Battery Low

The exam periods have now come to an end, with most students awaiting their results and grades to continue into the next year of university or to confirm their offers from universities and colleges.

Seeing as I use my car more often than I used to whilst being at university, I noticed that despite changing my battery a few months back I still have the feeling that this battery is 'whining' and is not powering up as it should, especially for a battery which is six months old.

Six months ago my battery had given up all the power it had, although I noticed I could still recharge it with the small amount of power it had left. Therefore, I decided to charge the battery and drive over and get one that is 'life guaranteed' to ensure I don't have any problems in the future... but luck has it that my battery needs another replacement in just six months and I will have to take it back and get it changed for a new one.

Point

An episode of a battery; not the most exciting of posts and neither the most interesting of stories. But despite that this incident is one that occurred every time I would start the car; the whining for ten seconds followed by the roar of the engine always made me think of my battery and the fact that I needed to get it changed.

The battery powers up the motor (car) and makes the gadgets within the car work; the life and soul of the car.

In the same manner, I felt that our hearts have the same characteristics; it powers up the soul and the spiritual existence within us. The heart goes through phases which can be compared to the dying battery as well as to that of the powered battery.

At times our spiritual battery comes to a low and requires boosting through jump leads; this can be achieved, at times, through the short bursts of energy gained from the talks and gatherings that take place either on a regular basis on special talks which occur every once in a while.

At other times, the batter will not suffice through jump starting from another battery, instead it requires to be charged by a battery charger over a period of time and this is the same as seeking a spiritual guide (Shaykh) and asking the Shaykh to charge one's heart with spiritualism over a longer period to ensure that there is enough power to take a person through the hurdles, tests and trials of this world.

Alhumdulillah, the heart of a Muslim has enough power to never die out and be replaced; the spark of Imaan remains in the heart of every Muslim and just requires the power of the Shaykh, 'Ulamaa and the company of the pious to turn the spark and into a flame.

We, as Muslims, have an option of continuosly jump starting our batteries by attending the talks of the Shuyookh as well as to remain in their company and charge our batteries completely. If we fail to do this then we may just find ourselves stranded one day without an indication as to where we are and how we will get out of the place we have got into...

No battery, no power, no jump leads and no one to help us... In this world we may think that will never happen and there is always a solution - but - in the Hereafter it will surely occur... No battery, no power, no jump leads and we will not be able to 'drive' to Jannah but instead we will be driven towards Jahannam:

وَسِيقَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ زُمَرًا

"And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell In groups"

[Surah Zumur - 39:71]

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى save us all from the dying heart and keep our hearts alive with His remembrance. Our Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم has stated:

مَثَلُ الَّذِيْ يَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ وَالَّذِيْ لاَ يَذْكُرُهُ مَثَلُ الحَيِّ وَالمَيِّتِ

"The example of one who remembers his Lord and the example of one who does not remember Him is that of a living person and a dead person (respectively)."

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى give us all the inclination to glance towards the states of our hearts and hear its whining and cries. May He give us the strength and courage to reform and empower our hearts through His love. Aameen.

Exams

For many of us these months will be stressful as it is the exam periods in schools and universities as well as many Madaaris. It is during these months that we will be examined, ranked and informed as to what we have done and achieved during the year that has just past.

It is no different for me as I am also going through my exams. Alhumdulillah, having already passed all my modules through coursework I am more relaxed during my exams and aim to achieve a better grade due to being less nervous during the actual examination.

Anyway, the concept and idea of examinations is quiet scary; although having put my best into the year I fear the results of the exams; will they really reflect my efforts? Will I be asked something that I overlooked or didn't revise? Did I miss something out without realising? Was my learning method and information I learnt wrong and incorrect?

These are all questions that I can ask myself despite having made an effort throughout the year. And obviously if I failed to make an effort then many more questions will arise and the stress will or should be greater than this.

So after one exam, I have got a taste of what examinations are really like; no matter how hard you try and revise there is always the pressure that will remain and the nervousness will remain until the results are released.

POINT

It will be obvious to many what the point of this incident of thought will be. It is a point that we have all been reminded of and all have pondered over. Yet it sometimes feels necessary to repeat these points so that we are reminded, for surely we need reminding of these matters time and again.

Despite knowing that I have passed all the modules and can continue in the second year I feel nervous of these exams and prepare for them to the best of my ability. It isn't necessarily for any financial gain but it is essential for me to achieve what I believe in and what I have set out to achieve.

But it sometimes is disturbing to think how much effort we place in the 'true' examination. How much consideration do we place on that examination where thousands of questions will be asked in front the entire world population; those who have gone before us and those who are yet to come? How much effort do we place to achieve success in that examination where there are no re-takes, no concessions and no hope of survival if we fail?

It is an Arabic saying: "at the time of an examination, a person is either honoured or he is disgraced"

Hadhrat Aisha رضي الله عنها relates that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم stated: 'whosoever is questioned (on that day) will be destroyed'

An examination where all the questions will be based on our honesty, obedience, intentions and our lifestyle. We have achieved the name of Muslims but do our actions depict this? We claim to love Allah and His Rasool صلى الله عليه و سلم but does our obedience highlight this?

In these exams we can get away with leaving our questions or even guessing the answer; the examiner is not bothered and neither do we have to face him to answer to him. But on the day of the 'true' examination there will be no questions left unanswered, a day when our tongues will not have permission to speak but instead our hands, feet, ears, eyes and other limbs will answer and inform Allah of our deeds

Is this month not a reminder enough that we spend sleepless nights in revision for the success in the following year yet we never spend a night in worship for the success in the Hereafter?

May Allah make us all successful in our examinations in this world and the Hereafter. May he use these examinations to remind us of the true examination that is to come and that may arrive at the next moment... An exam that is guaranteed without an examination date. May He give us the ability and inclination to prepare for this exam so that after preparation He can overlook our shortcomings through His mercy and forgive us by excusing us and appreciating our efforts. Aameen.

I Spy With My Little Eye

The title may be familiar to many and may also remind a few of us of our childhood days. Well, I wasn't playing 'I Spy...' recently neither was I able or planning to do so.

Recently, I went through laser surgery. A procedure that a friend of mine had already been through but assured me that it was safe and 'painless'.

Alhumdulillah, the procedure was a success and the recovery is also progressing well. However, it was one of the most frightening experiences I remember. The pain was minimal but the anticipation before the surgery was torturing just as the fear during was overwhelming.

After the treatment my eyes were stinging and burning for a couple of hours during which I was unable to open them or see anything. Water flowed from my eyes and the pain was severe for a couple of hours.

I can say I am pleased to have taken the surgery but I hoped that I was more prepared, more informed and more knowledgeable about the process. It would have definitely reduced my fear a little by knowing what I was going to expect and that I was mentally prepared for it. Physically, I had to ensure my eyes were well lubricated by putting lubricating gel regularly prior to the treatment.

Point

Bringing the rambling to an end, I realised that there were many lessons to learn from this experience.

The obvious one being that the gift of sight is something that we never really appreciate in its completeness. We tend to concentrate on all the negative occurrences in our life but we fail to compare them to all the blessings.

I realised that all the apparent discomforts and hardships of life balanced against the gift of sight would make us realise that we really have something to be grateful for. Try it... Walk around the house for an hour with your eyes closed. Overlook all the bumps and dependency you have and just concentrate on the depressing feeling of nothing but darkness... Should we not be grateful for sight?

I also realised that it is essential to prepare and be ready for occasions such as a laser surgery. It gives us confidence that we made an effort and that it will allow us to be more aware of what will take place. Keeping this point in mind, I thought of the Hereafter, the great trials and tribulations that will take place; the Hell fire and the questioning in extreme conditions.

Should we not prepare ourselves mentally and physically for this? Should we not take heed of the constant reminders warnings from Allah? Should we not ensure that we are ready for the Hereafter by making provisions prior to the event and occurrence of this mighty event?

There is much to understand and much to say... But I feel that if we get this message then it is sufficient.

May Allah make us aware of all His bounties and mercies, even in times of distress. May He give us the ability to be grateful for all we have and the inclination to do good in return.

May we realise the magnitude of events that will unfold before the day of resurrection and those that will occur after it and whilst understanding these events may Allah give us the strength and inclination to prepare ourselves. Aameen

Wake-Up Call

The title is a term we all should be quite familiar with; a wake-up-call is usually referred to that sound our alarm clocks or mobile phones make in the morning to ensure that we're up bright and early.

The wake up call, although a simple term, can carry a lot of meaning if looked at from different angles. The term shows that before this 'wake-up-call' we're actually asleep and unaware of our surroundings and what is happening; as though we're in a state of ignorance.

The 'call' is a form of waking us up from our deep sleep and ignorance and gives us the message to start a new day and begin our moment of awareness.

This blog has been about my perception of life and my experiences and how they can relate to other people and also look into the messages of Allah through the activities of our daily lives.

However, I am more than certain that many people have shared this experience and also felt the natural wake-up-call from Allah, the earthquake.

Many have been discussing the earthquake and also mentioning the point I just mentioned, the sign from Allah.

It doesn't take any convincing to state that our sins definately have some sort of effect, in both this world and the hereafter. At times the effects of these sins are hidden by Allah and made known to the individual and at times the collective effects of these sins are shown to a group or even a nation.

Point

To be honest, I don't really see a great need to discuss the earthquake or what it means and how people are drowing in sins without regret or remorse. I feel that each individual who has some fear of Allah will be aware of the rights and wrongs that he has done. Yet I feel it necessary that each and every one of us should realise that this is a wake up call and we can choose to wake up to this call and begin a new day in the path of pleasing Allah or we can hit the 'snooze' button whilst hoping that the alarm and wak up call will come again, hopefully soon, to make us realise that we are stepping away from His path and earning His displeasure.

It may be that the call may not come again, or it could be possible that the next call will not be a wake up call but a call to anounce His punishment and wrath.

May Allah save us all and allow us to wake up to His calls and signs. Aameen.

Awareness

My daughter always seemed to me to be the brave one, especially compared to my niece and nephew who are older than her. I would notice that she was quite ‘daring’ and wouldn’t be afraid to give something a try. In fact, something that would cause butterflies in her stomach actually made her laugh.

My nephew has always had this tendency to be alert and aware; much more now than he was when he was younger; whilst my niece is still willing to give things a try but really hates the butterfly feeling.

Though this may all seem random, it’s actually my thoughts gathered at our local park whilst I took the little ones there to enjoy themselves. I really notice the difference between this trip and the last one I made. The awareness of my nephew, who is the eldest, was far greater than I expected.

It made me realise that my daughter was not really the ‘brave one’ she was the one who was unaware of dangers, boundaries, hurt and pain. With age comes awareness and with awareness comes age. The older we get the more aware we should become; the more we should be able to understand, recognise and refrain from those things that could prove to be harmful to us in anyway.

Point

When we look at kids we should, to some extent, reflect upon ourselves. How ‘aware’ are we in regards to those things that can harm and hurt us? I believe at times we’re quite aware of things that could be dangerous to our bodies and health; yet we either take a risk or we don’t realise just how dangerous these things can prove to be, if not in the present time then in the near future.

Yet how many times have we pondered about how aware we are in regards to Allah? Have we become any closer to Him; to pleasing Him through our age? Were we more sensitive about Allah’s pleasure and displeasure when we were kids or are we becoming wiser with age?

I remember, when we were kids, our mother used to tell us that Allah will burn is in fire if we do something wrong and He will become upset. At that age we used to be constantly reminded or we would constantly question our actions; is Allah going to be displeased with this? Will He punish us?

Yet our awareness in relation to Allah is such that we become more aware of His mercy, or should I say more dependent; whilst we completely overlook His power and promise to punish. In reality, we, with age, have chosen to become more unaware of Allah.

May Allah give us awareness of His might and power as well as His mercy. May He make us understand that His pleasure is ultimate and that nothing should come before His pleasure. May He give us the strength, courage and understanding to that which pleases Him and refrain from that which displeases Him.

Aameen.

Unwavering Intentions

The New Year has now begun, both in the Hijri calendar as well as the Gregorian calendar. This time of the year holds many different customs, norms, traditions as well as celebrations. Many will be aware of the ‘sales’ that take place, whilst others will have suffered the load bangs of people setting fire to their money through the purchasing of fireworks.

It is also during this time that many people make a New Year’s resolution; a statement containing a list of items that one determines to complete and be steadfast upon during the New Year.

I usually tend to grab any opportunity, any excuse to make a resolution; so whether it is a big achievement in life; a new opportunity; my birthday or New Years, I don’t miss a chance to update my resolutions... In fact, we should make a resolution every day reminding us to avoid the mistakes of yesterday.

So now that the New Year is here, should we not use this as an opportunity to make a pact with Allah; to use this opportunity to bow in front of Him and ask Him for another chance?

Point

Well the point is crystal clear... it is as I said above... Don’t waste a moment’s time to make a gesture of good will towards Allah or towards a fellow being. Bring in a change for the better by reflecting upon the past.

So what can be included in a resolution? Anything from the smallest of ‘promises’ to the greatest of Du’as... Start simple and build on it after you have achieved one... Make a list and cross off one by one...

O Allah give me firm and unwavering intentions which I can use to gain Your pleasure and the pleasure of those whom You love. O Allah, grant me the wisdom to make the correct intentions in life and the courage to carry out my intentions. Allah, if You have placed benefit in any act then put it in my fate to do that action and O Allah if there is any action that is not in my favour then You are the Most Merciful, turn me away from that action and distance that action from me.

O Allah clean my heart in the same manner that water cleanses dirty clothes. O Allah quench my thirst with knowledge in the manner that water quenches thirst. O Allah grow the love for You and Your beloved in my heart like the manner in which water grows crops.

O Allah, You are the one who gives and who takes; I ask from You not that which I desire but instead that which You desire for me and I ask You to desire for me not that which is in accordance to my deeds but that which is in accordance to Your mercy and kindness.

O Allah another year has gone within which I was unable to become any closer to You yet Your mercy has given me another chance, another year, O Allah make every remaining moment of my life one that is not wasted in futile goals and materialism; O Allah make every moment one within which Your favours smile upon me not through my worship but through my efforts.

O Allah in this life many people have come and gone; many have given hope of love and many hopes of happiness yet my heart knows that there is no true love except that which is for You and that which is from You; there is no happiness except in those things that make You happy. I beg of You O Allah to remove the false love that drowns my heart and elevate me to a rank where I can understand what it means to love You and be loved by You.

O Allah, my heart is dying through the poison of my sins; O Allah, in this desperate hour of need do not close Your doors of forgiveness on me. O Allah give me the ability to make a sincere repentance to You.

Ya Allah, I am deprived of tears; of remorse; of words and even of the manner of asking from You. O Allah even a beggar is more sincere when he begs. But Allah I am more certain that Your mercy is far greater than the ocean of my errors; I belief in you is firmer than my habits and sins. I ask You through your mercy to grant me my supplication.

O Allah, You alone are aware of my intentions of my Du’as and of my efforts in Your path. I beseech you to accept the little I do and grant it uncounted rewards from Your treasures. My effort has an end, my time is limited and my devotion may waver but O Allah You are free from defects; You are perfect in every sense and there is no limit in Your treasures neither does it decrease; grant me from this endless treasure of Yours an amount similar to Your rule over mankind, an amount which does justice to all of Your beautiful names.

O Allah, on the day of resurrection do not shame us in front of the entire nation; O Allah on that day overlook our errors and sins. Ya Allah, if even a moment of our life is displayed then we will drown in shame and remorse. O Allah, You are Sattaar, the one who hides and conceals, O Allah, You are the Lord which bestows air, food, drink and sleep after we sin and even whilst we’re sinning. O Allah, on that day, we will be dreading every moment of our lives, every action we did. Ya Allah, hide us in Your cloak of concealment. Ya Allah give us shade under Your thrown and make us amongst those whom the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم recognises and asks intercession for; for indeed his intercession will be accepted.

O Allah, send countless blessings upon our beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم and make us living examples of his life in this world. O Allah, give us the courage and wisdom to act according to his teachings and not let our emotions and foolishness taint his image and the image of Islam. Ya Allah, give us the honour of seeing the beloved Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم in this world and in a state where he is pleased with us. O Allah, give us a place in Jannah with him even if it be as his servants.

O Allah, our tongues will tire from asking, our arms from begging and our eyes from shedding tears but O Allah You never become tired. We may stop asking but You never stop listening. We may forget to ask but You know that which is within the hearts. O Allah, we ask You for all good and ask Your refuge from all evil. Grant us that which our Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم has sought from You and save us from that which our Nabi صلى الله عليه و سلم has sought refuge from. Aameen.

Baby Monitor

Recent 'holiday' from university means that I spend more time in my room doing my assignments as well as personal work there. Being in the room doesn't always mean peace, unless my 'little one' is sleeping.

So, when she is asleep, I decide to keep the baby monitor on and that gives me the freedom to move in and out of my room whilst still having 'my eye' on my daughter. I can hear her if she cries or wakes up; even the slightest of noises are audible in the receiver to the extent of noises outside the room.

So this monitor is really useful; I know my daughter is okay as long as I have the receiver with me. However, it can be a 'pain in the neck' at time also. How? I'll explain.

As I mentioned, the receiver can pick up the slightest of noises and the monitor is usually on when I come into the room whilst the receiver is downstairs. This means that the family can hear anything that is said in the room.

Now I sometimes tend to forget the monitor is on, but that doesn't change the fact that anything I say or do in the room can usually be heard by family members downstairs; at times even when we have visitors.

If you haven't guessed already, it could lead to some embarrassing moments...

Point

The point is sort of obvious; whether we are conscious or whether we tend to forget, Allah is always watching us and hearing us. The slightest of movements and the smallest of thoughts are all known to Allah.

We may feel we've gotten away with many of the things we do and say, but we only realise this when we go downstairs to the family room and we are told of what has been heard over the receiver. In the same manner, we may feel that we have escaped with some of our actions or statements, but when we are all in front of Allah we will be reminded of each and every action we did; a DVD screening of our entire life in front of the entire population. So can we imagine the embarrassment taking into consideration the life we live in front of people and the life we live behind them?

May Allah give us all the strength to make our thoughts and statements in accordance to His happiness. May we be obedient to Him whether we are in public or whether we are alone. May He make the Hereafter easy by overlooking our shortcomings and forgiving our sins. Aameen.

Use and Abuse

Recently I saw some people that were quite disappointed with being used and abused, a feeling that I am sure all of us have been through in some stage of our life. It is a feeling when we feel that a person befriends us, takes services of us or associates with us only until they have a need or requirement, after which there seems to be a major change in attitude and character of that person towards us.

Those of us who have been through that will realise that the feeling is really ‘depressing’ and it diminishes and dampens a person’s feeling, at times, to an extent where that person is left heart-broken and useless.

It makes me ponder at times what drives a ‘human’ to act in this manner towards another person that they treated as a friend or was on good terms with. The nature of a person should be such that he is approachable and can approach others.

The Prophet صلي الله عليه و سلم has mentioned in a Hadith:

“A believer is approachable (people incline to him) and there is no good in that person who does not approach others (creates an inclination) and to whom people do not approach”

So in reality, a person who uses people as stepping stones or keeps relationships until there is no need are in reality deprived of any good within themselves.

Point

When we look at people and our emotions when we feel ‘used and abused’, we realise that it really aggravates a form of distance from that person at times because we look over the things that ‘we have done for them’ in comparison to ‘how they treated us’.

This probably occurs once in our life with any individual; once they are done with us it is unlikely that they will do the same thing again to us as there will be no connection. However, have we ever considered that amount of times we have used this same behaviour and attitude towards Allah? In times of need we approach and make promises to Him and when the situation is resolved we happily return to our old ways forgetting all promises and pledges we made to Him. Yet we see that Allah is so merciful he never leaves us and neither does he distance Himself by looking over all the gifts and benefits he has given us from even before the day we were born. Allah’s mercy overlooks our behaviour and gives us another chance to befriend Him and make the most of His friendship… The question that now remains is ‘How many times are we willing to ‘use and abuse’ Allah, His friendship and His mercy?

In the same context, it should be remembered that in reality a Mu’min should incline himself towards Allah alone and that people should approach him for his religion, piety and closeness to Allah; for if this is a case then those who approach them will seldom leave such a company in which Allah’s presence can be felt.

Furthermore, we should not be disheartened if people leave us but instead revaluate and access whether Allah is still with us… For there is no greater loss in this world or the Hereafter if Allah leaves us.

May Allah give us all the inclination, strength and understand to be inclined towards Him and those that are inclined towards Him. May He grant us His love, the love of those who love Him, the love of our Beloved صلي الله عليه و سلم and those who love him also. May He distance us from the attitudes of remembering Him in times of needs and forgetting Him in times of happiness Aameen.

Happy Birthday

The moment the word Birthday is mentioned many people become alert and hasty is connecting to the word Haraam. This blog is however not one of rulings but one of my insight and experience from matters in my life.

One of the many widespread activities in our societies include birthdays; a celebration of the day a person was born. If this is in a form of imitation and extravagance then it has been classed as impermissible; yet I believe that we should do whatever good you can with any permissible excuse possible.

Today, being the 'birthday' of someone I know feels to me a good enough excuse to remind them of me by remembering them. Though this person is always on my thoughts and my mind, I never have the chance of making them aware.

I pray to Allah that He grants my friend and their beloved a long and prosperous life that is filled with the pleasure and blessings of Allah; a life in which the coming year is better than the preceding in both, relating to the life in this world and that of the Hereafter.

May Allah increase love between you and your spouse and give you children who are the coolness of your eyes and leaders of the Ummah.

May He keep you free from worries and protect you and your family from any physical or mental stress and harm.

I pray that Allah grants you wisdom, knowledge, love, gentleness, patience, gratitude, steadfastness and the ability to remain firm on that which pleases Him.

May Allah keep you far from sorrows and make this life full of happiness for you and your loved ones. Aameen.

Vaccinations of Mercy

Many may not remember their childhood days which much detail, especially the first few years of it, but I am sure we were all told at some point or another that we used to have many vaccinations whilst we were children to aid our immune system against diseases.

In the same manner, my daughter has also had some of these vaccinations and receives regular appointments for further ones.

In all honesty, I don’t attend these ‘appointments’ personally and send my daughter with her mother to the surgery along with my mother. This way I can be sure that both of them can be there to look after my daughter and ensure that my daughter does not cry (too much).

I was thinking over these appointments and vaccinations and knew that it was essential and inevitable but I pondered over the fact that even though I could not personally see my daughter crying due to these vaccinations, her mother had to go with her and see her through it.

I have personally been to a couple and the feeling is not nice when my daughter cries for me to take her away from the nurse. Therefore, I decided to not go anymore.

Well, that was just one of her many vaccinations which will follow.

Point

Whilst thinking of these vaccinations, I felt a little guilt surging for not attending these appointments, but I could not see the pain and tears of my daughter. From this thought, my mind wandered further and I began to think that a mother is known to be more merciful than the father. Yet the mother is able to watch her child through these times and many other pain bearing moments.

My attention then went towards a Hadeeth in which Allah states that there are a hundred parts of mercy from which ninety-nine are with Allah and one was distributed on the earth; it is this one portion of mercy that makes even the animals refrain from hurting their children.

So if the mercy of a mother is to such an extent which can be witnessed on this earth, can we not even imagine the mercy of Allah? Are we not ignorant then when we question why Allah allows us to go through pain and suffering at times?

The true qualities of Allah are none other than those which indicate His mercy, yet He has qualities of awe and wrath which are needed at times to divert people towards His mercy. If at any time we stray from His path, Allah will show us a sign in this world, which will be an indication to us that Allah is angry with us or has sent down His wrath upon us and through this indication we turn towards Him and His mercy.

It is similar to the manner in which a mother is able to see her child go through the pain of vaccinations in this world, but she realised that the pain is short term and the benefits which this pain holds are much superior and long term.

May Allah give us all the strength to realise His true mercy and to turn towards Him in times of distress as well as in times of happiness. Aameen.

Not Far to Go

I was looking across some Islamic sites when I decided to visit the site for the local Masjid to confirm that the time for Taraweeh had not changed to an earlier time.

To my surprise I found that the website, being well updated, had the following image on its front page:


I am not sure what people’s attention will turn towards looking at the above image, but my attention went directly to “17 days left until Eid ul Fitr”. In fact, I simply couldn’t believe it and had to refer back to the time table to ensure that this was not some error.

I seems like only yesterday when I was thinking 6 days of Ramadham have passed and therefore we have a great number of days remaining.

Point

Not to go on for too long, as time is short already, but if the point isn’t clear from the above then no matter what I write hear, there will be no benefit.

The days of Ramadhan are slipping away from our grip in a manner that sand slips away from one’s grasp; no matter how hard we try to hold on, these blessed days are going to leave us much sooner than we can imagine and before we can even realise.

This is the mid-point of Ramadhan; where the days of mercy have ended and the days of forgiveness are heading the same way.

We need to question ourselves, have we been those fortunate people who have been accepted by the mercy of Allah; did we reap the blessings of the first portion of this month when Allah was showering His blessing upon those who stood before Him at night, in prayer, and whilst raising their hands seeking nothing but Him?

The portion we have now is to ensure that through the mercy we obtained during the first portion of Ramadhan is utilised in a manner where we increase our worship and submission to Allah and increase our supplications to Him; through which we should ask for His forgiveness and for Him to grant us paradise and save us from the Fire of Hell.

May Allah make us all realise the true blessings this month holds and thereafter may He give us the strength and inclination to reap the rewards within so that we are not deprived from His mercy, His forgiveness and neither are we punished by the Hell Fire whilst being retained from entering Jannah. Aameen.

Speacial Dua’s are requested in this blessed month.

MOT Certificate

Today I was looking for my MOT certificate for my car to ensure that the MOT was not already due or due recently.

It was obviously just a matter of searching through one of three files, and finally I did find the certificate along with certificates of the other cars in the household.

As I usually tend to the MOT certificates of all the cars, I tend to have a habit of stapling or keeping the MOT report along with the report. Although it is not required, I like to, sometimes, look back at the report and see what errors were found with the car and what faults were attended to during the previous MOT.

Despite this not being the case all the time, it is usually the older cars that require more attention and work to them whilst the newer cars seem to pass the MOT first time. Or the cars which have been well looked after and maintained correctly throughout the year give the least problem during the MOT period.

Whilst scrolling through my MOT report I was glad to find that there were no faults in my car and that looking after the car during the year does pay off. The fact that the car is new and also reliable does give added peace to the level of maintaining that is required on a regular basis.

There are a few cars in the household that required quiet some attention during the MOT period. These are the cars that are used for business purposes and usually take a good beating, taking into account that the building trade is never gentle on cars and a brick on the bonnet becomes inevitable over a period of times.

One of these cars did require quite a lot of attention as it was over twenty years old and was neglected also. At times it required soldering and rust treating and at times it needed hand-brake adjustments. However, one of the other cars, which is also used in the business, despite having a ‘pitiful’ body, required no mechanical work on it as it is well maintained and the only effects apparent on it are the one’s which are on the outside, whilst the engine and mechanics of the car were impeccable.

Well, that was just a short story of me trying to find my certificate, which I thought would be nice to share.

Point

So the point of all that was...

Sometimes, we go through the month of Ramadhan and we hear from many scholars as well as many mosques in regards to all the activities and deeds that we should carry out within this month. We will be told time and again to increase Salaah, Qur’an, Du’a and Dhikr during this month and to ensure that we reap all the benefits of this month.

Many a times, we are also given the resemblance of this month with the MOT of a car; a car requires a service once a year and so do our spiritual bodies.

However, whilst going through these error and fault reports it was very hard to ignore the fact that each car is unique and different in some way or another; depending on the maintenance and care it receives, the way it is driven, the age of the car etc the car will bring along different errors and faults; some minor and others major.

In the same manner, the human is also unique and different in many ways; depending on the care and attention we have been giving to our spiritualism and the amount of effort we have made upon our soul and Nafs, we will also receive a different error report to another individual.

Each care requires different services and in the same manner each individual will also require a different service.

It is vital that we analyse our habits and spiritual status before we step into this month and ensure that during this month we give ourselves the individual service that we require. The guidelines set by the Masajid are in no way incorrect, but instead are, as mentioned, ‘guidelines’. We need to make the effort to investigate those matters which need our attention and which prevent us from acquiring the nearness of Allah. Thereafter, we can work on these errors and achieve, Insha Allah, a certificate of Allah’s mercy, pleasure and freedom from the fire of hell.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى give us all the inclination to reform ourselves during the month of Ramdhan. May He give us the strength to make changes, to our lifestyles, for the better. May He make this month a month which brings along with it success, elevation in our ranks in the sight of Allah and may it bring us closer to Him. May Allah سبحانه و تعالى make it a month which brings along with it the glad tidings of Jannah and a betterment which will last for our lifetime. Aameen.

A special request for Du’as for me and the entire Muslim population. Supplicate for all of our brothers and sisters and for the increment of the Ummah of our Belover Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم. May Allah bring into open the truth of our Relgion and make it a source of guidance for All. May it truly be a مبارك رمضان (blessed Ramadhan). Aameen.

I've Got Your Back

It has nearly been a year since Allah blessed me with a beautiful daughter. Over the years there are many things I have learnt and understood just by being with her and spending time with her.

After becoming a parent I can understand why Allah has commanded us to be good towards our parents and why we are required to show and treat them with utmost respect. Our parents love and cater for us in a manner which we can only imagine; for even our love for our children can not compare the care and attention shown to us in our childhood by them.

It was just a few days back that I was with my daughter when she decided to scurry over to the bedside table near the bed. Despite her intention of reaching her goal as quickly as possible it was obvious that she was completely conscious and aware of her safety; her tiny fingers strained as she help onto the bed sheet whilst she used the bed for support. She made her way, step by step, to get her hands on her water bottle.

Children, with all their innocence are still aware, to some extent, of the dangers around them; they make an effort to keep safe and hold on tight whenever they feel unsafe or threatened. This I noticed from all the small things that she would do day-to-day.

When she did finally reach the water bottle she came to a slight dilemma, one one side she needed both her hands to be able to lift the bottle and drink from it and on the other hand she needed her security and safety by being able to grip the bed-sheet or nearby bedside table. However, she had to make her choice, it was one or the other.

I watched her with complete alertness as she balanced on one spot, ready to grab hold of her in case she lost her composure. A few moments later, I could not resist but give her some support to ease her tension and concentration. I placed my hand on her back and made her feel supported.

After a short pause she took complete advantage of the support and placed all her weight on my hand, completely relaxed and assured that she was safe and secure.

Point

A child is classed as a dependent; an individual who requires the full support and aid of another in order to survive. Children look towards their nourisher for security and assurance; a moment's separation brings tears to their eyes.

When a parent supports his child, that child becomes totally submissive to them, they let themselves loose and place their entire confidence and safety in the hands of those who are responsible for their upbringing.

Should we not take heed from a child and show the same trust (Tawakkul) in Allah? Should we not be prepared to let ourself go for his sake? Allah states in Surah al-Fatiha:

الحمد لله رب العالمين

"All praise be to Allah the nourisher of the worlds"

[al-Fatiha - 01:01]

In this verse Allah uses the term رب for Himself which means He who up-brings, caters and provides for everyone.

The trust of a child can be seen when you pick them up and throw them in the air, a smile is seen or a giggle is heard; the simple reason being is that they know... if a few seconds they will be in the arms of their beloved, safe and happy.

May Allah give us the strength and firm belief to place our trust in Him in a manner which it should be. May we muster the courage to hand our problems over to Him with full confidence of them being solved. May He give us the realisation that no matter how high the tides of sorrow and grief toss us in this world, with our trust in Him, it shall be in His mercy and arms that we land. Aameen.

Body Language

Recently, I have been having high fever and temperature, especially during the night. This wasn’t unexpected or a surprise to me because the boils I get usually are an indication towards the fact a fever is going to follow very soon.

Nevertheless, this fever continued for a couple of days whilst I tried to combat it with some pain killers, hoping that the matter would not reach antibiotics.

It was amazing to see how the body responded to different matters taking place internally and externally to give us a signal or indication to the fact that something is wrong or against the norm.

When we experience cold temperatures we get ‘goose bumps’, similarly when we are scared or excited our heart pace increases. There are many examples of the body speaking its own language to indicate a matter to us, a fever being just one of them.

The ‘language’ portrayed by our body is in actual fact amongst the great signs of Allah which indicates towards the truth and existence of Allah. He states:

سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

“Soon will we Show them Our Signs In the (furthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth. is it not Sufficient In regard to Your Lord that He is a witness over All things?”

[Surah al-Fussilaat - 41:53]

It is in this same manner that many surroundings around us indicate towards a matter that indicates another thing; at times it will be an indication towards something that is wrong or at times it will indicate to something that requires a change or needs our attention and at all times it is the sign of Allah’s existence and the truth of Islam.

Point

At times we can understand that there are matters within this world and even our body that have their own methods and languages to portray a message to us. However, it is in the same manner that we have to realise that just as these outward and apparent things can give us an indication concerning this world, in the same manner, we can be guided from the feelings of our inner self which can also indicate to us many matters.

Our love for Allah will at endless times be questioned and tested and at these times our body language and our surroundings should become an indication to us in regards to our decision; we should be able to ‘feel’ the change and difference; we should be able to understand the language of things around us and within us that indicate to us such necessary matters.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم stated:

استفتي قلبك وان افتاك الناس وافتوك

“Consult your heart even if people give you their opinion”

This Hadeeth is clear in alert us to the fact that our heart, which is a part of our body language, indicates to us matters which can aid us in following the Deen; it is an organ, which, if looked after and cared for, can guide a man away from sins and towards Allah.

The body language of the heart will allow a person to feel content with an act that he is going to commit, if that act is pleasing to Allah. Similarly, if that act is displeasing to Allah then the heart will send a signal to him indicating a dislike and reluctance to carry out that act.

However, if the body is going to give any signals or indications, it is necessary to maintain and care for the body so that it is healthy to do so. In the same manner, if the heart is to give us indications of our Religion then it is vital that we care for and look after this heart so that it can differentiate, when the need arises, the difference between good and bad.

May Allah give us all the inclination and ability to understand the signs that He has placed for us and the strength to take actions according to these signs. May He give us the strength and courage to protect our heart so that we can use it as a guide upon the religion of Islam. Aameen.

zain121 - Forum

السلام عليكم

I have recently created a new forum for members to be able to seek a different Islamic information.

This forum has been created to achieve a different purpose to other Islamic forums on the internet.

The aim of the forum is not to provide the Muslim community with a place to be able to interact with other Muslim's and benefit from the various and vast knowledge that other members hold.

It is neither a place that will be filled with articles, talks, audios and sections that are found on other forums.

The main objective and aim of this forum is to educate the Ummah in regards to the detailed information and knowledge of the religion of Islam, going, at times, into depth and presenting the pearls of wisdom safeguarded from our pious predecessors.

It will be a place where the Qur'an and Hadeeth will be discussed in depth and its relevance to today's world will be depicted.

Whatever is produced on this forum will be from the Shari'ah and I pray that it is beneficial to the Muslim Ummah as well as those who seek the understanding of Islam.

This forum is an attempt to gather Knowledge of different areas of Islam and present them in a range of depth which will be suitable for beginners as well as people who have a greater level of understanding and Knowledge.

The link to the forum is: Zain121 - Forum

May Allah make it a source of salvation for me as well as the readers. Aameen.

Lying Down

A week or so back, whilst I was driving home, I saw a man lying on the floor just outside the park entrance. Surrounding him were two officers and a large group of audience, spectating from their cars or houses.

The traffic lights were on red, and I was looking at that person trying to get up, but was being held down by the officers, ensuring that he didn’t injure himself further. It wasn’t long before the ambulance arrived to administer first aid to the person below.

The traffic continued to move slowly as all the drivers were taking a look at what was happening at the person. No doubt, different thoughts would be entering the individual minds of people.

Similarly, I had a few thoughts of my own, which changed from time to time…

Point

It occurred to me later that we may have all looked at that person making assumptions of his health and condition. But it did not occur to me at that time, that the person lying on the floor would have perceived this was going to occur to him today. Similarly, all the people who were looking at him were looking at the problem that had befallen him; none thought that it could be them in his place.

In this world, we are many a times negligent of the signs of Allah, mostly because we perceive them to be the calamities or problems of others without thinking that it could have been us if Allah had chosen; or without realising that what has occurred to another person today will be the same thing that will occur to us tomorrow.

Another thought that occurred to me was the actions of the man who was on the floor. Despite being aided by the local police, he was making every attempt to get up from the fall he had just experienced. This is not something fascinating or new; a person, after a fall, always attempts to recover from that fall and get up once again. In fact, at times, we make haste in getting up from our fall in order to avoid embarrassment and attention.

Despite this ideology and thinking we are very negligent of making an effort to get up spiritually after we have sinned and fell into the trap of Shaytaan and our Nafs (Desire). At times we make no attempt to get up from the fall (by seeking sincere forgiveness) and at times when we do intend to recover from our fall, we are quite relaxed and care-free.

It made me think, that the only reason for this could be that there is no regret and remorse; neither is there any concern of people seeing us sinning as the true severity of sinning has been eradicated from our minds due to our ‘luxurious’ social lives.

Had the above not been the case, we would be attempting to recover from a spiritual fall in such haste that every sin would be wiped out from our deeds and our tears would flow from the fear of Allah. We would be alert and look around to save ourselves from embarrassment, ‘has anybody seen me committing a sin’; ‘let me get up quickly before I am humiliated for committing a sin’; these should be our thoughts and our priorities.

May Allah give us all the wisdom to look at the calamities of others as a sign of reformation for ourselves. May He give us the knowledge to prioritise our duties and to inculcate humility, shame, regret and remorse into our lives. Aameen.

إن السعيد من وعظ بغيره

Fortunate is he who takes heed from others

[عبد الله ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه]

'Skinny' Cats

Although summer is here, we still see rain and experience cold weather. However, on my recent trip, I experienced hot weather, really nice, hot weather. The temperature reached up to forty degrees Celsius at times and the humidity was shown at seventy-nine percent; all in all, a very hot, sticky and humid atmosphere.

Though the heat was tolerable, as I love the hot climate, it was a reminder for me that there are places in the world that are so different to ours in many ways; places which were inhabited by people totally different to us when we compare their lifestyles to ours, their food, their poverty and richness, their aims and struggles, we can see that throughout the world life is challenging in one way or another.

During my recent trip I saw many things I had seen before, the same place, the same people, the same lifestyle but always a new struggle. I saw people, animals, buildings, nature and much more from a different view than I saw it previously.

POINT:

I learnt many things from my journey and it made me realise that we are blessed to be where we are, no matter where we are, who we are and what we do. If we believe in Allah and follow is shown path then we are in the best possible state and circumstance. Our struggle is not for the world but for the Hereafter, our reward is not limited to this life but continues in the Hereafter. Therefore, we receive endless rewards for limited suffering and struggle.

Whilst abroad, my sister pointed out to me the cats that were roaming the streets in search of food, asking me whether I noticed something about the cats there. I failed to see what she saw and she informed me that all the cats were ‘skinny’ especially in comparison the ones we have in the UK. Concentrating on this point, I realised how fortunate yet ungrateful we are for all the blessings we receive.
It is to no surprise Allah states:

قُتِلَ الإنْسَانُ مَا أَكْفَرَهُ

Cursed be man! How ungrateful he is!

[Surah Abasa – 80:17]

Another thing which came across my mind is the heat of the Hereafter that Allah has promised us; when the sun shall hover above the heads and the people will drown in their own sweat. May Allah save us all. Aameen.

May Allah give us all the appreciation of that which we have and to be grateful for all His blessings upon us. May He give us the strength to look at those who are less fortunate than us in the world, so that we are appreciative; and to look at those above us in regards to the Hereafter so that we can struggle in attaining a higher status in the Hereafter. Aameen.

Stroll in the Park

As summer has begun, we see many people enjoying the weather, doing activities which would not have been possible in winter and generally the moods and atmosphere seems much more alive and better and improved.

This is the first summer of my daughter, Fatima, who enjoys traveling and going out as much as she can. Therefore, I thought let me make the most of this summer as we cannot trust the length and duration of how long it will remain.

With this in mind, I took my daughter out for a stroll, her in front and me behind pushing her stroller. She apparently enjoyed herself and made every effort to let people around realise that she was out and enjoying herself; her screams and laughter could be heard from far.

During my walk, I was extra careful when crossing the road, keeping my eyes open to cars, cyclists, other people and any dangers that might be around in order to keep my daughter safe from harm. Similarly, in the house, extra effort is made to minimise possibilities of hazards and harms.

Whilst crossing the roads I realised something, that usually when my attention is not too much on safety I never used to notice all the cars turning into the side streets and now that I was keeping an eye out, it felt as though every car wanted to turn into the street that I was crossing.

To cut a long story short, we went for a long walk, she had ice cream and enjoyed herself and I strolled along behind her for her pleasure.

POINT

There are a few points that I realised in this incident;

1. Firstly, it is Allah who brings good and bad days in our life; whilst one day it is raining, she surely brings after it a day of sunshine. Similiarly, he states in the Qur'an that after hardship (in this life) their will be easiness (in the Hereafter). Similarly, at times we experience Bast and Qabz in our life; where at times our inclination to worship is at a low, at times like that we should remain steadfast and wait for Allah to give us the inclination to worship Him.
   


2. By keeping our eyes open and remaining alert in regards to a specific matter we will notice it more often and clearly. In the same way, we should keep our eyes open and remain alert in regards to sins; by doing so we will realise how many of them Shaytaan sends our way which we fail to perceive without remaining observant.
   


3. A parent is the up-brings his child with love, care and dedication. He will not wish that child any harm. Similarly, Allah is our Rabb (nurturer); He loves us and would not wish us any harm. But at times, it is necessary to tangle us in minor difficulties to prevent us from being tangled in major difficulties.
   


4. Love for someone can make you do things which you might not necessarily enjoy, but their pleasure becomes your pleasure. Keeping this in mind we should create immense love for Allah and His Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم. By doing so one will remain at peace and will be content for the pleasure of Allah will become his personal pleasure.

May Allah give us all the immense love of Allah and open our eyes to see the deception of Shaytaan and his efforts to misguide us. Aameen.

The Big Move

Recently, the days have been very hectic and strenuous both at work and personal life. As many people will know, that Jame' Masjid, Leicester, is going under construction; the work has already commenced, Alhumdulillah, however the move was very chaotic and everyone linked with the Masjid or the Madrassah, in any way, was involved with the 'big move'.

The community had to make adjustments as the building was to be different and thus they had to adapt and become accustomed to the new environment and surrounding. The people who were involved in the Masjid had to ensure that all the necessary and useful items were moved and that the temporary accommodation was adequate and appropriate for all those who would be praying in the Masjid.

The Madrassah people were also occupied in ensuring that the Masjid has suitable space and therefore had to adjust to a degree to allow the 'big move'.

All in all, the move, although simple and smooth, was very strenuous as it involved great responsibility and any lack of preparations and arrangements would lead to difficulty for many members in the future.

For me, the Masjid moving into another building was a 'big move' as I was involved in all areas of the move; from being one of those who prays at the Masjid, as well as being part of the Masjid and Madrassah. Therefore, I got a slight realisation of what was involved in the 'big move'.

POINT

If moving buildings can be so chaotic, where there is a possibility of making amendments for our mistakes and errors, can we even imaging of the move from this world to the hereafter where the only retribution of our mistakes could be the cleansing fire of Hell?

In this world it is essential to make arrangements to a comfortable, welcoming and adaptable environment, and all our efforts are placed into it. However, how many times have we considered the arrangements of the hereafter? Do our deeds suggest that we are comfortable with Hell as our abode?

Those who are involved in some project feel the direct strain and tension of that project; therefore we exercise our greatest efforts to ensure that the project is successful. However, our daily lives indicate to the onlooker that we have no connection or involvement with the hereafter; that our project, importance and objective lies in this world.

May Allah save us all and give us the understanding and inclination to realise the necessity of preparing for the real 'big move'; for on that day, apart from His mercy there will be no power that can save us from our involvement in those matters that separated us from His love and commandments and from the worry and concern of the Hereafter. May He forgive us for our addiction to this world and cure us from the deviation of this world, its love and deception. Aameen.

Drip... Drip...

Our passage is like a motorway for human feet. There is so much traffic there that despite removing our shoes in the house that carpet goes through quite a bit of wear and tear. So, we arrived once again towards that time in which replacing the carpet was necessary.

We removed the old carpets and realised that there were floorboards that need nailing down as well as replacing due to being rotten or loose. Therefore, we put someone on the simple task of removing the old floorboards and nailing down the new ones.

After handing over this 'simple' task we sat down to eat our lunch. Within minutes we heard panic and saw house members rushing from here to there. In order to find out what the commotion was we also rushed to have a look at what had taken place, only to see that the ceiling was like a fountain, abundantly pouring down water through the entire ceiling including the light bulb.

To cut a long story short, one of the pipes had taken a good 'beating' in the process of changing the floorboards and a simple fifteen minute job took a good three to four hours to correct.

In addition to the extension of time, we also suffered the loss of water for a period of an hour or so as we had to turn off the mains tap to fix the leakage and damaged pipe.

POINT

There are a few things I learnt from this incident that took place at our house. Some only whilst I was writing this post.

1. The carpets of a house are exposed to a lot of wear and tear due to continuous strain upon it and due to that they need replacing. Similarly, a believer continuously experiences the strain of this world upon his soul and though we can't 'replace' our soul we can sure get it cleaned and reformed in order for it to remain in pristine condition and achieve its purpose.

2. Like the floorboards, we also tend to 'loosen up' a little over a period of time and, Allah forbid, we sometimes also reach a stage when we 'rot' also. However, it is necessary to ensure that we don't slack and loosen up in our A'maal (acts of worship) if it that happens, it is essential to refer to a 'professional' to 'tighten' and heighten our spirits.

3. As mentioned above, we need to refer to the professionals to ensure that we are doing the correct things and that we receive the correct treatment. When we don't have the knowledge of something then that 'simple' task can become complicated. Similarly, when we make efforts to seek Allah through A'maal, it is essential that we also have knowledge to ascertain what we are doing is right. One can understand this in another manner, a person who walks on a path to seek Allah, without a guide (Shaykh), will take a hundred years for a two day journey.

4. The blessings of Allah should always be remembered and His mercy also. At times we tend to forget his blessings because we are so accustomed and used to them. For this reason we tend to overlook it and become appreciative towards it. When the house was without water we realised how this blessing of Allah was so important and essential for a 'normal' daily life. But if we divert our attention to those who do not have water to quench their thirst then we will realise how fortunate we are.

5. Finally, as mentioned above, we should be grateful to Allah for sending reminders to us from time to time. Like above, we showed us the value of water by depriving us from it for an hour or so. If He so wished, He could have taken this blessing away for ever due to our ungratefulness.

May Allah Ta'ala give us all inclination to act upon that which we learn and to thank Allah for His infinite blessings and reminders and for not punishing us for our ungratefulness and ingorance. Aameen.