KINDNESS

KINDNESS

 

And verily, whosoever shows patience and forgives that would truly be from the things recommended by Allah. [The Noble Qur'an 42:43]

"Allah is not kind to him who is not kind to people."                               [Hadith - Muslim & Bukhari ]

 

"He who does not thank people does not thank Allah."
Hadith - Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi

 

"Those who are kind and considerate to Allah's creatures, Allah bestows His kindness and affection on them. Show kindness to the creatures on the earth so that Allah may be kind to you."
The Noble Qur'an - Al-Fath 48:29

Winter: The Best Season!

Winter: The Best Season!

 

Some ways to enjoy it!!!!

It is said that winter is a time when people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as 'the Winter Blues' or winter depression. However, it is interesting to see how Muslims welcome winter, as it is clear that they see it in a totally different light.

The Noble Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "Winter is the best season for the believer. Its nights are long for him to pray in, and its days are short for him to fast in." [Hadith-Majma' az-Zawa'id' (3/203)]

'Umar bin al-Khattab(RA) said: "Winter is the prize of the worshippers."

You can increase your good deeds, take care of your obligations and earn the Pleasure of Allaah all at the same time! Here are some ways to would benefit from winter:

Fasting and praying

Winter is the best season for the believer because Allah makes worship easy for him. This is because in winter, the believer can fast during the day with ease without suffering from hunger and thirst. The days are short and cold, and he therefore doesn't feel the hardship of fasting…

It is reported  The Prophet Muhammad said: "Fasting in the winter is the easy prize."

"And the meaning of it being an easy prize is that it is a prize obtained without any battle or effort or hardship. So, the owner of this prize has been given it as a favor without any effort on his part."

We all know that making up the days of missed fasting is fardh (compulsory) on every adult Muslim man and woman and not doing so is a sin. So if we have missed a fast for a valid reason (travel, sickness etc) we need to "catch-up".

Thus, we should hasten to fast the number of days we missed. And what better opportunity than this? How much easier could it get? The days are short and the weather is cool, so you don't really get thirsty or even feel hungry.

Allaah, in his Infinite Mercy, is providing us with an easy opportunity to seek rewards from Him. So shouldn't we take it up?   Abu Hurayrah RA  said to some people: "Shall I not point you to comfortable proceeds?" They asked, "And what is that O, Abu Hurayrah?" He replied, "Fasting in winter."

As for praying at night in the winter due to its long nights, one can have his share of sleep and then get up to pray afterwards and recite all that he usually recites of the Qur'an while he has had enough sleep. So, he can combine between the sleep that he needs and the usual amount of recitation of the Qur'an that he completes in a day. So, he fulfills the interests of both his religion and the comfort of his body…

And it was narrated that Ibn Mas'ud said: "Welcome to winter! Blessings descend in it, its nights are long to pray in, and its days are short to fast in." This is why Mu'adh(RA) wept on his deathbed and said: "I weep because I will miss the thirst I felt when I fasted, praying at night during the winter, and sitting knee to knee with the scholars during the gatherings of knowledge.""

Caring for the poor

 The Prophet Muhammad said: "Whoever feeds a hungry believer will be fed by Allah on the Day of Judgement from the fruits of Paradise, and whoever quenches his thirst will have his thirst quenched from the Sealed Nectar, and whoever clothes him will be clothed from the green silk of Paradise."

In many parts of the world there is so much difficulty associated with winter. Extreme cold, poor heating, hunger etc. There is so much we can do such as:

·         Organise some blankets for the poor and destitute

·         Start a community soup kitchen

·         Help elderly by offering them a lift in the cold

·         Visiting the elderly and sick in our community

Try and involve our family and community in these activities. Buy some gloves and warm hats and take your kids along to distribute it to the needy. There is so much good we can do if we just put ourselves forward.

Remembering the realities of Hell

It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad said: "Hell complained to its Lord, saying: "Parts of me have consumed the other parts." So, He allowed it two breaths of exhalation: one in winter and one in summer. As for its breath in winter, that is the bitter cold, and its breath in the summer is the extreme heat."

Among the virtues of winter is that it reminds one of the extreme cold of Hell and pushes one to seek refuge from it and to do such noble actions that will ensure one is protected from Jahannam(Hell)

Spend Quality time with your family indoors

As it is cold we can enjoy quality time indoors with our family which we find generally difficult in these times as we are all "busy"! Plan and do such activities that will bond the family and bring us closer to Allaah. Read good Islamic books while cuddling under your cozy blanket, ask the kids to help you in household activities, spend more quality time with your spouse and kids. Be innovative and have fun within the confinements of Sharia.

So, these examples show that winter time is a special time that we should mark not by being down and inactive, but rather by being pro-active in reviving our energy in worship and servitude to Allah.

And actually, if you think about it, the winter is a big blessing from among the innumerable, uncountable blessings of Allaah. He is honoring us by the bounty of His Giving, His gracious Blessing and His great Favor, so that we may be able to pray at night, fast during the day and worship Him.

May Allaah, Most High enable us all to make better use of our winters. Ameen.

Dua - Rajab and Shabaan

The Dua of Rasullulah(saw) in the month of Rajab

 

It is mentioned on the authority of Anas Bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) that when the Holy Prophet (saw) sighted the moon of Rajab, he used to pray to Allah in the following words,

'Allahuma Barik lana fi Rajaba wa Sha'bana wa ballighna Ramadhan'

"O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings)."

Choosing a Marriage Partner

Choosing a Marriage Partner

"Women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity " (Quran 24:26)

Messenger of Allah Muhammad [Peace be upon him] said: "A woman may married for four reasons: for her property, for her rank, for her beauty, and for her religion (and character). So marry the one who is best in the religion and character and prosper". (Hadith-Bukhari and Muslim)

The following advice is relevant for both men and women equally.

Once there was a very handsome, pious, well educated young man, whose parents emphasised for him to get married. they had seen so many marriage proposals, and he had turned them all down. The parents thought it was becoming a little ridiculous or suspected that he may have someone else in mind.

However every time the parents left the girls house, the young man would always say "she's not the one!"
The young man only wanted a girl who was religious and practicing, however one evening his mother arranged for him, to meet a girl, who was religious, and practicing.

On that evening, the young man, and girl, were left to talk, and ask each other questions. (As one would expect).

The young man, being a gentleman that he was allowed, the lady to ask first.
The young girl asked the young man so many questions, she asked about his life, his education, his friends, his family, his habits, his hobbies, his lifestyle, his enjoyment, his pastime, his experiences, his shoe size..

The young man replied to all of her questions, without tiring, and politely, with a smile the young girl took up nearly all of the time, over an hour, and felt bad, and asked the young man do you have any questions?

The young man said, it's ok. I only have 3 questions…

The young girl thought, wow, only 3 questions okay, shoot.

The young man's first question was, Who do you love the most in the world, someone who's love nothing would ever overcome?

She said, this is an easy question; my mother.

He smiled second question, he asked, you said that you read a lot of qur'an, could you tell me which surahs you know the meaning of?

Hearing this she went red and embarrassed and said, I do not know the meaning of any yet, but I am hoping to soon insha'allah I've just been a bit busy.

The third question the young man asked, was I have been approached for my hand in marriage, by girls that are a lot prettier than you, why should I marry you?

Hearing this the young girl was outraged, she stormed off to her parents with fury, and said I do not want to marry this man he is insulting my beauty, and intelligence.

And the young man and his parents, were once again, left without an agreement of marriage.

This time, the young man's parents were really angry, and said what did you do to anger that girl, the family were so nice, and pleasant, and they were religious like you wanted. What did you ask the girl?? Tell us!

The young man said, firstly I asked her, who do you love the most? she said, her mother,

The parents said so, what is wrong with that??

The young man said, "no one, is Muslim, until he loves Allah, and his messenger (saw) more than anyone else in the world"

If a woman loves Allah and the Prophet (pbuh) more than anyone, she will love me and respect me, and stay faithful to me, because of that love, and fear for Allah (swt). and we can share this love, because this love is greater than lust for beauty.

The young man said, then I asked, you read a lot of qur'an, can you tell me the meaning of any surah?

And she said no, because I haven't had time yet.

So I thought of that hadith "All humans, are dead except for those who have knowledge"

She has lived 20 years and not found ANY time, to seek knowledge, why would I marry a woman, who does not know her rights, and responsibilities, and what will she teach my children, except how to be negligent, because the woman IS the madrasa (school) and the best of teachers. And a woman who has no time for Allah, will not have time for her husband.

The third question I asked her was, that a lot of girls, more prettier than her, had approached me for marriage, why should I choose you?

That is why she stormed off, getting angry.

The young man's parents said that is a horrible thing to say, why would you do such a thing, we are going back there to apologize.

The young man said I said this on purpose, to test whether she could control her anger.

The Prophet (saws) said "do not get angry, do not get angry, do not get angry" when asked how to become pious; because anger is from Satan."

If a woman cannot control her anger with a stranger she has just met, do you think she will be able to control it with her husband??

So, the moral of this story is, a marriage is based on:
*knowledge, not looks,
*practice, not preaching,
*Forgiveness, not anger,
*spiritual love, not lust.
*and compromise

One should look for a person who:

1) Has love for Allah (swt) and Muhammad [Peace be upon him]
2) Has knowledge of the deen, and can act upon it.
3) can control their anger
4) and willing to compromise.

 

IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE PRIOR TO MARRIAGE

 

• Dua/Istikhara[prayer to seek Allah's Guidance]- Ask help and guidance from Allah, Most High, in the matter of finding and choosing a mate. As often as you feel it necessary, pray Salaah al-Istikhara, Islam's special prayer for guidance, in order to reach a suitable decision.
• Consult your heart. Listen to what your inner voice, the 'radar' which Allah has given you to guide you, tells you about the prospective partner. It is likely to be more correct than your mind, which often plays tricks and can rationalise almost any- thing.
• Enquire. Find out the reason why this man wants to marry you. Is he interested in you as an individual or will just any person do? Is it a marriage just for convenience (citizenship, money, property, etc.), than forget it. This spells trouble. Consult with elders and wise people deeni (islamically educated) persons. Find out more about the  persons character, lifestyle, family, education, personality etc
• Understand each other's expectations. Try to get a sense of your prospective partner's under- standing of the marriage relationship, how he will behave in various situations, and what he wants of you as his spouse.
• Don't be in a hurry. So many marriages have broken because the partners are in such haste that they don't take time to make such vital checks as the ones outlined above and rush into things. Never allow yourself to be pressured or talked into a marriage. Keep your eyes open and take your time. Since marriage is for life, for eternity, hurrying into it for any reason whatsoever is the act of a foolish or careless person who has only himself or herself to blame if things go wrong.
• Ask yourself, Do I want this man/woman to be the father/mother of my children? If it doesn't feel just right to you, think it over again. Remember, marriage is not just for today or tomorrow but for life, and for the primary purpose of building a family. If the person in question doesn't seem like the sort who would make a good parent, you are likely to find yourself struggling to raise your children without any help from him or her - or even with negative input - in the future.
• Never date or be alone with prospective partners -Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed:"No man has the right to be in the privacy with a woman who is not lawful for him. Satan is their third party unless there is a mahram". (Hadith-Ahmad)

 

This advice is for both, so women seeking a man, should look for the same things.

 

The Prophet (saws) said "Three groups of people Allah has obliged Himself to help them: Mujahid in the cause of Allah, a worker to pay his debt, and the one who wants to marry to live a chaste[pure]life". (Hadith-Tirmidhi)

Insha'allah, may Allah make every marriage a success, and let us create Love for Allah and his Messenger(saw) so that Allah can bless us, and create love in our lives.

Messenger of Allah Muhammad [Peace be upon him] said:

 

"There is no better structure founded in Islam other than marriage "

The Gem of Generosity!

The Gem of Generosity!

 

 

The Messenger of Allah Muhammad [Peace be upon him]  never said `no' to anyone who asked him for anything.
[Hadith : Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

 

A wise woman who was travelling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveller who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveller saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveller left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone."

 

The Messenger of Allah Muhammad [Peace be upon him]  is reported to have said: "Do not hoard; otherwise, Allah will withhold from you.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Kind Attitude

Kind Attitude

 

The Messenger of Allah Muhammad [Peace be upon him] said :

 

"May Allaah show mercy to a man who adopts a kind attitude when he sells, buys and demands for the repayment of loans."

 

[Hadith-Al-Bukhaari]

 

 

Note: This person deserves the mercy of Allaah because he dealt with people kindly and postponed repayments from the one who could not repay him and whenever he asked for his money, he requested it gently with kind words as not to hurt the feelings of the debtor.

 

The Cricket- Motivational Story

The Cricket

A man and his friend were in a city, walking through the street. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were blowing their horns, taxis were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the man said to his friend, "I hear a cricket." 

His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!" 

"No, I'm sure of it," the man said, "I heard a cricket." 

"That's crazy," said the friend.
 
The man listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. "That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!" 

"No," said the man. "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening for." 

"But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise." 

"Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you."
 
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty meters turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.

 "See what I mean?" asked the man.

 "It all depends on what's important to you."

LESSONS:

·        Let's focus our attention and minds on the more important aspects of life!

·        Lets pay closer attention to what our religious scholars and those that and are near and dear to us say.

·        Sometimes we hear but do not listen!

A person who focuses his attention on pleasing Allah and preparing for the life after death will have this world brought to his feet!

For Allah says:"Whosoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this world , We give him thereof  and he has no portion in the Hereafter"[Quran-al-Shoora 42:20]