as possible. Read more about the Seerah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and try to imitate him as much as possible. Revive his Sunnah and send lots of peace and blessings upon Rasulullah (Sall Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam).

Itikaaf is Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam). We should do our best to perform Itikaaf. Last year during Ramadan I met little kids about the age of 8 years old and younger performing Itikaaf. It was so cute Masha Allah! They brought their blankets to the Masjid and prayed the Tahajjud prayer with the Imam. If the little kids have done it, we can do it too insha Allah!

'Aisha (Radi Allahu Anha) reported that the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, used to practice I`tikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan and used to say, "Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan" [Bukhari]

9. Du'a & Dhikr

Dua is a very special moment ... when you raise your hands and whisper to your Lord about all your problems. Your heart feels this closeness to Allah. You know in your heart that He is listening to you this very moment. In this special time you ask your Lord of whatever your heart desires. Never forget to make dua. Keep making dua and never lose hope thinking it would never get fulfilled. Make dua for this ummah, yourself, your families. This is the best time to create your own dua list. Before Ramadan comes, have your list of dua and dhikr list ready and read it everyday. May Allah Swt accept all our duas Ameen

Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah) softens our hearts. I know one of my cousin used to spend one hour making dhikr everyday Masha Allah. She would sit from the time of Asr to Maghrib prayer time and make lots of dhikr. It's great to know special people in your life whose hearts are pure and who are closer to Allah Swt. Sometimes I make dhikr while cooking or cleaning or while taking care of my baby. You can make dhikr whenever you want, when you are stuck in the traffic, while waiting in line at the mall, when you are going for a walk etc.. Especially in Ramadan, if we make lot of dhikr then we get reward multiple times.

10. Catch Laylatul Qadr

One of the most fortunate people are the ones who are able to catch Laylatul Qadr. Usually people get exhausted by the time they reach the last ten days of Ramadan. They slow down their Ibadah and start preparing for Eid etc.. The last ten days are the most special days. We cannot lose this special time.

Aisha (Radi Allahu Anha) reported that With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers. [Bukhari]

We cannot afford to get lazy during these last ten nights of Ramadan! Drink coffee, have some tea, keep yourself awake. Remember the times when you had a huge final exam and you would stay awake the entire night to prepare for it. Laylatul Qadr is worth more than that!

Allah says in the Quran:

"And what will make you know what the Night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is? The Night of the Decree is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allāh in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months). [97: 2-3]

SubhanAllah! Do not eat too much during these nights so it would be hard for you to get up and pray. You will easily fall asleep. In one of Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan's lectures, he said that one of the best ways to have khushoo in Salah is to wear your best clothes and pray in front of Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala. If you try very hard, you can do it Insha Allah! Paradise is not easy to get, we have to work hard for it. Let's make this the best Ramadan ever insha Allah!

May Allāh help us to reach the night of Qadr and bless us to reap its rewards in full, forgiving us our sins and releasing us from the Hellfire. Ameen