Return to Allah

Reaffirm and solidify your iman with these tips.

Have you ever felt like you’ve reached a low point in your faith? After being a very enthusiastic gainer of good deeds, you are becoming lenient and your enthusiasm is fading?

I’ve felt that many times. I’m sure we all do. That’s pretty common to feel that way. Iman is just like a roller coaster, sometimes it goes up making us feel content and sometimes it goes down and low, a danger zone. Yes. I call that a danger zone, and it is a must for us to take steps to come out of that perilous zone.

In the hustle and bustle of life, we often forget to follow Allah’s commands. We indulge in the comforts of this world, shrugging off everything related to the after-life.

It is usual for us to become lackadaisical in following and abiding Allah’s commands; it is human nature to sin and to err.shutterstock_286905821

  • Open the Quran and see what Allah wants to tell you:

The Quran is the nourishment of every person’s soul, the light of the heart and guidance to the straight path.

Allah SAW says:

“Indeed, this Quran guides to that which is most suitable.” [Quran: Chapter 17, Verse 9]

Whenever you feel like you are losing your energy and that your performance is starting to drop, quickly turn to the Quran and you will always find a way out.

  • Read Islamic Books:

There are a variety of books that one can buy from bookshops or kiosks. Try reading stories of the prophets and companions. They’re interesting to read and give us knowledge.

  • Sit with those who learn and practise Islam:

A man learns the best from his friends.

As cliché as it sounds, the reality is, the more time we spend with a person, the more prone we are to adopting their habits.

The bottom line is: spend time with those who learn and preach Islam.dua

  • Make dua.

Dua is the weapon of a believer. Make dua during prostration. Pray that your Iman be high and make dua that you be persistent in gaining good deeds and in pleasing Allah.

I ask Allah to make us better practising Muslims than what we were yesterday.

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Celebrate Eid In Full Spree

It is so inconceivable that we have reached the end of Ramadan. Glory be to Allah! The most awaited moment is here.

At the same time, it’s nostalgic, since we all will now pine for the beautiful moments that we have lived in this Ramadan. The serene suhoor, the fasting hours, the taraweeh, the time we devoted to Allah alone, the long qiyaam, the laylatul Qadr and the appetizing dishes that our mum’s would make… Yes! that palatable Basbousa and Kunafah…

To make this moment more special, follow the Sunan of Eid.

  1.  Wake up early in the morning.
    Clean your teeth with a miswaak as it’s Sunnah
Miswak

Credit: wiki

  1. It is recommended to recite takbeer during the night of Eid from sunset on the last day of Ramadan until the Imam comes to lead the prayer. The format of the takbeer is as follows:‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allah, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa Lillahil-hamd’ (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god except Allah, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allah)

Takbeer-of-‘Eid-ul-Fitr

  1. Eat an odd number of dates before leaving for the Eid prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not set out on the day of Eid until he had eaten an odd number of dates.

eid

  1. Wear your best clothes. With regard to women, they may wear their best clothes while they are at home. It is impermissible for them to adorn themselves while going for the Eid prayer.
  1. Perform your Eid prayers. It is better and recommended for women to go out to the Eid prayer since it was enjoined by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
  1. It is sunnah to take one route to the place of prayer and take a different route back.

Make your Eid even better by following these simple Sunan. May Allah accept it from us and you.

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Visiting The Grand Mosque

Visiting Masjid Al Haram in Makkah is a golden opportunity in the lives of every Muslim. Every Muslim yearns to visit the Grand Masjid of Makkah Al Mukarramah. While visiting the Masjid Al Haram, one must follow the proper etiquettes in order to maintain its decorum and sanctity.

There are etiquettes to be followed, no matter which mosque one enters upon. However, the supremacy of Masjid Al Haram naturally makes it a priority.

  • Maintaining purity within ourselves:

man-979980_960_720Demonstrate your eagerness by wearing neat and clean clothes, when visiting the masjid.

Ensure that your body and clothes are clean and pure. If you have eaten garlic, onions, etc., do not go to the mosque, until the odor from your mouth has vanished.Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullaah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “He who has eaten garlic or onion should keep away from us or our mosques. Whoever eats garlic or onions should stay away from us” – or he said: “from our mosque” – “and he should remain at his home.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The aforementioned hadith shows that a person who has eaten a garlic or onion (or anything similar to that) should stay away, lest it cause discomfort to the other fellow believers due to its pungent smell.

  • To enter with the right foot and recite the supplication of entering the mosque:

washing-64803_1280How many of us have memorized the supplication for entering the masjid? If you’ve not yet, then it is the high time to commit the supplication to mind.
It is highly recommended, when entering Al-Masjid Al-Haraam, like other mosques, to supplicate with the following beautiful supplication:

I seek refuge with Allah, the Most Great, and with His bounteous Countenance and eternal Power from Satan the expelled (from the mercy of Allah). All perfect praise be to Allah. O Allah, send blessings and peace upon Muhammad and upon his family. O Allah, forgive my sins and open the gates of Your mercy before me.
Then, one should say, “In the Name of Allah,” and proceed with the right foot to enter the masjid. In this way we not only follow the sunnah of our beloved Messenger (Peace be upon him), but also we gain good rewards from Allah (Glory Be To Him)

  • The prayer of salutations to the Masjid (tahiyyatul masjid):

155647Another imperative etiquette is performing the two rakah as the tahiyyatul masjid. This is evident from the following hadith.

Abu Qatadah reports that the Messenger of Allah said: “When one of you comes to the mosque, he should pray two rak’at before he sits.” [Fiqh Us Sunnah, Volume 2, Page 70]

The Tahiyyatul Masjid is established to observe the sanctity and greatness of the house of Allah (Glory be to Him). One should not forget to pray the Tahiyyatul Masjid as it is highly recommended.

  • Spend time in the remembrance of Allah:

Who wouldn’t like to avail the grand opportunity of remembering Allah while in Masjid Al Haram? Of course no one!

  • Recite the supplication for leaving the masjid:

155645“(I exit) In the Name of Allah. O’ Allah! Send Your prayers upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and forgive my sins and open the doors of Your grace (to me).”

Our Beloved Messenger (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “the markets are the worst places and the masajid are the best places on earth.” (Ibn Majah 1/257)

To conclude, whenever a person visits a mosque, they should observe the etiquettes listed above, as it will Inshallah, be a means of increasing their good deeds and earning the favor of Allah.

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A Command From Allah

The Holy Qur’an is a divine mercy for the nation of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is a guiding light for us, a solution for all our troubles, the spring of our hearts and a miracle given to the Messenger (PBUH).

The Qur’an has about 6,236 verses and one of the 6,236 verses has caught my heart. It is quite endearing to me and that ayah is:

Read! In the name of your Lord who created.(96:01)

The first word sent by Allah from the heavens to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was; “read.” Allah’s wisdom behind revealing the first word ‘Iqra’ is glorious and sublime. Allah (SWT) could have sent many other significant words, but He (SWT) preferred to send the word ‘read’.

Have you ever marvelled on why Allah sent the first word as ‘read’? Allah has shown the superiority of reading by annunciating it as the initial word, as reading is a means in which to seize knowledge. It is a way to accumulate knowledge and a path towards discovering Islam.

If you’re one of those who don’t make a habit of reading/reciting Qur’an, you are missing out. Reading has a significant number of benefits, and just a few of them are listed below:

  1. Mental Stimulation:

Staying mentally stimulated reduces the chances of Dementia and Alzheimer. The Qur’an is an effective remedy for mental stimulation, as one ponders and reflects upon what he recites.

  1. Stress Reduction:

Regardless of all the overwhelming stress you feel at work or the countless other issues you face in daily life, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in the recitation of Qur’an. The verses of the Qur’an effectively embed Taqwa (God-consciousness) in our hearts.

  1. Knowledge:

As you read along the verses of the Quran, you gain a phenomenal amount of knowledge. The more you read, the more of beneficial knowledge you soak in. You learn about Allah, the Prophets of the past, The Unseen, heaven, hell and much more.

  1. Tranquillity:

The Qur’an is indeed the spring of our hearts, it is a great tranquilizer. Reciting Qur’an brings immense peace and serenity.

When reading/reciting Qur’an has so many benefits, how can we neglect its significance in our lives? Surely, we will not be heedless in fulfilling this major command by Allah. Obedience to the command of Allah is an obligatory duty and hence reciting the Qur’an is obligatory upon us.

To sum up, I would like all my brothers and sisters in Islam, to ponder upon the first ayah and start implementing it. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have conversation with your Lord? Then delay not, open a Qur’an and start a journey of further understanding.

The only saying of the faithful believers, when they are called to Allah (His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger (PBUH), to judge between them, is that they say: `We hear and we obey.’ And such are the successful (who will live forever in Jannah).(24:51)

May Allah assist us in understanding His commands through the Qur’an and may He make us among the successful. Amen.

 

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