SAFAH

Surah Duha & struggling with low mood & depression Many of us know surah ad-duha off by heart and have probably read its meaning many times as well, which seems quite straightforward. How many of us, though, have actually gone into the reason behind its revelation and derived the lessons and implications this surah has in our lives? This is a great text to save and make intention to learn the surah if you don't know it already. *Surah Ad-Duha* was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (saw) at a time when he had not received any revelation for six months, not even in the form of a dream! The Prophet (saw) was in a very disturbed state of mind, feeling negative and depressed and believing that Allah was displeased with him, had forgotten him, and did not want him as a Nabi anymore. Don’t we have similar feelings in our lives? *Times when our level of imaan is low, our khushoo in salah wavers and we feel a drop in our connection with Allah?* We feel like our duas are not being answered, our salah is not having a positive impact on our hearts, and worst of all the feeling that we’re horrible human beings, that Allah doesn’t love us or doesn’t care about us anymore. *Surah Ad-Duha* was revealed to the Prophet (saw) to relieve him of these negative feelings and to give him hope, positivity, and the assurance that Allah is with him no matter what. From it we too can find peace, hope, and a renewed faith in Allah when we go through similar states of depression, sadness, and hopelessness. So what does this surah say? *Wad duhaa*— By the morning brightness This is the first thing you need to hear when you’re depressed: Wake up, look at the sunshine! Everything in life is not doom and gloom– you just have to look up! *Wal laili iza sajaa*— And [by] the night when it covers with darkness, Why is this aayah immediately talking about darkness? As a reminder to us that the night is meant to cover and give us comfort and rest. Generally when we’re depressed, we tend to get into a very bad sleep pattern by staying up at night and sleeping all day, thereby worsening our state of mind. This aayah reminds us to use the night as a comfort to ease our distress. *Ma wad da’aka rabbuka wa ma qalaa* -Your Lord has not taken leave of you, [O Muhammad], nor has He detested [you]. This is a very powerful verse from Allah telling us that He doesn’t hate us and hasn’t forgotten us– reminding the depressed person that He is always by his or her side! *Walal-aakhiratu khairul laka minal-oola*— And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life]. Many times when we’re depressed we think: Is this all my life is going to be? Is it never going to get better? This aayah serves as a perfect answer to those questions, reminding us that life in this world is temporary and that Aakhira is certainly a better, more permanent place for us than this world could ever be. This makes us look forward to attaining our place in Jannah and helps us look at any problems in our lives as temporary tests of our faith from Allah. *Wa la sawfa y’uteeka rabbuka fatarda*— And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied. A promise from Allah that very soon he will give us a massive reward (Jannah) and we will be happy! Subhanallah! Isn’t this the best thing to hear when you’re depressed and fed up with this worldly life and the problems you’re facing? *Alam ya jidka yateeman fa aawaa* – Did He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge? From this verse onwards, Allah gives us reason to believe His declarations and promises in the first half of the surah. Now many of us may think: how would this aayah about orphans relate to the majority of us? Think about it– weren’t there many times in your life when you were sick or lonely and felt like you had nobody who cared about you? Who was the only one by your side at that time? Allah! It was He who took care of you and guided you out of that stage in life. *Wa wa jadaka daal lan fahada*— And He found you lost and guided [you]. How many of us, despite being born Muslims, have found ourselves misguided and straying away from Islam in the past? It was Allah who gave us that hidaya and brought us back to the straight path and to Him and made us practicing Muslims. Alhamdulillah! *Wa wa jadaka ‘aa-ilan fa aghnaa*— And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient. Many of us have probably gone through many periods in our lives when we have been short of money and wealth. Now when we look back we realize that it was only Allah who gave us that rizq in some form and got us through those tough financial times. When a person is depressed, giving him or her examples of how Allah has helped them in the past will strengthen their conviction and belief in the promises Allah makes in this surah for their future. *Fa am mal yateema fala taqhar* — So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him]. This aayah is the ultimate antidote to depression! Depressed people are mostly consumed with their situation and feel that nobody could possibly be in a worse situation. This aayah reminds us to look at people who are in far worse situations than ourselves when we’re feeling hopeless and depressed— Look at the orphans, who have no family or loved ones and nobody to care for them. We have families and parents who love us, a roof over our heads and food on the table and we still think we’re in a bad situation? Subhanallah! *Wa am mas saa-ila fala tanhar*— And as for the petitioner, do not repel [him]. Another example is of the beggar – to once again remind us of the many material blessings that Allah has given us that we take for granted – food, clothing and shelter. How many of us have ever gone to sleep hungry? How many of us don’t have clothes to wear? Or don’t have a home to go to? These examples of the orphan and the beggar are ones we should constantly remind ourselves of to be thankful for the numerous blessings Allah has given us, get over our depression and feel connected to Allah again, out of gratitude. *Wa amma bi ne’mati rabbika fahad dith* – But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it]. This final aayah is about maintaining that renewed faith and bond with Allah – by pondering, glorifying and talking about the blessings of Allah! Either in terms of halaqas, discussions with family and friends or even da’wah! Dhikr, reading quran and listening to lectures are also great ways to keep the remembrance of Allah close to your heart! So the next time you feel disconnected, disheartened or depressed with your level of Imaan and your connection with Allah – read Surah Ad Duha and ponder over its meanings – Inshallah it will restore your faith and increase your belief in the greatness of Allah.

Why are you tempted in this life? Its because you need guidance, and the best way to be guided, is to build character through temptations.

To Celebrate or Not to Celebrate… It’s that time of year again where Muslims are at difference regarding the celebration of the Prophet’s Birthday (peace be upon him). Some are in view that there is nothing wrong in celebrating, while others oppose it completely. So who’s view is the correct one ? As we know, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born on a Monday. So the question is, did he ever commemorate his birth day ? Well, let’s take a look. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about fasting Mondays, he said: “It is (the day) when I was born and revelation was sent down to me.” Muslim 1162 e The Messenger of Allah said: "Deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting." Jami` at-Tirmidhi 747 From these hadiths, we can conclude that the Prophet (peace be upon him) fasted on Mondays out of gratitude that he was born on this day. It was a virtuous day in which the Revelation came down to him and when deeds are presented to Allah. Therefore, the day of his birth was one of the reason he fasted on this day. So, for those who claim that the Prophet did something special in connection to his birth, then yes, you are right. He most definitely did, how ? By fasting every Mondays. He made it a day of worship. In the light of this, those who truly and genuinely love the Prophet (peace be upon him), will follow his teachings and adhere to his Sunnah, in this case, fasting Mondays. Allah says in the Quran: Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (3:31) The question now is… did the Prophet (peace be upon him) ever celebrate the DATE in which he was born ? The answer: No. If we look at all the authentic hadiths available, you will come to learn that never did the Prophet (peace be upon him) nor his companions (may Allah be pleased with him) designate a day from the year to commemorate his birth. And looking back at the righteous predecessors and earlier generations, none of them celebrated a specific date from the year to remember the Prophet (peace be upon him) but rather, they would fast on Mondays. No one ever loved the Prophet (peace be upon him) more than his companions and the earlier generations, so if they saw good in celebrating, they would have done so. So it's very important that we hold strong to the sunnah and not be misguided by wrong teachings. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Indeed, whomever among you lives, he will see much difference. Beware of the newly invented matters, for indeed they are astray. Whoever among you sees that, then he must stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa', cling to it with the molars." Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2676 Now, we should ask ourselves another question… Do we really know the EXACT date in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born ? Until today, the exact date is unclear and there are no authentic hadiths or proofs deriving the date in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born. As a matter of fact, scholars have not only differed regarding the date he was born, but the month as well. The only authentic information we have regarding the birth of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is that he was born in Mecca on a Monday in the Year of the Elephant. Let's look at another point now. Birthdays. Did you know that the idea of celebrating birthdays is a Pagan tradition ? Now, if the Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him) knew that we turned his "supposed" date of birth into a practice derived from a Pagan tradition, do you think he would accept and be happy about that ? Remember the hadith : When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Medina, the people had two days on which they engaged in games. He asked: What are these two days (what is the significance)? They said: We used to engage ourselves on them in the pre-Islamic period. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah has substituted for them something better than them, the day of sacrifice (Eid Al-Adha) and the day of the breaking of the fast (Eid Al-FItr). (Abi Dawud 1134) The religion has been completed over 1400 years ago. If the Prophet (peace be upon him) knew of any good in celebrating his birthday, he would have advised us to do the same to show our love for him. So we should be very cautious to keep away from innovation as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), that is not part of it will have it rejected." Muslim 1718 a The Prophet (peace be upon him) should not be remembered with deep love only once a year, but daily. Remember, leaving your prayers, abandoning the teaching of the Prophet, committing sins then coming to show true love for him on this one day is not called real love. But rather, it's following his footsteps and teachings, learning about his life, sending peace and prayers on him everyday is what real love means. May Allah make us from those who follow his every footstep and keep us away from sin and innovation. ... This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour to you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam. [Qur'an 5:3]

The right woman is a blessing from Allah. If you have a woman by your side, who makes you feel at ease, a woman who you feel at peace with. When you look at her you feel love and mercy in your heart. She defends your honor and you defend hers. She fears her Creator and you fear Him. She cares about your rights and you care about hers. If you love each other for the sake of Allah, if you care about each others akhira and do everything to make each other better. If you got this.. You are richer than most people. I often talk about love because i really believe that a strong and peaceful household, built out of love of Allah, fearing Allah is the solution to a lot of problems we have these days. Thats what makes this ummah strong. A strong household makes you strong as a individual. Especially as a man, the best thing you can give a woman, your family is knowledge. Invest in each other, and each others akhira. A motivation for me to gain knowledge is so im able to teach my family. Alhamdulillah.. may Allah grant us a household in which we feel at peace and ease. A household that has ghair and barakah in it. A woman that has your back, and does whatever she can to make you happy. A household built out of Love for Allah. A household in which knowledge is spread. (Im not trying to romanticize anything but honestly, love and mercy between a husband and wife are signs from Allah. When the love fades away, there will still be mercy, and in sha Allah love comes back). A good woman can make a man feel like a king. A good household is your Jannah on earth. But it requires hard work, commitment and patience. Bradley Morrell

I think life is way too short to have bad blood with anyone. If anyone hurts you, forgive & move on for the sake of Allah.

There’s someone having their worst day today, there’s someone having their best day today. Someone is going through a tough trial, and someone is being blessed through the du’ā they made. Someone lost something/someone today, and someone got something/ someone today. There’s that person, laughing like never before, and then there’s another one, crying their eyes out. Every single person is going through something, whether it be happiness or sadness, blessings or trials, every one of us went through something today. The next day it might be the other way around. The thing is, nothing and absolutely NOTHING lasts forever. Give thanks to Allāh azza wa jal and try to be grateful through everything you’re/you’ll go through.

*Today's Beautiful Hadith is about Accepted Supplications* Abu Huraira (RA) reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: The supplication of every one of you is granted if he does not grow impatient and says: I supplicated but it was not granted. (Sahih Muslim, Book 48, Hadith 125) 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 When your Lord is patient with you, allows you to grow, forgives your sins and accepts your prayers, how can you not be patient with the one who granted you patience to start with? Have faith and hope that your duas will be answered, every prayer has its allotted reward.

*Today's Beautiful Hadith is about Major Sins* Anas (RA) narrated from the Apostle (peace be upon him) about the major sins. He (the Holy Prophet) observed: Associating anyone with Allah, disobedience to parents, killing a person and false utterance. (Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 166) 👇👇👇👇 Always protect your imaan. Your hands, your thoughts, your heart and your tongue. Avoid major sins and Insha'Allah you will be of the successful.

*Today's Beautiful Hadith is about Seeking Refuge* Narrated Masruq (RA): `Aisha (RA) said that a Jewess came to her and mentioned the punishment in the grave, saying to her, "May Allah protect you from the punishment of the grave." `Aisha then asked Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) about the punishment of the grave. He said, "Yes, (there is) punishment in the grave." `Aisha added, "After that I never saw Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) but seeking refuge with Allah from the punishment in the grave in every prayer he prayed." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 2, Book 23, Hadith 125) 👇👇👇👇👇 In every Salah, seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of the grave. We should always be grateful for all we have, seek forgiveness for the sins we know about and those we don't, and remember that every time you ask of Allah (swt), He is listening and will respond

You are an Author Aisha (radi Allahu anha) narrated: “Once I began to cry at the thought of Hell. The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) asked me, ‘What makes you cry?’ and I answered, ‘The thought of Hell frightened me. Will you remember your family on the Day of Judgment?’ At that, the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) replied, “There are three occasions when no one will remember anyone else: first, when the Scales of Justice are set up to determine whether the weight of one’s good deeds is heavier or lighter; second, when the Books of Deeds are delivered until the time it is determined in which hand the Book of Deeds will be delivered to each person – in his right hand or in his left hand or from behind – and upon receiving it in the right hand, a truthful believer will joyously show it to others and say, ‘Read it’; and third, when the Bridge will be placed over the pit of Hell, and everyone will be commanded to walk over it.’” [Abu Dawud] We each write our own Book of Deeds. We are all authors... even the illiterate! We each write our own books in life; non-fiction, non-stop, from scene to scene until our deaths. Our books remain in edit for as long as we live. We can erase with repentance and write over bad deeds with good deeds. The Day of Judgement is our Day of Exposition (Yawm al-Ardh); that is the day we have our books published; that is the Day of Viewing, Accounting and Recompense. We do not sell our literary works to publishers; rather, we are the sole buyers of our masterpieces. Its contents are put in the Scales of Justice and they determine whether we will be able to cross the Bridge to Paradise or not. You’re an author too. So take note of what you’re writing. May Allah subhanahu wata'ala guide and protect us. Ameen.

*Today's Hadith is about Marriage* It was narrated from Aishah (RA) that: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Marriage is part of my sunnah, and whoever does not follow my sunnah has nothing to do with me. Get married, for I will boast of your great numbers before the nations. Whoever has the means, let him get married, and whoever does not, then he should fast for it will diminish his desire.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 3, Book 9, Hadith 1846) 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 May Allah (swt) bless all our spouses, all those getting married and all who are seeking to get married. Family is important in Islam from maintaining the ties of the womb to having love and mercy for your spouse. Reflect on your relationship with your husband and wife and thank Allah for having someone to help push (or pull) you to Jannah!

Faith can move mountains... Beautiful story!! This brought tears down my eyes this morning...!!! Its worth a read. Allah is Faithful! - The Best article I've Read This Year! In the country of Armenia, in 1988, Samuel and Danielle sent their young son, Armand, off to school. Samuel squatted before his son and looked him in the eye. "Have a good day at school, and remember, no matter what, I’ll always be there for you." They hugged and the boy ran off to school. Hours later, a powerful earthquake rocked the area. In the midst of the pandemonium, Samuel and Danielle tried to discover what happened to their son but they couldn’t get any information. The radio announced that there were thousands of casualties. Samuel then grabbed his coat and headed for the schoolyard. When he reached the area, what he saw brought tears to his eyes. Armand’s school was a pile of debris. Other parents were standing around crying. Samuel found the place where Armand’s classroom used to be and began pulling a broken beam off the pile of rubble. He then grabbed a rock and put it to the side, and then grabbed another one. One of the parents looking on asked, "What are you doing?" "Digging for my son," Samuel answered. The man then said, "You’re just going to make things worse! The building is unstable," and tried to pull Samuel away from his work. Samuel just kept working. As time passes on, one by one, the other parents left. Then a worker tried to pull Samuel away from the rubble. Samuel looked at him and said, "Won’t you help me?" The worker left and Samuel kept digging. All through the night and into the next day, Samuel continued digging. Parents placed flowers and pictures of their children on the ruins. But, Samuel just kept working. He picked up a beam and pushed it out of the way when he heard a faint cry. "Help! Help!" Samuel listened but didn’t hear anything again. Then he heard a muffled voice, "Papa?" Samuel began to dig furiously. Finally he could see his son. "Come on out, son!" he said with relief. "No," Armand said. "Let the other kids come out first because I know you’ll get me." Child after child emerged until, finally, little Armand appeared. Samuel took him in his arms and Armand said, "I told the other kids not to worry because you told me that you’d always be there for me!" Fourteen children were saved that day because one father was faithful. How much more faithful is our Allah Almighty! Whether trapped by fallen debris or ensnared by life’s hardships and struggles and diseases such as Covid 19, we are never cut off from Allah’s faithfulness. He is true to His character. He is reliable and trustworthy and can always be counted on. Trust Allah to the end. Don't break the chain of this story by reading alone, you might be encouraging someone. Encourage someone, pick up someone, lend a helping hand, keep your word, always. Lead by example so that people know who to trust....

Imagine you spent your entire life worshipping Allah, fasting, praying, giving loads of charity, even did Hajj and it all went to waste. Why?💔 Because you simply could not keep your mouth shut about others! -Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Backbiting is more grievous than adultery and Allah, will not forgive the backbiter until the one wronged has forgiven him." Do not backbite muslims, and do not search for their faults, for if anyone searches for their faults, Allaāh will search for his faults. And if Allah searches for the fault of anyone, He humilities him (even if he hides) in his house.🍂 "And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother dead? you would detest it." (49:12)♥️🥀

*Today's Hadith is about Supplication* It was narrated from Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (RA) that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say: “When a man enters his house, and remembers Allah when he enters and when he eats, Satan says: ‘You have no place to stay and no supper.’ If he enters his house and does not remember Allah upon entering, Satan says: ‘You have found a place to stay.’ And if he does not remember Allah when he eats, (Satan) says: ‘You have found a place to stay and supper.’” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 5, Book 34, Hadith 61) 👇👇👇👇👇👇 Protect your house, your meals and yourself from Satan. Remember these duas, say Bismillah before doing anything and keep the remembrance of Allah (swt) in your heart and on your tongue. He will protect you always!

If you focus on hurt, you will continue to suffer. If you focus on the lesson, you will continue to grow. Allah is enough!

The Love of Allah is like the ocean... you can see its beginnings, but you cannot imagine its width and depth. Allah loves you immensely in a way you can never imagine. To those who see with loving eyes, Life is beautiful. To those who speak with a tender voice, Life is peaceful. To those who help with gentle hands, Life is full. And to those who care with compassionate hearts, Life is good beyond all measures.May your life be filled with Allah's blessings and may Allah grant you all that's good Dunyaa and Aakirah, Ameen.

#WE HAVE JUST STARTED# And so our Honourable guest is about to leave The eyes are tearing and there is a sadness and pain in the Heart OH BELOVED ALLAH We have just started to feel comfortable with this honourable guest We have just started to enjoy its company We have just started to benefit from all the khair ..barakah and blessings that it has brought We have just started to see a change in our lifestyle...character and ways We have just started to see the Unity Love..and Compassion that the Ummah has for each other OH BELOVED ALLAH We have just started... Farewell Ramadaan Your stay was short..just as our lives are May we given the chance to meet you again so that we can continue learning and benifitting from you OH BELOVED ALLAH WE HAVE JUST STARTED. FAREWELL RAMADAAN FAREWELL

The love of Allah Give yourself a moment; think about the person who you love the most, the person that you are most attached and close to. Think about it for a moment. Now think about that person giving you something, some sort of a gift. Now think about another person; maybe a stranger, someone you do not know that well. Now I want you to imagine that person giving you a gift, maybe a bouquet of roses, something which is very special. Now imagine that the person you love the most gives you just a simple gift, like a pen. But this is someone who you love dearly so even though it is something very small it still appears very precious to you because the person who gave it is very dear to you. Whereas the bouquet of roses looks more fancy and beautiful from the outside but because the giver is not mush special to you the gift itself is not special. When the giver is special to you and the giver is more beloved then whatever he gives, than the gift is loved and cherished no matter what it is. Now how does that apply to Allah s.w.t? When Allah s.w.t is beloved to us, than anything that comes from Him is loved. Whatever Allah gives and whatever He takes we accept because it’s from Him. That should be the conscience even if it’s something that does not appear good on the outside. It is because I love the giver which is why I accept the gift no matter what it is. So you see how this is an example of the true love of Allah s.w.t. The most exalted, the most beneficial kind of love is most certainly the love of the One who created the love. Allah s.w.t created the heart and the heart was created solely for one reason, and that is to love Allah with all our hearts. Our main purpose of existence is to worship our lord with love and obedience. It is when we accept the gift of our beloved, a simple prostration of His command becomes the centre of our life. We are reminded of Him every time we kiss the floor. And the gift is forever precious and rewarding even though we may not see it as such.

Moving forward through difficult times At some point in our lives, we will be in some very difficult times. We will be like in a cave with no light. All our plans will become merely forgotten dreams, and our hopes will be cut short. Nothing will make sense. Our friends will leave us. We may be jobless. We may be single and lonely. We may be in debt and have no income. We may have eduction problems. We may have immigration or political problems. To make things worse, we may have health problems to deal with. This may be the most difficult time we have ever been in. We will be overwhelmed with problems. You could say we have hit rock bottom. We have nobody to help us. The only real friend we have is our self which we don't know its full potential yet. We have always had it easy. We never needed to use our own light to guide ourselves. But we have no choice now. It is time to face our problems head-on. As new adults, the first thing we learn about us is that, it's "Us Alone" Vs. the World. Nobody will fight our battles. Nobody will stand for us. Nobody can help us but ourselves. We cannot escape our problems until we deal with them. We must be courageous and find the inner champion that is hidden in us. We must bring it to use. We have all the resources to find solutions to our problems, and no problem is greater than us. If you are a new adult and are going through a difficult period, don't be discouraged. Everyone as they mature into adulthood, will go through difficult periods. Nobody is exempt from the trials of life as we become adults. As we mature into young adults, we need difficulties to change us from the way are. It is necessary to lose friends, be jobless, and have increased responsibilities to become adults. Difficulties help shape our morality, our judgment, and improve our logic. Our mental and physical capacity increases as well. The sooner we realize that trials are here to better us, the better of we will be. Feeling like we have the whole world in our shoulders is normal. It is a natural process that everyone will go through as they become new adults. The adulthood change may be a difficult time for us, but it is just the start. As we mature and become better productive adults, we are just starting to live and enjoy life. But God has a totally different plan for us, and will send real tests our way to prepare us for the real purpose that He has created us. We need to be aware that God is always working his plan for our lives at all times. He wants us to grow into better beings that will better service His creation. He has a plan that we do not know nor understand yet. The way God makes His plan known to us is through difficulties which will come in all shapes and forms. This is one of the very first things we learn about God as we live in this world. His way of guidance and reward come in a form of hardships. He will continually send hardships to test and reshape us. He wants us to grow into better and more productive beings. He did not create us to just wonder around. Trials will be very frequent, and God sent to redirect and enrich our lives. God will continue to test us as long as necessary to complete His purpose and justice in us. He is preparing us for a great future which we may be unaware of. Allah s.w.t mentions in the Glorious Qur'an about the testing that His creation will undergo. He says: "We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and fruits of your toil. But give good news to the steadfast: Those who, when disaster strikes them, say, “We belong to Allah and to Him we will return”. Those are the people who will have blessings and mercy from their Lord; they are the ones who are guided. Qur'an 2:155-157" In the above verse we learn that blessings and mercy, and guidance are associated with difficulties, and we should expect no less. We should always be prepared to face the various trials that God has in store for us. It is His way of forgiving and rewarding us. As we read the Qur'an more in depth, we learn from the Qur'an that this whole life is a test and we must use these tests to better ourselves and earn an everlasting life in the hereafter. That is our purpose; to be tested and worship Allah s.w.t. Allah specifically tells us that He created all mankind to test them. He says: "Verily, We created man from a drop of mingled sperm so that We may test him; and therefore We made him hearing and seeing. We have indeed showed him the way, now he be grateful or ungrateful. (Qur'an 76:3)" We learn from the above verse that we have a choice between guidance and misguidance, and that all our striving is for our own benefit. Whatever we chose, it is for us only. Allah does not benefit from our striving. Whatever we do, we will have to answer for it in judgement day. God does not test us because He does not already know our individual fates, but He does so to reveal our true natures to ourselves. God is most-just and gives us the opportunity to prove to ourselves that what He has for us in the hereafter is in accordance with His knowledge, plan, and justice. In the Qur'an, Allah poses a question to all His creation. It is a rhetorical question to make us think and understand His mercy and justice. "Do people think that they will be left to say, "We believe," without being put to the test? Qur'an 29:2" By closely examining the above verse, we learn this life is a test. Reading a little bit further in the Qur'an we also learn that many of the difficulties that come our way are as a consequence of our actions. As Allah says in the Glorious Qur'an: "Whatever of misfortune strikes you, it is what your hands have earned. And He forgives much. Qur'an 42:30" Allah makes it clear that we cause all of our own misfortunes, and He also says He forgives much, meaning we don't receive all the punishment for everything we do. A person may ask why must we be tested. God knows our hearts. God knows the future and the past. He knows everything that has happened and will happen. So why test us? Without going deep into the scriptures, we can conclude that the testing is for us not God. When we are tested we learn many things about ourselves and God. We learn many of His attributes and experience them directly. We also see His plan in action. We find out about our limitations and abilities. There are many purposes in the tests we face, and they are distinct to each individual. But in general, they are for our own good. The test which we will go through are not meant to add to the knowledge of God. Although God knows everything, it still is necessary that all men and women be put to test so that the true form of God's justice and mercy may emerge on the Day of Judge­ment. If God were to send all persons to Paradise or Hell according to His own knowledge without put­ting them to test for their beliefs and deeds, then those sent to Hell could rightly complain that why were they being punished without any sin on their part while others enjoyed bliss of Paradise without any good deed in their credit? God's knowledge is not enough for humans to understand. So in order to uphold the principle of justice and fairness, it was necessary for God to test all persons before sending them to Hell or Paradise. A truthful person will receive true tests until he or she becomes a true believer, and the ranks of the righteous and the wicked are clearly distinguished. This message has been conveyed throughout the Qur'an. We will continually be tested with all sorts of tests. Some of us are easily swayed away from what is good and true. At the slightest misfortune or difficulty, we turn away from God, forgetting that we owe Him everything. We forget who our creator is. Others are more patient and remain steadfast on what God and His Messenger have given us in the form of guidance. They remain God-Conscious in good and bad times and never forget their true purpose in this life. This guidance, which comes by way of tests and trials is to be followed for our benefit, not God’s benefit. Indeed he is most high, and does not need our thankfulness nor our worship. Therefore, We are strengthened by adversity, knowing full well that each test provides an opportunity to prove our faith, and to turn to Him in prayer and gratitude. We do not know what is good for us and only through tests can we come to know whats best for us. What is best for the believer may be found in what he hates, and what is bad for him may be found in what he likes. The true believer is the one who loves that which Allah has chosen for him. So, if He tests him with something that he loves, he thanks Him, and if He tests him with that which he hates, he is patient and thanks Him in this case, as well. And Allah – the Glorified – gives the believer in accordance with what will lead to his happiness in either this World or the next. Whatever difficulty you are in, know that you are where God wants you to be. There is a purpose in all our affairs. Sometimes we may need a difficulty to just learn to listen to what God has to say about us. Sometimes our own arrogance makes us deaf to people around us and God has a way of softening our hearts. You will learn through every difficulty that the decree of Allah is at full force, unstoppable. Some problems you may walk away from them but you will never truly defeat them. Each problem will go away when you truly face it and learn from it. Each problem is there to shape us and teach us about life, and to prepare us for a great journey in life. God is always directing our footsteps. He wants us to go in places we don't know they even exist. He is constantly guiding us and showering his mercy upon us. We should embrace the light that is guiding us, not fight the darkness that surrounds us. Sometimes we must let difficulties be and let them do their purpose in us. Difficulties may be here to bring out the best in us. We are not meant to fight every difficulty. Some difficulties are there to fight the darkness in us. Difficulties will not leave us until change happens in us. We may curse our difficulties, but they won't go away that easy. Difficulties are here to reshape us. It is time we grow into the beings God wants us to be. We have been living in mediocrity for too long. We have had it easy. But now we have a reason and a need to fight. Difficulties are here to reveal to us what we are made of. It is necessary to undergo through difficulties to understand the capabilities we have. We may not know anything about us. In order to find the great qualities we have, we must be tested. In hardships we always ask God, why? We want to understand why God is being so unfair to us. Why is life so difficult. We are faithful and truthful to God so why do we encounter many difficulties in life. We need to trust God and lean not on our own understanding. We don't need to know everything that happens. Some things we will know when the next phase of life comes. In time when God knows best, we will understand and thank God for these very difficult moments. They may be the reason we reach greatness in this world and the hereafter. Looking at people who have suffered a great deal more than many of us could ever imagine, puts things in perspective. Understanding that hard times are a source of reward gives us great comfort. Knowing that we are not the first to walk this path, and that as long as we stay on the path of righteousness, God will help us and will ensure we are victorious gives us hope and encouragement. If God has created you, and all that exists, He can surely get you through the very difficult times when you cannot see hope for the future. Believe in your heart that what God has you going through is for you benefit. Commit your way to God; trust in Him, and He will act on your behalf. Know that we should walk through our difficulties not set camp in them. Inactivity leads to prolonged suffering. Whatever difficulties we are going through is not here by chance but by design. We need to face our difficulties and learn from them. We need to decipher why they are here to begin with, in order to not face the same difficulties over and over again. Sometimes in darkness God will fight for us and we need to be still and obedient. God could be showing us His glory and Power and at the same time testing our trust in Him. When we need to be still, we need to be obedient and reflect of everything happening in our lives. There is much wisdom that God wants to convey to us. Looking at some of the great people of God, they did not go through difficulties by themselves, but sometimes with God guiding each way to give us hope and increase our trust. Sometimes we must see action to know the full force of God. Many times in our lives something happens to us and we feel that this is the worst thing that has happened to us. But then after the smoke has cleared, we realize that this is the best thing that has happened to us. So we have to be patient and know that Allah s.w.t is sufficient for us and is the best disposer of all our affairs. He will guide us to that which is good. Whatever difficulty you face, realize that patience is your best friend. Allah says in the glorious Qur'an: "Oh you who believe! Seek help with patience, perseverance and prayer, for God is with those who patiently persevere. Qur'an 2:153" Furthermore, for those who exercise patience, Allah s.w.t will help and show a way out of every difficulty. As stated in the glorious Qur'an: "And for those who fear Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out, And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish his purpose. Verily, for all things Allah has appointed a due proportion. Qur'an 65:2-3" In various places in the Holy Qur'an, Allah links patience and perseverance with success. "Seek Allah’s help with patience perseverance and prayer. It is indeed hard except for those who are humble. Qur'an 2:45" Ordinary people when afflicted with a calamity lose all self control and might even question why Allah was punishing them though they had trusted Him. But not Ya’qub (Jacob) peace be upon him, the epitome of patience. He shows what steadfastness in faith is, and again alleges his trust in Allah’s Help. Patience requires the passage of time to express itself. We can’t claim to be patient when we expect our sorrows to end immediately. The true believer does not lose hope in Allah though he may have to live with his sorrow for years. Through Ya’qub's example, Allah gives us a vivid illustration of patience and gratitude – the hall marks of a believer. Patience is an attribute of a believer and we can learn the real reward of patience be examining a beautiful story about patience in the glorious Qur'an of Prophet Yusuf A.S. His brothers threw him into the well, but he was patient and so Allah s.w.t raised him out of that well. He ended up in the house of one of the most powerful people of Egypt, but then Allah tested him again. The wife of Al Aziz, the finance minister, tried to tempt him, but he was patient. Then Allah tested him again and threw him into prison. But he was patient for the sake of Allah s.w.t. In the end, Allah raised him to a lofty station and he became one of the most powerful people in Egypt. This is the reward of patience. As mentioned in the hadith, a strong faith can help us to hold our heads high when difficulties come our way. When faith seems to be dwindling, we should get back to Quran and remind ourselves that only Allah can let us out of our ordeal and problems. You must, therefore, keep that faith and not let Satan instill thoughts that could weaken your faith. Here are few ways to cope with difficulties: Trust Allah with your affairs. Know that whatever you are facing will surely end. It is mentioned in the glorious Qur'an twice: Verily with hardship comes easy. Twice to emphasize that all things will end; whether good or bad. Don’t let Satan play with you and keep replaying the video of your hardship in your mind over and over again, move on! Remember you’re with Allah, nothing should stop you! Who ever has Allah as a helper none can defeat him. And however Allah forsakes, who is there to help him? Fast, pray, and charity help decrease our problems. So increase your participation in them. Know that a better you will come out ready for greater and bigger things in life. So be patient. Remember, only those who endure the climb can enjoy the view from the mountain top. Therefore, endure the tests of this life with patience and enjoy the bounties of Jannah which God has prepared for His true believers.

1. Seeking refuge with Allah from Shaytan. Allah the Most High said, “And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” [41:36] 2. Recitation of the two soorahs al-Falaq and an-Nas, as they have wondrous effect in seeking refuge with Allah from his evil, weakening Shaytan and protection from him. This is why the Messenger, (PBUH) said: “No person seeks refuge with anything like the Mu`awwidhatayn (soorahs al-Falaq and an-Nas)”. [an-Nasaa’i, 5337] 3. Recitation of Ayat al-Kursi (2:255). 4. Recitation of Soorah al-Baqarah. The Messenger, (PBUH) said, “The house in which al-Baqarah is recited is not approached by Shaytan.” [Muslim] 5. The final part of al-Baqarah. The Messenger, (PBUH) said, “Whoever recites the two last verses of al-Baqarah at night they will suffice him.” [Muslim] 6. Recitation of the beginning of Soorah Mu’min (Ghafir), until His saying, “wa ilayhi-l-maseer” (to Him is the destination). (i.e. “Ha. Meem. The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Knowing, the forgiver of sin, acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination.” [40:1-2]) 7. Saying “la ilaha ill Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa `ala kulli shay’in qadir” (there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, He has no partner, His is the Dominion and Praise, and He is able to do all things) a hundred times. 8. The most beneficial form of protection from Shaytan: Abundance of remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. 9. Ablution and prayer, and they are from among the greatest means of protection, especially at the time of emergence of anger and desire 10. Abstinence from excess speech, food and mixing with people. * Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah Summarized from Bida’i` al-Fawa’id (304-308)

How do you know if you’re ready for death? Man’s greatest fear is death. I want to know that if I were to die right now what would my death be like? ... Would it be painful, would it be pleasurable, would it be sweet? Here is an answer: Your death will be exactly as your prayer is to you right now. Why? Because when you pray salaat what do you do? You go and meet Allah. When you die what happens? You go and meet Allah. If you dislike meeting Allah while you are in this world in the body, why would you want to meet Allah when you leave the body? If salaat is sweet to you right now your death would be sweet if you died right now. If you eagerly wait for salaat, then when death comes to you, you will eagerly wait to be released from this cage and soar to new heights. If your salaat is a burden on you right now, death will be a burden on you if you die right now. If salaat is painful, death will be painful. Look at your salaat, improve your salaat, and you will improve your connection to Allah, because ..... both of these are nothing but a meeting with Allah

In silence you hear the divine voice .. if you listen to it's message.

Appreciate reliable people. Appreciate them. Very few people “walk the talk.”

Others’ Calamity - Our Responsibility by Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh When a person is afflicted with a calamity, catastrophe, grief etc., the people around him/her; the family, friends and the wider Muslim community, all have a role to play. We often remain neglectful and fail to fulfil our duties in this regard. I would like to mention a few points concerning this which will be of benefit inshā’allāh. 1. Feel for othersThe Sharī‘ah has advised us that we should realise and feel the pain the afflicted Muslim is going through. It is unfortunate that we have become very hard-hearted and do not feel the pain of others. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has given much emphasis to brotherhood and having feeling for one-another, rather feeling for every living creature. Take a look at the beautiful teachings of Islām: Allāh ta‘ālā states in a verse mentioning the qualities of the Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, “…compassionate among themselves…” (48:29) In another verse, Allāh ta‘ālā instructs us regarding non-Muslims: Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated: “Allāh ta‘ālā does not forbid you as regards those who did not fight you on account of Faith, and did not expel you from your homes, that you do good to them, and deal justly with them. Surely Allāh ta‘ālā loves those who maintain justice.” (60:8) 2. Give Support“The Muslims are like one body. If the eye is in pain, the whole body will feel that pain; if the head is in pain, the whole body will feel that pain.” (Muslim) “A true believer is one from whose hands and tongue other people are safe (be they Muslims or non-Mulisms).” (An-Nasā’ī) “Fear Allāh ta‘ālā with regards these speechless animals; ride them whilst they are healthy and consume them whilst they are healthy.” (Abū Dāwūd) Together with realising the difficulties and pain the ones afflicted are undergoing, the Sharī‘ah has instructed us to give support and condolence. Rather than becoming bystanders, we should act positively. It is for this reason the instruction of ta‘ziyah (consoling) has been given. In one hadīth Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated: So, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has encouraged us to console the one afflicted and the whole purpose of consoling is to give support and lessen the grief from the one afflicted. It is strange to note our adverse conduct in this regard that we, instead of offering supporting words, increase the grief and sorrow by our statements. We, in order to show we are very much grieved, say and do those things which act as salt on the wound. Lāhawla walā quwwata illā billāh! “The one who consoles a bereaved mother, will be dressed with a [special] garment in Jannah.” (At-Tirmidhī) “A Muslim who consoles his brother during a calamity or distress, will be clothed with garments of honour by Allāh ta‘ālā on the Day of Qiyāmah.” (At-Tabrānī) When consoling, we should give a positive outlook to the difficulty. (The points mentioned of positive thinking in the previous editorial can be used to console the grieved.) A positive aspect to the matter works wonders in reducing the grief of the afflicted. If someone’s father has passed away, one can give a negative aspect to the issue and say, ‘What a great loss! Truly you have now lost a great person. How will you cope without him?’ etc. and one can also speak positively and say, ‘You were very fortunate that the cool shadow of your father remained over you for 40 years. There are so many people whose fathers have passed away in their childhood…’ It is narrated that after the demise of ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, his son, Ibn ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhumā remarked, “No one consoled me better than the Bedouin.” The story is that a Bedouin came to console Ibn ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhumā and said the following couplets: Exercise patience so that we too will be able to exercise it through you. Indeed the patience of the people is dependent upon the patience of the leader. Better for you than [your father] ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhu is your reward [upon exercising patience] after him; and Allāh ta‘ālā is better for ‘Abbās radhiyallāhu ‘anhu than you! 3. Make du‘āMaking a du‘ā is one of the best ways to assist the one afflicted. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated that from amongst the du‘ā that is most quickly accepted is the du‘ā of the absent person for another. (Abū Dāwūd) Du‘ā is the most powerful weapon a believer has. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has stated, “Du‘ā is a weapon of the believer…” (Al-Hākim) Our du‘ā should not be restricted to the affected. If such a calamity has occurred wherein there is some mischief from a person, then also make du‘ā of divine guidance for that person too. Our attitude should be to pray for the enemies instead of cursing and making inappropriate statements. To understand this, we only need to look into the sīrah of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. Whilst returning from Tā’if, after having been persecuted by its people, Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam made du‘ā for them instead of cursing them. 4. Take lesson and prepareSeeing another in a pitiful condition is an opportunity to learn a lesson. It was the Grace of Allāh ta‘ālā that we are not in their shoes, but Allāh ta‘ālā is All-Powerful. He can bring such adverse conditions upon us too; therefore, we should use such incidents to bring a positive change in our lives. One should reflect in the following ways: a. Look at the one afflicted and start to prepare for such times. We should always ask Allāh ta‘ālā for ‘āfiyah, however, as we have discussed previously, difficulties and hardships in this world are inevitable, hence we should mentally prepare ourselves so that we react correctly in such circumstances. We should embed in our minds that should I be afflicted, I will exercise patience and think positively, so that I may reap the rewards promised for patience. b. In preparation for such times, one needs to begin to rectify his life and make it one of taqwā, as this is the only tool which will allow a person through difficult circumstances. Allāh ta‘ālā states, “…Whoever creates the veil of taqwā between himself and the disobedience of Allāh ta‘ālā, Allāh ta‘ālā will bring forth a way out for him.” (65:2) c. When such catastrophes occur to close ones or to someone in our locality, the feeling of loss can be more easily perceived and lessons can be learnt. In a recent incident, in our locality, a whole family was lost out by a fire and only one member remained. It is not difficult to understand the extent of this loss and how the remaining individual must be feeling. Having realised the severity of this loss, one should reflect on the ḥadīth of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam that whoever misses the ‘Aṣr ṣalāh, it is as if he has lost his whole family and wealth. (Muslim) This way it will become easy for us to realise the loss we are making daily and this realisation will encourage us to repent sincerely and submit to the Commands of Allāh ta‘ālā. 5. Think about the futureWhen calamities strike they tend to be sudden. Those who are afflicted with a calamity and leave this world do not have the opportunity to decide in what state they wish to leave. If they leave in a good state, with Īmān and taqwā; they are fortunate. The same can be our state; death may come unannounced. We need to contemplate and ponder whether we are ready to face death if it was to strike suddenly without notice. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said, “Each person will be resurrected in the state he/she has died.” (Muslim) Therefore, we should immediately begin preparing for the inevitable and remain ready at all times. May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us all the tawfīq. Āmīn.

Dua for Reformation and Purification O Allah, our hearts have become diseased. O my beloved Allah, just as arteries become clogged and the heart does not function properly, in the same way, our spiritual arteries have become blocked with sins. O Allah, when man undertakes heart transplants, then what is it difficult for You to transplant a strong and healthy spiritual heart ? O Allah, bless us with hearts filled with the Noor of Taqwa, with the Noor of Zikr (Praise of Allah Ta'ala) and Tilawat and with Tawakkul in You. O Allah, clean and purify our hearts. O Allah, purify our hearts of all the evil and filth that is embedded in our hearts. O Allah, purify our hearts of malice, of jealousy, of greed, of pride, of arrogance, of riyaa , of evil desires and passions. O Allah, bless us with complete purification of our souls. O Allah, man has become tired of sinning. …So tired that he is committing suicide. O Allah, sins have not brought us any good. …A little while of pleasure and then restlessness, pain and anxiety… O Allah, bring into our hearts the realization that sins bring nothing but restlessness and problems. And give us the courage to rid our lives of all evils. O Allah, give us the taufeeq to shun sins from our lives. O Allah, drench us in the rains of Your Rahmat. …O Allah, we have foolishly put over our heads, umbrellas of sins, which are depriving us of the rains of Your Rahmat. O Allah, we want rahmat and barakat to come into our lives, into our homes and into our businesses, but O Allah, how can it come when there is so much of Haraam preventing it. O Allah, give us the taufeeq to throw out of our homes the televisions, the filthy magazines, the filthy and indecent novels and newspapers, and all the other evils that we have filled our homes with. O Allah, give us the taufeeq of giving up all sins. O my Allah, attach us firmly to You. O Allah, when we stick two pages together with glue and we want to separate these pages, the pages will not separate. They will tear apart but they will not separate… O Allah, let us as have such a strong bond with You, that when nafs and Shaytaan want to separate us from You, then we will allow our hearts to tear, but we will not allow our hearts to separate from You. O my beloved Allah, become ours and make us Yours. O Allah, if You are ours, then everything is ours; and if You are not ours, then nothing is ours.