This World

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Imam Ghazali (ra) says, "The world is going to perish very soon. It will not endure; it makes false promises and never fulfils them; it seems to be at rest but, in reality, it is fleeting, though its motion is not perceptible to the senses.

People become conscious of its fleeting motion when it forsakes them altogether. It is like a shadow that is in motion all the time, but its movement is not perceptible".

Once, when there was a mention of the world before Hasan Basri (ra), he stated:

"It is like a dream that the people have, in sleep; or like a shadow always in motion. The wise cannot be deceived by things like this".

Yunus ibn Ubaid (ra) says that he has suggested to himself the following similitude about the world:

"A man is asleep and dreams many things, good or bad. Suddenly, he wakes up and the dream is shattered.

Similarly, all men in the world are asleep; and all that they see or do is a dream. When they die, they wake up from the slumber, and there is no substance in the worldly joys or sorrows.

Wasalaam!

The Key to Happiness is Prostration

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The first step towards happiness each day is the Fajr prayer, so start your day with it, then you will be under the protection and care of Allah, the Almighty. 

He will protect you from all evils and guide you to all that is good. Allah does not bless a day that does not start with Fajr. It is the first step towards acceptance and success.

So, glad tidings to all those who pray Fajr, and misery and loss to those who neglect this prayer.

Wasalaam!

Emptying the Vessel (Part One)

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Before you can fill any vessel, you must first empty it. The heart is a vessel. And like any vessel, the heart too must be emptied - before it can be filled. One can never hope to fill the heart with Allah, so long as that vessel is full of other than Him.

To empty the heart does not mean to not love. On the contrary, true love, as Allah intended it, is purest when it is not based on a false attachment.

The process of first emptying the heart can be found at the beginning half of the shahada (the declaration of faith). Notice that the declaration of faith begins with a critical negation, a critical emptying.

Before we hope to reach true tawheed (true monotheism), before we can assert our belief in the one Lord, we first assert: La ilaha (There is no God) There is no illah.

An illah is an object of worship. But it is imperative to understand that an illah is not just something we pray to. An illah is what we revolve our life around, what we obey and what is of utmost importance to us - above all else.

It is something that we live for - and cannot live without.

So, every person - atheist, agnostic, Muslim, Christian, Jew - has an illah. Everyone worships something. For most people, that object of worship is something from this worldly life, the dunya.

Some people worship wealth, some worship status, some worship fame, some worship their own intellect. Some people worship other people. And, many as the Quran describes, worship their own selves, their own desires and whims. Allah says:



Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah ? Then will you not be reminded?

These objects of worship are things to which we become attached. However, an object of attachment is not just something that we love. It is something that we need, in the deepest sense of the word. 

It is something that if lost, causes absolute devastation. If there is anything - or anyone - other than Allah that we could never give up, then we have a false attachment. 

Why was the Prophet Ibrahim (as) told to sacrifice his son? It was to free him. It was to free him from a false attachment. Once he was free, his object of love (not attachment) was given back to him.

If there is anything - or anyone - that losing would absolutely break us, we have a false attachment. False attachments are things that we fear losing almost to a pathological extent. It is something that if we even sense is drifting away, we will desperately pursue.

We chase it because losing an object of attachment causes complete devastation, and the severity of that devastation is proportional to the degree of attachment.

These attachments can be to money, our belongings, other people, an idea, physical pleasure, a drug, status symbols, our careers, our image, how others view us, our physical appearance or beauty, the way we dress or appear to others, our degrees, our job titles, our sense of control, or our own intelligence and rationality.

But, until we can break these false attachments, we cannot empty the vessel of our heart. And if we do not empty that vessel, we cannot truly fill it with Allah.

(Yasmin Mogahed)

Wasalaam!

Hazrat Fatima's (ra) Tasbeeh

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Hazrat Ali (ra) once said to one of his pupils:

"Shall I tell you the story of Hazrat Fatima (ra), the dearest and most loved daughter of the Prophet Muhammad (saw)?"

When the pupil replied in the affirmative, he said:

"Hazrat Fatima (ra) used to grind the grain herself, which caused blisters on her hands. She carried water for the house in a leather bag, which left a mark on her chest. She cleaned the house herself, which made her clothes dirty.

Once, some war captives were brought to Madinah. I said to her, "Go to the Prophet (saw), and request him for an assistant to help you in your housework".

She went to him, but found many people around him. As she was very modest, she could not be bold enough to request the Prophet (saw) in the presence of other people. 

Next day, the Prophet (saw) came to our house and said, "Fatima! What made you come to me yesterday?" 

She felt shy and kept quiet.

I said, "O Prophet (saw) of Allah! Fatima has developed calluses on both her hands and chest, on account of grinding and carrying water. She is constantly busy in cleaning the house, and in other domestic jobs, causing her clothes to remain dirty. I informed her about the captives, and advised her to go to you, and make a request for a servant".

It has also been reported that Hazrat Fatima (ra) made a request - "I and Ali own only one bedding and that also is a skin of a goat. We use it in the morning to put the feed of the camel".

The Prophet (saw) said, "Fatima! Be patient. The Prophet Musa (as) and his wife owned only one bedding, which was the cloak of Prophet Musa (as). Fear Allah, acquire taqwa, keep doing your service to Allah and attend to your domestic jobs. When you go to bed, recite Subhanallah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu Akbar 34 times. You will find this more helpful than an assistant."

Hazrat Fatima (ra) remarked, "I am happy with what Allah and His Prophet (saw) would be pleased with".

In this Hadith, the prescribed zikr is before sleeping. 

In other Ahadith, the Prophet (saw) is reported to have advised Hazrat Fatima (ra) to recite after every salah:

Subhanallah 33 times

Alhamdulillah 33 times

Allahu Akbar 34 times

and the following once, which is:

Wasalaam!

Organize Your Time

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Try reading a good book or listening to a useful lecture. Listen to a beautiful recitation of the Book of Allah - perhaps a single verse will penetrate deeply in your heart and stir your conscience, bringing guidance and light, and dispelling doubts and despair.

Read the books of Sunnah and the words of the Prophet (saw) in Riyad-us-Saaliheen. You will find the correct remedy and beneficial knowledge which will protect you from slipping or making mistakes, and will solve all your problems.

Your medicine is in the Revelation, the Quran and Sunnah, your comfort is in faith, your delight in prayer, your peace of mind in contentment, the beauty of your face in smiling, the protection of your honour in hijab, and your tranquility in dhikr - remembrance of Allah, the All Merciful.

Wasalaam!

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) - His Lineage

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

In terms of his lineage, the Prophet (saw) was the best, from the best - all the way back to his last forefather - Prophet Adam (as). 

He (saw) was born to parents who did not fornicate, but who instead were married. His forefathers were leaders among people, chiefs of tribes and sub-tribes. Each one of them inherited noble qualities from his forefathers. 

If you were to go back twenty years before the Prophet's (saw) birth, you would not find a man who possessed the noble qualities that the Prophet's (saw) grandfather, Abdul Mutallib, possessed.

And, if you went a number of years further back, you would not find a man who was nobler and better than the Prophet's (saw) great-grandfather, Hashim.

The same can be said about all of the Prophet's (saw) forefathers - Abd Manaf, Qusay, and every one of the Prophet's (saw) forefathers between Qusay and Adam (as).

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, upon his family, and upon his Companions as long as stars appear in the sky, as long as birds continue to sing, and as long as the wind continues to blow - Ameen!

Wasalaam!

Living in a Hut with Faith is Better than Living in a Palace with Disbelief

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

A Muslim woman living in a hut, worshipping her Lord, offering her five daily prayers and fasting Ramadan, is happier than a woman who lives in a lofty palace with servants and all means of luxuries.

A believing woman living in a tent and eating barley bread and drinking water from an earthenware jar, who has her Quran and tasbeeh with her, is better off than a woman who lives in an ivory tower, in rooms furnished with velvet, but who does not know her Lord or follow her Prophet (saw).

You should understand the true meaning of happiness - it is not the narrow and distorted meaning that many people imagine.

Do you think that happiness is to be found in dollars and pounds, furnishings and clothing, food and drink, means of transportation?

Not at all.

Happiness is contentment in the heart, peace of mind, a sense of stability, joy in the heart, a righteous attitude, good behaviour and being content with what is sufficient.

Put your trust in the Ever-Living Who will never die.

Wasalaam!

Look at the Clouds and Not the Ground

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Be ambitious, keep climbing and always have hope. Beware of falling, and remember that life is minutes and seconds.

Be like the ant in hard work, patience and perseverance. Always keep trying, and keep repenting. If you go back to sin, then repent again.

Memorize the Quran, and if you forget it, go back and memorize it again and again. 

The main thing is that you should never feel defeated or frustrated, because rationally speaking there is no such thing as the last word or the bitter end, rather there is always trial and error, and learning from your mistakes.

Life is like a building that can be renovated and rebuilt from scratch, with new decor and paint. 

Do away with all thoughts of failure, and stop thinking of calamities and problems, for Allah, the Almighty, says in Surah Maaidah, Verse 23, 

"... and put your trust in Allah if you are indeed believers".

Giving up sin is jihad (fighting in Allah's cause), but persisting in it is stubbornness.

Allah loves those who repent and turn to Him.

Wasalaam!

Count the Blessings that Allah has Bestowed upon You

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

When morning comes, remember that the sun is shining upon thousands of miserable women, but you are blessed. It is shining on hundreds of hungry women, but you have plenty to eat.

It shines on thousands of women who are imprisoned, but you are free. It shines on thousands of women who have been stricken with calamity and lost their children, but you are happy and healthy.

How many tears flow down women's cheeks? How many mothers' hearts are filled with pain, how many screams come from girls' throats - but you are smiling and happy.

So praise Allah, the Exalted, for His kindness, protection and generosity.

Sit and think, and be honest with yourself; look at the numbers and statistics.

 How many things do you own? How much wealth do you possess? How many blessings do you enjoy? How many things do you have that bring you delight?

Beauty, wealth, children, shade, a home, a country, light, air, water, nourishment, medicine?

Rejoice and be of good cheer.

Wasalaam!

You Will Be a Winner In All Situations

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

You have to seek reward with Allah. If some worry, distress or grief befalls you, remember that it is an expiation for sin. 

If you lose one of your children, remember that he will intercede for you before Allah. If some disability or sickness befalls you, remember that it brings its own reward from Allah, which is preserved with Him.

Hunger, sickness and poverty all bring their own rewards from Allah. Nothing is ever lost with Him. 

He keeps it as a trust with Him until He gives it to its owner in the Hereafter.

Wasalaam!

You are Dealing with a Lord Who is Most Kind and Most Generous

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Be of good cheer, for Allah, the Exalted, has promised you a great reward, as He says:

And their Lord responded to them, "Never will I allow to be lost the work of [any] worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another. So those who emigrated or were evicted from their homes or were harmed in My cause or fought or were killed - I will surely remove from them their misdeeds, and I will surely admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow as reward from Allah , and Allah has with Him the best reward."

Surah Aale-Imraan, Verse 195

Allah has given the same promises to men as to women, and He praises women as He praises men:

Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.

Surah Al-Ahzaab, Verse 35

This indicates that women are the twin halves and companions of men, and that your reward is stored with Allah. You can do good deeds at home and in society, that will help you attain the pleasure of Allah. So, set the best of examples and be a beacon for the children of the Ummah.

Take your cue from the life of Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, may Allah be pleased with her, and Maryam (may peace be upon her), Khadijah, Aisha, Asma and Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with them).

These were chosen women, devout believers  who fasted and prayed at night. May Allah be pleased with them and grant them great reward. Follow their footsteps and you will find tranquility and dignity.

Wipe away the tears of the orphan in order to attain the pleasure of the Most Merciful and a house in Paradise.

Wasalaam!

The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) - His Name

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The name "Muhammad" means "the praised one". Therefore, the Prophet's name is as much a title that describes the Prophet's qualities, as it is a name that identifies the Prophet (s.a.w) as an individual.

Any noble quality one can imagine, the Prophet (s.a.w) possessed. He is divinely protected; he is the seal of all Prophets; he is Allah's obedient slave; he is the chosen one from Allah's created beings; and he is Allah's Khaleel - a Khaleel is more than a friend; it denotes the highest level of friendship and love - therefore, he is certainly deemed one who is worthy of being commended by Allah. And he (s.a.w) is deemed worthy of praise by people, for he is near to their hearts, merciful towards them, and blessed no matter where he is.

He is worthy of praise because his character became refined through revelation, and because his personality became polished through prophethood.

He was known by various names, each of which pointed to at least one of his noble qualities. The Prophet Isa (a.s) gave glad tidings of him to his people, promising them that a Prophet named Ahmad was soon going to be sent to guide mankind to the truth.

A few of his other names are Al-Aqib, Al-Hashir and Al-Mahee. 

Al-Aqib means "one who succeeds others", or "one who comes after others"; the Prophet (s.a.w) was given that name because he came after all other Prophets (a.s), and because no other Prophet will come after him.

Al-Hashir connotes the meaning of resurrection; the Prophet (s.a.w) was given that name because, when this world will come to an end, people will be resurrected at his feet. 

And as for the name of Al-Mahee, it connotes the meaning of "erasing something"; the Prophet (s.a.w) was called Al-Mahee because, through him, Allah erased disbelief.

The Prophet (s.a.w) was mentioned in both the Torah and the Injeel (the Gospel); he was helped in his mission by the Angel Jibraeel (a.s); he carried the banner of honour for the Banu Luaiy clan; and he was the most honoured member of the Banu Abd-Manaf ibn Qusaiy clan.

He (s.a.w) was rightly guided himself; he was the best of guides for others; he was elevated in ranking by his Lord; he was thankful for all that Allah blessed him with; and he was, and continues to be, a source of countless blessings for all of mankind.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, upon his family, and upon his companions as long as stars appear in the sky, as long as birds continue to sing, and as long as the wind continues to blow - Ameen!

Wasalaam!

Build Yourself a Palace in Paradise

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Look how many generations have passed away. Did they take their wealth with them? Did they take their palaces and their high status? Were they buried with their gold and silver? Did they take their cars and planes with them to the Hereafter?

No!

They were stripped even of their clothing, and placed in their graves in their shrouds, then each of them was asked: Who is your Lord, who is your Prophet and what is your religion?

So, prepare yourself for that day; do not grieve or despair about any worldly comforts, for they are cheap and transient. Nothing will abide except righteous deeds.

Allah, the Exalted, says:



Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.
Surah An-Nahl, Verse 97

Wasalaam!

Eid-ul-Adha and Qurbani

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The name of this Eid is Eid-ul-Adha - meaning the festival of the sacrifice.

On this Eid day, we should remember the incident of the Friend of Allah, the Prophet Ibrahim (as), and his adherence to the command of Allah, when being commanded to sacrifice his son Ismail (as).

The great Prophet of Allah was ready to carry out this divine command of Allah, only to find out that he was simply being tested.

The whole incident reminds us all of the acceptance of those who are obedient to Allah – they follow all of Allah’s commands no questions asked! Allah surely tests those whom He loves, and after these tests always comes much reward and acceptance.

We learn the lesson to always try and follow this great example of Prophet Ibrahim (as), and to put Allah before our own wishes and desires. Whether it is the want of our own selves – our nafs, peer pressure or family pressure.

Nothing should come before the pleasure of Allah and His beloved Rasool (saw)!

Virtues of the Night Before Eid

The Prophet (saw) said, “Whoever stays awake and performs Ibadah on the two nights before the two Eids, with hope for abundant reward from Allah, his heart will not die on the day when all hearts will be dead (Qiyamah)” – Ibn Majah

Such few people will actually carry out this blessed act so become one of those special ones who does!

Qurbani

·       The most important action to be performed in this month of Dhul Hijjah is Qurbani.

·       Qurbani is wajib (necessary) upon those people who own wealth equal to or more than the nisaab of Zakat.

·       This Qurbani is wajib each year – even if they are not performing Hajj.

·       It can be done in one’s hometown or you can pay for it to be performed on ones behalf in any other country around the world. This can also be done through a reliable charity organisation.

·       The Prophet (saw) said, “There is nothing more dearer to Allah during the days of Qurbani, than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Judgement with its horns, hair and hooves to be weighed. The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood falls to the ground. Therefore perform Qurbani open heartedly.” (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

Wasalaam!

The Takbeer Tashriq

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

It is wajib (necessary) to recite the Takbeer Tashriq after every Fardh salah from the Fajr of the 9th Dhul Hijjah to the Asr of the 13th Dhul Hijjah. Men should recite loudly and women should recite softly.

Wasalaam!

The Day of Arafah

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Allah has created all the days of the year, and He favoured the best day which is the Day of Arafah - the day before Eid ul Adha.

A Jewish man came to the companion of the Prophet (saw), Umar ibn Khattab (ra), and said to him, “O leader of the believers, there is a verse in your Book which you recite. If this verse were to be revealed to us (Jews), we would take that day as a holiday and festival.” Hazrat Umar (ra) asked, “Which verse are you talking about?” 

He said, The verse where Allah says, This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. Surah Maaidah – Verse 3.

Hazrat Umar said to him, I know exactly when and where this verse was revealed. This verse, which completed the Shariah (law) of Islam, was revealed on the Day of Arafah on a Friday.

This shows the value of the Day of Arafah.

In another hadith, the Prophet (saw) said, “Allah took the covenant from the back of Prophet Adam (as) in Na’maan.” What is Na’maan? It is Arafah.

“And from his back, from his loins, He extracted his offspring”. All the human beings to ever exist were there.

Allah addressed all of us, and said, “Am I not your Lord?” and we all replied, “Yes Allah, we testify that you are our Lord”. This has been mentioned in the Quran.

Allah valued the Day of Arafah so much that he took this important covenant from us on that day. So, how should we treat this day?

The Prophet (saw) said, “The best time you can ever make dua is on the Day of Arafah”.

 Allah will accept our duas at any time and any place, but on this day it’s an extra special time. Prepare yourself and make a list of the duas you want to make, and ask Allah for the Hereafter especially. Make as much dua as you can because Allah gets angry when we don’t make dua to Him. 

When the Prophet (saw) was asked about the fast of this day, he said: “It compensates for the minor sins of the previous year and the forth coming year”. (Muslim)

 Can you imagine that? A scholar said if our sins had a smell, no one would want to sit next to us! Here, we have a guarantee from Allah that our sins of two years will be forgiven – grab hold of this opportunity, and make a good intention for it! 

The spirit of the Day of Arafah is repentance. When the Haajis in Arafah leave, they will have been forgiven by Allah.

On this day, Allah comes down to the first heaven and says, “On this day, even if you bring so many sins, as much as raindrops, as much as the sand particles and the leaves on the trees, even then today your Allah is ready to forgive you. Repent, and I am your Friend”.

The real action of Arafah is to repent to Allah. Repentance is the journey back to Allah. When we leave Arafah, we should know that we have been forgiven.

To repent, doesn’t mean that we are never going to sin again – we can’t expect that from humans. It means that if we do sin again, then we will ask Allah for forgiveness!

It was the Day of Arafah when the Prophet Muhammad (saw) gave his famous final sermon. It’s a sermon which is admired by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Wasalaam!

You Are Better Off Than Millions of Women

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Think of the world as a whole, of the hospitals filled with patients who have been stricken with disease and calamity for many years; and the prisons in which thousands of people are held behind bars, their lives and pleasures ruined; and the asylums and hospitals which accomodate people who have lost their minds and have become insane.

Are there not poor people living in tattered tents and hovels, who cannot find a bite to eat? Are there not women who have been stricken with calamities that took away all their children in a single accident? Or women who have lost their sight or hearing, or whose arms or legs have been amputated, or who have lost their minds, or who have been stricken with chronic diseases such as cancer and the like?

But you are sound in body and in good health, living a life of tranquility, security and contentment. So, give thanks to Allah, the Exalted, All-Merciful, for His blessings and do not waste your time with things that are not pleasing to Him.

Wasalaam!

It is Sufficient Honour for You that You are a Muslim

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Everything that happens to you for the sake of Allah is an expiation for you, if Allah, the Exalted, wills. Hear the glad tidings narrated in the Hadith:

"If a woman obeys her Lord, offers her five daily prayers and preserves her honour, she will enter the Paradise of her Lord".

These are easy matters for the one for whom Allah makes them easy. So, by doing these great deeds, you will meet a Merciful Lord who will give you happiness in this world and in the Hereafter.

Follow His laws no matter where that leads you, and adhere to the Book of Allah (the Quran), and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad (saw), for you are a Muslim woman, and this is a great honour and source of pride. Other women were born in the lands of disbelief, Christians, Jews or something other than the religion of Islam, but Allah chose you to be a Muslim woman, and He made you one of the followers of Muhammad (saw), following in the footsteps of Aisha, Khadija and Fatima - may Allah be pleased with them all.

Congratulations, for you offer the five daily prayers, you fast in Ramadan, you go on pilgrimage to the House, and you observe Islamic hijaab. 

Congratulations, for you are pleased with Allah as your Lord, Islam as your religion, and Muhammad (saw) as your prophet.

Your gold is your religion, your adornment is your moral attitude, and your wealth is your good manners.

Wasalaam!

You Have a Huge Wealth of Blessings

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

My sister, verily with every difficulty there is ease. After night comes the day. The clouds of worry will be blown away, the darkness of distress will be dispelled, and calamities will come to an end, by Allah's leave.

Remember that you will be rewarded, and if you are a mother, your children will be a great support and help for Islam, if you bring them up properly. They will make dua for you when they prostrate and at the end of the night, just before dawn. 

It is a great blessing if you are a compassionate and kind mother. It is sufficient honour and pride for you to remember that the mother of Muhammad (saw) gave mankind a great leader, the noble Messenger (saw).

You have the potential to be a caller to Islam, calling other women to the path of Allah with kind words, good exhortation and wisdom, arguing in a manner that is better, debating and guiding others by means of your good behaviour and setting an example.

A woman may achieve, by means of her conduct and righteous deeds, things that cannot be achieved by means of religious sermons, lectures and lessons. How often has a woman gone to live in a neighbourhood, and people started to talk about her religious commitment, modesty, Islamic dress and good attitude, her kindness to her neighbours and her obedience to her husband, so she became a good example to others, that was spoken by all.

Wasalaam!

A Woman Who Challenged Tyranny

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

The past is gone and the hoped for future is still unknown. All you have is the present.

Look at the texts of Islam, the Quran and Sunnah. Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty, praises righteous and believing women. He says:

And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Fir'awn (Pharaoh), when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'awn (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are wrongdoers, polytheists and disbelievers in Allah.

(Surah Tahreem - Verse 11)

Think about how Allah made this woman - Asiyah, may Allah be pleased with her - a living example for believing men and women, a clear symbol for everyone who wants to be guided and follow the ways of Allah in life. How wise this woman was, when she sought a home with the Lord and put that above her worldly interests. She freed herself from the control of the kafir (disbeliever) tyrant Pharaoh and refused to live in his palace with his servants and courtiers, and with all its luxuries.

She sought a better home that was more lasting and more beautiful, with the Lord of the Worlds, amidst gardens and rivers, in a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise), near the Omnipotent King (Allah, the One, the All-Blessed, the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honour).

She was a great woman whose ambition and sincerity led her to speak the word of truth and faith against her tyrant husband. She was tortured for the sake of Allah but she ultimately earned a home with the Lord of the Worlds, and Allah, the Exalted, made her an example for every believing man and woman until the Hour comes, and He praised her in His Book, recording her name and commending her deeds, and condemning her husband who deviated from the right path on earth.

There is no power and no strength except with Allah.

Wasalaam!

The First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Dhul Hijjah is the last month of the Islamic calendar. Allah is so Merciful to us and He has given us so many opportunities in this year for extra reward:

·       The blessed month of Muharram

·       The night and day of the 15^th Shaban

·       The whole month of Ramadan

·       The night of Laylatul Qadr

·       The happiness of Eid ul Fitr

·       The six fasts of Shawwal

All these days and months are a blessing from Allah to help the neglectful ones to wake up to reality, and to give them more reward.

No matter how many times we forget about Allah and we love the world more than Him, Allah wants to remind us that there’s always a chance to make up for the loss of the past. There’s always a chance to get more reward.

But it is only the people who are wise that will take this chance! They are the ones who will secure a higher place in Paradise for themselves. On the other hand, if we decide to sit back and do nothing, then it’s only us that will suffer in the ultimate end.

What are the blessings of this great month of Dhul Hijjah, and how we can gain more reward in it?

·       The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are amongst the best days of the year. A hadith says, that the Prophet (saw) said, “On no day is the worship of Allah more beloved to Him than during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. The fast of each of these days is equal to the fast of the whole year, and the worship of each of these nights is equal to the worship of Laylatul Qadr”. (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

·       That means that if we fast on these 9 days before Eid day, we will be promised the reward of 9 years of fasting. Laylatul Qadr has the reward of more than a thousand months of worship! Even if we spend just a little part of these nights in worship – we will gain so much reward inshallah!

·       Look at the mercy of Allah – He offers us such a great reward for such a small sacrifice – the days are getting shorter and it will be easier to fast.

·       The Prophet (saw) said: “On no other days are good deeds more liked by Allah than on these ten days”.

·       We should increase our zikr of Allah in these days. Recite Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu akbar as much as you can. We can do this in all states – working, walking, cooking, lying down etc.

The Day of Arafah

This is one of the most special days from these ten days – Yaum al Arafah – it falls on the day before Eid. This is when the Hajis spend most of the day at Arafah, and when they leave there, they can be sure that Allah has forgiven all their sins.

When the Prophet (saw) was asked about the fast of this day, he said: “It compensates for the minor sins of the previous year and the forth coming year”. (Muslim)

The Prophet (saw) also said, “Apart from the day of the Battle of Badr, there is no day on which Shaytan is seen to be more humiliated, more rejected, more depressed and more infuriated, than on the Day of Arafah, and indeed all this is only because of witnessing the abundance of mercy descending on that day, and Allah’s forgiveness of the great sins of His servants.” (Mishkat)

The Prophet (saw) said, “There is no day in which Allah sets free more souls from the fire of Hell than on the Day of Arafah; and on that day, Allah draws near to the earth, and by way of exhibiting his pride, remarks to the angels, “What is the desire of these servants of mine?” (Muslim)

So, whether we are sat on the plains of Arafah or sat in our very own homes, if we ask, Allah will give. Ask for the goodness of this world, but more importantly, the goodness of the Hereafter.

We should keep our qadha fasts before these nafl fasts. Speak to Allah, and tell Him with a sincere heart that if you didn't have qadha fasts, you would most definitely be keeping these nafl fasts. Pray that He gives you the same reward, inshallah.

May Allah give us all the ability to make the most of these blessed days - Ameen!

Wasalaam!