Hi,

This thread will cover daily issues faced by everyone from an islamic perspective. It is my hope that i can help people understand some of the dynamics of islam, our world view and help them deal with some of the issues in their lives. Insha Allah (God willing).

Salam Aleikum (Peace be upon you)

Why do people have to leave each other?
YASMIN MOGAHED

When I was 17 years old, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was sitting inside a masjid (mosque) and a little girl walked up to ask me a question. She asked me: “Why do people have to leave each other?” The question was a personal one, but it seemed clear to me why the question was chosen for me.
I was one to get attached.

Ever since I was a child, this temperament was clear. While other children in preschool could easily recover once their parents left, I could not. My tears, once set in motion, did not stop easily. As I grew up, I learned to become attached to everything around me. From the time I was in first grade, I needed a best friend. As I got older, any fall-out with a friend shattered me. I couldn’t let go of anything. People, places, events, photographs, moments—even outcomes became objects of strong attachment. If things didn’t work out the way I wanted or imagined they should, I was devastated. And disappointment for me wasn’t an ordinary emotion. It was catastrophic. Once let down, I never fully recovered. I could never forget, and the break never mended. Like a glass vase that you place on the edge of a table, once broken, the pieces never quite fit again.

But the problem wasn’t with the vase. Or even that the vases kept breaking. The problem was that I kept putting them on the edge of tables. Through my attachments, I was dependent on my relationships to fulfill my needs. I allowed those relationships to define my happiness or my sadness, my fulfillment or my emptiness, my security, and even my self-worth. And so, like the vase placed where it will inevitably fall, through those dependencies I set myself up for disappointment. I set myself up to be broken. And that’s exactly what I found: one disappointment, one break after another.

But the people who broke me were not to blame any more than gravity can be blamed for breaking the vase. We can’t blame the laws of physics when a twig snaps because we leaned on it for support. The twig was never created to carry us.

Our weight was only meant to be carried by God. We are told in the Quran: “…whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God hears and knows all things.” (Qur’an 2: 256)

There is a crucial lesson in this verse: that there is only one handhold that never breaks. There is only one place where we can lay our dependencies. There is only one relationship that should define our self-worth and only one source from which to seek our ultimate happiness, fulfillment, and security. That place is God.

But this world is all about seeking those things everywhere else. Some of us seek it in our careers, some seek it in wealth, some in status. Some, like me, seek it in our relationships. In her book, Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert describes her own quest for happiness. She describes moving in and out of relationships, and even traveling the globe in search of this fulfillment. She seeks that fulfillment—unsuccessfully—in her relationships, in meditation, even in food.

And that’s exactly where I spent much of my own life: seeking a way to fill my inner void. So it was no wonder that the little girl in my dream asked me this question. It was a question about loss, about disappointment. It was a question about being let down. A question about seeking something and coming back empty handed. It was about what happens when you try to dig in concrete with your bare hands: not only do you come back with nothing—you break your fingers in the process. And I learned this not by reading it, not by hearing it from a wise sage. I learned it by trying it again, and again, and again.

And so, the little girl’s question was essentially my own question…being asked to myself.

Ultimately, the question was about the nature of the dunya as a place of fleeting moments and temporary attachments. As a place where people are with you today, and leave or die tomorrow. But this reality hurts our very being because it goes against our nature. We, as humans, are made to seek, love, and strive for what is perfect and what is permanent. We are made to seek what’s eternal. We seek this because we were not made for this life. Our first and true home was Paradise: a land that is both perfect and eternal. So the yearning for that type of life is a part of our being. The problem is that we try to find that here. And so we create ageless creams and cosmetic surgery in a desperate attempt to hold on—in an attempt to mold this world into what it is not, and will never be.

And that’s why if we live in dunya (World) with our hearts, it breaks us. That’s why this dunya(world) hurts. It is because the definition of dunya, as something temporary and imperfect, goes against everything we are made to yearn for. Allah put a yearning in us that can only be fulfilled by what is eternal and perfect. By trying to find fulfillment in what is fleeting, we are running after a hologram…a mirage. We are digging into concrete with our bare hands. Seeking to turn what is by its very nature temporary into something eternal is like trying to extract from fire, water.  You just get burned. Only when we stop putting our hopes in dunya, only when we stop trying to make the dunya into what it is not—and was never meant to be (jannah)—will this life finally stop breaking our hearts.

We must also realize that nothing happens without a purpose. Nothing. Not even broken hearts. Not even pain. That broken heart and that pain are lessons and signs for us. They are warnings that something is wrong. They are warnings that we need to make a change. Just like the pain of being burned is what warns us to remove our hand from the fire, emotional pain warns us that we need to make an internal change. That we need to detach. Pain is a form of forced detachment. Like the loved one who hurts you again and again and again, the more dunya hurts us, the more we inevitably detach from it. The more we inevitably stop loving it.

Continued

And pain is a pointer to our attachments. That which makes us cry, that which causes us most pain is where our false attachments lie. And it is those things which we are attached to as we should only be attached to Allah which become barriers on our path to God. But the pain itself is what makes the false attachment evident. The pain creates a condition in our life that we seek to change, and if there is anything about our condition that we don’t like, there is a divine formula to change it. God says: “Verily never will God change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.” (Qur’an, 13:11)

After years of falling into the same pattern of disappointments and heartbreak, I finally began to realize something profound. I had always thought that love of dunya(world) meant being attached to material things. And I was not attached to material things. I was attached to people. I was attached to moments. I was attached to emotions. So I thought that the love of dunya just did not apply to me. What I didn’t realize was that people, moments, emotions are all a part of dunya. What I didn’t realize is that all the pain I had experienced in life was due to one thing, and one thing only: love of dunya.

As soon as I began to have that realization, a veil was lifted from my eyes. I started to see what my problem was. I was expecting this life to be what it is not, and was never meant to be: perfect. And being the idealist that I am, I was struggling with every cell in my body to make it so. It had to be perfect. And I would not stop until it was. I gave my blood, sweat, and tears to this endeavor: making the dunya into jannah (paradise). This meant expecting people around me to be perfect. Expecting my relationships to be perfect. Expecting so much from those around me and from this life. Expectations. Expectations. Expectations. And if there is one recipe for unhappiness it is that: expectations. But herein lay my fatal mistake. My mistake was not in having expectations; as humans, we should never lose hope. The problem was in *where* I was placing those expectations and that hope. At the end of the day, my hope and expectations were not being placed in God. My hope and expectations were in people, relationships, means. Ultimately, my hope was in this dunya rather than Allah.

And so I came to realize a very deep Truth. An ayah(verse) began to cross my mind. It was an ayah(verse) I had heard before, but for the first time I realized that it was actually describing me:  “Those who rest not their hope on their meeting with Us, but are pleased and satisfied with the life of the present, and those who heed not Our Signs.” (Qur’an, 10:7)

By thinking that I can have everything here, my hope was not in my meeting with God. My hope was in dunya. But what does it mean to place your hope in dunya? How can this be avoided? It means when you have friends, don’t expect your friends to fill your emptiness. When you get married, don’t expect your spouse to fulfill your every need. When you’re an activist, don’t put your hope in the results. When you’re in trouble don’t depend on yourself. Don’t depend on people. Depend on God.

Seek the help of people—but realize that it is not the people (or even your own self) that can save you. Only Allah can do these things. The people are only tools, a means used by God. But they are not the source of help, aid, or salvation of any kind. Only God is. The people cannot even create the wing of a fly (22:73).  And so, even while you interact with people externally, turn your heart towards God. Face Him alone, as Prophet Ibrahim (as) said so beautifully: “For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah.” (Qur’an, 6:79)

But how does Prophet Ibrahim (as) describe his journey to that point? He studies the moon, the sun and the stars and realizes that they are not perfect. They set.

They let us down.

So Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (as) was thereby led to face Allah alone. Like him, we need to put our full hope, trust, and dependency on God. And God alone. And if we do that, we will learn what it means to finally find peace and stability of heart. Only then will the roller coaster that once defined our lives finally come to an end. That is because if our inner state is dependent on something that is by definition inconstant, that inner state will also be inconstant. If our inner state is dependent on something changing and temporary, that inner state will be in a constant state of instability, agitation, and unrest. This means that one moment we’re happy, but as soon as that which our happiness depended upon changes, our happiness also changes. And we become sad. We remain always swinging from one extreme to another and not realizing why.

We experience this emotional roller coaster because we can never find stability and lasting peace until our attachment and dependency is on what is stable and lasting. How can we hope to find constancy if what we hold on to is inconstant and perishing? In the statement of Abu Bakr is a deep illustration of this truth. After the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ died, the people went into shock and could not handle the news. But although no one loved the Prophet ﷺ like Abu Bakr, Abu Bakr understood well the only place where one’s dependency should lie. He said: “If you worshipped Muhammad, know that Muhammad is dead. But if you worshipped Allah, know that Allah never dies.”

To attain that state, don’t let your source of fulfillment be anything other than your relationship with God. Don’t let your definition of success, failure, or self-worth be anything other than your position with Him (Qur’an, 49:13). And if you do this, you become unbreakable, because your handhold is unbreakable. You become unconquerable, because your supporter can never be conquered. And you will never become empty, because your source of fulfillment is unending and never diminishes.

Looking back at the dream I had when I was 17, I wonder if that little girl was me. I wonder this because the answer I gave her was a lesson I would need to spend the next painful years of my life learning. My answer to her question of why people have to leave each other was: “because this life isn’t perfect; for if it was, what would the next be called?”

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/why-do-people-have-to-leave-each-other/

The Only Shelter in the Storm
YASMIN MOGAHED

It’s never easy to stand when the storm hits. As soon as it starts raining, lightning shortly follows. Dark clouds replace the sun and all you can see are the waves of an ocean, once calm, surrounding you. No longer able to find your way, you reach out for help.

You begin by calling the coast guard. No reply. You try again to redirect the boat. No use. You look for the lifeboat. It’s gone. You reach for a life jacket. Torn. Finally after you’ve exhausted every means, you turn your face upward.

And ask God.

But there’s something completely unique about this moment. At this instant, you experience something you otherwise could only theorize about: true tawheed. Oneness. See, on shore, you may have called on God. But you called on Him along with so many others. You may have depended on God. But you depended on Him along with so many other handholds. But for this singular moment, everything else is closed. Everything. There is nothing left to call on. Nothing left to depend on. But Him.

And that’s the point.

Do you ever wonder why when you’re most in need, every door you seek of the creation remains closed? You knock on one, but it’s slammed shut. So you go to another. It’s also shut. You go from door to door, knocking, pounding on each one, but nothing opens. And even those doors you had once depended on, suddenly shut. Why? Why does that happen?

See, we humans have certain qualities which God knows well. We are constantly in a state of need. We are weak. But, we are also hasty and impatient. When we are in trouble, we will be pushed to seek assistance. And that’s the design. Why would we seek shelter if it’s sunny and the weather is nice? When does one seek refuge? It is when the storm hits. So Allah subahanahu wa ta`ala (exlated is He) sends the storm; He makes the need through a created situation, so that we will be driven to seek shelter.

But when we do seek assistance, because of our impatience, we seek it in what is near and what seems easy. We seek it in what we can see and hear and touch. We look for shortcuts. We seek help in the creation, including our own selves. We look for help in what seems closest. And isn’t that exactly what dunya (wordly life) is? What seems near. The word ‘dunya’ itself means ‘that which is lower’. Dunya is what seems closest. But, this is only an illusion.

There is something closer.

Think for a moment about what’s nearest to us. If asked this question, many would say it is the heart and the self that are nearest. But, Allah (swt) says:



“It was We Who created man, and We know what dark suggestions his nafs (self) makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein,” (Qur’an 50:16).

In this verse, Allah (swt) begins by showing us that He knows our struggles. There is comfort in knowing that someone sees our struggles. He knows what our own self calls us to. But He is closer. He is closer than our own self and what it calls for. He is closer than our jugular vein. And why the jugular? What is striking about this part of us? The jugular vein is the most important vein that brings blood to the heart. If severed, we die almost immediately. It is literally our lifeline. But Allah (swt) is closer. Allah (swt) is closer than our own life, than our own Self, than our own nafs. And He is closer than the most important pathway to our heart.

In another verse, Allah (swt) says:


“O ye who believe! give your response to Allah and His Messenger, when He calleth you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah cometh in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to Whom ye shall (all) be gathered,” (Qur’an 8:24).

Allah (swt) knows we have a nafs. Allah knows we have a heart. Allah knows that these things drive us. But Allah tells us that He is closer to us than even these. So when we reach for other than Him, we are not only reaching for what is weaker, we are also reaching past what is closer, for what is further and more distant. Subhan Allah (Glory be to God).

So since this is our nature, as Allah (swt) knows best, He protects and redirects us by keeping all other doors of refuge closed during the storm. He knows that behind each false door is a drop. And if we enter it, we will fall. In His mercy, He keeps those false doors closed.

In His mercy, He sent the storm itself to make us seek Him. And then knowing that we’re likely to get the wrong answer, He gives us a multiple choice exam with only one option to choose from: the correct answer. The hardship itself is ease. By taking away all other handholds, all other multiple choice options, He has made the test simple.

It’s never easy to stand when the storm hits. And that’s exactly the point. By sending the wind, He brings us to our knees: the perfect position to pray.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/reflections/the-only-shelter-in-the-storm/

This is not the ISLAM section, please post these articles in the ISLAM section.

sighs
grt piece

Dyt:

sighs
grt piece

Thank you, glad you liked it,

great piece, keep it up.
may we all come to appreciate the delusion of holding onto the world but God instead.

ommo:

great piece, keep it up.
may we all come to appreciate the delusion of holding onto the world but God instead.

Thanks

The Power of Words
REEHAB RAMADAN

It had been an exceptionally hard day for me, about 3 years ago. Everything seemed to be out of place and one thing after another was going wrong. I headed over to the University Center to get a bite to eat—maybe food would calm my nerves. At the time, I had been wearing niqab (the face veil), but that was the least of my worries, or so I thought. As I stood in line to get my food, I glanced behind me and noticed a few Muslim brothers. I was about to extend my salaam (greetings of peace) to them when I caught wind of what they were saying. They were talking about ME! ‘Why does she think she can dress that way? Who does she think she is?!’ On normal days, their comments would have had no effect on me, but on that day, they went straight to my heart. Perhaps their comments were like the straw that broke the camel’s back, because instantly tears began to flow down my face, which of course no one could see. I left the food line, disheartened, and walked away hoping to find a place to be alone and be at peace at last.

I walked for a good 5 minutes, trying to compose myself before I got to my destination. I reached the building I was aiming for and began to walk up the stairs as I felt a tap on my shoulder and a whispered, “Wait!” I turned around and found a woman I didn’t know, panting, trying to catch her breath. I waited until she was able to speak and what she said next took me by complete surprise. She looked me in the eye and said, “I’ve been following you, trying to catch up to you for 5 minutes! I just wanted you to know that I admire your strength in wearing what you believe in. More power to you and may the God you believe in bless you.” And that was it. That’s all she said. She turned around and walked away, without telling me her name or wanting anything from me. Instantly my pain began to melt and I began to smile. It was her kind words that made my day so much brighter. It was her kind words that reminded me why I was doing what I was doing: God. The woman didn’t know how much I needed to hear some sort of uplifting words. She didn’t know that I was having a horrible day, but she saw an opportunity to say something good, and she seized it.

It was on that day that I realized the power of words. The power that our beloved Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) was talking about when he said: “Indeed a servant will speak a word pleasing to Allah that he thinks to be insignificant, but because of it Allah raises him by many degrees. And indeed a servant will speak a word displeasing to Allah that he thinks to be insignificant, but because of it, He will consign him to the Hellfire.” So many times we say things that we don’t think through. We don’t think about the effects of our words. Those brothers, whom I hold no grudge against alhamdulilah (praise be to God), probably forgot the conversation they had minutes after I left, not realizing the weight of their words. And that woman probably forgot the conversation we had, minutes after she left, not realizing the weight of her words. But as we can see, years later, I still have not forgotten.

It is through such an example that we can come to think that a word is never too small to be hurtful nor too small to be beneficial. We should consider any word that we speak, out of fear that this word may be the word that causes our ultimate destruction. We should rush to say any kind and helpful word that we can, out of hope that this word will be the cause of our rising in rank. May Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) cause us to be of those who are raised in rank by our words and never be condemned to hell-fire.

“Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs.” —Pearl Strachan

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/the-power-of-words/

Two way Streets
Ahmed Zaafran

A short while ago, my wife and I took our two kids to the local public library. Going to the library today is much different than it was when I was a child. I remember the distinct smell of old books and how their pages seemed to coalesce into a never-ending narrative. There weren’t many computers back then (gasp!) and the ones that were around, made inter-galactic sounds that freaked everybody out.

When we got there, the kids jumped on to the computers positioned along the wall and started working on the interactive programs designed for their education. I took that opportunity to disappear for a bit and explore. As I perused through the columns of bookshelves, I saw a book that sent nostalgic goose bumps down my spine. The book called “The Giving Tree” is a short story written by Shel Silverstein. Initially published in 1964, this children’s book tells the story of a young boy and his relationship with his friend: a tree. In short, the boy befriends this tree that seems willing to do anything for him. The boy would come and play in her shade, gather her leaves, and even play hide-and-seek. As the boy grows older, he becomes more engrossed by the world around him and is no longer satisfied by the company of his friend. At one point, he asks the tree for money!

”I’m sorry”, said the tree,” but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you’ll be happy.”
And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.

And the tree was happy…

Here we see just one example of the tree’s unconditional love for the boy and its willingness to sacrifice itself for him. This story reminded me of the types of friendships we form and how dysfunctional many of them are. We have all seen, or even been a part of, one-way friendships where one party is always giving and the other always taking. Some give so much emotionally that they completely lose their identity and become utterly dependent on their so called, “friends.”

By now my kids are halfway complete with Dora the Explorer’s version of the matching game and I’m sitting in the corner, squeezing myself into one of those tiny chairs reserved for toddlers, totally engrossed in the book.

Don’t judge me.

But it got me thinking. What is the nature of a friendship in Islam? How is it described in the Qur’an?

Most of us know that many of God’s beloved messengers had names that give us glimpses into how He looks at them. For example, Jesus Christ (peace and blessings be upon him) is known in Islam as Ruh Allah-The spirit of God. Mohammed ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) is referred to as, “Habib Allah”- God’s beloved. And Abraham, the father of the prophets, received the name, Khalil Allah- God’s friend. So, if Abraham (peace and blessings be upon him) was God’s friend, what was the nature of their relationship?

In chapter four of the Qur’an, entitled “Women”, Allah says,

“Who could have a better religion than someone who submits himself completely to God and is a good-doer, and follows the religion of Ibrahim, a man of pure natural belief? God took Ibrahim as an intimate friend.” (Qur’an 4:125)

Furthermore, in chapter 16, “The Bee”, Allah says,

“Surely Abraham was an exemplar, obedient to God, upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He showed his gratitude for the favors of God, who chose him, and guided him to a Straight Way. And We gave him Good in this world, and he will be, in the Hereafter, in the ranks of the Righteous. So We have taught you the inspiration, ‘Follow the ways of Ibrahim the True in Faith, and he associated none with God.” (Qur’an 16:120-123)

What struck me about those passages was the importance of gratitude in friendship. If we take a look at our friendships, whether with our spouses, parents, cousins, homeboys/homegirls, we’ve got to ask ourselves, are we grateful for that shoulder to cry on? Do we take the initiative to call our friends when times are good and not just when we need some cash?

At the end of the book, the boy, now an old man, comes back to the tree. The tree, unable to give anything more, tries to explain herself to the boy.

”I am sorry, Boy”, said the tree, “but I have nothing left to give you My apples are gone”.
”My teeth are too weak for apples”, said the boy.
”My branches are gone”, said the tree. “You cannot swing on them”.
”I am too old to swing on branches”, said the boy.
”My trunk is gone”, said the tree. “You cannot climb”.
”I am too tired to climb”, said the boy.
“I am sorry” sighed the tree. “I wish that I could give you something… but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry…”
”I don’t need very much now”, said the boy. “Just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired”.

”Well”, said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, “well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down… sit down and rest”.

And the boy did.
And the tree was happy…

The tree had nothing left to give. Despite that, she still offers her stump, barely a few feet off the ground, as a resting place for her old friend.

Life is too short to lose sight of the people we love. The friendships we formulate during our time here have the power to resonate for eternity. We just have to show gratitude and respect for each other’s time and effort.

And we’ll be happy.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/two-way-streets/

Being Religious Without Being a Jerk
ABDUL SATTAR AHMED

“There is nothing that has gentleness in it except that it is beautified, and there is nothing that has harshness in it except that it makes it ugly. So be calm, O Aisha!”

The above words were spoken by our beloved Messenger ﷺ to his wife, `A’isha radi allahu `anha (may Allah be please with her). A group of people had passed by the Prophet ﷺ and our Mother `A’isha, and said to him: “As-sa’amu `alaykum” (death be upon you).” It was a wordplay on “As-salaamu `alaykum (peace be upon you)”, with the intent of ridiculing the Prophet ﷺ. `A’isha (ra) became so angry that she rose up and began yelling at them that death should be upon them, and the curse of God, and so on.

At this, the Prophet ﷺ turned towards her, and spoke these words, telling her to calm down, and not to lose her composure, even in the face of personal insult. This man, our Messenger ﷺ, was the pillar of tranquility in an ocean of chaos. Our mother Aisha (ra), did this out of a pure, sincere, and unyielding love for the Prophet (saw). Not out of any arrogance or pride. For her it was an anger rooted in love, a desire to protect her Prophet from those who hated him. May Allah be pleased with her.

Unfortunately however, many of us react with harshness when faced with religious differences, especially WITHIN our own ummah – not out of love, but out of arrogance. When we examine ourselves today, especially those among us who are students of religious knowledge or believers striving to better ourselves, a tragic observation can often be made: Religiosity often turns people into jerks.
Many have witnessed this story: A young man or woman who used to be friendly, well-mannered, who treated people well, sadly turns into someone who shows mild annoyance upon meeting people who follow a different religious opinion. He shows anger when presented with arguments against his or her own point of view. Finally, he or she begins to pronounce judgment against others—pronouncing minor differences in opinion as proofs of disbelief.
When told to calm down, to stop being judgmental—the response comes in one of many flavors:

“Brother, I am enjoining the good and forbidding the evil!”
“We are defending the Sunnah!”
“When people are harsh against the Sunnah, we will be harsh in defending it!”
And so on.

Over what kinds of issues? Not the serious lack of counseling services in the community. Not the difficulty that our youth are having in protecting their faith from intellectual attack. Not the issues of domestic abuse, poverty, family breakups or homelessness afflicting non-Muslims and Muslims around us.

But the length of our pants and whether or not they are above our ankles, the lengths of our beards, etc. Perhaps one’s adherence or lack thereof to a group or organization. What we think about pseudo-philosophical concepts about the essence of God’s attributes. Such meanness and harshness occurs not over what is physically affecting people, but over a disagreement between opinions in our minds. Over varying textual interpretations that result in different legal opinions or a creedal points unknown to the majority of the world’s Muslims.

Why does this happen to us when almost nothing is more important in our religion than the subjugation of our egos to the Power and Oneness of God?

The Remedy

“Islam takes us and throws us so we fall totally in love with The Creator. Yet, somehow some of us turn it into a way to look down upon the creation.”

This happens because somewhere along the line in striving to love God, the ego—the innermost part of our soul which continuously wishes to be glorified and exalted over others—made our religiosity a means of doing just that. The religion exists to crush the ego, and enslave it towards the worship of its Creator.

When we say AllahuAkbar (God is the Greatest), the true meaning of this, when one explores Arabic grammar, is “God is the Greatest Above All Things”—including our loves, our hates, our desires, our weaknesses, our dreams, our hopes, our very essences. Success in reaching our desires is only through His permission, and the power to overcome our weaknesses is only through His Mercy. This phrase is formulated to remind us of Allah’s greatness over ourselves and over every element of our lives. It acknowledges the overwhelming power that is Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He).

On the ego’s path to enslavement and the realization of recognizing Allah (swt) alone as the sole object of adoration and love, our ego sought a way out so it would not have to undergo such tribulation and destruction; so that it would not have to give up its position as the one that is praised and feels valued.

That ego essentially hijacks the religiosity of the individual and takes it on a detour. What is that detour? Rather than letting Islam be Islam and allowing the soul to get lost in the wonders of Allah’s power, the limitless nature of His love, the magnanimous breadth of His Mercy, the immeasurable depth of His knowledge, the care and affection that He showers upon His creation—the ego detours the soul into LOVING ITSELF.

When the soul begins to love itself, it becomes dissatisfied with not only God, but with God’s creation. It sees its own knowledge, opinion, and worldview as superior to all others. In order to maintain its false notion of being humble, it will even fake humility to those on the outside: “I’m nobody, I’m not knowledgeable”—while secretly harboring contempt for all those who follow different opinions or ideas about Islam. It is easy to recognize this tendency in ourselves. It happens when our religious discourse, our religious speech, and our religious vocabulary become less about loving God, adoring his Messenger ﷺ, bettering ourselves and more about creedal disagreements, legal fine points, and how one group is bad or another is good.

When religion becomes more about how one person does not practice the way that pleases us (even if we are correct in expressing the opinion of orthodox Islam) than about how we can please God, the religion has essentially turned into a tool to make us feel better about ourselves.

This does not mean we should turn off legitimate criticism in religious discourse. Enjoining the good and forbidding evil means that we must take an active interest in our communities, and in striving to develop our communities and our religious practices in a way that is healthy, natural, and allows Muslims from all backgrounds to be included and non-Muslims to feel welcome.

Rather, it is time we examine our deeper motives and feelings when we criticize and put forth negativity: “Am I criticizing and putting forth negativity because my criticism and the way I am putting it forth will actively help to prevent harm and bring benefit? Or am I criticizing to ridicule, make myself feel better, and make others see me as superior?”

Answering this question correctly and being sincere is the difference between the religious jerk and a servant of God.

i dont read long write ups bt blv me u got me readin it ova n ova
may ALLAhs bleesings b upon u

Dyt:

i dont read long write ups bt blv me u got me readin it ova n ova
may ALLAhs bleesings b upon u

Jazakallahu Khair (May Allah grant you goodness)

Making Rain
Shahraiz Tabassam

As I walked out onto the porch, I found Rizma strolling in the front lawn, surveying the plants that surrounded her. She looked on, and I could tell that she had already been doing this for some time now and, by the looks of it, was clearly bored.

It was the start of her summer vacation and having little else to do, my thirteen year-old sister had decided to come down to the lawn and spend some time by herself.

The mid-summer heat was intense and the fact that it hadn’t rained for some time didn’t exactly improve much—or so I thought.

Spotting the running hose that lay in the grass, I thought to myself, “That’s it!—We’ll make rain!”

Stealthily picking up the pipe, I screamed at her, “Run for it!”

It didn’t take long for her to realize what was going on. She ran for the door as fast as she could, but before she could actually make it there, I had already soaked her.

As her clothes dripped cold water, she looked at me with vengeful eyes. But then, smiling back, I could see the shy little contour that had formed on her lips, too.

I walked over to her and handed her the pipe, submitting myself to an enemy who was far too cute for incompliance. And in the water fight that followed, the two of us laughed, played and ‘danced in the rain’ as if all the worries of our little heat-struck world had just melted away.

Dripping and cold from head to toe, we had defeated the heat, enjoyed each other’s company and connected in a way that we hadn’t in a long, long time.

The world thought we had wasted an hour. But to the little girl who smiled at me as she wrapped a towel around her wet clothes, it just might have been the best day of summer. The few moments I had taken out from my ‘precious’ time had gone into the treasure chest all kids deserve to have full—their childhood.

Your children will only build upon the foundations you establish today and what you leave empty will be left for the world to build. Therefore, leave no stone unturned in your pursuit to give them the best tarbiyyah (nurturing, education) that you can. This includes providing them with the innocent recreation they yearn for and spending time with them in fun ways that inspires them to look up to the people they call their family. Incorporate a little da`wah (calling to Islam) into everything.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/relationships/marriage-family/children/making-rain/

Where is the love?

If these past few years have taught me anything, it is that as long as we do not have love firmly implanted in all our hearts, we will never succeed.

You see, when love truly exists, nothing else matters. Nothing matters at all. You don’t do something for another because you have to do it – you don’t even question it. You do it out of love; it comes from your heart, from your consciousness; a will so great, so beautiful, that it is overpowering. It naturally emanates from within. This is love.

We are a people that are inspired to love, sisters and brothers. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala says in the Qur’an, “There are some who choose to worship others beside Allah as rivals to Him, loving them with the love due to Allah; But the believers are overflowing in their love for Allah.” (2:165).

And how can we not have such a spiritual state? We should want to please and obey Him, out of our immense love for Him. Do we love Him for all that He has given us? I find that gratefulness increases such love. As we bow down to the ground in prostration, it is Him that has enabled us to do so. It is Allah that wakes us in the morning. It is Allah that gives us the ability to read this. It is Allah that has given us the ability, the ability itself, to worship Him. How can you not love The One for all of this, The Giver of All who makes our hearts beat?

Imam Ghazali (may Allah be pleased with him) said “If the servant knows that true perfection belongs to none other than Allah, that any good he sees in himself is from Allah, and that his love is only for Allah’s sake, he becomes motivated to obey Him and begins to love whatever brings him closer to Allah.” And Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah be pleased with him) said if you know Allah, you will love Him. How could you not love the One who answers du`a’ (supplication), who rewards more than you give, who forgives, who veils faults, and who is more merciful towards you than your mother?

Do we know the status of love? A man once came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, “When will the last Hour come, Oh Messenger of Allah?” The Messenger ﷺ responded, “What have you prepared for it?” The man said, “I have not prepared a lot of prayer nor fasting nor charity for it, but I love Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet ﷺ then said, “You will be with the one you love” (Bukhari). Subhan’Allah.

So, you may ask, what is the personality of the one that truly loves Allah? Imam Ghazali noted a scholar who said that, “It is one who spends little time with people and much time alone; who is always in thought and outwardly silent; who is in a spiritual state that overtakes his sight, hearing and speech…who does not become sad if inflicted with a calamity, and if inflicted with hunger he is not aware…who looks to Allah in times of solace, who is happy with His company and speaks to Him intimately, and does not contend with the people of this world over their world.”

Wow.

What we should also realise is that our love for Allah does not stop there. Let us love the Prophet ﷺ by following him. The Prophet ﷺ was addressed by Allah in the Qur’an:

3:31

“Say [O Muhammad], “If you should love Allah , then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. ” (Qur’an, 3:31).

Nor does our love stop with the Prophet ﷺ. As Muslims, just as we love Allah, our love also extends to each other. Famously, narrated by Abu Hurayrah (ra), the Prophet ﷺ said: “You will not enter Jannah (Paradise) until you believe (or have faith) and you will not believe (or have faith) until you love one another.” Anas Ibn Malik (ra), the servant of the Prophet ﷺ, narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Verily one will not have faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” Let us overcome our differences and focus on what matters. With love, you only want the best for one another.

As we know, Islam enjoins the concept of love between mankind, manifested through our understanding of “rahmah.” We know the Prophet ﷺ, as Allah said, was sent as a “Mercy to Mankind.” The Prophet ﷺ told his companions (al-Targheeb): “You don’t truly believe until you have rahmah (compassion) for others.” His companions responded, “We all have rahmah.” The Prophet ﷺ then told them, “Verily, you don’t reach this level of faith by just having rahmah for those who are close to you, but you must have rahmah for everyone.” I become frustrated by our young people who harshly refer to everyone else as “kuffar” and yet treat our own hard-working people very poorly – those who are contributing in our classes and fields for a better society. Rather, with love for His sake for humanity, we want the best for everyone. Think of your neighbour; imagine what your neighbourhood would be like with love instilled within it. With true love, we should want a just world for all, and we should want humanity to believe in and love Allah.

So where to go from here? The message is clear for those that seek His love. Our Creator says,

19:96

“…But the Lord of Mercy will give love to those who believe and do righteous deeds” (Qur’an, 19:96).

Sisters and brothers – how can we even dare to think to sin when we love Allah? How can we dare to do anything but to constantly remember Him, constantly obey Him?

And The Loving One tells us in a phenomenally powerful hadith qudsi: “Nothing endears My servant to Me than doing of what I have made obligatory upon him to do. And My servant continues to draw nearer to Me with the supererogatory (nawafil) so that I shall love him. When I love him, I shall be his hearing with which he shall hear, his sight with which he shall see, his hands with which he shall hold, and his feet with which he shall walk. And if he asks (something) of Me, I shall surely give it to him, and if he takes refuge in Me, I shall certainly grant him it.” (Bukhari)

Let us be a people with love for Allah at the heart of it – spreading love to people everywhere and cultivating a loving world

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/where-is-the-love/

Faces of the Hereafter: Radiant and Joyous

Our faces are the most honorable parts of our bodies. With our faces, we are able to express our emotions and feelings. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) describes the faces of humankind in the hereafter to make their emotions more real so that we, in this lifetime, are able to imagine their expressions.

After Allah (swt) mentions the Day when family members will run away from their loved ones, He (swt) tells us:

“[Some] faces, that Day, will be bright – Laughing, rejoicing at good news.” (Qur’an 80:38-39)

For the Believers, that Day will be one of celebration. They made it into Paradise, by God’s Mercy:

“And as for those who were made to be happy, they will be in Paradise, abiding therein as long as the heavens and the earth endure, except what your Lord should will – a bestowal uninterrupted.” (Qur’an 11:108)

When I think of celebrations, I immediately remember the crowds at Tahrir Square when Mubarak stepped down. I remember the happiness and joy on the faces of Egyptians. They were hugging each other, jumping up and down, waving their flags and chanting in celebration of their success.

Take that image and multiply it by a million. That will be the celebration of the Believers in the hereafter. Their joy will not come from winning a game, winning the lottery, or winning freedom for their country. Their joy will come from being among the special ones who receive the Mercy of Allah (swt) in its greatest manifestation. Their joy will come from being in Paradise with their beloved Messenger ﷺ (peace be upon him). Their joy will come from being saved from the Fire. Their joy will come from finally being with their Lord.

Their faces will beam with light and radiating expressions of happiness:

“[Other] faces, that Day, will show pleasure. With their effort [they are] satisfied in an elevated garden.” (Qur’an 88:8-10)

Allah (swt) describes in another verse:

“[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant.” (Qur’an 75:22)

Radiance implies beauty, so their faces will not only be joyous and smiling, but beautiful and glowing. Some Believers will be blessed with having the brightest of faces. The Prophet ﷺ said, “A group of my Ummah (community) consisting of seventy thousand persons would enter Paradise; their faces would be as bright as the brightness of the full moon.” [Muslim]

If you have ever been outside during a full moon, then you know how bright it can be. The full moon gives off a serene light. Unlike the sun, it is not a light with intense heat. Looking directly at the sun can hurt your eyes, but looking directly at a full moon is enjoyable. The Prophet ﷺ used the example of the full moon to imply that their faces will be beautiful, radiant, and easy to look at.

Once, the Companions asked the Prophet ﷺ how he will recognize his followers that he has not met yet. He ﷺ told them: “My people would come with bright faces and bright hands and feet on account of the marks of ablution.” [Muslim]

While we may not see the physical remnants of our wudu’ (ablution) now, the parts of our body we wash in the course of our wudu’ will be illuminated on the Day of Judgment. And what is even more amazing is that these marks of wudu’ will be how our Prophet ﷺ will recognize us!

How did these bright and radiant faces look in the worldly life (dunya)?

They were humble and submissive:

“And they fall upon their faces weeping, and the Qur’an increases them in humble submission.” (Qur’an 17:109)

Recognizable through their worship:

“[…] Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. […]” (Qur’an 48:29)

Kind and forgiving:

“[…] [those] who restrain anger and who pardon the people – and Allah loves the doers of good.” (Qur’an 3:134)

These faces were humble, obedient and kind during the worldly life, and Allah (swt) will bless them with glowing faces in the hereafter.

Going Back
JINAN BASTAKI

It creeps up on you, sometimes—knowing that you’ve changed. You didn’t realize, you still don’t know, how it happened. And the scary thing is that this change was a fundamental part of you. It was all of who you thought you were. It was your destination and your journey. But you lost it. Now, you feel distant from God, Who was at one point your only purpose.

The loss of a connection to God is the scariest thing that can happen to a person. You can remember what it felt like to go to sleep remembering God and to wake up thinking of Him. He was your Best Friend. You remember how you molded your character to be something that He loves. You remember when every cell of your body was energized, ready to work hard for His sake. And most of all, you remember the tranquility. You didn’t worry. You knew al-Wakeel (the Trustee) would take care of you.

But right now, you’re in such a different place. You don’t even recognize yourself anymore. You want to be in that place you were before so much, and you want to know how you didn’t even notice the gradual fall. Can you even go back?

Ask the one who was trapped in the belly of a whale. Ask him how he felt about that fall from grace. The guilt, the humility, the longing that can all be summed up in the phrase he repeated over and over:

“[…] There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” (Qur’an 21:87)

And what was the result? God tells us, “And had he not been of those who exalt Allah, he would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.” (Qur’an 37:143-144)

So Prophet Yunus (Jonah) `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him), the companion of the whale, was saved. He was saved because he turned to Allah and never gave up. We can remain in darkness, if we choose to. It is those, and only those, who believe that there is no way back who never return.

To those that say, “I used to be religious,” or even, “I was never religious”, there is always a way back. When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us, “Allah is happier about the repentance of one His slaves, than one of you would be about finding your camel which had strayed away from you in the middle of the desert,” (agreed upon). He ﷺ is also talking to those of us who have strayed. Tawba is to return. It is not simply to repent after committing a hideous sin, although that is a big part of it. He is also talking to those of us who wonder if we can ever recover or achieve that zeal and energy and purpose. We need to return.

So don’t give up. Don’t give in to that feeling that tells you to do the bare minimum. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) would not create you to be a useless addition to this world. You can be something special—something special to Him—if you don’t give up. If you take that step. Why are we reminded by the Prophet ﷺ in so many sayings that Allah (swt) accepts the servant who returns? Why are we told when we come one step closer to Allah (swt), He comes to us at speed? It is to remind us that Allah (swt) wants us to reach our potential, to take that first step despite the fact that the first step might be the hardest.

If you haven’t woken up for fajr (the pre-dawn prayer) for years, set five alarms today. Make a sincere du`a’ (supplication) to Allah (swt) before you sleep. Do it over and over again. Seek forgiveness and plead with Him to let you pray. You will not be disappointed. If you once had a big dream for your community but were dejected by people telling you to “be real,” pick up where you left off. Even if they are right and you never make it, because your intention was for Him, you already made it. Any achievement in this dunya (worldly life) is temporary, but “[…] indeed, the home of the Hereafter – that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.” (Qur’an 29:64)

Don’t give in. “[…] Despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.” (Qur’an 12:87)

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/purification-heart/going-back/

Cutting
In this quest we call life, we may find ourselves at a cross-roads, unsure about the decisions we have to make. SuhaibWebb.com is happy to announce the launch of a new advice column designed to answer your personal questions. We believe that human beings are created resilient by God, and that with a little encouragement and advice, they can regain the confidence to make responsible decisions and move forward with their lives.

“I’ve been depressed and cutting myself for over a year. I’ve tried stopping multiple times, but each time has led to a relapse. My parents found out, got overly concerned, and started saying things that made me feel worse, such as how I was never going to go anywhere in life, never going to find love, etc. I understand they were trying to help me break out of it…but it made things so much worse. Now, I don’t know whom to turn to. I’m not close enough to anyone to share this with or ask for advice. My imaan (faith) is getting exponentially weaker, and I feel like I’m dooming myself. There are days when I just want to end it all because I feel like such a burden in everyone’s lives.”

It sounds like you are struggling with many overwhelming emotions. Cutting yourself has become a way for you to cope with the intense feelings you have about your life situation or your relationships. It sounds like you are desperate for an emotional connection, and the people closest to you (your parents) were not able to help or understand your struggle, so now you feel despair.

Most people who cut do not wish to end their life, but rather habitually cut themselves in order to reduce the pressure they are feeling. Cutting helps you lessen your emotional pain and temporarily feel better about yourself and your life. However, the result of habitual cutting is that your brain connects a false sense of relief from this behavior, so now you have the urge to cut every time you are trying to escape intense feelings. Cutting is not a healthy way to cope with negative feelings of depression, anxiety, anger, sadness, etc. It is possible to stop. A commitment to learning new strategies to deal with your emotional pain will help you successfully stop your cutting behavior.

Your first courageous step forward should be to seek a counselor or doctor who can support you in ending your desire to cut. A mental health professional will help you identify the triggers for your cutting and help you develop alternative behaviors when you have the urge to cut. Some examples of positive coping behaviors are: breathing exercises, running, journaling, drawing, listening to music, reading Qur’an, making du`a’ (supplication), performing prayer, and so on.

Engaging in an alternative behavior as well as understanding your feelings and emotions when you have the urge to cut, will help you gain greater self-awareness. It can be difficult to stop a habitual behavior alone, and having support from a counselor will be extremely helpful as you find the inner strength to overcome your cutting and develop healthier ways of dealing with your feelings.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/ummah/youth/cutting/

Defining Manhood: The Facade of Being “Hard”
YASMIN MOGAHED

Last week my sister called. She has been studying abroad since summer began, so naturally I was thrilled to hear from her. After hearing how she was, I asked about her new home. With her living in a Muslim country, I felt assured that everything would be fine. For that reason, what she described next was a complete shock. She began to describe a place where a girl can hardly leave her house without being verbally harassed by men walking by. She said that the catcalling was no longer the exception; it had become the rule. Then she told me about a Muslim girl she knew. The girl was riding in a taxi and when she arrived at her stop, she handed the driver his money. In many of these countries there are no strict meters, and since the fare is somewhat arbitrary, the driver became angry. Eventually the altercation escalated to such a degree that the driver grabbed the girl by the shoulders and began to shake her. At this, the girl became angry and insulted the driver. The driver then punched the young woman in the face.

At this point, I was extremely disturbed. But it was what my sister said next that was most devastating. Nearby, there was a group of men who saw what was happening, and rushed to the scene. Naturally they came to help the girl.

No. They stood and watched.

It was at this point in the story that I began to wonder. Suddenly I found myself questioning every definition of masculinity I had ever believed in. I wondered how a man — not one, but many — can stand and watch a woman be abused, and do absolutely nothing about it. It made me question what ideals define what it means to be a man in today’s society. Had the definition of masculinity become so distorted as to be reduced to just unbridled sex drive? Had the image of the ‘knight in shining armor’ really been replaced by visions of macho, catcalling boys in the street?

Most of all, it got me thinking about what it means to be a Muslim man today. I wondered if our dominate definitions as Muslims are really what they should be. Today, a man is expected to be stoic, unemotional, inexpressive, tough, and unbending. Physical aggression is glorified and emotional expressiveness ridiculed. I then decided to examine the epitome of what it means to be a man. I decided to look at the Prophet ﷺ.

One of the most common definitions of manhood today is the lack of emotional expressiveness. It is almost universally believed that to cry is ‘unmanly’ and weak. And yet the Prophet ﷺ described it very differently. When the Prophet ﷺ was handed his daughter’s son who was dying, his eyes flooded with tears. His companion Sa`d then told him, “What is this, Prophet of God?” He ﷺ said, “This is a mercy that the Almighty has made in the hearts of His servants. And surely God has mercy to the merciful ones among His servants.” [Bukhari]



But today, a man is not only expected to hide feelings of sadness, he is taught early on that even other emotions are not to be expressed. During the time of the Prophet ﷺ, there were some men who believed the same. Once while a villager was present, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ kissed his grandsons on the forehead. At that, the villager said with surprise, “I have ten children. I have never kissed any of them!” Prophet Muhammad ﷺ looked at him and said, “He who does not have mercy will not have mercy upon him.” [Bukhari] In fact, with regards to showing affection, the Prophet ﷺ was very clear. He said: “If a man loves his brother in faith, he should tell him that he loves him.”[Abu Dawud]

The Prophet ﷺ used to also show a great deal of affection towards his wives. Aisha reported that the Prophet ﷺwould only enjoy his meals when she would sit next to him. They would drink from one cup and he would watch where Aisha would place her lips on the cup so that he could place his lips on the exact position. He would eat from a bone after she would eat from it, placing his mouth where she had eaten. [Muslim]

The Prophet ﷺ used to also help around the house, contrary to another widely held myth of masculinity. Aisha reported, “The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to stitch his clothes, milk the goats and help in the chores inside the house.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

But, perhaps one of the most common myths of what a man should be is the idea that a man should be ‘tough.’ Gentleness is widely considered only a feminine trait. And yet the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “Allah is gentle and loves gentleness. He gives for gentleness what He does not give for harshness, nor for anything else.” [Muslim] In another hadith, he says, “He who is deprived of gentleness is deprived of good.” [Muslim]

And yet so much of that gentleness has been lost from our modern definition of masculinity. It is frightening when a boy can consider it manly to sexually harass a woman on the street, but consider it no question of his manhood to stand and watch while a girl is being hit. It makes you wonder if maybe our image of what is ‘manly’ in fact resembles a Hollywood gangster more than it does our beloved Prophet.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/defining-manhood-the-facade-of-being-hard/

Forgiveness: the Glue for a Broken Heart
REEHAB RAMADAN

Crash.

Bang.

Smash.

‘What was that?!’

That was the sound of a once sound heart, shattering into a million pieces. Imagine you are the person carrying that heart: covered in pain and soaked in tears. Maybe you don’t have to imagine, because maybe that is your heart.

We are the broken-hearted.

Betrayal, oppression, deception, whatever it may be that happened to us—the result is the same, a broken heart at the hand of a human. A broken heart that feels like it can never be fixed, and it was entirely someone else’s fault. It would be enough if they had just hurt us, and all we had to do is deal with the pain that came from their actions, but no. Rather, the hurt, the pain, the brokenness…it brought out the worst in us, allowing us to see our own faults, and painful ones at that. How do we go on? How do we move on with life and shift our focus back to the One who deserves it? How do we stop obsessing over the wrongs that occurred and start focusing on the only One who should be obsessed over? One word: Forgiveness.

When a person is soaked in sin and wants to return to Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), they begin with repentance. The person whole-heartedly turns to Allah, asking Him to forgive utterly and completely, even though the asker may not be deserving. Likewise, the path back to Allah (swt) after a severely broken heart, at the hand of a human, is forgiveness.

When it comes to forgiveness, the key is shifting how we see forgiveness. As always, Allah (swt) has given us a beautiful tool to make this shift, and that is the story of Prophet Yusuf `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him).

Of the many fruitful parts of the story of Prophet Yusuf (as), is that of his being wronged by the wife of his master. She attempted to seduce our beloved Prophet Yusuf (as). Not only did she attempt to seduce him, but she landed him in jail by blaming him of the unthinkable instead of taking the blame! IMAGINE! This is a woman whom, as the wife of his master, he was supposed to be able to trust. This was a woman whom he served during the day. Yet when her desires took over, she wronged him many times over!

Despite all of this, Prophet Yusuf (as) did not act wrongfully, nor did he hold a grudge. Why? Prophet Yusuf (as) knew the reality of forgiveness. When all was exposed and the truth revealed, Yusuf (as) made a revolutionary statement. He said: “I do not free myself from all blame. Truly, the nafs (base self) is inclined to evil, except for those who my Lord grants His Mercy. Truly, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Allahu Akbar! (God is Greater!) A huge, humbling, life-changing lesson we can take from his statement is: You are not the oppressor in this situation only because Allah (swt) has blessed you with His Mercy. Every soul has the ability to wrong others, every soul has the ability to be the oppressor, and only Allah’s mercy prevents that.

The next time we begin to feel this immense and absolute anger towards the person who has harmed us—let’s make that shift, and forgive. Forgive the one who has wronged us not because that person deserves it; rather, forgive them as a sign of gratitude to Allah (swt). Forgive as a symbol of our thanking Him for blessing us to be of those who have never thought of hurting a person in the manner that we have had to endure. Forgive as a symbol of our thanking Him for making us the oppressed and not the oppressors. There is no sin in being the oppressed; rather, Allah tells us that He is with the one who has been wronged and is constantly answering their du`a’ (supplication). But what of the oppressor? They have the anger of Allah (swt) and the displeasure of Allah (swt). And realize that the one who has oppressed you has oppressed themselves more. For it is that person who will have to stand in front of Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgment and have their oppression accounted for, if they are not of those who have repented. So on that Day, they will be their own greatest victims.

Forgive as a statement that says, ‘Oh Allah I’m not forgiving them for their own sake, rather I am forgiving them as a sign of gratitude to You for steering me clear of those desires. I’m forgiving them out of my love for You. I’m forgiving them because I know You love it when a slave of Yours is merciful to others and I want to be of the ones that You love. My desires tell me to wish evil for them and to hold this grudge, but I put You over my own desire and I forgive them.’

Pray for those who hurt you. Pray for those who do not accept you. Love them for the sake of God. Pray that they realize their wrongs before they face their Lord. Pray that no one ever has to go through the same thing you did at the hands of this person. Love your oppressor for the sake of God, because love is the only emotion that is strong enough to penetrate a hardened heart, but know it will take time. Perhaps years, but you will be a better person because you chose to take the higher route: Forgiveness.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/forgiveness-the-glue-for-a-broken-heart/

The Amazing Race
MUSLEMA PURMUL

Imagine three people running a race of equal athletic ability. The first person has weights strapped on to every inch of their body, so they don’t see the load they carry but they just feel heavy and exhausted, and in a short amount of time, they burn out. They keep trying but keep burning out quickly every time. The second person is trying to run while carrying a heavy load they recognize and see is on their backs, but they are still determined to run. Unfortunately, the load they carry slips around and even distracts their vision from the racecourse so they veer off in the wrong direction often. Because they won’t simply let go of the load, even coming back to the racecourse itself becomes its own challenge. The third person has no weights or loads. They are free to run without anything holding them down. They feel light as the wind, and they actually enjoy the run.

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) mentions twice in the Qur’an:


“[, ] So race to all that is good. [, ]” (Qur’an 2:148 and 5:48)

We see the image of the race, of rushing to Allah (swt) with speed, in the following verses:



“Race toward forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whose width is like the width of the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believed in Allah and His messengers. That is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.” (Qur’an 57:21)



“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.” (Qur’an 3:133)



“It is these who race for the good deeds, and they are foremost in them.” (Qur’an 23:61)



“And the foremost in the race, the foremost in the race. Those are the ones brought near to Allah.” (Qur’an 56:10-11)


“And those who race each other in a race.” (Qur’an 79:4)
In these verses, two different roots are used to describe this act of racing. The first – ‘s-b-q’ – has the meaning of competition. The second – ‘s-r-‘’ – has the meaning of speed and haste. Both roots have also been used with an alif—implying it is done with others.

Sheikh al-Tantawi mentioned in his tafsir (exegesis):

إذ السبق معناه : أن يتجاوز السائر من يسير معه ، ويسبقه إلى المكان المقصود الوصول إليه

“The meaning of al-Sabq is that the one who walks surpasses the one walking with them, and reaches the destination before them.”

The Different Races

There are some important reflections to take from these verses. First, the truth is, we are all headed somewhere in a race whether we consciously know it or not. Allah (swt) asks all of humanity, “Where are you going?” (Qur’an 81:26). And just as Allah (swt) mentions those who race for good he also mentions those who actually race for disbelief.


“O Messenger! Let them not grieve you (those) who vie with another in the race to disbelief…” (Qur’an 5:41)

Secondly, many times the concept of competition ‘being healthy’ is actually practiced in a very worldly sense where greed, jealousy, and enmity towards the competitors would be felt. Subhan Allah (glory be to God), this is the way of those in the “Rat Race” which is also described by Allah (swt) in the Qur’an:


“Many of them you see, racing each other in sin and enmity, and their eating of things forbidden. Evil indeed are the things that they do.” (5:62)
When it comes to racing for other than Allah, enmity comes with the race. If the ilah or actual goal in the race becomes material, then the heart becomes jealous and desires enmity. So if two sisters are memorizing Qur’an and one gets ahead of the other, and the second sister actually wishes bad upon the first for getting ahead, the jealous sister should realize she was racing for dunya—material worldly gain—and not Allah (swt). Deep down, she questions Allah’s qadar (recorded plan) in allowing her sister to excel in Qur’an. Maybe she wanted worldly fame for being a hafitha (one who has memorized the Qur’an), or was memorizing for no other goal than being better than others. She should also realize that not only is she headed in the wrong direction, but she is also carrying weights strapped onto her—the enmity and lack of self-approval—that is weighing her down. If she was happy for her sister, while also wishing good for herself, this is as it should be. However, even if religious and community leaders feel enmity towards one another for some good that the other has achieved, this is a sign that they have veered off course, and are heavy with the burden they have chosen to carry until they let it go.
I use the term ‘chosen’ because holding onto jealousy is something we have been asked to avoid, so it falls within the realm of our own abilities and choices. The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) mentioned, “Avoid jealousy, for it destroys good deeds as fire destroys wood.”

There are also those who always assume others are jealous of them, that they are the destination of other people’s races. This usually means that instead of looking ahead of themselves, they’re busy looking back and wishing for others not to catch up. Rather than fixing their sight on the pleasure of Allah (swt), they too get caught in the “Rat Race” of enmity, and veer off course.

The Race to Allah (swt)

Yet subhan Allah, the opposite spirit is the case for those truly racing towards Allah (swt). Surrounding yourself with excellent company means you will be competing with the best. This means you will actually achieve much more than you would on your own. Their company is a blessing that helps you push yourself harder. The race is not about beating others as much as it’s about achieving your own best efforts for Allah (swt), because al-Kareem (the Generous) rewards without measure from his infinite Mercy to each and every one of us.

In this race, the competitors are inspired by one another and want each person to do as well as possible. They are happy to see them advance and help them. If they see someone headed in the wrong direction, they try to correct them and bring them back. Each time they help their competitors advance, they are also advanced. They help their competitors through obstacles, and obstacles are magically removed from their own path. The race track is much more of an obstacle course anyway with each person racing through their own set of unique life challenges and opportunities designed according to the perfection of Allah’s plan. This is exemplified when Zakariyah ‘alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send His peace and blessings on him) was inspired to make du`a’ to Allah (swt) for a son right after Maryam `alayha as-salaam (peace be upon her) explains to Him that Allah (swt) is the source of her rizq (wealth or provision).

Now imagine that as we race to Allah (swt), He also rushes towards us as is mentioned in the Hadith Qudsi (record of the words of the Prophet ﷺ, relating words of God that were not revealed as part of the Qur’an):

“He who draws close to Me a hand’s span, I will draw close to him an arm’s length. And whoever draws near Me an arm’s length, I will draw near him a fathom’s length. And whoever comes to Me walking, I will go to him running.”

Finally, the sirat (bridge) over Hell-Fire which we all have to cross in order to enter Jannah (paradise), provides important imagery. Some will crawl, others will walk, and the very fortunate will run across. It is those who ran to Allah (swt) in this life, who will get to run to Him in the next. May we be of them insha Allah (God willing). Ameen.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/islam-studies/aqeedah/the-amazing-race/

Jannah Points
REEHAB RAMADAN

I came into class one morning, excited to take my young students to the computer lab. “It’s computer lab day!” I announced. Just as I had expected, the whole class was excited for change and ready to take the trip down the hall. Well, everyone except one student. He looked at me from behind his glasses with angry eyes, crossed his arms, and firmly said, “No.” I was shocked, and quite frankly, a little upset. I had gone to the trouble to make sure this class had their lab day; I had been excited for them, and now he was looking me in the eye and telling me that he didn’t care?

I took a deep breath, smiled, and asked him to meet me at the side of the room. I kneeled down so we could be at the same eye level and asked him, “What’s the problem? Don’t you want to go to the lab and hear the sheikh recite Qur’an so that you can be ready for your test? It’s always a lot of fun.” Again with full confidence he looked at me and said “No. I don’t want to go. No.”

I didn’t understand. I couldn’t comprehend why he would not want to go, and it wasn’t helping that he wasn’t explaining his case. Some may have thought that I should have just forced him and get it over with, but let me give you a little background on my classroom atmosphere: I teach Qur’an, a Book full of love and mercy from the Lord above. I’ve seen classrooms in which the Glorious Book is taught but it fills children with fear and they do not enjoy what they are doing, at all.

Years ago, I vowed that would never happen in my classroom. Just like the Holy Book is filled with love and mercy, so is my classroom. We have a welcoming and no-force atmosphere. And up until this day, it had been working quite well.

Again, I took a deep breath and leaned against the wall behind me, thinking of how we could work this out. All of his classmates were excited and ready to go. I couldn’t cancel lab day for him, but I couldn’t go against my ‘no force’ atmosphere either. I tried to ask him again, “I’m sorry that you don’t feel like going today, can you explain why? So I understand? Maybe we can work this out.” It was his turn to take a deep breath and explain his frustrations, “Sister we go there every week and we listen to that man. He recites the Qu’ran, and we listen. Just like you said, for each letter he recites he is getting Jannah points time and time again—and what about us? Why should I go and watch this man get points when I could be here in this classroom reciting it myself, and getting rewards for ME!”

My heart almost exploded with joy, hearing how concerned he was for his ‘Jannah Points’ (or Paradise Points, our term for hasanaat or good deeds). I explained to him the reality of the matter, that even by listening he was getting the points he wanted so he needn’t worry.

My student learned something new that day, but it is nowhere near the lesson that he taught me. Sometimes in life we get so lazy that we love to take the easy way out. To make ourselves feel better we cut corners and miss out on amazing ‘Jannah Point’ opportunities. This little boy reminded me that it’s not the most exciting and fun things that should be our priorities in life, rather it is those things that cause us to get closer to God that are the most important. And it’s okay to sacrifice an hour of fun, if in turn we are we working towards an eternity of bliss, by the Mercy of God.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/islam-studies/islam-101/belief-and-worship/jannah-points/

Peace on a Rooftop
YASMIN MOGAHED

We’ve all had intense moments. For me, one such moment happened while standing on the rooftop of Masjid al-Haram. Above me was only sky, below me, the most beautiful view of the Kaba’a and an acute sign of Allah, this life, and the life to come. I was surrounded by an overwhelming crowd – that exists nowhere else on this earth – but, for me, it could have been that I was standing completely alone. With Allah.

I brought with me to that rooftop so much heartache, confusion, and doubt. I came with so much weakness, human frailty, and pain. Standing at a crossroads in my life, I brought with me fear of what was to come, and hope in what could be. So, as I stood on that roof, I remembered the story of Musa (`alayhi assalam – may Allah be pleased with him) standing at the Red Sea. His physical eyes saw nothing but a wall of water, entrapping him as an army approached; but his spiritual eyes saw only Allah, and a way out so certain it was as if he had already taken it. While the voices of his people – bereft of trust or hope—spoke only of being overtaken, Musa (as) did not waiver.

As I stood there, I heard the distant voices warning me of what was to come – but my heart heard only, “Inna ma’iya rabee sa yahdeen…Truly my Lord is with me, He will guide me through.” (Qur’an, 26:62)

But seeing through the illusions of hardship, confusion and pain that surround us can only happen when we allow our heart to focus. The foundation of Islam is tawheed (Oneness). But tawheed is not just about saying that God is One. It is so much deeper. It is about the Oneness of purpose, of fear, of worship, of ultimate love for God. It is the oneness of vision and focus. It is to direct one’s sight on one singular point, allowing everything else to fall into place.

One of the most beautiful traditions of the Prophet ﷺ captures this concept perfectly. He ﷺ said: “Whoever makes the Hereafter his preoccupation, then Allah places freedom from want in his heart, gathers his affairs, and Dunya (worldly life) comes to him despite being reluctant to do so. And whoever makes Dunya his preoccupation, then Allah places his poverty in front of his eyes, make his affairs scattered, and nothing of the Dunya comes to him except that which has been decreed for him.” [At-Tirmidhi]

If you’ve ever seen a “magic eye” picture, you can see a wonderful metaphor of this truth. At first glance, the picture looks like nothing but a collection of shapes, with no order or purpose. But if you start by bringing the picture right up to your face, focusing your eye on one singular point, as you move the picture slowly away from your face, the picture suddenly becomes clear. But, as soon as you take your eyes off that singular point of focus, the picture disappears and again becomes nothing but a sea of shapes.


In the same way, the more we focus on the dunya, the more our matters become scattered. The more we run after the dunya, the more it runs away from us. The more we chase wealth, ironically, the more poverty we feel. If money is the focus, you will find that no matter how much money you have, you will always fear losing it. This preoccupation is poverty itself. That is why the Prophet ﷺ says about such people that poverty is always in front of their eyes. That is all they see. No matter how much they have, there is no contentment, only greed for more and fear of loss. But, for the ones who focus on Allah, the dunya comes to them, and Allah puts contentment in their hearts. Even if they have less, they feel rich, and are more willing to give from that wealth.

And when such people feel trapped by life, by financial hardship, by pain, by loneliness, by fear, by heartbreak, or sadness, all they have to do is turn to Allah, and He always makes a way out for them. Know that this is not some feel-good theory. It is a promise. A promise made by Allah Himself, who says in the Qur’an:

“…And for those who fear Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out, And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him…” (65:2-3)

Allah is sufficient for them. Allah is enough. For those who make Allah their primary concern, there is only peace, because whatever happens to them in this life it is good and accepted as the will of Allah. Imagine having only good in your life. That is the state of this type of believer, as the Prophet ﷺ says: “Wondrous are the believer’s affairs. For him there is good in all his affairs, and this is so only for the believer. When something pleasing happens to him, he is grateful, and that is good for him; and when something displeasing happens to him, he is enduring (has sabr), and that is good for him.” [Muslim]

And so in the heart of such a believer is a sort of paradise. That is the paradise that Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on his soul, spoke of when he said: ‘Truly, there is a Heaven in this world, [and] whoever does not enter it, will not enter the Heaven of the next world.’

And in that heaven, complete peace is not something of a moment. It is a state, eternal.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/purification-heart/peace-on-a-rooftop/

Give Good Tidings to the Patient
Muhammad Haq (Haq)

It is one of those unavoidable facts of life: sometimes we find ourselves in situations we don’t want to be in. Often, we have to do things or resist doing other things. The Qur’ān and Ḥadīth mention such occurrences, and also elaborate on our response to them. Thus the following verse:

2:155 “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient” (Qur’an, 2:155)

Although is confirming the fact that we will face times of difficulty, it is phrased in a way which alludes to how we should respond.

The Arabic word used for ‘something’ in the phrase “with something of fear…” uses the singular شيء instead of the plural for two reasons. Firstly, it places us in a state of apprehension in that, as the singular indicates, any one of the tribulations mentioned may afflict us. So the prudent amongst us will take precautions and live in a manner which prepares them to face such trials. In a sense, we are responding to trials before they occur. Yet at the same time, and this is the second reason why the singular was used, it gives us a sense of comfort that Allah (swt) will not throw all of these tribulations at us at once.

This verse is discussing two concepts and our response to them.

Situations

It’s interesting that the verse begins by mentioning two situations relating to our inward states – that of fear and hunger. Both are feelings and mental states. This emphasizes how we react to situations, rather than focusing on the situations themselves. Here we will briefly look at what is meant by ‘fear,’ before discussing how we ought to respond to it.

The word used in the verse is خَوْف, which literally is translated as ‘fear’. In reality, خَوْف more specifically refers to those thoughts we have about all the negative things that may happen to us in the future. This is in contrast to الارتياح, which refers to the good things we think may happen to us. The latter is a source of hope, whilst the former can be inhibiting if left unchecked. What is the Qur’ānic advice on how we should respond to these thoughts?

Our Response: Patience

The verse ends by explicitly mentioning what our response should be: patience. We’ve probably heard this before. Here lies the danger: the difficulty isn’t in the mental cognition of patience, i.e. just knowing what patience means – the difficulty lies in it’s practice. This is similar to how Buddhist monks in meditation spend hours simply trying to track their thoughts. The idea is simple; its implementation is not. So it’s not surprising to find someone like Imām al-Ghazālī (May God shower him with His mercy) expounding on patience. Indeed many Greek philosophers before him had done the same.

The Imām mentions how patience, more specifically when we resist doing certain things, is unique to humans – in exclusion to the angels and beasts. Beasts, he argues, are predisposed to following the dictates of their nature, they don’t have an intellect to obstruct them from fulfilling their inclinations, and so they have no need to be patient. Angels do not have any inclinations except to offer their services to Allah (swt). Hence they too do not have the need to be patient. Humans, on the other hand, have passions and desires similar to beasts, yet at the same time have an intellect which discerns actions that are good and moral and those that are evil and immoral.

Of more interest, perhaps, to parents and educators, is that he says how children behave like animals in that they seek to fulfil whatever they desire. This is mentioned in a scientific manner rather than a derogatory manner. A child will disregard the fact that too much sweets are bad for the teeth, and will insist on having them if they so desire. Here, it is the parent or guardian that acts as the intellect for the child, by protecting the child from their own desires and lower self (hawā). A spoilt child, unfortunately, is deprived of such a guardian, and in a sense grows up with a malfunctioning ‘intellect.’ This relates to appearances and realities. It may appear to be kinder if someone does as their child wants, or it may seem as if disciplining children requires a lack of love since someone truly loving their children won’t be able to properly discipline. The reality, however, is that true love and kindness is shown by securing for the child what’s truly in their long-term benefit. And hence the Prophet (saws) said:

“No father had given his child anything better than good manners.”

Fathers are mentioned here not because they are somehow better than mothers, but to stress the fact that the onus of the education of children primarily falls on fathers, possibly due to the cost factor involved, and in Islam, all financial obligations are placed on fathers. So this is something worthy to be kept in mind when we think about the education of our children; do we simply want them to store academic information and become skilled employees, or do we at the same time want to make them better humans and ultimately better servants of God?

Coming back to al-Ghazālī, adults, even those who have had a good upbringing, face two opposing forces from within. They have their bodily inclinations, including the need for food and drink etc…all of which if a person engages in without restraint will not only lead to negative consequences in this life, but will lead to the destruction of their hereafter (ākhira). The intellect then, fights back, and recognises the danger in continuously and unrestrictedly fulfilling such desires, aware of the risk this poses to one’s hereafter (ākhira). This prevention of the self from acting out its desires results in the need for patience.

Physical and Spiritual/Psychological

Patience is then divided into two broad non-exclusive categories: physical and spiritual/psychological.

Sometimes we have to be patient physically; for example, when we find ourselves in situations having to perform physically demanding tasks. Other times, it is not so much as us doing something, but more of tolerating something done to us; this is characterised by what the Muslims went through for thirteen years in Mecca.

More frequently however, the need to show patience at a more spiritual or psychological level is demanded of us. This is the battle of the two forces of the intellect and bodily inclinations as mentioned above.

What this means is that patience is not the absence of ill-feelings or internal unrest. Rather, it is resisting the temptation to give in to such feelings and to avoid translating them into action. Other times, it is persevering through difficult times when we may not be able to change a situation we’re in. A good example of this is when the Prophet ﷺ lost his son Ibrāhīm. He said:

“The eyes send their tears and the heart is saddened, but we do not say anything except what pleases our Lord. Indeed, O Ibrahim, we are bereaved by your departure from us.”

The Elevated Status of the Patient

In several verses Allah praises patience. Indeed such an elevated status is divine acceptance of the difficulty faced by people who are patient. One hadith will suffice here. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Patience is half of faith (īmān).”

This is because one cannot be a believer except by abstaining from certain actions, statements and beliefs, while at the same time affirming others. Abstention from such actions requires patience, as does the performance of other actions. In that sense, all of īmān would be comprised of patience, so why did the Prophet ﷺ mention patience as forming half of faith? The answer lies in the fact that some of the statements, actions or beliefs may already seem distasteful to someone. Similarly, those things that one must engage in as part of his faith may already seem enjoyable to him. Hence, abstaining from them or engaging in them, will not require patience as the intellect and the bodily inclination are in agreement here.

Difficult times is not always a sign of sin

While it is no doubt a good thing to use a time of difficulty for introspection and take account of oneself, it is also worth remembering that the mere fact that we may be going through difficult or troubling times in our lives is not necessarily a result of sin. This verse states that everyone, be they sinners or righteous, will all face testing times, and when it happens, it’s up to them to use it to their advantage.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/give-good-tidings-to-the-patient/

Throw the Baby: Trusting in Allah
AMATULLAH


One of the pillars of imaan (belief in Allah) is to believe in the Divine Decree – the good and bad of it. This means that we as Muslims are supposed to have complete belief and unwavering certainty in the Plan of Allah and His Decrees for us, whether they may appear good or not so good.

The believer who is aware of this knows that nothing Allah plans is completely evil. There is always some good in His Plan for us. Unfortunately, when we are in a predicament or a hardship, we feel that nothing is going our way and we begin to have bad thoughts about Allah. We feel that our world is crashing down around us and we will never have relief from our pain and difficulties.

I am here to remind you that things are not always as they seem.

Humans are creatures of logic. When we think something is logically correct, we may not see the bigger picture because it doesn’t “make sense” to us. When Allah’s Plan doesn’t make sense to us, we may begin to have doubts and feel distress because we don’t understand why something is happening to us. We know that Allah swt wants good for us, but we must remember that He may put us through serious hardships so that we may get the best. Everything Allah Plans happens for a reason. You may not understand why the opposite of what you want is happening, but soon you will see that thing happened to help you grow.

Throughout the Qur’an, we see glimpses of the perfect wisdom of Allah in His Plan and Decree. One amazing example is the story of Prophet Musa’s `alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send His peace and blessings on him) mother. She was put through a great trial but she prevailed because she put her trust in Allah first.

Allah subhanahu wa ta`la tells us her story:

“When We inspired to your mother what We inspired, [Saying], ‘Cast him into the chest and cast it into the river, and the river will throw it onto the bank; there will take him an enemy to Me and an enemy to him.” (Qur’an, 20:38-39)

Umm Musa wanted to protect her infant son, but she was told to do something that seemed to be the complete opposite of protecting him. Allah (swt) not only told her to throw her baby in the river, but that the one person she was trying to hide him from would be the one to find him! Allah (swt) comforted her,

“…Do not fear and do not grieve. Indeed, We will return him to you and will make him [one] of the messengers.” (Qur’an, 28:7)

Putting baby Musa (as) directly into the hands of Pharoah seems like a disaster, but Allah ‘azza wa jal promises his mother that He will return Musa (as) to her with a higher position, so she did what she was told. She threw her baby into the river with trust in Allah’s plan.

Allah tells us how she felt afterward:

“And the heart of Moses’ mother became empty [of all else]. She was about to disclose [the matter concerning] him had We not bound fast her heart that she would be of the believers.” (Qur’an, 28:10)

We learn from this that it is natural to feel upset about your situation. Umm Musa was so overwhelmed that she nearly revealed the identity of Musa (as), but Allah (swt) gave her strength during this time because He intended good for her.

Umm Musa then sent his sister to watch him. Allah tells us,

“And she said to his sister, “Follow him”; so she watched him from a distance while they perceived not. And We had prevented from him [all] wet nurses before, so she said, “Shall I direct you to a household that will be responsible for him for you while they are to him [for his upbringing] sincere?” (Qur’an, 28:11-12)

Finally, we see the plan of Allah come to fruition:

“So We restored him to his mother that she might be content and not grieve and that she would know that the promise of Allah is true. But most of the people do not know. “ (Qur’an, 28:13)

Allahu ‘Akbar, God is greater. Read again what Allah says at the end of this ayah:

“…But most of the people – do not know.”

What don’t they know? They don’t know that Allah is more aware of their situation than they are. They don’t know that His Plan is the best plan. They don’t know that when He promises, His promise is true. And most of the people forget that Allah is always protecting them.

Allah (swt) not only returned Musa (as) to his mother, but He provided her with the opportunity of feeding her own son! Allah protected Musa by means we would never think of: raising him up in the palace of Fir’awn, the Pharoah. She trusted completely in Allah, and He (swt) did not disappoint her.

What do we learn from the example of Musa’s (as) mother? We learn that Allah will take care of you, but you must take the first step to Him. By doing the unthinkable – throwing her child in a river – Umm Musa was given more than she could have ever hoped for.

Taking the first step towards Allah is always the most difficult, but when you do take it, Allah will take care of the rest for you. She was overcome with emotions after she threw Musa into the river, so Allah gave her the strength to endure it because she trusted in Him. When you trust in Allah, He will give you the strength and perseverance to remain patient.

While we may never be put to trial the way Umm Musa was, we learn from her story that when we trust in Allah – even if you feel overwhelmed – Allah will bless you for it and He will guide you. Oftentimes we know what is the right thing to do, we know how to take that first step to Allah but we are scared. Umm Musa was also scared, but she threw her baby.

So don’t be afraid. Throw the baby.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/relationships/withthedivine/throw-the-baby-trusting-in-allah/

I Sought Counsel
REEHAB RAMADAN

I’ve sought counsel from numerous people – About me:

My life. My hurt. My pain. My joy. – On all the different things I see;

I went to them seeking counsel, in how to please the One above,

How to live a life for Him – not out of force – but love.

I’ve gotten the wrong advice, from more than I care to remember,

Advice that cut, bled, and scarred me – All which became a part of ‘I’

A part that is impossible to dismember.

But it comes to a point that I realize, their wrong counsel was essential

In removing a faulty foundation and showing me my true potential.

Without their bogus words, probably well intentioned,

I wouldn’t have appreciated the uplifting words.

Perhaps, would have ignored them when mentioned

Instead they sunk deep, straight to an aching heart,

Making more sense than ever, a feeling I hope will never part.

There are certain things that are not understood

Except through pain then redemption

Certain things that are not understood

Unless you are compelled to first question

Question everything you know, and everything you did.

Everything you heard and everything you believed in.

They say learning is a gift – no matter who the teacher.

Even if its teacher is pain – as long as it leads to a brighter future.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/miscellaneous/poetry-fiction/i-sought-counsel/

A Sacred Conversation
YASMIN MOGAHED

There is a time of night when the whole world transforms. During the day, chaos often takes over our lives. The responsibilities of work, school, and family dominate much of our attention. Other than the time we take for the five daily prayers, it is hard to also take time out to reflect or even relax. Many of us live our lives at such a fast pace, we may not even realize what we’re missing.

But there is a time of night when work ends, traffic sleeps, and silence is the only sound. At that time—while the world around us sleeps—there is One who remains awake and waits for us to call on Him. We are told in the hadith qudsi: “Our Lord descends during the last third of each night to the lower heaven, and says: ‘Is there anyone who calls on Me that I may respond to him? Is there anyone who asks Me that I may give unto him? Is there anyone who requests My Forgiveness that I may forgive him?’” (Bukhari and Muslim)

One can only imagine what would happen if a king were to come to our door, offering to give us anything we want. One would think that any sane person would at least set their alarm for such a meeting. If we were told that at exactly one hour before dawn a check for $10,000,000 would be left at our doorstep, would we not wake up to take it?

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) has told us that at this time of night, just before dawn, He will come to His servants. Imagine this. The Lord of the universe has offered us a sacred conversation with Him. That Lord waits for us to come speak with Him, and yet many of us leave Him waiting while we sleep in our beds. Allah (swt) comes to us and asks what we want from Him. The Creator of all things has told us that He will give us whatever we ask.

And yet we sleep.

There will come a day when this veil of deception will be lifted. The Qur’an says: “[It will be said], You were certainly in unmindfulness of this, and We have removed from you your cover, so your sight, this Day, is sharp.” (Qur’an 50:22).

On that Day, we will see the true reality. On that Day, we will realize that two rak`at (units) of prayer were greater than everything in the heavens and the earth. We will realize the priceless check that was left on our doorstep every night as we slept. There will come a day when we would give up everything under the sky just to come back and pray those two rak`at.

There will come a day when we would give up everything we ever loved in this life, everything that preoccupied our hearts and minds, every mirage we ran after, just to have that conversation with Allah. But on that Day, there will be some from whom Allah (swt) will turn away… and forget, as they had once forgotten Him.

The Qur’an says: “He will say, ‘My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?’ [Allah] will say, ‘Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.’” (Qur’an, 20:125-126) In Surat al-Mu’minoon, Allah says: “Do not cry out today. Indeed, by Us you will not be helped.” (Qur’an, 23:65)

Can you imagine for a moment what these ayat (verses) are saying? This is not about being forgotten by an old friend or classmate. This is about being forgotten by the Lord of the worlds. Not hellfire. Not boiling water. Not scalded skin. There is no punishment greater than this.

And as there is no punishment greater than this, there is no reward greater than what the Prophet ﷺ describes in the following hadith:

“When those deserving of Paradise would enter Paradise, the Blessed and the Exalted would ask: Do you wish Me to give you anything more? They would say: Hast Thou not brightened our faces? Hast Thou not made us enter Paradise and saved us from Fire? He would lift the veil, and of things given to them nothing would be dearer to them than the sight of their Lord, the Mighty and the Glorious.” [Sahih Muslim]

But one does not need to wait until that Day to know the result of this nighttime meeting with Allah (swt). The truth is, there are no words to describe the overwhelming peace in this life from such a conversation. One can only experience it to know. Its effect on one’s life is immeasurable. When you experience qiyam, the late night prayer the rest of your life transforms. Suddenly, the burdens that once crushed you become light. The problems that were irresolvable become solved. And that closeness to your Creator, which was once unreachable, becomes your only lifeline.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/worship/prayer/a-sacred-conversation/

All It Took Was One Date
OMAR ZARKA

It is completely natural and inherent in humans – a phenomenon recurring through history. We all want status; we all want to be recognized. Often we may yearn to be among the ranks of the great people that tread the Earth before us; people who made a difference and changed the world for the better. Sometimes we then focus on our bigger deeds, the deeds we feel will hold more weight with Allah `azza wa jal (mighty and majestic is He). The intention can be well placed; we simply want to benefit the most and do the best we possibly can with our time. So long as our intention is sincerely and purely for Allah `azza wa jal, in His service and not for status or recognition, this can be admirable; in fact, it is something we need as Muslims today.

Our ultimate goal is the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (glorifed and exalted is He) in the eternal abode of Jannah (paradise). In trying to benefit the world around us in the best way possible, we sometimes forget the small stuff.

“He admits whom He wills into His mercy; but the wrongdoers – He has prepared for them a painful punishment.” [Qur’an, 76:31]

Allah `azza wa jal points out that in fact it is not our deeds that get us into Jannah, but rather it is by His mercy. We can see this manifested in that Allah does not judge us on the size of our deeds, but rather the purity of our intentions. The Prophet ﷺ, “Verily actions are by their intentions…” [Bukhari]


Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala also says:

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.” [Qur’an, 16:97]

Wa alhamdu lil Lah (and all praise is for Allah) that Allah will reward us according to the best of our deeds!

Since deeds are judged by their purity of intention and the best of deeds are those with purest intention, this naturally leads us to try our best in every deed. We never know which deed might be the sincerest and by which deed Allah might decide to grant us His mercy; it may be that $5 donation, the time that you were patient with your parents, or even the piece of trash you picked up off of the ground.

‘A’isha radi Allahu `anha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported:

“A poor woman came to me along with her daughters. I gave her three dates. She gave a date to each of them and then she took up one date and brought that to her mouth in order to eat that, but her daughters expressed desire to eat it. She then divided the date that she intended to eat between them. This (kind) treatment of her impressed me and I mentioned that which she did to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. Thereupon he said: ‘Verily Allah has assured Paradise for her, because of (this act) of her, or He has rescued her from Hell-Fire.’” [Sahih Muslim, Number 6363.]

Surely then, no good deed, no matter what it is, is worth passing over.

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/worship/charity/all-it-took-was-one-date/