Followers

Wednesday 29 December 2010

"The time of our lives..."

A famous quotes is “Time is Money” but is it?
In this world, we live within  time and space which are of course both Creations of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).
So we are bound by  space and time.
But do we ever give the appropriate importance to our time?
I know we always say “I must make time for this and time for  that… time to go to work, time to make money, time costs money, time is money and so on. ” This is not what I mean.   Are we getting our priorities right as with regards to time?
How are you spending your time today? Do you know why you was given today, did you appreciate this day, that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) blessed you with and what did you do with your time?
Or  are you  just spending your day idle and procrastinating?  Putting off what you have to do for later? Thinking that you will be given the extra time to do beneficial activities later. I am also asking myself the same question…
We have to reflect on our purpose in life and why we have been given  time in our lives, however much time Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will permit us  with.
Our life in this world is only temporary and it is a test for the life in the  Hereafter, which  will be our eternal life.. The  purpose of our life is :
And I (Allâh) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone). (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)
Worshipping Allah not only on when we perform our prayers but doing  every action of our lives  for His sake and to please Him.
Once we grasp the truth and purpose  of our existence then it is possible for us to appreciate and use our time correctly.
Ibn-ul Qayyim said, “The highest, most worthy and most useful of reflection is what is intended for Allah and the Hereafter.”
Imam Hassan Al-Banna, said “Time is life itself.”
Imam Shafi’i said,”Out of my company with Sufis, I benefited only two things, one of which is their saying: like a sword, time will cut you if you do not cut it. …” In other words, if you do not spend time doing something useful, you are the loser by wasting it.

Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah said: “One’s time is in fact his age. It is the material of his eternal life either in everlasting joy or painful torture. It passes more quickly than clouds do. It is only the time one dedicates to Allah that constitutes one’s real life and age. The rest does not count; the life he leads in it is only animal life. Compared to a life of indulgence in appetitive activities, false aspirations and negligence of Allah’s remembrance – and at best in sleep and being idle – death is a much better alternative.”

The Prophet (salallahu alahi wa salam) said:
Take advantage of five matters before five other matters:
1) Your youth before you become old,
2) Your health before you fall sick,
3) Your richness before you become poor,
4) Your free time before you become busy,
5) Your life before your death.
Also it has been reported that he (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said:
Narrated by Ibn Abbas:
The Prophet (Salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, ‘There are two blessings which many people lose: Health and free time for doing good”
[Al- Bukhari 76:421]
On the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (radhi-yallaahu ‘anhumaa) who said:
If you live until the evening, then do not expect to live until the following morning. And if you live until the morning, then do not expect to see the evening. Take from your health for your sickness and from your life for your death.
Reported by al-Bukhari
What are we waiting for? More time?
There is no time like now.
Lets hasten to do good!
May Allah make our actions pleasing to Him. Ameen
By Xenia



Monday 27 December 2010

The Choice is Yours...

The Choice is yoursAsalamu Alaykum
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View more presentations from Xenia Yasmin.


Thursday 23 December 2010

No Compulsion in Islam..

Asalamu Alaykum
I have come across some comments where the commentators after reading a few verses of the Qur’an which is usually done out of context,all of a sudden  feel confident to pass their own negative interpretations as solid and unmistakeable.
One of the comments that I remember is that and I will not specify , that some Muslim men marry other faith women in order to convert them and by procreating increase the Muslim population. Now this is something that I found somewhat strange. I am sure it would be hassle free and much simpler  to get married to a Muslim woman.
It is easy to comprehend  that you can not compel anyone in matters of Religion.
Believing in Allah (swt) and worshipping Him alone is a very personal matter and a matter of the heart. How can anyone convert anybody?
Say (O Muhammad SAW): “Whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allâh knows it, and He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. And Allâh is Able to do all things.” (Aali Imran 3:29)
Allah (swt) Says for those who deny the truth:
Those who break Allâh’s Covenant after ratifying it, and sever what Allâh has ordered to be joined (as regards Allâh’s Religion of Islâmic Monotheism, and to practise its legal laws on the earth and also as regards keeping good relations with kith and kin), and do mischief on earth, it is they who are the losers. (Al-Baqarah 2:27)
The Qur’an recognizes the right to religious freedom not only in the case of other believers in God, but also in the case of not-believers in God (if they are not aggressing upon Muslims).
And if anyone of the MushrikĂ»n (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allâh (the Qur’ân), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not. (At-Tawbah 9:6)
So for those who ask, the answer is a big no. No Muslim man is ever going to get married to another faith woman for reasons of conversion.
There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Tâghût and believes in Allâh, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower. (Al-Baqarah 2:256)
By Xenia



Wednesday 15 December 2010

Doing good for others...

Asalamu Alaykum

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Wednesday 1 December 2010

Do you think it is their fault?


Photo courtesy BBC
For the past few days we are experiencing extreme weather conditions. Bitter cold. snow with more snow expected in the next few days.
Some of us are having fun and some of us  are  complaining about the poor travel conditions and the state of our roads, rail and air disruptions.
We are all very anxious to get to our destinations ie home as quickly as possible. Away from the the bitter cold, the wet and the darkness.
How many of us though, have spared a thought for those who haven’t got a warm house to go to?
People who have not got a home of their own. People sleeping in cold and desolate street benches, under bridges and archways, shop doorways, and so on.
We are sometimes quick to dismiss their predicament as something caused by their own fault. This can be sometimes the case but not always…
Possible reasons for their condition could be one of many:
  • Unavailability of employment opportunities.
  • Poverty, caused by many factors including unemployment and underemployment.
  • Lack of affordable healthcare.
  • War or armed conflict.
  • Mental disorder, where mental health services are unavailable or difficult to access.
  • Disability, especially where disability services are nonexistent or poor performing.
  • Substance abuse
  • Lack of affordable housing
  • Relationship breakdown, particularly in relation to young people and their parents.
  • Prison release and re-entry into society.
  • Natural disaster, including but not limited to earthquakes and hurricanes.
  • Forced eviction – In many countries, people lose their homes by government order to make way for newer upscale high rise buildings, roadways, and other governmental needs.[53] The compensation may be minimal, in which case the former occupants cannot find appropriate new housing and become homeless.
  • Mortgage foreclosures
In this weather a homeless person does not only face the usual problems of
  • Reduced access to health care and dental services.
  • Limited access to education.
  • Increased risk of suffering from violence and abuse.
  • General rejection or discrimination from other people.
  • Loss of usual relationships with the mainstream
  • Not being seen as suitable for employment.
  • Reduced access to banking services
  • Reduced access to communications technology
but the very real danger of hypothermia and possible death.
So next time you come across a homeless person, especially in these severe weather conditions,  please do not hurry to pass by but try to stop and find out if you can help in any small or big way within your capabilities.
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace andblessings be upon him) said,
“There is no person who does not have the obligation of (doing) charity every day that the sun rises.”
Whereupon he was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, from where would we get something to give in charity (so often)?” To which he (peace and blessings be upon him) replied,
“Indeed the gates to goodness are many: glorifying God, praising Him, magnifying Him, saying ‘There is no god but Allah,’ enjoining the good and forbidding the wrong, removing (any source of) harm from the road, making the deaf hear (and understand), guiding the blind, showing the seeker his need, striving as far as your two legs could carry you and with deep concern to give succor to him who asks, carrying with the strength of your arms (the burdens of) the weak. All these are (acts of) charity.” And he added, “And your smiling in the face of your brother is charity, your removing of stones, thorns, and bones from people’s paths is charity, and your guiding a man gone astray in the world is charity for you.”