Ramadhan has come.

Tarawih nights :D and then suhoor as midnight feasts
Daytime fasting, sweet breath, goodbye shaytanic beasts ...
Personal struggles now start, restraining sarcasm for one
Charitable deeds increase, the Best of months has now come!!!!

Ramadhan Kareem!!!  

May it be a month of real reflection.


May Allah grant us all the ability to complete acts of worship and acts of khidma with outward perfection and inward realisation. And may our hearts be turning towards Him with sincere yearning and love. 

Elders & Youth || Don't blame the badboy ||

This video is extremely relevant in emphasising my intentions when setting up the Kids Ramadhan Summer Camp and the ShadedYouth organisation alhamdulilah. Its a very very beneficial lecture, explained in a sincere and eloquent manner mashaAllah. Definitely shows great reflection about the Ummah and a praiseworthy thought process mashaAllah.

Please take the time to watch, there is great benefit - its very easy to listen to as the ustaadh speaks with great flow and I have no personal gain from this except the desire to share the good. Sharing is caring as the saying goes and thats what this blog be about :)

A Royal Love

Today I am thankful to Allah for making me British, because today the Diamond Jubilee celebrations have strengthened my conviction in the deen and love of the Rasool, walhamdulilah. How? Why? What? Yes.

I wasn’t too fussed about most of the hoo-haa surrounding the Jubilee weekend, but took a break from studying just as the final celebrations were being held. I caught the Queen coming on the balcony, with the heirs to her throne, as the soldiers led her praise and the hundreds of thousands who had gathered at Buckingham and Pall Mall sang with love and cheer the British National Anthem. Ahh the British National Anthem is a good as they get. Millions of people singing ‘God Save the Queen’, probably with some Ameens thrown in, and the Queen indeed does ‘long reign over us’ - God is All Listening after all!! It was something fascinating to see how much effort had gone towards this one person, in praising her.

Fascinating indeed to witness the amount of adoration her subjects have for her, and I mean seriously great love, to stand in the rain, amongst thousands of others, just for a glimpse of her smile, subhannallah, thats dedication and love to a public figure. This is a lady who is the head of a household of, according to the British atleast, noble lineage. Born into that family of ‘pure blood’, who has taken and held the role of Queen for 60 years, serving the commonwealth countries and charitable causes. A job which does take effort no doubt. She does appear to be a lady of dignity and I have respect for that. Alhamdulilah, that it is through seeing this and understanding this, I have increased in love for the king of the world. Our Habib. Habibullah!  For if this all that effort had gone for a Queen of a country, how incumbent is it on us to showcase with full belief our love for the best of mankind?

I mean, the national anthem is only ever sung for a current king/queen. And by people of the said country/nation. On specific occasions. Sung with love no doubt , people make Dua in effect, that God Blesses her. Then imagine the power and effect of salawat. Recited by people of all colour, nations and tribes. All united by a faith. All for the Final Messenger of God, the most perfect of humans. Recited not only on specific days, but every day, hundreds of times a day, throughout the world. And continually recited though he is no longer physically present. Imagine, the power of salawats! Thinking of the beauty of the Islamic Anthem of Praise for him of pure blood, him who held the most noble of lineages, what is even more astounding is how, each and every sender of peace to him, themselves is rewarded, not just in this life, but in the next life of eternity!!! Ya Rab Al ‘Alameen. This is love. 

And he, Rasoolullah, was not one who carried the message through wealth, ease and luxury. On being asked to choose whether he wanted ease and luxury, or simplicity, he himself, peace be upon him, chose the simple life. And so it was, and how many a story do we have of his humility and modest living. Yet, this is our King. The King of Kings. The Beloved of humans, angels and the beloved of the Creator himself!! 

They had a huge concert last night in honour of the Queen. Approximately 100,000 people attended in person. Songs were sung, hearts warmed. Today again I was wondering about songs, especially songs of love. Every artist writes atleast one song of love. Its what is wrote about, what is sung about. But pure love is something else. Imagine the ballads written in praise and love for a man who you haven’t met?! But who you are enchanted by. By his way of life, which has been preserved through not only narrations, but embodiment by generations of faithful. By his lessons and reminders and faith. Subhannallah, such ballads are born out of someone not seen, but someone loved. And from the best of these poems, is undoubtedly the Qasidah Burdah, Poem of the Cloak. I understand now on reflection, why everyone seeks love and writes about love and sings about love. There is undoubtedly the special feeling of being loved by another. And then there is the immeasurable feeling of being the lover. Being such a lover, a pure lover, that though one hasn’t seen the beloved in real life, they appear to one in their dreams! Subhannallah.

As the Queen stood on the balcony, looking content, with her family smiling gracefully, thoughts automatically turned to the Ahlul Bayt. The Royal Family is indeed the Queens Ahlul Bayt. So honoured by all the British and all those accross the world! So what then of the real Ahlul Bayt? How lofty is their status? How adored are they, MUST they be?! Subhannallah. Last year while watching Williams wedding, I was made to remember Fatima & Ali radhiAllahuAnhum - because if such a royal wedding was being witnessed, what then of the real royal wedding? Poetic flows came naturally and a couplet was written. Funny that on thinking about it,  the British Royalty always takes my thoughts back to the Real Royalty, peace be upon them, Prophet Muhammad sallalaualayhi wa salam and his family. 

And thus I respect the Queen and her family and thank them, because if nothing else, to see how great effort is made to appreciate them and how they are enthusiastically adored, they remind me of how seriously, epically, legendarily, great our REAL royalty is, how important it is to praise in great cheer and enthusiasm the beloved  Prophet and how timelessly honoured a place Habibullah & his family hold. 

For Kids, Jannah Always Starts With Chocolate

If you want to grab a child's attention... start talking about Jannah. Alhamdulilah this is one teaching method I have tried and tested and honestly, the way children suddenly become energised with the imagery, eager to respond to questions about what they want in Jannah,  yearn to find out the limits of what they can have, smile when you tell them... "there is no limit!!!" and have a glow in their eyes at the possibility, I have not found in teaching anything else. MashaAllah.

You see, the topic of Jannah links to pretty much everything. I wasn't teaching it as a topic itself this week, rather to my memory we were talking about the merits of saying Asalaamalaikum. But with every good deed in the deen, and how generous is our Lord that He Has Made even a greeting worth reward, everything can be a means to attaining His Favour and attaining Jannah. Now you're thinking, well what about sinning, that's not a means to attaining His Favour. But even there, staying away from the sin, away from the temptation itself is a mean of His Reward! How Generous is Our Lord?! May He Make us worthy.

With kids, Jannah always starts with chocolate. A mansion with a swimming pool made out of chocolate soon evolves into a palace made of sweets and cake. That palace became a palace the size of London, made of ice cream. "What if it melts?" a child asked. With no right or wrong answer, I had to ensure all bases were covered..."If it melts you start licking it! Or you wish for another one BHAM! it's back. Or you wish that it doesn't melt and it doesn't melt! Whatever you even think of you will have!" Is it false hope? Not at all. And its not far fetched dreams either, but rather pays homage to a child's fitra and how even in this day and age, with all electronic gadgets seeking to kill of natural creativity from a young age, children still carry vast imaginations. I guess it also shows why children especially love storytelling. And to be honest, I love telling the story of Jannah!!

In the Ramadhan Summer Camp Allah has Enabled me to run, our ice breaker for the children is for them to say their names, ages and what they want in Jannah. Best icebreaker EVER. Within 10 minutes, we know the children, the children know us and we all know why we are at the Camp. To learn the deen, hang out in good company, and seek His Favour. Also to find out the ways in which we can chill out in Jannah together! Subhannallah, my brother who runs the camp with me and I couldn't stop cracking up at the Jannah Icebreaker and the way it panned out. As we went round the circle, it was obvious each child wanted to out do what their classmate had said before them. It started of with mansions and rivers of chocolate (like I said, every time! Willy Wonkers factory's got nothing on our Chocolate dreams!), moved onto X boxes and Nintendos, flashy cars that I had not even heard of before, until one child said simply "I want to see my parents with me in Jannah." My brother and I praised the mini Muslim, amazed at the deep thought behind the answer. Now thought processes began to change. The next child, who mashaAllah has grown up in a household where love of the Nabi is focused on said "I want to see the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him!!" My brother and I were surprised that such a wish could be asked for in a circle of 6-13 year olds. MashaAllah we praised the dream. Now then, how does the next person beat this exactly? Nothing of this world will beat that we thought, and wished the next child good luck in their wish! Yes, my friends, the next child, and I say CHILD blew us all away in responding "I want to see Allah in Jannah!!!" Everybody laughed, hearts honestly alive. Subhannallah this story still cracks us up to this day!!

Discussing Jannah will always have a positive effect. I still remember the glowing hope and excitement I would feel when my older brother would discuss it with me when I was young. May Allah reward my older brother for spending time instructing us towards goodness when we were children. He is 12 years older than me and my twin brother and would often tell us to sit and read this thick spiritual manual called 'Irshad- master of the Sufi Way' with him. Inevitably my twin would say he needed to go upstairs to get something and never return back down. Reading even one paragraph from that book seemed like a task and a half. But honestly, the adults in our lives make us who we are and may Allah bless all children with inspiring adults in their lives, be they people in their families, their teachers or even those not physically with them, such as the sahaba, mothers of the believers and prophets. I went on a tangent and now I return. How time flies, yet this memory of walking down my road with my older brother remains strong. It seems like yesterday. My older brother started talking about Jannah and what I would like in it. We talked about all the fruits available and what I particularly remember is that we discussed how we wanted all mums cooking there. Especially the dishes she rarely made. I remember we concluded on mums lasagne and cream chicken being what we would eat the most in Jannah. And to be honest that walk down the road is one of my fondest memories of spending time with my brother and of learning the deen.

I was listening to a lecture on Jannah by Shaykh Hassan Ali not long ago. Adult's wishes for Jannah evidently move beyond fountains of ice cream, into rivers of non intoxicating wine amongst other things. An eternity of being a youth. An eternity of favour and reward. And Allah Has Promised us this for our patience and worship. One thing that particularly struck was when he jovially stated, "The only thing Haraam in Jannah is to leave it!!!" What a thought! Another video with spoken word about Jannah grabbed not only my attention but my heart in its lyrical beauty especially at the description of how we will be the same ages as our parents in Jannah. Amazing. Imagine!!

We are instructed to balance fear of Allah with hope in Allah. We can only attain Jannah through His Mercy after all and its important that we realise this, and teach it too. But Subhannallah, Jannah is such a stunning creation even the mere thought of it mesmerises us here on earth. Our eyes twinkle and the prospect of what is potentially to come, with His Mercy, makes us motivated to work towards it. Yes, believing and worshipping Allah just for attainment of Jannah may be of the lower of intentions, as I have heard and read (and when I find the exact wording will quote), while worshipping Him for His Sake alone and because He is our Creator and Master the highest, but Jannah has also been created and mentioned oft in the Qur'an for us to work towards and seek to attain! For children, I assure you it is a topic discussed with joy and awe.

May Allah enable us all to work for His Cause and remember Him with sincere hearts. May Allah have mercy on all Muslims and raise us in good states. May He Allow us to be in the Shade on the Day of Judgement. May His Mercy allow us to walk into Jannah with ease. And may we be of those who experience this moment as promised in the Qur'an. May He unite us with our loved ones in Jannah, May He Allow us to drink from the Prophet's hands in the Gardens of Bliss. May He Allow us to be of those blessed, blessed, blessed souls who see Him. May Allah grant true every child's dreams of Jannah, for infinity...and beyond! Ameen.

The Path of Worshipful Servants

 ".....You must realise, Oh my brethren (may God favour you and me with His Good Pleasure), that worshipful service [ibada] is the fruit of knowledge ['ilm], the benefit of life ['umr], the income of strong servants, the stock in trade of the saints [awliyah], the path of the truly devout, the allotted portion of the mighty, the goal of those endowed with aspiration, the emblem of the noble, the vocation of real men and the choice of those with faculties of vision. It is the way of good fortune and the path [minhaj] of the Garden of Paradise. God has told us; "And I am your Lord, So Worship Me" (21:92).  He has also said" "Behold: this is a reward for you. And I am your Lord, so worship Me" (76:22)

The path of worshipful service is indeed a rugged path and a hard road, fraught with many obstacles, serious hardships, remote distances, enormous difficulties, frequent hindrances and impediments. It is beset with deadly perils and interruptions. This is exactly how it needs to be, since it is the path of the Garden of Paradise and this represents a confirmation of the saying of The Prophet (peace be upon him),  "The Garden of Paradise is indeed surrounded by things that are repugnant [makarih], while the Fire of Hell is surrounded by objects of lustful desire [shahawat]". He (peace be upon him) also said, "The Garden of Paradise is indeed a rugged ground on a hill, while the Fire of Hell is indeed a smooth ground in a sequestered courtyard."

Then in addition to al of that, the servant [of the Lord] is weak, the time is difficult and religious commitment is subject retrogression....."

~Al Ghazali - The Path Of The Righteous Servants - To the Garden of the Lord of the Worlds
Translated by Muhtar Holland

HeartBreak

As said by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.

InshaAllah Khayr.

As another saying goes "Blessed are the cracked for they let in the light".....

At the doorstep to Your Abode

Must be more than a coincidence that Hallelujah is always sung on rainy days down in the underground station I frequent, fuzzing up my heart.

And though the singer doesn't know it, as I step foot on the escalator and hear his soulful singing, recognising my most favourite of songs, a smile which starts at the soul is sent to the face. And I walk past him with a heart full of awe and sincere thanks. And he doesn't know the effect it has had. And doesn't know that there is now someone making dua for him on their journey home.

In order to receive

"When he has renounced the world so that he does not take to it on account of his (own) desire nor in compliance with the urges of his own self but just to fulfil the commandment of God, he is then commanded to talk to the world and establish contact with it because now there is a portion for him in it which cannot be discarded and which has not been created for any other reason."
- Abdul Qadir Gilani

The Spring of springs.

"From Makkah, To Madinah

From Al Aqsa, To Al Jannah

From Al Jannah, To Allah!!!"

... caught in a recitation by Manaqib.

"Keep Working For Good" - Imam Zaid Talk, UK, 2011

Asalamalaikum,

So the below notes are a selection from notes taken during Imam Zaid Shakir's visit during his trip the UK in Summer 2011, at the Traditional Halaqa, arranged by Shifa Trust.

The talk was entitled "The End of Time" and was largely about the Signs and the Mehdi, though here I detail some more general and inspiring notes of advice and wisdom given.

As with all notes uploaded on here, please forgive any mistakes, all of which are reflective only on the inabilities of the one who heard the message [myself] and not on the one who conveyed the message.

---

"The best way of preparing yourself for the end of times is to follow the ways of Rasool.

The Prophet didn't give the sahaba a list of signs to look for, but asked them what they had done to prepare for it.

The Prophet (saws) said, "You will be with those whom you love" and so we follow Allah's command and the Prophets example. That's the best we can do to prepare ourselves.

Divorce your heart from this world as Allah will love you - The love of Allah shouldn't be in our heads, it should be in our hearts. But with the dunya, we must keep it in the thought process (working on projects, working hard etc) and not in the heart.

The dunya can be in your hand and you use it for good. If it doesn't affect your heart, that's fine

One should always look to the direction He is sending one in. Maybe if you accept what Allah has given you, He will Give you through acceptance what you look for through divergence.

If we have good ettiquettes with Allah, He will give us what we are looking for, in the situation we find ourselves in.

Keep working for good, even at the end of times- if the final hour is coming and you have a seed in your hand, you should plant it. Stay in a good state.
--

Whoever acts on what they know, Allah gives them knowledge of what they don't know.
If Allah Gives us knowledge, then what we can achieve is limitless.

The first stage towards this is the person acknowledging thier need for Allah.
We say we rely on our brainpower and intellect- yet what have we done for the deen? Yet look at [the success of] those who relied on Allah! Give yourself to Allah. He Will Enrich you. Uplift you. Empower you. No one humbles themselves for the sake of Allah except that He Elevates them. How much further can we go replying on ourselves? How much more of a mess can we make?

To overcome challenges we have to humble ourselves.

--

The Prophet (saws) gave us a distinction which he didn't even give to his sahaba- that of being his brothers and sisters despite never seeing him (saws). This is a bushra [glad tiding] for us!!!

"Amongst people most intense in love for me in this Ummah are those who do not see me but love me. And they give their family and wealth just to see me" - wheras the sahaba saw his noor in its entirity.

The Prophet (saws) thus extends to us and praises us in love for hum and places its worth higher than that of the Sahaba. This is a class dinstinction. However, in regards to individuals, the best were them, the khulafaah al rashideen.

We must invoke, "Oh Allah, forgive us and those who preceeded us in Islam and don't place any ranquer in our hearts against them" --> we must have good opinion of all believers, people have been honoured with Islam and only those worthy are honoured.

We should thus uphold the 'izzah [respect] which Allah has given to the believers. We have to love the people who say La illah illAllah. Remember the parable of the believers, that we are one ummah, likened to one body. We don't have time for a bad opinion. This is a violation of others' rights! This puts a barrier between you and this is not right.

Give people the benefit of the doubt that they are atleast as good a muslim as you are if not better. --> we are all in this together.

--

If we don't appreciate the advantages we have, Allah will take them away.

Allah didn't Put you in a refugee camp. He Put you here. He Gave you the opportunity to serve the people. To work for Islam. We have to know our place. Shed light for people. Be light for people.

--

Realise that who you marry is part of a historical process.

If someone comes and you are pleased with their religion and character, marry him; or there will be great fasaad on the earth.

--

If we were more spiritually connected, we wouldn't be so deeply haunted, not would we have so many faults.

Ask Allah for His lufdh- His Gentleness as He Unfolds His decree in our life.

If we want good and seek good, we will find good and find it wherever we are.
"I am as My Servant Thinks I am." This is encouragement.

--

Wherever water flows, flowers grow...

When God desires to give us His assistance,
He moves our tendency to lamentation.

O happy are the eyes lamenting Him!
How blessed are the hearts that burn for Him!

When weeping ends there is a smile at last.
How happy is the man who is far-sighted!

Wherever waters flowing, flowers grow,
and mercy flows wherever tears are flowing.

Groan like the water-wheel and be moist-eyed
that green may grow the meadows of your soul.

If you want tears, show mercy to the tearful;
if you want mercy, show the weak your mercy

(Masnavi 1.821-826)

The secret talk

Narrated by Safwan bin Muhriz (Radi-Allahu 'anhu):

A man asked Ibn 'Umar, "What did you hear Allah's Apostle saying regarding
An-Najwa (secret talk between Allah and His believing worshipper on the Day
of Judgment)?"

He said, "(The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said), "One of you
will come close to his Lord till He will shelter him in His screen and say:
'Did you commit such-and-such sin?' He will say, 'Yes.' Then Allah will
say: 'Did you commit such and such sin?' He will say, 'Yes.' So Allah will
make him confess (all his sins) and He will say, 'I screened them (your
sins) for you in the world, and today I forgive them for you."'

Bukhari


May Allah [swt] make us of those whom He keeps His cover on in this world and the next, and may He [swt] enable us to make a sincere and lasting repentance before the certainty [death] draws upon us, aameen

Burda Class 3

"There's much in Inshaad.
There's Ilm. There's meaning.
And it lifts the spirit and takes it to more than its normal everyday life.
...More than most people know!"
- Shaykh Jihad

(Ayywa, I missed the write up of the notes of chapter 2. This now makes this kinda disjointed as class 3 was a continuation of chapter 2, but ahh, the class was filled with many stand alone pearls too!... so here are some stand alone pearls...)


Don't say "I'm everything" and don't say "I'm nothing" as they are both about the I. Say Allah.

What we want is 'Arifeen. We want enlightened knowing. And knowing is different from knowledge as knowing is a state of being.

"Actions are like lifeless forms. And the life is the sincerity within them. This is the secret within them" - Ibn Attaillah

It is the responsibility of believers to protect their friends from their nafs.

If your friends are not telling you when you are stepping over the line, then they are not friends.

Muraqabah is not glamourous. It's not going to get you on TV. It will keep you off TV. But it's what keeps a believer real.

Were a person not to cry except over the moments lost in not worshipping Allah, this would be enough for one.

Don't be self satisfied. but know that the feeling of remorse is a blessing and a lot of people don't have it. You have been blessed with the Nafs-alawwamah! But don't stay there! Work at it!

Remorse is repentance. You should be crying over your situation and where you've got to. If you think about it deeply, it will be hard not to cry.

We are either in a moment of ibaadah or of tawbah. And the tawbah becomes the ibaadah of the moment. This doesn't mean we sin and reassure ourselves that we will settle for making tawbah. As we are not promised any next moments. And the last thing we want is for our last moments to make us lose.

Your job is to park yourself and wait on the doorstep. The Muslims' hanging on the door of the Kaabah is symbolic of Allah opening the door to the slave. And whether He Opens the door or doesn't, tell Him you don't care- you'll be there waiting.

Takleef is following something in which there is difficulty in it. A person can get to a point where they go head over heel for their beloved. They will do anything for them. One can get to that level in their ibaadah. Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it's difficult. And there's beauty in it when it's difficult. Because it's for Allah.

"Contradicting the ego is the foremost level of ibaadah".

Look at what shaytaan did to Adam and he told Adam he was his friend. Yet the Shaytan has told you openly that he will deceive you! Shaytaan is the open enemy and the nafs is the enemy within.

Increase the 'Aql which you may need to go to. Learn and attend classes so when the ego striked, there is soundness in your 'Aql. Exposure to good gets us to that point.

Alhamdulilah for the following which answers thoughts that had recently been playing in my head for a while, namely about the Muslim living in the West and how we can stay balanced when seeking to be professionals and seeking to sell ourselves in an atmosphere where you had to be full of it (hey, I'm going into the legal sector afterall!)- alhamdulilah Shaykh Jihad discussed it with such clarity!!:
The non Muslim world is telling us to be confident in our own selves- in the nufus. The believer can still engage on these terms as their confidence is not in themselves but in Allah and their belief in the Rasool.
Rise to the challenge and do your best- if you are put in a situation which you did not solicit per se (e.g someone asking you to do something like teach a class etc), Allah has opened a door for you. So ask Allah for tawfeeq. And that is how a muslims can engage in a world which tell him to be confiden about himself. Remember, don't say "I'm everything" and don't say "I'm nothing", say "Allah!"

Be with whom you love

"The disbeliever is bewildered by creation but the believer is bewildered by the Creator"
-Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah:

Pricked By A Thorn

The Prophet peace be upon him said,
"No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sin for that."
[Bukhari]

Subhannallah. Such is the Mercy of our Lord. There are always people who are going through trials, some small trials, some life changing trials. As another quote I once read states "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone is facing some kind of battle." That quote inspires my being and I hope I can live by it. But what of the reassurances and promises we have from the Lord of the Worlds? As informed to us by His Most Beloved of Messengers? Subhannallah, the Court of Allah is Most Just.

I know of a few people recently who are facing ongoing trials. I was talking to my brother and I must have slipped out, in reference to someone we know being tested, "Don't you feel sorry for so and so?". My brother's reply, short and succinct as it was, echoed the hadith above,, and was the best response possible. "Why should we feel sorry for them, when Allah is relieving them of their sins and rewarding them?"

It's amazing the way in which the world works.

Yet, this does not rid us, fellow human beings, to care and show concern and thought for those suffering. In dua as we all are aware, there is power. But we have also been told that there is a right and reward in visiting the sick. Just imagine, that through merely visiting a person who is unwell, WE( fit, healthy, able to joke and smile, far from the pain that they feel) gain the reward! "Which of the bounties of your Lord will you deny?!" - this ayaah whispers throughout most of this life we live. But, it was only recently that it struck me as it did. I was on the phone speaking to someone who isn't well and I told them I would not be able to visit them. In what can only be described as a plea, they said "Don't you know that visiting the sick is rewarded and required of Muslims?!" In this life too, there is relief for those being tried. That relief comes through seeing their brothers and sisters. Through being shown that they are loved. Through being told that they are not alone.

And which of us is alone, when Allah is by our side?

Al-Qalb

"Allah has full knowledge of man's heart, for the heart in relation to Allah is like the tongue in relation to mortals."

-imam al ghazali - book 12 ihya ulum ad din

"Verily there are signs for those who reflect!"

"In the fast paced consumer world we live in, we hardly get time to stop, time to think about what is really happening around us, what is happening to us. Be one who reflects. Be one who contemplates. Think. Smile. Appreciate...and most importantly thank The Magnificent, The Giver, The Generous, Our Lord."

Say, “Are the ones who are blind in respect of the mind equal to those who are endowed with mental perception and understanding? Will you not then THINK & REFLECT?” [6:50]

And it is He who spread out the earth, and set thereon mountains standing firm and (flowing) rivers: and fruit of every kind He made in pairs, two and two: He draweth the night as a veil o'er the Day. Behold, verily in these things there are Ayaat [proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.] for those who THINK & REFLECT! [13:3]

We have sent down unto thee the Message; that you may explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may THINK & REFLECT! [16:44]

Fear, Hope, Love

Abu Bakr al Siddiq (ra) said, "Worshippers are of three groups, each group has three signs by which it is known- a group who worship Allah The Exalted out of fear, a group who worship Allah out of hope and a group who worship Allah out of love.

For the first group, there are three signs; they disparage themselves, they deem their righteous deeds to be few, they deem their evil deeds to be plenty.

For the second group, there are three signs; they are an example to others in all situations, they are the most generous of all people in spending their wealth, and they have the best of opinions amongst creatures regarding Allah.

For the third group, there are three signs; they give away what they love most and do not care as long as their Lord is pleased with them, they do that which will displease their nafs and please their Lord, and they are with their Lord in every situation, whether it be in following His commandments or avoiding His prohibitions."

- as cited in "Preparing for the Day of Judgement" - Imam ibn Hajar al Asqalani


[ on a side, yet smile rendering note, my older brother, May Allah grant him the best of both worlds, gifted me this book. In books which he gifts me, he always writes something on the first page, usually a dua. In the front of this book, with words of sincerity, one finds:

"This book is a gem. Gems are looked after and seen as precious for their value. When disheartened, a look at the beautiful raises the spirit. Allah is Beautiful and Loves beauty."

May Allah allow us all to realise the worth of the pearls of the deen, and be among this who are granted the opportunity to look at beauty, and associate it with The Truth, ameen!! ]

The Moment

"And when you look there (in paradise),

you will see a delight and a great dominion.

Their garments will be of fine silk and rich brocade.

They will be adorned with silver bracelets,

and their Lord will give them a purifying drink.

And it will be said; "Verily, this is a reward for you,

your striving has been accepted"

(Al Insaan, Ayah 20-22)

When He Gives you, He Shows you His Graciousness

When He Withholds from you, He Shows you His Power

-in both He is Making Himself Known to you and Drawing nearer to you the existence of His Kindness

-Ibn Atta'illah