Imagine

Assalaamu Alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh,

I hope this reaches you in the best of health/imaan......

Take a moment and picture yourself in this: It is 10:44 PM, you just took along warm shower and are getting ready to sleep. There is no struggle, sleep comes to you so fast as if you were tired and needed it the most. Your soul leaves your body, you're lying there asleep----that soul of yours was supposed be back by morning but it never returns. You're no longer sleeping, you breathed your last and watching the journey of your soul.

It travels through the heavens with a terrible smell. Your soul is fearful and you now see what you've been warned of. You try to plead with the angles, you try to ask for a second chance---but to no avail. You reach the top heaven in which you're given your verdict. You're found guilty on all accounts. Your life flashes through your eyes..... you remember the hours you spent in the club, the days you were disrespectful and mean to your parents, the prayers you have missed. You remember the time you wasted running after Dunya, you remember saying "insha'Allah one day I will start following Islam."  You remember all the excuses you gave on  why you don't follow Allah's commands. You remember saying "yea, when I get old, I will be a better Muslim." You remember sometimes making fun of those who followed Islam, you remember how you mocked their hijab or their beard. You remember all the hearts you have broken--destroying the real meaning of love.You start to tremble because now it is all there before your eyes and what you see is not good.

You know you're guilty on all accounts and that you were not judged unjustly. You remember the verses of the Qur'an... how they warned you of this day. Your eyes begin to swell with tears, you know what is going to come next, but you cannot bear the thought of it. You cry loud, you plead, you ask for forgiveness----nothing seems to work. Your soul is sent back to the grave, you now hear the foot steps of those who buried you. You try to scream, but they don't hear you. Your companion comes to visit----dressed in rough clothes, dark and scary looking. You ask "who are you." He utters the most dreadful response which is "I am your deed...I am what you have done in the world." You lie there in the dark hole with no hope or a second chance.

Now imagine your life flashed right in front of you....every moment that you have lived on screen, your deepest secrets out in the open. Imagine the feeling that would go through your heart, the thoughts in your mind---imagine yourself standing before the king of the kings. Imagine hell and heaven right before your eyes, everything clearer to you than they have ever been! Imagine the agony of not knowing whether or not you will receive your book in the right hand or the left. Imagine seeing the angles in their truest form, imagine YOU on the day of judgement. Your heart beat increases, all you ask for is a second chance---you say "Oh my Lord return me back so I may do good." You repeat this time and time again crying-------

BUT wait-----you realize it was just a dream! You wake up in the middle of the night--catching your breath. You whisper "Alhamdullah" because now, after being awakened, you see your second chance. You're living NOW, TODAY, why not start following your deen? Why not change yourself and paint a better eternal life through your good deeds today while you still have a chance? Why wait for tomorrow when you know that it may never come. Lets start living in the moment---lets start our journey now and see where it takes us. Go ahead, pick up that Qur'an on the shelf, prepare to go the Jumma Salah this Friday---yes YOU get up and start fresh by repenting to Allah while you still  have the chance.

REMEMBER YOU ONLY HAVE TODAY----TOMORROW IS NOT A GUARANTEE!!

last tear of hope!

Assalaamu Alaykum, greetings to all who are reading this.
I hope my post reaches you in the best of health/imaan.

I just wanted to sort of write something I felt the urge to write about. The thing is life gets really tough at times. It is like a "rainbow-- you need the sun and the rain to make the colors appear." For a lot of us, we're so used to seeing the sunshine. We're used to being happy and content. The rain and the gloomy sad days are so rare that we dont usually remember how it felt like to be sad. On the other side of the spectrum, a good number of us never see the light of the sun. We're in a gray state of emotion in which we wear the colors of black. We never seem to stop to cry and think of all the bad that has happened to us. We're constantly in a state of sadness......in a depressive mood. We're the victims of low self esteem, the victims of life's painful moments, and the victims of despair. We lack the hope of a better day, our smile turns into a frown, and then we become zombie like creatures--living yet dead. We wake up everyday, do our chores, go to  school and then the cycle starts the next day and then the day after that. We are always trying to look and act normal----but what is normality anyway?? Is it happiness? is it an emotional state in which none of us can describe in words? is it like a roller coaster with its ups and downs? or is normality just LIFE as we know it?

I do not know the answers to this, but I do know one thing for certain and that is life can be really tough sometimes! if we dont have someone to help us get through it.....we might just end up rotten. Life is certainly an examination room, we do really bad on most of the days, but thats not an ultimatum for the overall grade. Imagine the following::

Some days are just unbareable, the energy is drained out, everday activities seem like torture, and every step is painful. Today and the past few days were like that. You try to get back up but fall back harder this time. Nothing seems to make sense....people ask whats wrong when nothing seems to be right. So, you end up in your room, tears rolling down your cheeks. You try to maintain your emotions, but you cant because you just exploded. You were always the type to seek perfection, the type that would bring joy and happiness to everyone around you. You were perfect at hiding your pain, perfect at putting on a smile, perfect at protecting everyone that you met---even the strangeres. You never wanted to share sadness because it is a burden on others. You were the light to every dark room, you always knew the right things to say to people. You knew very well how to hide your every pain, every disappointment, and every heartache. But the day has come, you stood there hoping someone would just give you a hug. You wanted to scream loud, you wanted to let your tears just flow down because you have had enough. You looked everywhere just so those around you could realize today is the day you sat on the "sad" chair....and that you needed a word of advice, a listening ear, or just a simple hug more than anything else. Unfortunately, no one seems to notice, the world passes through your face as you travel in a slow motion. Everyone is minding their own business and you somehow scream inside saying "cant you all see "I am" in need of help today? that I am longing for someone to hear me out?" But then it becomes clear to you that everyone out there has their own problems to deal with........so you turn to the only one who truly listens to every distressed soul.

It is no other but, Ar-Rahman! You turn to Allah knowing that he is there listening to your every cry----knowing that no matter what you're going through, you can get through with Allah by your side. A little smile escapes from your mouth, your heart feels at ease as you slowly begin to recite: {وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا ... سَيَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ عُسْرٍ يُسْرًا}


"And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. For everything, Allah has already set a [decreed] extent ... Allah will bring about ease after hardship."


So, you let your tears flow with so much hope and slowly begin to shed all your sorrow. You've had enough...so today is the day you're finally going to completely trust in Allah and know with certainty that "with with every difficulty there comes ease" it is a promise of Allah the most high.

Just a thought

Bismillah,

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh Ya Muslimeen!!

I went through my old stuff tonight looking for a text book which I think I sold back...anyway that is not the point. As I was searching I found old journals that I have kept over the years. I think each and everyone of us needs to keep one! Journals reflect our state of mind...in the Muslim's perspective, it reflects our state of IMAN! As I read through them tonight, some made me smile, others made me think deeper and yet others reminded me of some heartaches I went through in life. I was never one to keep journals----I was a tomboy. I did not like diaries and I was not one to play with barbies. I started writing journals about the same time I started practicing Islam....at about age 17, just three years ago! It is kinda of funny thinking about how mature I have become over these few years subhana'Allah.

My writings there reflect ups and downs of my Imaan.....in fact at the beginning of my journal, I was somewhat low and in the middle, my Imaan peaked so HIGH and then it dropped soo LOW! which is probably why I stopped writing. Journals are a secret friend if you use it for the write reasons. Pick up a journal today and write an entry reflecting back at your day. What have you done to please Allah? what will you change tomorrow if you were given a second chance? How do you feel? You can also use journals to write for someone that you love. If our beloved prophet were to read your journals what would you put in there? what do you wish to tell Allah?

I used to do alot of entries when I was upset or angry at someone. I would write about the situation, how I felt and would sometimes (actually most of the time) end up crying and.......... voila I'd feel better after reading what I wrote! There are plenty of different reasons for keeping a journal, but one big one which I just thought about after seeing my old journals is keeping ones self on check. If you ever hear of "judge yourself before you're judged" this is a great way to do so. Hold yourself accountable for your daily activities, speech, and actions. After each entry make it your goal to improve yourself as time goes on. Also remember to be thankful to Allah for any good progress that you make on the way.

Now lets kind of review/list few good reasons why one should keep a journal.
1. Self reflection
2. A private conversation with God
3. Self improvements
4. Anger managing
5. Judge the soul

That is all I can think of now.....insha'Allah if I remember some more I'll add to that list.

Eid Mubarak...a note to my love!

Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

dear love,

I am left with grieve and heartache......I have watched you go so fast, I did not even have time to say goodbye. You've been a blessing to me ever since you stepped into my life. With school closed and all, I thought I'd enjoy time with you and get done with much but I guess I was wrong...dead wrong! I now know that indeed the day of judgement is near because of the time passing quickly. I think of you all the time and wish to witness your blessings next year. You've been a great companion and I shall miss you.....well I already did since I will not be able to wake up for sahoor tonight :( I will not be able to stand side by side with my brothers and sisters in prayer. All I can do now  is pray and stay strong for your next visit.
Goodbye dear Ramadan,

Hello, Eid! Insha'Allah in less than 7 hours, we will pray Eid al-fitr prayer :D
May Allah accept it from us and you....for indeed this blessed month has left us. May Allah increase our Imaan. ameen

back to prison....AKA school

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

School started already! yaay (actually I am not so happy)....but anywho, I wanted to say that I might not be able to do a lot of blogging. However, I assure you that I will do it every few weeks insha'Allah. Let's all remember to always be close to our Rab. School distracts us from our ibadah sometimes, let's remember to be steadfast. Also  know that when we become a person of God, Allah makes us successful in our worldly battles. My message to all who're reading this is....you only need ONE friend, let that friend be the one who can give you all. Let the Lord be your best friend this school year and the world will be yours.

Just few little tips:
1. Get involved with your school MSA club
2. Have a Qur'an with at all times (so that you can read it when you have nothing to do---in between classes)
3. Be mindful of your prayers
4. choose your friends wisely
5. Smile at your Muslim brothers and sisters
6. Be kind to EVERYONE
7. Just be yourself.....
8. Make dua to Allah to make the school year easy for you
9. Study smart not hard
10. Spend time in the remembrance of Allah
------SUCCESS IS ON THE WAY!!!!-----

Ya Allah make this school year easy for us and let us learn something that will benefit us. Ya Allah, you're the best of those who are merciful, have mercy on us as we struggle with this dunya, Ya rab, forgive us for our short comings and make us those who succeed in dunya and Akhirah, oh Allah teach us that which we will benefit our ummah with. ameen

Remember Allah is with YOU and I through it all!! lets SMILE and BEAT this school year!! ;)

you're beautiful JUST the way you're!!

Bismillah,

Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

I haven't posted a lot these past days.....got busy with work and getting ready for back to school. Oh it is so sad that Ramadan is coming to an end. I was looking at the moon last night as my brother and I drove back from Tahajud and I could see it been so tiny, like the size of a banana. It will soon end and though there is Eid and a great festival, I am saddened to see it going like this. I feel like time just flew by so quickly!! anyway, this is not a post about me. This is a post from a sister to her fellow sisters :) listen up girls!! :D

In this day and age, there is a great deal of confusion among us sisters in Islam and in humanity. We think that beauty is all about physical apppearience . We try our out most best trying to fit in the standards of our society. We try to be the perfect size, have the perfect make up, look like the perfect super model....etc. So, we go ahead and spend dollars on makeup...to beautify ourselves and make ourselves more appealing to others especially to the opposite sex. We come to depend on how others see us and sometimes it leads us to exposing more of our bodies than we normally show.....trying to just fit in and be like everyone else.

The reality is, most of  us spend nights crying over what someone said about our looks, trying to hide our imperfection behind the makeup we put on. So we forget that we have something more beautiful and pure than our own appearience, something that makes us unique and different, something that we don't do or say because it is part of the status qua---that something is our own unique personality!!
Our manners, our clean heart, our healthy talk, and our caring self is more beautiful than the make up we wear. Let everyone see us for who we're, what we strongly believe, our amazing intelligence and believe me the world will come smiling at our presence.

None of us have to look like Jessica Alba or Beyonce because the truth is no matter how much we try we will not be like them-so why not embrace our beautiful selves and shine. I swear to God, trying to look beautiful with makeup, latest clothes with amazing brand names will only make us broke! And that aint beautiful. Unless and until we see ourselves worthy and perfect as we've been created, we will never be satisfied. Actually we'll never be happy. Because we're constantly conscious about our looks and that takes the enjoyment out of our daily experiences.

...believe me when I say I know it all. I used to wake up an hour before school just beautifying myself, making sure there aren't any flaws with my 'perfect makeup'. When I arrived school, I'd run to the restroom and check how I still look, if my mascara is still in place and so on and so forth. I wanted others to like me because I am dressed right, 'made-up' right, and I talk right. I wanted to fit in and be like everyone else. However, by my junior year of high school I came to realize that maybe I am not supposed to be like everyone else. Maybe I am supposed to be me. So, the first day of my junior year after summer ended, I walked in school with no make up, wearing my Abayah and hijab properly. Like usual I went to the restroom and stood by the mirror----I felt the urge to go back home and put on my make up because in my head I looked awful!! But I told myself that if people and my 'friends' really liked me for who I was, then they will not mind me dressed up like the way I was. Everyone asked if I was sick that day and when I said no...they replied "well, what wrong" and I ended up saying, I just stopped putting on make up!

I have lost some friends and I have realized that there is more to me than my appearance. Even though, I ended up not fitting in and spent prom night at home I was happy. I was content and felt amazing about myself. I was not confirming to the "norms" I was being myself and the few people who accepted me for that proved to be my only true friends. I am not saying the road is easy nor am I saying you will fit right in......but all I am saying is it aint worth it if you can't be happy with your self.
These are some beauty tips for my sisters out there----you will be BEAUTIFUL inside and out if you only follow this and your company of friends will be those who compete with you in doing righteous good deed!! AKA your Jannah mates. Lets now start applying this 'perfect' make up shall we??

Dear reader, on this 26th day of Ramadan I ask Allah ta'ala to bless you, guide you, protect you, be pleased with you and grant you Jannah! If there is good in anything I said, indeed it is from Allah ta'ala and if I said anything wrong indeed it is from my weak soul and the misguidance of Shaytan the accursed.
Dear sisters, if you are reading this.....know that you're a pearl of Islam. It is your beauty the shines through this world as you walk upon it with your Hijab on...making a statement, a declaration of faith with your head held up high. There is no happiness in the disobedience of God but there is great happiness in His obedience. Remember YOU'ARE BEAUTIFUL JUST THE WAY YOU'RE!!! a perfect creation of Rab al-alameen <3

Shout out to all my beautiful sisterssssssss!!!! :D

thou shalt not break a promise!!!

Assalamu alaikum you guys,

I just want to rant about something tonight. Two traits I hate in someone is ..lie and breaking promises. It really hurts me to know that someone I know or care about lied or in some cases broke a promise they made. You know, my own sister told me many many times that I trust people really quickly. She often said that....good people in this world are becoming extinct and that everyone is selfish! I used to tell her that she has trust issues....and that she needs to give people a chance. But my own theory came to hunt me and every time I give someone my trust, I welcome them in my life as well as heart-they break my trust! Yes they break it! They disappoint me and I am often left with....nothing! I hate to think that I cannot trust people, my whole life is built on trust. I really dislike people who lie to me!

I'd like it if everyone just kept their word, told the truth, and understood what it feels like to be lied to! I learned this lesson the hard way, but the sad thing is I learn this lesson over and over again because I am too naive. I have come to the conclusion to only trust my Lord and those who really fear Him. Wallahi, this dunya is just plain old disgusting! I wish that the people of today were like the sahabah. You know, like those who lived and breathed Islam!! I hate to be pissed or angry.....but I am!!!! subhana'Allah- I am really hurt right now and I dont want to name names or talk about the specifics. I just want everyone reading this to at least learn one thing-be trustworthy! Never ever break a promise you make and never lie to others.

You never know who you gunna hurt! its better to keep your word! anyway all iam tryina SAY IS.....I wholeheartedly HATE anyone who breaks a promise !!!

May Allah subhanahu wata'ala help me and everyone else, may Allah protect us all from those who are of no benefit to us! ameen


“Promises are like the full moon, if they are not kept at once they diminish day by day”

been there, done that..........its all history now

Bismillah,

Assalamu alaikum ya Shabab (youth) ;) insha'Allah all is well with everyone.

OK, so my day at work is done and I am feeling GREAT! Alhamdulillah, today was very very easy! I am not saying it was different than other days....work was busy like all Saturday at the mall..but I did not feel extra tired because I was fasting, in fact it made me forget and made time fly by real quick! Wallahi, it didnt turn out to be what I expected it. It was just fabulous! I had iftar with couple of sisters and some non-Muslim co-workers. They asked questions about Islam and about Ramadan....and alhamdulilah if it was not for this blessed month, those questions would have not been asked. Well, there goes.....Allah works in mysterious ways:)
 Insha'Allah tomorrow will be different, I work too but I get off 15 minutes before Iftar.....I'll make it to the masjid and break my fast with hundreds of Muslim brothers and sisters :D  I will also be able to pray taraweeh at the masjid. Oh how I cannot wait!! Ya'Allah make things easy for my brothers and sisters around the world! ameen
Every day has it is own blessing.....you just gotta look deep to find it!

Can you count your blessings?? can ya?

The hungry wolf :p

Bismillah,

Today's fasting is really hard for me-I am too hungry and too dang lazy! insha'Allah it brings loads of reward! It is also going to be the first day of work while fasting.....so I hope it turns us well. I will be having my Iftar at the break room probably by myself or with some co-works. I am a bit nervous since my job requires alot of walking and stuff. But I trust in Allah and I am pretty sure He will ease the situation for me. I hope this day just becomes a day for me to remember.....it is definitely test for my patience. However, with Allah anything is possible....I will blog about how my day went later tonight when I get off work insha'Allah.

Hopefully I will have something good to say about it :) 

Until then, hang on tight and remember me in your duas :D

kiss it goodbye

Bismillah,

Assalaamu alaikum,

Since I did not go to taraweeh and I am sorta home "alone" I thought I'd do more blogging tonight. Before I start though, I just wanted to mention that it is Sooooooo true when people say "you think alot when you're alone." I like to record my thoughts and read them at a latter time as a reminder. so here goes...

A lot of times we're busy and busy and busy with Dunya, whether it is school, work, family or all combined. Our only concern becomes what is at hand..worrying about tomorrow and so on. This goes on to the point where we might "steal" from our prayers! Wallahi, literary steal from our salah-our divine link! subhana'Allah. And when I say "steal" I mean it the way prophet mohamed (PBUH) meant it. We pray without giving much thought to our sajood, Ruku' and everything else. 

For many of us including and especially me, we have become prisoners of this world. We love it, we're attached to it and we want it more than anything! but ya know I think its time for us to kiss it goodbye!! No, I am not kidding-I am actually dead serious! See, when we turn to Akhirah and to Allah, this Dunya becomes like a drop of water in the ocean. It will come and run after us....it will become attached to us and it will want us but we will not want it back because we have in mind something far more precious!-eternal bliss in the garden of Aden! subhana'Allah.....

However, I think it is hard to kiss it goodbye because this Dunya is full of glitter and all sorts of temptation. Man, The words of Allah are true because indeed this world is a test! it is the hardest test one will EVER take and passing it requires constancy, dedication, commitment and much more. Yet again, we have the answers.....we have all the answers, the key to that special garden-Jannah! It is just upon ourselves to help our soul search for what it really wants. Pleasures that have deadlines or eternal bliss? Money and fame or united with the prophet (PBUH) and his companions? A worrisome heart or a content heart? 

Ones again, the choice is ours and Allah has gives us a great intelligence to choose between two paths. Making this choice is super hard for the youth.....especially the teenagers. Not because of their hormones mind you, but because of the continual growth of their frontal lobe. This is the part of the brain which is not yet completely developed in teens. They dont have the proper insight to choose that which is best for them except those whom Allah bestowed His mercy upon. May Allah make us of them. 

In Islam though, we know "youth years" are particularly very important. We a great story on the people of the cave. Some guys who were the youth of a town and yet knew when to flee in order to preserve tawhid. They wanted to get away from shirk.....yes I said shirk! and now, what is happening to our youth huh?? They know more about pop culture than they know of the oneness of Allah!! We're busy with memorizing lyrics and have completely forgotten to learn about our creator.

However, I swear by Allah aint nothing more calming than the recitation of the Qur'an. The more one learns about Allah, the more one becomes a stranger. A person with knowledge of who Allah is cares less about what this world has to offer...and gives much thought to the meeting with Allah. We need to have a goal....not only should we long for Jannah, but we should also long for the meeting with Allah. Wallahi, no mind or heart can imagine how such meeting would go about. The meeting that will take place when Allah calls upon the people of Jannah to show His noble face. Imagine seeing your creator for the first time! Imagine how it would feel to be able to actually look at Allah's beautiful face. Subhana'Allah......no matter how we try we cannot imagine it because our minds cannot comprehend that. But we're promised that day if we serve and worship Allah like He should be worshiped.

So, go ahead---------KISS this DUNYA goodBYE!---------

-Longing to belong-

Bismillah, Assalamu alaikum everyone.....

I have not written a poem for awhile.......there was so much on my head today and I thought I'd just sit and write some lines. It seems like I dont have an end or a clear conclusion to my poem...well, at least it feels like that writing it. However, it reflects my state of mind and thought as of right now-its not complete. This journey does not have an end until the end comes. So............for now it is just ⋎´✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•✫

..✫¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.✫
☻/ღ˚ •。* ♥♥ ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* 。 ღ˛° 。* °♥ ˚ • ★ *˚ .ღ 。
/▌*˛˚ Longing 2 belong-
/ \ ˚. ★ *˛ ˚♥♥* ✰。˚ ˚ღ。* ˛˚ ♥♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥♥ ˚

Sitting right in front of the screen

All she could think of was a scene

One that is yet to come

On a day when she'll be all alone-no dad and no Mom

Just her facing her one and only Lord

Looking at what deeds she has stored

Will her soul be blessed

or will it be cursed?

Her nafs ponders upon this as she sees time fly by

 Life seems like scattered seeds but all she wants is to ask why?

However, she knows the answer to the question

Her head is telling her to let herself out of this situation

This state of disobedience will only end when she makes a prostration
clearing her intention
aiming for that long destination
Wallahi, it takes courage and dedication

To be able to completely free oneself from the traps of this dunya
To be able to take the journey to a place called Akhira
Where only those who know and served their Lord get a ticket
To enter a garden of bliss in which they'll have all they want without limit
To be able to long for where you really belong!



-A conversation with God-

Bismillah, in the name of Allah,

Assalamu alaikum, peace be upon you all!

Ever have so many private things to say and ya feel like aint nobody there to listen? Or maybe you just want to spill out to the one who you're so sure will listen and will not be so quick to judge you? Alhamdulillah as Muslims we have salah....a divine link with our creator. This happens five times a day....but sometimes, some of us wake up in the last third of the night to have one on one conversation with Allah ta'ala. This is different from the rest of the prayers...in this a Muslim sacrifices his/her sleep and prostrates to God almighty with humbleness and gratitude. Its in these moments where one would cry out his/her heart to Allah and they are so certain that He is there listening to their every cry. This carries no hypocrisy nor does it have any showing off associated with it. In the last third of the night, it is just a servant and his/her master-just YOU and ALLAH!  

There is so much benefit to praying salah tahajud.....but one thing is for sure, you'll have less to worry about during the day. You might ask why is that? well, it is because after a night of concentrated prayer, you will be content, calm and surprisingly happy. Just try it for yourself one night......pray and see how different your day is. I swear by Allah, you'll witness a great deal of calmness and happiness that you never felt before. It is like waking up in the middle of roses and a garden full of all that you ever loved!! Your happiness will spread to everyone around you and it will keep on spreading!

Just imagine yourself, going to school or work early in the morning after a night of Ibadah (worship), a night filled with prayer and supplication and a night of closeness to Allah ta'ala! You go to your first class or your office with a big smile on your face- your boss smiles back at you as if he/she could literary see the noor on your face! You're feeling something bigger than happiness.....a feeling you're unable to describe, but you're loving every minute of it! It seems like nothing can annoy you and that your day keeps on getting better and better! not only are you able to continuely remember your Lord, you're also able to make every minute a minute of Ibadah. You've found yourself in love.......in love with Allah. He is constantly in your mind, all you talk about is Him and what He loves.  You long to be with Him as time goes by....each night waking up for that special conversation! You're a warrior...choosing your battle-losing sometimes, but you always get back up with the grace and mercy of your Lord. This Dunya is just like a waiting room to you....you've got a  goal and a destination. May Allah make the journey easy for you and all of us. Ameen

My dear warrior, know that you're not alone in this battle......you are part of an Ummah dedicated to serving the Lord of al-alameen! Keep your chin up high and clear your intention, you're bound to succeed insha'Allah.

Ramdan Kareem!!

Assalamu alaikum:) peace be upon all of you!!

Ramdan is hereeeeeee :) yaaaaaay...it has been three days already alhamdulillah. I just wish a blessed month full of love, forgiveness, and mercy to everyone who is fasting. This is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed, so lets all take advantage of it and read the book of Allah as much as we can. I hope to post more Islamic posts this month insha'Allah....so stay tunedd!!! :D
I got these ten goals to set for Ramadan list from turntoislam.com (if you havent checked this website out, now is the time!) :)

1. Eat, drink and be moderate

Almost all of us do it - once Iftar time hits, we just keep plowing food and drink into our mouths till it's hard to move afterwards. And those of us who do it know this is totally contrary to the spirit of Ramadan, through which we're supposed to learn self-control not self-indulgence. Let's try to stick to the Prophetic rule on eating: fill our stomachs with one-third food, one-third water and one-third breathing space, even in Ramadan.

2. Give a dollar a day in charity...or five or ten

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was always generous but even more so in Ramadan. Let's open our hearts and dig a little deeper in our wallets this year. Even less than a dollar a day adds up. Whatever you can give, it's the intention that counts.

3. Memorize 4 new Surahs

Memorizing the Quran often seems like a daunting task. But the key is doing it in small bites. Since there are four weeks in Ramadan, try to memorize one new Surah a week. Start off with a short, easy one. Once you've started, you'll build momentum and may even want to memorize a longer one the following week.

4. Go to Tarawih prayers

Post-Iftar, the first urge is to sleep after an exhausting day. But try your best to head out to the mosque for Tarawih prayers. Praying alone is wonderful, but doing it in congregation is fantastic. The community spirit is part of Ramadan's blessings. Don't miss it this year. If going every day is not possible, try going at least one week.

5. Attend the Tarawih prayer in which the recitation of the Quran will be finished

Call the local mosque and find out which day the Imam will be finishing the recitation of the Quran in prayer. Attend to not only hear part of the Quran's recitation in prayer, but also participate in the heart-rending Duas that follow it.

6. Stop swearing and/or backbiting – with a special box

It's hard not to shoot our mouths off when someone's upset us. Whether we utter those four-letter words or backbite about someone to our family and friends, we know this isn't the God-approved way of letting off steam. In Ramadan, when we want to build our spirituality, we've got to wage Jihad against our bad habits.

Try this: get a box and every time you catch yourself swearing or backbiting put some money in it. It could be a buck or less. The point is to choose an amount that makes it feel like punishment.

At the end of the month send the money to a charity or buy a gift for the person whom you've backbitten the most against.

7. Call/email your relatives

You'd think that given the easy access to email, competitive long-distance calling rates, phone cards, etc. these days, we'd keep in touch with family and friends more often. But the opposite seems to be the case, as we get caught up in life's "busyness."

Strengthening ties with family members and keeping in touch with friends is part of our way of life and an act Allah is very pleased with. This Ramadan, call family and friends or at least email them a Ramadan card and ask them how their fasting is going.

8. Go on a technology diet

Even if you work in the IT industry, you can do this. Avoid checking personal email and surfing the web during your fast. After Iftar, instead of plopping yourself in front of the screen, go to Tarawih. The same goes for the television. The point is to try to give our full attention to spiritual elevation this month.

9. Read 5 minutes of Quran a day...just five, not more, not less

Even if you feel you've got absolutely no time, set a timer or the alarm on your cell phone and find a relatively quiet place. You can read the first page of the Quran you open or follow a sequence. The choice is yours. The point is simply to connect with God through His revelation in the month of the Quran.

10. Forgive everyone who has hurt you

Still got a festering wound from the fight with your friend last year? Still upset about something your spouse said during a heated argument? Or are you still bitter about the way your parents sometimes treated you as a kid? Let go of the anger and pain this Ramadan and forgive those who have hurt you. Forgiving someone is not only good for the body, but it's also great for the soul. And in Ramadan, ten days of which are devoted to Allah's forgiveness, shouldn't we lesser beings forgive too?

If you find it very difficult to forgive everyone, forgive at least three people.

Where is my Ummah??

Assalamu alaikum...peace be upon you!

Bismillah
So I haven't been blogging much lately....just got busy with work. However, I am now here and ready to roll.
There is so much going on around the globe lately....one thing that really makes me sad and a bit hopeless is the drought and famine in east of Africa...AKA Somalia. Its my home town, where my parents were born and raised. It brings sadness to my heart to know that there are over a million young souls dying of hunger, that a mother would watch her baby die and feel so helpless because she cant save him, and that so many have lost lives without getting the proper help.

In addition to an on going civil war, they now have to deal with drought! Watching the videos of the victims, looking into the eyes that scream pain and suffering.....all I can do is a sincere dua. I cannot imagine what they are going through, the agony of knowing that there is nothing to eat, no clean water, and no safe haven must be hard to bear. It is at these times that I wonder where the Ummah is.....where is the human spirit, where is the brotherhood?

I know and acknowledge that there are people out there doing their best to help those in need and I applaud their efforts! However, I feel that we need to do more to save lives....we need to work together to let THEM survive. Charity is a common good deed among all faiths and I have faith in all who know and understand what it is to suffer.

Look at this video and just feel....feel what they are going through.

"The Most significant charity given in the eyes of Allah is that given by a person who is already facing financial hardship" (Abu dawood)


Want to donate?? Click here: http://www.araha.org/
or here: http://www.islamic-relief.com/
Do what you can to save a life....act now!

Simply amazing

Bismillah...in the name of Allah I start....

Assalamu alaikum world.....peace be upon ya'll :D

I saw this in a status of my friend's face book. I was sort of moved subhana'Allah. The miracles of the Qur'an are many yet for me nothing tops this Ayah.

ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلْأَرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ

Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or unwillingly." They said, "We have come willingly." 


Scientists of our modern world recently found that before galaxies were formed in the universe,  everything (matter) was in the form of smoke. However, in the 14th century....the Qur'an has taught the same exact thing. That all matter was in the form and smoke and by the will of God......it became what we know of it today. Subhana'Allah, who then can deny the greatness of Allah? who can deny that He is all powerful? by Allah, no one with a sound heart, a reasonable mind, and one who uses his/her intellect can ever deny that the Qur'an is indeed the words of God! 

Beauty....you'll find it in the simplest things! glory be to God !

Bismillah, in the name of Allah, I start...

Assalamu alikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh, peace be upon ya'll

Our lives are fast pace and some of us miss out on the best views ! I did not know what I was missing out till today. My life is usually work and school. I rarely get time to do outdoor fun...usually my kind of fun includes just indoors....movies, going to the mall, shopping, and eating out. However, today I got lucky unexpectedly.....I got of work right at sunset. Oh how beautiful it was....its beyond words, beyond my own imagination, beyond anything I have ever seen! It was so gorgeous and so heart warming. It suddenly reminded me of Allah, the creator and the fashioner. All I could say was "subhana'Allah-Glory be to Allah! For my heart was moved and my thoughts widened. I was taken by the precious beauty of the simplest thing, which costs no money to watch! To keep my memory alive, I taken some pictures that i'd like to share with the world..................but I want everyone to keep in mind the following verse "He is Allah the Creator the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colours). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the exalted in Might, the Wise" (59:24).

Islam...:)

Bismillah....I begin
Assalamu alaikum..peace be upon you oh reader!
What is Islam you ask, with an awe you wonder
I am happy to give you my answer
Asking you to read further
To know the truth about Islam, which is the religion of the stranger
The constant repenter
And the truth seeker
It teaches peace, equality, justice to you and I for it came from the creator
terrorism, discrimination, hatered, and emnity you'll never find in ISLAM
because it teaches the BEST behavior
It's a religion that has NO color
Nor is it for a group of people in particular
Indeed it's for All who say "Allah is my creator"
And muhamed Is the LAST messenger
Acknoledging Jesus, Moses, Noah, Ibrahim, David, Soleman, and the Rest who were sent with the same message of Islam which is the best


It's for the believers who call eachother brothers and sisters with smile
Because In Islam, we're one Ummah and to mention that is worthwhile

I encourage you to read Al-Qur'an and the Biography of Allah's Massenger
And with Allah, you have GOT nothing to lose BUT so much to gain in this world and the hereafter
So, keep on searching for the TRUTH
'Till you REST your soul and find the right path

Who are the believers....?

Bismillah...in the name of God I start...

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh..peace be upon ya'll.

The Qur'an mentions the qualities of a believer in different chapters and verses..but last night the following verses have touched me deeply. I hope that insha'Allah we'll all benefit from them. This is the interpretation and meaning of Surah Al-furqan (chapter 25 verses 63-77). 

And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say "Peace!" (63) Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing; (64) Those who say "Our Lord! avert from us the Wrath of Hell, for its Wrath is indeed an affliction grievous― (65) "Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in"; (66) Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes); (67) Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause, not commit fornication― and any that does this (not only) meets punishment (68) (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy― (69) Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (70) And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with an (acceptable) conversion― (71) Those who witness no falsehood and, if they pass by futility, they pass by it with honourable (avoidance); (72) Those who, when they are admonished with the Signs of their Lord, droop not down at them as if they were deaf or blind: (73) And those who pray "Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous." (74) Those are the ones who will be rewarded with the highest place in heaven because of their patient constancy; therein shall they be met with salutations and peace (75) Dwelling therein how beautiful an abode and place of rest! (76) Say (to the rejecters): "My Lord is not uneasy because of you if ye call not on Him but ye have indeed rejected (Him) and soon will come the inevitable (punishment)!" (77).

In these verses God not only talks about the believers...but His greatest mercy shines through here. He describes the mistakes a believer might make (commit fornication, associate partners with Allah, and take a life that is sacred)...and then says He will forgive as long as they repent and do righteous good deeds. Here we learn the condition of repentance. That the sin must be stopped and followed by a good deed. Subhana'Allah, how easy is it to serve our Lord the oft-forgiving most merciful? He knows we will make mistakes, sin time and time again....so He gave us the criterion to get back up again giving us hope in His greatest mercy! The lessons I have learned reading these verses are the following...I am no scholar but as everyone reads the Qur'an....it speaks to them in different ways, touches them from different angles and clarifies different aspects for different people. So, with that said, I dont want anyone taking my words as the ultimate truth! The lessons are the following: 

1. Prayer during the night is important : Allah says "Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and standing" and we also know that the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the last third of the night to the point where his feet got swollen! The last hours of the night is when everyone is asleep and the servant is alone with his/her creator. 

2. To balance our spending: You know a lot of us like to go shopping especially if you're a female! you know exactly what I am talking about. We like to spend money on what is a "want" which makes us extravagant spenders. We cant be stingy as well....we have to balance between the two. 

3. Avoid nonsense arguments: Indeed we know that in this time and age, many people who're ignorant about Islam and who seek to argue for the sake of argument usually post stuff to anger us. Allah jalla wa'ala has provided us with the tool and the ways to react. We ignore them and reply with words of peace! We as Muslims are not people who get angry and get down to level of those who wrong us. There are important things for us to worry about than the words of the ignorant. Alhamdulillah for Islam and its guidelines.

4.Repentance: Allah is indeed the most forgiving....and we're indeed created week. None of us can avoid committing crimes against our nafs (soul). We're prone to sin time and time again...and sometimes repeat the same one! but Islam gives us the solution. We cant despair and give up on the rahma (mercy) of Allah. He is ar-rahman the most merciful. In another verse Allah says "Say: "O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful" (39:53). So, lets remember the condition of repentance: dont repeat the sin, and follow up with good deed:)

Happiness?

Bismillah...(in the name of God) I start.....
Assalaamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh, peace be upon you all!
I am generally happy person, but there are days when I am sad, upset or just plain angry. I came to wonder why my happiness cannot last longer and began to do a little writing. Insha'Allaah, this new perspective of life can give us many many reasons to smile.Before I begin anything, I'd just like to define happiness.


Happiness...its a word that carries many different definitions. The general meaning on the dictionary is "pleasant feeling and expression of joy" but just like love, to many people happiness is indescribable. It is that you-know-what-I-mean- feeling- all of us have....some more than others. Happiness for some people is a destination and for others, it is just a mood that does not last for a lifetime. However, what is happiness really, who is the happy one and what brings happiness to the soul.


Normally, I'd say that happiness is having all that you want and need in your life...but the truth is, one can possess things and yet be miserable. For me, happiness is a state of mind. It is brought by the little unnoticed moments of life such as hearing the laughter of a child, giving a helping hand to another person, and of feeling loved by those around you. Like most emotions, happiness is just a mood which cannot last for such along time because remember happiness is just that-------a state of mind.
 Many of us teens and young adults seek the quickest pleasure from the life of rock and roll, sex and drugs. Pleasures that satisfy us for just a limited time-for just that one moment we're engaging in. In our search of peace and contentment, at some point in our lives we stumble upon religion. And here many of us find the ultimate bliss, the actual heaven on earth. 


I found mine in the religion of Islam  which is literary away of life.....we're taught what our sole purpose of life is, where we're headed, the different paths and of course how to attain the destination we choose. Everything is laid down for us....and we're given the choice to follow that which we want or not. If one chooses to follow the path of Islam, they're obliged to enter it completely! As Allah the glorified said "O ye who believe! enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the Evil One; for he is to you an avowed enemy" (ch2:207). So happiness comes from knowing who you are, where you're headed and the ways to achieve your ultimate goal .It takes along hard search to find our own unique identities for most of us are lost trying to be "wannabes" but once we find that unique person within us-we have reached the point in which we can dictate where we want our life to be, how we want it to end and what kind of foot prints we want to leave behind. The guidance is in the message of God to man kind....and it is crystal clear for any searching soul to understand. 

Ones we as humans know, are convinced and accept that there is God with great power and might...who has not left us to wonder around this place called "universe" without first providing us with guidance and mercy then and only then will we begin to feel the blessings and start appreciating.
Happiness comes from being content with what we have, appreciating the fortune that we have been given, and most of all loving and being grateful to the one who has blessed us. 
So lets remember the following:
Created: to worship and please our Lord
Follow: Qur'an and Sunnah
Destination: Jannah


When we start to put Allah first in everything we begin to taste the sweetness of faith. And like our beloved prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) we'd always smile. 
My search of happiness is not done yet for I struggle to please my Lord everyday. I fall and get up again trying to do that which is good for my soul. The ladder to happiness is long, but with patience and persistence anyone can reach it with the mercy of God almighty.

Hello

Assalaamu alaikum,
peace be upon ya'll....
This is my first blog and I intend to keep it. I will try to post something new everyday insha'Allah (by the will of God). Know that each and every word I say comes from the heart....this is some what a public diary and each post is a reflection of my own feelings,emotions, and thoughts. The purpose of my writing is to touch other hearts around this vast universe, make a difference in someone else' life and most of all bring a smile to the reader. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions and/or concerns....:D

*waves* peace ya'll :D