WHAT IS TAQWA

What Is Taqwa?

*Taqwa is not only in our manners...
*Taqwa is not just about looking islamic...
*Taqwa is not only about sporting a beard or wearing a Hijab...
*Taqwa is not only in appearance...

*BUT*

*Taqwa is when you miss a single prayer, you feel uneasy the whole day...
*Taqwa is when you speak a lie , your instinct feels bad..
*Taqwa is the guilt that follows when u hurt someone knowingly or unknowingly.
*Taqwa is the shame and regret that follows a sin you did knowing fully well about it's stand in the sight of Allah,
*Taqwa is when you cannot sleep the whole night after disobeying or disrespecting your parents
*Taqwa is to cry in the depths of night fearing none but the one above the Arsh.

*Taqwa is the fear that refrains us from sinning even when we are alone and nobody is looking...
*Taqwa is the guts and the will to please Allah, even when the whole world is hell bent on displeasing Him...
*Taqwa is to wear that beard and Hijab for the sole reason of pleasing Our Creator and to keep it as per sunnah....
*Taqwa is to stay happy and smiling even after knowing this world is a prison for believers...
*Taqwa is the good manners and character that loving and fearing Allah brings in us...
*Taqwa is the struggle to better yourself according to Islam with each passing day...
*Taqwa is not only about rising in deen, it is more about falling but again rising up and never letting go...
*Taqwa IS ALL ABOUT WHAT LIES IN THE HEART.

_And if this heart is filled with proper Taqwa then actions automatically follow and the sweetness of these actions is so much better.

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FOR PARENTS ONLY

- The purpose of marriage is to have children and then educate them to worship Allah SWT.

- When a child is born, a mother and father are also born.

- The personal development of the parents is just as important as that of the child. This point is often overlooked.

- Modern education seeks to incorporate people into the economy - to make money. Islamic education seeks to train people to become 'good' individuals, in terms of their character etc. 'Good' meaning to prepare for the Hereafter.

- Your children, before they are your children, they are the slaves of Allah. His rights over them precede your rights.

- Your duty is to teach them and provide them guidance - not to make them pious. You will be questioned whether you taught them right or not.

- Parents need to realise they too are slaves of Allah. His rights over them precede their rights. Don't become enslaved to them such that you forget Him.

- Children see and hear with their eyes. If you want them to hear, make them see. Parents should be role models.

- Education is primarily given by the family environment. Today, we suffer from the problem of 'disorientation' where children, and in many cases parents also, are getting their ideals from elsewhere (e.g. TV etc). Everyone is on a different wavelength and so family 'unit' is broken.

- The home should be given precedence over all other environments and used as the measuring-stick by which other things are judged.

- A person can learn from the natural environment. The entire universe is a means to the Remembrance of Allah.

- Piety doesn't depend upon 'space'. Abu Bakr became as-Siddiq in a space (i.e. Makkah) where there was much hostility against Islam and Muslims. On the other hand, those who lived in an 'Islamic state' did not reach his level. Space can be good at times, but can also make a person lazy since there are no challenges. Thank Allah for the 'space', for every new 'condition' is a test, and gives you oppurtunity to improve yourself.

- Islam and Iman can never be defeated.

- Teach your children how to remain pure, but also teach them how to purify themselves, through repentance when they slip.

- The law of this universe is that if you want to achieve something, it requires labour. Instil a sense of 'will' within your children, so they act willingly.

- Focus must be given to child's physical growth, as well as their mental growth. Teach them how to read the Qur'an, how to cook, how to clean the house, how to wash clothes etc.

- Develop 'thinking' in your child. Otherwise they will do things in order to fulfil their desires. Today, in the guise of 'freedom' we are being directed to become more bestial.

- Teach them to always think about the consequences prior to acting.

- 4 key qualities need to be developed in your child:

1) Taharah: purity of the mind, body and heart.

2) Ikhbat: worship of Allah with utmost humility. Teach them the hadith , the love for the Salat, taqwa and zuhd - teach them they weren't created to be attached to this world.

3) Samahah: a personality which comprises bravery, genorosity, patience, tolerance and controlling of desires. Life is not meant to be just about comfort; it requires struggle and striving.

4) 'Adalah: be just to them and teach them to be just to others.

Nevertheless we should stand up and tie our belt to motivate them accordingly by the Islamic injunctions and skills.
May Allah SWT forgive our shortcomings and make us the inhabitants of jannatul firdaus. . . Aameen

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GIVING YOUR OCCUPATION IT'S RIGHTS

*All praises are due unto Allah alone. Durood and Salaams be upon Sayedina Muhammed Sallallahu alayhi wasallam.*

It is the responsibility of a Muslim man to earn for himself and his family a pure and halal sustenance. Whether you are a very humble, lowly paid servant or a prestigious professional with a highly lucrative income, feeding your family with halal sustenance can be a means of earning immense rewards from Allah if you do it according to the commands of Allah the Most High and the Sunnah of Nabi Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).

Given below are some of the occupations and professions that you may be involved in and how you can turn these careers into means of earning great blessings from Allah (praise be to Him who is pure and elevated).

*An employee:*

     Work with all sincerity and trust. Try to train yourself to work efficiently. Maintain strict punctuality. Have good relationships with your colleagues and co-worker even if they are not Muslims.
      Always be content. Never ever think of taking anything that does not belong to you even if you are in a great need. This way you will win the confidence of your employer and In Sha Allah, Allah will soon open ways for you from somewhere you never expected.
 
*Thoughts For The Day!

*If you get away with injustices in this world because of who you are or who you know, remember that won't help in the court of the Almighty.

*If you expect a certain reaction to your act of kindness, it wasn't an act of kindness. Merely an act. Train yourself to do good deeds without expecting anything in return from people, we should only expect from Allah.

*"Something unlawful will not become lawful simply because the intention is good. This is a misconception."

Dua For The Day!

*O my Rab, grant me a true and sincere entry (in whatever I do) and a true and sincere exit (in whatever I do) and grant me sustaining authority (over my enemies). O our Rab, bestow upon us Your Mercy and grant us success in all our endeavors. O Allaah, I beg You for safety in this world and in the Hereafter. O Allaah, I beg You for forgiveness and safety of my Deen, life, family and wealth. O Allaah, conceal my faults and save me from distress.

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ADORABLE MOM

A woman narrates a  marvelous story and says: I was on a visit to one of my friends house. One of her daughters, who was about three years old, came in, stood behind her and pulled on her dress saying: Mom we did not build a house in Jannah today. I thought I misheard her. Then her siblings joined her and they all repeated the same thing. My friend saw the curiosity on my face and smiled and said to me: Do you want to see how we build a mansion in Jannah? I stood and watched as the mother and her children sat around her and recited Surat Al-ikhlas ten times:
(قل هو الله احد الله الصمد لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا احد ) When they finished they all said excitedly with one voice: Alhamdullah we built a house in Paradise. Then the mother asked: What do you want to add to this palace? The children replied that they wanted to add treasures. Then they began chanting
لا حول ولا قوة الا بالله (There is no mighty nor power except in Allah)
Then she asked them: Which of you wants to drink from the hands of the Prophet of Allah peace be upon him and  never feel thirsty again? They all began to say: (اللهم صل على محمد وعلى آل محمد .. كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد .. وبارك على محمد وعلى آل محمد .. كما باركت على إبراهيم وعـلى آل إبراهــيم إنك حميد مجيد (Allahumm Salli ala Muhammadin wa ala aali Muhammadin Kama sallaeta ala Ibrahima wa alaa aali Ibrahima innaka Hameedun Majeedun wa Baarik ala Muhammadin wa alaa aali Muhammadin Kama Barakta ala Ibrahim wa alaa aali Ibrahima fil aalamina inaka Hameedun Majeedun)
They followed it with praising to Allah. Then each of them went back to what they were doing from studying and playing with toys.
I asked her how did you do that? She replied: my children love sitting with me and rejoice when i gather them and sit among them, and I wanted to exploit it and teach them how to praise and thank Allah in a way that their tiny minds can understand. They see palaces in children's programs and wish to live in them and watch cartoon heroes who are struggling to get treasures.

This mother will be rewarded with deeds whenever one of her children reads or recites these Adhkaar. It will be an ongoing charity. It is the best investment in the world and the Hereafter ..I have read this over and over and I still see it as one of the best I have read.

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DO NOT LOSE HOPE IN ALLAH's MERCY

Reflection of Surah Zumar Verse 53

In a very beautiful verse Allah (swt) says:

Say: O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls, despair not of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surah Az-Zumar 39:53)

This ayyah has two main messages. The first message is directed to the Prophet (saas) – to say, to inform, to give advice (Qul). The second message is directed to the one who has sinned. In the first message Allah (swt) says to tell the sinner. Then the conversation changes to first person indicating that He wants to speak to this sinner directly. While the sinner maybe ashamed to face Allah (swt) or may fear His anger, Allah (swt) wants to speak to him directly, pacifying him by giving him a promise and hope.

Allah (swt) directly talks to the sinful person and calls him “Ya ibaadi” – Oh My servants, an honorable title which is also used for the best of humans, Prophet Muhammad (saas). Listen to this wonderful call to the one who has done so much evil and wronged himself so much, and in spite of all this, Allah (swt) calls him “My servant” – indicating closeness and greater love. Oh my servant who has sinned so much, do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy. Just imagine the hope that the sinner receives from hearing this message.

Allah (swt) does not use harsh language referring to this sinful person who has crossed the limits of Allah (swt), who has hurt himself by his sins. When we sin, we harm ourselves because we lose our shame and our heart becomes hard. So the sinner becomes a “sick” person. Allah (swt), being so lovingly to His servants covers the sinner with His endless Mercy, giving him hope, giving him chance to get back on track, taking care of his “sickness”.

What follows is even more touching to one who feels he is lost because of all his sins. Allah (swt) tells him, not to despair of Allah’s Mercy. Allah (swt) moves from first person and refers to Himself as Allah thus attaching that Mercy to Himself – to Allah (swt) using His own Personal Name, so as to say make no mistake, mercy is from Allah and Allah forgives. And again He says that He (Allah) forgives all sins, so do not lose hope. Again Allah uses His Name with forgiving, stressing the fact that it is He, He who forgives all your sins.

At the end of the ayyah, Allah (swt) summarizes that He is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful. The word He uses is Ghafoor – grammatically meaning extremely/excessively forgiving but NOT ALWAYS forgiving. (So people cannot take advantage of Allah’s forgiving Nature).

The word used for mercy is Raheem – grammatically meaning ALWAYS merciful. So Allah (swt) is extremely forgiving and when he is not forgiving, he is ALWAYS merciful in His punishment for the believers. What a consolation for those sinners who are not forgiven. In this ayyah, Allah (swt) is helping the believers and giving them a chance to repent so that He will forgive them. In other words Allah is saying, here is your chance, repent before the punishment comes, before it is too late, before the doors of forgiveness closes. In the following ayyahs Allah (swt) says “…submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped… before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you do not perceive…“

In an equally beautiful Hadith Qudsi Allah (swt) says:

“O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and put your hope in Me, I have forgiven you for what you have done and I do not mind. O son of Adam, if your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky and then you would seek My forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, if you were to come to Me with sins that are close to filling the earth and then you would meet Me without ascribing any partners with Me, I would certainly bring to you forgiveness close to filling it.”

We all fall into error, we all have weaknesses. In this month of Ramadan, it is a good opportunity to take the offer of Allah (swt) while this avenue is still open, hasten to ask forgiveness. Our Messenger (swt) used to ask forgiveness about 70 times a day. Keeping this sunnah is not only rewardable but also good for our own forgiveness. Never lose hope.

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BEWARE OF THE FOLLOWING

SIT DOWN, MEDITATE, CRY OUT FOR HELP WHEN YOU NOTICE THESE IN YOUR LIFE.*

1. Beware When the five daily obligatory prayers become so difficult for you to perform in congregation, at the stipulated time.

2. Beware When the tatawa' voluntary fasts becomes a history in your spiritual timetable.

3. Beware When you no longer enjoy reading the words of Allah and His Rasul.

4. Beware When listening to lectures becomes a burden rather than a blessing for you.

5. Beware When living a life of purity is appearing like u are better than orders.

6. Beware When sinful living becomes a lifestyle in the name of grace.

7. Beware When you crave for worldly things rather than the things of righteousness.

8. Beware When waking up in the night to pray is becoming a thing of the past.

9. Beware brethren, when your heart no longer desires to see Allah one day.

10. Beware when you eat more than you pray.

11. Beware When you spend more time on Social Media which makes it become idols and take the place of Allah...(Audhubillahi minashaytani rajeem)

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Why you should have a woman with lot of Deen, good manners and love

A young boy came to register for the Qur’aan memorisation class. The teacher asked him “Have you memorized anything from the Qur’aan?” The boy replied in the affirmative. The teacher asked him to recite from Juzz Amma (Juzz 30) and the boy recited the whole Juzz. Then the teacher asked him “did you memories Surah Tabarak (Juzz 29)?” The boy said “Yes!” and the teacher was surprised by his memorisation despite his young age. The teacher then asked the boy to recite Surah Nahl (Juzz 14) and the response was the same, and the boy recited the whole Surah. The teacher increased in his admiration of the boy. The teacher then tested him from the long Surat and asked him “have you memorized Surat Al Baqrah ? The boy again said yes and recited the Surah without any mistakes. The teacher was surprised and said “oh my son, have you memories all whole Quran???” The boy said “Yes!” and the teacher responded “Subhan Allah, Maa shaa Allah, Tabark Allah” and asked him to come tomorrow and attend with his guardian and he was very impressed.

The teacher was thinking how did the father manage to teach this boy without any mistakes.

When the teacher saw the father he was surprised that the father did not have an appearance which matched the Sunnah (shaving beard, not particularly religious). The father immediately knew what the teacher was thinking and said to him “behind this child is a woman who’s better then 1000 men…and I give you the good news that in my house I have another 3 children who have also fully memorized the Quran and my four year old daughter has memorized up to Juzz Amma.” The teacher was even more surprised and asked “ how did you manage to do this?”

The father responded “Their mother started to teach them the Quran the moment they started to speak and then encouraged them further by making them compete with each other, and whoever memorized first was given priority to choose which food the family has for dinner that night….and whoever was the first to complete their revision had the choice where the family would go out that weekend (in Muslim country Thursday and Friday)…and whoever was the first to finish memorizing the Quran would have the choice as to where the family take their annual holiday…and this was the environment in which these children competed with each other to memorize and revise their portions of Quran”

May ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WATA'ALA) open our minds and guide us to encourage ourselves and our children in the same way by following the Quran and the authentic Sunnah.
Aameen.

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