WHY ISLAM IS THE FASTEST GROWING RELIGION.. November 20, 2009

THE STRUGGLE MUSLIMS FACE November 19, 2009

THE STRUGGLE MUSLIMS FACE

INTRODUCTION: Today Muslims witness their deen being attacked and vilified on a daily basis. These attacks come from governments, the media and intellectuals and are becoming harsher and more direct. These are the days when writers who insult our beloved Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi Wassalam) are honoured and politicians see attacking Islam as a sure way of increasing their popularity. Muslims face emotional, intellectual and even physical attack with the Western nations invading Muslim countries in the name of the war on terror. THIS IS NOTHING NEW: Our beloved Prophet (saw) and his companions faced a very similar situation soon after the Prophet (saw) first received revelation.The attacks on the Prophet (saw) and his companions started when the call for Islam became public and addressed the problems of the Makkan society and the corruption of its leadership.The early Muslims endured horrific abuse at the hands of the Quraysh. PERSECUTION: The companions faced terrible persecution at the hands of the Quraysh. The family of Yasir suffered especially, with Sumaya (May Allah be pleased with her) having the honour of being the first martyr of Islam. She was killed simply because she refused to renounce her belief in Islam. Many companions were persecuted and tortured because they held firm to their belief, Bilal is another example.Whilst being tortured he defied his oppressor by repeatedly saying “ahad” even though this only led to his torture being intensified. When Abu Dharr al Ghifari accepted Islam he went to the Ka’bah and pronounced his declaration of faith in front of all the enemies of Islam which almost brought him death from the beating he received. However this did not stop him as the very next day when he saw people worshiping idols he began to curse the idols which again resulted in him receiving yet another beating. Khabbab ibn Al-Aratt was tortured with pieces of heated iron from his shop being placed all over his body when he announced his Islam publicly.This resulted in the flesh and skin of his back and waist being burnt off. Khubaib ibn Adyy was the first man to be crucified in the name of Islam and while he was being crucified his body was being stabbed by spears and swords. His tormentors were saying “wouldn’t you rather the Prophet (saw) was here in your place while you were safe with your family” he said “I wouldn’t want to be with my family and have the joys of the whole world if it meant the Prophet (saw) had the pain of even a prick of a thorn.” Uthman ibn Affan was tied with rope, thrashed severely and made to endure many other physical hardships for proclaiming his conversion.Abdullah ibn Masud was beaten unconscious for reciting the Quran publicly. RIDICULED: Once the Prophet (saw) was reciting his prayers at the Ka’bah when Uqbah bin Abu Muait twisted his neck with a piece of cloth until he (saw) was nearly strangled. On being informed of this,Abu Bakr rushed to the spot and saved the Prophet (saw) and then said addressing the Quraish:”Would you kill a person simply because he claims that Allah is his lord?” The Prophet (saw) was slandered in many ways, accused of being a madman, magician, possessed, or soothsayer. Once the Prophet (saw) was performing prayers in the courtyard of the Ka’bah in the presence of the Quraish.Abu Jahl said to the people “A camel has been slaughtered at such and such place and its intestines are still lying there. One should fetch them and put it on Muhammad.” Upon hearing this, Uqbah bin Abu Muait got up and fetched the intestines and put it on the back of the Prophet (saw) when he was prostrating. The disbelievers were overtaken by laughter. Fatimah (May Allah be pleased with her) who was only a child at the time removed the intestines from the back of her father. Many psychologists say that children who see their parents being humiliated can have severe and long lasting psychological effects. MUSLIMS WERE DISCREDITED BY AMR IBN AL AAS WHEN THEY MIGRATED TO ABYSINNIA The Prophet (saw) was stoned at Taif by the slaves and children. During the treaty of Hudaybia the representative of the Quraish insulted the sahaba by saying to the Prophet (saw) “You are a noble man of Quraish so why have you chosen to side with these scum (the sahaba) against the nobility of Quraish”. BOYCOTT The Quraish imposed a complete social and material boycott on Banu Hashim and Banu Abdul-Muttalib who were lending their unrelenting support to the Muslims. No one was to meet the Muslims, talk to them, establish marital relations with them or trade with them. The Muslims were even forced to eat the leaves of trees.This agreement was put into writing and hung on the Ka’bah for added impact.The boycott lasted for three years during which time the Muslims could only buy food and other essentials during the months of peace. In this atmosphere they would continue to preach Islam among people from outside Makkah.This inhumane treatment stirred some Quraish from within. COALITIONS AND TREACHERY AGAINST ISLAM Mischief makers of Banu Asad had assembled in Qatan under the leadership of Talhah bin Khuwailid and Salamah bin huwailid with the intent of launching an attack on the Muslims. In Safar, 4 AH the Quraish sent seven persons from the Adal and Qarah clans to the Prophet (saw) saying that their people have decided to enter Islam so they requested that some men be sent to teach these new converts. In response the Prophet (saw) sent 6 teachers headed by Marthad bin abu Marthad Ghanawi or Asim bin Thabit bin abu Aflah.When this party reached Raji, a water spot, they discovered the treachery of Quraish who had called in 200 men to kill the teachers. The Prophet (saw) went to conduct discussions with Banu Nadir regarding some blood money owed due to a Muslim killing 2 members of that tribe. While the Prophet (saw) was there they tried to kill him by throwing a big rock from the citadel of the fortification.The Prophet (saw) realised the plot via revelation and left immediately before the plot could be executed. He confronted the Jews regarding their plot and they didn’t deny it. During this period Banu Muharib and Banu Tha’labah of Ghatfan tribe were making large scale preparations to wage war against the Muslims.The Prophet (saw) along with 400 companions proceeded to meet them.The enemies who had collected at an oasis retreated when they heard the news of the Muslims coming and no fighting took place. LATER THE JEWS OF BANU NADIR WERE EXILED TO KHAIBAR OR SYRIA The Jews and the Quraysh in the battle of Ahzab – Prominent chieftains from Banu Nadir alongside those of Banu Wa’il went to Makkah to incite support and raise funds for the battle.They then went to the Ghaftan clans and Banu Kinanah to play the same role. Next they made contact with Banu Quraizah of Al-Madinah who were still bound to help the Muslims according to a pact signed by both parties. Finally Banu Sulaim, Fazarah,Ashja, Banu Sa’d and Banu Murrah and the chieftains of the Quraish, Banu Nadir and Ghaftan went to the Kabah and vowed to fight against the Muslims as long as they lived.The total number of allied forces came to at least ten thousand or twenty-four thousand according to some narrations. It consisted of four thousand five hundred camels and three hundred horses. There are many incidences regarding Abdullah ibn Ubai. One famous one involves the incident when Aisha (May Allah be pleased with) was left behind during a journey.Abdullah ibn Ubai spread rumours regarding her. People who stood up to rulers IMAM MALIK He stood up to the Khalifah Abu Ja`far al-Mansur regarding the hadith “The divorce of the coerced does not take effect”. Imam Malik was told not to narrate this hadith but he did anyway and was flogged for it. Even after being flogged and while being paraded he still defied the Khalifah by narrating the hadith. SAID IBN JUBAIR Said ibn Jubair fought along side Abdullah ibn az-Zubair and was part of a group called the “Battalion of Quran reciters”. He was eventually captured and brought to Al Hajjaj. He is renowned for his conversation with Al Hajjaj and consequent death.All throughout the conversation he remained steadfast to the truth even though this infuriated al Hajjaj even more.What makes him even more special is that you can lie when your life is at risk.When he was finally killed his blood gushed out in a way that al Hajjaj had never seen before, the explanation for this was that Said ibn Jubair was so relaxed at the time of his murder that his blood was kept in its original form, but usually if one is scared or afraid their blood curdles and does not flow profusely. Abdullah ibn az-Zubair (ibn Asma) He stood up to Yazid and had to fight the army of Al Hajjaj. While under siege Abdullah ibn Zubair went to his mother,Asma. She asked him, “what brings you at such an hour when the war is on?” He said “I came to consult with you.””Consult with me on what?” asked Asma. He said,”Most of my supporters have betrayed me, either out of greed or out of fear. Only a few remain with me, and they will not be able to resist for long. Messengers have been sent from the Umayyads proposing that I stop the fight, and they would give me whatever I ask for.” She answered “its up to you.You know yourself best. If you believe that you are right and fighting for a right cause, be persevering in the fight as were your supporters who died for it. But if you are after worldly gains, then wretched are you and you have destroyed yourself and those with you”. He later died in battle. IMAM ABU HANIFA In 763, al-Mansur, the Abbasid Khalifah offered Abu Hanifa the post of Chief Judge of the State, but he declined to accept the offer, choosing to remain independent. His student,Abu Yusuf, was appointed Qadi Al-Qadat (Chief Judge of the State) instead of himself. In his reply to al-Mansur,Abu Hanifa excused himself by saying that he did not regard himself fit for the post.Al¬Mansur, who had his own ideas and reasons for offering the post, lost his temper and accused Abu Hanifa of lying. “If I am lying”,Abu Hanifa said,”then my statement is doubly correct. How can you appoint a liar to the exalted post of a Chief Qadi (Judge)?” Incensed by this reply, the ruler had Abu Hanifa arrested and locked in prison and tortured. IMAM BUKHARI Even here, there were envious people who did not leave him alone.They met the governor of Bukhara, who was a representative of the Khalif, Khâlid ibn Ahmad.They told him to call Imâm Bukhârî to his house and busy him withteaching his son.When the governor put this suggestion to Imâm Bukhârî, he was told,”I do not want to abuse knowledge and carry it to the footstep of the rulers. If anybody wants to learn, they should come to my school”.The governor replied, by stating,”If my son was to attend your school, he should not sit with ordinary people.You would have to teach him separately”. Imâm Bukhârî answered,”I cannot stop any person from hearing Ahâdîth”. Upon hearing this, the governer of Bukhara became angry with him and manufactured a fatwa (verdict) against Imâm Bukhârî to banish him from the city. OTHER EXAMPLES Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751/1350) and Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328), both tortured and imprisoned. Ibn Taymiyya died in prison. Ibn Rushd (d. 595/1198), imprisoned and exiled. Al-Nisa’i (d. 309/915), beaten and died from his injuries in jail Al-Tabari (d. 310/923), Muslim historian, was persecuted by fanatic Hanbalis; his books were eventually burned, and grave desecrated by enemies. Al-Nawawi (d. 676/1277), fired from his teaching post and banned to Damascus, then to Egypt, fired again, arrested and imprisoned, died poor and lonely in his father’s home. The common characteristic of all of the above is that despite obstacles including in some instance the worse of oppression and torture they all remained firm in their belief and constant in their struggles to make the word of Allah highest. May Allah (swt) accept their actions and may we all be inspired to strive in their footsteps. Ameen.

source: http://www.hizb.org.uk/hizb/resources/islamic-knowledge/the-struggle-muslims-face.html

Why he believes in Allah… November 19, 2009

I would like to share with you the thoughts of a servant of ALlah, and lets just see why he trusts and belives in ALlah. He writes the following:

 ”When we were kids we normally used to think that what were to happen if there was no Allah and all of this was not as true as we were told , may Allah forgive us

I was 17 when I started working and staying away from the house almost 15 years I was really away from deen but Alhamdolillah then Allah gave me the mujahideen and Zaid Zaman Hamid sahab, something I really and truly never deserved but since Allah doesnt make mistakes I am thankful to Him .

I believe in Allah because I see the creations around me and the biggest and most stunning thing that makes me believe in Allah is the creation of man itself. Imagine from a nutfah to a 6 foot man this is something that can never be achieved by any other than the Creator Himself.

 Then even the animals and their systems that Allah has given to them. Do you know that the ants are the most closest to us as far as their living styles are concerned they have ceremonies of birth and death they have regular food patterns they travel in groups and have recognized each other by different call signs and tribes that they have made in their colonies .They store food for the rainy days and have rules and regulations that they follow better than we humans do and a hundred other things that I am not able to remember now.

 You pick up any national geographic documentary on animals or nature and even an atheist will have the hardest of times refuting the truth that their is an ALLAH. I can literally sit the whole day and watch these fascinating mind boggling docs on the creations of Allah the galaxies, the sea world , animals living underground and the migration of birds and even fish- trout and other fish travel thousands and thousands of miles to reach warm waters.

 Then the biggest and the most powerful factor is the Quran a living legend and the Only Book that has challenged the whole of humanity to take out an error in it but nobody could in more than 1400 years and many have tried and Allah has insulted them like anything.

 Then RasulAllah (pbuh) has put the final nails in the coffin of the atheists and non believers alhamdolillah each and every pearl of wisdom he gave us and all of his prophecies are absolutely irrefutable and cannot be challenged by anyone.

 The period of darkness that he was sent in and how in only 2 decades he transformed the whole planet .Not only humans but animals also got their rights from what he  preached- which was the Quran.

The christian and zionist evengelicals are also baffled by this reality the ikhlaq and morals that he taught us are surely a sign that all of his teachings are not divine knowldge but have been spread in the world also by divine intervention and the spiritual beings that are employed by Allah .

I make Allah my witness that if these non believers are dealt with love and somehow convinced to read an easy translation of the quran in their own language , it is impossible that they not revert back to the original faith – that is ISlam.

It has been my dream to come across a non believer some day but have not been able to do so as yet.

 Another thing that strengthens my faith in ALLAH is when HE listens to our prayers and when HE gives us something that we want but have not asked for it ,yet only a little want for something comes in our hearts and the next thing you know Allah has given it to us. Its an amazing feeling that i encounter .

Also when Allah doesnt accept our duas and doesnt give us something that we have asked for and we know that Allah means khair for us and then in a few minutes Allah does a favour and opens the secret and the hikmah behind not giving us what we had asked for and then the rest of the day we spend thanking Him for doing what He did

and I know there is an Allah when we are offering our prayers and the voice of the imam pierces our hearts and even though we dont know what the Quran is saying to us but the tears from our eyes and the shiver down our spine and the goosebumps vouch it to be the only truth there is.

 I know there is an Allah when I see a mother hug her child and kiss her. I know there is an Allah when I see the mujahideen fight in the battlefield I know there is an Allah when I see a brother not eat for days before going on a martyrdom operation in Afghanistan .

There is an God-Allah, who is with us whenever we need Him. He is the All Mighty, the All Wise.

you get the picture “

SubhanAllah. i pray we die as Muslims and that Allah swt turns our hearts to His obedience ameen. if you want to share your experiences  and thoughts of why you believe in ALlah, please email me. thanks

ALLAH MY FRIEND :) November 18, 2009

 

Bismillah

asalaam o alykum, 
 
Right now, i should be studying for my jurisprudence class tomorrow in which we will discuss why law should encompass morality if any and to tell you the truth, i believe that morality should be an integral part of law. when i was faced with a dilemma of actually coming to conclusions on this Law V Morality debate, i pestered eveyone at home to come to conclusions.
 
My dad, mum and grandad endorsed my view, but my brother had his own explaination of why law should be divoced from morality and my further debating with him, somewhat changed his mind. my grandfather quoted Iqbal-the poet of the East, my grandad always either brings iqbal into his conclusions or he starts of with iqbal, so my life pretty much revolves around iqbals philosophy and poetry.
 
nana abu(grandpa) said this in urdu when he quoted Iqbal:

            juda ho deen agar siyaasat say to reh jaati hai changezi

(when you separate religion from State you are left with opression)

call it luck or whatever, but whenever miss dilemma (i.e me) is in a dilemma, ALlah guides her ..SubhanALlah.

so ALlah guided me as i took a break from thinking why morality and law shouldnt really be divorced and when i switched on the tv, Dawn news was on and call it luck or whatever, (but i call it ALlah’s assistance), the hot programme of the night was called ‘the state of Shariah’ and the guy started of with this quote from romans,…..’render unto God what is God’s and unto Caeser what is Caeser’s’ – so i realised that this show was for me.

SubhanALlah the law V morality debate is another issue for another time inshaALlah, after i read my 1500+ pages book (lol jk, will read only the related sections, duh)(btw, me wrist hurts), but why i started off with that topic is becasue its on my mind right now, and secondly, i wanted to tell you the most important thing that i love and that i discover everyday , subhanAllah.

Allah swt always guides me, provided i put my trust and complete faith in Him. He is so cool, that i cannot thank Him enough. He brings me out of darkness everyday. He helps me with my teeny,tiny and huge struggles. He guides me through my instincts sometimes and through angels etc sometimes. He protects me from the bad company and He introduces these new people in my life who say wise things to me, which helps me build up my iman inshaALalh.

so my dear brothers and sisters, never think that you are alone, or that ALlah swt has abandoned or forasken you. He loves you 70 times more than your own mother and we know how much our mums love us- even if they have arthritis God forbid, or any other disease no matter how big or small, they love us dearly, they cook for us and alhamdulilah they help us  become better human beings and thus better Muslims. So just imagine that love 70 times..SubhanALlah.

Allah swt says:

Remember Me and I shall remember you. Be grateful unto Me and deny Me not. [al-Baqarah 2: 152]

The same exhortation has been beautifully conveyed in a hadith qudsi:

I treat My servant as he hopes that i would treat him. I am with him whenever He remembers Me: if he rembers Me in his heart, I remember him in My ‘heart’; if he remembers ME in a gathering, I remember him in a gathering far better than that gathering; if he draws near to me a hands span, I draw near to him an arm’s length; if He draws near to me an arm’s length, i draw near to him a fathom’s length; and if he comes to Me walking, i go him running. (Bukhari, Muslim)

So lets depend on Him shall we, and lets just work hard and leave the rest on ALlah swt.

oka maryam has to go, after all i have to asnwer mr. sam tomorrow why Morality shouldnt be divorced from law… argg that 1500+ pages book, my wrist is already hurting, yaALlah need you

take care. peace be with you
maryam

How I Came to Love the Veil November 18, 2009

How I Came to Love the Veil
Yvonne Ridley, Former Taliban Captive, Convert to Islam – Wednesday, 18 November 2009

© Yvonne Ridley, Former Taliban Captive, Convert to Islam

 

MashaAllah this is a very well written article on hijab and modesty.

Hijab ROCKS

WAKE UP UMMAH November 16, 2009

MOTHERS November 16, 2009

Allah (swt) hath said in Quran: “And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination.” [Noble Quran 31:14]

They carried us in their wombs for nine months, then endured the pain of labor, and then nurtured us and did everything for us when we were helpless babies and children; they bear the teenage years with patience and advice. We hope this compilation of ways on how to treat our mothers will put a smile on the faces of your mothers, and let them know we have not forgotten what they go through:

1. A smile with a warm embrace.

2. Saying often thanks to them.

3. An offer to wash up the dishes.

4. Make a cup of tea without her asking.

5. Recite her favorite surah in front of her

6. Neat the house after she goes to bed, so that when she wakes up the house is tidy.

7. Buy her little ornaments for round the house so when she sees them she remembers you.

8. Take-care of their health

9. Phone your mum just to tell her you love her.

10. Buy surprising gifts for her.

11. Go to her whenever she calls you.

12. Write a poem for her (if you can, surely she will love it and get it precious).

13. If you’re on the phone, and your mother is asking something tell the person to wait.

14. Cook for her.

15. Let her teach you to cook even if you know it. She will enjoy the fact that you’re coming to her to ask.

16. Bring your wife to her to learn how to cook, she will enjoy teaching her your favorite recipes, and both of you praise her cooking.

17. Clean the house without your mum having to ask.

18. Tell her how happy you are that she is a part of your life and your own families.

19. Give her money to treat herself.

20. Go to get the shopping for her. If your mother likes to get the shopping, in then be patient with her as she goes up and down the aisles.

21. Do your own washing and ironing.

22. Spread the salaam when you leave and return from the home.

23. Comb her hair.

24. Pray all your prayers on time

25. Help with your younger siblings so she can put her feet up.

26. Teach your younger siblings to also help around the house, a mother needs time for her Ibadah too; her Ibadah should not have to fit around housework all the time.

27. Look good and smell nice and be polite so that you’re a good example of her upbringing.

28. Don’t always have your mum waking you up for prayer; try to wake her up instead.

29. Help her with new technology, this stimulates her brain and keeps her mentally fit.

30. Take an interest in her hobbies. If it’s sewing, making sure she has all the things she needs. And praise all her efforts from heart

31. Listen lectures together; watch programs together this is what makes the bond stronger between you. And never forget to keep some time for her

32. Take her out for drives in the car, especially if you live in the city take her to the countryside, go with the whole family and take a picnic.

33. Ask your mother about her youth, most mothers love recalling their past

34. Be good to her relatives and her friends

35. Name some of your children after her side of the family, as a lot of the time it’s the dad who chooses her children’s names.

36. Have a good relationship with your brothers and sisters; there is nothing more worrying to a mother than seeing her children at odds with one another.

37. Never raise your voice or speak in a harsh tone to your mother.

38. Tell her regularly what’s going on in your life, don’t let her hear your news from others. Seek her opinion in all major decisions, she has been there and done that.

39. Always thank and praise her for the good job she has done over the years.

40. Kiss her hand and forehead when you go and come from the house.

41. Make Du’a for her

42. Ring your mother if you’re going to be late getting home. Try not to stay out too late, as she will not sleep till you’re safely inside.

43. Be patient when she is not feeling well, bring her all she needs, and go take her to the doctors.

44. Remind your mother to be a good Muslima, and tell her heart-softening stories and about paradise and hell.

45. Read to her Islamic books

46. Whatever you learned in a gathering or class, share it with her.

47. Take her to the mosque if she wishes to go. Make sure she has contact with other good sisters who will increase her Iman.

48. Don’t forget how they have grown-up you sacrificing all their happiness, only for you and never leave her like the westerners.

49 Take cooked food (according to her taste) to her, to give her a rest.

50. Encourage her to do the Sunnah fasts, and then break-fast with each other.

51. Try to know what makes your mother smile and do it often.

52. Be an active and a productive member of society. Mothers are happy when they see this.

53. Buy your mum flowers, the smell and prettiness of flowers do wonders.

54. Lead your mother and family to Islam

55. Get married and choose a spouse who your mother approves of. Choose a wife who is soft hearted and will treat your mother well.

56. Pay for her to do Hajj and Umrah and go with her.

57. Never remind her of how much you spent on her.

58. Look after her health, reminding her of the benefits of a good diet and some exercise.

59. Always ask your mums advice about your own household, this makes her happy and lets her know you value her opinion.

If there is any problem with your wife and mother, then never carry tales saying what the other said as most of that is done in anger.

60. Read Ruqya Ayat over water and give her it to drink.

61. Let her listen and correct your mistakes, when you’re memorizing Quran.

62. Always intervene in any disputes between your parents calmly and never be harsh to your parents whatever happens.

63. Give her some money from your salary every month, so she can spend it according to her wish.

64. Lay your head in each her lap, you might be 12 or 40 but in your mothers eyes you’re still her child.

65. Give charity on her behalf regularly as well as on behalf of her deceased relatives.

66. Listen to her complaints with understanding, and give her solutions that she can imply to make her life better.

67. Walk at her pace with her on the inside protected from the road.

68. If she wants to share what’s in her glass with you, drink from the same side she drank from.

69. Just like children who need quality time, give this to your mother also.

70. Serve her first with the food and with the best portion.

71. When you give her a drink, wait till she has finished then take away her glass.

72. Use affectionate terms for her and other motherly terms of affection.

73. When you see her doing something wrong, even in that disobedience treat her gently and with the upmost respect.

74. Try to always speak in her mother tongue, because she loves it. Never be arrogant to her because of your wisdom, because all your success is referred with her credits.

75. Remind her of the rights Islam has bestowed on the mother, and tell her good stories of how others treat their mothers.

76. Never cut your mother off when she is speaking, and be patient when she cuts you off.

77. Sit at her feet and listen to what she is saying.

78. Let your children to accompany her. Teach your own children to respect their grandparents as well.

79. If you are in a class and you are unsure as to why mum is calling then leave the class to answer the call.’

80. When you’re angry with each other, don’t leave the house, and don’t refuse her prepared food, or any attempts which hurt her, try to be the first one to defuse the situation.

81. Always knock on her bedroom door before entering

82. Don’t enter into debates that you know will irritate each other, especially in the morning and at night.

83. Say yes to whatever it is she say even if you don’t agree to it.

84. Try thinking over the things she says in life. She might be right. After all, she has seen more life and more pain than you.

And finally, teachings of Islam in this regard:
1. Anas(ra) related that Rasulullah(saw) said, “Verily, Heaven lies under the feet of our mother.”
2. Once, when the Prophet(PBUH) was talking to his companions a man came and addressed him, “O Messenger of Allah ! A young man is breathing his last. People are asking him to recite Shahadah but he is unable to do so.” The Prophet(PBUH) asked, “Did this man offer salah (during his life)?” The answer was yes. Then he accompanied the man to the house of the dying young man along with others present at the time. The man was at the end of his life’s journey. The Messenger of Allah advised him to offer the Shahadah. The m an replied that he was unable to do so as the words would not come out of his mouth. He (PBUH) then called for the mother of the dying man whom he had disobeyed persistently. When his aged mother approached the scene, the Prophet (PBUH) asked, ‘Respected lady, is he your son?” She replied yes. He then asked her a question, “O respected lady, if we threaten to throw your son into a raging fire, would you recommend him to be forgiven?” The lady replied that she would definitely do so at that time. The Prophet(PBUH) then said to her, “If so, declare, making Allah and me your witnesses, that you are mow pleased with him.” The old woman readily declared, “O Allah, you and your Messenger be my witness that I am pleased with this beloved son of mine.”
Just after that, the Prophet (PBUH) turned to the dying man and asked him to recite, “There is no god but Allah, He is the One and has no partners and I witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.” By the virtue of the forgiveness of his mother, he found the words flowing out of his mouth and he recited the Shahadah. Seeing this, the Prophet (PBUH) praised Almighty Allah and thanked Him saying, “Thanks to Almighty Allah that He saved this man from the fearful fire of Hell through me.” (Tabarani and Ahmad).

This is a very touching video related to ‘Mothers’ , but it’s in Punjabi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ws233GhXw4

[someone emailed this to me, i havent written this impeccable piece of work]

WHAT TYPE OF HIJABI ARE YOU? November 7, 2009

What type of Hijabi are you?

asalaam o alykum.

 A few months ago, i took this quiz on facebook called:

‘ What type of Hijabi are You?’, and guess what my result was??

ROFL, it was a’ HOT‘ hijabi ..lol.

i kept thinking about that hotness of hijabiness and all that came to my mind was that it was a complete oxymoron.

 Do you know why?

It’s because a head scarf doesnt show how hot or attractive you are, infact it’s purpose is to ensure modesty.

I believe, after alot of years of reflection and experience that only covering the head is not Hijab.

 Hijab is purification of the heart. It is an image of the Muslim women and girls. Dr Zakir Naik says that if your image shows your intent then wear it. Our intention to cover ourselves is ours. We are not opressed, subjugated, secluded. We wear hijab becasue Allah swt wants to protect us. We are friends of Allah.

Allah swt says:

Now surely the friends of Allah- they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve. Those who believe and guarded (against evil). They shall have good news in this worlds life and in the hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the mighty achievement. [surah Yunus 10:62-64]

We cover ourselves by dressing up modestly becasue we want people not to judge us by our looks but what we are and what we do. We observe hijab becasue if anyone has any wrong ideas or thoughts in their minds about us, they can be cleared right on the spot.

A hijab is refecting our thoughts which clearly say that ‘ we are not available’ and yea ‘ we dont go out on dates, we eat them ‘.

A hijab ensures respect from others in society. We want to express ourselves through our words and deeds and not through our body language and our obscene dresses. We want you to understand that hijab is of the eyes, the heart and the body.

We have submitted ourselves to ALlah swt and we do not go out with the intent of hooking up with the opposite sex and committing ourselves to random guys with whom we have no future and thus we spare ourselves from selling our hearts cheaply. Thus we believe in stronger, purer relationships and we call it ‘marriage’.

 What i meant by saying that hijab is not just a ‘head scarf’ is that Hijab envelopes all our activities and transactions and of course our clothes and dressing and intentions. By observing hijab you cannot label us as being marginalised.

We are free women who believe that women are not mere objects of sex. Women are the most intelligent of human beings, we want to ensure a safe and healthy environment.

Once a young girl went to meet Jinnah with her mum and to impress such an amazing leader she decided to accessorize alot. when she met him, he told her that the beauty of women is in their education, character and thoughts and not in their jewellery and the like.

One of my favourite writers, mr Khurram Murad says:

‘Let us live for ALlah. Let us love what He loves and like what He likes: let us dislike what He dislikes and hate what He hates. Let there be no territories carved up and no frontiers set up in serving Him. Let us passionately involve ourselves in our society to do His will, but still passionately let our hearts yearn for His pleasure. Similarly, let the life of the Prophet live again in our lives. Let his Message, his conduct, his goals, be our Message, our conduct and our goals. So, also, let nothing motivate us but an intense longing to please our Lord in the next world, and let that expectation give a decisive shape to our life her. The hope of a meaningful future must lead us to confront the risks and overcome the tribulations that lie in living His will in the totality of our existence. We, as Muslims, have but one option: to strive to change the world according to the model given to mankind by the Prophet Muhammed, blessings and peace be upon him.’

 Now whenever i ask myself :

‘What type of a Hijabi am i?’  the answer is simple-PROUD

 maryam

PICK A DAY- AND DO IT! November 7, 2009

Pick a Day – And Do It!

26 October 2009

source: IGIT(website given below)

In this guest post, Ambreen Shaikh explains some of the influences that brought her to hijab: researching the matter, looking up to the role models in her life… picking a day, and simply doing it.

Some people might be curious as to why I chose to wear hijab all of a sudden in my 21 year-old life. I give them one simple answer: I found truth.
 
In the beginning of the summer, I decided to look into what hijab really was and why people wear it. For two months, I did lots of research. I found why some women do not wear hijab, and I even found why some wear niqab (cover their face). It’s interesting how much information you can gather within such a small period of time.
 
I was always curious about the hijab, but earlier in my life, I had little to medium interest in it – never enough to actually wear it. I was afraid I’d be stared at, left out and simply not accepted by today’s society.
 
Later on, I realized this was a weakness I had to overcome, and that I had to strengthen my imaan (faith) big time. I realized that I shouldn’t be bothered by what people think, and what should concern me is if I am obeying my Creator.
It’s like this: Why do we have to conform to society and be a certain way? Why can’t we just dare to be different and have the freedom to follow our own religion? We live in America for a reason, it is the beautiful land of the free – we should be free to practice Islam the right way. After all, our duty in this life isn’t to please society, it is to please Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.
 
The conflict between culture and religion has gone on for many, many years and has confused many people. This is especially true in Desi and American culture, where hijab is sometimes (mistakenly) considered an Arab custom, instead of a religious obligation. One thing people should keep in mind in helping them understand hijab is that Islam is not only a religion; it is a complete way of life.
 
Many times in the past, I thought about covering at a later period in my life, always postponing it to years and years down the line. Then one day, I finally came across an article I could relate to. The article stated that if an individual actually picked a day to wear hijab, went through with the decision and did not back out, then the life-long chase would finally be over.
 
After some research, I picked a day to start my journey with hijab: that day was August 17th, 2008.
One of the sources that completely convinced me about the importance of hijab was actually opening the Qur’an and reading Surat An-Noor, where it was plain and clear for my naked eye to see. It states in the Qur’an:
 

“And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of men other than their husbands, Fathers, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, their blood related uncles, their brothers, the sons of their brothers and sisters, other women, the male servants or employees whose sexual drive has been nullified, or the children who have not reached puberty. They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to Allah, O you believers, that you may succeed.” [Surat an-Noor, 24:31]
 

Covering is not only for women – it applies to men as well. Generally, men must be covered from the naval to the knee in front of women. They must also lower their gaze, and not look at women who are not lawful for them:
 

“Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity (guard their private parts). This is purer for them. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything they do.” [24:30]
 

I also read Surat al-Baqarah, and that helped me become more motivated as a Muslim in general. In Surat al-Baqarah, it mentions that in front of the believers, some people will say, “We believe in Allah, and will obey Him and no one else.” Yet when these same people are in the presence of a disbeliever, they say the exact same thing to them. I thought to myself: This is so true in today’s society! How can we be such hypocrites? Either we are believers or not!
 
Right before I started wearing hijab, I was so worried by the silly stories I made up in my head about how my friends would reject me, or about being looked down upon, or being viewed as oppressed. When I actually started wearing the hijab, all of those things I worried about never even happened.
 
In fact, it has been such a positive experience. I wasn’t treated any different by society. I was respected. Alhumdulillah, they say if you take one step towards Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, He will take ten steps towards you and make everything easier for you. This is very true. I felt like the road was already paved for me and I did not have to struggle in this transition.
 
Indeed, in the media there have been so many misconceptions about the status of women in Islam and the misconception of Muslims in general. Hijab does not oppress a believing woman, it actually liberates her.
 
Why? Do you see today’s advertisements? The majority of advertisements use the female body to sell their products and attract more attention. A female in today’s society is pressured to fit in, and be on top of fashion, and show lots of skin. She is actually being oppressed by not having the freedom of wearing what she wants, and always being under pressure to please men by showing off her body. Also, her body must be thin and in shape to look “attractive”!
 
In fact, a society which promotes nakedness takes people nearer to the culture of animals. By wearing hijab and dressing modestly, a Muslim woman is liberated by the sense that she has control over what people see of her. She is not treated as an object.
 
One thing that I have been blessed with was support. My elder sister was the first person in my family to start wearing hijab (when she entered college), then my mom started wearing hijab a few years ago, and eventually I started to think about it because I became more interested in what it was.
 
I do admit that my mom is my biggest role-model – she showed me that you can wear hijab and still have a place in today’s society because she holds such a great job in the hospital where she works. My mom has so much confidence, masha’Allah, and has tremendous power at home and wherever she goes. And people respect her for it, alhumdulillah.
To a sister who might have family or friends who don’t support her in wearing hijab, I would highly recommend that she finds other hijabis to become friends with. That way, she’ll still have some form of a support system.
 
This transition in my life has also been a great dawah opportunity to explain to others what Islam is and why women wear hijab. We must help our Muslim brothers and sisters in this time of corruption.
 
And just because we do something good other people don’t (like wearing hijab), we should never think that we are superior to anyone else. This is because at any given moment, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala can strengthen their imaan so that it is higher than yours, and your imaan in return can be tested and weakened. We also do not know what anyone else’s intentions are, and which deeds are being accepted by Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Islam prohibits pride and arrogance: with pride, there will always be competition and backstabbing, and this is wrong.
 
Alhumdulillah, it has been two months since I started wearing hijab and I’ve noticed many doors filled with opportunity open for me. I noticed that my imaan has improved and my interest in Islam has gone further.
 
It has been such a blessing and I truly have never felt so close to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala as I do now. It is a sign that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala loves those who become stronger in their faith. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala bring each and every one of us to the straight and right path as well as keeping us their Ameen.
 
source: www.igotitcovered.org

YOUR LIFE,YOUR CHOICES November 5, 2009

In the name of ALlah, the most Beneficient, the Most Merciful

asalaam o alykum
 
Every day we wake up and think about various things that come to our mind. Sometimes everyday is the same becasue we dont really have anything special to do. Our day usually revolves around us going to school\uni\college, working for our assignment,working in the office, chatting with our friends, watching tv,SMSing, facebooking, watching tv again…oh how can i forget eating- yea eating…going out to eat, or ordering something, and whats next?… i guess tv again, and then off we go to bed, sleep and the same thing usually happens the next day and then it repeats itself for 365 days a year and so on.
 
But sometimes we get sick and tired of this monotonous routine, we decide to do something different and then we think, we contemplate and we reflect. sometiems our thoughts occupy our minds and sometimes we reflect upon whatever we did, and plan to do and then we decide to stick to it.
 
And that makes us do what we neglect the most. so we  try something new, something different, something that we stay away from, maybe due to family, friends, or maybe becasue we have everything and everything keeps coming, that we dont need to do that particular thing. this time i’m talking about the Quran. 
 
We open the Book of guidance and then we read a few pages with translation and that’s it, we think that we were living our lives like rocks, we didnt achieve anything, we never understood ourselves, we never thought about intentions, good and evil, life and death, heaven and hell, the prophets and ISLAM. We come to the conclusion with this guilt heavy on our hearts and realise what was missing; we understand that there is A PURPOSE IN LIFE.
 
We embark upon a journey filled with thorns and draconian punishments, we leave our pleasures and sacrifice our time for ALlah’s sake. We learn to love and hate for ALlah and we learn to live for ALlah.
 
Allah swt says:
You will only be rewarded fully for all your good deeds on the day of Resurrection, and [on that Day] whoever will be drawn away from Hell-fire, and admitted to Paradise, will indeed have triumphed. [Al Imran 3:185]
 
what should be kept in mind is the fact that Allah swt doesnt need us, we need Him.
 
Allah swt says:
Whoever strives hard in God’s casue does so only for his own good: for, verily, God does not stand in need of anything in all the worlds! And as for those who attain to faith and do righteous deeds, We shall most certainly efface their bad deeds, and shall most certainly reward them in accordance with the best that they ever did. [al-Ankabut 29:6-7]
 
Yusuf Islam(aka Cat Stevens) once said: “Islam is not just a religion, Islam is everything”. Hence we try, we try and we try, we strive for ALlah’s casue and we know that it is’nt easy, we give up our past habits just for this love for ALlah, we give up our pre\extra marital affairs, haram food and drinks, music, bad character, sleeveless shirts\shorts, time, love and hatred and much more for ALlah’s sake, because we believe that by using our time , energy and money in ALlah’s cause we will be better off. In short we give up our short term pleasures for the long term ones.
 
Allah swt says:
And there is a kind of person who would willingly give up personal interests, seeking Allah’s pleasure; and God is Most Compassionate towards His servants. [al-Baqarah 2:207]
 
Allah swt also says:
Behold, God has bought of the Believers their lives and their possessions, promising them Paradise in return, they fight in God’s casue, and slay, and are slain: a promise which in truth He has willed upon Himself in the Torah, and the Injil, and the Quran. And who could be more faithful to his covenant than God? [al-Tawba 9 :111] 
 
Therefore,we submit our wills to ALlah swt. We promise to give ourselves to Him in return for Paradise. We tie ourselves in this covenant with the Supreme Lord and then we live according to His will.
 
Allah swt says:
Indeed ALlah has puchased from the Believers their lives and their possessions, promising them Paradise, in return. [al-Tawba 9:111]
 
After we do all this, our life changes drastically. We have decided, and yes its is our CHOICE that we emabark upon this journey, for ALlah’s sake. We do encounter lonliness and hardships, but in our heart we know that ALlah swt is with us and that peace of mind we get from that feeling is amazing, i can give up everything i have for that peace of mind..inshaALlah.
 
So this life is yours, and you get it just once, so why not strive for the best casue in it?? This life is transient and will end soon. Death is inevitable and we will all die soon. No one can predict our deaths except for ALlah. We can with fortitude inshaALlah give up the short term pains and haram pleasures for the life of the Hereafter inshaALalh.
 
Allah swt is with us forever and ever. Lets just trust him becasue when a person looks into himself for strength, he is left with nothing , but when he puts all his trust in ALlah and searches for strength in ALlah, then he is the richest person on earth.
 
As for now, i would like to make dua for us all. i found this dua in Khurram Murad’s book titled “In The Early Hours”,
 he says:
“O Allah, I ask for Your Mercy and whatever brings me closer to it in word and deed. O Allah, I ask for a faith that will never vanish, a blessing that will never diminish, a pleasure that will never abate, and the most elevated position in Paradise distinguished by the companionship of Your Messenger, Muhammed (PBUH)”. ameen
 
and if you allow me, i would like to include another beautiful dua in it which i got from Farhat Hashmi’s book, called ‘Qurani and Masnoon Duas’, here it is:
“O Allah! Make my love for You transcend the love of other things and make my fear of You be more than the fear of all other things, and make my desire to meet You override all the desires of this world. And when the eyes of the worldly people are cooled and comforted by the world make the coolness and enjoyment of my eyes lie in your worship”. ameen

i have nothing further to say. i hope that you really get the picture inshaALlah :D
take care , peace be with you

from your sister in Islam, Maryam