What The Almighty wants us to do...

Ø  Worship Him alone. This includes asking only Him.

Ø  Believe in the Unseen, establish prayer, and spend for the poor and 

needy and in the way of Allah.

Ø  Believe in the Revelations (the Holy Books).

Ø   Believe and testify that Muhammad PBUH is the last Messenger of Allah 

and The Quran is the Holy Book revealed to him.

Ø  Believe in destiny and preordainment of good and bad. 

(Everything happens by Allah’s will).

Ø  Be good in every matter.

Ø  Forgive and forget.

Ø  Be patient.

Ø  Suppress anger.

Ø  Respect women and give them their rights.

Ø  Give children love, respect and their rights. Especially the orphans.

Ø  Respect men and give them their rights.

Ø  Lower gaze and avoid all shameful things.

Ø  Speak nicely with others.

Ø  Be kind to the poor and needy. Help them.

Ø  Be united.

Ø  Obey what Allah orders and what the Messenger tells you.

Ø  Give every person his due.

Ø  Seek knowledge and apply it.

Ø  Keep checking yourself. Self analysis.

Ø  Self improvement.

Ø  Be confident, brave and thankful.

Ø  Be happy and hopeful.

Ø  Be content and patient in what you have.

Ø  Remember that death is inevitable.

Ø  Prepare for the end.

Ø  Be aware of the Hereafter and live in the world as a traveler.

Ø  Be aware that Allah is Merciful and Forgiving.

Ø  Be aware that Allah is Just and Most Appreciative.

Ø  Be aware that He is All Powerful.

Ø  Know that He loves good doers.

Ø  Know that He does not love those who create mischief on the earth.

Ø  To do charity and good deeds.

Ø  Not to be miserly and hateful.

Ø  To be clean and pure.

Ø  To be just and honest.

Ø  To know that  there is Paradise for the good doers and Hell for the wrongdoers. 

Understanding Islam

In Arabic, words are formed from some basic root words which take various forms to mean differently in different contexts thus giving Arabic Language richness. That is the reason why the Arabic terms cannot be accurately translated into other languages to give the perfectly same meanings as the original.

To understand this concept of root words we can take some example from English language. For example there is this word irreversible. You can see that it is not the basic word rather it has some prefix and suffix. The basic word that you can find here is actually reverse. When we put –ir before it and –ible after it, it becomes ir=reverse-ible, and we write it as irreversible.

This way we can now understand Arabic words too.

The word Islam اسلام comes from the root word sa la ma. س-ل-م

Islam is the technical name of the creed preached by the holy Prophet Muhammed pbuh. It has been the religion of all prophets in all climes, other (so called religions) being so many deviations from it. No religion is acceptable with God save Islam, which consists in acknowledging the unity and soleness of God and embracing the code which Muhammed pbuh had brought. Literally and in practice it is ‘self-surrender’ , ‘submission’, ‘absolute surrender’ to the Divine Will and was a fit designation of the Faith revealed to Abraham, Ishmael and the Arabs. (Torrey; Jewish Foundation of Islam. P.104, cited from Jid, P. 3, n. 291.)

Islaama  اسلاما means to submit or surrender, to accept Islam as ones religion.

Salaamah سلاما means to be in actual condition without blemish.

Muslim  مسلم means one who surrenders himself to the will of God.

Assalaam or salamun  اسلام، سلام means peace, greetings.

So when the Muslims say As salaamu alaykum  اسلام علیکم it means Peace be upon you…alaykum  علیکم means on you.

Some times because of the misinterpretations and miscommunications through media and common beliefs people of other faiths misunderstand the terms used in Arabic.

One of the most misinterpreted terms in Islam by other Faiths as well as Muslims themselves is the word Jihad جہاد 

Jihad comes from the root word ja ha da. جہد 

Jaahada, mujaahada, and jihaada  جاہدہ، مجاہدہ، جہادہ mean to struggle.

Jihaadun  جہاد means struggle or strive.

Mujahideen  مجاہدین means strivers.

And this struggle is anything which is done to please Allah and it does not mean violence in any sense. The struggle can be with our own nafs or self to fight with our desires and wishes which go against the Will of Allah. This is the best struggle which one does with oneself to alienate it from wrongdoing and sin so that God is not displeased. How can one imagine that a follower of peace, a struggler with self can go out and destruct and destroy and create violence in the world? The real follower of Islam will not do this at any cost. Rather it is very clearly understood by each and every Muslim that Allah does not love those who do mischief. He does not love those who spread violence and do destruction. One of Allah’s beautiful names is  As Salaamu السلام which means The All Peace. He is all peace and He likes the good doers, the peace makers, the submissive and patient persons. 

Tips to be a really good wife!

Taken from www.farhathashmi.com
1: Be grateful to your husband. Remind yourself that it’s a tough world out there and your husband works very hard to provide for you. So whatever you do, don’t compare him to other men, unless it is favorably. Let him know that you appreciate his efforts, not just through your words, but also your actions.

2: Be sensitive to his moods, feelings and needs. For example, don’t start complaining or burden him with problems as soon as he comes home; rather, welcome him and make him feel good to be home.

3: Be cheerful and humorous, smile often, don’t feel shy to be affectionate with your husband and make him feel really happy to be around you. Express your love frequently and creatively, rather than waiting for him to do so first.
4: Make sure you serve him the foods he likes, remembering that variety is the spice of life. Try to eat together as this fosters companionship.

5: Dress up for your husband at home. Wear the colors and clothes that he likes to see you in and use makeup, perfume, jewelry – in short, whatever it takes to be attractive to him.

6: Do things together or at least allocate some time of the day to give him your undivided attention. Be sincere in appreciating him, show interest in his day, his activities, his thoughts and opinions. Give him advice and comfort him when needed.

7: Spend your husband’s money carefully and try to keep him informed of where his money is being spent. Remember not to spend large amounts of his money without his permission.

8: Show caring and concern for his relatives as this is a sure way of securing a place in his heart. Never object when he spends on them, as this is a source of abundance in provision and increase in life span.

9: Don’t fly into a rage when you have a difference of opinion or he criticizes you. Stay calm, control your tongue and don’t challenge your husband’s authority at that time. Use your wisdom, tactics and powers of persuasion later to try to explain your point of view.

10: Believe the best, not the worst about him. Be forgiving and accept apologies graciously rather than holding grudges and bringing up mistakes of the past.

11: Show respect for your husband by not divulging your private and confidential issues to others, or by complaining about him to people or discussing your marital problems with those who cannot help you.
12: Last, but not least, remember that your husband is the head of the family and as long as obedience to him does not entail any sin, it is your duty to obey him. Allah’s Messenger Sal Allahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said: “Any woman who dies and her husband is pleased with her, will enter Paradise.’’

Be a Really Good Wife…

I read this somewhere and wanted to share it with all...

Let me tell you the ways to get to his heart 

Delicious food is where you should start

A really good meal – there’s nothing like it
Be it steak or biryani, kebabs or fish

When he returns home from work, greet him at the door
A really nice smile will please him for sure

Elegant clothes, make-up, perfume applied
All these things make for an attractive wife.

Serve him his meal and do it with style
The domestic woes can wait for a while.

Be a good listener – Was his day alright?
Be ready to give him support and advice

When he’s home, try to be there for him
No friend can be more important than him

If he wants to go out put everything aside
Let your company be the best thing in life

Be smiling and cheerful and do make him laugh
This is one more way of keeping his heart

Use wisdom and tact when dealing with him
Nothing can be gained by fighting with him

If he does say something which you don’t like
Do give it some thought, perhaps he’s right

As for his money, do spend it with care
Remember all the hard work it took to get there

Be grateful to him in deeds, words and thoughts
Ingratitude to husbands is disliked by God

If you do all this, it’ll improve your life
For marital bliss makes this world Paradise

And think of the reward there is in the Next
It’ll motivate you into doing your best.

Some Humble Advices

Rely on no human.

Expect from no human.

Get attached to no human.

Ask no human.

Rely on Allah.

Expect from Allah.

Get attached to Allah.

Ask from Allah.

People often maintain good relations with their fellow beings thinking that they might be of some good to them. They might benefit them or help them in times of need.

This is a very base and selfish thinking.

We must never keep good relations based on such an attitude or thinking.

This kind of relation has no depth, no value , no respect and no reliability.

When we maintain any relation with others it must be based on Allah’s commandments. It must be for His sake and pleasure.

This means when we keep a relation we must keep in mind the rules laid down by Allah for that relation. For example if we make friends with our neighbor we must be aware of the rights of a neighbor and friend in Islam. 

We must also know how important it is to enjoin good and forbid evil. 

Spending time with friends is good but wasting time in gossip, evil, backbiting and fun and frolic is bad.

Meeting someone wholeheartedly seeking Allah’s pleasure by talking about useful things and remembering Allah makes the meeting a blessed one.

Here, we do not have the fear of losing anything because we are not seeking the pleasure of our friend rather we look forward to gaining Allah’s reward.

Such relations are valued and are indeed long lasting and fruitful Allah willing.

To avoid later lamentations, troubles and tensions always make the decision when there is still time.

Decide confidently and think over all aspects wisely.

Support whatever you decide.

Decisions made on right times do not land you into wrong times.

Always remember not to mention or discuss any third person in a negative light when you talk with others. 

You are gone…

Now who’s there to complain, to feel pride, to boast to boss around, to hate and to do this and that?

The ‘I’ of you has died.

What was it for anyway?

The ‘I’ has perished.

It is now in the mud. Its worth is now final.

Did the ‘I’ in you lived for itself, for others or for it’s creator?

What did it think of ‘itself’?

‘I’, ‘me’, ‘myself’ was nothing in itself.

‘I’ was good if it was good to others not only to itself.

‘I’ was successful if it found others happy, ‘around itself’ not just for ‘itself’.

Why are there others around you?

Just for you to find faults in them!

For you to criticize them! For you to do what you like!

NO.

Others are put there around you to ‘test’ the ‘I’ in you.

‘I’ was created to love the fellow creatures and not to hate them.

To help them out and not to be difficult to them.

To guide them to good and not to mislead them.

To love them for Allah.

To fulfill your duty toward them.

To show that you ‘have a heart’.

Just imagine yourself on death bed.

Will it matter to you if the things around you are not the way you liked them to be?

Open Book Test

Students are told that they have only one course book which they have to read and understand. They are given a few questions which they will be asked on two consecutive exams. The date and time of the exam is not told. They will be asked to appear for the exam anytime. They should be prepared to answer those few questions that they were provided beforehand. They have been told to live in a certain hall where there is every facility. They can avail the facilities according to the rules of the examiner. They have to stay there for a period of time until the examiner calls them. In the meantime they have to keep in touch with the book, and they have to see if they know the answers to the questions provided. There is someone who is hidden and recording all the activities of the students which he will show to the examiner on the Final Exam day in the form of a record book.

They have to appear in two exams. One is the Pre-final and the other the main exam or the Final Exam.

What should be the role of the students now?

Although they have been allowed the facilities in limits, they are told they will be given abundant prizes, a great job with life time job security, handsome salary and they will be given housing, furniture, beautiful clothes and pious and beautiful partners for marriage.  Apart from this they would not need to worry about food and other things. They will be given personal gardens as well…

Imagine what such students will enjoy if they pass this exam!

They have the questions and they have the answers!

They have the Book too.

It is an open book test! The paper is out!

We are the students. This world is that hall with all those facilities and limits. The angels are the ones who are maintaining our record books. The Pre Final is our Death and the Final is the Day of Judgment.

What we need to do is to keep reading and understanding the Book and prepare ourselves for answering the few questions provided.

The questions that we will be asked on the Pre Final exam (after death) are:

1. Who is your Lord?
2. What is your religion?
3. Who is your Prophet?

And the answers are: 

1. My Lord is Allah. 
2. My religion is Islam. 
3. My Prophet is Muhammed (pbuh)

The Questions for the Final Exam (Day of Judgment) are:

1. Will be Questioned about Kufr and Shirk.
2. What you did in the world?
3. Will be Questioned about the luxuries you enjoyed.
4. Questions about promises and covenants.
5. Hearing, sight and hearts will be questioned.
6. The first of the Deeds for which a person will be brought to account will be his prayers (obligatory, then voluntary, then other deeds).

Dear Muslims,

• Let us be a little more conscious of what we are letting the angels record for us. 
• Let us be more sensitive about the pre final and final tests. 
• Let us see this world and its engagements as passing and just a place of preparation for our finals.

Allah says in Surah Al Mulk “ We have created death and life so that we examine who among you is best in deeds.”

If we do the exams well insha Allah we will be in the Gardens of paradise....

imagine....no work, no job, no filth, no idle talk, no noise, no bothering  worries and hard work, no quarrels, no cooking!!!!

Let's start preparing from today. Bit by bit.

First lets look after and guard our five daily prayers. Once this is done insha Allah other things will fall into place.

May Allah Help and Guide us to the Straight Path. Aameen.