Blood Donation Drive - KL, Malaysia

I got this email from IndiaMuslim.org and i hope it would be useful for our readers from Malaysia.Inshallah, join the community for this good cause.Spread the word to your Malaysian friends too. :)
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From: IndiaMuslim.Org

InsyaAllah, Belia PERMIM will be organizing Blood Donation Campaign this month.The details are as follws:-
Date : 28 February 2009 (Saturday)
Time : 9.30 am - 5.00 pm Venue: Dewan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur

We hope all our IM Youth will come and join force to help the needy. Despite wars and fights, Lets Drop our Blood for Good Cause May ALLAH S.W.T Rewards your good deeds.. See you there.. - IndiaMuslim.Org Staff =========================================================

Mauth..Death...The unexpected..

Salaam,

Over the weekend, i had a wedding of a cousin on 1 day n a death on the next. It was unexpected.Totally. I didnt visit, but i felt the effect. I didnt visit, cos i knew i wont be able to take it.

My brother and my mother went instead. My brother is very disturbed by the sudden death. He keeps talking about it and he's unable to concentrate on his work. My mom is more composed, comes with the age i suppose.

Coming back to the brother who passed away,he was a health freak(from wat i heard). He had gym equipments in his room and he controlled his diet alot. He wasnt overweight neither did he have a bad health history that anyone knew of. He lost his dad about two years back.And his mom last year.It will be very tough for his younger sis and brother.Alhamdullilah, they are grown up. But still...it will be very very difficult for them to overcome the loss of their loved ones. I pray that Allah heals their hearts fast.Ameen.

I have been hearing alot of mauth incidents for the past 2 years. But this one was one of the very few which moved me alot, left me wondering for hours..days.. This one makes me wonder... What ever in life is permanent? we slog days n months...work for money, compete to climb the corporate ladder, fight for recognition, this n that. So much of arguments, jealousy,anger,hatred, discrimination...you fight fight fight n fight..n one day, Allah (s.w.t.) says..ok boy, thats it..times up! n pooooff! everything's gone...you are 6ft under. left all alone...all alone to suffer...the tortures beneath..

I can't express what i feel.. so much of questions,thoughts..i cant just put them into words.

At the end of it all... who can ever guarantee us that we will live up to the next hour beside Allah(s.w.t)? But, in case...Mauth is just around the corner, are we all prepared for it?

Leave your career accomplishments, or ur wealthy status ...or what so ever aside. Like i said, are they ever permanent?
What about your fardh fasts? did u fast during ramadhan? do u make an effort to think of Allah each day? do u thank him often for giving us able bodies and so much much more blessings that are very small yet invaluabe? have u made ur parents proud? or have u made them cry? have u hurt them? ever? would there be anything that you would want to tell to your parents/siblings/friends/spouse?

There are few blessed souls i have heard of who were able to sense when death was nearing them. I wish,Inshallah, Allah allows us to sense our death atleast 1 hour before our time's up. Ya Allah!

Brothers and Sisters, Pray like its your last day. Do each deed right. Keep Allah (s.w.t) , his rasool (s.a.w) and his sunaah in mind. Do your bit proper each day... pardon for your sins whole heartedly,Inshallah, Allah the ever forgiving will forgive you. Its just this day, n this minute that you have. Cry your hearts out to him n seek forgiveness. Beg the Almighty to forgive you.
Sisters who havent start embracing the hijab and procrastinating it to later...Later is just imagination. I suggest, if you are aware that all muslim woman must wear the hijab, do it NOW! NOW!
Stop backbiting and lying.Be truthful, cos Allah watches you no matter where you are and he knows what you do.
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said ,' A sin is what you do that you wish noone else knew that you did it,as it will bring shame upon you.'
He also said ' He who wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself,is a true muslim'.

Probably, i have been blabbering through this entire post.I'm not too sure.Sorry if i have. I'm just pretty confused and have been typing whatever that comes out from my mind. I hope to write again in a more composed state. Inshallah.

Wasalaam

What the Holy Qur'an says about Jesus

Jesus (Isa) A.S. in Islam, and his Second Coming

Tell a Friend
by Mufti A.H. Elias

I. Jesus (A.S.) In Islam

Muslims do believe that Isa (A.S.) was sent down as a Prophet of Allah (God), but he (Jesus) is not God or Lord, nor the son of God. Muslims do not believe that Isa (A.S.), also known as Jesus by Christians and others, is dead or was ever crucified. We believe that he was raised to heaven and is there, and will descend at the appointed time, end all wars, and bring peace to the world. Like Jesus (A.S.), Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is also a Prophet and Messenger. Muhammed (P.B.U.H.) is the last Prophet, though, and there is none after him. Hence, Islam is the last religion, complete, with the Holy Qur'an as the unchanged and perfect word of God for over 1400 years, as God promised to preserve it till the last day for all of humankind, unlike sacred texts of other religions which have mulitple versions and are "revised" periodically. God, or Allah in Arabic, is Divine and Supreme Being and Creator.

What the Holy Qur'an says about Jesus:

They slew him not, nor did they crucify him but it was made dubious to them.(Holy Qur'an, Surah Nisaa, Verse 157)

Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) himself told of the coming of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). In the Bible, Jesus (A.S.) says,

If you love me, Keep my commandments. And I will pray to the Father and He shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever.(Bible, John 14-15/16)

But when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me, and he also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.(Bible, John 15-26/27)

I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. How be it when he, the spirit of Truth will come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall speak not of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that he shall speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and he shall show it unto you.(Bible, John 16-12/14)

Ulema (learned scholars in Islam) have said that the person who is described by Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) to come after him - in the above verse - does not comply with any other person but Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

In this case, the "comforter" he mentions is none other than Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his laws and way of life (Shariah) and Book (Holy Qur'an) are those that Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) asks his followers to abide by.

The "person" whom Jesus (A.S.) prophecised will come after him, is called Pargaleeta in the Bible . This word was deleted by interpreters and translators and changed at times to "Spirit of Truth" and at other times, to "comforter" and sometimes "Holy Spirit." The original Greek and its meaning is "one whom people praise exceedingly." The sense of the word, then, is applicable to the word Muhammad in Arabic, since Muhammad means "the praised one."

Jesus (A.S.) also says in the Bible,

... and a little while and you shall not see me; and again a little while, you shall see me because I go to the Father.(Bible, John 16:16)

... and the Holy Qur'an says,

And surely they slew him not. But Allah (God) raised him unto Himself.(Holy Qur'an, Surah Nisaa, Verse 157-158)

As such, Muslims believe that Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) was raised to heaven. According to Hadith, he is on the second heaven. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam=Peace be upon him) mentioned, "During the Meraj (Ascension), I met Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) on the second heaven. I found him of medium stature, reddish white. His body was so clean and clear, that it appeared as though he had just performed ghusal (ablution, cleansing of the entire body) and come." In another Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) mentioned to the Jews that, " Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) is not dead, he will most surely return to you before Qiyamat (the Day of Judgement).

" May Allah Guide all people to the Truth. Aameen.

II. Hadhrat Isa's (A.S.) Descension - The Physical Features of Hadhrat Isa (A.S.)

He will resemble the famous Sahabi (A.S.) Hadhrat Urwa bin Masoodi (R.A.). He will be of average height and red and white in colour. His hair spread to the shoulders, straight, neat and shining as after a bath. On bending his head, it will seem as if pearls are falling. He will have an armour on his body. He will be wearing two pieces of cloth light yellow in color.

His Descension

He will descend on a Jamaat (group) that will be righteous at the time and comprising of 800 men and 400 women. The people will be preparing for war at the time against Dajjal (the anti-Christ). It will be time for Fajr prayers, and Imam Mahdi will be the Amir (leader). From the darkness of the dawn, a sound will suddenly be heard that "one who listens to your pleas has come" -- the righteous people will look everywhere and their eyes will fall on Isa (A.S.). Briefly, at the time of Fajr, Isa (A.S.) will descend. When descending, Isa (A.S.)'s hands will be on the shoulders of two angels (according to another source (Kab Abrar), a cloud will carry him). On their insistence Hadhrat Isa will introduce himself. He will inquire about their enthusiasm and thoughts on Jihad against Dajjal. Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will descend on the eastern side near the Minaret in Damascus (or in Baitul-Muqaddus by Imam Mahdi). At the time Imam Mahdi will have proceeded forward to lead the Fajr Salaat. The Iqamat of the Salaat would have been said (already recited) and Imam Mahdi will call Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) for Imamat (to lead the prayer), but he (Hadhrat Isa (A.S.)) will instead tell Imam Mahdi to lead the prayer since the Iqamat of that Salaat has already been said for him. Thus Imam Mahdi will lead the prayer, and Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will follow him. After the ruku, he will make this statement: "Allah has killed Dajjal and the Muslims have appeared."

The Killing of Dajjal (anti-Christ) and the Victory of the Muslims

After the completion of Fajr Salaat (congregational dawn prayers), Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will open the door behind him where Dajjal accompanied by 70,000 Yahudis (Jews) will be. He will indicate with his hand to move away between him (Hadhrat Isa (A.S.)) and Dajjal. Dajjal will then see Hadhrat Isa (A.S.). At that time every Kafir on whom the breath of Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will reach, will die. His breath will reach up to the distance of his eyesight. The Muslims will then come down from the mountains and break loose on the army of Dajjal. There will be war, Dajjal will retreat, and Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will pursue Dajjal. Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will have two flexible swords and one shield with him and with these he will kill Dajjal at the Gate of Hudd. He willl show the Muslims the blood of Dajjal which will get on his shield. Eventually the Yahudis will be selected and killed. The swine will be killed and the cross broken. People will revert to Islam. Wars will end, and people will return to their respective countries. One Jamaat (group) of Muslims will remain in his service and companionship.

Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will go to Fajr Rawha and perform Haj or Umrah (or both) from there. He will also go to the grave of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and present his greetings and Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) will reply. People will live comfortable lives. The wall of Yajooj and Majooj (Gog and Magog) will then break.

Importance of Solat Asar

Every Muslim knows that Salaah is the most important pillar of Islam after Imaan. Salaah has in fact been ordained as the corner stone of success of the People of Imaan. This is why the Shari'ah has emphasized that it should be performed correctly and punctually.

Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'aan: Safeguard your Salaah and (especially) the middle Salaah (i.e. Asr Salaah) and stand before Allah with humility. (Surah al-Baqarah) To 'safeguard' our Salaah means 'to perform it at its prescribed time and to be steadfast in it so as not to miss a single Salaah '. When this aayah (verse) was revealed, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) warned the Sahaabah (Radiyallahu anhum} against staying away from the Masjid, and even threatened to burn the homes of the men that performed their Salaah at home. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer) In the above aayah, the Asr Salaah has been emphasized since it occurs when people are generally preoccupied in worldly activities.

A Sign of True Imaan Invariably the hours of Salaah will be encountered during the times of business and work - and this is the real test of Imaan. It is really a sign of true Imaan when a Muslim businessman suspends his business dealings and leaves his workplace to answer the call of Allah even during peak hours when customers surround him on all sides.

Once Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radiyallahu anhu} was in the shopping centre. It was time for Salaah and people stood up, closed their shops and proceeded to the Masjid. Hadrat Ibn Umar (Radiyallahu anhu} was delighted at seeing this and remarked, 'These are the people regarding whom this a ayah (in Surah an-Noor) was revealed: (Real) men whom neither trade nor merchandise distracts from the remembrance of Allah.’ Virtues of Asr Salaah Regarding the virtue and excellence of Asr Salaah, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said, 'Whoever performs the two 'cold' salaahs (i.e. Fajr and Asr) shall enter Jannah. ' (al-Bukhaari and Muslim) He has also said, 'The person who performs Salaah before the sun rises and before it sets (i.e. Fajr and Asr) shall never enter the Fire (of Jahannam).’ (SahihMuslim)

In fact, very special virtues have been attached even to the four raka 'aat Sunnah Salaah before Asr. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said: 'May Allah grant mercy and blessings to the person who performs four raka 'aat (Sunnah) before Asr. ' (Abu Daawood) Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has also said: 'The person who regularly performs four raka'aat (Sunnah) before Asr, Allah will forbid his body from the Fire (of Jahannam). ' (at- Tabarani)

Delaying Asr till before Sunset

Unfortunately very few people are able to resist the love of wealth and go to the Masjid only because of their love for Salaah. As a result, they either delay their Zuhr and Asr Salaah or discard them altogether. Let alone missing the Asr Salaah completely, serious warnings have been given against delaying it till just before sunset.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said, “This is the Salaah of the hypocrite: He sits waiting for the sun until it is between the two horns of the shaytaan (i.e. just before sunset). Then ( very hastily) he goes and strikes his head four times on the ground (and) he does not remember Allah therein, but a little.” (Sahih Muslim) Missing Asr completely However, regarding to those people who miss their Asr Salaah completely Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said: 'He who misses his Asr Salaah (i.e. reads it after its specified time) is as if he has lost his wife, children and all his wealth.’ (Sahih Muslim)

In other words, Salaah is so precious that missing one Salaah should make us grieve and mourn its loss like the pain suffered by a man who has lost his wife, his children and all his belongings.

May Allah protect us from missing our Salaah because of the very grave consequences in the Hereafter. Another Hadith warns that for a person who totally neglects or misses his Asr Salaah, all his actions are rendered worthless.

(Mishkaat p.60) This is why the Qur'aan specifically emphasizes the importance of the Asr Salaah. Yet, it is sad and shocking that so many businessmen and workers remain busy in their shops and offices, and read their Asr Salaah during sunset or make it qadha afterwards. Those who are guilty of this should reflect upon the above Ahaadith. Allah Ta'ala also says: Verily Salaah is compulsory on the Muslims at its prescribed time. (Surah an-Nisaa: 103) Therefore, to read a Salaah other than at its prescribed time without a valid Shari' excuse, makes a person deserving of severe punishment.

In Surah al-Maa-oon, referring specifically to the hypocrites, Allah warns them with destruction for neglecting their Salaah and not performing it on time. Yet, these examples are found in abundance amongst Muslims today. The Successful Believers Describing the successful Believers, Allah Ta'ala declares: They are those who are punctual in the performance of their Salaah. (Surah al-Mu'minoon: 9) We engage in business as a means of gaining sustenance. Allah Ta'ala, our Sustainer, has promised sustenance with ease and barakah (blessings) if we perform our Salaah on time and with jama'ah (for males) by observing all its etiquette. But, if our business becomes an obstacle to establishing Salaah, it is actually an obstacle to gaining rizq from Allah Ta' ala. This will deprive our earnings of any barakah and instead of bringing us happiness and enjoyment it will becomes a means of torment and grief.

May Allah guide us to adopt the ways of our Pious Predecessors and those who have earned His pleasure, and may He help us to realise that our success lies truly in submitting to His orders in the manner demonstrated by our Master, Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam). Aameen

A Beautiful Reminder

I hope all of you are well, and in the best of health and emaan.

May Allah grant you all the good and success in this life and the next.

AMEEN.



A beautiful reminder

How are the Muslims of today…?

Fajar is spent in sleep.

Zuhr in college or at job.

Asr in relaxing.

Maghrib busy doing stuff.

Ishaa watching TV.

Jumaah salaat is only 2 rakaat, that too engrossed in worldly thoughts. If anyone prays tahajjud, that is considered astonishing!

Please remember...

The first question asked in the grave will be concerning namaaz.

It is a request to everyone to invite others for namaaz. Insha-Allah, you

will be rewarded for this!

May Allah fulfill the legitimate wishes of the person who sends this message to all...

Ameen!

There are 8 doors of Jannat:

1. Jannat-ul-mava

2. Dar-ul-maqaam

3. Dar-ul-salaam

4. Dar-ul-khuld

5. Jannat-ul-adaan

6. Jannat-ul-naim

7. Jannat-ul-kasif

8. Jannat-ul-firdaus

Insha-Allah, on the day of qayamat may your name be called from all the doors...

Ameen!

Islamic note...

First farishta: Today I came so close to Allah that there were only 70 veils between me and Allah Ta-ala.

Second farishta: But when a momin stands for prayer, he comes so close to Allah that even those 70 veils are removed!!

Rasool Allah ( S.A.W.) has proclaimed:

1.. The person who is always in a state of wazoo, Allah will increase his livelihood!

2. The person who doesn't reveal his needs to others, his needs are soon fulfilled!

3. Allah Ta-ala keeps that person healthy and happy (abaad) who after listening to Hadith forwards it to others!

Subhan-Allah, to propagate a good thing is Sadqa Jaaria.

True Love - A Vday Special..

Salaam,

With Valentines day celebration filling the air.. i have noticed that more and more muslim couples are beginning not to celebrate valentines day. i thought it would be most appropriate to cover as on why this happens. Hope the article as follows would be of help. :)

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True Love

Love - one of the strongest emotions known to mankind- a power that can ruin or redeem a life- that can bring joy or painful heartbreak.

Today as the world celebrates this emotion on Valentine’s Day, we see hearts of all sizes and shapes all around, hearts of chocolate and satin. O Yes! It’s Valentines! The day of hearts, red roses, poetry, candies and above all - Love!

Where did Valentine’s Day come from?

There are many traditions about its origin, but the most authentic seems to be the one from Encyclopedia Britannica that says that this day has nothing to do with Saint Valentine, instead it is related to the Roman pagan festival of their god, Lupercalia.

It was celebrated on 15^th February and in honour of the goddess Juno Februata, the names of girls were placed in an urn and the men would draw out the name of a girl at random who would then become their date for the remaining festival.

When Christianity came to Rome, they tried to Christianize this obscene yet popular festival by replacing the names of girls by those of saints. The men were then supposed to emulate the saint, whose name they drew, for the rest of the year. However this attempt proved unsuccessful and the use of girls’ names returned.

Many associated it with Cupid (the virtually naked god of love), who is the central character of Valentine’s Day paraphernalia, who shoots people with his arrows to make them fall in love. His mother is said to be Venus (goddess of love) and apparently the rose was her favourite flower.

Another tradition speaks of a Saint Valentine who was killed on 14^th Feb. by Emperor Claudius for secretly arranging the marriages of his soldiers whom he had banned from marriage. The Bishop is said to have fallen in love with the jailer’s daughter during his imprisonment and wrote her a letter signed ‘Your Valentine’, which became a tradition for people to come. In 496 Pope Gelasius officially replaced the pagan festival of 15^th Feb with St Valentine’s Day on14^th Feb.

Valentine’s Day Today

Whatever the origin of this day, today it seems to have returned to its pagan, vulgar roots with the child-god cupid and open dating being very much a part of it. It is celebrated in many parts of the world in different ways. For instance, in France, a girl befriends the first boy she sees in the morning and if this relationship lasts for a year, they end up getting engaged on the next Valentine’s Day. The Valentine lottery caused severe problems in France and was banned completely in 1776. Later Italy, Hungary, Austria and Germany also rid themselves of this obscene custom. England remained safe until it was under Puritan rule but then Charles II started it again and from there it entered America, where it was first commercialized by A E Howland, who made 5000 dollars from selling Valentine cards. In 1995 one billion valentine cards were delivered in the US and the postal Dept. made an extra profit of $ 30 million. Flowers began to be used in 1300.

Now people all over cash in on this opportunity to kindle the fire in young hearts and instill in their minds the necessity of having a ‘Special Someone’ to love. No wonder last year’s newspaper carried news of a woman who sued her husband for divorce for not giving her anything on Valentine’s. According to her it was absolutely necessary to express one’s love on this day and her husband did not give her anything which meant that he did not love her.

Apparently Valentine’s Day made her feel ‘unloved’ rather than ‘loved’.

What kind of love depends upon gifts for its survival? What kind of love is restricted to one day in the whole year? What kind of love breeds hatred, jealousy and a sense of deprivation in many?

Valentine’s Day also proves exceptionally painful for the not-so-popular kids in school who don’t get as many Valentine cards as their friends do.

In Pakistan, this day has come to mean getting dressed in red, valentine cards, hearts, and chocolates. Through these apparently innocent things the occasion promotes the culture of free sex and male-female relations. Also becoming common are public displays of emotions including advertising love messages in newspapers, going out on romantic dates and attending valentine balls and parties. Schools are not far behind in holding such parties for their students. As a result, even young children are fed new ideas of developing lusty feelings and expressing them boldly. Closet romantics are given a chance to emerge. They imitate their favourite movie love scenes in broad daylight. In all this ‘love’ fever Islam is given a backseat to sit and see how it’s teachings are being ridiculed in public.

The question that comes to mind is why should WE celebrate Valentine’s Day? Is it our national festival or a religious one?

Festivals are part of a nation’s identity. They symbolize any religion or culture.

ASK YOURSELF !

On this day that the world celebrates love and we see hearts all around, ask yourself: “Have I ever thought of loving the One Who created me, the One Who gave me a heart that can feel love? Has this heart ever felt love for Him? How many times have I cried for His love?

Have I ever spent any time, effort or money to express my love to Him Who has given me all these things? Am I confident enough to declare my love for Him? Do I ever miss Him in solitude or amongst a crowd? Or am I wasting away a beautiful emotion that was meant for eternity-not just momentary gratification of our ego? Inspite of our ingratitude, The Merciful One continues to love us .

Our love is a measure of our faith. Is our love deep enough to recognize the One we cannot see but expressions of His love are scattered all around us? Or is it so shallow that it begins and ends only with humans who often abandon and hurt us in this world when we need them the most, whose love brings heartbreak and depression and who will be the first to leave us when we depart from this world?

Ask yourself, “ How much do I love Prophet Mohammad who had said: “By Him in Whose Hands my life is, none of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father and his children and all mankind” (Bukhari).

Did you ever wonder how we can get Allah to love us too?

Ask yourself why do I love the people I do? Are the motives all worldly like their looks or money or is it something deeper like their piety or good deeds?

Ask Yourself!

Ask yourself honestly, is Valentine’s Day anything but obeying our baser desires and following our lusts? Are we only like cattle following our passions and the trends without knowing why, without understanding?

As a Muslim, a boy-girl friendship is totally out of bounds. In Surah An-Nisa a woman’s qualities are described:

“Chaste, not lustful nor ones taking secret friends”

Muslims have a beautiful institution of marriage where romance is not a summer fling nor is it based on superficial looks, but on a serene relationship of mutual affection, kindness and responsibility.

T R U E L O V E

For a Muslim, TRUE LOVE happens only once and eternally and that is with the Lord, The One Who exists from eternity till forever. For Muslims, love for Him supersedes everything and everyone else. Love for Allah is meaningful since it then teaches loving all His creatures (and not just a ‘Special Someone’).

Muslims already have a day for expressing love and that is ‘Id-al-Azha when Muslims sacrifice a life to show Allah that they can sacrifice anything for Him-even their own lives. They relive the Sunnah of Sayidina Ibrahim -Allah’s friend-who readily proceeded to sacrifice his most beloved possession, his teenaged son, for Allah. Love demands sacrifice.

Do we have that kind of pure and intense love in our life? Who do we love the most-our own selves and desires or Our Rabb? If we love Allah, how can we celebrate a pagan custom when our Beloved Lord abhors paganism more than anything else? Then how deeply do we feel on A‘Id-al-Azha and how do we feel on Valentine’s?

A Muslim’s actions are not purposeless or meaningless. Even his love is meaningful and the expression of love is useful, since instead of spending thousands on flowers, on ‘Id-al-Azha meat is provided for the poor, jobs are created for many, animal skin is used for leather and so on.

A Muslim doesn’t do something just because the whole world is doing it. He doesn’t waste his life. Let us be Muslims in heart, body and soul.

Let us then find

True Love

True love seeks sacrifice and I’ve given it all.
This, this is true love in it’s purest form.
I turn my face towards You now.
The Lord of my world and the Heavens above.
I am Yours and Yours, alone.
My prayer, my sacrifice are only for You.
My life and death are Yours to take.
A promise I make.
To lay my life for You.
An oath that I worship.
No-one but You.

(Inspired by dua of The Holy Prophet SAW to be read at Qurbani time)

No excuse not to pray..

Check out the extent to which these muslim brothers and sisters go to fulfill the call of prayer! Mashallah!! Frankly, i am ashamed of myself... :(

I pray that Allah blesses us with such strong Iman.Ameen

Thirst for Learning

"After the passing away of the Prophet (peace be upon him), I said to an Ansari friend of mine: ‘The Prophet is not now with us. But a large number of Sahabah are still among us. Let us go to them and get knowledge of the Islamic practices.’ He said: ' Who is going to approach you for learning a regulation in the presence of these eminent Sahabah?' I was not discouraged. I kept up my quest for knowledge and approached every person who was supposed to have heard something from the Prophet. I managed to gather substantial information from the Ansar. If on my visit to someone of the Sahabah, I found him asleep, I spread my shawl at the gate and sat waiting.

Sometimes my face and body would get covered with dust, but I kept sitting till they woke and I was able to contact them. Some of them said: 'Abdullah you are the cousin of the Prophet; you could have sent for us. Why did you take the trouble of coming to our places?' I said to them: 'I must come to you, for I am a student and you are my teachers.' Some people for whom I had waited said: 'Since when have you been waiting for us?' I informed them that I had been sitting there for a pretty long time. They said: 'What a pity! You could have awakened us from our sleep.' I said: 'I did not like to disturb you for my own sake.' I thus carried on my pursuits, till there came a time when people began to flock to me for learning. My Ansari friend realized this at that time and remarked: 'This boy has surely proved himself more sensible than us.'

" Source: From the book "Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad Zakariyya Kaandhlawi.

Besides our quest for knowledge to earn a livelihood in this world, we must as well gain sufficient knowledge of Islam. No matter what age group we belong to at this moment, we should atleast have that much Islamic knowledge with which we can turn our 24 hours life into worship. Those with knowledge and practice will be exalted in this world and in the hereafter

A letter from a Christian to Muslim women

A letter from a Christian to Muslim women

March 7th, 2007

By Joanna Francis
Writer, Journalist - USA


Between the Israeli assault on Lebanon and the Zionist “war on terror,” the Muslim
world is now center stage in every American home. I see the carnage, death and
destruction that have befallen Lebanon, but I also see something else: I see you. I
can’t help but notice that almost every woman I see is carrying a baby or has children
around her. I see that though they are dressed modestly, their beauty still shines
through. But it’s not just outer beauty that I notice. I also notice that I feel something
strange inside me: I feel envy. I feel terrible for the horrible experiences and war
crimes that the Lebanese people have suffered, being targeted by our common enemy.
But I can’t help but admire your strength, your beauty, your modesty, and most of all,
your happiness.

Yes, it’s strange, but it occurred to me that even under constant bombardment, you
still seemed happier than we are, because you were still living the natural lives of
women. The way women have always lived since the beginning of time. It used to be
that way in the West until the 1960s, when we were bombarded by the same enemy.
Only we were not bombarded with actual munitions, but with subtle trickery and
moral corruption.

Through Temptation

They bombarded us Americans from Hollywood, instead of from fighter jets or with
our own American-made tanks. They would like to bomb you in this way too, after
they’ve finished bombing the infrastructure of your countries. I do not want this to
happen to you. You will feel degraded, just like we do. You can avoid this kind of
bombing if you will kindly listen to those of us who have already suffered serious
casualties from their evil influence. Because everything you see coming out of
Hollywood is a pack of lies, a distortion of reality, smoke and mirrors. They present
casual sex as harmless recreation because they aim to destroy the moral fabric of the
societies into which they beam their poisonous programming. I beg you not to drink
their poison. There is no antidote for it once you have consumed it. You may recover
partially, but you will never be the same. Better to avoid the poison altogether than to
try to heal from the damage it causes.

They will try to tempt you with their titillating movies and music videos, falsely
portraying us American women as happy and satisfied, proud of dressing like
prostitutes, and content without families. Most of us are not happy, trust me. Millions
of us are on anti-depressant medication, hate our jobs, and cry at night over the men
who told us they loved us, then greedily used us and walked away. They would like to destroy your families and convince you to have fewer children. They do this by presenting marriage as a form of slavery, motherhood as a curse, and being modest and pure as old-fashioned. They want you to cheapen yourself and lose your faith. They are like the Serpent
tempting Eve with the apple. Don’t bite.

Self-Value

I see you as precious gems, pure gold, or the “pearl of great value” spoken of in the
Bible (Matthew 13: 45). All women are pearls of great value, but some of us have
been deceived into doubting the value of our purity. Jesus said: “Give not that which
is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them
under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7: 6). Our pearls are
priceless, but they convince us that they’re cheap. But trust me; there is no substitute
for being able to look in the mirror and seeing purity, innocence and self-respect
staring back at you.

The fashions coming out of the Western sewer are designed to make you believe that
your most valuable asset is your sexuality. But your beautiful dresses and veils are
actually sexier than any Western fashion, because they cloak you in mystery and show
self-respect and confidence. A woman’s sexuality should be guarded from unworthy
eyes, since it should be your gift to the man who loves and respects you enough to
marry you. And since your men are still manly warriors, they deserve no less than
your best. Our men don’t even want purity anymore. They don’t recognize the pearl
of great value, opting for the flashy rhinestone instead. Only to leave her too!


Your most valuable assets are your inner beauty, your innocence, and everything that
makes you who you are. But I notice that some Muslim women push the limit and try
to be as Western as possible, even while wearing a veil (with some of their hair
showing). Why imitate women who already regret, or will soon regret, their lost
virtue? There is no compensation for that loss. You are flawless diamonds. Don’t let
them trick you into becoming rhinestones. Because everything you see in the
fashion magazines and on Western television is a lie. It is Satan’s trap. It is fool’s
gold.

A Woman’s Heart

I’ll let you in on a little secret, just in case you’re curious: pre-marital sex is not even
that great. We gave our bodies to the men we were in love with, believing that that
was the way to make them love us and want to marry us, just as we had seen on
television growing up. But without the security of marriage and the sure knowledge
that he will always stay with us, it’s not even enjoyable! That’s the irony. It was just a
waste. It leaves you in tears.

Speaking as one woman to another, I believe that you understand that already.
Because only a woman can truly understand what’s in another woman’s heart. We
really are all alike. Our race, religion or nationalities do not matter. A woman’s heart
is the same everywhere. We love. That’s what we do best. We nurture our families
and give comfort and strength to the men we love. But we American women have
been fooled into believing that we are happiest having careers, our own homes in
which to live alone, and freedom to give our love away to whomever we choose.
That is not freedom. And that is not love.

Only in the safe haven of marriage can a woman’s body and heart be safe to love.
Don’t settle for anything less. It’s not worth it. You won’t even like it and you’ll like
yourself even less afterwards. Then he’ll leave you.

Self-Denial

Sin never pays. It always cheats you. Even though I have reclaimed my honor,
there’s still no substitute for having never been dishonored in the first place. We
Western women have been brainwashed into thinking that you Muslim women are
oppressed. But truly, we are the ones who are oppressed; slaves to fashions that
degrade us, obsessed with our weight, begging for love from men who do not
want to grow up. Deep down inside, we know that we have been cheated.

We secretly admire and envy you, although some of us will not admit it. Please do not
look down on us or think that we like things the way they are. It’s not our fault. Most
of us did not have fathers to protect us when we were young because our families
have been destroyed. You know who is behind this plot.

Don’t be fooled, my sisters. Don’t let them get you too. Stay innocent and pure. We
Christian women need to see what life is really supposed to be like for women. We
need you to set the example for us, because we are lost. Hold onto your purity.
Remember: you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. So guard your “toothpaste”
carefully!


I hope you receive this advice in the spirit in which it is intended: the spirit of
friendship, respect, and admiration. From your Christian sister – with love…


* This article is republished with the kind permission of the author. The original can
be found on Crescent and the Cross. Joanna Francis is a writer and journalist. She
manages her own blog.

End Racism with Islam

Recent events remind us that racism remains rampant. How can it end? Only understanding and education can end racism.

People must realise that God created all humans from one couple.

The entire human race is therefore one large extended family. God says: "O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from its mate; and from the two of them He spread abroad a multitude of men and women" [Al-Qur'an 4:1] "O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know each other.

The noblest of you, in the sight of Allah(1), is the best in conduct" [Al-Qur'an 49:13] The noblest is the best in conduct. Such persons may belong to any race or country. What really matters is their conduct and behaviour. This is why the prophet Muhammad(p)(2) in a public address said that the Arabs are not superior to the non-Arabs, and one colour is not superior to another. He also said that people should obey their leader even if he is a black person.

Furthermore, we must understand that no race is superior to another. When we see a garden with many different flowers we appreciate the beauty of the entire arrangement. We have nothing against the colour of any flower because each contributes something to the beauty of the garden.In a similar way we may see the world as a garden decorated with people of different colours. Let us appreciate that each variety of people contributes something to the spice of life in this world.

As a result of following these teachings, many people are able to end racism in their thoughts and actions. You can still see racial harmony today in the mosques of cosmopolitan cities. There you will find people of various colours worshipping together, all with equal status before God. Rich or poor, black or white, king or pauper all line up side by side to worship. No special consideration is given to anyone based on colour or social status. In many mosques the leader is black and the followers white. There is no such concept as a "black mosque" or "white mosque." Islam removes such destructive concepts.
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Footnotes
1 Allah is the name of God used by Arabic-Speaking Christians and Jews, and by Muslims of every language.

2 May peace, and the blessings of Allah, be on His messengers Muhammad, Jesus, Moses and others.