Thanking Allah (swt)

We must always be in a constant remembrance of Allah (swt) and thank Him for all the blessings that He has bestowed upon us. Our thanks will never come close to covering all of the blessings that He has truly bestowed upon us, our family and friends, and the rest of mankind. However we must always be mindful and in constant rememberance that from Allah is everything, and to Him we shall return.

I’m mentioning this topic because it was inspired by a memorable quote from this past Friday’s Khutbah that I attended. The student who gave the Khutbah said the following (I’m just paraphrasing): We are all blessed individuals. We are blessed to be here, to be alive, to be able to breath and speak. Allah (swt) has dipped us in blessings like a strawberry that is dipped in chocolate.

Allah (swt) mentions in the Quran that man is ungrateful. Therefore to become more humble in our characters and in our hearts we must remember to always thank Allah (swt).

In the Quran in Al’Hajj (Chapter 22) Verse 66 Allah (swt) says: It is He Who gave you life, will cause you to die, and will again give you life: Truly man is a most ungrateful creature! (22.66).

It is IMPOSSIBLE to count all the blessings. But take some time to think about everything that you’ve been blessed to have and the blessings Allah (swt) has bestowed upon you.

Here’s some that I’ve come up with just to reemphasize how much we are in NEED of Allah (swt).

Thanking Allah (swt) for the Blessings He has bestowed upon us – for giving us:

LIFE, good Health, a Family, Clothes to wear, a Roof over our heads, good Food to eat, water, mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, the ability to speak, to listen, the sensation to feel, the power of sight, to think, to be able to BREATH, to be able to eat, the ability to walk and run, the ability to sleep, the ability to feel the breeze on a warm day, sunlight during the day to help us to do our work, and darkness during the night for sleep, the ability to read, to write, to be able to go to school, to drive, to meet new people from all walks of life, to share in the brotherhood/sisterhood of Islam, for guidance, for giving us light, for showering us with your mercy, for the month of Ramadan, for giving us resources to help those in need and our neighbors and friends, for giving us good jobs and careers so that we can support ourselves and our families, for lifting us spiritually and emotionally during tough times, giving us opportunities to reach our goals, the ability to travel, to visit others, to connect with others without being face to face (phones, computers), to spread knowledge of what we have learned, for giving us motivation to become better people and to improve our character, giving us comfort in the little things in life when we are down, for helping us when we face challenges and obstacles in our lives, for helping us to understand ourselves, for helping us to understand the views of others, the ability to respect others, for giving us good manners, sanitation, electricity, plumbing, modern living, a bed to sleep on…

Add onto the list, it will never be complete. For every single person, the blessings that Allah (swt) has bestowed are also unique. Reflect upon this and remember to thank Allah (swt) everyday.

(I’m not ranking any of the blessings above in a particular order. The only thing we should learn from this is to be ‘thankful’.)

Halaqa 4-28-08: Islam and Character

Sisters Halaqa

April 28th, 2008

Speaker: Sr. Tomhe

Topic: Islam and Character

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OUTLINE:

1. The Arab Society before Our Prophet Recieved the Revelations

2. What Islam Teaches Us About Character

3. The Best Role Model: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

4. Knowledge

5. The 3 Characteristics of the Hypocrite

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1. The Arab Society before Our Prophet Recieved the Revelations

A. Over 300 statues were in the Ka’ba, the people worshiped other gods.

B. The Arab people, knew that at some point, Abraham (aka Ibrahim (pbuh)) had come to establish the Ka’ba as a place of worship, many years before, however they had very limited knowledge (or better put, remembrance of that event because it was before their time) and therefore, they didn’t have an understanding of who their Creator (Allah (swt)) was and they didn’t know how to pray properly.

C. Their society was uncivilized

- they could not read or write

- they used to drink a lot

- [there's a lot more, check out a history book at your public library]

There is a reason why Islam came to them. Allah (swt) wanted to show ALL of Mankind how Islam can pick up the lowest of the low and make them the best of the Best people. When the revelations and Quran came to them the followers practiced it throughly and became the Best people in the world. They were the cleanest and had the best Characters.

Therefore, we can learn a lot about Islam and what it teaches us about Character.

2. What Islam Teaches Us About Character

A. Be Kind to Your Family and All of Creation

- we were created from one man and one woman so that we could be one family (one Ummah)

- care for one another

- be kind to all animals

- the one who does not give mercy ‘to mankind and all of creation (which includes animals)’, they will not be given mercy on the day of judgment

B. The best in the eyes of Allah (swt) is the one who follows his word and helps the people in this world (his family).

C. The most noble is the one who does everything for the sake of Allah (swt).

- ‘everything for the sake of Allah (swt)’: What does that mean? It means that we need to remember Allah (swt) before we take any action in our lives. We need to please him by doing good deeds and we need to fear his displeasure if we are not nice to those around us or engage in activities that go against the principles set forth by Islam.

- for all the good deeds that you do you will be rewarded

- don’t help someone for personal desires; help them because Allah (swt) wants you to and he is the one that you need to please

- don’t ever put someone down

- Muslims control their ego; they do not let their ego control them

- the best act that someone can perform is one that has the intention of pleasing Allah (swt) and is done with sincerity

D. Build relationships – don’t break relationships

- getting two enemies to become friends will be more rewarded then extra prayers and extra fasting

- One of our natural attributes, as being humans, is that we like to ‘build’ and ‘improve’, upon anything, whether it be knowledge, relationships, work, etc. Not a single one of us, was created by Allah (swt) as naturally disposed to having a destructive character. Our creation is one with attributes of gentleness, nobility, courage, etc. To learn more I encourage you to take a closer look at the ‘creation of Adam (pbuh)’ and the ‘99 Names of Allah (swt)’; I will cover more on this in a later post.

E. Be considerate to everyone, whether you like them or not.

- Love each other for the sake of Allah (swt)

- If there is a discussion and people are sitting in a circle then don’t have your back to another person. This may sound a little extreme, but it goes to show the level of consideration that is shown to each other.

3. The Best Role Model: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) was perfect in character and he ‘acted’ the Quran.

He was the last messenger and established an ‘everlasting message’ (the Quran) that will not be changed until the end of time. Hand in hand with the final revelation (the Holy Quran), he displayed the best character this world had ever seen during his time. After his death, as Muslims we follow his example because his humble display of good character was also an everlasting standard that every Muslim strives to match.

4. Knowledge

Share any knowledge you have.

The most Generous (in order): 1. Allah (swt) 2. Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) 3. Anyone who shares a little knowledge

“the ignorant is not from my Ummah” – Saying of the Prophet (pbuh)

Who is the ‘ignorant’? – the one who is not educating and educating others

5. The 3 Characteristics of the Hypocrite

- he talks lies

- he breaks promises

- they are trusted with something and they steal it/stab the other in the back

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SIDE NOTES:

If we mention/remember Allah (swt) he will mention us to the angels.

You can NEVER lose with Allah (swt), repent for your sins with sincerity and he will forgive you. Remember if you have Allah (swt) you have EVERYTHING. If you don’t have him you have NOTHING.

“Life” is very important

1. It is our collateral for the hereafter

2. the “time” you live in is so precious

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FINAL NOTE:

“Practice good character and you will strengthen the Ummah.”

Halaqa 4-23-08: Self-Reflection and Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave)

Joint Halaqa

Speaker: Sheikh … (I have to find his name)

Topic: Self-Reflection and Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave)

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“Even one with the smallest amount of arrogance in his heart will not make it to Jannat”

Concept: Don’t blame those who oppose Islam or others for their faults. Look at yourself, first. The only way you can strengthen the Ummah is by making yourself a better person.

Don’t Cause Trouble and Insult those who oppose Islam -

1. Show that you love Allah (swt) and the Prophet (pbuh) by acting in a just and respectful manner.
2. Look at yourself. Are you being a good muslim?
3. Always suspect your performance. ex. Are you being good to your neighbor and your friends?
4. Truly believe in Allah (swt); He is the one who takes care of all matters.
5. When you get angry at others b/c they don’t respect Islam and specifically our Prophet, remember that it is Allah (swt) who actually loves the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) more then any of us. Therefore do not grief. For Allah (swt) sees all and he is the ‘King of Kings’. He will deal with the matter if he so wills.
6. When the non-believers complain about Islam, you should find the Ummah stronger. Each person in the Ummah should strive to be the best possible Muslims. They should treat everyone with kindness. Let the non-believers keep complaining, you know well, that the arguments have no substance.

“Don’t be busy complaining/insulting others for their faults”

“Don’t follow your own desires, and sacrifice the satisfaction of being with Allah (swt), by attending a night out with some friends” — In that respect, always ask yourself “Is Allah (swt) happy with me?”

In full measure we need to attain:

1. Only hope in the mercy of Allah (swt)
2. Fear of Allah (swt) = Taqwa ( <– for some this can lead to despair, remember you must balance fear with hope)

How do we embrace Islam in the Best Possible Way?

We need to understand ‘how’ the Companions came to Islam in its totality b/c they were the best of Muslims. We should follow in their footsteps and that of our Prophet (pbuh) if we want to practice Islam the way it should have been practice. The reason why I say ’should have been’ is because to be very honest, many Muslims today, including myself aren’t very good representatives of Islam because they aren’t practicing it properly. Islam is a religion for people of understanding. It is so much more then just memorizing the Quran and doing Salat 5 times a day. Understanding the deeper meanings behind each Surat and reflecting upon our own personal lives can draw us much closer to the truth. One of the main reasons why I have started this blog is to reflect and to think. (Allah (swt) is all merciful and may he forgive us for our ignorance.)

Islam is all about thinking.

How did the Companions come to Islam in its totality?

1. They trusted in Allah (swt)
2. They established the dignity of the Deen; They did not bargain with their desires. (ex. I will skip Salat to go out with friends because I haven’t seen these friends in a long time).
3. Learn Iman first (before the Quran)

“You can’t make it to jannat with just good deeds”

Ch. 18, Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave): Some Insight:

‘It is important to read this Surat on Friday between Fajr and Jummah Prayer’

And if you read the last two verses, (or last ten, someone please confirm), of this Surat before going to sleep then an angel with be by your side and wake you up for fajr in the morning.

1. The first Story in this Surat is of ‘the Youth’

-concept of tawheed
-the youth stood for their deen
-they slept for over 300 yrs and then woke up and were a sign to mankind

ASIDE NOTE: Hereafter – some key points

1. If you are rich and have bounty in this life that does not mean you have bounty in the hereafter
2. Rich vs. Poor : the one is best is the one with true Iman
3. Our Prophet (pbuh) said in a Hadith that the poor on the day of Judgment will be closest to Allah (swt)

2. About Knowledge – This deals with the 3rd story in this Surat with Prophet Musa

-we keep learning until death
-if you took all the Oceans and made them ink for a pen, you would not be able to write out all of the knowledge of Allah (swt) <–’Hadith’? I believe

3. The Fourth Story in this Surat deals with Dhul Qurnain

-Who was he? Most scholars believe that he was just a ‘powerful ruler’ – he had power over the East and West
-He is responsible for protecting us from a great Fitna: Hagog Magog (one of the signs of the day of Judgement- they will be released upon this ‘dunya’ aka world)
-He build the barrier of Iron that separates Hajog Magog from the rest of the world

ASIDE: FINAL NOTE by Our Speaker:

As young people, we need to realize that this world needs powerful Muslims. Powerful = Muslims that are righteous, treat others with respect, they are educated (ex.doctors, lawyers) and they have a strong Iman.

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*Unless otherwise specified, any phrase/sentence in quotation marks above is from the speaker. They may also be from specific Hadiths, Saying of our Prophet (pbuh), etc; however, I am not that knowledgeable yet to distinguish the true representative of the quote. Please add comments to verify the information in quotations if it is from the Hadith, Quran, or a saying of our Prophet (pbuh). I would appreciate all insight; for Islam is all about reflecting and thinking upon the truth. So please leave comments.

JAK