3/30/10

Ayatul Kursi

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

When you go to bed, recite Ayatul Kursi (Baqara:255) for there is still a guardian upon you from Allah and no Satan can get close to you until morning.
[Bukhari]

There are different wordings for this specific hadith but the main point is read Ayatul Kursi for protection.

Be quick

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous,― Those who spend (freely) whether in prosperity or in adversity; who restrain anger and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good,― And those who having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls earnestly bring Allah to mind; and ask for forgiveness for their sins,―and who can forgive sins except Allah?,―And are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done. For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens with rivers flowing underneath an eternal dwelling; how excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)!
[3:133-136]

3/28/10

Tips for Salah

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
We all know the importance of prayer.
"I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me." (51, 56)

Getting khushoo in salah is something we all seek or should seek. Even the strongest people are plagued with waswas (whispers) from shaitan.

"Seek help in patience and prayer; and truly it is hard save for the humble-minded, Who know that they will have to meet their Lord, and that unto Him they are returning." (2: 45-46)
Humble minded=Al Kashi'un

"Then We heard his prayer, and bestowed upon him John, and adjusted his wife (to bear a child) for him. Lo! they used to vie one with the other in good deeds, and they cried unto Us in longing and in fear, and were submissive unto Us." (20:-90)
The Arabic word used at the part that says submissive is "Khashi'een"

When we are praying you are speaking confidentially to your lord! What an honor!
A verse of the quran to motivate us to seek Khushoo inshallah

"Successful indeed are the believers, Who are humble in their prayers, "[23:1-2]
This verse is referring to those who are Khashi'oon in their salah.

Some tips that will inshallah help us to attain khushoo in Salah.

Seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytaan.

Before starting salah you can try to write down whatever is on your mind that way you don't think about it in salah(Tip from Tuttie)

Or what you can do is before the time for salah comes like maybe 10 minutes or so before sit down where you are going to pray and just think. Get whatever is on your mind out of your system.

When making your intentions think about it rather then just unconsciously doing it. Why are you praying?

While praying think about the words you are saying( the meaning of Surah Fatiha etc.).

One person when he used to pray would... and placing the Kabah between his brows, the bridge over Hell beneath his feet, Paradise to his right and Hell to his left, and the Angel of Death behind him, thinking all the while that this is his final prayer. Then he would stand between hope and fear. Carefully pronounce “Allahu Akbar!” Then recite the Qur’an harmoniously, bow in humility and prostrate himself submissively."

Try moving at a measured pace during Salah. Dont go so fast!

Remember death while praying, imagine this is your last prayer or that this prayer is the one that will save you from hell.


Vary the Surahs, Ayahs, and Duas recited in Salah. If you keep reading the same ones it might become automatic where your not even really thinking about what you are reciting .

Remove anything that may distract you. Not all of can remain concentrated with noise and talking around us while we pray. I like to pray in the dark. Find what works for you.

Try not praying in a garment that has decorations, writings, bright colours or pictures that will distract you. Make sure your clothes are comfy if its too tight or your worried about it slipping and showing your arwah you wont be able to concentrate.

Not praying when food is prepared when one wants to eat. When your hungry chances are your just gonna keep concentrating on the fact that you will eat after you pray which can make you pray fast and carelessly.

Not praying when one needs to answer the call of nature. Nuff said.

Not praying when one feels sleepy. It's disrespectful and you may end up reciting something wrong which can greatly alter the meaning of what you were intending to say.

I hope that these tips will help you inshallah. Feel free to post you own tips. May Allah swt help us all read our salah correctly, attain Khushoo and accept it from us. Please remember me and the ummah in your duas.
Untill next time Inshallah,
Ma'asalma

3/25/10

Dua for sleeping

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
How many of us still remember to say a du'a before sleeping?

The most loved expression

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
"Shall I tell you the expression that is the most loved by Allah?" It is 'Subhan-Allahi wa biham-dihi' (Allah is free from imperfection and his is the praise.')"
[Muslim]

3/24/10

The best enjoyment

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,
"The world is but a (quick passing) enjoyment; and the best enjoyment of the world is a pious and virtuous woman."
[Muslim]

The ruined house

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,
"He who does not memorize any part from the Qur'an he is like the ruined house."
[At-Tirmidhi]

This hadith is saying that the heart of a Muslim who is devoid of the grace of Allah, who does not remember any portion of the Qur'an by heart is like a deserted house deprived of inhabitants and blessings of Allah
.

Zina

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,
"Allah has written the very portion of Zina which a man will indulge in. There will be no escape from it. The Zina of the eye is the (lustful) look, the Zina of the ears is listening to (voluptuous songs or talk), the Zina of the tongue is (the licentious) speech, the Zina of the hand is the (lustful) grip, the Zina of the feet is walking (to the place where he intends to commit Zina), the heart yearns and desires and the private parts approve all that or disapprove it.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
This is the wording in Muslim; Al-Bukahri wording is a bit short.

"Verily, the hearing, and the sight, and the heart of each of those ones will be questioned (by Allah)." (17:36)

May Allah swt save us all from Zina.
Ameen

3/22/10

Losing a loved one

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,
"Allah, the exalted says,: 'I have no reward other than Jannah for a believing slave of Mine who remains patient for My sake when I take away his beloved one from among the inhabitants of the world.'"
[Al-Bukhari]

Arabic Anasheed

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Another Arabic alphabet anasheed but this time without the Fattah, Dhammah etc.

Arabic Alphabet

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

A nice nasheed for kids about the Arabic Alphabet. Helps them learn Fattah, Dhammah and Kasrah.

3/21/10

Repentance

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
said,
Verily, Allah is more delighted with the repentance of His slave than a person who lost his camel in the desert land and then finds it [unexpectedly]
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
In another version of Muslim, he said,:
"Verily, Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than a person who has his camel in a waterless desert carrying his provision of food and drink and it is lost. He having lost all hopes (to get that back), lies down in shade and is disappointed about his camel: when all of a sudden he finds that camel standing before him. He takes hold of its reigns and then out of boundless joy blurts out: 'O Allah, you are my slave and I am your Rubb.' He commits this mistake out of extreme joy."

Sincerity

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Abu Hurairah (peace be upon him) narrated:
Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,
"Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire but he looks at your hearts and accomplishments."
[Muslim]

3/20/10

Durood-E-Ibrahim

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ


Allah humma salli ala muhammadiw wa'ala a'ali muhammadin kama salaita ala Ibraheema wa ala aali Ibraheema inna ka hameed um majeed. Allah humma barik ala muhammadin wa ala aali muhammadin kama barakta ala Ibraheema wa alaaali Ibraheema inna ka hameed um majeed.

The best

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Abu Hurairah peace be upon him reported:
Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,
"The believers who show the most perfect faith are those who have the best behavior, and the best of you are those who are best to their wives."
[At-Tirmidhi]

3/19/10

The guarantee of Jannah

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Sahl bin Sa'ad (peace be upon him) reported That the messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has said:
"Whoever gives me a guarantee to protect that which is between his jaws(tongue) and that which is between his legs (private parts), I will give him the guarantee of Jannah.
[Mishkaat ul Masaabih Pg 411, adapted from Bukhari]

Why Hijab?

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
(33:59)

Hijab Reason 1

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed.
(Al-Noor 24:31)

Modesty and shame

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Aa'isha (peace be upon her) said: "How excellent the women of the Ansaar were! Modesty and shame did not prevent them from gaining an understanding of Islam.

The reason I posted the above is to point out the importance of asking about personal matters. If we do not ask because of shyness or embarrassment we will continue to live in ignorance and in turn pass on this ignorance unto our children.

3/18/10

Calling someone a Kafir

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Nowadays people say a lot of things without thinking but please remember this before you speak as it is a serious accusation and should not be said even in a joke.
Ibn Umar (peace be upon him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,
"When a person calls his brother (in Islam) a disbeliever, one of them will certainly deserve the title, If the addressee is so as he has asserted, the disbelief of the man is confirmed, but if it is untrue, then it will revert to him."
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

This means that if the person you call a kafir is not or does not have the traits of a kafir then you will be held as kafir.

Meeting a Non-Mahram woman in seclusion

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Ibn Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, "No one of you should meet a woman in privacy unless she is accompanied by a Mahram (i.e., a relative within the prohibited degrees)."
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

3/17/10

Enjoining good and forbidding evil

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Next time some one corrects you when you are doing a wrong remember:
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (peace be upon him) reported:
Messenger of Allah
(صلى الله عليه وسلم)
said, Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so; then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of faith.
[Muslim]

Beware

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (peace be upon him) reported:
Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
said, "Beware of injustice, for oppression will be darkness on the Day of Resurrection; and beware of stinginess because it doomed those who were before you. It incited them to shed blood and treat the unlawful as lawful."
[Muslim]

3/16/10

Why say "I love you fillah"

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Anas bin Malik reported: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, "There are three qualities whoever has them, will taste the sweetness of Iman:
To love Allah and his messenger
(صلى الله عليه وسلم) more than anyone else; to love a slave (of Allah) only for (the sake of) Allah; and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor to be thrown in the fire (of hell)
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Ikram-ul-Muslim

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Abdulah Ibne-'Abbas Radiyallahu 'anhuma narrated that:
Rasulullah (peace be upon him) looked at the Ka'bah and said: La Ilaha illallah how pure you are, and how sweet is your fragrance, and how great is your honour! However the honour of a Mu'min (believer) is greater then yours. Indeed, Allah has made you respectable;(likewise) the wealth, the blood and the honour of a Mu'min has been made respectable: and Allah has forbidden us to suspect him of wrongdoing
[Tabarani, Majma-'uz-Zawaid]

3/11/10

Request a Hadith

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The title pretty much says it all here you can request a hadith and inshallah I will look for it in my books and post it up.

An Orphan

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "I will be like this in Jannah with the person who takes care of an orphan."
Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) raised his forefinger and middle finger by way of illustration.
[Al Bukhari]

3/9/10

Dua For Looking in the Mirror

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Dua For Looking in the Mirror

Allahumma anta hasanta khalqi fahassin khuluqi

The translation is something like "O Allah, just as you have made my external features beautiful, make my character beautiful as well"

Try posting it on the mirror that way it becomes a habit.
Everyone is beautiful in his or her own way. After all Allah swt has created you and he is the best of the best.

3/8/10

Intercessor

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Abu Umama (peace be upon him) reported: I heard the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying, " Read the Quran, for it will come as an intercessor for it's reciters on the day of resurrection."
[Muslim]

3/6/10

Somethings we should remember.

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
"O ye who believe! if ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly. "
(47:7)

"Those who spend (freely) whether in prosperity or in adversity; who restrain anger and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good,― "
(3:134)

"But indeed if any show patience and forgive, that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and resolution in the conduct of affairs. "
(42:43)

3/4/10

Every Prostration

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Thauban (peace be upon him) said: I heard Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying " Perform Salah more often. For every prostration that you perform before Allah will raise your position one degree and will remit one of your sins.
[Muslim]
Hadith #107

Part 4 Final. Every Night

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

4: Suratul-Mulk


Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "The Surah of Tabarak is a great protector and deliverer, it protects and frees one from the Azaabul-Qab'r (the punishment of the grave) (Tirmizi)

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: " Verily, a Surah from the Quraan consisting of thirty Aayah (verses) interceded for a person until he was pardoned (by Allah) and that was Tabarakallazi Biyadihil Mulk. (Tirmizi, Hakim)

Previous Posts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

3/3/10

Part 3 Every Night.

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
3: Suratul-Waaqiah

Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Masood R.A. relates that I heard Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say" The one who reads Suratul Waaqiah every night, poverty will not befall him. (Abu-Yala, Baihaqi)

Rasullah (
صلى الله عليه وسلم) Said: "Suratul Waaqiah is Suratul Ghinaa ( the Surah of wealth). Therefor, read it, (yourself) and teach it to your children." (Ibn Mardawayh, Suyuti)

Previous Posts:
Part 1
Part 2

3/2/10

Part 2 Every Night.

السلام عليكم
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

2: Suratus-Sajdah


Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: " The person who reads Tabarakallazi Biyadihil Mulk and Alif-lam'meem Tanzeel-us-Sajda between Maghrib and Esha. The reward (for reading these two surahs) will be as though he (the reader) had stood awake during ( the night of) Laylatul-Qadr"
(Ibn-Mardawayh, Ruhu-Ma'aani)



Part 1