The Ramblings of Nihal Khan

Becareful

2012-01-07T01:30:00.001-05:00

If you keep looking over the edge,

You may end up falling over.

Knowledge Must Become Action, Not Just Ink

2011-10-06T23:00:00.005-04:00

While I was at Bayyinah, I used to carry a notebook with me everywhere I went. Whether it was the masjid, class, or a lecture, I kept that notebook w/ me EVERYWHERE I went. Whenever we used to sit w/ Ustadh Nouman, Sh. Abdul Nasir, they used to benefit us with gems upon gems which we could take back and benefit our communities. Throughout the year we spoke about everything from hijab, women's rights, and "shariah law" to brotherhood, iqaumat ud-deen, and being good to our parents. That notebook was my personal treasure as it contained the words of my teachers.

As I was moving back to NJ after the course was finished, I packed up all my books and shipped everything back home. When I got home and started ruffling through my items and sorting everything out, I couldn't find the notebook....It wasn't anywhere to be found! I had people go back to my apartment and look around, sort through the trash, check behind the furniture, etc. But it was gone! :'(

To this day, I still haven't found it. Every time I think about the notebook, or hear a gem from the Qur'an which I know is written in that notebook, I feel like someone is stabbing me in my heart at that very moment. But of course, everything is from Allah.

After going through this ordeal, I remembered a story which one of my teachers told me a long time ago about Shaykh Anwar ul-Shah al-Kashmiri (رحمة الله عليه), a leading scholar of hadith of his time and founder of the Deoband madrasa in India. Shaykh Anwar was once visiting a library in one of the Arab countries. He came across a very beneficial manuscript which he wanted to bring back to India. After speaking to the caretakers of the library, he was not allowed to take the manuscript out from there nor borrow it and bring it back later. Shaykh Anwar being the enlightened man that he was, ended up memorizing the manuscript and rewrote it word-by-word when he got back to India.

Many times we become engulfed in taking the best notes possible for a class but forget that the purpose of those notes are for them to be in our heads, not left on paper.

The lesson I learned from losing my notebook is that knowledge must be something which comes into our hearts and becomes practiced through our actions. If we keep it simply on paper forever, how do we expect to change ourselves; or for that matter, the world!

Shaykh Uthman Khan

2011-03-22T21:18:00.002-04:00

Recitations of Surah Baqara, Juz 'Amma, and various surahs from Qari Uthman Khan.

Click Here to Download

Who is Shaykh Uthman?

Sheikh Uthman Khan has a Alimiyyah degree in Shariah and Arabic from the U.K. He also has Ijazah in the ten Qiraat both in Kubra and Sughra from numerous shuyookh. His Teachers have named and labeled him as Sheikh UlQurraa of Canada.

Sheikh Uthman has over 300 students of Tajweed across the world. Many of them who have also mastered Tajweed and Qiraa-aat or are studying at this point.

Sheikh Uthman has been teaching Tajweed for many years and is qualified to give Ijazah in AsharahSughraa and Asharahkubraa. He speaks four languages; English, French, Urdu and Arabic. He is presently the Dean of the Shatibiyyah Institute of Tajweed and Qiraa-aat in Toronto, Canada. He has also taught students at AlMaghrib Insitute's annual retreat (Ilm Summit).

A Reminder from Zaied

2011-03-07T19:37:00.001-05:00

Recently, my friend, murabbi, and mentor Zaied Abbassi's wife returned to Allah. He is someone who taught me how to be a better person simply through his manners.

Please read this letter he wrote about the passing of his wife, Sr. Rehab ElBuri(رحمة الله عليها). We love you Zaied and are here for you.

----

Core Lessons from my beloved Rehab
By Zaied Abbassi

May the Peace and Blessings of God be Upon You

On Sunday night (March 6th, 2011) I gave a very brief reflection on core lessons I learned from the life of my beloved wife. I have tried to transcribe that message as accurately as possibly here for those around the country, and the world, who would have liked to be there but could not.

In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

I have spoken publicly many times in my life but I have never been as nervous as I am tonight. I was not sure if I wanted to speak tonight - and let me explain my nervousness for a moment.

A few months back, Rehab learned of a close friend who had an illness in her eyes that needed an operation that costs roughly $16,000. The girl's father had recently passed, and I believe her brother had also recently suffered a tragedy - in short the girl had little support.

Rehab decided she wanted to help collect the $16,000 and planned to do a bake sale after Friday prayers. Most people thought "it's sweet, but no way you'll raise $16,000 from a bake sale. If you're lucky and people are generous, you might get to $2,000 - but even that is a stretch". The bake sale generated over $20,000 in sales and donations, and Rehab drove the money to her friend in Baltimore the next morning.

You see there was a strange barakah (blessing) in her deeds near the end of her life. Things would just work for her. And, as I sat here earlier listening to Islam (Dr. Islam El-Fayoumi - a local speaker and teacher) give his talk, I thought "How perfect! This is exactly how Rehab would want this gathering to be. People coming together to understand the Book of Allah, and from Islam - whose classes she loved to attend" I figured Allah was protecting this gathering for Rehab. Islam would go until 8:00 and I wouldn't have the chance to ruin it. But, Allah has Willed that I speak and I hope there is some benefit in it.

In my almost 6 years of life with Rehab, I learned quite a bit. The lessons cannot be counted. But I wanted to share today two profound lessons, and I want to explain them by telling you two stories from the last few months of her life.

First - In October of last year, Rehab and I were driving to Memorial Sloan (the cancer center where she was treated) for an appointment and Rehab was talking to me about wanting to give up many of her projects and responsibilities. For months the news on the cancer was getting progressively less optimistic – we found more than 20 tumors in her brain, new tumors in her ribs, etc - and Rehab was thinking she needed to focus on her health. When we met with her oncologist that day, we received the first piece of optimistic news for as long as we could remember - the tumors in her brain had been stabilized (they had stopped growing) by her radiation treatment, and we had some hope - some more time to wait for a new drug to become available that could systemically treat her illness. As we walked towards the elevator after the appointment, I looked at Rehab, and with tears in her eyes she said "Wallahi [I swear by Allah] life is about ridaa Allah [seeking the pleasure of God], everything else is just circumstance" I immediately knew what she meant. She felt guilty that on the car ride over, her goals had changed. Her goal became trying to get healthy - now there is absolutely nothing wrong with focusing on her health, mind you - but she was guilty that her end goal had changed. On the way back to the car she kept repeating "Life is about ridaa Allah, and everything else is circumstantial"

Second - This past week in the hospital, the Muslim Chaplain at Memorial Sloan would stop by Rehab's room several times a day hoping to get in to see her and praying for her. He would come sobbing, and would bring her gifts to keep her comfortable even though we knew we were just waiting for her to pass. He was so emotional, yet if you wanted to stretch it you could say Rehab and the Imam had spoken for maybe two hours in their entire lives. Now, as I observed on Rehab's Facebook page this past week, and through all the phone calls, emails, and text messages we have received it became abundantly obvious that Rehab touched people in a unique way, and I thought the Imam at Memorial Sloan was a perfect example.

A few months back, during one of Rehab's hospital stays in the summer; the Imam came into her room and sat with us for roughly an hour. He talked to us about his strategies for the hospital, challenges he faced, how he handles working with people of other fatihs etc - a very unusual visit for a Chaplain to make in the middle of his rounds. It was obvious during the conversation that the Imam held Rehab in high regard. Wanting to know why this man was so enamored with my wife while practically ignoring me in the room, I brought up the question of "why" - why did he feel so strongly about her. His response was simple...

A month or so before that visit, the Imam was telling Rehab and I about a program they do every Eid where they buy gifts for all pediatric patients in the hospital and make a celebration of it. Every year, he explained, they would fall short in financing and would have to skimp on the gifts and decorations. Rehab, completely exhausted, with IVs running into every possible vain looked up at him and promised she would get him the money. Less than three weeks later, she handed him a check for $1,500. The imam had a surplus of cash to hold over for next year's celebration.

So, when I asked him why he was so enamored with my wife his response was simple "She said she would do something, and she did it. Not many people are like that" The lesson I pulled from this was - 3amal (action) trumps everything. When you can combine the intention I mentioned from the first story with action - Allah will make remarkable things happen.

Believe me; these two lessons were at the core of who Rehab was. If I was to ask you for anything today, it would be that you take heed of these lessons and live them out in your life.

Thank you, and if I may I will end with a small prayer for my wife.

Oh Allah, all Thanks and Praise are due to You until you are pleased with us

And all Thanks and Praise are due to you if you become pleased with us

Oh Allah you are the only one to forgive sins and accept repentance - forgive us our sins and accept our repentance

Oh Allah we ask of you Paradise, and seek refuge in you from Hellfire

Oh Allah forgive Rehab's sins and accept her repentance

Oh Allah you have tested your slave with a difficult trial, and she was patient and content through out so accept her as one of the martyrs.

Oh Allah accept her as one of the martyrs

Oh Allah she lived her life only seeking your pleasure so be pleased with her.

Oh Allah her greatest du3a [prayer] near the end of her life was to be from among the "sabiqoon" so accept her as one of the sabiqoon.

And we end by saying All Thanks and Praise are due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

A Lesson from Surah Yusuf - Quranic Reflections

2010-11-29T02:01:00.001-05:00

Allah tells us in Surah Yusuf, "إنه لا يفلح الظالمون."

This was what Yusuf (AS) told the wife of the 'Aziz after she tried to seduce Him (AS). The word selection in the verse was very eye opening to me.

The word "افلح/يفلح/إفلاح" means "attaining success after putting in much hard work and strain." Allah uses the same word in the first verse of Surah Mu'minoon when he refers to attaining khushoo' in the prayer, ie. it entails that you need to work extra hard to attain concentration.

Another point to note is that the word ظلم/يظلم is usually translated as "oppression." Though this is correct, the context of this word can be many. It can refer to an unjust ruler, someone who is giving another a hard time, etc. But one meaning which we all forget is when we commit sins against ourselves.

If we take this whole section of the ayah into consideration we can derive a perspective from it. It may not matter how active we may be in our Muslim community or how much Qur'an we have memorized if we still do not treat our parents well, behave well towards others, and/or commit sins in private. All of that hard work which we may have done (إفلاح) will be in vain if we continue to commit sins (ظلم) and not live according to how Allah wants us to live and seek ways to better ourselves.

May Allah guide us all to the straight path.

For Him

2010-09-13T04:03:00.006-04:00

A path long stretched to be trodden with insight,

Along it I walk not knowing I have no light.

They shrouded me with a cloak and everything came to my feet,

But shame is what covers me from all underneath.

Written, clad, engraved upon me but they do not see,

But they simply do not know the truth, that which will set them from me free!

I know who I was, and so does He,

I have only been elevated because He said for it to be.

Me..me...how could it be Me?

Torn, dirty, and foreign Me?

I am no one, nor was I someone,

I only a man just like everyone.

Sinner, beggar, clad with mistakes on this earth,

Without His words I am that which has no worth.

At the end there is what I have been made through His essence,

And if I do not cherish it he will take it from me, like a king may do to his peasant.

The cloak of honor shall fall and my true-self shall be revealed,

Masses will run to know it was a fraud whom they revered.

In His path I work,

In His path I serve,

In His path I give,

And in His path may I die or shall I live.

Her Name is Julie, She's a Hafidha | Reflections from Ilm Summit 2010

2010-08-02T23:27:00.007-04:00

It has been a while since I wrote a blog post on a relevant event in my life. Though many of us may journey through our lives looking for purpose, thrill, and other such feelings, I wish to share an event from a trip which I recently took to Houston, Texas for a program known as “Ilm Summit” which greatly provided me with a means to grow in my religion and hopefully InshaAllah turn out as a better person afterwards. Here is one experience which really made an impact on me:

During one of the first daily wildcard sessions at Ilm Summit, our instructors asked us all to be present at this session. Everyone was a little taken-a-back at this request since the usual wild card session is a voluntary event. All the students had accepted the notion that something immensely important was about to take place. The irony is that it was not something anyone present in the conference may have expected.

Everyone in the AlMaghrib community knows that Sr. Julie Lowe is one of the main logistical handlers at Ilm Summit every year when it comes to organizing hospitality related matters for the students. But little did anyone know the real value that this sister possessed amongst all of the attendees as a student of knowledge who takes her knowledge and puts it into verbatim and physical action.

Last year during Ilm Summit 2009, Ustadh Wisam and Shaykh Uthman would be perpetually reminding the students about the importance of maintaining a relationship with the Qur’an by reading, memorizing, and learning the book of God. By taking these advices and gems into consideration, Sr. Julie made an intention around this time to commit the entire Qur’an to memory. Not only was she able to start her memorization in Ilm Summit 2009 and finish it by Ilm Summit 2010, rather, she is also a convert to Islam and a full-time practicing attorney. What Sr. Julie was able to accomplish in such a short period of time made the statement “I do not have time” sound like pure rubbish to me. While students usually spend three to four years memorizing the Qur’an while studying in madrasas and Islamic schools, Sr. Julie was able to finish her tahfeedh within a year and set the bar for perfection to high areas which will take effort to reach.

This is just one experience which I had at Ilm Summit. There are many more which I will be sharing in a few more posts, inshaAllah.

In the meantime, check out my experience of Ilm Summit from last year by clicking here and also see the reviews of my roommate from Ilm Summit Siraaj Muhammad at MuslimMatters.org. And of course, don't forget about experiences of Ilm Summit MuslimYouthMusings, a youth blog which I write for.

Can You Count?

2010-07-20T02:14:00.000-04:00

"Make the oceans into ink and the trees into pens, yet the favors of God are too many to comprehend."

Returning to Allah: A Lecture by Ustadh Nouman Khan

2010-06-20T02:55:00.004-04:00

One of the best lectures I have listened to on the topic of repentance. Click on the picture below!

Learning From Our Failed Da'wah Projects

2010-06-18T03:39:00.006-04:00

When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) invited others towards the religion of Islam for the first time in public in the city of Ta'if, he expected that all of their inhabitants would accept Islam with ease. Little did our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) know that he would instead be ridiculed, made fun of, be physically abused by children, forced to leave the town, and made to bleed to the extent that his shoes filled up with blood.

The wretched behavior which the people of Ta'if had displayed towards the Prophet of Allah led to Allah dispatching angels under the command of Jibreel (may peace be upon him) to take the two mountains which Ta'if was between and crush the town if the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) wished to do so. But instead of taking a golden opportunity to avenge himself, what did the Prophet (peace be upon him) say?

"Perhaps from their offspring Allah will produce those who will worship Allah alone."

And to this day the whole town of Ta'if follows the religion of Islam.

A lesson which we can extract from this story is that the mistakes which we make or see others making should act as nothing more than learning experiences for us in our first time da'wah efforts. We should use these experiences to better ourselves for the future and not hold grudges against individuals or Islamic organizations/mosques which we may have volunteered in. Of course it is a hard thought to swallow if someone may have committed a wrong against us, but if we earnestly reflect on how the Prophet (peace be upon him) reacted when he was received harshly in his first time giving da'wah, we can see the effect which it had later had on the tribe. With the experience he gained at Ta'if, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was able to have all of Arabia and most of the world turn towards Islam.

It took the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) twenty-three years to bring all of the Arabian peninsula under one unified religion. Do not think you can do it in twenty-three days.

And Allah knows best.

Need Some Tips on How to Prepare a Khutbah? Look No Further!

2010-06-12T23:09:00.008-04:00

Download the notes here.

This past summer I was blessed to attend a five-day khateeb training workshop with fifty students from all throughout the United States including local and out-of-state Imams, khateebs, and Muslim activists. The workshop was hosted by the Qalam Institute in Dallas, Texas and included numerous speakers. Some names which stood out were Shaykh Yaser Birjas, Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda, Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan, and Ustadh Wisam Sharieff. Of course the fiqh aspects of the khutbah were covered, but the crux of the program relied on topics relating to the psychology of the khateeb, how he should present himself, what are items that should be included in the khutbah, how to research a khutbah, how to give a khutbah at an MSA, and much more. The attendees also gave many practice khutbahs relating to different scenerios all throughout the workshop to actively improve their speaking skills.

In this post I have included my notes from the workshop which have been enhanced, examined, and edited with the help of attendees and teachers from the workshop. We hope others can benefit from these notes.

Jazakam Allahu Khayr.

I am..

2010-06-02T01:04:00.004-04:00

I am who I have been,
Nothing has changed under my skin,

The light simply showed the right way,
And under its shade I decided to stay,

So judge me not for who I was,
But see me for who I am.

Don't Give Up On Yourself!

2010-05-25T20:42:00.005-04:00

Death of a Teenage Hafidh

2010-05-17T11:31:00.006-04:00

While on my Twitter account the other day, I saw a tweet from Sh. Abdul Nasir Jangda (instructor for Bayyinah Institute) which read, “Hafidh Salis Jibran, 18, has passed away.” After reading this, I thought to myself, “A Hafidh just passed away? An eighteen-year-old American kid, Hafidh, just passed away?!” Death can come to anyone at anytime, but as someone who studied in the American Madrasa system, I had never heard of any of the Huffadh passing away in any of the schools throughout the country. It was a shock to see someone of this caliber passing away, pure shock.

After speaking to Shaykh Abdul Nasir, I was told that Salis was an active member of the Dallas Muslim community. He was one of those kids that people loved, cherished, and enjoyed the company of. At his Janazah, there were thousands upon thousands of people who came to pray for him. In my opinion, this was a blessing the Qur’an had brought him.

The point of this article is not to grieve over Salis’s passing. In fact, we should be more worried about ourselves then him. As Muslim youth living in the west, we are the flag-bearers of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that it was the youth that were the ones who never disappointed him when there was a task to be done (paraphrased Hadith). Don’t finish reading this post and still tell yourself “I’m 18, 19, 20, and that I have my whole life to live.” Don’t tell yourself that you’ll make Hajj or repent later. Don’t say you’ll become “religiously committed” to Allah when you get older. Don’t think about then, think about NOW! Hafidh Salis didn’t have his whole life ahead of him to memorize the Qur’an. He took the time he had, properly invested it, and memorized 600 some pages, 6,236 verses of the Qur’an.

Now the question for us is what are we doing to get closer to Allah? Are we still stuck in the same mode of procrastination with the Qur’an? How often do we review our memorized Surahs? How often do we open this letter from our King and read what it is telling us? How often do we make the Qur’an the center of attention in our conversations? Have we embraced its essence and message? Or are we still in the phase of opening the Qur’an in Ramadan or when someone dies, and then putting it back onto the shelf? Let us rather open the Qur’an, read it, memorize it, and become closer to Allah through this book. Let it become a means of intercession for us and guide us towards the right way.

W need to know that we can leave this world at anytime. Instead of throwing our time and effort away into excessively playing Call of Duty, scrutinizing the lives of the NBA All-Star players, and constantly not putting our time into efficient things, let’s remember that life is too short not to open the Qur’an and see what it has to offer us.

**I had originally written this post for MuslimYouthMusings.com. Please visit their website as I am also a writer there!**

"Why Don't the Youth Listen to me?"

2010-03-25T20:25:00.005-04:00

This is a question which has been lingering in the minds of many "Islamically-aware" youth in the Muslim community for a very long time. They may be the main volunteers in their masjid, be active in their MSA, but cannot contemplate at why non-religious Muslim youth do not start practicing Islam after they tell them that their pants being too tight will cause them to go to hell :-/.

My intention with this post is to shed some light as to the proper and most effective way of guiding (in the directional sense; it's only Allah who guides) Muslim youth who have strayed from the community, back to the masjid. To start:

a. Give Da'wah with Wisdom

In Surah Nahl it says, "Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction." At the same time, Aa'isha (R) the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "If the first revelation was to tell the Arabs to stop drinking, they would have never stopped drinking." The hadith went on to mention the act of fornication in that context as well. The whole point is that we cannot expect results in a day; rather, we need to be patient and persistent in the youth work we are involved in.

Anytime we call the youth towards Islam, we need to understand the circumstances surrounding them and what they are going through. You simply can't tell a sixteen-year-old Muslim youth to not listen to Jay-Z if he is not praying salah.

b. Define the three types of Muslim Youth

This is a categorization which I adopted after listening to a lecture from Br. Nouman Ali Khan. He said that generally the Muslim youth in the west fall into three categories:

1. Religious Youth

They're your MSA going, weekend seminar attending, shaykh so-and-so rocks, etc type of guys (You know who you are). They're keen on gaining knowledge, want to go study overseas, and attend college/high school at the same time. They're active in da'wah and are recognized in their communities. They teach sunday school and conduct the weekly halaqas and truly care about their communities. InshaAllah the will be the leaders of the Muslim youth

2. Mildly-Religious Youth (The Most Important Category.. read VERY carefully)

THESE are the youth the religious crew need to focus on!
Who are they? They come to the masjid for Jumu'ah, come to the Friday night youth group, Islamic events, etc...but check this out, they still listen to music, could find some better friends to hang out with, and may even let a few curse words fly here and there. They have a relationship with the religious youth and with the third category (who will be talking about next), the non-religious youth. The religious Muslim youth need to understand that THESE are the guys who they need to work with and build a rock-solid relationship with! They are the most effective route towards getting across to the non-religious Muslim youth.

Be a brother, not a scholar!

(If you find me a word which rhymes with sister and is relevant to "scholar," then I'll put it in too :D)

Instead of being du'aat, ameers, ameerahs, MSA presidents, and coordinators, learn to be good friends to the middle-men youth. Take them out to eat randomly and buy them a slice of pizza or something. Take them to the mall if they need a ride....you get the point!! Simply, be really chill with them. That's the first thing before anything. As John Maxwell said, "No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care."

Secondly, do not focus on too many lecture/knowledge type events for them. The weekly halaqa should be their main Islamic source of self-development. These halaqas need to be lots of fun and attention catching. Make sure there are moments in which you have the guys on the edge of their feet, at times be laughing with them, and at times be really emotional with them. This will stir their emotions to make them think about their true purpose. And I am 110% against presenting educational material in halaqas in which the middle-men youth are present. Sorry, but Usool al-Fiqh won't work here; save it for a knowledge based halaqa.

Thirdly, have lots of halal activities available for them. The middle-men youth have interests and hobbies...as a religious youth, you need to find out what they are!! For example, the youth I work with are into basketball, skiing, fencing, bowling, and the like. Last month, we went bowling. This month, we're going to be playing basketball after Fajr every Sunday, football before the halaqa on Fridays, etc. Basketball tournaments were a big turn on for our community's youth.....then again, as one of the aspiring leaders of the youth, you would know what activities your community's youth are into.

Another thing which is important is to be up to date with sports, movies, and music which is popular amongst the youth. I'm not saying go out of your way to watch or not watch Alice in Wonderland or Repo Men, or listen to the latest song by T-pain or Kesha, but atleast do research and find out who's song is on the top radio charts, which movie is currently a hit in the theaters, and who won the NBA All-Star game, the Superbowl, etc. If you're not up to date with pop-culture and live in a cave, then it is time to get up to date and feel the sunlight :)

3. Non-Religious Youth

These youth don't come to the masjid except on Fridays when their parents bring them. They also are not involved with the masjid and may not pray, read quran, etc. They have girlfriends/boyfriends, do drugs/alcohol, and also do not hang out with a healthy group of friends. The mildy religious crew is the only group to have a grip on these youth. They are the ones who can bring the non-religous youth towards the masjid and/or activities planned by the religious youth. Of course the religious youth can have an effect on the non-religious youth directly, but it is the mildy-religious youth who can have a greater chance at convincing the non-religious youth through indirect means to come to the masjid.

In conclusion, even after putting in much effort to get the youth to come to the masjid, we need to understand that guidance is in the hand of Allah. We can only do so much as to ask Allah to put in us the ability to direct the youth towards Islam. Please do keep in mind this is a process which takes months and years and not hours and days to implement in the community. But inshaAllah, if we are steadfast, the fruits of this work will be seen in the future!

Leave a comment to let me know what I could add, change, remove, etc!

Jazakam Allahu Khayr!

Make Your Intentions Correct (Reflection of a talk I gave)

2010-03-02T00:45:00.003-05:00

Learn to Engulf Yourself In Knowledge (Reflecting on Ilm Summit)

2010-02-23T02:23:00.002-05:00

Rejoice, O Single Muslims!

2009-12-26T02:53:00.002-05:00

Like the Wind

2009-12-15T19:59:00.005-05:00

An innocent, conceived passing thought,
Mixed emotions flowing, an idea I should have fought?

To only return to a trodden path once walked upon,
But this time I'll do it right and go above and beyond,

Desire won't cease of having the object,
Want is a nature of man which he must project.

Fantasy is a fake thought which you do nothing but realize and feel,
Reality hits when you've taken a heart-driven effort to make it real.

Interpretation

2009-12-11T00:01:00.002-05:00

She was that one who struck me in the first thought,
Brought tears to what I could be but was not,
My heart cringes for her company.

Deeper Insight into Surah Fatihah

2009-12-03T10:16:00.003-05:00

The following are my notes from Br. Wisam Sharieff's class called "An Interpretation to the Meaning of the Qur'aan" which he holds every Ramadan.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

All praise and thanks are due to Allah (SWT) because he is the Lord of the worlds which we see and don’t see. All these creatures thank him simultaneously from the birds chirping to the planets rotating. Even those who don’t praise Allah (SWT) (5 billion non-believers) are not comparable to the trillions who praise Allah (SWT). Whether you praise him or not is.

الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Allah gave us the ability to have mercy. The fact that we are listening to a commentary of the Quran is a gift from Allah SWT. The fact we were able to get up from our bed is Rahmah, but being guided to Allah (SWT) is Raheem.

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

Whether we accept him as the Maalik or not doesn’t matter as he is the Maalik. There is no doubt. He is the most soverign

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ

Yes, we can worship Allah, but can also worship idles. Worship doesn’t bind us to Allah (SWT), but Tawheed binds up. He has asked us to worship him ALONE.

وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

If we read this in English, then we can have an issue as we say, “We took help from so-and-so.” So how can we clarify this form of help? There are 3 things which man cannot come up with on his own:

o 1. Man and Women

o 2. Employer and Employee

o 3. Ruler and Ruled

§ Understand these three relationships

اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ

This is the greatest form of help.

Guide us to the straight path. For example: you can put directions into the GPS and it can follow you while you drive. Or you can take Mapquest directions and have it in your hand and you’re on your own if you get lost. You want a GPS connection which will recalculate when you get lost.

You alone it is who I will ask for guidance in all matters of spirituality and guidance. And who’s path is this?

‘Mustaqeem’ means constant guidance which comes from Allah SWT

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ

Those who travelled this path and succeeded. There were corpses, broken cars, dust, and barren land along the way, but you made it over to the other side with honor.

غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ

This was the path made on the side of the road which wasn’t regular. You see tire marks in the dirt next to the road. These people who went this way were deceived by the scenery and went off of the road. These were those who failed the original test and lost everything. They are the losers.

My Best Nasheeds

2009-11-11T01:13:00.001-05:00

Here they are:

Nihal Khan November 10 at 1:54pm

Br. Jawad Ahmed's Parting Advice for the Youth

2009-10-31T00:40:00.002-04:00

· Read a book titled Reconstruction of Religious Thought by ‘Allama Iqbal. It will enlighten us on the direction we’re going towards here in the West.

‘Allama Iqbal said, "On my tongue comes a supplication that my life should be like a candle. Wherever I go, let me enlighten everything around me."

o Why a candle?

§ A candle is constantly burning and is not selfish with its light and heat. It gives to everyone and everything around it.

§ The candle constantly burns and eventually dies out and melts forgetting itself. It burns, and burns until it can’t burn anymore. This is the example of a Mu’min who is constantly working in the path of Allah

In the second poem, ‘Allama Iqbal says "Let my work be to take care of the poor. And let me feel the pain of those weak and less fortunate; and let me love them.”

§ How can we sleep at night when our Muslim sister has been kicked out of her house after her husband has divorced her?

§ How can we complain over not having heat in our Islamic schools when people in the Himalayas don’t have schools and are receiving their education on mountain tops under open skies in freezing weather?

§ How can we complain of not getting enough to eat when woman in Pakistan don’t have pipelines of water running in their areas?

o Remember the problems of others before you start complaining about yourself.

· Take care of your parents and don't send them to senior citizen homes.

o This is one of the greatest epidemics which has hit our societies as Muslims. How can we send our parents to senior citizen homes when they get old when they used to change our diapers and feed us when we were young?!

o Stop raising money for projects like these, rather, educate the masses on the status of one’s parents in Islam.

· “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet”

o When we go over sees, what do we think? “Aw man, the mosquitoes are always biting us, it smells, there are so many beggers.”

o We need to man up and realize that people are suffering all over the world. Stop magnifying your problems and try to help others.

o If a 16 year old Pakistani girl living in Newark with her parents in a $500/month apartment can wear niqab to school, then what reason do we have to not observe Islam in a more serious fashion?

o If you want to help others around you, then go and work in the field of social work. Give food to the poor in places like Newark and Jersey City with your own hands.

· Final Words

· Our environment in the USA isn’t bad, it’s all about how you perceive it and react to it.

· take pride in helping those who are lower then you regarding wealth and money.

· If you make the deen of Allah victorious, then Allah will make you victorious.

12 Signs to know, if you Love someone.

2009-10-14T12:04:00.002-04:00

TWELVE:
When you're on the phone with them late at night and they hang up, you still miss them even when it was just two minutes ago.
ELEVEN:
You walk really slow when you're with them.
TEN:
You feel shy whenever they're around.
NINE:
You smile when you hear their voice.
EIGHT:
When you look at them, you can't see the other people around you, you just see him/her.
SIX:
They're all you think about.
FIVE:
You realize you're always smiling when you're looking at them.
FOUR:
You would do anything for them, just to see them.
THREE:
While reading this, there was one person on your mind this whole time.
TWO:
You were so busy thinking about that person, you didn't notice number seven was missing
ONE:
You just scrolled up to check & are now silently laughing at yourself!!

Let My Masjid Go!

2009-09-30T18:11:00.003-04:00

"Many of our youth are also blocked from any effective involvement in the affairs of the mosque, even if they are highly motivated religiously. They gain the impression that they have to wait for the "uncles" to die before they can have any say in the running of the mosque. As the years turn into decades and the same fossilized leadership remains in place, most of the young Muslims eventually get on with their lives. Unfortunately, the role of the mosque in their lives, if they do remain Islamically active, is minimal. Others, who may not be as religiously committed, drift away from the mosque because there are no viable classes or programs to stimulate them or keep them interested. Sponsorship of youth activities such as team sports, camping, ping pong, and pool are seen as being beyond the scope of acceptable mosque activities." -Quote taken from "Scattered Pictures", pages 107-108, by Imam Zaid Shakir.

Balance

2009-09-23T23:21:00.003-04:00

كنتم خير أمة أخرجت للناس
"You are the best nation produced for mankind."

وكذلك جعلناكم أمة وسطا
"And thus we have made you a middle, balanced nation"

That means don't be extreme in your daily routine. Pray 5 times a day, read Qur'an, do your school work, go to work, be good to those around you, work out, and have fun. Keep everything just and balanced.

This is the path of a Muslim.

Gone with the wind...

2009-09-06T15:15:00.004-04:00

Lost I am,
Gone it is,
Spun around they are,
Brought it on us he did.

A great affect it had,
the act it self,
adding up by the minute,
set to ruin us all.

Selfish I decline,
But globally accepted,
The accuser is not right,
And truly they must be corrected

The keyboard breaks,
after all this typing,
and to no avail,
thoughts are still spinning.

why here and why now,
expect the unexpected,
God's got your back.
So break out your grinnin'

Satan told me to Pray Qiyam

2009-09-05T00:41:00.005-04:00

Disclaimer: This is not a story narrated from any ahadith. It is a mere fable which I heard from some of my teachers which carries a beautiful lesson. If anyone has a reference for the story though I would really appreciate it if you left a comment.

There once was a man who used to pray in the night perpetually. He used to prolong the units of prayer and make much rememberence of his Lord in them. One night when the man was sleeping, Satan came to the man and whispered to him, "The night is long, so sleep." At this, the man did not get up for qiyam that night and slept in till Fajr.

At the sound of the Fajr adhan, the man awoke and realized that he had missed his qiyaam! Knowing this, the man started crying and feeling regret throughout the whole day. After years of practice, the man's sorrow had no bounds. He went to sleep that same night again with the intention of waking up for qiyaam.

The man feel asleep very easily and was able to wake up for qiyam this time. But it was different as he heard a voice telling him, "You! Get up and pray! I am the Shaytan and I am telling you to get up!" The man was baffled as to why the accursed one was waking him to the obedience of his Lord. The man then enquired of Shaytan, "Why are you waking me to worship Allah?" Shaytan responded, "Last night, I came to you to make sure you do not attain the reward of standing and worshiping your Lord in the late part of the night. I was succesful, atleast I thought. But the amount of time you spent in the day regretting and feeling sorrow for what you had missed, you earned much more reward in that process. So now I'm here to tell you to go pray!"

O Worshippers of Christ! - By Ibn al-Qayyim

2009-08-30T17:07:00.002-04:00

Behind the Veil: An Interview with Sr. Noor Bhuiyan

2009-08-27T13:10:00.003-04:00

Written by by Heba Youssef

Imagine stepping outside every day—your body and face in complete concealment from the rest of the world, with only a slit exposing your eyes to see where you are going. A life devoted to the constant worship of God, through extremely modest dressing.
This is the life that twenty-six-year-old Noor B. lives every day. This is the life of a niqaabi (nɪˈkɑːbee), a woman who wears the niqaab or Islamic face veil.

It is lunch time and Noor is on break from the weekend intensive seminar she is taking entitled: Islamic Code of Ethics. The lounge is flooded with young women: some wearing head scarves and jeans, other’s robed with complete face veils. Greetings of Assalamu Alaykum (Peace be upon you) are exchanged as the women eat and eagerly discuss the new information they have acquired from the seminar.
Noor sits with her back facing the exit door. She does not want to take the chance of a man seeing her face when the door opens. She explains that it is generally okay to take off her veil in front of other Muslim women and close male relatives, but in this instance she was in a public area and did not want to take a risk.
Dressed in an all black niqaab and jilbaab (a looser outer garment that covers the entirety of a woman’s body) all I can see are the creases on the corner of her eyes indicating her nervous smile. She does not think she is worthy of being interviewed and apologizes for eating while I conduct the interview. She lifts the black veil, takes a bite of her egg roll and then lets the veil fall back in its place as she finishes chewing. She makes sure to tell me one of her biggest challenges is eating. “It’s so hard!” And with the same process of lifting her veil for each bite, one can only imagine how tedious it can be. Eating is not her only problem though, as she tells me that finding places to purchase her niqaab’s and jilbaab’s are not easy, especially given her petite figure. “I got this one from Saudi Arabia, and I had to hem it like 6-inches! ...And when I shop in the [Islamic] stores in Brooklyn, they are so expensive.” She tells me she likes the black ones because they draw less attention than a brightly colored outfit would.
Noor began wearing the niqaab six months ago when she went to Mecca for ‘Umrah, a pilgrimage that can be performed any time throughout the year. “Seeing all these women in niqaab, I was like, what am I doing?” So she took the next step—completely veiling her face and body. When she came back to her hometown of Brooklyn, NY she received mixed reactions.
It was no surprise to Noor’s mother who is already a niqaabi, but her friends were not as supportive. “I had friends who didn’t understand the super-change I was going through. It was mostly my non Muslim and non practicing Muslim friends who were surprised.” Although she has remained sociable with her friends, she admits these friendships are not the way they used to be.
She explains that the issue of niqaab as an obligation or an option has been the crux of the debate amongst Islamic scholars. “But if you study the Qur’an [Holy Book in Islam] and the Sunnah [the examples/teachings of the Prophet Muhammad], we find that Allah commands the wives of the Prophet to cover themselves.” She tells me the wives of the Prophet were considered the best and purest women of all time, and covering was considered an act of modesty and submission to God’s command. “If this act of veiling was made obligatory for the best women ever created, then it must be fard (obligatory) for us…What would lead me to believe I’m better than them?”
She then begins to recall the moments that led to her decision of veiling. “Another turning point in my life was a [marriage] proposal that I received. The guy wanted to marry a niqaabi woman and my initial reaction was: I am not the one you want.” But after reading up on the issues and reasoning behind the niqaab, something changed, “…and I found this was something that I wanted to do.” She explains it was something of an epiphany, and this feeling of increased faith is what prepared her for a life changing alteration.
We briefly shift into the topic of marriage and she tells me that young Muslims are always eager to marry. “It’s what prevents lusts from turning into immoral acts, like premarital sex…Anything that leads to desire, even too much looking [at the opposite sex] is considered unrighteous and un-Islamic.” This is why the marriage proposal from a man she did not know, did not seem unusual or out of the ordinary. She tells me the criteria for Islamic marriages, is that the aspiring spouse should be very religious. “He knew my dad, and asked for my hand in marriage…and that was it.”
Noor says she disagrees with people who say change is gradual, because for her, change happened almost instantaneously. “I went from wearing the hijaab (Islamic head scarf) with fitted jeans, to wearing the niqaab and big jilbaabs... [Before], I never even studied Islam when I was in hijaab.” And in this short transition period, she recalls the longing she felt to fulfill her duty as a Muslim woman. “Every time I saw a niqaabi I was jealous. I would stare at each and every one of them thinking, why can’t I please Allah (God) the way she pleases Allah?”

2024

2009-08-26T22:50:00.003-04:00

Stuck

2009-08-25T13:59:00.006-04:00

It's been an amazing experience this summer,
And it did helped me mature as a young man.

Experiences can be good, bad, or ugly,
But the important aspect is the lessons you can take from them.

No matter how up and down things can get,
Or how messy the situation became.

Just know that Allah's mercy is around the corner,
And all you have to do is...ask.

Something to be weary of is attachment,
For we should be increasing it with Allah then with anyone or anything else.

So if it's bound to be, then He will say, "Be!" and it shall,
If He wants to happen, then nothing can stop it.

But it's Ramadan, so reap the benefit,
And make sure you're from the 7 who're under the Shade of Allah's throne.

What is Love?

2009-08-11T23:54:00.007-04:00

Love should be controlled by the mind and felt in the heart,
It should flow through your blood and enlighten your soul for a start.

Mutuality is what it should call towards,
And compassion should be its reward.

Love should unite anyone, anytime, anywhere,
For it's something which isn't cruel or wrong, but completely fair.

But beware, and be scared,
For do not be snared by its bright glare.

God has given love to you as a trial,
For it can sometimes be nasty and vile.

The only time it can be negative is when it's not acted upon in a permissible way,
So make sure when you fall in love, you don't follow the traditional high school cliche.

The next time your heart comes upto your throat,
Remember this advice so you don't choke.

Always know, hormones will rise, and affection won't compromise,
and feelings for him or her will not reside.

So now I advise, for you to revise,
Whether that girl or guy, for you would be wise?

Whatever the case, do not be haste,
And ask around so your decision does not go to waste.

If not anything, then upon the last line of this poem you should reflect,
Never let your changing heart conquer your sound intellect.

Traveling for the Sake of Knowledge | Yaser Birjas & Yasir Qadhi | Ilm Summit - Session 1

2009-08-11T21:14:00.011-04:00

Traveling for the sake of Knowledge
The greatest blessing in travelling for knowledge is the travelling itself. This is because in the process, we increase our memory by being focused on our studies, our enthusiams increases for learning knowledge, and we put ourselves in a bubble of like minded individuals who are seeking to better themselves.

If we look back into Islamic history, we'll find that the first person to ever set out on a journey for knowledge was Musa (may Allah's peace be upon him). This is reported in the chapter of "Travelling for Knowledge" in Sahih al-Bukhari.

Once Musa was asked as to who was the most knowledgeable person alive at his time. Being the Prophet of Allah, and having no arrogance, he replied that it was he. On hearing this, Jibril (may Allah's peace be upon him) came to Musa and told him that there was one more person alive who was more knowledgeable then Musa, Khidr. Without any hesitation, Musa began a journey to find a person who was simply more knowledgeable then he!

The whole point is that Musa (may Allah's peace be upon him) abandoned all that he was doing to to simply find someone who possessed more knowledge then he! This was the value of knowledge to a Prophet, how about us?

For those who aren't familiar with the story it is mentioned in the Qur'aan and Hadith. You can click here to read more about it.

I miss you Ilm Summit :(

2009-08-10T16:39:00.002-04:00

To describe Ilm Summit in words is simply injustice to the whole experience. But in this concise post, I’ll do my best to put forth a little taste of what I got.

From the introduction session with the shuyookh to the closing banquet, everyone had a new sense of awe in the way they carried themselves in their lives. For myself personally, I didn’t want to leave Houston today. My heart became attached to the shuyookh and students with whom I spent the two most memorable and heartfelt weeks of my life with. As I write this on the plane heading home to New Jersey, I already miss everyone. I miss Sh. Yaser Birjas and his unmatched charisma, teaching, and techniques of giving advice. I miss Sh. Yasir Qadhi and his ability to relate to me on an individual and brotherly basis. I miss Sh. Waleed Basyouni and seeing him constantly happy even though his son is currently sick in the hospital. I miss Ustadh Wisam Sharieff and his enlightening smile, heartfelt experiences, and beneficial tajweed sessions. I miss Sh. Uthman and his beautiful voice. I miss Hamza Noor for the light be brought to Ilm Summit. I miss Farhan Noor and his ability to be anyone's best friend at any time. I miss Alamgir Islam and working with him to better our hifdh. I miss Abdel Rehman Murphy and his unmatched steadfastness in all situations. I miss Adam Sbita for having a chance to benefit from his sincerity in all affaris. I miss Muhammad Mana’ and his unmatched ability in reciting Qur’aan, ahadith, and singing Urdu Naats/nasheeds better than any desi I’ve ever met . I miss Shakeel and Jameel Shareef and learning from their experiences of living in America since the 1960’s. I miss Ammar Adam, Haytham, and Mahad for helping make Ilm Summit a life changing experience. I miss Manu Basmal and learning of his coming into Islam from Hinduism. I miss Siraaj Muhammad and the beautiful advices which he gave me. I miss the knowledge packed and Iman raising classes we had with our shuyookh. I miss praying Jumu’ah behind Sh. Yasir Qadhi for two consecutive weeks. I miss praying Qiyam al-Layl in the last few nights of Ilm Summit. I miss….I miss….I miss….I miss you all, wallahi.

In the morning, I woke up late and almost missed my flight, so I ended up rushing my packing process and ended up leaving a lot of items behind (Alhamdulillah, my brother stayed at the hotel a few more hours, so he was able to help me out in that regard). I didn’t even bother to pick up my cell phone in that process! When we got into the airport, I started to feel a sudden surge of sadness in my heart. I couldn’t explain it, but while I was walking to the terminal, I started to break down like a baby. Everyone who knows me can say that I’m a very lively and energetic person who usually is very positive, but that personality didn’t fit me today. I finally sat down and cried my eyes out in a manner which I’ve never, ever done in my life. It felt worse than a loved one passing away or a calamity hitting me. I feel like as if a part of my life had been deleted since I left Houston this morning.

Ilm Summit is over, but we must carry the legacy beyond Houston, Texas. Though sadness and grief hits my heart that I’ve left, I remember the incident when a rumor had spread during the Battle of Uhud that the Prophet of Allah (SAW) had been killed. The ummah was in a state of crisis. Abu Bakr (R) rose up at this moment and reminded everyone of the verse, “Muhammad is not but a messenger. Messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels?” This verse should remind us of the sacrifice of the Sahabah and Tabi’een. Would would have happened if they let their sadness and grief overwhelm them? Where would the Ummah be if they hadn’t taught what they were given by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)? Brothers and sisters, Ilm Summit has ended, but we must keep its legacy alive. Go back to your communities and enlighten the lives of those around you. Show your parents that you know how to treat them. Show the Muslim youth an example to live by. Teach some of the subjects in halaqaat and duroos in your masjid. Teach fiqh al-Siyaam, for Ramadan is around the corner! Teach your younger siblings tajweed after being with Sh. Uthman and Sh. Wisam. Let this knowledge empower those around us!

Lastly, let us remember to constantly seek towards improving our acts of worship. Let’s pray in jama’ah as much as possible and remember Allah (SWT) afterwards. Let’s get up in the middle of the night and pray salatul Tahajjud. Let’s remember to seek forgiveness for ourselves, our families, and our Muslim brothers and sisters. Let’s memorize more Qur’aan and get more active. Let’s make the official standard for Ilm Summit 2010 and the forthcoming AlMaghrib University! I hope to see all of you at the end of the finish line, inshaAllah!

Carry Me in Your Arms...

2009-08-06T17:18:00.003-04:00

Carry Me in Your Arms….
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
www.suhaibwebb.com

Abu Hurairah narrated that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: ‘The believers who show the most perfect faith are those who have the best disposition and the best of you are those who are best to their wives.’

When I got home that night as my wife Ameena served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn’t know how to say it. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. Ameena didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, Ismail why? I avoided her question. This made her angry. She shouted at me, ‘you are not a man!’

That night, we didn’t talk to each other. Ameena was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; I had lost my heart to a lovely girl called Mary Anne. I didn’t love Ameena anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house and the car. She glanced at it and then tore it to pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said, for I loved Mary Anne so dearly.

Finally Ameena cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me, her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell fast asleep because I was tired after an eventful day with Mary Anne. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did’nt care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month, we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son Ahmed had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day. She requested that everyday for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy.

Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request. I told Mary Anne about my wife’s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she has, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully. Ameena and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son Ahmed clapped behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly, don’t tell Ahmed about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest.. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to Ameena.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Mary Anne about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily. Suddenly it hit me, .. she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart.

Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. Our son Ahmed came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mum out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. Ameena gestured to our son to come close and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Ahmed had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office… jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind… I walked upstairs. Mary Anne opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Mary Anne, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished. Then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Mary Anne, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other any more. Now I realized that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until one of us departs this world.

Mary Anne seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The sales girl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote: I will carry you out every morning until one of us leaves this world!

The small details of our lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, the property, the bank balance that matters. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little things for each other that build a relationship.

Allah says in the Qur’an:’Men are the supporters of women, because Allah has stowed on the one more than the other, and for what they have to provide (for them) from their sources. So the righteous women are obedient and protect in the absence of their husbands that which God ordains to be protected.’ (Qur’an 4:34)

Allah says in the Qur’an:’And the believing men and the believing women, they are the friends of each other, they enjoin good and forbid evil, and establish prayers, and pay the alms, and obey God and His Messenger, these, upon them God will have mercy, indeed, God is almighty, All-wise.’ (Qur’an 9:71)

Prophet[p.b. u.h] said, ‘The best of you is he who is the best to his family, and I am the best to my family.’

www.suhaibwebb.com

58 Degrees: A Durbah Production

2009-07-21T23:16:00.000-04:00

58 Degrees from HilalSpark on Vimeo.

Not Just a Seminar, but an EXPERIENCE!

2009-07-21T02:27:00.005-04:00

My experience of Fiqh of Salah in New Jersey will never be forgotten. The memories, knowledge, gain, and of course, Shaykh Yaser Birjas will always be close to my heart.

When I walked in Friday, I expected another simple seminar which would increase my knowledge...but little did I know that my standard was about be shattered. The rest of the first weekend was knowledge packed and uplifting, but it was the second weekend where eEveryone's hearts softened and eyes shed tears.

And so it begins...

Memories upon memories can be recollected from the class, but there are two which stand out which I'll mention:

1. Time Spent with Sh. Yaser Birjas Outside of class
The amount of time I was blessed with Sh. Yaser outside the class was when I benefited most. I had him to myself (well, sort of..along with 20 other people) for a short time in which we discussed dozens of juicy and relevant topics which we could derive benefit from.

Sh. Yaser Birjas has favored Muhammad Ayyub over AlAfasy...sorry kids :)

By the way, even though it looks like I'm really focused on the lassi, I'm actually more focused on Sh. Yaser!

2. 58 Degrees
This was the best part of the class. Period.

The Durbah Volunteers (I call them the Durbah Dream Team) put together a video which showed the importance of salah in our lives. It was well-filmed, edited, and rehearsed.

The video"ended" when a guy walking with a briefcase towards a door....when suddenly, the back door of our room opens! People got scared, excited, and happy (all at once). In the briefcase, there was a small travel prayer mat which was distributed to all the Fiqh of Salah attendees...as if that wasn't awesome enough...

In the middle of the class, the lights suddenly go out, the "music" starts playing, and one of the characters from the movie walks into the room, towards the stage, and tells Sh. Yaser, "The mission objective has changed, Shaykh." Salman (the character in the video) opens his breifcase, hands Sh. Yaser a CD which says "Classified" and tells him to play it...at this point, people are dazed, but wait till you hear what happens next..

On the DVD, there were a bunch of testimonials from various Durbah brothers thanking Sh. Yaser for opening our hearts, minds, and intellects when it came to Salah. The video ended by telling Sh. Yaser to look under his table for a surprise. When knees down, he tells everyone, "First of all, my shoes are under here" and everyone bursts out in the audience laughing. But then he pulls out a bag and places it on his desk. He starts opening it and takes out a rectangular box with some gift wrap on it. He opens it and finds to his surprise a MacBook Pro! And it didn't end there; the Durbah Dream Team went ahead and gave him an iPod Touch as well. He didn't know how to respond at that point and was speechless.

This was the major event which led to Sh. Yaser saying on Sunday,

"Durbah should not only get the Liwaa', but also a crown!"

A Small Gift I Made for Sh. Yaser

Conclusion

There were many memories which I want to share in this post, but if I do that, I'll end up spending a whole day writing them! So to sum it up, I made a poem (well, it's simply my thoughts thrown together..so you can call it what you want):

A weekend filled with good and benefit for everyone,
Has simply faded into the depths of our memories.

A time we spent with our teachers,
A time we spent learning our deen.

What's left now is simply the knowledge we've been given,
And the tears which have dried on our faces.

But we must move on convey the message,
For verily we have an obligation.

To apply and teach the trust we have,
And not to leave it in a binder to acquire dust.

It doesn't matter how much we've memorized or written,
All that matters is how many have we benefitted.

Let us ask, did we only feel emotion after this weekend?
Or we able establish our Divine Link.

May Allah (SWT) increase Sh. Yaser Birjas in good. May He (SWT) grant him and his family long lives to teach us and work for the deen. Ameen.

More Pictures:

First night

Sh. Yaser's desk at the end of the day

The Official AlMaghrib Durbah Boy :P

The Other Durbah Boy trying to swipe a new iTouch :D

Durbah's gift to Tayybah

It doesn't get anymore intimate than this

Question/Answer Sessions w/ YB

IlmFest and Durbah Water and Coffee Mugs

The last night to eat with the Shaykh

Sunset from the top of the parking garage

What not to do at an AlMaghrib Class

A lost soul

Tayybah Sabotage

AlMaghrib-NJ's next class:

A Heart♥Serene
S T U D I E S.. I N...T A Z K I Y Y A H

T A U G H T , B Y
R I A D..O U A R Z A Z I

October 9-11
&
October 16-18

D U R B A H
"Durbah should not only get the liwaa,
but also a crown."
-Sh. Yaser Birjas

Register now at www.almaghrib.org

Leave Your Mark

2009-07-15T02:24:00.006-04:00

I looked up at the sky one night,
And saw all the shining stars up high.

Gazing a bit farther, the moon was standing out.
Contemplation ran through my mind on what similitude it taught.

It was brighter, larger, and made its mark from the rest of the stars,
And made me realize; stop being a star and start being a moon.

-Nihal Khan

You Won't Understand

2009-07-13T02:24:00.009-04:00

I've walked in the desert's hot sand long before we met,
You warned me of a thorn in the sand when I battled snakes and scorpions,

It was a hard path which left a painful stamp in my memories,
So don't tell me about something I've experienced and that which you've only seen.

You can say all you want that you know how the experience feels,
But you didn't go through what I did; so you won't understand.

Want to build your Halaqa?

2009-07-08T00:52:00.006-04:00

Over the weekend I took a seminar called the "National Neigbornet Coordinators Conference" which was organized by Young Muslims.

The seminar taught how to properly run a halaqa in your local community and key techniques in establishing leaders and mentors in that halaqa. I think this was one of the most useful seminars I've ever taken. Check out my notes. (The notes can be used for brothers and sisters, but they will have to be tweeked in some places if sisters are using them).

Acceptance - Dedicated to Sr. Noor Bhuyian

2009-07-02T23:45:00.005-04:00

Mixed feelings are all I sense when I heard of your departing,
While the remnants of your deeds have left judgment clear.

Neither did we meet, speak, or interact in any way,
Yet your passing has effected Muslims from NJ to California.

It's hard to accept that you have left us so suddenly,
For once we were in a room studying our deen together.

It feels awkward knowing your e-mail will never be opened,
Or my facebook request will never be answered.

But Allah's will has been decreed,
And nothing I do or say will change that.

As for me, my deeds just keep coming and going without direction,
But you, your last moments were with Allah's book with an intention to memorize it fully.

I shed tears when I heard of your departure,
Now it's my turn to follow in your footsteps.

May Allah (SWT) raise Sr. Noor with those who have memorized the Qur'aan.
May He (SWT) forgive her for her sins and admit her to gardens under which rivers flow. Ameen

Confession

2009-06-30T03:42:00.003-04:00

No matter how much we blame others for our losses,
Whether it was their fault or not,

It all comes down to how much you've accomplished at the end of the day.
In that case, it's you and what you do which'll make you satisfied, not those around you.

You are your own man.

My Thoughts on the Death of Michael Jackson

2009-06-28T01:27:00.005-04:00

Chapter 110 from the Qur'aan
Nasr (Assistance):
1. When the victory of Allah and the conquest has come,
2. And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes
3. Then exalt with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.

If Michael gets a Janaza which is broadcasted live on television, then inshaAllah our Da’wah in the West will have truly reached a pinnacle. Just as the conversion of high-profile individuals such as Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Yusuf Islam, and Jermaine Jackson have done nothing but help the perception of Islam and bring hundreds of people into the deen, I hope Allah (SWT) lets Michael's death be an eye-opener for the world and a means for the guidance of multitudes of non-Muslims into Islam. Michael's death as a Muslim, as the former "King of Pop," and as one of the world's greatest humanitarians will be the means Allah will use for the guidance of our people, inshaAllah.

Ramblings

2009-06-25T23:13:00.007-04:00

Set your priorities straight and choose wisely
Balance is the key to achieving success

Don't let your knowledge and ego effect your manners
Always remember that you are human and can be wrong

Esoteric

2009-06-24T23:39:00.005-04:00

Make your intention clear
And do what must be done

Let your heart be clear
And let your mind conquer

Thoughts can be taken back
Actions are going to mark who you are

Let love not blind your senses
And make sure everything is for His sake alone.

-Nihal Khan

My Story - Imam Siraj Wahhaj

2009-06-17T20:22:00.001-04:00

This lecture took place at AlMaghrib Institute's "IlmFest 2008" in New York City.

Ilm Summit Curriculm

2009-06-12T01:14:00.005-04:00

For those of you who don't know about Ilm Summit, check out this video:

Ilm Summit 2009 Curriculm

Sh. Yaser Birjas
- Fiqh of Ramadhan and Fasting
- Qawaid al-Fiqh
- Ibn al-Qayyim on Tarbiyyah
- Brothers breakout
- Sisters breakout
- WildCard sessions

Sh. Waleed Basyouni
- Foundations of Theology
- Fiqh of Dhikr and Duaa
- Torch Bearers II - Exclusive for IlmSummit
- Brothers breakout
- Sisters breakout
- WildCard sessions

Sh. Yasir Qadhi
- Reality of Iman between Ahl al-Sunnah and other Groups
- Heresiology
- Brothers breakout
- Sisters breakout
- WildCard sessions

Br. Nouman Ali Khan
- Balagha Studies

Sh. Navaid Aziz
- Tafseer Surah al-Kahf

Dr. Ovamir Anjum (Prof at Univ of Madison)
- Islamic Political Science

Fajr Sessions
Tajweed in intensive circles (separate for brothers/sisters)

Ya Khaliqal Akwan - Nasheed

2009-06-09T22:47:00.006-04:00

"O Revealer of the Quran, Increase me in faith
Allahu Ya allah - Allah, Oh Allah"

Skittles are Halal Now!!!

2009-06-04T19:51:00.007-04:00

After 14 years of waiting, it's finally happened, alhamdullillah! Skittles are now gelatin free! Just make sure you're buying the newly manufactured packet by looking for the label below. (Click Image to Enlarge).

"And which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?"

Why YM?

2009-05-31T16:58:00.016-04:00

Why YM? A question which has been left unanswered in my head for too long. Why not MAS Youth, MYNA, or any other youth group? (May Allah SWT increase these youth groups in the benefit they bring to their communities). InshaAllah in this post, I'll go over reasons why YM works and why and how it has earned so much success since it was founded in 1991.

A little over six years ago, I started coming to my local YM halaqa in Teaneck at 12 years-old. The main pulling factors for me were because my older brother used to go every Friday night to the masjid and he used to come back and tell me how much fun he had and how everyone used to go out to eat afterwards as a group and because I liked to be around older people (most of my friends to this day are older than me :D). It was later shown to me that Allah (SWT) had decreed that I would be involved with YM for the remainder of my teenage years, but I still hadn't figured out the answer to the question of all questions....why YM?

Why YM?

1. Community Involvement

This year, in 2009, I finally could put something in this empty spot of "why?" I realized that some of us had become products of what YM was working towards. I realized that YM wasn't suppose to send youth over to an Islamic university or madrasa, but rather, YM was suppose to make us people in our communities who are involved in constructing a better tomorrow for the future youth to come into our community. YM wanted us to get involved in our sunday schools and evening schools. It wanted us to be good role models and leaders for our communities. It wanted us to be sincere and dedicated Islamic workers. I finally realized the pinacle of YM's catch phrase "Facillitating the Youth in Becoming the Future."

2. Compatibility

One of the main reasons YM has been so successful throughout the United States is because they learned to put aside the cleche matter of "taking an AlMaghrib class" versus "taking a Zaytuna class." YM realized that differences of opinions will exist no matter what organization you work with and that it's important to instead focus on how to keep our Muslim youth in the masjid and out of the clubs. We used YM as our binding factor to help build better communities for our youth.

In April 2009, Allah (SWT) blessed me to help organize an online fundraiser for Imam Siraj Wahhaj with the help of Br. Tariq Subhani and the Muslim Alliance of North America (MANA). Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, Imam Zaid Shakir, Imam Suhaib Webb, and Shaykh Faraz Rabbani had all come together by putting aside their differences of creed and jurisprudence to help the American Muslim community by raising funds for Imam Siraj Wahhaj. If they can unite for a better tomorrow, why can't we?

May Allah (SWT) increase YM in good and help them produce sincere and devout Islamic workers who wish to earn nothing but the please of Allah (SWT). Ameen.

Young Muslims - Brothers Promo Video

Young Muslims - Sisters Promo Video

Visit www.ymsite.com and www.ymonline.org for more info.

The Weekend I Met Muhammad (SAW)

2009-05-27T00:23:00.003-04:00

Shaykh Yasir Qadhi changes his Methodology

2009-05-18T23:29:00.004-04:00

"Admitting one’s mistake is not easy to do. Claiming that one’s past opinions were wrong - opinions that were defended publicly, in writing and speech, and championed for many, many years - is always a bitter pill to swallow. And this is even more difficult to do when the ‘mistake’ is not just one secondary matter or trivial opinion, but rather an entire framework or methodology."

Click here to read the rest

You Call this Justice?

2009-05-17T01:32:00.001-04:00

May Allah (SWT) multiply the punishment of 'Aad and Thamud 100 times and send it upon those responsible for letting this two year-old child die. Ameen

Breakneck Ridge Mountain Range - Putnam, NY

2009-05-10T23:45:00.015-04:00

On May 10th, 2009, I went on a hiking trip to Upstate New York with a bunch of people. I got the chance to take some really neat pictures.

False Prophet Dies while Deficating

2009-05-09T18:31:00.003-04:00

"At night he passed loose excrements and was gripped with extreme weakness. Mother was woken up. By the time she got up, his condition was extremely weak. Mother worrisomely asked what had happened to him? He replied “same thing that I used to tell you” (that is the ailment of death). He passed another loose excrements and the weakness worsened. He asked for Maulvi Nooruddin sahib (Maulvi Nooruddin, as has been said above, was a reputable physician). Then he asked for Mahmood (the writer of these lines) and Mir sahib (his father in law) to be woken up. My bed was only a little distance from his, and when I woke up I saw him to be in a state of immense ailment. The doctors came and started medication but that didn't improve his state. At last some medication was given via injection after which he went into sleep. When it was morning, he woke up to say his prayers. His throat was so weak that when he tried to speak no words came out. At this he asked for pen but couldn't write either and the pen fell from his hand. After this he lied down and in a little while he was overcome by unconsciousness and around 10:30 in the morning his soul appeared before that True Emperor for the sake of serving Whose religion he had spent his entire life."
Taken from Qadiani.org

سنا هے خانقاهوں ميں محبت كے هيں مہ خانے

2009-05-06T21:25:00.004-04:00

Hafiz Abu Bakr aur Maulana Anas Yunus ki saut-e-mubarak sai koi nahee tahk sak ta hai...SubhanAllah.

The Dangers of Heedlessness - Hamza Yusuf

2009-05-04T00:47:00.000-04:00

This is an AWESOME lecture, mashaAllah!

Recordings from the Imam Siraj Wahhaj Fundraiser!

2009-05-03T14:12:00.013-04:00

Qasim Mazhar (Qur'aan Recitation)

Hamza Yusuf

Yasir Qadhi

Siraj Wahhaj

Zaid Shakir

Suhaib Webb

Faraz Rabbani

"My bullied son's last day on Earth"

2009-04-24T00:18:00.002-04:00

"A little later, when his younger sister called him to come down to eat, Jaheem didn't answer. So mother and daughter climbed the stairs to Jaheem's room and opened the door. Jaheem was hanging by his belt in the closet."
Read the rest of the story here.

Life in the American Madrasa System

2009-04-20T22:42:00.004-04:00

The good, bad, and ugly of madrasas in the United States of America. Experiences of different contemporary madrasa graduates, students, and former students.

This won't be a rant but rather a mind-opening experience.

Coming soon to a blog near you...

The Fruits of Emaan

2009-04-19T00:05:00.004-04:00

Allah (SWT) says in many places in the Qur'aan "Verily those who believe and do good deeds;" Here are those benefits Allah (SWT) has mentioned in the Qur'aan regarding the above mentioned individuals:

1. Jannah

2. Protection from Hell (Point taken from a hadith)

3. Good deeds accepted

4. Means of Forgiveness of Sins

5. Achieving the Protection of Allah

6. Allah will fight on your behal

7. Allah will guide you

8. Protection and Comfort for the Believers

9. Good Always happens to him (Point taken from a hadith)

10. Escape from sorrows and problems

11. Raised status in this life and the hereafter

12. Protection from Falling into Evil (Point taken from a hadith)

13. A Good Life

14. Angels give Glad Tidings

15. Rulership on Earth

16. Brotherhood

17. Love written for him on Earth (Point taken from a hadith)

18. He benefits from Advice

19. Given light on the day of judgment

20. Believers will look at Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment

"Hold to the Rope of Allah" - Stop bickering

2009-04-16T22:35:00.003-04:00

“We do not deny the reality of legitimate differences and approaches, nor the passionate advocacy of specific positions based on those differences. Such issues should be rightfully discussed observing established rules of debate. However, we urge the above measures to help prevent those differences from destroying the historical unity and integrity of the Muslim community, and creating irreparable divisions between our hearts.”
- Excerpt from the “Sunni Unity Pledge”

sticking to blogspot

2009-04-14T20:50:00.003-04:00

wordpress is complicated....

Nasihah: An Online Fundraiser for Imam Siraj Wahhaj

2009-04-10T15:40:00.001-04:00

My Best Flyer

2009-04-05T23:02:00.004-04:00

(Click to Enlarge)

Ilm Summit; I'm in, alhamdulillah!

2009-04-02T23:31:00.004-04:00

Alhamdulillah. By the grace of Allah I was just accepted into IlmSummit 2009!

My excitement has no bounds!!!!

Nasihah: An Online Fundraiser for Imam Siraj Wahhaj

2009-03-25T15:28:00.004-04:00

New architecture of the Ka'bah

2009-03-10T22:39:00.003-04:00

Our Economy's downfall was fortold almost 300 years ago

2009-03-09T19:39:00.003-04:00

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. "
-Thomas Jefferson

Spring Gifts - A poem by Sh. Hamza Yusuf

2009-03-07T12:47:00.004-05:00

I envy the sand that met his feet

I’m jealous of honey he tasted sweet

Of birds that hovered above his head

Of spiders who spun their sacred web

To save him from his enemies

I envy clouds formed from the seas

That gave him cover from the heat

Of a sun whose light could not compete

With his, whose face did shine so bright

That all was clear in blinding night

I envy sightless trees that gazed

Upon his form completely dazed

Not knowing if the sun had risen

But felt themselves in unison

With those who prayed, and fasted too

Simply because he told them to

With truth and kindness, charity

From God who gave such clarity

His mercy comes in one He sent

To mold our hearts more heaven bent

I envy all there at his side

Who watched the turning of the tide

As truth prevailed and falsehood fled

And hope restored life to the dead

Men and Women through him found grace

To seek together God’s noble face

I envy the cup that gave him drink

His thoughts that helped us all to think

To be one thought that passed his mind

Inspiring him to act so kind

For me this world is not one jot

If I could simply be a thought

From him to God throughout the ages

As revelation came in stages

I pity all who think it odd

To hear him say there is one God

Or he was sent by God to men

To hone their spirits’ acumen

It’s pride that blinds us from the sight

That helps good men to see his light

He taught us all to be God’s slaves

And he will be the one who saves

Humanity from sinful pride

Muhammad has God on his side

So on this day be blessed and sing

For he was born to grace our Spring

With lilies, flowers, life’s rebirth

In a dome of green like his on earth

Donate to help Imam Siraj Wahhaj!

2009-03-01T22:17:00.002-05:00

Imam Siraj Wahhaj has been diagnosed with prostate cancer; You can help!

2009-03-01T11:08:00.006-05:00

Please donate as much as you can. Imam Siraj is indeed the face of Islam in America, and if we can participate in his recovery inshallah, then what a great opportunity to capture! Even in his sickness, the Imam is not thinking about himself… a sign of virtue and greatness:

Special Donation For IMAM SIRAJ WAHHAJ

As Salamu Alaikum, Dear Brothers and Sisters!

It is well known now that I have been suffering from hypertension. Al Hamdulillah, I have been working with it for a while now, and insha’Allah it’s pretty much under control. As a result of being thoroughly checked by the competent doctors in Atlanta , I have been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Al Hamdulillah, inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun. (All Praise is for Allah. Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.)

My diagnosis is not as bad as it sounds on the surface. Many men have been cured from prostate cancer. My doctors are very optimistic about my cure, and so am I. Insha’Allah the treatment should last about two months. But you and I know that the cure is in the Hands of Allah. If Allah heals me, I will be very grateful. If Allah doesn’t heal me, then I will be patient and happily accept my fate. This is the way of the Believers. I am looking forward to full recovery and getting back to work in the not-too-distant future, insha’Allah.

Many people will ask the question, what can we do? Don’t waste your time feeling sorry for me. Make du’a. But don’t just make du’a for me. There are a lot of Muslims, men and women, with cancer (and other diseases). Make du’a for them also. There are so many among the elderly, who need our help, make du’a for them. There are so many Muslims who have lost their jobs, lost their homes, make du’a for them! Beyond the prayers, go visit the sick, those in prison, and others in need.

Get involved more with Islamic work. Support organizations like MANA, ISNA, ICNA, MAS, CAIR, SIFCA, the community in association with Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, the community of Imam Jamil Al Amin, etc. Support good brothers and sisters, like Mauri’ Saalakhan of the Peace and Justice Foundation. Support Islamic education and schools. If you want to help Imam Siraj, then help support his Masjid, Masjid At-Taqwa, in Brooklyn, New York and all the other struggling Masjids throughout America.

Every challenge we face in life presents us with many opportunities for growth. With a heightened awareness and sensitivity about health-related issues, I will feel better when we, as an ummah, learn more about our health. We have to be very careful about the foods we consume! I urge all of us to cultivate healthy appetites such that we begin to love and crave foods that are good FOR us and eliminate foods that are not. I intend with Allah’s help to share information with you in the coming weeks about our health.

On behalf of MANA, I encourage you to lend your support to our growing Organization. Every MANA project is structured to strengthen American Muslim communities. The SHARE Centers, Healthy Marriage Initiative, Community Reentry Program, and Healing and Reconciliation Project all need input and active service urgently. Please contact the MANA office to find out more and look for regular updates in our newsletters, insha’Allah.

In closing, I am humbled and very thankful for all the prayers, and well wishes of the Muslims, and am very appreciative for all the help extended to me and my family in the past. Alhamdulillah! I am also overwhelmed with gratitude that a number of you want to lend financial support, and have asked how you can do that. Online donations can be made here, or feel free to correspond with me directly at Siraj Wahhaj, P.O. Box 312264, Atlanta, GA 31131.

Thank you kindly. May Allah guide and protect us all.

Your brother in faith,

Imam Siraj Wahhaj

Allah told me, so why didn't I act?

2009-02-27T22:11:00.004-05:00

Allah (SWT) said in Surah Fatihah (The Opening Chapter of the Qur'aan):

"Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds"
So why do I still praise myself?

"The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"
So why do I not repent to him after sinning?

"Master of the Day of Judgement"
So why do I not fear him the way he ought to be feared?

"It is You we worship and You we ask for help."
So why do I seek other means besides the ones He gave me??

"Guide us to the straight path"
So why do I keep misguiding myself by not obeying his commands?

"The Path of those whom you've favored, not those who've earned your anger, or have gone astray."
If I can't find this path Oh Allah, than show it to me.

Tips on Memorizing the Qur'aan

2009-02-24T22:53:00.009-05:00

The following is a list put together from about a group of 200 students studying 'Uloom al-Qur'aan under Shaykh Yasir Qadhi.

Realize it’s a spiritual AND physical project. It’s a miracle and blessing from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala that you’re able to absorb the Qur’an. If you want to take advantage of this blessing, you should be in a position to receive it and therefore strive physically to achieve it and strive spiritually to get the maximum benefit.

The first matter you have to pay attention to is your intention (if you intend good you will get good). The more sincere you are, the more blessed it will be. Sincerity is not a one time factor rather it’s a continual battle that you always have to renew – there are dangers of wanting to do so for the sake of this world and of those to be the first to be thrown in the hellfire are those who memorize for the dunya – we seek Allah’s refuge from being amongst these so make your niyyah for doing it for the sake of Allah and Allah will bless your effort

If you’re not praying, then memorizing will be a barrier and impediment, if you’re not righteous then it will be hard to get it into you. Imam shafi’i had an incident in which he asked why memorizing was so hard for him and Waqee’ (his teacher) told him to abandon sin because knowledge is a light and sinfulness is darkness and the two cannot live together in one body.

Shaytan wants to get between you and your memorization. So when you sit down, say the ta’oodh MEANING IT – seek refuge in Allah against the accursed shaytaan and say bismillah and recite.

Of the physical elements:

The first thing you should do in the day is memorize – even do so before your breakfast, because this is your spiritual breakfast. If you are really dedicated, you don’t need 8 hours – you don’t need to sleep 1/3 of your life away. 6 hours is more than enough of sleep (Ulema slept 3/4) and when you condition your body to sleep less, you will actually sleep better and those hours will be very good. The best time to memorize is right after Fajr.
Memorize in a place that is quiet – you can’t memorize properly with distractions – so turn off all your distractional devices (aka cell phones) – it’s as if you’re a slave to this equipment – you can be in the most important conversation but you have to see who it is. You feel empty/naked without your cellphone if you forget it at home.
There’s no magic technique, you just have to do it over and over again – the more you memorize, the faster/easier it is to memorize, and all huffadh here speak from experience in saying this. Shaykh Yasir Qadhi began memorizing fulltime at the age of 13 or 14 (before starting, fulltime he had memorized 6 or 7 juz). It would take him an hour to memorize one page. Finished memorizing in 10 months, and he’d do this every single page, rarely 2, once or twice was able to do 3. By the end, he was doing this in 15/20 minutes – it was a routine – the key is persistence x3. How long will 2 lines take you? Not more than 10 minutes, but do that EVERY SINGLE DAY. – in haydh, shaykh said to not take up new memorization but just review.
Memorize from one Qur’an – not just the same script, but one bound book – you will have a relationship with that book. No one is allowed to touch the shaykh’s Qur’an – he still has it with tape pieces and all – even Ammaar (his son) is not allowed to touch it. It will become so dear to you, and you will remember the creases and everything.
Shaykh Yasir's favorite recitor was Hudhayfee – so he would listen to one page of him then memorize that one – so listen to a shaykh before you memorize so that you have it right. You need a little bit pushing – for the shaykh, he had a qaari saab coming evey day at 4, so there was that pressure to do the “sabaq” by that time – it happens that sometimes one can’t, but this type of pressure is good and it pushes one and we need that push.

There are three separate things that we need to do

The first is your new amount to memorize: let’s say you memorize one page, realistically for us it’s 2 lines to begin. This would be the first thing you do as soon as you wake –
- before you close the Qur’an, you have to do stage 2 which is reviewing 7 days previous – this MUST be done along with stage 1 together. So you review 7 days previously – it links together the various portions and you will have read it 7 times by the next week so it solidifies the memorization. To this day, the shaykh’s weakest ones are the linkage and the bottom of the pages. So memorize your two lines and review your 7 days previous.
- Then later in the day, mind doesn’t need to be at its freshest, you have to recite all the stuff before the 7 days. This is stage 3 – the old review. Bare minimum for someone trying to memorize is 10 pages (half a juz). Stage 3 is a life-long process – this never ever stops – whatever you’ve memorized, doesn’t’ matter whether it’s 10/20 or 30. If you don’t do stage 3, you will forget it as if you never memorized it. The Prophet salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: make sure that you hold fast to the Qur’an continuously repeating it, because it is easier to forget it than camels that are left without a pen (fence)” – and camels were notorious for running away. Wallahi it is faster to lose the Qur’an than a camel. There is no feeling as bad as rememorizing what you have already memorizing, because you would feel like “pshhhhhh” *makes motion of finger falling over a cliff* Never say you have forgot the Qur’an but say that you have been caused to forget it (bukhari) – that means you weren’t worthy

Sit in the same exact place/same chair to memorize and wallahi if anything was different in that area, your memorization would suffer – if the vase were in a different place then your mind would be on that – so this shows the importance of continuity – same place, same Qur’an and then add persistence to that and it will work.
The shaykh would be able to tell immediately if one who memorized with a shaykh with an ijaaza or not – there will be a difference even if your voice is beautiful. When you memorize, memorize with ghunnah. Imitate the tajweed of the one you’re listening to (remember the 3 mentioned – hussari, abdul baasit, minshawi). Voice is not what you need to concentrate on, rather you need to concentrate on your tajweed. And don’t say: should i learn tajweed first or memorize first? Do them at the same time.
Some recommend to sit on a chair and say that’s better: shaykh said he feels if you sit on the floor for some reason it’s better. He’d memorize with back to wall and knees up and Qur’an on lap. Others criticize
Make sure you recite your daily lesson from that day in your salawaat and make sure you recite the older ones too – what you will find is that you WILL make mistakes so after tasleem you will run to your Qur’an and see your mistake and you won’t forget that again – you will have to break your habit of surah ikhlas/naas/asr =P.
Memorize slow – if you memorize slow, you can quicken it up any time. But if all you know how to do is speed through, you will never be able to slow it down. – this is true.
Recite out loud – you cannot memorize silently!
The foods you eat – almonds and kaajoo were given to shaykh =P. One haafidh: no donuts before memorizing Qur’an. Shaykh: I would memorize Qur’an on an empty stomach and if you have stomach before, have a light/healthy breakfast.
One of the haafidh’s points: Any mistake that you always do, write it in the margin and when you read it, you’ll remember it
Mutashaabih – those that are similar, put the other aayah there.
Shaykh: the #1 thing that you should do when you finish memorizing is to lead taraweeh.
Shaykh: I would have found that memorizing with color coded tajweed would be distracting and it would be easier without it.
You’ll never ever beat the original – so don’t imitate others. What you do imitate is tajweed until you learn. You can’t memorize for long without learning tajweed.
Do not pick random surahs to memorize back and forth, it becomes problematic because reviewing the old is problematic. Do not pick and choose. Shaykh would advise us to start in the back and work our way forward to at least surah Qaaf.
Rocking while memorizing actually helps – it’s true that the jews do this and it’s an opinion that we cannot for that reason but the shaykh doesn’t see this as valid because that is their belief and for us it’s not done to get reward – no one believes that.

And you thought YOU had a bad day?

2009-02-23T17:55:00.001-05:00

Cell Phone Vs. Quran

2009-02-21T11:21:00.003-05:00

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Quran like we treat our cellphone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm... where is my Quran?

Oh, and one more thing...

Unlike our cellphone, we don't have to worry about our Quran being disconnected.

Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!

-By Ismail Sayeed

Resolving the whole "wife-beating" issue in the Qur'aan

2009-02-07T23:46:00.001-05:00

The funniest animated trailer I've ever seen

2009-02-07T02:13:00.002-05:00

Etidal Abdallah Returns Home

2009-02-05T21:26:00.001-05:00

Etidal Abdullah, 21, told police Wednesday: “I’m happy. I’m back home.”">

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/570022.html

Problems Solved over Tea

2009-02-03T22:01:00.006-05:00

"If the world's problems were presented to Muhammad (SAW), he would solve them over a cup of tea."

-George Bernard Shaw

Sh. Mishary Rashid al-Afasy....Thobeless!

2009-02-01T10:57:00.002-05:00

Forget your Problems, listen to this

2009-02-01T01:23:00.001-05:00

"Verily, those who accuse chaste women, who never even think of anything touching their chastity and are good believers - are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment." -Surah Noor: 23

Whispers of the Night - By Sh. Riyadh ul-Haqq

2009-01-31T00:40:00.007-05:00

I pounded on the door of mercy as the world slept
And humbling myself before my Creator I wept

Hands raised high and head bowed I knelt
And dejectedly began to lament what I felt

With a torn heart I gave a tongue to my woes and fears
And in great anguish and sorrow I let flow my tears

With poignant emotions raging in me so fierce
I hoped that my prayers would the heavens pierce

Oh Maker of my destiny, Master of my fate I cried
Thou art the only refuge and succour for one so tried

'Tis before Thee alone that I bemoan
Sufferings of mine only to Thee known

Pains and torments that I can no longer bear
Hopes and wishes I can entrust only to Thy care

For 'Tis only the ocean of Thine infinite bounty that sustains all
And only Thy forgiveness that restores those that fall

'Tis to Thee alone Oh Benevolent that I extend my hands in plea
To whom besides Thee can this wretched soul flee

Forgive my sins and grant me my desires Oh Almighty
Reject me not, for nothing can redeem me save Thy mercy

My kid doesn't listen to me...why?

2009-01-28T20:54:00.004-05:00

Don't try to change your child when he's 18, do the changing when he's 8.

Children are like rubber, you can bend them anyway you want; but when he/she enters their teens, that rubber becomes hard tar.

Ingrain Islamic principles in them, monitor what they do, keep the computer in an open place, and place your trust in Allah.

"Verily Allah doesn't change the state of a people until they change themselves."
Surah 13 ar-Ra'ad (The Thunder)

Play Starcraft for College Credits?

2009-01-28T14:06:00.003-05:00

"Students in UC - Berkeley can take up StarCraft studies for college credits. Something we’ve never imagined would happen."

http://www.tumeroks.com/starcraft-course-opened-for-college-earn-credits/

Upcoming Conferences

2009-01-27T17:10:00.006-05:00

AlMaghrib Ilm Fest 2009
March 2009 - 2 days
Washington DC
Click here for more info

MSA East Zone Conference
April 10th - 12th, 2009
Philadelphia, PA
Click here for more info

ICNA-MAS Convention
May 23rd - 25th, 2009 (Memorial Day Weekend)
Location to be announced
Click here for more info

ISNA National Conference
July 3rd - 6th, 2009 (Independence Day Weekend)
Washington DC
Click here for more info

Gender Interaction On Campus

2009-01-24T14:56:00.003-05:00

I found a very beneficial article on Gender Interaction from Imam Suhaib Webb. Check it out here.

It goes into how some people are very "liberal" while others are "extreme" when it comes to this topic. Imam Suhaib does a fantastic job of finding "the middle way." Jazakam Allahu Khayr Imam Suhaib!

Check out his blog at www.suhaibwebb.com

Rainbow...Protection? Milky Way.....Jannah?

2009-01-22T23:24:00.005-05:00

Ibn 'Abbas (R) said, "The Milky Way is one of the gates of heaven. The rainbow is security from being destroyed by flood after the people of Noah."

Ibn Kawwa' asked 'Ali about the Milky Way. He said, "It is the water-trough (or loop of the bag) from which the heaven opens up flowing water

Ibn 'Abbas (R) said, "The rainbow is security for the people of the earth that they will not be drowned. The Milky Way is the door of the heavens and forms a furrow through it."

The above three ahadith were reported from Imam Bukhari's book al-Adab al-Mufrad.

Need a Graphic Designer? Contact me.

2009-01-17T23:47:00.002-05:00

Roll up those....pants?

2009-01-16T23:13:00.002-05:00

"Look at his pants, is he waiting for a flood?"

The following are my notes from Sh. Yasir Qadhi's food and clothing class. It's a very insightful subject which I enjoyed studying. Check it out here.

If you go outside the post on the link, you can see a more expanded version of the subject. Enjoy!

Asim isn't Bihari, Nagpur is in...

2009-01-12T22:17:00.004-05:00

Asim: Nagpur is in Maharashtra according to Shaykh Google

Nihal: Yea, Imam Wikipedia has no difference of opinion either

Nihal: and Imam maps.google.com, the student of Shaykh Google has agreed as well

Nihal: but there are different reports from Mufti Mapquest

Asim: hmm…interesting…...eh..Mufti Mapquest has a messed up Aqeedah so we can rule him out :)

World to end 2012? Answered by Imam Mustafa ‘Umar

2009-01-04T07:31:00.002-05:00

Taken from Imam Suhaib Webb's blog

The Question:

The life and death of planet Earth byastrophysicist Donald Brownlee and paleontologist Peter Ward. Now these two men are saying is that the world will end on some time in 2012. Allah says in the Quran that only he knows when the world will end these men are saying that there calculations are based on the mayacalendar, the calendar has been used to predict the future before also and so far it has only been 43 seconds off. Is there anything in the quran that agrees with this matter? i need some reassurance because i want to get it of my head its bothering me a lot.

The Answer by Imam Mustafa ‘Umar, Imam of Masjid Fahd, L.A, California

In the name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful

You have made a very wise decision in asking this question on two counts. First, because many young people nowadays have several questions and/or misgivings about their religion but keep them inside. As time goes by, these ideas pile up and then might trigger some day and lead to numerous doubts about their religion without anyone understanding what happened. Therefore, it is beneficial to express what you feel and to ask questions.

Second, you have asked the right people who grew up in an environment similar to yours and have knowledge of Islam. Many people end up asking the wrong people who either can’t relate to them or have no knowledge. This would only end up causing more problems.

The stance of the Qur’an on this issue is clear from the following verse: “They ask you [Prophet] about the end of the world, saying, ‘When will it be?’ How can you tell them that? Its time is known only to your Lord. You are only sent to warn those who fear it.” (Qur’an 79:42-45)

The point is that when Allah says that something is “known only to your Lord”, it means that it is something that cannot be discovered by man, such as a person’s lifespan. Many people try to predict a number of things and we assume that, because of the advances in science and technology, we can also have knowledge similar to what Allah has. However, think about how many times the weather report has been wrong despite all the satellites and advanced equipment, how many people were supposed to die but lived, and how many people were supposed to have lived but died. All of these things remind us of how far we really are from Allah’s knowledge. As for using the Maya calendar, we need to stop and think about a number of things. First, how many predictions did they make? Second, what were their predictions about? Third, what was the rate of accuracy in all of their predictions and why they aren’t being used as mainstream evidence? Fourth, where did they get this knowledge from?

We must be very critical of people who claim to know the future. Most people who make such a claim are frauds while the others are merely guessing. It’s like horoscopes which are written in such a general way that people think they can actually tell the future when, in reality, they don’t. We shouldn’t be fooled by such things,even if they are packaged and presented in the name of science. Science is a very useful tool, but it is often misused and twisted to fit a certain agenda or just to sell a book. When all is said and done, remember that just because the sun has risen from the east for millions of years doesn’t mean that Allah can’t change it tomorrow and make it rise from the west. We must remember that just as our own lives are in the hands of Allah, so is the life of the world, and He can end it whenever He likes. May Allah allow us to utilize our limited lives with what pleases Him before our time is up.

Mustafa

.................إن الله يدافع عن الذين آمنوا ............................ Verily Allah Defends Those Who Believe!

2009-01-03T16:40:00.003-05:00

A Talk with the Self - Br. Kemal ElMekki

2008-12-29T18:49:00.014-05:00

Br. Kemal ElMekki runs the famous "10 Minute Shahadah Workshop" and delivers lectures throughout North America.

Oh my self what will calm you?
Can’t you remain patient for a day or two?

I try to contain you but your strength overpowers
But when we die life will seem like hours

So can’t you be patient for part of a day?
And remain steadfast upon the straight way?

The direction you’re taking leads to my worst fears
Of the day we stand for fifty thousand years

No one will joke nor talk nor smile
And the sun from our heads will be at a mile

Nowhere to hide and nowhere to flee
Standing for what seems an eternity

Then the judgment begins and the books will land
Either on your right or your left handOh my self …

Do not become like those who left the right track
And put their left hands behind their back

Oh self how do you plan to cross the sirat suspended in the air?
Craftier than a fox, sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair?

How do you plan to cross? Or will you cross at all?
The blink of an eye? Run? Or would you rather crawl?

The bad deeds you command will drop you from it
And only good deeds put you back upon it

Oh self it’s a five hundred year-drop suspension
Over a terrible place I’d rather not mention

Oh self…Do not be fooled by this world and its illusions
And keep in mind judgment, the grave and other conclusions

Oh self wake up! Don’t follow your desire
And ask for forgiveness to avoid the fire

Oh self keep the commands and avoid prohibitions
And pay close attention to these admonitions

Be amongst those who were the best of planners
Who prepared for the future with good deeds and good manners

Oh self it simply about your control
Being patient now so as to reach your goal

I don’t mean to put a burden, or put much stress
Just to warn of a day when the limbs confess

Sins add up as you live through the years
Then sadness won’t save you and nor will the tears

Every time you sin the Shaytan is winning
So remember the One against Whom you’re sinning

Oh my self…Life is short and ends when you least expect it
And then what will you say when you’re resurrected?

The angel of death overlooked you and took the souls of your brothers
And one day he’ll come to you and overlook others

For great rewards plant the righteous seeds
Oh Allah, I seek refuge from the evil of my self and from the evil of my deeds.

For What Crime was She Killed? - By Nihal Khan

2008-12-20T19:03:00.006-05:00

This poem was written in response to the recent death of 2-year old Caylee Anthony who was murdered by her mother, 20-year old Casey Anthony. See link here.

"For what crime was she killed?" -
By Nihal Khan

As I sat down to see today's current events,
Rape, murder, war...Instances I can't prevent

Though different issues come up on CNN daily,
I will relate a story of a little girl named Caylee,

She had a beautiful smile, and an innocent face,
But she came into the world as a result of a man and woman's haste,

Her mother caused her to be without any intent,
She wanted to forget who that girl was and what she meant,

Though she smiled and maybe said "Mama" as her first little word,
Her mother took her life and acted as if nothing had occurred,

So now I ask, For what Crime was Caylee punished for?
Was it because she yelled or didn't do her chores?

Was it because giving her food, for you, had become hard?
Why couldn't you give Caylee to someone who would act as her guard?

Loving, caring, feeding, providing for her,
Hugging, kissing, smiling, showing affection towards her,

So I ask you again, For What Crime was she Killed?
The same crime that 1400 years ago the Arabs had instilled?

"No benefit are girls, so bury them alive!"
"They are weak in this desert, they won't thrive!"

Just remember Casey Anthony, there's no respite for what you've done,
And know that in court, in jail, next to your side is no one!

Caylee is now safe in a place filled with peace, happiness, and a caretaker too,
Just know that she'll have a better life now...than being with you.

Watch the Prayer at the Ka'bah, NOW!

2008-12-20T00:37:00.005-05:00

"And when the Qur'aan is recited, listen to it and remain silent so that you may attain mercy."
Surah 7, Ayah 204

If anyone is interested in watching the most recent prayers performed in Makkah or Madinah, check out haramainrecordings.com. They update atleast 3 times a day. Enjoy!

Poetry to Video

2008-12-17T23:03:00.004-05:00

But instead of him placing.. the flower in my hand
He held it mid-air.. without reason nor plan

It was then that I noticed.. for the very first time
That weed-toting boy could not see.. he was blind

I heard my voice quiver.. tears shone in the sun
As I thanked him for picking the very best one.

Excerpt from "Solace" - by Ashar Z. Shah

Old Ka'bah Photos

2008-12-15T23:34:00.004-05:00

"And (remember) when Ibrahim and Ismail raised the foundations of the House (saying): Our Lord! accept from us; surely you are the all-Hearing, all-Knowing"
Surah Baqara: Verse 124

I had some nice photos of the Ka'bah ranging all the way from the 1800's to this year. Take a look at them here.

My Client

2008-12-13T22:40:00.002-05:00

"And which of the favors of your Lord will you deny?" -
Surah 55, Ar Rahman

Alhamdulillah, Allah (SWT) has blessed me with EmanRush as my first graphic design client.

In the coming release of the IlmFest single series, the CD covers will have been designed by yours truly :)