The Deen can be a lonely place...

When making the Hijrah of the heart there will be plenty of times you will feel alone.  You may have to swim against the current and find it very difficult.  Your friends, your family, your work colleagues may be calling you to go against the will of you creator.  Everybody is happy when they see you living your deen and doing helpful things that benefit them, but when you stop going to places you used to frequent and become more mindful of your prayers, this can become inconvenient.  You may hear comments about your choice of dress or worse yet, you may be told to take it off!! You may be pushed into engaging in some activity you are not comfortable with.

What do you do?

When the Messenger of the All Mighty Allah was left by the retreating muslims in the battle of Hunanyn he (SAW) stood alone facing the enemy and shouted

Verily, I am the Prophet (SAW) without falsehood; I am son of ‘Abdul Muttalib.”(Bukhari V5)

He (SAW) is our leader, and what a LEADER.  In the face of unsheathed swords and complete panic the Messenger of Allah (SAW), stood firm and faced his reality head on with unflinching resolve.  He Rallied his troops and scored a decisive victory.  What we can take from this event is:

Don't be afraid to stand alone when Allah is by your side!

Sometimes you won't get an invite to places because you are too religious or someone may get annoyed because you have to interrupt the activity you are engaged in to pray Sallah.  Some people may stop talking to you and some people may never accept that you have changed.  This can be tough and lonely.  Remember Allah much during these times and fill your heart with quran, spend time with the righteous people get involved in beneficial activities, that benefit you and benefit those around you.

LIVE YOUR RELIGION

There are soo many great oppurtunities to earn the pleasure of allah.

Why don't you try...

To visit the sick

Feed the poor

Plant a tree

Take up a new hobby like horse riding or swimming

or Even enroll on a course to increase your own knowledge and teach others

Remember

This life is a test and Allah is testing you to raise you in rank

The help of Allah is always closer than you think.

{Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! verily the help of Allah is (always) near!} 

[Al-Baqara - 2:214]  

Empathy

In order to make a real hijrah of the heart you must first open it. When you see fellow human beings suffering, something must turn in your heart, if it doesn't it may be that your heart has grown too hard. Soften your heart...Ponder the Quran and the creation of Allah the exalted, look at the state of the world around you and read about how people your own age are suffering. Too often we do not put ourselves in other people's shoes, yes people are annoying, arrogant and downright rude, but when you see someone in real difficulty and really suffering your instinct should be, "how can I help?" because tomorrow it could be you or me. We Should think... that could be ME, that could be my MOTHER, that could have happened in my HOME. Tragedies are all around us, sometimes as muslims we concentrate on our rituals and forget about our character and forget how much mercy and kindness Islam brought to the harshest of lands. We should be the kindest and most compassionate of people yet sometimes we can be so harsh. Oh how I love my leader, my hero, my prophet mustafa muhammed salallahu alaihi wa sallam. When he came back to the lands where he and his followers where persecuted for 13 years, Murdered, tortured, boycotted and abused, after entering in the most humble of ways he addressed the conquered people and said:

"antum tullaqa"

YOU ARE FREE

He did not exert revenge, burn any houses or kill anyone. he said:

YOU ARE FREE

Allahu Akbar!

So Why don't we show that same spirit and help people even if they have wronged us. When Islam penetrates your heart it changes your interactions and relationships in every way. Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

“You cannot be a true Muslim until you are kind among yourselves…Kindness is not this that you sympathize with your companion, but kindness is this that you think all men deserving of it.” [Tibrani]

Surah Al Imran 159-186

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 goof  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)