Eid mubaraak and recent updates..

Salam alaikom,

Eid mubaraak my brothers and sisters in Islaam!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I hope it's not too late to wish that.. Insha Allah everyone had a good Eid? :) I know I did because I had a lot to eat teehehe..

I know that I dropped off from the grid for awhile now (not too sure about other sisters though) but I had been going through a rough patch lately.

First, I discovered a painful lump at the back of my head and my throat. I have no idea why it came about because I had been in a pink of health. And you know, being an on-off hypochondriac, in my head I had a feeling it was malignant but my sister ruled it out that all I needed was antibiotics and that should do the trick. Al-hamdulillah, I was better a few days later.

Then I went for my holidays and despite it being an awesome shopping trip, the car break-in spoilt everything. The windows of our cars were smashed and valuables were taken. Again, al-hamdulilah our cars were not stolen instead! I thought they stole my new pairs of socks that I bought lol, because I saw the plastic bag that I kept my socks was on the ground along with the broken glasses, empty. About $5000 worth of our things were stolen that night, but none of my things were stolen. Even if they did, I had nothing more than just dirty laundry and Islamic books I purchased there. It isn't much of a steal, would it? haha.

When I got back, I developed some sort of rash that I thought would go away in a few hours. It wasn't very itchy but the red spots remained and the more I look at it, the more I feel like scratching. At the end of the night, my whole body was covered with red spots and we all thought it was either mumps or chicken pox. My sister saw the next day and said that it was a form of skin inflammation. There isn't a cure for it so I have to let it run it's course which will last for 4-6 weeks! Subhna Allah... I don't know how I can survive for the next 4-6 weeks with this. My whole body feels a bit swollen and it hurts even if touched lightly.

These are indeed tests for me and so far I have been patient al-hamdulillah.. But we all have our limits and sometimes we break...This skin inflammation has been causing me to be moody and it is aggravated by constant insensitive comemnts about me being overweight/my face is chubby which is in fact due to the skin inflammation (I got such comments even when I was at my fittest; was playing sports at nationals then. sigh)

I told a sister about all that has happened to me and she told me about a brother who said that when we make dua, we shouldnt ask Allah to make us to be more patient because then we would be tested even more. Instead, we should ask for Allah's Rahmah to ease our difficulties. That caught me off guard because after I read about a sis leaving Islaam, I had that sudden fear that I would not be able to face any calamaties patiently and would resort to actually leaving the Deen. So everyday, I made a point to make dua for me to be patient in times of difficulty. Leaving the Deen should never be an option.

Allahu'alam. Whatever that I am going through now is the decree as well. The pen has written, the ink has dried, there is nothing I can do about it but persevere. Make dua for me insha Allah that I will get through it. At least the lump at the back of my head and skin inflammation aren't dangerous although the signs and symptoms I had all pointed towards cancer at first. Al-hamdulillah, that is something to be thankful for at least.

Salam alaikom,

I was up till 3am trying to make a video log last night but after creating one (out of so many videos!) that I was satisfied with, it turned out to be upside down on youtube. lol! I will try again insha Allah but I think I sound a bit strange on video : (

Anyway, I will be away for a few days so... I just hope the other 3 sisters will update something :p

FB pages..

Do you know what's silly?

I keep seeing our own muslims having this application on fb: 'God wants you to know' and it posts daily quotes or reminders. Now, I know it is not haraam to receive meaningful lessons but I find it ridiculous when the Glorious Qu'ran is enough to be your reminder for the rest of your life...and if you were to browse through the application, it actually has a strong Christian influence...

so hmm.. why do we need this again?

Applications that I like on fb:

1) I love Allah - Daily quotes taken from the Qu'ran for you to ponder along with good articles to read.
2) Hadith of the Day
3) The Ideal Muslimah - I personally like this page because of the articles.
4) Best Qu'ran recitation - This saves me the trouble from having to spend hours on youtube for beautiful recitations.

So there you go!

Be patient in times of difficulties

I was engaged in a long conversation with a sister about some sisters I know personally who have left Islaam.

A sister I knew many years ago came to my attention today when I noticed the recurrent status that she posted blaming God for the mishaps that happened to her and seemed to imply that praying to Him causes her more grieve than it does happiness. In a nutshell, her life came to a halt when she was met with a tragic accident some years ago which resulted in lose of memory. It took a year (if I remember correctly) before she regained her memory again. I went to her profile and saw that she had changed to 'agnostic' under her religious views. Allahu'alam.

This is the sister who used to top the class in religious studies. She was respected for her good character and impressed religious teachers for her knowledge of the Deen. I remember her as being a role model to the younger ones to follow and I was one of them who tried to emulate her.

It is sad to learn about our own Muslims leaving Islaam as a result of obstacles that they had to face. I can relate to her on some level so I guess I know how it feels. But still, who am I to judge? Allah has clearly stated in the Qur'an that He chooses whom He wants to be guided. Therefore, if it is not in His will to guide someone, it would be a futile attempt to try convince a person to embrace Islaam.

Indeed it was also mentioned in the following Suraahs:

"Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them.... " (29:2)

"Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the Help of Allâh?" Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allâh is near!" (2:214)

Sisters, this reminder is for ME first before I remind any of you because I fear of being afflicted with hardships and then forgetting the importance of being patient in times of difficulties. We should be closer to Allah when we are being tested because of the immense rewards we get for being patient and constantly seeking Allah's help in rectifying our affairs. I fear that my heart is too attached to this dunya that any loss in property or loved ones becomes the cause for my loss of eemaan.

The sister whom I was discussing about this with said that if we truly understood how it is like in the Hereafter, any afflictions that we face in this dunya suddenly becomes trivial in our eyes. We would not live in this dunya like we would now if we could catch just a glimpse of Jannah.

Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad SAW). And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health with calamities so that they might believe with humility. (42) When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves (believe with humility)? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaitân (Satan) made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do. (43) So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened for them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them (in punishment), and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows. (6:42)

Innallahamaasobirin; Truly, Allah is with those who are patient.

I came across a blog post today about a known sister who left Islaam and it saddens me to read about her. Allahu'alam on the validity of it. May Allah guide them back to Islaam, aameen.

Sisters, if we do come across another sister who is facing such a situation, please do not be the first to judge and call her a Kafir. I came across a couple of brothers and sisters who are too quick to criticize them without trying to help rectify the problem. Only Allah can be the judge, not us. We can help by understanding their situations and clear up possible misconceptions they may have. Who knows, by Allah's will, they might embrace Islaam again. Allahu'alam.

May Allah keep our hearts firm on this Deen, Aameen.

The bounty that comes from Allah to a believer due to his trial is greater than the bounty that comes from Allah during his times of ease. [Ibn Rajab}

'Interesting' individuals on Pt

There are too many of them on pt so just a few outstanding ones :-

~ The so-called Jesus Apostle: This particular woman sent private messages to people claiming herself to be a Jesus's Apostle, sent down by Jesus to complete his revelations. A sister told me about it and I thought it would be great to have a share in this madness but I didn't get a chance to have a chat with her. Later that night, another sister pasted the whole conversation she had with this 'Jesus's Apostle' and honestly, it seemed like she doesn't have a sound mind.

~ The fatwa sister: I have not actually met this person but it has become known on pt that this sister loves giving fatwa-s according to her own whims and desires. Allahu'alam

~ Quranis: These people believe in the Qu'ran only but not the hadeeth. When asked one of them in the room today whether they are muslims, he found it difficult to even say 'yes, I am a muslim!' and instead beat around the bush stating that he believes in the Qu'ran and Allah. According to a brother, he said they are 'modernists' who interprete the Qu'ran their own way. If you read the tafseer of Qu'ran, ahadeeth is important in explaining al-Qu'ran properly.

~ The deceiver: I used to frequent a room that encourages reverts to share their stories about coming to Islaam and there will be this christian guy who would always be in the room. At first, I saw it as him being friendly but weeks later, he accidentally exposed his secret on why he frequents this room a lot. guess? He is training himself to become a christian missionary so that he can try convert Muslims in the middle east to christianity. By being around Muslims often, he can understand how we behave and learn ways to penetrate through us. Allahu musta'an!! May Allah preserve the eemaan of our Muslim brothers and sisters so as to protect themselves from believing the lies and deception of such people, aameeeeeenn.

~ The takfeeris: These people should take a look at their own Deen and improve themselves before they start attacking the faults of other Muslims! Subhna Allah!! Only two days ago, this muslim brother called me (along with a few other brothers and sisters) a kafeer after a misunderstanding. He made assumptions that I was the kafeer's sides during a debate with christians, when I had no knowledge of what was happening in the room!! Astghfirullah!! I wish I had told him on mic to fear Allah because he had slandered and then made takfeer on us.

So yes, welcome to the virtual world where you get all kinds of people, hiding behind the screen with some pretending to be someone they are not; while there are also those with malicious agendas that we don't know of. Be careful of who you befriend on the net sisters.

interesting article about night prayer

This article was taken from 'The Purification of the Soul' compiled from the works of al-Hanbali, al-Ghazali and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya

Read this article insha Allah - The last part explains why some of us cannot wake up at night for tahajjud so it is a good reflection on ourselves.

Allah says:

{ Verily, your Lord knows that you do stand (to pray at (also night) a little less than two-thirds of the night, or half the night, or a third of the night, and a party of those with you...(73:20)}

And also:

{ And those who spend the night in worship of their Lord, prostrate and standing (25:64)}

The Prophet sallahu alayhi salaam said, "The best prayer, after the obligatory prayes, is the night prayer."

Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "Between the 'isha prayer and the fajr prayer, the Prophet, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray eleven rak'at. He used to give the taslim after every two rak'at and then pray one witr raka'a"

Ibn Mas'ud related that mention was made before the Prophet Sallahu alayhi salaam, of someone who sleeps throughout the night until dawn (without praying). The Prophet sallahu alayhi salaam said, "That is a man in whose ears shaytan urinates."

The Prophet sallahu alayhi salaam said, "When any one of you sleeps, shaytan ties three knots at the back of your head. On each knot he repeats and exhales the following words, 'The night is long, so stay asleep'. If you wake up and remember Allah, one knot is undone; and if you do wudu, the second knot is undone; and if you pray, the third knot is undone, and you get up in the morning full of energy and with a clear heart. Otherwise, you get up feeling lazy and with a muddled heart."

Ibn Mas'ud used to get up when other people were asleep, and a continuous humming, like the huming of bees, could be heard from him until daybreak.

Al-Hasan was once asked, "How is it that those who stay up at night have the most attractive faces?" He replied, "Because they are on intimate terms with the Merciful, and He robes them in some of His light."

He also said, "A man commits a sin and so (because of it) he is deprived of staying up at night.

A man once said to a righteous man, "I am unable to keep on staying up at night; give me a remedy." The righteous man said, "Do not disobey Him during the day and He will keep you up, between His hands, at night."

It has ben transmitted that Suffian ath-Thawri said, "I was once deprived of staying up at night for five months because of a sin that I had committed."

Ibn al-Mubarak said:

When the night is completely dark,

it finds them staying up in the night.

Fear has chased away their sleep so they stay up, while those who feel secure in this life quietly sleeps on.

Abu Sulaiman said, "The people of the night are more content with their staying up at night than the people who play are with their play. Were it not for the night, I would not have liked to continue living in this word."

Ibn Al-Munkadir said, "Only three pleasure remain in tis life: staying up at night, meeting one's brothers, and doing the obligatory prayers in jama'a."

Hello I'm back :>

Salam alaikom

SORRY FOR THE LACK OF UPDATESSSSSS!!

My finals ended 2 days ago woohhoo!!.. so I am having my break now. I think other sisters are busy as well- sis Sydh has exams next week so make dua for her! Other two sisters are caught up with work I reckon :/

SO YES, I'LL UPDATE AS MUCH AS I CAN INSHA ALLAH :)