Ramadan Reflection #3

"Don't let this Ramadan be just a holiday of rituals. Don't finish reading the Qur'aan without it transforming you. Don't feed your body at Suhoor, but starve your heart of Qiyam. Don't reduce this downpour of mercy to just a month of sweets and lavish iftars. Seek Him, you will find. Take a sincere step towards change, transformation, redemption. If you do, you will find Him in front of you. Find Him this month. He's been there all along. Closer than your jugular vein. Look, and you'll find. Walk, and you'll arrive."

--Yasmin Mogahed

Such inspiring words subhanAllaah. InshaAllaah lets all strive to make sincere changes (be it in the tiniest possible way) this Ramadan. May Allaah give us the tawfiq and hidayah to make sincere changes in our lives and bring us closer to that which He loves.*Ameen*

Tackling Low Emaan..

 

 

 

 

 

Abu Huraira (radhiAllaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

 

“Allaah (subhaanahu wa t'Aala) says I am closer to my slave than his supposition of which he keeps of me. And when he/she does dhikr of Allaah, I am with him/her. If he does dhikr in his heart, I do his dhik near MY proximity (closeness) and if he does dhikr in a gathering, I mention him in a gathering Afdhal (better) than it."

 

--Sahih Bukhari

So I've been meaning to just sit down and jot down some ideas on how to increase our emaan in times of low emaan. Of course as human beings, we do experience dips in emaan every now and then. It all depends on how we pick ourselves back up. The main thing is to realize and acknowledge that we are at a low-point. Once we acknowledge this, Insha'Allah we can take steps to recover from it. Some ways in in increasing our emaan may be:

• Increase the recitation of the Qur'aan
• Understand the tafseer behind the words in the Qur'aan
• Attend Islamic lectures or classes (This, I personally find is always a big booster)
• Fast the sunnah fasts of Monday and Thursday
• Fast the 'White days' or the 14th, 15th, and 16th of each Islamic month.
• Be sincere with your deeds (niyaah/intention)
• Must, must, must keep the waajib (obligatory) prayers going.
• Maybe read the seerah of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him)
• Why not read about all the Prophets (peace be upon them all)
• Make du'a. Lot's and lot's and lot's of du'a to increase our emaan and make us better Muslims

On that note, May Allaah continue to increase our knowledge and sincerity in His deen for His sake. And may He continue to strengthen our emaan and guide us on the right path. *Ameen*




 

Tawakkul (Reliance on Allaah)..

"The firmer man’s belief, the higher the degree of reliance on Allah."

 

– - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (rahimullaah)

Faith is Not by Embellishment..

Faith (îmân) is not by embellishment or wishful thinking, but it is what settles in the heart and is verified through your works. Whoever says good but does not do good will have his words compared to his deeds by Allaah. Whoever says good and does good will have his words raised by his deeds. This is because Allah ‘azza wa jal said:

"To Him ascends the good word, and the righteous deed raises it." [Sûrah Al-Fâtir: 10] "

Ibn Battah in Al-Ibânah Al-Kubrâ Vol. 3 p120, and Al-Khatîb Al-Baghdâdî in Iqtidâ’ Al-’Ilm Al-’Amal no.56.