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12/30/2022 - Atomic Habits

The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked, "What deeds are loved most by Allah?" He said, "The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few." He added, 'Don't take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability." (Bukhari)

Regular, constant deeds are really just good habits. As we look ahead to the new year, let's not just focus on setting big goals but also on the small habits that make up the system that will get us there. Let's fall in love with the process, knowing that Allah's pleasure is in the consistency of good habits rather than just in the achievement of milestones. Allah notices the effort we put in. Allah loves it when we try.

"All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time." -James Clear, Atomic Habits

"So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it." -Surah Az-Zalzala, 6-8

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

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12/23/2022 - Taking Care of Your Family

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “The best of you are the best to their families, and I am the best to my family." (Tirmidhi)

With this being a holiday weekend and for Chicagoans also a winter storm, many of us are at home with our families. Let's use this time to be grateful for the people we often take for granted by showing them the best of our character.

رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٖ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

“Our Lord! Bless us with spouses and offspring who will be the joy of our hearts, and make us models for the righteous.” -Surah Furqan, 74

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

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12/16/2022 - Endurance

"Endurance is the ability to do things again and again without tiring."

In Arabic, the word Sabr, though often translated as patience actually also means endurance. If you think about it, the two concepts go hand in hand. Both patience and endurance require being able to withstand the same thing over and over again without tiring and with grace. The Sabireen (ones who are patient / endure) don't get bored of doing things that are beneficial for them, and they don't get fed up with or tired of life's challenges.

Sabr allows us to achieve mastery in skills and over ourselves. Allah loves this trait so much that He repeats several times in the Qur'an--InnAllaha ma'as-sabireen--Indeed Allah is with The Sabireen. He is "with" them. What could be more rewarding in this life than Allah being with you! And yet, Allah has more to give to the Sabireen.

Say “Oh My servants who believe, be mindful of your Lord. Those who do good in this world will have a good reward. And Allah’s earth is spacious. Indeed, the Sabiroon will be given their reward without limit.” Qur'an, 39:10

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems/

12/09/2022 - Finding Joy

"Joy comes to us in moments—ordinary moments. We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary." -Brené Brown

Success in this world is less about living an extraordinary life externally and more about having a heart that responds in extraordinary ways to ordinary occurrences. We ascend by developing character and doing more good, which could include something as ordinary as smiling at someone having a tough day or sharing a meal with your family. Don't overlook the beauty and power of living an ordinary life with an extraordinary heart.

"Whoever seeks honour and power, then ˹let them know that˺ all honour and power belongs to Allah. To Him ˹alone˺ good words ascend, and righteous deeds are raised up by Him..." -Qur'an, 35:10

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems/

12/02/2022 - Putting Fear in The Right Place

"Fear can motivate, or it can paralyze. It can be productive, or it can be destructive. It all depends on who you fear and why you fear." -Sheikh Omar Suleiman

"Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them," it only increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and the best Disposer of affairs." So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. That is only Satan who frightens his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers." -Qur'an, 3:173-175

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems/

11/25/2022 - Gratitude

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them" -John F. Kennedy.

Thanksgiving is not just a holiday, it's a lifestyle. And it's less about merely saying thanks and more about showing it.

If we say we are thankful for our health, let's show it by eating well, sleeping well, and exercising.

If we say we are thankful for our life, let's show it by using our time on earth in a way that's beneficial.

If we say we are thankful to be Muslim, let's show it by praying on time, reciting the Qur'an regularly and acting on Allah's sincere guidance.

Let's not just say thanks, let's show it.

"My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants." -Qur'an, 27:19

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems/

11/18/2022 - Appreciating Gifts

Upon receiving a gift, would you ever respond by ignoring the giver or throwing it away? It sounds absurd, but we often do that with perhaps the greatest gift we have been given - Life. Appreciate The Giver of this incredible gift, and don't throw it away by wasting even a moment doing things that will end up hurting you.

"Oh mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Lord, the Generous Who created you, proportioned you, and balanced you?" -Qur'an, 6-7

Have a blessing Jumu'ah!

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11/11/2022 - Taking Control of Time

When life gets really busy and we feel overwhelmed, we may have a tendency to put our Salah and Qur'an on the back burner. Time seems to be escaping so fast that we keep trying to "finish one last thing" before we get to praying or reciting Qur'an, which then sadly either end up getting delayed or missed entirely. What we fail to recognize is that both of those things are what allow us to stop chasing time and take control of it. When we stop what we are doing promptly to pray Salah or recite Qur'an, what we are demonstrating is that we have the control to step away from our current tasks or desires to do something more necessary and beneficial. We expand time when we make time for things that matter.

"And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord. There is no changer of His words, and never will you find in other than Him a refuge. And keep yourself patient with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect." -Surah Kahf, 27-28

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

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11/04/2022 - Planning: A Hindrance to Action

Although planning helps set us up for success, it can also be a hindrance to action. At times, we spend less time doing and more time talking to others about our plans or filling cute planners with fancy pens. When it comes time to actually doing all of those things, we often delay, give up halfway through, or don't do it altogether.

In Surah Saff verses 2-3, Allah calls us out on this type of behavior. He asks, "Oh believers! Why do you say what you do not do? How despicable it is in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do!" Interestingly, here Allah is addressing the believers, not the hypocrites even though the description sounds like hypocrisy. So it's important that we realize this question is meant for us to reflect on and overcome.

How would you personally answer this question? We all may have different reasons ranging from things like having low self confidence in our capability to accomplish what we planned, general excuses about this or that happening in life, lacking the discipline to say no to what we feel like doing in the moment to focus instead on what's better for us in the long run, or simply laziness. Let's figure out how to answer Allah's question to us so that we can save ourselves from this hypocritical behavior that has the potential to distance us from The One Who so lovingly created us and blesses us every moment of every day.

May Allah guide us to be among those follow through on the plans and commitments that will bring us closer to Allah and our greater purpose.

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems/

10/28/2022 - The Beauty of Letting Go

Fall is a reminder of how beautiful it can be to let go of that which was once a part of you. Allah could have made the trees not change color or even not lose leaves at all, but instead He created this process that shows us that there will be ongoing seasons of life like Fall where we will have to let go and that it is a beautiful thing to do so. And yet, there will also be ongoing seasons like Spring where we are surrounded by new possibilities and growth. Let's submit to the natural processes Allah ordained like the trees do, beautifully letting go when it's time to and trusting that what was lost will return again in another season of life.

"Say, "Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Or who controls hearing and sight and who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges [every] matter?" They will say, " Allah," so say, "Then will you not be mindful of Him?" -Qur'an, 10:31

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems

10/21/2022 - Reward Through Pain

The Prophet said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that." (Bukhari)

"And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say,

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ

"Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."

Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided." -Surah Baqarah, 155-157

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems

10/14/2022 - Trusting Allah

As we think about upcoming future events, we sometimes imagine how things might play out, including all of the things that could go wrong. We may be hesitant to imagine things going well because we are scared of getting disappointed, but imagining things playing out negatively has an even worse effect--tainting the present with feelings of despair, hopelessness, anxiety, and/or depression.

Our confidence, faith, and trust in Allah and ourselves is severely affected when we aren't able to see that both the present and the future are working out for the best. Let's remember that even though certain occurrences are out of our control, our thoughts always are. We can always hope for and pray for the best.

"And of them there are some who say:

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٗ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ حَسَنَةٗ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ

"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire." -Qur'an, 2:201

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems

10/07/2022 - Taking Accountability

If we don't manage ourselves and our lives, no one will. We may be able to get away with making excuses now, but there will come a day when we will have to face the consequences of justifying our way out of doing what's best for us.

"Man will say on that Day, "Where is the escape?" No! There is no refuge. To your Lord, that Day, is the permanence. Man will be informed that day of what he sent ahead and kept back. Rather, man, against himself, will be a witness, even if he presents his excuses." -Qur'an, Surah Qiyamah: 10-15

Let's not wait to take control of our lives when we don't have that option anymore.

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems/

09/30/2022 - Being Humbled Through Knowledge

The more that I see, the more that I know, that I don't know anything at all." - Jhene Aiko

Often, we have the opposite reaction to the quote above. The more we see, the more we act like we know everything. Strangely, the more arrogant we are about our knowledge, the more closed-minded we become. Perhaps it is because we believe our vessel of knowledge is supposedly full, so why would there be a need to fill it more?

As we navigate the path towards growth and knowledge, let's remember these incredibly humbling words that the angels said to Allah--

They said, "Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is The All-Knowing, The Most Wise." -Qur'an, 2:32

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems

09/23/2022 - Finding God in Silence

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.” –Mother Teresa

Silence, unlike speaking, allows us to learn by observing and listening to our surroundings. It can even be a potential channel to attain mercy, as Allah reminds us in the Qur'an, "So when the Qur'an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention that you may receive mercy." -7:204

May Allah guide us to learn the wisdom in observing silence, and when we do speak, to only do so when our speech is beneficial.

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems

09/16/2022 - Be careful of Praise

“…He knew well what would become of you as He created you from the earth and while you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure. He knows best who is (truly) pious.” -Surah Najm, 32

We live in a culture of praise. We praise ourselves and are eager to bring up our accomplishments. We praise others, complimenting them on how they look or what they did. At times, though, the praise comes from a good place—we may mention our accomplishments in an effort to build up our network or gain new opportunities, we may compliment others to make them feel special or loved, etc. However, in the verse above, Allah is reminding us not to elevate ourselves and declare ourselves pure. Further, regarding praising others, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “When you see those who flatter others, throw sand in their faces” (Sahih Muslim).

What’s the problem with praising, especially if there is a good intention? Why would we do something as intense as throwing sand in someone’s face if they were praising others? Well, there is a hidden risk to praising that we often don’t consider. In response to praise, there is a natural tendency to start to derive reward from others’ reactions, which grows over time. A small amount of praise ultimately becomes a gateway and a slippery slope leading to us doing things for the sake of others, showing off, and increasing in arrogance. We all know how dangerous arrogance is and as far as showing off, in another hadith, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “The thing I fear most for you is the lesser shirk (polytheism), which is Riyah (showing-off)” (Ahmad).

Let’s take a step back and re-evaluate how and why we praise ourselves and others and be mindful to do so in a way that doesn’t do more harm than good. Ultimately, let’s remember to Whom belongs All Praise, which is Allah, Al-Hamid ‘The Praiseworthy,' which we recognize every time we say Alhamdulillah ‘All praise is due to Allah.”

Have a blessed Jumu’ah!

https://www.instagram.com/jumuahgems

09/09/2022 - Don't Do It Just Because Everybody Else is

"Conformity is doing what everybody else is doing, regardless of what is right. Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what everybody else is doing."

Just because the majority of people are doing it doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. When we conform without pausing and reflecting on whether doing a certain action aligns with our beliefs or character, we risk losing our way by potentially sinning, wasting time, confusing our identity, and derailing from the path to our individual purpose. We all have an innate desire to fit in and belong, but we have to connect to a deeper part of ourselves that finds more fulfillment in following the truth and staying grounded in our values. The next time we feel strange because we aren't where everyone else is, doing what everyone else is, let's remember these words of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:

“Islam began as a something strange and it will return to being strange, so blessed are the strangers.” (Muslim 145) It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, who are the strangers?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Righteous people among many evil people. Those who disobey them are more numerous than those who obey them.” (Musnad Ahmad 6612)

Have a blessed Jumu'ah!

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