Many people today can’t understand the notion of angels and devil. They believe it is just fairy tales. So what does Islam say about who are the angels and who is the devil?
The post Who Are The Angels? appeared first on About Islam.
Nothing is more important for a wife than winning the heart of her husband. Because when the husband loves his wife, marital life would be a blessing like no other.
Although people always talk about love as a fate that people don’t have control upon life continues to teach us that real love is like a plant that one can grow over time.
It takes much work and effort to build a strong bond between a husband and wife and the result is mostly granted by the grace of God; a happy marriage.
Here are 10 things to do in order to be the perfect wife:
Try to be warm, kind, positive, understanding, and friendly to your husband, family, and friends. Work actively to be pleasant towards your husband.
Don’t be that person who lashes out at others because you had a bad day. Welcome your husband with a smile when he comes home. Listen to him, talk about his day, especially if it was a difficult one.
Always speak in a loving way and refrain from speaking in a harsh manner. A good wife respects her hubby. She never chooses to belittle, strike, humiliate, or otherwise harm him in private or in public.
It is better to watch what you say and think before speaking, as it is not possible to take back the words once they are said. A good wife will treat her man with respect in front of others and at home.
Communication is the key to a good and solid marriage. Do not hide things or keep secrets from your husband. Be honest. Find time to sit and talk with him on a daily basis, even if it is for only half an hour.
Good communication helps to build trust and strengthens your relationship. The wife and the husband are partners; do not make any major decisions about the family without consulting your partner.
You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but allow him to talk first. Don’t greet him with complaints and problems the moment he comes back from work.
Fights or problems may happen, but do not let the world know about it. Rather, you should try to solve it between yourselves as partners. Try to move on and stop rehashing the past and reminding him of his faults.
A husband expects his wife’s support and understanding, especially in crisis times. A good wife loves her hubby for his successes and failures, and provides reassurance when he’s feeling down.
Support him in all stages of his life. Be proud of him on his accomplishments and genuinely compliment him.
You can then expect him to behave in return in the same manner and also respect you more for your support and thoughtfulness. If you don’t agree with him, respectfully let him know that in a healthy conversation.
As a wife, it’s important to understand that your husband’s world is not only about you. He has a family, friends, and colleagues who are also part of his life. He also may have hobbies and passions he is involved in.
Don’t expect his undivided attention at all times. Don’t stop him if he wants to go and hang out with his friends or even go out on his own. An interfering wife can sometimes be very irritating.
Only by accepting him as he is, you are showing him respect and gratitude for. He has so much to offer you if only you give him the space to be himself.
He is a growing individual, just like you are. Help him grow in the direction that he chooses, and give him the chance to be the person he wants.
Men like to be praised and appreciated. They like to hear the words “I love you” too. Always tell him how much you love him and how lucky you are to be his wife!
Fulfill his emotional and physical needs; sexual intimacy is one of the most essential things for a happy marriage.
Give yourself enough time, take care of your health and appearance and put it among your priorities.
Let your husband feel good whenever he looks at you. Let him see the good looking, nice smelling, and neat wife all the time.
Let him help you decide which dress to buy and which perfume to use.
Maintain a clean house all the time. Clear away the clutter and spend time decorating the house. Apart from this, be wise with money and take all the responsibilities of a wife seriously without complaining too much.
If you are a working woman, you may want to hire a maid to take care of the household chores of cooking, cleaning, and so forth.
The post 10 Steps to Become the Woman of His Dream appeared first on About Islam.
Muadh ibn Jabal was a young Companion from Madinah who accepted Islam as early as in the Aqabah pledge.
He was known for his love of Quran and knowledge. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) labelled him as the most learned of what is halal and what is haram among his nation.
He is also one of four Companions whom the Prophet recommended as Quran teachers.
Muadh passed away when Amuas plague broke out during the reign of the second Caliph, Umar, may Allah be pleased with him.
This plague claimed the lives of many of the Prophet’s Companion. Muadh was one of these martyrs.
In this video, Imam Omar Suleiman describes the last moments of Muadh. We hear the inspiring, last words of this great Companion (may Allah be pleased with him).
It was the real success. Thanks to Mus`ab’s effort, Islam went into every single house in Madinah. People joined Islam individually and in groups. Mus`ab prepared Madinah to be the host city of the Prophet and the center of guidance to the whole humanity.
The post Last Words of Muadh ibn Jabal appeared first on About Islam.
Several mosques and Muslim organizations from across the US have been racing to prepare to welcome refugees coming with US troops withdrawing from Afghanistan.
In Wisconsin, mosques are already preparing to welcome refugees to the community, including the Islamic Center of Madison.
“Everybody is ready to help these people,” Ibrahim Saeed, the president of the Islamic Center, told NBC.
“Each and every organization will say we’ll do this part of the service.”
Read Also: Maryland Mosques Accept Donations for Afghan Refugees
The center is one of 15 organizations statewide that make up the United Muslim Resettlement Council, a group formed on Sunday to make sure refugees have access to all the services they need.
So far, 3,000 Afghan refugees have already arrived at Fort McCoy. But with the US troop withdrawal deadline two days away, the number is expected to reach 10,000.
“We don’t know how many people are going to be settled in Wisconsin or what city,” Saeed acknowledged.
However, they are putting all efforts to prepare. “We’ll have translation teams, we’ll have transportation teams,” he said.
Chicago Muslim groups have been also getting ready to welcome hundreds of refugees from Afghanistan.
Muslim Women Resource Center, a local non-profit, is already helping more than 40 Afghans who have fled to Chicago, ABC Chicago reported.
Sima Quraishi, executive director of the social service organization, was an Afghan refugee herself when she was 10.
“Now is the time to stand with our Afghans,” she said. “It is our responsibility to protect, defend and welcome them.”
Several organizations are teaming up to create the Afghan Task Force. They will have their first meeting Wednesday to begin organizing.
For the past two week, the world’s attention has been gripped with the news of Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan.
The fall of Kabul took place on Sunday, August 15, two weeks before the US was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.
With the refugees’ arrival, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has been coordinating efforts to collect donations to refugees in Baltimore mosques.
CAIR efforts have not been limited to helping refugees only.
Over the past weeks, the Muslim civil rights group has been using Afghanistan news to stop the spread of falsehoods toward refugees, US Muslims, and Islam.
The post US Muslims Race to Help Afghan Refugees appeared first on About Islam.
Cycling from Blackburn to Blackpool, a group of 25 cyclists have been given a heroes welcome after they successfully raised more than £50,000 funding needed for the new Islamic Education Center.
The riders embarked on their ride to Blackpool in the early hours of Sunday and returned to Blackburn late afternoon.
“This has been a fantastic effort by not just who took on the challenge but all the helpers and volunteers,” a spokesperson of the mosque told Lancashire Telegraph.
Read Also: Meet Manchester Muslim ‘Night Riders’
“We made good time in the morning and slowed a little as one of the riders was struggling. We all wanted to finish together. Despite that we made it back into Blackburn by 3pm.
“We were overwhelmed by the welcome we got and we would like to thank everyone who turned out to support us.
“We have been raising funds for the mosque through sponsored efforts like this and we would like to thank all the local businesses and the community for continuing to support us.”
The raised funds will be used to replace the Islamic Education Centre with a larger one located off Devenport Road.
The new mosque will serve Muslim worshippers in the city. It will also include an Islamic school and other facilities.
“This has been a completely community focused project with local people taking the lead and helping to raise funds themselves,” the mosque spokesperson added.
This is not the first time for Muslim bikers to take similar adventures.
In 2019, a group of eight bikers made a record 879 kilometers in six days from Melbourne to Sidney to raise fund for refugees.
There have been previous similar adventures, especially with regard to performing Hajj.
In 2018, a family of five Indonesian Muslims took a lengthy cycling journey of 13,000 km to Makkah to perform hajj.
In 2017, another Indonesia Muslim walked more than 9,000 kilometers to perform hajj.
The post Cyclists Given Heroes Welcome after Raising £50K for Mosque appeared first on About Islam.
I remember the last meal I had with my father.
I came home from college and joined him for dinner at his favorite restaurant.
The conversation followed the same pattern it always had, “how is school?” he inquired.
“Fine”, I answered.
But this meal was different. I had converted to Islam and wanted to tell him. I wanted to stand up on the table and shout it to the entire restaurant that I found this amazing path that made my life incredible.
Despite my feelings, I had wisdom enough to know that approaching such a topic would need to be done delicately. So I tested the waters by asking him if he knew any Muslims, what he knew about Islam, all framed in such a way that he would think it pertained to a religion class I was taking.
His answers came as a shock. My framing the line of questions from an academic standpoint hadn’t worked. He saw through it and informed me that no one can change their religion: That I was born and raised a Catholic and would stay a Catholic. It was a matter of tradition.
This answer was such a shock to me because my father was not even Catholic. He was not even the snake handling Pentecostal he was raised. He was an agnostic who throughout my childhood voiced his strong oppositions to Catholic doctrines.
As I sat in shock over a meal I no longer had an appetite to eat, he continued to declare that if I ever converted he would disown me. I didn’t have the heart (or the bravery) to tell him that I had already converted to Islam.
When I drove home that evening, I planned on giving him some space in the hope that he would soften on his position. I never got the chance to tell my father about my new faith. He died two months after our dinner.
Many converts go through similar heart wrenching situations. They convert to Islam after serious thought and consideration and then they have to tell their family about the choice. This is a daunting task and much dread doing it because they fear they will be rejected.
Sometimes families surprise us and are open to the choice and want to learn more. Other times, it is a struggle and families take it hard. And in some cases, families try to do their best to make the new convert leave Islam.
It is never an easy thing to be rejected by your own people. But the good news is that if you are, you are not the only one who has suffered such a fate. You are in good company.
The Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham, peace be upon him) own father rejected him and his people threw him into a fire. Jesus (peace be upon him) was sentenced to death by his own people. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was humiliated and threatened by his tribe.
Being rejected by loved ones is a very painful experience. The Prophets, the Prophets’ companions, and many pious people have gone through the same thing many new converts today face. And these noble people held firm to their faith despite this intense pressure.
We can take lessons from those who came before us who were rejected and tempted to turn from their faith.
One particular case was that of Mus’ab ibn Umair. He was wealthy, well dressed, and beloved until he embraced Islam.
When his family found out he was a Muslim, his mother tied him up and tortured him. When he would not give up his faith, his mother took away his clothing and wealth and kicked him out. Mus’ab later became the first ambassador of Islam to Madinah.
Likely none of us will suffer the torture that Mus’ab and many other companions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) underwent. But some will be faced with the same rejection. And it can help knowing many went through so much more than we will ever face and remained firm in their faith.
We must remember at the end of the day, each person has to lead his or her own life. At the end of life, God will not accept the excuse that we followed what we found our fathers (parents, family) following. Family pressure should be seen for what it is, for what the Prophets and their companions saw it for – a test.
This same family clash can often increase during the holiday season. It is a time where families gather and practice traditions that are un-Islamic.
As you struggle to hold fast to your religious principles, it might also occur to you that as your family gathers during this time of the year, gathering with them is a good way to keep the ties of kinship.
Most converts dread the sticky situations the holiday season brings. And many families of converts are made aware of the difference in your behavior as a Muslim because of your likely unwillingness to participate in traditions of your old religion.
Sometimes families can feel like your rejection of their traditions is a rejection of them, leading your family to feel hurt and angry.
And because of this, your family may want to take you out of your beliefs, especially at this time of year. To them leaving Islam means you will come back to them, while you feel like you never left the family.
Armed with the knowledge that your family may take the rejection of their religion, traditions, and some cultural practices as a rejection of them; you can approach your family with understanding and patience.
You must be very clear in telling your family that the decision to convert to Islam is in no way a rejection of them or your upbringing. And you must help your family to see that you are the same old person they know and love.
But at the same time, you must make your family aware that you are not interested in going back to being a non-Muslim. Help your family to see that you have new faith and traditions and that some of the family’s practices and traditions contradict with your beliefs.
This will take time, so you should continue to explain your position with patience, and understand if it seems to go in one ear and out the other.
Be merciful to them as your family adjusts. But be firm and clear that you are a Muslim and that is not going to change.
(From Discovering Islam’s archive)
The post Converts to Islam – Balancing Between Religion and Family appeared first on About Islam.
En esta vida constantemente atravesamos tiempos de dificultad y malestar. Nos encontramos en situaciones que nos llevan a momentos de profunda oscuridad. A veces nos preguntamos cómo terminamos en esos lugares. Pero también hay formas para ser felices.
El Islam nos enseña a tener esperanza; a través de esta enseñanza podemos encontrar comprensión de los sentimientos y emociones que atravesamos. El Islam tiene el poder de sacarnos de la tristeza y llevarnos a una luz llena de felicidad, incluso si el entorno externo no nos acompaña.
Este mundo, esta Dunya, no es perfecto. Fue hecho para ser una prueba para el creyente. Si Dunya fuera perfecta, ¿por qué nos esforzaríamos por el Yannah? Querríamos quedarnos aquí para siempre, pero sabemos que hay algo mucho mejor que esto:
Abu Huraira transmitió que el Profeta (la paz sea con él) dijo:
El Dunya es una prisión para el creyente y un paraíso para el incrédulo.
Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, 7058
Nuestra vida en esta Dunya es un viaje hacia el Yannah, donde nuestra felicidad será completa. Sin embargo, esto no significa que no haya formas para ser felices y estar en paz mientras vivimos en este mundo.
La felicidad es un sentimiento de satisfacción en cualquier situación, incluso en las malas. Hay una bendición y una razón para todas las situaciones porque, como sabemos, todo lo que sucede está escrito y es conocido por Allah. Esta sola idea nos ayuda a aceptar nuestras dificultades y buscar las bendiciones.
Algunos pueden preguntar “¿por qué luchamos por encontrar formas para ser felices?”. Se trata de nuestra forma de pensar. Si consideramos que la felicidad la encontraremos en forma de bienes materiales o solo en situaciones particulares, nos quedaremos siempre esperando.
Nunca sentiremos que tenemos suficiente. Siempre hay otro objeto que es mejor que el tuyo. Siempre hay alguien que gana más dinero que tú. Y siempre hay alguien cuya vida parece más perfecta que la tuya. Cambiar la forma en que pensamos y buscar las bendiciones ocultas en nuestro mundo es el comienzo de encontrar formas para ser felices. Estas son algunas formas de hacerlo.
Todo viene de Allah. Al aumentar nuestro conocimiento de Allah y Sus atributos, podemos empezar a tener una mejor relación con Él. En última instancia, esto ayuda a una persona a aceptar las situaciones en las que se encuentra.
Al recordarlo con frecuencia, a través del dhikr, las dificultades y los problemas pueden volverse distantes, permitiéndonos ver nuestra situación desde una perspectiva diferente.
Allah dice:
¿Pues no es acaso con el recuerdo de Allah con lo que se tranquilizan los corazones?
Corán, 13:28
Si queremos algo en esta vida, la mejor herramienta que tenemos para conseguirlo es hacer Duas. Cuando quieras sentirte feliz, liberarte de las dificultades y experimentar la satisfacción en tu vida, recurre a Allah.
Ya sea algo pequeño o grande, Allah es quien puede hacer que suceda. Haz una Dua sincero, especialmente durante los momentos de aceptación de los Dua, como el último tercio de la noche y entre Asr y Maghrib los viernes.
Dedica tu tiempo a hacer buenas obras. ¿Por qué? Porque las acciones que son del agrado de Allah te llevarán a tener un Iman más fuerte, una mejor relación con tu señor y esto te ayudará a aliviar las dificultades que puedas enfrentar en tu vida.
Hay tantas cosas que entran en esta categoría. Los actos de adoración, como el ayuno, la oración voluntaria y la lectura del Corán, son algunas formas de aumentar nuestras buenas acciones. Pero también lo son pasar tiempo con la familia, ofrecerse como voluntario para ayudar a otros, donar en caridad. Recuerda siempre mantener tus intenciones puras e Insha’Allah, serás recompensado en consecuencia.
‘Umar bin Al-Khattab transmitió que escuchó al Mensajero de Allah decir:
La recompensa de las acciones depende de las intenciones y cada persona obtendrá la recompensa de acuerdo con sus intenciones. Así que quien emigró por beneficios de este mundo o para casarse con una mujer se casara, su emigración fue para lo que emigró.
Sahih al-Bujari
A veces, nuestra tristeza proviene de recrearnos en errores del pasado. Todos hacemos cosas de las que no estamos orgullosos y, a veces, pueden perseguirnos.
En primer lugar, debemos evitar recordar estos eventos, especialmente algo que nos entristece recordar. En su lugar, deberíamos dedicar nuestro tiempo a hacer Dua y buscar el perdón de Allah por haber hecho estas cosas. El perdón de Allah es la forma de rectificar las faltas y errores pasados, sin torturarnos a nosotros mismos porque los llevamos a cabo.
Abdullah ibn Umar transmitió: Contamos que el Mensajero de Allah decía cien veces durante una reunión:
Señor mío, perdóname y absuelveme; Tú eres el que perdona y absuelve.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1516
Sea cual sea la situación en la que te encuentres, recuerda que siempre puede ser peor. Hay muchas historias en las noticias e Internet que muestran a personas en dificultades. Si bien nuestras dificultades pueden afectarnos profundamente, al mirar a los demás y apreciar que no estamos en esas situaciones, podemos encontrar algo de paz en la vida que tenemos.
Allah nos ha puesto en esta tierra por un período de tiempo determinado; llegará a su fin, al igual que la tristeza y la dificultad. Al aceptar que nuestra vida podría ser peor, deberíamos estar felices y agradecidos por lo que tenemos.
Este es un artículo del archivo de aboutislam.net, puedes leer la versión original en inglés aquí.
The post 5 formas para ser felices en esta vida appeared first on About Islam.
Dans cette vidéo, Prof. Rachid Eljay nous invite à apprendre, méditer et comprendre une invocation qui nous servira tous les jours. Cette invocation est également à enseigner à notre entourage et à nos proches.
En fait, on a tellement besoin de vivre avec le Dhikr (le Rappel et l’Evocation d’Allah) tout au long de chacune de nos journées. Pour faciliter cela, il est important d’apprendre par cœur certaines invocations.
Ainsi, nous ferons partie de celles et ceux qui ont reçu l’éloge d’Allah. Ce sont ceux et celles qui évoquent fréquemment leur seigneur. Allah leur a préparé un énorme pardon et une énorme récompense, qui n’est rien d’autre que le paradis.
«Les Musulmans et Musulmanes, […], ceux et celles qui invoquent fréquemment Allah: Allah a préparé pour eux un pardon et une énorme récompense.» (Coran 33:35)
En fait, le Dhikr fait partie des actes d’adoration les plus aimés de notre seigneur. Il peut nous faire gagner le paradis très facilement. Pour cela, évoquez constamment votre Seigneur. Et pour se faire, apprenez les diverses invocations, dont celle à répéter en sortant de chez soi.
En étant chez soi, on se sent plus en sécurité qu’en sortant. Ainsi, on a besoin de cette invocation en faisant notre premier pas en dehors de chez soi. Cela pour être préservé, accompagné et guidé sur son chemin.
Le Prophète (Sallah Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) a dit: «Lorsque l’un d’entre vous sort de chez soi et qu’il dit: Au nom d’Allah. Je place ma confiance en Allah. Il n’y a ni force ni puissance qu’en Allah. » En réplique de cette invocation, le croyant aura cette réponse: «Tu es guidé, cela te suffira et tu es préserve. » (Imam Abou Dâwoud et autres)
Grâce à cette invocation, Allah te guidera, te préservera et te suffira face à tes problèmes, soucis, angoisses, tristesses et problèmes que tu pourrais rencontrer en sortant de chez soi.
Certes, il faut avoir recours aux causes, prendre ses précautions et ne pas se contenter d’invoquer Allah sans œuvrer et faire de notre mieux.
Tu commences cette invocation par «bismillah» qui marque le recours au Seigneur. Ainsi, tu recherches et demandes Son assistance et Sa préservation par la grâce de Son nom: «Allah». Puis, tu avoues avoir placé ta confiance en Lui.
Par la suite, tu seras guidé et préservé par la grâce d’Allah, et le diable t’écartera de ton chemin, en disant: «Que faire face à une personne guidée et préservée, car, ayant placé sa confiance en Allah pour Le suffire contre tout mal. Je ne peux rien faire contre lui!»
Apprenez donc cette invocation, transmettez-la, partagez-la afin d’acquérir une part de la récompense lorsque d’autres personnes vont la prononcer, lire et réciter.
The post Ce Qu’il Faut Dire En Sortant De Chez Soi appeared first on About Islam.
If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in Allah for He is the One that heareth and knoweth all things.
~ Qur’an 8:61
Peace is a big part of Islam as it promotes the understanding of peace through submission to Allah (SWT). This applies to the ordinary sense of developing your spiritual growth through balance and harmony.
So, propel peace in your neighborhood, family and amongst fellow countryman by taking these simple steps to be contagiously peaceful to family friends and even strangers:
Just say Assalaamu ‘Alaikum (Peace be with you) – It’s amazing to see the reaction to a simple gesture such as giving salaam or saying hello can do.
Better yet, it can invoke the response that is hoped for, and that is someone responding to your salutation by giving salaam or saying hello in return.
Make it a habit to greet everyone at your neighborhood, workplace and even while shopping. This would have a magical impact on both you and people around you.
Ihsan simply means having good intentions towards anything that is living. There are many ways this can be achieved, such as being fair and just in all your doings, being selfless, giving without expecting anything in return.
Be a forgiving person and do not hold onto grudges. Do not engage in gossip, backbiting, thus guarding against your tongue. Simple acts of kindness can cultivate a compassion for other living things.
Encourage your kids to show care for others, help those in need and be kind towards all creatures of God.
Without input from you, your children will not know about Tarbiyah or personal development. And without personal development, your child will not know the importance of peace in today’s chaotic world. Instill the message of peace in children at an early age.
Provide a sound Islamic foundation by investing in colorful children’s Islamic books which relate stories from the Qur’an written in simple sentences. Appeal to their creative side and engage them in craft activities and coloring pages that propel peace.
There’s nothing like a family get-together with a big pot of food to enhance the occasion. Talking, eating and socializing with family members helps develop a better understanding of each other.
Make time to have the family over as it brings a sense of belonging, security, stability and peace.
Make it a habit to perform prayers together and try to engage in many things as a family in order to develop stronger ties and interconnection.
Remember that a strong family bonding is the base for a sound and safe society.
Needless to say, your neighbors are the closest people to you in terms of distance.
Islam accords special status to neighbors, regardless of whether they are Muslim or not. You are encouraged to socialize, care for and share with them.
So, it is in your best interest to maintain peace with them so they do not become a daily source of frustration. If you are peaceful, it may just catch on and they will be contagiously peaceful too!
“Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest.”
~ Qur’an 13:28
The post 5 Ways to Propel Peace appeared first on About Islam.
You are in a lavish gathering, a posh hall, an elite setting. Friends are having drinks and you are like “cheers!” This is partying in Jannah!
If you were to take the description splashing drinks, partying, beautiful women you would say astafghirullah! But this is Jannah and it is going to be so much more beautiful than how we can imagine.
Everything you talk about will have meaning. It is going to feel better. You are not talking to just pass the time. There are no boring conversations in Jannah!
Allah will be generous giving you bonuses in Jannah. When Allah puts you in Jannah, He is merciful. Allah’s goal was not to put us in Hell but to merciful and put us in Jannah!
The post Partying in Jannah appeared first on About Islam.
As a strong category 4 Hurricane Ida moved inland in Southeast Louisiana on Sunday, Louisiana residents scrambled for shelter in Texas ahead of life-threatening storm surge.
Recalling sense of desperation many people experienced Bringing when Hurricane Katrina struck 16 years ago, imam Omar Suleiman sends a hopeful message that this also will come to an end.
“There will be ease at the end of this,” Sulieman, the founder, and president of the Texas-based Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, told WFAA.
“We are a resilient people from New Orleans. We’ve made it through this before. We’ll make it through again, God-willing.”
Read Also: Texas Muslim Community Responds to Need during Unprecedented Winter Storm
Suleiman now resided in Dallas, yet, he was still in his hometown in New Orleans when Katrina hit in August 2005, giving residents the most surreal moments of their lives.
“There was a sense of desperation,” Sulieman said. “There was a sense of, ‘Are we ever going to get back?'”
“It didn’t feel like New Orleans,” Sulieman said. “It didn’t even feel like the United States.”
At that difficult time, people opened their homes and volunteers of all faiths united to help the vulnerable.
“People opened their homes,” Sulieman said. “People picked up people off the streets. Did what they could. People were taking their boats around, rafts around.”
“When everyone is that vulnerable, they’re all vulnerable to the point that they could connect in their vulnerability,” Sulieman said.
Suleiman shared prayers on Facebook as well for the people of Louisiana.
Meanwhile, ICNA Relief launched a campaign to help people during Hurricane Ida.
The post Hurricane Ida: Imam Omar Suleiman Shares Hopeful Message appeared first on About Islam.
This is the message of peace, the message of salvation. It is the message of liberation from being enslaved to mundane things that keep shackling souls with worries and sorrows.
This is a call from the One Who controls everything, calling you, humankind, to submit!
Submit your life to Him and be calm. Make your motto of life La ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah). By this motto, you testify to your incapacity as a creature provided with limited faculties. You testify that everything in the universe belongs to Him, and whatever He wants will come to pass in the way and the time He wants. You testify to your being created by Him in the way He wants:
{He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He likes; there is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise.} (Aal `Imran 3:6)
But despite His absolute power to do everything in anyway He likes, what we notice is that out of His infinite mercy He made everything perfect, created you and all what you see around you in the most beautiful way that we all behold:
{He has created the heavens and the earth in just proportions, and has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful: And to Him is the final Goal.} (At-Taghabun 64:3)
{No want of proportion will you see in the Creation of (Allah) Most Gracious. So turn your vision again: See you any flaw? Again turn your vision a second time: (Your) vision will come back to you dull and discomfited, in a state worn out.} (Al-Mulk 67:3-4)
Due to His mercy, the abnormalities are subject to the law of rarity; that is, ever since the creation of Heaven and earth and the creation of Adam, up to the present day, there is not any irregularity in the pattern of creation, and whatever few abnormalities that we see are also subject to His divine wisdom.
Despite all the constant recklessness of humankind, painful consequences never occur in a proportional measure, subhan Allah (glory be to Allah)! Compared to the high rate of speed-limit violations, how many accidents occur daily? Very few! Actually, His mercy exceeds His wrath.
{Whatever misfortune happens to you is because of the things your hands have wrought, and for many (of them) He grants forgiveness.} (Ash-Shura 42:30)
Another point here is, your testifying to Allah’s almighty power is an explicit recognition of your limit as a human being. By pronouncing the words “la ilaha illa Allah,” you are actually surrendering your limited power to the mighty Lord of unlimited power; you submit your will to Him. This is Islam.
But this attestation can never be genuine if it is not accompanied with love, because faith without love is dead. If you do not love Him, you will not genuinely obey Him. This is different from relationships between mortals where hypocrisy prevails, making it hard to distinguish between genuine and fake love. But with Almighty Allah, everything is transparent, so when we talk about this highest degree of love, we talk about something that is not tainted with any hypocrisy or deceit.
So the true and genuine Shahadah in Islam is the one coated with love: loving Allah, which of course is the sublime love. This love will automatically make it easier to show full obedience to His commands:
{Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults} (Aal `Imran 3:31).
Thus, you will find yourself spontaneously pronouncing the phrase “Muhammad Rasul Allah” (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) which is the second part of Shahadah in Islam.
Then bit by bit, you will find yourself on a very smooth spiritual path whereby the relationship you have developed with Allah will direct light into your heart, melting away darkness. Thus the phrase “la ilaha illa Allah” will echo in all what you do, what you see, what you hear, etc.
That is, it will develop into a conviction in your innermost self, reassuring you that it is through His command and wishes that everything happens. Hence this conviction is iman (faith) reposing in your heart. Henceforth your manners will be in proportional compatibility with that faith. That means you have accepted Allah into your life.
The post Accept Allah into Your Life appeared first on About Islam.
Muslim nurses in Singapore will be allowed to don their Islamic hijab freely starting from November after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced a decision to add hijab to their uniform.
“I hope this decision will be accepted by all parties with the right spirit, in an effort to strengthen our shared commitment to Singapore’s multiracial and multi-religious community,” Lee partly said while delivering his National Day Rally (NDR) English Speech 2021 here today, The Malaysian Reserve reported.
“We are making a careful adjustment to keep our racial and religious harmony in good order. This approach has worked well for us for many years.
“And we should celebrate what it has achieved: a truly multiracial, multi-religious nation, where many heart-warming interactions happen every single day,” said Lee.
Read Also: Hijab… a Must, Not a Choice
The decision followed years of discussions started in 2014 with leaders of the Muslim community.
“We spoke candidly, heart to heart. They explained to me why the ‘tudung’ [hijab] was important to the community, and what they hoped the Government would allow.
“I told them I understood how strongly they felt, but I also explained the Government’s perspective, and the reasons behind our policies,” said Lee.
Watching the situation closely, the government decided to allow hijab, saying people are now more accepting of racial and religious differences.
“We observed that by and large, interactions between the races remain comfortable. Non-Muslims have become more used to seeing Muslim women wear the ‘tudung’.”
According to statistics from 2020, about 15.6% of Singapore’s resident population are Muslims.
A majority of Malays are Sunni Muslims, 14% of Muslims in Singapore are of South Asian origin. Other adherents include those from the Chinese, Arab and Eurasian communities.
Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations.
In 2019, a Derby hospital has become first in the UK to give female Muslim doctors and medical staff disposal hijabs to wear to avoid germs being passed to patients.
After COVID-19 pandemic, a Minnesota fashion designer and owner of Henna & Hijabs, designed a sanitary hijab that could be easily washed and safely reused in May 2020.
The post Singapore Allows Hijab for Muslim Nurses appeared first on About Islam.
The average human being in the developed world battles sadness and worry on a daily basis.
While the majority of the world’s population confront extreme poverty, famine, conflict and despair, those of us privileged to lead relatively easy lives must tackle fear, stress, and anxiety.
Why are those of us blessed with riches beyond compare immersed in loneliness and desperation?
We are living in a time of confusion, we try as we might, yet gathering material possessions can do nothing to mend broken hearts, and shattered souls.
Now, more than at any other time in humankind’s history, stress, anxiety and psychological problems are taking a tremendous toll on the human condition.
Religious beliefs should afford a sense of comfort however; it seems that 21st century man has lost the ability to connect to God. Pondering the meaning of life no longer overcomes a feeling of abandonment. This desire to acquire material possessions, which in some way validates our reason for being, has become the balm that soothes our troubled souls. Why is this so?
We have the best of everything readily available, yet the reality is we have nothing. Nothing that comforts the soul. Beautiful furnishings do not hold our hand in the darkest night. The latest entertainment centre does not wipe our tears or soothe our furrowed brow.
Those of us living with pain and grief, or afflicted with hardship feel abandoned. We feel rudderless on an open sea. Huge waves threaten to engulf us at any given moment. Our desires and debts stand at the apex and loom over us, like great avenging angels, and we search for comfort in addictions and self-destructive behavior.
How do we step away from the precipice?
In Islam, the answer is remarkably simple. We turn back to our Creator.
God knows what is best for His creation. He has complete knowledge of the human psyche. He knows of the pain, the despair, and the sadness. God is whom we are reaching for in the darkness. When we put God back on our agenda, the pain will subside.
{Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest.} (13:28)
Islam is not a religion filled with empty rituals and hypercritical rules and regulations, although it can seem so if we forget just what our real purpose in life is. We were created to worship God, nothing more and nothing less.
However, God, in His infinite mercy and wisdom did not abandon us to this world filled with trials and tribulations. He armed us with weapons. These weapons are more powerful than the arsenals of the great 21st century armies. God gave us the Quran, and the authentic traditions of His Prophet Muhammad.
The Quran is a book of guidance and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad explain that guidance. Islam is all about making and keeping a connection with God. This is how Islam deals with sadness and worry. When the wave is about to come crashing down or the world begins to spin out of control God is the one stable factor. The biggest mistake a believer can make is to separate the religious and material aspects of his or her life.
{God has promised those who believe (in the Oneness of God) and do deeds of righteousness, that for them there is forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).} (5:9)
When we accept with full submission, that we are no more than slaves of God, put on this earth, to be tried, tested and tempted, life suddenly takes on a completely new meaning. We recognize that God is the one constant in our lives and we recognize that His promise is true.
When we are overwhelmed by worry and sadness, relief comes from turning to God. If we live our lives according to His guidance, we gain the means and the ability to overcome any despair.
Prophet Muhammad declared that all the affairs of a believer are good:
“Indeed amazing are the affairs of a believer! They are all for his benefit. If he is granted ease then he is thankful, and this is good for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres, and this is good for him.” (Muslim)
Islam has the answer to all the problems that afflict humankind. It asks us to look beyond the need for self-gratification, and further still, beyond the need to acquire possessions. Islam reminds us that this life is but a transient pause on the way to life everlasting.
The life of this world is but a fleeting moment, sometimes overflowing with moments of great joy and happiness but at other times filled with sadness, sorrow, and despair. This is the nature of life, and this is the human condition.
In the following three articles, we will examine guidance from the Quran and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad in an endeavor to discover just how Islam suggests that we deal with sadness and worry.
There are three key points that will allow the believer to free himself from the shackles of 21st century life. They are patience, gratitude, and trust in God. In the Arabic language, sabr, shukr and tawwakul.
{And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones.} (2:155)
{Therefore, remember Me (God) and I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.} (2:152)
{If God helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in God (Alone) let believers put their trust.} (3:160)
To be continued…
Source: Islamreligion.com
(From Discovering Islam archive)
The post How to Step Away from Sadness and Worry? appeared first on About Islam.
