Shedding The "Extra" Pounds Naturally

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

May the peace, mercy and blessings of The Almighty God be on you all! :)

Ever since I’ve completed my graduation, the only question I receive from my family and friends is "Tell me how to lose weight". But what I’ve noticed is most of us "feel" the need to lose weight only when we’ve heard someone say, "Why do you look bloated?" or maybe "Mummy’s feeding you good food huh?" (I’ve received that too :P)

But what I want you guys to realize first and foremost is that your goal should be to stay fit rather looking thin and skimpy and weak. And when I say "fit", I don’t mean to say you have abs or muscles or can lift heavy weights, but for the girls – you have healthy hair, nails, your skin feels fresh and pure, you don’t get tired often, you deal with mood swings like a pro (yes, food can have an impact on that too!) and your mind and body work efficiently and effectively. And for the guys… well I guess I HAVE TO make this point clear is that your muscles and abs are worthless if all the workout and protein shakes (because excess protein is very harmful) is going to take a toll on you later on. Please don’t make that the ONLY reason you hit the gym. 

Okay so not deviating from the topic, being fit should be your goal for all your life and not just because you’re being told by people that you’ve gained weight or you have an event to attend. 

It’s amazing that the basics of health and fitness has been propagating since over 1000 years ago and we began witnessing fitness freaks only in the 21st century… 

1400 years ago, The Quran spoke of a fact that leads to healthy living. In Surah A’raf, verse 31:

يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا

تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ

"O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess".

Prophet Muhammad (saws) has been reported saying "The human does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible then a third for food, a third for drink and third for his breath." (At-Tirmidhi 2380)

But we tend to follow the diet plans of famous celebrities and only have faith in their fitness routine not knowing the foods they promote are in fact the foods that Rasulullah (saws) encouraged us to eat more than a 1000 years ago. Subhan Allah!

So, many of us may have different reasons for shedding those extra pounds but I’m a bit selfish (:P) and I like to turn most of my actions into worship so that I can earn as many rewards as I can.

I’ve heard this – Change your intention to pleasing Allah in every good deed you commit so that your act becomes ibadah. Subhan Allah how easy has Allah swt made it to earn rewards!!

Before you sleep, make wudhu, recite your adhkaars and your sleep becomes an ibadah. Your mum is out and there are dishes in the sink, wash them with the intention of pleasing Allah, washing the dishes becomes an ibadah. You’re making food for your family, make it with the intention of pleasing Allah, your cooking becomes an ibadah. 

You get what I mean? 

Every act + intention of pleasing Allah = Ibadah + Rewards 

Now how do I turn work out or the act of reducing my belly into worship?

Not that difficult you see. Lose your weight the Sunnah way and with the intention that you want to become fit to worship Allah better. I’ve experienced this myself. When you start putting on those extra pounds, ruku’ and sujood becomes hard. And you start having joint pain, muscle twitches and not to forget, you breathe heavily too! It becomes hard to wake up for tahajjud and when it comes to performing voluntary prayers, you feel sluggish. So when you start experiencing these symptoms, make it a point to lose weight primarily to increase and improve your worship. And obviously when you do something for the sake of Allah swt, you get innumerable added benefits. 

With the same aim in mind, let’s look at few tips that will help you reduce those extra pounds. NOTE: you won’t be losing it overnight darlings, you need to give it at least 2-3 weeks to see a difference. Remember, to hasten is to lose. Work it gradually so you get benefited in the long run In sha Allah! :)

1. Detox Early Morning: 

After you complete your fajr salah, you can add a teaspoon or two of honey, a few drops of lemon (about half a teaspoon) to a glass of lukewarm (not hot) water and have it on empty stomach. You can have warm water by itself too. But adding up honey is the Sunnah of Rasulullah (saws). Apart from helping you shed weight and detox your body, it also boosts your immunity, helps relieve constipation and gassy discomfort. 


2. Don’t Skip Breakfast:

 

Yes you’re working ladies and I know that you have to rush to your university and I also acknowledge the fact that you’d miss your bus if you sit down for breakfast, but trust me, breakfast is that meal of the day that you cannot afford to miss. Be it a banana or a date biscuit (quite famous in the Middle East and extremely good to suffice the morning nutritional requirements) or a cereal bar or a cupcake (not the one with cream or frosting) or a 200ml milk pack, have it!! 
    



3. Try Avoiding White Bread, White Rice and White Sugar:

The white rice, bread and sugar are basically refined cereals which is bad for you in terms of weight loss. It has become so common in our households and the quantity we consume is well above the recommended carbohydrate intake. Opt for brown rice, whole grain breads (no not brown breads) or better, barley, which was also consumed by our Prophet (saws). Barley is a whole grain high in fibre and has many benefits such as lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels and reducing blood pressure. 

Swap white sugar with honey. But do remember to purchase the raw honey as it is unprocessed and unadulterated. Since honey is sweeter than sugar, you can reduce the amount you add in your drinks or desserts.  Even though honey is beneficial, it should not be consumed in large amounts. Some of the benefits of honey are, providing rich antioxidants, building immunity and aids sleep (when taken with warm milk before sleep).


4. Drink plenty of sugar free fluids:

Water is your best friend in this regard. Drink at least 1.5-2 litres of water in a day. It will boost your metabolism, cleanse your body of waste, avoids muscle cramps and strains, improves skin and also acts as an appetite suppressant (1 glass of water before every meal). Juices available in supermarkets have added sugar no matter how "sugar free" they claim to be. Avoid those. Instead you can make a refreshing lemon mint drink. Simply add the juice of half a lemon to a glass of water, few mint leaves, a pinch of shredded ginger and drizzle in some honey for sweetness (My family absolutely LOVES this drink :D).

5. Avoid Chocolates, Pastries, Fried Foods and Sodas (Junk); Include Whole Fruits and Boiled Pulses:

Yes, it’s hard. But these are major obstacles in weight loss. So my dear sweets! You have to give them up to fit into that dress. Dark chocolate is an exception because it actually helps with weight loss, controls appetite, reduces cravings and it has many other benefits. 
It’s best to avoid bananas post mid-day but you can have one in the morning. Now whole fruits (not the fruit juices, they lack fibre) are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre (which makes you feel full) and boiled pulses or legumes (like black beans, kidney beans, chick peas) are high in protein and fibre and are beneficial in weight loss. (You can also add in some toasted coconut for a good crunch)


6. Go Easy On The Dinner:

Avoid having heavy meals for dinner like biryani, saucy pastas and starchy foods. Eat less of carbs and more of protein. Soups and salads are excellent choices. Have your meal 2 hours before sleeping and avoid midnight munching. Apart from weight gain, heavy dinners can cause indigestion, acid reflux or burps.

7. Exercise is OBLIGATORY:

You may see that you’re losing about a kg or two by following all the dietary tips but ONLY if you exercise you will lose the excess fat that’s been feeding on your waist, hip, thigh and arms. There are different exercises that can be followed to achieve your desired weight. But be sure to start slow. Crunches, squats, push ups and lunges can cause pain in your lower abdomen and thigh… But no pain no gain right? Don’t stop when you start experiencing muscle soreness… Be steady and keep going… The pain will eventually fade away. And when you see yourself trimming down, trust me, that pain is worth it! It may happen that in the first week, there may not be consistent drop in your weight, but regularity, dedication and hard work is key. 

NOTE: Your ideal body weight is 100 taken out from your height (cm). For eg: If you are 160 cm tall then subtract 100 from it. 60kg is your ideal weight. Strive to achieve that. Don’t go crazy behind size 0.

So, my dear brothers and sisters! Have a routine that leads you to living a healthier, positiv-ier and happier life! And of course a life that takes you closer to your Rabb! Happy Rejuvenating! 😀😀

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.

Fasting or Something More...?

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

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

Alhamdullilah we are in the blessed month of Ramadan. Some of us are excited about the coming 30 days and have planned everything there is to plan while some of us are sooooooo excited that we still haven’t come up with a plan yet. :P 

But Alhamdullilah in some way or the other we are slowly getting into the spirit of this blessed month.

What picture comes to our mind when we think of Ramadan…?

Is it fasting? Or the feast after fasting? The first bite of chicken samosa or haleem is all that plays in our mind in rewind mode. :P

Anyway on a serious note, usually either fasting or taraweeh prayers or iftaar timings come to our mind when we think about Ramadan.

But that’s not what Allah (swt) wants us to think.

This is the verse that has been repeated over and over but today let’s take a closer look at it which is the 185^th verse from Surah al-Baqarah where Allah (swt) says,

شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ

“The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.”

Allah (swt) did not introduce us to Ramadan by fasting but by saying that the Quran was revealed in this month. Religious or not, we know that in this month we work a lil extra in worshipping Allah (swt) and in getting closer to Him. And the key to get close to Allah (swt) is through the Quran itself! When we don’t put an effort in learning and trying to understand what Allah (swt) says in the Quran then we’re not actually fulfilling the purpose of Ramadan! The entire purpose of Ramadan is to celebrate the Quran.

This is the month where we need to put in that effort in understanding the Quran and introduce ourselves to it like never before.

The lazy part of us might say that it’s enough to read articles about the Quran or roughly go through it’s translation or atleast recite the Quran once during Ramadan. But that’s not enough. Why? Because the Quran is a purposeful book and how can we derive its benefits when we don’t understand what it says!

Some of us have the habit of reading the newspaper as soon as we wake up or as they say “kill” time by gazing at pictures in the magazine but we don’t pick the Quran and try to understand what Allah (swt) wants us to know through this Book! Is it that hard for us to devote at least half an hour to study the Quran and ponder over its verses? What sort of preoccupation is this where we have plenty of time to read wordly books but no time to understand the Divine Book.

Answer me this. If you receive a letter from your friend in a language that you cannot understand, wouldn’t you ask someone to translate it for you or atleast use the translate app on your phone? But little do we care to know the message sent by The Lord of the worlds for us.

In the 2^nd verse of Surah al-Jum’ah, Allah (swt) says,

 هُوَ ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ فِى ٱلْأُمِّيِّۦنَ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ

“It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom - although they were before in clear error.”

The word يزكيهم comes from the root word ز   ك    ي  which means purify.

يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ means when Prophet Muhammad (saws) recites the verses of the Quran to his people, it purifies them. This has two indications. Purification of –

1. Mind

2. Heart

By purifying our Minds, Allah (swt) teaches us how to think and how to give right answers. There are verses in the Quran where Allah (swt) asks us to think a certain way, to answer in a specific manner and to reflect on certain things. With every verse, He (swt) is constantly training us to think and learn lessons from them thereby purifying our mind.

And then there’s purification of the Heart. Our heart is filled with diseases like jealousy, laziness, greed, temptation and lust. As we understand Allah’s Book, these diseases slowly diminish. Allah (swt) gives us the power to control them and thereby He (swt) purifies our hearts.

There may be spiritual or intellectual books but the combination of these two can be found only in the Quran. Subhan Allah! When we understand the Quran, Allah (swt) balances our heart and mind.

Now some of us may say that because the Quran is in Arabic, it’s hard to understand and maybe to recite it as well. But there’s good news for them from Allah (swt) Himself! Allah (swt) says in Surah al-Qamar, verse 40,

وَلَقَدْ يَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّكْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّكِرٍ

“And We have certainly made the Qur'an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?”

Allah (swt) is asking who among you will remember the Quran… He, The Almighty, The most Powerful, your Creator is calling you to remember His Book… And we turn away from this call… That’s something that needs to be fixed. Don’t you think?

This Ramadan, may Allah azza wa jal help us build our relationship with the Quran, understand its beauty and help us remember the divine verses. May Allah azza wa jal help us purify our minds and hearts. May He (swt) fill our hearts with love only for Him and help us detach our hearts from everything that takes us away from His remembrance. May He (swt) make us among those who earn His blessings in this world and the Hereafter and may He make the path to Jannah easy for us.

Lastly, please don’t forget our Ummah in your dua. As we enter Ramadan with all the luxuries of life, there are our Muslim brothers and sisters who are entering Ramadan with not enough food for suhoor or iftaar, with no roof over their head and with constant fear. May Allah (swt) give patience to the Muslims who are going through a tough period and reward their patience by uniting them with their families in Jannah. May He (swt) accept their duas and have mercy on them. Ameen.

Ramadan Mubarak to you. :)

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.