Come with Me to See the Clouds

I hate airplanes... I hate take-offs... I hate landings... I hate how my ears go funny on me... the tickle and the pain all mixed together... No thank you, I'll skip the sweets and the chewing gum. It never did help anyway...

Take-off has begun and I have a window seat... This time I am going to pretend that I am bird. I will fly away and watch the world I am leaving behind... I am gliding upwards... Lego houses and cars beneath me... Skylines flattened into 3d models... you know like the ones you find in malls advertising one venture or another... No crowds... Actually, not a living being in sight... not even miniature dolls... All disappeared like magic.... Lifeless cities, lifeless countries, lifeless continents, lifeless earth... all left behind.... Where did everyone go? I continue to glide higher... It's a very geological picture from all the way up here... The 3d model has gone flat... leaving behind plain terrain... desert-like terrain... All the colors have mixed together into a very solitary brown... No greens, no blues.... just brown...

It seems like this is it. I can't fly any higher and now all I can see are blue skies and cotton clouds. I continue to glide through them... I have left my earth behind...

Good bye bird... I am Salama again... I missed you earth. I missed you home. I missed you "my things". I missed you "everybody" living on this earth... But I thought you would all come with me to see the clouds?

During take-off on the last flight I was on, I decided I was going to observe the earth as we headed for the skies... I've done this many times before but this was different. As it grew smaller, I began to think about the day when all that connects us to this overwhelming mass known as "earth" will bear no significance... Left all alone... Just us and our deeds. Subhan Allah, then why oh why am I still living like it will be mine forever?

I ask Allah that He bestows upon us all the gift of "hidaya" and that He puts us on the path of "Ebad Alsaliheen"...

Az-Zalzalah (The Earthquake)
إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا (99:1)
99:1 (Asad) WHEN THE EARTH quakes with her [last] mighty quaking,
وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا (99:2)
99:2 (Asad) and [when] the earth yields up her burdens, [1]
وَقَالَ الْإِنسَانُ مَا لَهَا (99:3)
99:3 (Asad) and man cries out, "What has happened to her?" -
يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا (99:4)
99:4 (Asad) on that Day will she recount all her tidings,
بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَا (99:5)
99:5 (Asad) as thy Sustainer will have inspired her to do! [2]
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِّيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ(99:6)
99:6 (Asad) On that Day will all men come forward, cut off from one another, [3] to be shown their [past] deeds.
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ (99:7)
99:7 (Asad) And so, he who shall have done an atom's weight of good, shall behold it;
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ (99:8)
99:8 (Asad) and he who shall have done an atom's weight of evil, shall behold it.

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Khali Ibrahim... What made you cry?

Assalamu Alaikum,

For those of you who did not watch Sheikh Nabil Al-Awadhi's interview with brother Ibrahim Nasser during Ramadhan, I urge you all to take the time to do this as I had given you a very modest account of his story in my previous post...  I could never do his story justice in words... 

This video is dedicated to every Muslim who is looking for the path to contentment... to every Muslim searching for the true meaning of submission to Allah... to every Muslim who is trying to find within him/herself a sense of inner serenity... to every human being who is seeking to find meaning to life on earth .... to Ibrahim's family who spent countless days and nights around his bed emanating 'hope' to the world around them .... to his mother who knew no boundaries to loving her beautiful son ... and especially to Ibrahim himself (may Allah's compassion be with him) who left this world and yet lives on in the hearts of the many people that he continues to touch...

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كرنفال المدرسة

حدثتكم أحبتي في الله في مقالي السابق (أين نحن من هذا) عن تلك العائلة القادمة من جنوب أفريقيا وها أنا اليوم أعود لأخبركم عن موقف آخر مع هذه العائلة التي علمتني الكثيرعن تربية الأبناء تربية دعائمها ومقوماتها المبادىء والقيم الأسلاميه لديننا العظيم، في يوم من الأيام بينما كانت ابنتي تتجاذب أطراف الحديث مع إبنتهم البالغة العاشرة من عمرها سألتها ابنتي إن كانت ستراها في كرنفال المدرسة والمقرر إقامته يوم الجمعة وهكذا الحال من كل عام فردت على ابنتي بكل رضا واقتناع بأن يوم الجمعة هو يوم مخصص لذهاب جميع العائلة إلى المسجد فذهلت من جوابها ذهولاَ جعلني أفكر فيما قالت هذه البنت البالغة من العمر عشر سنوات فقط وأردد بيني وبين نفسي أين نحن من هذا

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا
وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى

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Khali Ibrahim...

“Oh no the pipe, the ventilator it’s red….”
“IIIII’mmmm oooookkkkkk Yummmmma… Eeeeeverything’s goooooing to be ooook insha-Allah”
“ Blood… that’s blood… Oh Allah ya kareem… What’s happening to Ibrahim?... The pipe… it’s swelling up… It’s looks like it’s going to burst… It has burst… Blood!... Ya Rab... Blood everywhere! What are we going to do? Ibrahim! Ibrahim! Habibi Ibrahim!”
“ASH-HADU ANLA ELAHA ILLA-ALLAH WA ASH- HADU ANNA MOHAMMADAN RASUL-ALLAH"

And he left with those final words… He left with the hope and the spirit of a fighter… He left because the time him had come for him to bid farewell to this earth where he lived each day hoping no one would notice his pain … struggling not to make it to the end of the day like the rest of us but determined to find his own way into the world…

He was not going to give in. They told him that the disease would slowly eat away at his every muscle till he finds himself confined to the perimeter of his bed. He “googled” the words “muscular dystrophy” and yes that’s what every article said but isn’t Allah great? Subhan Allah, the doctors seemed to have forgotten to mention that…

Their prognosis was right for the most part… He did end up bed-ridden for most of his twenty-four years yet his bedroom spoke of “life” and smelled of "life"… There was never any talk of death… How could there be when all he did was smile… He was the one who had brought so many days of laughter to the family as they gathered around him to savor special moments… Yet any observer would think he was confined… connected to tanks, iv injections, and pipes … Ironically, however, he had traveled to where many of us haven’t even come close… His heart was freer than most of us as he had learned to let go of it for those who needed it most... for those searching for a guiding light to Allah...

Again, they were right … Almost every muscle in his body had or was in the process of failing on him… except those stubborn ones in his fingers… And no one but Allah was going to take that away… With every stroke of his finger against his computer keyboard, he was determined to reach any "net surfer" seeking to find Allah. Subhan Allah, he was able to spend most of his time working on a blog that he had created in spite of his handicap to spread the beauty of Islam… www.waldalbahrain.net … He was a natural at the technology of computers and this is how Ibrahim had reached the world. Today his blog has more than a thousand followers... all mourning the loss of an incredible individual...

The time has come to say "Goodbye" to one of the greatest Ambassadors of Islam to have set foot on earth ... to one who continues to live on in the hearts of those he touched throughout his life... Ibrahim Nasser... You will be dearly missed and may Allah's rahma always be with you...

When I had gone to pay my condolences to the family, I recollect his two-year old niece running from one end of the living room to the other yelling “Khali Ibrahim went to Beit Allah! Khali Ibrahim went to Beit Allah!”… I remember thinking to myself “Yes, you’re right little one, where else would he be going insha-Allah?” ...

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ (89:27)
89:27 (Asad) [But unto the righteous God will say,] "O thou human being that hast attained to inner peace! -

ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً (89:28)
89:28 (Asad) Return thou unto thy Sustainer, well-pleased [and] pleasing [Him]: -

فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي (89:29)
89:29 (Asad) enter, then, together with My [other true] servants – -

وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي (89:30)
89:30 (Asad) yea, enter thou My paradise!" -

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لا, بل محبة الله

   جلس معي في مكتبي المتواضع, وأنا أنظر إليه بإعجابٍ شديد, متأملة إبتسامته التي لا تفارقه, وحاجبيه الكثيفين وتجاعيده المرسومة على وجهه كأنها تحكي لي قصصاً مرَ بها في حياته.

     هذا الرجل الذي تعدى عمره الثمانين عاماً تبادل الحديث معي واسترجع ذاكرته إلى الوراء, إلى الأربعينيات, وبدأ يسرد لي جزءٌ بسيطٌ من حياته حيث إستلم أول وظيفة له وكان معاشه حينها لا يتعدى ال 147 روبية, فكان يقتطع منه 100 روبية ليعطيها أمه ويدَخر الباقي. إستمر على هذا الحال مدة سنتين تقريباً ومن بعدها تعددت وظائفه وتنقل من البحرين إلى السعودية, وهكذا, حتى جمع مبلغاً لا بأس به واشترى أرضاً في السعودية. في ذلك الوقت مرَِ أخيه بظروفٍ مالية صعبة, فإذا به يقول لي بأنه وهب الأرض التي يملكها لأخيه.. 

فسألته :" أتملك شيء شيءٌ آخر غير الأرض؟" فأجابني :" لا, بل محبة وكرم الله فقط."

     واصلت معه الحديث وأنا كلي شوق لمعرفة المزيد وسألته : " ألم تدخر شيئاً قبل زواجك؟" أجابني : " نعم, كنت أدخر طوال الوقت, حتى تسنى لي جمع مبلغ لا بأس به, وتزوجت زوجة مخلصة, شاركتني حياتي بحلوها ومرها."

ثم بدأ يحكي لي مشواره بعد الزواج والصعوبات التي واجهته في حياته والتي أصبح بحكمها يتنقل من بلدةٍ إلى أخرى, حتى إنتهى به المطاف في البحرين ليستقر فيها.

سألته: " ألم ترث شيئاً من أبيك؟" أجابني: " نعم, ورثت عنه حصة من بيته أنا وإخواني ولكني تنازلت عنها لأخي المحتاج"

     كم تمنيت أن لا ينتهي حديثنا فما زالت عندي الكثير من الأسئلة ولكنه بدأ ينظر إلى ساعته فقد حان موعد ذهابه إلى البيت لتناول الغداء, فاستأذن وذهب.

إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ) (التوبة:)))

) وَمَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ (سـبأ: من الآية39

وقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: ( من كان في حاجة أخيه كان الله في حاجته ومن فرج عن مسلم كربة من كرب الدنيا فرج الله بها عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة )     

      

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Food Inc.

 إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا ٱلأَمَانَةَ عَلَى ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَٱلأَرْضِ وَٱلْجِبَالِ فَأبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا ٱلإِنْسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ 
ظَلُوماً جَهُولاً 
الأحزاب72  

هل تعريف الأمانة؟ 

--->click here <--- 

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أين نحن من هذا؟

تعرفت على الأم وإبنتها في مدرسة إبنتي وأزداد قربي منهما مع حضور البنت إلى مركز تحفيظ القرآن ، فالعائلة مسلمة جاءت من جنوب أفريقيا

هذه البنت البالغة من العمر العاشرة تتحلى بالذكاء والمرح والأخلاق ، ومنذ تعرفي عليها منذ أكثر من عام لفت نظري ارتداءها لربطة الشعر

Bandana

فهي لا تخلع هذه الربطة عن شعرها ( في المدرسة ، خارج المدرسة ، و في مركز تحفيظ القرآن) وتسميه وبكل فخر
My mini scarf

و ترتديه بمختلف الألوان الجميلة المتناسقة مع ملابسها

لم أعرف سر ارتدائها لهذه الربطة إلا بعد أن أخبرتني الأم بأنها تعود ابنتها على وضع هذه الربطة لتمهد ولتسهل عليها ارتداء الحجاب في المستقبل ..... نسيت أن أخبركم بأن الأم محجبه

هذا موقف من المواقف التي شدتني و أشعرتني بالخجل من نفسي حين لمست تمسك هذه العائلة بالمبادئ الإسلامية والتزامها بتطبيقها في حياتهم وتعويد أولادهم عليها منذ الصغر

فأين نحن من هذا

"وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِأَمَانَاتِهِمْ وَعَهْدِهِمْ رَاعُونَ " (8) المؤمنون

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أفمن شرح الله صدره للإسلام فهو على نور من ربه فويل للقاسية قلوبهم من ذكر الله

مراهقة أنا على مشارف الأربعين!!!!

أركب السيارة ، وأدير مفتاح المذياع فأسمع صوت القارئ مشاري العفاسي يرتفع بالدعاء، فيدق قلبي و يقشعر بدني وتغرق عيناي بالدموع

أرفع الصوت أعلى فأعلى مرددة معه ما أحفظ وآمين لكل مالا أحفظ

مراهقة أنا

مع الدعاء أذهب بعيدا، الى أراضي خضراء ونباتات كثيفة ومياه جارية لا تسمع فيها لاغية

ينتهي الدعاء ويبدأ التلاوة وبها تسري الطمأنينة في نفسي ويصفو ذهني. أصل الى وجهتي ولا رغبة لي في النزول، أريد أن أسمع بقية ألآيات، أريد أن أبقى مع القرآن

مراهقة أنا على مشارف الأربعين!!!!

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أريد حلاً

يمر كل واحدٌ منا بأحداث مختلفة في حياته, ربما مفرحة وأخرى محزنة تتنوع من مشاكل أسرية وغيرها اجتماعية أو مشاكل عمل ألخ.. فعندما تصيبنا المشكلة فإن أول شيء نفعله نرفع سماعة الهاتف ونطلب أقرب شخص لنا ونشتكي له همومنا لعله يجد لنا حلاً.
فهل فكرنايوماً بأن لا نشتكي لأحد أبداً ونشتكي إلى الله وحده؟ فما من أحدٍ سواه يستطيع أن يحل مشاكلنا فهو الولي الذي يتولى أمورنا وهو الوكيل الذي عليه نتوكل وهو السميع والبصير والحق و, و, و
فلنجرب جميعاً ولنحاول أن نشكوا همومنا ومشاكلنا إلى الله وحده ونشعر بالطمأنينة الكاملة لأنه ربنا ومدبر أمورنا

.
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ
الَّذِي يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ
وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ
إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
سورة الشعراء

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Have some Fun!!!

Have you ever been in a room or with a group of people, friends or even kids, thinking to urself that u wished there was an interesting way to introduce any topic of religion or Quran without scaring them away? 

Well, how about bringing it up in a form of a game or quiz? Interested? 

Normally I go about it this way: “How about a riddle?” 

I start with something real easy:

 

“Which two prophets were born without fathers?” 

Now the response u may receive off course all depends on ur audience. If they r kids, hopefully u’ll get some excitement. But If they r adults then I assume u’ll get some condescending or “Don’t patronize us!” looks. 

Obviously the answer is ‘Adam and Esa, alaihimam as-salam’. 

Therefore I quickly move on to the more challenging question and add: “Okay then, let’s make it more interesting! What are the three animals mentioned in the Quran that were not born to parents? ........ Were created miraculously!"

It would be lovely if u could use ur mobile to take a few snap shots of the faces and expressions facing u. Believe you me, it’s one of the most fun riddles coming from the quran. I’ve asked kids, friends and some scholars as well, who either found it very easy or simply went blank. 

With each answer u may give them a bit of background info and turn the atmosphere into a blessed one…. Nice n easy!

 Hahaha, hope u weren’t scrolling down to look for the answers :)

 

Ok, ok ;) The answers are:

1) Prophet Musa's snake

2) Prophet Salih's Naqah 

3) Prophet Ibrahim's Kabsh

Enjoy :)

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Hi! My name is Salama and...

I saw this video on youtube and wanted to share it with all of you as it brought back memories from my college days...



“Hi! My name is Salama and I am from Bahrain… an island off the Eastern Coast of Saudi Arabia (for those of you who don’t know where that is). Ummm… my hobbies include reading, dancing, and “role-playing”. I am planning on being an Economics major. My dream is to someday work for the United Nations focusing on third world development issues. And sooooo ummm…. I am glad to be here in Texas and look forward to getting my undergraduate degree from the university…. That’s about it for me… Thanks…”

“Thank you Salama… Welcome to Texas… Wow all the way from Dhaha-RAIN…How exciting… Isn’t that an oil city in Saudia Arabia? I had a relative working there at one point.”

“No actually Mr. Stratus… ummm… it’s Dhahran not Dhaharain and I’m from
‘B-A-H-RAIN’ which is an independent island located to the East of Saudi Arabia.”

“Oh…oh… slight mix-up there... Apologize… We better move on to the next first year student. We have many activities lined up for us after this icebreaker session. Yes you… please go ahead introduce yourself to the group…. ”

A flashback from my first day at the university’s orientation week more than fifteen years ago… it feels like yesterday… the estrangement… the confusion… the nerves… trying to stand out and yet pretending to “fit in”…

I can hear the echo of my own cracking voice as I introduce myself to the group… I realize now that I never mentioned in my introduction that I was a Muslim… that “I AM A MUSLIM”… It never occurred to me as far as I remember, but even if it did, would I have really wanted to highlight that part of my identity. After all, I was in a country that thrived on “freedom of this” and “freedom of that” so why would it matter anyway?

Today, I say it with regret that I should have begun with “My name is Salama and I am a Muslim…” A Muslim... from the root word meaning “peace”… meaning one who has submitted to no one and nothing but Allah… meaning one who is free in the real sense of the word as he/she can never be held hostage to anything in this world… meaning one who lives by the greatest curriculum set forth by the most amazing book on earth, the Quran…. meaning one who follows the teachings of the most compassionate human being to have ever lived, the Prohet Mohamed (PBUH)… I am a Muslim… I am a Muslim… I AM A MUSLIM…

Guess what? All those years ago at the icebreaker, I “happened to forget” to mention this… May Allah forgive me... But for those of you who will be asked to introduce yourselves at any point in time, it's never too late... Remember to say it loud and clear “I AM A MUSLIM”… stand tall and proud and say it "I AM A MUSLIM"...


وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِّمَّن دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (41:33)

41:33 Fussilat (Asad) And who could be better of speech than he who calls [his fellow-men] unto God, and does what is just and right, and says, “Verily, I am of those who have surrendered themselves to God”? -

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شيعي أو سني؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟

منذ حوالي شهرين تقريباً أصبحت عضوة على صفحة (فاس بوك), وعندما أرسلت طلباً لأولادي لأشاركهم صفحتهم الخاصة بهم رفضوني رفضاً تاماً, فلم أصر على طلبي.

ومنذ حوالي اسبوع تقريباً, ومن خلال صفحات أحد أقربائي بفاس بوك استطعت الدخول على صفحة أحد أولادي, فإذا بي أرى عند صفحة ال (بروفايل) وفي خانة الديانة بأنه كاتب (مسلم سني) فأثار تعجبي ودهشتي, فأنا لم أعلم أولادي على العنصرية قط! فأرسلت له رسالة حينها بأن يمحي كلمة سني من خانة الديانة وشرحت له في نفس الوقت بأننا جميعاً مسلمون وجميعاً نتبع كتاب الله (س) فلا فرق بيننا إلا بالتقوى.

أجابني بأنه لا يقصد شيء من وراء كتابته (سني) فمعظم أصدقاءه كتبوا مذهبهم على الفس بوك, وبأنه ليس عنصرياً ولديه الكثير من الأصدقاء السنة والشيعة ويحبهم جميعاً.

لا أعلم إن كان إبني قد محى كلمة (سني) من صفحته ولكني أتمنى بأن لا نحدد هويتنا بمذاهبنا وألواننا وجنسياتنا, فلا فرق بيننا أبداً إلا بصالح أعمالنا فالإسلام هو الدين الحق ودين المساواة والعدالة

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ

سورة الحجرات13.

ويقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في حديثه الشريف: لا فرق بين عربي أو أعجمي إلا بالتقوى.

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Lemon poppy seed muffin

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus up to 1 tablespoon for topping the muffins if desired
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly brush a 12-cup muffin tin with butter and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter, zest, and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Stir in the poppy seeds.

Fold the flour in 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Take care not to overmix the batter. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack. Serve warm.

Cook's Note: Poppy seeds can go rancid easily and should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

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يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِلّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ )
2:172 (Y. Ali) O ye who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him ye worship.

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An Email to a Very Special Girl

I just wanted to share with you a letter that I had written to a little girl that touched my heart a few years ago each time I watched her pray...

Dearest "Special Girl",

Assalumu Alaikum Wa Rahmat Allah. I just wanted to let you know that I couldn't help but notice how eager you are to pray at each Salah time and how you have made it an inseparable part of your life. I can't describe how happy this makes me feel. You have always been very special to me, but now I admire you even more. I often remember you in my prayers and constantly ask Allah to continue to bring hidaya to your life.

You have been given a gift from Allah because not everyone understands the importance of Salah like you do and how close it brings us to our Creator. It is a beautiful form of worship that only we Muslims have access to. I pray that you continue on this enlightened path and that you bring its light to all the people around you especially your friends. Each time you attempt to enlighten the people around you about the importance of Salat, Allah blesses you with His invaluable reward (ajer). It is girls like you who can make a difference in saving the next generation from getting lost in a very challenging world.

I was delighted to hear that you were looking for a calendar that indicates the prayer times (although I am not surprised knowing that this request came from a girl like you). Take care of yourself and continue on this path that you have chosen. I look forward to seeing you soon insha-Allah and may Allah bless every step you take into the future.

Lots of love,
Auntie Hope

وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُواْ الزَّكَاةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ لأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ (2:110)
2:110 (Asad) And be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues; for, whatever good deed you send ahead for your own selves, you shall find it with God: behold, God sees all that you do. -

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Dear Professor Brostof

Dear Professor Brostof,

You may not remember me, but I remember you very well. I visited your clinic in London a month ago for some consultations. Your image is stuck in my mind although I saw you only once. I will never forget your kindness and your sweet smile. You reminded me of my father in a way… maybe because I noticed during our conversation that everything for you is possible just like my father… and maybe because you are almost the same age as him.

Do you remember Professor when you asked me about my major in college, I told you that I got married very young and that I didn’t get a chance to complete my degree. You then told me” it’s never too late, you are still young, you can do it.” I replied to you “INSHALLA”, you then pointed up with your finger and said “it’s not up to Him, its up to you”, I replied:”it’s my choice but everything is up to Him”. I could see that you were not happy with my answer so you changed the subject.

Do you also remember Professor by the end of my consultation, we said our farewells and you told me “Don’t worry, you will be fine… just be like the Buddhists and you will be happy”. At that time I wished I had the chance to reply and tell you about my religion. I didn’t, however. I was thinking about the next patient waiting for her turn, so I left. I still regret that I ended my visit without explaining to you how great and peaceful my religion is, and how powerful God is. Islam is about harmony, mercy, Peace, order, selflessness, security, and serenity. The meaning of the word “Islam” is very rich, one important dimension is the "commitment to submit and surrender to God so that one could live in peace" and peace – salam - is achieved through active obedience to the revealed Commandments of God for God is the Source of all Peace. Islam is the natural teaching of humanity, whether humanity accepts it or not. You asked me to be like the Buddhist’s, and in many ways I am, I might share with them some of their ethics and morals, the only thing I cannot do is to pray to a Buddha or in other words, keep a mediator between myself and God.


I know your intentions were good and that you were trying to help me, but I felt that I needed to explain – in my simple way - my religion. I hope I have done so.

May God bless us all…

Regards,

Red Apple

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًا
Sahih International

Blessed is He who sent down the Criterion upon His Servant that he may be to the worlds a warner -
Tafsir al-Jalalayn

Blessed, exalted, is He Who revealed the Criterion (al-furqān), the Qur’ān — called thus [al-furqān] because it has discriminated (faraqa) between truth and falsehood — to His servant, Muhammad (s), that he may be to all the worlds, [to] mankind and the jinn, but not the angels, a warner, a threatening of God’s chastisement.

الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُ تَقْدِيرًا
Sahih International

He to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and who has not taken a son and has not had a partner in dominion and has created each thing and determined it with [precise] determination.
Tafsir al-Jalalayn

He to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and Who has not taken a son, nor has He any partner in sovereignty; and He created everything, which was meant to be created, and then determined it in a precise measure, He fashioned it in a balanced form.

وَاتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً لَّا يَخْلُقُونَ شَيْئًا وَهُمْ يُخْلَقُونَ وَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُونَ مَوْتًا وَلَا حَيَاةً وَلَا نُشُورًا
Sahih International

But they have taken besides Him gods which create nothing, while they are created, and possess not for themselves any harm or benefit and possess not [power to cause] death or life or resurrection.
Tafsir al-Jalalayn

Yet they, the disbelievers, have taken besides Him, that is, [besides] God, in other words, other than Him, gods, from among the idols, who create nothing but have themselves been created, and who possess no harm for themselves, that is, [the power] to repel it, nor any benefit, that is, [the power] to attract it, nor do they possess [any power over] death or life, that is, [nor do they have the power] to make a person die or to give him life, or resurrection, that is, [nor do they have power] to raise the dead.

Surah Alforqan

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السلام عليكم ورحمة الله

في لقاءنا الأخير في نادي القرآن ومن خلال التدبر في آيات سورة الفرقان دار النقاش عن موضوع مهم هو موضوع الكذب وأسبابه؟

لماذا نكذب ؟ نكذب لندفع الضرر عن أنفسنا في الحال ولكي لانتحمل مسؤلية عملنا وأسباب أكبر من ذلك قد تكون تعَود الإنسان على الكذب أو محاولة إلحاق الضرر بالغير

{بَلْ كَذَّبُوا بِالسَّاعَةِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لِمَنْ كَذَّبَ بِالسَّاعَةِ سَعِيرًا(16) }

ومن وجهة نظري أن أسباب عدم تحمل المسؤليه ومحاولة دفع الضرر عن أنفسنا، هو التمتع بالدنيا ونعيمها والأنغماس في الشهوات

والرضا بالدنيا والأطمئنان بها ونسيان تذكر الله والعمل بكتابه وعدم تذكر الآخره فالتمتع أن تأخذ من عطاء الله لكن لاتعطي في المقابل.

يمتعنا الله بالصحه والغنى وطول العمر، هذه نعم أنعم الله به علينا هل تكون أكبر همنا ومبلغ علمنا ونقف حبيسين هذه النعم بحيث ننسى المنعم وننسى حقيقة الدنيا والهدف من وجودنا وإلى أين المصير؟

قَالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ مَا كَانَ يَنْبَغِي لَنَا أَنْ نَتَّخِذَ مِنْ دُونِكَ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَلَكِنْ مَتَّعْتَهُمْ وَآبَاءَهُمْ حَتَّى نَسُوا الذِّكْرَ وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا بُورًا(18)

في زمننا الذي نعشيه زمن كثر فيه عدم تحمل المسؤليه ، زمن يعيشه أبناءنا هل نحن الآباء مسؤلون عن هذا ، الجواب من وجهة نظري ، نعم ، فماذا يقع على عاتقنا أن نعمل نحن الآباء والأمهات؟

لنحاول أن نعمل معاَ على تغيير الواقع بأن نغرس في قلوب أبناء بذور التربية الإسلامية ، التربية التي تربي في نفس الطفل تحمل المسؤليه ، مسؤليته تجاه الله الخالق وزرع حب الله في قلوبهم ليفهم الطفل ما عليه القيام به تجاه خالقه وما هي مسؤليته في هذه الدنيا.

ومنها سيكبر وهو يعرف مسؤليته تجاه خالقه ومسؤليته تجاه والديه ومجتمعه الذي يعيش فيه فيصبح إنسان مسئول يعتمد عليه في خدمة مجتمعه الخدمة التي من أجلها خلقنا الله وأوجدنا في هذه الأرض لنعمل ونعمر الأرض ، ولنا في حياة رسولنا الكريم محمد (ص) القدوة الحسنة.

{ وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَانِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلامًا(63) }.

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و يوم يعض الظالم على يديه يقول يا ليتني إتخذت مع الرسول سبيلا

امام المرآة، وقفت و في يدي شال، تارة أضعه على رأسي،تاركة إياه لينسدل على كتفي،وتارة أخرى ألفه حول رأسي متجهة الى الخلف في شكل هرمي، ثم أنزعه لأعود وأضعه في شكل آخر، أنزله قليلا ليغطي جبهتي، ثم أرفعه إلى الأعلى، نعم ، هكذا أبدوا أجمل.

أنظر الى نفسي وأعود بأفكاري الى الوراء، أتذكر أنا القديمة، أنا التي ترفض الحجاب ولا تحب الخوض في موضوعه،التي تخاف الذهاب الى الحلقات الدينيه لأن الداعيات لا يتكلمن إلا عن الآخرة والعذاب، التي تعتقد أنها صح وأنها تفعل ما هو مطلوب منها وزيادة، أنا الواثقة أن الجنة من نصيبها لا محالة!!!!

غريب، كيف تتغير الأفكار، كيف يمكن أن نقول نعم لم قلنا له لا مرات عديدة، أن نحب ما نكره، أن نبدأ من جديد.

تغيير، أعزوا الفضل فيه لصحبة صالحة في أمسيات مليئة بالحب، أما الأمسيات فهي تدور حول تدبر القرآن، امسيات لنا فيها حق السؤال وإبداء الرأي بحرية وصراحة تامة، أمسيات دون إنتقاد لبعضنا البعض دون خناقات أو زعل دون غيبة أو نميمة، أمسيات حب وود وقرآن.وأما الصحبة فكما تصفنا ( محجبيب) قبيلة وما يجمعنا ليس النسب ولكن الحب فى الله والرغبة في أن يكون الفردوس مستقرا ومقاما لنا ، هدفنا واحد وأيدينا متشابكة لتحقيقه

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How Far Would You Go?

How far would you go to defend something you believed in? Get denied tenure at the prestigious university that you work for... lose your job... remain unemployed for years to come... get called a “terrorist supporter”?

This is the story of a renowned Jewish Professor who obtained his PhD from Princeton Univeristy and was later forced to resign from Depaul University to which he had devoted years of service due to his “unpopular stance” on Palestinian issues and his claims that the Holocaust continues to be exploited by many Jewish establishments for financial gain.

He is Dr. Norman Finkelstein, a hero who has everything to gain and nothing to lose from forgoing his principles in order to live peacefully in a country that is “ironically” the founder of freedom of speech. He is also the courageous author of the book "The Holocaust Industry". I had somehow accidentally stumbled across this youtube video of Dr. Finkelstein and shamefully had to ask myself when was the last time I decided to tune into the Palestinian cause and find out how our Palestinian brothers and sisters are living? How far would I as a Muslim go to defend this holy land? Not very far I must admit…

وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَى أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِالْحَقِّ وَبِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ (A'raf:159)

A'raf:159 (Asad) AND AMONG the folk of Moses there have been people who would guide [others] in the way of the truth and act justly in its light.

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The Power of Istikhara

After trying with my father for soo long we

 were finally at the hospital with his eye dilated. He was to go in and have his cataract removed. Quick n simple!

But as previously agreed with the doctor, a backup eye
should’ve been around in the case of any complications.

Unfortunately after inducing the medication in his eye we found out that he wasn’t. So my mother and sister were very upset, nervous n worried!

“Are you sure u want to go through with this?” they asked my father
‘This is really unprofessional! We have it written down in the notes.’ They said to the dr.

‘I’m sorry. I don’t know how this misunderstanding happened. I do have it in our notes but….’ The dr replied.
By now everyone was slightly irritable. The nurses bringing the consent papers for

my father to sign. My father, anxious to get the whole thing over n done with. My mother wanted to get my father out of the hospital ASAP and as for myself, I couldn’t

believe that after all the begging n nagging to get him there, he was now indirectly being asked to leave!

Eventually though, my father signs the papers n says that now that he was there n his eye prepared for surgery he would go for it. “Tawakkaltu ala Allah!”

Trying to mask her fear, my sister returns to the room and asks my father “Did u

pray Istikhara?” “Yes I did….I said the duaa”, he replies. So with nothing more left to say she leaves.

My head starts spinning ! ”OMG! Knowing my father, he’s going in to do aprocedure on HIS EYE, and I’m sure that he just said the duaa (istikhara) in his own words!!!

What were we to do?!”Panicking I say to him, “ Now that we’re just waiting for them to roll u in, how about u repeat the Istikhara duaa after me?”

But the ironic thing was that while he was repeating it after me, I was thinking to myself that what could stop the surgery from going ahead now?

Now that both the theater and doctor were ready! Now that my father had signed the consent and my mother had accepted his decision!

“Fee Hufth Allah Ubooi” we wish him off.
“It’s only a 25 to 30 minute procedure , don’t worry” says the doc.

But an hour later and we’re still waiting for some news of Ubooi!

“Please, will u come in with me?” a nurse asks me, coming out of the theater.
MY HEART STARTS POUNDING IN MY EAR! Why is he asking me in? Why me alone? Allah! Ya Allah istir!

With each step heavier then the other I enter the theater and SEEEE
The doctor and MY FATHER CHATTING AWAY!

Confusion obvious in my eyes, seeing that nothing had happened since they had left us an hour ago, the doctor looks up, raises his shoulders and simply says “The machine does most of the work and it just DIDN’T work!”

The machine didn’t work? The machine didn’t work!

SUBHAN ALLAH WITH THE POWER OF ISTIKHARA AND THE POWER OF DUAA!

I think I will never forget that day as long as I live!
It showed me how little I knew!
It taught me how arrogant I was!
Thinking I knew all there was to know n there was no stopping the procedure!
But most importantly, it showed and taught me the power of duaa and istikhara!



( 2: 186)And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.

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A message

When i was away from my family on a trip , I received the most beautiful text message from a very special person my lovely daughter i would like to share it with you all. The message was

" Ever wonder what would happen if we treat our Quran like we treat our cell phone? what if we carried it in our pockets? it around in our purses or pockets? what if we flipped?? through it several time a day? what if we turned?? back to get it if we forgot it? what if we used it?? to receive messages from the text? what if we treated?? it like we couldn't live without it? what if we gave it??to kids as gifts?? what if we used it ? when we traveled? what if we used it?? in case of emergency? this is something to make you go....hmm.....where is my Quran? Oh, and one more?? thing unlike our cell?? phone, we don't have to worry about our? Quran being disconnected. Makes you stop and think, where are my priorities?And?? No dropped calls.

I wish that every single muslim will read this message.

"وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا (30) " الفرقان

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