Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Cracklines

When cracklines appear in a marriage, can we mend it just like how we mend the cracklines on a wall?

When cracklines appear on a wall, it becomes irreversible. You can only make it less obvious but you can't remove it totally.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Reflection during the month of Syawal

Ramadan has left and we've entered into Syawal... How time flies...

Just as we celebrate Eidul Fitri after one month of fasting, but at the same time, the 'ones' who were shackled during Ramadan would be released, so do we celebrate this occassion too?
Nay, of course not!

This is always a vicious cycle, especially for muslims like me. One month of abstinence from evil, bad character and bad habits comes so easy when shaytan is not around; but when Ramadan leaves, the 'shield' weans off.

Maybe it's not fair to blame it on shaytan; perhaps it's my problem. It is mentioned somewhere that when muslims do bad things in Ramadan when 'shaytan' is not around, then it is the muslim that already possess the 'inclination' to do bad even when there are no whisperings or promptings to cause man to do bad. This is a fair statement.

Then perhaps, I still got hope. I am not that bad... And Allah knows best

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

This life of ours; who does it belong to?

The meaning of " Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilahi Raaji'oon"



Yeah, sure we say this statement when someone dies. Also some of us may say this sentence when they lose something,suffer a setback or harm. But do you know what it means?Sure, everyone know that it obviously means 'To Allaah we belong and to Him is our return.'



But that's not what I am talking about. I mean do you REALLY, TRULY understand these words and their implications in a Muslim's life?It means whatever we have is not really ours. It belongs to Allaah.



Take a look around you; everything you see, all that you have and all that there is in you, on you, aroundyou belongs to Allaah, alone.It is Allah Who has given you all the property and goods you possess, and that He is the true Owner of them all.So the cars that you own, the houses that you live in, the businesses you possess all truly belong to Allaah



The kids that He blessed you with, the health that He gave you, the time that He has allowed you are all Allah's property.Even the bodies we live in and the life that we have belongs to Allaah alone.


"And to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth" (Surah Aal-Imraan:180)



"The kingdom of the heavens and the earth and everything in them belongs to Allah. He has power over all things.."( Surat al-Ma'ida: 120)



'Say: 'To Allah belongs the East and the West' (Surah al-Baqarah:142)



Now, since everything belongs to Allaah, then we have to include even our souls in that list.The very souls that we think of as our "self"; our "nafs"; our "being" -- whatever you want to call it -- that verything that distinguishes you from the rest of the world, belongs to Allaah..



It's not YOURS.In fact, YOU are not YOURS.You belong to Allaah.And this is the essence of the concept of slavery to Allaah in Islam.And since He is the true Possessor of everything, and everything is His property, He allots what He wills to whomever He wills and then He takes it away. After all, it was Allaah's to begin with.So He may give you some thing and then take it back after a while..He will bless you with a precious child that you love dearly and then He may take it away.He will grant you money, honour and status and then He may take it away.He will give you youth, vitality and health and then surely He will take it away.In fact everything you have will only be with you for a very short while.And then the Owner will claim His Right.. So when Allaah does reclaim what was rightfully His, WHY MOURN OUR LOSSES?



Just like a friend who lends you his book. And then after a few days, he wants it back and you give it back to him no regrets no sorrow .no questions asked.Similarly, if Allah takes back some of His blessings upon you for some reason. so be it.



Say Alhamdulillaah.



Don't grieve.



Be patient.



Submit to the will of Allaah, being pleased with His decision for you. For surely He will only do what is best foryou.



Just think...The Owner came and took it back. Remember that you're not the real owner ..you were NEVER the real owner to begin with. You only had everything because it was Allah who gave it to you in the first place. If He didn't give it to you, you wouldn't have had it inany way in fact, you couldn't have had it.



Remember man enters into this world empty handed and leaves it empty handed.



Remember that everything we have, all the blessings we enjoy, are gifts from Almighty Allah...gifts that we enjoyfor a limited period until He takes them away whenever He deems fit.They are a trust from Allah a loan to you to see how you respond to these gifts from Allaah and how you use them in the obedience of the Almighty, thanking Him and worshipping Him OR ..to the disobedience to the One Who gave them to you in the first place..



Take note of the words of the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) on the occasion of the death of his son,Ibraahim:'Our eyes are filled with tears, our hearts with grief, but we say nothing with our lips except that which pleases Allah.... Verily, to Allah we belong, and to Him we return.' (Bukhaari)



And we all know the famous incidence about the companion Abu Talha and his wife when one of the sons died and AbuTalha was not at home. She washed and shrouded him and when Abu Talha came home and asked about his son, she said,'The child is quiet and I hope he is in peace' (Bukhaari) Subhaan Allaah . such patience!



And such Imaan in the statement "Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi Raaji'oon"!She truly understood its meaning and the affect it should have on her life as a Muslimah, submitting to him and being pleased with whatever He has decreed for her.She knew that whatever she has, is not truly hers. Rather, it is Allaah's. and He took back whatever He owns at its appointed time..And it is because of this Imaan so strong, this understanding, that the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) made dua for them and Allaah blessed them immensely."'They (i.e. Abu Talha and his wife) had nine sons and all of them became reciters of the Quran (by heart)." (Bukhaari) "Be sure we will test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives, but give glad tidings tothose who are steadfast, who say when afflicted with calamity: 'To Allah we belong and to him is our return.



'Theyare those on who (descend) blessings from Allah and mercy and they are the once that receive guidance.." (al-Baqarah:155)



The Prophet (PBUH) said 'Pass on knowledge from me even if it is only one verse'

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Where is your Heart?

A very meaningful video which i would like to share with everyone:(by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf)

Let's turn our hearts towards Allah.

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Keep your eyes on the road, not the phone

My fellow friends who owns a car and a phone, don't mix them together on the road please...



Maybe the local Traffic Police could come up with something like this; as more and more road users are spotted either looking down at their phones, or holding on while driving, despite numerous warnings and summons...

Friday, September 04, 2009

Ramadan ya Ramadan!

“Realize prayer is life. The way you spend your life outside of prayer will directly affect the way you are in prayer. And the more time you dedicate to dhikr the more you can concentrate in prayers.”


Almost half of Ramadan has passed me. And everyday, I always feel 'hungry and thirsty’. Nope, I’m not talking about the physical hunger and thirst but the spiritual ‘hunger’ and ‘thirst’.

As I looked back my past entries on Ramadan in my blog, it worries me to know that my state as a Muslim has never quite improved a bit. Same remorseful state, same experiential feeling and nothing good comes out from me...

This year, I continued my striving and searching in Ramadan. Searching for inner peace and connection with my Lord in this blessed month of Ramadan.

My heart is completely devoid of spiritual connection with Allah swt. Ustaz Feisal said that in this month especially, we are supposed to feel even closer to Him than any other months.


Am I closer to you, O Allah?

Do a reality check.

Taqwa. Check.

Fast from food, drinks and sexual relations. Check.

Reading the quran. Check.

But I’m still missing out something…

Khusr (concentration in prayer). No check.

I’ve been faced with this problem for a long time. Every now and then, I fight with the nonsensical travellings of the brain to many places. I have read about the importance of concentration in prayers, but I’ve yet to summon the humility and awe and respect to the One that I’m facing when I pray. It's not that i don't treat it seriously but sometimes, the sub-consciousness brings me out of the Divine Presence. As I constantly draw all my attention, awe and humility before every prayers, somewhere for a few moments in my prayers, I found myself thinking about some dunya issues. Na’udzubillah! I really wished I could do something about it

Ya Allah! Please forgive me!

I thank Allah swt for making these defects known to me. I shall never give up and will continue my fight!


O Allah! Please give me the strength to overcome my difficulties!