Notes from a Muslim sister

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Assalam Alaikom wa rahmatu'Allah wa Barakatu (May peace be with you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah). I'm an English revert currently living in France, and studying. In this blog I'm trying to share some of the things I've learnt since I converted to Islam. It's meant to be informative and interesting - and really a place to highlight and clarify issues which are important in our community today. I'm aware I still have a lot to learn, and I pray for Allah's guidance in this matter - and I seek his forgiveness for any mistakes. If you would like you can search 'basics' in the box below to see related posts, for the Muslim beginner. Peace be to you.

[umaymen]

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَ أَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfirullah al-‘Adheemal-ladhi la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum wa atubu ilaih (I seek the forgiveness of Allah the Mighty, Whom there is none worthy except Him, the Living, The Eternal, and I repent unto Him)

[shepraysforpeace]

When I first became muslim and started praying, I didn’t understand that the Azan was a call to prepare yourself for prayer, make wudu etc. Instead, I would set an alarm for 10 mins before every prayer, so that I could make wudu and be ready on my prayer mat wearing hijab to pray. I would start when I heard the Azan!

Now I feel so sad at how distant I have become from my prayers, I'm so ashamed of myself but I don't know how to get back that motivation and eagerness I once had

[storiesofthesahabah]

Have you ever felt that special strength after you have finished offering Salātul-Fâjr? That feeling that you have fulfilled an obligation to Allāh, that you have pleased Him through it? Subhan'Allāh.  Indeed, in its silence you find that inevitable strength within you. and we pray that Allāh puts in our hearts that eagerness to always wake up in the midst of the solemnity of the morning dawn and defeat Shaitān by making wudhū to stand firm on our salāt and have that beautiful talk with Allāh, in sha Allāh and of course witness that beautiful transition of darkness to light. subhan'Allāh! May Allāh bless you all. Amīn. Zohayma 

[livin-luxury-deactivated2026012]

I’m a Muslim and I’m definitely not a terrorist

[shadowwraiths-deactivated201711]

Spread this truth everywhere

Link to the full clip and more like this here -https://youtu.be/wZwjMrhGoZs

[wayofthesalaf]

The Call to Prayer (Adhaan) In Masjid Al Haram, Makkah - Shaykh Faaruq Ibn ‘Abdir-Rahmaan Hadraawi

[theechoingheart-blog]

 Ramadhan Reflections ⏪ 

DAY SEVEN :: Overeating in Ramadhan 

The purpose of fasting is not only to abstain from food, drink and intercourse for a prescribed time, but also to curb our nafs and desires. This period of fasting is to strengthen our abilities to exercise self-control, and take control of our desires. 

Now, our nafs loves food – especially tasty and delicious foods! - I know mine does! So by fasting, we are teaching our nafs to refrain from the natural desire and urge to satisfy our appetites and it is hoped that we can then apply it even after the month of Ramadhān has come to an end, in sha Allāh. 

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’ [Ibn Majah] 

But how to we expect to teach our nafs this form of discipline when we over-eat at Iftaar? Some of us have our plates with food towering, struggling to balance it on the plate! And some of us eat with such a vengeance! – thinking that we have to make up for all the missed meals throughout the day! SubhanAllah! Where is our self-control? 

Now, here is where things might get a little gross – but it must be said! After eating that unreasonably large amount of food, some people can barely go down into ruk’u and sujood comfortably. They are so stuffed, wallahi! And others stand next to us in salaah and burp/ belch constantly! I mean come on! – Really? Gross! Is this what our Nabī ﷺ has taught us: that Iftaar is a time to make up for breakfast, lunch, brunch, afternoon snack, pre-dinner dinner, etc? No way! 

And let’s not forget to mention how so much eating can make us miss out from our salaah! After we have eaten and drunk so much, it is only likely that we would have to frequent the bathroom, and repeat wudhu. And even if we choose not to relieve ourselves, the urge will only distract us from our salaah. How can one expect to concentrate and focus during his meeting with his Lord when his mind is on something else?! This is why Nabī ﷺ said “When any of you feels the need of relieving himself while the congregational prayer is ready, he should go to relieve himself.” [Abu Dawud] 

So let us all keep the real objective in sight when we fast. Let us take all the good that is available to us during this month, and in sha Allāh acquire self-control and piety.

If I offended anyone, I do apologize; it was not my intention, and I hope that you can forgive me. This of course is not directed to anyone in particular. 

May Allāh make it easy for us do those things that are pleasing to Him and that will bring us closer to Him. Amīn! 

________ 

So while I did have another reflection topic in mind, I decided to change it at the last minute!… As I mentioned before I’m not am avid “news-reader”, but anyway, I came across this article “Dozens hospitalised for overeating during Ramadan” - crazy huh? Smh… (this is Abu Dhabi, but also occurred in other places as well!) 

So this is what prompted me to speak about overeating - again this year. If you follow this blog"The Echoing Heart" you probably would have read this is last year’s Ramadhan Reflections… 

One very important advice from the article comes from Dr. Mohammed who recommended people be “rational” and break their fast gradually, by eating a handful of dates with coffee or water, waiting for one hour before consuming heavier food such as bread, and then waiting another hour before having a proper meal. “If people do not follow this routine then they risk suffering from stomach problems [of the type mentioned above],” he warned. 

Link to full article: http://m.arabianbusiness.com/dozens-hospitalised-for-overeating-during-ramadan-597114.html 

Let’s eat smartly and healthy this Ramadhan! 🙌 

- Umm D.

[shepraysforpeace]

So true and so important, jazakallah khairen

[aboonoor-deactivated20180121]

[shepraysforpeace]

Ramadan Mubarak to all

[shepraysforpeace]

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I was shown Hell and I have never seen anything more terrifying than it. And I saw that the majority of its people are women.” They said, “Why, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Because of their ingratitude (kufr).” It was said, “Are they ungrateful to Allah?” He said, “They are ungrateful to their companions (husbands) and ungrateful for good treatment. If you are kind to one of them for a lifetime then she sees one (undesirable) thing in you, she will say, ‘I have never had anything good from you.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1052) .

[shepraysforpeace]

If a woman dies while her husband was pleased with her, she will enter into Paradise.

Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi

[shepraysforpeace]

10 Habits of Happy Muslim Couples - ProductiveMuslim.com

What does it take to stay Muslim, married and extremely happy today? As oxymoronic as that just sounded, believe it or not, it's absolutely possible.

MashAllah, Great article, wonderfully written and very informative for both men and women - will completely change the way you look at your marriage In Sha Allah

[shepraysforpeace]

Don’t forget to make up your missed fasting days before Ramadan sisters!

[shepraysforpeace]

Supplication for travel

‘Allah is the most great, Allah is the most great, Allah is the most great, how perfect He is, The One who has subdued this (transport) at our service, and we ourselves would not have been capable of that, and to our Lord is our final destiny. O Allah! We ask You for birr and taqwaa in this journey of ours, and we ask You for deeds which please You. O Allah! Facilitate our journey and let us cover its distance quickly. Oh Allah! You are the Companion of the travellers and the Successor over the family, O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the hardships of travel, from having a change of hearts and being in a bad predicament, and I seek refuge in You from an ill-fated outcome with wealth and family.’

‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, subhaanal lathee sakh-khara lanaa haatha wa maa kunna lahu muqrineen wa innaa ilaa Rabbinaa lamun-qaliboon, Allahumma inna nas’auluka fee safarinaa haatha al birra wattaqwaa waminal ‘amali maa tardaa, Allahumma hawwin alaynaa safaranaa haathaa watwi ‘Annaa Bu’dahu. Allahumma innee a’uthu bika min wa’thaa’is-safari wa kaabatil manzari, wa soo’il munqalabi fil-maali wal-ahli.’

اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ ، وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى ، وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى ، اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ اللَّهُمَّ اَنتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالخَلِيفَةُ فِي الاَهلِ اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِن وَعتَاإ السَّفَرِ وِكآبِة المَنظَرِ وَسُوإ المنقَاَبِ فَي المَالِ وَالاَهلِ

translation from ‘The Fortress of the Muslim’

[shepraysforpeace]

Alhamdulillah!

I’m learning arabic and subhanAllah I can’t believe how far I’ve come in such a short time, just 6 months ago I could hardly remember the alphabet and now I can read Qu’ran and understand many of the words used. Feeling so happy and blessed that Allah facilitated all of this for me

                                        سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ وَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ

‘Subhanallah wa Alhamdulillah, wa la ilaha ilAllah’

Glory be to Allah, All thanks and perfect praise are due to Allah, There is no God but Allah (The One God)

[shepraysforpeace]

Please Allah bring us all closer to you in our hearts, and help us with our daily struggles, help us to be patient and forgiving, and kind to our parents, keep us away from things that are bad for us, and give us what will be good for us, remind us to be always thankful to you for everything that we have, and everything that we don't have, alhamdulillah, ameen

[shepraysforpeace]

Here is the link to the news story about pork meat being found in Cadbury's chocolate in Malaysia. I've read comments from non-muslims basically saying that this is just a lot of fuss over religious issues.

Sorry, I must have misunderstood something...

HOW CAN ANYBODY NOT BE WORRIED THAT PORK DNA SOMEHOW GOT INTO CHOCOLATE?

The fact that it's a religious issue for the muslims is not the problem here!

Ewww.