To the Hurt, the Heartbroken

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.

Sometimes it is very hard to see clearly when you are hurt or heartbroken by someone. To be honest, only Allah knows the complete situation from both sides and if their treatment or behaviour is wrong.However, when you are hurt, think about what will heal the hurt. Think about how things could be set right and what it would need from the person/people who hurt you. Then make dua...for them. 

Never forget that the dua' of the oppressed has no shield between the person and Allah. Ask Allah to guide  them to be better, closer to the manners and ways of the Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa salaam. Ask Allah to make clear to them what He Loves and what He Hates and guide them to all that He Loves. Ask Allah to show them the errors of their ways and correct them. Ask Allah to put love, for His Sake, between you and them. Ask Allah to increase their taqwa and emaan and make them an excellent servant of Allah. Seek protection from the fitna of them and the situation for yourself and your family. Then pray for all of those things for yourself as well and for anyone else involved. If everyone pleases Allah, then hearts will heal and success will follow.

This isn't Islam at a basic level, this is Islam at its finest. This is praying for the one(s) who hurt you to become among Allah's best and most beloved servants. Of course, it is up to Allah to guide them or not, but you get even greater than what you wish for others and if they are guided they will see the truth of their behavior and mend the relationship with you, inshaa'Allah.

If you wonder whether I have done this, I can say that I most certainly have and continue to do it, even when my heart is virtually in pieces from the behavior towards me. Al hamdul'Illah, it has never caused me loss. I have faced, and do face, many deep hurts and heartbreaks from people, but I know that the only way to make things better and heal my own heart is for them to get better. May Allah help and guide us all - ameen.

My Glass

Bism Illah wa assalaamu alaykum wa RahmatUllahi wa Barakatuh.


It is difficult to focus our minds on what we have, rather than what we don't. It is a fight, and many of us struggle to see the glass half full, instead of half empty. 

Recently I was provoked to consider that I didn't have visitors upon the birth of either of my daughters or after a surgery that had me in a real mess for a couple of weeks. I've never had anyone cook something or come to help out, etc. I believe that one or two kind souls did offer, but it certainly wasn't part of a community effort of sisterhood. What's important about that? Well, I won't write in such a negative way again, inshaa'Allah, because I never think of it like that.

I think of the fact that I had my babies, my surgery, and got through whatever other hardships that came along in exactly the way Allah Willed. I think of how Allah has blessed and guided my life so perfectly, with unrivaled Love and Attention. In fact, it has never crossed my mind that my glass was half full, either. I have every ounce of what I need, perfectly planned, designed, and provided by Allah, subhaana wa taala, for every second of my life. So no, my glass is not half empty or even half full; my glass is full - full to the BRIM! All thanks and praise to Allah, the Perfect Provider of all needs!

Survival of the Fittest

As salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.


Subhaan Allah! I was thinking about being able to live off the land, being able to survive if left with nothing but nature surrounding you. It kept coming back to me that the people who are farming, building natural homes, and making everything for themselves are mainly not Muslim. They are, however, earth-conscious, far-seeing people who understand what they need to do to survive when all else may be lost. It was our tradition, it is the Sunnah, but many of us are so far away from that lifestyle now.


Allah perfected our religion - Islam - for us. Our children are the future of this beautiful religion. Are we to die out due to lack of survival skills, simply because dunya has pulled us so far away from the simple, self-sustaining life modeled in the Sunnah? In the event of necessity, will we or our children be at the mercy of non-Muslims or have to compromise our beliefs to get food and shelter? We need to learn survival skills ourselves! We should be able to slaughter - all the family members, not just the men. We should be able to grow our own food. We should be able to build a house, and teach our children so they will not be forced to compromise their Islam to work for the money to buy one. We should be able to tend to animals, cook from scratch, sew basic garments, and live a good life from what Allah has put on this earth, inshaa'Allah.


Does this mean we all have to be farmers? No. Everyone in the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, wasn't a farmer. People had different skills and worked together. The ironsmith, the carpenter, the merchant, the farmer all bartered and exchanged goods and services. The person who doesn't want to farm, offers another beneficial skill to the community. But everyone should have some basic knowledge of how to provide for themselves.

Envisage this: Enough land to build a home from the natural resources available, grow food, raise animals for eggs, milk, meat, etc. Like-minded families can build homes there, and share skills and know-how inshaa Allah. A central masjid will be the hub of the community, with delegated teachers for the children inshaa Allah. As far as possible, a self-contained community with solar/wind powered energy so there will be no reliance on utility companies and no monthly utility bills. The sale of excess crops, handiwork, etc. would provide enough income to pay for necessities from outside, inshaa Allah. This is truly sticking together and taking ourselves away in times of fitnah.

How better to build up our ties of brotherhood/sisterhood and live like the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them)? When I see all the community shared farms these days, I think of how much we could do as Muslims and have ample food. Not only that, we would finally get away from the burden of consumerism that we will have such a hard time answering Allah subhaana wa taala, about when we are questioned.
Whatever step we take to self-sufficiency will insha'Allah benefit us and the generations to come. We can pass the knowledge on and leave a legacy, bi ithn Allah.

When it boils down to survival of the fittest, where will the Muslims be?

The Beauty of "Because I said so."

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.

I thought about how parents sometimes tell their children when questioned about some instruction, "Because I said so." This is not necessarily, as modern psychologists might say, poor communication.This is sometimes done as a mercy for the child, as the reasons for the adult's decision or instruction are beyond the child's thinking or comprehension. Nevertheless, they are done in the child's best interests. There must be a level of trust between the child and the parent that the parent is instructing or advising them out of deep love, caring, and responsibility. Another important aspect of, "Because I said so," is that obedience is paramount in things that do not oppose Allah's command. Children do not have to know the reason as a condition for obedience.

Sometimes, well often really LOL, people speculate that I take things very easily, mashaa'Allah. Well, I really find simplicity and ease in following Allah's command; in having things laid out for me and basically not having to make my own decision about them.

"It is not for a believer, man or woman, that they should have any option in their decision when Allah and his Messenger have decreed a matter. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed strayed in a plain error." (33:36)

Things become very simple when you take that ayah seriously. Allah has given us His Book, The Quran, and the final seal of the Prophets, Muhammad - salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam - as a guide and a clear example of how to live and handle various aspects of our lives. From those little things like how to enter the bathroom to the big things, like the obligatory 5 pillars of Islam and tawheed, we have it all simply and clearly documented.

There are many things that are beyond our comprehension, the depth of which we cannot fathom, but regardless, our obedience is to Allah without question and without hesitation. The parent and the child are very similar to The Creator and the creation; but three of those elements are imperfect, and One is not. Whereas parents can make errors of judgement, Allah does not. There is no question that His instructions and decree are for our best function and end. When we simply follow His Guidance, we free our minds from the struggle of thinking for ourselves and can bask in the beauty and ease of "no decision."

September 2011

Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.

I don't know about you readers out there, but I found it a bit too much posting a whole month's worth of ideas under just one heading. It meant that I couldn't give the posts specific labels so people could find posts under a particular topic. The system is now slightly changed and I will post once a month, but the posts will be separate. You will see that there are several other posts all published on this same day...your monthly dose, LOL!

I hope this works better for you, my dear readers. I know it is better for me, as I can develop my ideas more thoroughly without worrying about making the post overly long.

I have a few small things that I will include in this post, what don't warrant a post of their own.

Random Thoughts:

Allah knows....when you brush your teeth before meeting a friend, a wife, or an evening out, but not before going to the masjid, Allah knows who you have honored and given priority to.


Dua' for exposure:

There are some situations, and some times, when we cannot accurately assess the character and genuineness of another person. We may have a doubtful feeling about them, but we just cannot put our finger on it. Allah is, as always, the answer. Ask Him to show you the true nature of the person. Ask him to expose to you their reality, so you may act accordingly. It is more important to know the reality of what you are dealing with, than for that reality to be good.

Hudayfah ibn al-Yaman (radhi Allahu anhu) said:

"The people used to ask the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) about good things, whereas I used to ask him about evil things fearing that they befall me." (Bukhari & Muslim)


May Allah guide us all to what pleases Him, bless us with benefit from all the good herein, and protect us from any harm - ameen.