The Keys To Contentment

Have you ever wondered how Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم managed to go through trial after trial, hard times upon hard times and yet in their biographies you won't find one incident that says one or many of them went through severe depression, stress, anxiety or any of the other mental issues that are prevalent today. You won't find a story that says they sat in their houses for months because they couldn’t deal with something, or that they neglected themselves and their families because they couldn't deal with the emotional trauma of certain events.

The Sahabah went to war, they fought battle after battle, they saw people being killed, they were severely injured at times and they lost loved ones.
Yes , Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم  as well as the Sahabah experienced sadness, they even cried on the passing of those they loved or on witnessing or going through tough times, but they didn’t carry the sadness with them for prolonged periods of time. They carried on with their lives like normal, they moved on, they didn't let the sadness show or effect their daily lives, even if they felt it. They were strong not only physically but mentally too. Why? How come??
Because they had Strong Imaan!
They loved Allah most, they relied on Him alone.
And they never questioned Him or His plan. They were happy with whatever condition He placed them in.
Most of them had nothing of Dunya, but they had true love for Allaah, Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم, Quraan and Sunnah and as a result they had contentment of heart, they had peace of mind despite the situations.
They truly believed Allaah knew best..
They did everything only for His pleasure.
They were unbreakable..
The only time they experienced extreme grief was when they did something that displeased Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم  and Allaah or if they committed sin, even if it was unintentional, this would make them extremely uneasy and they would become  saddened. They would not be happy again until Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم  consoled  them or Allaah revealed that they had been forgiven.
Subhaan'Allah even their sadness and grief was only for Allaah.

Our Imaan is so weak, every thing effects us.
We can't weather even the slightest of storms.
We become depressed and despondent way to quickly, and most of the time over worldly things and problems. You will rarely find us get saddened over the state of our Imaan or over the fact that we committed a sin (and continue to do so).

Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم lost his most beloved wife Khadijah رضي الله عنها and his uncle Abu Taalib in the same year, that year is known as the year of grief. He صلى الله عليه وسلم  was greatly saddened by the loss. But, he didn’t go into depression.

At Taif he صلى الله عليه وسلم  was stoned until his shoes were filled with blood. Yet he didn’t give up propagating after that, he didn't become despondent. After that incident he made a Du'aa, and what a beautiful Du'aa it was (its to long for me to add the entire Du'aa here, you can find it in the abridged Seeratul Mustafa on page 118) one of the things he said in the Du'aa was “(Oh Allaah) If you are not angry with me , I am not concerned in the least but your protection and safety is more accommodating and pleasant to me.”  Subhaan'Allaah.
In His صلى الله عليه وسلم  's lifetime he lost all three of his sons in their infancy, he lost 3 of his daughters, he lost hundreds of companions, he lost uncles, he lost wives and he lost grandchildren, and he shed tears on their demise.
He صلى الله عليه وسلم  said that the tears are a mercy from Allaah.
But he never lamented, he never mourned for months. He never let it depress him or sadden so much that it effected his life long term.

Why?
Because he had Yaqeen and he had Tawwakul.
He truly believed in Allaah, without reservations.
Some might argue that this was the Rasool of Allaah, he was perfect in every way.
So lets take some other examples.

Hadhrat Faatima رضي الله عنها, the beloved daughter of Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم.
Her life was tough, tougher than we can imagine.
Her sons , Hadhrat Hasan and Hussein  رضي الله عنهم  were born 11 months apart.
She had no help, she had to see to all the household chores by herself. And in those days it wasn’t like now it was a hundred times more difficult. She had to walk a long distance to get water and she had to then carry the heavy water filled bag back home, this left bruises on her chest.
She had to grind wheat to make flour so she could make bread.
She had had to grind date pits so she could feed the animals.
This left her hands callused and rough.
And on many occasions she had to go days with out any food at all, she had to see her children go hungry.
Yet she didn’t complain, not to her husband, not to her father not to a friend.
She did it all diligently, she was human , she obviously got tired.
Looking after two small children alone is difficult enough let alone having to do all the other chores she did.
When she did eventually ask her father, Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم  for a servant to assist her, he told her that he was unable to give her one, instead he presented her with what we know as Tasbih e Faatimi which is to read Subhan'Allaah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and Allaahu Akbar 34 times.
She took this with great happiness, she didn't complain she didn’t become depressed or angry or frustrated.
She didn’t tell her father that this won't be able to assist her in her chores or that it would be of no use to her..
Why ? Why was she able to deal with her situation so well.
How come she didn't become despondent or depressed or sad etc, Why?
Because she had true Imaan. Because she had Love of Allaah.
Because whatever she did, she did for the pleasure of Allaah and she knew He'll reward her for it.
She knew that Dunya is temporary, her difficulties were temporary.
She knew she was being rewarded for her sacrifices, She knew that her final abode is Jannah, and Jannah is forever…

The problem with us is that we view this Dunya as if it is forever, we think our problems are going to last forever.
We think that we are in charge of things, our Imaan is so weak, our Tawakkul is at zero, our reliance on Allaah is non existence. So every problem becomes larger than life, every little thing becomes unmanageable.
There are numerous other examples.
How is it that Hadhrat Umme Sulaym رضي الله عنها was able to deal so exceptionally well with the passing away of her child, she didn't tell her husband until the next morning.
How did Hadhrat Aaisha رضي الله عنها manage to deal with not having children. How did she manage to deal with the pain of becoming a widow at the age of 18..
The answer is the same is before, they had Allaah, as a result they had contentment of heart.
They were human, they felt pain, they felt sadness and they cried.
But they moved on, they were patient, they were strong.
They were happy with whatever Allaah willed..

Read the stories of the Companions رضي الله عنهم
See the trials they went through, take an example.
They didn't have psychologists or councillors  and they didn't need it, because they didn't suffer from depression, anxiety etc. Today we have thousands who have studied human psychology, yet we have more depressed people, more people with anxiety and other mental issues.
And if they (the Sahabah) experienced any heartache they turned to the turner of hearts, the one who controls everything, Allaah.
They soothed their hearts with recitation of Quran, performance of Salaah and Du'aa.
These are the keys to contentment.

In the Muslim community problems such as depression, anxiety, stress etc are supposed to be non-existent. But unfortunately due to our shortcomings and weakness in faith these problems are rife. May Allaah forgive us.

Yes, I know its not easy being patient.
We cant expect to achieve the same level of piety as the Sahabah and we won't be able to change over night, but we have to start somewhere, we have to try to strengthen our Imaan, we have to work on strengthening our connection with Allaah.
Its a lifelong journey, we have to embark on it one step at time.
We have become complacent, we feel happy with the state of our Imaan or we're just not bothered.
Whereas we should always be striving to improve and strengthen our Imaan.

May Allaah help me firstly and each and everyone of you to strengthen our Imaan and gain closeness to Him.. Aameen

Note: Everything written is firstly for myself to take a lesson.
I am by no means shunning or trying to put down people who have anxiety, depression or any other problem nor am I saying you shouldn't get seek assistance. I am simply penning down some of my thoughts in hopes that it will be a source of inspiration and hope, for myself firstly and others Inshaa'Allaah.

Zits are the worst Thing Ever!! Hmm, are they really??

Whenever we get a zit or blemish on our face we are absolutely horrified, more so if we are going to be going out somewhere were a large crowd of people will see us. Because it makes us feel self conscious, we think we don't look nice etc. Many girls use tons of make up to cover up any imperfections on their face so that they appear flawless at all times.

How strange though that we are not perturbed in the least by the black spots that appear on our hearts due to our sins. We couldn't be bothered that in the sight of Allaah we are getting more and more unattractive.
If we continue sinning and sinning and not repenting or changing our ways then our hearts will continue getting blacker.
But we don’t ever even think of this. Why? Because we are only worried about how we appear to people, and they cant see our hearts. We don't worry about how we appear in the sight of Allaah.

We're consumed by the need to impress people, to appear beautiful, rich and famous. We crave recognition, acknowledgement and praise from people. We will go to any length just to get some sort of social standing.
We have given up our Aakhirah for the temporary commodities of Dunya. We have given up trying to gain the love of Allaah and instead we desire that people should love us.
We have mixed up our priorities in life. We've forgotten our purpose as Muslims.
Due to peer pressure we find ourselves getting involved in more sins , and many times we don't even consider some of the things as sins anymore because it’s a norm in society.
We weren't created for this world, we weren't created to please people.
We were created to please Allaah, we were created to do good deeds and ultimately achieve Jannah .
We supposed be enjoining good and forbidding evil.
We suppose to be following Sunnah not society.
But we are not prepared to make any sacrifice, we don't want to take the pain on our hearts, we don’t want to fight off our nafs.
We cant bear to give up on our worldly pursuits even if it is against the commands of Allaah, even if our heart is getting black.

What a sad state we are in,
We give preference to clear beautiful faces over clean pure hearts. We corrupt our hearts and disfigure it with sins but can't stand it when our face has any blemish.

We give preference to gaining the love of people over gaining the Love of Allaah. Even though people will end up disappointing you at some point whereas Allaah will always live up to your expectations.

We give preference to society instead of Sunnah. Even though society is flawed and imperfect and following society will possibly lead to your downfall, and Sunnah is perfect and if you follow it you will be successful in Dunya and Aakhirah.

We have taken the path that is leading us to Jahannam, and yet we still claim that we want Jannah .
We have forgotten.
Jannah is not free, you can't sin and sin and continue sinning without making an effort to stop or making Tauba and then expect that you'll be blessed with the enjoyment and blessings of Jannah.

Lets change our view and our lives.
Stop trying to attain fame and favour with people, strive to attain favour with Allaah.
Stop running after people and start running towards the Allaah.
Stop trying to be beloved to people and strive to become the beloved of Allaah.
Lets stop living for people, start living for the Pleasure of Allaah
Let stop worrying so much about how we look in the sight of people and worry about how we look in the sight of Allaah.
Remember Allaah doesn't look at your beauty, social standing or wealth, Allaah looks at your heart.
So strive to purify your heart and become beautiful in the sight of Allaah…

Sayyidina Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reported: Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم  said:
“Verily, when the servant commits a sin a black spot appears upon his heart. If he abandons the sin, seeks forgiveness, and repents, then his heart will be polished. If he returns to the sin, the blackness will be increased until it overcomes his heart. It is the covering that Allaah has mentioned: 'No, but on their hearts is a covering because of what they have earned (83-14)’.”
(Tirmidhi)

Sayyidina Abu Huraira (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reports that Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم  said: “Verily Allah does not look at your  appearance and wealth, but rather He looks at your hearts and actions.” (Sahih Muslim)

Sayyidina Abu Darda (Radhi Allahu Anhu) reports that Rasoolullah صلى عليه وسلم  said: “ The world and all it contains is cursed, except for those actions that are done sincerely for the pleasure of Allaah.” (Tabrani)

First Love ❤️

We put our whole hearts into things that are temporary, and we still wonder why we end up with a broken heart.
We place our full trust in everything besides Allah, and then we wonder why things don't turn out right.
We set ourselves up for misery, heartbreak and pain by relying on and attaching ourselves to temporary things, we get attached to people, to places and to things. And when any one of the things we're attached to is taken from us, which is inevitable in this temporary abode, we become devastated, we feel like we can't carry on anymore. Everything comes crumbling down.
But it shouldn't be like that, we shouldn't be attaching ourselves to these things.

We should attach ourselves to Allah!
Because Allah is eternal.
He will always, always be with us.
You will never have to part from Him, ever.

Yes we're allowed to love things and people in the Dunya, but we shouldn't let the love overtake and control us, and yes we're allowed to feel sad and grieve when we lose someone or something we loved, but we shouldn't let the grief and sadness control us and make us depressed and despondent.

We should make Allah our first Love.
Our strongest love should be for our Creator, the Ever living..

So no matter what you go through in life,
No matter what or who you lose you still have your Allah, your heart will feel pain at the loss, but it will not shatter, because you love Allah the most, the love you have for Allah is stronger than the love you had for what you lost, and Allah will never leave you, so your heart will always remain whole And strong, no matter what it goes through... ❤️

The heart will rest and feel relief if it is settled with Allah and it will worry and be anxious if it is settled with people - Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله

💖The more you trust Allah, the easier it becomes to be patient💖

Coping with Life Challenges and Stress

Life is full of tests and challenges. There are times when it will upset us or it will not go our way. Look at Nabi ﷺ, when Allah asked him to stand on Mount Safa to give dawah for the first time in his life. He must have put so much thought and effort into preparing his first speech, but the people dispersed and ignored his call. Was this the reaction Nabi ﷺ was hoping for, or was it the total opposite? He tried so hard yet it did not go according to plan, the people refused to listen. At another stage in his life, He invited His whole family over for a meal and before they left, he invited them to Islam. He asked them that who will help me? No-one responded except Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه.

Yet again, His efforts did not go according to plan. In Taaif He was stoned by the street urchins until He bled. He experienced boycotts against Him, moments when there was no food at home, loved ones passing away including His own children whom He buried with his own hands. A time came when He even got upset with His wives and separated from them for a month!

The point that I am trying to make is that the conditions of life will not be favourable at all times. However, as Muslims, our character is expected to be favourable at all times. We must be patient with the trials of life. Some days life will go well, other days it will not. When you return home, some days your favourite meal will be ready on the table, other days you may return hungry or in a hurry, but the food is still getting cooked.

Regardless of the situation, we are expected to rise above and display good manners. And who expects this from us? Allah himself. And how do we manage to act favourably during a difficult moment? How is it possible? By being in love with Allah. One who is in love remains unaffected because he is on cloud nine. He is so immersed in his own happiness that nothing can phase him.

When we have deep hearted love for Allah, he will rectify our hearts. Then in Salah, tilaawat and dhikr, we will feel peaceful and tranquil. This tranquillity immunizes the heart against all the adversities taking place. Now, though adversities will continue to occur, he will be able to manage due to the peace emanating from his heart.

However, when we remove religion from our lives, all of sudden, everything and anything becomes a cause of sadness for us. These adversities were happening all along but now we are feeling it because we forgot to take our immunization. If we neglect deen, our spiritual arteries become clogged, our hearts suffer, we no longer experience peace inside and therefore everything begins to irritate, upset or hurt us.

But when our relationship with Allah is strong, our spiritual arteries become unblocked and the noor of ibadah will light up our lives. When one is in a game park where predators are roaming freely, then one will not be seen strolling casually. However, in a zoo where the predators are caged, notice how people stroll through relaxed, calm and happy with an ice cream in their hands and a smile upon their faces. Because in this zoo, he knows that there are walls and cages. Therefore, although he is in the midst of predators he remains peaceful because he knows that they cannot affect him.

Likewise is the case of a believer. We all face adversities which prey on our weaknesses, but those who are immunized are unaffected. They stroll cheerfully down the thorniest of paths because the thorns cannot affect him. Whereas those who neglect deen neglect their own souls until every trail causes restlessness and worry.

Allah gave us dhikr and Salah for our own benefit and spiritual nourishment, they have great worldly benefits too. Nabi said that coolness of my eyes is Salah. That is a property of Salah, provided the Salah is performed properly. When one wakes up for Fajr and speaks to Allah, makes dua and reads the Quran, by the time morning comes he is mentally ready to face the jungle (i.e. work). Slowly he loses his stamina and by the time Zuhr Salah comes in, he cannot take it anymore.

Now he needs to reset, he needs a detox to refresh himself and get his sanity back. So he goes to pray Zuhr. Now he returns to the jungle again, mentally equipped and ready to work. But again he loses himself, so he returns to the Masjid for Asr. In the evenings at home, the day-to-day pressure of family life can be difficult to bear but rather than losing himself by displaying anger and bad character, yet again he returns to Allah for Maghrib and Ishaa.

A lady’s situation is similar. Every day brings with it a series of challenges but praying Salah in the way it should be prayed will enable us to cope. Rather than losing it, she also turns to Allah, her first love. She turns to Allah, He turns to Allah and Allah sees both, He sees that they are both turning towards him. So now Allah cements their hearts together.

This is deen: an oasis open to all, ever-ready to silence our worries and fears, but we lack the sight to see it. May Allah enable us to return to Him and to realise the reality of life, Aameen.

— Hazrat Maulana Dawood Seedat
حفظه الله

(Extract from one of Hazrats Majilis)

taken from www.Islaahiadvices.com

At The Approach of Rajab and Sha’ban

Rajab Du'a

Sayyiduna Anas Ibn Malik (radiyallahu'anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would recite the following supplication when the Month of Rajab would commence:

اَللّٰهُمَّ  بَارِكْ لَناَ فِيْ رَجَبَ وَشَعْبانَ وَبَلّغْنَا رَمَضَانْ

Allahumma barik lana fi Rajaba wa Sha'bana wa balligh na Ramadan

Translation: Oh Allah! Grant us Barakah (Blessing) during (the months of) Rajab and Sha'ban, and allow us to reach Ramadan.

M.E Quotes Pictures

Wishing to be among Queens ❤️

I wish i could meet up with some of the Sahabiya رضى الله عنهما.
So that I could ask them about the things they experienced and endured.
So that I could ask them about how they felt. So that I could ask them to guide me on how to get through life, how to live for the pleasure of Allah..

I wish I could meet Khadija bint Khuwaylid رضي الله عنها, the beloved wife of Nabi ﷺ.
So i could ask her how it felt to be the wife of Rasoolullah ﷺ.
I would ask her how she felt being the mother of such great women, Zainab, Ruqayya, Umme Kulthoom and Faatimah رضي الله عنهما.
I would ask her what emotions she experienced when Rasoolullah ﷺ came running to her saying Zamilooni, Zamilooni.
Dathirooni, Dathirooni.
I would be enthralled by her stories of sacrifice, love and patience..

I wish I could meet Zainab bint Muhammad رضي الله عنها, the beloved daughter of Nabi ﷺ.
I would ask her about the love she and Abul Aas رضي الله عنه shared.
About the difficulties they went through.
I would ask her about the time she was separated from her husband.
The time she had to part with the necklace her mother had given her.
The time she had to travel alone to Madinah. I would have so many questions.

Oh, I wish i could meet Ruqayya bint Muhammad رضي الله عنها.
I wish i could ask her about her Hijrah to Abyssinia with her husband Uthmaan رضي الله عنه. How did she manage, leaving her home and family behind.
The hardship that she had to endure during her stay there.
I wish I could ask how she got through the pain on hearing that her mother was no longer alive on her arrival back to Makkah.

I wish I could meet Aaisha bint Abu Bakr.
Another beloved wife of Nabi ﷺ.
I would ask her how it was to share such a special bond with Nabi ﷺ.
I would ask about the happiness she felt when Nabi ﷺ would be around. I would ask about her father Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه the closest friend of Rasoolullah ﷺ.
And I would ask her about the sadness the day Nabi ﷺ departed from the dunya.

I wish i could meet
Faatimah bint Muhammad رضي الله عنه.
So i could ask her about her life,
How it felt being the most beloved daughter to her father.
How it felt being the wife of such a great man, Ali رضى الله عنه.
How did she manage to do so much of tiresome chores by herself without any complaint.

Oh how I wish!
How I wish I could meet some of the Sahabiya رضي الله عنهما .
I could mention endless names.

I would ask them how it felt sending their husbands and sons off for Jihaad knowing they may never see them again.
I would ask how they lived so simply, yet they were content.
I would ask them countless questions.
And I would be captivated by their answers,
By their stories of war, sacrifice, love, patience, honesty, honor, death and difficulties.
I would no doubt be left spell bound by their answers.

I would ask them to guide and teach me how to be patient and Allah fearing.
How to be a good wife, mother and daughter.
Oh how I wish I could meet them.
What perfect role models they are for the Muslimahs of the Ummah if only we took heed.

Unfortunately we won't get to meet them now, or anytime here in Dunya.
But we can read and learn about their lives.
And we can take lessons from their lives and try to amulate them so that we too can attain closeness to Allah.
So that we can attain Jannah and be united with them there, Insha'Allah...

You cannot dress however you want (short tight clothing, no hijab, perfume etc).
You cannot act however you want (immoral, immodest, interact with non Mehrams).
You cannot follow whoever you want (actresses, singers, make up artist etc).
And then hope to be with the Sahabiya رضي الله عنهما in Jannah.  It doesn't work like that.
If you want Jannah, and you want to get the good fortune of meeting the Sahabah and Sahabiya رضي الله عنهما Then you need to follow their lifestyle and the Sunnah of Rasoolullah ﷺ

You can't live and love the Kuffar lifestyle and then expect to receive Jannah and all its joys.
No.
You need to act Muslim and look Muslim.
You need to live like a Muslim.
Follow the righteous, don't go against the laws of Allah and make dua.

Then, Insha'Allah, through Allahs infinite mercy He will afford us the good fortune of being with them in Jannah.

Always remember,
"You will be with who you love (on the day of Qiyaamah)"

And if you love someone, you'll follow their way and you will do everything possible to get a chance to be with them.
You won't just say you wish you could meet them and then do everything in your power to stay away from them.

May Allah grant me and everyone Ikhlaas and the ability to practice and may He through His mercy join us with the Sahabah رضي الله عنهما in Jannah..
Aameen

Don't Be Bitter. Be Better

People will hurt you, in a variety of different ways..
Sometimes knowingly and other times unknowingly..
But, no matter what other people may do too you, or how they behave towards you, you should never be nasty to them or do the same bad things to them..
Why you may ask?
Because we should be the better person, the better Muslim.
Follow the example of our Nabi ﷺ, he preferred to forgive people rather then to take revenge. He forgave people no matter how nasty they had been to him.

Rasoolullah ﷺ said,
"You do not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you deal with them with forgiveness and kindness." (Bukhari)

We should strive to do the same. Forgive, no Matter how hard it is (and yes i know it can be really hard), be nice to the person no matter how horrible they are to you..
Never wish bad or make bad duas for anyone.
Because we will be answerable for everything we say and do.
If they hurt us, they will be answerable and not us..
But if we then go and cause the same hurt or worse to them then we're answerable too.
And that makes us the same as them, or worse perhaps.
Its better not to retaliate, in any way whatsoever, leave it in the hands of Allah.

It is narrated that once A person started verbally abusing Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radi-Allahu-Anhu) while Rasoolullah ﷺ was also sitting there.  Because Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radi-Allahu-Anhu) gave no reply Rasoolullah ﷺ was impressed and kept smiling. However, when the persons abuse became too much, Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radi-Allahu-Anhu) replied some of what he was saying. This angered Rasoolullah ﷺ and he left. Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radi-Allahu-Anhu)  then met Rasoolullah ﷺ and asked, "O Rasoolullah ﷺ! You were sitting there while he was swearing at me but when i replied to some of his abuse, you became angry and left?"  Rasoolullah ﷺ replied, "There was an angel with you who was responding on your behalf. However, when you started replying to some of his abuse, shaytaan arrived and I could not sit with shaytaan."

We learn from this that no matter what people say or how much they may abuse or insult you (whether it is in your presence or your absence) remain silent and don't ever try to go after them or retaliate...
Allah will retaliate on your behalf Insha'Allah.
We also learn that no matter who you are, you'll always get people who will not like you. Subhan'Allah, how great was Abu Bakr (Radi-Allahu-Anhu), yet this person was swearing and shouting at him.
If a person as wonderful and good as him had people who disliked him, then obviously we to will encounter such people.

But no matter what, don't allow people to make you bitter and nasty.
Guard your tongue, though it is small the damage it causes is huge, and sometimes irreparable.

"The tongue is like a lion, if you let it lose it will wound someone -  Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (Radi-Allahu-Anhu)"

Don't mention the faults of others.
Dont lie, Don't backbite,  Don't slander etc.
Think before you speak.
We all have and continue to just talk without thinking, we are so careless. (may Allah forgive me first and everyone else).

"Hadhrat Abu Moosa Al Ash'ari Radi-Allahu-Anhu reports that some people asked Rasoolullah ﷺ, "Whose Islam is the best (who is the best Muslim)?" Rasoolullah ﷺ replied, "The one from whose tongue and hands the Muslims are safe." (Bukhari)

"Whosoever protects ones tongue from mentioning the fault of another, Allah will conceal his faults." (Mishkaat)

The world needs more kind people, more people who wish good for others, more people who are willing to forgive.
Soften your heart, be good no matter what others do, don't let them change you.
Our Beloved ﷺ has set a perfect way of life for us to follow.
Yes we are weak, And we often cannot or do not follow it. But Insha'Allah we can aim to amullate him in as many ways possible.

Always strive to be a better person and a better Muslim.
Dont let others influence you with bad habits and traits. Keep good company.
And when you do come across people who are nasty, give them a huge smile and be extra nice, extra kind and extra caring towards them, Insha'Allah you will be rewarded for your goodness and Insha'Allah they will get influenced and change their ways..

Rasoolullah ﷺ said
"None of you truly believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." (Bukhari)

Rasoolullah ﷺ Said,
"I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing, even if he is right; and i Guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners. (Abu Dawood)

وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُونَ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرًا
"And We have made some of you a trial for others; will you bear patiently? And your Lord is ever Seeing."(Surah Furqan:Verse 20)

May Allah grant me first the ability to practice and everyone else.. Aameen

Don't Aim For Perfection

No one is a perfect Muslim.
No one can ever claim to be a perfect Muslim, because we're human, and we will never achieve perfection.
But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to be good Muslims, it doesn't mean we should stop trying to better ourselves.
Each one of us are sinners, we are weak and often we succumb to our desires.
We succumb to the temptations that are all around us.
But each one of us has the ability to repent.
Allah is the most Merciful, and He is the most patient, and He loves those who repent and turn to Him.
So no matter how many times we fall into the trap of sin, we should stand up and repent.
Obviously we shouldn't just sin and then say I'll repent afterwards.
But if we do fall into some sin, which in this day and age seems inevitable, then we shouldn't just continue doing it and think theres no use repenting I'm doomed now.
Once we realise what we doing is wrong we should try and stop it and rectify ourselves.
And remember change doesn't happen overnight. Maybe we'll find ourselves trapped in the sin over again, but each time we need to rebuke ourselves, and we need to repent and then try harder to stop.
No matter how many times you sin NEVER lose hope in Allahs mercy, continue repenting.

Nabi صلى الله عليه وسلم said
"All of the children of Adam are sinners and the best of sinners are those who repent." (Tirmidhi)

So keep going.
Keep trying to become a better Muslim.
Yes we will fall and falter along the way.
Yes we'll experience spiritual highs, and also spiritual lows.
Due to our weak nature we may not reach where we want to be,but don't be to hard on yourself, keep going and do what you can.
The important thing is that we never give up trying to be the best Muslims.
Maybe as a result of us trying again and again even though we may fail, and because of our effort to be good Allah will have mercy on us and grant us Jannah...

"In the sight of Allah the best action most loved by Him is the one done consistently even if it is little."
(Bukhari & Muslim)

Narrated Abu Huraira Radi-Allahu-Anhu
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, "Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, and the nights."
(Bukhari)

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
O my servants! who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful.
(Surah Az-Zumar, Verse 53)

Have Faith In Allah

Have faith in Allah even when the darkness thats overcome you makes you stumble.

Have faith in Allah even when you feel your situation is hopeless..

Have faith in Allah even though things are not going your way.

Have faith in Allah even when your heart feels exhausted and all you want to do is cry.

Have faith in Allah even if you feel like you can't stand anymore.

Have faith in Allah even though you don't want to carry on trying anymore.

Have faith in Allah even when everything else is failing.

Have faith in Allah!
He will never let you down.
He will guide you through everything.
He will assist you in the toughest situations.

When you feel like its the end and your world is crumbling.
When u feel like this is it. I can't go on anymore.
Just have faith in Allah.
Have faith in Allah...

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا
And rely on Allah; and Allah is sufficient for a Protector
(Surah Ahzaab : Verse 3)

فَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
Allah is the best Keeper, and He is the most Merciful of the merciful ones
(Surah Yusuf : Verse 64)

رَبِّي عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ
My Lord, on Him do I rely and to Him do I turn time after time
(Surah Ash-Shuara : Verse 10)

Its All About The Heart - Written by Firdose Saloojee

Teach your children Ikraam! Teach them character.. wallah, i have seen students with the best of grades,who excel in every exam, yet they have the "Im better than you - Stuck-up" attitude and put their friends down. And i have seen students who struggle in exams, yet excel in the beauty of their heart and that makes it so hard to mark them down,for their ikraam shines through☆ Its not just about giving our children wealth,and trust me too much spoiling also leads to kids having their noses in the air ,and making their friends suffer from an inferior complex which is totally against the Sunnah of our Beloved Nabee صلى الله عليه وسلم

Let us instill in our girls and boys the Character of Nabee Salallawhu alayhi wasallam, how his every step was one towards making another happy.. how his golden heart made sure that if he couldnt bring a smile to someones face,he would atleast wipe away their tears and pain.
 As parents we should focus on our Childs heart,on how their day was,on who they shared their lunch with, on how they helped their friend with something that she struggled with,on how they listened to their teacher and made khidmat of their Apa/Molana,  rather than "oh you only got a 70. And oh i cant sit with your assignment tonite cos we have to go for extra lessons and ballet and this and that.".

Children are great imitators,so give them something great to imitate, If we as parents can live the life of Sunnah,and Obeying Allah,and taking time out,and having the humour and compassion of Nabee Salallawhu Alayhi wasallam,Definately it will pass on to our kids..

We should give our children a specific time in a day, where that hour or two is just for them.. no homework.. no books.. nothing.. just unwinding.. relaxing.. and refreshing their mind.. let us teach them the sunnah of kaylullah also,and how just 10 minutes after school also to close eyes for abit and just breathe..
Once in a while, forget about the academics,lay on the grass with your kid and make memories that this child will never forget. Trust me- it does a world of difference. When we teach them about fun,and character and obeying Allah,Naturally their academics will improve. Its not always about the report card percentages, its about the comments at the end of the card that matter! Hug and kiss our children,let them know how loved they are simply because they are the greatest blessing from Allah!. Raising kids is a lot of heartwork,but if done correctly,will be a means of us flying into the gates of Jannah Inshaa Allah..
 Give your child deen,and Allah will bring dunyaa to them.it is the promise of Allah!

F.S♡