What do you do when you miss Fajr prayers? Here are 3 things Saad Tasslem reminds us to do whenever we find ourselves in this situation. Very informative!
Read Also: Waking up for Fajr Prayer: Any Tips?
The post Things You Should Do If You Miss Fajr Prayer! appeared first on About Islam.
[And mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary – distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah ]. (Quran 3:45)
It’s a common misconception amongst many non-Muslims that Muslims do not believe in Jesus (peace be upon him).
Misinformation and assumptions are the fuel that feed into this myth. The reality is that Muslims do believe in Jesus and love him just as much as Christians do, probably more!
The primary difference is in the role of Jesus. Christians, depending upon who you ask, believe that he is either God incarnate or the son of God.
Muslims, however, reject the notion that God has a son or is part of a “trinity”. As Allah tells us in the Noble Quran:
And say, “Praise to Allah, who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] dominion and has no [need of a] protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with [great] glorification. (Quran 17:111)
According to Islam, Jesus was a Prophet of God. He was a man and a Messenger who came to deliver God’s message to mankind. As a young Christian girl growing up, I struggled with Jesus’ role in the faith of my parents. Ultimately, it was my quest to understand his role that led me to the religion of Islam.
I still remember sitting in the living room with my mother as a child and cleaning out some old photo albums. I opened one of them and an image of a very young man with long hair and blue eyes slid out. So, I wanted to know who he was and my mother said, ‘Oh that’s Jesus!”
Even as a young child, I questioned how such an image could exist if he lived hundreds of years ago. I could not understand how this “photo” could be real and I questioned my mother for more answers. She didn’t have them.
How could anyone remember what he looked like? I pondered. In the end, the only thing she could tell me was that Jesus was the son of God.
From that point on, the question of “Why does God need a son?” was firmly rooted in my mind. It stayed there for many years and gently nudged me, from time to time, that it was a question that needed answering. Yet, I couldn’t find anyone that could answer it.
As is quite common in many Christian homes, there is even confusion regarding Jesus’ role in the Christian faith! Some Christians believe that he is God’s son while others believe he is God.
In my family, they believed both which doubled the confusion for me. I could not understand who I was supposed to pray to? Was I supposed to pray to God or Jesus? I went with praying to Jesus.
I had seen my grandmother sit and pray with her hands clasped together and saying “In Jesus’s name. Amen” So I did the same.
However, my prayers were very troubled. I was struck by the randomness of the prayer. There was no structure or schedule. You could simply clasp your hands and pray whenever you felt the need or never pray at all. For whatever reason, this distressed me.
Whenever I prayed, I would ask Jesus to fulfill my needs and wants. Then, at the end, I would say to God that “I love you too.” Clearly, I was confused and that confusion grew as I did.
It wasn’t until I entered college that I finally had the opportunity to explore and find out who Jesus was. I visited many churches, from the Catholic to Presbyterian, and everything in between.
Nevertheless, no matter how many churches I visited or sermons I listened to, I could not find Jesus. It took many months for me to finally realize that I should be searching for God instead.
I stopped praying to Jesus and instead decided to pray to God alone without partner or intercessor. I had no idea that this was the basis of Islam! It would take many years of self-discovery, introspection and questioning before I finally opened an English translation of the Noble Quran back in 1996 as a 22-year-old Christian woman.
After only reading a few pages, the tears flowed effortlessly from my eyes. I read and read, absorbing every word over the next several months.
When I arrived at chapter Maryam, named after Mary the mother of Jesus, I finally understood what Jesus’ role was as a Prophet of God and learned the truth about his miraculous birth, his life and prophethood. I knew that Islam was the religion for me and I declared my faith in Allah Almighty along with all of His Books and Prophets.
And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], ‘Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah… (Quran 3:49)
In just this one verse alone, I learned more about Jesus (peace be upon him) than I had during an entire lifetime as a Christian.
The Noble Quran dispelled the myths I had heard growing up and clarified Jesus’ role perfectly. It also shed light on the “cruci-fiction” as well as the knowledge that Jesus will one day return to this world to live out the rest of his life before the Day of Judgment begins.
I love Jesus, as all Muslims do, and share the stories of his life and his blessed mother Mary with my children. He was a man, not the son of God or God, who delivered the message of Allah to his people. It is not fitting to worship Jesus or ascribe him as a partner to the One and Only Allah. It is our Lord, Cherisher and Sustainer Allah Almighty who is worthy of all worship not any part of His creation.
(From Discovering Islam’s archive)
The post Muslims Love Jesus Too! That’s What Made Me Love Islam appeared first on About Islam.
Sheikh Omar Suleiman reminds us of a beautiful Dua which Allah (SWT) will never reject whenever we call on Him. He also cites a hadith of the Prophet (SAW) about the importance and effectiveness of that Dua. Very enlightening!
Read Also: 5 Tips to Take Your Dua to the Next Level
The post Allah Will Never Reject This Dua appeared first on About Islam.
“I mean, I know he’s the final messenger and all, but why do I HAVE TO love him? To be honest, forcing me to love Prophet Muhammad just because I’m Muslim makes the whole belief system a bit sketchy!”
I’ll never forget this day. It was Ramadan and my teen client had prepared a whole debate, to which her final verdict was: “I love Allah but I don’t like His Prophet very much.”
What !?!?
I swear I felt the ground shake under my feet. You see, I come from a generation born and raised loving the Prophet from the heart with no questions asked.
I didn’t think it was debatable until that mini earthquake drove me to see how so much has changed.
And from a neutral, objective perspective, my client had a point (don’t mind me clenching my jaws when I say that).
In fact, if you think about it, I was the rigid one with all the bias.
“Have you ever loved someone you’ve never met?” I must have asked this question a hundred times, and the answer is usually the name of some celebrity.
And even though many of my teen clients gush over famous people, I look at their pictures and feel nothing.
I witness the obsession; how their admirers copy their fashion styles, scream and faint at their concerts, and know even the minutest details about their lives.
I watch fans turn to wannabe certified lawyers to defend a celebrity’s controversial opinion or action.
Some fanatics consider it downright blasphemous if you don’t agree that so and so is the “Queen” of this genre or the “Best”at whatever. Why? They’re just normal people.
I wouldn’t dare make a comparison between Muslims’ love for their Messenger and celebrity worship.
I’m just trying to see if there’s a pattern in these human behaviors.
Because if you think about it, whomever you admire, whether a celebrity or a public figure, ends up influencing your thoughts, habits, goals, and even your dreams.
Even if it is someone you’ve never met, they are very much a cherished part of your life and it doesn’t really matter if others don’t get why. Your ‘idols’ are important to you.
The truth is, deep down, we all need someone to look up to.
There’s an existing necessity in society for role models; people we can relate to and be inspired by.
We fall in love with influencers who’ve done something remarkable with their talents and used their powers for good.
Having a role model fills a psychological need – it restores our faith in humanity. It gives us a sense of identity and direction and fills up a very real emotional void.
The more you can relate to this ‘star’, the more you’re filled with hope that maybe you too can overcome your struggles and make your dreams come true.
Through idolizing, we get to live out a sort of true love the way it’s meant to be: deep, pure, and unconditional.
None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children, and all mankind.” -Prophet Muhammad (Al-Bukhari)
Our Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was taught by Allah himself, so suffice to say he completely understood how the human mindset operates.
But why would he possibly command us to love him when true love can only be felt, never imposed?
Because it’s true, we might come across famous people whom everyone thinks are successful, talented, kind, generous, honest, and ready to stand up for what they believe in, yet we’ll look at their pictures and feel – nothing!
Unless you find them relatable, you’ll never really make a connection or love them for who they are.
So the question is, how did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) expect you to love him more than anyone else when he has been gone for over a thousand years? How can you relate to someone you know very little about?
The answer is quite simple: you can’t!
El conocimiento de que nada en absoluto en este universo puede escapar del alcance de Dios -la creencia en el decreto- derrama paz y tranquilidad en el corazón del creyente.
No importa cuán problemáticas sean las circunstancias o cuán oscura sea la situación, siempre suceden bajo la Voluntad de Dios:
Allah es Invencible en Su mandato, sin embargo la mayoría de los hombres no lo saben.
Corán 12:21
Ésta es la confianza que un musulmán deposita en su Señor después de haber cumplido con lo que él tenía que hacer.
El musulmán pone su confianza en Dios y se siente tranquilo con lo que le depara el futuro después de completar el trabajo, la planificación y las precauciones necesarias que Dios le ha confiado.
No tiene sentido sentir estrés y ansiedad por circunstancias de la vida que están más allá de nuestra capacidad. Quizás uno se arrepienta de las omisiones y se culpa a sí mismo por la negligencia, pero los giros del destino en los que uno no tiene nada que ver no dejan lugar al arrepentimiento o la culpa y, en consecuencia, no hay estrés ni duda.
Con esta confianza y creencia en el decreto, uno se enfrenta a la vida con certeza y coraje. Sin ella, las almas están vacías de Dios y los eventos se ven como olas que van y vienen, en las que algunos se ahogan y otros sobreviven. Viven controlados por los caprichos de su corazón y plagados de imprevistos y dudas.
La creencia en el decreto, la predestinación, imbuye al alma de audacia para afrontar los desafíos de hoy y de mañana y da a los sucesos que fluyen en la vida una nueva identidad que se aborda con satisfacción en lugar de ansiedad. Tal creencia nos hace enfrentar, mientras sonreímos, la pérdida del alma y las pertenencias, que es el significado de las palabras de Dios:
Di: No nos ocurre sino lo que Allah ha escrito para nosotros. Él es Quien vela por nosotros y en Allah se confían los creyentes. Di: ¿Qué esperáis que nos pase, si sólo nos puede ocurrir uno de los dos bienes? (martirio o victoria)?
Corán, 9:51-2
Sea cual sea, todos los resultados son buenos para los creyentes; ya sea ganando la batalla o muriendo en el intento, que es incluso superior, ya que les otorga la recompensa segura y eterna de Dios.
Para las personas sin religión, ya salgan victoriosas o derrotadas, es seguro que el castigo los alcanzará tarde o temprano:
(…) Mientras que nosotros, en lo que se refiere a vosotros, esperamos que Allah os aflija con un castigo directo Suyo o por medio de nuestras manos? Así pues, esperad que nosotros también esperamos.
Corán, 9:52
La separación de Dios, a través de la desconfianza en Él y en su bondad, vuelve pesimista a la persona. Las almas no encontrarán descanso hasta que estén tenga una creencia firme y pura en Dios, sumisión a Él, contentamiento con lo que Él ha ordenado y aceptación de lo peor que podría suceder como Su Decreto del cual no hay escapatoria, según las instrucciones del Profeta :
Ningún esclavo de Allah creerá verdaderamente hasta que crea en el Decreto, lo bueno y lo malo de él; y hasta que se dé cuenta de que lo que le ha sucedido no lo podía escapar y lo que le ha fallado no le podía suceder.
At-Tirmidhi
Tener esta creencia en el decreto libera a uno del estrés y el dolor, y nos hace libres de pesadas cargas y ansiedades. Por esto, el Profeta dijo:
De la felicidad del hijo de Adán es su aceptación de lo que Allah ha decretado para él, y de la miseria del hijo de Adán es su rechazo de lo que Allah ha decretado para él.
At-Tirmidhi
Sin embargo, debe enfatizarse que la aceptación y la sumisión al decreto comienza cuando las circunstancias están más allá de la voluntad ordinaria de control y fuera del dominio de la libre elección. No podemos escondernos detrás del destino como excusa cuando uno puede o no hacer algo.
Al observar los giros del destino, que están más allá de nuestro libre albedrío, y al discernir la obra de Dios en los resultados, ya sean dulces o amargos, nuestras emociones se regulan y se evita que se vuelvan intensas o exageradas.
Esta moderación es característica de personas sabias y experimentadas, que están templadas en su alegría y tristeza, y en sus reacciones generales, encontrando lo agradable o desagradable con sentimientos tranquilos. Esta es la esencia de las palabras de Dios:
No hay nada que ocurra en la tierra o en vosotros mismos, sin que esté en un libro antes de que lo hayamos causado. Eso es fácil para Allah. Para que no os desesperéis por lo que perdáis ni os alegréis, arrogantes, por lo que os da. Allah no ama al que se vanagloria o es jactancioso.
Corán, 57:22-3
El objetivo no es prevenir las sensaciones naturales de dolor o placer; si no la restricción de la indulgencia abrumadora, ya sea un gozo excesivo cuyo éxtasis puede distraer de lo que es correcto o un dolor excesivo cuya agonía puede aplastar la voluntad.
Dale Carnegie dice en Cómo dejar de preocuparse y empezar a vivir:
“Nadie que vive tiene suficiente emoción y vigor para luchar contra lo inevitable y, al mismo tiempo, lo suficiente para crear una nueva vida. Escoge una o la otra. Puedes doblarte con las inevitables tormentas de la vida, o puedes resistirlas y romperte”.
Discernir con claridad la obra de Dios en todos los sucesos, como fruto de la creencia en el decreto, evita que las emociones fluctúen en niveles altos y bajos y las vuelve moderadas, controladas e indulgentes frente a las aflicciones.
La analogía de un creyente es la de una tierna planta fresca; de cualquier dirección que venga el viento, se dobla. Pero cuando el viento amaina, vuelve a enderezarse; así es el creyente cuando está afligido por calamidades, mientras que el impío es como un pino que se mantiene rígido y recto, hasta que Allah lo rompe cuando Él quiere.
Al-Bujari
Este es un artículo del archivo de aboutislam.net, puedes leer la versión original en inglés aquí.
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In this video, Mufti Menk draws our attention to some bad habits which we overlook. He advises us to be strong and get rid of those bad habits.
Read Also: Cutting Bad Habits To Become A Better Young Muslim
The post Getting Rid of Bad Habits appeared first on About Islam.
Through his character, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) inspired people to change their lives. Through his message, the Prophet (peace be upon him) empowered his followers to find purpose in their lives, and through his leadership, became motivated to work as a team to serve humankind.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) transformed his environment within 23-years, and his followers changed the world less than 50-years after his departure in 632 CE.
What was so unique in Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) character, message, and leadership?
Why did people respond to his message and continue to do so today?
Monotheism was not a new idea. Leadership was never absent in any community, and the philosophers and sages were always present to guide humans.
Yet the Prophet (peace be upon him) did what others could not in recorded human history of nearly 7,000 years.
A man who stood alone on a mountaintop, inviting a handful of people to realize the purpose of life, through consistency in their words and actions, initiated a shift in human thinking and actions.
Humans are far from perfect, and nations are still at odds with each other. Ending injustice is a distant dream, and equality is still an illusion. But freedom, justice, equality, and human rights are the goals that most nations hold as sacred.
Behind this monumental reconstruct, we see Prophet Muhammad, the apostle of God (peace be upon him) – as viewed by Muslims – who forbade his followers to preserve his facial features in any shape or form except in the description of his character.
The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) character had one predominant feature, a quest for the dignity of every human being and living creature.
Dignity encompassed everything the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood and lived for throughout his lifetime. He understood that the purpose of divine creation was to empower every human to live a dignified life, regardless of birth status.
His concern was to liberate humans from the shackles of slavery and injustice, the chains of superstition, of human domination over the other based on class, creed, wealth, status, or even righteousness.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) knew that once human beings achieved dignity, they could conquer any obstacle, and he offered his life as an example of all that he preached.
His concept of dignity included his enemies, even those who planned to kill him.
In Mecca, between 620 CE and the summer of 622 CE, the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) followers included Khadija, Ali (who became the husband of Fatima), and Abu Bakr; the remainder of the city’s inhabitants were bitter enemies seeking to kill him – this is when he fled to Madinah.
Yet, throughout that time and the period that followed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) strove to bring out the best in the behavior of his enemies, imploring them to show dignity to all humans and the physical universe.
By dignity, he meant that all humans have their origin in God and deserve an autonomous existence without being dependent on others for their lives.
It meant they have the right to acquire knowledge and choose a path based on their understanding. It meant freedom of expression. And it meant having the courage to speak the truth fearlessly. It meant having the courage to speak the truth fearlessly.
Above all, dignity meant to empathize with all fellow human beings.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
Make things easy for the people, and do not make it difficult for them, and make them calm (with glad tidings) and do not repulse (them). (Al-Bukhari)
The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) quest to deliver the message of dignity led women to find equality, slaves to find freedom, people to have a place in the echelons of power, and the poor and needy to work harder for their higher mobility.
It also led people to demonstrate discipline and organization in their work.
Dignity is divine because only a higher authority can think for all without any biases. Elegance is the essence of human existence. Only people free from shackles can achieve their best, and self-respect is the motivational force that brings about change in human society.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) restored confidence to those around him in their ability and right to live a dignified life. In this context, Muslims understand the divine words preserved in the Quran:
And [thus, O Prophet,] We have sent thee as [an evidence of Our] grace towards all the worlds (21:107).
And as a guide towards the truth have We bestowed this [revelation] from on high; with this [very] truth has it come down [unto thee, O Prophet]: for We have sent thee but as a herald of glad tidings and a warner. (17:105)
Verily, in the Apostle of God you have a good example for everyone who looks forward [with hope and awe] to God and the Last Day, and remembers God unceasingly (33:21).
(From Discovering Islam archive)
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Often when we are facing tough times, we focus on the time of ease that comes after: a good grade after studying, good health after exercise, a paycheck after work, comfort after a trial.
This is the pattern of life. We work hard: then we rest. We suffer: then we experience relief. Without the thought of rest and relief, many of us would find the tests and vicissitudes of life very difficult indeed.
Allah Almighty tells us that this is how life works:
{Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.} (Quran 65:7)
But ease does not only come after hardship. This is something we often forget. Ease and indeed happiness also comes with, during, in the midst of hardship. So, it’s not that we have to endure and wait until the (often) unspecified time hardship ends to enjoy ease. The Most Merciful allows us to enjoy ease, to be happy in the midst of the struggle.
Allah says:
{For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.} (Quran 94:5-6)
Allah Almighty, The Most Perfect, The Creator of language, the human tongue, and intellect–does not stutter. He does not say something twice without a purpose. Allah’s promise of ease is repeated for emphasis because it is emphatically true.
Even when we are studying hard, we can be happy knowing that we will have breaks to enjoy. Even when we are exercising, we feel a release of endorphins, making us happy during the workout. And even when we are going through trials, we certainly have bright spots of joy.
When I look back on my life, I can see how utterly true this is. Whether it was the time when being able to wear clean clothes felt like an extreme luxury amid poverty I was experiencing. Or the cooling touch that made a mountain of difference when I had a high fever. Or the times after my parents passed away that my siblings and I found comfort in each other amid the pain of loss. I have known happiness in the middle of hardship.
We all have these stories. If we look back at our lives and think of the moments of pure joy, they often lay in a field of suffering– laughter amid tears even before the healing begins; a cooling rain shower in the long, hot summer even before autumn arrives; a good meal and company at the masjid iftar even before Eid al-Fitr comes.
The sweetness of these small spots of joy during hardship come, perhaps, because Allah is showing us how amazing the things we take for granted at times of ease really are.
We never appreciate the ease of access to food until we fast or are deprived by need. We don’t consider how, if we live in a rainy climate, the rain is a blessing. We don’t realize how good it feels to laugh when we see nothing wrong in our lives.
We are made to appreciate the seemingly smallest of things with an elevated sense of gratitude and understanding during hardships, where as any other time the blessings of life are often taken for granted or overlooked.
But in that contrast of bitter hardship and sweet happiness is so much beauty. Perhaps our hardships come just so that we can see the blessings for what they truly are. Perhaps we are guided toward gratitude through suffering because Allah wants to give us the reward for being grateful and increase us in His favor.
Allah says:
{If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]} (Quran 14:7)
I was reminded of all of this in a small way very recently. I boarded a flight that was to last more than half a day. I counted on the fact that I would sleep for a good portion of that time. But as I sat in my tiny economy seat, crammed between two large people, sleep would not come.
I began to watch a show on the in-flight “entertainment” and noticed how many scenes they had where people had pillows and blankets or were sleeping in their comfortable beds. I became more acutely aware of how much I wanted to sleep, how little I thought of this joy before, how much comfort even being able to lie down brings.
I was exhausted, but could not get comfortable enough to sleep. The passengers around me fell asleep. But I was stuck watching a show with tons of pillows and sleeping.
I was miserable. This is perhaps something most people have been through. And it’s not that big of deal, but it taught me something about happiness happening even in amidst hardship.
Finally, I slept, lightly and intermittently. There was ease with the hardship. And I was so thankful for it. Then once we landed (and took another flight and landed again), I could have a pillow, lie down, and rest even more. There was ease after the hardship. And I was so happy to have it.
But during my small struggle to get comfortable and get some rest, I realized how amazing a blessing sleep is. Something I take for granted daily. Allah Almighty reminded me of how great a blessing it is to have a comfortable place to lie down. Something I previously considered to be my right.
Allah does everything for a reason. Even the smallest of hard times can be a lesson, a great source of blessings, and even—as paradoxically as it may seem—happiness. So, we can relax knowing that we don’t need to just grit our teeth and try to pull through hard times because there is always ease.
(From Discovering Islam archive)
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Generally, patience is one of the most beautiful virtues of life. In Islam, patience is one of the great attributes a believer must possess.
This is important because, not only does patience as an attribute keep us on an easy page with other creatures, but it also endears us to Allah, our Creator who is As-Sabūr (The Absolutely Patient).
And Allah loves those who are patient.” (Sūratu Aal- I’mraan :147)
Patience in a simple sense implies the ability to remain reasonably calm, and or persistent during periods of trials or challenges.
It is depicted in our reactions to our environments and life when we are faced with hardships or unpleasant experiences.
In Islamic scholarship, three broad categories of patience have been identified. These are 1) Patience in the worship of Allah, 2)) Patience through abstinence from haram, and 3) Patience on calamities (and when they first occur).
Patience in our ‘ibadah (worship) as an Islamic virtue is situated in our persistence in the worship of Allah (SWT).
Do we continue in our devotion to Allah (SWT) even when we are saddled with a series of difficulties or tests?.
Or how steadfast are we in observing our salat especially during the early hours of Fajr when we battle to fight off sleep?.
Or during the ‘Asr Prayer when we are mostly getting off work with fatigue? Do we continue to fast during Ramadan because we have been instructed to do so by Allah?
Patience through abstinence from haram; staying away from haram despite all the temptations that usually deceitfully embellish them is another type of sabr because the trappings of haram are many in our worldly affairs.
While most Muslim men and women may be safe from conspicuous haram deeds like eating porks especially in Muslim countries, there are common challenges for Muslim youths when it comes to lowering our gazes, gossiping and other common weaknesses.
Dealing with the opposite sex in a proper, non-lustful way and seeking our financial needs in this world through absolute halal means are part of the lifetime challenges that require persistent sabr for Muslims.
Patience on calamities (and when they happen first) as the third type of sabr here is one of the most discussed.
The reality of life for us as Muslims is to expect that Allah will test us. As made explicit in the Qu’ran:
Do men expect that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction? Lo! We tested those who were before you. Thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign.” (Al-`Ankabut :2-3).
In another ayah, it is stated that “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.” (Al-Baqarah 2:155)
According Junaid al-baghdādī as quoted by Imam Ahmad al-Ghazaali in his book, Mukaashifatul-qulub, ”Calamities serve various purposes which have to do with the level and depth of the recipient’s Iman or the absence of it; calamity serves as a torch or guide to those who are very close to Allah because it brings them closer to Him.
It wakes them up from their spiritual slumber and strengthens their faith, while on the other hand, people who lack faith or who do not believe in Allah may go down or perish when calamities befall them.
Allah sees our minds and knows us deeper than we know ourselves, but the series of tests from Allah serves as a reality check for us to see where we stand when life becomes difficult.
When calamities befall Muslims they see it as a test from Allah.”
Who, when disaster strikes them, say, Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy.” (Al-Baqarah, 156)
In another hadith, our beloved is reported to have said “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer.
If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.” (Muslim)
Never mistake patience for weakness, it is a highly honorable attribute that is only honoured through practice and with great strength.
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“The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was more than just a great historical person. He was a father and friend, a husband, a companion, and above all he was a human being.
“The Prophet’s unique physical appearance, his high character, and willingness to sacrifice for others, are often at the essence of any description of him.” – Hamza Yusuf
The beautiful thing is that we can follow the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH), and through this description, we can try to emulate the way He (PBUH) looked.
Hamza Yusuf is an Islamic scholar, teacher, and co-founder of Zaytuna College in Berkley, California, the United States.
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L’air s’abat sur ma tête. Je sens le mouvement des hélices de mon vieux ventilateur berçant mon Khimâr (voile). Mes yeux fixent le tapis rugueux couleur d’avoine et je ressens comme un massage sous mes pieds.
Je me lève, m’incline, me prosterne. Et je recommence.
«Que vais-je préparer pour le dîner? Est-ce que ça sera bon?»
Pourtant, je dois me concentrer. Je m’incline.
«Est-ce une tâche ou une punaise sur le tapis?! J’ai beau nettoyer, je n’y arrive jamais?»
Concentration.
«Si je dois me lever tôt jeudi, à quelle heure dois-je me coucher. Dois-je simplement boire plus de café? Dans tous les cas, mon esprit sera brumeux donc qu’importe!»
Concentration!
Je me prosterne. Mon téléphone vibre dans l’autre pièce. Qui est-ce?
Concentration!!
C’est difficile de se concentrer pendant la prière avec des enfants qui courent autour de vous.
CONCENTRATION.
Je me lève, je récite et je recommence.
Après 17 ans de pratique, je me bats encore avec mon esprit car mon Khouchou` (humilité) pendant la prière est très fluctuant.
Parfois, j’ai l’impression que tout le monde y arrive sauf moi. Je suis comme une enfant pendant la prière alors que tous les autres sont devenus matures dans leur pratique. Hélas, je suis dans une mer pleine d’experts en espérant y arriver.
Je rumine ces pensées en dehors de la Salât:
«Tout le monde est meilleur que toi. Tu es pathétique et tu échoues même pour la pratique la plus basique et la plus fondamentale de ta foi. Pourquoi essaies-tu déjà? Tu as échoué. Pourquoi recommencer pour échouer à nouveau?»
Ces pensées sont évidemment absurdes. La plupart des gens ont du mal avec le Khouchou` pendant la prière et le vrai échec, c’est d’abandonner. Lutter ou faire de son mieux est une réussite. Mais si je les laisse, ces ruminations pitoyables prendront le dessus. Elles sont comme une mauvaise herbe qui étrangle tout sur son passage.
Pour moi et pour beaucoup de personnes comme moi, ce n’est ni la connexion avec Allah (Gloire à Lui) ni la prière qui posent problème. C’est ce sombre dialogue interne. Pour ceux qui doivent installer la prière dans leurs vies, c’est souvent ce même problème. Des idées décourageantes, comme:
«Pourquoi commencer maintenant? Sera-t-on cohérent? Sûrement pas, alors pourquoi essayer?…»
Bizarrement, la plupart d’entre nous laissent cette mauvaise voix intérieure mal nous parler alors que dans la vraie vie, on ne laisserait jamais d’autres personnes nous parler de la sorte.
Qui écouterait quelqu’un lui dire des choses horribles comme:
«Tu es vraiment débile! Tu es gros! Personne ne t’aimera. Je ne sais pas comment tu as fait pour avoir ce que tu as. C’était sûrement un coup de chance.»
Pourtant, beaucoup laissent ces idées prendre le dessus et leur contrôler l’esprit. Mais en fait, on a plus de contrôle sur ce dialogue qu’on ne le pense.
Que ce soit en prière, ou en prière régulière, ou même vis-à-vis de notre image de soi, nous laissons cette voix – qu’elle vienne de Satan ou de notre dialogue interne – nous contrôler.
Mais pourquoi? Et comment arrêter ce schéma mental de nous rabaisser par des idées destructrices dans la vie et dans la religion?
La réponse est plus simple qu’on ne le croirait.
C’est comme se débarrasser d’une mauvaise herbe; ce dialogue négatif peut être repoussé. A chaque fois qu’une pensée négative apparaîtra dans votre esprit, le fait de penser activement à quelque chose d’affirmant, de positif ou de constructif annulera la pensée négative.
Réécrivez le dialogue!
Cela paraît comme une solution trop simple et insensée. Devinez quoi? C’est le sombre dialogue qui vous dit d’abandonner avant de réussir. C’est la petite voix qui nous dit que cela ne vaut pas la peine car nous ne sommes pas assez forts pour changer.
Rediriger les pensées négatives et autodestructrices nécessite du temps et de la pratique. Mais à chaque fois que vous penserez que vous en êtes incapable, demandez à cette pensée de se taire, car Allah (Gloire à Lui) vous en a donné la capacité.
A chaque fois que cette petite voix dans votre tête vous dira que vous ne serez jamais cohérent durant la prière et de ne pas essayer, chassez-la, car si Allah (Gloire à Lui) a imposé la prière, c’est que vous en êtes capable.
Lorsque vous êtes debout pour la prière et que les pensées de la journée s’infiltrent dans votre tête, même si elles ne sont pas négatives, c’est la même voix qui essaie de vous distraire de cette grande action. Ecartez-les et réfléchissez à ce que vous êtes en train de dire. Pensez à votre rencontre avec Allah. Pensez aussi à votre connexion avec Lui.
Je me bats encore avec cette distraction intérieure pendant la prière et dans les autres moments. Mais avec la pratique, c’est devenu plus facile. J’ai pu progresser dans ma confiance et dans mon Khouchou`. Mais je sais aussi que c’est un combat à long terme.
C’est une forme de Jihad d’affirmer, qu’en tant que créature d’Allah (Gloire à Lui), nous avons tous été parfaitement créés avec le succès inscrit dans notre ADN. Nous devons juste Hayya `alâ al-falâh (accourir vers la félicité).
Vous pouvez lire la version anglaise originale de cet article ici.
The post Développer Le Khouchou` Pendant La Prière – Apprendre Un Savoir-Faire De La Vie appeared first on About Islam.
As the city of Leicester came under rounds of violence between Hindu and Muslim communities, with online misinformation fueling the tension between both sides, a Muslim activist stepped in to save the life of a Hindu man who was attacked in the clashes.
“He saved my life,” Ram Keshwala, 32, told Sky News. “Because of that, I’m still here.”
Keshwala was in his car in Leicester when he was attacked amid accusations he tried to run over a Muslim crowd.
Read Also: Young Muslim Named Hero for Losing Life While Defending Elderly Woman
As men tried to get Keshwala out of the vehicle, Muslim community activist Majid Freeman stepped in to say “leave him”, closing the car door to stop the attack.
Freeman recalls: “It was just mayhem. Everything was happening so fast.
“Other people were trying to come, and I was just shouting ‘stop, it’s done now’.
“But I don’t think there was anyone who was physically stopping it because the situation was so hostile… anyone could get hurt.”
Bilal Mangera, 33, a Muslim man, was also injured during clashes and ended up in hospital at the same time as Keshwala.
Meeting Keshwala for the first time, they both agree they want to see peace restored in their city.
“We need to find the root cause, that’s the first thing we need to find out,” Mangera says.
“Who are these youngsters who are coming, masked up, and instigating things? How do we control the youth that want to take revenge?”
Being falsely accused of supporting the RSS, Keshwala feels scared when he goes out. Freeman agreed there were fears on both sides.
“The moment everyone’s looking over their shoulders. Everyone’s losing, there are no winners,” he said.
Allah tells us that “If anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole humanity.” Quran 5:32
What Freeman did falls in line with similar heroic acts done by some other Muslims.
In September 2021, a Muslim man in Oxfordshire was praised for saving his neighbors when fire started in their house.
Azz Mahmoud, a Muslim youth worker in Oldham, performed CPR for the first time ever to save a man’s life.
The post Hindu Man Thanks Muslim Activist for Saving His Life appeared first on About Islam.
Muslim pupils from across Burnley mosques, Lancashire, came together to play football and compete for the Inter Madrasah Football tournament.
The Stoneyholme Community Project hosted their first Inter Madrasah Football Tournament at Crow Wood Soccer.
“It was incredible to see all the Mosques coming together for the betterment of the community,” organizer Noor Miah said, Asian Image reported.
“You could see the smiles on the children who have been talking about the tournament for weeks.
Read Also: Stoke Mosque Hosts Free Islamic Archery Sessions
“It was nice to witness some excellent talent and sporting rivalry between teams.”
Queensgate Islamic Centre came out winner after beating Jamia Masjid Ghausia Burnley in the final.
Read Also: West Ham, MCB Unite to Engage Muslim Youth Through Football
“A special thanks to all the volunteers who gave their valuable time. Without their support and dedicated we would not have been able to host such a successful event,” Noor Miah added.
Muslims’ approach to sport is often determined by religious, cultural, and ethnic factors.
In general, Islam promotes good health and fitness and encourages both men and women to engage in physical activity to maintain healthy lifestyles.
The post Mosque Pupils Compete in Burnley Football Tournament appeared first on About Islam.
The biggest lesson I learned from my mother is that kindness can be taught.
As parents, we strive to teach our offspring about life, about ourselves and about others.
We teach them how to read, write, cook, and clean, hoping that they will be able to become independent.
Teaching them about God and His attributes, teaching them how to read the Qur’an, and telling them about the Hadiths of the Prophet (SAW).
We hope they see us practicing what we preach and what we teach them about the Sunnah and Islamic principles.
As much theory is taught in madrassahs and homes, the best way is to see in practice the kindness of Islam.
I personally have very fond memories of the madrassah.
It was a place I went to and enjoyed hanging out with my friends and learning.
I learned more from one particular teacher than I learned from the others.
This particular teacher [May Allah shower him with His rahma] was very kind; he was very gentle in speech and mannerism. It didn’t matter how many times one made mistakes in their tajweed, he would patiently correct you.
He was different to the others who would lash you with whips if you were not reciting.
They made learning very stressful. They didn’t practice patience or humility as they taught us the words of God.
But Maalim Yusuf was different and I believe I learned more from him than anyone else. His gentle ways led to me loving the stories of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
His gentleness brought out his love for Islam, and it was infectious; we received it with love too.
His kindness to us was his tool to open our little hearts to love Allah, His Messengers, and His books.
My mother’s love for us was apparent in her desire to teach us.
She was my first teacher before I went to school or madrasah.
She taught me how to read and write both in Kiswahili and Arabic by the time I went to school and the madrasa.
But there were lessons she taught us without being very obvious about the depth of the teaching we were receiving.
These lessons transcended the books we wrote on, or the pens we held, or the memorizing we did.
These lessons shaped us and have become the maps of our lives.
My Mother’s Home
Before I go into the kinds of lessons my mother taught us, even though at the time I wasn’t appreciative of them, I must tell you about the home she raised us in.
My parents, both in their own right, had a way of being the center of the community they lived in.
I don’t remember any given time when our home was only occupied by the immediate family.
There was always extended family living with us, in addition to random strangers who had turned up the night before or a month before.
We grew up in a real communal home, surrounded by aunties, uncles, and cousins, including those distant, and non-distant strangers who became family.
Does Allah ban intellectualism, the concept of gaining knowledge? Dr. Shabir Ally answers this question, explaining the importance of understanding the context of the verses of the Qur’an, as being revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He says that the Qur’an encourages the use of intellect and in fact connects the use of the mind with being able to discern the truth and accept God’s message
Read Also: Who Are The Ulul Albab? The People Of Intellect In The Quran
The post Is the Qur’an Against Use of Intellect? appeared first on About Islam.
What is Sunnah? When we speak about the Sunnah, what does it it mean? In this video, the scholar tries to explain that, dissecting the concept of Sunnah and how it relates to Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
The post What Is Sunnah? appeared first on About Islam.
It’s amazing to reflect upon that moment when the revelation came to the Prophet (peace be upon him). And to reflect on how people begin to embrace Islam and begin to follow the Prophet (peace be upon him).
In a very real way, Islam comes as a human but also as a disruptive force to the Arabian Peninsula.
The nature of true religion is that it agitates a society. It highlights the negative things in that society that need to be remedied. And it acts as a refuge for people in that society that maybe suffering from the ills that are prevalent in it.
This was very much the case when Allah brought the final revelation to our beloved Prophet Muhammad.
So people begin to embrace Islam, at first in smaller numbers. And they’re congregating in Dar Al-Arqam, in Makkah.
As time passes, more and more people embrace Islam.
Reflect for a moment upon the idea that the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his closest companions were there for people as they embrace Islam. There was a very well opportunity for human transmission to take place, in addition to people processing and digesting the revelation, as it came to the Prophet (peace be upon him).
And with that came the idea of there being a refuge or a safe space for people as they embraced Islam.
If you fast-forward to our day in time, and think for a moment about the parallel between Dar Al-Arqam, this refuge for converts and safe space for the people, and what people find in our communities.
I think, if we’re being honest with ourselves, we can admit that we have a lot of room for improvement to get back to that idea of Dar Al-Arqam, the safe refuge for people as they embraced Islam.
Because just like people were fleeing from the negative norms in Arabian Peninsula in the sixth century to Islam, there are converts to Islam today, not only seeking other worldly redemption, and not only seeking theological truth, but also seeking social redemption and social safety.
So, as they come into the Muslim community, they’re going to be looking for a safe space.
Reflect for a moment on the idea that the companions could talk to the Prophet about whatever was going on in their life, for better or for worse, and they were met with that beautiful open prophetic heart.
And reflect for a moment upon the priority that the Prophet put on new Muslims and the sensitivities that they brought with them. When he tells our mother, Aisha, in a rigorously authenticated narration, and there is variants of it:
O Aisha, were it not that your people were new to Islam, I would have rebuilt the Kabah on the foundation of Abraham.
In other words, the Prophet knew that the Ka’bah was built on other than the exact foundation that Abraham had built it. And that if it wasn’t going to affect the sensibilities of the people in Makkah that were new to Islam, he would have put it back on its original foundation.
So think about it, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) the sensibilities of people that are new to Islam, our priority over the exact placing of the Ka’bah. So what then does that say about us?
If we were to say, well, we would really like to make a safe space for converts in our community, but it would disrupt the standard of religiosity as it were that we have established in our community.
Or it will disrupt the kind of the norm that we have in our community.
So, converts are going to have to just come and conformed, or whatever we’ve got going on.
I think that we can do better. We can revisit this idea and make our community safe spaces for people as they are new to Islam, as they’re fleeing from whatever they’re fleeing from to Islam.
And whether that be by conversion to Islam or by way of re-commitment to Islam, or revisiting Islam… we have a lot of room for improvement in terms of making sure that our communities are safe spaces.
We ask Allah to give us success to do what is pleasing to Him in that regard.
May Allah enable us to bring about more safe spaces in our community.
(From Discovering Islam archive)
The post How the Prophet Muhammad Cared for Converts appeared first on About Islam.
