As salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh to all my dear sisters!
These are things I ponder on as I go about my day.
There are NO BATHROOMS TO CLEAN in Jennah
There are NO DISHES TO WASH in Jennah
There is no LAUNDRY or IRONING to do in Jennah
There are NO "What on earth shall I make for dinner?" moments in Jennah
There are NO BAD HAIR DAYS in Jennah
There is NO NEED FOR MAKEUP in Jennah
We will ALWAYS SMELL WONDERFUL in Jennah
We will NEVER HAVE TO PEE, POOP, or PUKE in Jennah
We will NEVER HAVE A SINGLE ISSUE ABOUT OUR BODIES OR APPEARANCE in Jennah
We will have the MOST DELICIOUS FOOD and NEVER HAVE TO PREPARE IT in Jennah
and....
We will NEVER HAVE A BAD THOUGHT, FEELING, EMOTION, OR EXPERIENCE in Jennah.
Those thoughts make me go about my daily chores GLADLY, and even make me drag myself up to go the extra mile to do special things for my family. It seems such a small and simple price to pay for such an UNBELIEVABLE reward.
I love you, sisters. Keep on trucking, bi ithn Allah!
A blog of my realities and desperate striving to please my Creator while being a daughter, wife, mother, friend, and human being on this earth. It's ALL about Jennah (Heaven) and getting through this life with that clear goal in sight.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Reach Out Today!
BismIlah wa as salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh!
Do something today. Reach out to somebody. Offer them something of yourself: your smile, your support, your prayer rug, a tasty treat. Share a mind-blowing Hadith Qudsi. Share a touching story of how Allah has blessed you. Share your favorite surah of Quran and why you love it. Invite someone to pray with you. Move the rock or stick in the path, or toy in the hallway LOL, so others can pass . Hold the door open for someone. Kiss your husband on his cheek as you walk past his chair. Bake your family's favorite cookies. Every one of these things is a sadaqah... and they don't even cost a penny.
"Verily, those who give Sadaqat, men and women, and lend to Allah a goodly loan, it shall be increased manifold and theirs shall be an honorable good reward." [Quran 57:18]
You give in charity and Allah, swt, rewards you.
"Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer, verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world) with respect, and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do." [Quran 16:97]
You may also be rewarded by a smile of gratitude or a warm thank you from the person or people you reach out to, but that is just an added bonus. The rewards start coming from the very minute you start thinking about what you can do to reach out. They just keep flowing as you prepare, make your intention, and act. How can we pass up such an opportunity for a flow of rewards that lead to a big gush when we do the good deed?
"... but His plan is to test you in what He has given you; so strive as in a race in good deeds..." [Quran 5:48]
What are these rewards? The good deeds that are recorded by the Angel on your right side. "Then, as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand, He surely will receive an easy reckoning" [Quran 84:7-8]
It's all about Jennah... everything else is insignificant.
Do something today. Reach out to somebody. Offer them something of yourself: your smile, your support, your prayer rug, a tasty treat. Share a mind-blowing Hadith Qudsi. Share a touching story of how Allah has blessed you. Share your favorite surah of Quran and why you love it. Invite someone to pray with you. Move the rock or stick in the path, or toy in the hallway LOL, so others can pass . Hold the door open for someone. Kiss your husband on his cheek as you walk past his chair. Bake your family's favorite cookies. Every one of these things is a sadaqah... and they don't even cost a penny.
"Verily, those who give Sadaqat, men and women, and lend to Allah a goodly loan, it shall be increased manifold and theirs shall be an honorable good reward." [Quran 57:18]
You give in charity and Allah, swt, rewards you.
"Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer, verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world) with respect, and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do." [Quran 16:97]
You may also be rewarded by a smile of gratitude or a warm thank you from the person or people you reach out to, but that is just an added bonus. The rewards start coming from the very minute you start thinking about what you can do to reach out. They just keep flowing as you prepare, make your intention, and act. How can we pass up such an opportunity for a flow of rewards that lead to a big gush when we do the good deed?
"... but His plan is to test you in what He has given you; so strive as in a race in good deeds..." [Quran 5:48]
What are these rewards? The good deeds that are recorded by the Angel on your right side. "Then, as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand, He surely will receive an easy reckoning" [Quran 84:7-8]
It's all about Jennah... everything else is insignificant.
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Monday, August 16, 2010
Emulating the Sunnah in our Food
As salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh!
Okay, I'm a die hard extremist. A fundamentalist to the roots. But here it is, my "issue of the day" for all those who care to chew on it. (Pardon the pun, lol!)
Have you ever considered what the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabah ate? Have you ever considered that emulating the life of the Prophet ﷺ should include food? For me, it is all part and parcel of my Islam, so here is what I have to put on the table. (Oh, I'm just too punny today!)
Did bleached sugar exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did bleached rice exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did bleached or white flour exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Come to think of it, did bleach exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did they have freezers and cupboards full of canned goods?
Did they have out of season vegetables irradiated and flown across the world so that that they could enjoy blueberries in December?
Did they have hydrogenation plants at the time of the Prophet ﷺ to process our oil to within a molecule of plastic?
What about chemical pesticides? Chemical preservatives? Artificial coloring? Artificial flavoring? Artificial anything?
If you all are in the "know", and answered "no", then perhaps you are getting the drift... that foods during the time of the Prophet ﷺ were what we now term "organic". They were whole, unprocessed, natural.... and nutrient rich.
Why didn't issues about whether mono and di-glycerides being halal come up then? Because all that never existed! And where did all the disease of modern day come from... processed foods, chemicals, preservatives, pesticides.
What is the first thing the doctor tells you if you are diabetic? Eat whole grains, whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, cut out the refined sugars. Masha'Allah, the doctor is advising you to follow the Sunnah!
So to all who say they are striving to emulate the life and times of the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabah, please think about the food.They were the Original Islamic Green Movement... self-sufficient, organic, natural, whole grain, with seasonal and locally grown foods. I see many of us eating highly processed foods. Does the Sunnah end where the stomach, and sadly our lust for food, begins?
Want to make some lifestyle changes to bring it closer to the Sunnah? Don't know where to start? Just ask! We can work on it together, insha'Allah.
Okay, I'm a die hard extremist. A fundamentalist to the roots. But here it is, my "issue of the day" for all those who care to chew on it. (Pardon the pun, lol!)
Have you ever considered what the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabah ate? Have you ever considered that emulating the life of the Prophet ﷺ should include food? For me, it is all part and parcel of my Islam, so here is what I have to put on the table. (Oh, I'm just too punny today!)
Did bleached sugar exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did bleached rice exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did bleached or white flour exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Come to think of it, did bleach exist during the time of the Prophet ﷺ?
Did they have freezers and cupboards full of canned goods?
Did they have out of season vegetables irradiated and flown across the world so that that they could enjoy blueberries in December?
Did they have hydrogenation plants at the time of the Prophet ﷺ to process our oil to within a molecule of plastic?
What about chemical pesticides? Chemical preservatives? Artificial coloring? Artificial flavoring? Artificial anything?
If you all are in the "know", and answered "no", then perhaps you are getting the drift... that foods during the time of the Prophet ﷺ were what we now term "organic". They were whole, unprocessed, natural.... and nutrient rich.
Why didn't issues about whether mono and di-glycerides being halal come up then? Because all that never existed! And where did all the disease of modern day come from... processed foods, chemicals, preservatives, pesticides.
What is the first thing the doctor tells you if you are diabetic? Eat whole grains, whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, cut out the refined sugars. Masha'Allah, the doctor is advising you to follow the Sunnah!
So to all who say they are striving to emulate the life and times of the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabah, please think about the food.They were the Original Islamic Green Movement... self-sufficient, organic, natural, whole grain, with seasonal and locally grown foods. I see many of us eating highly processed foods. Does the Sunnah end where the stomach, and sadly our lust for food, begins?
Want to make some lifestyle changes to bring it closer to the Sunnah? Don't know where to start? Just ask! We can work on it together, insha'Allah.
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Why are you alive?
Bism Illah wa as salaamu alaykum.
Someone posed the question, "Why are you alive and what keeps you alive?" This is what I answered. As it was da'awah, I used the term God to keep the asker's mind open.
"I am alive because God willed me to be. There is no existence without Him. What keeps me alive is also God's will as my life and my death are in His hands. He wills for me to continue in this life, appreciate all of His blessings, worship, and obey Him. Quite simply, God sent down His message to prophet after prophet. Each one said follow my example, and worship God. That's what we are here to do, and if we follow the example of the prophets, who all submitted to God, we will be successful in this life and the hereafter. That success is the goal."
Someone posed the question, "Why are you alive and what keeps you alive?" This is what I answered. As it was da'awah, I used the term God to keep the asker's mind open.
"I am alive because God willed me to be. There is no existence without Him. What keeps me alive is also God's will as my life and my death are in His hands. He wills for me to continue in this life, appreciate all of His blessings, worship, and obey Him. Quite simply, God sent down His message to prophet after prophet. Each one said follow my example, and worship God. That's what we are here to do, and if we follow the example of the prophets, who all submitted to God, we will be successful in this life and the hereafter. That success is the goal."
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Da'wah: Have Mercy
BismIllah wa as salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh
What is mercy? Here is a definition:
a refraining from harming or punishing offenders, enemies, persons in one's power, etc.; kindness in excess of what may be expected or demanded by fairness;
forbearance and compassion - imprisonment rather than the death penalty imposed on those found guilty of capital crimes
a disposition to forgive, pity, or be kind; the power to forgive or be kind;
clemency to throw oneself on the mercy of the court; kind or compassionate treatment;
relief of suffering a fortunate thing; a thing to be grateful for; a blessing.
Where is our mercy? Where is our compassion? For many, we are soft and merciful with our children. We are merciful and forgiving with our families, even if they aren't Muslim. But are we merciful with others? Are we merciful with those who we don't like, or who we don't approve of? What about the non-Muslims that we perceive as immoral, the Muslims who we perceive as disobedient or astray? Most certainly, we are not to take them as our friends and close companions, but do we show them mercy? To show mercy, through small kindnesses and polite dealings is to show the beauty of Islamic manners and practice. If we want mercy, we need to show it.
Imam Abu Dawud, At-Tirmithi reported that the prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The merciful people will have mercy bestowed upon them by Allah (subhaana wa taala). Be merciful with those on earth, so He who in the heaven (Allah) will have mercy on you."
Imam Bukhari, Muslim and At-Tirmithi reported that the prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Allah will not have mercy on the one who does not have mercy on people."
May Allah, Al-Rahman, Al-Raheem, open our hearts to be more merciful, that He may shower His mercy on us - ameen!
What is mercy? Here is a definition:
a refraining from harming or punishing offenders, enemies, persons in one's power, etc.; kindness in excess of what may be expected or demanded by fairness;
forbearance and compassion - imprisonment rather than the death penalty imposed on those found guilty of capital crimes
a disposition to forgive, pity, or be kind; the power to forgive or be kind;
clemency to throw oneself on the mercy of the court; kind or compassionate treatment;
relief of suffering a fortunate thing; a thing to be grateful for; a blessing.
Where is our mercy? Where is our compassion? For many, we are soft and merciful with our children. We are merciful and forgiving with our families, even if they aren't Muslim. But are we merciful with others? Are we merciful with those who we don't like, or who we don't approve of? What about the non-Muslims that we perceive as immoral, the Muslims who we perceive as disobedient or astray? Most certainly, we are not to take them as our friends and close companions, but do we show them mercy? To show mercy, through small kindnesses and polite dealings is to show the beauty of Islamic manners and practice. If we want mercy, we need to show it.
Imam Abu Dawud, At-Tirmithi reported that the prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "The merciful people will have mercy bestowed upon them by Allah (subhaana wa taala). Be merciful with those on earth, so He who in the heaven (Allah) will have mercy on you."
Imam Bukhari, Muslim and At-Tirmithi reported that the prophet (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Allah will not have mercy on the one who does not have mercy on people."
May Allah, Al-Rahman, Al-Raheem, open our hearts to be more merciful, that He may shower His mercy on us - ameen!
Behind the Veil; I'm Loving It!
As salaamu alaikum wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.
I gave a speech in college about wearing niqaab. I was the only niqaabi there, so it seemed appropriate. Here's what I said.
"It's a controvertial issue; all you can see are my eyes. Wearing the face veil is my personal choice. I’m not oppressed; I’m just doing my thing.
Islam mandates that Muslim women cover everything but their hands and faces from non-relative, marriageable men. Here is why some of us choose to cover our faces as well.
I became Muslim over 20 years ago and only decided to cover my face 5 years ago while living here in the United States. In fact, in the 6 years I’ve been living here and my previous time in England I learned that the majority of women who cover their faces are native to the country they live in so most of them here are American and most in England are British.
The three main reasons I, and women like me cover our faces are:
1) To protect ourselves.
a. Wearing the veil not only identifies us as Muslim women, it serves as a barrier between the outside world and us. Without a face to focus on, men don’t usually approach us for friendly social interaction.
b. 1 in 6 women are raped or sexually assaulted in their lifetime here in the USA. We don’t present anything that might attract or incite those men who cannot control themselves.
c. Serial killers are notorious for targeting certain types of women with specific physical attributes; we don’t allow them that knowledge.
2) To safeguard our family life.
a. We save our beauty, make-up, henna, perfume and little black dresses for our husbands. They are his exclusively, not for the eyes or enjoyment of any other man. We never hear the question, “Who are you getting all dressed up for?” or “Where are you going dressed like that?” because we only dress up for our husbands and ourselves. There is no fear that we are trying to attract other men, which builds a very trusting relationship.
3) To protect and respect the rest of society.
a. We don’t want to attract a man away from his wife, family.
b. We don’t want to present to any other woman’s partner something he might prefer over her.
c. We don’t want to cause any insecurities to other women.
d. We don’t want to entice men who are unmarried and don’t have an outlet for their desires.
Each one of us acts according to what he or she believes is good and right. Hopefully now when you see someone covered as I am, you can understand that we are happily behind the veil. "
I gave a speech in college about wearing niqaab. I was the only niqaabi there, so it seemed appropriate. Here's what I said.
"It's a controvertial issue; all you can see are my eyes. Wearing the face veil is my personal choice. I’m not oppressed; I’m just doing my thing.
Islam mandates that Muslim women cover everything but their hands and faces from non-relative, marriageable men. Here is why some of us choose to cover our faces as well.
I became Muslim over 20 years ago and only decided to cover my face 5 years ago while living here in the United States. In fact, in the 6 years I’ve been living here and my previous time in England I learned that the majority of women who cover their faces are native to the country they live in so most of them here are American and most in England are British.
The three main reasons I, and women like me cover our faces are:
1) To protect ourselves.
a. Wearing the veil not only identifies us as Muslim women, it serves as a barrier between the outside world and us. Without a face to focus on, men don’t usually approach us for friendly social interaction.
b. 1 in 6 women are raped or sexually assaulted in their lifetime here in the USA. We don’t present anything that might attract or incite those men who cannot control themselves.
c. Serial killers are notorious for targeting certain types of women with specific physical attributes; we don’t allow them that knowledge.
2) To safeguard our family life.
a. We save our beauty, make-up, henna, perfume and little black dresses for our husbands. They are his exclusively, not for the eyes or enjoyment of any other man. We never hear the question, “Who are you getting all dressed up for?” or “Where are you going dressed like that?” because we only dress up for our husbands and ourselves. There is no fear that we are trying to attract other men, which builds a very trusting relationship.
3) To protect and respect the rest of society.
a. We don’t want to attract a man away from his wife, family.
b. We don’t want to present to any other woman’s partner something he might prefer over her.
c. We don’t want to cause any insecurities to other women.
d. We don’t want to entice men who are unmarried and don’t have an outlet for their desires.
Each one of us acts according to what he or she believes is good and right. Hopefully now when you see someone covered as I am, you can understand that we are happily behind the veil. "
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