Knowledge

I attended a course on Communications and Relationship Management in CSC last week.And for the first time, i met a Malay speaker.

The experience that i had only reinforces my thoughts on the importance of possessing knowledge and not belittling anyone.

We were in this chapter on dealing with the different cultures and beliefs of the races in S'pore. So there were examples of things that the Chinese hate when it comes to gifts and they loved auspicious colours(red) and numbers(8,9), and they believed that if you don't tie a red string round your little finger when you attend a funeral and the spirits will follow you home. And then when it comes to the section on Malays, there is no doubt that generally most Malays are Muslims and they don't take pork and they think that pigs and dogs are unclean. So when the speaker finished with that sentence, a participant(non-malay) asked him why the dog is unclean.
Did you know what he answered? "How would i know?? I didn't write the Quran!" (Subhanallah!!!)

I don't know what he meant by that answer and i shouldn't be interpreting. So i gave him the benefit of the doubt that he may feel that this is not an environment to explain things like these issues.

And i want to highlight another thing about him which is worthy of mention. Because of the limitedness of this 'government' building, there was no designated space for Muslims to pray. Even though the mosque is nearby, it can be quite inconvenient when the lunch time doesn't coincide within the prayer times. This Malay speaker prayed his asar right in the room itself. Masya allah!(but of course, it was during the times we were doing our group work). Well, my husband too agreed that not many would do this.

On a last note, my teacher, Ust Zhul once told his students;" Muslims have a great product (Islam) but we are poor salesmen."

This post has no ill intentions of judging anyone nor belittling anyone. It just serves as an enlightenment and a reminder to myself.

ALHAMDULILLAH!

I still remember the time when I was browsing through some books at the bookshop in Darul Arqam(Muslim Converts' Association of S'pore) and this Chinese sister came up to me and talked to me. She was the first Chinese Muslim friend i had at that time, even though i wasn't a full-fledged muslim yet.

She has been a volunteer with Darul for donkey years. And she had been my friend and closest pillar of support during those times when i had no one else. Though she's not so good with her remarks, but actually she has a heart of gold. She has to work and feed herself and her 20yr old son who is currently studying in the polytechnic. It must have been hard for her all these years after her husband passed away.

Despite all these, she did not stop showing concern for me. We do not meet as often ever since i got married so sometimes we would call one another. She would always be the one to text and inform me about the events that Darul is organising. She was also the one who told me to renew my membership with Darul and sign myself up as a volunteer so that i could render my services to the new converts. To date, I have not done so. I haven't gotten much support from my spouse and hence the delay.

It is with much regret that all forms of support had vanished together with my mentor when he left, and Darul could not fill in the gaps created from the time my parents distanced me the moment i chose a different religion as them. Those times were really really really challenging.

I ever threatened to him that i will renounce the faith. But at the back of my mind, i kept asking myself the question over and over again;' Will I? Should I?' I need to make the right decision for myself, and not for anyone else. For many nights, I couldn't sleep and I pondered over the question of 'to stay or to abandon'. Abandoning Islam would mean that i would still have a roof over my head but would not mean that i have a good end. But if i stay on, i could risk destroying everything that i have and i would have to start all over again.

Is it worth taking up this challenge?

And alhamdulillah, by the Grace and Mercy of Allah swt, I made the decision and continued my journey as a Muslim.

Although my journey continued without the presence of my mentor, Allah swt sent superb friends along the way. And she was one of them.

May Allah swt reward her in this world and the next for what she has done and continue to bestow upon her strength and assistance in her journey here. ameen ameen ya rabbal alamin.

Troubles and troubled

Of late, my mind was busy boggling with several issues. I have so much to say but not everything can be spoken. Well, although the blog is free for anyone to voice out what they have in mind but most importantly, we need to be responsible with what we write in our blogs.

I wish that i could confide in someone else besides my husband but i feared saying things which i shouldn't say, reveal things which i shouldn't reveal. Well, i guess, the best choice is still ALLAH.

O Allah, the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, All-knowing... You hear, You see and You are totally aware of what's going on with your servants, every single one of them. And for that matter, shouldn't those attributes be the strongest deterrent and reminder to myself that no matter what i think, Allah swt knows jolly well what's going on in my mind. (and everything that i'm thinking right now isn't spared!)

If, whatever that i have learnt from books, to obey and to avoid, and yet i defy it and did not act upon it, am i considered as a hypocrite?

O Allah! Help me! Save me! You got me out from the deepest abyss of darkness into the nur of Islam, please don't ever let me go back there again!

Thankfulness

Do we Muslims thank Allah swt for everything, whether they be good or bad, or when things don't go our way?

I would like to share a very interesting article with fellow bloggers about thankfulness (shakur). The actual source is from this website, so i have provided a link for you to visit and read the article.


"If you are thankful, I will surely give you more; but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is terrible indeed." (14:7)

Advice for memorising the Quran

Bismillahir rahmanirrahim

We can try this:
-Memorize 3 lines after each obligatory prayer.So by the end of the 5 prayers, insya allah we would have memorize 15 lines from the Quran. And by 6 days, you can review all the 90lines.
-Review and review over and over again without boredom.
-Write it down with the meanings.
-When you meet your friends, review it with them and don't leave them with just having fun. Remind your brothers and sisters.

The Cherisher and Sustainer

The likeness of the life of the Present is as the rain which We send down from the skies: by its mingling arises the produce of the earth - which provides food for men and animals: (it grows) till te earth is clad with its golden ornaments and is decked out (in beauty): the people to whom it belongs think they have all powers of disposal over it: there reaches it Our command by night or by day, and We make it like a harvest clean-mown, as if it had not flourished only the day before! Thus do We explain the Signs in details for those who reflect.

But Allah does call to the Home of Peace: He does guide whom He please to a way that is straight.
Surah Yunus 10: 24-25

Say: "Who is it that sustains you (in life) from the sky and from the earth? Or who is it that has power over hearing and sight? And who is it that brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living? And who is it that rules and regulates all affairs? They will soon say, "Allah". Say, "Will you not then show piety (to Him)?"

Such is Allah, your real Cherisher and Sustainer: apart from Truth, what (remains) but error? How then are you turned away?
Surah Yunus 10: 31-32

God consciousness

Those whose breats God has expanded, by allowing them to confirm the truth in their hearts, to long for the means that lead to Him, and to adhere to the way of those possessing intellects by carefully minding the limits established by the divine law.

It is related that a desert Arab asked the Messenger saw,"Who is the best of all people?" He responded,"One who is blessed with a long life accompanied with good deeds." One given these two things, a long life filled with righteous deeds has truly been blessed.

What are the means that lead to God? Those means are all of the things that lead you, or draw you near, to God, Most High. Obeying His commandments, avoiding His prohibitions, reciting and acting on His scripture, engaging in His remembrance, worshipping Him as He commanded us to do on the basis of knowledge and truth, seeking the assistance of righteous, learned Muslims, sitting in the company of pious people, praying to God that He helps us; all of these are valid means that lead to God. Some scholars have described other means that might be deemed controversial. What we have mentioned here is sufficient, for cautiousness in dealing with controversial matters is one of the best manifestations of true religiosity.

God mentions in the Quran, 'O Believers! Be dutifully mindful of God and pursue the means that lead unto Him; strenuously exert yourselves for His sake in order to be successful.'
(Surah al-Maidah 5:35)

In this verse, we are minded that the essence of God-consciousness lies in leaving off harmful and forbidden things, even though the soul may have a deep craving for them. The essence of pursuing the means to God lies in doing those things He has commanded, even though the soul may find those things difficult and undesirable. Hence, we commanded to exert ourselves strenuously, because the path the believer walks in this world is a difficult one and one has to work arduously to remain on it.
..............Treatise for the Seekers of Guidance

Dhikr - The Remembrance of Allah

A meaningful video for the Ummah.

Dhikr - The Rememberance of Allah By Shaykh Ninowy from Abdullah on Vimeo.

The Reality

Allah swt (or God) is real....

Jannah (Paradise) is real....

Jahanam (Hell) is real....

The rewards are real.....

The punishment are also real....

and......

this world is not real....

Allah swt created this world (dunya) as an enjoyment to the non believers; a prison for the believers and a testing ground for those who do good works and are righteous.

Allah swt has been presenting so many of His manifest signs to mankind; warning us since 1400yrs ago.

What have we prepared for the life to come before us?

A lesson on patience

Friends around me had all becoming pregnant; some having their 1st, whilst others are having a 2nd. Even those who were married after me are already making their way to the hospitals for their ante-natal exercises and check-ups.

Time and time again, i repeat the same old statement in my head;"Don't worry, for Allah swt knows best, and He is the best of Planners." He knows better when is the time suitable for me to be a mommy. Maybe there's still a lot to improve about myself before i become a mother to my child.

And it isn't just a lesson on trust but on being truly patient and sincere, in what Allah swt has decreed upon.

We could only pray for Allah's guidance and blessings to be bestowed with pious and pure offspring. ameen.

Reap the benefits

This dunya is the sowing ground for our akirah.

We sow the seeds here and reap the benefits there.

And isn't what this life here, is all about?

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

When the heaven is split asunder (1)

And attentive to her Lord in fear, (2)

And when the earth is spread out (3)

And hath cast out all that was in her, and is empty (4)

And attentive to her Lord in fear! (5)

Thou, verily, O man, art working toward thy Lord a work which thou wilt meet (in His presence). (6)

Then whoso is given his account in his right hand (7)

He truly will receive an easy reckoning (8)

And will return unto his folk in joy. (9)

But whoso is given his account behind his back, (10)

He surely will invoke destruction (11)

And be thrown to scorching fire. (12)

He verily lived joyous with his folk, (13)

He verily deemed that he would never return (unto Allah). (14)

Nay, but lo! his Lord is ever looking on him! (15)

Oh, I swear by the afterglow of sunset, (16)

And by the night and all that it enshroudeth, (17)

And by the moon when she is at the full, (18)

That ye shall journey on from plane to plane. (19)

What aileth them, then, that they believe not (20)

And, when the Qur'an is recited unto them, worship not (Allah)? (21)

Nay, but those who disbelieve will deny; (22)

And Allah knoweth best what they are hiding. (23)

So give them tidings of a painful doom, (24)

Save those who believe and do good works, for theirs is a reward unfailing. (25)

Surah al-Inshiqaq 84: 1~25

Still a Muslim

Ever since I spilled the beans to him, things have changed quite a bit. Well, perhaps shy guys like him need a little push and constant reminding on how to please one’s wife.

Besides repeating the same old thing over and over again but in a different style, using different terms, I really wished I don’t have to do this time and time again. It made me looked like as though I’m the one who is displeased with everything and he’s not.

I reflect upon my own behaviour continuously, reprimanding myself if I had lapses during any time of our relationship. In Allah, all knowledge is with Him. But I know jolly well how I fared badly in this life I loaned from Him.

I will continuously pray to Allah swt for showing and guiding me on this straight path; expose my faults to myself so that I may learn to change them; I would never dream to be a Mukmin until I have better myself as a Muslim.

And only Allah knows best

我的伤心，也只有阿拉懂。
我的悲伤，也只有阿拉明白。
我的流泪，也只有阿拉知道是为谁而流。

告诉别人，他们也未必能了解我所经历的悲伤。

已经很久没有让我开心的事了，所以脸上的笑容都消失了。
尽然，他都没有发觉到。

直到那晚。。。。

Timely reminders

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) had this advice:
"Virtue will never disappear and sins are never forgotten and the Glorious One who cherishes us all never wanes. So do what you will.... but rest assured that you will be held accountable for all your deeds."


Your Lord, whose love and care has sustained you since you were a drop of 'mingled water' is immensely kind and gracious to those who believe and put their trust in Him. If you are sincerely trying to avoid sin, He'll replace the blunders you make with the good deeds that are part of a Muslim's everyday life.He understands all our imperfections and failings, and what He, in His unfathomable mercy, requires of us is not perfection but sincerity. For He knows. and He cares. Let each mistake be a lesson, and a reason to move ahead with greater fervour. For this is what Taubah means: returning.


Even if a true believer commits a serious sin incidentally, he should remember that the doors of repentance and atonement are always open. and i saw this from the hadith that says, the gates of paradise are open on Mondays and Thursdays. Here's another verse from the Book:
"Those who avoid great sins and shameful deeds, only (falling into) small faults,- verily thy Lord is ample in forgiveness. He knows you well when He brings you out of the earth, And when ye are hidden in your mothers' wombs. Therefore justify not yourselves: He knows best who it is that guards against evil." (53:32)

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.

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

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'

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.

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...

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!