Self Belief and Belief in God- Be a Positive Individual.

Salaams Everyone,

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Today, I am writing about POSITIVITY! I am personally a very positive person, MashaAllah and I always do my best to look on the bright side of things. Everyone has days which are better than other days, but how you deal with such days is what matters. I believe life is full of tests from Allah (SWT) and once we actually understand this, we begin to appreciate life. “Allah (SWT) does not burden any human being with more than he can bear.” (Quran- Al-Baqara, 2:286)

Life is full of challenges and you learn through experiences; I guess a life without challenges would be boring. I have learned some of the most important lessons, been tested to my limits, but still throughout my Imaan and Heart has continued to be strengthened and I have come through feeling blessed. Alhamdulillah. “Verily, with hardship there is relief.” (Quran, 94:6)

Self belief and belief in God; together these are the foundations of positivity. You have to strive towards your goals, dreams and life in general with a positive approach. Every day is a  new day and one should thrive towards each day with a positive attitude. You can run the day rather than the day run you.

• “That man can have nothing but what he strives for; That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight: Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete.” (Quran- An-Najm, 53:39-41)

Know what it is that you want to do in life, consider how you are going to go about doing it; the opportunities that you will pursue and then take action and make it happen. Be absolutely resilient in your determination in achieving your dreams. Having a positive attitude means you are already half-way there. I believe the best motivation comes from within. Always believe in yourself, do your best and place your trust in Allah (SWT).

An important factor which links in to everything mentioned above is a positive environment. For this you should consider the type of people that you associate yourself with. I personally don’t like negative people and I don’t associate with such people at all. Associate yourself with positive people, those who also believe in you. Surround yourself with people who are also ambitious and who like you are amongst the doers. So, I guess one should choose their friendships very wisely.

The people who matter are the ones that you support every step of the way and who support you every step of the way. These are the important people in your life. I believe sincere friendships are connected through the Heart and are never forgotten. Having sincere people is rare and a true blessing, don’t lose these precious people (be they family or friends). One should be thankful to Allah (SWT) and appreciate these people in your life. Be one to earn one.

Reminder: Don’t hesitate in your actions- have faith in the moment.         

Hajj 2014 – The Day of Arafat…

Asalamu Alaykum Everyone,

Hope you are all well. Eid Mubarak in advance! I hope you all have a blessed Eid with your family, inshaAllah. For me personally, the best part of Eid is having that Eid Breakfast with my family when my Dad and Brother’s have come home after praying Eid Namaaz (Prayer).

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• “In it are clear signs (such as) the standing place of Abraham. And whoever enters it shall be safe. And (due) to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves – then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.” (Quran- Ali Imran, 3:97)

We are in the beautiful and blessed month of Dhul Hijja, the 12^th month according to the Islamic year. Hajj (Pilgrimage) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Hajj is obligated by Allah (SWT) upon every Muslim who is physically and financially capable and is obligatory only once during the lifetime of a Muslim. Hajj is performed during the first ten days of Dhul Hijja. Today is the most significant day in the Islamic calendar; it is The Day of Arafat. The Day of Arafat is on the 9^th Dhul Hijja, this is the second day of Hajj and the day before Eid –al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice).

One has to remember that The Day of Arafat is a significant day for every Muslim. It is significant in many aspects for the Hajj Pilgrims as they travel from Mina to Arafat and it is also significant for the Muslims who are not performing Hajj. The Hajj Pilgrims will be travelling from Mina to Arafat (the place near Makkah, Saudi Arab – where the Mount Arafat is located). Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal-e-Rahmat (Mountain of Mercy) is the place where the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) stood and delivered his last, farewell sermon on 10^th Hijri (632 AD); in accordance with the Islamic calendar.

The following verse of the Quran was revealed upon Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) on the day of Arafat. Therefore, this is the day when Islam has been fulfilled and it has been chosen as the religion of mankind of all time by Allah (SWT), the Almighty.

• Allah (SWT) says, “Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as Deen (religion and way of life for you).” (Quran- Al-Ma’idah, 5:3)

Hajj is a journey of a life time and the submission to Allah (SWT); submission with the purest of Heart and intentions. It requires physical, mental and spiritual strength. Allah (SWT) always knows what is in your Heart. Given that an individuals’ Hajj is accepted by Allah (SWT), one will return from Hajj completely sinless as a new-born baby, inshaAllah. The reward of Hajj Mabroor (an accepted Hajj) is Jannah (Paradise). SubhanAllah!

• Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “He who performs Hajj seeking Allah’s pleasure and avoids all lewdness and sins (therein) will return after Hajj free from all sins, just as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Hadith- Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

After sunset today, every Muslim from all around the World will be celebrating Eid-al-Adha. Let us take this opportunity to reflect upon the meaning of Eid-al-Adha. Let us remember the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Abraham. The following verse of the Quran describes Prophet Abraham:

• “Surely Abraham was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for Our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto a right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous.” (Quran- An-Nahl, 16:120-121)

One of Prophet Abraham’s main trials was to face the command of Allah (SWT) to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah’s Will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah (SWT) revealed to him that his “sacrifice” had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord superseded all others; that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God.

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“Here I am before You, my Lord, as a slave.” I am preparing for Umrah, inshaAllah. I pray that Allah (SWT) continues to keep me protected and guided on the righteous path. I pray that with the Will of Allah (SWT), I am amongst those individuals who go on this journey of a life time very soon and that I perform Umrah and Hajj for the sake of Allah (SWT), inshaAllah. Ameen Summa Ameen.

Which of you lovely people has performed Umrah/ Hajj? It would be lovely to hear about your experiences.

Jummah Mubarak from the UK. 🙂

Reminder: There are many virtues of The Day of Arafat- take the opportunity of this blessed day to seek Mercy, to seek Forgiveness, and to seek Freedom from the Hell Fire.

Marriage: A topic that a lot of you will probably relate to.

Asalamu Alaykum Everyone,

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Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) mentioned:

• “A Woman may be married for four reasons: for her property, for her rank, for her beauty, and for her religion and character. So marry the one who is best in the religion and character, and prosper.” (Hadith: Bukhari and Muslim)

Marriage: A topic that a lot of you will probably relate to. In my opinion, the majority of today’s society is very liberal with regards to how they go about marriage, something that I don’t agree with. I believe there is nothing wrong in choosing your own partner, but it is how you go about it that matters. It will be interesting to hear your views?

I don’t believe in pre-marital relationship and dating. Islam has given me the freedom to choose my own partner. My Parents have given me the freedom to choose my own partner. But, there are boundaries and it is up to the individual with regards to how one goes about it. I don’t agree with pre-marital relationships due to my beliefs, morals, and values. My Faith is a big part of my life, Alhamdulillah. Everyone is different. How you go about it is up to you as an individual and what values you hold.

Everywhere you go, you see so many Muslims of today’s society in pre-marital relationships. They seem to feel so proud that they have a boyfriend/ girlfriend. They are so involved in the western culture and I wonder if some of them have any self-respect, and most of all whether their priority is marriage. You even see some individuals date one person and then if that doesn’t work out; they date another and so on. Surely, if the priority is marriage then why would one go about dating, going on holiday together before marriage, and even living together before marriage? In my opinion these individuals choose to abuse the freedom. Islam has given freedom of choice to those who want to get married. The mutual choice of the would-be-spouses is given the highest consideration: “do not prevent them from marrying their chosen husband/wife when they agree between themselves in a lawful manner.” (Quran, 2:232)

The intention and decision to get married doesn’t just come out of nowhere for anyone. It is an informed and considered decision. A decision which I believe can be informed without the need of liberal elements. When you have a choice then I believe it’s important to tell your Parents. In my opinion, the process of marriage is a healthy balance between freedom of choice of the would-be-spouses and consideration of the opinions and the consent of the Parents. I believe compatibility between the would-be-spouses is very important, but also compatibility between the two families of those individuals is just as important. I have so much respect for guys who go about marriage (Rishteh) proposals the proper way.  “Women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity.” (Quran, 24:26)

Reminder: Your Character and Piety comes from within your Heart and makes you who you are, and I strongly believe it is your biggest strength in Deen and Dunya.