FORGIVENESS

FORGIVENESS
Many Times Brothers and Sisters Manage to get themselves out of the rut they were in their lives and start to improve and live this beautiful religion.  All praise and Glory is due to Allah.  BUT when the same people start to live their religion they become arrogant and start to look down at the very people they were before.  Instead of trying to help someone in the very same position they were in they scold and boycott them.  Having said that there are some people you need to cut loose in order to to make your Hijrah of the Heart.  Letting go toxic people is a must in certain scenarios.  By Cutting those people loose maybe some good will come of it for them also, they may realise the errors of their ways or the shock of not having that partner in crime so to speak may cause them to re-evaluate how they are living.

Close family are exceptions to this rule.  You have so many obligations to your family as a Muslim and you cannot leave them.  A great example was given by ustadh nouman ali khan's lecture on tafseer of surah al asr of people drowning and being tied to each other, and in order to save your self you must save those around you.

SO DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR FAMILY 
Even if they don't respond to your calls treat them well and uphold your duties

ESPECIALLY YOUR PARENTS

{“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him.  And that you be dutiful to your parents.  If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.”} (Al israr 17:23)

So forgive if you expect to be forgiven and humble yourself, it is one of the hardest things to do but it will free you from hating, which is the first step of healing.  This will make your Hijrah more permanent and keep you thankful for the gift of imaan you have been given.

Allah knows best

{"Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want, and those who have left their homes in Allah's cause: let them forgive and overlook, do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."} (Al noor 24:22)

FINALLY BEAUTIFUL RECITATION

What a beautiful dua the angels make!!!

BE PRODUCTIVE THIS RAMADHAN

I thought I would share some productivity advice for ramadhan courtesy of productive muslim.

SALAT

FAST

ZAKAT/SADAQA

These are a great series of short animations to remind us of the purpose of ramadan and avoiding ill practices.

May Allah Accept and forgive the brothers and sisters who produced these videos

Ameen

NEVER GIVE UP HOPE IN ALLAH

All praise be to Allah the lord of all that exists, the Sustainer, the All Merciful, All Forgiving one.  Glory be to him the creator of the heavens and the earth.  And abundant peace and blessings be on his messenger (saw)

The most inspiring and heart warming thing when coming back to Allah, is his mercy.  The mercy of Allah is unimaginable.  We have to hope that whatever we do or have done Allah will forgive us.  We have to expect mercy because we cannot turn to anyone else.  Allah is the Muslims refuge we seek refuge in him from his punishment.  The above talk mentions  the companions (RA) and their understanding of the boundless rahmah of Allah.  Abu taweel ra who left the prophet (SAW) making takbeer after being told that Allah will forgive all sins.  Allah forgives and forgives and forgives.   THIS IS HAQQ in surah Az zumar Allah says clearly he "forgives all sins"

How amazing is the mercy of Allah.  

So never get bogged down in thinking what you have done is too bad.  We are human we make mistakes Sometimes the same mistake over and over again.   A few points that Sheikh Hesham made in his talk, I would like to highlight are:
1) Allah's mercy is boundless Allah was willing to forgive firaun, the biggest tyrant the world has ever seen, who murdered  new born children and who enslaved a whole nation.(20:44)  So if Allah was willing to forgive Firaun we definitely have a chance, if we reflect on this for a second it is so re assuring. 
2) Don't Delay in Repentance As soon as you commit a sin immediately remember Allah and ask him to forgive you
3) Don't try and rationalise and justify your sin   too many times we add a but after the admission of a sin to ourselves.  We should understand when we sin we are in the wrong and it is just one battle we have lost in the war against shaytaan and our nafs.  It is not "who we are" it is a temporary situation we have the power to change, with the help of Allah.
4)Take the sin seriously

 "A believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain which he is affraid may fall on him, whereas the wicked person considers his sins as flies passing over his nose and he just drives them away like this (and he moved his hand over his nose in illustration)." [Ibn Mas'ud]

5)Follow up with a good deed  if you commit a bad deed immediately follow up with a good one.  The Prophet (SAW) said

"On the authority of Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junada and Abu Abdul Rahmaan Muaadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with both of them) from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who said, Fear Allah wherever you are, and follow up a bad deed with a good one and it will wipe it out, and behave well towards people."[Tirmidhi]

This month is the month of Mercy so turn back to Allah the most high and ask him to forgive us.  Please remember me in your dua's.

RAMADAN KAREEM

I would just like to wish every one Many Many Happy Returns on the arrival of this blessed month may Allah Accept from us and from you.

Abu HurairaI heard Allah's Apostle saying regarding Ramadan, "Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven [Bukhari, Book 32 no: 226]  

Brothers, sisters lets try and make the most of this month with sincere prayer and supplications.  One huge step towards the hijrah of the heart is to leave the things that Allah does not like for the sake of Allah the exalted alone.   Out of love and fear for him you fast in these hot summer days and we pray in the night sacrificing our sleep.  Prayer is a great way to re connect with Allah the all hearing.

“Oh you who believe! Fasting has been ordained upon you as it was ordained upon those before you, that you may attain Taqwa (God-consciousness)” (2:183).

If you can focus on the biggest thing you want to change about your self in this month and really strive to change in this month.  Allah will surely make the path easy for you to remain steadfast  for example by fasting and striving hard we know we can attain the taqwa that will propel us forward as Allah tells us in the verse above   

All praise be to Allah the most High


PLEASE REMEMBER ME AND ALL THE MUSLIMEEN IN YOUR DUAS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN SYRIA WHO ARE BEING SLAUGHTERED DAILY....




YA RUBB!!!!

"YOUR MOTHER, YOUR MOTHER, YOUR MOTHER"

Our Mother the one who carried us for 9 months

How many times have we been here? Our mother calls us and we are so engrossed in some useless activity to realise her needs. What a waste of a good opportunity to earn the pleasure of Allah! To truly achieve emaan we must really work hard. This means to strive and struggle against our nafs (self), Our nafs is lazy, our nafs is impatient and our nafs is easily annoyed. We really have to tame our nafs otherwise it could lead us down a very dark road.

Abu Huraira reported that a person said: Allah's Messenger, who amongst the people is most deserving of my good treatment? He said: Your mother, again your mother, again your mother, then your father, then your nearest relatives according to the order (of nearness).
[Muslim]

THREE TIMES YOUR MOTHERS NAME CAME FROM HIS (SAW) BLESSED LIPS! 


This is not talking about other people this is talking about you and talking about me.  From this Hadith we can see the sheer weight placed on the kind treatment and obedience of ones parents.  Subhanallah.  Our mothers are priceless gifts to earn the bounty and mercy of Allah from.  So lets make the effort to be nice to our mothers and fathers.  Spend time with your mum,  talk to her about things that interest her and don't just ask her what time dinner is.  Your mother has a right on you as do all your family members.

SO FEAR ALLAH


AND LET THE INTERNAL FEAR AND LOVE OF ALLAH MANIFEST TO EXTERNAL GOOD DEEDS AND MANNERS

All praise and worship is for Allah alone.  The master of the throne, the Everlasting the self subsisting.
Abundant peace and blessings be  on his final messenger Muhammad (SAW)

Relax - be constant and don't overdo

Bukhari Volume 8, Book 76, Number 472:
Narrated 'Aisha:
The Prophet was asked, "What deeds are loved most by Allah?" He said, "The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few." He added, 'Don't take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability."

This Hadith is such a mercy from Allah the most kind. If we reflect on this hadith, the divine wisdom just feels right in every way possible.  You have reached your standing point, you have turned over a new leaf you approach all acts on worship at the same time with enthusiasm and vigor. You fast, you pray the voluntary prayers you give abundant charity and increase in helping others..... but then after like the third day running on 3 hours sleep you start to falter and cut back on your deeds to the point you are actually doing less than when you started!!!
This situation is like one who spends all his monthly pay cheque in the first week and lives on loans and hand outs for the rest of the month. 

And it is a situation many of us new to the deen or coming back to Allah the exalted go through.  

BUILD UP GRADUALLY
Do deeds, but do them perfectly following the sunnah and remain constant and patient. Do what is within your capability like the hadith says

'Don't take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability."

Don't enroll onto every class at the madrassa choose one at a time and stick to it. Dont fast continuously to the point you make yourself sick. Don't pray continuously neglecting your parents, family and wider obligations. DO pray for part of the night and ask the most high to help you and re establish your relationship with your creator.  Take the middle road, take time and be constant.

BE REGULAR

The Prophet was asked, "What deeds are loved most by Allah?" He said, "The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few."

If you start to make a habit of fasting on the sunnah days be regular and try and stick to it building up gradually untill you achieve your goal of being constant. If you are not praying the witr prayers make a concerted effort with yourself to pray them every night. If you are not praying all your prayers on time mould yourself into praying them everyday on time. If you are not praying try hard to start praying.

NEVER LOSE HOPE IN ALLAH

We are all made differently from different soil.  And people are at different levels, the wisdom, which I can understand now I couldn't 5 years ago.  Make your intention and put your hand to the task and ask Allah to help you no matter where you are in your deen.  remember Allah says he is with the patient

2:153 O ye who believe! seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.

May ALLAH GIVE US ALL THE TAWFEEQ AMEEN YA RABIL ALAMEEN!

RELAPSE

You have been on the deen striving hard to make those much needed changes.  AND THEN,  you slip back to your old ways sometimes even worse than before.  You go back to the sin that had a hold over you for so long.    You go back to the crowd that you used to roll with that were into that bad deed.  We are only human.  We were created weak.  Allah says (4:28).

"And Allah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak."
SO you see Allah already knows that we will make mistakes, but what he loves is when you make a mistake and come back to him.  (4:27)


Allah wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow [their] passions want you to digress [into] a great deviation.

so it is amazing how these two ayat are connected.  And how he the exalted mentions that he wants to accept your repentance before he tells us we were created weak.  So if we reflect on this Allah the all merciful is always ready to accept our repentance.  Allah the most forgiving in his infinite knowledge knows that we are weak because we are created that way.

How glorious is Allah! 

Allah also mentions those who follow their desires, who don't want you to change, they want you to stay with them, they want you to deviate from the path you have chosen

SO You have to be steadfast.  

I sometimes compare  the righteous ones to the fish swimming up stream.  Already the current is against them, not only that but the other fish are taking the easy road and going down stream but the determined fish continues to swim and swim sometimes expiring themselves in the process,  May Allah make us of the ones that strive.

This said you have to be sincere in your repentance and in your heart want to change.  It is never easy to change and stay changed but if you are sincere and keep trying you can expect the help of allah!!!! and remember:(3:156) 

"It is Allah Who gives life and death and Allah sees well all that you do." 

So be SINCERE

ask Allah to help you with your hijrah.  Surely Allah is most forbearing most forgiving.

Ok so you made a mistake don't let it get you down and don't let the Shaytaan trick you into not coming back to your lord.  Check Ustadh Nouman Ali khans lecture on one of the tricks of the Shaytaan.

May Allah accept our towbah(repentance) Ameen ya Rabil Alameen.