Ramadan Nights : Forgive and Forget!

Forgiveness is perhaps one of the most difficult actions that an individual has to take sometimes. Especially if you were the one who was wronged and hence feel like you  have every right to blame the other person. Sometimes, that person may have hurt you so much that you can't think of anything but getting revenge on them and making them feel exactly (or even worse) than they made you feel. That's normal. However, while revenge seems like a good idea - it rarely is. This is because it leads to a never ending  negative cycle of two people continuously trying to hurt each other, with neither being fully happy until the other person is completely destroyed. This is almost impossible, as hate only breeds more hate and negativity and hence an individual cannot achieve full happiness through hatred or revenge.

Eid Mubarak ! ❤

Eid Mubarak Family ! ❤

We made it Alhamdulilah. May you all have a blessed Eid with your families and friends and Inshallah Allah will forgive all of us for our sins and lead us all to the right path.

Just a few tips to make the best out of this day :)

After Fajer

Shower
Put on your Eid Clothes

Have Dates for Breakfast

Pray with your Family

Say 'Allahu Akbar' on your way to Prayer

Listen to the Lecture

Come back a new & improved you

❤

Tweet me your Eid plans here :)

Stay Blessed & EID MUBARAK !!



Ramadan Nights : Seek Repentance

Salam Everyone !

I recently came across a picture online, which got me thinking quite a lot. The picture is actually, the second picture on this post. It basically shows a guy checking out somethings on the internet he really shouldn't and wouldn't want other people finding out what it is. However, because he is so caught up in doing this dirty habit in private he has forgotten that the most important being is watching him. Allah of course ! The ayat next to it (you can find it in surat al Nisa ayat 108 ) basically explains how some people are so embarrassed from other humans but not Allah, even thought He is with them all the time and He knows everything they do.

This brings me to the topic, how many of us do/ have done things that we're not really proud of. How many of us sin and brush it off ? Or do certain things, that we know if the prophet was standing right in front of us whilst we were doing these things, we would not have the ability to look up ever again ! If you got that really shameful feeling whilst reading the prophet example, imagine how you would feel in judgement day when Allah subhan wa tallah brings the situation up again and you have to face Him?! 

As humans, it is in our nature to commit sins. Abu Huraryrah once narrated the Prophet to have said ' I swear by the One whose hand is my soul. If you did not commit sins, Allah would have surely gotten rid of all of you and He would have surely brought another people who would commit sins - so that they would then seek Allah's forgiveness and so He would forgive them!' As you can see, Allah expects humans to sin however, He also expects humans to seek His forgiveness - because that is one of the main reasons why we were even created. So we can constantly do Tawabah to Allah.

So how do we repent to Allah ?

1 ) One can repent to Allah, by simply saying 'Istaghferallah' (seeking forgiveness) in all sincerity of quitting and never repeating their sin again and being truly sorry about it.

It is said, that the Prophet Muhammed PBUH used to seek forgiveness 70 times a day ! It is also said, if you ask for forgiveness 70 times (that's saying Istaghferallah x 70 ) all of your sins will be washed out, even if they were the size of the ocean. Of course, there is no limits to how many times you seek forgiveness from God because really, this is a matter between you and Him and only He can be the judge of that.

2) The Prophet PBUH said ' Whoever says it during the day with firm faith in it and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise ; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it and dies before the morning he will be from the people of Paradise. '

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلا أَنْتَ

“O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshiped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You.” [Bukhari]

3) The Prophet PBUH said 'whoever commits a sin, then performs wudhu then offers prayer (2 Rak'ahs) seeking forgiveness of God, God will certainly forgive him.'

Tabarani has also quoted the Prophet PBUH saying  'The Scribe on the left delays registering the sin of a Muslim for six hours. If he repents (within the six hours) and seeks Allah's forgiveness, they drop it off. If he doesn't they write it down as a single sin.'

 The Prophet ﷺ tells us in this hadith: “The Scribe on the left delays registering the sin of a Muslim for six hours. If he repents (within these six hours), and seeks Allah’s forgiveness, they drop if off. If he doesn’t, they write is down as a single sin.” [Tabarani]

4) Tasbeeh is another way of seeking forgiveness and repenting. At the end of every Salah, sit for a few moments and remember Allah and say 'Subhanallah' 33 times, 'Alhamdulilah ' 33 times, 'Allahu Akbar' 33 times and after that say the shahadah ' la illah illa allah wahduh la shareek lah, lah il mulk wa lah il hamd wa howa alla kul shay kadeer'( لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له, له الملك, وله الحمد وهو على كل شيء قدير )  

5) The Prophet PBUH also told us, that when we pray the 5 prayers, fast Ramadan, attend the Friday Prayer , then all of our minor sins will be forgiven,

Also, if we constantly seek forgiveness from God and repent, He turns all of our sins in to good deeds :

"Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” [Qur'an, 25:70]

~

Sometime we avoid seeking forgiveness, out of fear of being rejected or that it will be too hard. But how can you avoid seeking forgiveness from Allah, when it is also a form of worshiping Him? 

Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi :

“O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.” [Tirmidhi

Subhanallah ! May Allah forgive all of us for our sins whether they are minor or major, for certainly He is the al Ghafoor (the Forgiving)  and Al Tawab (the One who constantly accepts repentance)

Stay Blessed & Ramadan Mubarak,

Ramadan Nights : Laytul Qadr ♡

Salam Everyone !

Layatul Qadr is the most beneficial and blessed night of the year. Known in English as 'The Night of Power' -  Laytul Qadr is the night in which the Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammed.

Ibn Abaas said ' Allah sent down the Quran at one time from al - Lawh al Mahfooz to Bayt

Ibn ‘Abbaas and others said: “Allaah sent down the Qur’aan at one time from al-Lawh al-Mahfooz to Bayt al-‘Izzah in the first heaven, then it was revealed to the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in stages according to events over twenty-three years.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/529) 

It is truly a blessed night,  where Muslims can earn reward worth over 83 years of worship !

"Whoever spends that night in prayer, seeking Laylat al Qadr then he catches it, his previous and future sins will be forgiven " - Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) 

Every single act of worship performed in this night will be valued as one thousand months of worshiping on any other night.

During Laylatul Qadr, the angels including Jibril descend in great numbers and Allah subhan wa ta-alla gives them knowledge of what is going to happen during the coming year, this includes the earning and the changes in the situations of the slaves. The angels copy the matters that will happen during the coming year  from the Gaurded Tablet, these matters include the births, deaths, sustenance, calamities, enjoyments etc. 

Al- Hakim narrated from the Prophet, that during the Night of Power Jibril comes down with a group of angels and the make Duaa for every slave mentioning Allah.

 It is narrated from Abu Hurrayrah that the number of angels who descend to earth during the night may be more than the number of pebbles on earth - Jibril is reffered to as 'ar Ruh'  in the Surat, will be among them. The angels will descend to earth at sunset and will remain there until dawn.

~

There is some confusion about when exactly does Layaltul Qadr occur. There is a popular belief  that it occurs on the 27th night of Ramadan - however, it is also believed, that Laytul Qadr occurs in the last ten days Ramadan on an 'odd numbered' night to be exact. 

At Tirmidhiyy narrated from Aisha, that she said 'O prophet of Allah, if I encounter the night of Qadr then what should I say?' The Prophet answered 'Say : اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تحِبُّ العَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنَّا ' (O Allah you are the One who forgives a great amount and You love forgiveness, so forgive me.)

As well as that, it is advised that you do extra Salah and make lots of Duaa during this blessed night. As we don't know the exact date of it, it is best that you put as much worship in these last ten days.

Stay Blessed,

Ramadan Nights : Facts you never knew about Salah (prayer)

Did you know ? 

1) Between each Salah you make, the minor sins of yours are forgiven? & Between each Jumaah Salah you make, all the sins of that week are forgiven ? 

Did you know ? 

2) When you carry out proper Wudhu, your sins are washed away. For example,  when you wash your face, all your sins that you committed with your eyes e.g. not lowering your gaze, get washed away too and the same thing applies to when you wash your hands, all the sins that you committed with your hands get washed away likewise with your feet! So by the time you finish Wudhu, you are FREE from sins !

Did you know ? 

3) When you decide to pray in a mosque, every step you take towards the mosque is a sin forgiven and your rank risen in Jannah !

Did you know ? 

4) That when you decide to pray, angels pray for you before you even pray.

Did you know? 

5) When you begin to pray all your sins are on top of you like a mountain and with every sujood you make your sins fall off !

Did you know? 

6) Every time you make a sujood to Allah your rank is risen in jannah and a sin is forgiven ? 

Did you know ?

7) If after each prayer you said :

Subhanallah - 33 times

Alhamdu'allah - 33 times

Allahu Akbar - 34 times

&

La Illah Ila Allah Wahdahu La Shareek Lahu, Lahu Al Mulk Wa Lah Al Hamd Wa Hu Al Alyy Al A'deem - 1 time

.... then ALL YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN !

and remember .... 

.... So why are you not praying yet ? 

Stay Blessed & Ramadan Kareem , 

Ramadan Nights : lectures that will change your life

Salam ,

I've put together a few of my favorite lectures here, that are definitely worth listening to. Hope you have a notebook next to you, to jot down a tips and notes on. Enjoy !

Lectures less than 30 minutes ...

Quit Bad Habits - Wisam Sharieff 

Hold on to the Quran - Nouman Ali Khan

The Party At Jannah - Nouman Ali Khan

Purification of the Soul - Omar Suleiman 

Lectures over 30 minutes...

Islam and Ego - Nouman Ali Khan 

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Lectures over 1 hour ...

Taking Hold of Your Future - Nouman Ali Khan

Salah The Greatest Gift - Farhin Abdul Azeez 

For more great Islamic lectures check out this YouTube page Quran Weekly

& Don't forget to post your favorite Islamic lectures on the comments !

Stay Blessed & Ramadan Kareem, 

Ramadan Nights : Pray your way to Jannah

Salah (prayer) is one of those important daily islamic rituals that unfortunatly many Muslims take for granted. Simply because they don't think they have enough time during the day to dedicate 2 minutes to praising God, or they just don't believe in it's amazing effects on one's life.

Ramadan, is the perfect time to regenerate that connection with God. After all, that is what Salah is all about ; spending a few minutes in deep conversation with God. Personally, after Salah I always feel refreshed and complete. The only times when I don't get that feeling is when I have rushed my Salah or sadly, let other matters get in the way of my concentration. However, this Ramadan I am ready  to make a difference in my prayer practise and I'd like you to join me.

Tips for making the most out of your Salah :

1) Before making your Salah, think of this : Have you ever considered the fact that you are praying to the king of kings ? That when you hear the adhan or check your prayer times, you get this overwhelming feeling that your lord is calling you upon him?

2)  Rather than considering salah as one of those long daily rituals you have to carry out because it's part of the 'deen' - why not look at it as meanginful conversation with God. A time during the day where you put all your worldly matters in the hands of God and ask him to bless you and help you. You know He can.

3) When you're praying avoid looking up at the sky or around you, no matter how fidgety you can be. This only makes you distracted and will take the worth out of your Salah. How would you like it if you are having a conversation with someone and they keep turning away ? The best way to stop this from happening, is praying in a quiet room away from all the noise and distractions of life.

4) Avoid being paranoid . By that I mean, don't overthink stuff like 'did you carry out wudhu properly' 'how many sajadah have you got left' again that will only distract you. It's also shaytaan's greatest weapons against you to make you stay away from practising the perfect prayer. So whenever you feel paranoid istaeed be Allah from the shaytan .

5) Don't recite your prayers silently and don't recite them too loud. Try to reach a medium. This will stop your thoughts from getting you confused with your recitation and also increase your concentration levels.

6) Give each letter, each movements and each duaa its moment. Just because 'allahu akbar' takes less time and less effort than the 'tashawud' doesn't mean you take it less seriously.

7) Take your time! That soap opera your watching is not going to vouch for you on judgement day. Set your priorities straight.

DID YOU KNOW ?

Namaaz means Compulsory Prayer.

A practise that I'd like to do during this holy month is incorperating Sunnah Salah to my daily compulsory salah.  I have always wanted to do this however, life tends to get in the way and I never really got the chance. However, this Ramadan is the perfect time to make a new habit.

If you don't know what sunnah salah is, its basically the extra prayers that Prophet Muhammed PBUH used to do along with his compulsory prayers.

The Sunnah Prayers are :

Fajer : 2 extra Rak'ahs before compulsory fajr salah

Dhuhr : 4 extra Rak'ahs before compulsory dhuhr salah and 2 Rak'ahs after.

Maghrib : 2 Rak'ahs after compulsory maghrib salah

Isha : 2 Rak'ahs after compulsory isha salah and 1,3,5,7 or 9 Rak'ahs of Witr.

Let's make our Salah as perfect and as complete as possible during this Ramadan. Inshallah this will become one of the many GOOD habits that we develop this holy month.

Stay Blessed,

Ramadan Nights : GETTING READY !

The best way to make the most out of something, is to prepare for it beforehand. Ramadan, is no different !

As the most spiritual month of them all, Ramadan requires so much preparation and dedication than any other month in your life and by that, I don't mean buying lots of food from the store, as if you were going in to hibernation mode! Not at all. I am talking about, doing the little things that will Inshallah bring you further to being a better person, a better Muslim and of course being closer to God.

So here's my top tips to making the most out of this month :

1) Ramadan is a time where you reflect on your past actions, your habits and your personality as well as relationships. Its the time to repent, regroup and refocus. So I really advice you guys, to get a notebook , get some time to yourself and just think back at all your habits that you'd like to change, things that you've done that you're not particularly proud of or you know you could have done better and just think and write everything that comes to your head. Then, on a new page , write down all the things that you'd like to be (or do) it doesn't matter how big or little they are, how far-fetched or down right simple just write . it . down. think forward. On, the third page write down a list of all your future & present plans and all the traits that you'd like to have and be. I personally like to focus on my personality during this excersice simply because I am always focusing on my career and my outer-self on regular days, so I like to spend Ramadan on changing my inner self.

2) Start thinking of ways of reaching your goals. Put your plans to action straight away e.g. if one of your goals is to spend more time with your family , start by offering to help your parents or one of your siblings with something. They'd appreciate it and you'd start to see the results of your goal in no time! Also, don't forget to make loads of duaa's in order for your goals to come true and also to have Allah's blessing.

3) Ramadan is about having a fresh start. So get rid of all the extra baggage before the month starts - by making amends with those who you are not talking to ( if you can't just make a duaa for them ) Forgive those who have hurt you or done you wrong and don't just tell yourself to forgive them really think about it and mean it (again if you can't just say 'hasbee allah wa ni'im el wakeel' and leave it for Allah to deal with) This is also a really good time, to stay away from bad friends (those who have the wrong influence on you) try to keep good company ( the mosque is a good place to start, maybe your family too?)

4) Get your Quran ready & arrange a little plan that will get you reading the Quran every night.

5) Get your prayer timetable ready.

6) Thank Allah for the year you've had and for everything. Ask for forgivness for your past mistakes. Start now.

7) Shower and wash away the year you've just had because you're about to embark on your best year yet . Starting from this month.

Are you ready ? 

A Thousand Ramadan Nights

It is now that the gates of heaven have been open, now that the gates of hell have been closed. It is now that the devils have been chained. And it is now that Allah(swt) has given you the chance to live to witness this night, and to inshaAllah witness this blessed month till its end. Remember that He(swt) has granted you the blessing of living to witness this for a reason. (quote taken from http://calltothewayofallah.tumblr.com}

  Don't waste it. Think. Reflect. Repent. Make A CHANGE.   

It brings me the greatest pleasure to wish everyone reading this blog.... a very happy and BLESSED RAMADAN! 

This holy month, I am going to be introducing a special edition segment to my blog called 'A thousand Ramadan Nights'. Basically, this segment will last for the entire month - during this time, I will be posting up all kinds of advice, tips, duaa's, videos etc on a daily basis (that's every night folks!) to help YOU make the most out of YOUR Ramadan. 

I really cannot wait to get started, Ramadan is my FAVOURITE month of them all and the fact, that this year I will be sharing my journey through it with my readers makes me even more happier!

Inshallah it will all be worth it ♥ 

♥ RAMADAN KAREEM ♥ 

Success in Life

I've recently stumbled on some really inspirational lecture videos presented by my favourite Islamic lecturer - Nouman Ali Khan. They are really motivational and I'm posting them up for all my lovely readers, so hopefully they can inspire you as much as they have inspired me.

I really recommend for all of you to listen to them because they honestly can  have a great impact on your mind & encourage you to think a different way about controversial things, that will make you (inshallah) wiser and a better person.

As always, I don't think it matters whether you're muslim or not whilst watching the video - because although the message he is presenting is in islamic context and presented to an islamic audience , I believe anyone can learn from it. That's the beauty of Islam, it's a way of life for everyone. :)

Here are the two videos I listened to this morning...

Video #1 : Take hold of your future by Nouman Ali Khan

Video #2: The man with two gardens by Nouman Ali Khan

For more of this amazing man's videos, check out this insightful youtube page ~> Nak Collection. Which has a large collections of Nouman's lectures to listen to and watch.

Stay Blessed,



Smile ! It's good for you

"Smile It's Charity (Sadaqa)"

The best charity you can ever give someone is ... a smile ! This small gesture, that spreads positive energy and shows your happy mood is said to decrease blood pressure, stress levels and make you look more attractive.

" A smile is a message about yourself – that your heart is pure and that you are not infected by anxieties, hang-ups, and gloom. A smile is an instant message to those you know as well as those you do not know. It is received and understood even before you speak to or greet someone, and makes that person more receptive to what you have to say." {1}

You see when you smile , your brain releases hormones called endorphins into the bloodstream , which are natural pain killers that make you feel good and happy. Endorphins are also known to have other health benefits like reducing depression symptoms and stress; it has been scientifically proven that the higher the endorphin levels in your system, the less negative emotions and stress we deal with.

Abdullah Ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I never came across a person who smiled as much as the Prophet (peace be upon him)." {2}

Smiling is part of the sunnah. It's one of the little things that make a big difference that the prophet Muhammed (PBUH) demonstrated for his ummah. Something, that we should apply to our everyday life.  As the prophet was once quoted, “Your smile for your brother is charity.” People are more likely to co-operate with someone who is smiling at them as the saying goes ... a smile goes a million miles.

Smiling, is contagious. It lightens your mood and those around you, makes you attractive and improves your general health. It's the amazing ! Did you know , that people find it difficult to frown when someone else is smiling at them ? & That it takes more facial muscles to produce a frown than a smile? Smiles use only 5 muscles of all 53 muscles in your face. It's also natural - babies start smiling in their sleep as soon as they're born ! Studies have shown , that girl babies tend to smile a lot earlier and more than boy babies. For more smiley facts click here

Keep Smiling & Stay Blessed,

Bibliography : Prophet Quote fact benefits of smiling smiling quotes smiley facts

           

Friday Inspiration :)

Benefits of Surat Al Khaf ♡

Every practising muslim, knows that Friday is not a day to joke about - it's the most holiest day in the week (in Islam) where one is encouraged, to pray , stay away from sins and read the quran whilst engaging in as many good deeds as possible.

Surat Al Khaf is one of those Friday reading rituals , that the prophet encouraged the ummah to take part in. Yes,  reading any surat in the quran on a Friday, will grant you many blessings and is highly encouraged. However, Surat Al Khaf was particularly mentioned by the Prophet Muhammed himself to be read on a friday.

This blessed surat, has been  said to have  the benefit of protecting the reader (you) away from trouble and 'fitnah' during the week (between this friday until next friday) . It has also been said, that it is was highlighted by Muhammed PBUH as one on of the surats, that will make the reader immune to the Djaal when his time comes, to disease the world. As well as that, this surah has many interesting stories that give you tips and advice to apply to your everyday life.

 "Whoever reads (Suratul) Kahf on yaumul Jumuah, he is immune for 8 days from all fitnah that will happen. When the Dajjal comes out, he will be immune to him." - Muhammed PBUH (Ibn Mardwiyah Al Daiya' in "Al Mukhtaar" related that Ali ~ may Allah be pleased with him ~ said that the Messenger of Allah ~ stated this)

Personally everytime I read this surat, I learn something new either, by interpreting a particular line in a different way, or just straight up focusing more on a point that I didn't neccessarily notice the time before. It surprises me, at how much I can relate the stories and the advice given in it, to my week and everyday life. Subhanallah, everytime I read it - it feels like it was written just for me. It's true what they say, the Quran is definitly like having a one on one conversation with Allah. Surat Al Khaf , is deffo one of those surat's that can help you to digest your week and think of what you have accomplished and how well it went. 

My favourite story, in this surat is the one about Musa when he meets this wise man and he does things that Musa  doesn't understand and then eventually he tells him why. Look out for that story when you read it :)

If you're in a rush, don't own a quran or just interested what this surat is about (Muslim OR non-Muslim) I have posted this video (taken from youtube)that has an audio recitation of the Surat, with ENGLISH and ARABIC translations - for you to read and listen to at the same time.

Listen and Read with an open mind and marvel at how amazing and true this blessed surat is !

Stay Blessed and JUM3A MUBARKA

 

Pray Just Do It !

Yoga, excerise, therapy lessons are all great ways to get over a stressful way and unwind however, none are quiet as effective as the good old traditional method of 'prayer'. Almost every single religion out there, encourages it's followers to do some form of excersice known as 'prayer'. In Islam, it is reffered to as 'salah' and practising muslims have to apply 'salah' in to their everyday life, practising it 5 times a day - at certain time intervals.

This does not only, help to organise your day  - as one usually finds themselves planning out their everyday tasks around their prayers but it also, keeps you in check with your emotions and well being.

Imagine that, 5 times a day being allowed to zone out the world and focus solely on yourself and your deeds/ your creator. It's amazing. Especially, if it's done right. You'll feel, more calm, happier and energisid.

It has been scientifically proven that the simple excersices carried out during salah, help to relieve tension in the body and improve blood circulation. As well as, improve your overall fitness. Don't believe me? Check out this site for a detailed coverage of  how salah affects your body.

Thats why, for salah ... prayer ... I say ... JUST DO IT!

Stay Blessed,

Remember Allah & He Will Remember You ♡

They say, when you feel really depressed , hopeless and that you're missing something in your life. Then it's really your hearts' way of telling you, it's missing it's creator. They say, that the heart needs the nourishment of the deen aka religion and some time devoted to it's creator - God in order to be healthy and so when you feel like you're heartbroken and theres nothing much you can do with life ... because lets admit it life sucks sometimes; it's your heart moaning 'hey man, I need to have a conversation with God.'

Once upon a time, I wasn't close to Islam as I am now. I went through this phase in my life, when I was really caught up with the world. I was intact with my religion, doing the basics like praying, fasting etc but I didn't really understand much of it - just the basic things that I needed to know. At that time, I would go through these phases, when I got really depressed and peeved at the world. Teenage hormones what can I say??  Anyway, so I picked up the Quran, after a suggestion from my dad and I started reading it. After reading a couple of pages, I started feeling a lot better. Like this huge lump was taking off my chest and I could breathe again, feeling much more happier, relaxed and pleased with myself. I can't really explain the feeling, you have to feel it yourself. But, it's very different from any sort of happiness that you can get.So now, everytime my heart starts to hurt abit and I feel uncomfortable or unsatisfied with life, I pick up the Quran and just read. Any surat, any time, anywhere. It's the perfect remedy, to fix a broken heart and an unsatisfied mind.

I definetly recommend it. Try it and once you get that feeling I just told you about, I promise you won't regret it. ~ The best advice you can get, is from your creator. The best conversation you can have is with your creator~

Stay Blessed,

Surat Yusif ♡

Surat Yusif, is probably my favourite surat out of the whole Quran. It tells the story of a young boy, prophet Yusuf, who was taken away from his father by his brothers and throwen in to a well. He was then found by strangers and taken in to slavery, followed by a series of events that caused him to be imprisoned and eventually he became governor of Eygpt. It's a very motivating story because it reminds me that no matter how bad life gets and we feel lost, God is always there watching our every move. The surat is constantly reminding us, that Allah has a plan for everyone ; just like he did for Prophet Yusif. As long as , we stay positive and keep close to God and try our hardest to stay away from the temptations that this life holds, God will take care of us and lead us to the right path.

So ofcourse, I read to this surat everytime I don't really feel well and a bit dazed by life. It's also a great surat to read when you're sitting there and in need of some motivation ; there is so many advice given in this surat that I feel relate to me as a person but, ofcourse they will relate to everyone in a different way. Whilst researching about this surat, I was surprised to read that the surat was sent down to Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) for the same reasons, that I love reading it - motivation.  It was sent down at a time when Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) was dealing with some family issues ; he had just lost his dear wife Khadja (R.A) and his uncle Abu Talib and was being treated horribly by the people in his community , 'Abu Talib'. Allah sent down this surah Yusif to motivate , Muhammed (pbuh) that even people before him had times of difficulties and troubles and that he is not alone. Subhannallah.

Surat Yusuf is also said to be the first Surat to be revealed as a whole and not in bits like the other Surats , it also said to help ease the pain of pregnant women whilst giving birth.

Prophet Muhammed PBUH said. " Teach your relatives the recitation of Surat Yusuf, any muslim who recites it or teachs it to his family, Allah shall ease for him the agony of death and give him the strength that will prevent him from envying a fellow muslim."


This video , shows the entire reading of Surah Yusuf . It is read in arabic however, there are english subtitles on the screen to help explain the events that unfold in it. I really hope you will take some time and watch this video . It's really amazing especially that feeling you get after listening to it. Enjoy.

If you would like to study more about this surat of the blessed prophet Yusuf then visit this website : http://muslimmatters.org/2011/04/22/the-best-of-stories-pearls-from-surah-yusuf-part-1/ it is a very informative site that talks about the surat with much more depth and includes a video by a Shaykh.

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Stay Blessed,

 

The Benefits of Ayat Al Kursi ♡

Everyone knows that the Quran is a great way to keep bad things away and learn about anything you need to know, to living a blessed life. However, there is an ayat in particular that even the prophet Muhammed PBUH spoke of, that is said to give it's reader great benefits in this life and the after life upon reading it. Unless you haven't read the title of this article then by now you should know that the ayat is ... Ayat Al Kursi. (It is found on verse 254 - 255 of the Quran I believe in Surat Al Baqara).

Here are some of the many advantages of this blessed ayat :

1 - It is the cheif ayat of the Quran & is said to be from the threshold of the throne of Allah.
2- It includes 'Ism el Azeem' (the blessed name of Allah, that when made in a duaa the duaa will be fulfilled )
3-  Whoever recites ayat al Kursi after each prayer will be protected until the next prayer ; and there will be no barrier between him/her from Jannah (paradise) except for death.
4- When it is read before bed, God will send down an angel to protect the reader until morning.
5- Whoever reads it upon entering a home ; Satan will find it impossible to stay and will run away.
6-  When the ayat is recited upon leaving your home ; Allah will send down 70,000 angels to do 'istighfaar' (repent) for the you.
7-  When the ayat is recited in the morning, the reader will be protected by Allah until the evening.
8-  When the ayat is recited ,the reader, his children, home, wealth, property and the homes of his neighbours are safe.
9 - When recited with the last Ayat of Surah Baqarah then the plea of the reader will not go unattended.
10 - Whosoever reads it together with the last Ayats of Surah Baqarah (including ayat al kursi), Shaitaan does not enter his home for at least three days.
11- When one is alone in the house, recitation of Ayatul Kursi and asking Allah for help will make you remain calm and you will not fear.

Here are some quotes by the Prophet Muhammed PBUH and other holy men about the ayat :

 Hadhrat Abu Qatada (RA) narrates that Prophet (SAW) : Whoever reads Ayatul Kursi and the last Ayat of Surah Baqarah when in difficulty, then Allaah listens to that plea."

Hadhrat Ibne Anas (ra) says the Prophet  (saw) said: The one who recites Ayatul Kursi after every Fard Salaat, Allaah will grant him a gratifying heart, actions of the truthful and reward like the prophets (ambiya) .Special mercies will descend upon him, and death is the only barrier from his entrance into Jannat. On dying he will enter Jannat"

Hadhrat Ibne Masood (ra) says that a person requested Rasulallaah (saw) to teach him something that will benefit him. "Nabi (saw) said "Read Ayatul Kursi, it will protect you, your children, home and even those houses surrounding your house."

Holy Prophet (SAWW) said: Qur’an is a great word, and Surae Baqarah is the leader of the Qur’an and Ayatul Kursi is the leader of Surae Baqarah. In Ayatul Kursi there are 50 words and for each word there are 50 blessings and good in it

Allah told Prophet Musa (AS): If one recites it after every salaat, the Almighty will make his heart a thankful one (Shakireen), will give him a reward of the prophets, and his deeds will be like those of the truthful (Siddiqeen).

Holy prophet (SAWW) said: whoever recites the first 4 ayats of Surae Baqarah, then Ayatul Kursi and then the last 3 ayats of Surah e Baqarah, will not be inflicted with any kind of difficulty in his wealth or himself, Satan will not come near him and he will not forget the Qur’an.

Ayat Al Kursi (in English - arab pronounciation) :

Allahu la ilaha illa huwa Al -Haiyul-Qaiyum
La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm
lahu ma fi as-samawati wa ma fil-'ard
Man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnihi
Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum
wa la yuhituna bi shai'in min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'a
Wasi'a kursiyuhus-samawati wal ard
wa la ya'uduhu hifdhuhuma wa Hu wal 'Aliyul-Adheem

If you don't have any time to read it or you don't own a Quran , take some time and listen to this beautiful recitation of the ayat (EVEN if you are not Muslim) :

This is also a really good website to read the Quran online : http://www.quranflash.com/en/quranflash.html

To read more about the benefits of quran click here

I always wanted to announce to all you guys ... to check out & follow 'muslim941' on instagram ! They post very beneficial posts about Islam including daily duas ! Really encourage you all to check it out :) so Inshallah we all benefit ! :)

Stay Blessed,

For the Love of Allah ♡

Ibn Qayyim said that there are ten things that bring about the love of Allah:

1) Recitation of the Quran with reflection and with understanding of its meanings.

2) Seeking closeness to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after having performed obligatory ones, for that leads one to the highest levels of love.

3) Remembering Allah during every situation—with one’s time, heart, and deeds…one’s share of that love is to the degree of one’s share in that remembrance.

4) Preferring what He loves to what you love when your desires are strong.

5) Allowing your heart to reflect of His Name and Attributes.

6) Reflection on His many favors and blessings, both the apparent ones and the hidden ones, for that leads to His love.

7) Having your heart softened as it is worshipping Allah.

8) Being alone with Him in worship when He descends during the last third of the night. And this means to invoke Him, to recite His Speech, to stand with all sincerity and with good manners and with good submission, and then to end that with repentance and with seeking His forgiveness.

9) Sitting with those who are truthful in their love of Allah.

10) Staying away from all that creates barriers between the heart and Allah.

Not so hard is it ?

Stay Blessed ,



Cure for a Bad Day ♡

O Allah You are The One Who pardons greatly, and loves to pardon, so pardon me.

I love this dua, I always try to remember it whenever I have a bad day or get in to a sticky situation. Oh and for those who don't know what 'Allah' means... it's 'God' in arabic. Islam, has taught me that people will change, times will change, minds will change but one thing that will always stay the same is the AlMighty. He will always be there, He will always be watching, His love for his creations is endless , even stronger than the love of a mother to her newborn baby. So, when my world seems to be crashing ... I turn to him. Even though it is tempting sometimes, to blame everyone and everything include Allah but, that's what the Shaytan wants from us. It's one of his oldest most effective tricks. However, it's really important to remember that Allah has put you in to the situation, as a test , it is the Shaytan who is trying to make you fail and Allah is the only one who can get you past it. Turn to him because you know that you don't have anyone else to turn to.

This is a really motivating video by one of my favourite Islamic Lecturers , Nouman Ali Khan. Please Watch it, it really inspired me !

Allahu Akbar ♡





Remember, relax , chill ... God knows exactly where you are and where you are heading. He's going to bless you very soon !

Stay Blessed,