Are we doing enough?

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.


Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.


I pray you’re all in the best of health & Imaan, Insha’Allah.


Before I begin I would like to apologise for this long note, but please do read it as it's something I believe you can all relate to, Insha'Allah.


On the authority of Thawbaan.


The Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “The People will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their food.” Someone asked, “Will that be because of our small numbers at that time?” He replied, “No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be froth and scum like that carried down by a torrent (of water), and Allah will take the fear of you from the breasts (hearts) of your enemy and cast al-wahn into your hearts.” Someone asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is al-wahn?” He replied, “Love of the world and dislike of death.” [An authentic hadith recorded by Abu Dawud and Ahmad] 


As you read that hadith what came into your mind? Did you see any correlation with that hadith & the situation we are in today?


The state of the Ummah at this point in time is indeed a dire one. All around us we see the destruction caused by ourselves and others. The hadith mentions that the Ummah will be like the scum on the sea. It’s unfortunate & painful for me to admit that this is the situation of our people today. We have no-one to blame but ourselves. The people of today’s world have been enveloped in self-worshipping and greed, something which you can expect from a disbeliever, but certainly not something you would expect from someone who has been saved from disbelief by the Almighty, the most Generous. The Ummah have decided to follow in this path & do whatever is best only for themselves, sometimes even leaving their own family behind. Subhan’Allah. We do whatever we can to please ourselves, to make ourselves happy & when we see disasters occurring around the world or even in front of us, what do we do? We turn away in order to blind ourselves from the truth. If someone places the truth in front of our eyes what do we do? We tell them that it’s not for us to worry about & that it is their own problem. “Let it happen to them”, is a phrase I have heard numerous times & it makes me sick to my stomach.


We often wonder why terrible things are happening to our brothers & sisters across the world & in our front yards. If we look at ourselves, the answer will surely be clear. If we are too self-indulgent to care about anyone else, then of course the oppressors will and have found a way in which they can attack our brothers, sisters, mothers & fathers without us saying anything, because we are too happy in our comfy homes.


Don't forget Oh Muslims, the Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "Whoever goes to sleep, and wakes up, without being concerned of the affairs of the Ummah, then he is not one of us" Sahih Muslim.




How many of us make dua for our brothers & sisters every time we make dua for ourselves? How many of us actually care about the women & children getting killed, raped and tortured for fun? How many of us watch the news & say ‘Oh… That’s really sad’ & then go back to our daily lives forgetting what we have just seen?


When we wake up in the morning, do we remember to praise Allah (Subhannahu Wa Ta 'ala) for allowing us to survive another day? Do we remember to make dua for our brothers & sisters who have not managed to make it another day because a bomb fell on their house as they slept, killing everyone inside? Do we remember to thank Allah (Subhannahu Wa Ta 'ala) for giving us parents & not leaving us stranded like the many orphans across the world? We have so much to be thankful for my dear brothers & sisters… But we take it for granted & we turn a blind eye to the suffering of others as long as our own hearts are happy.


I will admit that I was once blind to everything I had & even now I cannot thank Allah for everything I have been blessed with. If I sat & thanked Allah (Subhannahu Wa Ta 'ala) for the rest of my life it would not be thanks enough. I was also blind to what was happening around me… Too caught up in my own life to even care. I too switched the channel every time I saw a baby suffering, or people getting tortured & I would say “no, I’m too busy” anytime someone asked me to watch a video of it on Youtube, mainly because I knew it would take me out of my comfort zone. I was greedy & selfish, & for that I cannot apologise enough to my Creator. I pray that He forgives me for my ignorance. I thank Allah (Subhannahu Wa Ta 'ala) for opening my eyes & I pray that I can do whatever is in my power to not only help those across the world, but also those around me. Ameen.


There is not a single person who can say they don’t see the situation the Ummah is in. However, how many of us want to do something about it? How many of you sit back & say “let it run its course, I’ll just get on with my life as it’s not like I’m affected”? I am not just speaking about the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Palestine, Bangladesh, Kurdistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Yemen etc. I’m also speaking about just helping those around us. How many of us see our friends sinning but look the other way because we feel it’s not our business to say anything? If you care about someone would you not want them to go to Jannah? Certainly you would hate to see your loved ones perish in the fire of hell.


Do you know that the Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) said,“The Muslim Ummah is like ONE body, if one part of it hurts, the rest of the body aches and shivers in pain also.” Ahmed.




Now let me ask you something…


How many of you feel the pain of the Ummah? 


Do you feel the terror running through a little child as he is held at gunpoint?


Do you feel the pain of the young boy who just witnessed his own mother die in front of his eyes?


Do you hear the cries of the young girl who just got kicked to the ground & raped?


Do you feel the grief that a family feels when they see their house & belongings burnt to the ground?


How about saying goodbye to your father as he goes out for some bread and then never seeing him again?


Do we feel their pain? Do we remember that we are one Ummah? Do we speak out against it? Or do we sit back & relax in our comfortable chairs & say nothing?


Do not be afraid to speak out, be it just to your friends if you see them doing something wrong, or on a larger scale. Allah sees all that we do my brothers & sisters, he sees what is in our hearts. Do not forget that we will be questioned on the day of Judgement for everything we have done, or failed to do. Don’t be afraid of the oppressors who may imprison you for your words or call you a terrorist for speaking the truth, you know in your own hearts what you are, & Allah sees all that you do. The oppressors just want us to think that those who speak out are terrorists. It is part of their plan to keep us quiet. Don’t be afraid of what your friends may say when you politely question them about something they’ve done wrong, because Allah (Subhannahu Wa Ta 'ala) knows your intentions & if they are truly your friends, they will understand that you just want to protect them from committing sin.


The Messenger of Allah (SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:


"Whoever amongst you sees anything objectionable, let him change it with his hand, if he is not able, then with his tongue, and if he is not even able to do so, then with his heart, and the latter is the weakest form of faith." Sahih Muslim.




So let us strive, dear brothers & sisters to have the strongest of faith & not the weakest.


It’s never too late to change our ways, Insha’Allah.
Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful.


I apologise again for this extra-long note, but I truly believed it is something that needed to be said. Please take a look at the Palestinian Project album on my page, Insha’Allah.


http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=718720312&aid=579376


If you wish to donate to a worthy cause in order to help the Ummah & others, please visit:


http://www.muslimaid.org/


http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/Donate.aspx?gclid=CPKkgdqcgaYCFcse4QodMlz2nQ


http://www.nspcc.org.uk/


I would especially recommend this last one as the brother is in need of help at the moment.


http://www.wix.com/davis21309/mhm




"The Muslim Ummah is a unique Ummah among the whole of mankind: Their LAND is ONE, their WAR is ONE, their PEACE is ONE, their HONOR is ONE and their TRUST is ONE".




Musnad Of Imam Ahmad.

Inspirational!

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh!

So it's been a long long time since I last blogged & so much has happened! Alhamdulillah I got married in December & Alhamdulillah I also got a job so I'm no longer a graduate bum! I guess I should edit my profile a little. So anyway, I come on here and all of a sudden I have over 12,000 hits, Alhamdulillah. Jazak'ALLAH to all of you and I hope you've benefited somewhat :)

I came across this rather beautiful and inspiring story which I just have to share. In shaa' ALLAH, enjoy!

83 years old lady who lives at pali in West Bengal. Every evening she comes from Pali to kolkata to sell the fries.The pedestrians out of respect buy the fries from her.
After lung cancer took away her only son from her 5 years back,to make ends meet she works.Her nephew aged 30 works as a mover on meagre wages in pali.
When asked if she has a problem in traveling,she weakly smile ans says “No,the bus gets me here and my health is not that bad”.
She earns 400 rupees per day but still it is less for her family of four. Circumstances could have easily forced her to beg but her dignity and respect is everything for her, she would work till the end of her life rather than beg on the streets.
When we go on complaining she has chose to solve her problems on her own for as they say God helps them those who help themselves.
She is a determined women and deserves our respect..♥

'Grow our beards and trim your mustaches'

Gone are the days Where people used to say 'Awww your face is so sweet and smooth'.
Gone are the days Where it took ages, To shape my sideburns and shave all the facial hair.
Gone are the days Of beauty, charm and attraction As the beard is now, A symbol of terrorism and backwardness.
People see me now, As something strange and weird. My relatives often make fun of me, By asking who broke your heart?
My distant friends ask me, Did you join any terrorist camp?
My close friends at times make fun of me
'Hey man, blades are very cheap nowadays'
Women often ask me, Why don't you shave that ugly beard And be like a charming superstar?
You look boring! I feel sorry for my sistersAs their minds are now totally corrupted Inside the web of clean-shaved star icons, As they're the new age 'trend setters'. But very few know That I follow a superstar.
His name is Mohammed (sallallahu alayhi wasallaam), The forgotten hero.
And I have no regrets As he has taught me,
'This world is prison for a believer And paradise for a non-believer.'
So wake up, O muslim youth! Remember our heroes, The Prophets and the Sahabahs
Remember, this world is a testing place And don't let your senses to deceive you. So be proud to imitate,The Prophetic style For he has commanded us,
'Grow your beards and trim your mustaches'. And he who loves his Sunnah, Has indeed loved him. And he who loves him ,Will be with him in Paradise!

By Anon.

Beware! Do not lift the curtain!

Tirmidhi #76 records on the authority of Nawwas ibn Sam'an that the messenger of Allah (sallallahu alyhi wa sallam) said:



"Allah has set forth the following as a parable:



There is a road that leads straight to the destination. On either side of the road there is a wall in which there are open doors with curtains hanging on them. From the remote end of the road, a voice calls, 'proceed straight and do not turn aside'. Whenever someone intends to lift a curtain from the door another voice calls from above. 'Beware! Do not lift the curtain; otherwise you will be lured inside'. The prophet (sallallahu alyhi wa sallaam) explained the parable by saying that the straight path is Islam. the walls are the limits imposed by Allah, the open doors are the things that He has prohibited, the voice which calls from the end of the road is the Quran and the voice which calls from above is Allah's monitor in the heart of every believer".



Note: InshAllah please do share!



--------------

Reference:

It was declared Hasan Gharib by Tirmidhee and sahih by Hakim #245 with Dhahabi agreeing and Al-Albani , sahih al-Jami' #3887

http://www.facebook.com/LivesofSalaf?v=wall

What can we do to help?

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem,

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.

I pray you are all in the best of health & Imaan, Insha'Allah.

A very inspirational friend in my life started a project on her Facebook called 'The Palestine Project', in which she raises awareness for the atrocities that are committed by the British, American & Israeli forces, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I've decided to take some of the ideas represented on her project to start my own, on here. I've spent a lot of time using my Facebook as a means to make people open their eyes, especially the Muslims who should know better than to sit back & be self-involved. I've heard almost every excuse under the sun about why we should turn a blind eye, from 'Yeh but whatever Allah does He does so why help?', Yes, of course Allah does whatever He does, but He will also not change the condition of people until they change what is within themselves, & how do you know all of this isn't just a test from Allah (SWT) to see what we do? I've also heard 'Yeh but you don't live there', whaaaaaat? So that means I can't help? Subhan'Allah. If they were being Muslims, they would be helping those in need. Islam teaches love, compassion, peace & justice amongst the people of the world, however it seems people have a very tainted view of the word justice nowadays.

There are many ways in which we can help the people of Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Bosnia, Chechnya etc. That is through duaa for them, charity & raising awareness. I pray that one day I can take it one step further & join my brothers & sisters in the oppressed/3rd world countries & work alongside them to make an even bigger difference, Insha'Allah.

One such website in which you make donations is: http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/

They have many different places to which you can donate, Insha'Allah.

Islamic Relief USA sometimes has more of a variety of places you can donate, so it would be worth checking out here:

http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/home?aspxerrorpath=/404.aspx

I'm currently looking at how to 'adopt' a Palestinian family, Insha'Allah by starting there we can work our way around to other places that are in dire need of our help.

I pray that you all make the effort to help because together, we can make a difference, Insha'Allah.

Never underestimate the power of Duaa.

They may bring their nuclear weapons, the hydrogen bombs, their tanks and their war planes and whatever they may bring. Allah has given us a weapon better than all of that. Look at your two hands, raise them and then ask of Him for protection. You will soon come to see which weapon is stronger. - Raiiq Ridwan.

Quote of the day!

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

I pray you're all in the best of health & Imaan, Insha'Allah.

So I haven't updated this in a while, & after speaking to my cousin today, I realised... It's time! & what better way to do it but with a new Quote of the day! (My favourite blog posts!)

‎"They call it 'Hip-Hop'..Yeah, they will be HIP'IN & HOP'IN & SNAP, CRACKLE N POPPIN... In the hellfire" - Khalid Yasin.

Could it be put any better than this? Nuh uh.

This however doesn't only apply to Hip Hop of course. It applies to all songs be it rap, r'n'b, pop or hip hop etc. Whether or not music is allowed in Islam is a topic of debate. & no by this I don't mean whether or not r'n'b & hip hop is allowed, 'cos that is not allowed! I mean 'Nasheeds' that have instruments like the piano etc. Some say it's fine as long as you are not leading people to be disobedient to Allah (SWT) & some say it's not permissable at all. I have to do some more research into this! Insha'Allah.

Much love for the sake of Allah!

M x

Quote of the day!

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

I pray you're all in the best of health & Imaan, Insha'Allah.

Here's my quote of the day!! For 02/11/2010!

"When a man sought knowledge, it would not be long before it could be seen in his humbleness, his sight, upon his tongue and his hands, in his prayer, in his speech and in his disinterest (zuhd) in worldly allurements."

What I got from this quote is that we'll only truly know that the knowledge  we're learning is properly being put into practice when it affects us in every way i.e. character, sight, what you say, what you do, how you pray (i.e. how much you concentrate on your prayers, rather than whether you locked the front door or not, or if that boy/girl you met (with the consent of your parents!) was right or not & if they are, then what you're gunna wear on your wedding day & how much it's gunna cost you etc etc.), & lastly how interested you are in gaining worldly things. If anyone else has a different interpretation, feel free to discuss below!

Ciao for now! M x

(P.s. How awesome does this DVD look?! Insha'Allah when I have kids I can use them as an excuse to buy it... For myself, but nobody has to know!)

Bye Bye!

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

I pray you're all in the best of health & Imaan, Insha'Allah!

I'm off to Germany tomorrow, Yay! I know I promised you all a daily injection of 'How to be a good Muslimah', but I'm going to have to leave that 'til I get back! A quick thank you to everyone for your support, reviews and messages! It really means a lot to me.

See you all soon!

Walaikum Asalaam! M x

Halloween. An Islamic Perspective.

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

I pray you're all in the best of health & Imaan, Insha'Allah.

 It's almost that time of year again when the little kids come knocking on the door for chocolate or money, & if you don't give it, you better have some cleaning equipment on hand for the presents you'll wake up to in the morning.

It's become a trend for adults to also partake in this pagan celebration by holding parties or going out clubbing etc. dressed as some pretty strange things...

So in light of all of this, I thought I should of course dedicate a blog post to it!

I got this offline & I thought it captured the whole thing perfectly! Enjoy!

This article is from Halloween in Islam: Should Muslims celebrate?.

In the name of God, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Peace be with you السلام عليكم

(Original article by sister Huda on About.com.)

Do Muslims celebrate Halloween? How is Halloween perceived in Islam? To make an informed decision, we need to understand the history and traditions of this festival.

Religious Festivals Muslims have two celebrations each year, 'Eid al-Fitr and 'Eid al-Adha. The celebrations are based in the Islamic faith and religious way of life. There are some who argue that Halloween, at least, is a cultural holiday, with no religious significance. To understand the issues, we need to look at the origins and history of Halloween.

Pagan Origins of Halloween Halloween originated as the Eve of Samhain, a celebration marking the beginning of winter and the first day of the New Year among ancient pagans of the British Isles. On this occasion, it was believed that supernatural forces gathered together, that the barriers between the supernatural and human worlds were broken. They believed that spirits from other worlds (such as the souls of the dead) were able to visit earth during this time and roam about. At this time, they celebrated a joint festival for the sun god and the lord of the dead. The sun was thanked for the harvest and given moral support for the upcoming "battle" with winter. In ancient times, the pagans made sacrifices of animals and crops in order to please the gods.

They also believed that on October 31st, the lord of the dead gathered all the souls of the people who had died that year. The souls upon death would dwell in the body of an animal, then on this day the lord would announce what form they were to take for the next year.

Christian Influence When Christianity came to the British Isles, the church tried to take attention away from these pagan rituals by placing a Christian holiday on the same day. The Christian festival, the Feast of All Saints, acknowledges the saints of the Christian faith in much the same way that Samhain had paid tribute to the pagan gods. The customs of Samhain survived anyway, and eventually became intertwined with the Christian holiday. These traditions were brought to the United States by immigrants from Ireland and Scotland.

Halloween Customs and Traditions "Trick or Treating": It is widely believed that during the Feast of All Saints, peasants went from house to house asking for money to buy food for the upcoming feast. Additionally, people dressed in costumes would often play tricks on their neighbors. Blame for the resulting chaos was placed on the "spirits and goblins."

Images of bats, black cats, etc.: These animals were believed to communicate with the spirits of the dead. Black cats especially were believed to house the souls of witches.

Games such as bobbing for apples: The ancient pagans used divination techniques to foresee the future. There were various methods of doing this, and many have continued through traditional games, often played at children's parties.

 Jack-O'-Lantern: The Irish brought the Jack-O'-Lantern to America. The tradition is based on a legend about a stingy, drunken man named Jack. Jack played a trick on the devil, then made the devil promise not to take his soul. The devil, upset, promised to leave Jack alone. When Jack died, he was turned away from Heaven because he was a stingy, mean drunk. Desperate for a resting place, he went to the devil but the devil also turned him away. Stuck on earth on a dark night, Jack was lost. The devil tossed him a lighted coal from the fire of Hell, which Jack placed inside a turnip as a lamp to light his way. Since that day, he has traveled the world over with his Jack-O'-Lantern in search of a resting place. Irish children carved out turnips and potatoes to light the night on Halloween. When the Irish came to America in great numbers in the 1840's, they found that a pumpkin made an even better lantern, and this "American tradition" came to be.

Islamic Teachings Virtually all Halloween traditions are based either in ancient pagan culture, or in Christianity. From an Islamic point of view, they all are forms of idolatry (shirk). As Muslims, our celebrations should be ones that honour and uphold our faith and beliefs. How can we worship only Allah, the Creator, if we participate in activities that are based in pagan rituals, divination, and the spirit world? Many people participate in these celebrations without even understanding the history and the pagan connections, just because their friends are doing it, their parents did it ("it's a tradition!"), and because "it's fun!"

 So what can we do, when our children see others dressed up, eating candy, and going to parties? While it may be tempting to join in, we must be careful to preserve our own traditions and not allow our children to be corrupted by this seemingly "innocent" fun. When tempted, remember the pagan origins of these traditions, and ask Allah to give you strength. Save the celebration, the fun and games, for our 'Eid festivals. Children can still have their fun, and most importantly, should learn that we only acknowledge holidays that have a religious significance to us as Muslims. Holidays are not just excuses to binge and be reckless. In Islam, our holidays retain their religious importance, while allowing proper time for rejoicing, fun and games.

 Guidance From the Quran On this point, the Quran says:

"When it is said unto them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed, come to the Messenger,' they say, 'Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers following.' What! Even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance?" (Qur'an 5:104)

"Has not the time arrived for the believers, that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and of the Truth which has been revealed to them? That they should not become like those to whom was given the Book aforetime, but long ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious transgressors." (Qur'an 57:16)

Beautiful Story.

One of my bestest sisters ever sent me this today (Qamar!) & I thought I would share it with you all 'cos I loved it!

A master asked his disciples:

‘Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?’

the disciples thought for a while, and one of them said

‘Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.’

‘But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you? ‘Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?’

The disciples gave him some other answers but none satisfied the master.

Finally he explained:

‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.’

Then the master asked:

‘What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small…’

And he finally said:

‘When they love each other even more, what happens?

‘They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.

‘Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’

No commentary from me needed on this one. Sigh* <3

Trials & calamities. How do you handle them?

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.

I was recently feeling really down due to some personal reasons, which was greatly heightened today for reasons which are unknown. I had a pretty decent day Alhamdulillah, so I don't really get why I became so emotional. Maybe just a girl thing? Who knows. So I went into my 'researching mode' as I tend to do these days whenever I start to think... About anything. Seriously, you should check out the 'history' on my Google search box, it's endless, & yes, sometimes the things I search would seem hilarious to some people, but it makes complete sense to me! Such as, for a previous blog post *ahem* I searched 'cream to make your beard softer'. Sad, but true. So anyway, back to my point...

During my 'research mode', I was on the search for something that would make me feel better & I guess I needed my daily injection of 'Allah loves you!' Yup, I need that injection evvvery day. Makes me feel special *smug face*. I happened to come across this:

On the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas, who said : One day I was behind the prophet and he said to me: "Young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice] : Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried."
[Al-Tirmidhi relates this and says: It is a good, genuine Hadith]

This hadith really got me thinking. It got me thinking about all the times I've been angry or thought 'if I'd just done this, so & so wouldn't have happened'. It made me realise that it doesn't matter what I try to do to stop something or make something happen, if Allah doesn't want it to happen, it isn't gunna happen! It doesn't matter what precautions I take to not fall down the stairs at Fajr time, whilst I'm dragging my half asleep self to the bathroom. If I'm meant to fall down the stairs, it's gunna happen. So this made me feel better. Not the idea of breaking my arm (or worse, Asthagfirullah!) falling down the stairs, but of the fact that, no matter what I've done in life, it was meant to happen. Then it got me thinking that, there's a lot of stuff which I've gotten upset & angry over & questioned Allah as to why He let me do it, or why He let it happen to me, but if He hadn't let me make my mistakes or put me through tests, seriously speaking, I wouldn't be who I am today. Through the mistakes I've made or the tests I've been through, I've come out of it, meeting some of the most truly amazing people who in all honesty, I wouldn't have met if I hadn't experienced everything that's happened in my past.

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

“Were it not that Allah treats His slaves with the remedy of trials and calamities, they would transgress and overstep the mark. When Allah wills good for His slaves, He gives him the medicine of calamities and trials according to his situation, so as to cure him from all fatal illnesses and diseases, until He purifies and cleanses him, and then makes him qualified for the most honourable position in this world, which is that of being a true slave of Allah (‘ubudiyyah), and for the greatest reward in the Hereafter, which is that of seeing Him and being close to Him." [Zaad al-Ma’ad, 4/195].

Subhan'Allah. As you can see from the above, the trials & calamities we face in life, are all given to us by Allah (swt), as a cure, so that we may qualify as being a 'true slave' & 'seeing Him & being close to Him'. How much more can we ask for? As it says above, without the trials & calamities we wouldn’t remember Allah & we would think everything is breezy & step way off line, resulting in complete failure. Also quickly, while this is fresh in my mind, have you sometimes ever wondered why something bad ALWAYS seems to happen to you, even though you pray 5 times a day, you give charity, & you try to be the best Muslim(ah) you can be? & then you look over at other people’s lives & all seems to be going smoothly? & you just can’t work out where you’re going wrong? & slowly you start to lose a little faith, bit by bit. You just gotta remember, if you’re truly being the best Muslim(ah) you can be, then these hardships you’re going through, are just a test from Allah, to see if you still turn to Him even when you feel like you’re getting nowhere & things are getting worse. For example: Yaqub A.S is said to have cried for eighty years when Yusuf A.S (his son) was gone, he never gave up; all he said when his other sons were gone too is “May Allah bring all of them back to me”. He actually went blind from crying. Subhan’Allah.

Musa A.S prayed against Pharaoh, for 40 years before his prayers were answered!

These are just two of the examples of the strong faith the Prophets had & the trust and love they had for Allah swt. They never gave up even when their prayers were not answered for so long!

So many of those loved dearly by Allah swt, were afflicted with trials & calamities & it did not decrease their submission, nor did it decrease their love for Allah. If anything, it increased it. 

So, todays 'research mode' really paid off. It made me realise that yeah, sure we can be upset that some things aren't going the way we want it to ('cos lets face it, all of us get upset when that happens), however we shouldn't dwell on it, & we should try to get over it as quickly as possible by reminding ourselves that Allah swt is doing it, only 'cos He loves us, & wants to do what is best for us. If we persevere through the hard times & still worship Him & love Him more & more each day through our trials, then Insha'Allah, He will be happy with us. =)

Quote of the day!

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

My made up quote of the day is:

If you believe & rely in Allah alone, then hakuna matata. <3

Today's quote of the day was inspired by a fellow facebooker. Having watched the Lion King many years ago, I can hardly remember most of it. I remember the general jist of the film, & one song in particular... Hakuna Matata. I remember the song because even before I'd watched it, I remember singing it 'cos all the kids in school were. So as I was saying, it was inspired by a fellow facebooker after I saw in her quotations the words 'Hakuna matata'. It inspired me to actually go & have a look at the origin of the word & what it actually meant. All this time I just thought it was a made up word, but in fact, nope, it's real! It's Swahili for 'There are no worries'. So translated, my quote of the day is: If you believe & rely in Allah alone, then there are no worries!

My dad once said to me, 'however much trust and reliance you put in Allah, that's how much the Almighty will give back to you. If you have no trust in what Allah can do for you, then you'll get nothing. But if you put all your trust in Him then He'll sort out everything (which is beneficial) for you'. Wise words.

"And put your trust in Allah, and Allah is Sufficient as a Disposer of Affairs." (39:62)

Need I say more? =)

Happy Days!

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Baraktuh!

I finally have my first follower. Woohoo! I know some of you are probably thinking 'what a complete saddo', but this is really exciting for me. Also, thanks to all of you who have been reading my blog and been pressing the little 'Yay!' at the bottom. Much appreciated! Makes me think I must be doing something right!

That's all for now as I have a time limit today. Little brothers been on at me to get a chance on the computer.

Time for a product review!

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

This ones for the ladies out there. Most of my product reviews I'll be doing will be aimed at the ladies, since it's quite difficult for me to review men's products. I wouldn't know where to start, for e.g. how do I know this cream is making my beard softer or Does this topi make me look fat? etc.

So what I'm reviewing today is a site called Aab UK. You can access it here.

I've used this site twice now. The first time I have to admit I was extremely disappointed, but that was my fault for not understanding the description properly! I didn't understand umbrella cut actually meant 'tent'. The second time I bought something, I loved it! Masha'Allah what a stunning jilbab.

Pretty huh?

It was very pricey though, which is the norm on Aab. However, if it's for a special occasion such as Eid, or you need a nice jilbab for dawaats etc. then it is definitely worth it. I bought this particular one for Eid, however after Eid I shortened it (so it didn't drag across the floor) & it's perfect to wear on a nice summery day.

One criticism I have however is that it may not be exactly how you see it in the picture & also the material may not be exactly what you want. For example, the sleeves on this seem as though it's gathered at the bottom (one of the reasons why I fell in love with it), but when you get it, it's not that case at all. It's just your standard sleeve. However, the rest of it was so pretty that this didn't really bother me. In regards to the material, a lot of the jilbabs are soft linen which means if you keep it all nice & don't wear it tooo often then it won't bobble, otherwise it probably will!

The jilbab was sent out pretty fast too. I was a little worried that it wouldn't arrive quickly, however, I got it within 2 days of ordering it, Alhamdulillah. I have a bad tendency to leave everything until the very last minute & then start panicking, but it came just in time for Eid. Yay.

Quote of the day!

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Was Barakatuh!

First of all would just like to start off with... What a sick day, best day evvver!! (Alhamdulillah.)

Ok now that, that's over, I'd like to share something I came across today in my favouritest Islamic magazine: Al-Mumin. (You can get info on how to subscribe to it here).

Someone was told: "So-and-so has gossiped about you" - so he sent him a dish of dates, with the message: "I heard that you had given me your Hasanat (rewards) as a gift, and I want to return the favour; please excuse me for not being able to pay back in full."

Anyway the main point here is of course, if you backbite on the Day of Judgement whoever you have backbited about has the power to take as much of your good deeds as he or she wishes & you will be left with nada, nothing, zilch, diddly squat.

So let's try and keep our tongues from wagging eh? (Insha'Allah). If you are hurt by a friend or family member etc. either go tell them, or tell Allah allll about it. Just don't tell someone else who may happen to know the person, therefore making them think badly of the other person. & we have all (well maybe not all but majority) backbited at one point so let's ask for forgiveness & try not to do it again, Insha'Allah.  =)

If the answer's 'yes' you're just dodgy mate. Seriously go get yourself checked out. Your parents should be ashamed... What a disgrace.

You gotta pray, pray, pray!

Assalamu Alaikum ladies (& gents, although I got a feeling more girls will be reading this), I hope you're all in the best of health and Imaan, Insha'Allah! =)

I came across this today on my random researching moments:

Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said: The difference between us and non-Muslims is that of salaah so whoever abandons salaah certainly commits kufr.
(Tirmidhi, kitab ul Iman, Declared Sahih by Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Nasai and Allama Iraqi, Minhaaj ul Muslimeen pg.80).

    Eek!

    I have to admit I've had my lazy days & continue to have them, where I literally have to force myself up to go & pray. Usually due to the stupid excuse in my head which is always 'it's so cold & wudhu makes me coldeeer' (bet you all thinking 'wimp' & yes that would be a correct analysis), but Alhamdulillah I've so far managed to stamp over those thoughts & get up. So I started to look for some inspiration 'cos as they say 'once you get out of the habit of praying your 5 daily prayers, it's hard to get back on track.' & that is not what we want. But I found the above quote inspiration enough! Plus I was thinking about all the things Allah has blessed me with, & what kind of person would I be if I couldn't be cold for 10 seconds for his sake (Ok, so wudhu doesn't take 10secs for anyone but Superman, but you get what I'm saying. Hah just had a thought. If Superman was Muslim how sick would that be!! Oh & also if he existed...) So my point is, we all gotta pray, pray and pray some more for the sake of Allah (S.W.T), 'cos without Him we'd be nowhere.
Plus I don't think the answer 'Allah I was scared of being cold & I was having a PROPER lazy day so I decided not to pray', is gunna cut it as a good enough answer on the Day of Judgement!

MuslimMatters

Apparently if I wear my hijab I'll be left boneless & diabetic!...? Wait... Whaaat?

Oh no! Apparently if I wear the hijab it might cause my body to slowly shut down due to a... vitamin d deficiency...? Overreaction much? I think so. Ok, so I applaud the people (sarcastically) who are trying their hardest to make it seem like modesty is a bad thing & all we're doing is increasing our chances of getting bone deficiencies. But could you expect any more from these people?
    To those who are wondering what the heck I'm talking about, have a look at this article here.

OH OH! Bradford is mentioned in this too! A proud day indeed for all of us. Not.
  I have a serious problem with this article and the researchers who conducted this! So apparently if I wear my hijab outside, I'm going to increase the risk of having bone deficiencies, diabetes, heart disease etc. Uh, what? I'm sorry, I didn't realise that the millions of women not only wearing the hijab, but the niqab aswell are all fracturing their bones & getting diabetes as we speak? ’sis, I just got diabetes’, ‘shut up! Me too!’ ‘I heard it’s ‘cos we wear the hijab’, ‘for real? Better take it off then sis before we get Crohn’s disease ’. When did this happen & why were we not informed by the hijab wearing ladies from previous generations about the monstrous effects hijab can have? How very irresponsible of them! *rolls eyes*.  My aunts wear the niqab and so many of my family friends do too, but guess what? They're all amazingly, OK! (Alhamdulillah). You wanna know what causes the diabetes in our cultures? Lots & lots of sugar! Take jalebi for example it’s literally boiled sugar. Better give up the Jalebi before you give up the hijab sisters!
   So I'm not saying that the researchers are completely wrong here either, 'cos yeah the more sun your skin is exposed to the more vitamin D you're likely to have in your body. However, I'm sick to death of people trying to find new ways of slating modesty. There’s other ways you can get your daily injection of Vitamin D. How you ask? Through vitamins and the food you eat. (Do a quick Google’ing to find out which foods contain the most Vitamin D ladies!).
   Are these same people who said this:
"People may be at risk if they are South Asian, African or African-Caribbean and have low exposure to sunlight, for example if they observe Hijab or do not spend much time outside."

expecting us to take off our hijabs and go traipsing around with our flesh out to up our vitamin d? Uhhhhh, nuh. What about the women who wear hats when the suns out? Surely they aren't getting too much vitamin d either. Oh & FYI, it's not only Muslims who like to dress modestly. So do Jewish women or women with a bit of common sense ('cos seriously why would you wanna be treated like a piece of meat with all your flesh hanging out for the boys to wag their tongues at, if you had common sense?). So why is it Muslim women are targeted only in this research. It's just laughable.

   Oh & please (I'm begging you!) for anyone out there who's thinking of using this as a new excuse to not wear the hijab, don't even think about it! If you use this as an excuse, are you trying to say what Allah has ordained for us to do as His command is deficit in some way? 'Cos sister you're better off having a slight deficit of vitamin D than having a deficit of Imaan =)
    P.s. If you're seriously worried, then pop over to your local Holland & Barrets and pick yourself up some Vitamin D tablets. Woohoo. Problem solved ladies! May Allah keep us all strong and healthy! Ameen.

The beauty of a woman in Islam

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh!

This is something I posted on my Facebook a few days ago after reading it online. You can find the original letter on the 'Crescent and the Cross'! So the letter was from an American woman to all the Muslim women across the world. The thing is, the things she's written in the letter is obvious if you're a proud Muslimah already, but for some reason when an outsider comments on the beauty of Islam we tend to realise even more how lucky we actually are... Even though we already knew... It's strange, but that's what happens! If anyone knows why this is the case, enlighten me please =)

  Ok back to the point! So I came across this letter & it really touched me because so many of us are completely unaware as to how lucky we are to be Muslimah's! However, this lady, without being a Muslim has seen the true beauty of a woman of faith. She talks about how Muslim women are always seen looking after their children etc. Which is a lesson for those women out there who are scared that if they're stay at home mums they'll be looked down upon by society. Please don't feel this way, because looking after your child is very rewarding! & Yay we get sawaab for it too! However, I also believe women are allowed to work, but that's a discussion for another topic (coming sooon!). There's only one thing I have to say before I post the article here & that is to the brothers out there. Now some of you may not like what I have to say, but tough. A lot of you men (now note that I'm not saying ALL, so refrain from jumping down my throat please) have a tendency to use the excuse of 'if you stay at home dear and cook and clean for me and look after the kids think about how much sawaab you'll get!'. It's true, us ladies WILL get sawaab for this (& it's rewarding to know that when your children grow up with deen that you had a big part to play in all of it!), but some of these same men are gallivanting around doing whatever they please with their friends while they keep their wives under lock and key at home to do all the work. Is that fair? Simply put, no. You should take your wives out too! How depressing a life is it for someone who has to stay at home all day & all night? Very. Anyway I'm gunna post this on a different topic, along with the subject of women working, 'cos honestly I'm just gunna go completely off subject otherwise.

Jazak'Allah for being patient & reading all of that. Now here's the letter. Enjoy! =)

A letter from a Christian to Muslim women 

By Joanna Francis Writer, Journalist – USA 

A letter from a Christian to Muslim women

March 7th, 2007

The Israeli assault on Lebanon and the Zionist “war on terror,” the Muslim world is now center stage in every American home. I see the carnage, death and destruction that have befallen Lebanon, but I also see something else: I see you. I can’t help but notice that almost every woman I see is carrying a baby or has children around her. I see that though they are dressed modestly, their beauty still shines through. But it’s not just outer beauty that I notice. I also notice that I feel something strange inside me: I feel envy. I feel terrible for the horrible experiences and war crimes that the Lebanese people have suffered, being targeted by our common enemy. But I can’t help but admire your strength, your beauty, your modesty, and most of all, your happiness. Yes, it’s strange, but it occurred to me that even under constant bombardment, you still seemed happier than we are, because you were still living the natural lives of women. The way women have always lived since the beginning of time. It used to be that way in the West until the 1960s, when we were bombarded by the same enemy. Only we were not bombarded with actual munitions, but with subtle trickery and moral corruption.

Through Temptation.

They bombarded us Americans from Hollywood, instead of from fighter jets or with our own American-made tanks. They would like to bomb you in this way too, after they’ve finished bombing the infrastructure of your countries. I do not want this to happen to you. You will feel degraded, just like we do. You can avoid this kind of bombing if you will kindly listen to those of us who have already suffered serious casualties from their evil influence. Because everything you see coming out of Hollywood is a pack of lies, a distortion of reality, smoke and mirrors. They present casual sex as harmless recreation because they aim to destroy the moral fabric of the societies into which they beam their poisonous programming. I beg you not to drink their poison. There is no antidote for it once you have consumed it. You may recover partially, but you will never be the same. Better to avoid the poison altogether than to try to heal from the damage it causes. They will try to tempt you with their titillating movies and music videos, falsely portraying us American women as happy and satisfied, proud of dressing like prostitutes, and content without families. Most of us are not happy, trust me. Millions of us are on anti-depressant medication, hate our jobs, and cry at night over the men who told us they loved us, then greedily used us and walked away. They would like to destroy your families and convince you to have fewer children. They do this by presenting marriage as a form of slavery, motherhood as a curse, and being modest and pure as old-fashioned. They want you to cheapen yourself and lose your faith. They are like the Serpent tempting Eve with the apple. Don’t bite.

Self-Value. I see you as precious gems, pure gold, or the “pearl of great value” spoken of in the Bible (Matthew 13: 45). All women are pearls of great value, but some of us have been deceived into doubting the value of our purity. Jesus said: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7: 6). Our pearls are priceless, but they convince us that they’re cheap. But trust me; there is no substitute for being able to look in the mirror and seeing purity, innocence and self-respect staring back at you. The fashions coming out of the Western sewer are designed to make you believe that your most valuable asset is your sexuality. But your beautiful dresses and veils are actually sexier than any Western fashion, because they cloak you in mystery and show self-respect and confidence. A woman’s sexuality should be guarded from unworthy eyes, since it should be your gift to the man who loves and respects you enough to marry you. And since your men are still manly warriors, they deserve no less than your best. Our men don’t even want purity anymore. They don’t recognize the pearl of great value, opting for the flashy rhinestone instead. Only to leave her too! Your most valuable assets are your inner beauty, your innocence, and everything that makes you who you are. But I notice that some Muslim women push the limit and try to be as Western as possible, even while wearing a veil (with some of their hair showing). Why imitate women who already regret, or will soon regret, their lost virtue? There is no compensation for that loss. You are flawless diamonds. Don’t let them trick you into becoming rhinestones. Because everything you see in the fashion magazines and on Western television is a lie. It is Satan’s trap. It is fool’s gold.

A Woman’s Heart.

I’ll let you in on a little secret, just in case you’re curious: pre-marital sex is not even that great. We gave our bodies to the men we were in love with, believing that that was the way to make them love us and want to marry us, just as we had seen on television growing up. But without the security of marriage and the sure knowledge that he will always stay with us, it’s not even enjoyable! That’s the irony. It was just a waste. It leaves you in tears. Speaking as one woman to another, I believe that you understand that already. Because only a woman can truly understand what’s in another woman’s heart. We really are all alike. Our race, religion or nationalities do not matter. A woman’s heart is the same everywhere. We love. That’s what we do best. We nurture our families and give comfort and strength to the men we love. But we American women have been fooled into believing that we are happiest having careers, our own homes in which to live alone, and freedom to give our love away to whomever we choose. That is not freedom. And that is not love. Only in the safe haven of marriage can a woman’s body and heart be safe to love. Don’t settle for anything less. It’s not worth it. You won’t even like it and you’ll like yourself even less afterwards. Then he’ll leave you.

Self-Denial. Sin never pays. It always cheats you. Even though I have reclaimed my honor, there’s still no substitute for having never been dishonored in the first place. We Western women have been brainwashed into thinking that you Muslim women are oppressed. But truly, we are the ones who are oppressed; slaves to fashions that degrade us, obsessed with our weight, begging for love from men who do not want to grow up. Deep down inside, we know that we have been cheated. We secretly admire and envy you, although some of us will not admit it. Please do not look down on us or think that we like things the way they are. It’s not our fault. Most of us did not have fathers to protect us when we were young because our families have been destroyed. You know who is behind this plot. Don’t be fooled, my sisters. Don’t let them get you too. Stay innocent and pure. We Christian women need to see what life is really supposed to be like for women. We need you to set the example for us, because we are lost. Hold onto your purity. Remember: you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. So guard your “toothpaste”carefully!

I hope you receive this advice in the spirit in which it is intended: the spirit of friendship, respect, and admiration. From your Christian sister with love.

This article is republished with the kind permission of the author. The original can

be found on Crescent and the Cross. Joanna Francis is a writer and journalist. She manages her own blog.