How The Coronavirus has Affected Our Imaan

Oh, how weakened our Imaan has become because of this virus..

What fear it has instilled in our hearts, it has overwhelmed our minds and overtaken our daily lives.

An enemy unseen, yet so detrimental to our Deen..

We no longer believe death is destined and that our time to leave the Dunya was written before we were even born.

Now we believe that people died "because they had covid". 

We say it openly too, so and so died "from corona."

Or " he died because he had Covid "

As Muslims we should be weary of uttering statements like these, life and death is from Allaah. 

Illness and Shifaa is from Allaah. 

We need to believe that whether the person had the virus or not, this was their destiny with death. 

The people who have died, succumbed because it was their appointed time. The illness or disease they may have had was just a test or a blessing, a means of expiation of their sins and hopefully a means of drawing them closer to Allaah, before their ultimate return ...

They have returned to an eternally better abode, through His grace and mercy. 

Inshaa Allaah, no more suffering or trials. 

Nabi ﷺ said something to the effect that

"The world is a prison for the Believer and Jannah for the kaafir."

So we should be happy that all those Muslims who have passed on have been freed from this prison and are no longer bound by its shackles.

The only people we should really feel sorry for are all the unfortunate souls who are still left behind in this transitory world. We should look forward to and prepare ourselves to return to our eternal home, which is Aakhirah.. 

The virus has come as a test of our Imaan, and

it seems as if majority of us are failing the test. We've allowed the fear of COVID-19 to consume us to such an extent that we feel it is the only cause of death, the only cause of suffering. 

My dear readers, you may sit in your homes, neither leave nor socialize etc, but just remember, if it is destined for you to become ill, or to pass away, you can't hide from the angel of death. 

We have become so sure that we will contract the virus from another person, so much so, we have forgotten that sickness is only from Allaah. 

No person can afflict you with illness. 

It is only in Allaah's control, it is only Allaah who gives the command and says 'Be, and it is". 

It is only Allaah who gives cure to whom He wills.

Many people who have been in the midst of helping with collecting bodies of deceased from coronavirus wards in hospitals, bathing, shrouding and burying deceased who had tested positive for the virus, yet they did not contract it.

People who have been in contact with and living in the same house with a family member who had the virus remained healthy and unaffected, Alhamdulillaah. 

Nabi ﷺ said something to the effect that, 

"There is no contagious disease (Meaning: No disease can effect you except with Allaah’s permission). 

So why then are we still so gripped by fear of the virus, is it that we are so afraid of dying? Do we think we will live forever? 

Is it that we are so attached to the Dunya that we cannot bear the thought of returning to our Allaah? 

We're supposed to be thinking of Death everyday, virus or no virus. 

We're supposed to be preparing for it, Death is an inevitable reality, regardless of the situation.. 

We're not saying this virus is not real, it is indeed very real. 

It is foolish and against Shariah to say don't take precautions, because we definitely should. However, we have been instructed to tie our camels, to do what is in our capacity and not have a nonchalant and don't care attitude.

Recite your protection Du'aas daily and constantly beseech Allaah's assistance. 

Wear your masks if you are going out. 

Wash your hands regularly.

Don't unnecessarily go to crowded places etc... 

But, ultimately place your trust only in Allaah, let your heart be at peace knowing you did your part now it is in Allaah's hands. 

Do not let fear of the virus be more than your fear of Allaah.. 

May Allaah guide the entire Ummah. 

May He remove this plight and virus from our countries and homes and safeguard us all.. 

May He grant Shifaa to all those who are ill,

Grant Jannah to those who have passed on and make it easy for the families. 

And May He grant us all good Deaths with Imaan.. 

Aameen 

Binte Ashraf Ali 

travelsofmythoughts.blogspot.com

Endless Greed and Desire

Sayyiduna Anas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “If the son of Aadam has two valleys of wealth, he will desire a third valley (of wealth), and nothing will fill the belly of the son of Aadam besides sand (of the grave), and Allah Ta‘ala forgives those who repent to him.” (Saheeh Muslim #2415)

On account of his carnal nature, man is ambitious and greedy. The more he has, the more he wants. If we have three pairs of shoes, we will still pine for the fourth. If the latest phone is released, we will not be satisfied until we upgrade by acquiring it. If we fly business class, we will hanker after flying first class. If we drive a German vehicle, we will wish that we drove an Italian supercar, and the list goes on.

In essence, there is no end to the greed of man. If he devotes himself to amassing wealth, so that he can fulfill his dreams and ambitions, his mission will never end, as the horizon of his ambitions will simply continue to expand. In this manner, his life will end without him having secured happiness and satisfaction.

The only thing that will curb this insatiable craving is the sand of the grave. Sadly, it is then too late for a person to attend to his primary objective – preparing for the Hereafter. Thus, we need to wake up to reality – no amount of wealth, clothing, holidays, social events and functions or anything else of this material world will help us in the Hereafter or even bring us true satisfaction and happiness in this world. Rather, true happiness lies in being content and making shukr (expressing gratitude) for what you have, not in acquiring what you do not have.

Finally, after realizing that we have been exhausting our energy, time and resources in the wrong avenue, there is no need for us to be depressed and despondent, as Allah Ta‘ala will forgive us if we turn to Him in sincere repentance.

taken from uswatulmuslimah.co.za

"Glimpses of True Beauty from the Lives of Pious Women " (Book Review)

This book teaches us
Modesty, Selflessness, Bravery, Sacrifice, Compassion, Forgiveness, Generosity, Simplicity, Taqwa & Sabr (amongst alot of other things)...

It teaches us that you don't need to go to school or have any kind of degree to be intelligent..
The women mentioned in this book were more intelligent then most of us are today with all our years of education...
They knew how to deal with situations in such a way that it caused no conflict, they resolved their matters with such Hikmah (wisdom)..

It teaches us that by developing true love for Allaah, Following and loving the way of Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم as well as love for the Qur'aan is the most beneficial knowledge & wealth for both Dunya and Aakhirah...

It teaches us that you don't need wealth to be happy... Most of the women mentioned in the book lived in poverty most if not all of there lives, some started of wealthy but eventually distanced themselves from all things of the dunya and chose poverty over wealth...
They chose Deen over Dunya..

The women in the book teach us how we should be, how we should conduct ourselves as Daughters, Sisters, Mothers, Wife's, Daughter in Law and most importantly slaves of Allaah...

Just like the titles says, it gives us glimpses of True Beauty...
It teaches us that True beauty has nothing to do with how you look or what you wear but rather it has everything to do with your inner self, what you fill your heart with and how you act towards others..

The book teaches us priceless lessons that if we follow will undoubtedly lead us down the road of success in both Dunya and Aakhirah (May Allaah grant me first!! and every one of us the ability to practice)...

It is also an excellent book to be reading to our daughters from small (even before they can understand), it will plant the seeds of love for Allaah and Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم in their little hearts and minds, it will teach them from a tender age that practicing on Deen will lead you to success and happiness in both worlds even if outwardly you don't have alot of Dunya.. And they will grow up with the correct role models & heroes in mind, as they grow older they will then understand the stories more and also Insha'Allah begin to strive to amulate what they hear and have been hearing from as far back as they can remember...

The book has been compiled without any big or difficult to understand words and is easy to read and absorb, Making it the perfect book for women / girls of all ages...

It is a must read for all Muslim women ❤️
I absolutely love it...

I also love the cover, its so bright, pretty and eye catching... Makes me happy just looking at it Masha'Allah...

✍🏼 Binte Ashraf Ali 

Picture attached below with contact details of stockists of the book. 

"Get Married in Safar"

With the month of Safar almost upon us, Ulama are exhorting the Muslim public to let go of superstitious baggage regarding the upcoming month that they say has its roots in the Days of Ignorance.
In years gone by, Cii Radio has witnessed that there are still comparatively fewer Nikahs being performed in the months of Muharram and Safar, and it is often speculated that this is the case due to a perception that still sees these months being characterized as periods of mourning, grief and ill omen.

In the days of Jahiliyyah (prior to the appointment of the Prophet SAW as the Messenger of Allah), the pagans used to believe that the month of Safar would bring evil omens; but the matter was sufficiently clarified by the Messenger of Allah who made it absolutely clear that no day, no week, no month, and no year brings along with it evil omens.

In a Hadith narrated by Al Bukhari, Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم said, : (There is) no ‘Adwa (no contagious disease is conveyed without Allah’s permission), nor is there any bad omen (from birds), nor is there any Hamah, nor is there any bad omen in the month of Safar, and one should run away from the leper as one runs away from a lion.”

Commenting on such superstitions that some still harbour regarding Safar, senior Ladysmith based Aalim Moulana Salim Kareem says the main panacea is to acquire full trust that all conditions – good or bad – come from Allah SWT.

Belief in Taqdeer(Predestination) is essential to our faith. Once the Messenger of Allah SWT asked the Sahaba رضى الله عنه if they are true Muslims. They replied in the affirmative. The Messenger of Allah SWT then probed them further asking how could they prove such a contention. They replied citing three qualities: Their gratefulness for Allah SWT’s bounties upon them; their patience on calamities than befell them; and their belief in Taqdeer.

The Sahaba رضى الله عنه questioned Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم on many things(on behalf of the entire Ummah) during his lifetime. One of them was the superstition that clouded the month of Safar. Answering them, Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly negated the superstition that Safar was a month of bad omens.

The sad thing is that, in spite of this lots of people still believe that the first 13 days of this month are particularly calamitous, especially for menfolk. And lots of people would shut their homes on the 13th of Safar and proceed elsewhere bevieving that some form of evil is about to descend.

These are very dangerous beliefs that come very close to Kufr and Shirk.

Allah SWT teaches us in the Quraan, Surah Hadid Verse 23:

“No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being – indeed that, for Allah , is easy”

So if any evil actually touches us, we learn from this Ayah that it may actually be coming to us due to our own sinful actions.

To combat superstitions, evil thoughts and ward off potential calamities from our lives try to read the following Dua mentioned in the Hadeeth of Sayyidina Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم often:

“بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ”.

Bismillaahil-lathee laa yadhurru ma’as-mihi shay’un fil-’ardhi wa laa fis-samaa’i wa Huwas-Samee ‘ul- ‘Aleem .

In the Name of Allah, Who with His Name nothing can cause harm in the earth nor in the heavens, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Recite three times in Arabic).

Reference:
“Whoever recites it three times in the morning will not be afflicted by any calamity before evening, and whoever recites it three times in the evening will not be overtaken by any calamity before morning.” Abu Dawud 4/323, At-Tirmithi 5/465, Ibn Majah 2/332, Ahmad. Ibn Majah’s chain of transmission is good (Hasan).

This Dua with full faith can serve as a shield from all calamities and evil, not only in Safar, but on every day and night of our lives.

Always maintain good thoughts of Allah SWT, and Allah SWT will treat you accordingly.

So to be clear, there is absolutely no sin getting married in the months of Muharram and Safar and there is nothing to be perturbed about regarding the specific day of the 13th Safar.

So whoever intends getting married in this period, don’t even for a moment think it is a month of bad luck or a month unsuitable for marriage or travel etc.

taken from jamiat.org.za

Book Review

If you are looking for an interesting, inspiring, captivating, heart wrenching book that is well written and will make you want to better yourself after you read it then I definitely recommend this one. 

Well actually even if you are not looking for a book with the above qualities or even if you not looking to read at all, I still highly recommend that you get a copy of and read this book. 

Book Title:
Hadhrat Maulana Husain Ahmed Madani (Rahmatullahi’Alayh)
His Life and Mission..

This book captivated me completely.
Once I really started reading it I didn’t want to put it down, it had me amazed and in tears at several places.
Subhaan'Allaah the amount of test and difficulties Hadhrat Moulana endured and went through is astounding, and yet through all of it his Faith in Allaah never once wavered.
He dedicated his entire life for the Deen of Allaah.
His life was a reflection of the Sunnah of Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم
You have to read the book to realise and understand what a personality Hadhrat Moulana Husain Ahmed رحمة الله عليه was.

The book has 318 pages and consists of 12 chapters.
Each chapter focuses on different aspects of Hadhrats life.
Below are a list of the chapters that are in the book.

Chapter 1:  Birth, Childhood and Family
Chapter 2: Education
Chapter 3: Madinah Munawwarah
Chapter 4: Bay'at and Sulook
Chapter 5: Family and children
Chapter 6: Teaching Career
Chapter 7: Character and attributes
Chapter 8: Differences of Opinion
Chapter 9: Politics
Chapter 10: Partition and India independence
Chapter 11: Demise
Chapter 12: Malfoozat (Advices)

Each chapter comprises of several different headings and goes into detail on the subject.

This book is easy to read and soak in, it doesn’t have words that go over your head and has been excellently compiled, Masha’Allaah.
(And I absolutely love the cover! It is so beautiful)

It has been compiled and published by the Jamiatul Ulama KZN Ta’limi board.

I'm not sure which book shops stock it but it is available from the Jamiatul Ulama KZN Ta’limi board.
I will post a picture of their details below so that you could contact them if you would like to purchase a copy (which I highly suggest you do, Inshaa’Allaah.) 

May Allaah make us amongst those who are close to Him and grant us the Tawfeeq to follow in the footsteps of our Akabireen (Pious Predecessors)… Aameen

Lessons Life Has Taught Me

I have learnt that life is a journey with a lot of twist and turns.
You will experience good , bad ,happy and sad .

I have learnt that you wont always get what you want, no matter how badly you want it.

I have learnt that just because you love a thing or person does not mean it is good for you.

I have learnt that sometimes those who are close to you will hurt you the most.

I have learnt that people will judge you without verifying facts.

I have learnt that you can never please people, they will always seek out
your faults even if you do a hundred good things.

I have learnt that if you attach your heart to the commodities of this Dunya you will have your heart broken.

I have learnt, that no matter how much you love someone and they love you, death will inevitably separate you.

I have learnt, that true friends are few and fake friends are many.

I have learnt that people wont be happy if you have something good.

I have learnt that if you lie you will get caught.

I have learnt that deception destroys opportunities.

I have learnt that  time does not always heal wounds.

I have learnt that happines does not lie in things, but rather it Is found in the Love of Allaah.

I have learnt that even the darkest night gives way for the sun.

I have learnt that the only love that doesn't break you is the Love of Allaah.

I have learnt that the only deed worth doing is the one done for the pleasure for Allaah.

I have learnt that patience is difficult, but the rewards are great.

I have learnt that life is too short to hold on to grudges .

I have learnt that death comes without warning.

I have learnt that the Quraan heals what this world breaks.

I have learnt that if you follow the Sunnah you will be successful.

I have learnt that if I put my Deen first ,I will never be a failure.

I have learnt that this Dunya is not for me, its is but a temporary stop over. It is not forever, so no matter what happens good or bad it wont last.

I have learnt that if I please Allaah I will earn Jannah
And without a doubt Jannah is worth it all.

Written by Binte Ashraf Ali

The Warped Society

Have you ever stopped to think about the society we live in.
About the way they have warped our ideals.
About how they have moulded us into the complete opposite of what a Muslim should be.

Why is it that we feel compelled to wish people a "Happy Birthday" or buy a gift or throw a birthday party or make a birthday cake.

Why is it that a wife might get upset with her husband if he forgets their anniversary...
If he doesn't get her a gift on the day, if he doesn't surprise her with something special.

Why is it that we become unhappy when people do not invite us for their wedding or any function even though the event is un-Islamic.

Why is it that we hope that our spouse will bring us roses or something on valentines day..

Why do mothers feel unappreciated if once a year on mother's day they don't receive anything..
And the list goes on..

Yet if you go back in history to the time of our Rasoolullah ﷺ and the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم, & to the times of our pious predecessors none of these days held any significance whatsoever.

No one "celebrated" the day they were born..
No one celebrated getting older, no one "celebrated" getting closer to death.
Because they were actually preparing for the hereafter, because they would do nothing to anger Allaah. Because they wanted nothing to do with the customs of other religions. Because they realised that Deen is perfect it needs no additions.

Nabi ﷺ never needed to celebrate his wedding anniversaries, and his wives did not get upset about it, because he made them feel special everyday. Not just once a year.
He ﷺ didn't shower them with gifts, they lived in poverty most of the time, but they were happy because they didn't base their happiness and their marriages on material possessions.
Same with the Sahabah (Radi-Allahu-Anhum) and the Awliya Allaah.

Islam is a perfect way of life, we don't need to follow the ways and celebrate the same days that the Kuffar do.
Our success lies in following the Sunnah,
In the pages of our Qur-aan we will find the path to Jannah.
We don't need to go astray nor look for any other way.
Don't be afraid to walk on the path of righteousness, even though you may be mocked.

Live your life to please Allaah and happiness will find you.
Strive to please people, and worry and sadness will never depart from you.

May Allaah guide all of us, our families and our progeny. Aameen

Looking for happiness in Haram is like looking for a bed of Jannah in Jahannam - Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Patel (Damat Barakaatuh)

written by Binte Ashraf Ali..

Good and Bad Deeds

The denoter towards good is like its doer and the denoter towards evil is like its doer

This hadeeth is pretty straightforward, but let’s delve a little deeper into it to understand it more. We are encouraged to do good actions and to motivate others to do the same. This is not just what is required of us, behind it is hidden reward written for us as well. The person who encourages another to do a good deed will get double reward, and every time that person practices on that deed, the first person who started it will automatically receive that ajar as well. It’s a chain reaction, all which leads to the very first person who began it.

A few deeds that we can remind others and ourselves about are listed below:

Encourage one another to make miswaak before and after meals, and before Salaah and tilaawat

Remind the family about eating Duaa’s when having meals

Stick Duaa’s up at appropriate places to remind others to read it. e.g. the entering Duaa’s at the doors of the house, the Duaa to be stuck on a mirror when looking in the mirror and Duaa’s for travelling in the car

Purchasing a miswaak, Quraan or kitaab for someone is very beneficialGifting a scarf, topee (or turban) or a tasbeeh will earn great reward as well

These are just a few of the many ways to attain reward. Now that we know what we can do, we also know that whenever these, or similar actions are encouraged, YOU will earn extra reward. Imagine it as commission in a way. Every time you encourage someone to buy something and they purchase it, you get a part of the profit as well. But for amaal-e-saalihat it’s EVEN BETTER. You don’t get a part of their share, but you get the full reward, as if you’ve done it yourself. How can we say no to such a great opportunity?

You get TEN rewards for each LETTER of the Quraan that you recite, now imagine someone reading abundant tilaawat and your reward is doubling and tripling! Isn’t that great? 
The reward of reading la hawla wa la quwwata illah billah is from the treasures of Jannah, and when you gift a tasbeeh to someone, try to imagine how many treasures you’re opening, and in other forms of zikr, how many trees are getting planted for you, how many palaces are being built for you! The mind cannot even fathom the innumerable rewards that it’ll gain! SubhanAllah!

Now on the flipside, just as good comes with good, evil comes with evil as well.
Firstly, we are told not to expose our sins to everyone, because Allah has concealed our sins and saved us from disgrace, but then we announce our sins openly to people without even realizing it. How? When we mention to someone “hey, I just went to the cinemas and watched the latest movie” or “did you hear that new album that got released” these are exposing our sins to people. 
So, if we now encourage someone to do evil, we’re going to get this sin, and when they continue doing it, it’ll be continuous for us too. Instead of telling someone “you’ve got to check the movie out!” rather save yourself from the chain of sin by remaining silent instead. Through not announcing what you did, you’ll protect yourself from continuous evil deeds being written for you.
There is always hope and there is always Allah’s everlasting mercy. So if we have wronged ourselves, and if we have encouraged others to do wrong; let’s stop the action and turn towards taubah, let’s be regretful over our actions, let’s make an intention to never do it again and let’s encourage our fellow Muslims to do the same.
Let’s replace the bad with good. It comes in the Qur;aan “Certainly good deeds remove evil deeds.." so follow up the bad with good and lets turn to our final destination; the aakhirah. The connection has to end, let’s end it before it’s too late. It all begins…right now.

Written by a veiled writer.

taken from missmuslimah9.wordpress.com 

The Rasul Of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم

Alhamdulillah, we are fortunate and blessed to have so many bounties of Allah that are bestowed on us. We have a good home to protect us from the scorching sun and violent storms, we have more than three meals a day to satisfy our every craving, and we have sets upon sets of clothes for each day and every function. SubhanAllah! Let us make Shukr for that! But let us also not forget about the way we were taught to live compared to the way we are actually living. The Ambiyaa alayimus salaam, Sahaba radhiyallahu anhum and the pious never indulged themselves in the luxuries that the world had to offer them. They associated themselves with that which was necessary and abstained from anything that would take their attention away from Allah. May Allah grant us the ability to live according to Sunnah of our Nabi SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam.
As I was working the other day, my mind seemed to wander about, and a thought occurred to me; how amazing would it be if Nabi SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam came to visit if he were alive? Imagine presenting our food to satisfy our Messenger who spent days on end without anything to eat, giving him the softest bed to soothe his body from the bruises he received, tending to his every need and call, imagining him leading the jamaat in Salaah, listening to his recitation of the Quraan. It was a wonderful thought to think about how we could be in his khidmat to attain barakah and reward, to even spend one moment in his presence. But I remembered a poem I read a while back, something which made me think twice about the way I live.

If the Prophet Muhammed visited you
just for a day or two;
If he came unexpectedly
I wonder what you'd do.
Oh! I know you'd give your nicest room
To such an honored guest;
And all the food you'd serve to him
Would be the very best;
And you would keep assuring him,
You’re glad to have him there;
To be in his presence is beyond compare.
But... when you saw him coming,
Would you meet him at the door?
With arms outstretched in welcome
To your visitor?
Or... would you have to change your
Clothes before you let him in?
Or hide some magazines and put
The Quran where they had been?
Would you still watch X-rated Movies?
On your TV set?
Or would you rush to switch off
Before he gets upset?
Would you turn off the radio?
And hope he hadn't heard?
And wish you hadn't uttered
That last loud nasty word?
Would you hide your worldly music?
And instead take Hadith books out?
Could you let him walk right in?
Or would you rush about?
And, I wonder... if the Prophet spent
A day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing the things?
You always do?
Would you go right on saying the things?
You always say?
Would life for you continue?
As it does from day to day?
Would your family conversation
Keep its usual pace
And would you find it hard each meal
To say a table grace?
Would you keep up each and every?
Prayer, without putting a frown?
And would you always jump up early
For prayer at dawn?
Would you sing the songs you always do?
And read the books you read?
And let him know things on which
Your mind and spirit feed?
Would you take the Prophet with you?
Everywhere you plan to go?
Or would you, maybe, change your plan
Just for a day or so?
Would you be glad to have him meet?
Your very closest friends?
Or would you hope they'd stay away
Until his visit ends?
Would you be glad to have him stay?
For ever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief
When he at last was gone?
It might be interesting to know
The things you would do
If the Prophet Muhammed, in person,
Came to spend some time with you.
I wonder...

SubhanAllah…this stuck a chord in my thinking. Qiyaamah is close, and we all hope to be raised and in the company of the pious along with our Nabi SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, but the only way to attain that is to live like how they lived. In hadeeth it comes to the effect a person will be with whom he loves. So if the love of soccer players and t.v stars are more than the love of Allah and His Rasool SallAllahu alayhi wa sallam, then it’s time that we check ourselves and correct our ways before it’s too late.
May Allah grant me the ability to practice on this and may He reform myself first and make this a means of hidaayah for myself, then the rest of the Ummah. Aameen.

Written by a veiled writer.

taken from missmuslimah9.wordpress.com

Virtues of Surah Waaqiah, Mulk and Sajdah

Don't forget to Recite
Surah Waaqiah, Surah Mulk & Surah Sajdah everyday between Maghrib and Esha or after Esha Salaah.

*Do not go to sleep without reading them*

~Virtues of Surah Waaqiah~

Sayyidina Abdullah bin Masood Radi-Allahu-Anhu narrates that I heard  Rasoolullah ﷺ say, "The one who reads Surah Waaqiah every night, poverty will not be fall him. (Baihaqi)

Rasoolullah ﷺ said
Surah Waaqiah is Suratul Ghina (The Surah of Wealth). Therefore read it and teach it to your children.

~Virtues of Surah Mulk~

Rasoolullah ﷺ said
Verily, a surah from the Quraan consisting of thirty Aayah (verses)  intercede for a person until he is pardoned (by Allah), and that was Tabarakal ladhi biyadihil Mulk (Surah Mulk). (Tirmidhi)

Rasoolullah ﷺ said
The Surah of Tabarak is a great protector and deliverer, it protects and frees one from the punishment of the grave. (Tirmidhi)

~Virtues of Surah Sajdah~

Hadhrat Khalid bin Ma'daan reported
"This Surah pleads for its reader in the grave and says, "Oh Allah, if i am in Thy book, then accept my intercession, otherwise write me off from Thy book". This Surah appears in the form of a bird, spreads its wings over the dead and guards him against the punishment of the grave."
(he has also reported all these merits for Surah Mulk as well.)

Sayyidina Jaabir Radi-Allahu-Anhu says that Rasoolullah ﷺ  would not sleep until he would read Alif lam meem tanzil-as-sajdah and Tabarakal ladhi biyadihil Mulk.  (Bukhari & Tirmidhi)

Rasoolullah ﷺ said
The person who reads Alif lam meem tanzil-as-sajdah and Tabarakal ladhi biyadihil Mulk between Maghrib and Esha. The reward (for reading these two Surahs) will be as though he (the reader) had stood awake during Laylatul Qadr. (Ruhul Ma'aani)

Marriage and Waleema according to the Sunnah

When the groom is hosting a Waleema, it is not necessary for him to serve meat dishes. Even something as simple as dates an juice will suffice because the purpose of the Waleema is to express one's gratitude to Allaah. The Ahadeeth make it clear that a marriage should be as simple as possible and according to what a person can afford. This is necessary because marriage signifies the building of a home and not the destruction of a home (which is the case when people are forced to cater beyond their means).

The manner in which Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم married the queen of Jannah Hadhrat Faatima رضي الله عنها is a lesson for the world. Ummu Salma رضي الله عنها and Aaisha رضي الله عنها both report that Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم asked the two of them to prepare Hadhrat Faatima رضي الله عنها and take her to her  Husband Sayyidina Ali رضي الله عنه. Consequently, the two of them went to the house where Faatima رضي الله عنها was to reside and spread the soft sand of “Bat'haa" on the ground so that their bedding may be spread on soft ground. They also placed two pillows there, which they personally filled with the bark of a date palm.
For the Waleema, they served dates, water and a sweet drink prepared from dates to the people present. When this was over, they placed a stick in the couples room so that they could hang their clothing or a water bag on it. After narrating this, they added that they never saw a marriage better than that of Faatima رضي الله عنها .(ibn Majah pg.616)

This was the home and marriage of the woman whom Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم described as the queen of Jannah. It was strikingly simple and without stress. However, we have burdened ourselves with the difficulty of hosting elaborate functions, making life difficult for everyone else. Because marriage is one of the necessities of life, it ought to be kept extremely simple so that every person may find it easy.

It is therefore quite obvious that the marriage of Faatima رضي الله عنها did not feature any elaborate feasts coupled with an expensive bridal suite in silk and velvet. The food and the preparation were most simple so that every member of the Ummah until Qiyamah may find it easy to emulate.

However, one will scarcely find people today who are prepared to emulate the simplicity of Rasoolullah صلي الله عليه وسلم 's life. Instead of being proud to emulate his lifestyle, many wretched people actually feel ashamed to do so. One should bear in mind that if Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم wanted to host an elaborate wedding ceremony for his youngest daughter, he could have easily done so. However, he chose the simplest route for the convenience of the Ummah; so that they do not have to tire themselves in this effort and rather concentrate their wealth and efforts in the propagation of the Deen. It is rather foolish of Muslims to opt for the difficult ways of the kuffaar instead of the easy way of life that Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم lived.

It is obvious that the pomp and extravagance with which many Muslims host wedding functions is all done for name and show. Allaah and his Rasool صلى الله عليه وسلم despise any action done for the purpose of show. Concerning those who behave extravagantly (obviously for show), Allaah says in the Quraan Kareem “Without doubt, the extravagant ones are brothers of the shayateen.”

When Allaah grants a person wealth, this wealth is a test for him and on the day of Qiyaamah, Allaah will question him about the avenues in which he spent this wealth. One's wealth should be spend only as the Shari'ah prescribes.

Squandering money on elaborate wedding ceremonies is not condemned only in the eyes of the Shari’ah, but even common society realises that this is an evil and a great wastage. Muslims should realize that it is futile to destroy the lives of people for a day's frolicking. It is like someone burning the home of another to ashes merely to build a house of his own. He may enjoy the house very much, but will soon have to wake up to reality and find that someone else is burning down his house to build  one of his own.

It is therefore the responsibility of every Muslim to follow the lifestyle of Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and to encourage the world to do the same so that the rot and evils invading society are quickly weeded out. In fact, it has always been the Muslims who have been responsible for bringing the world out of darkness and into light. The purpose of a Muslim in this world is not to frolic in its pleasures and vanities. What the world needs is for the Muslim Ummah to rise to the occasion and wage Jihad against the foolish customs and traditions that are plaguing people and making their lives a misery.

To Summarize
The blessed lifestyle of Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم is long calling to the Muslims, telling them to forsake their false vanities and to adopt the pure practices of Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم because this will ensure their success in both worlds. However, if they insist on following the customs of others, they should understand that nothing will be able to check their downfall. One can either be the slave of Allaah or the slave of the ignorant customs. If women take the initiative of eradicating these customs from their lives, they can do so quite effectively and will earn tremendous rewards from Allaah.

The above is an Excerpt from the book 'A Gift to the Bride'  (Tohfa-e-Dulhan)
Compiled by Moulana Muhammed Haneef Abdul Majeed.