Snooze!

The term, “You snooze, you lose!” is incredibly true! The greatest thing a person can lose by his snoozing is the reward of his Fajr salaah. An issue that I want to discuss is that of our alarm clocks; many of us happily keep the adhan as our alarm sound for the morning or perhaps a nice nasheed and there is no problem with that but when the time comes for “qumoo lillahi qaaniteen (and stand before Allah in total devotion)” our finger, slowly runs up the side of our bed, stealthily squeezes under the pillow, tickles along the bedsheet and trigger happily fires the ‘snooze’ button! *dushoom*
 

Indeed, Fajr can become incredibly hard to pray if a person is not in the habit of it. Sometimes, a person can be in the habit of reading Fajr for months without end but one day, he misses it due to some occurrence and as a result, his performance of Fajr in the coming few months is nonexistent!

To be short and sweet, we must not always rely on one plan to wake us up. Shaytaan khabees has billions of ploys which he has trialled and tested on believers from the beginning of time! It doesn’t make sense to rely on one plan which is fatally flawed (with a snooze button). Rather, one should match fire with fire! If shaytaan has a number of ploys then you should prepare to meet them. Move your phone from your bed or get others in the household to wake you up. Ponder over your Fajr like an army general who sits over a map, pinpointing his every move.

Think about why you can’t wake up for Fajr; the core reason as to why you find yourself waking up two hours after fatigued and upset. Is it because you sleep late? Is it because you are a movie addict? Is it because you are speaking to friends online? Find out what the reason is and put a snooze on it!

May Allah Ta’ala give us all the ability to be punctual on our Salaah and may He, out of His kindness, make us an example of the verse, “and stand before Allah in total devotion...”. Ameen Ya Rabbal Aalameen.

Read A Book On Your Travels

Today I sat on the train and observed something quite amazing. I noticed that the majority of the people on the train were reading some form of literature. Some were reading huge novels, others were reading fashion magazines and some were reading newspapers. I then thought of how wonderful it would be if Muslims began to pick up Islamic literature and then take it along with them on travels etc.

How many times have we found ourselves twiddling around with our thumbs while we are sitting on the bus or train with nothing to do. Strangely enough, when we are at home in the warmth of our house, it is very hard to pick up a book and read it from cover to cover simply because of the temptation to sleep or indulge in other things. However, when we are in trains, buses or waiting rooms, we instantly become interested in reading something or the other. It is for this reason that we should keep an interesting Islamic book in our bags that we take a long especially for our travels. By doing this, we will be benefitting enormously in our knowledge of Islam and we will also be getting reward for seeking knowledge.

Then when it is time to get off the train, you can put your book back into your bag only to continue another day. Slowly but surely, a person will be able to get through many books. It is thus important for us to go to our local Islamic shops and pick out a nice book that will be an interesting read, thereafter, it is up to us individually to make an effort in reading them.

So next time the person on your left is reading a Metro and the person on your right is reading the Twilight series, you can take out a nice Islamic book and fit right in.

The following are some books in English that I have found extremely beneficial to read and are easy to understand for the common person also:

1. Shamail Tirmizi by Imam Tirmizi rahimahullah - This is an excellent book for everybody who wants to know about the characteristics of Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam. It has his a description of how he looked, smiled, sat, ate, walked etc. It is available in English with a commentary written by Hazrat Sheikh Zakariyya rahimahullah to help you understand better.
2. The Sealed Nectar by Sheikh Saifur Rahman Mubarakpuri - This is a great biography of Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam. It highlights all the important occurrences that took place in the blessed life of Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam right upto his passing away.
3. The Islamic Conquest of Syria by Imam Waqidi rahimahullah and this is has been translated into English by Maulana Sulayman al Kindi sahib.This book is exceptional! It tells of how life continued for the Muslims after the passing away of Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam. It shows how the Islamic empire grew and tells stories of effort, struggle, courage, bravery, love, compassion and much more. It truly is a great read.
4. Hayaatus Sahaba by Maulana Yusuf Khandalwi rahimahulah - This book is three volumes and relates various stories in relation to the sahaba radiallahu ahum. It is highly recommended for people who are looking to see the beautiful nature of the companions of Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam.
5. Manners in Islam by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah - This is a book of hadith on manners which has been compiled by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah.
6. Ashraf's Blessings of Marriage - this is perhaps one of the best books on the topic. It deals beautifully in regards to a topic which concerns many people. A very important book in general.
7. Ahsan al Qasas by Sheikh Abdur Raheem sahib - This is a tafseer of Surah Yusuf which is written in a very attractive way. It deals in depth with regards to the story of Yusuf alayhis salam whilst diverting the reader's attention towards various lessons which can be learnt.
8. Chosen Souls by Sheikh Irfan Sidyot sahib - This book provides short one-page-biographies on many splendid Islamic personalities who have passed. It highlights their efforts and love for Islam.
9. The Ideal Muslim(ah) by Muhammad Ali al Hashimi - This book helps a person to realise how he/she should be. It has various chapters which pertain to the different aspects of a Muslim's life and how he/she should deal with them.
10. The Wisdom Behind The Commands of Islam by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi rahimahullah - this book is a great piece of work which explains all those niggling questions that a person has. It explains all those commands that we have been given as Muslims which do not seem to conform with our logic. It answers many of the 'Why?' questions and removes many misconceptions.
    
    May Allah Ta'ala give us all the ability to benefit from the correct literature and give us beneficial knowledge. Ameen.

My Holiday Ibadat Chart

The following is a ibadat chart that we made to help you through the holidays. Insha Allah print it off, stick it on the wall and tick away! Try your best to tick all the boxes for a special prize... Jannah!

Reality Check!

Days are going by, weeks are going by and months are going by. Day in and day out the same things happen, the sun rises in the morning, and the sun sets in the evening. At the same time our years are passing by and our lives are getting shorter.

After my first year of college I remember countless times the conversation amongst us would be along the lines, "...maaan college is missions, I wish we could go back to the kelmscott days (secondary school)." It's funny when we say such statements even though we know there's no chance of us going back, but we just have false hopes of returning to those years because it was a lot more easier than the years we are in at the moment.

When a person leaves primary school, after doing his SATs, he then moves on to secondary school and he knows there's no chance of going back. When a person leaves secondary school and heads to college with his GCSEs, he knows there's no chance of going back to change the results he received. When a person receives his results for his A-levels he heads to university for whatever course is available for him and he realises there's no chance of him going back to that same college to re-do those same years he done there. Similarly the examples can go on and on of the doors that open and close in life. We enter through one door and then soon after we leave through another door and then that door is sealed shut behind us. One door which we all entered together, was the door of being in this world. And just like one day we left primary school then secondary school and then college and we knew there was no chance of going back to change the results that we got, is the same way that when you leave this world it's like closing a door behind you which has no handle for you to pull open again. Whatever results you receive on that day when you die, is what you will have to make do with and then there will be no chance of going back. It's a fact that today in the year 2009 we are all here alive and well, alhamdulilah, but that might not be the case in 2100. The world will carry on, wars will still be occuring but for you and I, we won't even be able to move a muscle. If you think about this deeply then a certain reality will hit you.

When a person dies, then he's closed one door behind him and that door will be locked shut. You won't have no choice but you will obey the will of your Lord, and you will enter the door of the grave. In here is another reality, because you will be on your own with your deeds around you and your eyes will see things they've never seen before. Again, you will have a set time in the grave then that door of the grave will close too. This time you and the entire creation of Allah Ta'ala will be destroyed by the sound of the horn of the angel Israfeel alayhis salaam and then even he Israfeel alayhis salaam will be destroyed. For an approximate period of 40 years or more, Allah will be the only Being in existence and nothing else. Allah is the Real Power and the Real Might. Allah is the Eternal One, and the One to whom we will return to. This is all the truth of reality. All of these events will come to pass and that's when we will finally be resurrected and given the greatest exam of our life. On that Day Allah himself will say, "Whose is the Kingdom this Day?" (Allah Himself will reply to His Question); "It is Allah's, the One, the Irresistible!" (Surah Ghafir, verse 16).

This life is a series of doors that open and close which will carry on even when you die. The last of doors which we will enter, will be the doors of Jannah, InshAllah. And when those doors are closed then you wouldn't even want to go back!

It is the desire of every human to obtain success. Nobody wants to be a failure in life. Different people have different views of success. Some view success as being wealthy and rich. Some view success as having fast cars and making the most of this life that they were given. Whatever the views are of people the ultimate success which nobody can doubt is obtaining entry into Jannah without any punishment of this world or the hereafter. To achieve this, is where your efforts will come in handy. The same way those who will receive grade A's in their A-levels, generally put alot of effort into getting those grades over the last 2 years they spent in college, is the same way that those who put effort and the word is, "effort", into practising the Deen of Allah, will surely receive the good grades of Jannah before them. No effort for the Deen of Allah will go to waste in the Sight of Allah, and that's a fact.


The following is a qoute I made when writing this piece, not that it's anything special.

"I'm alive today and I'll die tommorow, I'm not alive tomorrow because I died today. "

Free Time

Alhamdulillah, after stressing for a month or so about exams we have finally come to the Easter holiday. So this basically means, we've got 7 days left to go and see as many movies, smoke as many shisha flavours and cram in as much fun as we possibly can. However, is this the intellect we should keep?

Having a fun time is good, enjoying yourself is fantastic aslong as it is within the boundaries set by Allah and His Messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم. For example, its good to play football and keep yourself healthy because it is the Huqooq (right) of your body that you maintain it thus in this there is reward for a person.

Then you get some brothers and sisters who play football so much that when it comes to praying, they are too tired and then miss it. This concept is wrong and in it their is sin, we just need to learn to distinguish between good and bad rather then thinking 'Being Muslim means no fun!' This is incorrect, have fun but with moderation.Likewise we find alot of people moan because they claim that they are too busy to remember Allah; That work, college, individual courses and extra curricular activities get in the way of sincere worship. Yet when the free time inevitably comes our way, we occupy ourselves with Facebook and MSN for hours on end. People will be stuck on MSN Messenger and forums till early in the morning speaking about trivial matters when this time is the best to pray, make Du'a to Allah and beg Him for His forgiveness.In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم says,

"Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: 'Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?"

Allah is literally looking for excuses to forgive us...So lets not waste our holidays with trivial matters and day to day 'gupshup' about who is dating who. Do no let these days pass with regret overshadowing our hearts due to the deficiency in our worship. I am not saying, "don't have fun!" I am saying, "Have fun but with moderation." If you go to the gym you will know that after a few exercises one has to rest his body otherwise it will get strained, in the same way, when havin fun one has to stop and remember Allah or his heart will become strained and rusty.A beautiful parable that comes to my mind...

Ali ibn Abi Talib (May Allah be pleased with him), stood with one of his companions near a grave one day and asked him,

"If he could come back to this Dunya, what do you think he would do?"

His companion replied,

"He would do nothing but good deeds."

Thereupon Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) remarked,

"If it is not going to be him, then let it be you!"

Taken from Leyton Islamic Society blog