Ramadan Reminders; Day 23

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah swt be upon you!

Daily Reminder 23:

Peace, remembrance of Allah, contentment, worship are all interrelated to each other and you would have already come across such articles or lectures. We’ve probably heard it so many times that it’s significance in the sight of Allah has sadly been forgotten... 

Allah swt says in Surah Yunus (v.62-63), that the awliya of Allah are those who believe and have Taqwa (God conscious or God fearing) and they will not have any fear nor will they grieve! 

And “Awliya” is the Arabic word for allies or (here) friends. 

Subhan Allah we will be honoured with a status so high for observing just 2 elements - Believing in the Oneness of Allah and having Taqwa in our hearts! 

As for the second part (i.e.) Taqwa, it generally gives an idea of a person who’s too Islamic and their entire life revolves around Deen. It seems almost impossible for us to achieve Taqwa because either we believe we lack in knowledge or we just don’t have the “time” to develop Taqwa. 

As much important knowledge is, that’s not the only thing required for building up the level of God consciousness in our hearts. Yes, knowledge brings about self-accountability and the fear of Allah but that happens only when we exercise the knowledge we gain.

As for time, you don’t really NEED to devote a specific time for reciting the praises of Allah swt because Allah is The One who owns time! 

So to me, apart from the fixed times for the remembrance of Allah (Salah and morning-evening Adhkaar), we should be reciting the Dhikr throughout the day. 

You see, it is a human quality to be conscious about something when we think about it too often or give it priority. Applying the same psychological theory, we become God conscious only when Allah is our Priority and it is Him who we think about almost always! 

This Dunya is such that no matter how knowledgeable one is, it has the power to pull him into its fake charm. There’s a strong magnetic pull between us and the temptations of this world. And it is an undeniable fact that sometimes, our hearts do get captivated by the glitters of Dunya. 

In order to clean this stain from our hearts, we need the Dhikr of Allah. 

Umar Ibn Al Khattab (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, “For everything there is a polish, and the polish for the hearts is the Dhikr of Allah. There is nothing more potent in saving a person from the punishment of Allah than the Dhikr of Allah”

[Related by Ahmad (4/352), from Mu’aadh Ibn Jabal (ra). It was authenticated by Al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami’ (5644)]

When we keep reciting the Dhikr in the kitchen or tidying up the room, or even while walking to the car, we start developing God consciousness or Taqwa. 

And when that happens, you’ll begin to acknowledge Allah’s blessings like you’ve never done before and you’ll begin to seek ONLY Allah’s help when you feel uneasy. And even if you face a problem, you will be chilled out! Your trust in Allah swt will touch new heights, In sha Allah! 

In the beginning, we may have to force ourselves to recite the Dhikr but just within a few days, you’ll begin to notice that your tongue automatically switches to Dhikr instead of talks with no benefit. 

Yes, there is peace in the remembrance of Allah but there are also countless blessings and benefits with it. Because remembering Allah even in times of ease is a sign of our true love and trust in Him. 

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 23

Surah: Ya Sin

Verse: 51

وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَإِذَا هُم مِّنَ الْأَجْدَاثِ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَنسِلُونَ

“And the Horn will be blown; and at once from the graves to their Lord they will hasten.”

How many times have we thought about the Horn? In our everyday lives, we come across or hear so many different kinds of horns, but did we ever give a thought about the sound or the structure of the Horn that Allah swt has made? That will cause the death of every single person in this world and also bring them to life and out of their graves…?

Where is the Horn right now? Who is going to blow it and when??

The Prophet (saws) said;

“Since the time that the angel, who is to blow the trumpet was given his task, he has been ready with his eyes set upon the Throne afraid that his eye might be deviated when the order comes.” 

[Al Silsilaah Al Saheehah, 1078]

Subhan Allah right now, at this very moment, the Angel Israfil is ready to complete his task. All he needs is just one command from Allah swt. 

If this is not enough to wake us up from our dreamy land, create a stir in our hearts and make us want to prepare for the Day of Resurrection, here is what our Prophet (saws) said;

“How can I be at ease when the angel of the trumpet has placed his mouth upon the trumpet, bent his forehead and is awaiting the command of his Lord.”

[Al Silsilah Al Saheehah, 1079]

When the Prophet (saws) himself was not content with the amount of worship he did, what about us…? 

What makes us feel so relaxed about the Hereafter? Do we struggle or fight for the cause or Deen of Allah? Do we devote our nights worshipping and thanking Allah swt? Or do we believe we have the most perfect akhlaq (character)?

Imagine you have a ride waiting for you to go to school or university or your work place. The driver has his foot on the break. Are you going to walk slowly? You’d hurry and if not run then at least walk fast, right? Because you know that as soon as the driver takes his foot off the break, you’ve lost your ride!

When the worldly concerns can make us fast-paced then why do we work slower than a snail when it comes to the matters of the Hereafter? 

While it is the Hereafter that is eternal and not this Dunya.

May Allah swt increase us in knowledge and wisdom, help us in preparing our matters for the Hereafter and make the Day of Resurrection, Accountability and Judgement easy for us! Ameen. 

Sunnah Challenge 23:

So you were in the middle of your prayer, and suddenly your mind wanders off somewhere, and you forget which rakah you were on?! That is the work of Shaytan!

Shaytan works his hardest to distract us and keep our attention away from prayer, and then what happens? Allah does not accept the prayer of the one who is heedless and distracted.

Uthman b. Abu al-'As reported that he came to Allah's Messenger (saws) and said:

Allah's Messenger, the Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and my reciting of the Qur'an and he confounds me.

Thereupon Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “That is (the doing of a) Satan (devil) who is known as Khinzab, and when you perceive its effect, seek refuge with Allah from it and spit three times to your left”. 

I did that and Allah dispelled that from me. 

[Sahih Muslim]

When you feel lost or distracted, seek refuge with Allah! 

It is very important, especially in these last ten days of Ramadan to pray with all our heart and soul, so that Allah accepts our prayers, forgives us and make us those of Paradise.

May Allah protect us from the whispering of the Shaytan and make us amongst those who are guided on the straight path! Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.

Ramadan Reminders; Day 16

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah swt be upon you!

Daily Reminder 16:

Islam not only focuses on establishing harmony among communities and promoting peace and brotherhood but it also provides a logical step for stabilising a community economically. 

This is where Zakah comes into action.

As in our knowledge, Zakah is the 2nd pillar of Islam. Which is why in the Quran, whenever there is an order of offering Salah, the obligation of Zakah follows it.

The Arabic word “Zakah” itself means “to purify”. As Allah (swt) says in the Quran [Surah At Tawbah, v.103];

“Take from their wealth so that you may purify and sanctify them.”

Zakah is not only a means of purifying the halal income, but it is also a means of the expiation of minor sins. As is the Hadith of Prophet (saws); 

“Charity extinguishes sin as water extinguished fire.” 

[At Tirmidhi]

Wealth is one of those things that can blind an individual, be it a Muslim or a non-Muslim. By parting away with a portion of our wealth, it is a reminder that money shouldn’t be what we run after. 

Our provision is given to us by The Provider, the Razzaq! The means of earning it are definitely different. But we only receive the rizq which Allah, The Razzaq has written for us. 

So there shouldn’t be any hesitation or guilt in spending only a small portion of that rizq for the needy. 

In fact the more you give, the more you receive, the higher is your status in this Dunya and the Aakhirah and the best of all, you please Allah (swt)! Alhamdullilah. 

So let’s spend generously for the sake and for the Deen of Allah not only in this month but also throughout the year In sha Allah.

May Allah (swt) detach our hearts from the materialistic possessions and attach our hearts to that which brings it true peace and tranquility! Ameen.

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 16

Surah: Taha

Verse: 130

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا ۖ وَمِنْ آنَاءِ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَىٰ

“So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night [exalt Him] and at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied.”

What are the things we usually do to satisfy ourselves?

After a loooong and dreaded week at work, hang out with our friends and chill over cold coffee or binge eat the junk right…?

When your exams are done, you ask your mom to not wake you up early the next morning because that extra sleep is what gives you pleasure, isn’t that so?

Or simply go on an ice-cream spree after experiencing extreme heat because that’s what calms you down right…?

If say these things are not what truly gives us satisfaction, I may be inviting haters over my blog “:P”. So in my opinion having fun, relaxing and chilling is fine every once in a while. 

But to totally depend on them for achieving a peace of mind is not right. That’s not what’s going to heal your damaged and worn out heart.

Since every part of our body is a gift and a creation of Allah, the remedy to every problem faced by our body and our soul lies only with Allah swt. And He has already provided the cure in His Book!

What is the cure? It is the Tasbeeh.

Praise Allah and glorify Him. Because Allah swt is The Greatest, He alone has control over everything, even a single grain of sand. Without His Will, not even the sun or the moon or the stars or the wind can change their direction. He is The One who holds the key to all our problems, The One who can truly take us out of our difficulties and grant us ease. Where? In this world and the Akhirah!

His remembrance can turn every negative or ill feeling into a positive one. His love and fear can melt even the hardest hearts and make them tremble. 

When do we do Tasbih? Well, whenever you can and whenever you want to. :)

Starting from the time you begin your day to the time you rest your body, recite the Tasbih (Subhan Allah), Tahmeed (Alhamdullilah), Tahleel (La ilaha illa Allah) and Takbeer (Allahu Akbar). 

Instead of worrying about your sustenance or how your day is going to turn out, engage in constant Dhikr. Because when these Adhkaar become a habit, Allah swt says لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَىٰ! Which means you will be pleased, you will find contentment and happiness not only in this world but most importantly, in the Akhirah as well!

May Allah (swt) help us engage in His Dhikr, turn every negative into multiple positives in our lives and keep us safe and away from everything that can harm our souls and bodies! Ameen. 

Sunnah Challenge 16:

One of the most common sins of the tongue we knowingly or unknowingly commit is backbiting. 

And how many times we realize what we have done until it is too late, or reaches the concerned person?! 

Backbiting in Islam is regarded as Haraam and described in the Quran as equivalent to “eating the flesh of his own dead brother”. 

What do we do when we backbited, and now we regret it?

We ask Allah swt for forgiveness for that person, and MAKE DUA for them! We must also be sure that we speak good of the person just as much as the bad we spoke about them. 

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: “Whoever has wronged his brother with regard to his honour or anything else, let him seek his forgiveness today, before there will be no dinar and no dirham, and if he has any good deeds to his credit they will be taken from him in a manner commensurate with the wrong he did, and if he has no good deeds, then some of his counterpart’s bad deeds will be taken and added to his burden.” 

[Sahih Bukhaari]

Does anyone want to lose their ajr barely because of a few words of another person?

Imagine having no deeds, and just having sins added on upon us, leading to a greater part in Hell! 

Sparing our tongue from backbiting is infact much easier than to go through this torment on the Day of Recompense!

(ref source : IslamQA)

Assalam Alaykum.