Prophet (SAW)'s Prayers For pain of the eye

Read this and blow on the ailing eye:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ اللَّهُمَّ أَذْهِبْ حَرَّهَا وَبَرْدَهَا وَوَصَبَهَا
"I take the name of Allah and blow, O Allah remove its heat, cold and sickness Then say by the will of Allah".
(Hisn from Nisai etc)
Dua for eye pain
اللَّهُمَّ مَتِّعْنِي بِبَصَرِي وَاجْعَلْهُ الْوَارِثَ مِنِّي وَأَرِنِي فِي الْعَدُوِّ ثَأْرِي وَانْصُرْنِي عَلَى مَنْ ظَلَمَنِي
"O Allah grant me benefit from my eyesight and keep it (maintain it) till my death and give me power over my enemies and give me aid against those who oppress me".

DO NOT BE SAD

Ponder these points:
Do not be sad, because sadness causes you to regret the past, to have misgivings concerning the future, and to make you waste away your present.
Do not be sad, because it causes the heart to contract, the face to frown, the spirit to weaken, and hope to vanish.
Do not be sad, because your sadness pleases your enemy, angers your friend, and makes the jealous rejoice.
Do not be sad, because by being sad, you are complaining against the Divine decree, showing vexation at what is written for you. It takes you out of loving emotions. It is verdict against the blessings.
Do not be sad, because grief cannot return to you the one that is lost or is gone away. It cannot resurrect the dead, it cannot change fate or bring any benefit whatsoever.
Do not be sad, because sadness is often from the devil and is a kind of hopelessness.

Allah, the All-High says:
“Have We not opened your breast for you? And removed from you your burden, which weighed down on your back? And have we not raised high your fame? So verily, along with every hardship, there is relief Verily, with the hardship, there is relief [i.e. there is one hardship with two relief’s, so one hardship cannot overcome two relief’s]. So when you have finished [from your occupation], then stand up for Allah’s worship [i.e. stand up for prayer]. And to your Lord [Alone] turn your invocations.” Surah Ash-Sharh – Ayah’s 1-8

ABDULLAH IBN MAS’OOD (radhiallaahu anhu)

Whoever likes to recite the Qur’aan as purely as it was first revealed, let him recite it like ibn Umm Abd (i.e. ibn Mas’ud)
The sun was blistering hot. There was no hope of attaining water in the harsh mountain passes of Makkah, where the blessed Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, and his companion Abu Bakr took respite from the oppression and the insults of the pagan Makkans. As they penetrated deeper into the passes, a great thirst overtook them, a thirst that exhausted their bodies and parched their throats.
They went further searching for water when they caught sight of a boy driving a flock of sheep. He looked thin and small, but at a closer look he was well in his teens "Young man, give us some milk from one of these ewes to quench our thirst," the Prophet said, sallallahu alayhi wasallam. "I am not going to do it, for I am entrusted with these sheep, which belong to Uqbah ibn abi Mu'ait." The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, did not argue and was rather pleased with the youth's honesty. "Then show us a young ewe which has not given birth to a lamb," he said, "This I will do," replied the youth. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, seized it, and stroke its udder with his hand as he invoked Allah. To his great amazement, the youth saw the udder swell and milk started flowing from it. He knew very well that an ewe which has never had a lamb could not produce milk. Abu Bakr fetched a hollow stone, which the Prophet filled with milk. He gave Abu Bakr and the youth drink. He then said to the udder, "Shrink and it shrank! The youth said to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, "Teach me the words you said." The Prophet replied, "You are a learned boy." It was not long before the youth accepted Islam, as he was introduced to it through such a miracle! The young man's name was Abdullah ibn Masoud. He used to hear about the news the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam who appeared among his people, but he did not pay much attention to that because of his young age and also because he was away from Makkah most of the time, taking Uqbah's flock to graze from dawn to dusk.
Soon after this event, ibn Masoud offered to be at the services of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, tending to his needs. Abandoning his job as a shepherd to be with him, he became closer to him than his own shadow. He was with him when he traveled and when he was in town. He would wake him up when he slept, and screen him when he bathed. He would bring his shoes when he wanted to go out and remove them for him when he came in. He carried his miswak and stick for him, and he slept in a room next to him. In fact, the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, allowed him to enter his house whenever he wished and kept nothing hidden from him, until he was known as the keeper of the Prophet's secrets. But Ibn Masoud's deeper desire was to learn from the Prophet and to follow his example in every one of his moves. Thus he was raised in his home, and was trained by his guidance. He was so much like the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, that Huthafah said about him, "I never saw a person closer to the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wasallam, in character and guidance than ibn Masoud.

Dealing with a person whose sin repeatedly hurts one

Question:

Asslamu Alaikum,
If a person commits a sin which hurts you,
and he repeatedly do it, what should one do?

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

What you should do is advise the person who is committing sin, whether the sin hurts you directly or not, because enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil is an important obligation which Muslims are supposed to do all the time,

as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And when a community among them said: ‘Why do you preach to a people whom Allaah is about to destroy or to punish with a severe torment?’ (the preachers) said: ‘In order to be free from guilt before your Lord (Allaah), and perhaps they may fear Allaah.’” [al-A’raaf 7:164]

In his tafseer (commentary) of this aayah,
Ibn Katheer said:

“Here Allaah is describing how the people of that town had split into three groups:

~~ those who committed sin by using tricks to catch fish on the Sabbath (which Allaah had forbidden them to do),

~~ those who told them not to do this wrong deed and boycotted them, and...

~~ those who kept quiet, neither committing the sin not speaking out against it.

But this third group said to those who were telling the sinners not to do it:

‘Why do you preach to a people whom Allaah is about to destroy or punish with a severe torment?’

i.e., why do you warn these people when you know they are doomed and they deserve to be punished by Allaah, and your telling them not to do it is of no benefit?

The preachers said to them,

‘In order to be free from guilt before your Lord (Allaah),’

i.e., we are doing this out of obedience to your Lord, Who has instructed us to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil;

‘and perhaps they may fear Allaah,’

i.e., perhaps this warning may make them stop what they are doing and return to Allaah in repentance, for if they repent, Allaah will accept their repentance and have mercy on them.”

The Muslim should use different styles of warning and calling people to Islam. Sometimes he uses a soft and encouraging tone, describing the rewards for obedience; sometimes he warns of the punishment for disobedience; sometimes he may tell stories which illustrate an important lesson; sometimes he explains the bad consequences of sin on the person’s life, and so on.


If a person can no longer bear to be close to this sinner, and there is no benefit in advising him, then he should keep away from him and have nothing to do with him. And Allaah is the source of strength and the Guide to the right path.

Aishah

Aishah

Wife of the Prophet, mother of the believers, the greatest Muslim woman scholar

THE life of Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) is proof that a woman can be far more learned than men and that she can be the teacher of scholars and experts. Her life is also a proof that a woman can have influence over men and women and provide them with inspiration and leadership. Her life is also a proof that the same woman can be totally feminine and be a source of pleasure, joy and comfort to her husband.

She did not graduate from any university, as there were no universities as such in her day. But still her utterances are studied in faculties of literature, her legal pronouncements are studied in colleges of law and her life and works are studied and researched by students and teachers of Muslim history as they have been for over a thousand years.

The bulk of her vast treasure of knowledge was obtained while she was still quite young. In her early childhood, she was brought up by her father who was greatly liked and respected for he was a man of wide knowledge, gentle manners and an agreeable presence. Moreover he was the closest friend of the Noble Prophet who was a frequent visitor to their home since the very early days of his mission.

In her youth, already known for her striking beauty and her formidable memory, she came under the loving care and attention of the Prophet himself. As his wife and close companion, she acquired from him knowledge and insight such as no woman has ever acquired.

Aishah lived on, almost 50 years after the passing away of the Prophet. She had been his wife for a decade. Much of this time was spent in learning and acquiring knowledge of the two most important sources of God's guidance, the Qur'an and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Aishah was one of three wives (the other two being Hafsah and Umm Salamah) who memorized the Revelation. Like Hafsah, she had her own script of the Qur'an written after the Prophet had died.

So far as the Ahadith or sayings of the Prophet is concerned, Aishah is one of four persons (the others being Abu Hurayrah, Abdullah ibn Umar, and Anas ibn Malik) who transmitted more than two thousand sayings. Many of these pertain to some of the most intimate aspects of personal behavior which only someone in Aishah's position could have learnt. What is most important is that her knowledge of Hadith was passed on in written form by at least three persons including her nephew Urwah who became one of the greatest scholars among the generation after the Companions.

Many of the learned companions of the Prophet and their followers benefitted from Aishah's knowledge. Abu Musa al-Ashari once said: "If we companions of the Messenger of God had any difficulty on a matter, we asked Aishah about it."

Aishah not only possessed great knowledge but took an active part in education and social reform. As a teacher she had a clear and persuasive manner of speech and her power of oratory has been described in superlative terms by al-Ahnaf who said: "I have heard speeches of Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthman and Ali and the Khulafa up to this day, but I have not heard speech more persuasive and more beautiful from the mouth of any person than from the mouth of Aishah."

Men and women came from far and wide to benefit from her knowledge. The number of women is said to have been greater than that of men. Besides answering enquiries, she took boys and girls, some of them orphans, into her custody and trained them under her care and guidance. This was in addition to her relatives who received instruction from her. Her house thus became a school and an academy.

She died in the year 58 AH in the month of Ramadan and as she instructed, was buried in the Jannat Al-Baqi in the City of Light, beside other companions of the Prophet.

Experiences of a Canadian revert to Islam:

Experiences of a Canadian revert to Islam:

Pt1 : http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=axKKrhMtNr4

Pt2: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=VSSro2EEfC0

Pt3: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=sUr1JIDR3Ro

Pt4: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=dulH1izjnfI&feature=related

See more stories of reverts:

http://thedeenshow. com/shows. html

Mecca is the Center of the Earth

Mecca is the Center of the Earth

Dr. Salih Muhammad Awadh, Iraq , Baghdad university , faculty of Science, Geology Dept

Translated by : Magdy Abd Al-Shafy

The layers of the earth

In this short study, when contemplating about the miracles of God in this universe, I will show the miracles in the creation of the earth though many people go unmindful of them. God says in the Holy Quran what means ” And in the earth are portents for those whose faith is sure “ (Al-Zaryat :20) According to seismology , the earth , from the surface to its center , is composed of three layers and these with the secondary ones form seven layers ( figure 1) , God refers to this well-established fact in the Holy Quran , God says in the Holy Quran in this regard what means ( Allah it is who hath created seven heavens, and of the earth the like thereof. The commandment cometh down among them slowly, that ye may know that Allah is Able to do all things, and that Allah surroundeth all things in knowledge.” (56:12)

These layers are:

1-The earth Crust

It the solid part that we live on , it varies in thickness, the maximum thickness is under the mountain while thickness is relatively smaller under oceans; the earth crust can be scientifically categorized into two parts :

(a) The continental crust :

It is a rocky mass varying in thickness , the rate of thickness varies between 30Km-40Km in the continental areas while it reaches 70km under mountains

(b) The oceanic layer : it is a rocky structure encompassing the earth under oceans and the crust ; it is not harmonious structure with relatively thickness of 6km

The mantle : it is higher in dense than all the masses of the crust , it is complex in structure ; because of the high temperature and pressure , it is semi-rigid , it is the source of magma , it can be divided into three parts

(a)The upper mantle which goes deep to a depth of 400km under the crust .

(b) The transformation zone which extends from 400km to 1000km

? The lower mantle which extends from 1000 km to 2900km

3-The core of the earth , it is mainly composed of iron and Nickel and it can be divided into layers

a) The outer core which is in a liquid state , it extends from a depth of 2900km to 5080km

(b) The interior core : it is a rigid substance and it extends from a depth of

5080 to 6371 , it is believed that the internal core is the centre of the earth .

The rock layer of the earth on which we live has never been one mass but it is composed of what scientifically known as ( plates ) . God refers to this fact in the Holy Quran , ( And in the Earth are neighboring tracts, vineyards and ploughed lands, and date palms, like and unlike, which are watered with one water. And We have made some of them to excel others in fruit. Lo! herein verily are portents for people who have sense . ) (13-4)

These adjacent plates , that are mentioned in the Holy Quran , are that which are scientifically approved ( figure 2) , this is , now , the most well-established and the most scientifically well-supported fact , it is taught everywhere in the world universities , Geology department . The most well-known earth plates are :

1. Eurasian plate covering Asia and Europe

2. African plate covering Africa

3. The Arabian plate

4. Antarctic plate covering Antarctic

5. Australian plate, covering Australia (fused with Indian plate between 50 and 55 million years ago)

6. North American Plate covering North America and north-east Siberia

7. South American plate covering South America

8. Pacific Plate covering the Pacific Plate

9. The Indian Plate

10. The Caribbean plate

11. The Philippine plate

12. Scotia

Figure (1) The scientifically- known plates nowadays ( mentioned in the Holy Quran as the neighboring plates

The plates motion

the earth plates relatively moves slowly and constantly , it can’t be seen directly but can be recoded with highly advanced technology ; (1M a year was reported by this technology as regard the movement of one of these plates)and can be experienced during earthquakes .

There are three main kinds of motions as regard the plate movement :

Convergent movement , divergent movement and transform movement, in the divergent movement , two adjacent plate move in the opposite directions moving away from each other and this often happens in mid-floor of seas and oceans causing dint or protuberance and this result in the gushing out of the magma under sea water , being molten and with high pressure , it cause large mass of water to evaporate ; the Holy Quran has referred to this scientific fact in the following verse (And by the sea set on fire ) (81:6)

Ocean floor rift typifies a certain kind of earthquakes followed by magma out-break . This magma is composed of complex substance higher in density than the rocks of the crust , scientific studies have proved that density of the upper mantle is much higher in density than that of the earth crust (0.4gramme/ cm3 ) , the more we go down , the more differences in density . The Holy Quran refers to this scientific fact ( When Earth is shaken with her (final) earthquake and Earth yieldeth up her burdens(99:1-2)

These magma forms what is now known as the volcanic mountains which are termed as mid-ocean ridges, which rise over the oceans and seas water forming islands , the earthquake and volcanoes co-occurrence can be illustrated in (figure -3) the convergence movement means that two adjacent plate approach each other with result that they collide with each other , as they go on colliding ,one of them or both slidedown as far as 100Km with the result that they have their structure changed turning into semi-molten state because of the high temperature - this process typifies the corroding

figure 2) the locations where the last recorded quakes took place in the last century dotted in black , these co-occur the locations of opening the mid-oceans (oceans colored blue) and also represent the locations of crust plates collisions ( colored green) taken from (Spencer ,2003)

(Of the ends of the plates or the ends of the earth as the Holy Quran depicts , this fact is mentioned in the Holy Quran in the following two Holy verses . God says in the Holy Quran in this regard what means ( See they not how We visit the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? (When) Allah doometh there is none that can postpone His doom, and He is swift at reckoning. “ (13:41)

Also God says also in the Holy Quran what means “Nay, but We gave these and their fathers ease until life grew long for them. See they not how we visit the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? Can they then be the victors? “ (21:44)

A plate might slide over the other forming structural mountains , these moves with the plates; these means that these mountains moves and that what the Holy Quran refers to , God says in the Holy Quran what means ( And when the hills are moved) (81:3)

Also God says in the Holy Quran what means ” Had it been possible for a Lecture to cause the mountains to move, or the earth to be torn asunder, or the dead to speak, (this Quran would have done so). Nay, but Allah’s is the whole command. Do not those who believe know that, had Allah willed, He could have guided all mankind? As for those who disbelieve, disaster ceaseth not to strike them because of what they do, or it dwelleth near their home until the threat of Allah come to pass. Lo! Allah faileth not to keep the tryst.”

Also God says in the Holy Quran what means “And (bethink you of) the Day when We remove the hills and ye see the earth emerging, and We gather them together so as to leave not one of them behind.(18:47)

Earth quakes and volcanoes eruptions accompany the collision of the plates , the same thing happens in the transform movement which cause fissures as long as it goes lengthwise ; this is also a proof that plates are in continuous motion since they were first formed up till now .

The movement of the earth plate reasons

The reason for the motion of the plates lies in the mantle under the crust whose thickness reaches 2800 km ,it is composed of rocky complex silicon material , partially or wholly molten, yet it is not in a liquid state but rather in a very viscous state with high temperature and pressure , it is well established that the deeper , the hotter inside the earth ; so the temperature of the lower parts in the mantle is higher than the upper , because of the variance of temperature between the plates of the earth , the giant convective currents take place moving from the lower parts to the upper parts circularly ?because of the difference in density - carrying up the hotter substance and then the less hot substances goes down because of its high density and weight , this process is constant and continuous (Figure -4) , the convective currents press hard on the earth crust over it causing it to move in any of the ways already mentioned motions

( Figure -3) the convective currents in the mantle between the crust and the core

The movement of the earth plate is accurately calculated and compact; it keeps the mass of the earth and surface area , in the time when the end of one of the sunken plate wears away (or shrink in size ) a new rocky substance is generated in the facing end (mid-ocean ridges ) . These keep the gravity among space masses and keep these objects going in their orbits , this highly perfected accuracy can’t be a mere chance ?The earth ?a simple creatures - is among the many creatures of The Omnipotent -God omnipotence is infinite, God says in the Holy Quran what mean ” And they esteem not Allah as He hath the right to be esteemed, when the whole earth is His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens are rolled in His right hand. Glorified is He and High Exalted from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)( 39:67)

Mecca Location in the light of the plate movement through the geological ages

Geologists divides the historical geology of the earth into many divisions and subdivision to make it understandable when talking about a certain period of the earth age , the earth’s age is estimated to be 4.5 billions years ,the earth age extends from the Cambrian age till the modern age , since this age , the earth plates have been moving continuously changing their shapes and locations and even their numbers ? some of them were broken forming new plates while others were joined together .

It is scientifically ?established that the earth plates , through the long geological age , have been moving regularly around the Arabian plate ;these plates constantly converge towards it as if they pointed to it . Scientific studies affirm and attest these facts though not published to discuss the convergence of the plates towards the Arabian plate but published with irrelevant aims .

(Figure -5) shows the movement of the Indian plate according to magnetic anomalies estimations regarding the floor of Indian ocean , it also shows the different locations that both the Indian and sir lanka plates occupied over the span of the last 71 millions years up till now till it seemingly took its final place that is because its movement can’t be seen and that its movement is too slow , if compared with the human age . It is clear in (figure -5 ) that the Indian plate had moved northwards with a slight circulation counterclockwise( figure-5) , the movement of the Arabian plate is not taken into consideration in this figure , the location of the Saudi Arabia is a part of the Arabian plate .

(Figure -6) shows the location of Arabian plate according to the Indian , African , Turkish and Iranians plates ( it was first composed of a number of parts , this figure also shows the part middle of Iran as a separate part from the north of the west of Iran ) and Afghanistan , (figure -6) shows the location of these plate surrounding the Arabian plate , the dotted lines parts ( plates represented with discontinued line ) to the earth plate during the mid Jurasic Age

figure -4) the movement of the Indian plate 71 millions years ago estimated according to the magnetic anomalies in according to Indian ocean bed ? the source is:( Spencer,2003)

(( Figure 5) the movement of the earth plates according to the Arabian plate one million years ago (source Forster,1978)

( that is one millions years ago ) . when looking carefully at( figure -6) , we will find that the Indian plate has moved northwards counterclockwise as far as a few degrees and so did the plates of Afghanistan , the middle and the north of the west of Iran , and Turkey

If we look at the location of the Arab plate in the one million years ago ( the part which is represented by dots) in ( figure 6) , we will find that it has moved a little northwards taking into consideration the movement of the far plates; it moved around counterclockwise. We can conclude that the Arabian plate in the last million years ( before creating the human being ) and at the present time took a mid position among the earth plates ? these plates encompass it (figure-6)

During her long time journey , the Arabian plate didn’t cover along distance as it is the center of the circulation movement, it has moved within the shorter diameter. So it is clear that the Arabian plate is center of the earth plates ,and everywhere it goes , it is followed by the other plates going round it regularly , each plate keeps its constant direction towards the Arabian plate . It is well-established that Mecca where the Moslem Kabba lies is in the Arabian plate (figure -7)

Now , if we use the same approach applied on the Arabian plate , we can say that every thing on and in the earth directs its face to Mecca where the Moslem Kabba lies , this system will go on , according to God’s will , to a certain time assigned by God , this accurate unwavering system can’t be out of a chance ; it is a supernatural power that made it and is still keeping it going on ? that is God , who rose the heavens with unseen pillars .

(figure -6) the location of the Holy Mecca in the Arabian plate

lso God says in the Holy Quran what means ” Allah is Creator of all things, and He is Guardian over all things . “(39:62)

Also God says in the Holy Quran what means “Say (O Muhammad): Who is Lord of the heaven and the earth? Say: Allah! Say: Take ye then (others) beside Him for protectors, which, even for themselves, have neither benefit nor hurt? Say: Is the blind man equal to the seer, or is darkness equal to light? Or assign they unto Allah partners Who created the like of His creation so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them? Say: Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Almighty “(13:62)

Also God says in the Holy Quran what means “ So , now , since everything directs its face towards the Holy Mecca , and that the Holy Kabba is the center of Mecca , we can assuredly and scientifically say that Kabba is the center of the earth and that everything on or under it directs its face towards it in complete submissiveness and piety “

God says in the Holy Quran what means” Hast thou not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the hills, and the trees, and the beasts, and many of mankind, while there are many unto whom the doom is justly due. He whom Allah scorneth, there is none to give him honor. Lo! Allah doeth what He will.” (22:18 )

God says in the Holy Quran what means “And unto Allah falleth prostrate whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in the morning and the evening hours. “ (13:15)

God says in the Holy Quran what means ” And unto Allah maketh prostration whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth of living creatures, and the angels (also), and they are not proud (16:49)

God says in the Holy Quran what means “And of His portents (is this): that thou seest the earth lowly, but when We send down water thereon it thrilleth and groweth. Lo! He who quickeneth it is verily the Quickener of the dead. Lo! He is Able to do all things “. (41:39)

God says in the Holy Quran what means” Allah hath appointed the Ka’bah, the Sacred House, a standard for mankind, and the Sacred Month and the offerings and the garlands. That is so that ye may know that Allah knoweth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and that Allah is Knower of all things.

“(5:97)

Glory be to the Creator of the Heaves and the earth , we deeply implore Him to enlighten our dark heart with the light of his countenance that enlighten the Heavens and the earth

God says in the Holy Quran what means” And the earth shineth with the light of her Lord, and the Book is set up, and the Prophets and the witnesses are brought, and it is judged between them with truth, and they are not wronged.” (39:67)

we deeply implore to him to animate our hearts with light of wisdom as he animate the barren land with rain and to accept our deeds and acts making them only for his pleasure

Then praise be to Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lords of the earth, the Lord of the Worlds. And unto Him (alone) belongeth majesty in the heavens and the earth, and He is the Mighty, the Wise. (45:36-37)

---

Sources :

2-Spencer E. W. 2003: Earth Science, understanding environment systems. McGraw Hill. Toranto, 517p.

3- Forster, H., 1978: Mesozoic? Cenozoic metallogenesis in Iran. Journal of the Geological Society? London. Printed in the Netherland. Vol.135. pp 443-455. 8 figs

Living Islam Daily

Living Islam Daily

By Sister Iman bint Johari

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,

'Take benefit of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free-time before your preoccupation, and your life before your death.'

[al-Hakim, al-Baihaqi]

Indeed, we all, at some point in our lives, are reminded of the passage of time... It may be due to an affliction that has befallen us, a word we have read or an incident that we have witnessed. We literally feel the seconds ebbing away from our lives and we are filled with a sense of desperation. What have we achieved? What have we done with our lives?

We are reminded of our aspirations we had once had that have lain dormant... buried... while we are engrossed with building our lives in this dunya. We are reminded of how we wanted to be the true and successful servants of our Creator and we become sick with worry and shame. We see how we have not moved an inch closer to this goal.

We want to make amends ...
we KNOW we can do it.

And so we start all over again. We begin to piece together our ideas and resolutions. This time we will not forget and we will not fail, inshaa Allah. We will fast more, pray more, recite the Qur'an more... we will change the world and make it a better place.

We set out with promise and enthusiasm but as the months go by, our determination fizzles out and our good actions are forgotten. Our resolutions once again remain in the realm of good intentions.. . until the next time something prompts us into introspection.

How do we avoid this? How do we convert our good intentions to consistent actions?

I do not dare to say I have all the answers. I can only share what I have learned in my own struggle with good intentions and resolutions.

Here are some tips that I hope you will find useful in trying to live Islam daily:

[1] Purify your intentions and remember that you wish to seek the pleasure of Allah

Sincerity in all we do is a commandment of Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala):

"Say, 'Indeed my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first (among you) of the Muslims.'"

[Surah al-An'aam, 6: 162,163]

He also says:

"So worship Allah (alone) by doing religious deeds sincerely for Allah's sake only, (and not to show-off and not to set up rivals with Him in worship). Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allah only."

[Surah Az-Zumar 39:2-3]

Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) said,

"Deeds without sincerity are like a traveler who carries in his water-jug dirt. The carrying of it burdens him and it brings no benefit."

[2] Seek His help through du'a

Allah has told His Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) that He is close and answers the supplication of any servant who calls to Him. He said:

"When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them), I respond to the prayer of every supplicant when he calleth on Me."

[Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 186]

Indeed, when we are faced with distress, it is He whom we should turn to:

"Or, who listens to the distressed (soul) when he calls on Him, and who relieves his suffering?"

[Surah An -Naml: 62]

[3] Do not procrastinate

It is easier for one to put off a goal until tomorrow so that one can rationalize not disciplining oneself today. How often have we said, "Inshaa Allah, I will make a change tomorrow" but never actually get around to doing it? One of the early scholars said, "Beware of procrastinating. It is the greatest of the soldiers of Satan." Do not make half-hearted promises - you are fooling no one but yourself. Carry out your resolutions with zeal and optimism.

[4] Take baby steps and set realistic goals In our zeal

We often chart ambitious plans only to be discouraged when we cannot sustain our efforts. Remember that no good deed is too small - the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was asked, "Which deed is most beloved to Allah?" He said, "The one that is continuous, even if it is little."
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Fath al-Bari 11:194].

Small changes work a great deal better than giant leaps, so don't bite off more than you can chew. Start out with small deeds and you that you can accomplish easily and consistently before moving on to more challenging ones. This will motivate you and make you feel more successful. Insha'Allah, you will find that over time, you will have made a big difference.

[5] Build a good support system

Ibn Hazm said,

"Anyone who criticises you cares about your friendship. Anyone who makes light of your faults cares nothing about you."

It is said that reminders benefit the believers, so surround yourselves with good companions who will give you sincere advice and who will support you with your resolutions. Avoid those who will chip away at your self-esteem or who will tempt you away from your resolutions.

Bear in mind what 'Ali radhiallahu 'anhu said:

"Mix with the noble people, you become one of them; and keep away from evil people to protect yourself from their evils."

[6] Track your progress and be consistent

Write down your goals - hang this list up on the wall, keep it in your notebook, fold it into your wallet or stick it in your locker. You can even keep a log or journal of how you are doing - start a web log even! Be honest with yourself and recheck your goals. The idea is not to slacken. Indeed, when the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) did something, he kept it up.
[Muslim].

Take a look at the hadith Qudsi in which Allah says:

"… 'My slave keeps drawing nearer to me with naafil (supererogatory) deeds until I love him.'"

[Sahih al-Bukhari].

The phrase maa yazaalu ["keeps (drawing near)"] gives the impression of continuity. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) also said,
"Continue doing Hajj and 'Umrah."

[7] Avoid burnout

It is inevitable that we sometimes feel as if our iman has hit rock bottom or that we lack the spirit to continue in our striving.

The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,

"Iman wears out in one's heart, just as the dress wears out (becomes thin). Therefore, ask Allah to renew iman in your hearts."

[at-Tabarani and Al-Hakim]

Continuing to do acts of worship and good deeds does not mean one exhausts oneself to breaking point. We continue with the obligatory acts. When we have the energy and inclination, we strive to do more and when we do not, we do as much as we can.

The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)said:

"Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection…"

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

According to another report, he said:

"Be moderate, and you will reach what you want."

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

[8] Seek inspiration

The best sources of inspiration are in the mighty Qur'an, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), his companions, the pious predecessors and the scholars.

Look at Abu Musa al-Ash'ari. He used to apply himself so much in worship at the end of his life that he was told, "Why don't you slow down and be gentle with yourself?" He replied, "When the horses are released for a race and are close to the finish line, they give all the strength they have. What is left of my life is less than that." It is said that he maintained this level of devotion till he died.

Look at Amir ibn Abdullah who was once asked, "How can you tolerate being awake all night, and thirsty in the intense heat of the day?" He replied, "Is it anything more than postponing the food of the day to nighttime, and the sleep of the night to daytime? This is not a big matter." When the night came, he would say, "Remembrance of the heat of hellfire has taken sleepiness from me." And he would not sleep until dawn.

Look at Ar-Rabi' ibn Khuthaym. Abu Hayan related that his father said, "Ar-Rabi' ibn Khuthaym was crippled and used to be carried to the congregational salah. So people told him, "You have an excuse (for not coming)." He said, "I hear 'hayya 'alas-salah' , the call to salah; so if you can come to it even by crawling, do so", paraphrasing a hadith.

[9] Do a variety of acts of worship

Allah in His Infinite Mercy has blessed us with a variety of acts of worship to do - some are physical such as prayer; some are financial such as zakat and sadaqah; some are spoken such as du'aa and dhikr.

Perhaps the wisdom behind this provision is that it addresses the different inclinations and abilities of the people. Some people may enjoy some kinds of worship more than others. Indeed, Allah has made gates of Paradise according to the different types of worship.

According to a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (radhiallahu anhu) the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)said:

"Whoever spends on a pair for the sake of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise, 'O slave of Allah, this is good.' Whoever is one of the people of prayer will be called from the gate of prayer. Whoever is one of the people of jihad will be called from the gate of jihad. Whoever is one of the people of fasting will be called from the gate of al-Rayyan. Whoever is one of the people of charity will be called from the gate of charity."

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

[10] Do not waste even a minute

As mentioned earlier, there are a variety of deeds one can do. There may be days when one is busy with chores, work or commitments to family and friends. This does not mean that one does not have time to incorporate one's resolution to live Islam daily. One can make dhikr while cooking, one can memorise a du'aa while waiting for the bus, one can listen to an Islamic lecture when driving home from work… the list goes on. The bottom line? Do what you can when you can.

May Allah give us steadfastness and may He give us the best in this world and the hereafter
Aameen.

Story of Prophet Ayoub/Job (pbuh)

Ibn Ishaaq stated that he was a man of Rum. His name was Job, Ibn Mose, Ibn Razeh, Ibn Esau, Ibn Isaac (pbuh), Ibn Abraham (pbuh). Someone else said he was Job, Ibn Mose, Ibn Rimil, Ibn Esau, Ibn Isaac, Ibn Jacob. There have also been other statements on his lineage. Ibn Asaker narrated that his mother was a daughter of Lot (pbuh). It was said, also that his father was one who believed in Abraham (pbuh) when he was cast into the fire.
The first opinion is the most plausible, because he was a descendant of Abraham's offspring as Allah Almighty declared: "That was Our proof which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All Knowing. And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob, each of them We guided and before him, We guided Noah, and among his progeny David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good doers. (Ch 6:83-84)
Allah the Almighty praised His worshipper Job in His Glorious Quran: Truly! We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft returning in repentance to Us! (Ch 38:44)
Job (pbuh) was repentant, remembering Allah with thankfulness, patience, and steadfastness. This was the cause of his rescue and the secret of Allah's praising him.
A group of angels were discussing Allah's other human creatures, how those who were humble earned Allah's pleasure, while those who were arrogant incurred His displeasure. One of the angels remarked: "The best creature on earth today is Job, a man of noble character who displays great patience and always remembers his Generous Lord. He is an excellent model for the worshippers of Allah. In return, his Lord has blessed him with a long life and plenty of servants, as well as the needy and the poor share in his good fortune; he feeds and clothes the poor and buys slaves to set them free. He makes those who receive his charity feel as if they are favoring him so kind and gentle is he."
Iblis overhearing all of this, became annoyed. He planned to tempt Job to corruption and disbelief, so he hastened to him. He tried to distract Job from his prayers by whispering him about the good things in life but Job was a true believer and would not let evil thoughts tempt him. This disturbed Iblis even more; thus he began to hate Job even more.
Iblis complained to Allah about Job. He said that although he was continuously glorifying Allah he was not doing so out of his sincerity but to satisfy Allah so that his wealth should not be taken away. It was all a show, all out of greed. "If You remove his wealth then You will find that his tongue will no longer mention Your name and his praying will stop."
Allah told Iblis that Job was one of His most sincere devotees. He did not worship Him because of the favors; his worship stemmed from his heart and had nothing to do with material things. But to prove to Iblis the depth of Job's sincerity and patience, Allah allowed him to do whatever he and his helpers wished with Job's wealth.
Iblis was very happy. he gathered his helpers and set about destroying Job's cattle, servants and farms until he was left with no possessions. Rubbing his hands in glee, Iblis appeared before Job in the guise of a wise old man and said to him: "All your wealth is lost, some people say that it is because you gave too much charity and that you are wasting your time with your continuous prayers to Allah. Others say that Allah has brought this upon you in order to please your enemies. If Allah had the capacity to prevent harm, then He would have protected your wealth."
True to his belief, Job replied: "What Allah has taken away from me belongs to Him. I was only its trustee for awhile. He gives to whom He wills and withholds from whom He wills." With these words, Job again prostrated to his Lord.
When Iblis saw this, he felt frustrated, so he again addressed Allah: "I have stripped Job of all his possessions, but he still remains grateful to You. However he is only hiding his disappointment, for he places great store by his many children. The real test of a parent is through his children. You will see how Job will reject You."
Allah granted Iblis authority but warned him that it would not reduce Job' faith in His Lord nor his patience.
Iblis again gathered his helpers and set about his evil deeds. He shook the fountain of the house in which Job's children were living and sent the building crashing, killing all of them. Then he went to Job disguised as a man who had come to sympathize with him. In a comforting tone he said to Job: "The circumstances under which your children died were sad. Surely, your Lord is not rewarding you properly for all your prayers." Having said this, Iblis waited anxiously hoping Job was now ready to reject Allah.
But again Job disappointed him by replying: "Allah sometimes gives and sometimes takes. He is sometimes pleased and sometimes displeased with our deeds. Whether a thing is beneficial or harmful to me, I will remain firm in my belief and remain thankful to my Creator." then Job prostrated to his Lord. At this Iblis was extremely vexed.
Iblis called on Allah. "O my Lord, Job's wealth is gone, his children are dead, and he is still healthy in body, and as long as he enjoys good health he will continue to worship You in the hope of regaining his wealth and producing more children. Grant me authority over his body so that I may weaken it. He will surely neglect worshipping You an will thus become disobedient. "
Allah wanted to teach Iblis a lesson that Jo was a devoted servant of his Lord so He granted Iblis his 3rd request but placed a condition: "I give you authority over his body but not over his soul, intellect or heart, for in these places reside the knowledge of Me and My religion."
Armed with this new authority, Iblis began to take revenge on Job's body and filled it with disease until it was reduced to mere skin and bone and he suffered severe pain. But through all the suffering Job remained strong in his faith, patiently bearing all the hardships without complaining. Allah's righteous servant did not despair or turn to others for help but remained hopeful of Allah's mercy. Even close relatives and friends deserted him. Only his kind, loving wife stayed with him. In his hour of need, she showered her kindness on him and cared for him. She remained his sole companion and comforter through the many years of suffering.
Ibn Asaker narrated: "Job was a man having much wealth of all kinds; beats, slaves, sheep, vast lands of Haran and many children. All those favors were taken from him and he was physically afflicted as well. Never a single organ was sound except his heart and tongue, with both of which he glorified Allah, the Almighty all the time day and night. His disease lasted for a long time until his visitors felt disgusted with him. His friends kept away from him and people abstained from visiting him. No one felt sympathy for him except his wife. She took good care of him, knowing his former charity and pity for her."
Therefore Iblis became desperate. He consulted his helpers, but they could not advise him. They asked : "How is it that your cleverness cannot work against Job, yet you succeeded in misleading Adam the father of man, out of Paradise?"
Iblis went to Job's wife in the form of a man. "Where is your husband?" he asked her.
She pointed to an almost lifeless form crumbled on the bed and said: "There he is, suspended between life and death."
Iblis reminded her of the days, when Job had good health, wealth and children. Suddenly, the painful memory of years of hardship overcame her, and she burst into tears. She said to Job: "How long are you going to bear this torture from our Lord? Are we to remain without wealth, children or friends forever? Why don't you call upon Allah to remove this suffering?"
Job sighed, and in a soft voice replied : "Iblis must have whispered to you and made you dissatisfied. Tell me how long did I enjoy good health and riches?"
She replied: "80 years."
Then Job replied: "How long am I suffering like this?"
She said: "7 years."
Job then told her: "In that case I am ashamed to call on my Lord to remove the hardship, for I have not suffered longer than the years of good health and plenty. It seems your faith has weakened and you are dissatisfied with the fate of Allah. If I ever regain health, I swear I will punish you with a hundred strokes! From this day onward, I forbid myself to eat or drink anything by your hand. Leave me alone and let my Lord do with me as He pleases."
Crying bitterly and with a heavy heart, she had no choice but to leave him and seek shelter elsewhere. In this helpless sate, Job turned to Allah, not to complain but to seek His mercy: "Verily! distress has seized me and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy." so We answered his call, and we removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his family to him (that he had lost), and the like thereof along with them as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all who worship Us." (Ch 21:83-84)
Almighty Allah also instructed: "Remember Our slave Job, when he invoked His Lord saying: "Verily! Satan has touched me with distress (by losing my health) and torment (by losing my wealth)!" Allah said to him: "Strike the ground with your foot: This is a spring of water to wash in and cool and a refreshing drink." And We gave him back his family, and along with them the like thereof as a Mercy from Us, and a reminder for those who understand. (Ch 38:41-43)
Job obeyed and almost immediately his good health was restored. Meanwhile, his faithful wife could not longer bear to be parted from her husband and returned to him to beg his forgiveness, desiring to serve him. On entering her house, she was amazed at the sudden change: Job was again healthy! She embraced him and thanked Allah for His mercy.
Job was not worried, for he had taken an oath to punish her with a hundred strokes if he had regained health but he had no desire to hurt her. He knew if he did not fulfill the oath, he would be guilty of breaking a promise to Allah. Therefore in His wisdom and mercy, Allah came to the assistance of His faithful servant and advised him: "take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith your wife, and break not your oath." Truly! We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oft returning in repentance to Us!" (Ch 38:44)
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "While Job was naked, taking a bath, a swarm of gold locusts fell on him, and he started collecting them in his garment. His Lord called him: "O Job! Have I not made you too rich to need what you see?" He said: "Yes, My Lord! But I cannot shun Your Blessings." (Al Bukhari)

Islamic Home Decoration

The Islamic values of faith, love, compassion, cleanliness and beauty all need to be nurtured in the home.

Briefly, the ideal Muslim home would need to be:

Simple and not Ostentatious, for the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:
"Eat, drink, give Sadaqah and wear good clothes as long as these things do not involve excess and arrogance"

Spacious, to allow privacy for parents and separate beds for children from the age of ten, for the noble Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has advised:
"Separate (your children's) beds when they are ten years of age." This is obviously to prevent such disgusting crimes and sinful behaviour as incest.

Clean, for the noble Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has said that "Cleanliness is part of faith" and also "Purity is half of faith."

Beautiful and free from such things as statues or revolting pieces of art for the noble Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has said
"God is beautiful and loves beauty."



The ideal Muslim home is:

A place where there are the basic necessities of food and clothing (2: 233; 2:235-6), where meals are eaten together and where there is hospitality and generosity;

A place where the greeting of Peace (Salam) is heard at dawn and at night and at times of going and coming.

A place where love, tenderness and mercy is the norm, for the Qur'an says
"And we have made between you love and tenderness"

A cheerful place, for "Smiling is charity", as the noble Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has said

A place where the recitation of the Qur'an is heard daily and where knowledge is imparted and pursued.

A place where Salat is performed and everyone, young and old, has a sense of time and place - time, in particular, related to the times of Salat, and place - determined by the direction of the Qiblah.

This is the basic minimum.