The Dirty Laundry…(motivational)

The Dirty Laundry…

By Abu Muhammad Yusuf

 

In life we often tend to be judgmental and very often look down upon others without exploring deeper as to why the person is behaving in such a way. The Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said "It is enough of evil for a person to hold his brother Muslim in contempt. All of a Muslim is sacred to another Muslim: his blood, his wealth and his honour." (Hadith- Muslim)

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbour hanging the laundry outside. "That laundry is not very clean", she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap. "Her husband looked on, but remained silent. Every time her neighbour would hang her washing to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean laundry on the line and said to her husband: "Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this."

"The husband said, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows"

Lesson: If our windows are dirty so will we see others as dirty too. What we see in others is indeed a reflection of our inner-selves! So it is with life that what we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look. It is easy for us to discuss other people, their lives & things that really doesn't even concern us and we tend to forget - our windows may not be that clean after all! If we good we will see good…

The Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:
"A Muslim is a mirror to another Muslim"(Hadith_Abu Dawud)

The Smoke Signal...

The Smoke Signal

By Abu Muhammad Yusuf

 

 

 

The journey of life can be like a roller coaster. We often experience extreme conditions which create despondency and hopelessness. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "Verily, if Allah loves a people, He makes them go through trials. Whoever is satisfied, for him is contentment, and whoever is angry upon him is wrath." (Hadith-Tirmidhi)

 

We have to try hard to embrace the struggles of life and Trust in Allah. There's no development without pain. Life's difficulties are necessary for our own development, so when they come along, accept them, embrace them and never ever lose hope and always place complete Reliance and Trust in Allah. Problems are to the mind what exercise is to the muscles; they toughen and make you strong.

 

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for Allah to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. He nevertheless remained hopeful of Allah's help and continued his praying every day.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.

 

The "worst" had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief. "Allah, how could this happen to me!" he cried. Early the next day, just before Fajr Salaah (early morning prayer) he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" the man asked the sailors on the ship. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

 

Allah says "...Bear with patience whatever befalls you...." (Qur'an 31:17) and "Be not sad, surely Allah is with us." (Qur'an 9:40)

 

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because Allah is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.  Allah Ta'ala says "Verily, with hardship there is relief" (Qur'an 94:6) and "And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him". ( Qur'an 65:3)

 

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace and help of Allah!

Pencil & Eraser-motivational

The Pencil and Eraser

 

PENCIL
I'm sorry

ERASER
For what? You didn't do anything wrong.

PENCIL
I'm sorry because you get hurt because of me. Whenever I made a mistake, you're always there to erase it. But as you make my mistakes vanish, you lose a part of yourself. You get smaller and smaller each time.

ERASER
That's true. But I don't really mind. You see, I was made to do this. I was made to help you whenever you do something wrong. Even though one day, I know I'll be gone and you'll replace me with a new one, I'm actually happy with my job. So please, stop worrying. I hate seeing you sad.

LESSON: Parents are like the eraser whereas their children are the pencil. They're always there for their children, cleaning up their mistakes. Sometimes along the way, they get hurt, and become smaller / older, and eventually pass on. Though their children will eventually find someone new (spouse), but parents are still happy with what they do for their children, and will always hate seeing their precious ones worrying, or sad….However our parents are getting smaller and smaller each day…One day, all that we would be left with will be eraser shavings and memories of what we used to have.

Allah, Most Wise admonishes us: "Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood." (Quran-17:23)

E ISLAM NOW ON WHATSAPP!

 E ISLAM NOW ON WHATSAPP

All Praise be to Allah Ta'ala, for the past 12 years E ISLAM has been circulating motivational messages via email to thousands of subscribers worldwide which has indeed been a great source of benefit to many.

From feedback we have noticed how E ISLAM's inspirational and educational articles have an amazing ability to motivate and bring about meaningful change in attitudes and lives of people.

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The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, is reported to have said:

"Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise." (Hadith – Muslim)

"Knowledge is power."

 

 

A Unique Bank Account!

A Unique Bank Account!

Imagine you had a bank account that deposited $86,400 each morning. The account carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every dollar each day!

We all have such a bank. Its name is Time. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever time you have failed to use wisely. It carries over no balance from day to day. It allows no overdraft so you can't borrow against yourself or use more time than you have. Each day, the account starts fresh. Each night, it destroys an unused time. If you fail to use the day's deposits, it's your loss and you can't appeal to get it back.

There is never any borrowing time. You can't take a loan out on your time or against someone else's. The time you have is the time you have and that is that. Time management is yours to decide how you spend the time, just as with money you decide how you spend the money. It is never the case of us not having enough time to do things, but the case of whether we want to do them and where they fall in our priorities.

Allah Ta'ala, The Most Wise says:  "By time, indeed, mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience." (Quran, 103: 1-3)

The Messenger of Allah Ta'ala Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:  "There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) health and free time for doing good" (Hadith- Bukhari). 

"I will pass this way but once, so let me do whatever good I can now for I may never pass this way again!"

The Day of Eid!

The Day of Eid!

By Umm Ammarah

The Month of Ramadaan is coming to an end and the transition from Ramadan to Eid and thereafter  should be a path that brings us closer to our Creator and a path that treads the Sunnah i.e. The way of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) .

After a month of sacrifice, Allah Ta'aala takes it upon Himself to reward His faithful servants. Allah Ta'ala is the Most Generous and Most Benevolent. Indeed Allah Ta'ala's Generosity multiplies in Ramadaan. When Allah Ta'ala sees His servants carry out all their duties  faithfully and strive to gain closeness to Him through their Fasting ,Salaat ,patience ,recitation of Quraan ,zikr ,dua ,and controlling of even permissible desires  and needs like food, drink etc. then Allah Ta'ala bestows on His faithful servants a special prize on the night preceding the day of Eid.

 THE PRIZE GIVING NIGHT:  Allah Ta'ala bestows the rewards on those who have spent the month in His obedience and all their Du'as (prayers) on such an occasion are indeed accepted. It has been the practice of The Messenger of Allah Ta'ala (pbuh)that he would not sleep during the night preceding  Eid-ul –Fitr, this night has been named Laylatul Jaaiza (The Prize Giving night). The night when the faithful and obedient servants of Allah Ta'ala are given the true reward. To benefit from this opportunity, one should exert in prayer and ask Allah Ta'ala for all our needs.Our Beloved Rasulullah (Salallaho alaihe wassallam) said: "The person who stays awake on the nights preceding the two Eids occupying himself with ibâdah(worship), his heart will not die on the day when everyone's heart will perish." (His heart will not die during the time of evil and corruption). It could also mean that with the blowing of the trumpet his soul will not become unconscious. (Hadith –Ibn Majah)

EID-UL-FITR: Celebrated on the first day of Shawwaal, at the completion of Ramadhaan. Shawwaal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. Eid-al-Fitr is a very joyous day for the believing men and women. On this day Muslims show their real joy for the many blessings Allah Ta'ala has given to them to fulfil their obligation of fasting and other good deeds during the blessed month of Ramadhaan.

SADAQTUL FITR-Islam has prescribed a simple yet graceful way to observe this happy day. First of all well off Muslims start their day by giving charity Sadaqtul Fitr to the poor of their society, so that the less endowed can also enjoy their day along with others. Ibn Abbas(RA) said that the Messenger of Allah Ta'ala (pbuh) enjoined Sadaqatul Fitr so that those who fasted  may be purified of idle deeds and shameful talk committed during Ramadaan and so that the poor may be fed. Whoever gives it before salaah( even days before) will have his obligation accepted, and whoever gives it after salaah it will be an ordinary charity.(Hadith -Abu Dawood)

SUNNAH ACTS ON THE DAY OF EID:

• Wake up early.
• Take a Ghusl (bath) before Eid Salaah
• Brush your teeth (use Miswaak)
• Dress up, putting on best clothes available.
• Use itr (perfume)
• Eat something sweet before proceeding to the Eid Musallah e.g. Dates etc.
• Pay Sadaqatul Fitr before Salaatul-Eid (on Eid-al-Fitr).
• Go to Eid Musallah (Eid Gah/prayer ground) early.
• Offer Salaah-al-Eid in congregation in an Eid Musallah except when weather is not permitting like rain, snow, etc.
• Use different roads en route to the Eid Musallah and back home.
• Recite the following Takbir on the way to Eid Musallah :

Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. La ila-ha illallahu Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar. Wa-lillahil hamd. (Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah. Allah is Greatest, Allah is Greatest. And all praises are for Allah)

THE EID PRAYER-And then comes along the morning of Eid, Allah Ta'ala sends down the angels to all the lands in the earth, where they take their positions at access points of roads calling out with a voice that is heard by all accept man and jinn. Allah Ta'ala then says: I call you to witness, Oh my Angels that for their having fasted during the month of Ramadaan ,and for their having stood before me in prayer by night, I have granted to them as reward My pleasure and have granted them forgiveness.-Allah Ta'ala will then say…,Oh my servants ask now of Me, for I swear by My honour and My Greatness, that whatsoever you shall beg of me this day in this assembly of yours for the needs of the Hereafter ,I shall grant you, and what so ever  you shall ask for your worldly needs shall look at you favourably. (Hadith-Targheeb)

 

 Jubayr ibn Nufayr (RA) said: 'When the companions of Allah Ta'ala's Messenger (peace be upon him) met on the day of `Eid, they would say to each other, 'TaqaballAllahu Ta'ala minna wa minkum (may Allah Ta'ala accept from you and us )." (Fathul  Bari ).

 

TIPS ON HOW TO SPEND THE DAY OF EID:

• Keep in mind the pleasure of Allah and uphold Shari'ah at ALL times.
• Adorn yourself and your family modestly in the best of garments (not necessarily new).
• Avoid over eating and other festivities that have no benefit.
• Visit the poor, needy, orphans, elderly and sick.
• Should Eid be made at "my mum or your mum or wherever?" This requires Shura/Mashurah (mutual consultation). Shurah is a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (Sallalaho alaihe wassallam).Try to compromise and accommodate each other.
• Maintain and strengthen family bonds- Rasulullah (Salallaho alaihe wassallam) is reported to have said, "Anyone who wishes to have his means of livelihood enlarged and a prolonged life, should treat his relatives with kindness."(Hadith)
• Don't forget the suffering, oppressed, poor and needy Muslims in all parts of the world in your du'as and charity.
• Be punctual with our acts of worship and on this joyous day.

 

 

BE CAUTIOUS!- Avoid excessive indulgence of any kind and stay away from places where the laws of Islam are violated. It is a joyous occasion indeed and let it be spent in ways that are pleasing to our Creator. Use the day profitably to earn the pleasure of Allah Ta'ala and continue to do so everyday.  A Muslim is Muslim for life and not just during Ramadaan.

WHAT NOW AFTER RAMADAAN…We leave the month Ramadaan, its beautiful days and nights,we leave the  Month of Mercy, Quraan , Taqwa and Ibadat, sympathy ,forgiveness...we need to ask ourselves: Ramadaaan is over and what have we gained?

Ramadaan was a 30 day course on self restraint and piety , have we graduated from the course having learnt to fight our desires and defeat them..? Have we recharged our spiritual batteries and gained Taqwa (Allah consciousness)? If we have …then ALHAMDULILLAH (Praise be to Allah)…now let us continue to obey Allah Ta'ala and ask Allah Ta'ala to keep us steadfast. Ramadaan is over and Shawwal has come,  let us save the changes that we all made in our lives during the month of Ramadaan. Let Ramadaan not be a final destination but a stepping stone to greater good from now on. We need to make a firm resolution to continue with the momentum and lead a life of piety and free of sins. We now face another eleven months after this training. Let it be that we come out stronger and better servants of Allah Ta'ala…AMEEN!

The Elegant Hijab

The Elegant Hijab

 

The pea is a splendid plant. It proudly displays its strong green Hijab. It protects it from the hot and cold weather and guards it from insects. Allah has blessed the pea with a special Hijab, because without it, the seeds would scatter, dry up and die.

The orange keeps itself within its shiny orange Hijab to protect its delicious fruit. Otherwise it loses its taste too.

So are the banana, the coconut and the pomegranate. Each one has an elegant and unique Hijab, which protects it from disease and destruction.

The jewel of the sea, the pearl, has been given a very tough and rugged Hijab - oyster shell. It protects it from sea animals and keeps it sparkling and shining inside.

 

                               

 

 

The delicacies and exotic chocolates of this world are covered to protect it from bacteria and preserve their taste. Besides being so elegant it adds to its value!

                                    

                               

                   

 

However, the most beloved of Allah in all His creation is the Muslim girl who wears the Hijab. She knows it is a gift from Allah. It protects her from harm, injury and mischief. She wears it knowing it gives her dignity, beauty and respect. So precious she can be that she hides herself beneath her Hijab.