He is Mine!

My Husband is Patient:

• When he does get upset, he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and seeks refuge in Allah from Satan before opening his eyes and smiling at me to show that all is forgiven.

Tom across the street screams at his wife Dora until she cries.

My Husband is Romantic:

• When he’s late coming home from work, I know he’s not cheating on me with the secretary... he’s stopping by the KFC to pick up the chicken dumplings he knows I love, with a bouquet of roses to apologize for not answering my phone call. 

Angela’s getting a divorce because Richard was caught with his partner at the office – twice. 

My Husband is Honorable: 

• When he’s out with his friends for the weekend, I know he’s not out at the pub flirting with the waitress... He’s at the mosque mentoring teenage boys and plays basketball with the guys.

Lana hates that her boyfriend spends his weekend nights at the local seedy strip club, enjoying women who aren’t her. 

My Husband is Supportive: 

• When I got my new job, he helped me balance my schedule and helped pick up with the chores around the house. When I got my promotion, he took me out to dinner and we celebrated all night. When my pay cheque exceeded his, he never asked me for a penny and would insist on paying for the milk I picked up on my way home. 

Julia confided that her husband resents her success, and demands that she pay half the rent. 

My Husband is Chivalrous:

• Even when we had the worst argument in the history of our marriage, when he slept at his mom’s house for a week, he never laid an angry hand on me. 

Brad across the street hits his wife whenever they have a fight, and we can all see the bruises under the sleeves of her shirt. 

My Husband is an involved Father:

• He takes my girl to karate every Wednesday and then buys her ice cream on the way back. He gives her a piggy back ride and changes her baby brother’s diapers when I’m busy. 

Jack down the road yells at his kids to stay out of his way, while he spends his days on the couch with the TV and a bottle of whiskey. 

My Husband is Chaste:

• I’m the only woman he looks at with that look of adoration and thorough appreciation. I love it when he looks me with his eyes, because his eyes don’t look to any other feminine figure except mine. 

Cindy found her husband’s inbox full of pornography subscriptions.

My Husband is Honest:  

• When he makes a mistake, he admits and tries to do better. When he is proven wrong, he humbly accepts it and seeks to rectify his error. 

George blames Brenda for anything that goes wrong, and refuses to take responsibility. 

My Husband is Respectful: 

• He treats me as a complete equal, an individual in my own right. He listens to what I have to say and never belittles my opinions. He empathizes with my feelings even if he doesn’t agree. He places me on a pedestal and never demeans my efforts at home with the kids or at work with my colleagues. 

Tom criticizes Susan about her education at a small-town college, about her part-time job, and about her size-14 figure. 

My Husband is Playful: 

• He’ll tickle me until I cry with laughter. He’ll play Twister with me until we fall on the floor in a heap of tangled limbs. He’ll dress up as a clown for the kids on the Eid party, even though his boss is there. 

Michael the C.E.O. is rarely seen cracking a smile, even at his son’s baseball game. 

My Husband is Generous and Soft-Hearted: 

• He can never walk by a panhandler without dropping at least a dollar into the beggar’s hand. When the teenage prostitute sashays up to him, her eyes blank and staring, he gives her the business card for the women’s shelter and gives her ten dollars to buy herself a decent meal. 

The guy behind him pulls her over for a grope and an appointment at the motel down the street. 

My Husband is Spiritual and Religious: 

• His British-Doctorate accent doesn’t hide the wisdom of his words, or the humor of his jokes. The mark on his forehead is from when he goes out to pray in the woods, to commune with nature and communicate with God – Not a sign of his Terrorist Tendencies. 

His heart Encompasses the Love of Allah, the Love of the Prophet, the Love of his Parents, His Wife, His Children, His community and Humanity. 

 

My Husband is a Muslim Husband! 

 

Seeking Hira

Over 1432 years ago, in the blessed month of Ramadhaan, a young man climbed the Mountain of Light, seeking his private sanctuary, the Cave of Hira. He is a young man, solidly built; his curly hair is moist from his exertion in the desert heat and drops of sweat slip from his forehead like glimmering pearls. His fair face, which would shine like the full moon when he smiled, is thoughtful now, with a faint sadness and pain at the corners of his bright eyes.

This man is Muhammad ibn Abdullah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He is abandoning his society for a few days, maybe a few weeks – he carries food and drink with him, for he does not intend to leave solitude for some time – but not because he is a social outcast. In fact, he is the darling of Makkan society: the grandson of one of its greatest Hashemite chiefs, the husband of one of the wealthiest and most powerful businesswomen in a merchant community.

He is here, in the middle of the desert, miles away from any civilization, because he is sick at heart. Sick of the overwhelming ills that have drowned the Makkans in constant intoxication, outrageous gambling, and endless tribal feuds. Pained by the exploitation of orphans, the poor, the helpless; horrified by the common burials of newborn girls, the mistreatment of women, the destruction of their dignity. He seeks something else, something better, something which seems just out of his reach. He seeks God.

Finally, he reaches his destination. It is here, in the cool shade of the cave, surrounded by solid rock, whispering sands, and endless sky, that he feels some peace of mind and tranquility of soul. He bends his head and surrenders himself to God, a million questions running through his mind, his heart aching for his lost people, crying out for that which will save them from the destruction they are wreaking upon themselves. Is there no hope? Is there no solution?

The answer appears, suddenly, shockingly. The Angel Jibreel, mighty and huge, with over seven hundred wings that span the horizon for as far as can be seen.

“Read!” The command is from God, an answer to those months of reflection, searching, praying. But Muhammad {sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam} is terrified, he does not understand. “I cannot read!” he cries, for he is illiterate, yet the Angel seizes him so tightly that he feels as though his bones will shatter.

“Read!” comes the order once more. “I cannot read!” he protests, and once again he is embraced by angelic limbs, overwhelming and unbearable.

“Read!” A third time, and this time he weeps, for his heart is full and he feels as he has never felt before. He submits himself to his Lord’s command. “What shall I read?”

{Read! Read in the Name of your Lord, Who created; created man from a clot of blood. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous… Who has taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not.}

(Surah al-‘Alaq, verses 1 – 5)

Over 1432 years later, it is the blessed month of Ramadhaan. Yet unlike the Messenger of Allah {sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam}, we have not cared to seclude ourselves, to reflect upon ourselves and our societies. We who transgress day in and day out, against our Lord, against ourselves, against each other… we who have been sent the ultimate guidance, the Magnificent Words of Allah, the Criterion, the Revelation, the invitation to a beautiful life and a blessed Paradise… we have been heedless, our hearts cold and hard.

Plugged into iPods, dialing our smartphones, driving our newest-model SUVS and digging out our wallets to shell out for more unnecessary accessories, we wonder briefly why we are so overwhelmed by life. The environment is suffering, wars are raging, morals are disappearing, people are dying by incomprehensible numbers – in body and soul. What have we done? What can we do? Before we even begin to consider those questions deeply, we shrug and turn back to our daily distractions.

Where is our Hira? We may not have desert caves in abundance, but we don’t need them. Location is convenient, but not necessary. At home, at the masjid, in our own minds, there is space and there is time. We need to seek it, create it, use it.

This Ramadhaan, still your hands and your mind, and discover your own Hira.

{Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed Signs for men of understanding. Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth. Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire!}

(Surah Aal-‘Imraan, verses 190 – 191)

{Then contemplate the signs of Allah's Mercy! How He gives life to the earth after its death: verily the same will give life to the men who are dead, for He has power over all things.}

(Surah ar-Room, verse 50)

{And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord, then turns aside therefrom? Verily, we shall exact retribution from the trangressors.}

(Surah as-Sajdah, verse 22)

True reflection leads to true submission: the essence of Islam. Just as Muhammad {sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam} surrendered himself to the command of Allah, even when he first thought he was unable to do so, so too must we overcome our reluctance, our own self-constructed obstacles towards obedience of our Lord.

JazakAllahu Khairahn...

7 Reasons!

‎
7 Reasons to Read the Glorious Quran

(1) Intimate:

It dares you to disprove it. How? It says that humans can not write a book like this even if they pooled all their resources together and got help also from the spirits. The Quran said this fourteen hundreds years ago and yet no one has been able to disprove it. Billions of books have been written - but not another one like the Quran.

(2) Incorruptible:

It is the only religious sacred writing which has been in circulation for such a long time and yet remains as pure as it was in the beginning. The Quran was kept intact. Nothing was added to it; nothing was changed in it; and nothing was taken away from it ever since it was completely revealed 1400 years ago.

(3) Unsurpassable:

The Quran is God's final revelation to humankind. God revealed the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, the Gospel to Jesus, and finally the Quran to Muhammad. Peace be upon all of them. No other book will come from God to surpass his final revelation.

(4) Indisputable:

The Quran withstands the test of time and scrutiny. No one can dispute the truth of this book. It speaks about past history and turns out right. It speaks about the future in prophecies and it turns out right. It mentions details of physical phenomena which were not known to people at the time; yet later scientific discoveries confirm that the Quran was right all along. Every other book needs to be revised to accord with modern knowledge. The Quran alone is never contradicted by a modern discovery.

(5) Your Roadmap for Life and After life:

The Quran is the best guide book on how to structure your life. No other book presents such a comprehensive system involving all aspects of human life and endeavor. The Quran also points out the way to secure everlasting happiness in the afterlife. It is your roadmap showing how to getto paradise.

(6) God's Gift of Guidance:

God has not left you alone. You were made for a reason. God tells you why he made you, what he demands from you, and what he has in store for you. If you operate a machine contrary to it's manufacture specification you will ruin that machine. What about you? Do you have an owner's manual for you? The Quran is from your function for success lest you fail to function. It is a healing mercy from God. It satisfies the soul, and cleans the heart. It removes doubts and brings peace.

(7) Your Calling Card to Communicate with God:

Humans are social creatures. We love to communicate with other intelligent life. The Quran tells us how to communicate with the source of all intelligence and the source of all life- the One God. The Quran tells us who God is, by what name we should address God, and the way in which to communicate with God.

Are these not 7 sufficient reasons for reading the Quran?

JazakAllahu Khairahn...

Stealing in Prayer

One of the worst forms of theft or cheating is cheating in prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
"The worst type of thief is the one who steals from his prayer."

The people asked, "O Messenger of Allah, how can a person steal from his prayer?"
He said: "By not doing rukoo' and sujood properly."
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 5/310; see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 997)

This lack of composure and failure to pause in Rukoo and Sujood (Prostration) and to stand up straight after Rukoo or sit up properly between Sujoods may be observed in many of those who pray, and hardly any mosque is free of examples of people who do not have the proper composure in prayer. Correct composure is one of the pillars of prayer, without which prayer is invalid.

This is a serious matter.

The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"A mans prayer is not good enough until his back is straight in rukoo and sujood."
(Reported by Abu Dawud, 1/533; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 7224).


Abu Abdullaah al-Ashari reported that the Prophet (pbuh) led his Companions in prayer, then he sat with a group of them. A man came in and started to pray, but made his movements rapid like a chicken pecking the ground.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Do you see this? Whoever dies having done this has died outside of the community of Muhammad, and his prayer is like a crow pecking blood. The person who bows then pecks in his Sujood is like a hungry man who eats no more than one or two dates - what good will that do him?"
(Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh 1/332; see also al-Albaani, Sifat Salaat al-Nabi (The Prophet's Prayer described), 131)


Zayd ibn Wahb said: "Hudhayfah saw a man who was not performing Rukoo and Sujood properly.
He said: You have not prayed, and if you were to die, you would die on a way other than that revealed by Allah to Muhammad (pbuh)
(Reported by Al-Bukhaari, see Al-Fath, 2/274).

Once a person is aware of this ruling, if he fails to perform prayer with the proper composure, he should repeat it and repent to Allah for what is past; he does not need to repeat all of his previous prayers, as is indicated by the Hadeeth
"Repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed."

`Ata' bin Dinar said, "All praise is due to Allah, the One Who said, (with their Salah are Sahun) and He did not say,
"Those who are absent minded in their prayer. It could also mean the first time of the prayer, which means they always delay it until the end of its time, or they usually do so. It may also refer to not fulfilling its pillars and conditions, and in the required manner. It could also mean performing it with humility and contemplation of its meanings. The wording of the Ayah comprises all of these meanings. However, whoever has any characteristic of this that we have mentioned then a portion of this Ayah applies to him. And whoever has all of these characteristics, then he has completed his share of this Ayah, and the hypocrisy of actions is fulfilled in him.

This is just as is confirmed in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah [sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam] said, (This is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite. He sits watching the sun until it is between the two horns of Shaytan. Then he stands and pecks four (Rak`ahs) and he does not remember Allah (in them) except very little)

A Tranquil Escape

While tests and trials are an unavoidable part of life, the way we choose to deal with them can either alleviate or further precipitate the situation. One thing that helps me tremendously is making really long sujood. A sajdah that lasts as long as possible with you focussed on removing every inkling of worldly concern from your heart and mind, is an escape that gives you clarity in thought and hope for what has yet to come.

I was feeling really down a few days ago, just from a whole bunch of things going onand more than anything, I was upset that I wasn’t being as patient as I should have been. So that night I decided to elongate my sujood for as long as I could without falling asleep. I began with the usual glorification of Allah and gradually started making du’a.

Instead of focussing on the challenges I was dealing with, I made Allah my concern. I thought about His attributes, سبحانه وتعالى. He is the One who sees me, knows me, created me, formed me,nurtured me, He knew me long before my parents knew me. He,عز و جل, guided me, granted me countless ﻧﻌﻣة so that at that very moment, I could turn to Him for help. Hetested me, and will test me for as long as I am alive and just the fact that Iwas able to lower my head in submission is huge blessing in itself. I thought about the ayah in Surah Qaf (50:16)

وَنَحْنُأَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيد

While Allah was/is closer to me than my jugular vein, at that exact second, He سبحانه وتعالى was running the affairs of trillions of other people andcreatures.

He was feeding one person, curing another, afflicting someone, giving life and death to whomever He willed, forgiving someone, guiding someone. At that moment, اللهعز و جل was running the affairs of the Jinn, of the Angels as they carried out commands, of those who were being punished in the grave and those who were looking through a window into Jannah, patiently awaiting the Day of Judgment.

He was providing for our شُهَدَاء as their souls rested in the hearts of green birds and ate from the provisions of Jannah. He was running the celestial bodies as they went through their precise cycles. He was changing the day to night and the night today. He had complete knowledge of the before and the after, the manifest and the unseen. No sleep or slumber could ever overcome Him, but he created sleep as a means of rest for His creation.

I thought about the meanings of His أسماء الله الحسنىthe meaning of الحي, القيوم, الجبار, العزيز, السميع, البصير, الغفور, الحكيم, العليم.

The existence of everything from the depths of the oceans, to the peaks of mountains, to the vast arrays of the universe were all known to Him, جل و الاعلی. Not a single leaf fell, nor did a (seemingly) great calamity occur except by His knowledge and permission. Love, fear, hope, laughter,tears, time, and all the intangibles of dunya were all under His supremecontrol. He, سبحانه وتعالى was aware of how these intangibles would be distributed amongst his creations 50,000 years before his first creation of ourfather, حضرت آدم عليہ السلام

الله عز و جل was caring for every single living creature, calculating the rizq of every living being. He determined which leaf was going to fall down onto which animal so it could be a source of provision for a fly. سبحانالله العدادہ خلقہی.

I thought about the beautiful du’a a bedouin Sahabi made, not knowing the Prophetحضرت محمد صلی اللہ عليه وسلم was in his presence listening attentively. He صلیاللہ عليه وسلم heard him say,

“O the One who eyes cannot see in this world, minds cannot comprehend His Greatness,people cannot praise Him as He deserves to be praised, incidents do not change Him, He knows the exact weight of all the mountains in the world, He knows the exact volume of all the oceans in the world, He knows the exact number of drops that fall from the sky, He knows the number of leaves on all the trees in the world, He knows the number and detail of everything that the night hides in itsdarkness and the day illuminates with its light. One sky cannot shield another from Allāh. One ground cannot shield another from Allāh. A mountain in itsdeepest, darkest cave cannot hide anything from Allāh. The ocean with its depth cannot hide anything from Allāh.”

Then he made du‘ā’ to Allāh and said, “O Allāh make the best part of my life the last part of my life. Make the best of my actions the last of my actions. Make the best of my days the day that I will meet You.”

I became so overwhelmed and engulfed in these thoughts but I continued to think.I thought about all the du’as الله عز و جل never left unanswered (the ones my memory could recall). I slowly went through every minor difficulty I had faced till now. سبحانالله, I thought to myself:If الله سبحانه وتعالى was so generous and merciful to me through all those difficulties, what made me so sure that I would have to face my current challenges all alone? Allah was there then and He is always with me now. How could I possibly worry about matters that my Most Merciful Lord has already ordained? After some more reflecting, I lifted my head and sighed a sigh of relief.

Next time you’re stressed, just make sujood. Let go of your obstacles and make du’a.Think about it – You are transferring a situation from your power and ability to the power and ability of Allah. You are moving obstacles from yourself to the One who has no obstacles.

Al-A'raf(The Heights) (7:205)

وَاذْكُررَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعاً وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِبِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ وَلاَ تَكُن مِّنَ الْغَافِلِينَ

And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech – in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless. [7:205]

“You don’t know what the future holds, but you know who holds it”

Why the name of the Surah was (Al-Baqarah) the cow...

Tafsir ibn kathir: Allah said, `O Children of Israel! Remember how I blessed you with miracle of the cow that was the means for discovering the identity of the murderer, when the murdered man was brought back to life'

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded `Ubaydah As-Salmani saying, "There was a man from among the Children of Israel who was impotent. He had substantial wealth, and only a nephew who would inherit from him. So his nephew killed him and moved his body at night, placing it at the doorstep of a certain man. The next morning, the nephew cried out for revenge, and the people took up their weapons and almost fought each other. The wise men among them said, `Why would you kill each other, while the Messenger of Allah is still among you' So they went to Musa and mentioned the matter to him and Musa said

(Suratul Baqarah: 67-74)

Verse 67: When Musa said to his people, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow., they said, .Are you making fun of us?. He said, I seek refuge with Allah from being one of the ignorant.

Verse 68: They said, Pray for us to your Lord that He makes it clear to us what sort (of cow) should she be.. He said, He says she should be a cow neither too old, nor too young - of some middle age in between. Now, do what you are being asked to do.

Verse 69: They said, Pray for us to your Lord that He makes it clear to us of what colour it should be.. He said: He says that she should be a yellow cow, rich yellow in her colour that should please the onlookers.

Verse 70: They said, Pray for us to your Lord that He makes it clear to us of what sort should she be, for this cow has made us confused and, if Allah wills, We shall certainly take the right course.

Verse 71: He said, He says that it should be a cow which is not tractable for tilling the soil or in watering the fields, (and it should be) sound and without blemish.. They said, Now, you have come up with the right description.. Then they slaughtered her, although it appeared that they would not do it.

Verse 72: And when you killed a man, and started putting the blame for it on one another, while Allah was to bring forth what ye did hide

Verse 73: So, We said, Strike him with a part of it (the cow) "Thus Allah bringeth the dead to life and He shows you His signs, so that you may understand.

Tafsir, Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, "When the dead man was struck with a part of the cow, he stood up and became more alive than he ever was. He was asked, `Who killed you' He said, `My nephews killed me.' He then died again. His nephews said, after Allah took his life away, `By Allah! We did not kill him' and denied the truth while they knew it. Allah said,

Verse 74: When, even after that, your hearts were hardened, as if they were rocks, or still worse in hardness. For surely among the rocks there are some from which rivers gush forth, and there are others that crack open and water flows from them, and there are still others that fall down in fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Jazakallahu Khairahn!

Cheating and Deception are Grave Sins

A MUSLIM society is based on purity of feeling, love, sincerity toward every Muslim, and fulfillment of promises to every member of society. Its members are endowed with piety, truthfulness, and faithfulness. Cheating and deception are alien characters in contrast to the noble character of a true Muslim. There is no room in it for swindlers, double-crossers, tricksters or traitors.

Islam views cheating and deception as heinous sins, a source of shame to the one guilty of committing them, both in this world and the next.

The Prophet (pbuh) did not merely denounce them by excluding them from the Muslim community in this world, he also announced that on the Day of Judgment every traitor would be raised carrying the banner announcing his betrayal. A caller will cry out from the vast arena of judgment, pointing to him, drawing attention to him:

“Every traitor will have a banner on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said: This is the betrayer of so-and-so.” -Saheeh Al-Bukhari

The shame of traitors – men and women – will be immense. Those who thought that their betrayal had been forgotten will find it right there, exposed for the whole world to see on banners raised high and held by their own hands!

Their shame will increase even more when they meet with the Prophet of Mercy on that Day. Their crime is of such enormity that it will deprive them of divine mercy and the Prophet’s intercession. The Prophet (pbuh) said:

“Allah said: There are three whom I will oppose on the Day of Resurrection: a man who gave his word and then did not keep it; a man who sold a free man into slavery and kept the money; and a man who hired someone, benefited from his labor, then did not pay his wages.” -Sahih Al-Bukhari

One should steer clear of all forms of deceit and deception present in today’s society. Cheating is common in examinations, business transactions, and even between spouses and loved ones. Placing a label on domestically-made products to make it seem that it is imported is a kind of fraud. Some people give wrong advice when their counsel is sought and thus deceive the person who believes he is getting good advice. An employee should do the job he is paid for without any deception or cheating.

Rulers rig the ballot to win elections and cheat the whole nation. Cheating between relations, giving a word of marriage and not living it up decieving the trust/promise of a man/woman, cheating spouses and having extra-marital affairs is widespread in modern society.

A Muslim should value himself too highly to be among those who cheat or deceive perchance that one might fall in the category of hypocrites about whom the Prophet (pbuh) said:

“There are four characteristics, whoever has all of them is a true hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has one of the qualities of a hypocrite until he gives it up: when he is given trust, he betrays; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he disputes, he resorts to slander.” -Sahih Al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim

Therefore, a Muslim who has true Islamic sensitivities avoids deceit, cheating, treachery, and lying no matter what benefits or profits such activities might bring him, because Islam considers those guilty of such deeds to be hypocrites.

May Allah Guide us all, For Alhamdulilah, He knows the Best!
JazakAllahu Khairahn