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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right
"I was bitten by a dog my child" the man replied.
The little girl was upset by what she heard so she asked her father "why didnt you bite the dog back daddy?"
The father laughed, "sometimes people do something hurtful to you, and its best to walk away, because (1) they misunderstood you or (2) they were angry when they did it." The man went on to say "the dog bit me, does that give me a right to bite him back?"
Two wrongs don't make a right! :D
Monday, November 24, 2008
Laugh Little
Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: I have never seen Messenger of Allah (PBUH) laughing so heartily that his uvula could be seen. He used to smile only.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Commentary: To laugh much is one of the sign of indifference to the remembrance of Allah. Besides, the habit of laughing aloud robs away the dignity and impressiveness of a man.
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Nice Nasheed (no instruments):
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Update - November 19th, 2008
Commentary: Going to Jannah or Hell is the result of one's own actions, both are close to everyone. One will be admitted into Jannah if he does good deeds, and will be consigned to Hell if he does evil. After death, one's entitlement for Jannah or Hell will be decided.
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I'm sure most of you know about Ummah Films and Baba Ali, so I'm just posting his latest video here if you haven't seen it yet:
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And here's a nice Nasheed called "In Aradtum" (with English annotations in the video):
If you like it and want to download it, click HERE (or right click and Save Target As)
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Jazak'Allah for visiting, and please also read previous posts if you have time...if you like this site and have benefited from it, please share it with others. Whether you like the site or not, please leave a COMMENT sometimes, it's really helpful for me, either as encouragement or feedback on how to make the site better...any ideas and comments are great appreciated, Jazak'Allah Khayr! =)
Monday, November 17, 2008
Worshipping Allah in Every Moment
Assalamu 'Alaykum,
Jazak'Allah Khayr to those who spread this link around, as I've seen an increase in traffic due to e-mails. It doesn't really matter to me how many visitors there are, but it's nice to know that when people find something interesting and beneficial, they choose to share it. I hope that this page has been beneficial up till now, at least to some small degree, Insha'Allah, and will continue to be.
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Just something for us all to think about, but how much of our lives do we spend doing 'Ibadah and remembering Allah? If we break it down statistically, projecting that a Muslim will live for about 60 years, let's see what the outcome is. Consider that the person started praying at the age of 10, and prayed consistently for the remaining 50 years of his life. Estimating that it takes him 1.5 hours to complete his 5 daily Salah (taking his time, praying with sincerity), he spends around 10 hours a week, or 45 hours a month in performing Salah. Over the course of 1 year that adds up 540 hours, or 27,000 hours total throughout his life. That amounts to just slightly over 3 years of life spent on praying Salah. So what happened to all the other years? Did they just go to waste?
They do go to waste if we don't live those years in accordance to Qur'an and Sunnah. But, we can make every single moment of our lives count as 'Ibadah. In addition to Salah, we can make it a goal to recite Qur'an for a certain duration every single day. We can convert all that time that we spend sleeping (imagine, we spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping!) into 'Ibadah by following the Sunnah of sleeping. Thinking further, we also spend several hours a week eating. Simply saying the duas for eating and saying Alhamdulillah can covert the act of eating into 'Ibadah. And what about all those hours spent in the bathroom? There's also duas for entering and coming out of the bathroom. So all that covers a large portion of our day...sleeping, eating, bathrooming, but there's still more left to our day. All of us have school, work, and/or other responsibilities. Simply by saying 'Bismillah' before we start any action turns that action into 'Ibadah. What about driving or sitting in the car? Put on Qur'an or listen to an Islamic lecture and convert all that time in the car into time well spent. You're sitting in the car anyways, so you might as well use the time in a good way.
We should also try to learn and implement the Sunnah into our daily lives as much as possible. If we have time, we should do things such as reading Surah Yaseen every morning. Let's make an effort to learn as many Masnoon duas as we can and apply them at the right times. And whenever we can, let's spend a moment remembering Allah, because it's something that can be done in the simplest of forms. For example:
سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ ، سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ الْعَظِيمِ
SubhanAllahi wa biHamdihi, SubhanAllahil adheem
(Glory be to Allah, and Praise, Glory be to Allah, the Supreme)
Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "Two words are light on the tongue, weigh heavily in the balance, they are loved by the Most Merciful One" [Bukhari and Muslim]
(If I made any mistakes in the writing above, please correct me, and if you have any additions for the betterment of the post, please mention it in a comment, Jazak'Allah)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Pearls of Life
Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face. "A dollar ninety-five. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Aisha got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbour and asked Aunty Jamshed if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Aisha loved her new pearls.
They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday Madrassa classes, Kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Aisha had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story from the Quraan. One night as he finished the story, he asked Aisha , "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you." "Then give me your pearls." "Oh, daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She's my very favourite." "That's okay, Aisha, daddy loves you. Allah-hafez." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Aisha's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?" "Daddy, you know I love you." "Then give me your pearls." "Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper. "That's okay. Sleep well. May Allah bless you & protect you, Aisha. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Aisha was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, Aisha? What's the matter?" Aisha didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, daddy, this is for you." With tears gathering in his own eyes, Aisha's daddy reached out with one hand to take the cheap necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Aisha.
He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.
So it is with our Allah Almighty. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.
Isn't Allah great? Are you holding onto things that Allah wants you to let go of?
Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary partners, relationships, habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go? Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing ...
.....Allah will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.
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Click here for previous story posts
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Our Home is the Same
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Simple Acts of Charity
Source: Sahih Muslim.
Islam considers the slightest acts of helping others as charity! Even smiling at others to make them happy is counted as charity. It is due to our selfishness that mankind suffers. Let us give more and take less.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Hadith of the Day - November 12th, 2008
The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, 'Beware! Avoid sitting on the roads." They (the people) said, "O Allah s Apostle! We can't help sitting (on the roads) as these are (our places) here we have talks." The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, ' lf you refuse but to sit, then pay the road its right ' They said, "What is the right of the road, O Allah's Apostle?" He said, 'Lowering your gaze, refraining from harming others, returning greeting, and enjoining what is good, and forbidding what is evil." [Bukhari]
From this Hadith we learn the rights of the roads, which is to lower our gaze as we travel on them (or whatever else it is that we do on roads), greet others when we meet them, refraining from harming or causing discomfort to others who also share the same roads as us, and our basic duties as Muslims: to enjoin good and forbid evil. Once again, this is another fragment of the beauty of Islam in relation to carrying ourselves in the best of manners, regardless of where we are and what we're doing, or who we're interacting with.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Wooden Bowl
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled,his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. We must do something about Grandfather,” said the son. I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.
When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.
The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?” Just as sweetly, the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.
The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.” [17:23-24]
Monday, November 10, 2008
Pearls of Wisdom - November 10th, 2008
Self-explanatory. It's better to seclude ourselves and be alone rather than to associate ourselves with bad company, or with people that cannot benefit us.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Hadith of the Day - November 9th, 2008
Commentary: This Hadith tells us that although the importance of Faith and its practice is beyond any shadow of doubt, because this is the only way to attain His Favours and Blessings, but one should not entirely depend upon practice only because any shortcoming (which one does not even know) can ruin a good deed. It is, therefore, essential that we also pray that our good deeds are accepted by Allah and that He grants us His Infinite Mercy and sincerity because even the greatest noble deed is invalid without it.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Hadith of the Day - November 8th, 2008
[Al-Bukhari]
Commentary: The Prophet (PBUH) used to graze the sheep of Makkans for a few carats (a carat is one-twentieth, or a bit more, of a dinar). This practice was indeed a Divine training for the Prophets so that it might be easier for them to deal with humans and forbear afflictions which came to them from men. A shepherd indeed needs greater patience and forbearance to look after his herd. This practice proved useful to the Prophets. Moreover, this Hadith is suggestive of the adoption of a lawful occupation, no matter how people may look askance at it. That was the reason why the Prophets took such occupations.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
A Lesson from Disabled People
Once, a visitor was being shown around a leper colony in India. The colony was built to provide a shelter for those people who were poor and had various physical disabilities. At noon a gong (a metal disk that produces a sound when hit with a hammer) sounded to gather the inhabitants for the midday meal. People came from all parts of the compound to the dining hall. Suddenly, everyone started laughing at seeing two young men, one riding on the other’s back, pretending to be a horse and a rider. They were having lots of fun. As the visitor watched, he was told that the man who carried his friend was blind, and the man being carried was lame (who couldn’t walk). The one who couldn’t see used his feet; the one who couldn’t walk used his eyes. Together they helped each other and reached their destination.
Let us use each other’s strengths to make up for the weaknesses of others. Our strength is in unity, not in division.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Better to Give
A young man, a student in one of the universities, was one day taking a walk with a Professor, who was commonly called the student’s friend, from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.
As they went along,they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by,and who had nearly finished his day’s work.
The student turned to the professor, saying: “Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them.”
“My young friend,” answered the professor, “we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of this poor man. Put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how this affects him.”
The student did so and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.
While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it around, and looked at it again and again.
He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to the heavens and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of his wife who was sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom this timely bounty, from some unknown hand,would save from perishing.
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the professor, are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?”
The youth replied, “You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the truth of these words, which I never understood before: “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.”
Abdullah ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that encouraging good, prohibiting evil, lifting the burden of the weak person and removing an offensive thing from a path are all acceptable prayers to Allah. - [Ibn Majah]
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Hadith of the Day - November 4th, 2008
Commentary: A person pushing himself up for an office should be deprived of it. Ambitious persons usually manage to get a high office for self-aggrandizement, damaging the interests of other people. A government should primarily aim at the welfare of people and not serve the interests of the privileged few or benefit the holders of key posts alone.
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Of course, that's not how it works anymore...but that's the Islamic rule on appointing leaders. So, if you ever make any leadership decisions in the future, whether it be small scale or something more important, remember the principle of not appointing someone who desires that position of leadership. And also remember that you yourself should not desire a position of leadership. If you are appointed as a leader, and you are willing to assume the responsibility that comes with that position, then Insha'Allah you will be able to lead justly with Allah's help. As Muslims, we should appoint our leaders based on their qualifications, character, fairness, and ability in relation to the position, and we should do this appointing by decisions made in Shura (consultation). If the world would follow the Islamic principles of leadership, then no doubt this world would be a better place.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Update - November 3rd, 2008
It's been a bit over 3 weeks now and people are still visiting the blog, and Insha'Allah, many are benefiting. Please continue to tell others to visit so that more people can read something that might be good for them...
Alhamdulillah I had the opportunity to go to a CAIR Banquet on Saturday, and Imam Zaid Shakir of the Zaytuna Institute was the keynote speaker. Yesterday he also came to our local Masjid and gave an inspirational speech there. After attending the event and listening to the speeches, I felt a renewed motivation to do something to benefit others, and encourage others to do the same, especially for those of us living in Western countries. We as Muslims living in the West have freedom, and an oppurtunity to do Da'wah to those around us. Sure, the misconceptions that have been spread taint our image, but we can still retain our identity as Muslims in the West and not be afraid to propogate our way of life.
And seeking and implementing knowledge is one of the most important things for us to do. If we have knowledge, we shouldn't just hide it and keep it for ourselves. And if we don't have knowledge, then we should make the effort to seek it. With books, and the Internet, and scholars and CD lectures, etc., knolwedge is so easy to access. All we have to do is make that effort, which isn't difficult at all. The fact that you're even on this page, reading this post, testifies to your desire to seek knowledge. And seeking knowledge is a process that lasts until we die....without knowledge, how can we implement Islam in our own daily lives, let alone do Da'wah to Muslims and non-Muslims around us?
Ibn Abbas narrated, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:
"Any person who goes along a course seeking knowledge, Allah will make for him the path to Paradise easy because of it."
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Hadith of the Day - November 1st, 2008
This Hadith contains the prediction that with the passage of time, conditions will become from bad to worse with the result that rulers would become more and more cruel. In such circumstances, the remedy suggested here is that rather than making any effort to reform the rulers, one should try to reform oneself and worry to make one's own life in the Hereafter, and endure patiently the tyrannies perpetrated by the rulers.