Renourish your soul in Ramadan

"O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you; perchance you will guard yourselves. (2:183)

Ramadan - The Gates of Allah’s Mercy
Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani

The Prophet (s) gave good tidings about this holy month. The first third of this Holy Ramadan is the days of mercy for all people, ten days, the second ten days are the days of forgiveness of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala, and the last one-third, is freedom from Hell for believers--Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala freeing them from Hell. Therefore, believers who try to keep the Lord’s orders during the days of Blessed Ramadan by fasting and during the night by praying Tarawih1 and night prayers (tahajjud), may be rewarded by our Lord giving them immunity, safety (bara`a) from Hell, and they have been given good tidings of Paradise.2

The whole spiritual structure of mankind is built on cleanliness, and it is impossible for a person to improve his spiritual station without first attaining complete cleanliness, physically and spiritually. Fasting is a beginning for spiritual cleanliness. The first step is the common level of fasting: trying to free yourself from your nafs' commands and control. As long as you are under the control of your nafs you remain unclean.

Therefore the first level of fasting is to compel our ego so that we may take control from its hands and put control in our own hands--therefore we abstain from eating, drinking and sexual contact in the daytime.

The first step is to avoid what is halal (permitted) on every day except during Ramadan. Eating and drinking and having sexual intercourse are halal; but in Ramadan, the permitted thing becomes haram--forbidden--during the daytime. That is the basic level of cleanliness, but it is of a higher purpose to seek even greater cleanliness.

To attain greater cleanliness, the second step is to try to be clean from sins: you must guard your eyes, your tongue, your ears, your hands, your feet and all the parts of your body from wrongdoing. You must tell yourself, " O my tongue! Just as you are keeping yourself from tasting food and drink, yet still you must be careful. Don't say anything that is prohibited."
That second step--to clean ourselves from all prohibited actions and sins makes us physically and spiritually lighter; we may move toward higher spiritual stations. Yet it is not enough.
The third step is for hearts: you must attend to your heart. Allah Almighty is telling us: "your heart belongs to Me." Among the Children of Adam, every part of the body belongs to him but one. "Your heart belongs to Me, not to anyone else," He says, "Therefore I am asking that it be clean, absolutely clean."3

How can it be clean? Everything except Allah Almighty and His Pleasure must be put out of your heart. Every time you are by yourself, you can look into your heart to see if you are with your Lord or with someone or something else. Whenever you examine your heart and find yourself with your Lord, Almighty Allah, you must deem yourself fortunate. At that time divine light will enter your heart, and you may reach the true pleasure of faith. The Prophet (s) said, "The lustful glance is one of the poison arrows of Satan. He who because of pity abstains therefrom will receive from Allah a belief, the sweetness of which will fill his heart."
Thus it is important for every believer to control his or her every action. Without guarding our actions we are destined to lose. And every action begins with a thought. Satan is well-aware of the nature of mankind. In every kind of thought he has put some of his tricks. Whoever is able to control his thoughts, may be safe from Satan’s promptings; but whoever is unable to control them will have his mind filled with evil ideas and falsehood. Whoever is under Satan’s control cannot be an obedient servant to his Lord. As Muslims and believers this must be our first concern--to control ourselves. If you find any of Satan’s control affecting yourself, in either actions or thoughts, you must strive to make them clean.

Increased Worship - A Means of Approaching Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala
When Ramadan comes to an end, we may find ourselves "crying for Ramadan". This month gives so much pleasure to us, through our increased obedience and worship of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala. These two are the source of all true happiness--obedience and worship. For that reason the Prophet (s) "and the apple of my eyes is prayer--salaat".
Allah Almighty sent us His messages through His prophets. The summary of those messages is that people should take control of themselves. Therefore Allah Almighty orders prayers five times a day, plus Sunnah worship as well. There are the five times of prayer which Allah Almighty makes obligatory on His servants, but the Prophet (s) did Sunnah-prayers by day and by night also, so that those times of praying are always putting control on our limbs and on our hearts. Allah Almighty says in a hadith qudsi, "O My servant! If you take one step toward Me, I take ten toward you." Therefore we are in need to be active for His Sake. Make your steps more firm on the Straight Path and more powerful, day by day.

It is this holy season of worshipping which will cause you to move toward Allah Almighty. "When Ramadan comes... a caller calls out every night: 'Oh seeker of Good, draw near! Oh seeker of Evil, desist!' " [an-Nasa'i]. Therefore, this month presents a special opportunity: one for increased worship and increased devotion. In it are prescribed tarawih and the night prayers by means of which one may move ever closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala. we have an opportunity during Holy Ramadan more than at any other time. The one who is able to control himself during Ramadan is going to be able, with Allah Almighty’s support, to take control of himself for the other eleven months. Everything begins small and grows, good things and bad things, good habits and bad habits; for each one we have a beginning. And the beginning is difficult, but you must be patient and continue; if you know that something is right, you must continue to keep on that way, even though it may be so difficult. Difficulties may be overcome by a strong faith and strong faith is with those people who are able to control themselves. Therefore make a firm and continuous intention to increased devotion, not only for for this holy month, Ramadan, but make it continuous always.

Notes
1)Yahya related to me from Malik that Yazid ibn Ruman said, "The people used to watch the night in prayer during Ramadan for twenty-three rak'as in the time of Umar ibn al-Khattab." [Al-Muwatta, 6.2.5]
2 "This is a month, the first part of which brings Allah’s Mercy, the middle of which brings Allah’s forgiveness and the last part of which brings emancipation from hellfire." [Bukhari].

Shaykh Hisham was here!

I went to the talk, 'Conversations with God', organised by SimplyIslam.

Kudos to them, for bringing him into Singapore again. Alhamdulillah.

Being Singaporean, I went early to chop chop seats, and I got to sit just 5 rows below him. There were actually more seats available upfront but me don't have the heart to be so close to him. You know la people, Shaykh can definitely 'see' you better than your best friends or spouses. So i didn't go and seat all the way to the front.

I've managed to salam and kiss his hand the previous time he came to Singapore. Alhamdulillah, that was sufficient. And I treated him like a 'filmstar', i braved the crowd and got his 'autograph' on his book, 'The Chapter of Sincerity.' That's a good read.

So i've got my camera, my mobile phone, my ipod and my notebook with me to the talk. All geared up, all energized for his 'lecture'.

But i've not got time to sort them out yet.

So enjoy the photos for now. Sorry people.

Countdown to Ramadan

Alhamdulillah!

In just one week's time, all Muslims will be welcoming Ramadan, the blessed month and the best of all months. Allah has decreed this month the best of all months. The days of this month are the best among the days and the nights are the best among the nights and the hours during Ramadan are the best among the hours.

Updates from my daily doses have since slowed down with the coming of Ramadan, as I am busy clearing some dunya matters. Meanwhile, if I have not shared it with my readers before, i'm putting this up for all of you; to serve as a reminder; to assist all of us in gearing ourselves towards the gifts and favours of Ramadan that Allah swt has blessed us with.

Baihaqi reported on the authority of Salman Al-Farsi (Radhi Allah 'Anh) that Prophet ('Alaihi Salat was-Salam) delivered a sermon on the last day of the month of Sha'ban. In it he ('Alaihi Salat was-Salam) said,

"O People! The month of Allah (Ramadan) has come with its mercies, blessings and forgivenesses. Allah has decreed this month the best of all months. The days of this month are the best among the days and the nights are the best among the nights and the hours during Ramadan are the best among the hours. This is a month in which you have been invited by Him (to fast and pray). Allah has honoured you in it. In every breath you take is a reward of Allah, your sleep is worship, your good deeds are accepted and your invocations are answered.

Therefore, you must invoke your Lord in all earnestness with hearts free from sin and evil, and pray that Allah may help you to keep fast, and to recite the Holy Qur’an. Indeed!, miserable is the o­ne who is deprived of Allah’s forgiveness in this great month. While fasting remember the hunger and thirst o­n the Day of Judgement. Give alms to the poor and needy. Pay respect to your elders, have sympathy for your youngsters and be kind towards your relatives and kinsmen. Guard your tongue against unworthy words, and your eyes from scenes that are not worth seeing (forbidden) and your ears from sounds that should not be heard.

Be kind to orphans so that if your children may become orphans they will also be treated with kindness. Do repent to Allah for your sins and supplicate with raised hands at the times of prayer as these are the best times, during which Allah Almighty looks at His servants with mercy. Allah Answers if they supplicate, Responds if they call, Grants if He is asked, and Accepts if they entreat. O people! you have made your conscience the slave of your desires.

Make it free by invoking Allah for forgiveness. Your back may break from the heavy load of your sins, so prostrate yourself before Allah for long intervals, and make this load lighter. Understand fully that Allah has promised in His Honour and Majesty that, people who perform salat and sajda (prostration) will be guarded from Hell-fire o­n the Day of Judgement.

O people!, if anyone amongst you arranges for iftar (meal at sunset) for any believer, Allah will reward him as if he had freed a slave, and Allah will forgive him his sins. A companion asked: “but not all of us have the means to do so” The Prophet (SAAWS) replied: Keep yourself away from Hell-fire though it may consist of half a date or even some water if you have nothing else.

O people!, anyone who during this month cultivates good manners, will walk over the Sirat (bridge to Paradise) o­n the day when feet will tend to slip. For anyone who during this month eases the workload of his servants, Allah will make easy his accounting, and for anyone who doesn’t hurt others during this month, Allah will safeguard him from His Wrath o­n the Day of Judgement. Anyone who respects and treats an orphan with kindness during this month, Allah shall look at him with kindness o­n that Day. Anyone who treats his kinsmen well during this month, Allah will bestow His Mercy o­n him o­n that Day, while anyone who mistreats his kinsmen during this month, Allah will keep away from His Mercy.

Whomever offers the recommended prayers during this month, Allah will save him from Hell, and whomever observes his obligations during this month, his reward will be seventy times the reward during other months. Whomever repeatedly invokes Allah’s blessings o­n me, Allah will keep his scale of good deeds heavy, while the scales of others will be tending to lightness. Whomever recites during this month an ayat (verse) of the Holy Qur’an, will get the reward of reciting the whole Qur’an in other months.

O people!, the gates of Paradise remain open during this month. Pray to your Lord that they may not be closed for you. While the gates of Hell are closed, pray to your Lord that they never open for you. Satan has been chained, invoke your Lord not to let him dominate you."

Ali ibn Talib (RAA) said: “I asked, ‘O messenger of Allah, what are the best deeds during this month’?” ‘He replied: ‘O Abu-Hassan, the best of deeds during this month is to be far from what Allah has forbidden’.”

Post Kelantan updates

I departed Singapore on 8th Aug '08.

I left home without my camera because my husband said that he wanted to bring the camera that his father bought for him.

I regretted not bringing. The camera was just a 'calefare'.

So please pardon me if the pictures ain't that good because they were taken by my mobile phone camera.

The trip was enjoyable and it was only made possible by these wonderful bros and sisters.

This is the place/kampung we stayed:

This place is really a good place to 'rediscover your soul'. That's what one of the bro said.

There are only 5 huts, and it comprises of standard and superior chalets.

This is the playground. On most evenings, the kampung kids will all run here to play.

This place would have REALLY been the best place to hang out if the kampung is just next to the beach. Haha. I know i ask too much. But alhamdulillah. This is sufficient. But, but... weather a bit hot and humid...

Breakfast was bought from a nearby kampung shop by a sweet sweet bro named nik. You should book him when you visit kota bahru for a holiday. He buys us breakfast EVERY morning. It's every MORNING. Without fail, you know. Masya allah.

And he also brought us to a restaurant in the city, where lunch was damn cheap too. But the idea of eating raw vegetables... scares me away. Later on, when we were seated, and when food was brought right in front of me, things were much different. I just followed what he did and recommended. Oh man, it's nice!

It's something unique to the Kelantanese. Some vegetables are raw(and tasted bitter) and some were just boiled through. So, there's a sauce called, 'budu' where you eat it with. Thank God, for this sauce. If not, i will not be able to survive this lunch.

We also visited a place where they did their own Batik fabric printing. We heard from the staff there that the workers didn't graduate from a professional art school. They came up with their own creativity.



The lady in the 3rd picture; she was 'imported' from Indonesia because they couldn't find a worker as skilled as her to do these handicrafts. I don't think you can find such a skilled worker in Singapore now.


We also went to Siti Khadijah Market. Women ruled the market there. In it, you will find mostly women, selling their fish, chicken, vegetables, drinks, food etc etc. They dominate the entire market! Womennnn Powerrrr!!!




We were brought to the 'Fishermen Village', where we get to witness a profession. This again, you won't be able to find it in Singapore.


One by one, the boats returned from the sea with their catch. Here, you can see this fisherman sorting out the small and the big fishes separately. They will be weighed according to the rate the middle men tells them.



These are truly indeed 'hard earned money'. This is how they earn their living. Allah swt puts their provision in the Big Ocean/Sea so that they may earn their sustenance. God is Great!









Look at the squids! I have never seen such big squids before!




That's all bros and sis! But before i finish this post, here's a surprise for everyone! :)
I got this close to nature. :)

Knowledge

Information, then knowledge, then wisdom. These are the 3 stages through which the human rational faculty may progress.

When organized, information becomes knowledge. Further, organization turns knowledge into a science.

Religious knowledge, on the other hand, is no longer regarded as a science, since the modern world lives nearly exclusively in the material dimension and rejects the idea of an afterlife.

Imam al-Haddad defines 'useful knowledge' as that which increases your knowledge of God, His attributes, acts and favours; makes you aware of His commands and prohibitions, leads you to renounce the things of this world and wish only for the Hereafter; and brings your faults, the defects in your acts, and the plots of your enemy to your notice.

Knowledge, then used appropriately becomes wisdom. Wisdom is the force of penetration and discernment of the mind, the ability to place everything in its precisely appropriate location, in the precisely appropriate manner, at the precisely appropriate time. It is also the ability to put first things first, never to allow the ephemeral to obscure the path to the eternal, nor the contingent to take priority over the essential.

Gnostics and scholars focus mainly
-making their faith and certitude sound and strong.
-purifying their belief in God's oneness (tawhid) from the blemishes of hidden idolatry.
-perfecting virtues such as detachment, sincerity and a clean breast toward Muslims
-counteracting blameworthy attributes, such as ostentation and vanity.
-soundness of their good outward actions and to guarding themselves against falling into evil works.
-good management of their daily lives and the preservation of their soundness by being scrupulous, accepting good counsel, maintaining frugality, remaining content with little.

- Book by Imam Al-Haddad

I can't accomplish all of the above but insya allah, I hope to be remind myself of all that.
Who doesn't want to be a true Mu'min (believer)?

"O Allah, please guide me towards useful knowledge, understanding and interpretation of things, and on the Straight Path."

Patriotic or not?

So National Day is around the corner.

And I won’t be around this time to celebrate the Nation’s 43rd Birthday. Don’t blame me for being unpatriotic or disloyal to her. I didn’t plan for this getaway during National Day. We were to join another group of friends for Malaysia. (now, it really sounds I’ve betrayed my country as I join other Singaporeans leaving her, for our neighbouring country.)

It’s not exactly just a weekend getaway. I took leave from Friday onwards, up to Wednesday. Because the following Monday was announced by the Uni that it’s going to be a substituted public holiday in lieu of National Day, I saved a day of leave.

Uni has planned for a fun-filled celebration on the 8th of August 2008. After looking through the programme outline, I realised that I am going to miss out a whole lot of fun, food and games galore. Simply put, it’s a no work and all fun day on 8th of August! (if exigencies of service permit)

I was tasked to get the lyrics of the songs of National Day. And in the end, I got the music, rhythm and lyrics all stuck in my head. I was even singing these songs on the bike and at home. My husband could not take it anymore and called me ‘Crazy’. I ignored his pleads and continued to sing and he continued saying that those songs that I sung were ‘brain-washing’ songs.

I rebutted his statement and told him that it’s actually quite Islamic. This is the one that I always like:

We, the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness and prosperity
And progress for our Nation.

We are Singapore, we are Singapore…….

I shall not continue, otherwise I might not be able to stop singing again.

Allah swt created us and all of us came from Adam a.s. So by right, we should be united because we came from one original source.

As a vicegerent on planet earth, we should all live in harmony regardless of race, language or religion. And Prophet s.a.w treated everyone the same; there was no discrimination treatment.
Although we are created differently, we are still equal in the eyes of God.

God is the Master on the Day of Judgement. He will be Just and He will reward anyone who does an ant-like deed, will be rewarded. But if you set partners alongside with Him, this is one sin which He will not forgive.

“They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel! worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help.” (Surah al-Maida 5:72)

Well, of course, prosperity doesn’t just come from justice and equality. It comes from Allah alone. Perhaps we can enjoy peace if everyone practices patience and tolerance.
And as for ‘Progress for our Nation’, it still goes back to Allah swt for sustaining, preserving and maintaining this universe and all those things that are in it.

Anyway, up to this moment that I’m posting up my post, I’ve stopped singing already.

Happy 43rd birthday, Singapore.

Alhamdulillah.

The Dark Knight

Anyone of you has seen 'The Dark Knight'?

Go watch it if you haven't caught this movie that grossed more than 41million in the box office in the States!

I was absolutely mesmerized by everything that Batman owns in the movie; from the suit, to the gigantic car, and later transformed to a bike that had gigantic tyres; not forgetting the Lamborghini that he drove. Of course, he was simply a gorgeous actor in that movie!

Here's a link to watch the trailer. Perhaps it will whet your appetite!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRI47J6is9Q


I'm gonna wait for the DVD release :P