Sister Gurly was in a traffic accident in the US. Her boss told her not to tell everything to the police otherwise her insurance would go up. Her friend warned her that she could fool the police but not Allah and from there her curiosity grew.
The post A Traffic Accident Led Me To Islam appeared first on About Islam.
“You don’t need this.” These are the words that will probably always represent my first experience with hijab. Though I was only four years old and in kindergarten, my mother would cover my hair with a headscarf before I left to school each morning.
My former Christian parents accepted Islam the year I was born, and they wanted their children to be known as Muslims when they went to American public school.
But my kindergarten teacher had “better” ideas. Each day that I arrived at school, she would call me to her desk and remove my head cover, saying, “You don’t need this.” Then, at the end of the school day, she’d call me back to her desk to put my scarf back on before I returned home to my parents.
Yes, I was confused a bit, but I’d shrug it off because in my four-year-old world, adults always knew best. And it wasn’t until years later that it occurred to me that this was something I should’ve talked to my parents about.
It certainly wasn’t easy going to school each day looking different from all the other girls. The kids poked fun at me, and it was a daily routine for them to snatch off my scarf and toss it around just for fun—while the teachers looked on without even a word of reprimand to the students.
In fact, the only time I recall a teacher intervening was when I was in fourth grade and was outside for recess, and I fought the boy who snatched off my scarf and threw it in the dirt. When I saw my teacher approaching, I felt relieved. Finally, someone will help me, I thought.
But she promptly proceeded to take only me inside the building—for punishment. And I had to sit in the hall alone for the rest of the day—“to teach me a lesson.”
I think one of the greatest benefits I gained from my experience covering my hair in American public school was the ever present knowledge that I was different from others.
While some might think that’s a heavy burden for a child to carry, my experience has taught me it’s the other way around: Those Muslims who had the “luxury” of blending in with peers carried the greatest burden, and I witnessed their pain and confusion firsthand. Some of them are not even Muslim today.
I often shudder at the thought of where I would be had my parents not required me to cover my hair from young. The Muslim girls whose parents put them in public school and believed “they can wait till puberty” faced a difficult sudden life change at the onset of menses.
One day they were just “normal Jane” and the next day, literally, they had to come to school looking like some crazy fanatic from the deserts of Arabia (as others would see it). Needless to say, many of these girls had an extremely difficult time making this transition.
So many did what could only be expected of a youth in the height of puberty when self-image and what others think is exaggerated in one’s mind: They did to themselves what my kindergarten teacher did to me.
They told themselves, “You don’t need this hijab.” And they wore hijab on their way out the door and promptly removed the headscarf when they arrived at school—then put it back on before returning home.
I know it’s probably the corniest, most cliché thing to say. But it’s true. I love hijab. And it’s not because it’s easy to wear it in America (as my public school experiences clearly show). And it’s certainly not because of all those annoying reasons so many Muslims attach to making things easy for men.
Truth be told, I think that encouraging girls to love hijab because men’s sexual desires will be less intense is one of the most dangerous, damaging things—psychologically and spiritually—you can do to a Muslim girl, especially living in the West.
So many things are pulling at us, and it’s hard enough walking around as the poster child for Islam while the boys effectively “blend in.”
And if a Muslim girl gets weak, she can’t hide her faults so easily—because she has only one of two options: wear hijab and announce to others that you’re hijabi and human (and that’s just unthinkable) or remove hijab and announce to others that you’re a “bad Muslim” (which is the only category many Muslims imagine non-hijabis can be in).
And then on top of that, we want to give girls the added burden of loving hijab because it benefits someone else! No thank you. I love hijab because it benefits me. Sorry, but when it comes to my soul, I get a bit selfish. And I think other girls should too. And it starts with building a relationship between you and Allah—forget the rest of the world.
If I’d heard this ten years ago, I’d probably have scoffed at it. How could someone remove their hijab to get closer to Allah? Certainly, you can’t disobey Allah for the sake of Allah.
And I agree.
But that’s the teachings of Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him. Unfortunately, some Muslims have different teachings. No, no one says outright that you’ll get closer to Allah by removing the hijab. But our constant harassment of women who wear hijab sends that very message.
No matter what style of hijab women wear, we somehow end up getting harassed—by Muslims. And nope, even wearing the niqaab (the face veil) won’t solve this one.
As I discussed in my blog, ‘But She Looks So Good’: When Men’s Desires Rule: Even when I myself wore all-black, niqaab, and an over-the-head abaya, I was constantly told I should cover my eyes too. Why? Because I wasn’t covered “enough”…not for Allah, but for the men with insatiable sexual appetites for whom my eyes—which I actually needed unobstructed to see where I was going—were just too much temptation.
So because of the constant harassment from Muslims and the constant discrimination from non-Muslims, a friend of mine removed her hijab “just to have some peace.” And what does she say about her faith today? “I feel closer to Allah.” Why? Because she feels she can worship her Creator without being bothered—by Muslims or non-Muslims.
The Muslims don’t know she’s Muslim, so they don’t harass her about how faulty her hijab is, and the non-Muslims don’t know she’s Muslim so they don’t make fun of her Islam.
And no matter how faulty this logic is by Islamic standards, it’s difficult to argue against its logic by worldly standards. So the only solution is to stop the harassment of Muslim women—especially those who wear hijab, regardless of whether or not it’s the type of hijab you personally approve of.
Though I love hijab, I still struggle with it in America. No, thankfully, my struggles are not so serious that I’ve ever wished to remove it. But I struggle with the fears I have for my daughter and other girls coming up in this society—and in the entire Muslim world.
On the one hand, I fear they’ll face people like my kindergarten teacher, the “You don’t need this” non-Muslims of the world. More tragically, I fear they’ll face the “Your hijab is never good enough” Muslims of the world who seem to be on a mission to make sure no Muslim woman feels comfortable obeying Allah the best she knows how.
And while I remain hopeful because wearing hijab is a beautiful, freeing experience for a woman, I also remain fearful because the hijab is viewed as a “blessing” only if we’re able to ignore the discouraging messages of non-Muslims and Muslims, who make women feel like wearing hijab is just one big headache.
And while the hijab certainly is not a headache, people criticizing women definitely give them one. And this struggle with people just makes it that much more tempting for Muslim girls to say to themselves, “You don’t need this”—and by it, mean much more than the hijab.
This article is from our archive, originally published on an earlier date, and now highlighted for its importance.
The post My Bittersweet Hijab appeared first on About Islam.
Rajab is the 7th Hijri month of the lunar calendar. It’s regarded as one of the four sacred months in Islam in which warfare is prohibited.
The month is very special to Muslims as it’s one of the two months preluding the holy month of Ramadan, the 9th Hijri month.
When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sighted the moon of Rajab, he used to pray to Allah in the following words:
“O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha’ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings).”
The Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar, and its months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the lunar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year, Rajab migrates throughout the seasons.
Read Also: Month of Rajab is So Special: Here is Why!
“The Astronomical New Moon (conjunction) is on February 1, 2022 (Tuesday) at 5:46 UT,” Moonsighting.com reported.
“On February 1, the moon can be seen in South and Central Americas with difficulty, but easily in Polynesian Islands. On February 2, the moon can be seen in the whole world.” Therefore, Rajab is expected to start on Wednesday, February 2.
The post Sacred Month of Rajab 1443, When Will It Start? appeared first on About Islam.
What can you, a teenager who doesn’t have a lot of money or resources, do to help the poor and needy? More than you think! Most young adults are blessed with the creativity and intelligence to find ways to help others despite limited resources. If you don’t think you can make a difference – wrong! Poverty has actually been on the decrease. Perhaps this is due to globalization and our ability to learn about and fight poverty more effectively.
Here are some tips that can perhaps jump start your creative process, helping you to help others:
How much is your allowance or your salary from your part-time job? Not much, you might say. The great thing about giving though is that in about 99 percent of cases, you are not restricted to how much you can give to help the poor and needy.
That means for instance, instead of dishing out a dollar a day for a can of soda from the vending machine at school or work, maybe you can save this money two days of the week. Then give this money to the Zakat and Sadaqa committee of your mosque, a poor person you know in your neighborhood, a local soup kitchen or to a worthy cause abroad.
Zakat is something too many Muslims neglect. If you are eligible to give Zakat, you must pay. Not eligible? Ask your parents about Zakat and if they pay, how and to whom. If they do not give Zakat, respectfully and politely emphasize to them the importance of this necessary pillar of Islam and encourage them to start paying it. Use wisdom and beautiful preaching.
Get the whole family to pitch in at least once a month to a worthy cause by organizing a family Sadaqa project.
Call a family meeting (if you’ve never had one of these, this is a great time to start) and discuss your idea. Then come to an agreement on how everyone can help the poor. It could be contributing a set amount a week as a group with Dad giving the money to the Masjid after Friday prayers or setting up a box somewhere in the house where family members can privately donate. You all decide.
What are the first steps in finding solutions to problems? Du`aa’ (supplication) then brainstorming and discussion. At your next youth group meeting, put the difficulties of the poor and needy in your community on the agenda.
Simply discuss and brainstorm. You don’t have to come up with a plan all at once. But discussing this will start the process and keep it in people’s minds. If you don’t have a youth group, get your friends together.
Instead of having the usual hang out time one day, substitute this with a formal meeting. Now you have a youth group that can do this exercise.
How many big cities have “poor quarters”? Almost every single one. Sometimes, we need to see the reality of poverty right in front of us to really believe it’s there, especially if we live in a financially well-off part of a city.
Go with your youth group to visit these areas. You don’t have to necessarily bring money or food for them (although that wouldn’t be a bad idea). Research the area, find out how it came to be like that. Prepare yourself for an eye-opening experience. This may be where you find the organization you want to give to or work with.
Stumped about what to do for a school assignment? Why not talk about the plight of the poor in your community. Do your research thoroughly. Get statistics on poverty, real stories from books and perhaps even video- or audio taped interviews of the poor and homeless. Show the human face of poverty. Follow the presentation up with a class collection for the poor.
There are plenty of basic necessities that people have to meet. Some people can’t afford new shoes. So hold a shoe drive (some teens have already done this). Others cannot afford clothing. Hold a clothing drive. Collect the material, arrange for cars, vans or trucks to transport it to where it’s needed, then make sure the material is properly distributed.
The post 12 Ideas for Teens to Help Reduce Poverty appeared first on About Islam.
It is an established and undeniable fact that the Prophet Muhammad, (peace and blessings be upon him) was unlettered. The Quran which was revealed to him has challenged all mankind with all their literary geniuses, non-Muslim scholars and scientists, from the first day of its revelation to the Last Day, to produce something like it.
There is no other book like it. It is absolutely perfect in the Arabic language. It has no mistakes in grammar, meanings or context. Moreover predictions in the Quran have come true; and its teachings are clearly for all people, all places and all times.
In this video Sheikh Sohaib Saeed brings to light verses from the Quran as evidence that the Quran is an absolutely formidable, extraordinary and unconquerable stronghold which the hand of heaven established on the earth.
The post The Eternal Challenge: History & Prophecies in the Quran appeared first on About Islam.
Comment le Prophète Mohammad (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) a-t-il transmis l’islam en Arabie et au-delà malgré l’hostilité de son peuple ?
Comment a-t-il pu communiquer avec les tribus arabes voisines alors qu’il subissait une situation de quasi-siège à La Mecque ?
Une solution à court terme consistait pour lui à rencontrer des pèlerins venant à La Mecque de différentes parties de la Péninsule Arabique. Ainsi, dans la 10e année de la Révélation, le Prophète Mohammad (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) rencontra des pèlerins de plusieurs tribus. Il s’arrangea pour que ces réunions aient lieu la nuit, loin de la surveillance des Qouraychites.
Une nuit à Mîna, à l’extérieur de La Mecque, il rencontra six hommes de Yathrîb. Ces hommes étaient des Khazraj, l’une des deux grandes tribus de Yathrîb (une ville qui sera connue plus tard sous le nom de Médine). Plusieurs tribus juives s’y étaient installées et leurs livres religieux mentionnaient que c’était l’époque du dernier prophète de Dieu. Les Juifs dirent aux habitants de Médine qu’ils suivraient le dernier prophète de Dieu une fois qu’il serait apparu.
Etant donné ces informations de fond, les six hommes étaient curieux d’en savoir plus. Ils s’assirent avec le Prophète Mohammad (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam), et il leur expliqua les principaux enseignements de l’islam. Ce qu’il leur dit sur le monothéisme leur semblait familier, car ils en avaient entendu parler par les Juifs de Médine. Ils se consultèrent et dirent :
« Il paraît sûr que c’est le Prophète dont les Juifs nous menacent toujours ; hâtons-nous donc d’être les premiers à le rejoindre. » (Le Nectar Scellé)
Les six hommes se trouvèrent dès lors dans un état de croyance. Ils se convertirent à l’islam et retournèrent à Médine, où ils commencèrent à transmettre le Message.
L’année suivante, le double de ce nombre revint pour rencontrer le Prophète (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam). Ces douze personnes de Yathrîb s’étaient déjà converties à l’islam. Dix appartenaient à la tribu de Khazraj et deux à la tribu rivale des ‘Aws. Ce fut la plus grande conversion à ce jour en dehors de La Mecque.
Les deux tribus se faisaient la guerre depuis cinq ans. Beaucoup de leurs dirigeants étaient morts dans cet antagonisme. Une jeune génération de dirigeants des deux tribus émergea après la guerre. Pour la première fois, leurs représentants s’unirent sous la bannière de l’Islam pour rencontrer le Prophète (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) à La Mecque.
Cette réunion historique fut connue par le Premier Serment D’allégeance à Al-`Aqaba. `Ubâda ibn As-Sâmit faisait partie de ces douze hommes. Il rapporte dans un hadith figurant dans le Sahîh Al-Boukhârî les détails suivants :
« Moi et un groupe de personnes prêtâmes serment au Messager d’Allah (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam). Le Prophète a dit :
« J’accepte votre serment d’allégeance à moins de n’adorer rien d’autre qu’Allah, de ne pas voler, de ne pas tuer vos enfants, de ne pas calomnier ou de ne pas propager des mensonges, et de ne pas me désobéir en ce qui est convenable … » (Al-Boukhârî)
Après leur conversion, ils demandèrent au Prophète Mohammad (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) d’envoyer avec eux à Médine quelqu’un pour leur enseigner l’islam. À cette époque, environ 250 hommes de La Mecque s’étaient convertis à l’islam. Parmi eux, le Prophète (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) choisit Mouss`ab ibn `Oumayr pour cette mission.
Alors Mouss`ab, un jeune musulman dévoué issu d’une famille riche, voyagea avec eux à Médine. Sa mission principale était de leur enseigner le Coran, de les guider dans la prière communautaire et d’introduire l’islam à Médine.
En fait, il était la personne idéale pour cette mission. En plus de ses origines nobles, il avait déjà voyagé deux fois en Abyssinie. Ainsi, il avait l’expérience de vivre à l’étranger et d’interagir avec des personnes de cultures différentes. En tant que l’un des premiers convertis à La Mecque, il avait les connaissances nécessaires pour enseigner et inviter des non-musulmans à l’islam.
Quelques semaines après l’arrivée de Mouss`ab à Médine, quarante personnes se convertirent à l’Islam. Persécutés, les musulmans de La Mecque ne pouvaient pas prier en commun. Ainsi, le Prophète (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) demanda à Mouss`ab de diriger la toute première prière du vendredi (Joumou`a) à Médine. A cette époque, aucune mosquée n’avait encore été construite. Ainsi, cette première prière de Joumou`a eut lieu chez ‘As`ad ibn Zourâra, l’un des premiers musulmans de Médine.
Mais, Mouss`ab fit face à des nombreuses difficultés en prêchant l’islam à Médine. Mais grâce à sa sagesse, sa patience et sa foi inébranlable, il put surmonter la plupart de ces défis.
Un jour, deux des chefs tribaux de Médine, ‘Ousayd ibn Houdayr et Sa`d ibn Mou`âdh, étaient furieux. Ils en voulaient à ce que faisait Mouss`ab et voulaient le renvoyer à La Mecque. Ils virent de plus en plus de gens quitter la religion de leurs pères et se tourner vers l’Islam. ‘Ousayd prit sa lance et se dirigea vers la maison où logeait Mouss`ab pour le chasser. Mais Mouss`ab n’avait pas peur. Il demanda à ‘Ousayd d’écouter quelques enseignements fondamentaux de l’islam et de juger par lui-même.
Alors ‘Ousayd écouta Mouss`ab et trouva que tout avait du sens. Il accepta l’islam sur-le-champ. Le même scénario se répéta avec Sa`d ibn Mou`âdh. La conversion de ces deux dirigeants ouvrit la porte à de nombreuses autres conversions.
Aujourd’hui, une sœur nouvellement convertie et visiblement musulmane à travers son hijab devient ambassadrice de l’islam. Il en va de même pour les frères nouvellement convertis qui déclarent leur foi en public.
En tant que natif de votre pays, vous représentez l’islam aux yeux de votre famille non musulmane, de vos voisins, collègues et amis. C’est une occasion en or de les inviter tous à l’islam quand vous serez prêt. C’est aussi une responsabilité énorme.
Au cours des dernières décennies, des convertis à l’islam de haut niveau ont fait un excellent travail pour communiquer leur foi. Parmi eux figurent des personnalités renommées telles que Cat Stevens au Royaume-Uni et feu Mohammad Ali aux États-Unis. Les actes sont plus éloquents que les paroles. C’est leur position éthique sur des questions importantes pour la société qui a retenu l’attention des gens.
Toutefois, on ne s’attend pas à ce que vous donniez des conférences et des entretiens sur l’islam dès le premier jour. Cependant, vous constaterez que de nombreuses personnes souhaitent en savoir plus sur votre voyage vers l’islam. Alors, ne vous inquiétez pas si les gens vous posent fréquemment des questions à ce sujet, en particulier les non-musulmans. Vous voudrez peut-être préparer deux versions de votre histoire sur l’Islam. Premièrement, un court résumé pour des réponses brèves. L’autre, une version plus détaillée expliquant les raisons de votre décision et l’impact que l’islam a eu sur votre vie.
Lorsque les gens arrivent à voir que vous êtes devenu une meilleure personne, cela les rend intéressés à en savoir plus sur votre nouvelle foi.
De retour à Médine, ‘Ousayd ibn Houdayr et Sa`d ibn Mou`âdh devinrent les chefs des Banou Al-‘Ach-hal, une sous-tribu d’Al-Khazraj. Peu de temps après leur conversion à l’islam, toute la tribu se convertit également à l’islam. Ce fut l’une des principales conversions de masse qui eurent lieu à Médine
Mouss`ab continua à inviter les habitants de Médine à l’Islam et ses efforts furent très fructueux. Au cours de la saison suivante de pèlerinage, 75 personnes de Médine se rendirent à La Mecque pour rencontrer le Prophète (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam). Ils voyageaient en compagnie de Mouss`ab. À La Mecque, ils firent au Prophète Mohammad (Salla Allah Alayhi Wa Sallam) le second serment d’allégeance à Al-`Aqaba.
Que s’est-il passé ensuite ?
D’autres événements de la Sîrah seront détaillés dans la prochaine partie de cette série, si Allah le veut.
Restez à l’écoute… Pour consulter le texte originel en anglais, veuillez visiter ce lien.
The post Le Prophète Mohammad Se Prépare Pour Partir A Médine appeared first on About Islam.
We all have Dreams.
Along with B.I.G goals competing to make it into reality.
Whether it’s publishing your writing, launching a passion project or balancing your career with marriage; you want to leave a great legacy as a source of reward and to benefit many generations coming after you.
It will take loads of motivation to keep you walking towards those BIG goals of yours and accomplishing them. You will experience pain, difficulties, failure and interferences from those around you. It isn’t unusual to feel deflated, crumpled, crippled and demotivated along the way.
Demotivation is normal as long as it doesn’t become the order of your daily life. And it also doesn’t become a nightmare that takes over your entire journey towards your goals.
You can overcome demotivation from the inspirational content of the Quran.
Quran stories will serve as a remedy to boost your motivation. You need to approach these stories with awe, hope and presence of mind. Read brief summaries of three of such stories below.
I never cease to find huge inspiration and motivation from them.
Jacob (peace be upon him) was betrayed by his own children. He was forcefully separated from his young son – Yusuf (peace be upon him). Yet, he still harbored dreams of uniting with him again and his actions and utterances proved this.
He said:
I complain of my sorrow and my grief only to Allah… (Quran 12:86)
(drawing his motivation from correct knowledge and consciousness of Allah).
Jacob (peace be upon him) remained steadfast even as he cried repeatedly over the hopelessness of the situation. It caused him deep hurt and unhappiness but he never wavered from putting His sole trust in Allah. That was his solace and kept him going.
Motivation Prompt. *OPEN UP*.
Stay tuned-in to your dreams and goals even when all feels lost and you feel drained of energy and interest. Admit your sense of demotivation, weakness and imperfection to Him and cry if you feel the urge. Open up to Allah again and again and again.
Jonah (peace be upon him), better known as the companion of the fish (Quran 69) lost his motivation while calling his people to Tawheed.
He felt frustrated and angry; and decided to call it quits on those BIG goals. He gave up at a point of weakness and came to realize this later after he fled.
Jonah (peace be upon him) fell into grief, feeling sad about his actions. What did he do? He was strong enough to admit his error and hurried to make corrections. He called on the One Who he had wronged for help.
And the person of the fish when he left in anger and thought that We would not straighten things for him. He prayed in the darkness saying,” There is no ilaah but You. You are Pure. I have certainly been from among the wrongdoers. So we responded to his du’aa and rescued him from distress. Thus do We rescue the Mu’mineen (from difficulties). (Quran 21: 87-88)
Motivation Prompt. *ADMIT MISTAKES*.
You will make mistakes and fail over and over. But do not lose sight of your goals and the Pleasure of the One you are trying to attain through your efforts.
Stay on top of things by turning to Allah first to rescue you from your sea of demotivation. Then keep glorifying Him and seeking His assistance every step of the way. He rescued the companion of the fish, He can rescue you from any situation.
Job (peace be upon him) experienced great difficulties, as he was tested with his wealth, health and family. He was distressed just as you will be if you are tested on these important blessings. He remained patient, believing that only Allah can cure him. His patience paid off when the time was right. His losses were restored and even multiplied.
Satan tried to put evil thoughts in his mind and that of his wife – his last companion standing. But Job remained patient. What remarkable patience. Job was patient and penitent.
‘Verily Shaytan has afflicted me with pain and difficulty…” (Quran 38: 41)
Motivation Prompt. *BE PATIENT*.
Acknowledge your pain, distress and emotions after all you are only human. But do seek patience.
You may feel an internal pain that burns, hurts and demotivates. The only cure is patience. Patience in the knowledge that Allah is All Aware of what you are going through and will make things right sooner or later.
Read through the stories slowly while pondering and relating the unfolding events to your own life events. Take notes on everything that impacts you most strongly at that moment while reading – like a supplication, a fulfilled promise, an inspiration or a happy ending.
Do this in the morning, and read though your notes as the day progresses.
How do you feel? I assure you of relief, great energy and motivation to kick-start your goals.
Don’t abandon these notes. Keep them with you and reflect over them regularly. And don’t make it a substitute for reading the Quran. It is a tool to help you strengthen your interaction with the entire Quran. And a healthy portion to serve your immediate need.
It always works for me.
This life is a test upon test upon test.
You may suffer financial losses, creative slumps, betrayal from friends and loved ones or negative thoughts from deep within.
It’s OK.
Imagine the painful and unexpected separation between Jacob and his son; the emotional state of Jonah while in the darkness of the belly of the fish deep within the sea; and the seemingly worsening condition of Job (peace be upon them).
Can you imagine their financial, psychological and moral bankruptcy at those instances in their lives?
How did they bounce back?
By leveraging their spiritual assets – turning to Allah in hope, gratitude, beautiful supplication and openness. They were not afraid of showing their weakness to Allah and you shouldn’t either.
Whenever you feel low, demotivated and derailing from your goals, make Wudu and pick up the Quran.
Read through the stories of Jacob, Jonah and Job (peace be upon them) and progress towards your goals with simple daily steps.
Be steadfast. Admit mistakes. Be patient with yourself and with situations around you.
Turn to Allah consistently and with full consciousness. He will fuel your journey towards your Goals – with the needed motivation and reward you with multiple blessings.
Which of these 3 stories do you find most motivating?
Source: Youthlyhub.com
(From Discovering Islam archive)
The post 3 Quran Stories to Help You Overcome Demotivation appeared first on About Islam.
It is hard to find adequate words to describe guidance and the feeling of faith when it first enters the heart.
But Mallory Jenkins, a 22-year-old from Missouri, describes it perfectly: “I feel at peace!”. It has been six weeks since Mallory took her shahadah and the feeling is still fresh.
That feeling of new iman is perhaps best described by the newly Muslim. It is like the blind person describing what they are seeing at first sight. It brings a renewed appreciation for those who have always seen and have taken it for granted.
Mallory says:
“I think the beauty and sanctity of religion is that it is pure, and we are not; Islam was the religion I knew I could become a pious and pure person through. I could see all the ways I was flawed and all the ways Islam- through practice- could help me come back to Allah SWT. In regards to beliefs of Islam- it just clicked.”
Mallory’s path to Islam, like many of those who convert, was one fraught with challenges, disappointment, and pain.
She recalls that her journey in faith started with heartbreak: “When I was nine years old I remember my mother telling me that my grandmother (whom I was incredibly close to) had lost her battle with cancer. I ran upstairs crying and thinking there couldn’t possibly be a God. Who would do such a cruel thing to such a wonderful human being? I had struggled with my faith ever since that day.”
The death of her grandmother profoundly impacted her young life. But Mallory continued to face challenges. In high school she began sneaking out of the house, failing classes, self-harming; and more recently, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and anxiety. But she found answers and direction in a different path.
Mallory explains:
“I think as somebody that has bipolar disorder, there’s a lot of things I struggle with. Structure, routines, promiscuity, mood. Looking at things from a practice perspective, it [Islam] fit everything I felt I was missing or struggling with in my life.
Salat helps keep me on a routine and regulate my mood, hijab makes me feel more comfortable interacting with men, and reverting and observing Ramadan has truly helped me changed my mindset and acquire patience.”
When asked how she learned about Islam, Mallory said, “I don’t really know what brought me to Islam, other than the Will of Allah SWT!”
Before accepting Islam, Mallory’s life spun out of control. She says:
“I thought I was living my best life until all of my partying put me in the worst situation of my life. Once that event happened I was forced to take a step back and seriously evaluate the decisions I was making in my life.”
After this experience, she took stock of her feelings about faith.
“When I forced myself to evaluate where I stood on faith and religion,” Mallory explains, “I decided that fundamentally I couldn’t get behind Christianity as a whole. […then] I started learning [about other faiths] by watching lectures on YouTube and purchasing books on Amazon. My favorite resource actually ended up being About Islam 101!”
After the shahadah, there are many changes and challenges that new Muslims face, including their family’s reaction. Mallory is facing this challenge now, as she says:
“ALL off my immediate and extended family on both sides are Catholic. To make things super fun, my mother is also my manager at work. I choose to hijab almost all the time when I’m outside of the home, but when I’m at work I don’t […] I don’t want to take it off. But I do for my mother’s sake, because I know she isn’t ready to see me in hijab yet.”
However, Mallory sees hope for the future.
“My parents and siblings are slowly coming around to it, but it’s taking time,” she explains. “It’s a hard balance between trying to be respectful of them and also being true to my religion. For example, at family night, I will do salat in a spare bedroom so they won’t be uncomfortable and that isn’t a huge deal to me. And my mother makes sure there isn’t any pork in whatever we do for dinner.”
In addition to family, community is another adjustment new Muslims face. Finding a place in their new faith community can be surprising in both positive and negative ways. For Mallory, it has been a pleasant experience.
“When I finally did [connected with Muslim sisters], I experienced how warm and open the community was!”
Finding Muslim woman to connect with locally and becoming a part of a new community has been eye opening for Mallory:
“I always thought the Muslim community just kept to themselves because of all the hate people spewed towards them […] I realized the reason I had trouble finding sisters was because I was too afraid to find them. It really opened my eyes to how we’re subconsciously prejudice in America. I was disappointed in myself but now it makes me have a deeper understanding for why hijabis get stares so much.”
Mallory wears hijab as much as she can, and when she does, she sees the stares from strangers as an opportunity.
She explains:
“I think it’s great that people look; I tell my husband to meet their stares with smiles- let them know it’s okay to process what they’re seeing! Every moment somebody stares at me is another moment their brain gets to tear down some ridiculously perpetuated stereotype. Permission to be awkward= granted.”
When asked if there was any advice she would like to give to people on the brink of becoming Muslim, she had some wise words to impart:
“Take it at your own pace! […] My pace is fast, and that’s okay! My husband’s is much slower, and that’s okay, too!”
In addition, Mallory advises people studying Islam to seek answers from Muslims. She says, “[…] don’t be afraid to reach out to people or ask questions! The very first hijabs I bought were from a woman I met in Target […] Turned out later that she never goes to that store and just happened to be there that day, and I didn’t find what I was looking for- all that either of us left with were each other’s phone numbers! Now I have scarves from her and a new friend. Masha’Allah!”
(From Discovering Islam archive)
The post From About Islam 101 to Becoming Muslim appeared first on About Islam.
Creer en la existencia de los ángeles es uno de los artículos fundamentales de la creencia en el Islam.
Los musulmanes creen que los ángeles han sido creados por Dios a partir de la luz. Cumplen las órdenes de Dios en la naturaleza y el universo. Lo que a veces llamamos las “fuerzas de la naturaleza” se activan debido a la presencia de ángeles detrás de ellas, quienes trabajan siguiendo las órdenes de Dios.
Los ángeles pertenecen a un nivel de existencia más allá del mundo perceptible de los fenómenos, llamado ʻalam al-ghayb. Como criaturas de Dios que vivimos dentro del mundo físico de la realidad mundana, los humanos no podemos traspasar estos límites, ni podemos visualizar seres que existan fuera de él.
Los musulmanes creen en la existencia de los ángeles porque Dios habla de ellos en Sus revelaciones. Aunque los ángeles son generalmente seres invisibles, pueden mostrarse a la vista si es necesario en formas adecuadas para el mundo visible.
La palabra árabe para ángel es malak (el plural es mala’ikah), y el significado de la raíz de la palabra es “mensajero”. Los musulmanes creen que el ángel Gabriel o Yibril fue el mensajero a través del cual Dios reveló el Corán al Profeta Muhammad (la paz sea con él).
El Ángel Gabriel se presentó al Profeta en la forma de una persona que podía hablar, una apariencia que estaba en consonancia con su tarea. Fue el mismo ángel quien actuó como guía del Profeta en la Noche de la Ascensión o Al-Miray.
Aunque Dios haya enviado Su revelación a través del ángel Gabriel, es importante señalar que en el Islam los ángeles no se consideran intermediarios entre Dios y los humanos, como si los humanos no pudieran comunicarse con Dios excepto a través de ellos.
El Corán también dice que los ángeles juegan un papel crucial en procesos como la creación, la profecía, la vida espiritual, la muerte, la resurrección y el funcionamiento de los elementos naturales. Por ejemplo, hay un ángel que causa los truenos, y también él sirve a Dios y obedece su mandato. Otros están a cargo de los embriones en el útero o son responsables de proteger a los seres humanos.
El Corán habla de la responsabilidad del ángel de la muerte en este y otros versículo:
Di: El ángel de la muerte, que está encargado de vosotros, os tomará, luego volveréis a vuestro Señor.
Corán, 32:11
El Corán menciona a los ángeles en relación con el cielo y el infierno:
Los jardines de Adn en los que entrarán en compañía de aquellos de sus padres, esposas y descendencia que hayan obrado rectamente. Y los ángeles saldrán a ellos por cada puerta.
Corán, 13:23
También registran las acciones de los humanos mientras están en la tierra:
Cuando tenéis dos guardianes pendientes de vosotros, nobles escribas que saben lo que hacéis.
Corán, 82:10-12
Cada alma tiene un protector.
Corán, 86:4
Los ángeles también han sido mencionados en muchos hadices. Por ejemplo, se ha transmitido que el Profeta Muhammad (la paz sea con él) dijo que cuando la gente se reúne para recordar de Dios:
Los ángeles les rodean, la misericordia los cubre, la paz desciende sobre ellos, y Dios los recuerda entre los que están con Él.
At-Tirmidhi
Los ángeles se diferencian de los seres humanos en que no tienen voluntad propia. Fueron creados con el propósito específico de servir a Dios y cumplir sus mandamientos. Algunos están en un estado de constante adoración a Dios, postrándose ante Él y sin levantar la cabeza.
Este es un artículo del archivo de aboutislam.net, puedes leer la versión original en inglés aquí.
The post ¿Qué creen los musulmanes acerca de los ángeles? appeared first on About Islam.
Here are 3 blessed forms of remembering Allah during the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. These are important days and this is easy worship so get those rewards!
The post Preferable Ways of Dhikr appeared first on About Islam.
A friend will not literally share your struggles.
And a loved one can not physically take away your pain.
And a close one will not stay up on your behalf in prayer.
So look after yourself. Protect yourself. Nurture yourself and don’t give life’s events more than what they are really worth.
Know for certain that when you’re break, no one will heal you except you, and when you are defeated, no one will give you victory except your determination.
Your ability to stand up again and carry on is your responsibility.
Don’t look for yourself worth in the eyes of the people; look of your worth from within your conscience. If your conscience is that peace, then you will ascend high. And if you truly know yourself, then what is said about you won’t harm you.
Don’t carry the worries of this life because this is for Allah.
And don’t carry the worries of sustenance because it is from Allah.
And don’t carry the anxiety for the future because it is in the hands of Allah.
Carry one thing: How to please Allah. Because if you please Him, He pleases you, fulfills you and enriches you.
Don’t weep from a life that made your heart weep, just say “O Allah compensate me with good in this life and the hereafter”
Sadness departs with sajdah (prostration). Happiness comes with a sincere dua.
Allah does not forget the good you do nor does He forget the good you did to others and the pain you relieve them from, nor he would forget the eye which was about to cry but you made it laugh.
Live your life with this principal.
Be good even if you don’t receive good, not for others’ sake but because Allah loves those who do good.
The post How to Overcome Pain and Worry? appeared first on About Islam.
It may not look like it’s sitting in that cute bear bottle, but honey is a bacteria-killing powerhouse.
In Islam, chapter 16 of the Holy Qur’an is named “the Bees”. Some of the verses of this chapter say; {And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men’s) habitations; Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is a sign for those who give thought.} [Surat An-Nahl 16:68-69].
Bees and some related insects produce honey. They make it from the sugary secretions of plants called floral nectar, or other insects (aphid honeydew). This production process contains several steps; regurgitation, enzymatic activity, and water evaporation.
In fact, honey gets its sweetness from the monosaccharides fructose and glucose. It has about the same relative sweetness as granulated sugar. Moreover, it provides 64 calories in a serving of one tablespoon (15 ml) equivalent to 1272 kJ per 100 g.
This sweet food has attractive chemical properties for baking and a distinctive flavor when used as a sweetener. Most microorganisms don’t grow in honey, so sealed honey doesn’t spoil, even after thousands of years.
Check the video above to know more about the molecular secrets behind this marvelous capability which Allah have given to honey.
This article is from our archive, originally published on an earlier date, and highlighted now for its importance
The post Honey: Bacteria’s Worst Enemy appeared first on About Islam.
La felicidad y la miseria, la paz y la ansiedad vienen de adentro. Cómo ves tu vida es el resultado de tus pensamientos.
Tú eres el único que de a tu vida un color claro u oscuro, de la misma manera que un vaso toma el color del líquido que contiene:
Quien esté complacido (con el Decreto de Allah) ganará Su Beneplácito, y quien esté descontento (con el Decreto de Allah) incurrirá en Su Ira.
At-Thirmidhi
El Profeta Muhammad visitó a un beduino enfermo que sufría de fiebre y lo consoló diciendo:
No hay perjuicio, es una purificación por la Voluntad de Allah.
El beduino enfermo respondió: “Más bien, es una fiebre que arde en un anciano y que lo llevará a la tumba”.
El Profeta dijo:
Sí, así será.
Al-Bujari
Esto indica que el estado psicológico de una persona determina en gran medida el destino de sus acciones.
Los siguientes versículos del Corán demuestran cómo las actitudes positivas y negativas de las personas hacia el mismo tema afectan el resultado de tus pensamientos de forma significativa:
Y de entre los beduinos los hay que toman lo que dan como una imposición y os acechan en los reveses de fortuna. ¡Que se vuelva contra ellos la mala fortuna! Allah es Quien oye y Quien sabe. Y de entre los beduinos los hay que creen en Allah y en el Último Día y toman lo que dan como acercamiento a Allah y oraciones del Mensajero en su favor. ¿Acaso no es esto una aproximación para ellos? Allah les hará entrar en Su misericordia, verdaderamente Allah es Perdonador, Compasivo.
Corán, 9:98-99
Ambos grupos de personas pagan la cantidad requerida de caridad obligatoria (Zakat). La diferencia es que un grupo lo considera una multa onerosa y detestable, y desea el mal para quienes lo toman, mientras que el otro grupo se complace en pagarlo, buscando con él las súplicas del Mensajero.
Dentro de esta contexto se encuentran todos los asuntos de la vida. El valor de un trabajo, así como el de la persona que lo hace, está íntimamente relacionado con las ideas es su mente y los sentimientos es su corazón.
Dale Carnegie dijo: “Nuestros pensamientos nos hacen ser lo que somos. Nuestra actitud mental es el factor X que determina nuestro destino”.
Emerson dijo: “Un hombre es lo que se pasa todo el día pensando”.
¿Cómo podría ser otra cosa?
Tengo la convicción absoluta de que el mayor problema al que tú y yo tenemos que enfrentarnos, en realidad, casi el único problema al que tenemos que enfrentarnos, es elegir los pensamientos correctos. Si podemos hacer eso, estaremos en el buen camino para resolver todos nuestros problemas. El resultado de tus pensamientos se manifestará en tu vida.
El gran filósofo que gobernó el Imperio Romano, Marco Aurelio, lo resumió en nueve palabras, nueve palabras que pueden determinar tu destino: “Nuestra vida es lo que nuestros pensamientos hacen de ella”.
Por lo tanto sí, si tenemos pensamientos felices, seremos felices. Si tenemos pensamientos miserables, seremos miserables. Y si tenemos pensamientos de miedo, tendremos miedo. Si tenemos pensamientos enfermizos, probablemente estaremos enfermos. Si pensamos en el fracaso, ciertamente fracasaremos. Y si nos regocijamos en la autocompasión, todos querrán rehuirnos y evitarnos. “No eres”, dijo Norman Vincent Peale, “no eres lo que crees que eres; sino que eres los que piensas”. (Carnegie, Dale. Cómo dejar de preocuparse y empezar a vivir. Nueva York: Simon y Schuster, 1990)
Un estado psicológico positivo y bueno hace que lo poco sea mucho y que el individuo sea capaz de construir una nación.
El futuro del hombre depende de la calidad y el desempeño de su estado psicológico, a través del cual se configura el curso de su vida. Su alma es la única fuente de su comportamiento y actitud, que es moldeada por los pensamientos y sentimientos que la llenan.
A medida que nos alejamos de la superficie de la tierra, la forma y el tamaño de las cosas cambian y, con ello, nuestra visión de lo que hay debajo se amplía y nuestro horizonte se expande, aunque no hemos cambiado.
Lo mismo sucede cuanto más asciende el hombre a los niveles de perfección moral y desarrollo intelectual. Muchos de sus pensamientos y sensibilidades se refinan y mejoran, y sus juicios sobre las personas y las cosas se modifican.
Realmente somos capaces, si así lo deseamos, de convertirnos a nosotros mismos en buenos y maravillosos ejemplos. El resultado de tus pensamientos sobre cómo hacer esto podrá hacer que lo consigas.
La forma de conseguirlo es renovando nuestra perspectiva y sentimientos de la misma forma que se renueva una tierra después de abundantes lluvias y abonos. De la misma manera que una tierra árida se transforma en un campo verde, también podemos nosotros transformarnos en nuevas personas.
La reforma espiritual, por lo tanto, es el primer pilar necesario para que prevalezca la bondad en nuestra vida:
Cierto que Allah no cambia lo que una gente tiene hasta que ellos no han cambiado lo que hay en sí mismos.
Corán, 13:11
Dios establece una conexión muy estrecha entre la pureza del alma y la felicidad, con la promesa de derramar todas sus bendiciones sobre aquellos que creen en él, sobre los piadosos y los que hace buenas acciones:
Si las gentes de las ciudades hubieran creído y se hubieran guardado, les habríamos abierto las bendiciones del cielo y de la tierra.
Corán, 7:96
_________________
Este artículo es un extracto traducido del libro de Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghazali: “Renew Your Life”. Ha sido traducido y adaptado por Haya Muhammad Eid y editado por Emily Katharine Richardson. Traducido al español por About Islam. Puedes leer la versión original en inglés aquí.
The post Tu vida es el resultado de tus pensamientos appeared first on About Islam.
La lecture du Coran n’est pas la même chose que la lecture d’un autre livre. De nombreuses personnes le souhaitent, mais ne savent pas exactement comment améliorer leur relation avec le Coran.
En de nombreuses occasions, vous ouvrirez un livre dans le seul but d’absorber des informations, puis de le fermer définitivement. Avec le Coran, vous devez être en état de médiation afin de saisir correctement ses connaissances.
Imam Franck Amin Hensch, explique que si vous avez du mal à méditer sur les paroles de Dieu, vous pourriez avoir un cadenas sur votre cœur. Il partage ensuite quelques conseils que nous pouvons utiliser pour améliorer notre relation avec le Coran.
En effet, Nous avons rendu le Coran facile pour la méditation. Y a-t-il quelqu’un pour réfléchir?
Coran 54:17
Pendant le Ramadan, on nous demande de lire tout le Coran en un mois. Avec certains Juz plus longs que d’autres, vous devrez peut-être demander, quelles informations pouvez-vous conserver ? Comment l’appliquez-vous à votre vie ?
La meilleure façon dans notre vie de tous les jours, il sera plus logique de lire une seule sourate et de l’appliquer à notre quotidien. Appliquez les plus petites informations à notre vie, mémorisez-les, vivez les mots qu’elle partage avec nous.
Ce sera beaucoup plus significatif que de lire un plus gros morceau dans une période de temps plus rapide juste pour dire que vous avez lu votre Coran mais que vous ne comprenez rien.
L’idée de former un groupe pour se motiver peut sembler intimidante.
Quand nous nous réunissons et discutons ouvertement de notre religion et de ce que nous en comprenons, cela nous montre de nouvelles perspectives. Cela nous aide à comprendre nos propres pensées et nous aide à formuler des questions pour approfondir notre compréhension.
Récitez le Coran (dans votre maison) car les habitants des cieux les voient comme les gens de la terre voient les étoiles.
Silsilah ahadeeth as-saheehah
Rassemblez vos parents, amis, enfants et créez un espace où l’honnêteté et l’ouverture sont les bienvenues. Un endroit où aucune idée de la compréhension n’est embarrassante mais ce sont toutes des pensées qui nous rapprochent de la compréhension du Coran.
Qu’avez-vous compris ?
Comment vous sentiez-vous ?
Comment pouvez-vous appliquer cela à votre vie ?
Dieu veut que nous soyons une communauté sur notre chemin dans l’Islam. C’est pourquoi nous célébrons le Ramadan en tant que communauté lorsque cela est possible. C’est pourquoi il a créé la prière Jummah du Vendredi.
Ne soyez pas timide et ouvrez votre cœur, votre temps et votre maison pour créer un environnement pour mieux vous connecter au Coran et à Dieu.
The post Comment Developer Sa Relation Avec Le Coran appeared first on About Islam.
