The Everyday Heroine.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

When many people think of Egypt, they think of the great, historical monuments: the iconic Sphinx, the awe-inspiring pyramids, the enduring flow of the Nile that has nourished the banks of this desert land for thousands of years.

Others think of Egypt's impressive Islamic history: the mosques and madrassahs of the Mamluks, the ancient Islamic section of Old Cairo and the great fort built by Salahuddin himself.

In this land, many mighty heroes have risen and fallen, as they have all over the world. But the hero that I wish to celebrate here is of a much humbler kind.

She is the woman who looks at the world around her with an alert eye and open heart. Where others see catastrophe, she sees opportunity; where others sense only despair, she senses hope; where others throw their hands up, she rolls up her sleeves.

This is the everyday heroine who makes a satisfying, nutritious meal for her family from the simplest ingredients every night, who knows how to cure a sore throat with the contents of her store-cupboard, who knows how to make a child feel like the champion of the world for learning how to spell the world 'beautiful'.

This is the everyday heroine who juggles pregnancy, weaning, learning Surah al-Fatihah and advice on dealing with peer pressure.

This is the everyday heroine who always has time to listen, knows when to talk and when to remain silent.

This is the everyday heroine who sets up a recycling group in her local area, who hosts coffee mornings for new Muslims, who volunteers at a local charity, who lifts up her child so that he can put 5p in the collection box.

This heroine will never make a Power List in any of the broadsheets. She will not be shortlisted for an award, nor will she be granted a medal for her achievements.

But in the eyes of Allah and those who know and love her, she is a hero every single day of the year.

May Allah reward all you heroines out there, every single one of you. Long may you rise every morning to be a hero to your families, your friends and your local community.

May Allah grant you sincerity and accept your righteous actions. May He bless your time and aid you in your cause.

And, if you happen to know one of these heroines, do me a favour: make dua that Allah accepts her work and lightens her load - then tell her how much you appreciate her, maybe even with a card or flowers. 

Chances are, you will make her day, Insha Allah.

With love and salaam to all the wonderful heroines I have met and continue to meet on this amazing journey called life.

(Na'ima B. Robert)

I found the above article in an old magazine yesterday and wanted to share it with all of you. May we all strive to become and to raise everyday heroines - Ameen.

Wasalaam!

Make Every Day a New Beginning

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Staying away from Allah, the Exalted, only brings bitter fruit. The gifts of intelligence, strength, beauty and knowledge will all turn to calamity and loss if they are kept away from the guidance of Allah, the Exalted, and deprived of His blessings.

It is for this reason that Allah has warned people of the consequences of staying away from Him.

If you are walking down the street and a car comes towards you at high speed and you feel it will hit you and kill you, you have no choice but to act quickly and try to get away.

Allah wants to warn His slaves that they face a similar kind of destruction if they turn away from Him, so He urges them to seek safety with Him alone:

So flee to Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.

And do not make (as equal) with Allah another deity. I am to you from Him a clear warner.

(Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Verses 50 and 51)

Turning to Allah requires a person to:

1. Renew herself

2. Reorganize her life

3. Develop a better relationship with her Lord

4. Do better deeds

It is the start of a new covenant and way of life that is summed up in the following dua:

O Allah, you are my Lord and there is no god but You. You created me and I am your slave. And I am trying my best to keep my oath (of faith) to You and to live in the hope of Your promise.

I seek refuge in You from my greatest evil deeds. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me and I acknowledge my sins. 

So forgive me, for none but You can forgive sins.

Allah says: "I am as My servant thinks I am".

Wasalaam!

Put Things Into Perspective

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Sometimes we all need to step back. Take a look at the bigger picture. Face our reality head on. Sometimes we need to put things into perspective.

We're all guilty of it, now and again. Getting too engrossed in matters of this world, and forgetting our own impending reality.

And, then something happens that brings us all crashing back down to earth. 

It could be the death of a loved one, a family friend, or just someone in the community. 

But what it really is, is a reminder from your Creator. Reminding you of who you are and where you will end up. Reminding you to put things into perspective.

This world is important - but to a limit. Our families, jobs, education are important - but to a limit.

We need to make sure that these good things aren't getting in the way of our relationship with our Creator. Because if they are, then they're not good things anymore.

We need to remove all the negative people and influences from our lives and focus on that which is positive and blessed. 

Look around at the mercy and bounty of Allah that He has blessed you with. The house in which you live, the gardens which will soon flourish in the coming spring, the beautiful land all around.

Sometimes we tend to get so bogged down with things, we forget to look at the blessings that are all around us. We become ungrateful to Allah, Who has blessed us in so many ways.

Keep me in your duas, please,

Wasalaam!

Keep Busy with the Present, Rather than the Past or Future

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

What is the point of slapping your cheeks or tearing your garment in sorrow over something you missed or some calamity that befell you?

What is the point in focusing your thoughts and feelings on some incident that has passed so as to increase your pain and make you fall apart?

If it were possible to reach into the past and change its events which we did not like, and alter them the way we like, then going back to the past would be essential.

We would all rush to go back and erase the things we regretted doing and increase our share of good fortune.

But that is impossible, so it is better for us to focus our efforts on what will help us get on with our lives, for that is our only means of compensation.

This is what the Quran drew attention to after Uhud (a battle named after a mountain in Madinah), when Allah said to those who were weeping for the slain and regretting going out in the battlefield:

Say: "Even if you had remained in your homes, those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death" ..

(Surah Aale Imraan - Verse 154)

Be patient to be victorious.

Wasalaam!

No One is Ever Completely Happy

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

You are making a big mistake if you think that life must always be one hundred percent in your favour. This is something that will only happen in Paradise.

In this world, however, happiness is relative. You will not get everything you want; there will always be some problems, sickness, adversity and trials.

So, be grateful at times of ease and patient at times of hardship.  Do not be too idealistic and expect good health with no sickness, richness with no poverty, happiness with nothing to spoil your joy, a husband with no negative aspects, a friend with no faults.

That will never happen.

Learn how to overlook the negative aspects and mistakes, and look at the positive aspects and good things. Think well of others and make excuses for them, but put your trust in Allah only, because people are not fit to be relied upon or to have your affairs delegated to them:

Verily, they can avail you nothing against Allah (if He wants to punish you ..) ..

(Surah Jaathiyah, Verse 19)

Wasalaam!

Be Cheerful at Heart

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Look at life with a spirit of love and optimism, for life is a gift from Allah to us. So accept this gift from the One, take it with joy and embrace the morning with its glow, and the night with its quietness, and the day with its brightness.

Drink this fresh water with gratitude, breathe the fresh air with joy, smell the roses and glorify Allah. Think about the universe and learn from it, make use of the blessed gift of land, the beautiful flowers, the sweet air, the delights of the garden, the warmth of the sun, the light of the moon.

Let these blessings motivate you to obey Allah, the Exalted, give thanks to Him and praise Him for His blessings and bounty. 

Do not let worry and distress prevent you from seeing these blessings or make you ungrateful; rather, remember that the Creator and Provider has only created these blessings as a means to help you obey Him, and He says:

O you Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibat (all kinds of Halal foods) and do righteous deeds ..

(Surah Al-Muminoon, Verse 51)

The most sincere generosity comes from those who do not have anything but recognize the value of a kind word and a smile. How many people give, but it is as if they are giving a slap.

Wasalaam!

Accept the Blessing and Make the Most of It

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Make the most of the blessings of Allah, give thanks to Him and obey Him. Enjoy the water that you drink and use for wudhu. Enjoy the warmth and light of the sun, and the light and beauty of the moon.

Pick fruit from the trees, drink your fill from the rivers, look at the ocean, walk through the fields, and give thanks to Allah, the Almighty, Oft-Forgiving, the Sovereign and Subduer.

Make use of these blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you, and beware of denying these blessings.

They recognize the Grace of Allah, yet they deny it ..

(Surah An-Nahl, Verse 83)

Before you look at the thorn of the rose, look at its beauty.

Before you complain about the heat of the sun, enjoy its light.

Before you complain about the blackness of the night, think of its peace and quiet.

Why look at things in such a pessimistic and negative manner? Why deny and change blessings?

Have you not seen those who have changed the blessings of Allah into disbelief?

(Surah Ibrahim, Verse 28)

Take these blessings and accept them graciously, and praise Allah, the Almighty, All-Glorious, for them.

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!