Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration & Eid ul Fitr 09 (1430 AH) Mabrook!

So like for the last 10 days of ramadhan i decided to update my facebook status with some inspiration - something for now and the year to come. I am posting those status updates here so you can all benefit from them insha'Allah!

Also Eid Mabrook - have a brilliant day and may Allah (swt) accept all our fasts, ibaadah duas and forgiveness and He (swt) blesses us all with another Month of Mercy insha'Allah - ameen!

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 1: The Power n Beauty of Dua! Make Dua For Yourself, Your Fams n The Entire Ummah n Then See n Feel The Results! (duas for me too!)

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 2: Become A Productive Muslim n Muslimah, Now n Beyond. Strive Hard n Work On Spreading Allah's Deen. At Home n In The Community!

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 3: 'IQRA - And Your Lord Is The Most Generous!' Qur'an - study, reflect n implement! (see previous blog post)

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 4: Dhikr - Remembrance! Keep The Tongue Moist With The Remembrance of Allah - Now n Beyond.

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 5: It'ikaaf - Seclusion With One's Beloved. If You Can't, Then Qiyam Ul Layl. Its Something Very Special Indeed...

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 6: Don't Forget Charity Donations To The Poor n Needy. Start Now n Continue This Throughout The Year. Even A Smile Is Charity!

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 7: PLAN For Your Duniya n Akhira. Work Hard For Your Plans, Implement Them n Make Them Succeed! But Allah Is The Best Of All Planners!

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 8: Don't Forget The Little Ones In Your Families. Get Them Involved - Start At A Young Age n Show Them The Straight Path n The Light.

Ramadhan 09 Last 10 Inspiration 9: Be In This World As Is You Are A Traveller. You Are Not Here Forever, You Are Just Passing Bye. N With Each Day Do Good n Good.

There would have been 10 - but this year the moon has been sighted on the 29th day of the month - so no 30 fasts but eid together (almost everyone around the globe started their fast together and are celebrating eid together - theirs still good in the Ummah!)

But hey! I've got a bonus inspiration random status update gem for you and it is...

Bonus Inspirational Gem: ...you need to be creative and ready to take risks! Believe in yourself, have faith and hope and put your trust in the Divine. If your intentions are pure, you will succeed!

Listen Back to Be Inspired!

So finally we've got it - thanks to management and techs at Unity FM, you can now listen back to the Be Inspired show for ramadhan!

Go to Unity FM's homepage on http://www.unityfm.net/ on the front page, in the middle, third item along it will say Be Inspired - click and enjoy!

Send some feedback as tomorrow (Saturday 19th Sept 2k9 - Live: 12 til 2pm) will be the last show - will be taking a break, but if you want the team to return then just hollah!

The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword!

A metonymic adage coined by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 for his play Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy. This proverb can have a different meaning to whomsoever reads it. It is a powerful proverb!

It has a lot of meaning for me - i came upon this proverb when i was very young (yes, I'm kinda old!) and has been with me since.

For me this proverb gives a lot of hope - hope for our world. A world which is plagued by wars, injustice and evil. Well, ofcourse, not everyone - but pick up a newspaper or switch on the news channel and what do you see? Exactly! Mostly its negative and depressing.

Many people across the globe have abandoned the power of the 'Word' - spoken and written and have resorted to violence - via means which kill - not just cause a few injuries - but actually kill!

However, many situations and issues in our world could have been and still can be resolved via written and spoken word - the Pen!

Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an in Surah Rahman verse 4 "He taught him eloquent speech". This eloquence is a blessing - a gift - and with it it can win many hearts - it can draw a heart closer to its Creator and give hope to those who have lost hope. This eloquence can also be transferred on to paper and invite people to good - explain situations to people - give examples and again ignite the light of hope in hearts which have become cold and dark.

The Prophet (pbuh) of Islam wrote letters to Kings and Rulers of different countries inviting them to the True Message and worship of One God. Although he was unlettered (could not read or write) he was inspired by the Divine in his speech and he had companions who were learned and could read and write. They wrote and his eloquence flowed on paper - and touched many a heart which was guided to the right - to their Lord.

Do not resort to violence - of any sort! That is what the proverb is saying to me. It is also saying that through the pen you can do so so much good. You can write inspiring articles, debates (with evidences) and discuss ideas. Honestly, where would we be without the pen? Its not just ink!

I love writing - online and offline. I love my pens and pencils and love buying them. I could use this blog to promote violence, hatred, evil and lewd talk (which is not me at all anyway!) and in return what would happen? Exactly - violence - which would be typed here. Or I could be a journalist and again people could write in - pen to paper - with their hatred - or if it was an inspiring piece then they could put pen to paper and write something positive.

Every action has a reaction and the pen can either make or break. It can either leave you inspired and pondering - or it can resort to violence.

Read through history books - and don't be fooled by wars of the past - read about their reasoning and when and where and how it was/is permissible to engage in 'war-fare' - not merrily 'such and such a community is violent or promotes violence'.

The Pen has proven its worth in the past and it still has a lot to write today and beyond - so use it and forget the sword - for once your dead - well your dead aren't you! Case closed!

Its not too late - pick up the pen and write! (good and positive that is!) :)

The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword!

IQRA - And Your Lord Is The Most Generous!

The very first word of the Qur'an is 'READ'! It didn't start with anything else - like 'prayers', 'charity' or even 'family life' - which is what we are all preoccupied with in our lives today - but it was READ! And who was it revealed to? Not a great scholar of his time, not a scientist, not a king or ruler of his land - but to an unlettered man - who went on to become the greatest man to ever have walked on our planet - he was the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) the mercy to all of mankind, the Prophet of Islam.

READ! Its a powerful word! Just take a minute - (just one) and reflect on this word - deeply....

Done? Ok.

What are you all doing right now? Reading this blog entry. Who taught us to read and how did we learn to read? Seems like a lifetime ago right? - because it comes to us naturally. But, once upon a time we all went through a process - to learn to Read - and once we mastered it - we became whole - complete humans. We were able to pick up any book and just read it - the words flowed on the paper and we could understand them.

Where would you and I be today if we couldn't read - lost? Looking for answers? Wasting our lives and searching for the purpose of our lives?

Read! And Your Lord Is The Most Generous! (Surah Alaq 96: 3)

For truly Allah (swt) is the Most Generous! He created us and knew what we would need to survive and how to fulfil our aim and purpose in this world.

By reading men and women have contributed to society, to the world and made many discoveries and scientific/medical/social/political advances.

There is a purpose for everything - and surely there was a purpose to 'Read, and your Lord is the most Generous!'

Allah (swt) blessed us with the ability to read - so we can read His words, the Qur'an - understand them and implement its teachings in our lives.

But did you know that there are many many people in this world who can't read? Young children in developing countries who have never even seen a book?

So we ask ourselves - are we actually fulfilling our obligations? If READ was the first word - and Allah (swt) wanted us to become the best of people - to discover hidden treasures - to made medical, scientific advances - which help humanity - then what are we doing in return to help humanity? Just because you and I went to school - doesn't mean everyone is this world has this opportunity. If people can't read then how will they understand Allah's words and do as He commands?

IQRA - And Your Lord Is The Most Generous! We need to re-read this word, understand it and take action. We need to help those who can't read the Qur'an to read it - and help them understand Allah's words and His Beauty. We need to help the children around the world to read - and just before doing that - we need to help our own children in our own families - help them to read - to understand - to implement - to appreciate - and fulfil our duty at home - then we need to get-together - maybe all of us reading this and set up a national and international 'Reading Foundation' - where we travel up and down our countries to help children read and travel to developing countries and countries suffering from wars - to help those children to read.

Allah (swt) is the most Generous and He has blessed us with this gift - the gift of reading - so lets share this gift and give it to those less fortunate than ourselves. Islam is seen by some as barbaric, a terrorist religion, who oppresses its women and girls - and you know there are many who will use the name of Islam to oppress our women and children - but we need to teach them - teach them the first words which were taught to out Prophet (pbuh) - Read! And maybe we can change their hearts - maybe they can't read so don't realise the Beauty of Allah (swt) and His religion - so it is our collective duty to help people to Read.

The Month of Ramadhan is the Month of the Qur'an - we read it, reflect upon its meaning, study it, promise to implement its teachings in our lives.

Just imagine...you pick up your copy of the Qur'an - open it - start to Read it - and....you can't read no more...you just can't....you try....but the words are alien to you and meaningless...and those tears role down your cheeks...but you can't do nothing - because the gift of reading that was blessed upon you has...gone...taken back by...the rightful Owner...

Is this what we want?...

This is how children and people around the world feel - those who can't read...and guess what? We've been keeping this gift to ourselves and haven't shared it with others - who just like you and me - what to open their copy of the Qur'an and read the words of Allah - the Mot Gracious, the Most Merciful...

Ramadhan 09 is drawing to an end - after reading this blog entry - what will one of your goals be for the next year?

There's still hope! Lets give a gift to someone this ramadhan - a gift for a lifetime - the gift of reading the Qur'an...

IQRA - And Your Lord Is The Most Generous....

Mercy, Forgivness and Salvation from Hell-Fire: The 3 Parts to Ramadhan...

Hows ramadhan going for you all? Good? Excellent! Not so good for some of you? Fear Not! we've still got time - and time we need to get in all our extra prayers, recitations, charitable acts.

Ramadhan is a month of mercy, a month full of blessings, a month wherein we can get closer to our Creator and His Book and it is also a month of self-reflection - which I've been doing alot also - and a reminder to oneself - what is the purpose of my existence, where am i going in life, am i achieving to the best of my abilities - what can i change about myself - all this is part of self reflection and something we should all do continuously - but in ramadhan we can make it a special self-reflection - like a promise - to do better and leave out all the wrong we may do...forever...

Ramadhan is broken down into three parts - 10 days in 3 parts. The first 10 days are of mercy, followed by 10 days of forgiveness and then the last 10 which are asking Allah to save us from the fire of hell - whose fuels is men and stone - and is something which each and everyone of us would like to save ourselves from...for truly we all want to be in the highest stations of paradise!

The last 10 nights are even more special - the Qur'an was revealed on the Night of Power -which is better than a thousand months - and we need to get extra strong in our worship and prayers - we need to find the night of power - as it falls on one of the odd nights in the last 10 days. Many people also observe itikaaf - seclusion for 10 nights - to worship and become closer to their Beloved - Allah. I have also been blessed with itikaaf twice - so peeps - if you can, go for it - i can't explain my experience in words - but if you do go for it then please remember me and my family in your duas...

Also - don't forget the power of dua - supplication - increase in your duas and make a list of your special duas - the things that you really want in this life and the next and then focus on these duas - and constantly ask for these - they will surely fall on one of the odd nights and they will surely be answered (a tip from the Scholars - may Allah preserve them all - ameen!)...

Ramadhan only comes once a year - who knows if we'll make it to the end and celebrate Eid - and who except Allah knows if we'll see another ramadhan? So lets make a promise together - you and I that we will increase our ibaadah now and get into full turBo flow - the beauty of ramadhan - the mercy of our Lord....

Virtues of fasting during hot days

...By Ibn Rajab alHanbali in ‘Lata’if al-Ma’arif’ (p. 272-273):

And from the acts of worship whose reward is multiplied during the heat is fasting, and this is because of the thirst that one experiences in the mid-day heat.

This is why Mu’adh bin Jabal expressed regret on his deathbed that he would no longer experience this mid-day thirst, as did other early Muslims.

And it was related that Abu Bakr would fast in the summer and not fast in the winter, and ‘Umar advised his son ‘Abdullah on his deathbed: “Try to obtain the characteristics of faith,” and the first one he mentioned was fasting in the intense summer heat.
And al-Qasim bin Muhammad said that ‘A’ishah would fast in the intense heat, and he was asked: “What drove her to do this?” He replied: “She would take advantage of the days before death.” And some of the righteous women would choose the hottest days and fast them, saying: “If the price is low, everyone will buy,” meaning that she wanted to do those actions that only a few were capable of due to how hard it was to do them, and this is indicative of the high aspirations these women had.

And Abu Musa al-Ash’ari was on a boat, and he heard someone calling out: “O passengers, stand up (i.e get up for suhoor to fast)!” And he said this three times. So, Abu Musa told him: “How can we stand up? Don’t you see where we are? How can we stand up?” So, the caller said: “Let me tell you of a rule that Allah made upon Himself: whoever makes himself thirsty for Allah’s sake on a hot day has the right upon Allah to have his thirst quenched on the Day of Resurrection.” So, Abu Musa would search out the days that were so hot that one would feel he was being cooked, and he would fast those days.

Ka’b said that Allah Said to Musa: “I made it incumbent upon Myself that whoever is thirsty for My sake will have his thirst quenched on the Day of Resurrection,” and others said that it’s written in the Torah: “Glad tidings for whoever makes himself hungry in anticipation of the Great Day where he will have his hunger satisfied, and glad tidings for whoever makes himself thirsty in anticipation of the Great Day where he will have his thirst quenched.”

al-Hasan said: “A maiden of Paradise will speak to the wali of Allah while he is laying with her on the shore of a river of honey in Paradise while she hands him a glass of the sweetest drink, and she will ask him: “Do you know what day Allah married me to you? He Saw you on a long summer day while you were thirsty in the mid-day heat, and He called the Angels and Said: “Look at My slave. He has left his wife and pleasure and food and drink for Me out of his desire for what I have for him. Bear witness that I have Forgiven him,” and He Forgave you on that day and married you to me.”"

And when ‘Amir bin ‘Abd Qays went from Basrah to Sham, Mu’awiyah would ask him to tell him what he needed. He refused to ask of him, and eventually said: “All I need is for you to return the heat of Basrah to me to make the fasting a bit harder, as it is too easy in your lands.”

And al-Hajjaj was on a journey between Makkah and Madinah. He pulled out his dinner and invited a bedouin to eat with him, and the bedouin said: “I have been invited by One who is better than you and I have accepted the invitation.” He asked: “And who is this?” The man replied: “Allah invited me to fast, and I fasted.” al-Hajjaj asked: “On this very hot day?” The man replied: “Yes. I am fasting it in anticipation of a much hotter day.” al-Hajjaj said: “So, eat today and fast tomorrow.” The man replied: “Only if you can guarantee that I will live until tomorrow.” al-Hajjaj said: “This isn’t in my hands.” The man said: “How can you ask me to do something now when there is something of the future that isn’t in your hands?”

And Ibn ‘Umar went on a trip once with some companions, and they saw a sheep-herder who they invited to eat with them. He said: “I am fasting,” and Ibn ‘Umar said: “You are fasting in heat like this, and while you are between all these plants and sheep?” The herder replied: “I’m taking advantage of my remaining days.” Ibn ‘Umar was impressed by this reply and said: “Can you sell one of your sheep to us? We’ll feed you from its meat when you break your fast, and we’ll also pay you for it.” The herder said: “It doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to my master.” Ibn ‘Umar said: “What would your master say if you told him that it was eaten by a wolf?” The herder raised his finger to the sky and said: “What about Allah?” Ibn ‘Umar kept repeating this phrase that the herder was saying, and when he got to the city, he went to the herder’s owner and bought him and his sheep from him. He then freed the herder and gave him his sheep as a gift.

And Ruh bin Zinba’ was traveling between Makkah and Madinah on a very hot day. A herder living on a mountain approached him, and he said to him: “O herder, come eat with me.” The herder said: “I’m fasting.” Ruh said: “You’re fasting in this heat?” The herder replied: “Should I let my days pass by in vain?” So, Ruh said: “You have used your days wisely, O herder, while Ruh bin Zinba’ has wasted his.”

And Ibn ‘Umar used to fast extra days until he would almost faint, and this wouldn’t cause him to break his fast. And al-Imam Ahmad would fast until he was about to pass out, and would wipe water over his face. He was asked about fasting very hot days, and he replied: “There is nothing wrong with wetting a towel to squeeze the water on himself to cool down with.” And the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam would pour water over his head while fasting.

And Abu ad-Darda’ would say: “Fast the very hot days in anticipation of the Day of Resurrection, and pray two rak’at in the darkness of night in anticipation of the darkness of the grave.” And it’s reported in the two ‘Sahih’s that he said: “You have seen us with the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa salam on some of his journeys on very hot days, and a man would hold his hand against his head due to the intensity of the heat, and none of them would be fasting except the Messenger of Allah and ‘Abdullah bin Rawahah.” And the narration of Muslim states that Abu ad-Darda’ said: “This was during the month of Ramadan.”

When those who fast for Allah in the heat are patient despite their intense thirst, He will set aside a specific gate of the gates of Paradise for them. This is the gate called Rayyan, and whoever enters through it will drink, and whoever drinks after entering it will never be thirsty again. When they enter through it, it will be locked for those after them, and none will enter through it except them…”

A daily requirement: A secret deed between you and Allah alone‏

Benefit for today:

Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said in his Fatawa: Every person must have a deed that is done daily – that is secret between him and Allah alone. This is required because we do not know whether the deeds we do in front of mankind have ikhlas or not nor can we say that we do with any level of certainty. So ask yourself – what deed do you have that is completely secret between you and Allah alone – not even your wife, children – absolutely no one at all knows about it except you and Allah. It could be charity that you give secretly, or a prayer that you pray in the depths of the night whilst your family is asleep, or even a tear that you shed from the fear of Allah the Great. This is the deed that is beloved to Allah and will perhaps be the cause to bring on Allah’s forgiveness on the day of Judgement.