Abu Huraira (r.a) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.”
About time
Allahu Akbar
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Friday, November 20, 2015
A Muslim by name
As I hurriedly lifted my arms; I was caught
by a sudden gush of realization.
I had already completed the first part and
was about to hit the second part with full force when my conscience screamed -“you
my friend are a Muslim only by name”.
The words were loud and clear and my eyes
remained dry- as if bearing witness to the truth in those lines-while I
apprehended the situation. I recalled as I had entered my room and was worried
about getting things done before my baby would start crying and in that haste I
realized how I had still not prayed. So I quickly grabbed a prayer mat, wrapped
a stole around my head as quickly as I could and began the race. Only to recognize a few moments later the
grave mistake I had been making.
“Oh Allah I am ashamed that I think of salat as a burden; as a “task” to
do on my to-do list.”
I suddenly started remembering its
importance, its beauty, its grandeur. While all other commandments had been
revealed in this world, this had been presented in the skies. While all
commandments had been sent down as such, this had been sent as a beautiful gift.
Yet look at the way we treat it. My Lord Who is the Caretaker of all the
affairs of the universe invites us-small people with small lives and small
problems-yet we take it for granted. With each Allah-o-Akbar of the azaan we are reminded that our problems,
our tasks, and our matters are all small and that Allah is greater than all our
preoccupations and yet we pay no heed.
Our Lord invites us in the most beautiful manner
and He asks us to empty our hearts and minds when we step forward to converse
with Him.
So when you have finished [your
duties], then stand up [for worship]. (7) And to your Lord direct [your]
longing. (8)
Our prayers were supposed to be our mairaj but look at what we have done to
it. If we ever have to present or talk in front of a few people then we make
sure that we are well prepared for it. And yet we hardly ever prepare for our salahs. When was the last time any of us
sat down wondering which surah we would recite in our next salah? When was the last time we shook in fear as to whether we
will be able to pray and give the prayer its due right?
When the time for prayer came, Hazrat ‘Ali
ibn Abi Talib (RA) would be visibly shaken, and the color of his face would
change. It was said to him, “What is the matter with you?” He said, “By Allah,
there has come the time of the [Trust]:
…إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الاٌّمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الإِنْسَـنُ
Truly, We
did offer the Amanah to the heavens
and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid
of it. But man bore it…” Al Qur’an 33:72
Hatim
(RA) said; “I carry out what I am commanded; I walk with the fear of Allah in
my heart; I start with the (correct) intention; I magnify and glorify Allah; I
recite at a slow and measured pace, thinking about the meaning; I bow with Khushoo’; I prostrate with humility; I
sit and recite the complete tashahhud;
I say Salam with the (correct) intention; I finish with sincerity towards
Allah; and I come back fearing that (my prayer) has not been accepted from me,
so I continue to strive until I die.”
Hazrat Hudhayfah (RA) said, "The first thing you
will lose of your religion will be Khushoo'
and the last thing you will lose of your religion will be the prayer, and it is
well possible that there is no good in a person who prays, and soon will come a
time when you shall enter a large Masjid and not see a single person with Khushoo'."
A wonderful advice one of our teachers gave
us was that try to never start a salah
directly but instead take a few minutes-as many as you think you can easily
give-to come into the mode of salah.
Sit down, relax, wonder about the after-life, ponder upon the blessings of
Allah Ta’ala or His aayaat or whatever you feel will enable
you to have more khushoo. Leave
behind all your worries and thoughts knowing that you are about to bow down to
the Being Who will take care of all your affairs and then whole-heartedly enter
your salah.
May Allah Ta’ala
guide us all to pray in the manner which is most pleasing to Him and may He
forgive us for all of our shortcomings. Ameen.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Everyone understands the language of love
The following is a story shared by a person I know, who does not
want his name to be shared:
“It was close to Maghrib and I was exhausted. I don’t
exactly remember the reason for it; probably the weather was hot during the day
and I was dehydrated, or I didn’t have a proper sehri before Fajr. But the fact
is I was tired. Sitting at a distance from the glorious Ka’aba and closer to
the stairs leading to the upper part, I turned my gaze towards the clock tower
to get an idea of how long it was till iftar. There was still around an hour
left. The volunteers and residents of Makkah Mukarrama were busy serving the
guests at this moment. I did not have anything to eat or drink with me yet
apart from a couple of dates.
My gaze then caught a brother distributing orange juice to
the fellow Muslims. I quickly left my bag at the place where I was sitting so
that no one else would take that space and got up to collect the juice from the
brother. Now the brother was actually distributing the juice to the people who
were a couple of rows ahead of me. Whereas otherwise I would have just stayed
at my place and waited for the person, today was not that day. I was too tired
to watch the juice being served to others while it finished. There was not much
left so I feared that if I stayed at my place, I wouldn’t get any! And while I
was heading towards the person distributing the juice, a brother from one of
the rows ahead of me got irritated and angered because of this action of mine.
He signaled to me with his hands and asked me to go back and wait for the
person to come to my row. Now he was speaking Arabic and I hardly understand
it. But I understood from his actions that he wanted me to go back to my place
and wait. He, too, didn’t understand my language but the issue was he
completely misread by sign language as well!
I did not have a disposable glass with me either. And thus I
had to take the glass as well from the juice distributor as he had them with
him. Thus when I was on my way and this other brother who stopped me, I asked
him if I could get one for him as well. Since he did not understand my language
I pointed to the empty glass in front of him and then towards the guy giving
the juice and then returned my finger towards his place signaling I could take
his glass, get it filled with juice and bring it back towards him. He angrily
shook his head, took his glass and that of his neighbor, got up from his place
and left. I was appalled. I couldn’t understand why he got angry and was not
able to comprehend the situation for a few seconds. He soon returned with both
glasses filled with Zamzam water; he gave one to his neighbor and put one in
front of him, asking me to go. His neighbor had already warned me when the guy
left to get zamzam that neither does he understand you nor do you understand.
He was so right. Now I understood what happened. He thought I was asking for
the glass for myself so that I could get juice for myself!
I was not my usual self that day strangely. I would have
reacted differently in a similar situation some other day, but that day was
different. I would have gotten angry some other day but that day Allah (S.W.T)
blessed me with patience and tolerance. I just wanted to make sure he
understood what I actually meant and wanted to make him feel better and
apologize, although I never meant to hurt or offend him. So I again turned
towards the person with the juice and got a glass from him. Now in my haste to
get the juice for my brother I lost my footing and mistakenly stepped on
another brother sitting right beside me. I turned towards him and he was
furious and told me to watch my step. I apologized to him and asked him to
forgive me but clearly he wasn’t pleased. He pointed towards the sky with a
frown on his face probably meaning that Allah (S.W.T) will deal with me. I knew
this didn’t work. But then I turned back towards the guy distributing the juice
and got the glass filled from him. I then went towards the guy who had gotten
angry with me the first time and gave him the juice. He was extremely surprised
and delighted. He thanked me for it and apologized for not understanding what I
had been trying to tell him. Clearly he was now pleased and asked me to forgive
him. But I had not gotten angry with him in the first place and I told him it
was perfectly fine.
I, then turned again towards the guy giving the juice. I got
a glass filled from him and gave it to the guy whom I stepped on. I then sat
down and started pressing his foot just as a gesture to let him know I was
sorry and that I wanted him to forgive him. He, along with 2 of his friends on
either side of him started laughing and enjoyed this whole scenario a lot. He said
it was perfectly fine and with a huge smile on his face thanked me for the
juice. He and his friends continued laughing over the incident and enjoying it
even when I was leaving. I was satisfied and I thanked Allah (S.W.T) for
helping me out.
Finally I got the glass of juice for myself and got back to
my place, eagerly waiting for the time of iftar to come! I realized that day
that everyone understands the language of love. But also sometimes because of
barriers to communication one does not understand exactly what the other person
is trying to say causing anger and discontent. But getting over your ego and
going that extra mile (or a few steps in this case!) goes a long way to making
situations better. I hope Allah (S.W.T) rewards me for this small act and helps
me act in a similar manner at other places and times in my life as well.”
Monday, May 25, 2015
Islam and Radicalization?
Recently, the news regarding a student, Saad Aziz, from IBA
being involved in alleged terrorist activities has set the media on fire. The
news indeed is shocking because it questions the very role of education in
terms of breeding logical and stable members of the society. I was amongst the
many who were extremely taken aback by this news and I saw myself praying that
this is a false allegation and that it gets to be known as such. However, if
the allegations are true then there are very important factors that need to be
considered before deriving any conclusions from such an incident.
Looking through all the articles and bulletins, it seemed
that the student’s growing a religious tendency seemed to be the sole reason
for his inclination towards such acts. While, in such time and age, due to the
acts of a few, it surely does seem that religion may have some link with
radicalization but that is in fact completely false and baseless. A related
article by the Guardian gave useful insight on the matter, with one of its
statements being; “The fact is that the role of religion in radicalization (and
de-radicalization) is grossly overestimated. There is actually no empirical
evidence to support the claim that religion (any religion) and ideology are the
primary motivators of violent extremism.”
Although, such incidents may be becoming increasingly
common, it goes against principle and logic to consider what is true for a part
to be true for the whole. Perhaps a simple comparison may suffice as an
explanation, Islam itself is like water; in its real form and use, it
instigates life and without it there is no life. However, this very same water
can wreak havoc and cause mind-blowing catastrophe when it comes in the form of
tsunamis and other disasters. Similarly, our religion in its true essence is
the source of life, a manual and guidance for entire mankind. However, damage takes
place only when it falls in the hands of wrong people who very conveniently
misquote its verses and use it as a means of brainwashing other people. These
people do so in order to serve their own ulterior motives and while such
motives and their causes are unknown because they cover them under the facade of
religion, nonetheless, it needs to be clear that their acts are by no means in
accordance to or supported by religion.
Allah is our Judge; and Islam by no means allows us to take
the responsibility of judging others and taking their lives into our own hands.
Our religion commands us to have courteous relations even with non-Muslims; let
alone Muslims. So how can we go about judging even those who are Muslims
whether they may be practicing or not. Without a doubt, our religion requires
us to command good and forbid evil but it nowhere goes near to violence or to
taking the lives of others into our own hands. In fact, at the time of the
Prophet (S.A.W.W.) in a war, one of the Sahabah
overcame his opponents and just as he was about to kill him, the opponent
recited the kalima, yet the Sahabi killed him. When the Prophet
(S.A.W.W) found out about this incident, he called over the Sahabi and asked the reason behind his
doing so, so he said that I still killed him because I felt that he only
accepted Islam due to fear and in order to save his life and not because he
truly wanted to do so. The Prophet (S.A.W.W) reprimanded his act and said that
did you tear open his heart that you knew his intent?
Religion and religious appearances have no link with any
terrorist ideologies; just because religion is being misused by people doesn’t
mean that it breeds such ideologies. Just like such people have no right to
judge others similarly people should be careful of judging religious or
religious looking people as well. It is as disturbing for us as it is for those
who don’t adorn such appearances when people do such acts because they are not
only causing direct damage as a result of their acts but also defaming and giving
religion a bad name which it certainly does not deserve. It seems that the time
is here about which the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) said, "There will come a time
when holding on to your Emaan
(belief) will be like holding onto hot coals." May Allah Ta’ala guide us and make us firm on His
religion and may He protect us from those people who misinterpret it and use it
to misguide others. I hope and pray that we are able to recognize people for
who they are and distinguish clearly between right and wrong. This time and
these incidents are a trial for everyone, may Allah Ta’ala protect us in this time.
Monday, April 6, 2015
A love letter long overdue
It’s exhilarating as it is tensing but I can’t believe that
I am finally at it. It feels a bit surreal yet I can’t help but feel
embarrassed…
All my life I have searched for love in the wrong places. From the Disney movies that I watched as a kid to the chick flicks that I adored in my teens; I just felt that the spark that we thrive for in our lives awaits us in some Mr. Right. Though no one quite claims that aloud yet somehow that seems to be exactly what most of us seem to be searching for. But that’s not it.
Many of us may not even thrive for just romantic love but
some of us thrive for love for our families, friends, for ourselves or perhaps
the better amongst us may even search for love for humanity. But nothing gives
back the way it should and how can it? How can we expect people to love us back
the way we want them to? How can we have expectations from other people when we
fail our own selves so many times? How can I expect unconditional love from
someone when I am incapable of giving the same myself? We are humans and we are
prone to make mistakes; to disappoint. Then how can one expect such perfect
love from imperfect people? I refuse to give in to heart ache each time someone
I love disappoints me; be it my own self. I refuse to believe that this wonderful
feeling was given to us in order to hurt us time and time again.
But all of this begs the question that who then deserves
this love that we so easily throw in the hands of unworthy, undeserving people?
The answer was simple now that I come to think of it; and I had found it each
time someone had hurt me, each time I shed a tear in secrecy there was only One
to console me. How had I not thought of this before is really beyond me. This
love that we throw away so shamelessly was made for the One Who created it in
the first place, it was for the One Who created us, Who taught us how to take
our first steps and Who taught us how to use our tongue, Who taught us the use
of pen as we grew older and taught us that which we did not know.
So I write my long overdue love letter with a sense of excitement
alongside a sense of regret.
My Dearest, Most Beloved Allah ﷻ,
I write to you today what I should have written a long time back. I am no
poet, no writer, in fact I am no one other than a sinning slave. Oh my Allah ﷻ, I have come to you today empty handed; the
only thing I have to offer is a broken, wounded heart that I am finally putting
to its place. Oh Allah ﷻ forgive me for I have
slipped time and time again. I wandered far away but I finally found the right
place and had it not been for Your blessings and guidance I don’t know where I
would have been today. Oh Allah ﷻ I come to you hoping
that You will accept this deficient attempt of mine.
Ya Allah
ﷻ, I live in a time
where there are two extremes; ones who only follow Islam as if it were a list
of to-dos and don’ts and ones who only seem to be concerned about its spirit
and intention. Yet so few realize that it is a perfect combination of both. How
can we live our lives without order yet get through with intention? And how can
we only do actions without feeling anything? Ya Allah ﷻ people don’t realize that the two are inter-binding;
that Your love brings about the desire to obedience and that Your obedience
leads to Your Pleasure.
I live in a time where people debate about the beard and hijab. They
rightfully say that Islam is not in the beard and hijab but they forget that
beard and hijab are a part of Islam. How can I claim to love you yet do as I
please? If I truly love you then I would want to be the way You want to see me.
How can I claim to love you and then simply dress as I please? When You have
commanded hijab how can I shun it?
Oh Allah ﷻ if one of our teachers
had instructed us to use double spacing in an assignment we would not dare to
do otherwise fearing that it would make us lose some points. Yet when it comes
to Your commandments, my Lord, we all seem to do as we please.
There is no doubt that hijab is hard; while most girls my age get decked
up as they step out I, instead, cover myself in a lose coat. And in a time
where Islam is so misunderstood I step out and feel glances that tell me that
they feel I am backward or suppressed. Little do they know that I wear it only
for Your sake; for I would rather feel strange amongst people for Your sake
than have the comfort and joy dressing in a way that You don’t approve of.
Oh Allah ﷻ! They feel that when I
clad on my hijab I get with it the right to judge; little do they know that
these eyes are so occupied with my own faults that I cannot afford to cast a
glance at anyone else. I don’t, rather I can’t, judge anyone who doesn’t cover,
however, it hurts me when they so easily dispense off and disregard something
that is dear to You as something insignificant and unimportant. For it is one
thing to not wear hijab and another entirely to justify it. Both Hazrat Adam
A.S. and Satan faltered, however,
Satan justified his act while Hazrat Adam A.S. repented; I just hope and wish
that people could realize that.
Ya Allah ﷻ I pray to You to give me an intellect that
makes me understand Your commandments; not one which questions them. Ya Allah ﷻ what use will my intellect be if it doesn’t
bring me closer to you? Oh my dear Lord, I seek Your forgiveness and thank You
for all the little and big things that You blessed me with; for giving me a
family, a home, for making sure there is someone or another to put a smile on
my face. Oh Allah ﷻ You have blessed us
immensely and my deficient words of gratitude can never be enough and my
praises of You can never equal Your Magnificence, so I ask you not to look at
my words or my deeds but rather to accept my feeble attempt. For this sinning
lover of Yours knows no more than to try, and for I heard from someone that “oh
Lord I failed a thousand times but still Your Mercy remains.”
Oh Allah ﷻ I ask You for Your
love and the love of those whom You love. Let me also love others for Your sake
as that alone will allow me to love them unconditionally; without any
expectations. Ya Allah ﷻ this heart belongs to
You so kindly accept it for now and forever.
Oh Allah ﷻ I fear the day when we would be raised up and would have to give an
account for all we did in this world. I am afraid I have nothing that I could
present on that day but just a few tear drops that I shed in Your remembrance
at some points in my life. I am sorry I never turned up earlier. I am sorry I
faltered time and again. All I can promise and commit to is not giving up. I
won’t give up I promise. And even for that I beg you to help me achieve that.
I thought I didn’t believe in happily ever-afters as they seemed too
clichéd but with You Allah there really is a happily ever-after if we set our
lives straight. May we not get distracted by the glitz and glamour of this
worldly life for it is temporary and our final abode and destination is only
with You. Let us live our lives focusing on and working towards our aakhirah; as what use will a fancy
guesthouse have for me if I build myself a rotten home!
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
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