Muslim women's achievements in the field of knowledge- The Ideal Muslimah

Excerpt from the Book" The Ideal Muslimah"

The gates of knowledge are open to the Muslim woman, and she may enter whichever of them she
chooses, so long as this does not go against her feminine nature, but develops her mind and enhances her
emotional growth and maturity. We find that history is full of prominent examples of remarkable women
who sought knowledge and became highly proficient.
Foremost among them is the Mother of the Believers `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her), who was the primary source of hadith and knowledge of the sunnah, and was the first faqihah in Islam when
she was still a young woman no more than nineyears of age.

Imam al-Zuhri said: "If the knowledge of `A'ishah were to be gathered up and compared to the
knowledge of all the other wives of the Prophet (PBUH) and all other women, `A'ishah's knowledge
would be greater."

Her knowledge and deep understanding were not restricted only to matters of religion; she was equally
distinguished in poetry, literature, history and medicine, and other branches of knowledge that were
known at that time. The faqih of the Muslims, `Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, was quoted by his son Hisham as
saying: "I have never seen anybody more knowledgeable in fiqh or medicine or poetry than `A'ishah."

`A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) had a curious mind and was always eager to learn.
Whenever she heard about something she did not know, she would ask about it until she
understood it. Her closeness to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) meant that she was like a vessel
full of knowledge.
Imam Bukhari reports from Abu Mulaykah that `A'ishah, the wife of the Prophet (PBUH) never
heard anything that she did not know, but she would keep going over it until she understood it.
The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Whoever is brought to account will be punished." `A'ishah said: "I
said, `But does Allah (SWT) not say ( `Soon his account will be taken by an easy reckoning')
(Qur'an 84:8)" He said, "That refers to al-`ard (when everyone is brought before Allah (SWT) on
the Day of Judgement); but whoever is examined in detail is doomed."

In addition to her great knowledge, `A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) was also very eloquent in
her speech. When she spoke, she captured the attention of her audience and moved them deeply. This is
what made al-Ahnaf ibn Qays say:
"I heard the speeches of Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, `Ali and the khulafa' who came after them, but I
never heard any speech more eloquent and beautiful than that of `A'ishah."
Musa ibn Talhah said: "I never saw anyone more eloquent and pure in speech than `A'ishah."

`A'ishah, the other wives of the Prophet (PBUH), the daughter of Sa`id ibn al-Musayyab, Fatimah al-
Samarqandi and other famous women scholars were not something unique or rare among Muslim
women. There were innumerable learned women, who studied every branch of knowledge and became
prominent in many fields.

The modern Muslim woman, looking at the magnificent heritage of women in Islamic history, is filled
with the desire for knowledge, as these prominent women only became famous and renowned
throughout history by virtue of their knowledge. Their minds can only be developed, and their characters
can only grow in wisdom, maturity and insight, through the acquisition of useful, beneficial and correct
knowledge.

I can adjust my sails...Asalamu Alaykum

No April Fools Day for the Truthful

7 Conditions For a Woman's Dress

A Hijab is a word that indicated the following conditions :

 

1. Clothing must cover the entire body, only the hands and face may remain visible (According to some Fiqh Schools) . 

2. The material must not be so thin that one can see through it. 

3. The clothing must hang loose so that the shape / form of the body is not apparent. 

4. The female clothing must not resemble the man's clothing. 

5. The design of the clothing must not resemble the clothing of the non believing women. 

6. The design must not consist of bold designs which attract attention. 

7. Clothing should not be worn for the sole purpose of gaining reputation or increasing one's status in society. 

The reason for this strictness is so that the woman is protected from the lustful gaze of men. She should not attract attention to herself in any way. It is permissible for a man to catch the eye of a woman , however it is haram (unlawful) for a man to look twice as this encourages lustful thoughts. 

Islam protects the woman, it is for this reason that Allah gave these laws. In today's society womankind is being exploited, female sexuality is being openly used in advertising, mainly to attract the desires of men and therefore sell the product. Is the woman really free in today's society ? 

The answer is obviously no, the constant bombardment by the media as to how the ideal woman should look and dress testifies to this.

Islam liberated woman over 1400 years ago. Is it better to dress according to man or God ? 

Allah has stated in the Quran that women must guard their modesty.

" Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof. " [Quran : 24.31]

" Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that will make for greater purity for them, and God is well aquatinted with all they do. " [Quran : 24.30]

" And O you believers turn you all together toward God, so that you may attain bliss. " [Quran : 24.31]

Author : Naseer Ahmad, Islamway.com

Walking barefoot!!!

Walking barefoot

Asalamu Alaykum

Indoors I often walk barefoot. I enjoy it. I feel the stress floating off my feet.

The  Society for barefoot living says in their homepage:

“Going barefoot is the gentlest way of walking and can symbolise a way of living — being authentic, vulnerable, sensitive to our surroundings. It’s the feeling of enjoying warm sand beneath our toes, or carefully making our way over sharp rocks in the darkness. It’s a way of living that has the lightest impact, removing the barrier between us and nature.” — Adele Coombs, “Barefoot Dreaming”

In the Book “Take off your shoes and walk ” podiatrist Dr. Wikler advocated going barefoot for better foot health (especially for children). He also explained how shoes often deform and distort our feet.

We have made a fair-use extract of this wonderful, but long out-of-print book published in 1961 by Devin-Adair. Parents! . . . If anyone gives you any grief about allowing your child to be barefoot, having this overview on hand should be very helpful. Additional material by other researchers can be found here.

Now lets read this:

Narrated Fudalah ibn Ubayd: Abdullah ibn Buraydah said:

A man from the companions of the Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) travelled to Fudalah ibn Ubayd when he was in Egypt. He came to him and said:

“I have not come to you to visit you. But you and I heard a tradition from the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). I hope you may have some knowledge of it.”

He asked:

“What is it?

He replied:

“So and so”.

He said:

“Why do I see you dishevelled when you are the ruler of this land?”

He said:

“The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) has forbidden us to indulge much in luxury.”

He said:

“Why do I see you unshod? “

He replied:

“The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) used to command us to go barefoot at times”.

Sunan of Abu Dawud (Book #33, Hadith #4148)

How did Prophet Muhammad (saw) know the benefits of walking without shoes,  over 1400 years ago? This is just one more proof  that Prophet Muhammad is genuine and he is the Messenger of Allah(swt).

So now if we walk barefoot, lets do it not only for the pleasure and freedom it brings us but lets do it to revive a forgotten Sunnah!

Xenia

May Be...

Allah is always there!

Alafasy poem very beautiful and touching, all praising the lord.
 أغيب و ذو اللطائف لا يغيب الشيخ مشاري بن راشد العفاسي, أجمل ابتهال و أروع صوت  

Asalamu Alaykum-Peace be upon you!

I have four kind of days!

If you only had tomorrow...

Jumu'ah Mubarak!

God's Plan

Five Foods That Aid Weight Loss

Source: HealthyMuslim.com

The best way to lose weight and keep the weight off is to change the way you eat on a daily basis, by choosing a variety of healthy foods and eating in moderation. This will ensure an adequate supply of antioxidants vital for boosting immunity and protecting the body against disease.

Here are some foods that studies support as being effective fat-burners, thus potentially aiding weight loss when eaten as part of a balanced, healthy diet.

Grapefruit

Naringenin, a flavonoid in grapefruit, balances out blood sugar levels and helps to prevent metabolic syndrome, a pre-diabetic condition associated with weight gain. Scientists at the University of Western Ontario found it worked by programming the liver to burn up excess fat, rather than store it.

When patients drank grapefruit juice before each meal, they lost between nearly 4-10lb in weight over three months, according to a study at the University of California.

Chili Pepper

Capsaicin, the heat-producing molecule that gives chili peppers their kick, is thermogenic, meaning it speeds up metabolism and heat production. Research has found that cells can burn up to 25 per cent more calories after a person has eaten chili. Trials at Maastricht University found that chili peppers also reduce appetite by suppressing hunger and prolonging the feeling of fullness.

Green tea

Green tea speeds up the rate your body burns cellular energy by up to 40 per cent, according to research reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The plant also increases the rate of fat burning. Researchers have found this effect is caused by the combination of caffeine and flavonoids found in the tea, whether it is drunk hot or cold.

Cinnamon

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when volunteers were given rice pudding with three grams of cinnamon, they produced less insulin after the meal. Insulin is the hormone that turns excess sugar into fat, so this means less weight gain. Furthermore, cinnamon may slow down emptying of the stomach, meaning it can make you feel fuller for longer.

Coconut oil

Coconut fat has found to have fewer calories per gram than other fats, producing only 6.8 calories per gram rather than 9 calories like most fats. Unlike many others,calories in coconut oil act more like carbohydrates, being burned by the liver for immediate energy.

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the body digests coconut oilmore easily than the fats in butter or spreads, rapidly converting it into a source of energy.

“To be honest…”

” To Be Honest”… By Xenia

We hear it every day in conversations ” To be honest I/we…”

Well to ” be honest” I always wonder why the person(s) I have the conversation with need to use this certain expression. What does it mean? Does it mean that on this instance they are honest but at others they are not?

In our days and I am sorry if  I sound negative, I am not totally surprised.

For many but Insha Allah not the majority , dishonesty, lies and the decline of all that is pure and honest is the norm…

What makes it worse is that the decline of this beautiful virtue called honesty or that total  absence of it, is not considered  by many something worth “writing home about”. But I have read that Muslims are  the Best of nations because  Allah (swt) made a statement  honoured us and said:

Holy Qur’an

“Thus We have made of you a just and the best nation that you may be witnesses over mankind and the Apostle (Muhammad) will be a witness over yourselves.” (2.143)

And Honesty descended for us from the Heaven as we see in the following hadith

Narrated Hudhaifa:

Allah’s Apostle said to us,

“Honesty descended from the Heavens and settled in the roots of the hearts of men (faithful believers),

and then the Quran was revealed and the people read the Quran, (and learnt it from it) and also learnt it from the Sunna.”

Both Quran and Sunna strengthened their (the faithful believers’) honesty . Sahih Bukhari (Book #92, Hadith #381)

So if we read the Holy Qur’an and The Sunna of the Prophet (saw) , and we understand  implement what we read, why then we  do not remember ? Is it because  our hearts  are now so hard that the most beautiful teachings can not penetrate them?

Do we not care if we are of the people mentioned in the following hadith?

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “The signs of a hypocrite are three:

1. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.

2. Whenever he promises, he always breaks it (his promise ).

3. If you trust him, he proves to be dishonest. (If you keep something as a trust with him, he will not return it.)”  Sahih Bukhari  (Book #2, Hadith #32)

Some of us have the policy ” If you can not beat them join them” .

Meaning?

If everybody else does it, we might as well be like them otherwise we might be considered backwards, simple, naive, or we might be taken advantage of.

I am asking you: ” So???” What we should be concerned about is that  Allah (swt) watches everyone of us. He  (swt) knows Everything.

Please do not give short measures .

Not in Feelings including your love and care

Not In  Goods

Not in your Time

Not in ANYTHING.

Following are some sayings . I hope we will all get motivated and start making the changes NOW!!!

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
But
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

Jazak Allah Kheir for reading

Xenia

So " Don't Be Sad"

Mother

Sisterhood Poem!

The art of happiness - Pause to reflect

Excerpt from The Book " Don't Be Sad"

Do not be sad. If you are poor, then someone else is immersed in debt. If you do not own your own means of transportation, then someone else has been deprived of his legs. If you have reason to complain concerning the pains of sickness, then someone else has been bedridden for years. And if you have lost a child, then someone else has lost many children, for instance, in a single car accident.
Do not be sad. You are a Muslim who believes in Allah, His Messengers, His angels, the Hereafter, and Preordainment both the good and the bad of it. While you are blessed with this faith, which is the greatest of blessings, others disbelieve in Allah, discredit the Messengers, differ among themselves concerning the Book, deny the Hereafter, and deviate in their understanding of Divine Preordainment.
Do not be sad, because if you are, you disturb your soul and heart, and you prevent yourself from sleeping.
One of the Arab poets said:
"How often is the young man overcome with despair when afflicted, and with Allah is the way out,
The situation becomes unbearable, and when its rope tightens, it snaps, and throughout, he never thought that he would be saved."

Quotes of the Day!