10 USELESS MATTERS ....

Assalaamulaikum Warahmatulahi Wabarkatahu dear brothers and sisters! x

I Pray that you all are well in health and Iman!
There are many things in life we do, without thinking, without thinking if it goes against Islam, if it goes against the Sunnah! And most importantly if this certain action displeases Allah SWT.
Let us take a look at 10 matters, recognize how and why its a waste of time, and refrain from doing this in the future InshAllah.

“There are ten useless matters that cannot be benefited from:
1• Knowledge that is not implemented
(i.e. reading/studying Qur'an and Sunnah but not implementing its teachings in our lives)

2• An action that is empty of sincerity, and is not based on the correct example (e.g. not giving Sadaqah at gatherings because we want to help but rather we give not to look stingy or cheap and tight with our money.)

3• Wealth that is hoarded, as the owner neither enjoys it during this life, nor obtains any reward for it in the Hereafter (e.g. having money and not spending in the path of Allah)

4• The heart that is empty of love and longing for Allāh, and empty of seeking closeness to Him (i.e. rather longing for the love of another which is haraam for us, and seeking closeness to the Duniya instead!)

5• A body that does not obey and serve Allāh (e.g. not praying Salah or submitting to Allah's commands which will bring us closer to the Creator)

6• Loving Allāh without seeking His pleasure

7• Time that is not spent in expiating sins or seizing opportunities to perform deeds of righteousness that will bring one closer to Allāh (e.g. not making Tawbah and not constantly seizing moments to achieve hasanah (rewards) for good deeds)

8• A mind that thinks about issues which bring about no benefit (e.g. stressing over petty dunya related matters)

9• Serving those who neither bring you close to Allāh or benefit you in your life (e.g. the misguided)

10• Hoping and fearing one who is under the authority of Allāh, and whose forehead is in His Hand, while he cannot bring any benefit, harm, life, death, or resurrection to himself. (e.g. fearing the creation, rather than the Creator)

However, the greatest of these matters is the wasting of the heart, and the wasting of time.
Wasting the heart is done by preferring this worldly life over the Hereafter, and wasting time is done by having incessant (persistent, never-ending) hopes.
All evil is in following one’s desires and having incessant hopes, while all goodness is found in following the right path and preparing oneself to meet Allāh, and Allāh is the source of Assistance.”

Here, the Imam summarized all evils into these two issues; wasting of the heart, and wasting of time.
Wasting the heart; done by preferring this worldly life over the Hereafter, and
Wasting time; done by having incessant hopes.

And incessant hopes and the following of one’s desires are the ultimate manifestation of evil.

{Taken from the late Imam ‘Abdullah Azzam, from his book; ‘al-Fawā’id,’}

May this tiny bit of Ilm (knowledge) be of benefit to us, and InshAllah may it be a stepping stone to reform ourselves for the sake and pleasure of Allah SWT.

Wassalaam, XXX MEHAK XXX

Easy Peasy But Only A Few Do It

`Abdullah bin `Amr reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

There are two acts that no Muslim worshiper does consistently but that he will enter Jannah. And though they are easy , only few people perform them:

1. After each of the five prayers, say tasbih (SubhanAllah) ten times, tahmid (alhamdulillah) ten times and takbir(allahu akbar) ten times. This makes one hundred and fifty (daily extollments) by tongue, and one thousand five hundred (good deeds) in the scale.
2. Upon going to bed, say takbir thirty four times, tahmid thirty three times, and tasbih thirty three times. This makes one hundred extollments by tongue and and one thousand good deeds in the scale.

So who among you would commit two thousand five hundred sins in one day( to counter that)?

The Prophet then added:

Satan comes to a person while he is ready to sleep, and makes him fall asleep before he finishes saying them; and he comes to him after the prayer and reminds him of something he needs to do instead of saying them.

Recorded by Abu Dawud, at Tirmithi and others. Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (Sahih ut Targhib wat-Tarhib)

Taken from: http://cityisoc.com/islam/290/easy-peasy-but-only-a-few-do-it/

Annual Events Coming up!

Alhamdulillah I'm pleased to announce the London Tarbiyyah Conference in Association with Madina Masjid (Clapton) and Masjid e Quba (Stamford Hill)
Date: Saturday 28th June 2008
Venue: Masjid e Quba, Stamford Hill, 70-72 Cazenove Road, London N16 6AA
Time : Between Zohar and Asr (1.30pm onwards)
For Brothers & Sisters (separate facility next door at NLMCC)
Confirmed Speakers:

Shaykh Abdur Raheem Limbada (Senior Hadith Lecturer, Darul Uloom Bury)
Mufti Abdur Rahman Ibn Yusuf (ZamZam Academy & White Thread Press, USA)
Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq (Al Kawther Academy, Leicester)
Mufti Mohammed Ibn Adam (Darul Iftaa, Leicester)
Shaykh Irfan Sidyot (Lantern of Knowledge)
With Qur'anic Recitation and Nasheeds from:
Qari Mehdi Rahimi
Qari Shaykh Yasser Balesaria
Delawar Ehsaan
There will be a Q&A Workshop with Mufti Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf and Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam...please send all advance questions to:
info@masjidequba.org.uk


Refreshments will be available and there will be stalls where you can buy books etc.
Bus: 67, 73, 76. 106, 149, 243, 253, 254, 276, 349, 393, 476
Tube: Seven Sisters, Finsbury Park, Manor House
Train: Stoke Newington
Supported by Turath Publishing, ZamZam Academy & White Thread Press


Hope and Inshallah Everyone can make it!

AND ALSO:

Lantern of Knowledge (Jamia Siraj al Uloom) Annual Jalsah

Sunday 29th June 2008 at 1.30pm after Zohar.

Guest Speakers:
Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat Saheb
Shaykh Saleem Nawab Saheb

Shaykh Abdur Raheem Limbada

Programme Includes:
a dars of hadith (completion of Riyad al Saliheen)
Bayan from a host of students and scholars
Qirat Nasheeds
Completion of Hifz
Students Presentation Ceremony

'The Prodigy of Creation' will also be launched on this day.

Venue:

Lantern of Knowledge Educational Institute, 30-36 Lindley Road, Leyton, London, E10 6QT
Nearest Station: Leyton
Buses: 69,97
Tel: 020 8539 5183

Brothers ONLY event but will be recorded for sisters who can't attend the event.

ALL OF THE ABOVE EVENTS A FREE FOR EVERYONE TO ATTEND!

SUMMER ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES COURSES

Assalaamu 'Alaykum Warahmatullah,

Summer is here and for many of us it means a time to chill and relax before the new academic year starts. Not that there's anything wrong in that, in fact I think we all deserve to relax after the year we've had, especially since we've just finished our exams. However, we also need to make use of the time we have and to be careful not to waste our time by going to movies and hangin' out with friends doing idle stuff. Lets use this summer insha'Allah to please Allah subhanahu wa ta'la and gain more knowledge of the Deen.

Arabic-courses presents a two month summer intensive arabic and islamic studies programme in which you will be taught by a Madinah University Arabic Instructor. There will be three different courses running at different levels to cater for the varying levels of the people; all aimed at teaching the Muslims how to understand the Qur’aan and Islaam. There are lessons available for sisters only, taught by sister Hira Amin.

This is an opportunity for those who don’t know anything about the Arabic language, or those who have some knowledge to go ahead. There are lessons available with segregation and also for sisters only.

Date: 7th July-29th August *(Note: The date of the leaflet is wrong, please ignore that)

Time: 9:00am-1:00 pm

Free books and extra materials will all be provided!

Lessons will be held 4hours a day/5 days a week.

Cost: £300

ISLAMIC STUDIES COURSES:

This is a new course being offered for those who want to further their knowledge with Arabic in Islamic context. This course will run for 8 weeks in the afternoon covering the following subjects:

• History of the Prophets and the Salaf
  
• An in-depth study of the Qur’aa n, tafseer and how tafseer is done


• An in-depth study of the Sunnah and the chain of narration


• Science of fiqh and its usool (foundations)


• Islamic economics, judicial system and politics
  

Date: 7th July-29th August

Time: 2:00pm-5:00pm

Venue: Southampton Row, London WC18 (near Tottenham court rd)

3hours a day/5 days a week

Cost: FREE

Upon completion of the comprehensive courses in both Arabic and Islamic lessons, all students will be presented with the following:

i) "Certificate of Achievement";

ii) Detailed description of what the student achieved;

iii) Examination results including the final exam;

iv) A "Recognised Letter of Recommendation" for those amongst the Brothers who wish to pursue further studies at the Islamic University of Madeenah. Please note, the "Recognised Letter of Recommendation" is currently only available to participating Brothers as the Islamic University of Madeenah is a male-only University.

To book or for more information please refer to their website:


E-mail: contact-us@arabic-courses.com

Website: http://www.arabic-courses.com/ or http://www.arabic-courses.com/summer2008/acis.html

Very few places left. Book your place today!!! (seriously today as in today if you're really interested)

Istiqamah (steadfastness)

Istiqamah (steadfastness)

Asalaamulaikum Warahmatulahi Wabarkatahu!

Dear brothers and sisters in Islam, we suffer and struggle sooo much for this life, revising till the break of dawn for our exams, chasing after our desires and needs, working till the late hours of the night for decent wages. We struggle so much for this life.

Determination is a great thing, to have the willpower and strength to do somethig but why do we leave this determination when it comes to Islam? Why do we forget our Deen??? Where does that determination go when Fajr comes in? Where is that willpower when we must lower our gaze? Where is that strength of mind when others question our Deen???

Dear sisters and brothers of the Ummah, we are in this world for a very SHORT period, whereas the hereafter (the Akhirah) is eternal. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what we get in exams, how much we earn, what car we drive or how big our houses are. All these trivial things will not help us attain Jannah! Only our actions which we carried out will avail.

Lets look at the hardships Bilal radi Allahu anhu, the Mu’addhin of Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa salam suffered. He did not doubt Allah, betray Allah or renounce his Islamic obligations... not even ONCE!!!! But us! We watch silly old soaps and when Magrib time arrives, we say, “o.k., just another 5 more minutes!”

As Muslims our first and foremost responsibility is to Allah, not to our TV’s!!!

Bilal radi Allahu anhu was one of the most illustrious sahabah the Ummah has seen, he was the Mu’addhin of the Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa salam.

Bilal was an Abyssinian slave and belonged to a disbeliever in Mecca.

His conversion to Islam naturally brought the wrath of his owner and the other disbelievers of Mecca, and therefore he was persecuted mercilessly by him and other disbelievers.

Ummayah bin Khalaf, one of the worst enemies of Islam, would make Bilal radi Allahu anhu lie down on the burning sand of Mecca at midday and would place a heavy stone on his chest, so heavy that poor Bilal r.a couldn’t even move a limb or a muscle, finding it hard to breathe even!
Ummayah bin Khalaf would then say to him:
“Renounce Islam or swelter and die.”

Even under these brutal afflictions, Bilal r.a. would proudly exclaim:
“Ahad” – The One (Allah). “Ahad” – The One (Allah).

And this happened day in, day out, on a constant basis!

This is not all brothers and sisters!!!!

The torturers would get tired carrying out this gruesome punishment, so Ummayah would take turns with Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab and others. They would compete with one another in afflicting Bilal, but Bilal radi Allahu anhu not budge.

For such love he had for Allah and His Messenger salallahu alayhi wa salam that once he tasted the sweetness of Imaan, he would not remove its beauty from his heart!

These persecutions carried on until Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu bought Bilal radi Allahu anhu freedom, and Bilal became a free Muslim.

This shows Bilal r.a’s love and devotion to Allah. Allah was so dear to him that no amount of persecution could distract him from reciting Allah’s Blessed name.

The urchins of Mecca would drag him in the hills of Mecca, with his words “Ahad! Ahad!” would echo in Mecca Mukarramah

SubhanAllah, look how Allah the Almighty rewarded Bilal radi Allahu anhu for his steadfastness! Allah the Almighty gave Bilal radi Allahu anhu the honour of becoming the Prophet’s salallahu alayhi wa salam Mu’addhin! Bilal was to remain with him (salallahu alayhi wa salam) at home and abroad to call out the Athaan for Salah.

SubhanAllah just imagine! Being in such blessed company 24/7!!!

After the Prophet's salallahu alayhi wa salam death, it became very hard for Bilal radi Allahu anhu to continue his stay in Madinah where he would miss his beloved Nabi salallahu alayhi wa salam. Every step, every corner reminded Bilal radi Allahu anhu of the time he spent with the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salam. Bilal therefore left Madinah, and decided to pass the rest of his life striving in the path of Allah. Once he saw the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salam in his dream saying to him:
“O Bilal! How is it that you never visit me?”

No sooner did Bilal get up and set out for Madinah, on reaching there he met the Prophet's salallahu alayhi wa salam grandsons Hasan and Husain radi Allahu anhuma who requested Bilal radi Allahu anhu to call out the Athaan, Bilal radi Allahu anhu could not refuse them, for they were very dear to him.

As Bilal radi Allahu anhu called out the Athaan, the people of Madinah cried out openly, bursting in tears due to the anguish at the memory of the days of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salam, even the women came out from their houses weeping.

Bilal left Madinah after a few days, and died in Damascus in 20 A.H.

Look my dear brothers and sisters! Look at the tribulations Bilal radi Allahu anhu faced for Islam, Alhumdulilah, Islam is widely accepted in our society and we don’t have to face such torture. Is it tooo much to ask to pray on time? To fast in Ramadhan? To keep and revive the Sunnah of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salam in our lives??


Wassalaam, Mehak!

Desires, Desires, Desires

An emperor was coming out of his palace for his morning walk when he met a beggar. He asked the beggar, “What do you want?” The beggar laughed and said, “You are asking me as though you can fulfill my desire!” The king was offended. He said, “Of course I can fulfill your desire. What is it? Just tell me.”And the beggar said, “Think twice before you promise anything.”“I will fulfill anything you ask. I am a very powerful emperor, what can you possibly desire that I can not give to you?” The beggar said, “It is a very simple desire. You see this begging bowl? Can you fill it with something?” The emperor said, “Of course!” He called one of his viziers and told him, “Fill this mans begging bowl with money.” The vizier went and got some money and poured it into the bowl, and it disappeared. And he poured more and more, and the moment he would pour it, it would disappear. And the begging bowl remained always empty.
The whole palace gathered. By and by the rumor went throughout the whole capital, and a huge crowd gathered. The prestige of the emperor was at stake. He said to his viziers, “If the whole kingdom is lost, I am ready to lose it, but I cannot be defeated by this beggar.” Diamonds and pearls and emeralds, his treasuries were becoming empty. The begging bowl seemed to be bottomless. Everything that was put into it — everything! — immediately disappeared, went out of existence.
Finally it was the evening, and the people were standing there in utter silence. The king dropped at the feet of the beggar and admitted his defeat. he said, “Just tell me one thing. You are victorious - but before you leave, just fulfill my curiosity. What is the begging bowl made of?”The beggar laughed and said, “It is made up of the human mind. There is no secret. It is simple made up of human desire.”
This understanding transforms life. Go into one desire — what is the mechanism of it? First there is a great excitement, great thrill, adventure. you feel a great kick. Something is going to happen, you are on the verge of it. And then you have the car, you have the yacht, you have the house, you have the woman, and suddenly all is meaningless again.
What happens? and why? its because Your mind has dematerialized it. The car is standing in the drive, but there is no excitement anymore. The excitement was only in getting it. You became so drunk with the desire than you forgot your inner nothingness. Now the desire is fulfilled, the car in the drive, the woman in your bed, the money in your bank account - again excitement disappears. Again the emptiness is there, ready to eat you up. Again you have to create another desire to escape this yawning abyss.That’s how one moves from one desire to another desire.
That’s how one remains a beggar. Your whole life proves it again and again — every desire frustrates. And when the goal is achieved, you will need another desire.The day you understand that desire as such is going to fail comes the turning point in your life.The other journey is inwards. move inwards, come back home.

Taken from Qisas.com

GEMS

Assalamu ‘Alaykum,

I want to share with you some various gems I learnt from my Ustaadh whilst studying for my Islamic degree course. Insha’Allah for my own benefit first, and possibly for the benefit of some of you as well.

GEM ONE: Don’t do things which you can’t start with Bismillah!

I believe this to be a great test we all can and should apply before undertaking our actions. Because... Is there anyone who can say “Bismillah” and then watch “Eastenders” for 30 minutes when those same 30 minutes could have been used to walk to the masjid, pray ‘ishaa in jama’a, and walk back home? Is there anyone who can say “Bismillah”, hit the snooze button on his alarm clock and say “10 more minutes” when he/she knows that the same action led to missing the fajr prayer 3 times last week? Is there anyone who can say “Bismillah – with the name of ALLAH” and then spend £1000 for a laptop while knowing that there are many computers out there priced as low as £300 and knowing how many needy people out there could have used the £700 to buy food and clothing, pay the rent, etc...?

GEM TWO: Sleep does not give you strength!

I’ve come home from college too many times, very tired and exhausted, with tons of coursework and/or studying waiting for me to do. I’d eat dinner, pray maghrib and say “let me sleep for 2 hours, get some rest, regain some energy and then get up and study.” Well, probably needless to say, 2 out of 3 times I did not get up until the next morning except to pray ‘Ishaa. And too many times did I go to sleep after fajr fooling myself that I am doing that so that I could be well rested for the day and so that I could have more energy to do things when I come back from college. SubhanAllah, how tricky shaytaan is: “go to sleep now so that you can be strong in helping your deen during the day” and you never really gain any additional strength. This means that...Tiredness is IN OUR MIND!!!!!!!!!! So, we need to say isti’aadhah when we’re tired!!! Its only shaytaan messing with our brain. What we need to do is show him what we got and smash into pieces all his deceptive tricks, InshaAllah.

GEM THREE: Pleasure does not make you stronger!

We live in comfortable houses, sit on comfortable sofas, sleep on comfortable beds, eat beautifully tasting and plentiful food, drive expensive spacious cars (well some of us). Why? To make our life easier, to make it pleasant, to give us more energy to do things. The news is folks: Pleasure hasn’t made anyone any stronger. It is hardship that nurtures a strong individual. It is empty stomach that makes us truly appreciate Allah’s blessings although we also thank him when we fill our bellies with delicious food. I am not necessarily advocating we all start sleeping on the floor, buying £300 cars, selling our sofas etc. But the question is how much comfortable do our beds have to be, how fancy our living areas have to look, how many pairs of shoes we really must have. Does our lunch have to cost £8 when we could get by with £2 meal? And do we have to spend £1.75 for a milkshake every time we go to McDonalds, when water would quench our thirst even better and when £1.75 could feed an entire family for a day in, for example, Sudan.

GEM FOUR: Your du’aa should be preceded by good actions!

Allah says in Qur’aan (29:65): If they embark on a boat, they call on Allah, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a share (of their worship to others)!

We seem to make du’aa only when we’re really pressed between a rock and a hard place. But our du’aas should be preceded with shows of dedication and devotion to this deen. Before going in front of Allah and asking something from Him, we ought to do some specific actions which will be a sign that we are really committed and we really mean business when it comes to establishing Allah’s deen on this Earth. So, before you ask Allah to help your financial situation, go and give a portion of what you already have showing that you really believe when you say that you put your trust in Allah. Similarly, before your 9am exam, don’t spend an hour and a half sleeping after fajr “gaining strength” and then making du’aa for Allah’s help at 8:59am on your way to the exam hall after you had just woke up at 7:50am. Spend that time reciting Qur’an and then ask for Allah’s help (after you had, of course, already studied for your exam in the days leading to the exam day).

Let me share with you guys something that happened to a Brother once (this is a true story). At the time he was a Uni student and he was also the Imam of his local Masjid. It was Friday and he had his final exam at uni but he also needed to give the jumu’ah khutbah and lead the salaat at the masjid. No doubt he wouldn’t back out of his religious duties so he decided to go to the Masjid, give the khutbah and lead the Friday prayer hoping he would still be able to make it for his exams afterwards. After he finished leading the salaat he made duaa asking Allah to aid him and he left for the Uni. As he was driving, however, there was bare traffic and he feared he would not make it. Finally he arrived but he missed more than half of the time of the exam. He sat down and started the exam with Bismillah. He finished half of the exam and realised he was running out of time and only had 5minutes to finish the rest. SubhanAllah, this part is really amazing. You know what he did? He picked a letter, for example, A (it was multiple choice) and he circled that letter for the rest of the answers and he put his trust fully in Allah. When results came in, he was really anxious and feared he failed. He opened his results and it said he got 110%!!! How was that possible, he couldn’t believe it? In class the lecturer told everyone that the examiners changed the exam this year due to a research study they were conducting. The last 30 questions or so had the same letter as the answer and they wanted to see if students would realise this. They were shocked when only one person got it and so they gave him 110% in his exam. SubhanAllah, as I was listening to this I remembered the beautiful ayah where Allah says:

"...Whoever fears Allah, He brings forth a way out for him, And provides for him (with what he needs) from where he does not even imagine. And whosoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah is to accomplish His purpose. Allah has set a measure for everything." (Surah Talaq:2,3)

Allah tells us in many places in the Noble Qur'aan that "Allah is capable of doing anything that He Wills to do." Whenever He wants anything done, He merely says "Qun! Faya Qun!" (Be! And so it will be!)A great lesson is to be learned from this inshaAllah. I pray it has benefitted you as much it has benefitted me. There’s many more gems I would like to share with you guys but this will turn into a 10 page post. InshaAllah next time.

Can I sincerely ask you all to make duaa for my Ustaadh and his family. I just recieved an email from him informing me that his dad's brother passed away yesterday. Inna lillah wa inna ilayhi raji'oon. May Allah forgive him, have mercy on him and grant him the highest ranks in Jannah, next to our Beloved Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa salaam). Ameen Ya Rabal 'Alameen

Anything good that I may have said in this post is from Allah and Allah Alone and anything bad is from my ownself and Shaytaan. I ask Allah to forgive my shortcoming and to make me among His most dearest Servants inshaAllah.

Wassalaamu ‘Alaykum

Prepare for the REAL Exam

This was written by one of my friends. It’s really an amazing reflection I benefitted from. In the midst of all the stress that’s occupying our lives these past weeks, it’s good to take some time and look at the greater picture.

>>>I think time is valued the most during finals week. You hear people from every corner of the room talking about how they have 10 minutes to eat, 3 hours to sleep, and then two papers to write and an exam to study for.

Something happened today in the library and it made me think. A girl sat in the SINC site for three hours doing a project. For some reason, it didn't save on the computer she was working on, although she said she did hit "Save", and then she exited out. Three hours of hard work…down the drain. And not just during any week, no, during finals week–where every minute is important. Not only would she now not be able to hand her work in on time, it would slow down all of the other things she had to do. She freaked.

So then I thought: what if this week were the final week of the dunya? Or just of our lives? Why do we not freak out when we waste three hours doing something that will in no way help our final grade in the dunya?

We embrace distractions from friends all throughout the year but when finals week comes– "Stay away from me! No, I can't go to the mall with you. No time to waste! No, I can't eat with you either, I already ate a twinkie."

But that's the sad part. We don't know when the final week of the dunya is; or of our lives. So how can we go on and let ourselves be distracted and heedless all year long? The most successful students are those that are eating those quick lunches and refusing to go to the mall with you all year long, because they have high goals they have to meet. Then there are those who are just rolling with the ball the whole semester and wake up during finals week. But at least they wake up and at least pass their classes. But how could someone be distracted all term, and continue to be distracted during finals week and do well? In other words, the only way we can pass this grand test of the dunya…the only way we can get any success in the Hereafter is if we constantly keep ourselves awake. We don't know when the last week will be…so if we're acting like it's not the last week, every week….we're doomed for failure. One of those weeks will be the final week.

And I thought about how Allah (subhanah wa ta’ala) says in the Qur'an that on the Day of Judgement, there will be people, who when they are asked how many years they spent on this earth, they will reply, "probably a day or less than a day". And they won't be lying…they'll really believe this was the truth. Because they will have wasted all of their time on earth. They will be shown their deeds and they will not be able to fathom how they could have spent so many years on earth and done such few good deeds.

Allah (subhanah wa ta’ala) gave us so much time to beautify our hearts, to do good deeds. And on the day of judgment, when we present our hearts to Him 'azza wa jall, it is us who will look at them and our book of deeds and be mortified at how it could take so many years to make something so ugly and worthless. It is us who will look at the empty pages where good deeds were supposed to be and say, "I must have lived only a day then…how else could this be possible?" (but inshaAllah it won't be us. May Allah (subhanah wa ta’ala) protect us and save us from being amongst these people. May He (subhanah wa ta’ala) give us the tawfiq to properly avail the time we are given in this dunya. Ameen)

Let us all insha Allah (myself first before anyone else) take this time management lesson from finals. If we can get so much done for the dunya in this week, why can we not do at least half of this for the akhira during other weeks? Let us race for good deeds not only in Ramadan, but year-round, so that we don't have to look at our book of deeds on the Day of Judgement and think we only lived one Ramadan. There are so many simple things to do that don't occupy much time or effort, like dhikr. Let it occupy your tongue constantly.

And the next time we get frustrated because something really important that shouldn't have got deleted, got deleted…..maybe we should focus our energy on thinking about if we get that frustrated when some of our greatest deeds get deleted (because of insincerity to Allah (subhanah wa ta’ala) or some other reason), and if we would work as hard to retrieve those good deeds as we would to retrieve our deleted project.

Never lose hope, a core part of our belief is to have Tawakkul (trust in Allah t'ala). Many of us believe that nothing can save us but Allah mentions in Surah Talaaq,

"Whoever fears Allah, He brings forth a way out for him, And provides for him (with what he needs) from where he does not even imagine. And whosoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah is to accomplish His purpose. Allah has set a measure for everything."

Always have good hope of Allah 'azza wa jal, Allah mentions in a Qudsi Hadith, "I am as my servant thinks I am." if you think Allah is bad then that is how you will be treated but if you make yourself ONE with Allah, than everything is achievable.

Allah says in another Qudsi Hadtih, "...My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have imposed upon him and My servant continues to draw near to Me with superogatory works so that I shall love him. When I LOVE him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask (something) of Me, I would surely give it to him and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it."

If you make yourself one with Allah ('azza wa jal), no examination can break you in half.

How To Be A Strong Muslim

The first and most important note of all, is that for a person to really boost his imaan and stay strong on his deen, one MUST truly accept that Allah exists and His attributes are beyond our imagination. He is capable of anything and everything. Faith in Allah is essential. Accept that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last of a long line of Prophets that started with Adam (alayhis salaam), through Nuh (alayhis salaam), Ibrahim (alayhis salaam), Musa (alayhis salaam), Isa (alayhis salaam) and everyone in between and accept that the Holy Quran is the last and true word of Allah.

2. Pray sincerely. Know that Allah is close to you and is Watching over you. Always pray on time, Try not to delay it. Avoid doing things that will only prevent you from doing things that are much more important. Nothing is much more important than obeying what Allah asks of you. While working or studying, halt everything you are doing and go to the nearest masjid to pray. If somebody were to ask you where you are heading, say that you are answering Allah's call to prayer. And who knows, that might even inspire the questioner to come with you.

3. Pray in the middle of the night. Pray when most people around you are sleeping soundly. The name of the prayer is Tahajjud. However to perform this special voluntary prayer, one must try and wake up in the last third of the night before the time of subah sadiq. Even if it's for a short amount of time, one can gain immense benefits from it. If it is too hard to wake up or stay awake till the last third of the night, then one can pray his tahhajud straight after he prays his Isha Salah.

4. Remember Allah all the time. This known as Zikr, reciting His name and His praises (e.g Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah and Allah Hu Akbar) will ultimately make you a strong Muslim because as you do more zikr your heart is being cleansed of evil.

5. Be grateful for everything you have. The more thankful you are the more you will realize how much you have been blessed. And by doing this, Insha'allah you will be strengthen your imaan because you will realise how Kind and Merciful your Creator really is.

6. Protect your chastity (Very important!). You need to know that adultery is a sinful act and always avoid it. This applies to both men and women. Women should not wear tight or revealing clothes, and men should always lower their gaze and guard their modesty. When a person gets too involved with the opposite sex, Allah takes away fear and piety from their heart. Like a pious person once said, "Haram love is for those who do not love Allah enough".

7. Keep to your promise. If you feel that you cannot manage something, just inform that person. Abiding to your promise will ultimately make you trustworthy person.

8. Respect the opinion of others. No opinions are bad or stupid. You should treat them as gems. Without opinions, things will never get better. If you do not like any idea, do not invalidate them but add on to the idea to either understand why the opinion may be wrong or add on to it to improve the idea.

9. Fast for the right reasons. Not because you want to impress others, nor because you want to feel superior. Fast with the intention to please only Allah, and to get the reward for fasting. Nevertheless fast because of remembering those who do not have privileges like food and water. Fast twice a week, preferably on Mondays and Thursdays. Fast during the month of Ramadan and also on the day of Arafah which is on the 9th of Zulhijjah. Allah will forgive all the minor sins you have done the one year before and after if you fast during the day of Arafah.

10. Never lie. It should be emphasized that Allah does not like those who lie to others. It is important to also note, that a person who lies often has a trait of hypocrisy in his heart. Your integrity will directly have an impact towards your dignity. People will look high upon you if you are honest and true to whatever you say.

11. Be good to your wife, if you are a man. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said that "The best of you is he who is the best to his wife". Be kind to her, always support her and allow her an equal share in decision making and property ownership.

12. Struggle towards goodwill. Sacrifice your time and visit the mosque if there is a lecture. Forfeit your property to those who needs it more than you do. In other words, always give charity. The person who recieves it will be thankful that you have given them aid in their daily life. Remember, the one who gives is better than than one who receives.

13. Practice good character towards everyone. Be gentle and good-hearted not only to your parents, but to your cousins, to your friends, and even to those who may not have accepted islam. Always protect the surroundings. Never ever be aggressive towards the animals.

14. Be gracious towards your parents. They have worked hard to bring home food. Your mother has suffered all the pain just to bring you to this world. What have you done to say thanks to them? They have brought joy to your life by buying you presents every now and then. Have you acknowledged that and appreciated them? Do whatever they expect of you and you will be fine.

15. Observe patience over a loved one's death. To mourn a loved one for 3 days is permissible but it should not be done in a way that is blasphemous and excessive. Know that death is inevitable and will strike us all one day. Remember that To Allah we belong and to Him we will return. Remember death often because it will remind you that at the end of the day the only true power that exists is the Power and Might of Allah. One day He WILL take your life and one Day he WILL bring you back to life again.

16. Try not to waste your Time on useless things. The wasters will be the brother of satan. On the day of judgement, some items/properties are going to talk for the reason you wasted/damaged the properties.

17. Read the Qur'an Regularly. It will keep your iman strong and will keep your soul pure. You'll get thawab for every letter you say and not just that but on the Day of Judgement the Qur'an Will act as an intercessor for you.


May Allah give both me and those who read this post the ability to be strong and firm muslims. Ameen.

(Originally taken from http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Strong-Muslim but was tweaked a little ;))

Islamic Society Quran Classes

Assalamu Alaykum,

Alhamdudillah, we the Islamic Society have been discussing the possibility of holding Qur'an and Tajweed classes. Along with this we will also go through a famous book of fiqh called, Nur Al Idah.

These lessons are free for student at LSC and for males ONLY.

For those brothers that are interested in attending this course please can you email Lscisoc@hotmail.com and inshallah we will confirm a time and date for these days.