Category Archives: General

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My Loving Lord

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Dear Allah,

Thank You.

I am short of words to tell my Lord a million thanks for the mercy He shows on me again and again.

A thousand times I fail…yet your mercy remains. It humbles me more to know you are here, you are watching, my struggle my tears, my pain, my anxiety… How I want to so horribly set things right but it is beyond my capability.

I know you are watching me cry myself to sleep at night… I know you are watching me fight to set things right.. I know you are watching the struggle I am facing…and even though I know my struggle is nothing compared to what worse situtions people face all around the world … I know that for YOU even my single tear that falls out of this struggle is not something small..YOU know that it is not a problem I have created for myself.

You are Al-Wadood, you love me 70 times more than my mother. You are Al-Aleem ..you have the knowledge of what is in my heart.. You know that I am not making up this struggle .. You know that this struggle is REAL .. It may be small for others but for me it is a burden.

But it is a burden that you know I can bear right? That’s why you put me through this.

You know Allah it’s humbling how you take care of me…despite the fact that I am falling short in my prayers… Yet you send signs in such miraculous ways that makes me fall in prostration to you out of thankfulness.

You said in th Quran “Verily with hardship there is ease” and all those signs that you send my way are a moments of ease for me in this time of hardship.

A few weeks back I remember how I felt that You are no longer with me.. That may be I am not worthy of you love and you have abundant me. But just in matter of 10 mins since I cried in prostration to you, You made me listen to this reminder — even thought I had heard it before but yet YOU made me hear it again just to tell me that YOU have NOT abandoned me!!

And then the people in my life whom you have placed…SubhanaAllah. When I received this book “A Temporary Gift” as a present from my friends today, I cried. I cried tears of happiness… It just made me feel so blessed to know that Allah has put friends in my life who care, who are there to support me, who are there to advice me in a manner that will bring me closer to my Rabb! I felt blessed! Alhumdulillahi Rabbil Alameen.

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I am humbled my Lord …. And I have no words to thank you… No words are sufficient to thank my Lord … Who is watching me and taking care of my affairs.

And like Asma Hussein said in her book…”None of these things happen because i am particularly good or worthy.
They happen because Allah cares about the hearts of His slaves. ”

I love you My Lord. Thank You for being there.

Your Slave,
Unaiza

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2013 in review

Another year has come to pass. Quick like always… though in a way seems like a long year when I look at all the things that happened round this year SubhanAllah! Though I have blogged way too less this year but alhumdulillah I feel glad and blessed to see people still visiting and benefiting mashaAllah from the previous posts that I have written or shared !

May Allah accept the good that has come out of this blog and forgive me if I have ever erred. Ameen.

Here is the WordPress.com stats prepared 2013 annual report for this blog:

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 24,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 9 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

JazakaAllahu Khair to all my readers! ❤

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Thank You very much, but I so dont wish to know!

The Prophet (pbuh) defined backbiting when he said:  “Do you know what is meant by backbiting?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “To say something about your brother which he dislikes.” One asked, “Even if what I say is true about my brother?” He replied, “If such defects you say are true about him, then you have backbitten him, and if he doesn’t have what you say, then you have committed slander against him.”
(Related by Muslim, Abu Dawood, and Tirmidhi)

“…Neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?
You would hate it [so hate backbiting]” (Surah Hujurat, 49:12)

In life, the lessons learnt in one phase can be a big help when facing other trials of dunya. Sometimes I tell myself that may be Allah subhanahu wa ‘taala taught me all those lessons in order to help me through some future events of my life. You never know, right?

A friend had once advised me that when you know being in a certain place, seeing a certain someone, or talking to certain people is going to effect you in a negative manner then DON’T do it! No matter how much you want to be a part of that particular get-together, DO NOT go! No matter how much you want to Continue reading →

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2012 in review

Alhumdulillah it’s always a pleasure and exciting to look back at the events of the past year! 😀 Alhumdulillahi Rabbil alameen!
May Allah accept this from me and make this blog a means of sadaqa-e-jariya for my akhira. Ameen! and JazakaAllahu Khair to all the readers! 🙂 As this hadith teaches us:

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: A continuous charity, knowledge by which people derive benefit and a pious son who prays for him.” [Sahih Muslim]

Commentary:

A thoughtful reflection of this Hadith will reveals that the three things are indeed man’s own good deeds which somehow continue to exist even after his death. For example, places like a hospital, a mosque, a religious school and a well built by a man continue to operate like a trust as traces of his activity in earthly life, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We record that which they send before (them), and their traces [their footsteps and walking on the earth with their legs to the mosques for the five compulsory congregational prayers, Jihad (holy fighting in Allah’s Cause) and all other good and evil they did, and that which they leave behind].” (36:12)

So long as they exist and people benefit from them, the dead person will keep receiving his due reward. The same is pertinent to the spread of knowledge of Islamic disciplines to people’s moral uplift. For instance, if during his lifetime he wrote books based on Qur’an and Hadith, advocated the cause of Islam, instructed lots of pupils in Islamic teachings, it will be counted as an unending activity on his part. The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever guides [another] to a good deed will get a reward similar to the one who performs it.” [Sahih Muslim]

Besides, this Hadith tells us that, after his death, man will receive reward by the Du’aa (Supplications) of his virtuous children, and other Ahadith too confirm it. This clears the issue of sending the fruit of good works to the welfare of a dead person’s soul. Charity or the continual charity from the part of a dead person himself, beneficial (religious) knowledge and prayer are acts of Sunnah under this rule. With the exception of these, all other deeds do not benefit the dead. However, if the dead person was under obligation to perform Hajj or had missed obligatory or vowed fasts, his heirs are commanded by the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) to observe them on his behalf. Because this is like a debt payable by the dead person and his heirs are under obligation to discharge it for him. Yet, this rule is inapplicable to other forms of physical worship.

And Allah knows best!
(Source: Hadith a day)

On that note, alhumdulillah, here is the 2012 annual report for my blog prepared by The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys! 🙂

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 28,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 6 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

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Zakaat-ul-fitr

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu,

A very beneficial post on Zakaat-ul-fitr, compiled by sister on her blog “Writings on Parchment”

Zakaat-ul-Fitr: The correct way

Source: Writings on Parchment

Question: 

Is it permissible to discharge Zakaat ul-Fitr in money? – with mention of the evidences
 

Answer: 

 
Zakaat ul-Fitr is NOT permissible except (to be paid) from FOOD. 
And it is not allowed to discharge its value in money.
This is because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم made it obligatory (to be discharged) from a saa’ of dates or a saa’ of barley. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri رضي الله عنه said: “We used to discharge it (Zakaat ul-Fitr) in the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as a saa’ of FOOD” [Sahih Bukhari]
Therefore, it is not lawful for anyone to discharge Zakaat ul-Fitr from money or clothing or household furnishings. Instead, that which is obligatory is to discharge it in what Allaah has made obligatory on the tongue of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
There is no consideration (weight) for the Istihsaan [viewing of something to be good, without basis from the legal sources of Qur’an and Sunnah] of those of the people who viewed the giving of money as a good thing. The Law (Shari’ah) does not follow (i.e. it is not secondary to) the opinions of people. No, it (the Law) is from Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, The Most Knowing, The Most Wise.
So, if that which has been made obligatory by the tongue of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is a saa’ of food, then it is not permissible to bypass (skip over) that, no matter what our intellects make us to view as being good. Instead, it is a must that the human being question and suspect his intellect and views if it conflicts with, or contradicts, the law of Allaah.
Source:
 
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
Zakaatul-Fitr : Fatwa-Online.com
Important Comment :
This fatwaa is referring specifically to Zakaat ul-Fitr being discharged in the form of money to the poor people.
It does not address the issue of someone paying another person to buy food for him and distribute it as food.  In this case, a person has distributed his Zakaat ul-Fitr in food, he just had someone else do it on his behalf, which is permissible.
This is so that we seperate the organizations or masjids which offer a service for Zakaat ul-Fitr:
(1) Some of them are distributing it as money to the poor people.
(2) Others are distributing the Zakaat as food to the poor people, but it is done AFTER the ‘Eid prayer.
(3) And others are buying food for people and distributing it to the poor people before the ‘Eed prayer on their behalf.
#3 is the only service that properly distributes the Zakaat ul-Fitr. 
 
#1 and #2 are NOT considered Zakaat ul-Fitr, rather they would be counted as general charities. 
And Allaah knows best.

Question:

Is the time for paying Zakaat al-Fitr from after the Eid prayer until the end of that day?

Answer:

The time for paying Zakaat al-Fitr does not start after the Eid prayer, rather it starts at sunset on the last day of Ramadaan, which is the first night of the month of Shawwaal, and it ends with the Eid prayer. 
Because the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم enjoined that it should be paid before the prayer, and because of the report of Ibn ‘Abbaas رضي الله عنه who said that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Whoever pays it before the (Eid) prayer, it is accepted zakaah, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is (ordinary) charity.”
It is permissible to pay it one or two days before that because of the report of Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه who said: “The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم enjoined Zakaat al-Fitr at the end of Ramadaan …” at the end of which he said: “And they used to give it one or two days before that. But the one who delays it until after the proper time is sinning, and he has to repent from delaying it and give it to the poor.”Source:
 
1 Saa’ = 3 Litres :: 1 Mudd = 750ml
A prophetic mudd (1/4 saa’) in modern volume measurements is 0.75L (or 750mL), which means that a saa’ is three litres. 
The chain of transmission for this prophetic measurement:
“This mudd was measured up to Sheikh Yahyaa al-Mudarris’ mudd (may Allaah preserve him), which was measured up to the mudd of his shaykh al-‘Allaamah Aboo Sa’eed Muhammad ‘Abdullaah al-Laknawee (d.1400), which was measured up to his shaykh’s mudd… and so on, all the way back to the mudd of Zayd ibn Thaabit رضي الله عنه that was in use in al-Andelus and elsewhere all the way to (at least) the 4th century…”
Al-‘Allaamah al-Laknawee (may Allaah have Mercy on him) – a former teacher at the Haram in Makkah and at Daar al-Hadeeth, an Indian scholar grounded in Tawheed and firm against the people of desires – said about this mudd:

This is the mudd that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was speaking about when he prayed, “O Allaah! Put blessings in our saa’ and our mudd!” This was collected by the two shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim). Further, he صلى الله عليه وسلم used to make wudhoo’ using this mudd, and he used to take a bath using a saa’.

[Source: An-Najm al-Baadee, Shaykh Yahyaa’s biography (p.63)]

In one narration of the hadith in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said when praying for Allaah to bless the mudd and the saa’: “blessings upon blessings.” 
So whoever wants to give their Zakaat al-Fitr using this measurement – as it was prescribed – is free to do so. May Allaah bless the Muslims and accept their fasting and their Zakaat.

Question:

We generally give Zakaat al-Fitr in terms of dates, barley, rice, etc. which are measured in kilograms/pound. How do we convert these litres into kilograms/pounds?
And this litre to kilogram/pounds conversion would depend on the liquid, isn’t it? Is there a chain of transmission for measurement of Saa’ in terms of kilograms/pounds?

Answer : 

 
A way of keeping it simple, using the modern equivilent of a saa’ (3L), is to measure out 0.75L of the food you intend to use in a large measuring cup, then use that same amount (whether you convert it to weight or not) a total of four times for each person’s zakaat. 
This works for any food type, and it eliminates the need for lengthy calculations and conversions that differ from one food type or another, especially since some kinds of rice -for example- are heavier than others. Its true! Even within one food type there are different kinds that have different densities and weights.
So if you want to give out rice, for example, measure 750ml of it in a measuring cup. If you want to give the zakaat in a sealed unopened container, then weigh the 750ml you measured and then multiply by four. That’s the weight of one person’s zakaat al-fitr, using that exact kind of food. Then multiply that by the number of people you are giving zakaat on behalf of.

Step-by-Step Illustration:

Step 1: Determine the number of people you are giving zakaat al-fitr on behalf of.
A man has a wife and four children, and his parents have asked him to give out zakaat al-fitr for them too. So he needs to give out 8 units, or saa’s, of food.
Step 2: Determine how much one saa’ (3 litres) of the selected food item is.
The man in our example decides to use barley. He can either:
(a) Measure out 3 litres of barley in a large measuring pitcher, if he doesn’t mind opening the container, and it will not be seen as unacceptable to the poor person.
(b) Measure out 750 ml of barley in a measuring cup. Weigh this amount. Multiply its weight by 4. This is one saa’. Let’s say in this example 750ml of the selected barley weighed 400 grams. 400g x 4 = 1.6kg
Step 3: Multiply the measurement from step 2 by the number of people you are giving on behalf of (from step 1).
This is done one of two ways:
(a) 3 litres x 8 = 24 litres of barley as in this example (based on the original volume)
(b) 1.6kg x 8 = 12.8 kilograms in this example (coverted to weight)
I hope this walk-through helps.
Important Comment: 
The mudd is not simply a double-handful.
A mudd is an actual physical container (like a small bowl or pot, or a large cup), a standardized unit of measurement, one that was widely in use in the time of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the marketplaces and in their houses.
It is based on a double-handful – don’t get confused – but the Companions used to buy and sell using the containers (the mudd and the saa’), not their own individual double-handfuls, and they used to give their Zakaat al-Fitr with these containers (the saa’ and the mudd). The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to have Zayd ibn Thaabit رضي الله عنه measure out mudds and saa’s of food using the standardized mudd and saa’.
So Allaah did not legislate that big-handed people have to give more Zakaat al-Fitr, and people with small hands give less. Rather there is a standardized measurement to be used, according to how it has been legislated. 
Thus, it is known that it is incorrect to define the mudd referred to in the texts as simply anyone’s double-handful, rather the mudd referred to was an actual container, which our scholars throughout history have busied themselves recording its size, shape, volume, and description.
And Allaah knows best.
Source:
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The ZamZam Story

Assalamualikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatahu,

I had watched this cartoon on the story of zamzam on youtube sometime back. Found it cute and interesting.

Some facts about Zamzam:
(Source:Internet)

ZamZam” is 18X14 ft. & 13meters deep well.
It started 4000 yrs ago.
Never dried, since then
Never changed d taste.
No Algae or plant growth in d pond.
Thus No disease caused
Was tested by European laboratories & declared fit 4 drinking..
This small pond provides water 2 millions of people, thru heavy motors pulling 8000 litr per sec & after 24 hours
it completes its level in only 11 mins
Thus its water level never decreases.

SubhnaAllah!

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I dream a dream…

“Dreaming to live the dream,
that is to be a part of the Dream.
Is that too big a dream?
Well only time will tell! InshaAllah! :)”

I have never had any big dreams or goals when it came to my education. I have been a very non-fussy person and was ok with any university/college I got into, alhumdulillah. I remember when I was in 10th grade and my classmates would wish to be in the best college in the city, while I just studied and passed with good marks(alhumdulillah) least interested about which college I would be able to get into.

But that was a long time back.

The first time I saw the video of this particular university, I fell in love with it.

It’s definitely the first time I am wishing to be in some university. It’s my dream to be a part it someday. It all seems very unrealistic and illogical to wish for it, considering the distance of this place from where I live. But … there’s hope. Someday I will be there… sitting amongst the other muslimahs in class, listening to the first lecture of my dream course – THE DREAM intensive course, inshaAllah!

May Allah open our hearts and bless it with love and understanding of the Quran. May Allah grant us the ability and means to be a part of this course and benefit ourselves and others around us through it. May Allah help us in our effort to make our dreams a reality. Ameen.

-Potential Hijabi

P.S. @ Nasmira and x@hu .. Someday we will be a part of it.. inshaAllah!  🙂

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Things to Remember (for a good life in this world and the next)

Three things you should never forget about:
1.If you are in salah protect your heart.
2.If you are in a gathering of people,protect your tongue.
3.If you are in the house of others,protect your gaze.

Two things you should never narrate:
1.Peoples bad behavior towards you.
2.Your good behavior towards people .

Two things you should never forget:
1.Allah.
2.The hereafter.

From the team of An’Nisaa -The Woman (النساء )
Jazakumullahu khairan for reading. Please do SHARE after reading:)

Source: An’Nisaa