5 Cool Things that Happen In Hot Ramadan!

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the  Most Merciful.

By Abu Aishah.

Fasting gets tough in summer, and tougher for those who work outside air-conditioned offices. But I am not going to talk about how to stay cool (body temperature wise) in summer. That’s for the physical trainers and nutritionists to tackle. What I am going to point out here are things which we do in Ramadan that we do not realize are cool (awesome) for us as common Muslims. Realization of completing one level gives a boost of confidence to excel in the next, in turn, pumping moretaqwa in our souls. If we take a minute and have a look at our mirrors, we should say to ourselves “Abdullah (you), you are doing great; and yes, you are better than this”. 

Super Fasting of Inputs in summer is the next level of fasting. The heat consumes all the comfort of our movements throughout the day and gives us nothing but tiredness and intense thirst. That’s why I said “Super Fasting”, rather than ‘fasting’. Inputs to our bodies includes eyes, ears and feelings along with our mouths (for consuming food), which are strictly monitored. We remind ourselves while browsing,  press the mute button when the music comes up and keep away from our spouses during the day. In other words, different senses in our bodies are fasting as well. Isn’t it cool that we are able to strictly monitor our senses and keep calm while consciously depriving our physical needs for the sake of Allah ? I think it’s great. 

Super Fasting of Outputs is nothing but how we monitor our output devices, in other words, how they fast with us. Tongue and limbs keep working for us throughout the day. Hunger, thirst and tiredness act as catalysts to ignite a flamethrower in us when anybody makes a tiny mistake. It’s indeed a miracle when we manage to keep our anger in control and let our hands and tongue work in the opposite direction i.e., by showing good behavior. Isn’t it cool to stretch and twist our bodies and souls with patience in difficult moments just to be good Muslim (in turn, obeying Allah  continuously and to be precise, developing taqwa (Qur’an 2:183))? I think, it’s awesome. 

Iftaar with a few dates and some water will literally make you forget that it’s Ramadan. By the end of maghrib prayer, I feel so light and normal, like as if I haven’t fasted the whole day! A normal dinner makes my night prayers much more active. Isn’t it cool that Allah   magically makes you so normal and calm after a tiring sunny day? I think, it’s incredible.

I still wonder why some people are so concerned about their food shopping before Ramadan when a  single date box can act as a perfect brotherly gift.

Praying Taraaweh (the night prayer) wasn’t our habit. We didn’t even think that we would go for an extra mile to pray nawafil prayers regularly. However, during Ramadan, we pray taraweeh in the peak active hours, which on a regular day, would have been reserved for friends and hobbies. Isn’t it cool that we lift ourselves from being an average worshiper and try to reach excellence? 

Praying Witr was hardly an option before Ramadan. Many people are not even sure how to pray witr. Ramadan teaches us the two (sunnah) ways of prayingwitr accompanied with lots of duas. Can you recall how many days went by before you raised your hands to ask something from Allah ? In Ramadan, we ask so much that it kicks back a feeling of being a helpless needy servant in front of Allah . Isn’t it cool to realize one’s real status in front of Allah  at least for a month in a whole year? Isn’t it cooler that these acts of ours is *in* Ramadan when Allah  said that He   is looking out to answer His servant’s prayers? Woohoo! I think, it’s amazing how Allah   wants to dip us in His Blessings and Mercy in this month. The pleasure is all ours. Let’s shift the gear to push ourselves to the next level of worship, insha Allah.

Source: Islamiconlineuniversity.com

A girl's story!

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

"When I was a kid, Mum liked to make food for dinner & I remember one night in particular when she had made dinner after a long, hard day at work. On that evening, Mum placed a bowl of mince keema and extremely burned chappatis in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet, all my dad did was reach for his chappatis, smiled at my Mum and asked me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember hearing my Mum apologized to my dad for burning the chappatis. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned chappatis.

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his chappatis burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your mum had a long hard day at work today and she's really tired. And besides... A burnt chappati never hurt anyone but harsh words do!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things...and imperfect people. I'm not the best. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults and choosing to celebrate each others differences, is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing and lasting relationship. So...please pass me a chappati. And yes, the burnt one will do just fine! And please pass this along to someone who has enriched your life...I just did! Life is too short to wake up with regrets... Love the people who treat you right and have compassion for the ones who don't.

Reference: Nikah Explorer

How to effectively communicate with each other?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

By Noorul Irfana Mashooq Rahman.

We communicate with people on a daily basis, and what’s better than learning some important types of etiquette that could improve our daily interactions! I personally worked as an elementary school teacher in Sharjah for a period of time. After Allah  blessed me with my third child, I couldn’t get back to work and I didn’t miss the work environment much except for a few wonderful things that used to happen. I reminisced all those small, lovely things and especially remembered the peace greetings.

The school where I used to work, being an Islamic one, had the full Islamic greeting instilled in its students from an early age, so whenever I used to enter any classroom and utter the greetings of peace, the entire class would reply, ‘wa’alaykum as-salaam warahmatul laahi wa barakaatuh’ (and may the peace and blessings [of Allah] be upon you) in unison.

It was so beautiful, so pleasing to the ears and I had taken it for granted! Though I knew I could not have that many duas showered over me now that I was at home, I made a mental note to use every talking/meeting opportunity (provided the kids weren’t crying or in tantrum-mode) to say the full greeting to everybody with the hope of receiving the same beautiful greeting; a small decision with much to yield, In sha Allah.

We meet our brothers and sisters day in and day out. The sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) has taught us everything including manners and etiquettes of communicating with people in meetings, gatherings and elsewhere. If we were to follow the sunnah when communicating with people, we would be earning ourselves a great deal of reward, In sha Allah.

So, let’s recall some fantastic communication tips from the sunnah. But before proceeding, remember that our intentions must be pure and sincere, and unnecessary communication with non-mahrams of the opposite sex should be avoided as much as possible:

1. Smile: The Prophet (ﷺ)  said:

“Your smiling in the face of your brother is charity.” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi]
Before you start talking, smile! This is an instant ingredient to start any conversation positively and to remove any past ill feelings that could be present.

Smiling brings joy to the giver and the receiver (imagine being both!).

2. Pay attention to the tone and volume: Beware of your tone and the volume of your voice. Your tone determines whether you will make your relationship or break it. Any undesirable loudness in your voice could put people off and make any further attempts to communicate futile.

“And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys.” [Qur’an: Chapter 31, Verse 19]

3. Start with the Islamic greeting of peace: Whether you know this Muslim or not, the greeting of peace or saying ‘Assalaamu alaykum’ (peace be upon you) is recommended. It will repel hatred and create love between you.

“A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: Peace be upon you! He responded to his salutation. He then sat down. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Ten [rewards]. Another man came and said: Peace and Allah’s mercy be upon you! He responded to his salutation when he sat down. He said: Twenty. Another man came and said: Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you! He responded to him and said when he sat down: and blessings be upon you! He responded to him and said when he sat down: Thirty.” [Sunan Abi Dawud]

Habituate yourself with saying the full and complete greeting and earn 30 rewards every single time you greet someone!

4. Shake hands: Accompany your greeting with shaking hands (if you are greeting your mahram or a person of your gender).

“There are no two Muslims who meet and shake hands, but they will be forgiven before they part.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

5. Inquire about people: Ask them how they are doing and inquire about their health and well-being and that of their family and friends. They will feel loved and cared for.

6. Remember not all are the same: Consider people’s different characteristics and differences while communicating. Keep in mind their age, status, temperament and other factors.

7. Teach at every opportunity: The Prophet (ﷺ) used every chance to enjoin the good and forbid the evil. If there is ever a need for you to say something corrective in nature, do so gently.

8. Refrain from the common evils of the tongue: People getting together and communicating with each other often leads to falling into various sins related to the tongue such as talking about Allah  without knowledge, slandering, lying, insulting and cursing. These habits are grievous sins that eat away at our rewards and the barakah in our lives: make it a habit to ensure whether anything you are about to say may constitute any of these sins. And, if you were to indulge in joking, let the jokes be true. The Prophet (ﷺ)  said:

“A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him to degrees (of reward): a slave (of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah without thinking of its gravity and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

9. Choose simple, concise words: Avoid complex language and sophisticated terminologies. Instead, try to stick to concise words and phrases that are of eloquence and seek to be understood. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“I have been given superiority over the other prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning” […] [Sahih Muslim].

He (ﷺ) spoke with clarity and made people comprehend easily, sometimes by even repeating his words thrice.

10. Stay away from argumentation: Being nice is easy when you’re dealing with nice people. But, practically speaking, this world has more to it than such people. Despite your best efforts, you are bound to walk into not-so-nice people. Try not to fall into disputes and argumentation.

“And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).” [Qur’an: Chapter 8, Verse 46]

If you realize you are already in a dispute, be wise and argue with that which is better. Allah  says:

“And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend.” [Qur’an: Chapter 41, Verse 34]

If you find the argument going nowhere positive, stop before you get angry, smile and retreat after trying your best to reconcile for when a man said to the Prophet (ﷺ)  “Advise me,” he said: “Do not get angry.” He repeated his question several times and again the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Do not get angry.” [Bukhari]

11. End with the greeting: Before departing, smile, shake hands and greet people warmly with the salam.

12. In writing, start with Allah’s Name: If you were to communicate in writing, in addition to the points above that are relevant, it is desirable to start your written communication with ‘Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem’ [In the name of Allah, the Continuously Merciful, the Especially Merciful]. This was done by the Prophet  numerous times when he dispatched letters to kings and heads of peoples and tribes.

So that was a list of the basic etiquette from the sunnah on communicating effectively with people. Smiling and starting with the salam, speaking kindly and gently, showing warmth by shaking hands or a hug, giving due respect and/or showing love by considering the position of whom you are addressing, saying only that which is good and beneficial, choosing to be patient and kind over being right, and always ending with a warm smile and the salam: what a beautiful way to create love in your brother’s or sister’s heart for you!

Here’s a verse to further motivate you to communicate the sunnah way:

“Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.” [Qur’an: Chapter 6, Verse 160]

I hope this reminder of communicating effectively by following the sunnah has benefited you, In-Sha-Allah. Do share great ways you’ve discovered or tried in communicating effectively with others.

I leave you with the best greetings: Wassalaamu alaykum warahmatul laahi wabarakaatuh! (May the peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you).

Source: productivemuslim.com

She was Pretty..

In the  Name  of Allah, the  Most Gracious, the  Most Merciful.

She spend half of her life ..

Plucking and waxing, moisturizing , dieting, exercising , brushing ,applying , removing , tucking this , hiding that , cleaning this washing that , buying this and buying that ....

Wearing clothes that hung gracefully to her shape , accessories to add taste , fake eyelashes here , fake extensions there , piercing this and tattooing that ...

"It was her body" she argued to those who criticized her.

Then came the day she died ..

 She was locked in a box and the key was thrown away, her coffin left to lay amongst the dirt, where her body will slowly disintegrate to nothing as the maggots ,feast on the skin she used to take so much care of !

“It’s my body" she had argued..

No !!! It was NEVER your body but it was given by Allah..

For if it was your body surely you'd have never left it behind.

"Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return" (Surah Baqara : 156)

••Oh ya Allah !!! Forgive all my sins.. Great and small sins, the first and the last sins, those that are apparent and those that are hidden ••

Ameen ya Rabb !!  :)

Reference: Nikah Explorer

Meaning of Nine words Women use!

In the Name of  Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

1. Fine

This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

2. Five Minutes

If she is getting dressed, this means half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

3. Nothing

This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

4. Go Ahead

This is a dare, not permission. Don’t Do It!

5. Loud Sigh

This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of nothing).

6. That’s Okay

This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That’s okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

7. Thanks

A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you’re welcome. (I want to add in a clause here: This is true, unless she says ‘Thanks a lot’ - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say ‘you’re welcome’. That will bring on a ‘whatever’).

8. Whatever is a woman’s way of saying…Go to Hell!

9. Don’t worry about it, I got it

Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking ‘What’s wrong?’ For the woman’s response refer to #3.

It’s a fact, women are Extremely Complicated! But whatever they are, women are the most beautiful creation of Allah.

Smile, It’s Sunnah J

Reference: NIkah Explorer