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.

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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.

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 

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

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

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!

Beware!! It's still Wrong

 The illustrious Sahaabi, ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was once invited to a waleemah function. When he was about to enter, he heard some impermissible activity taking place, hence he returned immediately. When he was questioned about the reason for his return, he explained: “I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saying: ‘Whosoever adds to the numbers of a people, will be counted from among them, and the one who is pleased with the wrong of a people, will be a partner in their actions.’” (Ithaaful Khairatil Maharah vol. 4, pg. 135)      

It is indeed extremely sad to notice many Muslims joining the disbelievers in their activities and festivities. There are those who remain as spectators and others actively participate. This hadeeth sounds a very severe warning for the passive participants, let alone those who actively join in the wrong. 

 Link

Are You Protected??

Once, a girl bought an iPad. When her father saw it he asked,
"What was the first thing you did when you bought it?"
"I put an anti-scratch sticker on the screen and bought a cover for the iPad," she replied.
"Did someone force you to?"
"No."
"Don't you think it's an insult to the manufacturer??"
"No dad, in fact they even recommend using a cover for the iPad."
"Did you cover it because it was cheap and ugly?"
"Actually, I covered it because I didn't want it to get damaged and decrease in value."
"When you put the cover on didn't it reduce the iPad's beauty?"
"I think it looks better, and its worth it for the protection it gives my iPad."
The father looked lovingly at his daughter and said ...
"Hijab..."
Nothing else..

Read Here

Iqra! O Seeker of Knowledge....

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The seeking of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim." - Al-Tirmidhi

Alhumduillah its a great pleasure and blessing of Allah Ta'ala to share something that is of immense importance to raise ones Iman and thus earn the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. 

Its been my thirst to know more about my Deen and act upon,Alhumdulilah Allah Ta'ala listened to my prayers and blessed me with Zaynab Academy which ultimately quenched my thirst for what I was yearning for. Its of more importance to those Muslimah who find it very hard to step out and who don't have source to learn but Alhumdulillah sitting in the comforts of home I find it very easy to study about Deen. Hope this will be a source of enlightment for you InshaAllah!

Prepare Your House for the King

“Imagine, if you were living in a village, in a run-down hut, and the king of the land announced that he was coming to visit you for a few days. You would be reluctant and embarrassed and inform the king that your residence was wholly unsuitable to his needs and status.

The king in turn would most probably tell you not to worry as he will make the necessary preparations before his arrival.

Subsequently, workers would be sent to your village, your hut would be knocked down and a magnificent palace erected in its place. Only after many months of work would the king arrive in his full splendour.

Shaykh Hakīm Akhtar hafizahullah uses this analogy to demonstrate the arrival of the love of Allāh ta’ala in the heart of a believer. Our hearts are run-down and completely unfit for the Splendour and Magnificence of Allāh.

Consequently we need to make an effort to renovate our old hut, remove the weeds of sins, and prepare a beautiful palace (all this will occur with the help of Allāh ta’ala). Only after preparation, effort and striving will our hearts become pure enough to acquire a true connection with, and love for Allāh ta’ala.”

Link

Allah Invited You !!

Words written under are not of any scholar but read on  this  Site while browsing for some pictures  Gave me a thought to ponder over.Often we overlook the one who has come to invite us towards Allah Ta'ala.We don't give a thought Who actually is inviting us,Who actually wants us to be in His court.I have seen even in my own family how the wedding or other invitations are kept with great care and at place where it could be seen easily by members of  the home.We also feel pride if some high profile people of the town invite us but when Allah Ta'ala the Almighty,the Sovereign invites us we don't even ready to give ears to them. I hope  the words hereunder would let us to realize the importance of Invitation send by Allah Ta'ala Aameen!

When a preacher knocks, you should be happy that Allah Swt is inviting you towards the most excellent religion:) . You should quit whatever you are doing and meet that guy. Listen humbly to his invitation (dawah). If he invites you to the mosque for the next prayer, accept his invitation, jump into the shower and brace yourself for that prayer( “God has invited you”) . Feel different , Allah SWT invited you .

Naseehat

Shafeeq Balkhi set off for Hajj. When he reached Baghdad, the Khalifah, Haroun Rashid highly honoured him and asked for naseehat. Shafeeq Balkhi said: "Allah Ta'ala has made you the representative of the four Khulafa-e-Raashideen. You will be questioned about truth, justice, shame and knowledge. Allah has granted you wealth to give to the needy. He has given you power to compel people to observe the Shariah. If you f ail in these duties, then in Qiyaamah you will be the leader of the inmates of Jahannum. The Khalifah is like a fountain and his subordinate officers like streams springing from the fountain. Govern righteously so that your offices emulate you."

When Haroun Rashid asked for more naseehat, Shafeeq Balkhi said: "If you are overwhelmed by thirst in a desert and someone offers you water in exchange for half your kingdom, will you accept?" The Khalifah said: "Yes."

Shafeeq Balkhi: "If after drinking the water, you are unable to urinate and suffer great pain and distress, a physician says that he will cure you for half your kingdom, will you agree?" 

The Khalifah said: "Yes."

Shafeeq Balkhi: "A kingdom which worth a cup of water and its release is not worth to be proud of." Haroun Rashid wept profusely.

Scattered Pearls

Excel Your Faith

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “It is the excellence of a man’s faith that he gives up meaningless work.” [Tirmidhi, Ahmad]

We need to check all our activities and label them to see which belong to the category of meaningless. If the activity is not taking us towards a meaningful goal for any of the roles that arise from our ideology (e.g. Muslim, parent, son/daughter, self, breadwinner,da'ee, etc), then it would be to our advantage to replace it with more meaningful activity.

 Anything that does not bring us closer to Jannah and distance us from the Fire is meaningless in the long run, and will cause us to regret when it will be too late to realize why did we bother to waste your time with it.

Life is too precious to be wasted for worthless or meaningless matters. The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts life -- i.e. akhira. Life is like a cash register, in that every thought, every deed -- like every sale is registered and recorded.

Life is not lost by dying; rather life is lost minute by minute, day by day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.

We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from it.

Link

A Muslim Submits....

Islam is submission. As Muslims we submit, surrender and hand over ourselves to the Divine command of Allah Ta‘ala and the perfect Sunnah of Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). In our Imaan, we submit and surrender our intelligence and understanding to believe in Allah Ta‘ala and in the unseen, as explained to us by Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). In our Salaah, we submit and surrender our physical limbs and place them down before Allah Ta‘ala. In fasting we submit and surrender our desire to eat and drink for the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala. In Zakaat and qurbaani we submit and surrender our wealth for the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala. In Haj we submit and surrender to the command of Allah Ta‘ala by sacrificing our health, wealth, time and homeland; and we present ourselves in the blessed lands in search of the grace and mercy of Allah Ta‘ala. A Muslim is an embodiment of submission.

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Ramadan Mubarak

As Ramadan have knocked at the door ,to welcome Ramadan and to make the most of every moment of it I will be off for this month. so im taking spiritual retreat  inshaAllah.

May Allah grant Barakah to all of us and make this blessed month a mean to adopt Taqwa and strengthen our Imaan Ameen.

Ramadan Mubarak

Dont be Sad

Most of all rely on Allah. Know that Allah is there for you and closer to you than your jugular vein. Know that He knows you better than you know yourself. Know that He loves you more than any soul ever could. Know that He is there for you when others arent. Know that He will never let you down when others will. Know that whatever you go through in life. 

So put your FULL trust, faith and reliance in Him and know that He is ALWAYS there so trust in Him.

For more read Here

Tawakkul Developed

Once during a famine Hadhrat Abu Ali Shafeeq Balkhi (Rahmatullah Alayh)saw a slave strolling happily. Shafeeq Balkhi said: "People are overcome with grief on account of the famine, but you are strutting around so happily." The slave said: "I am not concerned. My master has an abundance of food. He ensures that I do not remain hungry." This reply profoundly affected Shafeeq Balkhi who supplicated: "O Allah! This slave has so much trust on his mater's food. Why should I not have trust in You Who are the King of kings?" Thereafter, his tawakkul developed in perfection. He would often say that he was the mureed of the slave.

Link Scattered Pearls