Ramadan Musings(3)

Do you know what Belief in Allah entails?

 Im serious.I mean after knowing the pillars of islam and points off Aqeedah. After knowing how to make wudu exactly in the way of the prophet(saw) and knowing how to clean your teeth with a miswak. After you have memoized all off An Nawawis 40 ahadeeth and you can speak on the points of benefit on each one. After you have learned the 99 names of Allah and the names of the Scholars who are to be taken from in Islam.

Do you know what Belief in islam is supposed to bring about in your   character?

See hadeeths and the kalam of Allah are supposed to be a guidance for us. Allah tells us this so many times in the Quraan.But Belief in ISlam is not an exercise in theories.Its actually acting on what you know and propogating that.

This is one of the reasons I used to say I want a brother who knows one hadeeth and acts on it rather than the one who knows 100 and acts on none.

Islam isnt something you can pick and choose what you wish to believe in. What we believe in is clear. If we contradict any of the tenants of Islam…we need to have a good proof for it or we will be held accountable on Yaum Ad Deen.

I can not stand people who are two faced. I am not a two faced person and I pride myself on that. I may be an emotional fool at times..and some times more than others but Im not two faced.

I may be too blunt but I will say what I feel to the peson who I feel it about.  I had an inteesting yet brief discourse with a sister . Suffice it to say at the end of the discourse..I thought about what I am writing about now.

What constitiutes true belief in Islam.

True Belief in Islam neccessitates actually doing what you say.It demands that you actually act on what you know.  If you do not want to be known as a hypocrite then you strive to do those things that keep you far far away from being a Hypocrite.

Just the thought of possiblly having the signs of a hypocrite should cause you NOT to sleep through fajr and be ready for Isha. After all the Prophet said the hardest salats on the Munafiq are the Isha and Fajr. If you want to be from the sincere ones in Islam…do not  speak with a lie..do not prove yourself untrustworthy and dont act crazy in an argument. All three are traits of a hypocrite in Islam.

Want to be recognized as a Muhmia? Then do those deeds that make you seem that way with sincerity.

Believe in Allah and His Deen and act on what you read.And if you cant act on what you have read so far. Stop reading and try to establish those things in yourself.

To Me that is what true Belief in Islam is. DOing what you say and saying what you do.

Peace

Ramadan Musings(2)

Ramadan. Ramadhan. Ramazan.

No matter how you spell it or say it..theres nothing like completing the first day  and being in the throes of fasting. Walking around NYC..the muslims seem more obvious to me. Whether that is by the brother who gave me salaams on 5th Avenue yesterday or the two giggling young sisters on the J train. Maybe its walking down Jamaica Avenue and hearing the sounds of Quraan melodiously echoing on the dirty streets. Ramadaan is definetly the month of Islam and the month where the Quraan was revealed to the Prophet(saw).

As I listen to Surah  Yusuf Im reminded of a time 14 years ago when as a new Bride in Saudi Arabia..I was first introduced to what it was to be overwhelmed by the sound of Quraan.

My then husband had a copy of Surah  Yusuf..the story of the Prophet Yusuf(Joseph).I always loved the story of Yusuf in particular because it told the story of Belief, forgiveness and trusting in Allah.

It warns us off what jealousy can do to a family and what true tawakul Ala Allah consists of. After all who can not become emotional when you consider the grief of Yaqub when he is told of his sons death. Can you imagine crying so hard that you become blinded? Or at the time of great trial to say..Husba Allah Wa Niamaa Al Wakeel..Wa Allahu Musta’an. Subhan Allah.

Think about it.

Patience is most befitting and Allah is the Only Help.

I cant tell you how many times I made that dua for myself wa Allahu Akbar indeed.

When I first heard this surah recited in arabic..I laughed. I laughed because I heard the recitor burst into tearss at that part. I couldnt understand why he was bawling. It was only when I followed the surah in english alongside the recitatiion that I understood why I cried. And when I read that part..I cried too because I realised the error of my ways and the magnitiude of Allahs words.

It made me want to learn arabic and I did alhamdulillah. Although my arabic is no longer anything like it used to do..alhamdulillah I can understand some Quraan without needing a translator.

Now Surah Yusuf is my favorite  of all Surahs. I remind my sons of the story and exhort them to be just to one another. They laugh when I ask them which will throw their brother down the well first..but theyt understand my point and they understand and ask about the story o Yusuf.

In this month when we all try to complete an entire reading of Quran…..I ask for all of us to complete the reading feasibililah and strive to be better muslims for his sake and never forget when things seem just too hard…Allah is indeed the BEST of all Helpers…

Peace

Ramadan Musings(1)

One thing that I know and believe in is that Allah Subhan Wa Ta’ala is definetly in My life in a very active way. Even in my darkest days..in the days when I hated the most..the days where my eyes were red from the constant crying..I always knew that Allah was true and His promise was true…that if you believed in Him..I mean REALLY believed in Him..He would make it easy.

Its something that the muslims who are strong on their deen  find it hard to have mercy on those of us who are struggling…and not struggling because we hate Islam or we hate what we are but struggling because  we have had things happen to us in Islam that has just ripped apart some of the hope that we started out with as muslims.

Its something to see those that are “deening’ enagaging in acts that are far far away from what their exterior projects and sadder still to see that those of us that should know better…dont want to know better…as if Allahs promise is a lie…as if when we are warned again and again of the day that will come..we think we will be safe.

Ramadan is peeking its head around the corner. According to the astrologers the moons is already there ..but we dont take that position. We do as all muslims should do..we look for the new moon of Ramadan becaue we know that Ramadan is going to mean that some of us will be reviatalised in our deen…we want to be one of those who are blessed in the month by having our sins taken away from us…we hope that Allah bestows His Blessings and Mercy on Us in this blessed month.

Ramadan is for everyone.Its  for those that do and those that dont. We are told to extend ourselves more in this month then at any other time. To be kinder and more generous. To be more thankful and more sincere. To be more religious and act on our religious intentions..We are told to be better than we were before because insha Allah the Hope is that from the month that ends on the Eid..we will take what we will have become and be better than before ….and so meet the next Ramadan insha Allah with more of the above.

Oh what a blessed month!

I have such a sense of calm and peace in my life right now. Ater such turmoil and anxiety..Allah has blessed me with sakeenah. I know its Sakeenah because its a calmness that i have within my spirit that soothes me.

Im happy because I know even in my darkest hours..when noone cared about Me…Allah did. I know when I had that last $3 to My name and I had to look at My four childrens eyes who trusted Me..I knew that Allah would be there for me..and he was. Subhan Allah….and all the blessings that come to me…I know that it is from Allah.

Last night my neighbor downstairs rang my doorbell and gave me a Pizza for my children. Every week she has done the same thing for a month. I went into a store today and the muslim owner gave me a wall hanging with the names of Allah on. Its beautiful.The server in the bakery grabbed me today and asked me about Islam. She is 58 yrs old and wants to know what Ramadaan is.

Tell Me that all these things arent from Allah.

I feel sorry for the muslims who wont benefit from this month. I feel sorry but like I said this month is for the ones that dont do either because all those will be in My  duas. Ill make dua for the ones who  have to reconcile being absent fathers from children who deserved more than being their child of their kunya. Ill make dua for the sisters who left Islam and ask that Allah brings them back. Ill make dua for my sons and ask Allah to protect them and Ill make dua for you. Yes YOU who read my blog. Ill make dua for you and your families in this month of Barakah.

And with that said I will be blogging in Ramadaan but Ill try to make it more deen orientated and less secular.

Peace and Love