Road to Ramadan.......Join the Qafila

As Ramadan is approaching we should better prepare for it like we do for other worldly things. Alhumdulillah I got the opportunity to tread this path to Ramadan under the guidance of eminent teachers. I thought why not let other people to get the same benefit. The journey that is taken under the guidance of a guide is very much easier and pleasant than treading alone. So lets join the Qafila and be a part of this spiritual journey inshaAllah.

See Here

Before It's Too Late........

“Your ‪‎time‬ should not be without any structure, such that you occupy yourself arbitrarily with whatever comes along. Rather, you must take account of yourself and order your worship during the day and the night, assigning to each period of time an activity that must not be neglected nor replaced by another activity. By this ordering of time, the blessing in time will show itself. A person who leaves himself without a plan as animals do, not knowing what he is to do an any given moment, will spend most of his time fruitlessly. Your time is your ‪life, and your life is your capital: by it you make your trade, and by it you will reach the eternal bounties in the proximity of Allah. Every single breath of yours is a priceless jewel, because it is irreplaceable; once it is gone, there is no return for it. So do not be like fools who rejoice each day as their wealth increases while their lives decrease. What good is there in wealth that increases while one’s lifespan decreases? Do not rejoice except in an increase of knowledge or an increase of good‪ works. Truly they are your two friends who will accompany you in your‪ grave‬, when your spouse, your wealth, your children, and your friends will remain behind.”

ImamAl Ghazali‬ (Ramatullah Alaihy)

O' Queen of Islam !!

You may not be a fairy tale princess, but you are always a princess of Islam.The sun doesn't lose its beauty when its covered by the clouds, the same way your beauty
doesn't fade when you are wearing a hijab.

The nobel prize winner Tawakkul Kamran from Yemen, when asked about her hijab by
journalists and how it is not proportionate with her intellect and education, she replied:

"Man in the early times was almost naked, and as his intellect evolved he started wearing
clothes. What I am today and what I am wearing represents the highest level of thought
and civilization that man has achieved, and is not regressive. It's the removal of clothes
again that is regressive back to ancient times."

Full Delight is Here

what Inheritance You Leave Behind !!

It happened last day when my little niece of around  6 years  was sitting having salt cellar in her hand and tasting salt, I asked her why she licking salt? She replied in such a sweet manner that made me laugh. She said isn't you taste salt? I laughed because she saw me tasting salt before having meal and after meal. I do this because it is a recommended act, practice and advice of pious predecessor.

Later I realized that what impact we can leave on these little innocent clean mind. They are a blank slate you can write whatever you want to write on these young minds and hearts. Our kids are not what we want them to be but what we are so to make them follow us we must make sure what we are following.

La Taqnatu

My Beloved Hazratwala Rahmatullah Alaihy says that some people show tawazo (humility) in saying that "Oh Im so sinful how Allah Ta'ala would forgive me". Actually this person is not a humble one but full of pride. Hazrat Maulaha Ashraf Ali Thanwi Rahmatullah Alaihy says such beliefs are batil/false because that person thinks his sins to be greater than the mercy of Allah Ta'ala. Hazratwala Rahmatullah Alaihy says such sentences are of very deceptive nature.

As You Sow so shall You Reap

Power is for Allah.....

Often we have this idea that whatever good we do is just because of our own efforts but Allah Ta'ala says  " La Hawla Wala Quwwata Illa Billah" there is neither might nor ability except with Allah. Everygood we do is solely because of Allah Ta'ala ,as human we are so concerned for ourselves let alone think of others. It is only with will and wish of Allah we can do good deeds.

I intend to write this because I remembered an incident that happened with me. My sister and I was returning from market,on the way we saw some clay pots etc. My gaze fell on a small pots that I thought will keep it as vase near my room. We hurried to the pot maker and asked for that pot but he replied that is not to keep as a vase but for the water to feed the birds. Instantly my intention changed and I bought it to keep it on the rooF of my house for birds to quench their thirst. Later I realized that Alhumdulillah Allah Ta'ala took such a noble work from me else I was so selfish for just for my own desires. That day I literally realized and experienced that the power to do good is purely from Allah Ta'ala. I hope this small article with break the pride within and to make us more humble to Allah Ta'ala Ameen!

How You Wish to Take Problems ??

A good friend of mine had made an investment but he was not getting any returns. He had to maintain the place, pay towards rates and taxes, water bills, workers, etc. He started performing Tahajjud Salaah and things worked out well at a later stage. However, due to these problems he was given the Taufeeq of Tahajjud which is still continuing. Had the problem not affected him, leave Tahajjud, he wouldn’t even be performing his five daily Salaah. This is for those people that have made some effort on themselves, else problems cause one to become worse causing one to become depressed, or turns one towards drugs and alcohol, bad company, etc. some even go to the extent of swearing Allah Ta'ala for involving him in such a problem. In conclusion, Allah Ta'ala brings those closer whom he desires to draw towards him. However, the best and easiest method is to develop the love of Allah from before.  

For more read Here 

Who We are Hiding from ??

What does being alone mean? You’re never alone. There’s no such thing as alone. Alone means actually you’re one on one with Allah swt. So when you’re one on one with Allah swt and there’s no creation who can see you, then you do sin? You close the door, you draw the curtains, you’re alone in your room, you hide your tracks, you erase your histories so no one in creation can find out. But Allah swt Knows.

Shaykh Mufti Kamaluddin Ahmed

It's not too late........

Abu Hurairah RA reported: I heard Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying: “By Allah, I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.”
(Bukhari)

Don't Judge Book by its Cover

Sultan Murad IV, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623-1640, would often anonymously go into the midst of the people and see their state. One evening, he felt an uneasiness in himself and the urge to go out. He called for his head of security and and out they went. They came to a busy vicinity, and found a man lying on the ground. The Sultan prodded him but he was dead and the people were going about their own business. Nobody seemed to care about the dead man lying on the ground.

The Sultan called upon the people. They didn't recognize him and asked him what he wanted. He said, "Why is this man lying dead on the ground and why does no one seem to care?

Where is his family?" They replied, "He is so and so, the drunkard and fornicator!"

The Sultan said, "Is he not from the Ummah of Muhammad (Peace and blessings upon him)? Now help me carry him to his house" The people carried the dead man with the Sultan to his house and once they reached, they all left. The Sultan and his assistant remained.

When the man's wife saw his dead body, she began weeping. She said to his dead body, "Allah have mercy on you! O friend of Allah! I bear witness that you are from the pious ones.

"The Sultan was bewildered. He said, "How is he from the pious ones when the people say such and such things about him. So much so that no one even cared he was dead?"

She replied, "I was expecting that. My husband would go to the tavern every night and buy as much wine as he could. He would then bring it home and pour it all down the drain. He would then say, "I saved the Muslims a little today." He would then go to a prostitute, give her some money and tell her to close her door till the morning. He would then return home for a second time and say, "Today I saved a young woman and the youth of the believers from vice."

The people would see him buy wine and they would see him go to the prostitutes and they would consequently talk about him. One day I said to him, "When you die, there will be no one to bathe you, there will be no one to pray over you and there will be no one to bury you!"

He laughed and replied, "Don't fear, the Sultan of the believers, along with the pious ones shall pray over my body."
The Sultan began crying. He said, "By Allah! He has said the truth, for I am Sultan Murad. Tomorrow we shall bathe him, pray over him and bury him." And it so happened that the Sultan, the scholars, the pious people and the masses prayed over him.

We judge people by what we see and what we hear from others. Only if we were to see what was concealed in their hearts, a secret between them and their Lord.

Read Here

Don't Approach.....It's Decaying

Sometimes there happens things to you in general life of no 

significance but when you reflect a little deeper you can correlate it to eternity. Like it happened to me few days back when the that thought crossed my mind.

As it happened that we decided to shift to new home, since the day I had made up this mind of shifting  I felt that  I am having lesser attraction to attachment to my old home. daily the thought of new house how would I maintain it,decorate it,how would live in it pass my mind. I no longer feel to make new changes to my old house. Let it be the way it is because soon I would have to leave this house and move to new one. So being lenient for old home but more zealous and passionate for new one. The other I was sitting on my Musalla and thought came to my mind Alhumdulillah that just because im shifting to new house I don't want to attach myself to old one then why is that we don't feel to detach ourselves for this temporary abode of duniya and making and decorating our  Jannah ,our eternal abode. May be I would live in this house of duniya for one moment,one day or may be few years and Im getting so passionate having this and that in my house such flooring,curtains,white wash etc but my permanent abode Jannah which is for eternity I have to inclination to that one.

This might happen  when we will woke up on day of judgement questioning how long we would have lived in this world, Just for a day or even lesser!! Truly this world is Daar ul Ghoroor,House of Deception.

For just a day so much preparation BUT no preparation or negligent preparation for Aakhirah!!

May Allah Ta'ala open the reality of this futile world on us and take us closer to Him Ameen!!

Golden Chain....A Part of B'ful Tradition

It was 12 am and she was worried about how she was going to wake up at 3 AM to take her live class. It was winter season in US and most of her classmates and teachers were in Pakistan. The class timings did not suit her at all.

Yes, she had the option of going permanently on recordings, especially since her baby was due in a month and the doctor had told her not to sit for long hours. But her heart did not want to lose the Barakah of live class. Nor was she ready to bring herself one notch down in adab and take classes while lying down.

So she fought the winters and the pain. When she could no longer bear the pain, she wrote in the chatbox on WizIQ:

‘Aapa, can I take class while walking?’

Alhumdulillah Allah Ta'ala blessed me to be a part of this golden chain,  learning to fall in love in with Allah Ta'ala like the other devoted sisters doing mashaAllah.

For more please visit Zaynab Academy

When the Brakes Fail..........

Every vehicle has a braking system which reduces the speed of the vehicle and allows it to come to a complete halt. This human body which is always on the move is daily faced by the fast moving sins and temptations. Modesty and shame form that much needed braking system in man. Without it, man will time and again be destroyed in head-on collisions and life threatening problems.

Music, magazines and movies have become part of a systematic effort to break down man’s braking system of modesty. When brakes fail, then that accidental glance meets up with broken homes and marriages.

We need to keep our brakes serviced with good actions and pious company.

Link

Where You Search For!!

Yahya bin Muaaz Rahmatullah-e-Alayh says,

“There isn’t any respect for a person that disobeys Allah Jalla Jala Laho

If a person desires respect then he should always obey Allah Jalla Jala Laho We search for respect in money, luxury homes, latest model vehicles, cell phones, etc. We ensure that these things are noticed by others, so that people are aware that we are using the latest phone. To attain this objective we will use it in front of others with style. This proves that we regard respect in these things but it is only in the obedience of Allah Ta'ala.

The Buzurgs have written that those that attach importance to these things are clear indications that they are internally empty. The more a person is filled internally is so simple externally. Our great Buzurgs were extremely simple in their external dress even though it was connected to Deen. The great Buzurgs weren’t even particular of straightening their Topis. This had indicated their internal condition.

Nowadays, people are particular of their topies, shoes, sandals, and desire to be noticed. Maulana Muhammad Gardee Saheb of White river had visited Hadrat Maulana Habibur Rahman Aazmi of Aazam Gar. He says, “I found him wearing a simple vest with many holes on them.” He says, “When I embraced him I was unable to leave him.” The insignificant worldly things didn’t matter to these Buzurgs. Hadrat Sheikh says that for six months he never changed his Kurta.

We are so concerned of the creams, cosmetics, brushing our hair. This is the way of the women but the men have also fallen into these things. We should remember respect is only in the obedience of Allah Ta'ala.

Malfoozat

The Most Beloved Human Being who ever lived.....

He is the human being who made us believe God exists.

He is the human being who helped us become more humans.

He is the human being who showed us what success looks like.

He is the human being who humbled us more than any other.

He is the human being who inspired us more than anyone else.

He is the human being who taught us what justice is.

He is the human being who demonstrated what it is to be truly free.

He is the human being who lived like a pauper when the world was at his feet.

He is the human being who forgave those who had been trying to kill him and
his family and friends for decades.

He is the human being who we want to be like.

He is Muhammad, may blessings and peace be upon him and his family.

Link

A Tiny Rose Bud........Secret Unknown

It is a tiny rose bud.
A flower of God's design
But I can not unfold the petals
With these clumsy
hands of mine.




The secret of unfolding flowers
is not known to such as I
God opens this flower
so sweetly
In my hand it will fade & die

If I can not unfold a rosebud,

This flower of God's design,

Then how can I think

I have wisdom

To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him
For His leading
Each moment of everyday.
I will look at Him
For His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.

The Pathway

That lies before me

Only my Allah knows.

I'll trust Him to unfold

the moments,

Just as He unfolds the rose.

Poet Unknown

The Best One !

The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and  teach it. 

[Bukhari]

Be Wise.....

Speech is a necessary evil, but silence is salvation. So when you do have to talk, do not be prolific. You will never once repent of your silence, but often times you will repent of your speech. When a person's intelligence is complete, his speech becomes rare.

Author Forgot to write

How Fast You are Picking !!

Often people complain of getting bore,have nothing to do especially during holidays.Following note can be taken as a heed for those who really wish to use their time wisely.

Imagine that you were taken to a room which was full of gold coins. Each gold coin was worth a million rands. You were told that you have only ten seconds to pick up as many gold coins as you can. Will you ever say that ten seconds is such a long time and you will get bored?

It is obvious he will value every second in picking up as many gold coins as he possibly can!  We need to remind ourselves  that our life in this world, as compared to the everlasting Hereafter, is not even ten seconds. So how can we possibly get bored in picking up good deeds for the Hereafter, which are more valuable than the entire world filled with gold coins?

Imaam Jurjaani (rahimahullah) left out eating bread for forty years. He used to swallow flour instead. The reason for doing this was that he had compared the time it took to chew bread and the time it took to swallow the flour. He found that a person could recite “subhaanallah” seventy times in the extra time it took to chew bread, which is equal to about seventy seconds (Hilyatul Awliyaa, vol. 10, pg. 113). These pious servants had such value for time that they were prepared to sacrifice their basic needs, in order to prepare for the Hereafter. On the contrary, since we have nowadays forgotten the Hereafter, we have thus lost the value of time and hence complain that we are bored.

Extra food can be stored in a fridge and eaten tomorrow. Extra money can be kept in the safe and spent tomorrow. But extra time cannot be saved and used tomorrow. Time that has passed has become the past, never to be seen in the future. We need to value every second and turn our holidays into holy days.


 Taken from Here with little additions and subtractions

That Only I Could Do.....

Sometimes just a simple expression made my someone inspires and touches so much that it really makes you think about. This is the expression made by a lady I met at a Religious Gathering(Taleem). She narrated one of her incident when she was blessed to visit Allah Ta'ala House Kaba Shareef. Her husband ask her to lets go and roam about in vicinity, just to hang out but she made a wonderful reply that " that ONLY what she could do with her legs" means she can only visit Allah's House ,worship Him. Despite being healthy and have wordly richess she refused to be in the fleeting enjoyment of this world. This statement of her really made me to relflect that all what we have been given is the Aamanat of Allah Ta'ala and we should use this Aamanat only in Allah's cause be it wealth, health, our limbs. We should not just betray the trust of Allah Ta'ala using these naimats in futile activities or in sinful activities that won't help us in Aakhirah when we will be questioned about how we spend our life.

May Allah Ta'ala give us the taufeeq to use our time ,wealth and health wisely and save us from disobeying Him Ameen!

Brighten Your Heart.....

Luqman al-Hakim made his will and counselled his son and told him:

"My son! Sit with the learned men and keep close to them. Allah gives life to the hearts with the light of wisdom as Allah gives life to the dead earth with the abundant rain of the sky."

(Muwatta Malik Book 59, Hadith 1859)