Benefits of Silence

Salam,

Bismillah.

This was actually written as a comment during the dawrae Quran 2010 of Ramadhan. It really was a revival…

Assalam o Alaikum!

When we went through Surah Al-Ahzaab, verse 41-43, we discussed that the only way to do dhikr most of the time is to avoid laghw.

I want to share my personal experience regarding this. Once when I read an ayah about how the angels write every word we say, I was really moved and I decided to watch my words and think 10 times before I say something that whether NOT saying it would make any difference, and I noticed that I stayed quiet the whole day after this thought. Because whenever I was about to say something I said to myself: If I do not say this, will it really be a loss? and I realized that most of the time its not a loss, its something unimportant which seems extremely important to us at that particular moment.

What I really want to say is, that the benefits I gained due to this were unimaginable:

• I finished my jobs in half the time.
• Nobody was hurt by me.
• I was not hurt by anyone and consequently I saved a lot of time usually spent on pondering about why he/she said this.
• It became effortless for me to think good about everyone around me.
• When I had to keep quiet I automatically started doing dhikr.
• My prayers were suddenly full of khushoo, which I had never expected.
• I got more opportunities to do good deeds, which was unbelievable.
• It became easier for me to avoid wrong deeds.
• Because of all this a wonderful feeling of peace and tranquility filled my heart and I started feeling closer to my Rabb. And all this happened in just one day.

If someone else would have told me all this, I may never have believed them but since I experienced all this myself, I want to say that please try this at least once and see the results for  yourself. You will never be disappointed. And anyhow, this should be good enough for us that Allah SWT does not approve of laghw.

Jazakumullah u khairan.

Wassalam,

Hajrah. :)

Learning from nature

Salam,

Bismillah.

This was actually written as a comment during the dawrae Quran 2010 of Ramadhan. It really was a revival…

Assalam o Alaikum !

For some days I was concerned about my environment and the people around me that there is no one who would be keen on good deeds during Ramadhan, who would motivate ME rather than would pull me down instead, in my eman. And I was constantly coming across hindrances.

But yesterday, I went outdoors to act upon Surah Ar-Room, Ayah 24 which says “Indeed in that are signs for a people who use reason”, and I realized that I had been living in a state of unawareness all along, everything gave me a message and I found this true that there are loads of teachers for us in nature.

1. The trees stand upright, do not waver or slacken even for a moment, which gave me the lesson that I should be dedicated and steadfast in my deen and good deeds.

2. The birds chirp continuously, which gave me the lesson that I should do dhikr all day long.

3. The grass looks so pretty and beautifies everything with its green bloom but for that it has to remain close to the ground, which gave me the lesson that if I want my surroundings to be beautiful I need to be humble.

4. The sun comes and goes right on time, which gave me the lesson that I should be punctual in my prayers.

5. The sun rises with a low glint and becomes high gradually and finally shines with its full might, which gave me the lesson that if I want to be a source of guidance and light, it will be a gradual process attained through hard-work.

6. The air is there all the time and we cannot live without it but we cannot see it either, which gave me the lesson that I need to help mankind all the time but such that I should not make myself apparent.

7. The leaves on the trees are numerous and uncountable yet Allah watches and knows each one, which gave me the lesson that Allah watches each one of my thoughts all together.

8. Every leaf and twig works in harmony, they do not interfere with each other, which gave me the lesson that I need to be concerned about my own duties, first of all.

9. Everything is showing gratefulness to Allah SWT by acting upon His orders which brought me to Surah Luqman, Ayah 12, if I’m grateful I’m grateful for myself.

10. In short I realized that Allah’s vast universe obeys Him day and night, all the year, without even a break, they are definitely a source of motivation for me, who am I? Just a little particle, a minute part of it, how can I show arrogance and disobedience? He does not need my ibadah, everything is prostrating before Him. I need obedience and submission for my own self. I need to work untiringly. What am I waiting for???

Wassalam,

Hajrah. :)

Revive Yourself!

This was written in the early hours of morning (after Fajr) sitting under the sky!

Have you ever felt that you have just experienced a momentous moment some minutes ago? That you were half dead and have just been revived? Yes? Yes! One of those moments just passed by me a few minutes ago. What do you call it, a transformation? Or simply an epoch?

Let’s see…

The sky let go of its black night clothes and donned grayish blue ones with silver light. The light pink scarf has now been replaced by a light dappled lemon one.

The greenness is greener than at any other time of the day. The leaves seem as if they have just washed their faces with fresh water and let the water air-dry so now they are all cool and rosy skinned.

The mud, the earth is a brown so natural and inviting that I half feel lying down on it and absorbing its humble coolness and nature and I’m sure that would shed my burdens and make my shoulders free at least until the time I lie down there with closed eyes. Yes, dear earth! You are so motherly and it’s true after all. I am made from you. You remind me of my origin and thus I feel pure as a baby and free of artificialities when I sense you.

But how scared I am to go inside you forever and ever. I hope when I make you my permanent abode, you’ll give me a comfy bed, lullaby and pat me to sleep lovingly instead of biting or frightening me. And I’d certainly be afraid of the dark, please light up for me? Ah! I know, you’ll say you have no light and I’ll have to bring my own and my comfy bed as well, and I’ll have to clean the place of nasty and intimidating things myself. True that! I know you’re speaking but the truth. And yes! It will be my good deeds, my kind acts, my good speech and my humble prostrations that will earn me my valuable everlasting property. Yes! They should be my target. May you be rewarded for this reminder. You are just like my mum. Always reminding me of good.

Ah! And you birds. Your chirping in varieties of low, high, toneless, rhyme-y, long, short, shrill, happy make me feel I’m not alone at this time of recognition. You take away my loneness and provide a companionship deeply cherished with songs of Allah’s praise in your sweet voices. Isn’t it an honor to have such companions? Word!

And who’s the unseen queen? Yes you dear cool cool breeze. You rule with all your might while obeying and singing praise of my Lord. Your gushes make the clouds move and let the sky appear in new patterned beauties every moment, never repeating the style. You make the leaves laugh and flap, the birds float-y and confident.

And when you touch my burning dead skin, it cools as if a bucket of cold water were thrown upon it. My body is enveloped with a freshness and coolness so delightful and reviving that it is not to be explained. You cool my eyes, yes! You cool my eyes.

The above mentioned broken thoughts, part description part address are feelings about Allah’s creation and the beauty of morning which is Allah’s gift.

O Allah! Do they not see this? How can they still deny? My Lord! All praise is unto You, You are the greatest, the supreme. You made all this and it seems like a miracle. It points to Your greatness, O Allah! With that greatness comes Your great mercy, grant me that, it is much needed and forgive me. O Allah! Forgive me. O Allah! Forgive me. O Allah! Forgive me please.

P.S. A sincere tip: Offer Fajr prayers, go outdoors, sit under the sky and recite the Quran. Ponder on the verses of the Quran and the nature around you. They will be in perfect harmony! Incredible feel!

Wassalam. :)

Beware of Shaitan!

Salam,
Bismillah.

For some days I’ve been observing the things that happen in my university. Some of them amazed me, left me feeling surprised. And I wondered what is this all about?

Then I realized these are the tricks of our worst enemy, shaitan. He never wants even a single, minute good deed written in our record. So whenever he feels that someone is going to do something GOOD or will get some GOOD as a result of some certain act, he infiltrates that act.

Let me explain this with an example:

When the moa’zzin calls the adhaan, and he starts with Allah-u-Akbar, every girl covers her head. Or if she does not have a dopatta or head covering she at least feels embarrassed. The first time I saw this I thought hey! At least they have a respect for this sign of Allah. And I dropped my thread of conversation then and there, ready to answer the call with my full attention and to make dua’ after it. Butto my huge astonishment, not one of the people around me stopped doing whatever activity they were involved in! (There might be exceptions that I may not have noticed). They kept giggling, talking, backbiting and listening to music as if this was the most natural thing to do. And when the adhaan was over, everyone very conveniently, took the dopattas  off their heads and no big deal!

Analysis: As aforementioned, shaitan does not want us to get any kind of good.

Now Nabi SAW said about the adhaan:
“Two will not be rejected, Supplication when the Adhan (call of prayer) is being called, and at the time of the rain”
(Al-Hakim 2: 114, and Abu Dawud #2540, ibn Majah).

In another hadith:
“When the prayer is called, the doors of the skies are opened, and the du’a is answered”
(al-Tayalisi in his Musnad #2106, al-Sahihah #1413).

These ahadith make it clear that our dua’s would be accepted at the time of the adhaan! Who does not want to get their dua’s accepted?? Who does not need anything?? I’m pretty sure not a single human being is needless. But shaitan does not want our needs fulfilled. So he assures us that covering your head is good enough and suffices as the required virtue related with the adhaan! This too should be cleared here that no evidence can be found from the Quran or Sunnah about covering your head at the time of adhaan. In other words, you might not get any reward for it.

Wrapping the matter, we are deprived of the great opportunity to make dua’ as well as we get into an act which is reward-less. It seems then, that the real problem is ignorance! Ignorance of our religion, Book of Allah and Prophet Muhammad SAW’s teachings. Lets then, make a sincere effort to learn and understand Islam……starting TODAY! Insha’Allah.

Wassalam,
Hajrah. :)

Bringing Some Change!

Salam,
Bismillah.

We all want things to change, to take a turn for the better. Question is: “How???”
Okay so here is the simplest answer, start with yourself! Make a little target andstick to it. This is important. Sticking to that one simple target. Do not set another one until and unless you achieve the first one.

So what is the very first simplest thing you would want to achieve? :)
I’m on it………….. Are you?

About

Assalam u ‘Alaikum!
Bismillah.

This blog is a simple effort in the hope that lives will light up and take a turn for the better, like mine did through the Word of Allah! InshaAllah! :)
And of course, the posts I’ll be writing or sharing will be first a reminder to my own self.

Why I made this blog? Well maybe, just because I thought there should be more Muslims around here, trying to do something good!

P.S. I have a dream…! :P

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Wassalam. :)

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