Ramadan Reminders; Day 1

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!

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

Before anything else, Ramadan Mubarak!

May this Ramadan bring forth abundant blessings and goodness into your lives!

May Allah swt make this Ramadan a time when you get closer to Allah and His mercy and reach for success and contentment in this life and the Hereafter. 

May He protect you against all harm and worries and ease all affairs for you, accept your good deeds and ease for you the path to Jannah al Firdous!

May Allah swt forgive all our sins, grant cure to the sick, provide comfort and solace for the broken hearts and establish justice for the oppressed. Ameen.

Alhamdullilah.

All Praise and Thanks belongs to Allah swt for allowing us to reach another Ramadan. This is in itself a sign that Allah swt loves you, He wants to forgive you and bestow upon you an abode where all your needs and demands will be fulfilled, where there is no room for negativity and sadness and where you will be allowed to meet and greet your Lord. Subhan Allah!

Through the entire course of this month, I will be publishing Ramadan Reminders - comprising 3 topics:

1. Daily Islamic Reminders
2. Verse of the Day
3. Sunnah Challenge

I pray to Allah that it serves to be beneficial for you as it has been for me. 

Starting with the Daily Reminder 1:

The first day of Ramadan is usually the most challenging in terms of trying to curb the hunger and thirst. Sometimes, the climate, working conditions, work load and even travelling gets the better of us. It becomes quite hard to control our emotions and continue with the fast while maintaining its sacredness. 

At such times, we fail to utilise the fasting hours for ibadah, dhikr and Quran recitations and wait anxiously for the time of Iftar. Some of us would pass orders to kitchen as to what we anticipate for the first iftar meal of the month. :P

In this process, we become hasty and prepare a lot more food than what is actually required. 

The entire objective of Ramadan is to instil patience and self-control and to increase the love for Allah and His deen in our hearts. This will not happen if we are in a hurry to eat to satisfy our taste and waste food which is totally against the purpose of this sacred month. 

How do we expect to enjoy the benefits, the mercy and blessings of Allah if we fail to achieve the purpose of Ramadan?

Yes, it is the Sunnah of Rasulullah (saws) to hasten to break the fast as soon as the Maghrib adhaan has been called out or it is established that the sun has set. But this is with the intention that you have completed your fast for the sake of Allah and you’re nourishing yourself to worship Allah through the night. Not with the intention of filling your stomach to the full and satisfying the taste buds. 

May Allah swt provide ease during the fasting hours and reward us abundantly for fulfilling this obligation towards Him. Ameen.

Verse of the Day:

Ramadan is the month of the Quran, undoubtedly. We are encouraged to increase the number of good deeds in this month, offer voluntary prayers and recite the Quran abundantly. 

What I feel is understanding the Quran should be our focus than rushing to complete the Quran this month. Sure, for a recitation of a single letter, we’re rewarded with 10 good deeds and these 10 will be multiplied (only Allah knows by how many times) during this month.

But understanding the Quran brings forth a number of benefits. The most important according to me is applying the knowledge of the Quran in our daily lives. 

It is an undeniable fact that certain times it becomes difficult to walk on the path of the knowledge of the Quran, the reason being the shaitan ofcourse. He is on a roll when we try to understand the Book of Allah and implement the knowledge in our lives.

But since this month is free of the evil one and his whisperings, we should utilise this opportunity in learning and understanding Allah’s Book, His guidelines and walk by this knowledge.

In sha Allah we will learn about one ayah every day from each juz, and hence complete all 30 juz by the end of Ramadan.

May Allah swt make it easy for us to understand His Book and walk on the path of knowledge. Ameen.

The ayah for the first day is from;

Juz: 1

Surah: Al Baqarah

Verse: 44

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

“Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?”

You might have come across the English proverb, “Practice what you preach”. In a nut shell, this ayah is exactly the same.

When we learn something new, could be a hadith or a Sunnah or verse from the Quran, we’re expected to share this knowledge. But before we do that, we should be implementing that knowledge in our lives. We can’t be preaching good when we don’t practice any of it. It is not logical when an individual enjoins those around him to offer charity or be kind to others when he himself doesn’t follow it. This is plain hypocrisy and is unacceptable in Islam.

The above verse inquires all those who do not understand that they should enjoin righteousness on themselves first and do accordingly to be as an example, and then expect others to obey or follow them.

Experience has proved that words which are uttered only by the tongue, as simple statements, physically strike the ears and perish. But reasonable speech that arises from the soul and reality, settles in souls firmly and affects hearts deeply.

Sunnah Challenge 1

How often is it that we tell Bismillah or greet Salaam before we enter our homes?

Often we rush into a haste, fail to watch which foot we set in first, and run into our comfort zones forgetting some of the most important supplications before we enter.

Invoking Allah's name before entering our homes is not only a way to remember Allah or add rewards to our account, but it is also a way to protect our homes from the Shayateen!

Jabir bin Abdullah (ra) reported Allah's Messenger (SAW) as saying:

"If a person mentions the Name of Allah upon entering his house or eating, Satan says, addressing his followers: `You will find no where to spend the night and no dinner.' But if he enters without mentioning the Name of Allah, Satan says [To his followers]; 'You have found [A place] to spend the night in, and if he does not mention the Name of Allah at the time of eating, Satan says: `You have found [A place] to spend the night in as well as food." 

(Sahih Muslim, Book 23, 5006)

Along with protection, by saying a Bismillah, entering our homes with a Salam could bring Rizq, protection and even open the doors of Jannah for us!!

The Prophet(SAW) said:

“There are three who are under the protection of Allah and if he lives, he will be provided for and it will be sufficient for him, and if he dies, Allah will enter him into Jannah: whoever enters his house and gives the salaam, whoever goes out to the masjid, and whoever leaves in the way of Allah.”

(Sunan Abi Dawud)

May Allah swt make it easy for us to implement the knowledge we gain, reward us and our families abundantly, bless us with peace and contentment and bestow on us the highest level of Jannah! Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.

The Departure and The Arrival

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Let me start by giving you all a situation to imagine. You’ve been away from home since a very long time (let’s say 7-8 months). You were being held up with work, assignments and deadlines. On the other hand, your friends or colleagues or people around you are in a complete bliss. It’s been really frustrating but somehow manage to stay on track, avoid distractions and finally you’ve pulled it through. After a long wait, the day arrives when you head back home. Neither can you stop looking at the tickets nor can you stop thinking about your family. And you can’t wait to be treated like royalty! :P And obviously, your mum has prepared your favourite food (my mom would usually prepare macaroni. A LOT of macaroni :P), your siblings clean their bed for you and you know that as soon as you get home, you’ll be at peace, you’ll be pampered, all your wishes would be your family’s command. You’d be absolutely thrilled throughout the journey! Your departure is filled with excitement that’s only doubled upon your arrival.

Okay so now you’re done spending gala time at home and it’s time for you to return back to the dreaded place of workloads and expectations. You know you’re not going to be receiving any pampering there and you just have to eat the usual dal chawal (that’s like the Indian version of toast and butter). And you’re just back to killing your wishes again. How would you be throughout the journey? Would you have the heart of leaving a place of bliss for a place of horror? Uh huh. Your departure is agonizing and it only gets even more painful on your arrival.

So this is your departure and arrival in this world. But what about your departure FROM this world? What’s your journey going to be like? Sure your body remains in this world, but your soul? Well it got to face The One who created it and the consequences of the actions and feelings that were feeding on it. And when it does? All of the deeds you’ve committed throughout your life, the things you strove for, the way they’ve affected your soul and if they got you closer to your Lord or took you away from Him will flash before your very own eyes. 

Because Allah swt says in Surah Naziyat, verse 35:

يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا سَعَىٰ

“That Day (Day of Judgement) man shall remember what he strove for.”

When we depart from this world, there’s just one arrival destination. To our Lord, our Creator. Waiting for our deeds to be weighed on the scale so that we can be dealt with justly. Each and every soul in this world has to go through this evaluation. And we will be admitted into the abode we truly deserve and That is the place we’re going to be in for eternity.

In this modern, contemporary world, enhancing the outer appearance has taken precedence over nurturing the soul. We spend days and months or even several years dedicating ourselves to the gym, beauty treatments, dieting, but what are we really feeding the soul what it NEEDS to be fed? Are we taking care of the soul the way it NEEDS to be taken care of?

In a day of 24 hours, how many hours or even minutes do we spend on pondering about our soul? It goes through all sorts of crap and trash. When there’s a physical wound, we visit a physician, sometimes we visit a number of them only to compare their diagnosis. We care so much about our physical frame, forgetting that the healing actually resides in a deeper part of our body. The part where the spirit exists. Have we ever made an effort to heal the wounds of our spirit? Our soul? Our heart? There was a quote I came across recently, it read: “Stab the body and it heals but injure the heart and the wound lasts a lifetime”. 

After an exhausting day, all we sit down with is a cup of coffee and wish for a massage (for once, you may even get that) but how many us focus on revitalising our soul? The amalgam of emotions we experience throughout the day takes a toll on our gentle soul more than the body and this goes unnoticed very easily…

Allah azza wa jal has given us the therapy to heal and nourish the heart and the soul in His Book. Allah says in Surah Ra’d, verse 28:

أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest”

Now, what does it mean by remembering Allah?

Most of us think that to remember Allah is to recite duas and azkars in Arabic or to keep repeating the terms – “Subhan Allah” “Alhamdullilah” “La Ilaha Illa Allah” “Allahu Akbar” “Astaghfirullah”. Well what’s the point of reciting these terms when it’s only the lips that move and not the heart?

Remembering Allah is to:

Remember the blessings that He has bestowed you with. Even the drop of water that quenches your thirst or the first morsel of food that satisfies your hunger, considering the fact that there are countless number of people who cry out for basic necessities. This remembrance leads to gratitude. The element that increases your blessings. (Surah Ibrahim, verse 7)

Remember The Power He possess. And when this sinks in your heart, it leads to the unshakable trust in Allah, no matter what you go through. Even if you’ve had a bad day, you turn to His remembrance to find solace and comfort. 

Remember His favours upon you. The greatest of which is making you a Muslim and granting you knowledge. The job that gets you tired and frustrated is the job that several others strive for. Parents whose concern gets you irritated at times, is being craved by thousands who’ve lost their parents. The kids who get on your nerves, are being yearned for by many couples. The remembrance of Allah’s favours increases love for Him.

Remember His Omniscience in the open and the hidden for it serves as an impetus for our chastity.

Remember His magnitude and greatness for it causes one’s humility and submission towards Him.

Remember His forgiveness and generosity that serves as our sources of hope and repentance.

It’s okay if you want to refresh yourself with lemonade or coffee (or teaaaa :P) but that’s not what’s going to give you peace and comfort. Unless you resort to the remembrance of Allah, understand that your soul needs to be rejuvenated as much as your body, you’re going to go through the same old tiring, tedious and monotonous routine every day, adding up to your frustration and anxiety. 

Now, why is it that you need to care for your soul as much as you care for your body or even more and constantly remember Allah, His blessings, favour, mercy and His might?

Because just like I mentioned in the beginning, the thoughts, emotions and actions that has been feeding on your soul in this dunya is going to be evaluated the day you meet your Lord. You will be judged on the state of your soul and not the state of your body. 

How do you know what kind of actions are going to lead you to which destination in the Hereafter?

Allah says, in Surah Naziyat, verse 37-41:

فَأَمَّا مَنْ طَغَىٰ

وَآثَرَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا

فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ

“Then as for him who transgressed,

And preferred the life of this world,

Shall have his abode in Hell.”

The Arabic word طَغَىٰ is translated as transgression. Its root – ط غ ي gives the meaning – “to exceed a limit”, “exceed the bound” or “deviate”. When we cross the bounds/limits that Allah swt has laid for us, repeatedly disobey Allah, commit sins, the fitnah or temptations of this world begins to lure us and we start preferring (آثَرَ) the life of this world over the Hereafter. In such a state, we follow our desires, give in to temptations, forget about The Lord Almighty and pave our way for a painful and humiliating afterlife and destine ourselves to the Hell fire.

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ

فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ

“But he who feared standing before his Rabb and curbed his evil desires,

Shall have his home in Paradise”

The word مقام is translated as “position” or “rank” or “standing”. And this can mean 2 things. One, those people who fear the position of their Lord and believe that Allah’s position is the Highest. He is Al Azeez (The Almighty). He is The One who has power and authority over all things. Two, those people who fear standing in front of Allah (On the Judgement Day). Because it is on this day when Allah will ‘personally’ deal with all of mankind and hold them accountable for each and every deed they committed in this dunya. 

Secondly, the Arabic word الْهَوَىٰ is used for evil desires or lust. There’s no doubt that Allah has placed الْهَوَىٰ in every human being. And that is where He swt tests us. Our goal should be to fight or curb these desires that go against the bounds laid by Allah, in other words the desires that lead to طغيان (transgression). 

The Prophet (saws) has been reported saying, “The Paradise is surrounded by hardships and the Hell fire is surrounded by temptations” (Sahih Muslim). And for those who abide by this teaching of Allah, will have Jannah in their possession for eternity. Subhan Allah. 

The Quran is indeed the ultimate source of guidance and the best manual there is for attaining a successful life in this world and the Hereafter. 

And going down the recent world events, the day of judgement is just round the corner. Allah azza wa jal gives us this warning in Surah Anbiya, verse 1:

اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ

“Closer and closer to mankind comes their Reckoning; yet they heed not and they turn away”.

So my dear brothers and sisters, If not until now, then now it is. :)

Let’s turn towards our Lord, our Rabb not only in times of need and distress but also during ease and happiness. May Allah azza wa jal help us all in seeking solace and comfort through His Book and His remembrance, and bless us with Jannah, Ameen. :)

Assalam Alaykum.

Ramadan Done, Now What?

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!

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

It’s been about a week since Ramadan has passed. Which obviously means no more of “a good deed is multiplied by 75 times” or “devils are chained” or “the gates of Jahannum are locked” or the most important of all – “the night of qadr is better than a 1000 months” kind of Facebook reminders or Instagram stories. We’re even done with the “importance of fasting for 6 days of Shawwal” or “how much we must hasten to continue those deeds we began in Ramadan” kind of posts. The most common and my favourite among them would be “The Lord you worship during Ramadan is the same Lord you turn away from in all the other months”. And such posts truly hit us in the spot but the reality is it doesn’t stay for long.

Now most of us have resumed our routine which would be of school or college or work and some of us (including me) are still suffering from the hangover (by that I mean the disturbances in the sleep schedule ofcourse :P). In both cases, we begin to feel that the whole “continuing the Ramadan life even after Ramadan” is easier said than done. You’ll find that the kind of motivation and zeal we develop during the Holy month is impossible to achieve during the rest of the year. Some of us would have even tried very hard to keep the ball running but as a result of repeated failure, we have given up. And that’s where we begin to shackle our mind and heart and there commences the cycle of such events that eventually weaken our spiritual being and leads us to saying أللهم بلغنا رمضان so that at least now لنكونن من ألصلحين

Sadly, for the majority of us this situation reiterates every year.

So now what? What do I do so that I can stop this series of disappointing myself and above all disappointing my Creator? How can I help myself? How do I keep up with the fard salah and also perform the voluntary acts of worship? How do I not exhaust myself in this process? What if I fall back again?

What you do need my brothers and sisters is a constant reminder and some effort and sincerity on your side.

We obviously know how to row a boat right? You’re given an oar and you gotta push that against the water on both sides so that it forces your boat forward. Now imagine the boat to be yourself and water is your life. And the two ends of that oar are your Salah and Quran that push you forward and keep you going through your life. When you don’t use the oar, you’re just stuck and maybe if the water currents are high, it may even drown your boat. But as long as you constantly keep your oar moving through the water, your boat is balanced.

For all the students out there, I understand there’s homework and exams and projects and to top it all your parents complain of you being totally worthless and lazy. And then you are just being forced to attend Islamic classes or masjids. You are also being compared to every other Abdullah or Fatima in your neighbourhood and every atom of freedom is just snatched away from you guys. For the working folks, you’ve got deadlines and expectations of your superiors, you don’t even have time to eat, you’re just surviving on coffee and your parents or spouse just add up to all the tensions you are already facing in your life. And for that lot of the population who are never appreciated for all the work and effort they put in making our lives easier, our moms! The homemakers! Yes, you keep your nose to the grindstone; make all ends meet to give comfort to your family. You work all round the clock, break your back and yet there’s no acknowledgement of all the tedious jobs you do. Everyday is a struggle for you guys. But you know what’s going to give you that scintilla of joy that’s going to push you forward and give you the vigour you need after all the tiredness and mental agony you’re going through? A conversation with your Lord; an exchange of speech between you and The One who created you. And the only way that’s going to happen is through your prayers and your recitation of the Quran.

Most of us pray, offer salah but yet it doesn’t make a difference right? Why? There are 2 reasons for that. One, it’s obvious we don’t understand what we are reciting. And two, we don’t realize the seriousness of this command of Allah (swt). Yes, you look up on the internet on how to develop khushu’ or concentration in your prayers, Alhamdullilah you’re able to do it for a week but what happens after that? Prayer becomes a chore? Something that you want be done with just because it’s an obligation and you try to convince yourself saying “Atleast I prayed!!!” trying to hide your guilt? What use is that prayer which does not fulfil its rights and benefit you...?
But you know what? Nothing can make you realize the seriousness of this command of Allah azza wa jal except for His Book. And take this from a person who has experienced the same. The fear and love and the want you develop for prayer after learning it from The Words of Allah (swt) is beyond any explanation I could give. The sad reality is our relationship with The Quran is completely opposite to the definition of the Quran. 

Linguistically, قرآن comes from the root words -   ق ر ء So قَرَأَ or يَقْرَأُ  means ‘to read’ or ‘to recite’. But the آن at the end of قرآن means excessive. So قرآن is something that which is recited or read excessively; again and again; repeatedly. But what do we do with the Quran? Let it rest on the shelf until next Ramadan...? But what is actually the Quran?

Allah (swt) says in Surah Shu’ra, (192-194);

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين

“And Indeed, the Quran is a revelation of the Lord of the Worlds”

نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ

“The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down”

عَلَى قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ

“Upon your heart [O Muhammad], that you may be of the warners”

So the Quran is revealed not just by your Lord or my Lord but by the Lord of the entire existence, the Creator of the universe, the Owner and Master of the Worlds! Allah (swt) has sent it down through the Trustworthy Spirit meaning Jibreel (as) into the heart of the Prophet (saws) but for what? What’s the purpose of this revelation? A warning; a caution. But what kind of warning is it? It is the kind of warning that is given out of love and in a gentle way and yet instils fear within us so that we can benefit from it. Another purpose of this revelation is guidance. Allah (swt) says in Surah Ibrahim,

الَر كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ

It brings us out of the darkness into the light. Now when you are in darkness, can you see anything? You could hurt yourself in that darkness, you could trip over or fall. But when you turn on a torch, the light guides your way through the darkness. Allah (swt) describes Ignorance as this darkness. So the Quran has been sent to us, to all of mankind in order to take us out of darkness, out of unawareness, out of ignorance into the light, knowledge and guidance.

Now we prioritize everything in our life right? We give each activity it’s status and then begin our work. But what is the status of the Quran? How has Allah (swt) described the status of the Quran, in the Quran?

 قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُواْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ

“Say, in the bounty of Allah and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate”

(Surah Yunus, verse 58)

What is this bounty of Allah and His mercy? What has Allah (swt) called as a gift in this verse? The fact that He has revealed the Quran. The fact that He has sent down instructions which are a guidance and mercy for all us. And because He has given us this gift, He is asking us to rejoice, be happy! Allah (swt) also says that this gift is better than what they accumulate. What are the things people usually collect? People only collect those things that’s precious, that which is dear to them and that which they have an extreme liking for. But Allah (swt) says no matter what collect is nothing compared to this gift He has given you. What He has bestowed you with is better than anything and everything you can collect. Subhan Allah!

And how do we treat the Book of Allah? Let dust accumulate over it? Just recite it in lightening speed, be proud of yourself because you at least touched the Quran and opened it? Or give yourself an excuse because you don’t know to read Arabic and need the help of a Qari or an Ustadh? 
What about the Hadith in Sahih Muslim & Bukhari where the Prophet (saws) said, “Such a person who recites the Quran and masters it by heart will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven). And such a person who exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward”.

Allah azza wa jal says in Surah Qamar, verse 17;

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

“And certainly We have made easy the Quran for remembrance, so is there any who will receive admonition?”

What is our excuse now…? 

Yes, it is hard and tiring and very easy to give up. But remember, anything worth having is never achieved with ease. And Allah (swt), your Creator is Himself calling you, addressing you and asking you if you will remember His Book? How can we even have the heart of turning away from His call? This is a reminder to you and to me that Allah (swt) wants good for you. That is why He is sends you reminders. He asks you to come, receive guidance so that He can reward you in this world and in the Hereafter. So that He can bless you with peace, mercy and knowledge. Knowledge that will keep you away from the waswas (whisperings) of the shaitan, that will protect you and guide you, that will be your light in this world of darkness. It is okay if you take the smallest amount of time in a day to read His Book. Be it 15 minutes or 10 or even 5 but read! Understand! Comprehend! Reflect! Wallahi once you’ve started to understand (not just read) His Book, you will not be able to keep away from it. Every ayah is a reminder, every word is so deep and so rich in its meaning, it will leave you wanting for more :)

May Allah (swt) grant Barakah in our time and help us connect with the Quran, make us the people of the Quran and make the Quran our companion. Ameen.

You Are Not Alone...

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!

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

Has it ever been that sometimes you have an uproar of emotions and you find it hard to express yourselves? Have you ever felt so depressed about your life that you think it’s better for you to stay isolated? During such times you may feel that no amount of prayers or patience can calm you down or help you overcome your depression… You just lose all hopes that your life is going to be any better and you sulk in grief. You feel the whole world is having a whale of a time and here you are crying your eyes out. 

These emotions have persuaded me to write this article so that anybody going through this period don’t feel they’re alone and are the only ones in the world drowned in agony. If you’re going through any of these emotions then consider this as an amazing opportunity given to you by Allah (swt) Himself to make your life more meaningful and worth living… ;)

I cannot think of anything but this beautiful verse from Surah Baqarah to start with…

يأيُّهَا الَّذينَ ءَامنُواْ استَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبرِ و الصَّلوةِ ^ج  إنَّ اللهَ مَعَ اصّٰبِرين

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (Verse 153)

وَلَنَبلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىءٍ مِّنَ ﭐلخَوفِ وَ ﭐلجُوعِ وَ نَقصٍ مِّنَ ﭐلأَموٰالِ وَﭐلأنفُسِ وَ ﭐلثَمَرٰتِ وَ بَشِّرِ 

ﭐلصّٰبِرين

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.” (Verse 155)

ﭐلَّذينَ إِذَآ أَصٰبَتهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالواْ إِنَّا للّٰه وَ إِنَّآ إلَيهِ رٰجِعُون

“Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah and indeed to Him we will return.” (Verse 156)

أُولْٰئِكَ عَلَيهِم صَلَوٰتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِم وَ رَحمَةٌ وَ أُوْلٰئِكَ هُمُ ﭐلمُهتَدُون

“Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the (rightly) guided.” (Verse 157)

For those of us who’re depressed and in a state where we feel nothing in this world can comfort us, we need to take a step back and reflect on these beautiful verses from the Quran. But before I do that, let’s reflect on the wisdom of Allah azza wa jal…

Now whenever we feel sad or are lost into a gloomy world, we tend to ask ourselves certain questions like “Why me?” “What did I do wrong?” “Is this a punishment?” “Didn’t Allah say He wouldn’t burden anybody more than what they can bear? Then why is He causing this pain to me?”

Exactly my point dear brothers and sisters. When Allah (swt) Himself stated in the 

Quran in Surah Baqarah, verse 286

“لا يُكَلِّفُ الله نَفساً إلاّ وُسعَهَا”

“Allah does not burden a soul beyond that which it can bear”

then how can He cause you pain that you cannot tolerate? Na’uzubillah are we trying to say that Allah’s claim is wrong?

How can we forget the Hadith that says, “The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allaah loves a person, He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.” (Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah)

And another Hadith narrated by Umar bin Khattab (رضى الله عنه): “Some prisoners were brought to Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم), and there was a woman among the prisoners who was searching (for her child). When she found her child, she embraced him and put him to her breast. Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said to us, ‘Do you think that this woman would throw her child in the fire?’ We said, ‘No, by Allah, not if she is able not to.’ He (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, ‘Allah is more merciful to His slaves than this woman is to her child.’”  (Agreed upon)

How on earth can we doubt the Mercy of Allah (swt) and His wisdom when we’re going a tough period? Don’t you think if you’re facing pain then there must be a reason behind it? And most possibly the reason might be to bring us closer to Allah (swt)? Cause you feel you cannot share your feelings with anybody, the thought of it makes you cry your eyes out and you wouldn’t want anybody to feel you’re weak and to judge you so now who better than Allah (swt) to turn towards to…? He who doesn’t judge anybody who express their weakness before Him. He who is always ready to aid you. He who loves you more than a mother could love her child. He who’s mercy surpasses everything in this world.

One of my articles “Why Me?” deals with similar feelings but this article will focus more on those facing depression and feel they might never be able to come out of it.

Now moving on to the verses from Surah Baqarah that I had mentioned earlier…

What I feel is these 4 verses answers all the questions that anybody going through depression will have. Why am I facing this? How do I deal with this and what will I get out of this? Now let’s see what Allah (swt) wants you to know through these verses…

The first question is, “why am I facing this?”

Let’s see verse 155.

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.”

Allah (swt) tells us that we must be tested with trials to differentiate between those who are truthful and those who are liars, between those who are patient and those who are impatient (Surah Ankabut, verse 2). This is Allah’s wisdom. This is the lesson and benefit of trials. So these difficult times are not for you to go away from Allah azza wa jal and live your life in seclusion. It is these times that give us the opportunity to strengthen our imaan and to prove our loyalty towards Allah (swt).

These trials divide people into 2 categories – the impatient and the patient.

The impatient has to deal with losses in this world and the Hereafter. They will lose the reward attained for obeying Allah (swt) by being patient. This person’s Imaan decreases. They miss out the opportunity of having patience, gratitude, and being satisfied and pleased with the decree of Allah. Rather they become displeased and angry. This attitude shows their immaturity.

As for the one who Allah guides to patience during times of calamity, they restrain their speech and actions of dissatisfaction that leads to the displeasure of Allah. They understand that the reward for being patient is greater than the trials they’re going through. In this sense, the calamity actually becomes a blessing for that person because it becomes a means to achieve something that is better and more beneficial than which was lost.

It is up to us to decide which category of people we want to fall into. Do we want to turn a calamity into a blessing or into a pitfall?

Moving on to the second question, “how do I deal with this?”

They respond to these calamities by saying,

“إِنَّا للّٰه وَ إِنَّآ إلَيهِ رٰجِعُون”

(Indeed we belong to Allah and indeed our return is to Him)

This means we are owned by Allah, and we are under His command and control. So when we are tested with calamities, we must realize it is the Most Merciful running His sovereignty. It is very important to realize that the calamities that befall us are from The All-Wise, The One who has more compassion for His slaves than they even have for themselves. This realization will make us satisfied with Allah (swt) and our hearts will soften out of the love Allah (swt) has for us because we know it is good for us even if we do not understand why. While we are owned by Allah, we will also return to Him on the Judgement Day. Then everyone will be dealt according to their deeds performed in this world. So if we bear patience and seek Allah’s mercy, we will find our great reward with Him. But if we are impatient, dissatisfied, and displeased with His decree, the only thing we will get is dissatisfaction and the missed-out opportunity of the reward of patience.

If you are patient, Allah (swt) is with you. You are under His protection. No harm can get to you when The Owner of this world and the Hereafter is by your side. Your every prayer and every tear is heard and seen by Him. All your actions are watched by Him. He (swt) will never leave you alone even for a blink of an eye. All you need to do is follow His advice and trust Him. And wait for things to take a turn that will make your life much more beautiful and meaningful than it was before.  

Coming to the third question, “what will I get out of this?”

What you will earn is much greater than everything you’re going through. Following what Allah (swt) has advised us to do in times of difficulty is definitely not easy. This is a task that cannot be performed by everyone. And that is the entire purpose of Him testing you! If He, The Wise, The All Knowing, your Creator is asking you to trust Him at times when you see no light, no direction then there must be a great treasure awaiting you at the end of this trial. He is making you go through this struggle because He knows you’re capable to overcoming this in ways nobody else can. You have the power to beat the odds and earn a better life for yourself. Allah (swt) wants you to come of out this trial much stronger and more wiser than you already were. That’s why He is making you go through what I would call – a training process.

This reminds me of a great saying of Ibn ul Qayyim (رحمه الله),

“From the perfection of Allah’s ihsan is that He allows His slave to taste the bitterness of break before the sweetness of the mend. So He does not break His believing slave except to mend him. And He does not withhold from him except to give him. And He does not test him (with hardship) except to cure him.”

When you’re cracking with pain, don’t build a graveyard in your heart. Go to the sink and make wudu. Let the water run through every crack, let it cleanse you. Pull out your rug and turn towards the Kabah. Let every ‘Allahu Akbar’ echo in your heart, reminding you that your pain will be taken care of. Pour out your heavy heart in front of Him when your forehead is on the ground. Cry your heart out when you raise your hands in dua. Ask Allah (swt) for His Help. Ask Him to comfort you. Ask Him to grant you patience to deal with your struggles. Allah (swt) will never let you go empty handed.  

One of the most beautiful things in life is when you sit down and make genuine dua to Allah (swt). Your heart will feel at ease as your worries melt away and Allah’s words become apparent, “Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He will be enough for him.” (65:3)

Ask yourselves. When was the last time you woke up in the middle of the night or the last third of the night to pray to Allah (swt)? When was the last time you tried to work on your relationship with Allah azza wa jal? You know what my dear brothers and sisters? This is your perfect ooportunity to strengthen your connection with Allah (swt). Wake up just 10 minutes before Fajr. We know that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) told us that it is the last third of the night when Allah azza wa jal descends to the lowest part of the Heavens and He asks “Which one of My servants is seeking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him? Which one of My servants is seeking My mercy so that I may be merciful to them? Which one of My servants is asking of me that I may give to them?” Start your day with it and experience this amazing spiritual feeling and a blessing that Allah (swt) has given us.

I would end my article with one of the most powerful and beautiful verse of the Quran,

ألأ بِذِكرِ ﭐلله تَطمَئِنُّ ﭐلقُلُوب

“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.”

-    Surah Ra’d, verse 28

Assalam Alaykum.

A Gift Taken For Granted

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu :)

May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah azza wa jal be upon you!

Before I begin let us consider some of Allah’s gifts… Take a moment and list at least 5 things that you are grateful for… (be sure to answer this)

... ... ... ... ... Done?

I’m sure your family and your best friend must have made into the list right? ;)

Now let me ask you to imagine this. You have a friend and they consider you very close. They come to you for help, when they’re depressed and when they need a support. You being a good friend, lend a shoulder to them and always have their back. But one day, when you were the one who was in need of a listener to your problems and approached them for help, they turn their face away. Not only that, they snap at you and say they’ve got more important ‘stuff’ to do. Tragic, isn’t it? Needless to say, wouldn’t you feel worse? Your friend, whom you helped selflessly treated you like you never mattered to them… Did you deserve that treatment when you looked after your friend as your very own family?

Family reminds me… Has it ever happened to you that your mom has asked you something regarding her phone and your only reply was “Not now mom! I’m busy”. And what are you doing? Downloading some Islamic videos? Even downloading Islamic videos doesn’t give you a reason to avoid your mom. Or maybe she asked you to get a glass of water and you did run to the kitchen but with a beautiful grumpy look. When you were sick (I’m not even going to your infant stage), and asked your mom for a glass of water like ten times a day, has she e-v-e-r avoided you? When she was in the kitchen, cooking a meal for you in the heat and you like a 3 year old ask your mom “Mom can I pleaseeeeeee go out with my friends to the mall? I need to shop with them. I know you’re toooooo gooood to say no. Pleaseeeee mom?” She knows you’re just being nice to her so that she gives you permission and yet she allows you. But the very same day if she asks you to apply balm on her shoulders, you’re still busy. Why? Cause she’s toooo goooood to force you to do something you don’t want to.

This has been going on since the past 2 decades, give or take a few more years.

Our parents were able to understand our needs and wants since the time we couldn’t even utter a letter let alone a word. Neither did they complain nor do they show pretty faces that we do when they ask us to do something for them. I know they yell and get angry. But it isn’t because they like doing it, it’s because we force them to. And after they yell, they feel even more horrible than we do. Don’t we get angry? Then why is it so abnormal for us when they lose their temper. They aren’t superficial beings of course. When they’ve worked hard and are still working to bring you up in the lifestyle you prefer, fulfill not only your needs but even the useless wants, kill their desires so that they can give you the best, do they deserve to be treated the way we do? Don’t you think they at least deserve more respect and care?

What they deserve has been mentioned by Allah (swt) Himself in Surah Israa, verse 23:

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا

“And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.”

And verse 24:

وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

“And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.”

See the word highlighted? احسان or Ehsaan. What is the big deal in this word that it’s required to be highlighted?

Ehsaan means treating our parents with respect, kindness and honour.

Imagine, Allah (swt), The Creator of everything in the heavens and in the earth, The Master, The Most Powerful, revealed a verse nearly 1400 years ago commanding you to honour your parents and treat them with kindness. We’re so used to not obeying the commands of Allah (swt) that we let this slip by so easily.

What happens when you obey Allah azza wa jal?

1. “Obey Allah and the Messenger and perhaps you will be shown mercy.” (3:132)

2. “If you obey him, you will be guided…” (24:54)

3. “Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger is with those whom Allah has blessed.” (4:68)

What happens when we disobey Allah azza wa jal?

“Say, ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger.’ Then if they turn away, Allah does not love the disbelievers.”

(3:32)

We’re given the title of disbelievers. Is that what you want for yourself? The choice is yours to make.

By treating your parents with ehsaan, you’re not only pleasing your parents but you’re paving your way to Jannah, In sha Allah because you’re also obeying Allah (swt).

“Paradise lies at the feet of your mother” and “Pleasure of the Lord is in the pleasure of the father and Displeasure of the Lord is in the displeasure of the father” (Tirmidhi)

Our tongue is so used to uttering these hadiths and our ears are so used to listening to these hadiths that our hearts has lost the power to feel its depth.

May Allah (swt) give us the ability to be of service to our parents and make us sadaqa jaariya for them. May He (swt) help us obey Him and our parents and may He unite us with our family in Jannah. Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.

What's your Identity?

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!

May the peace, mercy and blessings of The Almighty be upon you!

First of all, it feels so good to be back to writing articles again, Alhamdullilah!

But in the past one year, I came across different kinds of people, different environment, different lifestyles and different beliefs. All of it had one thing in common and that is I-N-F-L-U-E-N-C-E. I’ve written a similar article but In sha Allah this article will provide a deeper insight and a wider perspective of how grave this matter is. A lot can be said about the subject, but I will keep my article restricted to the Muslim youth.

Undoubtedly the Muslim youth today are being deluded by the worldly entertainment. Some of you might just shut down their systems and stop reading this article already (:P). No, this is not just another article about how the youth is misled by the fitnah around them and how they’re disappointing their parents and how that’s leading them to hell fire. No. According to me, there’s a much more important issue that needs to be solved. And that’s the identity of a Muslim. Unless we deal with the identity crises faced by the Muslim youth, we cannot jump on to topics about how they need to be warriors in this world. I’m not saying that the youth shouldn’t be taught about the aakhirah or sins or rewards but I think it’s all about priority.

Cause until the Muslim youth are proud of their Deen, are not afraid of expressing their religion in speech and in action and are confident about their identity, they’re least expected to take the other teachings of Islam seriously.

Why aren’t we confident about our identity? We are we afraid to follow Deen in public? Why do we hesitate and become reluctant when it comes to offering Salah in a public place? What is happening to us?

Peer pressure. I had to mention that ofcourse. You know you’re falling into peer pressure when you’re being pushed or encouraged to do or follow your peers for which you feel uncomfortable. If you’re being forced to do something like that, then they’re not really your friends. And that group isn’t where you belong. When you accept to do what your peers force you to do, then you end up being a product of their entertainment. Answer this. Is your worth so low that you can compromise your beliefs for a person? Be strong and be firm; never compromise your faith. A flag blows in the direction of the wind. But the pole remains firm in its place. Question is, are we like the flag, or the pole?

But the most important and fundamental cause is something else.

We as Muslims have lost the foundations of our faith and if the foundation is destroyed, how can we build knowledge upon it?

And the foundation of our faith is the unshakable belief and trust on Allah azza wa jal. This sole foundation guides the rest of our affairs. When our Iman is low, our control over our heart becomes weak, which causes the Shaytan to take over, making our desires strong and we lose the fight against evil – regardless of how much knowledge we have.

Now, what does this do to us?

Some of us may feel it’s okay to follow their peers simply because they wouldn’t want to feel lonely or left out in the group. But do we realize what is this actually doing to us? This fear of rejection makes us forget who we really are and whom should we be actually pleasing. We try to be a person that’s not really us and utlimately lose focus in life. Trying to be that new person becomes our aim. We end up losing our identity causing us to be depressed with no peace in the mind or in the heart and it lowers our self-esteem. Will you be happy losing your identity just to be a part of a group where you don’t belong?

In pleasing the creations of the Almighty, we end up disobeying the Creator Himself. We will realize the beauty of pleasing Allah only after obeying Him, whole heartedly. Sometimes we may not feel the inner desire to attain the qualities that please Allah (swt). We may think that it’s enough to survive in this world, establish friendships to keep away from being lonely and reach the worldly goals we desire. Allah has revealed the kind of moral behavior that pleases Him; but sometimes our narrow goals prevent us from caring about trying to win Allah’s favour and mercy. Thereby we prefer to be among those who strive for the ordinary, the mediocre; worldly goals.

However, the basic purpose of human creation is quite different, and of a higher order than these worldly ambitions. Allah reveals us in the Qur’an what this purpose is in Surah Mulk, verse 2;

“(He) created death and life to test which of you is best in action…”

In another verse, He asks this question of those who are unaware of this purpose and choose to live a shallow, superficial life:

Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us? (Surah al-Muminun, verse 115)

When our return is to Allah (swt), why should we waste our lives trying to do something that is not in obedience to Allah, The Almighty?

So what do we do now?

Allah (swt) says in Surah Zukhruf, verse 36;

“He who turns away from the remembrance (Reminder) of the

Compassionate (Allah), We assign a shaitan for him, who becomes his

intimate companion”

And once the Shaytan becomes a person’s close companion, he decorates all his negative actions for him and make them appear good. Anytime a person swings from the remembrance of Allah, he becomes a ball in the hands of Shaytan.

To go on a journey of Imaan and to build that foundation of faith, we need to have four qualities:

1. To busy your tongue and heart with the remembrance of Allah.

2. To hold tight your heart to Allah (check your actions all the time)

3. Control your nafs. Reflect on your desires.

4. Purify the niyyah (intention) all the time.

It is vital that we choose our identity and strive for the qualities of the title (a true believer) that we aspire to attain. May Allah azza wa jal grant us the ability to travel on the Straight Path and allow us to reach the best abode—Jannah. Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.