Eid Mubarak & Happy Teachers' Day!

En-Naeem Youths would like to wish Eid Mubaarak / Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri to all our Muslim sisters and brothers around the world!

Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum a'maalus shaalih wa kullu 'aam wa antum bikhair!
(May Allah accept our good deeds and may you be blessed with goodness throughout the year!)

We seek forgiveness from all of you for all our shortcomings and mistakes that we may have committed unknowingly. We pray that we are amongst those who have attained taqwa as stated by Allah swt in the Qur'an, which is His Gift to us who have fasted in the manner that we ought to.

May Allah swt Increase us in Iman and Taqwa, and aid us in being vigilant in continuing the acts of ibadah and good deeds that we have habitually performed in Ramadhan for the next one year till the next Ramadhan :) Wanna get a headstart on the Sunnah fasts? Let's start with the Sunnah fast of the six days of Syawal!

Ayyub (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and companions) said, “Whoever fasts Ramadan and follows it with six days from Shawwal it is as if they fasted the entire year.” [Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah; Ahmad transmitted it from Jabir, Muntaqa]

*these six days exclude the first day of Syawal

We would also like to wish all teachers, educators, tutors, lecturers, asatizah, shaykhs and 'ulama a Happy Teachers' Day! Let us all give the due respect that they ought to receive from us, for that alone will please them. We would not know what we know now because of them, so we must always always respect them. Always keep in mind that Allah swt will ask You why you choose to disrespect or misbehave in front of your teachers.

Allahumma minal 'aaidin wal faa'izin :)

Have a blessed 'Eidulfitri everyone! :)

Seeking Power

Originally posted at http://fridaynasiha.com Laylat ul-Qadr is the most blessed night. A person who misses it has indeed missed a great amount of good. If a believing person is zealous to obey his Lord and increase the good deeds in his record, he should strive to encounter this night and to pass it in worship and obedience. If this is facilitated for him, all of his previous sins will be forgiven. There is no consensus of the Ummah over when the night of Qadr occurs. Imam Razi has a few novel points to offer on why that is the case: Allah concealed its knowledge from His slaves since His rida (approval and pleasure) is concealed in devotions to Him, and in concealment of the night is the cause of increase in devotions. This is following His general method: He concealed His friend (waliyy) among the people in order that all people might be respected; He concealed His response to supplications in order that they might resort to it oftener; He concealed His Great Name (Al-Ism al-A'zam [some scholars believe that Allah is the Ism al-A'zam. YMFN ED]) in order that all of His Names might be revered; He concealed the accepted prayer in order the people pay special attention to every Prayer; He concealed the time of death in order that the people never be oblivious of it. Again if the night of Qadr been known, the sins of the sinners in that night would have weighed heavily upon them, since, to commit sins on a known blessed occasion is greater in enormity than when committed on the same blessed occasion but without the sinner knowing that it is a blessed occasion. Three Ways to Seek Laylat ul-Qadr 1. Performing Night Prayer (Qiyam) It is recommended to make a long night prayer during the nights on which Laylat ul-Qadr could fall. This is indicated in many hadiths, such as the following: Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever stands (in qiyam) in Laylat ul-Qadr [and it is facilitated for him] out of faith and expectation (of Allah's reward), will have all of his previous sins forgiven." [Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad] 2. Making Supplications It is also recommended to make extensive supplication on this night. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that she asked Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), "O Messenger of Allah! If I knew which night is Laylat ul-Qadr, what should I say during it?" And he instructed her to say: 'Allahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fafu annee - O Allah! You are forgiving, and you love to forgive. So forgive me.'" [Recorded by Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmithi. Verified to be authentic by Al-Albani] 3. Abandoning Worldly Pleasures for the Sake of Worship It is further recommended to spend more time in worship during the nights on which Laylat ul-Qadr is likely to be. This calls for abandoning many worldly pleasures in order to secure the time and thoughts solely for worshipping Allah. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: "When the (last) ten started, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would tighten his izaar (i.e. he stayed away from his wives in order to have more time for worship), spend the whole night awake (in prayer), and wake up his family." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Compiled From: "Tafsir Ishraq al-Ma'ani" - Syed Iqbal Zaheer “How to Seek Laylat ul-Qadr” – Muhammad Nasir-ud-Deen al-Albani

A Woman's Guide to Spirituality in Ramadhan

Original article: http://muslimmatters.org/2011/08/03/a-womens-guide-to-spirituality-in-ramadan-during-menstruation-and-postnatal-bleeding/

While others will be busy in acts of worship such as fasting, praying, reading Qur’an, etc., most women will spend a portion of Ramadan in the state of menstruation (or postnatal bleeding), leaving them unable to participate in the aforementioned activities.


It is not easy to stay positive at times like these, especially when we see those around us rushing to masaajid for taraweeh prayers, spending time in ‘itikaaf and reciting the Qur’an. This can lead us to feeling deprived of the reward of this blessed month, and often this feeling ends up decreasing our spirituality rather than increasing it.

Our menstrual cycles (or postnatal bleeding) are a part of Allah subhaana wa ta’alaa‘s creation and something that is ordained by Him. Allah subhaana wa ta’alaa tells us in the Qur’an that “He has created us in the best of molds” [At-Teen:4]. We are also told that Allah has “appointed a due proportion” [At-Talaq:2-3] for everything and that “for every matter there is an appointed time given” [Ar-Rad:38]. Thus, to complain about it would be to question the Wisdom of Allah subhaana wa ta’alaa. This is not anything to feel sad or inconvenienced about, but rather it should be accepted as part of the Divine Wisdom.

This same message was conveyed to us by Ayesha radi Allahu ‘anha via the hadith of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam.

Ayesha narrates that, “We set out with the sole intention of performing Hajj and when we reached Sarif, my menses began. The Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam came to me while I was crying and asked, ‘What is the matter with you? Has your menses started?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘This is something which Allah has destined for the daughter of Adam.’” (Al-Hakim)

Islam is the straight path that leads to the pleasure of Allah subhanaa wa ta’ala and ultimate success in the aakhirah. However, praise be to Allah, the path of Islam is broad, i.e. there is a huge variety of good deeds one can do to come closer to Allah subhaana wa ta’aala. Likewise, there are many other ways of achieving spirituality while we are on our menses (or going through postnatal bleeding) besides salaah, siyaam and ‘itikaaf. This was exemplified for us through the practice of the wife of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam.

Narrated Maimuna, the wife of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, “During my menses, I never prayed, but used to sit on the mat beside the mosque of Allah’s Apostle…” (Bukhari)

Here are a few practical suggestions of good deeds that a Muslimah can do while she is menstruating or has postnatal bleeding.

At the time of the adhaan:

Repeat after the adhaan

• Make du’a for the intercession of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam after the adhaan
• Allaahumma Rabba haadzihid-da‘watit-taammah, wassalaatil-qaa’imah, ‘aati Muhammadanil-wasiilata walfadhiilah, wab ‘ath-hu maqaamam-mahmoodanil-ladzii wa’adtah, ['innaka laa tukhliful-mii'aad] (O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad the intercession and favor, and raise him to the honored station You have promised him, [verily You do not neglect promises]). [Reference: Bukhari & Bayhaqi]
• Make du’a between the adhaan and iqaama. Invocation during this time is not rejected.

When you wake up:

• “Alhamdu lillaahil-ladzii ‘ahyaanaa ba’da maa ‘amaatanaa wa’ilayhin-nushuur.” (Praise is to Allah Who gives us life after He has caused us to die and to Him is the return.) [Reference: Bukhari]
• “Laa ‘illaha ‘illallahu wahdahu la shariika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa ‘alaa kulli shay’in Qadeer Subhaanallahi, walhamdu lillaahi, wa laa ‘ilaha ‘illallahu, wallaahu ‘akbar, wa laa hawla wa laa Quwwata ‘illaa billaahil-’Aliyyil-’Azhiim, Rabbighfir lee.” (There is none worth of worship but Allah alone, Who has no partner, His is the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is able to do all things. Glory is to Allah. Praise is to Allah. There is none worth of worship but Allah. Allah is the Most Great. There is no might and no power except by Allah’s leave, the Exalted, the Mighty. My Lord, forgive me.) [Reference: Bukhari]

In the Morning (after fajr) / Evening (before maghrib):

• “A ‘uudzu billaahi minash-Shaytaanir-rajiim. Allaahu laa ‘ilaaha ‘illaa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyuum, laa ta’khudzuhu sinatun wa laa nawm, lahu maa fis-samaawaati wa maa fil-’ardh, man dzal-ladzii yashfa’u ‘indahu ‘illaa bi’idznih, ya’lamu maa bayna ‘aydiihim wa maa khalfahum, wa laa yuhiituuna bishay’im-min ‘ilmihi ‘illaa bimaa shaa’a, wasi’a kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal’ardh, wa laa ya’uuduhu hifdzuhumaa, wa Huwal- ‘Aliyyul- ‘Azheem.” (I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the outcast. – Allah! There is none worthy of worship but He, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.) [Reference: Al Hakim] Ayat Kursi, Surah al-Baqarah, Ayat 255
• Recite Surat’l-Ikhlaas, Surat’l-Falaq, Surat’l-Nas – 3 times each in morning and evening [Reference: Abu Dawud & Tirmidhi]

More morning and evening adhkaar can be found here: http://www.islamawareness.net/Dua/Fortress/027.html
Suggested Task: Read an English translation of half a juz of the Qur’an after fajr and before maghrib to complete 1 juz a day insha’Allah

During afternoon time:

• Listen to an Islamic lecture or read an Islamic book

At maghrib time:

• Help people break their fast by offering them dates and water
• Host an iftaar for family and guests

At 'Ishak time:

• Have family circle time at home and have a member of the house recite the Qur’an to the rest of the family followed by tafseer of those ayaat

Before sleeping:

• Cup your palms together, blow gently into them and recite Surat’l-Ikhlaas, Surat’l-Falaq, and Surat’l-Nas. Then pass your hands over as much of your body as you can reach, beginning with the head and then face, then the entire front of your body. Do this three times. [Reference: Bukhari]
• Recite Ayat’l-Kursi. [Reference: Bukhari]
• Recite last 2 verses of Surat’l-Baqarah. [Reference: Bukhari]
• Recite Surah Mulk. [Reference: An Nasai]

More on “what to say before sleeping” can be found here: http://www.islamawareness.net/Dua/Fortress/028.html

Other acts that you can do:


At the masjid:

• Shake hands with sisters and spread salaam at the masjid, especially engaging with newcomers.
• Sponsor iftaars at various masaajid if possible
• Volunteer for masjid clean up afterwards
• Babysit during taraweeh so that the mothers (and everyone else!) can pray with khushu’ and concentration
• Make a CD of beautiful Qur’an recitation and du’as and distribute it at the masjid

At home:

• Have a qiyaam program for other sisters at your house – prepare iftaar and suhoor for them
• Look for new converts, those who are newly practicing or people who have lost touch with the community and invite them over for iftaar and ‘Eid
• Think of Eid party ideas/gifts for family, spouse, children, neighbors and begin your preparations.

In your own time:

• Memorize ayaat of the Qur’an.
• Donate – clothes, food, toys, money etc.
• Make tawbah (repentance) and shukr (gratitude)
• Memorize Allah’s names and their meanings. Use them in making personal du’a.
• Visit the sick in your area or at the hospital.
• Always keep your tongue moist with the dhikr of Allah subhaana wa ta’aala. Say SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaaha illallah, Allahu Akbar and send salaams and salawaat on the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam while cooking, cleaning, driving, etc.

I sincerely pray that this Ramadan all of us witness an increase in our spirituality and a betterment in the relationship we have with Allah subhaana wa ta’aala. May Allah allow us to witness the blessed month of Ramadan and give us the opportunity to perform acts of ibaadah that weigh heavy on the scales on the Day of Judgment, ameen.

*Please note that some of the transliterations of the du'aas quoted in this article was modified in order to adhere to the transliteration style that is more common for Muslims in our region, in order to avoid confusion :)

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

by Mehreen Khan (via Suhaibwebb.com)

Almost one year has gone by and Ramadan is about to knock on our doors one more time, insha’Allah. Being able to fast the month of Ramadan is truly a gift – how many have gone back to Allah? – and it is also a trust that needs to kept with care and concern. Just like all other great things, Ramadan requires some sacrifice and determination, if you wish to truly benefit from this gift and protect this trust.

Ramadan requires preparation, which in turn, requires time and reflection. The companions of the Prophet ﷺ used to start preparing for Ramadan six months prior to it, and they would increase their worship especially during the month in which we are now, Sha’ban.

It’s kind of hard to go into Ramadan without any specific goals in the hope to 'wing it’, because to be able to improve one’s self, one needs to… well, obviously set some goals! Specific and personal goals will naturally vary from person to person, but here are some achievable ones that can be set insha’Allah:

1. Make all five salawat (prayers) on time: If one of your struggles is to perform your prayers on time, make it a goal to make each obligatory salat during Ramadan on time. Once this becomes a habit, insha’Allah, it will be easier to continue praying on time during the remainder of the year.
2. Recite the Qur’an: At least once a day, with reflection on its meaning. I know a lot of people like reading the entire Qur’an during Ramadan, which is great if you can do it, but do not forget to actually reflect upon what Allah is saying. Obtain a Qur’an with the English translation and read the tafsir of ten verses minimum each day. This is an achievable goal for anyone!
3. Avoid backbiting: Sometimes we tend to forget that backbiting is a major sin. “There’s nothing wrong in some gossiping, right?” Wrong! Try to catch yourself when you realize you’re backbiting and stop immediately.
4. Pray Qiyam ul Layl: I know it gets hard with school and/or work, but try to wake up at least 15 minutes before suhooreach morning and pray. This is one of the times when du`a’ is readily answered, so make sincere du`a’, ask for forgiveness, and reconnect with Allah. From my personal experience, I know that it makes a world of difference.
5. Recognize your sins: Admitting that you are imperfect and depending on Allah is the first step – reflect on the causes of your sins and the harms they have done in your life. Think about the greatness of the One whom you have sinned against, and ask for forgiveness. Pick a sin that you commit and make it a point to avoid committing it during Ramadan. Then pick another sin and avoid that until you behave at your best, at all times, as though Allah (swt) is watching you. Which He is.
6. Share Ramadan with your neighbors: Our neighbors have a right to know about Ramadan, and it is our duty to inform them. Think of fun ways of sharing Ramadan with your neighbors. My siblings and I usually make Ramadan goodie bags and cards and put them in our neighbors’ mailboxes. Be creative.
7. Try the 1/3 food rule: I know this one super hard and may sound like a broken record, but really…try not to over eat this Ramadan! The moment you feel nearly full – stop eating. Drink more, eat less. This is a goal that benefits others too as you can make two meals out of your one.

At the end of the day, whatever goals you choose to set for yourself, be sure to make them realistic and precise. Make a list of 5-10 goals you can reach to make this the most wonderful time of the year. Challenge yourself, but remember, you are going to have your limits so don’t be overly ambitious and expect a spiritual conversion overnight. Perhaps the most important advice to keep in mind is the saying of the Prophet ﷺ , “The best deed before Allah is the most persistent one, albeit small.” (Muslim).

Brothers and sisters, this could be our last Ramadan ever. This month may just be our last month of mercy, forgiveness, and freedom from the Fire, and we might never be able to see another one again. Let’s not let it go to waste, insha’Allah.

Keep us in your du`a’ – Ramadhan Mubarak!

Just My Thoughts

Original post: http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/just-my-thoughts/

There’s a strange sadness today. It’s not the kind that leaves you empty or lonely, or even wanting. It’s the still kind. The kind that comes from a certain level of understanding, even acceptance.

I looked at this photo today, and every time I did, I found tears fill my eyes. It was a sunset on the beach. Stunning. And above it the ayah: Rabanna ma khalaqta hatha batilan subhanak (our Lord you have not created all of this for nothing, subhanak.)

And that’s just it. All of this. The sadness, the accidents, the smiles, the peace, the pain, the love, the loss, and the sacrifice: it’s not for nothing. It is not without purpose. It’s not a mistake, some sort of oversight or a random course of events.

I looked at the image and suddenly I was filled with such a deep sense of nostalgia. For a time, I have no memory of.

“And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam – from their loins – their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have testified.” [This] – lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, “Indeed, we were of this unaware.”" (Qur’an, 7:172)

I was overcome with the feeling of missing someone. Missing Him. Missing being with Him. Missing a time that was or will be. A time so certain, it is as if it already happened. That’s why when Allah talks about the hereafter in the Quran, He uses the past tense.

When you fall in love with a work of art, you’d die to meet the artist. I am a student of the galleries of Pacific sunsets, full moon rises on the ocean, the clouds from an airplane, autumn forests in Raleigh, first fallen snows.

And I’m dying to meet the artist.

“Some faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord.” (Qur’an, 75:22-23)

That Best Boy [space] Friend

Original article written by MuslimahSource, re-posted as "He's Like A Brother" at Suhaibwebb.com

“You’re just like a brother to me!” she’d often tell her Muslim college friend whom she’s grown close to over the years. She feels comfortable with confiding in him, trusting him, opening up to him – but she’s never thought of him as a husband. They hang out together during their breaks, she calls him whenever she needs to vent, and she loves how he’s never judgmental towards her. To him, she was a friend at first — but he soon discovered that he’d often feel a tinge of jealousy whenever she spoke nonchalantly and joked with other male classmates. It burned him inside, and he’d always try to pull her away casually without making his irritation apparent. Many times, he’d look at her with admiration, smiling and melting away with his dreams of what could be for them. He would never dare bring up marriage to her, though. How could he when she only viewed him as her brother?

So, would you call these two good friends? Brother and sister maybe? Boyfriend and girlfriend? As with many cases in the Muslim community, this is a confused pseudo-marriage framed under the guise of friendship or an innocent brotherly bond. As the two become lax in their interaction, their hearts naturally – albeit unintentionally – gravitate towards each other, their minds become occupied with each other, and one or both parties eventually develop feelings that either remain trapped or expressed and acted upon unlawfully. With their increasing closeness and intimacy, the special reserves of loyalty, emotional sentiments and halaal physical attraction may be exhausted before their rightful outlet in marriage. If they end up not getting married and search elsewhere for a partner, they may never be content because they can’t resist comparing potential spouses with their former “friend”. Even if they eventually marry someone else, they will always have a history, and sometimes Shaytan can push them to reconnect and rekindle that past relationship during marriage.

It is no wonder why our wise Creator `azza wa jall, who is well aware of our natures and inclinations, says in the Qur’an “…Nor of those who take (boy)friends…(4:25). With many commands and prohibitions in Islam, Allah has mercifully forbade the prerequisite acts that would lead to major sins. He is protecting us from Shaytan and from falling prey to our desires, which saves us the emotional distress and painful regret that often come as a consequence to disobedience.

It’s also no wonder why it is purer and more chaste for both men and women to lower their gaze when speaking to those of the opposite gender (24:30-31), and to focus only on the tasks necessitating their communication. Remember Musa (`alayhissalam ) with the two daughters of Shu`ayb? Their interaction and communicating was exuding hayaa’ and self-respect; Musa (as) never struck personal, unwarranted conversation with them and when one of the daughters informed Musa (as) that her father is inviting him to reward him for his assistance, she walked (and spoke) with utmost modesty and dignity.

One of the greatest manifestations of modesty and also a safeguard to indecent conduct is the Muslimah’s Islamic dress. Besides obeying Allah and the Messenger’s commands in wearing loose, non-transparent, non-perfumed clothing, the attire brings with it an entire set of behavioral traits that the Muslim woman finds befitting to uphold. She is no longer comfortable mingling with men, joking and laughing loudly with them – or behaving in any way that may ignite their desires. Her taqwa (God-consciousness) and hayaa’ with Allah become embodied in all her mannerisms – her body language, how she speaks and carries herself – and reminds her of amicably maintaining the boundaries that Allah and the Messenger (peace be upon him) would be pleased with.

There is a profound hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), which if practiced and truly believed in, can adorn our lives with blessings and many successes. It states: “There is nothing that you leave out of God-consciousness except that Allah will compensate you with something better” (Ahmad). We all long for acceptance and relationships that quell our loneliness and make us feel needed and loved. Perhaps if we devote our lives to increasing our love for Allah and gaining His love in return, He will bless us with halaal relationships that will be the greatest source of happiness, love, loyalty and compassion in this life and the better one to come.

Alhamdulillah

Assalamualaikum everyone!

Alhamdulillah, two of our recent events, Ziarah Maqam Kekasih and Aku & Dia III have been successfully conducted over the last month. Insya Allah, we will post photos of Aku & Dia III as soon as they are published, but in the meantime, we'd like to share with you some videos and hadiths that was shared during the camp. And ALHAMDULILLAH, we managed to collectively memorise 40 hadiths together! This is an improvement from our first attempt during Y.O.U.R. Night which we memorised only 39! Allahu Akbar! :D

We apologise if some of the videos shown and hadiths shared are not featured in this post as the author of this post was not present throughout the whole camp, except for the latter part of the second day.

Enjoy!

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Islam initiated as something strange, and it would revert to its (old position) of being strange. So good tidings for the stranger. [Muslim] === When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about the verse, "O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow right guidance, no harm can come to you from those who err" (al-Maidah 105), he said, "Nay indeed, order good and forbid evil until you see stinginess being obeyed, and desires being followed, and this world preferred [over the next], and each person being deluded by his own opinions. Then take care of yourself and leave the common people. For indeed, after you there will be days of patience, where patience will be like holding on to glowing embers (or hot coals). Whoever is able to do this will have the reward of fifty people that do like him." They asked, "O Messenger of Allah, the reward of fifty of them?" He replied, "The reward of fifty of you" [Recorded by al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud with a weak chain but it has supporting evidence. Al-Albani calls it sahih. See al-Sahiha, #957]. === Dunia Masih Menanti by Demi Band Lyrics by Ust Noor Deros Sekian lama jiwa terpenjara Cukup sampai sini mindaku terjajah Akanku berlari kembali padaNya Tewaskan nafsuku takkanku menyerah! Dunia masih menanti wira yang sejati Iman dan amalnya sehidup semati Menunduk hanya didalam sujudnya Dialah hamba dialah sang raja! Jaluran cahyamu bila ku susur Rantaian hina ini pasti kan terlebur Warisan berkembarmu akan ku semat Agar dinobat umat Rahmat Sejagat! Menusuk dijiwa sinaran hidayah Membangkitkan hati yang terlena lama === The 40 Hadiths we memorised!

A True Muslim Is Never Sad!

When you experienced sadness yesterday, your situation didn't get any better by you being sad. Your son failed in school, and you became depressed, yet did your depression change the fact that he failed? Your father passed away, and you became downhearted, yet did that bring him back to life? You lost your business, and you became saddened. Did this change your situation by transforming losses into profits?

Do not be sad: You became despondent due to a calamity, and by doing so, created additional calamities. You became depressed because of poverty and this only increased the bitterness of your situation. You became gloomy because of what your enemies said to you; by entering into that mental state, you unwittingly helped them in their attack against you. You became sullen because you expected a particular misfortune, and yet it never came to pass.

Do not be sad: Truly a large mansion will not protect you from the effects of depression; and neither will a beautiful wife, abundant wealth, a high position, or brilliant children.

Do not be sad: Sadness causes you to imagine poison when you are really looking at pure water, to see a cactus when you are looking at a rose, to see a barren desert when you are looking at a lush garden, and to feel that you are in an unbearable prison when you are living on a vast and spacious earth.

Do not be sad: You have the true Religion to live by, a house to live in, bread to eat, water to drink, clothes to wear, a wife to find comfort with; why then the melancholy?

Compiled From:
"Don't Be Sad" - Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni

Taken from: Friday Nasiha

The Perfect Man

(original article A Man of Character written by Reehab Ramadan from the Commanded to Love Series on Suhaibwebb.com)

Now that we know we must love the Prophet ﷺ, what true love is, and what the signs of love are, we must begin to actually build this love. As was mentioned in Part II, the longest lasting love is a love of someone’s “perfection in noble inner qualities.” So we will now begin to go through snapshots of the life of our Beloved, Mohammed ﷺ.

For forty years prior to the revelation, the Prophet ﷺ was indisputably known to be of sound morals. Amongst his tribe he was known as “As-Sadeeq Al-Ameen,” meaning “the honest and trustworthy one.” The fact that he was given this name can mean one of two things:

1. Either his honesty and trustworthy nature surpassed all others, or
2. At the time, it was rare to find someone who was honest and trustworthy; therefore his nature was unique and treasured as such.

There are many instances in the seerah (Prophetic biography) that illustrate the moral soundness of the Prophet ﷺ. One of these stories exemplifies the strength of the trust people had in him. It happened near the beginning of his prophethood. He summoned the people of Quraysh to the foot of a mountain and called out to them, saying: “Would you believe me if I told you an enemy host was waiting behind this hill to attack you?” Everyone, including those who would soon become his enemies, agreed that they would believe him. Although we may have heard this story many times, it may be difficult to grasp the true significance of that moment; an entire tribe agreed that they would prepare for a battle with an enemy they had not seen, using their precious time, and risking their resources – based on the words of one man. Allahu Akbar! (God is great).

It is said that the people had so much faith in him that they would advise one another to seek his services when needed. They would say, “If you have to travel and need someone to look after your wife, entrust her to Muhammad without hesitation, for he will not even glance at her face. If you want to entrust your wealth for safeguarding, entrust it to this trustworthy, honest man, for he will never touch it. If you look for someone who never tells a lie and never breaks his word, go directly to Muhammad, because whatever he says is true.”

The best way to feel this point is to take a moment and imagine someone who you trust one hundred percent, someone you know would never hurt you, someone who would never betray your trust. When they speak, you know that their words contained no lies; you find comfort in their presence. Most likely, this imagining will cause you to yearn for someone of this nature. Now take a moment and change that yearning for a nameless individual, to yearning for the Prophet ,ﷺ because this description is exactly what he was like.

May Allah (swt) cause us to be of those who yearn to be in the presence of the Beloved, Mohammed ﷺ and truly make him beloved to our hearts.

___________

AMIN! :)

Taking Off the Hijab (Tudung)

Written by SHAZIA AHMAD on SuhaibWebb.com (original article)

Question:


I understand that hijab is required, and I’ve been wearing it for some time now but I feel like putting it on might have been a mistake. I don’t feel like it’s made me become a better Muslim, and I feel almost like I’m deceiving people because they look at me as an example even though I’m still struggling with a lot of things. Also, if I take it off, is it really something Allah will punish me for? It seems like such a petty thing. Isn’t the most important thing having a clean heart?

Answer:

Assalaamu `alaykum dear questioner,

Thank you for asking this question which opens up a number of important issues, and for entrusting us enough to share with us some of what you’re struggling with. I ask Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala – exalted is He) that He makes the words that I write beneficial to you and others who are reading, and that He leads you to the best decisions.

I’d like to start by addressing what I believe is the least important factor in this equation, and that is ‘what other people might think.’ It should never be the case that we alter our practice of Islam or our worship for the sake of other people, or what they might think or assume. People may be quick to judge or jump to conclusions, but whatever thoughts or opinions they have are strictly their responsibility, and not something we should be overly concerned with.

You said that you’re worried that wearing hijab may be deceiving, because people see you as better than you really are. But in truth all of us are sinners, and it is only from Allah’s mercy upon us that He is as-Siteer - the One who veils our faults and our flaws, and makes us seem better than we really are in others’ eyes. One famous scholar said, “If sins had a smell no one would come near me because of the stench!” Every single one of us has deficiencies and weaknesses, has made mistakes, has taken missteps or is presently taking them. We only do the best that we can, and any good deed that Allah grants us the opportunity to perform should be considered a blessing that we take advantage of. Instead of worrying about not being good enough, we can instead consider this as an opportunity to be thankful to Allah for concealing our negatives, and pray, “O Allah, forgive me for what they do not know about me, and make me even better than what they think.”

You will be hard-pressed to find anyone on this earth who can be considered ‘worthy’ of being a representative of Islam, because everyone has one dimension or another in their faith or practice in which they are lacking. However that doesn’t mean we should stop encouraging each other by whatever means are available to us. There is a very beautiful hadith related to this issue:

Anas relates that, “We asked the Prophet ﷺ, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, shouldn’t we refrain from calling others to goodness if we don’t practice all good things ourselves, and shouldn’t we refrain from forbidding wrong things until we ourselves have abstained from all the bad?’ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘You should call others to goodness even if you don’t do all good, and you should forbid bad things even if you don’t abstain from all of them yourselves.’” (Al-Tabarani)

Remember that by wearing hijab you are not saying to others ‘I am Islam’, but simply that ‘I am a Muslim’, meaning – I am someone who is trying to follow this religion, who accepts it as truth, sees beauty in it and hopes to beautify myself with it. I remember a quote attributed to Yusuf Islam: “Islam is not a state of being but it is a process of becoming,” – becoming more, become better, striving to reach that state of perfect submission and connection with Allah Most High, and May He help all of us achieve that, ameen.


You also said that you feel hijab has not really made you a better Muslim. A lot of times when a person first starts performing a good deed they feel an iman ‘rush’, a feeling of happiness at doing something good for the sake of Allah and energy to do more, improve themselves, etc. However, after some time, when that action starts to become just another part of a daily routine, it loses that power, and that increase in iman and excitement dissipates.

What a person needs, instead of focusing on those ‘rushes’, is a steady and constant diet of good deeds and spiritual nourishment. We cannot rely on one particular deed to ‘make’ us better Muslims. Instead, we have to take the reigns and make sure we are doing things regularly that increase us in iman, like recitation of the Qur’an, performing salah with consciousness and focus, dhikr, and so on. Wearing hijab can definitely be one of those things, but it is only one part of a whole that needs to be constructed. Just like exercise is important for good health, yet it has to be combined with eating right and many other things in order for the person to see the desired results in the end.

Also know that there is a direct relationship between a person’s actions and their inner state. We know that when someone is in a high state of iman it’s natural for him or her to start performing more good deeds. However, we may overlook the fact that the opposite is true as well – that just performing good deeds, even if one may not be ‘feeling it’, can affect us and change us. The limbs are inroads, and performing good deeds with them can soften a hardened heart, bring enlightenment to a closed mind, and give a person a feeling of rejuvenation and desire to come closer to Allah and do more positive things. I heard a scholar say that if one is feeling troubled, confused or in a low state of iman, “go quickly to action”; because good deeds can bring about that inner reawakening one may need. If we don’t see a change happening in us when we do a good deed, that doesn’t mean we should stop it but that perhaps we need to supplement it with others in order to gather the momentum needed to see results.

Thirdly, you are absolutely correct when you say that the most important thing is for us to have purified hearts. Allah (swt) emphasizes this in the Qur’an when He states that on the Day of Judgment nothing will be of benefit to the servant except “one who brings to Allah a clean, sound heart” (26:89). The question is, how does one achieve that? What purifies us and cleanses our hearts?

In our times we find that some people feel that we’ve reached a more ‘enlightened era’ in which spirituality can be derived solely from philosophy and ideas, and need not be bound by rituals and details of religion. However those who propound this notion forget that Allah did not create us as minds and souls alone – but coupled them with our physical bodies. We cannot deny the fact that we are body and soul, content and form, together, and each has its own needs and specifications for refinement. This is a sunnah of Allah in the way that we were created, and why prayer, fasting, and all our spiritual endeavors have very specific physical components. These forms house within them dimensions of meaning, but it is only from enacting them precisely that a profound spirituality can be achieved.

Purifying our hearts is the goal, but the means to reaching that goal is through the very real and specific physical prescriptions and commandments that Allah (swt) has given us. It is through His obedience and through following the teachings of our deen that we clean and polish our hearts. It is for this reason that I have to say that hijab is not something trivial. Anything that leads us to spiritual awareness, elevation, and purification – that helps us come closer to Allah – cannot be considered trivial or petty. Perhaps it is more likely that there are hidden depths within it that we do not perceive, or that we are not putting it in the proper context of its deeper purpose and meaning.

About punishment from Allah: a better way of looking at this issue is not considering the smallness or pettiness of the sin, but the greatness of the One whom we are sinning against. From His infinite wisdom, all-encompassing knowledge and vast mercy, in accordance to His Law – which is at its core about attaining benefit and warding off harm – He has instructed us to perform this action. In the Qur’an Allah says, ‘It may be that you dislike something and in it is goodness for you’ (2:216); ‘It may be that you dislike a thing but Allah brings about from it a great deal of good.’ (4:19) If someone chooses to step away from a prescribed action knowingly, we cannot deny that this is a sin, and that Allah holds us to account for our sins. However we always have hope in and pray for Allah’s mercy and kindness, as we know He can forgive all sins if He chooses.

In closing, I want to leave you with a beautiful quote from a Hadith Qudsi. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala said:

“My servant draws not near to Me with anything more beloved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him.” (Bukhari)

Know, dear questioner, that if you feel far from Allah, the solution is not to stop what you are doing and find a different way, but to persevere and continue on the path you are on, even though it is hard. This will make you beloved to Allah, and one who feels the happiness of being close to Him and being shaded by His Loving Mercy and care.

May Allah enliven and enlighten our hearts and grant us closeness to Him. May He make us people who love to worship Him, and through our worship become close to Him and gain His love. May He make our hearts firm and steadfast on our deen, and grant us strength and bravery in our spiritual struggles. May He guide us to the best decisions and make easy for us the path of khayr [goodness]. Ameen ya Rabb.

WAllahu a`lam – and He alone knows best.

Wasalaamu alaykum.

Two Awesome Events!

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said:

“I leave you two things. As long as you follow these you will never go astray:

Allah’s Book and the Sunnah of the Prophet."

[Muwatta', Al-Qadr (Decree), 3]

Learn to love, appreciate and LIVE the al-Qur'an and al-Sunnah through this camp!

Hurry and register now!

We've always had massive response and great feedback for this camp for the past two seasons,

so don't miss out!

Abdullah b. 'Amr b. al-'As reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:

"Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away the scholars, so that when He leaves no learned person, people turn to ignorant as their, leaders; then they are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray."

[Bukhari, Book 034, Number 6462]

These people, these inheritors of the Prophet s.a.w., came before us.

These people moulded our ancestors, grandparents, parents... who in turn moulded us.

These people were the ones responsible for spreading the beauty of Islam generation after generation in this island of ours.

Without them, you wouldn't be a Muslim.

Do you know who they are?

You should.

You owe it to them for being Muslim, for your families being Muslims, for all the hard work and contributions and sacrifices that they've made.

Let's take sometime to visit their maqams, offer at least Surah Al-Fatihah for them, and learn about their amazing contributions to the Muslim society here in Singapore.

Our 'ulama. Our religious scholars.

Know them. Love them. Be like them.

Register now before it's too late :)

10 Useless Matters

By: Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

1. Knowledge that is not acted on.

2. The deed that has neither sincerity nor is based on following the examples of the righteous.

3. Money that is hoarded, as the owner neither enjoys it during this life nor obtains any reward for it in the Hereafter.

4. The heart that is empty of love and longing for Allah, and empty of seeking closeness to Him.

5. A body that does not obey and serve Allah.

6. Loving Allah without following His orders or seeking His pleasure.

7. Time that is not spent in expiating sins or seizing opportunities to do good.

8. A mind that thinks about useless matters.

9. Serving those who do not bring you close to Allah, nor benefit you in your life

10. Hoping and fearing whoever is under the authority of Allah and in His hand; while he cannot bring any benefit or harm to himself, nor death, nor life; nor can he resurrect himself.

However the greater of these matters are wasting the heart and wasting time.

Wasting the heart is done by preferring this worldly life over the Hereafter, and wasting time is done by having incessant hope.

Destruction occurs by following one’s desires and having incessant hope, while all goodness is found in following the right path and preparing oneself to meet Allah.

How strange it is that when a servant of Allah has a worldly problem, he seeks help of Allah, but he never asks Allah to cure his heart before it dies of ignorance, neglect, fulfilling one’s desires and being involved in innovations. Indeed, when the heart dies, he will never feel the significance or impact of his sins.

Many thanks to Project Spirituality's Facebook Group for sharing! :)

Speed Tag Sirah 2011

Click on the picture to enlarge it :)

Ever wondered how being in a battle feels like?

Come and experience one of the great battles during the time of Rasulullah s.a.w. through Speed Tagging! Don't miss this chance to learn the Sirah in a fun and experiential way :)

What is SpeedTag?
Speed-tag is a combat game popular among youths today. It not only involves physical activity, but also forces players to strategize conscientiously during the game hence developing sharp and alert minds. In this activity, we are incorporating Sirah whereby participants get to learn about one of the battles in Muslim History while having fun.

Objectives:
• Experience war and difficult situations in the times of the Prophet s.a.w.
• Inculcate healthy lifestyle and competitive spirit through role-playing games (Speed-tag) involving Sirah and its characters.

We also intend to relay the objectives of armed struggle in Islam and its rules and the strict conditions that prohibits it and calls for it, that we Muslims may not be aware of.

It'll be an awesome adrenaline rush for you, we can guarantee that.

How, you ask?

Aha, ever heard of NERF guns?

If you haven't, here's a little preview of how it might be like ;)

A highly exaggerated scenario, of course, but not impossible ;)

Be sure not to miss out on this!

You can either call up the numbers stated on the poster or drop us an FB message with your name, age and contact no.

For more info please visit our event page on FB:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=199256890112903

Limited to 40 participants only! 20 girls and 20 guys :)

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Allah KNOWS You're Hurting Inside...

Original Article: How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart (Part 1)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Note: some of us suffer from clinical depression or similar medical conditions, and this needs to be dealt with by a professional. Working on our relationship with Allah no doubt helps, but sometimes more than a spiritual fix may be needed.

True Knowledge

Original article: True Knowledge

Ten years ago, while in pharmacy school, I gave a quick presentation about the use of Over the Counter (OTC) smoking cessation products. It was an exercise in counseling patients on what is available in the market without a prescription to help them quit smoking. It was a very well put together presentation that garnered my classmates’ applause. But the best part about it, according to my classmates, was the fact that everyone could see the outline of the pack of cigarettes in my front pocket. I was a smoker you see, yet I stood up in front of everyone and preached about the best way to help one quit this harmful habit and lead a healthy life.

Allah says in Surat Al-Jum`ah:

The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. (Qur’an, 62:5)

In this verse, Allah (swt) talks about the Jews who did not utilize the knowledge given to them in the Torah nor did they apply it to their lives. He likens them to a donkey that carries on its back volumes of books; however, regardless of the knowledge these books contain, the donkey cannot make use of nor implement that knowledge in its life. Although this specific verse refers to the example of the Jews denying what was contained in their books about the coming of Prophet Mohammed ﷺ (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his message, we need to look at the greater message. The moral of this ayah is that mere possession of knowledge is not enough. We must implement knowledge in all aspects of our life or else it is, and we are, rendered useless. Simply put, when I gave that presentation, I was like a donkey. I had all the knowledge of the harms of smoking, how to best quit smoking and what help there is for me, yet I did not benefit from that knowledge. As one poet puts it:

كالعيس في البيداء يقتلها الظمأ و المـــــاء فوق ظهورها محمـول

Like camels in the desert dying of thirst/while it carries the water right on its back

The same can be said about knowing that prayer is the essential foundation of Islam but not praying, or having verses of the Qur’an memorized but not understanding what they mean. Please don’t get me wrong. The idea is not for every one of us to become a scholar of Islamic theology or jurisprudence or to become experts in every field of information; the idea is to understand and implement the knowledge that we do have in our lives. So let us ask ourselves, how many of us truly practice our knowledge? How many of us truly understand what it means to profess, five times a day, the Lordship of Allah? How many of us truly understand and implement the meanings of two verses that most of us have memorized?

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”
(Qur’an, 99:7-8)