Never forget Allah

My apologies for not blogging in quite a while, but my life a bit busy right now mostly because of my health. I guess I should heed my own advice in this title. Alhamdulillah, Allah is the most forgiving and most merciful.

...You are not to blame for any honest mistake you make but only for what your
hearts premeditate. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Ahzab:
5)

Islam is founded on the basis that we fear Allah. To be devout is to fear Allah. Our Glorious Quran tells us, sincerity is characteristic of those who have a strong fear the Almighty Allah. Fear means that we only engage in deeds that would please Allah. Every action we take should be that we can be accountable for on the day of Judgment and Allah asks us to be accountable.

Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and His good
pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling
precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? Allah does not
love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba: 109)

Believers are those who do not commit evil deeds and if for some reason we err, we should repent immediately and ask for Allah’s forgiveness. For every breath we take and every moment in our lives, we should be Allah by behaving appropriately in a manner that we can account for on the Day of Judgment.

With Islam, we know how to behave and good behavior should be something that we practice regardless of Islam. People will make mistakes, but if we are devout, we can recognize those and immediately repent and ask for Allah’s forgiveness.

Those who, when they act indecently or wrong themselves, remember Allah and ask
forgiveness for their bad actions-for who can forgive bad actions except
Allah?-and do not knowingly persist in what they were doing. (Surah Al 'Imran:
135)

Our Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless them and grant him peace) is reported to have said “the religion is sincerity and good will.” Islam gives us a lifestyle of moral right and all we have to do is fear Allah and look to Islam for guidance in how we should behave.

Your Lord knows best what is in your selves. If you are true believers, He is
Ever-Forgiving to the remorseful. (Surat al-Isra': 25)

Further, Allah will not place on burden on you that you cannot bear. He promises his sincere and devoted servants forgiveness.

Allah does not impose on any self any more than it can stand. For it is what it
has earned; against it, what it has merited. "Our Lord, do not take us to task
if we forget or make a mistake! Our Lord, do not place on us a load like the one
You placed on those before us! Our Lord, do not place on us a load we have not
the strength to bear! And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy on us. You
are our Master, so help us against the people of the disbelievers." (Surat
al-Baqara: 286)

We need to remember to Allah is one who we must be dedicated to. We should not be ignorant and we should knowledgeable about pleasing Allah. And even if we not knowledgeable, we should trust that Allah will guide us in the most righteous manner and our devotion will allow such guidance.

Those who submit themselves completely to Allah and do good have grasped the
Firmest Handhold. The end result of all affairs is with Allah. (Surah Luqman:
22)

There is reminders all round of Allah’s existence and power and we should never ignore those. In order us to attain salvation, in this world and the afterlife, we need Allah to guide us.

Ramadan Qoutes

"(It was) the month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month…"

~ [al-Baqarah 2:185]
"Allah is with those who restrain themselves."

~ [Quran 16: 128]
"He is the One GOD; the Creator, the Initiator, the Designer. To Him belong the most beautiful names. Glorifying Him is everything in the heavens and the earth. He is the Almighty, Most Wise."

~ [Quran 59:24]
"Allaah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months, as Allaah says...The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah's
Permission with all Decrees, there is peace until the appearance of dawn."

~ [al-Qadar 97:1-5]
"(Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew"

~ [al-Baqarah, 2:184]
"O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint."

~ [al-Baqarah, 2:183]
"When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided."

~ [al-Baqarah, 2:186]
"Permitted for you is sexual intercourse with your wives during the nights of fasting. They are the keepers of your secrets, and you are the keepers of their secrets. GOD knew that you used to betray your souls, and He has redeemed you, and has pardoned you. Henceforth, you may have intercourse with them, seeking what GOD has permitted for you. You may eat and drink until the white thread of light becomes distinguishable from the dark thread of night at dawn. Then, you shall fast until sunset. Sexual intercourse is prohibited if you decide to retreat to the Masjid (during the last ten days of Ramadan). These are GOD's laws; you shall not transgress them. GOD thus clarifies His revelations for the people, that they may attain salvation."

~ [al-Baqarah, 2:187]

These quotes came The Holiday Spot Website.

Incorporating Zikr in our busy lives

Our Prophet Muhammad, sallalahu alaiha wa sallam (peace and blessings upon him), taught the followers of Islam that Islam is not just a religion, but a way of life. As Muslims, we are to worship and remember Allah may times during our day. We have all been guilty of letting ourselves get caught up in our busy lives, and we forget how important this is. The respect and remembrance of Allah is what separates those on earth from those who have died. We know that remembrance of Allah includes Hajj, fasting in Ramadan, praying with a congregation at least once a week, reading and reciting the Quran, and praying five times a day. This does not mean, however, that we should forget Allah outside of those prescribed moments.

As Muslims we need incorporate Allah in our lives and in the lives of our children.

• If you need or want something, no matter what it is, pray to Allah first. "Call on Me. I will answer your prayer, but those who are too arrogant to serve me will surely find themselves humiliated in Hell" (40:60). Taking a moment to ask Allah forces you to realize that Allah wants us to remember Him and put our trust in him.

• If you are facing a difficult event or a happy one, turn to Allah. According to Abu Huraira, "The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, reported that, whoever wants Allah to answer his prayers during difficult times, should supplicate to Him more and more in times of ease."

• Always beware of how events should be addressed. Always say “Assalm Alaikum” (Peace and Blessings upon you) when you meet a fellow Muslim. Use words like Alham’dullah (All thanks to Allah) at the appropriate times to remind yourself of Allah’s presence and goodness. Use the words Insha’ Allah (God willing) when you are considering something, Ma Sha Allah, if you are praising something or someone and Bismillah (In the name of Allah) before you start anything. If you think about doing or saying Islamic, say Audhu billahi min al-shaitan ir-rajim (I seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan, the accursed) or Astaghfirullah (I ask Allah forgiveness.).

• Surround yourself with others that remember Allah. The Prophet reportedly told ibn Umar that, "There are some angels of Allah who go about looking for such assemblies or circles of Zikr, and when they find them they surround them."

"When any group of men remember Allah, angels surround them and mercy covers them, tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him" (Abu Huraira and Abu Said Al Khudri).

• Do not forget the importance of charity. It is reported that the Prophet once said, "Charity is obligatory every day on every joint of a human being. If one helps a person in matters concerning his riding animal by helping him to ride it or by lifting his luggage onto it, all will be regarded as charity. A good word, and every step one takes to offer compulsory congregational prayer, is regarded as charity; and guiding somebody on the road is regarded as charity (Abu Huraira).

• Teach others about Islam. The Quran says, "those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah, for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction" (13:28).

We try to find excuses for the things that we are to busy to do, but the remembrance of Allah should be a part of everything we do, and it does not take much out of our day. Whatever it is we do, we need to keep Allah in our hearts and minds. Insha’ Allah and Alham’dullah.

Source: Patel, Karin “How to incorporate Zikr into our lives.” Retrieved on September 17, 2009 from Sound Vision: http://www.soundvision.com/Info/teens/incorporatezikr.asp

Is it really the 27th day of Ramadan?

This Ramadan has gone by quite fast. It makes you realize how short life is.

This is an important day in Islamic history. As we all know, the month of Ramadan was the month that our Holy Quran was sent down from heaven. The story goes that our Prophet Muhammad - sallalahu alaiha wa sallam (peace and blessings upon him) was sitting in the wilderness alone near Mecca when the Angel Jibra’eel (Alayhis Salaam) appeared to him. Jabra’el (Alayhis Salaam) commanded Muhammad (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) to read, wherein our Prophet (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) recited that he was not a reader. The Angel Jabra’el (Alayhis Salaam) then taught Prophet (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) some verses of the Quran which Muhammad (sallalahu alaiha wa sallam) memorized.

These revelations continued for ten days. Many Islamic scholars believed that the first revelation came on the night of the 27th day of Ramadan. That is the night we call Laylat-al-Qadr (Night of Power). Moreover, and this according to the Quran, is when Allah Ta’lah determines the course of the world for the following year.

The receiving of the Holy Quran can be compared to the receiving of the Ten Commandments to the Jews and the Christians. This is an important event in Islamic history and the lives of Muslims everywhere.

Source: Muhammad and the Holy Quran. (n.d.). Retrieved from Ramadan on the Net : http://www.holidays.net/ramadan/muhamd.htm

Amazing recitation of the Qur'an by a young child!

Ayat al Kursi

7 Reasons to Read the Glorious Quran

This article is by Shabir Ali

7 Reasons to Read the Glorious Quran

(1) Intimate:

It dares you to disprove it. How? It says that humans can not write a book like this even if they pooled all their resources together and got help also from the spirits. The Quran said this fourteen hundreds years ago and yet no one has been able to disprove it. Billions of books have been written - but not another one like the Quran.

(2) Incorruptible:

It is the only religious sacred writing which has been in circulation for such a long time and yet remains as pure as it was in the beginning. The Quran was kept intact. Nothing was added to it; nothing was changed in it; and nothing was taken away from it ever since it was completely revealed 1400 years ago.

(3) Unsurpassable:

The Quran is God's final revelation to humankind. God revealed the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, the Gospel to Jesus, and finally the Quran to Muhammad. Peace be upon all of them. No other book will come from God to surpass his final revelation.

(4) Indisputable:

The Quran withstands the test of time and scrutiny. No one can dispute the truth of this book. It speaks about past history and turns out right. It speaks about the future in prophecies and it turns out right. It mentions details of physical phenomena which were not known to people at the time; yet later scientific discoveries confirm that the Quran was right all along. Every other book needs to be revised to accord with modern knowledge. The Quran alone is never contradicted by a modern discovery.

(5) Your Roadmap for Life and Afterlife:

The Quran is the best guidebook on how to structure your life. No other book presents such a comprehensive system involving all aspects of human life and endeavor. The Quran also points out the way to secure everlasting happiness in the afterlife. It is your roadmap showing how to get to paradise.

(6) God's Gift of Guidance:

God has not left you alone. You were made for a reason. God tells you why he made you, what he demands from you, and what he has in store for you. If you operate a machine contrary to it's manufacture specification you will ruin that machine. What about you? Do you have an owner's manual for you? The Quran is from your function for success lest you fail to function. It is a healing mercy from God. It satisfies the soul, and cleans the heart. It removes doubts and brings peace.

(7) Your Calling Card to Communicate with God:

Humans are social creatures. We love to communicate with other intelligent life. The Quran tells us how to communicate with the source of all intelligence and the source of all life- the One God. The Quran tells us who God is, by what name we should address God, and the way in which to communicate with God. Are these not seven sufficient reasons for reading the Quran?