If Not in Ramadan then When?

If Not in Ramadhan then When?

Ruzky Aliyar

If not in Ramadhan then when will you begin to see?
That the life you live is like an ephemeral tree.
A seed sown, cultivated, beautiful to see,
Yet soon to be withered, dead, enclosed by soil and sea.

If not in Ramadhan then when will you open your eyes?
Catch a glimpse of reality as time flies.
Realise this life is not sugar, spice, and everything nice;
Rather patience and gratitude during lows and highs.

If not in Ramadhan then when will you cleanse your heart?
Every deep dark corner, a poisonous dart.
When will you feel remorse, seek forgiveness, away from sins depart?
When will you beg your Lord to soften your heart?

If not in Ramadhan then when will you lower your gaze?
Teach yourself that something much better awaits.
When will you realise that your whims and desires have left you in a daze?
When will you take action and dust off the alluring dunya-haze?

If not in Ramadhan then when will you free yourself?
From the fetters that you have bound yourself.
When will it be that you embrace your self?
Fulfill your purpose, worship your Lord, redeem yourself?

If not in Ramadhan then when will you befriend the Book of Allah?
Understand, internalize, and memorise the Words of Allah.
Embrace it – mind, body, and soul.
Act upon it and you will never fall.

If not in Ramadhan then when will you turn to your Lord?
Completely, happily, willing, and strong.
When will you remember Him and race towards Him?
When will you truly yearn to be with Him?

-Samiha

Sign up to ProductiveMuslim.com

Assalamualaikum Everyone!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Ramadan. I recently signed up for an account at  http://www.productivemuslim.com/. It is a very good website mashaAllah. They send you free news letters about how to live a productive Ramadan, and a lot more things also. If you haven't signed up, you should. It will help you utilize your days in a better way.


Salaams!



Samiha

Why Do Muslim's Fast?

Q: Why do Muslims fast? 

A: There are 3 main reasons why a Muslim fasts during Ramadan. 

1) Muslims fast during Ramadan, firstly, because it is the fourth pillar of Islam, and Allah (swt) ordered us to do so. "...fasting is prescribed for you (Muslims)..." (2:183) and " Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was sent down as a guide to humanity, and to provide clear signs for guidance and judgment. So whoever witnesses the month of Ramadan should fast through it..." (2:185). 

By fasting, we get to feel they way the poor and hungry feel; it reminds us, when we forget, that our brothers and sisters go through this pain much too often, and so our hearts become softened, and we become more generous. 

2) We learn to control ourselves - mentally and physically. Fasting is not limited to abstaining from food and drink - we also abstain from lying, foul language, sexual activity, medicine (unless it is necessary), etc. By keeping away from these things, we learn to control our desires. We learn to be in charge of our bodies rather than to let our bodies be in charge of us. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) once remarked "Whoever does not give up lying and acting on lies during fasting, then Allah has no need of him giving up food and drink." - Bukhari

3) Fasting is healthy for the mind body and soul. When we stop over feeding our bodies, and fast, "our body initiates it's own healing mechanisms, and any ailment may show improvement." - allaboutfasting.com. We constantly over work our bodies by over eating - and just like when we get tired from over working all day then set aside small matters for another day - our body does like wise. Because it is estimated that 65% of the body's energy must be directed to the digestive organs after a heavy meal - fasting is like a vacation for our bodies! With the extra energy your body has, when it is not busy digesting a meal, it begins to heal and work on other areas of the body such as repairing cells and detoxing. Anti-aging effects, weight loss, clear skin and clarity (of the mind and soul) are just some of the many benefits of fasting!




Taken from: http://muslimyouthgirlsassociation.blogspot.com/


Samiha

RAMADAN IS FINALLY HERE!!!!!

Wishing you one month of Ramadan,

4 weeks of barakat,

30 days of forgiveness,

720 hours of guidance,

43200 minutes of purification,

... and 259200 seconds of noor!"

Ramadan  Mubarak to everyone! May Allah forgive us and our familes and keep us on the straight path always. Alhamdullilah Allah has blessed each of us with another year of Ramadan, so let's use it to our full advantage InshaAllah.




Samiha

RAMADAN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!!!!!!!!

The official decision and announcement of the High Judiciary Council (HJC) of Saudi Arabia that since the moon of Ramadhaan was not sighted this evening, here in Saudi Arabia, we shall be completing thirty (30) days of Sha'baan (1432 A.H.), in accordance with the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam):

((Fast when you see the crescent. If it is obscured to you, then complete thirty days of Sha'baan. And break your fast when you see the crescent. If it is obscured to you then fast thirty days)), [transmitted by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].

Subsequently, we shall be starting our taraaweeh prayers tomorrow evening (Sunday 31 July 2011) after the 'Ishaa. prayer, in preparation for the first fast of Ramadhaan on Monday 1 August 2011, inshaa.-Allaah.





There is one really good thing about this...........


NO MOON WARS THIS YEAR!!  


(At least, so far)


AlhamduliAllah. I'm so happy. Ramadan is just around the corner. Here is one of my favorite nasheeds. 

Samiha

Improving Ourselves- Making a Doing Right List

Assalamualaikum WRWB

AlhamduliAllah, Rajjab is coming to an end, and Ramadan will be coming very soon inshaAllah. In 9 days actually. So, I recommend everyone who can, to start fasting, if they haven't already. No need to fast EVERYDAY, just enough so when Ramadan comes it won't be very hard on you.

I just reread one of my favorite books: The Size of a Mustard Seed written by Umm Juwairyah. In the book, Jameelah, the main character, makes a Doing Right List for Ramadan. What she did was make a list of some of the things she wants to do this Ramadan and after to make her a better Muslim. All of us have a little room for improving ourselves, so I thought that was a wonderful idea, so I did the same for me. Here's a little bit of mine:

Samiha Shaheed's Doing Right List

1. Control your temper with EVERYONE
2. Be nicer to EVERYONE
3. Pray more
4. Read one Juz' of Quran a day
5. Try to do all the charity work I can, even if it means holding my brother while my mother is busy

InshaAllah, I think that this will be a very good thing. It may sound a little corny to you, but I'm sure that if you take it seriously, you'll be a much better Muslim by the end of Ramadan.

Hope this helps!

-Samiha

A Brother Like That (Or a Sister :)

Shuaib received a car from his brother as an Eid present. On Eid day when Shuaib came out of his house, a poor street child was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it. “Is this your car, Uncle?” he asked. Shuaib nodded. “My brother gave it to me for Eid.” The boy was astounded.


“You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you nothing? Boy, I wish…” He hesitated. Of course Shuaib knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Shuaib all the way down to his heels. “I wish,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.” Shuaib looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, “Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?” “Oh yes, I’d love that.”

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, “Uncle, would you mind driving in front of my house?” Shuaib smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbours that he could ride home in a cool car. But Shuaib was wrong again. “Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Shuaib heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car.

“There it is, little brother, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Eid and it didn’t cost him a penny. And some day I’m gonna give you one just like it…then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the shop windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”
Shuaib got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable ride. That Eid, Shuaib learned what the RasulAllah SAW meant when he had said: “Love for your brother what you love for yourself”.


islamicthinking.tumblr.net




Samiha

Aid Your Brother

On the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhiwa sallam) said:
 

"Aid your brother whether he is the oppressor or the one being oppressed."

 

A man stated: "Oh Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), I will help him when he is being oppressed, but how do I help him when he is the oppressor?"

 

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

 

"Prevent him from oppression and that's helping him."

(Bukhaaree #2444)

 

The noble Shaykh Al Allaamah Muhammad ibn Saalih Al 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy upon him) stated about this narration in his explanation of Riyaadus Saaliheen #237:

 

"The helping (of your brother who is being oppressed) means to defend him from others. Meaning repelling that which harms him. Help your brother, meaning: repel from him that which harms him. This is the case whether he is an oppressor or one being oppressed. A man  said: "Oh Messenger of Allaah, how do I help him when he is anoppressor?", he didn't say -I will not help him- rather he said: How do I help him?. He meant by his statement -I will help him, however inform me how am I to help him. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Prevent him and that is (considered) helping him." Therefore, if you see that this individual wants to transgress against the people, stop him and this is (considered) helping him. As for when the person is being oppressed, helping him is by way of repelling the oppressor away from him. In this narration there is evidence for the obligation of aiding the one who is oppressed and there is evidence for aiding the oppressor in the manner that has been mentioned by the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)." 

-Samiha