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 : Islam for Success

This video is a classic example as to why the Islamic population of the planet need to step up their game.  The Quran is packed with useful tips about being successful and racing in the direction of success however, some of us sadly, are too blind to see.

Here are a few tips that will (insh'allah) guide you to SUCCESS:

1) Have Faith & Do Good : By having faith and believing that everything in life happens for a reason and that Allah has a plan just for you; you are less likely to be depressed when things don't go your way. Actually, you'll go the exact opposite and you will work even harder praying that Allah is guiding you to something even better and more worth your time. Something you know you deserve.

“How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This does not apply to anyone but the believer.” - Prophet Muhammed PBUH(Narrated by Muslim, no. 2999).

2) Focus on the PRESENT : As tempting as it is sometime to hang around in the past because it's 'safer', you just have to accept the fact that the past is history.  It's not coming back, no you don't have a time machine and there is no such thing as that rewind remote control that would be so useful if it only just existed ! But what you do have, is 'istaghfaar' (seeking forgiveness) from Allah. That, my friend is even more powerful than any imaginery time machine. Use it wisely - especially during this holy month when the gates of heaven are open and hell all closed. Also, it's completly natural to focus on the future and obsess over it , I know I did almost everyday - a horrible habit I know which caused me so much stress, mentally and physically ! But did you know, that the future is unknown ? It doesn't exist ! No one can define your future aside from God ! So if you want an amazing future, then just improve your relationship with subhana- wa- ta'alah by praying to him, asking for forgiveness, making lots of duaa's for yourself and your family and even strangers and of course trusting him and building a good relationship with Him.

3) PRAY : I cannot even explain the importance of prayer (salah) from the amount of times that its mentioned in the Quran , almost every surat I believe , to the amount of times its mentioned in the hadiths. Prayer is the ultimate key to success and getting what you want in this world and the next. So make sure you keep up with your prayers , the mandotary ones, the sunnah ones and any other extra ones you wish to do. If you do , have issues with carrying out your salah or maybe you'd like a few tips on how to make your salah as beneficial as possible I highly recommend you clink on this link .

4) Trust Allah : In Arab the word for trusting Allah, is called 'itwakil' which basically means handing over your problems to God and trusting him to guide you to the right direction. This certain excersice really depends on your faith with God but, once you are able to 'itwakil' then you will have so many less headaches and you will be able to live a much happier and inshallah a better blessed life.

Some more tips on how to be successful by Brother Nouman Ali Khan ...

I hope this post has inspired you to be successful in your life. If you do have any more tips you would like to share, please don't hesitate to comment below. I look forward to reading your input.

Stay Blessed & Ramadan Mubarak,

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,

Secrets of Truly Happy People

Hey Dolls !

I recently found this really inspirational video on YouTube that , changed my day by making me even more inspired and helped me deal with this little dillemma that has been taking over my life lately.

Bubz Tips in a Nutshell

1. Your FUTURE has no room for your PAST.
2. SUFFERING comes from believing your thoughts. So never hesitate to question your thoughts, just like you'd question everything else.
3. Always focus on, SOLUTION , LESSON LEARNT, ACCEPTING then of course MOVING FORWARD!
4.  Mind your own business, worry about your life.
5. Focus your energy on being positive than being negative.
6. What you give you recieve - so give out happiness and you will receive happiness!

I also really liked Bubz story about the wolves , the bitter wolf and happy wolf . It reminded me of another story I read in Rhonda Byrne's bestseller 'The Power', where she referred to emotions as wild horses. So whenever you find yourself angry, sad or just frustrated you just think of yourself as being on a wild horse that represents that emotion and then laugh it off and tell yourself to get off the horse !


Always aspire to be the best you can be. You're the main star of your lifestory so what do you want to be ? ♥

Stay Blessed,

February Swag ♡

Posing on the Train Station

Train Ride with my Bag

Comfy, sexy boots with a cute , preppy bag to match - that's the look I like to go for, when I am putting together an outfit. As I live in London and I am constantly moving around the city, it's all about the comfy shoes and being able to carry all my things at the same time.

The boots, which my mom bought me as a present ; are to die for ! It was love at first sight. They are so much comfier than they look and I especially love the 'wooly' look on the inside and outside - they are so fun to walk in. As for the bag, it's actually my school bag, I use another bag for my 'out of school' outings. But it's pretty big and light on the shoulder. I also keep getting stopped and asked where I got it from , as apparently it's trop cute. What do you think?

Tweet me HERE and tell me what you think.

Stay Blessed,



Blue Blood Series ♡

So if you follow me on twitter then you have probably seen me get high over the addictive book series by  Melissa de La Cruz "Blue Bloods". I cannot stress how much I love this series, I actually have read the whole book series in one month and I am currently waiting thirstly, for the last installment of the series , 'Gates of Paradise' which is out January 2013.

It's been a while since I got hooked on a book, the reason being is that after reading so many books in my time. I got used to the style of the writer and would accuratly guess the ending of each story half way through, which isn't really fun and after a while very boring. Which is why when I got hold of 'Blue Bloods'I was elated to find a book , that was always one step ahead of the read ; Melissa de la Cruz definitly knows what a 'cliffhanger' is no joke.

The story is set in New York city and it revolves around the life of the upper class of the upper east side. It is revolves around a high school outcast , 'Schuyler Van Alen' who later finds out that she is a vampire and so are all the 'popular' , talented classmates at school are, including the exceptionally hot Jack Force. Schuyler's secret crush and her arch rivals brother and bondmate. She also finds out that her bestfriend , 'Oliver' has actually known about her secret all along and  has been assigned to protect her and support her ever since his birth, it's a family tradition. Cruz gives a twist to the 'vampire themed story' by giving the vampires a history ; as fallen angels, who are now reformed and trying to win their place back to God's heaven. The backstory is a bit more complicated and interesting than I have stated, but you know - you have to read the book , as Melissa teasingly feeds you all the best bits across each page turning book. Alas, this is not just your average high school , gossip girl themed story book packed with mean girls and heart throbbing jocks. Hell no, that's only the first book really; which spells everything out for you so you can understand and guess the clues that are later introduced in the other books. Oh and by the way, each book is set in a different country, how cool is that? The first book is in New York, the one that follows is set in Venice after that , Rio then Paris and then Eygpt (and a couple of glimpses in to 'hell'). The last book which I read, 'Lost in Town' ended with the characters heading to Londontown so I am guessing that , that's where 'the Gates of Paradise' will be set and honestly I can't wait ! London is my hometown and I can't wait to read about Schuyler, Jack , Oliver , Mimi and the rest of the gang strolling down the same streets that I walk around on a daily basis!

If you love to read fashion magazines like Teen Vogue and idle over hollywood hits like 'Gossip Girl' and 'The Vampire Diaries' or have any interest in romance, fashion and a little bit of vampire action with history and some religious inspired concepts then this is the book for you! My favourites are, Masquerade and Lost in Time. So, when you read those keep me updated as I would love to hear what you think of them.

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.

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE for more posts & TWEET me on http://twitter.com/nouralovee 

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,