09.20.07
Posted in Asma at 6:22 pm by salafiya
Assalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah
 My grandmother was in the hospital for a biopsy (there’s something wrong with her but we don’t know for certain what it is). Please du’aa for her inshaAllaah.
 Anyways, I went to go visit her at the hospital yesterday. When I entered, I felt a pang in my heart and my eyes stung. Though the hospital was much different than the one my sister was usually at, there were still so many memories.
Watching my grandmother helpless hurt me, of course. She’s my grandmother! She used to help take care of me sometimes and I have this one home video of her feeding me biryaani like there was no tomorrow. So obviously it did hurt to see her like that.
But honestly, I think my heart has numbed/toughened to these things since I saw Asma go through so much worse when she was just a child. I wasn’t even going to go to the hospital yesterday because of my dislike of them, but I still went because my mom reminded me that it’s Ramadhan and we should visit the sick (which reminded me of the hadeeth of Abu Bakr accomplishing all of the things Muhammad sal Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam asked for).
As I was sitting on the hard leather sofa in the room, I kept looking at my mom because I knew that if I was feeling these things, so was she. As I looked at her, I thought of the countless nights she slept on the types of sofas that I was sitting on right then. Memories came pouring back. These are the memories that came to me:
1. Hospital ice cream - those little cartons of ice cream which my brothers and I would always eat when we got hungry at the hospital. Asma loved those too.
2. The one day we “ran away” from her room. Asma and I decided that we got tired of being in the same room the whole day (plus my parents were sort of angry with me for a reason I forgot) and went to a lounge that was on the same floor and shut the door. We played video games the whole time (Lion King). Nobody knew where we were, so it was like a hideout from the world. lol, unfortunately they found us (we had everyone worried because no one knew where we were). Now that I think about this day, I wish that I could’ve just stared at Asma’s beautiful face instead of playing the game with her.
3. The constant disturbances throughout the night. The nurses got so annoying and I would be so angry at them for my sister. She could not have a peaceful sleep during the times she was in less pain than before because they had to keep waking her up every few hours. Yeah I know that nurses are only doing their jobs, but tell that to a patient who is in constant pain and just wants to be left alone.
As I thought of these things and I looked at my grandmother, I thought of how different both of their lives were. I could not feel the same sadness that I felt for Asma. Most of the tears I have shed or the sadness I have felt since finding about my grandma is for my sister. Again, it’s natural for me to feel sadness for my grandmother’s helplessness, but I think it pales in comparison to what I feel about Asma. I don’t know if I’m the only one who knows what I’m trying to say lol…..but there you have it. My recent thoughts and contemplation.ÂÂ
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09.19.07
Posted in Islaam at 11:37 pm by salafiya
Reaping the benefits of Ramadan
Dr. Ali Al-Timimi (may Allaah hasten his release)
Adopted from a lecture
In the month of Ramadaan it is very important that we spent a few moments to understand some of the wisdoms and lessons that we can learn from this month of fasting.
Unfortunately, many Muslims come in to this month and they are as a companion of the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Let it not be that the day that you fast and the day that you break fast be equal.” Meaning, one’s behaviour, attitude and outlook are the same whether one fasts or not, i.e. fasting has no effect upon that person. This is why we need to reflect on some of these lessons.
LESSON 1: Gaining Taqwaa
Allaah legislated fasting for gaining taqwaa, “O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it has been prescribed upon those before you, so that you may attain taqwaa.” (meaning of SoraatulBaqarah (2):183) Taqwaa in this case means to make a shield between oneself and Allaah’s anger and Hellfire. So we should ask ourselves, when we break our fasts, ‘Has this fasting day made us fear Allaah more? Has it resulted that we want to protect ourselves from the hellfire or not?
LESSON 2: Drawing closer to Allaah
This is achieved by reciting and reflecting on Al-Qur’aan during night and day, attending the taraaweeh prayers, remembering Allaah, sitting in circles of knowledge and, for those who can, making `umrah. Also for those who can, making I`tikaaf (seclusion) in the last ten nights of Ramadaan, so as to leave all worldly pursuits and seclude oneself in a masjid just thinking of Allaah, so as to bring oneself closer to Allaah (SWT). When one sins, one feels distant from Allaah. That is why one might find it heard to read the Qur’aan and come to the masjid. However, the obedient worshipper feels closer to Allaah and wants to worship Allaah more, because he is not shy from his sins.
LESSON 3: Acquiring patience and strong will
Allaah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Qur’aan and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. So when one fasts, and gives up one’s food and drink, and one’s marital sexual relations for those hours, one learns restraint and patience. This Ummah needs man and women that are strong willed, who can stand upon the Sunnah and the Book of Allah and not waver in front of the enemies of Allaah. We do not need emotional people, who just raise slogans and shout, but when the time comes to stand upon something firm, they cannot do so, they waver.
LESSON 4: Striving for Ihsaan (righteousness and sincerity) and staying away from riyaa’ (showing off)
Ihsaan means to worship Allaah as if one seeks Him, and even though one does not see Him, He sees all. Hasan al-Basree said, “By Allaah, in the last twenty years, I have not said a word or taken something with my hand or refrained to take something with my hand or stepped forth or stepped back, except that I have thought before I have done any action, ‘Does Allaah love this action? Is Allaah pleased with this action?’ So when one is fasting, one should gain this quality of watching oneself and also staying away from riyaa’ (showing off). That is why Allah said in a hadeeth qudsee, “Fasting is for Me and I reward it.” (al-Bukhaaree) Allaah singles out fasting from all other types of worship saying, “Fasting is for Me”, because no one knows whether you are fasting or not, except Allaah. For example, when one is praying or giving charity or making tawaaaf, one can be seen by the people, so one might do the action seeking the praise of the people. Sufyaan ath-Thawree used to spend the nights and the days crying and the people used to ask him, “Why do you cry, is it due to the fear of Allaah? He said, ‘No.’ They said, “Is it due to the fear of the Hellfire?” He said, ‘No. It is not the fear of Hellfire that makes me cry, what makes me cry is that I have been worshipping Allaah all these years and doing scholarly teaching, and I am not certain that my intentions are purely for Allaah.’”
LESSON 5: Refinement of manners, especially those related totruthfulness and discharging trusts.
The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allaah (SWT) has no need that he should heave his food and drink.” (al-Bukhaaree) What we learn from this, is that we must pay attention to the purification of our manners. The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “was sent to perfect good manners.” (Maalik) So we must check ourselves, are we following the behaviour of the Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him)? For example: Do we give salaam to those we don’t know and those we do know? Do we follow the manners of Islaam, by telling the truth and only telling the truth? Are we sincere? Are we merciful to the creation?
LESSON 6: Recognizing that one can change for the better
The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “Every son of Adam sins and the best of the sinners are those whorepent.” (Ibn Maajah) Allaah provides many opportunities to repent to Him and seek His forgiveness. If one was disobedient they can become obedient.
LESSON 7: Being more charitable
Ibn `Abaas said, “The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) was the most charitable amongst the people, and he used to be more so in the month of Ramadaan when Jibreel used to meet him on every night of Ramadaan till the end of the month…” (al-Bukhaaree) The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, without nothing being reduced from the fasting person’s reward.” (at-Tirmidhee)
LESSON 8: Sensing the unity of the Muslims
The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “…Those of you who will live after me will see many differences. Then you must cling to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khaleefahs. Hold fast to it and stick to it.” (Aboo Daawood) In this month we sense that there is a possibility for unity, because we all fast together, we break fast together, we all worship Allah together, and we pray Salaatul-`Eid together. Therefore we sense that the unity of Muslims is possible. It is possible for Muslims to be a single body, but this will only be achieved when obedience is only to Allaah and His Messenger.
LESSON 9: Learning discipline
The Prophet (ma Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) made us adhere to discipline and strictness, strictness that does not lead to fanaticism or going outside the bounds that Allaah has laid down. One cannot knowingly break the fast before the sunset, as this will not be accepted by Allaah. Muslims should learn to be very strict in their lives, because they are people of an important message, which they mold their lives around.
LESSON 10: Teaching the young to worship Allaah
It was the practice of the people of Madeenah, that during the fast of `Aashooraa (which is now a recommended fast of one day) to get their children to fast with them. When the children would cry of hunger and thirst, their parents would distract their attention by giving them some sort of toy to play with. The children would break their fast with their parents. (as mentioned in al-Bukhaaree).
So the young should be brought to the masjid and they should pray with their parents, so that they are able to get into the habit of becoming worshippers of Allaah. If one does not encourage children to fast when they are young, they will find it very difficult to fast for thirty days at the age of puberty. This is why the Prophet (may Allah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “Command your children to pray at the age of seven and beat them at the age of ten (if they do not pray.” (Haakim)
LESSON 11: Caring for one’s health
Fasting has many medical benefits and it teaches Muslims to take care of their health and too build strong bodies. The Prophet (may Allaah send His blessing and peace upon him) said, “A strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone.” (Muslim)
 http://islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=142
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09.14.07
Posted in Islaam at 1:02 pm by salafiya
Assalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah
 Just popped in to say Ramadhan Mubarak!
 Lets make the best of this month yall….Iblees is tied up, so we have no excuses (’Oh, Shaytaan made me do this’).
 Anyways, here’s just an email I sent out to some people and I know I’ve missed a lot of my friends so I’m just posting it here for the benefit of you guys:
 Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [al-Bukhaaree, 2014; Muslim, 760] And al-Bukhaaree (2008) and Muslim (174) also narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the nights of Ramadaan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”ÂÂ
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For more virtues of Ramadhan, click here: http://islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=13480&ln=eng
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Fill your days with good deeds and abstain from sin inshaAllaah. Read the Qur’aan often (try to have a goal of at least 5 ayaat before salaah) and memorize Surahs that you were thinking about memorizing but never got around to!
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Jibreel used to come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) every night in Ramadaan and reviewed the Qur’aan with him. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5) and Muslim (4268).ÂÂ
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Take care inshaAllaah & keep your tongues moist with the remembrance of Allaah.
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And don’t pig out too much on the samosas. Fruit chaat is healthier 
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Enjoy your Ramadhan!
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Assalam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah
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