Followers

Monday 30 August 2010

**For Sisters Only**6 Ways to Stay Spiritually Uplifted

A wave of disappointment overcomes us sisters at certain times during Ramadan when we realise that we can’t fast during the menstrual cycle or post-natal period. It’s almost like we get left out, especially when everyone else gets excited at the last 10 nights – but even if your not fasting, there are ways to ensure you grab those rewards and you don’t miss out!

Firstly, one should never despair at the Mercy of Allah and His Commands for us to abstain from fasting when in a state of impurity; as with all things ordained in Islam there is wisdom. Sisters bear the ‘triple shift’, as I often refer to it, as juggling work, study, & caring for their family as part of life so being unable to fast is a time to provide your body with a rejuvenated outlook on what you have achieved and what you can accomplish in the remaining days of ramadan.

In the following article we share ideas on how you can stay on a spiritual high this Ramadan and provide tools for using your time effectively.

1. Listen to the recitation of the Qur’an

During the time you can’t fast, stay spiritually uplifted by listening to the recitation of the Qur’an, and listen to those surahs you are trying to committ to memory. You’ll find after having listened to the surah several times you will have memorised it and not wasted any time in this blessed month of the Qur’an. (p.s. regarding reading Quran for sisters on their menstrual cycle, you’ll find the fatwa here useful: http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/2564/)

2. Contribute to a community project

You could volunteer to help out at a local community iftaar, or buy a pack of dates to donate to the local masjid for iftaar – imagine the barakah of feeding about 100 people – you’ll have the reward of 200 fasts inshaAllah. If there are iftars being hosted at the masjid, volunteer to serve and help clean up afterwards. Or buy a jug of Zamzam water and pour it into little bottles and distribute them to everyone at the masjid with dates. Babysit during Taraweeh so that the mothers (and everyone else!) can pray with khushu’ and concentration. Cook iftar for sisters who are expecting, elderly, students away from home, etc. in your community and deliver it to their homes.


3. Help Mum in the Kitchen!

It’s often a blessed opportunity which comes once a year when we all eat together, yet it’ the mothers who concentrate all their energies on the family more than any other time in the year. Take this opportunity to help Mum out as she prepares for iftaar, and offer to help around the house to make fasting easier on her. This one comes with big rewards (and of course ask her to make dua for you).

Do any deep cleaning, laundry, Eid shopping etc. that needs to be done now, so that you can fully focus on extra ibadah when you are fasting and in the last 10 nights. You can also prepare and freeze some food now so that you don’t have to cook iftar on other days when you are fasting and also in preparation for Eid instead of losing out on extra good deeds in the last 10 nights.

4. Make Plentiful Dua

Spend a lot of time in dua in the last third of the night and keep in tune with the routine of ramadan, and memorize the du`a’s for different actions (morning/evening supplication, leaving the home, etc). Listen to this du`a’:http://jannah.org/jannahradio/ghamdi_dua.mp3 with the translation:http://jannah.org/jannahradio/dua_ghamdi_trans.txt

Memorize Allah’s Most Beautiful Names – 3 each day and their meanings so you can understand and become closer to Allah, and then call upon Allah with His Names in your dua.

5. Make Goodies!

Make a CD of beautiful Qur’an recitation and duas in MP3 and distribute them to people you know so others can benefit. Make Eid/Ramadan goodie bags for the kids so that they love and feel attached to Ramadan – use your talents and be creative in this time you have.

6. Increase Dhikr

Do the adhkar (rememberance of Allah) for morning and evening narrated from the Prophet (pbuh). Remember to seek out Laylatul Qadr throughout the last 10 nights and do not let even one night go by without making dua. Aisha (ra), out of her excellence, enquired about what she should recite in search of and upon Laylatul Qadr – the Prophet replied she should make this dua: “Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee” (‘Say: O Allah, You are Oft-Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.” [Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmidhi]

You can also find out who is sick in your area or in the hospital and go visit them, these steps you take towards visiting the sick are rewarded greatly. And look for new converts, those who are newly practicing or people who have lost touch with the community and invite them over for iftar.

As seen above, there are multiple ways you can gain reward, with sincere intentions and work in the way of Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’la) you can stay spiritually uplifted this ramadan and be productive even if you are not fasting.

Remember those who are unable to fast due to illness in your sincere duas.
From iMuslimz




Courtesy of the fb group/ Niqab: The Face Veil

Thursday 26 August 2010

Duaa-s-Supplications-from-the-quran

Following is a beautiful compilation of duas from the Qur'an and the Sunnah. May Allah reward immensely the Creator of this work. Please read, memorize and use in your daily life. Remember " The Dua is the Weapon of the Believer".

Tuesday 24 August 2010

I was going to write a post... Floods in Pakistan 2010

Asalamu Alaykum
I was going to write a post... but pictures speak a thousand words.

I will only add that this is a test. Not only for the people directly affected but also for us. What we feel and how we react to this disaster  is also our Test. Please do not fail it!



Please choose FULL SCREEN on the Menu for a better read. Press escape to End.
Jazakallah Kheir

Wa Alaykum Salam

Thursday 19 August 2010

How to achieve a happy life...

An American psychologist said; living a happy life is a fine art which entails 10 things:
1) Do a work that you love. If you can not do that, then find a hobby that you love and do it in your spare time and reinforce it.
2) Take care of your health for it is the spirit of happiness. This means being moderate in eating and drinking, exercising regularly and avoiding bad habits.
3)  Have a goal in life, for this will give you motivation and energy.
4) Take life as it comes, and accept the bitter and the sweet.
5) Live in the present, with no regret for the past and no anxiety about tomorrow that has yet to come.
6) Think hard about any action or decision, and do not blame anyone else for your decision or its consequences.
7)  Look at those who are worse off than you.
8) have the habit of smiling and being cheerful, and keep company with optimistic people.
9) Strive to make others happy so that you may benefit from the atmosphere of happiness.
10) Make the most of the occasions of happiness and joy, and regard them as necessary to renew your own happiness.
” Enjoy today and make the most of
it; Look for things that will prevent
pain from happening before it attacks
you.”
From the book:
“You can be the happiest woman in the world”
by Dr A’id al-Qarni


Saturday 14 August 2010

Modesty and Faith


Ramadan Hadith


I am a Mother..

















To appreciate the beauty of this card, please follow the link

I am a Mother Now...

Ramadan 4, 1431- Checklist....



Ramadan 4, 1431

Asalamu Alaykum :)

It seems that it was only yesterday that we welcomed Ramadan  1431, and now we are already on day 4. The month has come to us with all its blessings.

Are we  though...

a) ...getting Closer to Allah and increasing our Taqwa ?

b) ...are we increasing in patience?

c) Have we left all our bad habits and addictions behind never to return to them?

d) Do we remember often that in this month the Holy Qur'an was revealed as a mercy to humanity and a Criterion and are we well in the process of our renewing our relationship with this Divine Book, aiming to make it last beyond the days or Ramadan?

e) Do we feel the protection from evil that Ramadan brought us ?
In Ramadan the Shaitan ( the ones causing major harms) are chained and the Gates of heaven are open. Though there are still some smaller  shaitan about as well as  the evil within our own selves, we should already find it easier to be and do good as there is most definitely less evil around. :)

f) Do we feel more compassionate towards those less fortunate than us ?

And  remember to thank Allah ?

g) For those of us who find it easier and for those of us who find it harder to appreciate and do what we should be doing this Ramadan, I would like to leave you with this:



Until we meet again....

Ramadan Mubarak!!!!







Monday 9 August 2010

The best Times, when duas are accepted...

Asalamu Alaykum

No doubt, with the blessed month of Ramadan just a few hours away, our thoughts turn to maximizing the benefit  and getting closer to Allah, The Most High. The following is a reminder of Allah's Mercy. The Best Times to make dua.




Saturday 7 August 2010

Why I do not want to be Only a " Ramadan Muslim"

With Ramadan 2010 fast approaching,  my thoughts turn to other Ramadans past and I can not help but feel that most of us are in great  need to carry the Ramadan spirit not only for  the the 30 days that Ramadan lasts but also for the rest of the year.
We have already, Alhamdulillah,  started preparing spiritually and physically for the blessed days to come.
We are all making our resolutions. I am sure you have all made your lists:
Day 1- Day 30…
No wasting time, spending more time studying and learning the Religion, dusting our Qur’an off the shelf and trying to read it,more memorisation, asking for forgiveness, attending all prayers in the masjid, taraweeh and night prayers a must,  being extra nice to relatives and neighbours, more peaceful, more loving, more charitable and more…
Of course in the month of Ramadan by Allah’s permission, doing good and being good becomes easier. And that is a Blessing from Allah The Most  High, Who Wants us to remember His great favour upon us , The Reveleation of the Holy Qur’an , be grateful, show our gratitude , ask for His Forgiveness and He Wants us to draw closer to Him, He wants to bestow upon us His bounty and blessings.
But this is not only for the few days out of the year that Ramadan lasts.
Of course it is good to aim to have a Blessed Ramadan for yourselves and your families.
But somehow this aim to get close to Allah (swt) must be maintained all through the year.
So the lists we are making must be L O N G  T E R M.
We need to have the  Qur’an in our lives not just for the duration of Ramadan but also forthe rest of the year. We need to study it and understand it and implement it in our lives on a daily basis.
We need to follow the Sunnah of The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) daily, not only for Ramadan.
We need to be able to easily do what is good and avoid all evil on a daily basis.
We need to be charitable and kind on a daily basis.
That’s why I do not want to be an" Only a Ramadan Muslim".
I want to be a “Ramadan”  Muslim", every single day, every hour, every minute and every second of my life.
And remember….from personal experience I say this:
Set your goals, aim high for this Ramadan  but if you have a draw back, please do not give up, but get up,  ask for forgiveness and try again.
This is what I will also do. Inshallah.
Make dua and ask Allah to Guide you and help you not only for Ramadan but for always.
Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. “Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maulâ (Patron, Suppor-ter and Protector, etc.) and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” (Al-Baqarah 2:286)
I ask you all to forgive me if I have done or said anything to upset you.
Ramadan Mubarak!
Xenia



Monday 2 August 2010

Random Ramadan Thoughts-The Invitation to Knowledge and Understanding

Ramadan is the month in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed.
Allah sent the Qur’an down as a Mercy to Humanity.
The Very First Ayaat that was revealed was ( the meaning of which is):
“Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists),” (Al-’Alaq 96:1)
One of the first things that caught my attention when I first started reading about Islam was the invitation and the challenge not to accept everything I was told but  to look myselffor the truth and strive to acquire knowledge.
I was  most definitely not being invited to ” Blind Faith”.
WE ARE ASKED TO LOOK
“… Look how We make the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth).”  (Al-Ma’idah 5:75)
Look then at the effects (results) of Allâh’s Mercy, how He revives the earth after its death. Verily! That (Allâh) Who revived the earth after its death shall indeed raise the dead (on the Day of Resurrection), and He is Able to do all things. (Ar-Rum 30:50)
WE ARE ASKED TO TRAVEL
Have they not travelled through the land, and have they hearts wherewith to understand and ears wherewith to hear? Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind. (Al-Hajj 22:46)
WE ARE CHALLENGED

Who has created the seven heavens one above another, you can see no fault in the creations of the Most Beneficent. Then look again: “Can you see any rifts?” (Al-Mulk 67:3)

Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn out. (Al-Mulk 67:4)
TO SEEK KNOWLEDGE
Then High above all be Allâh, the True King. And be not in haste (O Muhammad SAW) with the Qur’ân before its revelation is completed to you, and say: “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” (Ta-Ha 20:114)
But For The Disbelievers there is no benefit
Say: “Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth,” but neither Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) nor warners benefit those who believe not. (Yunus 10:101)
May Allah the Most High  Guide us all to the straight path. May we all renew our relationship with the Qur'an and understand...