A reminder based on the book 'Ramadan: A dua a day'

 Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah dear readers,

I hope you are in best of Imaan and health. Jazakallah khairan for visiting my humble blog. Last year I was blessed to read and cover an excellent book written by N.S. Ahmad 'Ramadan: A dua a day' during the month of Ramadan alhamdulillah. As we are approaching the sacred month soon in sha Allah bi idnillahi ta'ala, I believe this post with the recording above can help us to start getting ready for Ramadan 2022/1443 in sha Allah. Last year, I have lost several loved ones and have witnessed two dead bodies the same day their precious souls departed to their Rabb . I don't want to forget what I have witnessed as I will be leaving this dunya too one day and I must prepare for that ultimate journey. 

I have shared some of the beautiful supplications from the book. Please do try to get hold of the book for Ramadan in sha Allah. One of my beloved teachers reminds us that we should not start our good deeds in Ramadan, we should start before the month and increase the deeds in Ramadan in sha Allah.

O Allah! I place my need before You, although my understanding is limited and my actions are weak. I am in need of Your mercy, so I ask You, O You Who decides all matters and heals the hearts, as You separate the seas from mixing, in the same way, protect me from the fire of Hell and from the cry for destruction (in order to get rid of the punishment) and from the trial of the graves.

O Allah! Whatever my mind has not been able to conceive and my intention and desire has not reached, of good that You have promised to anyone from Your creation, or any good You are going to give to any of Your slaves, then indeed, I seek it from You and I ask You for it, by Your mercy, O Lord of the Worlds.

O Allah! The Owner of the strong covenant and the Director to the right path, I ask You for security on the Day of Torment; and Paradise on the Day of Eternity along with (Your) close witnesses, those who bow down and prostrate , those who fulfil the covenants. Verily You are Most Merciful and Most Loving. And indeed, You do what You wish.

O Allah! Let us be of those who guide others to the right path and are themselves guided aright; who are neither misguided nor misguide others; who are at peace with Your friends, and at war with Your enemies. We love due to Your love, those who love You, and abhor , due to Your enmity those who oppose You.

O Allah! This is the supplication (from us) and from You is the response, and this the effort ( from us), and upon You is the reliance. [Jami' at-Tirmidhi]

Twins of faith event at London ExCel: A believer’s Ramadan

Twins of faith: Knowledge & Action

Bismillah. In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful

Alhamdulillah I was able to attend this beautiful event which took place on 15th of June at ExCel. A timely event to prepare for Ramadan Alhamdulillah! MashAllah it was packed with beautiful reminders from Sheikh Sajid Umar, Ustadh Yahya Ibrahim, Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan, Shaikh Alaa Elsayed, Sheikh Tawfique Chowdhury and there were nasheed performed by brother Omar Esa and beautiful artwork by Mohammad Ali Aerosol Arabic.

And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers. Adh-Dhariyat 51:55

Alhamdulillah I have learnt a lot and I am super-excited about Ramadan which is due in 3 or 4 days insha Allah. I hope to implement the lessons I have learnt through this event bi’idnillahi ta’ala. Lot of my goals for Ramadan is based on these reminders. I do take lots of notes ( I don’t want to miss out any gems shared by the brothers) and my blog is heavily based on my notes Alhamdulillah. It helps me a lot to solidify whatever I have learnt. Also, I love to share my notes as it can earn me much-needed rewards from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. So if you are reading my post/note right now, please make a sincere dua for me that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala accept my efforts as a sadaqa jaariya, inshAllah. And jazakallah khairan for reading this post :-)

If you benefit from this post, please do share the link so that others can benefit too.

So let us begin. Bismillah…

Sheikh Sajid Umar – Taqwa Time – a look at the aim of Ramadan. An explanation of Taqwa and an introduction to the importance of Ramadan

The objective of Ramadan is to gain Taqwa i.e God consciousness. Taqwa means to strive to stay away from whatever that distracts us from achieving consciousness of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala in every aspect of life. So how do we gain Taqwa?

We seek taqwa through prayers (obligatory and supererogatory), fasting, the study and recitation of the Qur’an etc. Sometimes we wonder why we still commit sins during and after Ramadan. It’s due to us fasting only with our body, instead of fasting with our hearts and minds. Taqwa can be achieved only through fasting with the presence of heart and mind. We are not just mere bodies. We are hearts and minds. The sign of a meaningful Ramadan is that we don’t commit the sins we used to commit before Ramadan.

Sheik Sajid gave example of footballers who prepare tirelessly for the world cup. Lot of them went to hot, humid countries to train for the games in Brazil. How much dedication do we have to do our best in Ramadan?

Lot of us don’t prepare and keep procrastinating till Ramadan arrives. Then first couple of days in Ramadan we try to get our body into Ramadan mode. Sheikh Abu Eesa Niamatullah in his last LP (Logical Progression) session before Ramadan said that this attitude towards Ramadan is not a very healthy attitude at all. It is just a sheer waste of precious Ramadan days. Ramadan is not the time to practise. Sha’ban is the month to train our body and mind to fast with outmost efforts. Our beloved companions of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihe wa sallam used to prepare six months ahead of Ramadan and after Ramadan for six months they used to pray (make dua) that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala accept their efforts in Ramadan.

So what does the training involve?

Start fasting now! If you haven’t fasted the beginning of Sha’ban then fasting after 15th of Sha’ban is not recommended. Also we are not recommended to fast last couple of days of Sha’baan.

Start recitation and the study of the Qur’an now!

Let us start all the goals we are planning to fulfil in Ramadan now so that when the sacred month arrives, we are ready to increase our deeds insha Allah. Or as the Imam Shuhaib Webb says, "Lets dive in!" My beloved ustadha Uzma says, Ramadan is not the time to START our good deeds, it’s the time to INCREASE our good deeds. 

Sheikh Sajid told us to make a pure, sincere intention to just please Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. When we attend circles of knowledge (halaqa), we should make the same intention. Don’t even say that I want to seek knowledge that’s why I am attending halaqa. Just make an intention that we are doing it solely to please our Lord. Do everything to please Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

As a mother of three, I find life can be quite hectic and I am missing my spiritual me-time. I remember Ramadan before having kids which were easier to go for taraweeh in the mosque, listen to live talks, reciting the Qur’an, reading good books on faith. I miss those days but at the same time I believe I am entrusted by Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to be a wife and a mother which are roles with great responsibilities. And if I don't fulfil my roles properly, I will be facing the consequence on the day of judgement. By looking after my precious family, I am worshiping my Lord. By having a sincere intention, I can change my daily chores into precious investment for the hereafter insha Allah. I must remember that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is aware of my situation. He knows my abilities and my weaknesses. So be positive and do whatever you can. Allah loves us and He is the Most Merciful. 

Ustadh Yahya Ibrahim – The believer’s brotherhood – The importance of true brotherhood in Islam. How Ramadan should bring the community together

Ustadh Ibrahim reminded us the deal we made with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. We promised to utilize our life, wealth, and all the blessings to worship Him with Ihsaan. Whoever we deal with regardless of them being family, friends or a complete stranger, we must deal with Ihsaan which means always being conscious that Allah subahanahu wa ta’ala is watching us and do our best in serving others.

The concept of ummah is an integral part of our faith. The first step of brotherhood/sisterhood begins with family-hood. We must strive to be good children for our parents, good parents for our children, good spouses for our partners and so on. Family always comes first. As Ramadan approaching, brothers should not always have their iftar in the mosque or hang around during taraweeh and after taraweeh with friends while leaving their family at home. They should spend time with family and loved ones. The priority should be given to the family but there should be balance too.

Our beloved prophet sallallahu alaihe wa sallam was heavily involved in his community. However, he did spend a significant part of his life spending quality time as a husband, father and so on. He was a truly family man. Being good to family extends our lifespan and increases our provision. Ramadan is a great time to spend good, quality time with our loved ones. It’s also a great time to be part of the community. But we need to be careful that we don’t abuse people and their good nature. When prophet Muhammad Sallallhu alaihe wa sallam migrated to Madina, he paired the believers of Makkah (Muhajeroon) with the believers of Madina (Ansaar) according to their social status. The rich people were paired with rich people of Madina so in terms of lifestyle, understanding, they will be comfortable interacting and dealing with each other.

At the end of his session, he did a selfie with us :-) He always makes us laugh mashAllah. He said very soon we will witness jihadul qamar! The struggle/jihad of Moon sighting! We the "emotional Muslims" will get our weapon i.e keyboards ready to fight (i.e debate) to prove our point of view! The joke is funny but it is quite sad to witness the Moon fighting :-( May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala unite our hearts and enable us to compete with each other in doing good deeds, ameen!

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan – Lessons from adh-Dhaariyat

Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan did two sessions. He told us not to compare us with others. There is no point comparing myself, a mother of three, all under 6, with a single sister who may have more time to do ibadah in the mosque. He said that sometimes hearing about giants of our faith such as Sayyidina Abu Bakr RadiaAllahu anhu, Sayyidina ‘Umar RadiaAllahu anhu can demoralise us instead of inspiring/motivating us to do good deeds. We may start thinking that they were amazing people and we can never be like them and we may even feel hopeless. As a result, we may not even want to do any good deed! He said we must remember that there were also thousand other companions who were striving with whatever abilities they had.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will reward you based on your intention and abilities. Remember having a sincere intention can make a very tiny deed very heavy in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala’s eyes. And a huge deed can be nullified because of the wrong intention. So it all depends on INTENTION, a pure, sincere intention to please our Rabb, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Ustadh Nouman talked about the lessons from surah adh- Dhaariyat. This surah is the 51st chapter of the Qur’an. Here Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentions the wind.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

51:1.   By those [winds] scattering [dust], dispersing [it]

 52:2.   And those [clouds] carrying a load [of water]

The wind has a mission. It has a slow, steady pace. Wind directs the clouds with amazing dexterity.

Ustadh Nouman also talks about the beautiful sky.

51:47. And the heaven We constructed with strength and indeed, We are [its] expander.

51:48. And the earth We have spread out, and excellent is the preparer.

How many time we actually look at the sky pondering this amazing creation of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. In the Qur’an Allah asks us whether we can see any crack in the sky! The whole universe teaches us to have balance in every aspect of our lives. There is sign in everything. Are we really pondering over the signs i.e ayah of our Lord?

The earth is the cradle. Just like our mothers who hold us in their protected wombs, the earth holds our dead ones. When we look at the sky, it reminds us our purpose and when we look down to the earth, it reminds us our end. Sky and earth is each other’s complementary pair. Everything is created in pairs.

51:49. And of all things We have created two mates [i.e., counterparts]; perhaps you will remember.

Examples of pairs from the Qur’an: Musa Alaihes salam and Haroon Alaihes salam; Musa was very firm and Haroon was gentle so they complements each other, our body and soul, this life i.e Dunya and the next life i.e Akhira (Herafter). Our spouses are our complementary pairs. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala uses a very beautiful expression in this regard. We are each other’s garments/clothing. Just like our clothes cover us, give us warmth, beautifies us, protects us, our spouses do the same job for us, Alhamdulillah.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala tells us that we human being have a tendency to rush everything. He is our Creator so He knows the best about us. The Qur’an is like a manual which helps us to learn about ourselves and how to run ourselves properly.

He talked about how to progress in spirituality. We are supposed to make slow, steady progress in our faith. Become a beginner. Don’t worry about not being at an advanced level. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is aware of our state. We must strive to do whatever we can and don’t stop. Keep striving for His sake.

He strongly recommends reflection of the Qur’an in Ramadan. Plan to spend certain amount of time on a regular basis to study a verse with tafseer. Try to understand what Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala means by certain ayah of the Qur’an. And this is not some casual endeavour. It is a necessity as a Muslim to seriously reflect and ponder upon the verses i.e ayat of the Qur’an. Because, only through the serious, continuous reflection of this holy Book, we can have conviction in our faith. It will strengthen our hearts. We must make this Ramadan a month to unlock our hearts. If we want a thought-provoking, meaningful Ramadan, the Qur’an reflection is the key to it. By the end of Ramadan, we should be the thinkers insha Allah. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala make the Qur’an the spring of our hearts, ameen! And enable us to live by its lessons, ameen!

51:50 So flee to Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner.

There are different verbs in Arabic to use for the meaning "to flee". The word used here isfafirruu which means to run in a way that you are trying to save yourself from a fast approaching beast! So fafirruu means running for dear life with the best of our abilities! Just imagine a deer running for its life from a fast approaching wolf! Does it just run casually without that much effort? Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala telling us in this beautiful ayah that we must run towards Him without any distraction and with the sole purpose to get close to Him. Our ultimate survival depends on this run towards Him. So are we prepared for this special kind of running? Let this Ramadan be the month where we do our best to fafirru ilallah!

Second/last session with Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan

He talked about how knowledge is becoming so specialised that we are becoming increasingly alienated from each other. Professionals of different fields are socialising and hanging with same groups of people and eventually getting sucked into their own special world. The more advanced we are becoming, the more disconnected we are from the people around us. He mentioned a brother whose Phd thesis is about the Qur’an being the only text which offers the kind of wisdom needed to unite the whole world. This world is becoming increasingly very fragmented and its very rare to see people being united.

He explained the meaning of arabic word "ayah" which is most of the time translated as verse of the Qur’an. However, the word Ayah has broader, multiple meanings. Every aspect of human life is a ayah or sign. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala keeps reminding us to look at the signs around us.

[And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks?

Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued. Surah al-Mulk 67:3-4

How much we think and reflect about these verses? Do these verses affect us? Do they shake our hearts? By the end of Ramadan, we should be thinkers.

One of the meanings of ayah is the miraculous signs. It derives from the root letters which means to ask questions and shock us, to amaze us. We are supposed to be amazed by the ayah around us. Unlike Buddhism which tends to disconnect people from reality- the nature around us, Islam talks about engaging with reality and learning from the natural environment around us.

For a believer, everything carries a meaning. None of our experiences is a waste. Our entire experience as a human being has value. There is a reason behind every single incident in your life. The signs are there to lead you. When Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala talks about the people being deaf and blind in His Book, it’s the people who don’t take hid of the Qur’anic signs and the people who refused to see the signs around them. And that’s why they are described as deaf (not listening to the signs mentioned by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in His Book) and blind (being oblivious of His amazing signs around us).

This Ramadan one of my main goals is to concentrate on the signs i.e. Ayah in the Qur’an and look and appreciate the signs around us so that I can gain taqwa i.e God consciousness ( the main purpose of Ramadan mentioned by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala)  in every aspect of my life, insha Allah. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala open our hearts to His signs and give us the ability to live our lives following the signs, ameen!

Ramadan 1434

Bismillahir Rahmaneer Raheem. Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aa'lameen. I am really looking forward to this year's Ramadan inshAllah. I hope and make dua that I can do my best to connect to my Rabb and get closer to Him ( Subhana Wa Ta'ala) bi'idnillah. Nothing is possible without His Help.

This year has been quite a hectic one for me. Last year, I enrolled to an online Qur'anic Arabic course. It's been quite an intensive one for me. I believe being pregnant for the last couple of years has left me with very few brain sells :-( I am also learning to drive! I know, I left it too late but I have to learn as soon as possible inshAllah as I can't bare the pain of using the public transport with my three children. Also looking after three little kids and running an online magazine have been quite difficult. Sometimes, I feel too overwhelmed with life and its enormous responsibilities. Motherhood is really tough  and there is no break from it. I really don't want to neglect my job as a mum. I have been thinking about my life a lot and sometimes feel quite lost! I love my kids and my soul-mate and never want to let them down, bi'idnillah. But I believe I got too much to cope with :-( I really need to sort out my life inshAllah. I am hoping that during this sacred month of Ramadan, I can find a solution to my difficulties and hopefully find some inner peace bi'idnillah. I am really excited that Ramadan is here to rescue me Alhamdulillah :-) This is definitely one of the biggest pleasure of being a muslimah Alhamdulillah. Whenever I am in any difficulty, I know who I can turn to, alhamdulillah. Raditu Billahi Rabban, Wa Bil Islami deenan wa bi Muhammadin Sallallahu Alaihe wa sallam Nabiaan. 

I hope that this Ramadan will be a month of REAL CHANGE for me and my beautiful family. Allah subhana  wa ta'ala will never change my situation, until I myself take the plunge to change my situation.  May Allah subhana wa ta'ala give us the ability to do our best and gain His Ridwaan, ameen!

So to prepare myself for the change, I have been listening and attending some great talks alhamdulillah.I hope to write everyday during this Ramadan so that I can keep a diary of my journey and share my story with you, inshAllah. Please do share your suggestions inshAllah. 

Please do listen to the recent talk by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan. MashAllah he has given some very useful tips on what sort of action plan we should have during Ramadan. 

RAMADAN ACTION PLAN  I wish you all a very productive Ramadan, inshAllah.

So for us the UK Muslims, Ramadan starts inshAllah on this Wednesday! Just 24 hours till the doors of Paradise are wide open and the doors of Jahannam are shut! And Satan, our greatest enemy is locked up! May Allah subhana wa ta'ala bless us with the most spiritually uplifting Ramadhan and make this years the best ever insha'Allah! Ameen!

Please keep me and my family in your precious duas and please forgive me for anything I may have done or said knowingly, unknowingly, intentionally or unintentionally. Love you all feesabilillah. JazakumAllahu Khairan 

Warming up for Ramadan inshAllah

I have been listening and re-listening some excellent talks to get me into Ramadan mode bi'idnillah. I hope to share some of the talks through my blog. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala give us the tawfique to do our best, ameen!

Ramadan, A gift for Muslims - Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan

So what did I learn?

In this talk, Ustadh went through the verses of the Qur'an which deals with Ramadan. 

Ramadan is referred to in verse (2:185) of chapter (2) sūrat l-baqarah (The Cow):

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. 
So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. 
Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.

The verse is in Surah Baqara and the topic is mentioned only once through our the Qur'an. Ramadan is a month of celebration as a new nation. Allah subhana wa ta'ala changed the direction of prayer (kibla) for Muslims from Jerusalem to Makkah. The Jews of Madina were furious. There are so many lessons to learn from the children of Israel. Allah subhana ta'ala has mentioned about them several times in the Qur'an. The Qur'an is sent as guidance for the humanity, not like other previous, divine scriptures revealed to their respective communities. 

With any profession which involves risk, regular training is very crucial for the employees. Ramadan is the training for us as Muslims. This is a very important time to re-connect to our Lord. And to do so, fasting is a must for every healthy and able Muslim. And reciting and studying the Qur'an is highly recommended. 

O Allah , make the month of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us and let us reach the month of Ramadan ( so that we can gain blessings from it), ameen! 

Changing myself bi'idnillah

Bismillah, In the Name of Allah Subhana Wa ta'ala

Assalamu alaikum my dear readers, 

Jumuah Mubarak! Hope we all will be able to have a very productive Friday today. InshAllah I am going to Regents Park mosque with my youngest one to meet up with my very special friend Aisha. As you may know, I have started learning Quranic Arabic last year (November) through Arabicgems. Alhamdulillah I believe, I know more about Arabic grammar. Learnt some new words too, alhamdulillah. But I am still struggling with the exams. I am actually really bad when it comes to exams, I must admit. I love learning but I hate exams. Alhamdulillah our wonderful teacher/ ustadha has been very kind to me. She told me I should keep on learning and don't stress too much over the horrible marks :-(

Alhamdulillah my friend Aisha has offered her help to teach me Arabic inshAllah. She studied Arabic in Syria. Some of my friends who have learnt Arabic through Arabic in Middle eastern countries have told me that I must learn Arabic without the English grammar terms as it confuses the student and makes it too difficult to grasp the concepts. I am really looking forward to our meeting today, inshAllah. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala make this journey to learn Arabic ( to understand His Book & implement the lessons in my life, to please Him, only Him) easy and full of baraka (blessings) for me, ameen! May Allah subhana wa ta'ala reward my friend for her amazing support mashAllah. She is one in a million mashallah. I always feel very inspired by her. May Allah keep her blessed forever, ameeen! If you would like to benefit from her awesome writing, then visit her blog inshAllah. Like me, you will become an avid follower of her blog :-) 

Last couple of weeks have been very hectic and emotional for me. I feel like I am not doing enough hence not really achieving enough. I really need to change myself for better. My fear is what if I die without even trying to please Allah subhana wa ta'ala I always say to myself that I will be a better muslimah, a better wife, better mum, better daughter, better sister, better daughter-in-law, better writer and editor, better friend and the list goes on. But am I doing enough to reach my goal? Sometimes I feel really empty, I can't even describe in words how miserable I feel. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala make me a better muslimah and give me the ability to do the best to earn His Ridwaan (Pleasure), ameeeen! 

I have been listening to some talks on changing ourselves so that I can learn from our beloved sheikhs and ustadhs. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala reward them for their great efforts to serve the ummah, ameen! I hope I can follow the suggestions, bi'idnillah.

I hope by next year, I can say that I have become a better Muslimah, bi'idnillah. Nothing is impossible with Allah subhana wa ta'ala's help. I love Allah and I know He will never abandon me, ALHAMDULILLAH.

Making the changes - Sheikh Omar Suleiman

Making the changes - Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan

The story of the baker and Imam Ahmed is mind-blowing, subhanallah. This one story is enough for us to spend more time in zikr, remembrance of Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

Ramadan is coming inshAllah!

Two months to go till Ramadan inshAllah! 
Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Sha’ban wa ballighna Ramadan.
“O Allah! Make the months of Rajab and Sha’ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan.” [Narrated by at-Tabarani and Ahmad]

Great Ramadan advice from Shaykh Hamza

This is talk worth listening repeatedly mashAllah. May Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala reward the shaykh, ameen!

One of the best reminders: What if this is my last Ramadan

MashAllah once again another great reminder from Shaykh Tawfique Chowdhury. Please do listen inshAllah and keep us in your duas. Ramadan Kareem!

Welcoming the month of Shaban

Alhamdulillah the month of Shaban is here. This is the 8^th month in the Islamic calendar. It is reported that Prophet Muhammad (Salla’llahu‘alayhi wa sallam), used to fast most of the month in Shaban except the last few days of the month.

These fasts are supererogatory (nafl). Shaban is the month immediately before the month of Ramadan. The Prophet (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) mentioned in a hadith, "Rajab is the month of Allah, Shaban is my month and Ramadan is the month of the Nation".

The blessed companion Usama ibn Zaid (Radya’llahu ‘anhu), reports that he asked Prophet Muhammad (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): "Messenger of Allah, I have seen you fasting in the month of Shaban so frequently that I have never seen you fasting in any other month." Prophet Muhammad (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), replied: "That (Shaban) is a month between Rajab and Ramadan which is neglected by many people. And it is a month in which an account of the deeds (of human beings) is presented before the Lord of the universe, so, I wish that my deeds be presented at a time when I am in a state of fasting."

Ummul Mu'mineen 'Aishah (Radya’llahu ‘anha), says,"Prophet Muhammad (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), used to fast for most of Shaban. I said to him, 'Messenger of Allah, is Shaban your favourite month for fasting?' He said, 'In this month Allah prescribes the list of the persons dying this year. Therefore, I like that my death comes when I am in a state of fasting.' "

In another Tradition she says, "Prophet Muhammad, (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), would sometimes begin to fast continuously until we thought he would not stop fasting, and sometimes he used to stop fasting until we thought he would never fast. I never saw the Messenger of Allah, (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), fasting a complete month, except the month of Ramadan, and I have never seen him fasting in a month more frequently than he did in Sha'ban."

In another report she says, "I never saw the Messenger of Allah, (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), fasting in a month so profusely as he did in the month of Sha'ban. He used to fast in that month leaving only a few days, rather, he used to fast almost the whole of the month."

Ummul-Mu'mineen Umm Salamah, (Radya’llahu ‘anha), says: "I have never seen the Messenger of Allah fasting for two months continuously except in the months of Sha'ban and Ramadan."

The blessed companion Anas, Radi-Allahu anhu, reports that Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, was asked, "Which fast is the most meritorious after the fasts of Ramadan?" He replied, "Fasts of Shaban in honor of Ramadan."

These reports indicate that fasting in the month of Shaban, though not obligatory but are very desireble and that Prophet Muhammad (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did not like to miss it.

However, according to Mufti Taqi Usmani, it should be kept in mind that the fasts of Sha'ban are for those persons only who are capable of keeping them without causing deficiency in the obligatory fasts of Ramadan. Therefore, if one fears that after fasting in Sha'ban, he will lose strength or freshness for the fasts of Ramadan and will not be able to fast in it with freshness; he should not fast in Sha'ban, because the fasts of Ramadan, being obligatory, are more important than the optional fasts of Sha'ban. That is why Prophet Muhammad, (Salla’llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), himself has forbidden the Muslims from fasting one or two days immediately before the commencement of Ramadan. The blessed Companion Abu Hurairah, (Radi-Allahu anhu), reports Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, to have said, "Do not fast after the first half of the month of Sha'ban is gone."

Here is a short video about preparation during the month of Shaban:

The Month of Sha'ban and Preparing for Ramadan

There is also a great talk done by Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan on Ramadan preparation. Please do listen and try to take notes inshAllah.

May Allah Subhana Ta’ala give us all the the tawfique (ability) and tayseer (easiness) to fast in this great month. Do remember to do the dua below very frequently insh-Allah:

When the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) sighted the moon of Rajab (two months before Ramadan) he used to pray to Allah in the following words:

اَللّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِى رَجَبَ وَ شَعْبَانَ وَ بَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَان

Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Sha’ban wa ballighna Ramadan

O Allah! Make the months of Rajab and Sha’ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings)

[Narrated by at-Tabarani and Ahmad]

Only 2 more days Insha-Allah

Source

Subhanallah only 2 more days left until we witness the great month of Ramadan insha-Allah. Couple of my relatives, friends have already left us within the last year to meet Allah SWT. We are indeed the lucky one to Insha-Allah witness another Ramadan in our life. Allah SWT has blessed us with so much, alhamdulillah. I want to show my gratitude through doing a lot of good deeds in Ramadan Insha-Allah!

I have been quite busy with the magazine work but I am glad that finally we have managed to re-launch the magazine today, Alhamdulillah :-) May Allah SWT accept the magazine as a sadaqah Jaariyah (ongoing charity) from us, Ameen! Now I hope to have a long break from all the magazine stuff Insha-Allah. I hope to focus more on my relationship with my Rabb Allah SWT. Imam Ibn Qayim (RA) said , "The month of Ramadan to the other months is like Yusuf to his brothers. So, just like Yusuf was the most beloved son to Ya'qub, Ramadan is likewise the most beloved month to Allah." This is the month of Qur'an. Allah SWT reveealed the Qur'an in Ramadan. I hope to also focus on the Quran and study the meaning and the tafseer ( Explanation) Insha-Allah. As a mother of three young kids, praying twenty rakat of taraweeh can be quite difficlut, given I am already struggling with my night prayer :-( But I am thinking about the quality of my worship rather than the quantity Insha-Allah. I will try to do whatever I am capable of insha-Allah. One of my weaknesses is spending so much time on-line. Facebook and blogging are the main temptations for me :-( I hope to reduce my time online insha-Allah.

So in a nutshell, during Ramadan I will try to spend more time on my salah (prayer), reciting and studying the Qur'an, doing lots of zikr , attending sisters' halaqa ( gathering), spending more quality time with my 3 & a half years old son Imran, 2 years old Ayesha and my baby Yusuf and yobo :-) insha-Allah. Sometimes I feel guilty that I spend quite a lot of time working for the magazine and not spending quality time with my family. So I am hoping that this Ramadan I will try my best to be a better wife, a better mother for my children!  I am also hoping to organise some iftar gathering for family and friends insha-Allah and I am also  thinking of trying to finish some of the books I have been planning to read for ages! My sister TK was asking me whether I would like to compete with her to memorize the surah Yaseen during Ramadan. Sounds like a good idea mashallah. Insha-Allah I hope I can do that :-) I hope and make dua to Allah SWT that He makes everything easy for us and bless us with a very productive and unforgettable Ramadan , Ameen, Ameen, Ameen!

Towards an outstanding Ramadan Insha-Allah

Mashallah last year for the first time I saw this beautiful talk by Shaykh Muhammad Al-Shareef. He is truly an amazing life coach mashallah. Whenever I listen to his talk, I feel very motivated, alhamdulillah. May Allah swt reward him with the best, ameen ! I watched it today again to get me into Ramadan mode Insha-Allah. He gives some tips about how to make it an unforgettable Ramadan. He talks about having a good intention and making lots of duas. At the end he explains briefly an imam's daily routine in Ramadan. Most of the time he is busy reviewing the Qur'an as he needs to lead the taraweeh salah at night. You must watch the video insha-Allah. May Allah swt bless us all with an outstanding & forgettable Ramadan, Ameen!

Virtues of Ramadan

Ramadan is approaching us very soon insha-Allah . Only 12/11 days left! Our prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him) has hardly cursed anyone as he was so merciful even towards the people who tried to harm him. However,  he ( peace and blessing be upon him) did cursed the people who are fortunate enough to witness Ramadan in their life but don't make any effort to get their sins forgiven and gain closer to Allah swt!

May Allah swt save us from being among those people, ameen!

Allah swt made it easy for us to do good deed in this month by chaining the Satan and his workers for the whole month. So when we do sin in this month, we really can't blame him for our action. We will be accountable for our wrong action. May Allah swt save us from committing sins in this sacred month, ameen!

Fasting in Ramadan, solely to please Allah swt, is one of the greatest way to gain taqwa ( God consciousness) . This is also known as month of sabr (patience) as we try to refrain from eating, drinking, physical relation, backbiting and so on. This is also a great month to re-establish our relationship with the Book of Allah SWT, the Qur'an. Abdullah Ibn Amr (Radiallahu anhu) reported that the prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: " The fast and the Qur'an are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the day of Resurrection. The fast will say: 'O Lord I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.' The Qur'an will say ' I prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.' And their intercession will be accepted." (Ahmad)

Our duas ( supplication) are more likely to get accepted in this month. Abu Hurairah (Radiallahu anhu) reported that the prophet Muhammad ( Peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are three people whose supplications are not rejected: the fasting person when he breaks his/her fast, the just ruler and the supplication of the oppressed." (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah & Ibn Hibban) We can make a Dua  list and jot down all the things we want to ask Allah swt for, insha-Allah.

There is a beautiful and very inspiring hadith regarding Ramadan which can motivate us again and again to do our best Insha-Allah. The prophet Muhammad ( Peace and blessings be upon him) said, " My Ummah has been given five things in regards to Ramadan which has not been given to any other Ummah before them.

One is that the odour of the mouth of the fasting person is more fragrant, to Allah swt, than mask (perfume).

The second is that the angels continuously seek forgiveness on their behalf until they end their fast.

The third is that Allah swt every day adorns His Heaven and then says (to it), 'The time is near when my pious servants shall be freed from difficulties and (meagre) provisions and they will come to You.'

 The fourth is that the Shayateen will be shackled and refrained from performing the mischief that they can perform outside Ramadan.

The fifth is that they (the fasting) will be forgiven in the last night of Ramadan." (Ahmad)

To know more about the virtues of Ramadan , you can watch the video below. Shaykh Yasir Qadhi has very eloquently described the blessings of Ramadan. Mashallah his talks are always very inspiring. May Allah swt reward him for all the efforts, ameen!  Please keep me in your duas insha-Allah and spread the message :-)

Some beautiful suggestions mashallah

Mashallah my beautiful sister-in-faith Eva Zaynab wrote some beautiful comments after reading my post on having the right intention I have benefited a lot from her beautiful advice that's why I would like to share her comments with you. Jazakllah khairan sis Eva :-)

She wrote: Your article mashAllah was beautifully written and you gave one of the most important reminders- always have an intention. In Hadith one of the famour 40 Hadith of Imam Nawawi says:

‎" Actions are ( judged) by motives ( niyayah, so each man will have what he intended. Thus he , whose migration ( Hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, of for a wife he might marry, his migration is that for which he migrated." Al Bukhari and Muslim). when I was in Tarim, there was not a single time, where the word intention was not mentioned. Actions are indeed by intentions and the intention has to come from the heart. So a reminder to myself first, whateever we do, before we embark on any journey or any task have the right intention, always only for Allah swt and always , as you mentioned in your article with the " Bismillah".

Habib Umar bin Hafiz mentioned ones to the nearest meaning :" Any action that starts without the Bismillah is corrupt of blessings. A deed is not a deed unless there is a pious intention".Before every action, we must have a true sound will. and intention. May Allah swt give us all the ability to not be negligent in remembering intentions and honesty. I am sorry for the longish comments, but I wanted to say that I have truly enjoyed your last three articles. MashAllah, May Allah swt reward you, sis, for giving such reminders, for dedicating ur time and effort in writing them. Ameen

 

My little boy Muhammad Hamza is now 5 months old and exclusively breastfed. InshAllah I will do my best to fast, but if I see that my breastmilk is being affected or that my health deteriorates then I will stop. At the end of the way we need to remember that above all Allah subhana wa Ta Allah is Ar-Rahman and nursing mums and also people with health problems such as Type 2 Diabetes are excluded from fasting. And we should not feel in anyway that just because we do not fast, Allah swt is not going to shower his Mercy on us . We can do so much ibada during this month-Night vigils, reading Quaran and inshAllah finishing a Khatam, Dhikr, extra nafl prayers, getting up for Suhr and preparing the Iftar for ur spouses or our parents, giving sadaqa and so much more.Two years ago , as my daughter was born 10 days before Ramadhan, I really thought that I will not be able to make the most of that blessed month, as it can be quite tiring with a newborn and constantly breast-feeding . I had to remind myself that I have a limit in regards to what I can achieve and I should be realistic in my goals rather than having some very high expectations. so the end result- I didnt do a Khatam of the Holy Quran, but I made sure during the day , I read a few ayas. Some nights I was not able to do Qiyamat Layl but alhamdullilah i observed the blessed 27th of Ramadhan. But above all I made sure that I honoured the rights of my child and my husband , and no matter how tired I was, even if my husband insisted not, I would make sure I get up and prepare the suhur( which can be very hard when you lack sleep) and always did my best to cook our own iftar, At the end of the day instead of throwing a whole banquet of samosas, spring rolls, ahne, dali borah etc, we always had milk, dates, a rice dish and some fruits and my hubby alahmaudllilah loved it.

 

So a reminder to all the nursing mums or people with health problems, lets not forget that just because we dont fast, we cannot do other ibadah during this special month. Have the right intention and make the most of this scared month. Dont just let it pass and then feel guilty about it. As scholars have said : if we only knew the blessings of this month, we would want every month to be Ramadhan. May Allah swt give us all the tawfeeq to make the most of the coming Ramadhan and inshAllah to bring us close to the Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him and ultimately to Allah subhana Wa Ta Alla. Ameen.

And sorry just another thought about Tarawih prayers. For the last two years I never did my Tarawih prayers in the masjid and I often felt very lonely or as if I am missing something or not making the most of Ramadhan in that aspect. I shared this with my husband and he reminded me that my Salah at home is far superior than Salat in the Masjid. Narrated Umm Humaid As-Sa’diyah who once said to the Prophet (SAW): Messenger of Allah (SAW)! I love to pray with you (i.e. in the mosque)! Upon hearing this, Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said:

"I know that you love to say your prayer with me. However, the prayer you offer in your residence is more excellent than that you offer in your people’s mosque. And your prayer in your people’s mosque is better for you than you prayer in the (lager) congregational mosque." (Abu Dawud; Musnad of Imaam Ahmad; & At-Tabarani)


And to be honest I think I had the wrong intention as well, which was very sad, I used to think that if I go to the masjid with my baby, I can meet other women as well and have a chit chat after our Tarawih prayers. Masjid=barakah tots playgroup. Before having children , I used to see always mums with their newborns in their carseats or toddlers and you could see that some of them really came for the chit chat and it was quite disturbing. Some sisters used the opportunity to show off the latest designer abayas from Dubai , especially for Ramadhan. Some sisters were not even able to perform their Tarawih prayers because their babies were crying , some due to hunger, some due to the uncomfortable car seat ( believe me you may think it is comfortable, but come on, it is not the same as their comfy cot bed, or moses basket). So alhamdullilah the solution for me was- praying at home without a disturbed routine for my child, without dragging her out at 10 pm,when most babies are asleep and as for my chit chat or catch up with the sisters, I did it during the day.

It’s all about intention

Preparation for Ramadan doesn’t mean that we have to do so much that it will exhaust us. As a mother of three I am already a bit worried but trying to keep my hopes high insha-Allah as things are made easy by Allah swt in this holy month. All the Satan are chained so the problem of waswasa (temptation from Satan) from them is not an issue, Alhamdulillah. We just need to control our own nafs insha-Allah. Some of my friends have tried fasting this month and they found it quite difficult. Actually they breastfeed as well so I can understand it must have been hard given the fast is quite a long one during this time. It’s almost 18-19 hours long! My third one is only two months old and totally breastfed. I was thinking of fasting during this month but now knowing the experience of my friends I am not sure whether I should fast. I am hoping when Ramadan comes it will definitely get easier insha-Allah. Allah swt never wants us to go through hardship for no reason. Nursing mothers can avoid fasting if it becomes very difficult for them and their babies. They can do the missed fasts later. But Insha-Allah my intention is to try fasting in Ramadan and see how it goes. May Allah swt make it easy for me and all the mothers out there to fast and get as much reward as possible insha-Allah.

Sometimes as mothers we tend to feel guilty that we are so busy looking after our family that we cannot do much spiritually during Ramadan. Acts like reciting the Qur’an, praying extra (nafl) salah, joining the taraweeh at the mosque become almost impossible. But we need to remember Allah swt has given us a great job of being a mother. It is indeed a very difficult and challenging task but the rewards are also enormous. Just seeing our children growing up gives us a great sense of achievement Alhamdulillah. As Muslims we are hoping that all the struggle and sacrifice we are making will eventually pay us in akhira, insha-Allah. Hopefully raising our children as good Muslims ‘khalifa of Allah swt’ will insha-Allah help us to please Allah swt and reach to jannah , our final destination! As parents if we make the intention to do every single task to please Allah swt then we will definitely get the reward for it insha-Allah! This is also worship. We as mothers are doing khidma (service) to our partners and children. Through serving them we are ultimately serving our Lord! Just remember to make the intention in your heart that you are doing everything just for Him, Allah swt and no one else. Allah swt doesn’t accept any deed which is done to please others or to show off others. Our intention needs to be very pure and sincere to be accepted by our Rabb , Allah swt. Insha-Allah every mundane action in Ramadan can become a great way to please Allah swt just by having the right intention.

That’s why I am hoping to say Bismillah before every action to remind me my intention. Moreover, saying Bismillah can help us gaining Baraka (blessing) in every act. May Allah swt purify our intention and help us in having the right intention for everything we do, ameen!

There is a beautiful nasheed done by  Native Deen called 'Intentions'. This always reminds me about having the right niyyah, mashallah. May allah swt reward the brothers!
                                                                   Are my Intentions alright?

Am I doing for Allah?

When I'm looking deep, deep down inside

Do I have the right niyyah?

Waking up in the morning, gotta make my prayer

Am I really gonna' make it, when there is no one there?

Taking trips to the masjid (mosque), even when it's tough

Am I going for the sake of Allah? Am I showing off?

Gonna' get me the knowledge, gonna study Islam

Am I going just to build my ego? so they call me “the Man”?

Does it matter if the people respect me, when its not for Allah?

When I know anytime He can take me, without one real du'a (prayer)

Does it matter if they say I'm a big shot?

when I get no reward for my deeds

And I'm dragged on the Day of Resurrection

Cause of the folks that I wanted to please

Plus I know that Allah has the power

To raise me up in their eyes if it need be

I should always make my intentions, for my Lord, Allah completely
[Chorous]

Are my Intentions alright?

Am I doing for Allah?

When I'm looking deep, deep down inside

Do I have the right niyyah?
Wearing thoubs with a kufi, kufi

Miswaks leather socks like the old days

Am I trying to follow the Prophet? or am I seeking praise?

Giving talks on Islam to people

I'd be quoting Hadith and Qur'an

Am I speaking so they like how I'm speaking? and they say I'm “the Bomb”

Donating to Islamic centers, giving money so the Deen can grow

Am I giving for the sake of Allah? or is it for show?

Many times I have found my intentions

Are not what I want them to be

I know I start on the right direction

But Shaitan starts talking to me

And I forget that without my niyyah, I'm just wasting my time

My intentions cannot bring the reward, when they're out of line

So I pray to Allah to help me, to do everything for Him only

Doesn't matter if the people despise me

Cause with Allah I can never be lonely

Yah Allah, accept this niyyah

Coming from young Muslims striving to be believers

So on the day, our deeds You'll measure. Know we only did this strictly for Your pleasure, Your pleasure

Your mercy, Your ajur (reward), Your Jannah (heaven), forever and ever and ever

And reward us for those who listen

Heeded to the message, changing their condition

And know that everything up until this point I've ever written

I submit as my repentance

And if its blessings You're sending my way

I beg You hold them to the judgement day

so maybe in Jannah you can look back and say...it was a lovely day, a lovely, a lovely day, yes a lovely day

Are my intentions, alright, am I doing for Allah

When I am looking deep deep down inside, do I have the right niyyah (intention)?
[Chorous]

Are my Intentions alright?

Am I doing for Allah?

When I'm looking deep, deep down inside

Do I have the right niyyah?

Ramadan preparation

Bismillahir Rahmaneer Raheem

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu my dear sisters and brothers,

Insha-Allah very soon the great month of Ramadan is approaching us. How much we are preparing to welcome this sacred month? We are told by our beloved last prophet Muhammad saw to supplicate to our Creator on a regular basis throughout the two months Rajab and Sha’ban to say Allahumma baariklana fee sha’ban wa rajab wa ballighna Ramadan which means O Allah bless us in Rajab and Sha’ban and enable us to reach Ramadan! The scholars have told us that if we really knew the blessings of Ramadan we wouldn’t waste a second of it! The companions of our beloved prophet Muhammad saw used to start preparing for Ramadan at least six months ahead of it. Unfortunately some of us have already missed that opportunity as we got only a month to prepare insha-Allah. Let us do our best to use the remaining days insha-Allah.

As a mother of three kids (under 3 and a half years) it is going to be a difficult project for me but insha-Allah I hope to do as much as possible. To get myself motivated and note down all the things I will be doing, I have started this blog post called 'Ramadan preparation'. Mashallah there are so many books, articles, podcast and what not on internet to prepare for Ramadan. Alhamdulillah lot of programmes on TV are based on Ramadan too. I hope to soak up as much info as possible and share it with you all. Do join me on my journey to get well-prepared for the great month insha-Allah. I hope to hear from you and your suggestions insha-Allah. May Allah swt grant us all a very special Ramadan full of blessings, ameen!

As part of this project, today I have listened to a beautiful talk by Imam Shuhaib on Ramadan and changing oneself. He talked about purification of soul, the tajkiyatun nafs and the importance of having a good character/ akhlaq i.e. good adab. We are living in an age where only few people are blessed with a good akhlaq. Just having knowledge is not enough. Allah swt says in the Qur’an, the successful one is the one who purifies his/her soul. Nothing will benefit us on the day of judgement except a pure soul. The month of Ramadan should be used as a tool to purify our soul. They shaykh suggests that we should plan a daily routine to read, recite and study the Quran, the sunnah and do zikr of Allah swt. There is an amazing book written/translated by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf called ‘Purification of the heart’. I love reading this book. Insha-Allah I will share some thoughts from this book in my future posts.