A TICKET TO HEAVEN

All about voluntary fasts

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

It’s fun being invited. My expectations run high as I almost starve myself for the feast that I would relish at my friend’s home. I wonder who else will I be meeting there?  Do you like being invited? What are your expectations from your host? More than anything else it’s the warm welcome which makes the difference.  With that everything else seems perfect.

And then there are gatherings where only those with invitation card are allowed to enter. Oh dear! I wonder where I kept the invitation from my son’s school event.  Even in such a gathering, there is a very special reception for the guest of honor. As we stand in a queue waiting for our turn to enter, we see few well deserved honored members of the society walk right past us. It’s their work and position that has earned them this honorable reception. Nothing special comes cheap!

There is an open invitation for Jannah (Paradise) from our the Almighty for all of us. So, what do we need to enter it? Monotheism (There is no god but Allah and Muhammed (ﷺ) is his messenger).  An easy way to enter (and obtain high levels in) Jannah is not going to be for free. Are you willing to earn a special place in Jannah? Which special deed are you willing to take to get close to Him?

A means of getting close to Allah

We have just experienced the sweetness of fasting in the month of Ramadan. Alhamdulillah. How we wish that we could experience this serenity throughout the year. Don’t let this feeling fade away. Make fasting as a means to get close to Allah. Insha Allah, we will enter Jannah from the gate ‘Al Rayyan’.

Al Rayyan is a gate in heaven for those who fast

Ah! There is more to fasting than just a red-carpet welcome. The Most Gracious Allah rewards those who fast without limits. Indeed, there could hardly be a better way to please Him.

Unlimited reward

Ramadan has shown us, that fasting is easy. Alhamdulillah. Are you missing Ramadan? If only we could do more. Allah SWT has given us a chance to earn the reward of fasting!!

Fasting six days of Shawwal

Having fasted complete month of Ramadan, would you let such an opportunity slip away? Hurry up, just a few days of this blessed month are left. Remember, to reap this reward you should have completed the missed fasts of Ramadan too.

Do not lose heart, if you are incapable of doing this. Most Merciful has provided us more ways to achieve a huge reward. Soon blessed days of Dhul Hijjah would be here. Not all of us will be able to perform Haj this year. Those of us who stay back could still get our (minor) sins forgiven by fasting on the day of Arafah (9th of Dhul hijjah). Besides, nothing is holding us back from making most of first nine days of Dhul hijjah by fasting.

Alhamdulillah. We can’t thank Allah enough for providing us with such an opportunity to cleanse ourselves. Yet again, A month later The Most Beneficent again gives us an opportunity to expiate the sins of a year by fasting on the Day of Ashura (10th of Muharram). You can read about this in the post, A Scheme for Success. Indeed, Allah SWT is most forgiving and He loves to forgive. Subahan Allah.

Voluntary fasts

We all claim that we love our prophet (ﷺ). So, how do we express our love? We are to follow his sunnah (way of life). Unfortunately, we celebrate our prophet’s birth in a way which is far from Sunnah. Let us see, what our prophet (ﷺ) in recognition of being blessed with life. Far from the current view of celebration, he (ﷺ) fasted on the day (of the week) he was born. Could we do the same to claim our love for him? He also preferred fasting on Thursdays. Why? When presenting a gift to our loved ones we care to perfume it and wrap it well. Our beloved prophet (ﷺ) cared more about presenting his deeds well to The One, who had blessed us with everything. He (ﷺ) preferred to fast on the day the deeds are presented before Allah. SubhanAllah. This makes me wonder, on what basis do I and you claim that we love Allah and His Messenger? I hope to practice these fasts. Are you interested too?

Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays

Some of us find it very difficult to fast every week. There is another lovely option for those who love to fast! We are encouraged to fast on any three days of every month. Remember every good act has a minimum reward of ten hasanat (good deeds). Fasting like this will be equivalent to fasting for the entire month (and for an entire year if it is done every month).

Fasting three days a month

Fasting has spiritual and worldly benefits too. In the current era, where we are being bombarded with lewd adds and shows/programs, fasting acts as a shield improving our self-control. Insha Allah, this would help teens and youth lead a modest life. Would you encourage those around you to fast?

Fasting acts as a shield

It is worth noting that other than Ramadan it is not obligatory for us to fast on any other day. We people are wise enough to make smart choices when it comes to purchasing and selling things. We wait for a sale and make most of it. Likewise, are we wise enough to make most of these days? Invitation to heaven is open. Couldn’t we learn to refrain a little for eternal pleasure in Jannah?  Would you like this ticket for Jannah? It’s your choice.

May Allah make us among those who can choose to enter from any of the eight doors of Jannah. Ameen.

Published in Muslimahbloggers.

Just Another Ramadan

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Ramadan is back here. Has a year flown away so soon? We haven’t really retrieved from the excitement of last Eid and Ramadan has knocked our doors again. We have ensured we have done our best to welcome this month. Our Homes are shining; Our freezers are full of frozen snacks to fry; We have even purchased our Eid clothes. Insha Allah, our time will be well spent in Ibada. Our Dua(invocation) books are out and we are determined to spend most of our time with Quran; we will try our best to read Quran at least once. After all, this has been our standard procedure all our life. Great! We are at bliss. Are we? Now let us see our Ramadan routine in a new light.

ARE OUR HOMES WELCOMING?

Are our homes welcoming enough for the angels? Of course, the house has been dusted and arranged. Check again, is there anything in the house which would keep angels away? Why wouldn’t angels of mercy enter our home, when we have ensured that our home even smells great?!! WELL, ARE OUR WALLS FREE OF FAMILY PHOTOS?

Is a photo in your living room meant to honor a predecessor? Or, do you proudly display the photo of your child receiving a trophy? Indeed, the elders need to be honored and the youngster’s achievement is worth being applauded. But, we don’t need a framed photo to prove our love for them. Our love for Allah is much stronger and with all the devils locked it should be much easier to obey Him. Let us remove the photos and ensure that our home is welcoming enough for the angels.

SERVE IT RIGHT

It’s the first day of Ramadan, and kids are already speaking of goodies they would get to eat in iftar. Most of us have loaded our freezer with partly cooked snacks. Moms are wondering whether to defrost kabab, samosas or spring rolls. We have taken all this pain to ensure that our family gets to eat tasty food while we don’t waste our valuable time in a kitchen. Well, have we also ensured that our deeds are being presented before Allah?! Are we in good terms with our extended family and friends? If you are in doubt, without delay connect to your loved ones. Please click here to read more about this.

Hadith Wait until they reconcile

LET US MAKE THIS RAMADAN THE BEST RAMADAN!

We all love the month of Ramadan. We love the fasting, reciting Quran and standing in tarawih salah. How we wish that we can feel this closeness to Allah all our life. Yet, after Ramadan, we slowly slip back being our usual self. Months of Ramadan come and go, with hardly any impact on our life. Why aren’t we able to hold on to something from our experience in Ramadan? How did you feel, when you first fasted for an entire month? Alhamdulillah. How did you feel on completing the recitation of the Quran for the first time? Are there any more memories which would make a Ramadan stand out? 

LIVING THROUGH THE MONTH OF RAMADAN IS A HUGE BLESSING. Every Ramadan in our life counts. Perhaps, it’s time we push ourselves to do a little more. Look at Ramadan as an opportunity to change our life for better. It’s time to elevate our Rank in heaven.

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My Little Quran Buddy

 

My little Quran buddy

 

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Dear friends, I would like to share with you something which made me very happy!! For me, it is an achievement too good to be true! This happened a year ago. Yet, I can’t cease being pleased about it. My son, who was then just a six-year-old had memorized 30th para (last part) of Quran! Allahu Akbar. But there is more to be happy about. With him, his thirty plus years old mommy (me) memorized Juzz Amma too!!!! Alhamdhulillah. And we did it ourselves by the grace of Allah. If you see my journey, you would understand the reason behind my uncontainable happiness.

I had been childless for the first few years after marriage. This is when I took up a course to study tafsir (explanation) of Quran. Like any other infertile Muslimah, I recited invocations of Zakkariya (PBUH).

Quran clearly showed the state at which Zakkariya (PBUH) asked Allah for a child. It was more than a mere desire. Zakkariya (PBUH) was an old man with a barren wife. This is when he prayed for a child! His humble plea showed the prophet’s Tawakul (Trust) in Allah. He wasn’t unhappy with Allah’s decree. There a strong reason for his request. HE WANTED SOMEONE WORTHY TO INHERIT HIS PROPHETHOOD! Subahan Allah.

I had no idea what had Allah decreed for me. As I read the above verses, I wondered why did I want to be a mom? I realized being a parent is a huge responsibility. We parents work hard to provide the best nourishment for our child. We spend a fortune on our little one’s education. Are we ensuring that they are brought up on the way of Islam? Do we instill the love of Quran in our child’s heart? How can we show our gratitude to Allah for being blessed with a child? We could learn from the attitude of Zakkariya (PBUH) on being blessed with a child.

We are to raise our children as believers adhering to Allah’s command. Inspired by the narration in Quran, I prayed for a child with whom I could worship Allah with ease; a child who would be a means of sadaqa jariya (who becomes a reason for increase in my good deeds after the parent’s death). I resolved that If Allah blesses me with a child I would encourage him/her to memorize Quran. For the majority of my life, I had only uttered surat ul Fatiha and surat ul Ikhlas in my Salah! And, with no hafiz-a-Quran as far as I know in my lineage, this indeed is a very heavy resolution.

Alhamdulillah. The Most Merciful Allah soon blessed me with a son. When Zakir was less than three years old I attempted memorizing surat un Naba from a popular website. A group of ladies repeated the teacher as she recited the verses. I tried reciting the memorized verses at the end of the session. Whenever I stumbled my little innocent baby would help me!! I was stunned. The truth is every toddler would readily learn things which are repeated to them. Don’t we teach our children poems?

When my son was ready for a nursery, I wanted the best of the teachers to teach Quran to my son. Either he was dismissed as too young or the institute was too far away. The teachers who were willing to teach him at home would only spend a little time with him and I wasn’t satisfied with the outcome. With a birth of another son, life turned busier. I wasn’t sure when to start or whom to approach to help Zakir memorize the Quran.

As a kindergartener, Zakir used to return home early. To prevent him from troubling the baby, I used to play nasheed (Islamic poems/songs) on the computer. He would hum the nasheed while playing. This is

when it struck me – MY SON COULD LEARN TO RECITE FROM THE BEST QARI IN THE WORLD! Qari (Quran reciters) like Misry AlAfasy, Khalifa Al Tunaiji, Husairi and more could indeed help my son memorize the Quran! Several websites with memorizing option are freely available for us to explore! I tried such a website. Alhamdulillah. 4-year-old Zakir was happily reciting the verses I had just played on repeat mode! And here began our Quran memorization journey.

Prior to the birth of my son, I had attempted several times to memorize few small chapters from the Quran. We all know the story of the Hare and the tortoise. Let’s just say, my approach was more like that of the Hare! I could have never completed the mammoth task like this. I did pray and plead to Allah to make Quran my companion in the grave. But, I was not doing enough to give life to my supplications. The All-wise Allah, who had installed this desire in my heart also showed me a way to give life to my desire. I wanted my son to see Quran as a part of his life. This required me to take time out and dedicate myself completely for memorization. During this fixed time, nothing else was to be given preference! Could there be a better way to have quality time with one’s child?

Does one’s smartness or memorizing speed make a difference? It wouldn’t help if we are not consistent. I tried my best to make memorization an everyday task. It didn’t bother me if we just memorized a line or a word as long as we continued spending time with the Quran. We read and listened to the verse over and over again. Having a little buddy made this task much easier. My son’s company served as the much-needed push to keep me on the track.

All my life, I avoided studying anything I didn’t understand. Even as a teen I preferred reading the translation of the Quran to the original Arabic text! Back then, I just couldn’t read Arabic. Even after, I had taken up tafsir (explanation) course, I hesitated reading Arabic text while explaining translation to others. When I finally had to, I was down to tears due to my inability to read Arabic fluently. And in my tajweed (art of reciting Quran) class, I was probably the weakest student. Till date, my pronunciation in any language is far from perfect. Honestly, even in my early twenties, I would have never foreseen myself trying to memorize the Quran. But most merciful Allah has helped me start this journey of memorizing Quran. Alhamdulillah. When I could do it, anybody could do it with Allah’s help. The first step is the most difficult step.

 

Allah draws close to one who moves towards Him

Additional benefits of Memorizing Quran

Like any other normal seven-year-old, my son loves to play and read books. He too demands the toys that are in trend. He dislikes cleaning up. He too plays pranks around his little brother and tests my patience with his mischief. I can’t keep him from being influenced by factors outside the home. But, I hope in future he’ll influence those around him in a positive way. When he first joined the school, he returned home singing a song in a language I didn’t understand. After he started memorizing, he returned home stating that he taught few of his friends the chapters he had learned. His love to memorize things surprise me. Even if it is not necessary, he readily memorizes any poem he loves during the school hours.

This journey was originally taken to help my son memorize Quran. The truth is – it is my little buddy who has helped me more. Like any other little chap, he is much faster than me in memorizing and refuses to continue unless I too memorize the verses. This has resulted in me spending more time with Quran when he is at school. I know I am not good enough to teach him or anyone else. His pronunciation is far better than mine (We still have a teacher helping him recite Quran). The necessity to improve my tajweed has dragged me to the masjid. I opted to visit a masjid which is a bit far from home. Well for every step towards masjid don’t our sins shed. Plus, a brisk walk is good for our health. Sometimes, I feel lazy. Then I think of a walk in the paradise which I could be rewarded for this. (Insha Allah <3) This gives me the much-needed boost.

Insha Allah, I would like my son to join the halaqa (memorizing circle in masjid). There he could study much better. I don’t know how long will I be able to keep pace with him. Maybe soon he would not need me to help him out. Ah, it would be nice to see him take a role of the teacher and teach his brother (and me too). Yes, I would love to become a hafiza. I would love more to see my sons turn into Hafiz and live trying their best to please Allah. After all, parents are rewarded in heaven for this!

Quran time is a blessing in other ways too. My naughty explorers are silent during and after Quran session. It keeps us away from TV and the computer. We have things to speak and laugh about, which only we understand. Zakir has even invented some Quran recitation games and pop quizzes!

I can’t thank Allah enough for blessing me with a son, who in turn helped me take this major step. Now I work like the tortoise (recollect the good old story about hare and the tortoise ). We take a step at a time. The finish line is far away. I am not sure whether I’ll be able to reach it. Insha Allah, I’ll never give up. May Allah make it easy on us. Aameen.

Would you like to take up such a journey? Who would be your memorizing buddy? Maybe my upcoming post on tips to memorize from home will motivate you further.

Per published in muslimahbloggers

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Are we slaves to the gadgets?

Assalamu alikum.

Alhamdhulillah, one of my articles has been republished in Aboutislam

.

http://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/living-islam/are-we-slaves-to-our-gadgets-instead-of-allah/

Do check to see, the changes. 🙂

A Perfect husband

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Gentlemen, have you wondered, “what a woman desires?!” Ladies, let’s discuss, “How should a perfect husband be?” What kind of person would you love to marry? For those of us who are married, what were/are your expectations from your life partner? Is he a romantic hero who would sweep you off the floor with his charm? Or, are you expecting him to shower love on you with roses and chocolates! I am sure every woman has her definition of Prince Charming/ Superman. Does anyone really fit in?

Having seen marriage of a near and dear ones break, I had lost trust in marriage. When it was my turn to get married, I was scared. I wondered, “How should a perfect husband be?” The romantic hero seen in movies appeared to be an immodest flirt. I was sure such would continue to woo other women too. I was looking for a real human not a superman. A husband should cater to physical, emotional and financial needs of a wife. Unfortunately, many have failed in one or all these aspects. Men mostly seem incapable of expressing love. Do you know your partner’s likes and dislikes? Can you recognize your spouse’s developing anger? How many activities do you do together? Thankfully, I learnt about a person who reassured my faith in marriage.

My search led me to take interest in life of a modest man. His wife didn’t have to search for a reason/activity to get his attention. At home he readily made himself available for her. He would help her with the household chores! Love needs to grow in a marriage. Occasional showering of gifts/flowers cannot replace the interaction required to nurture plant of love. Unlike most men he listened attentively to his wife. What else could be better to prove a man’s love than caring for every word his wife utters. He could make out his wife’s slightest expression of anger! When she is upset, he consoled her. He saw to it that, no one hurt his wife, including her family even if it was in his favor! He didn’t ignore his wife’s whims and fancies. In short, he used every chance to shower her with affection. He was not amidst those who would forget their wife at the time of honor. He saw to it she had same privileges as him. No person is devoid of human flaws. He didn’t make big deal of his wife’s flaw and rectified it with love!!!  A wife hopes her spouse cares for her parents and extended family the way she does. Our hero respected and cared for his wife’s relatives even after her death! Do you think a busy successful person cannot be like that? Does this make him appear as someone unsuccessful in life? Contrary to that, he is the most successful person ever. This humble king even sought his wife’s advice in important matters. He was none other our beloved Prophet (ﷺ).  This unlettered Prophet (ﷺ)  was wise enough to state.

With an open mind let us see how exactly he treated his wives. Gentlemen here are some tips to increase sweetness in a married life. 😉 Our Prophet (ﷺ) was indeed a perfect HUSBAND!!

Most of us struggle to find quality time with our husband. Either spouses are too busy or emotionally void. Helping one another in everyday activities could keep love fresh and strong.

Once, Aisha (RA) narrated a story of 11 women. It is a lengthy hadith where in each women relates about her husband. Prophet (ﷺ)   listened to her without showing any signs of fatigue or boredom. He didn’t interrupt her and finally related “I am to you as Abu Zar was to his wife.” [Shahi Al Bukhari]

I have not included the entire hadith here due to its length. Indeed one who reads this hadith could make out how attentive was the Prophet (ﷺ)   to his wife! J

During Hudaibiya treaty, Shabas were disappointed that they can’t perform umrah that year. None proceeded to sacrifice. Umm salamah (r.a)  said, “O the Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah! Do you want your order to be carried out? Go out and don’t say a word to anybody till you have slaughtered your sacrifice and call your barber to shave your head.” The Prophet (ﷺ) followed her advice. When the sahabas saw what their Rasool (ﷺ) had done, they copied him with zeal. [Shahih al Bukhari]

Our Prophet (ﷺ) didn’t feel inhibited to follow a wise advice of a woman.

There is no mention of him being angry at Ayesha RA. He realized her love for him had made her jealous. How wisely he handled the situation?!

Subhan Allah, his (ﷺ) love and respect for his wife Khadija (May Allah be pleased with her) extended even after her death. He continued to maintain ties with her family and friends.

Mother of believers Ayesha (RA) hardly did anything to express her anger. Just one different word was enough for our dear Prophet (ﷺ) to recognize her anger. He didn’t ignore it, but mentioned this to his beloved wife. Subhan Allah

Our brave prophet (ﷺ), who commanded armies, was always kind to his wives and those who served him!

With such open verbal expression of love, a wife would feel happy, secure and contended.

---

Handsome is what Handsome does. Now, could there be any one more handsome than our prophet? Are you amazed at prophet’s treatment towards his wives? I have just mentioned few of my favorite hadiths. He was much more pleasing. He entertained and played with them too. So, what kind of partner would you like? How about following our Prophet’s (ﷺ)  advice?

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (ﷺ)  who said: “A woman may be married for four things: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty and her religious commitment. Seek the one who is religiously-committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper).” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

With this hadith in mind, I had prayed for a religious man. Our choice for a spouse has a great impact on our future and our children’s future!  Only a man with Taqwa (God consciousness) can try his best to cater physical, emotional and financial needs of his wife and children. My hubby may not be the best man ever, but, Alhamdulillah he is the best man I know. One of the things I love about him is, the way he cares for our children. He doesn’t fuss when it comes to helping me with kids. This gives me extra time to learn, memorize and blog.

Ladies, pay heed. No one is perfect. There are times when I am angry /disappointed with my hubby. That’s when I remember:

Yes, that’s scary. Indeed my husband’s merits outweigh his shortcomings. Life is too precious to be wasted on arguments for trivial things. When upset I recollect some of the lovely things he did for me. This melts my anger away. (MostlyJ) Then, I think of my flaws. Honestly, he rarely complains about them. This really turns my anger into appreciation for him.

Remember ladies, no one can be a better husband than our Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ). Blessed is a lady, whose husband aspires to be like Prophet (ﷺ) was to his wife.  Support him when he practices any sunnah (prophetic mode of life). With time, he would make Prophet (ﷺ) his role model. This would be a huge blessing for a wife.

For those of us who are married we can still strengthen bonds of love by ignoring the past. Let us help one another grow spiritual. May our bonding with Allah help us establish a place in heaven together.

This is where our concern should be. Are you the one who wakes your spouse for fajr? Do you request your spouse to accompany you to a movie or an Islamic class? Do you relax with music or qirat?

Aim for the true eternal love.

Prepublished in Muslimahbloggers

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Fatima, the maid

Written by Honeybee

Whenever I remember the story of Fatimah, my eyes become moist and heart softens. This is because she reminds me about Allah. About Allah being the best of providers. After knowing her story, I kept wondering how Allah planned for her. Whatever was her decreed portion of rizq, nobody could take it even if all efforts were made. What was meant for her remained hers.

It so happened that in one of the hot summer months, Annua was desperately looking for a part time maid as her old maid had left. Alone with a small baby in the house, it was difficult to manage all the work. She caught hold of all the maid adverts. They were around fifteen maid contacts. She called each one of them. Some refused as they had other work. Some wanted extra money because her house was a little off the main road and they would have to walk down more in the scorching summer heat. She gave them the option of cooler working hours but nothing helped. Some agreed to come but finally did not turn up. She was sort of frustrated. Only one girl out of so many agreed to come without any hassle or negotiation. The best part was that she did come. She was Fatimah, a hijabi girl!

Quran 11:6

I am not trying to say that a maid and a spouse have anything in common but does not the same thing happen when looking for a spouse? Even a hundred number of proposals will not work for silly reasons but when the decreed spouse arrives, things move surprisingly fast and smooth as a knife will move through butter. Oh again an analogy! But please do not mistake the knife for the wife.

Annua was happy that finally she had a maid. The maid became busy with the house work and Annua with hers. Sometime later she could hear the vacuum cleaner and with it Fatimah’s angry voice. Fatimah was angry with the fact that she will have to clean the dust bag before proceeding because it was full and Annua had not made sure that the old maid emptied it timely. Annua was annoyed by this attitude but let her finish the work. When she was leaving, Annua gave her the money and asked her not to come again. Fatimah asked her the reason. She told her that it was her rude behavior. Fatimah mumbled something, sort of agreeing with the objection and slowly walked away.

Annua’s search started again but no success. Then one fine day, Fatimah called her and asked if she could send her friend for work. Annua recalled the ayah where Allah tells us that we may dislike a thing which is good for us. Her heart melted and she asked her to come.

Quran 2:216

Fatimah worked for a few months but her rough behavior now and then continued. But one thing Annua admitted that Fatimah was the only maid she had who used to offer her salah without fail in her house. A couple of months later she needed Fatimah to work for more hours but she could not. Hence Annua had to change the maid.

During this time whatever happened with Fatimah brought tears to my eyes. One day she came and knocked the door. Annua was surprised to see her. She had come to give her the new mobile number. Why? Because she had been kidnapped by a man in his car on the pretext of giving work in his house. He robbed her old mobile along with her cash savings and a gold chain (in short all her savings). He left her luckily untouched, in some remote area from where she somehow managed to reach her house.

Even before Annua could stop thinking about Fatimah’s over deal, the other maid left. It was searching time again! Who says there are no jobs? By that time she had received several other mail adverts. She called a number on one of the slips and guess what? She could hear Fatimah’s voice on the other side. She was saying, “Madam it is me.” Annua said, “I called somebody looking for work, did u put a slip in my house.” She said, “My friend might have put it when doing it for herself.” And I am sure you know what happened next. Fatimah was back in her house doing the chores and left her thinking about how Allah has written down our source of rizq. All other girls were blocked to make way for Fatimah because Allah had written her rizq in Annua’s house. She was such a sweet maid thereafter and worked for her till she left to her hometown.

I can never forget about her because she reminds me about how Allah cares for us and plans for each one of us. We only have to keep our duty to Him.

Surah Attalaq verse 2 and 3

Sometimes I wonder what Allah is asking for is too little from us as compared to the blessings He is showering on us day in and day out. Still we are disobedient and on top of that we complain!

May Allah give us the wisdom and strength to live our lives only for His pleasure.

honeybee.weblog@gmail.com

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Why I love him?

-Facing hostility-

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Why I love Him?

What is love? Dictionary states: It’s a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection. We would all agree to that. Whom do we love? I am not speaking about our parents or spouse. Given a choice, what kind of person do/will you love? Perhaps, it’s someone smart, intelligent, caring, stylish, strong, compassionate, jovial and much more. J Here we may all have different perspective. Still, we develop affection for someone outside our classification! Love doesn’t always blossom where we want it to be! It grows with someone who cares for us! We cannot stop admiring one who accepts us with our flaws and brings best out of us. Sometimes a hard blow is necessary to see this. A shoulder to lean and cry is all we need. We don’t care how tall or how handsome that person is.

Can you recollect a day when you were misunderstood? Probably, you felt out of place even amidst people you had known for ages. What was the worst day of your life like? For me, it was a day in hostel. I had tried to speak in support of my sister against a popular friend. In return, I was shown how cruel, inconsiderate, unpractical and dreadful was I. It was not just her; almost everybody had something to say. I wondered why they can’t remember a single good thing I did to them. I was ashamed to have considered them so great. What followed was loneliness!  Alhamdhulillah, I’ve grown out of it and am in better relationship with the people involved.  Yet, my heart holds very special place for those who had even bothered to smile at me in those lonely days.

Amidst my loneliness, I learn about a man who cared too much for others. He wanted best for the people. He ventured into unfamiliar cities with a hope that they would listen to him. He intended no personal gain and his caption was in people’s best interest. Wouldn’t we have loved to listen to the caption? He didn’t get the desired response! He was insulted, humiliated and stoned away from a city. We can’t even stand being interrupted in our speech. And this soft-spoken gentle man who deserved to be given a VIP treatment was abused mentally and physically! What was the problem? Well, his perfect agenda conflicted with people’s personal opinions and false hopes. They preferred to be lost in their illusions than face beneficial truth. Is it hard to relate? Sounds annoying, doesn’t it?

His mission was pure and indeed he was to succeed. He had an opportunity to take revenge against these ungrateful people. What would you have done? Recollect a situation where you were wronged. Poor you facing office politics; or, as an innocent bride being cornered in in-law’s place; what did you wish? Honestly, as a teenager on my worst day, I wished with all my heart that each one of them face similar situation in their life.  Our hero could have destroyed the city. After all, they deserved it. He opts to FORGIVE them. Yes, you read it right. HE FORGAVE THE PEOPLE WHO INSULTED AND STONED HIM!!!

Why? He hoped that the descendants of those people would be wise enough to see the truth! He admits it was the worst day of his life. He had come there with great hope. Not a single soul stood by him. He was bruised and hurt. He was left bleeding in outskirts of the city with no food and water. Yet, for greater good he overlooked his pain and suffering. He was not there to show them – “Now see my wrath”. Instead he showered mercy upon them. This really astonished me. Here was me, who having argued for a personal reason was struggling to face the consequences which could hardly be called abusive. Yet, I harbored grudge. And this blessed person, with tears in his eyes, bruised, hungry and aching body prayed for the forgiveness of the ones responsible for his state. I couldn’t help but cry out of love for him. How could someone be so selfless? He considered his mission to be far greater than any pain he would ever face.  Even in worst of the situations he was patient and only uttered words in praise of the Lord! No wonder he was honored to convey the ultimate truth. For me, this was enough to prove that there couldn’t be a man better than him. He inspired me to overlook my pain. This slowly melted my malice away. I realized, I would gain no pleasure by seeing those who confronted me facing similar situation.

There is nothing great about being nice and courteous to one who is good to us. To judge our character, we should check our response in an undesirable situation. How did you react? I’m afraid, I’ve failed many times. How wise and sensible was this kind man. Even agony and humiliation had failed to degrade him in anyway.  His refined character shined in all situations. In his life I see solution to my aching heart. With depth of my heart I wish best for him. May he always be at peace. Have you guessed who is he?

He is none other than our beloved prophet Muhammed (ﷺ). And his mission was to call people towards one true Allah. The incident I mentioned is that of Taif.

Incident at Taif

As he had hoped Taif became land of strong muslims. Alhamdhulilllah. How does Muhammed (ﷺ) inspire you? Feel free to comment.

Indeed high moral caliber of prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) melts and consoles many hearts. He inspires me to be a better person. Now, I was left with other regrets. Why didn’t I bother to voice out for others the way I supported my sister? I decided that I will never gang up to make someone feel low.

This was just a reflection from an incident in prophet’s (ﷺ) blessed life. It’s just a tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to learn from his (ﷺ) life. There are many more reasons to love him (ﷺ). Insha Allah, will be back with more reflections soon.

Blessings and salutaions on the Prophet SAW

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IT IS WORTH MENTIONING:
When the people of Taif had stopped chasing prophet Muhammed SAW, he was, tired and bleeding. Having been tortured and humiliated by the people of Taif, he sat alone under a tree. THIS IS WHAT HE SUPPLICATED THERE!

“ O Allah! I COMPLAIN TO YOU of my WEAKNESS, my SCARCITY OF RESOURCES and the HUMILIATION – I have been subjected to by the people.
O Most Merciful of those who are merciful. O Lord of the weak and my Lord too.
To whom have you entrusted me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility?
Or to an enemy to whom you have granted authority over my affair?
SO LONG AS YOU ARE NOT ANGRY WITH ME, I DO NOT CARE.
YOUR FAVOR IS OF A MORE EXPANSIVE RELIEF TO ME.
I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right,
LEST YOUR ANGER OR YOUR DISPLEASURE DESCENDS UPON ME.
I DESIRE YOUR PLEASURE AND SATISFACTION UNTIL YOU ARE PLEASED.
There is no power and no might except by You.”

Subahan Allah. Here we sob and complain on facing any trial. Even if we are stuck in traffic, we wonder why is our life like this!
Our beloved prophet, in spite of facing such cold treatment, fears Displeasure of Allah! He further acknowledges Allah’s favours on Him. He didnt care for anything but Allah.

This raises Shukr Allah to whole new level. Allah o akbar.

Alhamdhulillahi Ala kulli haal.

* Supplication taken from seerah of Rasool.

Prepublished in Muslimah Bloggers

For list of other posts please click here

Balloons!

Balloons. Ready to burst.

Balloons!
Bundle of air, just enough to make one smile.
Good enough to keep mom free for a while.
Be prepared for tears to come..
For all it takes is a single prick.

We like balloons, have inflated ourselves with dreams, pride, ego and all things vain.
We are no better than those who have perished.
Let’s take heed before the final prick.
Let’s be prepared to face what we have done.

A LIFE WITH LIGHT

Dear readers, I hope you are back to see how I had fared in the Surah an-noor memorization contest. I had tried hard and had managed to memorize surah an noor within a month’s time. Still I hoped that the contest was postponed by a week. Even a day’s delay could have improved my recitation drastically. Contestant was held as scheduled .

I waited in a room along with other contestants to be called for recitation. Fortunately, we didn’t have to recite on stage in font of one another. Our flaws wouldn’t be exposed to one another.Phew. Still, I was much tensed. I was able to hear my heart aloud. Whenever I am tensed, I try to see things through other’s perspective. This helps me a lot. I closed my quran and started looking at other participants in the room. They seemed equally tensed too. They were all reciting surah annoor. Amidst buzz, I was able to hear each one of them clearly. I have to admit, I was mesmerized by the way they were reciting. It was Honey to ears. They had all spent a month like me to memorize quran.  I wondered, amidst how many challenges, these ladies should have memorized. Some should have struggled more than me; memorizing 10 pages in a week shouldn’t have been a big deal for few others. Though we all had come there for the same purpose our Ajar (good deeds) would vary.

Read Quran for Double Reward

Soon I was called for recitation. There were two section of verses to be recited (picked from a lot) – I did one well and other not so well. I knew I wouldn’t be shortlisted and asked my kind judges where I should improve. I had to recite slower and work more on letter “ain” and “Ha”. Yes! this is where the contest end for me. My hubby was very disappointed. He was sure, I will be called back. For him my recitation was perfect. Do I have to write how flattered I felt then? J Two days later I received SMS confirming my rejection.

 

Dear reader, what do you think about this struggle. Do you think, my efforts were in vain? If winning was my intension, IT SHOULD BE A BIG LOSS. This contest boosted my confidence.

 

• For once, I was convinced Quran memorization is a possible task for me! I had managed to memorize more than I could have ever imagined memorizing in a month’s time.
• It showed me it was possible to have a strong relation with quran outside the month of Ramadan. (As I had discussed in introduction). For the first time in my life I had Quran in my hands like a baby in a mother’s arm, or like a subject book before exams. And the last few days were spent like last few nights of Ramadan. Devil which needs to be locked away by us is ‘ Nafs’- it’s within us.
• It made me reflect on the time/life I had wasted. We could all do so much more within a day! If we could just overlook our excuses, we can work for better eternity. Our excuses cannot save us from ultimate Loss. I pondered upon self- improvement.
• Yes, we are weak beings and have a great chance of drifting away. This doesn’t mean we should give up. It’s time to start afresh. Remember, I hadn’t memorized for a week; Much to my surprise, by Allah’s grace –I had managed to catchup!
• And the biggest reward is indeed, having by hearted surah Annoor.

Alhamdhulillah, I am glad I participated in this contest. Insha Allah, if I again get a chance to participate in such a contest, I wouldn’t let it pass by. Insha Allah, there will come a day when I won’t be eligible for the contest – as the surah allotted for the contest would be  one I’ve already memorized.

 

Still, it cannot to be ignored; In spite of my best efforts (so far- in my life), I had not even been short listed for finals! It was a big reminder that – ALLAH IS NOT SHORT OF HIS WORSHIPPERS. He doesn’t need my prayers and sacrifices. IT’S ME WHO DESPERATELY NEEDS HIM. Whatever I do to please Him will only benefit me in Hereafter.  We have absolutely no idea – how well we will fair in hereafter. How can we feel assured with what little we do, that we’ll live an eternity in bliss?

Illusion of being safe from hell

Even an extra day of practice could have helped me lot in improving my recitation. But this was all the time I had. LIFE- ALSO HAS  A BEGINNING AND  AN END. Sad part is, we don’t know when we will leave the world. Still we live as though there is no end. We are happy with entertainment life has to offer and avoid spending enough time with Quran. I hope we are not amidst those who cry in vain with a request to be sent back to do some righteous work.  LET’S BE PREPARED.

Pleading to be returned.

I recollect how tensed we participants were prior to the recital. Majority of us were concerned about our own recitation (of course, this should be the focus). This made me reflect on Day of resurrection – when we would be waiting to be judged. That would be the real tensed day, when all will fear the anger of Allah. It is this thought which made me be little the tension in the room. On that day of gathering, we would run away from those we are close too. Only thing that would matter to us is – HAVING OUR RIGHTEOUS DEEDS. How nice Insha Allah would it be, to be in peace amidst 7 who are promised shade when there is no other shade except of his throne. Shouldn’t we care to be amidst them?

7 under Shade

Life is a gift filled with opportunities. The opportunity bestowed upon us will not be keep waiting for us. If we don’t grab it someone else would utilize the chance to get close to Allah. Even a smallest act could have great impact. I don’t remember who had sent the message about contest in the WhatsApp group. Though that lady had not participated in the contest, she has been part of my journey! May Allah reward her for bothering to forwarding the message. How many of us would have done it? Be generous in forwarding such messages even if you can’t avail the opportunity. You never know in which small deed there could be limitless blessing.

Half a date

And think about the amount of blessings the organizers of the contest should have earned by attracting people like me towards memorization! Allah-o-akbar.

Good deeds multiply

We, within our limits can also encourage others towards righteousness. Why not hold a small quiz contest amidst kids on oft repeated words/invocation in islam? During get together kids/grownups can be asked to prepared a speech on certain topics (About a  sahaba(companion) or on ‘How to respect parents’). Providing such opportunities could build interest towards islam. It could leave a deep impact on a kid.

Unlimited reward

Other thing which struck my cord was, how shocked my husband was with my rejection.  This reminded me of a hadith:

Result of not practicing what one preaches

That’s scary! I seek refuge in Allah from being amidst such. Here, even during contest my flaws in recitation were hidden from other contestants. It was such a relief. I hope Allah, the Gafoor (oft forgiving) overlooks and forgives my short coming.

 

And I’m to reveal a heavy secret. Few days after contest, I found it tough to recollect few verses. It’s important to keep revising and reciting the memorized verses.  MEMORIZING QURAN IS EASY. RETAINING IT IS TOUGH. (Unless a fixed time is allotted for revision) The contest is over. But it’s upto me to retain Light from this contest.  May Allah help us to memorize, revise and retain Quran in our heart. Ameen.

Quran- Spring of heart; Light of cheat; Banisher of Sadness; Reliver of Distress;

Increase me in light, increase me in light, increase me in light .

Hold on to Quran; Organize your life around Salah; Rush towards righteousness; Save for your hereafter. Insha Allah, with this we could have real paradise vacation as permanent destination in store for us. Let’s make LIFE A SOURCE OF LIGHT.

Prepublished in Muslimahbloggers.

How to win Love?

DAY 3

Today’s quote is a Dua(supplication). This dua could help us win LOVE.

Love Allah more than anything else

Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever seeks to please Allah by angering people, Allah, may He be exalted, will be pleased with him and will cause the people to be pleased with him; whoever seeks to please people by angering Allah, Allah will be angry with him and will cause people to be angry with him.” [Saheeh]

This hadith clearly shows why we feel depressed and lonely. Many a times we abandon prayers just to spend time with our friend. Later we wonder why our friend is upset with us. It’s time to start adhering to Allah’s commands to see a change in those around us. More love we accumulate the better.  Al-Wadood’s (The Loving Allah’s) love is limitless. He has power over all things.

Above dua gives us a hint to win His Love.

• Hang around righteous people (who learn and teach quran, hadith…)
• Obey Allah. Having completed Fard (obligatory deeds) add Nafil (Voluntary deeds) to get closer to Allah.

Insha Allah, we will feel His love all around us.

I thank Fatmawaty for inviting me to 3 days 3 quotes challenge. I really enjoined being part of this challenge.

The rules of the challenge are:

Thank the person who nominated you.

Post a quote each day for 3 days.

Each day nominate 3 bloggers to take part.

My nominees are: shakeyourconscience , bushradualeh , puresoulwidimaan

I hope you can take a part in this challenge. (No rush at all! but it’d be nice to see your participation) 🙂