Live In Deen: August 2020

Back to School: How to Maintain Your Child’s Mental Health

There has been a great deal of discussion and stress on how our children will return to school during the pandemic. Likely, their little ears have picked up on some, even too much, of the conversations.

Whether our children are returning to modified classrooms or doing their education online, we need to be aware of their mental health.

5 Coping Tips for the Anxiety of Returning to Normal Life Post Pandemic

Between whatever they’ve heard and whatever they are anticipating, you can ease their anxiety with just a few measures. Here are some thoughts for your children’s mental health:

1 – Take Care of Yourself

Your attitude and mental health have an immense impact on your children. Discuss your feelings and concerns with your partner or friends out of children’s ear shot. Seek professional help if you want more emotional support.

9 Back-to-School Tips for Your Child’s Good Mental Health — Your child is looking to you for clues how to react to Covid-19 pandemic. Take care of your mental health first!

2 – Talk About It

If your child isn’t talking about Covid-19, that doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking about it. Try to frame things in a positive way as much as possible. Also, prompt your child to simply listen to their concerns. Even if you don’t have the answers or solutions, they will feel better just having been listened to.

3 – Minimize Negative Input

Media coverage of the pandemic is prolific and sensational. As well, many casual conversations could be quite frightening to children. Keep them away from the news and such conversations. Actually, it’s good for you to avoid them too.

Reassure your kids that their parents, teachers, doctors and scientists are doing their best to take care of this situation. And of course tell them that this is a big test for all of us from Allah.

4 – Deep Breaths

It’s likely your children are acting out. This pandemic has been stressful for everyone. Dr. Cheryl Dodds, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and medical director of Atrium Health Behavioral Health – Davidson, explains how children may react to stress.

“Children might not be able to get work done, or they might have more temper tantrums or arguments,” says Dodds. “They might get frustrated by things not going the way they expect.”

Dodds suggests getting professional help from a doctor if the child’s anxiety seems acute or extreme.

Keep practicing hand washing and other safe measures so they will come easily if your child returns to school.

5 – Be in The Know

You will likely receive new school regulation guidelines via email, or review your school and/or school district’s websites. Any sections that will be specifically required of your child, discuss with them well in advance of the first day. Your child will need reminders and regular discussion about the new school arrangements.

6 – Hygiene Heads Up

Continue to gently remind your child to practice good hygiene habits so that they aren’t a shock or overwhelming to them if they return to school or other group settings. Handwashing, wearing a mask, not sharing personal items and being watchful of touching their face are all standard practices.

Getting new school supplies is always exciting. Even if your child is schooling at home, make their school space special.

7 – Back to School Shopping?

Back to school rituals – new clothes and supplies, special dinner the night before, whatever it is your family does, adapt or provide a new ritual. Rituals help children and even adults to have some comfort in transitioning. Some stationary supplies and organizers will reassure your child that this truly is back to school, just a little different.

8 – Routines

Especially if your child will be schooling at home, it is important to provide them with the structure and comfort of routines. Maintain standard bed, waking and meals times. Create new spaces in the routine where your child can organize themselves for the start of the school day, take breaks, and organize themselves for the following day.

9. Remember the Divine Power

In these hard times, we should maintain a strong relationship with Allah. We should ask Him for protection and put our full trust in Him.

“Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) told us to ‘tie our camel’ (take precautions first), and then rely on Allah to take care of the outcome.”

Teach your kids the true meaning of tawakkul by taking necessary precautions, making Dua and putting trust in Allah (SWT).

10 – It’s All Connected

Physical activity is good for everyone’s mental health. Even if your child is getting recess or physical education at school, you can do a little extra special work to address their mental health. Mindfulness exercises, such as meditations or yoga, will benefit both you and your child.

There are many YouTube videos of such exercises especially for children. Dodds suggests the following simple mindfulness exercise:

Mindful Popsicle Eating

“Eat a popsicle, focusing all your attention on it,” she explains. “As your thoughts drift, bring them back to the popsicle. Relax and take deep breaths as you eat it.”

Ultimately, try not to worry about going back to school. This is a phenomenal period that we are all in together. Reach out for support and support each other. Insha Allah it will pass and all will be revealed soon enough.

The post Back to School: How to Maintain Your Child’s Mental Health appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/family-life/moms-dads/back-to-school-how-to-maintain-your-childs-mental-health/

Giving Charity – Lessons From Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Allah tells us in His Holy Quran that His last and final Prophet Muhammad (may He shower peace and blessings on him) is our role model and the best example, which we should try to emulate as best as we can.

What is Sadaqah Jariyah? Little Acts With Unlimited Rewards

We can find guidance and teachings for basically every matter of our lives in the words and actions of our beloved Prophet Muhammad.

He was the best human being that Allah has created and nobody has excelled and will excel his manners and beautiful behavior. He gave to people even though he himself had less, and his family was left with nothing after he returned to Allah. What can we learn from him?

Give in Good Times

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad gave to people in charity when he was healthy and alive. He said that one dirham (silver coin) of charity given when one is healthy counts more and is better in the sight of Allah than one hundred dirham given in charity for a dead person.

Many people start giving abundant charity once they are ill or about to die. However, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) taught us that it is better to give when we are healthy and alive.

Prophet Muhammad gave when he had something to give and he even gave in charity when he did not have anything to give.

Once a man came to Prophet Muhammad and asked him for charity. The Prophet did not have anything to give to him but the man kept insisting. He then told the man to go to a shop and buy whatever he needs and tell the shop owner that the debt is upon the Prophet.

See how amazing Prophet Muhammad was! He did not think about his own debt or about filling his own stomach but he thought of a way how he could help this man who asked charity from him.

What can we learn from that incident?

Even if we have little, we should try to give. Don’t wait for better times to come. If we are alive and healthy, it is the best time to give in charity.

What is the Best Charity for My Deceased Parents

How Should We Give?

There are different sayings from the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah shower blessings on him) that tell us that whenever somebody comes to us and asks for charity, we should give to him.

We should try to give that person even if it is something that seems of little value.

And it is extremely important that we give our charity in the best of manners. Actually, we should try to understand that Allah has sent that person to us. And we need to understand that the person who asks charity from us has a right to some of our wealth.

However, it is not only the person who asks charity from us who has a right over some of our wealth but also the person who does not ask us (Quran 51:19 and Quran 70:25).

We have to go and look and search for those who need our charity and help. We have to give in the most beautiful way and without shaming them or looking down on them.

Giving to Those Close to You

When giving charity, many of us forget the people close to us. However, our needy family members, neighbors, friends or colleagues are those who should be given priority.

Our Prophet Muhammad said that when we give to the poor, we give charity only; but when we give to our family members, we give charity and we also keep family ties.

To keep family ties is extremely important in Islam. We should be kind and friendly to our close and far relatives.

Save Yourself a Spot in Jannah With Sadaqah (Charity)

For example, if our uncle needs help to pay for his children’s school and food, we should give to him first because he belongs to our family. If our parents need financial assistance, then we should try and relieve their burden first before sending money to a NGO.

Giving Charity Spreads Happiness and Keeps Calamities Away

Giving charity with the intention of helping other people, or because we want to relieve a small part of their heavy burden, or because we want to make them happy in hard times is immensely rewarding.

We do it for those who receive our charity as much as we do it for ourselves. Giving makes us feel good. So, whenever we feel a bit down or even depressed, we should try to make someone else happy. This will surely cheer us up, inshaAllah.

Giving charity also keeps calamities away from us. Maybe because a person is regular in giving charity, Allah will keep thieves away from his house or will keep him in good health.

Maybe because another person regularly feeds poor people, Allah will keep away discord from his family.

Giving to people who have less than us will never diminish our wealth and our provision. On the contrary, it will only bring good and blessings in our life and the life of our family.

So, let’s try to give more!

Many times our beloved Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bestow tremendous peace and blessings on him) mentioned the virtue of giving charity in connection with being freed from the fire of hell and the punishment from Allah for our sins.

Giving charity can wipe away our bad deeds and can protect us from a bad death.

(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)

The post Giving Charity – Lessons From Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/spirituality/how-should-we-give-lessons-from-prophet-muhammad/

‘Why I’m Still Single?’- A Single Muslim Man Speaks Out

I have often wondered whether this is an active choice, a curse, or simply a matter of circumstance. At my age and from my cultural background almost everyone I know is married and has children.

At times I wonder whether it is the lifestyle I have adopted, but at other times blame goes to the circumstances which life have tasked me with.

Are You Single and Happy? (Let’s Find Out)

Just the other day it happened again. A moment glimpse, and she – a stranger – caught my eye; my breath literally, taken away. But as with every other similar opportunity, some momentary, just minutes, others prolonged over weeks and months, the old Arab adage holds true: an opportunity is akin to a cloud in a sky; rare and infrequent.

Arranged Introductions, But…

It is not to say that there are no single women, on the contrary, they are many. The Muslim introduction events are full of them – as they are, of men. The dilemma is more of a schism related to upbringing and expectation that becomes all the more complex with age.

For a single man in my mid30s, expectations are high. One ought to be established, I am not. And as someone now living their fourth decade of life, I’ve adopted norms and expectations, with which, 10 years ago, I may have been considerably more flexible.

Some months ago I was introduced to someone, a lovely person. Problems arose and the matter came to an end. Months prior, there was another introduction. And so on. It has become a cycle of raised expectation with a dramatic fall on each and every occasion.

It tasks my mind, it troubles my soul and it stains the heart, weakening it at every turn. Pained, there is no other way to describe it; God forgive that it becomes apathy.

Looking for What?

What am I looking for? -You might ask- Not too much, I once thought. Good manners, good character, good personality, confident but not aggressive. Independent yet family orientated.

It is pretty much, in parallel to faith, the middle path, a little bit of everything but not too much of anything. Perhaps the worst analogy is a jack of all trades but a master of none. Yet herein lays one of the problems.

I went through religious learning at a much earlier age and have found my comfort zone. Many others are only now going through theirs. I am clear cut in what I believe, how I live and what I do. Others change from week to week.

Of course these are not absolutes, nor are they indicative of a problem; faith, direction and inspiration are and should be sought throughout life.

The problem is the learning curve which often begins with a stricter adoption of faith before it settles into a more balance position. Many of the single women I meet are going through a spiritual revival and are at the beginning of that curve. In my own comparatively liberal mindset, we are ought of synch.

Living with In-laws?

We all have individual circumstances, I am no different. Thus being flexible is something engrained deeply into my psyche. And yet the older I get the easier it becomes for me to find fault, any reason why not to progress further.

I feel at times as a character in a movie visited by the ghost of Christmas past intent on showing me my path had I selected different choices.

Sometimes, I look back at and remember one of the first introductions made to me, a beautiful lady, my age, wonderful character, but her family’s expectation of me, even then, in my early 20s, was significantly higher; I simply wasn’t ‘successful’ enough for their daughter.

Here, to be clear, success relates to both wealth and professional achievement. A problem I faced then, just as I do now, is that I do not have my own property. With soaring property prices, shy of a miracle I do not imagine that to be remedied any time soon.

Though as I have discovered with time, it is less about having my own home and more about now wanting to live with in-laws.

To me, having parents at home is a blessing. To many successful single women, despite originating from an Asian background, the notion is alien. Sure, we all want, need and should have our own privacy.

Losing Hope?

There is nothing that I would love more than to be married, adopting the cliché of ‘settling down,’ and having a family – I look on in envy at any and every one I know who has been blessed so. But for whatever reason God has put me here where I am, instead of there where I would like to be.

It is said that one shouldn’t complain to other people, instead, complaints, concerns, requests, gratitude and thanks should be directed to God alone, so I do not raise the subject with my friends, preferring instead to address them with my Creator.

Yet every time I think to raise this as subject in my prayers, I am reminded of the blessings that have been bestowed upon me so I feel ashamed to complain. Instead, I will continue to pray and ask of God, but I will not complain. This approach isn’t pride, rather, in my understanding, it reflects, to me, manners.

The cycle continues…

The post ‘Why I’m Still Single?’- A Single Muslim Man Speaks Out appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/family-life/laying-foundations/single-muslim-man-speaks/

8 Bienfaits De l’Istighfâr Cités Dans Le Coran

Certes, c’est une toute petite phrase – ‘Astaghfiroullah – qu’on a appris dès notre enfance. Mais, connait-on des bienfaits de l’Istighfâr? Dans la vie du musulman, tout ce qui compte est d’obtenir l’agrément divin. Pourtant, les péchés nous empêchent de s’attirer cet agrément. C’est là donc qu’intervient l’Istighfâr. A vrai dire, l’Istighfâr nous débarrasse de nos péchés et nous aide à atteindre le paradis. Mais qu’en est-il des autres bienfaits qu’il nous procure? Allah donne toujours plus que ce que nous demandons. Nous demandons le pardon, et Allah nous donne huit choses en contrepartie!

1- Implorez le pardon de votre Seigneur, car Il est grand Pardonneur. (Coran 71:10)

Nous péchons jour et nuit, et Allah nous pardonne jour et nuit. Le pardon d’Allah est immense. Selon le Prophète (Sallah Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) a dit:

« Allah étend Sa Main la nuit pour agréer le repentir de celui qui pèche le jour et étend Sa Main le jour pour agréer le repentir de celui qui pèche la nuit. » (Mouslim)

Il (Sallah Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) a également dit:

« L’ange qui se trouve à gauche retient sa plume durant six heures (ne transcrit pas) lorsque le serviteur tombe dans l’erreur ou le péché. S’il regrette et demande le pardon d’Allah, alors l’ange range sa plume (n’écrit rien), sinon il écrit une seule mauvaise action. » (Mouslim)

Ainsi, chaque fois que nous péchons, dépêchons-nous à implorer Son pardon.

2- Il vous envoie du ciel, des pluies abondantes. (Coran 71:11)

Selon le Coran et la Sunna, la pluie est un signe de la miséricorde d’Allah. C’est un moment où Allah exauce les invocations.

Grâce à l’Istighfâr, Allah fait descendre la pluie, comme Il nous octroie abondamment la subsistance et la miséricorde. Même la guidée du Coran a été comparée à l’effet de la pluie sur la terre morte.

L’Istighfâr fait que nos cœurs soient grand ouvertes pour accueillir davantage de guidée et de subsistance. Qui n’en veut pas davantage dans ce bas-monde ainsi que dans l’autre?

3- Il vous accorde beaucoup de biens et d’enfants. (Coran 7 :12)

La richesse n’est-elle pas l’une des choses principales que nous recherchons aujourd’hui? D’ailleurs, n’est-elle pas l’un des principaux objectifs de notre société capitaliste? Allah nous promet que la richesse vient avec l’Istighfâr, tout comme la progéniture.

A nous donc qui éprouvons des difficultés financières, et à ceux qui luttent pour concevoir, de faire de plus en plus l’Istighfâr, lequel ouvrira les portes qui ont été fermées jusqu’à aujourd’hui.

La richesse et la progéniture viennent d’Allah et c’est en nous tournant vers Lui que nous les obtiendrons, pas en nous détournant de Lui.

4- Il vous donne des jardins et vous donne des rivières. (Coran 7 :12)

Allah ne nous donnera pas seulement ce que nous voulons, Il nous en donnera plus. Les jardins et les rivières sont un luxe que très peu d’entre nous peuvent se permettre dans la vie.

Et pourtant, en échange de l’Istighfâr, Allah nous promet des jardins et des rivières. Cela pourrait être dans ce monde et dans l’au-delà ou seulement dans l’au-delà (car les jardins et les rivières sont la description la plus courante du paradis). N’est-ce pas une raison pour laquelle il vaut la peine de lutter? Donc, le paradis d’Allah attend ceux qui font constamment l’Istighfâr.

5- Implorez le pardon de votre Seigneur et repentez-vous à Lui pour qu’Il envoie sur vous du ciel des pluies abondantes et qu’il ajoute force à votre force. (Coran 11:52)

Encore une fois, ce verset mentionne la descente de la pluie du ciel. Mais ajoute également qu’Allah ajoutera de la force pour ceux qui cherchent la force dans la vie – qu’elle soit mentale, psychologique, physique ou autre, quand ils font des bonnes actions, et surtout l’Istighfâr.

Si vous luttez contre un péché, faites l’Istighfâr, Allah vous donnera la force. Si vous luttez contre le chagrin, faites l’Istighfâr, Allah vous donnera la force de le surmonter.

6- Demandez pardon à votre Seigneur; ensuite, revenez à Lui. Il vous accordera une belle jouissance jusqu’à un terme fixé, et Il accordera à chaque méritant l’honneur qu’il mérite. (Coran 11:3)

Ce verset promet à nouveau une belle jouissance jusqu’à un terme fixé, pour ceux qui font l’Istighfâr. Cependant, le terme fixé montre que la vie n’est pas permanente et que la bonne subsistance prendra également fin un jour.

Naturellement, cela nous rend craintifs. C’est là qu’Allah fait ses plus grandes promesses à ceux qui implorent Son pardon. Il dit qu’il nous accordera Sa bonne faveur.

Que voulons-nous d’autre dans la vie que de savoir que nous avons gagné Sa faveur? Chaque bénédiction est une malédiction si l’on n’a pas Sa faveur, et tout peut être enduré si Sa faveur nous est octroyée. Et pourtant, Il demande si peu : juste de Lui implorer le pardon.

7- Et Allah n’est point tel qu’Il les châtie alors qu’ils demandent pardon. (Coran 8:33)

L’une des choses les plus effrayantes de la vie humaine est le désastre – quand quelque chose d’horrible se produit à l’improviste et sans que nous nous y attendions, c’est vraiment terrifiant.

Du point de vue islamique, il s’agit des épreuves ou des punitions. En tant que musulmans, nous abhorrons la punition d’Allah et nous ne voulons pas passer par ces expériences douloureuses. Ainsi, l’Istighfâr est la promesse d’Allah que cela n’arrivera pas. Il nous protège aussi longtemps que nous demandons Son pardon.

8- Seigneur, pardonne-moi et fais-moi don d’un royaume tel que nul après moi n’aura de pareil. C’est Toi le grand Dispensateur. (Coran 38:35)

C’était l’invocation faite par le prophète Salomon. Elle est belle parce qu’elle commence en cherchant le pardon d’Allah. Puis, la demande qu’il a faite, lui a été accordée et restera valable jusqu’au Jour du Jugement : un royaume que personne n’acquerra jamais après lui. Les érudits disent que pour être exaucé, il faut faire l’Istighfâr avant d’invoquer Allah.

Source: Comprendre le Coran.

Vous pouvez lire la version anglaise originale de cet article ici.

The post 8 Bienfaits De l’Istighfâr Cités Dans Le Coran appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/fr/8-bienfaits-de-listighfar-cites-dans-le-coran/

شرب نصيب رسول الله من الحليب.. فماذا حدث؟

مسَ المقداد بن الأسود وصاحبيه جهد جهيد، فأتوا أصحاب رسول الله –صلى الله عليه وسلم-فلم يجدوا لدى أحد ما يقيم جهدهم، حتى أتوا النبي –صلى الله عليه وسلم-فأمرهم أن يحلبوا ثلاثة أعنز.

قرر المقداد وصاحبيه أن يشربوا من لبن العنزات ويرفعوا نصيب رسول الله –صلى الله عليه وسلم-حتى يأتي في المساء، فوسوس الشيطان للمقداد أن يشرب نصيب رسول الله –صلى الله عليه وسلم-.

فلما شربها، ندم ندما شديدا فلم يستطع النوم، فلما أتى النبي –صلى الله عليه وسلم-، فوجد قدحه فارغا، دعا: ” اللَّهُمَّ، أَطْعِمْ مَن أَطْعَمَنِي، وَأَسْقِ مَن أَسْقَانِي” فقام المقداد إلى العنزات ليذبح أسمنها للنبي، فوجد أضرعها قد ملئت بالحليب وهي بعد قد حلبت منذ قليل، ولم تتم فواقها.

حلب المقداد العنزة للنبي –صلى الله عليه وسلم-، فسأله النبي: “هل شربتم الليلة”، فقال المقداد: “اشرب يا رسول الله”، فشرب –صلى الله عليه وسلم-.

أدرك المقداد أنه قد أصاب دعوة رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم-، فضحك حتى سقط أرضا، فسأله –صلى الله عليه وسلم عما يضحكه.

حكى المقداد للنبي –صلى الله عليه وسلم-ما حدث، فقال –صلى الله عليه وسلم-: “ما هذِه إلَّا رَحْمَةٌ مِنَ اللهِ، أَفلا كُنْتَ آذَنْتَنِي فَنُوقِظَ صَاحِبيْنَا فيُصِيبَانِ منها؟”.

قال المقداد: “وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بالحَقِّ، ما أُبَالِي إذَا أَصَبْتَهَا وَأَصَبْتُهَا معكَ مَن أَصَابَهَا مِنَ النَّاسِ”.

رواه مسلم.

"Can I Have an Affair?" A Youth Asks the Prophet (PBUH)

How the Prophet Treated the Youth (Part 2)

The post شرب نصيب رسول الله من الحليب.. فماذا حدث؟ appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/ar/%d8%ae%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b7%d8%b1/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d8%a8-%d9%86%d8%b5%d9%8a%d8%a8-%d8%b1%d8%b3%d9%88%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%84%d9%87-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a8-%d9%81%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b0%d8%a7-%d8%ad%d8%af%d8%ab/

Muslim Matchmaking Apps See Spike during Pandemic

Finding the right one is always a huge challenge for many young Muslims.

Yet, at the time of the coronavirus pandemic, young Muslims’ search for love has increased over the past months.

Minder, Muzmatch, and Hawaya, all Muslim matchmaking apps, have seen a spike in downloads worldwide during the pandemic.

“After the pandemic I got more interested in this app and started using it more,” Yasir Sherazi said about Minder, CBC reported.

“You are more at home and not going out so much and not meeting so many people, that is my main reason. It’s kind of [a] very limited social circle so that’s why,” the Calgary resident added.

Finding Love during Pandemic

Seeing the sharp increase in downloads, Muzmatch decided to survey its users to find out the reasons behind this growth.

“We thought that there might be some time for introspection or people would find that the environment might be a little bit a bit too sad to find love,” said Sim Ahmed, product marketing for Muzmatch.

“But I think if anything, uncertain times makes people want to find some sort of stability and certainty and there’s nothing more certain than having a loved one that you can really hold onto and connect with.”

Though many are not yet comfortable with the idea of using apps, considering it dating, Sara Shah, communications person for Muzmatch, said they are seeing more and more people willing to talk about their matches openly.

“I think it’s a great story to tell that you met during a pandemic, definitely,” she said.

“Some have come forward already. We’ve had two successful couples so far,” she said.

Researches proved that finding love has become big business globally.

According to app research company App Annie, worldwide spend on dating apps was £448m in 2017. Dating apps made up three of the top 10 apps by consumer spending last year in the UK, according to the firm.

Muslim relationship app, Muzmatch, hit one million users threshold recently.

Other applications, such as Minder and Salaam Swipe, offer similar services to Muslims.

The post Muslim Matchmaking Apps See Spike during Pandemic appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/n-america/muslim-matchmaking-apps-see-spike-during-pandemic/

Finding New Home, Muslim Entrepreneur Shares Success Story in Canada

Running a blog as well as a hijab and facemask business, Sarah Taher keeps herself pretty busy.

Moving to Fredericton, Canada, almost a year ago, the Egyptian Muslim hijabi has been working to engage in the community and provide help whenever possible.

“It was really hard and challenging,” Taher told AboutIslam.net.

“I felt people didn’t understand my culture and didn’t know much about it too. The moment I stepped in Fredericton I felt I have moved to a different planet!”

Taher and her husband were living in Dubai for four years, where they worked as engineers. A year ago, they decided to move to Canada with their three children, Hafsa, 12, Abdullah, 8, and Mousa, 6.

Settling down in her new home, Taher started volunteering at the public library and local soup kitchen.

She also opened her own business, Sufeya Boutique, to fill a gap in the market for Islamic headwear.

New Business

“When I was working in Dubai, I always wanted to have my own small business. As all of my Hijabs where custom made because I wanted something with certain specifications and couldn’t find it. So, I thought maybe there are other Hijabi women out there that have the same challenges!” she said.

“Once I moved to Canada, I started to learn to sew and started exploring the different fabrics available locally, launched my business and came up with my signature collection – The crepe hijabs.”

The coronavirus pandemic has shifted her plans as she worked on producing facemasks to help her community.

“Once COVID hit, another business owner suggested to me to try making masks. That was a breakthrough for my business,” she said.

“I am glad I took this step! It helped me expand my product range to include other types of hijabs like the chiffon hijabs, natural local beauty products like soap, and more!”

More Dreams

law books computer and scales of justice on desk

Promoting diversity and helping others, the Muslim entrepreneur now enjoys her new life in Canada.

“Right now, things are much better for me as more people know me through my business,” she said.

“Generally speaking, I would say the main problem I feel is that there’s an assumption that if you wear a hijab you are not well educated or competent.

“I still meet people who are surprised that I speak English well. I don’t blame them for their surprise. I think the media needs to play a better role, and Muslim women with hijab need to be positioned and represented fairly.”

She has huge plans to serve the community, either Muslims or non-Muslims.

“I dream to have an established name for my boutique here in Canada serving both Muslim and non-Muslim women,” she said.

“As for the local Muslim community, I feel there is so much work that yet needs to be done. There are many opportunities for improvement and my dreams are to have more structure and more knowledgeable figures offering classes on a regular basis.”

The post Finding New Home, Muslim Entrepreneur Shares Success Story in Canada appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/n-america/finding-new-home-muslim-entrepreneur-shares-success-story-in-canada/

Tips from the Prophet’s Life to Overcome Laziness

How to overcome laziness? This is a troubling question for many people.

Laziness is a disease of the heart which can paralyze the potential of a person. In the modern era of fast-food, high-speed internet, 4G data on our phones, it’s difficult to live an active lifestyle and beat procrastination.

Overcome Laziness

What are some tips from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) on conquering laziness? How to live an anti-lazy lifestyle?

Brother Murphy shares a few tips.

More from Brother Murphy:

Hitting a Speed Bump in Your Duaa? Here is One Useful Tip

The post Tips from the Prophet’s Life to Overcome Laziness appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/shariah/refine-your-heart/tips-and-steps/tips-conquer-laziness/

Dealing With Others – Consider These 4 Steps From Quran

Has this ever gone through your head at the end of the day? “It’s been another difficult day at work. That other person in the office just really gets on my nerves.

Every time we have to work together, we clash. I don’t get them, and they definitely don’t get me. I just hope that we can get through this next project, or it could really impact my future.”

Is there someone around you at school, work, or even your neighborhood who, no matter what you do, seems to be your complete opposite? How are you supposed to handle that situation?

Blame them, of course. It couldn’t possibly be your problem, right? I mean, you are not going to change who you are, so they should just get over it!

That approach is pretty much guaranteed to backfire on you, leading only to further conflict. Instead, you might want to think of ways that you can turn that negative energy around, redirecting the focus of the conflict into a positive competitive spirit that benefits you both.

Here are some suggestions from the verses of the Quran that might help you get started.

Step 1: Define Your Differences

The first thing you have to do is to clearly understand where each of you stand. Realize who you are, what you believe, and how you plan to go about your life.

Also, come to terms with who they are, and that there are always going to be some irreconcilable differences between you.

In the Quran, this could be defined as a “You have your religion and I have mine” (109:6) moment as mentioned in the verse.

Defining where you and that those you clash with are different is the first step to overcoming those differences. As long as you are unsure as to why the problem exists, you can never hope to make it better.

Step 2: Empathize with the Similarities

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. Indeed, God is All-knowing and Acquainted (49:13).

This second step is to understand that, at the root of everything, we are all the same. Even the strongest of enemies have things in common, even if it is nothing more than basic humanity.

To draw from an example in American history, during the Cold War conflict between the US and the Soviet Union the American President John F. Kennedy said in a speech about his country’s greatest enemy:

“For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal.”

It was this attitude, despite decades of a deeply rooted ideological conflict, that saved two of the world’s major powers from the brink of nuclear war. If similarities can be found there, then you can find it in your own interpersonal conflicts.

Step 3: Stop the Negativity

When you deal with someone you don’t like, it’s easy to spread that negativity to others. Gossiping and talking about someone behind their back can actually make a problem worse, creating a tribe mentality that will drive down both sides, and even hurt your other positive relationships. The Quran tells us:

O you who have believed, avoid much negative assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (49:12)

Gossiping, backbiting, and thinking the worst of someone else is considered so disgusting that God equates it with eating their dead flesh.

Why would anyone want to engage in such a terrible activity? Stop the negativity as soon as possible and, more importantly, seek forgiveness from God for the bad things that you have said and done.

Step 4: Work Together and Compete Positively

The final step is probably the hardest: turning your conflict into positive cooperation.

And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.

This verse tells us that working together for the greater good is the ultimate goal we should strive for in our relationships with others.

Think of something good that you can work on with your problematic coworker or neighbor. Fix the garden, come together to change that light in the stairwell that keeps going out, or combine your strengths to organize a lunch party for your colleagues.

When you engage with others in constructive, positive, cooperation, you will notice that the personal conflicts disappear quite quickly. Your relationship will grow through shared experience; and the disagreements of the past will seem minuscule and easy to handle in comparison.

In conclusion, getting through the bumps in interpersonal and professional relationships shouldn’t mean endless destructive conflict.

Use the guidance of the Quran to turn the situation around, and every person involved – even those not directly part of the disagreement – will benefit and think better of you in the process.

The post Dealing With Others – Consider These 4 Steps From Quran appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/living-islam/dealing-with-others-consider-these-4-steps-from-quran/

9 razones por las que ayunar el día de Ashura es importante

Vamos a explicar 9 razones de por las que ayunar el día de Ashura es tan importante en el Islam.

1. Este día se llama Ashura porque es el décimo día del primer mes lunar del calendario islámico, el mes sagrado de Muharram. Ashura significa décimo, y podría ser el décimo día de cualquier mes, pero en el Islam, cuando hablamos de Ashura, nos referimos al décimo día de Muharram.

2. Muchos de los eventos significativos que sucedieron a los mensajeros y sus seguidores tuvieron lugar en este día, pero en diferentes eras. Por ejemplo, Adam y su esposa fueron perdonados en este día. A sí mismo Noé y sus seguidores fueron salvados del diluvio en este día.

3. Debido a esto y para mostrar su agradecimiento a Dios, los Profetas y Mensajeros han ayunado en el día de Ashura.

4. Observar el ayuno del día de Ashura era un práctica común incluso entre los árabes antes del Islam, puesto que era una de las únicas tradiciones monoteístas que mantenían.

5. Moisés y sus seguidores fueron salvados del Firaun (faraón) en este día y ayunaban como muestra de agradecimiento. Fue el día en el que Allah abrió las aguas del mar en dos para Moisés.

6. La comunidad judía que vivía en Medina en el tiempo del Profeta Muhammad, que la paz sea con él, observaba la tradición de ayunar el día de Ashura y también lo tomaban como un día de celebración

El Profeta Muhammad ordenó a su comunidad observar el ayuno en este día, diciendo que los musulmanes estaban más cercanos a Musa que lo propios judíos. Como dice el Hadiz:

Tenemos más derechos y tenemos una conexión más cercana con Musa que vosotros.
Muslim

7. Para distinguir entre la tradición islámica y aquellas tradiciones anteriores, el Mensajero de Dios recomendó el ayunar el día de Ashura y un día antes o después, es decir, ayunar el día 9 y 10 o 10 y 11.

8. Muharram es uno de los cuatro meses sagrados y se recomienda mucho ayunar en este mes. Esto incluye ayunar el día de Ashura.

9. Si ayunamos el día Ashura, el 10 de Muharram, nuestras faltas del año pasado serán perdonadas. Pues como dice el Hadiz:

Ayunar el día de Ashura (es de gran mérito), espero que Allah lo acepte como una expiación por (los pecados cometidos en) el año anterior.
Muslim

The post 9 razones por las que ayunar el día de Ashura es importante appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/es/introduccion-al-islam/9-razones-por-las-que-ayunar-el-dia-de-ashura-es-importante/

تلاوة سورة الكهف للقارئ حسن صالح

Ahmed Ibrahem 19 · سورة الكهف – الشيخ حسن صالح

سورة الكهف هي سورةٌ مكيةٌ رقمها 18، تسبق سورة مريم وتلحق سورة الإسراء، في ترتيب سور القرآن الكريم. عدد آياتها 110 آية، وهي من السور المكية المتأخرة في النزول، إذ أن ترتيب نزولها 69. تتوسط السورة القرآن الكريم، فهي تقع في الجزئين الخامس عشر والسادس عشر.

سورة الكهف من السور ذوات الفضل في القرآن الكريم، وذكرت في أحاديث كثيرة، ومن أهم فضائلها ما ذكر أن قراءتها في يوم الجمعة نورٌ ما بين الجمعتين.

أسباب النزول

إن سبب نزول سورة الكهف ذكره عدة مفسرين كابن كثير وغيره: فعن ابن عباس قال:

“بعثت قريش النضر بن الحارث وعقبة بن أبي معيط إلى أحبار يهود بالمدينة، فقالوا لهم: “سلوهم عن محمد وصفوا لهم صفته وأخبروهم بقوله، فإنهم أهل الكتاب الأول، وعندهم علم ما ليس عندنا من علم الأنبياء”.

فخرجا حتى قدما المدينة فسألوا أحبار يهود عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ووصفوا لهم أمره وبعض قوله.

وقالا: إنكم أهل التوراة، وقد جئناكم لتخبرونا عن صاحبنا هذا، قال، فقالت لهم: سلوه عن ثلاث نأمركم بهن، فإن أخبركم بهن، فهو نبي مرسل،

وإن لم يفعل، فالرجل متقول، فروا فيه رأيكم.

سلوه عن فتية ذهبوا في الدهر الأول ما كان من أمرهم، فإنهم قد كان لهم شأن عجيب.

وسلوه عن رجل طواف بلغ مشارق الأرض ومغاربها، ما كان نبؤه؟ وسلوه عن الروح ما هو؟

فإن أخبركم بذلك، فهو نبي فاتبعوه، وإن لم يخبركم فإنه رجل متقول،

فاصنعوا في أمره ما بدا لكم.

أقبل النضر وعقبة حتى قدما على قريش، فقالا: يا معشر قريش قد جئناكم بفصل ما بينكم وبين محمد، قد أمرنا أحبار يهود أن نسأله عن أمور، فأخبروهم بها، فجاءوا إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقالوا: يا محمد أخبرنا، فسألوه عما أمروهم به.

فقال لهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أخبركم غدا عما سألتم عنه ولم يستثن، فانصرفوا عنه، ومكث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خمس عشرة ليلة لا يحدث الله له في ذلك وحيا، ولا يأتيه جبريل عليه الصلاة والسلام.

أرجف أهل مكة وقالوا: وعدنا محمد غدا واليوم خمس عشرة ليلة، وقد أصبحنا فيها ولا يخبرنا بشيء عما سألناه، وحتى أحزن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مكث الوحي عنه، وشق عليه ما يتكلم به أهل مكة، ثم جاءه جبريل عليه الصلاة والسلام من الله عز وجل بسورة الكهف”.

The post تلاوة سورة الكهف للقارئ حسن صالح appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/ar/quran-recitations/%d8%aa%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%88%d8%a9-%d8%b3%d9%88%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d9%87%d9%81-%d9%84%d9%84%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a6-%d8%ad%d8%b3%d9%86-%d8%b5%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad/

تلاوة سورة الكهف للقارئ حسن صالح

Ahmed Ibrahem 19 · سورة الكهف – الشيخ حسن صالح

أسباب النزول

إن سبب نزول سورة الكهف ذكره عدة مفسرين كابن كثير وغيره: فعن ابن عباس قال:

فخرجا حتى قدما المدينة فسألوا أحبار يهود عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ووصفوا لهم أمره وبعض قوله.

وإن لم يفعل، فالرجل متقول، فروا فيه رأيكم.

سلوه عن فتية ذهبوا في الدهر الأول ما كان من أمرهم، فإنهم قد كان لهم شأن عجيب.

وسلوه عن رجل طواف بلغ مشارق الأرض ومغاربها، ما كان نبؤه؟ وسلوه عن الروح ما هو؟

فإن أخبركم بذلك، فهو نبي فاتبعوه، وإن لم يخبركم فإنه رجل متقول،

فاصنعوا في أمره ما بدا لكم.

The post تلاوة سورة الكهف للقارئ حسن صالح appeared first on About Islam.

The Sacred Months in Islam

“Indeed the number of months with Allah is twelve (lunar) months in the register of Allah (from) the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred.” (Quran 9:36).

Allah mentions them as a whole in the Quran but He doesn’t mention them individually so we must look at the hadith to understand more. “three of them are in succession: Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhu Al-Hijjah, Al Muharram and Rajab of Mudar.” Al-Bukhari.

The reason the first three are sacred are because people will travel to Hajj, perform Hajj and go back home from Hajj. Rajab is sacred because people can they perform Ummrah. Fighting is prohibited in there sacred four months.

The post The Sacred Months in Islam appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/multimedia/videos/the-sacred-months-in-islam/

Morning Dua

This is a beautiful dua praising Allah. We should recite this dua every morning to give us a good start to the day.

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would say during the evening, “We have entered the evening and so has the dominion of Allah. All praise is due to Allah, there is no God but Allah alone without any partners.” I think the Prophet said in it, “To him belong the dominion and praise and he has power over all things. My Lord, I ask you for goodness in this night and goodness after it. I seek refuge in you from the evil in this night and the evil after it. My Lord, I seek refuge in you from laziness and the evil of old age. My Lord, I seek refuge in you from the punishment of the Hellfire and punishment in the grave.” When the Prophet awakened, he would say likewise, “We have entered the morning and so has the dominion of Allah.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2723

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source https://aboutislam.net/multimedia/videos/morning-dua-2/

Why We Need to Follow the Sunnah?

When converting to Islam, the questions about one’s new faith seem endless.

Who Are the Quranists - Why Do They Reject Sunnah?

“How often do I pray, Where can I pray? When do I fast? When can I make up fasts missed?

How much zakat do I give? If I can’t afford pilgrimage to Makkah, do I have to perform it?…”

One particular question I hear a lot of new Muslims asking is in regards to the Sunnah (the Prophet’s tradition). Many wonder:

“If the Quran is superior and more authentic than the Sunnah, why learn or practice the Sunnah?”

What the question boils down to is not understanding why there is a need to follow the Prophet’s traditions when we have the Quran. This is a very good question and shows that the new convert is thinking and studying.

The answer to this profound question can be found in the Quran itself.

Following Quran is Following Sunnah

Allah answers the question of the Sunnah directly and in many places in the Quran.

Allah tells us that following the Quran is to follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), or the Sunnah.

Allah says:

Believe in Allah and His Messenger and the light which He sent down. (64:8)

We sent you (Muhammad) as a witness and a bringer of good news and a warner so that they might believe in Allah and His Messenger. (48:8-9)

Believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet. (7:158)

Take what the Messenger brings you. (59:7)

You have a good model in the Messenger of Allah for one who hopes for Allah and the Last Day. (33:21)

And it is related from Al-Hasan Al-Basri that some people said:

“Messenger of Allah, we love Allah,” so Allah revealed:

Say: if you love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you (3:31).

How Can Muslim Women Live the Sunnah Today?

So if we are to follow the Quran that would also include following the Sunnah.

What is the Sunnah

As we see in the Quran, if we love Allah, wish to follow the Quran and its message, we must follow the Sunnah. But what does that mean?

“The Sunnah is everything besides the Quran that came from God’s Messenger. It explains and provides details for the laws found in the Quran. It also provides examples of the practical application of these laws.

It is also either direct revelation from God, or decisions of the Messenger that were then confirmed by revelation. Therefore, the source of all the Sunnah is revelation.” (islamreligion.com)

Sunnah literally means the path or the way. The Arabic word hadith is very similar to Sunnah, but not identical. A hadith is a narration about the life of the Prophet Muhammad or what he approved – as opposed to his life itself, which is the Sunnah. Both the Quran and Sunnah are essential; one cannot practice Islam without consulting both of them – as the Quran tells us.

What Does it All Mean?

The further away we get from the time of the Prophet, it seems that there are more misconceptions about what the Quran is telling us.

We see it in groups that twist its meaning to gain political ends. We see groups who wish to twist it to demonize Islam. And we see those who innocently misread its text. The way we view any text will differ from person to person depending on our level of understanding and the context from which we approach the text.

Even the Quran was understood differently by different companions of the Prophet, despite its clarity and having been revealed in seven different dialects for the utmost ease of discernment. But when we look to the companions, we see that they themselves referred to the Sunnah of the Prophet when questions of interpretation arose.

“The Prophet (peace be upon him) knew and understood the Quran completely because Allah had chosen him as its vehicle and explained it all to him. Hence Allah said in one verse:

Verily, collecting the Quran and reciting it (to you) is Our responsibility, so if We read it to you, listen to it. Then We will explain it. (75:17-9)

It was, therefore, the Prophet’s job to explain the Quran to his followers by his actions as well as his statements.” said Dr. Bilal Philips.

The Reason for the Messengers

If Allah had willed He would have only sent a book(s) to guide mankind and not sent it through a messenger. But Allah didn’t only send down a book. Allah sent the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Allah informed Prophet Muhammad (and all prophets) of the divine revelation and appointed him to convey it, explain it, and live it as an example to humankind.

As a mercy to humankind, Allah sent a book of truth—the Quran—and an example of how to live according to it—The Prophet Muhammad. {Verily, We have revealed the Reminder (Quran to you O Muhammad) so that you may explain to people what has been revealed to them. (16:64)

It is in the human nature to want to follow the example of others. To understand this, one has only to look at how teenagers emulate actors and musicians. This natural inclination to emulate is a part of our nature so that we will follow the example of those who were the best of humankind in the eyes of Allah.

The answer to “why follow the Sunnah” is found directly in the Quran and built in to our very nature.

(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)

The post Why We Need to Follow the Sunnah? appeared first on About Islam.

source https://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/about-muhammad/why-we-need-to-follow-the-sunnah/