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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Seeing Your Home in Heaven: On Seeking Divine Help

A few months ago, I was facing a difficult test. And the beauty of having righteous, angel-like souls as your company is something priceless. When you are in a difficulty, it only takes one text message, one status update on Facebook, one email to the Suhaibwebb listserve, and you have a whole army of beautiful souls praying for you. Subhan’Allah (glory be to Him).

So I made that request. I asked for the greatest gift any human being can give to another. I asked for sincere du`a’, supplication. What I received overwhelmed me. I’ll never forget that gift of Allah. I had people praying for me in qiyam (night prayer), while standing in front of the kabaa, while traveling, even while giving birth. I received so many du`a’s, yet there was one that really hit me. It was just a simple text message, but it read:

“May you be shown your Home in Heaven so that any hardship is made easy on you.” I read it and it hit. It really hit...
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Seeing Your Home in Heaven: On Seeking Divine Help - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Some Secrets of the Quran

Secrets of Submission to One's Fate

Putting one's trust in God is an attribute peculiar to believers who have profound faith, who can appreciate God's power, and who are close to Him.

There are important secrets and blessings to placing one's trust in God. Putting one's trust in God implies a definite submissiveness to and reliance on God and the fate He creates...[/FONT]

Secrets of Submission to One's Fate - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tips to Elevate Your Spirituality in Ramadan[/FONT]
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Ramadan is a time when all of us, whether we have been Muslim for fifty years or for five minutes, want to get closer to Allah. It is a special month, given to us by Allah (God) the Almighty, to renew our commitments, to be sorry for and forget the mistakes of the past, and to resolve to go forward, with Allah's help, as better Muslims.

Those who are new to Islam have accepted so many new things into their lives. They have learned to pray and maybe even to recite the noble Quran, which Muslims believe is the word of God, in a different language to their own.

Even the routine of Praying five times a day and of doing so according to a particular formula can seem very strange at first. New Muslims, however, very quickly get into the habit of Prayer and very soon become accustomed to the ways of Islam. In what ways, then, can they in particular come closer to Allah during the month of Ramadan?

I am going to suggest one small thing, but there are so many we could look at. Ramadan, for example, is a time for Prayers, so increasing one's efforts and time for Prayers would be a good way of coming closer to Allah.

Aside from the regular Prayers, there is the Prayer of Tarawiah after the Night Prayer. We will probably have recited the whole of the Quran, or most of it, during Ramadan if we attend to the Prayers each evening.

Making a special effort to pray in congregation in the mosque during Ramadan is another good way of becoming more familiar with the Muslim community.

Reciting the Quran on one's own is without doubt a good deed, but we should not be too ambitious or set impossible goals for ourselves. This has been the downfall of so many good intentions in the past, so be realistic and set yourself goals which are achievable...
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http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-...evate-your-spirituality-in-ramadan.html?Soul=

 

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[FONT=Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This Ramadan I Will ...[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

How can I make this upcoming month of Ramadan a blessed month for me and for those around me?[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I know that the Prophet said that God sets some people free from the hellfire in every single night in Ramadan. Was I set free at any of these numerous nights I went through in the past Ramadans?[/FONT]
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Am I going to be chosen to be set free in one of the nights of this upcoming Ramadan? I know that there is a night in the last ten days called the night of Power (Laylat Al-Qadr) that is better than a thousand months.[/FONT]
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Again, I ask myself, “Did I ever worship God in this night and gain the tremendous reward mentioned by God and his Messenger?”[/FONT]
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Trying to answer these questions, I realized that God does not choose people randomly for these blessings. I am sure He does not set people free based on their gender, race, or wealth. I am of the belief that the great night of Al-Qadr is a gift God gives to some people who show some effort during the month and probably throughout the year. The most important question is how can I make myself subject to all these blessings?[/FONT]
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How can I make this upcoming Ramadan a real change in my life?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In the article, I am sharing with you my personal plan in getting the maximum out of this upcoming Ramadan for it may be the last Ramadan I ever experience.[/FONT]
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What If I Do Not Plan?[/FONT]
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You may ask: “What if I don’t plan for this month?” The answer lies in the following few lines.[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]One should understand that the month of Ramadan is a month of preparation for the whole year. It is a strong boost to our level of faith that will help us move throughout the rest of the year.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Missing Ramadan one year is as if we missed preparation for this whole year. Missing many Ramadans is as if we missed a portion of our life. Missing Ramadan throughout our life is as if we missed our whole life...

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]On Filling in the Inner Hole and Coming Home
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And then we aren’t. Torn away from our origin, we came across time and space to another world. A lesser world. But in that separation, something painful happened. We were no longer with God in the physical space. We could no longer see Him with our physical eyes, or speak to Him with our physical voice. Unlike our father Adam (`alayhi as-salam – peace be upon him), we could no longer feel that same peace...[/FONT]
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We must know that all that we experience in life has a purpose. And it is we who choose whether to realize that purpose or not.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Take for example, beauty. Some people don’t even recognize beauty when it’s right in front of them. They can walk through a sunset or a brilliant forest of orange trees, and not even notice.[/FONT]
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Other people see beauty and do appreciate it. They will stop and take it in. They may even feel overwhelmed by it. But it ends there. That person is like the one who appreciates art, but never inquires about the artist. The artwork itself was intended to communicate a message from the artist; but if the art lover loses himself in the painting—but never sees the message, that artwork hasn’t fulfilled its true purpose.[/FONT]
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The purpose of the glorious sun, first fallen snow, crescent moons and breathtaking oceans is not just to decorate this lonely planet. The purpose is far deeper than that. The purpose is as Allah told us in the Qur’an:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.”[/FONT]
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All this beauty was created as a sign—but one that can only be understood by a select group: those who reflect (think, understand, use their intellect) and remember God in every human condition (standing, sitting, lying down).[/FONT]
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So, even the sunset must be looked through. Even there, we cannot lose ourselves. We must look beyond even that majestic beauty and color, to see the Beauty behind it. For the beauty behind it is the True beauty, the Source of all beauty. All that we see is only a reflection....[/FONT]

On Filling the Inner Hole and Coming Home

 

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Ramadan: A Time for Thought, Action & Change

Fasting in Ramadan develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging, of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before God.

This spirit is the natural product of the fact that when people fast they feel that they are joining the whole Muslim society (which makes up more than one fifth of the world’s population) in observing the same duty, in the same manner, at the same time, for the same motives, and for the same end.

No sociologist or historian can say that there has been at any period of history anything comparable to this powerful institution of Islam: Fasting in the month of Ramadan...

Twelve Reasons to Fast!

Fasting is an institution for the improvement of moral and spiritual character of human being. The purpose of the fast is to help develop self-restraint, self-purification, God-consciousness, compassion, the spirit of caring and sharing, the love of humanity and the love of God. Fasting is a universal custom and is advocated by all the religions of the world, with more restrictions in some than in others.

The Islamic Fast, as opposed to mere starvation or self-denial, is an act of worship and obedience to God, thanksgiving, forgiveness, spiritual training, and self-examination. Ramadan gives us a break and provides us with a rare opportunity to think about our own selves, our future, and our families. It is a time to give ourselves a mental break and to temporarily forget about the hundreds of worries and stresses we are constantly bombarded with.

In hectic times, such as ours, and in places like the West, this valuable time to think about our lives, on individual basis, is a luxury and is desperately needed! It is a unique month of self-analysis, and of taking stock of one’s moral and spiritual ‘assets and liabilities’.

Fasting indoctrinates us in patience, unselfishness, and gratitude. When we fast we feel the pains of deprivation and hunger, and learn how to endure it patiently...

Ramadan: A Time for Thought, Action & Change - Fasting - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ramadan and the Making of Our Moral Fiber

[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ramadan is here, and as we move through this blessed month there are many goals we've planned to reach. Each person is unique and will have individual goals, but here are five aspects of worship that we ought to work on this Ramadan...

[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]QURAN: Ramadan is the best time to reconnect with the Quran. The best advice I have been given is to remember to stay consistent with one's recitation and in pondering over the verses of the Quran. Try to set a minimum amount of Quran that you would like to read everyday. In this way, you will ensure that every day of Ramadan will be filled with Quran.

A good way to reach your goal is by setting aside time after each salah to read the specific portion of the Quran that you planned to read for the day. But we do not want to fall into the habit of reading the Quran without understanding the beauty within it. Integrating the meaning and the background will help us understand the reasons why the Quran is a Book of Guidance...
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IslamiCity.com - Ramadan and the Making of Our Moral Fiber

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thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks , this cooled my nerves

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Seeking Good Companions[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

Who is a good friend?

And why is seeking good companionship important in Islam?

A true friend is the one who guides you to the way of God, cares for you, wishes for you what he wishes for himself...[/FONT]

Seeking Good Companions

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Where The Day of Judgment Begins[/FONT]
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An Eternal Journey[/FONT]
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If we were to go on a journey to a foreign country for just a few days, we would take over a week just preparing for it, doing the shopping, packing our bags and taking ample provisions for the journey. Then, what about the ultimate journey, the guaranteed journey, the journey that is eternal.

What have we done for it? It is a one-way ticket, and the real problem is that we do not know when the boarding is going to be. It can be anytime, even now![/FONT]
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If life and death were created to test which of us is the best in deed, then are we not fools if we do not make the best of this situation? The life of this world is temporary, while the life of the hereafter is everlasting.

Whether it is the blessings of Paradise or the disaster of Hell, it is endless, and there will be no turning back. Therefore our choices are limited to only one – utilize this time, this moment, today. Prepare here for the Hereafter...[/FONT]

Where The Day of Judgment Begins (Part 1) - Afterlife - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In The Shade of the Throne[/FONT]
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Our relationship with Allah (exalted is He) is one of love, fear and hope. While we are terrified of this Day (The Day of Judgment), we are hopeful of the vast Mercy of Allah (SWT), and we believe that Allah (SWT) will indeed find a way out for us insha’Allah (God willing). [/FONT]
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This Day is also called yawm al-fasl, the Day of Division. The wicked divided from the good, and the believer divided from the disbeliever. If we truly believe, then Allah (SWT) will insha’Allah find a way out for the believers. And All Praise is due to Allah (SWT) that the solution to every problem is also with Allah (SWT). [/FONT]
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Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in a hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim again, from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):[/FONT]
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“Allah will give shade to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His.”[/FONT]
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Phew!! Indeed, Allah (SWT) is Most Merciful! Not only is He Merciful by showering us in His Mercy all day and night, He is also Merciful enough to show us the ways and means by which we are saved from His wrath on the Day of Judgment. The hadith goes on to mention those who will be given shade...[/FONT]
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[/FONT]In The Shade of the Throne (Part 2) - Afterlife - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Chapter 112: One Third of The Quran[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]{Allah, the Self-Sufficient.} [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]God’s uniqueness is realized in His self-sufficiency.[/FONT]
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On the other hand, all created beings have needs and are dependent on others to fulfill their needs. God is not in need of any of His creation in any way, as nothing they can do can better or benefit His already perfect state.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This attribute of self-sufficiency invites the believers to reflect on the purpose and the goals of their worship. Most people worship as if they are doing God a favor.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The purpose of human creation is to worship God because all human beings have a need to worship Him. He has no need for or from them. Human beings need to worship and glorify God because obedience to divine law is the key to their success in both this life and the next...[/FONT]

Chapter 112: One Third of The Quran - Allah - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Day of Judgment, Life That Will Never End

The Tsunami in Japan and various other earthquakes all over the world represent a terrifying example of how horrible earthquakes can be.

However, the greatest of the earthquakes is yet to come, the earthquake which shakes the whole of this earth, and everything buried in it will come out, as if the earth is spitting us out of it.

In tafsir (explanation) of Surat Al-Zalzalah it is mentioned that the earth is a witness to all that we do, and after all the sin that man has committed on it, finally on the Day of Judgment it throws up, and exposes everything...[/FONT]

Day of Judgment, Life That Will Never End (Part 3) - Belief - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Reaping the Benefits of Ramadan [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In the month of Ramadan, it is very important that we spend a few moments to understand some of the wisdoms and lessons that we can learn from this month of fasting...

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Let it not be that the day that you fast and the day that you break fast be equal."...[/FONT]

Reaping the Benefits of Ramadan - Fasting - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Freedom of Economic Activity [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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Islam seeks to guarantee the freedom of property owners to spend, give away, and invest it as he or she deems fit.

With the exception of three general guidelines, set for the befit of society, such freedom of disposal is virtually unrestrained.

The first guideline is that earnings should not be based on cheating and swindling. It is imperative that the Muslim perform all his or her financial transactions and dealings with no cheating whatsoever. The Islamic stance on this point is so firm that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said a phrase to the effect that one who cheats is not of the Muslims. Cheating infringes upon the rights of others and weakens the fabric of financial interdependence.

The second guideline is that there is no monopolization of necessities. Islam forbids the hoarding or monopolizing of goods and services, such as sources of water, that are necessary for the continuation of life and that properly belong in the public domain. Such monopolies would harm the public for the sake of a gain in the hands of a select few, thus the Islamic system expressly forbids them.

The third, and possibly the most well-known guideline, is that riba (loosely translated to mean “interest”) is strictly forbidden. The Qur’anic verses and Prophetic Hadiths (sayings or traditions of the Prophet Muhammad) that outlaw interest are clear and irrefutable. Islam strictly forbids the giving or taking of interest on any loan in any amount. Interest is defined as a set return on a loan, and as such implies a profit based on no risk or effort – a principle completely against Islamic ideals.

Financial profit is a result of effort or risk (or both), and interest seeks to undermine the risk-based nature of trade.

Furthermore, in many instances interest is exploitative – it is typically used as a means of deriving profit from the financially weaker members of society by a wealthy class in whose hands the lent money is concentrated. With these people, a loan is not a favor done to help others or the society, but is used as a means of oppression and undermines social cohesion.

At the same time, Islam encourages investment and loans given as a means of charity. Such loans are given by Muslims with the expectation that they be paid back. However, the intention behind helping a fellow Muslim in distress is not profit but the pleasure of Allah. Interest, as known today, is ubiquitous in the financial markets of the world. It allows richer nations to capitalize on the resources of poorer nations under the guise of “paying back national debt.” [/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Interest has crumbled empires, while making oppressors out of others...
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Freedom of Economic Activity - Politics & Economics - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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Islam's Call to Reflect

Islam takes great interest in knowledge. It commands people to meditate upon the phenomena of the universe in which we live and contemplate over the creation of God in order to discover the mysteries of nature and the universe.

Islam also urges us to travel about in the earth to explore its secrets. There are many verses in the Qur'an that instruct the Muslims to meditate and observe the universe since observation is the first step of the scientific method.​

God says in the Qur'an what means:​

[Say: Travel the earth and see how He makes the first creation, then Allah creates the latter creation; surely Allah has power over all things.] (Al-`Ankabut 29:20 )​

He also says:​

[Do they not consider the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and whatever things Allah has created, and that may be their doom shall have drawn nigh; what announcement would they then believe in after this?] (Al-A`raf 7:185)​

It is a clear obvious call for knowledge and for knowing the secrets of this universe.​

In Islam, knowledge and scholars are held in the highest esteem, whereas ignorance is held in a very low esteem...​

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Islam's Call to Reflect - Worldview - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net​

 

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Making the Ramadan Spirit Last

Ramadan has come to an end and our environment is returning back to its norm.

We are living life as we always do, 11 months out of the year. Ramadan was our chance to grow, to learn and to experience a variety of different emotions and feelings.

If we could hold onto Ramadan for the entire year, we would, but nothing lasts forever.

There is however, a light at the end of that tunnel. That light is the opportunity to grab hold of the Ramadan spirit and make that last forever. We have been fasting, not simply to feel the pangs of hunger and thirst but, as the Quran tells us, to gain taqwa (God-consciousness).

Taqwa is the key to making this spirit last. How so?

By sitting down and figuring out what exactly we learned from Ramadan, how it increased us in taqwa and how to implement that knowledge in the next coming months. Each person’s lessons may and will be different, however I have chosen a few lessons to share in hopes that they may create a spark that encourages you to sit down and figure out how to make your Ramadan spirit outlast the month itself...

Making the Ramadan Spirit Last - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ten Principles for Those Seeking the Path of Allah (by Imam Al-Ghazali)

Principle 1: Have a sincere, unwavering intention.

Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said,

“Each person will be rewarded for what he intended” (Muslim).

This calls for determination in the heart to continuously act or to abstain from something only for God’s sake. A sign of having sincere intentions is that one does not change his resolve for fleeting reasons; what is done for God, the Truth, should not be forsaken to please His creation.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Principle 2: Work purely for God, (the One) without partners or associates...[/FONT]


Ten Principles for Those Seeking the Path of Allah

 

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Diseases of the Heart: Causes and Effects[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Indeed, all sins poison the heart and lead to its illness and destruction.[/FONT]
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Being in effect as harmful to the heart as actual poisons are to the body, they sicken it and define its will as other than what God wants (of His servant).[/FONT]
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Imam Ibn Al-Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, said: [/FONT]
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“I have seen that sins cause the death of the heart and addiction to them breeds humiliation.[/FONT]
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On the other hand, quitting sins gives life to the heart and it is better for one to disobey his own self (than to disobey Allah the Almighty).”...[/FONT]

Diseases of the Heart: Causes and Effects - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net

Watch "Purifying the Heart" by Dr. Imad Bayoun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH17k_8mTFI

 

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What Does It Mean to Be a Muslim?

1. To worship Allah alone ...

2. To be respectful and kind to parents ...

3. To be good to relatives, to the poor, and to travelers...

4. To be careful with money and not waste resources...

5. To take good care of children...

6. To steer clear of adultery and illicit relations...

7. To respect every life and not to kill anyone unless in the pursuit of justice...

8. To take care of the orphans...

9. To fulfill promises and commitments...

10. To be honest in business dealings...

11. To act upon knowledge and not follow hearsay or act on half-truths...

12. To be humble and have no arrogance...

What Does It Mean to Be a Muslim? - Growing in Faith - Reading Islam - OnIslam.net