Marriage in Islam - Talk

Thorns

Why should I grieve because of a thorn?
Once it had made laughter known to me.
Whatever you lost through the stroke of destiny,
know it was to save you from adversity.
One small affliction keeps off greater afflictions;
one small loss prevents greater losses.

-Rumi

Taken from here

Persistence...

To my other half...

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,


To keep it short, my husband requested me to post this some time ago. Therefore this post is dedicted to my much missed other half...

Asma Radiallahu anha said to her daughter at the time of her marriage:

"You are going to spend such a life where you shall have to live long and you are going to the bed of such a person who you have no acquaintance. You are going to love one with whom you had no love before.

Make for him such a world, which will be heaven for you, prepare for him such a bed, which will be a pillar for you. Be such a slave for him that he may become your slave. Don't go willingly to him, lest you become to him an object of hatred. Don't remain far from him, lest he may forget you.

When he remains near you, be near him, when he stays distant from you save your nose, ears and eyes.

Let him not get from you except sweet smiles. Let him not hear from you except sweet words. Let him not see in you except beauty"

Ihya Uloom Din

Duas humbly requested,

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

Surah Baqarah 255-257

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

The Realplayer on the right hand side bar has been paused in order to view this video.

Duas humbly requested as always,

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

The body and Heart

The body and heart are pure and blameless in themselves.

However, when our heart becomes embodied with worldly temptations, we tend to forget the nature of our hearts. Thus, we become attached to this world and develop spiritual diseases such as greed, lust and pride.

These spiritual diseases show us the ugly attributes of the heart like thorns growing in a field.

In order to beautify yourselves, avoid these attributes and implement finer qualities which will bring you closer to Allah Ta'ala such as kind heartedness, humbleness and gratitide.

Every person yearns for a meaning to life and for that which will make his heart sound.

The only way to do this is to purify one's self.

Taken from: Tasawwuf in Brief, Shaykh Muhammad Imran

Three parts to a day...

Bismillahir'rahman'nir-rahim.

Allahumma sali'ala sayyiddina Muhammadin wa 'ala alay sayyiddina Muhammadin wa barik wa salim.

Asalamu'alaykum wa Rahmatullah,

Sister Mujahidah an Nafs will [probably] be away for sometime...Alhamdulillah all is well...really well, so no worries. However she did ask me to make a quick guest post about something or another...

So...recently I've encountered a new set of people who it seems as if take Islam to an extreme...not a "dangeros to the well being of others" extreme but the extreme where they seem to forget that Yes, this Deen is Submission but there is also Moderation in this Deen.

Allah has indeed commanded us to worship Him; but worshipping Allah does not only come in three or four forms such as salah only, charity only, learning the deen only etc....Allah is So Great and Limitless, so then how can The ibadah of Allah ta'ala be limited? Does His ibadah not include fullfilling the rights of His creation so long as there is no displeasure to Allah? The Ibadah of Allah Most High comes not only in just these few things mentioned above but in various forms, we just haven't understood this yet.

The following small article addresses this issue well
--------
The THREE Major Phases of Prophet's Day
(taken from Islam-globe.com)

"Ordinary men generally retire to their private residence for rest and pleasure, but Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never knew the leisure of that sort. His work did not end with his coming home-- only a new order of engagements and activities commenced which filled most of his private time. The jurists generally refer to THREE phases of his private life as follows:

(1)- The Family Phase, where he received his wives and fulfilled his duties as husband, father, father-in-law. Every day, he received all his wives in private audience, in the late afternoon, though of course he spent the night and some part of the day with one of them, by rotation.

(2)- A Personal Phase, which he took for himself. But it was during this time that he received an endless flow of guests and visitors-- some attracted no doubt, by the grace of his noble company, others seeking religious and moral guidance, still others with needs, demands, problems and disputes. Thus the Prophet (peace be upon him) had to fulfil a variety of highly diversified roles, ranging from that of gracious host, munificent giver, teacher, arbiter, governor and judge, as well as friend and companion.

(3)- The Spiritual Phase, normally placed towards the last third of the night, was perhaps the most important of his private life. Ever since he received his initial revelation at (Cave) Hira, Allah commanded him to observe and perform Qiyaam al-Layl (night vigil in prayer). Qiyaam al-Layl was prescribed as the method of self-preparation for the projected role of the Messenger of God, which the Prophet (p.b.u.h) was destined to fulfil in the remaining portion of his life. No description of the private life of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) can be adequate without taking into consideration all three of these phases of his day."

(Taken from: "Sunshine at Madinah", pp. 141-142, by Dr. Zakaria Bashier)

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Rasulullah Sal'Allahu'alayhiwasalam is The Greatest Example for us in all matters, and the above shows us how he fullfilled his duties to Allah by a)direct ibadah and b)indirect ibadah- fullfilling the rights of his family and companions.

Masha'Allah recently quite a few people I know have gotten married, and I felt this was important because from a bystander's view it seems that life becomes so busy during that transitional stage of newlyweds and the desire to grow in our deen even more so that we often forget the haq we have on our spouse and they have on us. eventually people become stuck in this 'rut' and this often leads to complications later in marriage... Eliminate the problem before it starts just be fair and remember that our Submission to Allah teaches us to do things in moderation.

This article above from islam-globe.com holds a great amount of wisdom for us today, as many of us have forgotten that our duty is not only to Allah but also to His creation, we all have a "right" upon one another; Friend, Family or Foe.

May Allah grant all those newlyweds patience, barakah and happiness in their lives with one another and allow them be reunited in the gardens of Jannah insha'Allah.

Allahumma sali'ala sayyiddina Muhammadin wa 'ala alay sayyiddina Muhammadin wa barik wa salim. Rawdhina billahi Rabba wa bil'islaami deena wa bi'Muhammadin nabiyaa, wa akhirud'duana anil'hamdulillahi rabbil'alameen.

Key advices to a daughter

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

A few key advices that I posted a while back on this blog from a mother to a daughter which seem quite relevant at this point in time, click the link below to read Inshallah Ta'ala.

Advices

Always in need of your humble duas,
Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

The spiritual Dr

Many are perplexed by the lack of spirituality in their lives which becomes a hindrance in their aims to gain the proximity of Allah (s.w.t). This form of anxiety is common amongst those who are punctual with their salah and adhere to the other ‘Faraaidh' (fundamental duties) such as ‘Sawm' (Fasting), ‘Hajj' (The Holy Pilgrimage), etc, but are disheartened by their apparent inability to abstain from sins and how they continually succumb to their base desires. Another great concern is the failure to recognise many of our advances, which are predominant in society and have unfortunately become accepted as the norm, as sins. Both ignorance and negligence have contributed towards the emergence of the latter.

The solution to this dilemma can be deduced from the influence of Rasullullah in terms of his sheer existence over fourteen centuries ago, his invaluable teaching, his social conduct and sagacious dealings with the respected Sahaba Radiallaho Anhum.

“Verily in the lifestyle of the Prophet there is a great example for you”

Rasullullah taught us the root cause of this problem when he said, “Behold! In the body there lies a piece of flesh. When it is reformed, the entire body is reformed, and when it becomes corrupt the entire body becomes corrupt”. Behold! This (piece of flesh) is the heart. (Bukhari)

We learn from this Hadith that the heart heavily influences our behavioural pattern and is at the centre of our actions. This also agrees with our rationale because our actions are often the result of our beliefs, opinions, and desires which lie deep within us. If we make a sincere effort to purify our souls and mould them to be submissive to the will of Allah, it will become much easier to obey him and safeguard ourselves from inviting his wrath. What many of us fail to realise is that any progress in this task demands great effort and diligence from our side along with the constant duaa (supplication), pleading with Allah for guidance, which we are so accustomed to (Alhamdulillah). Allah mentions in the Holy Quran, “And (to) those who strive in our way We undoubtedly open our paths”.

If we leave no stone unturned in confronting Shaytaan and the ‘nafs' (the soul), striving wholeheartedly not to fall prey to them, then Allah will, out of his boundless mercy, open the doors of guidance for us. He will direct us to his obedience and holding steadfast to the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet which is described in the Quran as being the key to success:
“And he who obey Allah and His Prophet has indeed achieved a great triumph”

Adopting the company of the pious and the ulama

Ok! So we have a poorly patient in need of Spiritual doctoring. But how do we diagnose its maladies? And how do we go about treating them? Where do we search for the cure?
If we study the life of Rasullullah , we will find that his social conduct and dealings with anyone he came into contact with, especially the eminent Sahaba, illustrates and clearly outlines the principles we need to assimilate and implement in order to achieve the best results. The revolution of Arabia and the renaissance of morals and good conduct was the outcome of his priceless company adopted by his companions. The examples of the Prophet and his companions allegorically sets the benchmark for self-rectification and purification of the soul. It is a great shame that we do not take lesson from this. There are still very few who regard the company of the pious, the friends of Allah to be of any importance. Hakeemul Ummah, Hadhrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Rahmatullahi Alay emphasized that not all of the Sahaba were Ulamaa (learned scholars of religion) but they achieved whatever they had achieved merely through his company. He further stressed that the righteous friends of Allah have always held firm onto ‘Suhbat' (adopting the company of the Pious). They have never given as much attention to acquiring knowledge as they have to Suhbat and Companionship.

“O those who believe, fear Allah and seek unto Him a medium and strive in His path so that you may be successful.”

In this verse Allah instructs us to search for means through which we can reach Him. The commentary of this verse, as according to many of the Sahaba and Tabieen, suggests that the word ‘Waseelah' in this verse (translated as a medium or means) literally refers to every source which aids one in attaining the ultimate pleasure of Allah, and gaining nearness to Him. The saintly and devout servants of Allah are a great means of guidance for us. Accompanying them can open many channels directly leading to the pleasure of Allah. Therefore, it is imperative to befriend them, comply with their consultations and remain in their company.

Only then we will be able to benefit from them and taste the fruits which blossom from deep within them. The blessings of Allah constantly descend upon His friends and they are perpetually caressed with His favours. If we accompany them it is highly possible that we may be granted a portion of these bounties.

We live in an era wherein the world has been stripped of any shame or modesty. Modern ills and traits encapsulating over environments have gradually crept into those parts of the world where Muslims are densely populated, such as the Middle East , Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Not only our actions, but our thinking and frame of mind have also transformed.

The detestable traits and foul habits of the non-Muslims have become a part of us, darkening our souls, preventing the light of Imaan (faith) from penetrating the heart. Thus, we have fallen short of the remembrance of our creator and spiritually we are dying. The Prophet of Allah explained: “An example of that person who remembers His Lord and one that does not, is like that of the living and the dead” (Bukhari, Muslim)

The Ahlu-llah are sometimes referred to as ‘Ahle-dil' (people of the heart) because they are like spiritual doctors who treat the soul. These very people can diagnose ailments through insight gifted to them by Allah. They have the remedies to cure our spiritual illnesses and aid us in the struggle to change our lives. They can help us to revive the remembrance of Allah in our hearts which have become dormant due to our disobedience. It is essential to maintain a strong connection with such people as history has shown repeatedly that those who have failed to affiliate with them have deviated in someway or another.

May Allah bless us with the company of such saints and may He grant us the capacity and the strength to benefit from them. (Ameen)

Courtesy of: Inter-Islam

An Evening of Knowledge

Key Advice for the Newly Wed

Based on the advices of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat
prepared by Brother Aslam Patel

Taken from www.haqislam.org

“You have never seen anything better than marriage for those who love.”

(Ibne Mãjah)

Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat dãmat barakãtuhum advises:

1. Every action is dependant upon intention. When marrying, both partners should therefore make a firm intention to accomplish the following objectives:

• Following the Sunnah of our beloved Nabee Muhammad s.
• Safeguarding oneself from sins.
• Parenting pious children.

2. When marrying, each becomes the other’s lifetime companion. Each should understand and appreciate that Allah S has brought them both together and that their destiny in life has now become one. Whatever the circumstances: happiness or sorrow; health or sickness; wealth or poverty; comfort or hardship; trial or ease; all events are to be confronted together as a team with mutual affection and respect. No matter how wealthy, affluent, materially prosperous and “better-off” another couple may appear, one’s circumstances are to be happily accepted with qanã‘at (contentment upon the Choice of Allah S). The wife should happily accept her husband, his home and income as her lot and should always feel that her husband is her true beloved and best friend and well-wisher in all family decisions. The husband too should accept his wife as his partner-for-life and not cast a glance towards another.

3. Nowadays, the husband reads about, and is well-informed of his rights and demands them. Similarly, the wife reads of her rights and expects them. However, both should concentrate on being aware of each other’s rights and then strive to fulfil them. This is the prescription for a prosperous marriage and everlasting love.

4. During the first year of marriage, the couple must try and spend as much time as possible together. This is especially true for the first two months as it provides an opportunity to understand each other’s temperaments and establishes a firm foundation which contributes towards securing a prosperous marriage.

5. The couple (especially the husband) must make a point to arrive home early after ‘Ishã Salãh and scrupulously avoid the habit of socialising with friends late into the evening. Wherever possible, business, employment and other activities should be concluded beforehand or curtailed in order to set aside time for spending together.

6. Mutual respect between husband and wife should not be lost. They should each be very particular about following the Deen right from the initial stages of married life. This will also ensure a religious environment for the children to be nurtured in, contributing greatly towards their successful upbringing.

7. True and everlasting prosperity is only possible for Muslims when they follow the Sunnah of Rasoolullah s in all affairs. The couple too, should adhere to the teachings of Rasoolullah s in all their matters and abstain from anything which contradicts them. Careful attention should be given to this in their intimate relationship too. Inshã’allah this will be an assured approach to acquiring the blessing of pious offspring.

8. In the initial stages of marriage, the love between the couple is a physical bond, wherein emotional changes take place all the time. Despite great passion and physical love for each other, affection between the couple is not yet well established or on a rational basis. Such rational love comes after many years together. It is therefore extremely important for the husband not to succumb to emotional weaknesses at the onset and let the marriage waver towards an irreligious direction. Both the husband and wife should make a pledge to each other to steadfastly follow the Deen, especially in the performance of Salãh and in avoiding all sins.

9. Marriage is like the weather, forever changing. Sometimes it is cloudy and rainy, life appears gloomy, then the sun appears and rays of happiness break through bringing joy. At times, one experiences rain, wind and sunshine all in one day. Such is life, and like the seasons, we go through different experiences. The secret is to remain devoted and steadfast to one’s Deen and spouse.

10. The husband should be sympathetic to the fact that his wife has left her parents, brothers and sisters to start a new life with him. Her sacrifice and her feelings should be respected and joy should be felt by both partners at the expansion of their families. Just as the wife should treat her husband’s parents as her own, he should also extend affection, courtesy and respect to his new in-laws.

11. As soon as one experiences a problem, no matter how trivial, which remains unresolved for more than three days, consult a person who is both knowledgeable and your sincere well-wisher.

Source: Islamic Da'wah Academy

Seven Persons in Allah Ta'ala's shade on the day of judgement

Narrated Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu): The Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihe Wassalam)) said:

"Allah will give shade, to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His. These seven persons are:

1) A just ruler,

2) A youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah (i.e. worships Allah sincerely from childhood),

3) A man whose heart is attached to the mosques (i.e. to pray the compulsory prayers in the mosque in congregation),

4) Two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only,

5) A man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah,

6) A man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity),

7) And a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears."


[Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 11, Number 629]
Know that Allah does give life to a dead heart just as He gives life to earth after its death

Taking a break...

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىَ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّي وَرَزَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الإِصْلاَحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلاَّ بِاللّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

Qala ya qawmi araaytum in kuntu AAala bayyinatin min rabbee warazaqanee minhu rizqan hasanan wama oreedu an okhalifakum ila ma anhakum AAanhu in oreedu illa alislaha ma istataAAtu wama tawfeeqee illa biAllahi AAalayhi tawakkaltu wailayhi oneebu
11:88 (Surah Hud)

He said: "O my people! see ye whether I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord, and He hath given me sustenance (pure and) good as from Himself? I wish not, in opposition to you, to do that which I forbid you to do. I only desire (your) betterment to the best of my power; and my success (in my task) can only come from Allah. In Him I trust, and unto Him I look.

The real richness..

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

'Plenty of provision or abundance do not make a person rich and wealthy; real richness is the benevolence of the heart'
{Sahih Bhukari}

Maulana Ibrahim Memon Madani mentioned the following in one of his dars during my stay in Buffalo:

Allah Ta'ala asks us to ponder upon the fact that He has created all things in the dunya for us. It is important for us to realise that all that we see around us has been created for us but this does not mean that we need to use all that has been created for us. We are not supposed to 'serve' these things; they were created to 'serve' us. Allah Ta'ala tells us in short, not to become slaves of these objects. When we forget the bounties that Allah Ta'ala has bestowed upon us and we become engrossed in the dunya so much so that we become slaves of these objects and begin to like, love, protect and then eventually worship them. The immense love for money that society holds is an example of how begin to worship that which has been created for us.

History has shown that at all times people have had something that they hold in great esteem e.g. respect for a certain picture on the wall or a certain idol. The respect observed for these objects sometimes reaches a point where eventually individuals begin to bow down before them. Maulana Ibrahim Memon mentioned the example of the $100 bill. Even if a person is praying salah, if he sees a $100 bill flying in front of him, he will pick up the dollar bill never mind the salah! In this case the individual has placed greater importance to the money over his salah.

When a person thinks that they will loose something e.g. wealth, status, family or friends, it is natural for the person to want to protect these things. However, at this point shaytaan finds a fine opportunity to grasp hold of us by telling us that we will definitely loose these things. Isn’t it funny how we do not worry or concern ourselves in the slightest when it comes to loosing the deen of Allah Ta’ala?

Allah Ta’ala says that He has created man and jinn for his worship alone, why do we then become the servants on the dunya?

Allah Ta’ala has created everything on the dunya with a fixed purpose. Even those things that we do not have control over such as the sun and the moon are busy in fulfilling the command of Allah Ta’ala.

Commitments of this life are many and encompass everyday of our lives but our main commitment is to Allah Ta’ala. At any moment, the angle of death will come to visit us and all schedules and commitments will disappear forever. No Money, no Family nor friends will accompany us to the grave. It will be our amaal that will remain with us in this dunya and in the hereafter.

Allah Ta’ala causes us to live and causes us to die. When we sleep we undergo the minor death but when daylight breaks we once again come back to life. Allah Ta’ala has bestowed upon us every opportunity to conduct good deeds however we have become so accustomed to waking up from this minor death that we continue to delay these good deeds until later on. How many times have we heard our friends or family remark that they will delay a good deed for later on and then make the change in their life? This is shaytaan playing with us for shaytaan is very intelligent and knows that it is a race against time. When Allah Ta’ala commands for our soul to be taken there will be no ‘later on’ for us to carry out this good deed.

‘Kal naa aye, kabhi naa ayegi yeh kal’
If tomorrow does not come, Tomorrow will never come

Whatever we need to do, we need to do it today. By postponing what we are meant to do, we are postponing our commitment to Rabbul Alameen.

Allah Ta’ala has given us everything from respect, knowledge and abilities to carry out the most skilled of tasks; yet we forget what Rabbul Alameen has given us, and succumb to the tricks of the shaytaan. We put our deen as our final and least important priority. Why is it that we prefer the ‘living idols’ such as our boss or the company over our creator and sustainer?

On a final note, I leave you with the following to ponder upon..

…real richness is the benevolence of the heart'

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

The eleven women of hijaz

Sahih Bhukari; Volume 7, Book 62, Number 117:

Narrated by Aisha Radiallahu anha:

Eleven women sat (at a place) and promised and contracted that they would not conceal anything of the news of their husbands.

The first one said, "My husband is like the meat of a lean weak camel which is kept on the top of a mountain which is neither easy to climb, nor is the meat fat, so that one might put up with the trouble of fetching it."

The second one said, "I shall not relate my husband's news, for I fear that I may not be able to finish his story, for if I describe him, I will mention all his defects and bad traits."

The third one said, "My husband is a tall man; if I describe him (and he hears of that) he will divorce me, and if I keep quiet, he will neither divorce me nor treat me as a wife."

The fourth one said, "My husband is a moderate person like the night of Tihama which is neither hot nor cold. I am neither afraid of him, nor am I discontented with him."

The fifth one said, "My husband, when entering (the house) is a leopard, and when going out, is a lion. He does not ask about whatever is in the house."

The sixth one said, "If my husband eats. he eats too much (leaving the dishes empty), and if he drinks he leaves nothing, and if he sleeps he sleeps alone (away from me) covered in garments and does not stretch his hands here and there so as to know how I fare (get along)."

The seventh one said, "My husband is a wrong-doer or weak and foolish. All the defects are present in him. He may injure your head or your body or may do both."

The eighth one said, "My husband is soft to touch like a rabbit and smells like a Zarnab (a kind of good smelling grass)."

The ninth one said, "My husband is a tall generous man wearing a long strap for carrying his sword. His ashes are abundant and his house is near to the people who would easily consult him."

The tenth one said, "My husband is Malik, and what is Malik? Malik is greater than whatever I say about him. (He is beyond and above all praises which can come to my mind). Most of his camels are kept at home (ready to be slaughtered for the guests) and only a few are taken to the pastures. When the camels hear the sound of the lute (or the tambourine) they realize that they are going to be slaughtered for the guests."

The eleventh one said, "My husband is Abu Zar and what is Abu Zar (i.e., what should I say about him)? He has given me many ornaments and my ears are heavily loaded with them and my arms have become fat (i.e., I have become fat). And he has pleased me, and I have become so happy that I feel proud of myself. He found me with my family who were mere owners of sheep and living in poverty, and brought me to a respected family having horses and camels and threshing and purifying grain . Whatever I say, he does not rebuke or insult me. When I sleep, I sleep till late in the morning, and when I drink water (or milk), I drink my fill.

The mother of Abu Zar and what may one say in praise of the mother of Abu Zar? Her saddle bags were always full of provision and her house was spacious. As for the son of Abu Zar, what may one say of the son of Abu Zar? His bed is as narrow as an unsheathed sword and an arm of a kid (of four months) satisfies his hunger. As for the daughter of Abu Zar, she is obedient to her father and to her mother. She has a fat well-built body and that arouses the jealousy of her husband's other wife. As for the (maid) slave girl of Abu Zar, what may one say of the (maid) slavegirl of Abu Zar? She does not uncover our secrets but keeps them, and does not waste our provisions and does not leave the rubbish scattered everywhere in our house."

The eleventh lady added, "One day it so happened that Abu Zar went out at the time when the milk was being milked from the animals, and he saw a woman who had two sons like two leopards playing with her two breasts. (On seeing her) he divorced me and married her.

Thereafter I married a noble man who used to ride a fast tireless horse and keep a spear in his hand. He gave me many things, and also a pair of every kind of livestock and said, 'Eat (of this), O Um Zar, and give provision to your relatives." She added, "Yet, all those things which my second husband gave me could not fill the smallest utensil of Abu Zar's." 'Aisha then said: Allah's Apostle said to me, "I am to you as Abu Zar was to his wife Um Zar."

The power of dua

By Khalid Baig Posted: 14 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1423, 27 May 2002 www.albalagh.net

Once Prophet Muhammad passed by a people who were suffering from some affliction. "Why don't they make dua (pray) to Allah for protection," he said. With all the suffering and disasters Muslims are facing in various parts of the world, the question can be directed to all of us today.

It is not that we have forgotten dua completely; we refer to it regularly. But, our ideas and practice regarding dua have become distorted. Often it is reduced to the level of a ritual. Generally it is considered when all our efforts have failed --- an act of last resort. It is belittled through actions and sometimes even with words. Is it any wonder that today mostly a mention of dua is meant to indicate the hopelessness of a situation.

What a tragedy, for dua is the most potent weapon of a believer. It can change fate, while no action of ours ever can. It is the essence of ibadah or worship. With it we can never fail; without it we can never succeed. In the proper scheme of things, dua should be the first and the last resort of the believer, with all his plans and actions coming in between.

Dua is conversation with Allah, out Creator, our Lord and Master, the All Knowing, the All Powerful. This act in itself is of extraordinary significance. It is the most uplifting, liberating, empowering, and transforming conversation a person can ever have. We turn to Him because we know that He alone can lift our sufferings and solve our problems. We feel relieved after describing our difficulties to our Creator. We feel empowered after having communicated with the All Mighty. We sense His mercy all around us after talking to the Most Merciful. We get a new commitment to follow His path for that is the only path for success. We feel blessed with each such commitment

In every difficulty our first action is dua, as is our last. We ask Allah to show us the way to handle that difficulty; we seek His help in following the path He shows to us; we seek His aid in making our efforts successful. When we fall sick, we know that we cannot find the right doctor without His Will; that the best doctor may not be able to diagnose our condition without His Command; that the best treatment plan will not succeed without His Permission. We make dua for all of these. We make dua before we seek medical help, while we are receiving it and after it has been delivered. The same is true of all other difficulties we may encounter.

Dua is the essence of ibadah. A person engaged in dua affirms his belief in Tawheed (monotheism) and shuns belief in all false gods. With each dua his belief in Allah grows. He beseeches Him, affirming his own powerlessness. A person seriously and sincerely engaged in dua understands exactly the relationship between himself and the Creator and affirms it through his actions. That is the essence of worship! Additionally, such a person can never become arrogant or proud, a logical result of true worship.

Dua is our most potent weapon in all struggles of life as well as in jihad in the battlefield. During the battle of Badr, the Prophet Muhammad stood up all night in prayer seeking Allah's help in the battle between unequal armies that would follow the next day. In the decisive battles against the crusaders, Sultan Salatuddin Ayyubi was busy day and night. His days were devoted to Jihad. His nights were spent making dua, crying, seeking Allah's help. This has been the practice of all true mujahideen.

We should make it a point to make dua for all things big and small. It is the beginning of wisdom to realize that big and small are arbitrary labels that are totally irrelevant in this context. Nothing is too big for Whom we are asking from; nothing is too small for the one who is asking. That is why we have been taught to ask Allah when we need something as small as shoelaces. We should ask as a beggar, as a destitute person, for that is what we in reality are in relationship to Allah. At the same time we should ask with great hope and conviction that we shall be granted our prayers. We should remember the Hadith: "There is nothing more dear to Allah than a servant making dua to Him." On the other hand, a prayer lacking concentration and conviction is no prayer at all.

We should make dua at all times, not only during times of distress. The Prophet Muhammad said: "Whosoever desires that Allah answers his duas in unfavorable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful dua in days of ease and comfort." Also he said: "The person who does not ask from Allah, Allah becomes angry with him."

We should ask for all of our needs: those related to this world as well as those related to the Hereafter. Those who only concentrate on the former are, in effect, announcing that they don't care for their life in the permanent abode. They should blame no body but themselves for the total ruin in that world that Qur'an assures us awaits them. Those who only concentrate on the later are also showing lack of balance, for we need Allah's help to lead a good life here as well.
We should make dua not only for ourselves but also for our parents, brothers and sisters, spouses and children, relatives and friends, teachers and other benefactors, and destitute and struggling Muslims everywhere. We should pray for them for the good in this world as well as in the Hereafter. The Prophet said: "The dua of a Muslim for his brother (in Islam) in his absence is readily accepted. An angel is appointed to his side. Whenever he makes a beneficial dua for his brother the appointed angel says, 'Aameen. And may you also be blessed with the same.'" [Sahih Muslim]

In the dark ages that we are living in today, everyday brings fresh news about atrocities committed against our brothers in Palestine, Kashmir, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Chechnya, and the list goes on. And what do we do? We can continue to just feel frustrated and depressed. We can petition the determined perpetrators or a fictional "International Community". We can just forget all this and move on to some other subject. Or we can stand up before Allah and pray for His help, who alone can help. The dua can change our life, our outlook, and our fate. It is the most potent weapon. But it works only for those who try sincerely and seriously to use it.

The Pious Husband

author unknown

Marriage to him is one half of the deen,
To please Allah (swt) is more than a dream.

He wears his beard for his Lord, to please and obey,
He turns to Allah (swt) for Salah at least five times a day.

He prays in the night and makes sure to wake you,
And strives during daylight to provide and protect you.

He lowers his gaze with firmness because he does not desire,
To displease Allah (swt) and face His just ire,

He asks advice from the ummah, and his wife too,
Before making decisions that he might later rue.

To his wife he is humble and always most kind,
Sharing his burdens with strength and clear mind.

He opens his mouth only to say what is best,
Weighing all options ‘fore denying a request.

He takes care of himself and family too
Knowing that Allah (swt) will see them through.

He is a pleasure from Allah (swt) above
Be thankful to Allah (swt) and His blessings through love.

Courtesy of http://www.islamicpoems.blogspot.com/


Baarakallaahu lakumaa wa baaraka 'alaikumaa
'May Allah Ta'ala shower His blessings upon you' Ameen...

CABG

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

It sounds like cabbage but definitely isn’t. CABG is an abbreviation for ‘Coronary Artery Bypass Graft’. Without going into too much detail or terminology, this is a surgical procedure carried out on patients who have an occlusion (blockage) or narrowing of a coronary artery which can eventually lead to a heart attack. A vein taken from another part of the body (usually the leg) is used to bypass a narrowed or blocked coronary artery; this therefore improves blood flow to the heart and reduces the chance of a person experiencing a heart attack.

So how is this related to you & me?

It is related to me because I had first hand experience monitoring the drug therapy of these patients during my cardiothoracic rotation, but besides this I had an opportunity to once more actually reflect on what I saw and how this was related to Allah Ta’ala and His creation.

The heart is an organ essential to the existence of man, just like the brain and other organs. Damage here or there will most likely result in a lifelong heart condition or potentially death depending on the severity.

Allah Ta’ala says in surah Tin

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ
95:4 We have indeed created man in the best of moulds,

Allah Ta’ala is ‘Al-Bari’ The maker and ‘Al-Musawwir’ The fashioner. He has created all things in proportion. He is the moulder of each form and frame. He is the designer and builder of the heavens and the earth.

هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ
59:24 He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms

A thought to ponder upon…

The heart is essential to the existence of man. Disease can result in death. In this same way our hearts if spiritually ‘healthy’ can take us a long way in becoming closer to our creator but if our hearts become ‘diseased’ and are covered up in sin, we begin to become weak until we reach a stage where it is hard to turn back. Eventually we come to a point where our hearts become ‘spiritually dead’ and this is when we loose all sense of imaan.

There are many things that we do in our day to day lives that lead us down this road of no return. They may seem insignificant to us at the time but just as cholesterol deposits in a patients artery over a period of years and eventually comes to a point where there is complete occlusion resulting in the restriction of blood flow, and then the patient experiences a heart attack; In the same way sin accumulates in the heart until we reach a point where our hearts fail to feel any sense of remorse or regret for anything that we do. The ‘spiritual death’ of our heart is a distressing condition to be in because our heart and our existence has been created to be in sync with the commands of Allah Ta’ala. When we go against His commands, His blessings and mercy are lifted from us, our hearts fall into a state of confusion, our lives begin to fall apart and we are unable to feel the contentment that we once felt, but we remain completely oblivious to the fact that it is our self inflicted distancing from our creator that has put us in this sorry state.

This is the state of a ‘spiritually dead’ heart but what about those of us whose hearts are diseased yet not to the extent where we are ‘spiritually dead’. This means that we have a chance; one of the many chances given to us by Allah Ta’ala. A chance to rectify ourselves, an opportunity to re-establish that flow of goodness and peace to make our hearts ‘alive’ once again.

How do we achieve this?

Our beloved nabi salalahu alayhi wasallam instructed and advised the sahaba radiallahu anhum to keep their hearts illuminated with dhikr. According to our nabi salalahu alayhi wasallam the heart is the source of good and bad thoughts and deeds. When there is a degree of neglect on the part of the believer in the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala, bad ideas and thoughts occur and ultimately result in sins. When the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala is abundant, bad thoughts and ideas are suppressed and good ones occur which lead to good deeds.

Ibn Abbas Radiallahu anhu reported that our nabi salalahu alayhi wasallam said:

Satan is holding fast mans heart and when man remembers Allah Ta’ala, he leaves the heart and when man becomes careless in remembrance he begins to create ill feelings.
(Bhukari)

In addition our nabi salalahu alayhi wasallam also said that everything has a polish and that the polish of the heart is the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala.

The remembrance of Allah Ta’ala is a blessing that can never be counted and the satisfaction cannot be measured. We should ensure that we occupy ourselves in the dhikr of Allah Ta’ala during our daily lives as this will save us from bad thoughts that will disease our hearts and lead us to that road of no return. Dhikr relives us of those worries that would otherwise eat into our hearts and will ultimately improve both our spiritual and worldly life.

May Allah Ta’ala give us the inclination to act upon the beloved teachings of our habib salalahu alayhi wasallam, and may we blessed with the proximity to Allah Ta’ala. Ameen.

On a finishing note, in a few months time I will be blessed with completing a very important and special half of my deen, Inshallah Ta’ala. I therefore humbly request you to remember us in your precious duas. Jazakallahu khair.

Wassalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah

The Pilgrimage of Life..

Leaving with a mission in mind,
Self-endurance, tenacity and faith are the needed characters.
The fears of misconduct,
The excitement of observing,
And the satisfaction of completion, occupy the mind,
A new status is then gained.
Does the status live to shine, or does it gradually die?
Some return with the mission perused,
Some return with their souls renewed,
Some... Just never return.

Courtesy: Inter Islam

EID MUBARAK

Eid Mubarak to all the readers from Sister Aaliyah and Mujahidah-an-Nafs.

I pray that Sister Mujahidah is in the best of health and Imaan and she is remembering us in her blessed journey to perform the pilgrimage. May Allah accept her efforts and give her a full and complete reward. Aameen.

Special Eid Mubarak to all my special and beloved sisters, you know who you are.

Journey Ends ~ Umm Zahra ~ Sister Sajeda ~ {Du'as Requested}