Ramadan Reminders; Day 30

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Baraktuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 30:

Alhamdullilah for having witnessed yet another Ramadan in our lives. Ramadan did come to an end but that shouldn’t bring about a pause in our Ibadah. 

During Eid and the post-Eid parties, we tend to forget half of the knowledge we’ve gained during Ramadan and let our efforts run down the drain. 

Let not the end of Ramadan be a beginning for our sins. 

Have a blessed post-Ramadan year! 

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 30

Surah: An Nazi’at

Verse: 35

يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنسَانُ مَا سَعَىٰ

“The Day when man will remember that for which he strove”

Allah swt says that on the Day of Judgement, we will remember those things for which we strove for.

For instance, in this Dunya, the only thing we put effort and struggle into was to earn money or build a house or look pretty for a wedding, that is what will be going on in our minds when we will be standing before our Lord.

But if we strive for the sake of Allah, curb our desires and temptations and struggle in the way of Allah, that is what we will remember about our lives on the Judgement Day.

On the Day of Judgement, when a person will look at his Book of Deeds, he will wonder, what did he really accomplish over all those years he lived. He will remember all that he strove for in Dunya.

We need to constantly ponder over what have we achieved every day; if it is only for this Dunya or if it’s going to benefit us in the Hereafter as well…

Sunnah Challenge 30:

Alhamdullilah I had a great time putting up all the different Sunnah Challenges! 

Now the biggest challenge lies with every single one of us. 

The Prophet (saws) said, “Convey from me, even if it is one verse.”

[Sahih Bukhari]

Let us encourage those around to follow the ways and path of our Prophet (saws). For every good deed we preach, we earn rewards for every time it is practiced…

Assalam Alaykum.

*A huge shoutout and Dua request for my beautiful friend, Sumayya Sirajuddin for working on the content of the Sunnah Challenge.* 

Ramadan Reminders; Day 25

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 25:

Subhan Allah we hardly have 4-5 days of Ramadan left! Which means Alhamdullilah we’ve received a good whole month training in perfecting our Salah and Dhikr, right...?

Well if we haven’t worked on our Salah in the beginning then these last few days are sure giving us groundwork for our prayers to keep up with them for the rest of the year, In sha Allah!

Unquestionably, during Ramadan, it is easy to pray on time, recite Adhkaars at the end of each prayer and be in constant touch with the Quran.

But what happens after Ramadan is we get back to the same ugly monotonous routine of just Dunya and maybe a hint of Aakhirah. Which is actually very sad.

A sign of Allah swt accepting our deeds and efforts in Ramadan is that we keep up with those acts even after Ramadan! Otherwise we fall into the category of “Ramadan Muslims”.

Why should we constantly work on improving our Salah and seek Allah’s forgiveness at all times? What is going to motivate us?

Repentance is a gift that hasn’t been given to a million people or more. To repent is not just repeating “Astaghfirullah”. 

“Astaghfirullah” is an emotion. It is supposed to clear our hearts of all the filth and create space for hope and desire to please Allah swt. It should instill within us humility and the thought that we belong to Allah alone!

When repentance is true from the heart, it brings along treasures with it from Allah - He relieves the mind of His slave, lifts up his burden, opens his mind and heart to His Deen and all his needs are taken care of! Subhan Allah!

Repentance and Salah go hand in hand. We can never truly repent unless we offer Salah. And we can never experience the calmness of Salah unless we humbly submit ourselves to our Creator in gratitude and repentance.

Every Salah has a list of benefits for this world and the Hereafter. It provides comfort and care to every aspect of our lives - the mind, body and soul.

We can make our outer appearances as splendid as possible or spend hundreds of thousands for a vacation aiming to achieve a piece of mind or dump all sorts of nutritional supplements into our bodies for a healthier and longer life.

But quite amazingly, Salah is the one solution to all our needs and problems and it doesn’t even cost a penny! Yet it is the last thing on our minds! Subhan Allah.

Just as we cannot anticipate a promotion at work in just a month of hard work, we shouldn’t be hasty in seeking the benefits of Salah and Istaghfar. We can’t expect the benefits without the right intentions and observing repentance and Salah for hardly 10 days. It needs to become a routine.

The rewards are in the Hands of Allah and He is not going to withhold it from you! He doesn’t have the need to! What we need to focus on are the things that are in our hands - sincere efforts and consistency. 

Remember Allah’s promise. He does not allow the rewards of a Believer to go waste.

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 25
Surah: Al Jathiyah
Verse: 23

أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ

“Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah? Then will you not be reminded?”

From an average Muslim’s point of view, the ayah will seem a bit un-relatable because Allah swt speaks about those who take their desires as their gods and as a punishment, Allah seals their ability to sense or feel guidance.

But when I studied this ayah in detail, I figured that this is the most dangerous thing that could ever happen to a Muslim, more particularly a Muslim who gains knowledge.

Let’s break this ayah down in 2 parts:

1. Allah swt speaks about those who have taken their desires and temptations as their gods – these people submit themselves to their desires just as they are commanded to submit to Allah swt. Meaning the obedience and humility that only Allah deserves, it is being given to the desire of an individual by himself!

When we choose to watch our favourite TV show over making some Dhikr or spending a hefty amount on a designer dress instead of giving some amount in charity or binging on junk even though we know that it’s going to make us lazy and lethargic – these are examples of giving in to our desires, submitting ourselves to it, in other words making our desire our Ilah (God).

2. For such people, no amount of knowledge or guidance is going to help. Because no matter how much they learn or preach, they will never appreciate the gift of guidance and continue to obey the commands of their hearts and not The One who owns their hearts.

Meaning, we cannot assume ourselves to be worthy of Jannah if we gain knowledge. When we learn about Allah and His Deen, we’re expected to implement it in our lives and that implementation is what is going to benefit us! 

In other words attending an Islamic lecture or a class is not going to add an extra point in our Book of Deeds unless we implement what we learn during those classes. Knowledge is not going to save us from the Hell fire but what we do with that knowledge decides our fate. 

In Surah Baqarah, Allah swt mentions that He has set a seal upon the hearts and hearing of Disbelievers and a veil over the eyes for their stubbornness and rigid attitude towards the Deen of Allah.

But it just doesn’t stop there.

Allah swt will also put a similar seal upon all the sensory structures in our body if we follow our desires and temptations that go against the Commands of Allah. At this point, even a knowledgeable is not spared from the punishment of Allah if he follows his nafs.

Subhan Allah how Just is Our Lord and how much we take His Commands and Promises for granted! This is something we need to constantly ponder over…

Sunnah Challenge 25:

We most often greet people by telling a salam and shaking hands. Spreading the salaam is a part of faith.

But did you know that shaking hands also is a part of the Sunnah?

Shaking hands have been a means of greeting since times unknown, and it was a common custom amongst the Sahaba (ra), But Islam holds a great virtue for a simple gesture as this!

The Prophet (saws) said: “There are no two Muslims who meet and shake hands with one another, but they will be forgiven before they part.”

[Abu Dawood, 5212]

How beautiful is the reward for a such a little deed? 

To make the most out of your greetings the next time you meet someone, remember to tell the salam, shake hands, while having the intention to seek for Allah's forgiveness at the same time!

And also a point to mention here, no shaking hands with non-mahrams!

May Allah accept our deeds big and small, forgive us for all our sins intentional and unintentional and make us amongst those who are guided on His path!

Assalam Alaykum.

Ramadan Reminders; Day 21

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 21:

What we need to realise first and foremost is that Laylatul Qadr or the Night of Power falls on ANY of the odd nights in the last 10 days of Ramadan. This is because I’ve seen mosques packed only on the 27th night. 

No Hadith and no verse in the Quran state the exact date of this Night. So if we desire to seek Laylatul Qadr then the efforts we put into the 27th night should be the efforts we put in all the odd nights. 

Secondly, just because Laylatul Qadr is on an odd night, it doesn’t give us an excuse to relax or let loose our Ibadah, Dhikr and the recitation of the Quran during the even nights.

If Laylatul Qadr was enough to erase all of our sins and if that one night could be the night we change for the better, then Allah swt wouldn’t have revealed an ayah about the entire month of Ramadan! 

Tell me, are the efforts of a person who has been engaging in Ibadah and Istaghfar sincerely since the beginning of Ramadan equal to the person who just recites the Quran and attends the Qiyam ul Layl (Night prayers) on one night?

Yes, Laylatul Qadr is better than a 1000 months! But that does not mean we neglect the rest of the month. That’s like obeying one part of the Quran and letting go of another part! 

I’m in NO WAY discouraging those who attend the Masajid on the 27th night alone. Maybe that was the only night you could make it to the Masjid and may Allah swt accept your efforts, purify your sins, ease your difficulties and bless you with the highest ranks of Jannah. 

But if your intention is to seek The Night of Power and gain it’s benefits, you should be putting the same amount of effort on all the 10 nights, In sha Allah! 

May Allah swt allow us to seek this Powerful Night and accept our efforts! Ameen. 

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 21

Surah: Ar Rum

Verse: 50

فَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ آثَارِ رَحْمَتِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

“So observe the effects of the mercy of Allah - how He gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed, that [same one] will give life to the dead, and He is over all things competent.”

Are you in a situation where you wonder if there will be any positive outcome of your trials? Do you question yourself as to for what reason is Allah swt delaying the answer to your prayers? Does it scare you that you might not be able to keep up with the struggle…?

Let me ask you a simple question. Does it rain all around the year? Nope. Does it always rain during a specific period? Nope! Sometimes there’s rain even in the beginning of summer. Even the driest place on earth receives at least 3-15mm of rain in a year!

And if there hasn’t been rain for a long period, what do the farmers do? They pray for the rain, right? Well we even have a prayer for rain in Islam! Subhan Allah the place where I’m residing in currently, this prayer is held at a few Masjids and by the Mercy of Allah we receive rain either the same evening or within the next 1-2 days! 

So we see that rain is not a constant anywhere right? 

What happens when we experience a rainfall? First of all everybody’s excited! And these days you’d immediately notice few Snapchat and Instagram stories when there’s rain! Then there comes 2 categories of people: those who rush to stand under the rain (which is a Sunnah by the way! – Bukhari & Muslim) and those who have pakodas and samosas with tea while enjoying the rain! 

Do you think if rain was a common sight people would have appreciated this beautiful facet of nature? Nope. Just like we hardly realise the value of water and oxygen in our lives, rain would lose its significance too!

Similarly if happiness, peace and comfort were constants in our lives, we would definitely lose its value and not realise that these emotions that seem insignificant are in fact a luxury. 

And when Allah can bring back life to the earth through rain and make the land fertile and productive and if He can bring back the dead to life, how can we lose faith in Allah swt? 

This is Allah’s Wisdom and a rule of the nature that in order to rise, you need to experience the fall. The deeper you fall, the higher you ascend! What if there’s a rough patch in your life? What if you’ve been experiencing only failures? What if there’s only sadness in your life? That’s not how your life is going to remain forever! 

Allah swt will send down relief, He will bring about spring in your life and He will let you taste the sweetness of your patience and Tawakkul by His Mercy! Remember, the longer the wait, the fruitful is the reward, In sha Allah! 

Let’s not despair in the Mercy and Power of Allah swt. That’s not a sign of a Believer! Gather your courage and spirit, invoke upon Allah swt and endure patiently for it will rain in your life soon enough, Bi Idhnillah! 

Sunnah Challenge 21:

One of the Sunnah that we have forgotten is reciting the Takbeer and Tasbeeh during travel! 

Al-Bukhari narrated in his Saheeh that Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (ra) said: “When we went up we would say Takbeer (Allahu Akbar) and when we went down we would say Tasbeeh (Subhan Allah).”

The wisdom behind this is that when we ascend to a higher position, it is important to not feel proud about it and instead praise Allah, who is The Greatest above all! It is also a reminder that would keep us humble at all times, and steadfast in our faith! 

When we descend, we go to a lower level than we were before so we should glorify Allah with the Tasbeeh, as He is The Exalted and free from imperfections! 

Next time you find yourself travelling.. Be it on ground, or air, don't forget to say "Allah hu Akbar" when ascending and "Subhan Allah" when coming down!

May Allah keep us grounded and faithful to Him, and make us one amongst those who remember Him in all times and situations! Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.

Ramadan Reminders; Day 15

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 15:

Mid-Ramadan Blues is something we all have an experience with! We begin this blessed month with an extremely high level of enthusiasm and excitement but by the time we reach towards the end, our mind and body begins to give up. 

We have the urge of making each day better than the previous one but our energy levels seems to find a new low every other day! When this happens to me, I tend to feel extremely guilty and I ask myself, “Is this all I can worship Allah swt?” 

This remorse over my incapability of staying consistent and energised until the end of Ramadan, brings my spirit down so much so that I feel I should probably give up, skip a few Taraweehs and give my body some rest.

But then I realise that Allah swt never intended difficulty for us. And it is quite amazing that Allah swt says “Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship” in the same verse He mentions about Ramadan! Subhan Allah!

So if we’re over-exerting ourselves and making ourselves worn out, then we probably didn’t get the spirit of Ramadan right…

The whole purpose of Ramadan is to taste the sweetness in the worship and obedience to Allah, to realise the beauty and uniqueness of this Deen, to understand who our Creator is, to strengthen our bond with our Creator and of course to shed off our sins and begin a new Bi idhnillah!

And this cannot be achieved if we follow the acts of worship only through our bodies and not through our minds and hearts! 

Contemplate your hunger during the day. Think about how Rasulullah (saws) would have broken his fast – with samosas? Or with just dates or water? We can’t tolerate hunger for 14 hours and our Prophet had to tie stones to his stomach to control his hunger! And yet the examples of his kindness and generosity lives until today! Subhan Allah!

Think about what you intend for in Sujood and Ruku’? Is it just a body movement or is it something that requires our attention too? 

Just think about all those people missing out in gaining such massive rewards during this month. Shouldn’t we consider ourselves blessed that Allah swt chose us to worship Him? He hasn’t given this opportunity to all! 

Not everybody performs Sujood! And if we’re able to put our heads to the ground say, “Glory be to Allah, The Most High”, then Allah intends Jannah for us. Question is, are we ready to prove ourselves worthy of it?

Let not our fatigue and laziness consume our minds and take over our bodies! We belong to Allah and every part in us is a gift of Allah swt. Our soul was created to worship its Creator! So revel in the obedience of The Master! Appreciate the blessings and seek forgiveness for being ungrateful for those blessings! 

Another 15 days for the devils to be released and for us to strengthen our Imaan, build Taqwa and earn as many rewards as possible In sha Allah! 

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 15

Surah: Al Isra

Verse: 14

اقْرَأْ كِتَابَكَ كَفَىٰ بِنَفْسِكَ الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكَ حَسِيبًا

[It will be said], “Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant.”

Imagine this sight. It is time for your deeds to be judged. You will be brought forth before Allah on the Judgement Day. Your hands and feet are trembling and your heart is sinking. All of your deeds in Dunya are flashing before your eyes. And your mind is trying to find excuses for the sins you’ve committed. 

But as you’re about to justify yourself, your Record of Deeds are handed over to you. It contains every word you uttered and every deed you committed in Dunya. Your mouth is going to be sealed before you give any justification. And then Allah will allow your hands and feet to speak for your deeds. 

Anas Bin Malik (ra) reported: We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger (saws) when He smiled and he said: “Do you know why I laughed?” We said Allah and His Messenger know the best. He said “It was because (there came to my mind the) talk which the servant will have with his Lord (on the Day of Judgment).” 

He would say: “O my Lord! Have you not guaranteed me protection against injustice?”

Allah will say, “Yes.” 

So the servant will say, “Do not deem valid any witness against me but my own self.”

So Allah will say, “Well, enough would be the witness of yourself against you and that of the two angels who had been appointed to record your deeds." Then the seal would be set upon his mouth and it would be said to his hands and feet to speak and they would speak of his deeds. Then the mouth would be made free to talk, he would say (to the hands and feet): Be away, let there be curse of Allah upon you. It was for your safety that I contended.”

[Sahih Muslim, 3612]

How horrifying is that! But that Day is not far away my brothers and sister!

These days we’re surrounded by indecency and fitnah. Look at how the world now is indicating towards the signs of the Judgement Day! Now think of all the sins and errors we’ve been committing for the past 10 years, or 15 or 30 years. 

Ask yourselves, “Am I really prepared for meeting my Lord? Is my Book of Deeds going to be worth reading? Or will my record shame me on that Day? What deeds have I committed that is going to reward me even after my death?”

We need to constantly reflect on our words and actions and evaluate for ourselves if this word of mine and this action is really worth for my Book?

This sounds like an almost impossible task right? Monitoring our every second? But it’s as easy as a walk in the park!

Engage your tongue in the Dhikr of Allah or speak that which will cause comfort and love in the hearts of people you speak to. 

This does not mean you don’t have fun or all your conversations become extremely serious. 

In the middle of your jokes, say words of praise like “Alhamdullilah”, “Subhan Allah”, “La ilaha illa Allah”, “Allahu Akbar”. The rewards of these days will bring benefit in this world, in your grave and on the Day of Judgement.

Try to figure out things that will become an ongoing charity for you. Teach someone the words of Allah, encourage your friends and family to understand the Book of Allah, open up a blog, write a book, anything at all! 

Just so that your Record will not close on your death but will still continue with your Sadaqah, In sha Allah!

Sunnah Challenge 15:

A market is one of the most disliked places by Allah (swt), as it is a place with temptations for each and every one…

It is important that we memorize and recite the following dua while entering a market.

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ، يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ ، بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

"None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, without partner, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise. He gives life and causes death, and He is living and does not die. In His hand is all good and He Omnipotent over all things."

Our Prophet (saws) also mentioned in the hadith that for the person who recites this Dua, Allah will wipe a million bad deeds from his record and grant him a million good deeds, and will elevate him a million degree (of virtue)- (and will build him a house in paradise in another narration). 

[At Tirmidhi]

Let us remind ourselves of this Dua. Everytime we go to a market, be it a shopping mall or a supermarket, and also remind ourselves to be cautious in how we spend, and spend for the right cause, seeking protection from Allah.

Assalam Alaykum.

Ramadan Reminders; Day 14

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 14:

As the end of Ramadan is approaching, Subhan Allah it is so beautiful to see ladies of all ages and colour, greeting each other with Salam, standing shoulder to shoulder, offering their prayers, crying and making Dua to Allah swt! 

As much as I love attending the Masjid, I cannot help but mention about those who cause a teeny tiny bit of hindrance in enjoying the peace and calmness of a divine and sacred setting. 

And no, I’m not talking about toddlers and young kids. But I’m speaking about the grown-up, matured, responsible individuals!

Let’s get down to a few points that I feel I NEED TO address!

#1. I’m totally against the norms that Masjids are supposed to be places where you can’t smile and greet one another. But I also live by the Hadith of Rasulullah (saws): “Indeed the Houses of Allah were built for the remembrance of Allah, prayer and recitation of the Quran.” [Sahih Muslim]

Please don’t make the Masjid a place of social gathering or a discussion of hot topics which are actually unimportant. Personally, this gets a little annoying and is a huge distraction and disturbance for those who come there purely for the worship and Dhikr of Allah!

#2. As soon as you enter the Masjid, perform Tahiyyatul Masjid before anything else as said by the Prophet (saws): “If one of you enters the Masjid, he should pray 2 units of prayer before sitting”. [Sahih Bukhari & Muslim]

#3. Yes, it’s prohibited for the women to use strong fragrances when they’re out of their homes but that IN NO WAY gives a person an excuse to not smell decent! I apologise for coming out as rude, but this makes it difficult for a person to concentrate in their prayers. 

Allah says in Surah A’raf, v.31; 

“O Children of Adam! Take your adornment while attending the Masjid (prayer)”.

You could apply a mild fragrance that does not attract attention or carry a small bottle of perfume with you.

#4. It is our responsibility to keep the house of Allah clean! I often notice ladies leaving their trash (used tissues and bottles) behind and I’m amazed if they would do the same in their houses! The Prophet (saws) ordered that the Masjid should be cleaned and perfumed. [Musnad of Imam Ahmed]

Next time you find any trash, take the responsibility of picking it up and disposing it with the right intention! You’d be earning a lot of rewards In sha Allah!

#5. Turning your mobile phone into silent mode, not crossing through people and making yourself a place in the first row even though there is no spot for you and not staring at others are matters of basic etiquettes ya all! 

All of these things causes disturbances that affects the spirit and tranquility of prayer and the ones who offer their prayers.

#6. The Most Important Point – Let’s not judge anybody for the way they dress or wear hijab or their way of reciting or holding the Quran. Everybody is a beginner at some point. In fact, treat them with humility and kindness, advise them privately, make sincere Dua for them and never mock or taunt them. Let’s not be the reason for driving these people out of the Masjids and away from the Deen of Allah.

And if there’s anybody advising you and you don’t even find it right, don’t argue or stare at them as though you’d want to pull their eyeballs out! Smile and let go! If there’s an opportunity to speak to them privately, tell them what’s right along with authentic references In sha Allah!

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 14

Surah: Al Hijr

Verse: 39

قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

[Iblees] said, “My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all.”

Ever wondered the reason behind our distractions from the obedience to Allah swt? Why do we fall into sins? Why is our heart inclined towards the pleasures of this life? Sure, there is desires inside each one of us. But who runs this desire…?

When Iblees disobeyed one command of Allah in all his pride and arrogance, Allah swt abandoned him and cursed him for the rest of his life. 

Now imagine how cruel and vicious Iblees is that he blamed Allah for him straying away, asked Allah for a favour to live until the Judgement Day and also vowed to lead His most precious creations away from the worship of Allah! Look at his guts! 

He is also challenging the Lord of all mankind and the worlds that he has the power of taking over our hearts and inciting evil desires within us. And how is he going to do all of this? By making every single thing in this Dunya, attractive, pleasing to our hearts and minds and provoking us towards them!

For instance, at the time of Fajr, shaytan makes the sleep so attractive and the sight of our beds and blankets so comfortable that our desire to sleep surpasses our desire to stand in worship of our Lord! 

Or the shaytan creates within us the want and the desire of eating junk and all those things that make us sluggish and tired that ends in lack of concentration in Salah or missing of a prayer or two!

Tell me, if a person comes to your mom and challenges her that her child (i.e.) you are the most incapable and discourteous child there ever is, are you not going to react? Is it not going to sting your heart and you feel like throwing this person off the cliff? Aren’t you going to put in your sweat and blood in proving this person wrong? 

That’s exactly what the shaytan did. He thinks you’re weak and incapable of dealing with your own nafs. That is why he challenged Allah against you. 

And if Allah is so Merciful and so Loving and Caring towards His slaves, why did He even give shaytan what he wanted? That’s called TRUST. 

Allah swt trusts His creations that they will never give in to shaytan and his evil whisperings. He trusts us so much so that he even gave us free will to choose our path! Because He knows that we belong to Him and we will return back to Him!

Is there any relationship greater than this? Any love or trust greater than this?

In fact, Allah swt gave us all the tools to stay away from the shaytan! The Quran! The gift of repentance! He sent down Prophet Muhammad (saws) to our ummah so that we can learn how exactly does a person has to live his life if he wants to boo the shaytan, put him down and raise our status in front of Allah, in this Dunya and the Aakhirah!

Subhan Allah!

May Allah swt strengthen our soul, heart and mind to deal with the shaytan and help us establish pure love and obedience to Allah in our lives! Ameen.

Sunnah Challenge 14:

How many of us knew that we have to say Bismilllah when we trip or fall?

Abu Al-Malih narrated that a man said: “I was riding behind the Prophet (saws) and his mount stumbled. I said: “May the Shaytan perish! The Prophet (saws) said: “Do not say” May the Shaytan perish,” because when you say that he swells up so much that he becomes like a house and says, “By my power.” Rather say: Bismillah (In the name of Allah), “for if you say that the Shaytan shrinks until he becomes like a fly.”

[Abu Dawud]

We learn that whatever happens to us, be it a blessing or a calamity comes from Allah (swt). Even if it is a small hurdle that comes in our way, is never because of Shaytan, but the will of Allah. 

Shaytan has no power to control anything that happens in the way of Allah!

That is the reason why we need to take Allah's name, to establish His remembrance at all times. And when we remember Him, during the calamity, Shaytan reduces so much as a fly! Allah is indeed the greatest and the most powerful, and even a leaf would move without His will. 

May Allah bestow upon all of us His remembrance at all times, good and bad, highs and lows, and help us overcome the whisperings of the Shaytan! Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.

Ramadan Reminders; Day 13

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 13:

When it comes to Dua, there are many posts about its importance, the different times of acceptance of Duas, the best Dua, why we shouldn’t be giving up on Dua and so on…

But what I’m going to ask you is a bit different. Has it ever happened that you sincerely made a Dua to Allah swt and it wasn’t accepted…? Did it not hurt you at least a little bit that in spite of constantly and sincerely asking for just one thing, it still wasn’t accepted by Allah…? Didn’t you think, “Sure nothing is impossible for Allah swt, then why didn’t He make my wish possible…?”

What if I tell you that by not accepting your Dua, Allah swt is making your accountability easy on the Day of Judgement… He swt is paving your road to Jannah…? And by not fulfilling your wish, Allah is stocking up on those things that will prevent you from entering the Fire…?

On the Day of Judgement, there will be a person who will see many mountains full of rewards. This person will be surprised and confident that it doesn’t belong him because he feels he didn’t even live that long enough to commit those many abundant good deeds! 

Quite a long time will pass by and he will notice that no one has come to claim their rewards… He’ll turn to Allah swt and ask Him, “O Allah! These mountain full of rewards! Who are they for?”

Allah swt will reply, “This is for you, My servant!”

This person will be astonished and amazed and in doubt too as to what made him accumulate these many rewards!

Allah swt will tell him, “My servant! When you were in the Dunya, you used to make Dua to me. I never accepted your Dua. But what I did in return is I gave you reward. I kept on giving you rewards for the Dua you used to make. And today those duas are a mountain full of rewards!”

And this person will say, “O Allah! In that case, why did You accept any of my Duas!”

[Ahmed]

Subhan Allah!

If only we truly understood why Allah swt is The Most Merciful and why He keeps repeating in the Quran that the reward of the believers will not be lost!

When you ask Allah swt for something, ask Him with full conviction and faith. Keep asking Him consistently and constantly in your prayers and also outside of your prayers. But if you don’t see a response, don’t be in haste. Leave it in the Hands of Allah! Because Allah swt has knowledge over things which we are clueless about! Yes, His Wise Decisions are not always what you wanted but it is always in YOUR FAVOUR!

Imagine, on the Judgement Day, you’ll find your mountains of rewards and realise that it is because of these unaccepted Duas, you will be welcomed in Jannah! After all, isn’t that our ultimate goal?

Ask Allah swt for the smallest needs and desires, even if it was new Converse shoes you saw at the mall! Or your desire to eat at a specific restaurant or to get you that watch your friend was wearing the other day! Absolutely everything! 

Because if Allah accepts your Dua, He is increasing your Imaan and wants you to do Shukr! But if He hasn’t accepted your Dua, you’re assured that He swt is working on something even better! 

Verse of the Day 

Juz: 13

Surah: Ibrahim

Verse: 7

وَإِذْ تَاَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ

And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favour]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.”

Every ayah in the Quran is a miracle sent down by Allah swt and it holds many treasures, some of which may be unknown to us. A Believer will always try to find a lesson for himself in each ayah of the Quran.

But this verse from Surah Ibrahim is one of the most explicit and beneficial verse for all of mankind. Sadly, these days the non-Muslims exercise gratitude much more than the Muslim community. There are several books on gratitude – the how’s and why’s and when’s, most of which are written by non-Muslim authors.

Brothers & Sisters! This is a command given by Allah swt, much before the non-Muslims even discovered the word ‘gratitude’! We should be acting upon Shukr for each and every second of our life! 

The fact that Allah swt keeps giving us another day to live, to repent and gives permission to our heart for every beat is something we have taken for granted! And this is the same reason why the non-Muslims are so deeply thankful for.

Guess what the American author, Melody Bettie feels about gratitude. She said, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend!” Isn’t this beautiful?!

Imagine, as Muslims how grateful should we be to Allah swt for He has blessed us with those things we never even asked Him for!

Did you know that the above command of Allah in Surah Ibrahim, v.7 was what Musa (as) told his people after they crossed the sea?

These are the same people who suffered at the hands of the tyrant, Firaun! Their sons were killed by him! He was an oppressor! After being under trials for such a long period, Musa (as) is asking his people to be grateful instead of being patient! Why?

Because we cannot be patient if we’re not grateful! Subhan Allah!

Imagine, a car meets with an accident but the entire family is safe. What is the man or the woman going to say? “Thank God nothing happened to us!” And because they’re grateful that God didn’t cause harm to their family, they’re able to be patient during this trial. 

Now generally, giving thanks or Shukr is understood by performing this act when we’re blessed with something right…?

What about Yusuf (as)? Do you think he would go on to become the Treasurer or something like a Finance Minister of a country if he wasn’t taken up as slave or if he wasn’t thrown into that well by his brothers?

What does this teach us? Gratitude is not to be done only when we’re blessed with something but also when we’re afflicted with a trial!

Because you never know which trial or hardship is going to turn out to be the best blessing in your life! Or through which difficulty you were saved from a much bigger problem!

And the beauty of this ayah is that Allah swt didn’t limit gratitude to anything. Meaning no matter what you’re thankful for and how much you’re grateful to Allah, Allah swt will increase that for you! 

In other words, repeating ‘Alhamdullilah’ a 100 times does not necessarily mean you’re grateful. But if you truly feel thankful to Allah in your heart, then one Alhamdullilah is going to suffice your feeling of gratitude! Subhan Allah! 

Indeed, Alhamdullilah for the greatest gift Allah has bestowed upon me, the understanding of the Quran, without which I would be lost like a wanderer in the desert!

What are you grateful to Allah swt for? ;)

Sunnah Challenge 13:

Do you want to know of a deed that will multiply its reward TEN times? 

The Prophet (saws) said:

“When you hear the Mu’adhin calling for the prayer, repeat his words then ask Allah’s blessings upon me, because the one who asks Allah’s blessings upon me once will be rewarded ten blessings by Allah.” 

[Sahih Muslim, The Book of Prayer, Hadith 384]

We can ask for Allah's blessings upon the Prophet (saws) by reciting the salawat:

اللهم صلِّ علَى محمد، و علَى آلِ محمد، كما صليت علَى إبراهيم و علَى آلِ إبراهيم، إنك حميد مجيد

اللهم بارك علَى محمد، و علَى آلِ محمد، كما بَارَكْت علَى إبراهيم و علَى آلِ إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد

Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammadin, kama sallayta ala Ibrahima wa ala ali Ibrahima innaka Hameedun Majeed. 

Allahumma Barik ala Muhammadin wa ala aali Muhammadin kama barakta ala Ibrahima wa ala aali Ibrahima innaka Hameedun Majeed.

“O Allah, bestow your favor on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have bestowed Your favor on Ibrahim and on the family of Ibrahim, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious”. 

[Al-Bukhari]

Next time you hear the Adhaan, don't just recite one Dua that follows it, but remember to include the salawat for our Rasulullah (saws)!

May Allah swt reward us for our good deeds, protect us from straying into the wrong path, and make us among the righteous! Ameen. 

Assalam Alaykum.

Ramadan Reminders; Day 12

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 12:

How many of you truly feel content and satisfied with your life? How many of you can claim that your heart is at peace and there is absolutely no distress and frustrations in your life? And how many times has your prayer been able to calm you down (like literally melt your anger and makes you feel blissful)?

Let’s start reasoning our answers with some statistics.

On an average we perform about 34 Sujood (excluding the Sunnah and Witr prayers) in a day. Take a moment and ask yourself. “I bow down in prostration, let my head touch the ground so many times in a day but has this act ever touched my heart once…? Did at least one sujood bring a single tear in my eye…? Am I really prostrating to Allah with my heart and soul or is just my body prostrating to Allah…?”

We’ve heard many times that when you’re upset fall into Sujood, we’re closest to Allah in Sujood and a Dua made during Sujood is always accepted by Allah swt.

But take a step back. Are you making Sujood for yourself or for your Creator and The Creator of every single atom in this world? Because if we truly made Sujood for The One who created us, we wouldn’t spend even a fraction of a second in doubt or complains! 

Sujood is a part of the gift that Rasulullah (saws) himself went up to the Heavens to receive it directly from Allah! Sujood is an act of Shukr, it is humbling yourself in front of your Lord and it is a form of telling your Creator, “My Lord, You are The Greatest, I am weak, I am your slave, You alone are in control of my life and that is why I’m resting the highest part of my body on to the ground for You!”

If we would sincerely reflect on these feelings, we wouldn’t lift our heads from prostration immediately after reciting “Subhana Rabbi al A’la”. 

One single Sujood would wipe off every ounce of agony and fear from our minds. We would prostrate to Allah not only in times of dejection or sorrow, confusion or doubts but also when we’re happy or ecstatic! 

With every Sujood, we would feel elated because Allah swt raises us by one degree in Jannah and forgives a sin of ours! [Ahmed] 

This Dunya is imperfect and is literally an accumulation of all the things that can feed on your soul and suck out peace from your life. This is why Allah swt blessed us with Sujood.

The Prophet (saws) was suffering from distress from being harmed by the enemies of Islam. So Allah swt gave our Prophet (saws) a remedy by revealing the following verses from Surah Hijr;

وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ

فَسَبّـِحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبّـِكَ وَكُن مّـِنَ السَّاجِدِينَ

“And We already know that your breast is constrained by what they say.”

“So exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord and be of those who prostrate [to Him]”

For every negative emotion we experience, the cure is in Sujood! It is a position where you exchange your worries for blessings! It heals your soul of all the damage it has suffered. It elevates your spirit and fills it up with hope and positivity. 

It is the act that brings about peace and comfort! And yet it the act we have taken for granted.

May Allah swt give us the ability to truly appreciate His gifts and blessings upon us, allow us to be among those who are grateful to Him and who find peace only in His remembrance! Ameen.

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 12

Surah: Yusuf

Verse: 42

وَقَالَ لِلَّذِي ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ نَاجٍ مّنْهُمَا اذكُرْنِي عِندَ رَبّكَ فَاَنسَاهُ الشَّيْطَانُ ذِكْرَ رَبّهِ فَلَبِثَ فِي السّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَ 

“And he said to the one whom he knew would go free, “Mention me before your master.” But Satan made him forget the mention [to] his master, and Joseph remained in prison several years.”

I’m sure all of you have come across the beautiful story of Yusuf (as) which Allah swt Himself testified as the best story ever!

Subhan Allah his story is one where we can extract a number of life lessons. Every incident in his life and every hardship he went through seems like an amazing puzzle whose outcome was truly a divine success!

The ayah I picked for the day is actually a continuation of an incident where two of the prison mates of Yusuf (as) approach him for the interpretation of their dreams. 

According to their dreams, one man among them was to be crucified while the other was going to be set free. And as a favour, Yusuf (as) asked the other man to mention to the king upon his release that he’s been in the prison even though he is innocent. But shaytan caused that man to forget about this request of Yusuf (as).

What I want you to focus here is the patience, faith and forgiving nature of Prophet Yusuf (as).

First and foremost, he is serving his most precious time – the youth in the prison in spite of being innocent! And yet, he never complained of his situation ever! Instead he devoted his talent and time in the way of Allah swt and spread His Deen! Subhan Allah!

Many a time we may feel restricted and that nobody gives importance to our strengths or even our existence! Yes, we don’t complain but how is our attitude at such times? Cranky? Moody? Do we even praise and thank Allah in such circumstances? No! We deal with these situations as if they’re a burden upon us! 

But look at the life of Yusuf (as). Allah swt knew best that in this period of seclusion in the prison, He azza wa jal was preparing His Prophet for the greater role he was to play very soon! Allah swt kept Yusuf (as) away from all the harm and distractions so that he focuses on building his relationship with Allah and also invite people around him to the Deen of Allah! Imagine doing Dawah in the prison! 

And Yusuf (as) wasn’t even guilty, yet he had faith and trust in the decree of Allah and instead of spending the period in wait, he devoted his time, his mind, his soul and his talent in the way of Allah! And how was he rewarded? He was made the Treasurer of Egypt! Such a powerful position!

Secondly, when we provide our help to our friends or family, we do it with the intention of both praise and acknowledgement or with an expectation of receiving good from them. And when we don’t receive any of it, we say, “I’m never going to help them again! They don’t deserve it! Could have at least said ‘thanks’” and we enter a whole new negative zone!

How do you think Yusuf (as) would have felt when there was no news from the king about his release? Don’t you think he would have felt betrayed? Because of this, he had to spend several years in the prison!

Yusuf (as) knew that it is Allah alone who rewards and He alone sends the relief! He continued his dawah and ibadah with sincerity, humility, positivity and patience! There is so much we could learn from this man, Subhan Allah!

I understand sometimes the situation gets out of our tolerance level, we feel as though everything is against us and we start losing hope. We’re unable to concentrate in Salah or while reciting the Quran. We lose the ability to think well and good for ourselves let alone for others. 

But it is at such times that we need to keep our cool. It is in these situations that our Imaan is being tested. And Allah, The Most Wise intended this period for us because He is preparing us for a much bigger and better position in this life and the Hereafter! 

Trust Him and continue with the best of deeds, be positive and encourage others around you, spread good and mercy! And watch how The Best Planner beautifies your life and rewards you with that which you never expected in your possession, In sha Allah!

Sunnah Challenge 12:

Children are one of the biggest blessings from Allah in this world, the coolness of our eyes, and the future leaders of our Ummah.

Protecting our children from evil is a huge responsibility as this Dunya is full of trials and tribulations, with Shaytan trying to stray every person and every path.

The Prophet (saws) used to say the following to seek the protection of Allah for Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein:

Evils are of all kinds and it is necessary to protect our children, be it our own children, siblings or any other children from all sorts of harm.

1. Always remember to recite Surah Baqarah as Shaytan RUNS away from a home where this Surah is recited! [Sahih Muslim]

2. Make it a habit to repeat Surah Falaq and Naas before going to bed along with Ayatul Kursi, with the kids! [Sahih Bukhari] 

3. Remember to keep them indoors during the time Shaytan lurks out, the early hours of Maghrib![Sahih Muslim]

May Allah swt protect our children from all kinds of harm and make them as ones who turn to Allah in times of despair! Ameen.

Assalam Alaykum.

Ramadan Reminders; Day 11

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Daily Reminder 11:

If I could title this reminder, I would name it as “Sunnah precedes Science yet again!”

Portion control or limited eating leads to a healthier lifestyle – this is what Science has discovered recently (probably a couple of decades ago). But this is exactly what Prophet Muhammad (saws) recommended and encouraged 1400 years ago! Isn’t that amazing?!

Our Prophet (saws) said: “No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for the son of Adam are a few morsels to keep his back straight. But if he cannot bear that, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.”

[Ahmed, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasai’, Ibn Majah]

Yuhanna Bin Masawiyah (770 CE) was a famous Assyrian physician who lived through the period of four caliphs in Baghdad. He said, “If people only applied these words practically, they would avoid all diseases and maladies (sickness) and the clinics and pharmacies would remain idle.”

Nafi’ Bin Al-Harith Bin Khalada Al-Thaqafi (670 CE) who lived during the time of the Prophet (saws), said, “That which has destroyed mankind is the introduction of food on top of food before it has been digested.”

That’s not it! Guess what shaytan himself spoke about your stomach?

When Allah swt created Adam (as), Iblis started going around Adam (as) in hate and jealousy, scanning him from head to toe, trying to find an error or a weak point in him. Suddenly, he spotted something hollow in him, it was the stomach! And Iblis said, “I can lead him astray because he has got a stomach and he has no control over it.”

If you think about it, when we over-indulge in eating or munch on junk, is there a desire to do any work at all? Let alone perform Sujood and Ruku’ and standing in Qiyam! We’d just hold our stomach and go to sleep… Isn’t that what happens? 

Sinning and wasting time are both from shaytan because it takes us away from Allah swt. So when we fill our stomachs, we’re actually inviting shaytan over to have fun with our nafs!

This is why Ramadan is here! To control this desire which is also one of our weaknesses! And if we don’t exercise control over our eating habits now, do you think we ever will…? For the rest of the year we may diet to lose weight, but if you incorporate healthy and Sunnah eating habits now, you’d also be gaining rewards, In sha Allah!

Also, filling your stomach to the brim does not mean you’ll stay energetic and active throughout Taraweeh. The Sahabas and our Prophet (saws) literally survived on dates, water, khubs (flat bread) and olive oil. And yet they stood longer in prayers than us!

Keep your Iftaar light, cut down on carbs and fried food, chew well and In sha Allah you’d experience a whole lot of difference if you suffer from sluggishness or even burps!

Verse of the Day:

Juz: 11

Surah: Yunus

Verse: 45

وَيَوْمَ يَحْشُرُهُمْ كأَن لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إلاَّ سَاعَةً مِنَ النَّهَارِ يَتَعَارَفُونَ بَيْنَهُمْ قَدْ خَسِرَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِلِقَآءِ اللَّهِ وَمَا كَانُوا مُهْتَدِينَ

“And on the Day when He will gather them, [it will be] as if they had not remained [in the world] but an hour of the day, [and] they will know each other. Those will have lost who denied the meeting with Allah and were not guided.”

This ayah was revealed in the context of those who denied their meeting with Allah and Allah swt calls these people lost and misguided.

But what I want to focus here is on one of the facts about the Judgement Day.

On the Day of Judgement, our entire life on this earth will only seem like an hour or a small part of a day. Because Allah says in Surah An-Naziyat, verse 46;

كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُوا إِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا

“It will be, on the Day they see it, as though they had not remained [in the world] except for an afternoon or a morning thereof.”

This Dunya is going to seem so insignificant on The Final Day and yet it is this Dunya and the matters of this world that gets on the priority list for most of us!

If I ask you to summarise your entire day in one sentence, you’d probably pick the activity that took most of your time in that day, right…?

On that Day, when we will be standing before The Rabb ul A’lameen, Our Master, Creator and Ruler of the ENTIRE Universe and He begins to question us, how will we summarise our entire life in this Dunya which will only seem like an hour…? 

What is our answer going to be…? Cooking? Having fun? Studying for this Dunya? Or struggling with a 9-5 job?

I don’t mean to say that these things are unworthy. They are what is going to help us survive in this world. The above activities are important but what is more important is how much time we spend for the sake of Allah. How we turn each of the above activities into an act of worship. And how much we prepare ourselves for the Aakhirah!

Prophet Muhammad (saws) said: “The life of this world compared to the Hereafter is as if one of you were to put his finger in the ocean and take it out again then compare the water that remains on his finger to the water that remains in the ocean.”

[Sahih Muslim]

Remember, this Dunya is only temporary. It ends with our death. And what begins next is the life that will remain forever, for eternity.

The matters of this Dunya shouldn’t own us but in fact we should be in charge of them. 

This is what I’ve learnt from the saying of Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra): “Detachment is not that you should own nothing. But that nothing should own you.”

Subhan Allah!

If only we would live this life by the terms and teachings of Rasulullah (saws) and his noble companions, we wouldn’t be the ummah that is at end of receiving backlash!

May Allah swt detach our hearts from this world and all that it contains, make our hearts steadfast in Deen and allow us to be among those who are successful in this world and the Hereafter! Ameen.

Sunnah Challenge 11:

How many of you knew that it was the Sunnah of our Prophet(saws) to change the positions for prayer after completing the Fardh prayer?

Abu Dawood (854) and Ibn Maajah (1417) narrated from Abu Hurairah (ra) that the Prophet (saws) said:

“Is any one of you incapable, when he prays, of stepping forwards or backwards, or to his right or left?” – meaning in order to offer a naafil prayer, after an obligatory prayer.

Another Hadith which we see is a report narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (1463) from Mu‘aawiyah (ra) who said:

When you have prayed Jumu‘ah, do not follow it immediately with another prayer until you speak or leave (the mosque), because the Messenger of Allah (saws) instructed us to do that, not to follow one prayer immediately with another until we spoke or left (the mosque).

Our Prophet(saws) instructed us to separate our prayers with such a gap for the purpose of differentiating between the Fardh and Sunnah prayers.

The scholars in Islam have also mentioned that increasing the number of places of prostrations, so that they would testify for us on the Day of Judgement!

Let us make it a habit from now on, to space our prayers by switching from one place to another, or at the least try to break the gap by speaking or reciting some Dhikr In shaa Allah!

Assalam Alaykum.