Beware: This Is A Sappy One

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “When Allah completed the creation, He wrote in His Book which is with Him on His Throne, “My Mercy overpowers My Anger.”

It’s such a simple phrase, but it’s incredibly overwhelming. I read it and had to take a long deep breath because it’s such a reassuring promise that I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t feel relief and an insane urge to bow down and ask for forgiveness.

Sometimes I’m lost in my world of school, studying, to-do’s, wifework, and everyday stresses that distract me from the one thing that can truly calm me down and bring stability back into my life -Allah. And when I read a hadith like the one above I feel such a cluster of emotions that I don’t know what to do with myself. Should I cry? I do feel like crying for my countless sins, not even considering the ones I’m unaware of. Should I be happy? I’m blessed beyond anything in this world to be a muslim, to know my identity, to have a way of life, and to have such a merciful Lord. Should I stop what I’m doing and ask Allah for His mercy on my parents, my husband, my mom/dad in-law, my family, my friends, the ummah, and me? I don’t know. I feel more emotions than I can put into actions and they occur faster than I can capture them. I think it’s the guilt and the desperate need for His approval and forgiveness that makes my heart take a deep breath half full with worry and half full with relief.

When I was in my pre-tween years and not such a ”young adult” I used to talk to Allah as if He was someone I befriended. I would speak to him and tell him about my day, what I felt, and about my aspirations and hopes. I knew he already knew them, but voicing my duaa out loud and to putting them in a mix of colloquial speech with the humility one should have in facing their Lord helped me keep Him in my thoughts and that helped me feel at peace. I would mentally jot notes notes of what I wanted to talk about with Him at the end of my day and before laying down to sleep, I’d stay up talking to Him for 15, 20, sometimes 30 minutes. I put my heart and soul into it because it was an indescribably special time between me and my Lord. Our special time without a mediator.

Slowly, but surely I become too busy to talk. I’d make my essential duaa and be knocked out after a long day. Sadly, it reached a point in which I’d forget to make my nightly duaas and other times the night turned into morning without me ever getting to bed at all, let alone speak to Allah. Now older and independent for the most part, I am more in need of Him than ever before. The older I get, the more I want to -need to- schedule my nightly duaas.

Reading the aforementioned hadith reminds me of my volatile teenage years where the bulk of my guilt originates. I was mean and angry and oppressing, not at school, but to those I loved the most because I hated who I was and didn’t have an outlet. The treacherous halls of middle school and high school leave us with scars and battle wounds we’re unable to mend without His guidance. It was a time in which my eman was tested the most and with the hardest questions; I so desperately wish I could change this and that about my younger youth, but am thankful for the lessons I learned, the hard way and not.

So to read and know and believe and feel that His mercy outweighs His anger is what instills the glimmer of hope that I -that we- still have a chance to achieve His favor.

SubhanAllah.

 

Imma Green Plant

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “The example of a believer is that of a fresh green plant the leaves of which move in whatever direction the wind forces them to move and when the wind becomes still, it stand straight. Such is the similitude of the believer: He is disturbed by calamities (but is like the fresh plant he regains his normal state soon). And the example of a disbeliever is that of a pine tree (which remains) hard and straight till Allah cuts it down when He will.” (See Hadith No. 546 and 547, Vol. 7).

This is comforting. Very comforting. Why? Because I’m that green plant swaying in whichever way the wind blows. I actually wrote about something similar or related to this a while back, but it’s still a draft somewhere. SubhanAllah, how Allah knows us so well (well, he did make us, so it makes perfect sense, no?). My point in is that it’s normal, heck dare I even say the “standard”, to be afflicted with so many calamities and to survive those calamities is something we should be grateful for because lets face it, some people are tested so much and so severely that they never recover from it.

I recall a sheik saying that whatever trials we endure is a test from Allah that inshaAllah brings us closer to Him, and then someone asked if we can ask more for more tests in an effort to get closer to Allah, and the sheik strongly advised against it because of one simple reality -you may not pass that test. Then what? You never know how you will react or handle whatever calamity befalls you, so don’t even risk it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all test are the dark “find me in the dark corner with the cockroaches and bloody smear of demonic writings on the wall” kind. Beware of the time when everything seems right in your world -don’t forget to thank Allah and use all that He has blessed you in the right way (meaning just because you suddenly got a raise doesn’t license you to splurge on haraam, give to charities and sadaqh) so that you show you are grateful. You could’ve easily been on the other side of the token. Yeah,  I have weird phrases, but I’m sure you understand.

Plain and simple point: remember Allah in the bad and good times.

It’s undoubtedly easy to run to Allah when something devastating happens or even for something we want, but isn’t that like we’re just using Him, although He certainly doesn’t need us? It’s us that need Him. So let’s step away from just asking and asking and asking and asking….

and remember to be thankful.

I started doing something when I took my very first real Biology class back in middle school. When I learned the real miracles our bodies are, I began to thank Allah for every pump of blood that flows through my veins, for every second my heart beats, for every breath of air that I take, and every millisecond of life He has given me because I realised that I’m not guaranteed any of these things, these mundane, under-appreciated things.

Dang it, I don’t like getting into preacher mode.

So you get the point, right? InshaAllah let’s worship Allah through everything that we do and remember Him at all times.

Alright, I’m done.

 

Knowledge Shouldn’t Hurt

Narrated Ibn Mas’ud:The Prophet used to take care of us in preaching by selecting a suitable time, so that we might not get bored. (He abstained from pestering us with sermons and knowledge all the time). Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, “Facilitate things to people (concerning religious matters), and do not make it hard for them and give them good tidings and do not make them run away (from Islam).”

Ah, anther example of rationality in Islam yet with even concrete evidence such as the above from the Prophet himself, some still make Islam some high maintance religion that it simply is not. Anyhow, I like this particular hadith because I used to have these guilt trips for not attending a halaqa or some “muslim thing” because as a muslim I had too, right? Wrong. The guilt was just a part of my strive to become more practicing, especially when I began wearing the hijaab (scarf). But I was just too tired sometimes or wanted to relax and I thought it was horrible of me to miss out on those “mozlem things” just because I was tired.

But chill….you don’t have to attend every single event/halaqa/whatever. Just do your best to continually seek a nice cup of knowledge and things will be fine, InshaAllah.

 

Ouch, My Sins

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud:

I visited Allah’s Apostle while he was suffering from a high fever. I touched him with my hand and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! You have a high fever.” Allah’s Apostle said, “Yes, I have as much fever as two men of you have.” I said, “Is it because you will get a double reward?” Allah’s Apostle said, “Yes, no Muslim is afflicted with harm because of sickness or some other inconvenience, but that Allah will remove his sins for him as a tree sheds its leaves.”

Narrated ‘Aisha:

(the wife of the Prophet) Allah’s Apostle said, “No calamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn.”

How sah-sweet. SubahanAllah, He continually saves us from our sins. In the case above, it’s not like you’re directly asking Allah to remove your sins, but He inflicts something upon so that He can remove your bad deeds and inshaAllah leave you room to fill them in with good ones. He’s helping us out and we don’t even realize it.

Makes PMS worth it.

 

Death Is Never The Answer

Narrated Sa’d bin Ubaid:

(the Maula of ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Azhar) Allah’s Apostle said, “None of you should long for death, for if he is a good man, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil-doer, he may stop the evil deeds and repent.”

 As hard as life can be, death wouldn’t be one door I would want to open. I like the simplictiy of this hadith (and Islam in general, but some dang fools make it so unbelievably more difficult that it is- chill goodness). It just makes me think of how we can never have enough good deeds because it’s not because of our deeds that we are granted Jannah (InshaAllah), but Allah’s mercy on us. So the way I think of it, and I’m no scholar …heck not even a student of knowledge, but the way I see it is that our good deeds inshaAllah will help us attain Allah’s mercy which would ultimatley lead to Jannah. But that’s just how I look at it.

In regards to the bad deeds, nothing like Allah’s promise to forgive us as long as we ask for forgiveness and try not return to the deed, to give you hope.

proud mozlem,

amira

 

The Bedouin’s Question

Narrated Abu Huraira:

While the Prophet was saying something in a gathering, a Bedouin came and asked him, “When would the Hour (Doomsday) take place?” Allah’s Apostle continued his talk, so some people said that Allah’s Apostle had heard the question, but did not like what that Bedouin had asked. Some of them said that Alllah’s Apostle had not heard it. When the Prophet finished his speech, he said, “Where is the questioner, who enquired about the Hour (Doomsday)?” The Bedouin said, “I am here, O Allah’s Apostle .” Then the Prophet said, “When honesty is lost, then wait for the Hour (Doomsday).” The Bedouin said, “How will that be lost?” The Prophet said, “When the power or authority comes in the hands of unfit persons, then wait for the Hour (Doomsday.)”

 This particular hadith struck me because of a presentation we had in my History class by Norman Solomon. Unfortunately, he isn’t as well known as such “experts” as Rush Limbaugh and Shawn Hannity, yet he’s the only person with experience in journalism and media. Anyhow his documentary was about the change in journalism to portray what those at the top want to be portrayed and mostly about the false pretenses gov. officials use to lead us into war and that it isn’t a new practice etc. I thoroughly enjoyed it and spoke with him after class. He also gave me (and some other kids around) sites to check out as alternative news outlets and of his own works.

Anyhow, there’s the hadith.

-amiraaaaaa

 

One Of Those Moments…

I know the type of person I am when it comes to certain things. Pet-peeves, nice people, food, heck even when it’s time to go to the porceline thrown of pity–yeah some things I know well enough about myself. And then there are other things I’m still trying to master like this little thing called patience. I’m the type that, as a good friend of mine described, “needs to obsess about something”, which I can understand and see about myself sometimes. I’m upset at a situation or person for a while then I learn to just be patient and I “cope with it,”if you will, until it’s resolved. But during my “coping” I get sprouts of uncontrollable I-NEED-to-do-something moments in which I loose the little sanity I can claim. Folks, that’s when it gets ugly.

Yesterday it got pret-ty ugly.

I was extremely upset (more like having an internal meltdown), not at anyone exactly, but at what arose. You know when you’ve waited for something for so long and work really hard to achieve it and then someone gets to be in the position you are desperately working for? Yeah imagine that and trying to remain calm while forcing the most painful smile. I’m not necessarily angry at person X, they haven’t done anything to me, but I’m really disheartened at not tasting the fruits of my labor, as they say. So all I can do it bare it and grin because it’s really a matter of time (inshaAllah) and you know what you can do about time, right?

Not a darn thing, that’s what.

Anyhow yesterday I was wondering how much longer it would take to be in person X’s shoes and finally look forward to what the future holds when my husband and I ran (well I ran, he flew because he has those kind of powers) to watch the Prince Among Slaves special on PBS. During the documentary they displayed an ayah from the Quran: “And We strengthen their hearts through patience.”

Immediately I teared up because I’m just that emotional when this kind of thing happens. SubhanAllah times a hundred. My heart took a beautifully refreshing breath of air. I felt immensely comforted when hearing that ayah and I thank Allah for that. SubhanAllah, the incredible powers of His words.

Ya Allah, please keep us patient and in rememberance of you in difficult times. Please stregthen our eman and bring us closer to you during times of ease and times of hardship. Ya Rabb, grant us the highest place in Jannatul Firdous. Ameen.

on cloud nine,
amira

 

Fresh Off The Press Part 5

Well here it is, part five. I think I have about one or two more to go. This one is again by Dr. Dremali so you know it’ll be good and let me tell that during the lecture so many people were crying. It was a truly moving lecture.

When Your Parents Look Up To You by Dr. Ibrahim Dremali:

- you can teach your children to love by showing them love.
- call your parents with a special designated name
- when you call your parents a special name it establishes a sense of respect
- when in a gathering and your parents are present, Islamically you should speak unless our of necessity or for the sake of knowledge out of respect
- no son/daughter had the right to leave the house of their parent’s without the permission of their parents
- those far away from their parents are far away from a lot of mercy
- put their demands and needs before any one else in your life
- make a dua for your parents between every sujood
- ask Allah for mercy and forgiveness for your parents
- if your parents pass away before fulfilling a promise you must fulfill that promise for them
- take care of your parent’s friends after your parents pass away
- Allah will accept your deeds when you are obedient to your parents
- salah will not be accepted if you’re not obedient to your parents.
- Allah will be pleased with us when we please our parents
- Allah will be angry with us if we make our parents angry
- whomever puts his wife before his parents, Allah will be angry with him and not accept anything from him
- for wives, she must put her husband before her parents (he got into a lengthy discussing as to why that is so. Basically it is because he is now her provider and the responsibility of caring for her has shifted from the parents to the husband whereas in the case of the husband, the wife is not supposed to provide for him but his parents always can )

One really long one to go.

-amira

 

Fresh Off The Press Part 4

This lecture was a really “AMEEN to that!” type of lecture by one of our home town heroes -Sheik Zhoubair.

Modesty and Patience by Sheik Zhoubair

Three kinds of patience:
1) patience with Allah: with commands of Allah
2) patience against Allah: no patience without Allah – like purposely committing a sin and thinking “Oh Allah will forgive me later”
3) patience through Allah: patience with people

- concerning zina: when Allah says don’t EVEN COME CLOSE to something he’s asking the highest form of patience from you
- taskeeyah (purification of the soul) comes with aqeedah
- the only way to be truly free is to be a slace to Allah because if you are not a slave to Allah you will be a slave to something else and no good will come out of that
- it is better to live in modesty with a little bit of toughness because luxuries will not always be there
-modesty and patience are very important before and after patience (…seriously)
- observing the beauty around you and in you will increase your eman
-people who don’t pray are worse than the shaytaan because the shaytaan made sujood to Allah but refused to make sujood to Adam; he never denies Allah as his Lord
-when losing patience remember that Allah is with those who are patient
-never lose hope in Allah’s Rahma (His mercy and forgiveness)

More to come.

-amira

 

Fresh Off The Press Part 3

This lecture was longer than my actual notes. I stopped writing and just listened to Dr. Shehata but I still want to post the page or so of notes that I took. Enjoy.

Body Language by Dr. Ali Shehata

Why is body language important?
- people form 60-80% of their initial opinion in less than 4 minutes.

Two rules for accurate reading:
1) read gestured in clusters -don’t interpret anything in isolation; usually requires three gestures to make conclusion
2) look for congruence -when there is discrepancy between the verbal and non-verbal most people (especially women) will follow the non-verbal

Law of cause and effect:
- gestures and emotions are directly linked
- most people find it difficult to lie with palms open and exposed
- close/finger pointed is like a bat to beat listener into submission; invokes a strong negative feeling

Importance of humor:
- teaches better
- helps to sell ideas
- attracts more friendships
- medicates body endorphins
- build immune system; extends life
- helps meetings go smoother

And that’s all folks.

-amira