Monthly Archives: February 2015
Why are New Muslims Leaving Islam?
“I don’t know if you can help me; I don’t even know where to start. My life is a mess. I’ve been a Muslim for 5 years and each Ramadan instead of increasing in my emaan, I question whether I can continue living as a Muslim. The loneliness I have felt over the last 5 years is one I never felt before I became Muslim. I feel it even more in Ramadan. I receive so many emails about how to complete the Qu’ran in 30 days, how to attain taqwa but I just struggle trying to get through the days.
When I took my shahadah, so many sisters hugged me and gave me their phone numbers but after a few weeks, they didn’t respond to my calls or my messages. I’m so alone, it really hurts. They told me they would help me learn how to pray. I still don’t know how to pray. I’ve tried youtube and books but they don’t work. I’m really struggling. I phoned my local masjid and they laughed at me after I told them how long I was Muslim and couldn’t pray. I’m so down and alone. I wish I could be like most and look forward to Ramadan. I wish I could read the Koran. I wish I could pray taraweeh. I wish I didn’t feel so alone. I have tried; I went to the masjid to break my fast. But nobody spoke to me. They offered me food and drink but then after praying they just ate in their little circles smiling and laughing. You’re my last attempt – can you help me? I’m desperate.” Mandy
Sadly, the SOLACE team receive many emails like that of Mandy’s. There’s a sound proportion of revert sisters who receive support and they really work diligently with their SOLACE support workers to make positive change in their lives. In contrast however, there are sisters like Mandy who disappear despite our willingness to support them. It is as though they are scared to receive support only to be let down for the umpteenth time. As a team, we can only pray and make du’aa that they will meet beautiful sincere Muslims who will help them as they should have been helped during those first few fragile weeks of being a very new Muslim.
The picture for most new reverts is indeed a very positive one. One needs only to attend a shahaadah ceremony and observe the mixture of excitement and nervousness sprawled across the face of the one taking that amazing step; crossing from the fields of kufr into the vastness of tawheed. It is such a joyous moment – both for the new Muslim and for those who are present, witnessing the guidance of Allah unfold in an individual’s life. Most faces are streaming with tears as their hearts increase in faith in the One and Only Creator, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala).
It is equally overwhelming for the new believer as she is swamped with hugs, kisses, books, hijabs and telephone numbers. There is a sense of a new immediate family, and the fear of what their own non-Muslim family will say and do is subdued by the hope that their new Muslim family will be there no matter what.
Quite tragically, the situation can at times be very different just as Mandy described in her email. More than likely, brothers and sisters that attend a shahaadah ceremony really do have a good intention to keep in touch. Certainly excuses must be made; perhaps they imagined that the new believer has a solid support network, after all, there were so many telephone numbers handed over that day. Others may be busy in their own lives and feel pressurised with the responsibility of helping a new Muslim. Passing on a few books and CDs is sufficient but what if they needed somewhere to stay?
The sad reality is that too many brothers and sisters leave the responsibility to others assuming that there is enough support when in fact, the new Muslim has absolutely no one to support her. It is at this delicate time that she definitely needs support as the onset of tests pervade her life. It is as though upon uttering the testimony of faith, the new believer is tested to see whether they truly believe as Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) says:
‘…We might test him who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and the Lord watches over all things.’[1]
Had the new Muslim been supported, been shown how to pray, been taught the foundations of Islam and given a firm foundation, been put in touch with a good group of brothers or sisters that took them under their wings and looked after them; they would have had the tools and strength of faith to deal with the tests that face most new Muslims.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of the above at the crucial beginning of their Muslim life, the following types of issues arise which sadly often lead to someone like Mandy entering Islam with zeal and belief and leaving it weeks, months or years later with hatred and disbelief…
Rejection by family
A large number of new Muslims experience negative reactions from their non-Muslim relatives. The experiences vary from being ignored, physically removed from the family home, and we have even received cases of others who were locked up and beaten by relatives. It is at this time that support from Muslims is crucially needed. However, many new Muslims endure these tests with their family with minimal support or understanding from members of the Muslim community. Often, the rejection and abuse received at the hands of family members is too much for some and they succumb to the pressure of leaving Islam feeling that they have no other alternative because all the brothers and sisters disappeared and hence there is no other alternative.
Choosing a wrong spouse
Many brothers and sisters feel that there is a simple quick fix for the new Muslim who has been abandoned by their own relatives: To get married and get married quickly! This is the case more so with female reverts than their male counterparts. The sister is struggling to learn Surah Al Fatihah and before she knows it, she is flooded with recommendations of pious brothers who are looking to get married, brothers who could help her on her path. She is given a good breakdown of what characteristics constitute a good Muslim husband; one who wears trousers above his ankles and observes a beard. Well-meaning sisters persuade the new Muslim to marry their own recommendation with choruses of ‘Trust me, my husband has known him for years – he’s a good practising brother!’ Regrettably, there is no mention of his character, likes and dislikes and the likelihood of compatibility. Two or three meetings are conducted by a wali (guardian) appointed at the last minute. The nikaah takes place in a small room within the masjid. Non-Muslim relatives who have not abandoned their daughters, look on in dismay as their dreams of their daughter’s wedding is shattered. Or the new Muslim takes the next most important step in her life without the knowledge of her non-Muslim relatives.
Months down the line, still struggling to learn how to pray, she is either divorced or living a very miserable married life. Years down the line, we find that she has remarried four to five times in the same manner as more brothers and sisters pity her and persuade her into thinking that marriage will solve her problems. Children are born into this situation and live with a mother who is severely depressed with only one visible sign of Islam – her hijab. It is only a matter of time before the last sign of Islam is removed and she seeks peace and tranquillity in her old lifestyle or religion.
This example may seem extreme to many but shockingly this is the reality for many new Muslims.
Moving towards an extreme version of Islam
Zeal and passion for Islam is evident in many new Muslims. Like sponges, they are eager to learn, absorb and implement. There seems to be a misconstrued silent rule that upon entering Islam, a complete rejection of everything that came before is required. With an ‘all or nothing’ mentality, she severs family ties as she cannot live her life surrounded by ‘kaafirs’. Clothes are put into bin bags and phone numbers are changed. Within a few days, the new believer changes from wearing jeans to completely covering from head to toe in black. The new Muslim believes she is moving in the correct direction as she receives impressed compliments from other sisters. Shortly down the line, those initial strict immediate changes begin to show its cracks as she wonders why she feels no connection, deep faith or tranquility in her salaah. She wonders why her heart feels dead and why she now craves to go back to the life that she once led.
Confused, depressed and with only a speck of emaan left in her heart, she wonders what to do. She cannot return to her family whom she cut ties with. In addition to the strained relationships she has with other sisters and the sisterhood, the marriage she is in which is full of constant arguments and depression – with all this, she makes an all or nothing choice again and leaves Islam altogether.
There are so many other issues that could be highlighted within this article. But the purpose of this article is not to depress the readers but to portray the other side of the New Muslim’s life which often goes unheard.
Ramadhan is a time where many reverts feel very alone. We know that the purpose of Ramadhan is not to socialise but rather it is to attain taqwa of Allah. However, we must try to view Ramadhan from the perspective of a new believer. Coming from a very non-Muslim sociable lifestyle, there are very few chances to really socialise. Ramadhan is seen by many reverts as a time to be with others, to share, eat and grow together. When this is not present, stark truths are deeply felt and the new Muslim begins to realise them; the family they lost upon entering Islam, their lack of Muslim friends and as a result, the huge social void in their lives begins to emerge.
Fasting those first few times without much needed encouragement to make it until iftar is a huge mountain to climb and so many new Muslims give up and break their fasts intentionally. This results in them living the rest of Ramadhan truly believing that they will never be forgiven, that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) hates them and that they are destined for the hellfire.
Observing large extended families coming together, enjoying iftar, attending taraweeh prayer together and preparing for the equivalent of Christmas, Eid Al Fitr, is quite a depressing time as they realise yet again that they are all alone.
Eid is the most dreaded time of the year. Since they are no longer attending family functions such as weddings, birthday parties, and religious festivities, they hope that Eid would be a joyous occasion to share with others. However, some deliberately choose not to leave their homes on Eid, unable to witness everyone else’s happiness at the Eid salaah knowing that they will be returning home alone.
- Invite a revert around for iftar. Call them and ask after them. Do not assume that they are fine or even fasting. It doesn’t matter how long they have been Muslim. Really show that you care about them.
- Give a gift to a revert this Eid. It will build the love between you both and can have a lasting effect in their perception of Muslims at a time when they might be going through a difficult time.
- Share a part of your Eid day with a revert; even if it is just for one hour. Really go out of your way to make it a special time for them.
- Besides Ramadhan and Eid, one of the most important ways you can help a revert is to help them build a very solid foundation in their deen. Bring them closer to Allah and help them develop a strong relationship with their Creator. This step is probably the most crucial as it marks the difference in how they deal with the various tests that will come their way.
- Do not look at a revert in terms of how long they have been Muslim. Remember that they spent twenty, thirty or even forty years with certain thoughts, and practices that were completely alien to Islam. The psychological transition into a completely different way of life can take years.
- Dedicate yourself to really helping at least one revert Muslim for life – help them learn how to pray, share good and difficult times together, attend lectures together – seek knowledge together. Commit yourself to helping them for life.
Update:
MESSAGE FROM UMM RAIYAAN (copied from comments section below)
ssalamuu alaykum,
Finding a spouse, maintaining strong marriages- Video
http://seekershub.org/blog/2015/02/video-finding-a-spouse-maintaining-strong-marriages/
It isn’t easy finding the right spouse and maintaining a loving, peaceful, and long-lasting relationship. In this engaging seminar, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and Ustadha Shireen Ahmed share practical knowledge and real life scenarios on:
– Choosing a spouse.
– Involving your family appropriately.
– Understanding the marriage contract.
– The overall spiritual nature of marriage.
– The qualities required to maintain a healthy marriage.
SeekersHub Toronto is a unique learning foundation that connects transformative knowledge and spirituality with actionable community service and social engagement. It is open and welcoming to individuals of all ages, religious beliefs, and walks of life–with equally diverse programs and activities offered at no cost.
Consider joining a class with SeekersHub Toronto. All classes are FREE.
Help us continue to provide Knowledge Without Barriers through your ongoing monthly support or a one-time donation.
How ISIS Destroys Islam
PUBLIC LECTURE
Friday-February-27-2015
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SACRED KNOWLEDGE RETREAT
NEW JERSEY, USA
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February 28 – March-01-2015
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With His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
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New Brunswick Islamic Centre
1330 Livingston Avenue
North Brunswick, NJ 08902, USA
***
Like & Share:
www.Facebook.com/ShaykhFaisalPage
Since I learned the truth in Mecca- – #MalcolmX
“Since I learned the truth in Mecca, my dearest friends have come to include all kinds — some Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, agnostics, and even atheists! I have friends who are called capitalists, Socialists, and Communists! Some of my friends are moderates, conservatives, extremists — some are even Uncle Toms! My friends today are black, brown, red, yellow, and white!”
Quotes of the day
If an unlimited bounty should offer kingdoms,
If a buried treasure should grant me gems . . .
I would bow my soul low, lay my face in the dust
And plead: ‘Grant me instead, the Love of God!’
~Rumi
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Those devoted to the path of the ‘knowledge of God’s realisation’ (Irfaan ) have nothing to speak of except God.
~Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
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“Don’t be arrogant with knowledge. A little bit of learning is a dangerous thing.
Drink deep, because shallow drinks intoxicate the brain.”
Imam Ghazali
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“Man is either your brother in faith or your equal in humanity.” – Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib
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In a Hasan/good Hadith, related by Imam Bukhari in his book on manners = al-Adab al-Mufrad. There is from Iyad ibn Khalifa that he heard ‘Ali, Karam’Allahu Wajhahu, say at Siffin,
“The intellect is located in the heart. Mercy is located in the liver, Compassion is located in the spleen. The self (nafs) is located in the lungs.”
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عِيَاضِ بْنِ خَلِيفَةَ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ بِصِفِّينَ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ الْعَقْلَ فِي الْقَلْبِ، وَالرَّحْمَةَ فِي الْكَبِدِ، وَالرَّأْفَةَ فِي الطِّحَالِ، وَالنَّفَسَ فِي الرِّئَةِ.
{Section ~ Illness and Visiting Those Who are Ill ~ 250 #547 ~ The intellect is located in the heart}
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Actions are lifeless forms, but the presence of an inner reality of sincerity within them is what endows them with life-giving Spirit.
Ibn Ata’illah
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“Don’t be dead or asleep or awake.
Don’t be anything.
What you most want,
what you travel around wishing to find,
lose yourself as lovers lose themselves,
and you’ll be that.”
―Attar
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The home we seek is in eternity;
The Truth we seek is like a shoreless sea,
Of which your paradise is but a drop.
This ocean can be yours; why should you stop
Beguiled by dreams of evanescent dew?
The secrets of the sun are yours, but you
Content yourself with motes trapped in its beams.
Turn to what truly lives, reject what seems —
Which matters more, the body or the soul?
Be whole: desire and journey to the Whole.
Shaykh Farid ud-Din Attar
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“Love Is The Cure,
for your pain will keep giving birth to more pain
until your eyes constantly exhale love as effortlessly as your body yields its scent.”
~Rumi
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”The knower of secrets, the key to Sainthood, the helper of the needy, the King of the friends of Allah, the one who uttered ”My foot is on the neck of every Wali (Saint).”
Sultan al-Awliyah Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani
Mohammad SAW A mercy to the world (Event)
“And We have not sent you, O Muhammad, except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:107)
We are delighted to invite you to a collaborative conference with other local Islamic organizations, honoring the life and character of our beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Join us this Sunday, February 22nd, 3pm-8pm, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. This is an ideal learning opportunity exploring the exemplary nature of our Prophet (saw) and why he was a mercy for ALL mankind – it’s not just for Muslims, so be sure to invite your friends and neighbors of other faiths to this FREE event.
Valentines Day Gone Wrong
Love being misunderstood
Love is a word that is commonly uttered and heard in our societies. In fact, every person is in need and search of a true love, but every person has a different opinions and views about this issue. It is clear from Islamic teachings that Islam itself is the religion of love and brotherhood. It urges its followers to live in loveable and brotherhood atmosphere. But unfortunately, what is love in Islam, is defined wrongly in our societies and communities, which results in many shameful and sinful events. Due to such events even those who know the true love are double minded in expressing their love, whereas the teachings of Islam exhort us to inform our brother if we love him.
Love in Islam & other beliefs
Islam defined love and specified all its ways of fulfillment. It is due to our ignorance and negligence of the Islamic teachings that created such miserable situation and that a baseless and shameful tradition like Valentines Day took place. Non-Muslims celebrate this tradition on 14th February every year in order to fulfill their sinful desires and lusts.
In this day and age, this custom become well-known and vastly celebrated even in Muslim countries. People present valentine day flowers and valentine day gifts to their loved ones on this event. They blindly follow the ways of non-Muslim and even do not know what is valentine day history and the reality of this tradition is and why it is celebrated?
Read the rest of this entry
We often forget that scholars are just human beings who happen to be experts in their fields
We often forget that scholars are just human beings who happen to be experts in their fields. Why are they considered experts? Like any position they are considered the experts because they have put in time, effort and through action have shown that they are sincere about the pursuit of truth. For me the character of a Scholar is far more important than what he actually knows. The reason is that I know an individual who has proven to have the best of character is going to be as honest as possible in his approach to learning and sharing knowledge.
Scholar is not synonymous with perfect.
They make mistakes and May Allah reward them for them because of their sincerity.
Side Note: this does not mean we blindly follow the mistake. This means that if they make a mistake we reject it and take what is correct.
Many say their Islam is weak and that is true for many of us..
Many say their Islam is weak and that is true for many of us. The fact we can admit it is a good sign. This just means that we need to start to make changes in our lives. I don’t mean tomorrow, next week or next month. Don’t schedule it just do it. Not praying, start NOW!
O’Allah guide to what is correct in action, and the strength to be consistent. amen!
Gary Larocque
16 hrs · Edited ·
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning) in surah al kahf
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. Verily, We have prepared for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers), a Fire whose walls will be surrounding them (disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah). And if they ask for help (relief, water), they will be granted water like boiling oil, that will scald their faces. Terrible is the drink,… and an evil Murtafaq (dwelling, resting place)!
Verily, as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, certainly We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner to be lost.
These! For them will be ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens); wherein rivers flow underneath them; therein they will be adorned with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine and thick silk. They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good is the reward, and what an excellent Murtafaq (dwelling, resting place)!”
[al-Kahf 18:29-31]
Jannah Unimaginable
Sahl bin Sad As-Saidi said: “I was present with the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) in a gathering where he described Jannah, and at the end of his talk he said, ‘There is in it that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it ever crossed the heart of man.’” [Sahih Muslim]
Imagine what a baby can see while inside its mother’s womb. At that point a baby’s world is very limited. If anyone were to try to explain to the baby that it i…s about to enter a world full of colour, of flowers, butterflies, lakes and trees, how well could the baby imagine such things of which it has no experience. If we tried explaining the colours golden and silver or even purple, pink and blue, could we really communicate anything meaningful to the unborn infant? We would be similarly incapable of describing the wonderful smells and sounds that exist on earth.
An unborn child transitions from its extremely confined existence in a womb to a world much larger in size and multifold in experience. Similar is the transition we will make when we enter the next world after the confines of earthly existence. It is as impossible for us to understand the nature and scope of what Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has kept in store for us in Jannah as it is impossible for an unborn child to know of the sensory pleasures that await it outside the womb.
Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says in the Quran: “Their sides forsake their beds, to invoke their Lord in fear and hope, and they spend (in Allah’s Cause) out of what We have bestowed on them. No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.” [As-Sajdah: 16-17]
Muslims #RefrainSay #NotoValentinesDay
Muslims #RefrainSay #NotoValentinesDay
CELEBRATING ST VALENTINE’S DAY: The yearly globalized celebration of love with its
ritual circulation of greeting cards, flowers, exalting… the color red and exchanging presents in honour
and respect for free love is completely against Islamic teachings. Its prohibition is not merely because of its 4th festival held in honour of the Roman god Lupercus, in whose honour an annual lottery on the 13-15 of February was held to distribute young women among young men for “entertainment and pleasure,” although this fact
alone is enough to prohibit it.
Nor is it because of its Christian adaptation in honour of St. Valentine, worshiped by Catholics as the lover’s saint,
although this concept of shirk alone is also sufficient to make it forbidden. Nor is it due to the use of pagan symbols of Cupid, the Roman god of desire, erotic love and affection, portrayed as a little boy with a bow, whose arrows pierce hearts and overwhelms them with uncontrollable desire.
It is primarily forbidden because it promotes and glorifies sexual abandon and licentiousness in the
name of the divinely granted emotional gift of love.
While love in the Islamic context is expressed in a balanced way, beginning with the love of God, love
of family and love of society – each having its own rights and duties.
This moderate view puts love in its proper context, benefiting everyone all year long and not just confined to a commercialized crazy day of ritualized romantic chaos in the name of love.
If any Christians, Jews, or any non-Muslims wish to have a friendly dialogue or debate about Islam, feel free to message me
If any Christians, Jews, or any non-Muslims wish to have a friendly dialogue or debate about Islam, feel free to message me on this page. Or contact me on my website. The same goes for any supporters of the so-called “Islamic State,” a term I use reluctantly, who want to have a dialogue on whether they are a legitimate khilafah. Please note that this is a FRIENDLY debate. No throwing around curse words or hateful rhetoric. Contact me on my website:
Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with that which you yourselves desire not, you grow arrogant?
“Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with that which you yourselves desire not, you grow arrogant? ” _[Qur’an 2:87]
“And if you deny, then nations before you have denied (their Messengers). And the duty of the Messenger is only to convey (the Message) plainly.”_[Qur’an 29:18]
“And verily messengers [Abraham-Ishmael-Isaac-Moses-Esa/Eshoa (Jesus)…] before you [Muhammad] were mocked but in the end, the mockers were overwhelmed by the very thing they ridiculed.”_[Qur’an – 21:41]
” But when he [Eshoa(Jesus)] came to them with clear evidences, they said, “This is obvious magic.”_[Qur’an 61:6]
‘Indeed, We have revealed to you [Muhammad] as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Esa/Eshoa (Jesus), Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].’_Qur’an 4:163
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Behold! the angels said: “O Maryam[Mary]! The One God (The Creator) gives you the glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Messiah (Christ) Esa/Eshoa (Jesus), the son of Maryam[Mary], held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to The One God (The Creator)… and when of a mature age, and (he shall be) of the righteous ones…The One God (The Creator) creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is. _[Qur’an, Surah/chapter 3:45-47]
…But the Messiah/Christ said: “O CHILDREN OF ISRAEL! WORSHIP THE ONE GOD, MY LORD AND YOUR LORD.” _[Qur’an 5:72]
‘They [Maryam (Mary) and her son Eshoa (Jesus)] had both to eat their (daily) food. See how The One God [The Creator] doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!’_[Quran chapter 5:75]
‘To Him (The Creator) is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: “Be,” and it is.’_[Qur’an 2:117]
Are You a Muslim Who Doesn’t Pray? Read On.
You want to pray, but you just.. Can’t.
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to be one of those people who pray.. It seems so easy for some. They just get up and do it. Perhaps you were one of those people at one time, but now.. Not so much.
Something inside you is broken. Scratch that.. It’s not exactly broken.. More like, it feels hollow inside. Something is missing. You feel nothing.. Numb.
So how do we get from this to praying? The problem with most advice on salah is that it looks at things from a reactive point of view instead of a proactive point of view. Not praying? Well, just start. Or better yet, take one salah at a time and keep building until you reach five. Good advice, no?
No. It doesn’t address what leads a person towards salah to begin with.
For some one who feels that hollowness inside, ‘just praying’ does nothing to stir the soul. It doesn’t fill you up. And, in fact, it can deplete you even further. No, you need to start somewhere else.. You need to fill yourself up before your actions all follow suit. Read the rest of this entry
Islam, beyond religion (in the modern sense)
Islam, beyond religion (in the modern sense), is a complete way of life (personal, social, civil etc.). Thus, how then can one be naive to assume that it can be contextualized to conform to a culture that is based on secularism as a way of life. The problems Muslims face in the modern world are not due to the need of ‘reform’ and ‘contextualization, but rather because Islam does not concur with the modern world of secular standards. For a Muslim to assume that Islam needs reform because it does not conform with the secular standard of the ‘modern world’ is a dishonor to Allah and His Messenger (pbuh). These times call for a lot of seeking forgivness from Allah for our shortcomings. I would rather go to the grave knowing that I had shortcomings than thinking Allah’s religion needs reform because the Godless culture of the modern world doesn’t see Islam as keeping with their standards.
Practice Islam the way it has been passed down to us. As for those things we have difficulty practising, let us ask Allah for forgiveness and the ability to become better and do as much as we can. Lets us attribute the shortcomings to ourselves and not the din of Islam. Allah knows best.
You cannot hide from Allah, although I’ve worked with many coaching clients who have tried. Let me explain…
You cannot hide from Allah, although I’ve worked with many coaching clients who have tried. Let me explain…
Rationally, you understand that you can’t hide from Allah, and you believe that He knows and sees everything.
But on an emotional level, and even a spiritual level, many people attempt to say all the “right things” to Allah, and never open up their hearts to Him.
Afraid to address their fears, their wounds, their doubts, they make du’a year in and year out, but from an almost empty place.
You could sit at the feet of the best and most humble scholar on the earth and take very little from him because you are not able to authentically speak to Allah when you pray or call out to Him.
We need Allah, and we need to learn how vulnerable in front of Him by our own choosing.
There is no barrier, no wall, no costume you have between you and Him except for the one you construct.
Take it down. And speak.
Quotes of the Day!
~ There is Allah, and there is your own self [nafsuka], and you must address the situation. The self is the opponent and enemy of Allah. All things are subordinate to Allah, and the self really belongs to Him as a creature and a possession, but the self entertains presumptions and aspirations bound up with carnal appetite and sensual desire. So if you ally yourself with the divine Truth in opposition and hostility toward the self, you will be for Allah’s sake an adversary to your own self. As Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) said to David (peace be upon him): “O David, I am your indispensable support, so hold fast to your support. True servitude means being an adversary to your own self.”
Shaykh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani (Ghawth al Adham)
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~ Polytheism [shirk] is not merely the worship of idols. It is also polytheism to yield to your own passionate desire, and to equate with your Lord anything whatsoever besides Him, be it of this world and its contents or of the Hereafter and what is contained therein. What is besides Him (Almighty and Glorious is He) is other than He, so when you rely on anything other than Him you are associating something else with Him (Almighty and Glorious is He). Therefore be wary and do not relax your guard, be fearful and do not develop a sense of security, and keep your wits about you so that you do not become careless and complacent.
Shaykh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani
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~ “Leave everything and cleave to love! Turn your heart from all else; feel love in your whole being! Take love as your guide to the land of being so that you may reach the True Beloved, enter the Paradise of God’s essence, behold the beauty of the Friend, gather the roses of the garden of Union. In the way of love, the lover sacrifices himself but finds the dear one. All the saints who have drunk of the wine of love have sacrificed themselves thus in the way of love.”
~Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak al-Jerrahi~
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~ “Often love between two people intensifies not because of beauty or some advantage, but because of sheer spiritual affinity.”
~ Imam al Ghazali
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~Step out of your own self and keep your distance from it. Practice detachment from your possessiveness, and surrender everything to Allah. Become His doorman at the door of your heart, obeying His command by admitting those He instructs you to admit, and respecting His prohibition by shutting out those He instructs you to turn away, so that you do not let passion back into your heart once it has been evicted.
Shaykh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani (Ghawth al Adham)
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~ If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he [or she] calls upon Me. They should, therefore, respond to Me and believe in Me so that, hopefully, they will be rightly guided. (Surat al-Baqara, 186)
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~The life of the heart is knowledge; so preserve it, The death of the heart is ignorance; so avoid it. Your best provision is true devotion; so provide it. This advice of mine is enough for you; so heed it.
– Imam al-Ghazâlî
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~ To advise others is an easy matter, the difficulty is accepting advice, since it is bitter for those who follow their own inclinations and desires.
Imam al-Ghazali
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~ Never assume that anyone in this world can really understand your own circumstances other than from the perspective of his own circumstances.
Shaykh Ahmad al Zarruq
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~ All the doors to God are crowded except for one: the door of humility and humbleness.
Shaykh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani
———-
~ “If you are not sincere, then forget about it.”
— Shaykh Babikir Ahmed Babikir
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~ “Dear friend, your heart is a polished mirror. You must wipe it clean of the veil of dust which has gathered upon it, because it is destined to reflect the light of divine secrets.”.
Shaykh Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jilani
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~ “Don’t criticize the faults of people, even if it is clear and seen. Look with the eye of perfection. Don’t find fault with anyone.”
Shaykh Abu Madyan Shu‘ayb al-Maghrabī
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~ Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralyzed.
Rumi
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~ “Knowledge combined with action is profitable and action without knowledge does not benefit anything.” Sayyiduna Uthman al-Ghani
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~ “The past is an interpretation. The future is an illusion. The world does not move through time as if it were a straight line, proceeding from the past to the future. Instead time moves through and within us, in endless spirals. Eternity does not mean infinite time, but simply timelessness. If you want to experience eternal illumination, put the past and the future out of your mind and remain within the present moment.” – Shams Tabriz
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~ More Love, Less Hatred
Not one day passes without us hearing about Muslims killing each other. The killer says, “Allahu akbar” and the one being killed says: “La ilaha ill’Allah.” Other people think they can draw close to Allah by leveling insults at each other. There is so much hatred in the Ummah. There is no love in people’s hearts.
They say to us: “All you do is talk about loving Allah and the Prophet. Meanwhile people are being killed.” They do not realize that love is the foundation of the religion. If you do not have love you do not truly have Islam.
Habib Ali Jifri
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~ The bodily attributes are exposed to corruption; the everlasting spirit is a shining sun,
Incorruptible, for it is not of the east; unchangeable, for it is not of the west.
How was the sun (ever) dumbfounded by a mote? How was the candle (ever) made senseless by a moth?
Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi
———-
~ the purpose of prayer is not standing, bowing and prostrating all day, for those moments of spiritual union that possess you in prayer should always be with you..
Rumi
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~ Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “I am the closest of all people to Jesus, son of Mary, in this world and the Hereafter; for all prophets are brothers, with different mothers but one religion.”
(Al-Bukhari)
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~ The insight of the righteous man [salih] is indicative of his spiritual state [hal]. When someone really knows [‘arafa] Allah, his tongue falls silent; he is free from want because of Him, and of Him alone he is in need.
Ghawth al Adham
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~ ‘If something is meant to go elsewhere, it will never come your way. But if it yours by destiny, from you it cannot flee.
To completely trust in God is to be like child who deeply knows that even if he does not call for his mother, the mother is totally aware of his condition and is looking after him.’ –
Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali
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~ “This deen is not about titles, and it’s not about looks. It’s not about the imamahs. Just so you know, Abu Lahab had an imamah and had also a big beard as well.
The Deen is about two things, (1) ‘ilm in the Book and the Authentic Sunna, and (2) the practice thereof. Again, ‘ilm, ‘ilm not jahil, not stories, not story telling. Not fairy tales and Alice in Wonderland stuff. No no no no no! ‘Ilm in the Book and the Authentic Sunna, then the application thereof.
‘Ilm is Dahir, the application is Bâtin.”
— Sayyidî Shaykh Dr. Muhammad bin Yahya al-Husayni al-Ninowy
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~ Useful knowledge is that which makes you grow in the fear of Allah subhanahu wa ta alaa, increases you in awareness of your defects, deepens your knowledge of the worship of your Lord, decreases your desire for this world, increases your desire for the life to come, and opens your eyes to the defects of your actions so that you guard against them.
Imam Ghazali
(continued via Sufism (Fountains of Noor) )
Does man have free will or not?
Question asked to Seyyed Habib Umar bin Hafidh and his answer
Does man have free will or not?
Man’s Creator request things from him and decrees things to occur by him. He has a choice in that which is requested from him but he has no choice in that which is decreed to occur by him. Our role in life is thus to perform that which has been requested from us to the best of our ability, using the strength and ability which we have been given.
Anyone who has intellect can distinguish between someone who moves their arm out of choice and someone who has a twitch and whose arm moves without his control. This shows us that some things are within our control and some are not.
A man once stood in front of Seyyiduna Ali and ask him whether a man has free will or not. Seyyiduna Ali said:
“Lift your foot” and the man did so
Then he (Seyyiduna Ali) said: “Lift your other foot”
“I am unable to” the man said
“That is your answer”, said Seyyiduna Ali.
Thus to say that mankind has complete free will is incorrect and to say that he has no free will is also incorrect. In reality man has free will in some things and not in others..
Developing a Muslim identity is not just about how we look
Developing a Muslim identity is not just about how we look. It is about how we behave; Our character includes good deeds and patience!
[103:2] Indeed, mankind is in loss,
[103:3] Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
[Quran, Surah Al- Asr (the Time)]
Gary Larocque
SISTERS DAWAH WORKSHOP
Assalamualaykum,
Just a reminder that the SISTERS DAWAH WORKSHOP will be tomorrow from 1-3pm in McDougalls prayer hall. We’re really excited to have sr Zeina Khayat as a teacher and we hope you all enjoy the session.
Please remember that if you want to volunteer and give da’wah during Discover Islam Week then it is ESSENTIAL that you attend this workshop.
More details can be found by following the link;
https://www.facebook.com/events/713391195426822/
As well as our workshop tomorrow we have a few other sisters events coming up inshallah;
TUE 3RD FEB- SISTERS CHARITY NETBALL
More details can be found by following the link;
https://www.facebook.com/events/974926992534836/
WED 4TH FEB- SISTERS CIRCLE
3-5pm in McDougalls
This weeks topics will be the importance of seeking knowledge and book recommedations
11TH FEB- SISTERS JUMP NATION SOCIAL;
More details can be found by following the link;
https://www.facebook.com/events/891608530883527/?unit_ref=related_events
We want a better world then we need a better self
We want a better world then we need a better self! If others choose to live by ignorance it does not mean we need to follow.
O’Allah guide us to what is best in actions, thoughts and intentions. Ameen!
Peace of mind, body and spirit is what #Islam brings to those who understand.
Peace of mind, body and spirit is what #Islam brings to those who understand.
The very first command to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was “Iqra”, “Read!”
Many of us fail at even some of the most basic acts in life simply because we do not “READ!”
The semantics of the linguistic aspects of read vs recite I personally do not feel are important especially if it distracts us from the far more important detail behind the incident. The point of the experience for Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was that he was commanded to repeat a message that he would share with all mankind, which Ameer Akhtar mentioned in his post above, is that the message was not simply a command to blindly repeat what was being revealed (read/recite). It was a command to understand what what was being revealed based on our God given ability to reason an to use that reason to apply the message based on correct understanding. We get that correct understanding from the Qur’an and the example of our Prophet through his authentic sunnah. in shaa’Allah
I am better then you… Who says? My ego!!!
I am better then you… Who says? My ego!!!
Subhanna’Allah, be humble folks. There is always someone better. If not now there will be. We all age and we all get replaced except for those who have sincere remembrance of Allah. He replaces no one unless they choose to be replaced through their own inaction.
O’Allah protect us from ourselves. Ameen!
Gary Larocque
13 hrs ·
I am better then you… Who says? My ego!!!
I am better then you… Who says? My ego!!!
Subhanna’Allah, be humble folks. There is always someone better. If not now there will be. We all age and we all get replaced except for those who have sincere remembrance of Allah. He replaces no one unless they choose to be replaced through their own inaction.
O’Allah protect us from ourselves. Ameen!
Gary Larocque
13 hrs ·
Islam; The Religion of Peace 
As a SOLACE team we are grateful to Allah (Swt) first and foremost for the opportunity to create awareness about the difficulties reverts face. islam21c.com has been an amazing platform to further this type of awareness and we would also like to thank islam21.com for offering us the chance to contribute towards their articles.There are several organisations that support very new Muslims and try to help them during the crucial initial weeks and months. However, there is a huge number of reverts, some of whom who have been Muslim for 10+ years, who no longer seem to be labelled as a new Muslim who need just as much if not more support. For SOLACE, it is those who do not fall into the wonderful hands of organisations such as iERA and others that we tend to support.Sadly, to date we have received 80+ requests of help this year alone.If you would like to support SOLACE – you can do so through the following methods:
1. By forwarding this article as much as possible.
2. By joining our mailing list at www.solaceuk.org and forwarding campaign alerts, testimonials etc in a bid to also increase awareness.
3. Volunteer your time to work with SOLACE
4. Donate – we are solely funded by the kind donations by brothers and sisters.
5. We are definitely looking to expand nationwide and internationally due to a large number of outside London cases.As we are a grassroots organisation, we are constantly working at the ‘front line’ directly with service users and so our work really does never stop.
JazakhaAllahu khairan for your help,
On behalf of all of the SOLACE team,
Wasalamu alaykum
Umm Raiyaan
Director of SOLACE