Category: Islam

  • Beautiful Recitation, Haunting Irony

    memonite:

    Beautiful Tajweed by a man in Hamra street (Beirut, Lebanon).

    So beautiful, but so sad at the same time. The Youtube comments sum it up the best: “Prophet pbuh said Islam will return to this state. It will become “ghereeb” (strange). Islam started strange and it will end strange…” and “Is this what our ummah has come down to? A poor man reciting Qur’an on the side of a street for money, while everybody walks pass him?”

    This is beautifully recited, but it reminded me of the following hadith from Bukhari:

    Narrated Abu Huraira: Once while I was in a state of fatigue (because of severe hunger), I met ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, so I asked him to recite a verse from Allah’s Book to me. He entered his house and interpreted it to me. (Then I went out and) after walking for a short distance, I fell on my face because of fatigue and severe hunger. Suddenly I saw Allah’s Apostle standing by my head. He said, “O Abu Huraira!” I replied, “Labbaik, O Allah’s Apostle, and Sadaik!” Then he held me by the hand, and made me get up. Then he came to know what I was suffering from. He took me to his house, and ordered a big bowl of milk for me. I drank thereof and he said, “Drink more, O Abu Hirr!” So I drank again, whereupon he again said, “Drink more.” So I drank more till my belly became full and looked like a bowl. Afterwards I met ‘Umar and mentioned to him what had happened to me, and said to him, “Somebody, who had more right than you, O ‘Umar, took over the case. By Allah, I asked you to recite a Verse to me while I knew it better than you.” On that Umar said to me, “By Allah, if I admitted and entertained you, it would have been dearer to me than having nice red camels.

    The condition of Muslims was dire even during the time of Rasulullah (SAW). For me, the good in this is that his recitation was still appreciated by many that passed him and many that even stopped to greet and assist him. His choice of Surah is also very touching, since Surah Duha has a profound meaning for someone in his condition:

    By the forenoon (after sunrise).

    By the night when it darkens (and stand still).

    Your Lord (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) has neither forsaken you nor hates you.

    And indeed the Hereafter is better for you than the present (life of this world).

    And verily, your Lord will give you (all good) so that you shall be well-pleased.

    Did He not find you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) an orphan and gave you a refuge?

    And He found you unaware (of the Qur’an, its laws, and Prophethood) and guided you?

    And He found you poor and made you rich (self-sufficient with self-contentment)?

    Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression.

    And repulse not the beggar.

    And proclaim the Grace of your Lord (i.e. the Prophethood and all other Graces).

    ~ Muhsin Khan Translation

    (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

  • Belittling Others

    pearlsfromislam:

    I ask you to not belittle nor attack any of your brothers and sisters because of what they preach. I ask you to avoid swearing. I ask you to control your anger. I ask you to approach people in a peaceful manner. I ask you to not discredit the intellect of any of your brothers and sisters because God only knows what is in the hearts of His servants. I ask you to leave aside what does not concern you. Finally, I ask you to pay attention to every single words in the following verse:

    But as for those who strive hard in Our cause – We shall most certainly guide them onto paths that lead unto Us: for, behold, God is indeed with the doers of good. (29:69)

    There is no unique way to reach Islam and I want you to respect that. If someone found Islam through a speaker who preached peace but whose speech demonstrated an affiliation with a specific party then leave him alone; his personal experience will ultimately shape his understanding of the religion. Also, do not dictate lessons from what you have lived for everyone is fighting different battles. Thank you.

    I couldn’t agree with this more. People that find it easy to be disparaging towards others have a selective memory. Recently I’ve often been reminded of how I behaved earlier in life. I recall some of the grave errors of judgement on my part, and I recall indulging in actions that make me cringe with shame at the thought of it. Reading this, and again watching the usual drivel on Tumblr about whose sect is more correct and whose sheikhs are more authentic, it reminds me that such sentiments are indicative of arrogance and elitism and has nothing to do with sincere advice.

    Sincere advice cannot be based on insults, dismissiveness, or condescension. The only exception I would make to this rule would be the use of arrogance against one who is arrogant. And then also, assuming that a measured and humble approach didn’t work in the first place.

    The point is simple, if you believe you’re sinless, and if you believe that your iman and your knowledge is pristinely pure, then go ahead and treat others as if you’re superior. But if you’re true to yourself, and sincere in your interactions, you’ll quickly realise that taking such a harsh and abrupt tone with anyone under the self-deception of hating for the sake of Allah is in fact making a mockery of what Allah has commanded of us, let alone making a mockery of the Sunnah that we profess to be upholding.

    The internet is certainly not a place I turn to for Islamic inspiration blindly…there are very few blogs that have a deliberate Islamic focus that I would consider as a reasonable source for obtaining some advice or comfort about my journey as a Muslim. The vast majority are unfortunately disappointing examples of bad da’wah.

  • These are the words of someone who fully understood singing and its effects, for no one regularly sings or listens to song except that his heart falls into (nifaq) Hypocrisy without him realizing. If such a person understood the reality of nifaq and its end he would see it in his own heart. Never do the love of song and the love of Qur`an come together in a person’s heart except that one expels the other. I and others have witnessed how heavy the Qur`an feels to singers and song-listeners; how they coil when it is recited and how they get angry with a reciter when he recites too long for them (in prayer etc); and how their hearts do not benefit from what he recites: they are not moved to do anything by it. But when the Qur`an of Shaytân comes, la ilaha illallah! How they lower their voices and settle down! How their hearts feel at peace and how the crying and emotions start, how moved they are inwardly and outwardly and spend on clothing and perfume and staying up hoping for a long night ahead. If this is not nifaq then it is certainly the way to it and its foundation.

    Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) [Madaarij Al-Saalikeen] (via byyourmercyallah)

  • Sheikh Google

    Many take a condescending tone when referring to ‘Sheikh Google’ but from what I can tell, Sheikh Google is exposing more disbelievers to Islam, and facilitating more reversions than any real life sheikh I’ve heard of. The risk of misinformation is no different than the potential of interested parties innocently contacting misguided scholars or imams in their search for Islamic knowledge. But again, it’s more a clever twist of words that makes it an attractive phrase rather than its genuine appeal to intellect and wisdom.

    Yet another example of the ‘scholars’ or students of knowledge misconstruing the medium for the content that is available through it. Also a really good example of extremism by dismissing an entire channel for education simply because some abuse it. That’s like saying that knives should be made haraam because some people kill and injure and rob others with it. 

    An absence of logic in the pursuit of scholarly titles is in fact a major disservice to the Ummah rather than a fulfilment of a calling to Allah’s path. 

  • Quote – Suhaib Webb

    We are like firemen, fighting about which hose to use, while the house burns down.

    Suhaib Webb (via thetruthsiren)

  • A Love Story

    Beautiful story. Inspirational enough to want to share it. They don’t make love stories the way they used to. Hollywood / Bollywood pales in comparison. 

    (Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

  • Mishary Alafasi – Ash-Sharh

    al-muminun:

    Surat Ash-Sharĥ (The Relief) – سورة الشرح

    1.    Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?

    2.  And We removed from you your burden

    3.  Which had weighed upon your back

    4.  And raised high for you your repute.

    5.  For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

    6.  Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

    7.   So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship].

    8.  And to your Lord direct [your] longing.

  • Dua When One Loses Hope

    Dua when one loses hope