Ramadan Reminders; Day 1

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!

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

Before anything else, Ramadan Mubarak!

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

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

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

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

Alhamdullilah.

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

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

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

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

Starting with the Daily Reminder 1:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verse of the Day:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The ayah for the first day is from;

Juz: 1

Surah: Al Baqarah

Verse: 44

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

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

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

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

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

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

Sunnah Challenge 1

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

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

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

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

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

(Sahih Muslim, Book 23, 5006)

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

The Prophet(SAW) said:

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

(Sunan Abi Dawud)

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

Assalam Alaykum.

One Dua For ALL Your Needs and Problems??

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

Alhamdullilah Ramadan is only few hours away! I’m sure most of you have come across posts that encourage you to prepare for its arrival. Some of them being, “freeze samosas”, “stock up on that rooh afza”, “where do I find the giant Tang bottles?”… Right?? :P

On a serious note, there are many beautiful Ramadan reminders that I come across everyday and I cannot help but get excited like a 5 year old because, W-h-o  I-s  N-o-t  E-x-c-i-t-e-d  F-o-r  R-a-m-a-d-a-n???

It is the only month in the entire year when there is no negative energy or voices (shaytan ofcourse!), the gates of Jahannum are closed and the gates of Jannah are opened for everybody who engages in the worship of Allah and sincerely seeks His forgiveness, the reward of every good deed is multiplied (only Allah knows by how many times!) and the indescribable peace you’re at even in the extreme climates because you know your fast is only for the sake of Allah swt and if you experience any difficulty then be assured that a hugeeeee reward for it is coming In sha Allah! 

Among all these essential reminders, we are also encouraged to have a dua list since Ramadan is also a time for the acceptance of duas. The most significant hadith being;

“Whatever is prayed at the time of breaking fast is granted and never refused.” [At Tirmidhi]

There are soooooo many duas we have in our pockets. Some of the duas we recite are from the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (saws) and from the Quran.

For eg: 

رَبَّنَا ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَّ فِي الأخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَّقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّار

“Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire.”

So this is a dua in the Quran in Surah Baqarah (verse 201) and it was also recited by Rasulullah (saws) after every obligatory prayer.

رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِيْ صَغِيْرًا

“O Allah! Have mercy upon them (parents) as they had mercy upon me when I was small.”

The above mentioned dua is from Surah Isra (verse 24) that we are encouraged to recite after every prayer.

These duas are certainly very important because they’re from the Quran and supported by the Sunnah and we should be reciting them after our obligatory and voluntary prayers (for example, during tahajjud prayers) so Allah accepts these duas from us and also rewards us.

But apart from these duas, there are many needs and wants of an individual. It could be work, study or family related, whatsoever.

Coming to the title of this article, What if I tell you there’s one dua that could take care of all your needs and solve all your problems?

I don’t mean to say that we stop asking Allah for the things we need. Asking Allah or calling upon Allah is an act of Ibadah and Allah loves to hear you call out to Him. No matter how many times you nag Him, He loves it! 

Hey, did I just say NAG???

Yup! Nag Allah. 

For instance, you have a 3 year old who asks you for a chocolate. You don’t give it to them. They ask you again. You politely refuse by saying, “It’s not good for your teeth dear”. But they start to nag you. It gets you a little irritated and you refuse with a stern look. But when the tear taps turn on, you’re defeated. You finally oblige to their demands.

Similarly, the more you nag Allah, it increases the chances of your dua being accepted. But unlike the stern look you gave that child, Allah looks at you with mercy and love when you nag Him… Subhan Allah!

Anyway, coming back to the question. 

Do you want to know the ONE DUA that could be the answer to ALL your prayers?

Well, it’s Astaghfirullah. :)

You may wonder, “What?!! That is all it takes??”

Yup! Constant and sincere Astaghfirullah (or repentance) is all it takes.

In the time of Hasan al Basri, who was one of the most renowned scholars and jurists in Islam, there would be people coming to him, seeking a solution to their problems.

Once a man came to Hasan al Basri complaining of a drought in his land and wanted the scholar to provide him of a way out of this difficulty. Hasan al Basri asked the man to engage in constant istaghfar.

And then there was a man who came to the scholar and told him that he is in grave poverty. The scholar asked him to increase the saying of “Astaghfirullah”.

One man expressed his sadness over not having children. And Hasan al Basri asked the man to do istaghfar.

So the students of Hasan al Basri were curious as to why the scholar was providing istaghfar as the solution to every problem that was completely different from the other. 

Hasan al Basri replied, “It is from the Quran”.

In Surah Nuh (verses 10-12) Allah swt tell us that if we make istaghfar, ask Allah for forgiveness, He will send down from the sky, helpful rain for us. The rain is a sign of Allah’s mercy (which is why one of the times of acceptance of dua is during rain) and by saying that Allah will send down rain from the sky, it means that Allah will bestow His mercy upon us. Just as the rain fulfils the needs of the land, the crops and vegetation, Allah will fulfil each and every need of yours. All you need to do is to constantly seek His forgiveness. 

This reminds me of the famous story of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. 

Imam Ahmad was one such scholar who was regarded as the “Imam of the People of Sunnah” and because of his service and strong commitment for the deen of Allah, people all over the Muslim land knew about him. But since selfies and candid photographs were not introduced by them, no one knew what he looked like except for his students and people around him.

So one time, Imam Ahmad had to travel from his city to another. And by the time he reached his destination, it was already night. He decided to spend the night in the masjid and just as he was trying to fall asleep, the guard forced him to get out of the masjid (obviously because he didn’t know that the man he was driving out was one of the greatest scholars of Islam). Regardless of trying seek the permission of the guard to stay indoors, he dragged Imam Ahmad by his feet to the streets. Imagine, this was a man who would have people kiss his head and carry his books for him and he has been driven out of a masjid and brought to the middle of the road. 

There was a baker across the street who upon seeing the Imam, called him inside his bakery (or his store), gave him a place to rest and got back to making bread. The Imam thanked him and noticed that as the baker was making the dough, he kept saying “Astaghfirullah”.

So Imam Ahmad asked him for how long has he been reciting the Istaghfar consistently through this work? The baker replied that he has been on this practice for a long time.

The Imam then questioned him if he saw any benefits of constant Istaghfar?

Guess what the baker replied?

He said, “I realised that whatever dua I make, Allah accepts it. Except for one dua that He hasn’t accepted.”

Curious, the Imam asks him about the dua.

And the baker said, “I prayed to Allah that I see Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal because I haven’t seen him yet.”

This got the Imam into tears who hugged this man and exclaimed, “Subhan Allah! Allah has brought you Ahmad dragging him by his feet to your bakery.”

This is the power of Dhikr of Allah! The power of Istaghfar! It brought the greatest of all Imams from the comfort of his home to the store of a baker in another city, just on Istaghfar. Subhan Allah!

“How do I make time for Istaghfar in my busy life? I’m so caught up with work and family, I hardly get time to rest!”

If that’s what you’re wondering, I’ve taken care of that worry, In sha Allah!

Here are a few things that I follow which has helped me be consistent in making Istaghfar:

1. I make it a point to prepare myself mentally and emotionally that I’m about to seek Allah’s forgiveness and if I don’t put my heart and soul into it, I may not reap it’s benefits. This need not be more than 4-5 seconds as it is only an intention and I feel this is important because one, actions are judged on the basis of your intentions and two, it keeps your mind away from distractions and the whisperings of shaitan.

2. I prefer doing dhikr and istaghfar on my fingers because it is from the Sunnah of Rasulullah (saws). He (saws) would do the dhikr after the salah on the fingers of his right hand. And also because these fingers will be questioned and made to speak for the deeds it committed on the Day of Judgement.

Here’s how my mum taught me to count the dhikr on my fingers.

(I’ve made a picture for better understanding because it’s a lil difficult to put into words)

3. I encourage saying a 100 istaghfars after every salah and before you go to bed. I’ve counted these myself and each set of 100 istaghfars hardly takes 2 minutes (or even less). Imagine, you’d be taking only about 12 minutes from 1440 minutes in a day to seek Allah’s forgiveness.

Is 12 minutes too much to give in return of abundant mercy and blessings and getting all your needs and wants fulfilled? 

4. You could also do the dhikrs (Subhan Allah, Alhamdullilah, La ilaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, Astaghfirullah) when you’re stuck in traffic or working in the kitchen or doing the laundry or dusting the house. Or better, every time anger or frustration kicks in, calm yourself down immediately for the sake of Allah by saying a dhikr. Imagine the huge and abundant rewards you’d be stocking up for yourself in this world and the Hereafter! Subhan Allah.

Since it’s the month of Ramadan, it will be easier to get ourselves into the practice of constant dhikr and istaghfar! Also in this month our rewards are multiplied immensely! May Allah swt make it easy for us to utilise this month to the fullest and may He bestow upon us His gracious mercy, blessings, peace and contentment! 

Please don’t forget to include the oppressed, the needy and the ones under constant trials and sufferings in your duas. There are thousands out there who will be entering Ramadan in hunger, thirst and desperate need for shelter and clothing. While we are in the comfort of our homes, with the warmth of love and care, there are millions of children struggling to find safety and protection under constant fear of losing their lives and their family. For as much as you can, please provide them with your help and support. And if you’re unable to do so, make abundant duas for them because dua has the power to change the qadr.

Assalam Alaykum.

The Departure and The Arrival

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

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

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

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

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

Because Allah swt says in Surah Naziyat, verse 35:

يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا سَعَىٰ

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

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

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

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

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

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

أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

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

Now, what does it mean by remembering Allah?

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

Remembering Allah is to:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

فَأَمَّا مَنْ طَغَىٰ

وَآثَرَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا

فَإِنَّ الْجَحِيمَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ

“Then as for him who transgressed,

And preferred the life of this world,

Shall have his abode in Hell.”

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

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ

فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ

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

Shall have his home in Paradise”

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

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

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

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

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

اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ

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

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

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

Assalam Alaykum.

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.