Category Archives: MYF News

Convert a lemon into a sweet drink

Posted on November 13th, 2012 · Filed under International News, MYF Latest News, MYF News, MYF Projects, UK News

An intelligent and skillful person transforms losses into profits; whereas, the unskilled person aggravates his own predicament, often making two disasters out of one.

The Prophet (pbuh) was compelled to leave Makkah, but rather than quit his mission, he continued it in Madeenah — the city that took its place in history with lightning speed.

Imam Abmad ibn Hanbal was severely tortured and flogged, and yet he emerged triumphant from that ordeal, becoming the Imam of the Sunnah. Imam Ibn Taymiyah was put into prison; he later came out an even more accomplished scholar than he was before. Imam As-Sarakhsi was held as a prisoner, kept at the bottom of an unused well; he managed therein to produce twenty volumes on Islamic jurisprudence. Ibn Atheer became crippled, after which he wrote Jam `ey al-Usool and An-Nihayah, two of the most famous books in the Science of Hadith. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi was banished from Baghdad. Then, through his travels, he became proficient in the seven recitations of the Qur’an. Maalik ibn ar-Rayb was on his deathbed when he recited his most famous and beautiful poem, which is appreciated until this day. When Abi Dhu’aib al-Hadhali’s children died before him, he eulogized them with a poem that the world listened to and admired.

Therefore, if you are afflicted with a misfortune, look on the bright side. If someone were to hand you a glass full of squeezed lemons, add to it a handful of sugar. And if someone gives you a snake as a gift, keep its precious skin and leave the rest.

And it may be that you dislike a thing that is good for you…

(Qur ‘an 2: 216)

Before its violent revolution, France imprisoned two brilliant poets: one an optimist, the other a pessimist. They both squeezed their heads through the bars of their cell windows. The optimist then stared at the stars and laughed, while the pessimist looked at the dirt of a neighboring road and wept. Look at the other side of a tragedy – a circumstance of pure evil does not exist, and in all situations one can find goodness and profit and reward from Allah.

Is not He [better than your gods] Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him… (Qur’an 27: 62)

From Whom do the weak and the oppressed seek victory? Who does everyone beseech? He is Allah. None has the right to be worshipped except Him.

Therefore it is most advisable for you and I to invoke Him during times of both hardship and ease, to seek shelter with Him in difficult times, and to plead at His doorstep with tears of repentance; then will His help and relief quickly arrive.

(Is not He [better than your gods] Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him… (Qur’an 27: 62)

He saves the one who is drowning, gives victory to the oppressed, guides the misguided, cures the sick, and provides relief to the afflicted.

And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allah, making their Faith pure for Him only… (Qur ‘an 29: 65)

As for the various supplications one makes to remove hardship, I refer you to the books of the Sunnah. In them, you will learn prophetic supplications with which you can call to Allah, supplicate to Him, and seek His aid. If you have found Him, then you have found everything. And if you lose your faith in Him, then you have lost everything. By supplicating to Him you are performing one of the highest forms of worship. If you are persistent and sincere in your supplication, you will achieve freedom from worry and anxiety. All ropes are cut loose save His, and all doors are shut save His. He is near; He hears all and answers those who supplicate to Him.

If you are living through affliction and pain, remember Allah, call out His name, and ask Him for help. Place your forehead on the ground and mention His praises, so that you can obtain true freedom. Raise your hands in supplication, and ask of Him constantly. Cling to His door, have good thoughts about Him, and wait for His help – you will then find true happiness and success.

Hajj

Posted on October 24th, 2012 · Filed under MYF News

The Reward Of Hajj
Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messsenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) said: One Umrah is an expiation for the sins commited between it and another Umrah and an accepted pilgrimage has got no less a reward than paradise. (Bukhari and Muslim)

The Best Jihad for Women is Hajj
Narrated mother of faithful believers, Hadrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): I said, “O Allah’s Messenger! We consider Jihad as the best deed.” The Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) said, “The best Jihad (for women) is Hajj-Mabrur.” (An accepted Hajj) (Bukhari)

Ask the pilgrim to Pray for You
Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard Allah’s Apostle (May the blessings of Allah be with him) say: When you meet one who has made pilgrimage, greet him, shake hands with him and tell him to ask forgiveness for you before he enters his house, for he has been forgiven. (Ahmad)

Performing Hajj on Behalf of Another Person
Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a woman of Khashama (tribe) enquired: O Messenger of Allah! The obligatory injunction of Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) over His servants regarding pilgrimage had come when my father was very old and could not sit firmly over a conveyance. May I make pilgrimage for him? “Yes” said he. And that was at the Farewell Pilgrimage. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Taking Provisions on Hajj
Narrated Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): The people of Yemen used to come for Hajj and used not to bring enough provisions with them and used to say that they depend on Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted). On their arrival in Madina they used to beg the people, and so Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) revealed, “And take a provision (with you for the journey), but the best provision is to be dutiful to Allah.” (2:197) (Bukhari and Muslim)

Talbiya
Hadrat Abu Sa’eed-al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We came out with Allah’s Apostle (May the blessings of Allah be with him) for pilgrimage, proclaiming LABBAIK loudly. (Muslim)

Narrated Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): The Talbiya of Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) was:

Labbaik Allahumma labbaik, Labbaika la sharika laka labbaik, Inna-l-hamda wan-ni’mata laka, wal-mulk, La sharika laka’

(I respond to Your call O Allah, I respond to Your call, and I am obedient to Your orders, You have no parter, I respond to Your call. All the praises and blessings are for You, All the sovereignty is for You, And You have no partners with You). (Bukhari)

Miqat
Narrated Nafi: Hadrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “A man got up in the mosque and said: “O Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him)! ‘At which place do you order us that we should assume the Ihram?’ Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) replied, ‘The residents of Madina should assume the Ihram from Dhil-Hulaifa, the people of Syria from Al-Juhfa and the people of Najd from Qarn.'” Hadrat Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) further said, “The people consider that Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) had also said, ‘The residents of Yemen should assume Ihram from Yalamlam.” Hadrat Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say, “I do not remember whether Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) had said the last statement or not.” (Bukhari)

ZamZam is Shifa (cure)
Hadrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) say: ‘Zamzam is a cure for any purpose for which it is being drunk.’ (Ibn Majah)

Hajar-al-Aswad
Narrated Abis bin Rabia: Sayyidina Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said, “No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) kissing you I would not have kissed you.” (Bukhari)

Mina
Mother of faithful believers, Hadrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: We asked: O Messenger of Allah! Shall we not build a structure for you which will give you shade at Mina! He said: No; Mina is the halting place of those who proceed. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

Arafat
Narrated Muhammed bin Abu Bakr Al-Thaqafi: I asked Hadrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) while we were proceeding from Mina to Arafat, “What did you use to do when you were with Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him)?” Hadrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Some of us used to recite Talbiya and nobody objected to that, and others used to recite Takbir and nobody objected to that.” (Bukhari)

Muzdalifa
Narrated Hadrat Abdulla Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) offered the Maghrib and Isha prayers together at Jam’ (i.e. Al-Muzadalifah) with a separate Iqama for each of them and did not offer any optional prayer in between them or after each of them. (Bukhari)

Stoning the Jamarah
Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported from Fadl-bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) who was riding behind the Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) that the Prophet had said during the night at Arafat and the morning at Muzdalifa to the people when they were returning: “March on with peace.” And he was (at that time) holding back his camel, until he entered Muhasser which is a part of Mina. He said: You should take small pebbles of Khazf for being thrown at the Jamarah. And he said; Allah’s Apostle (May the blessings of Allah be with him) did not stop saying ‘Labbaik‘ till he threw pebbles at the Jamarah. (Muslim)

Shaving or Cutting of Hair
Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) had his head shaved in the Farewell Pilgrimage and so also did some of followers; and some had their hair clipped. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) said; There is no shaving for women. There is only clipping (of hair) for women. (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

Merits of Makkah and Madina
Hadrat Abu Sa’eed (may Allah be pleased with him) reported from the Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) who said: Verily Sayyidina Ibrahim (peace be upon him) sanctified Makkah and he made it sacred but I have sanctified Madinah, making unlawful what is between its surroundings, not to shed blood therein, not to carry arms therein for fighting and not to cut a tree except for forage. (Muslim)

Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) said: Nobody shall bear the trials and hardships of Madina out of my followers but I shall become for him an intercessor on the Resurrection Day. (Muslim)

Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) said: There are angels over the mountain roads of Madina. Neither epidemics nor Dajjal shall enter there. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Ziyara of Rasulullah (May the blessings of Allah be with him)
Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that Rasulullah (May the blessings of Allah be with him) said: ‘Whoever visits me after my death is like he who had visited me during my life.’ (Tabarani, Dar-Qutni)

The Superiority of the Place Between the Pulpit and the Rawda of the Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him)
Narrated Hadrat Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mazini (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) said, “Between my house and the pulpit there is a garden from amongst the gardens of Paradise. (Bukhari)

Forty Salah in Masjid Nabawi
Hadrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that Rasulullah (May the blessings of Allah be with him) said: “Whoever performs forty salah in my Masjid, not missing one salah in the Masjid; for him is granted exemption from the fire of Hell; and the exemption from punishment and he shall remain free of hypocrisy.” (Ahmad, Tabarani)

How the Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) Performed The Hajj
Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Allah’s Messenger (May the blessings of Allah be with him) stayed at Madina for nine years without making pilgrimage. Then in the tenth year it was proclaimed among men that the Messenger of Allah intended pilgrimage. Thereafter many people assembled at Madina and we came out with him till we came to Zul-Halifah. There Asma’a, daughter of Umais, gave birth to Muhammad, son of Abu Bakr. She sent (news) to the Prophet: What shall I do! He said: Take bath and bandange private parts with a cloth and make Ihram.

The Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) then prayed in the mosque and next he rode on Qaswa’ (she-camel) till when it took him up to Baida’a, he uttered Talbiya with Tauhid and with ‘O Allah! Labbaik Labbaik; Thou hast no partner.Labbaik, all praise and grace for Thee and the dominion. Thou hast no partner.

Hadrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We did not intend but pilgrimage. We did not know Umrah, but when we came to the House (the Ka’ba) with him, he touched the corner and made seven rounds, three rounds by mild running, and four by walking. Then he proceeded to the place of Abraham and recited: Take the place of Abraham as a praying place and keep the place between him and the House.

In a narration: He recited in the two rak’ahs: Say, He is Allah [surah Ikhlas] and, Say, O you unbelievers! [Surah Kafirun]. Afterwards he returned to the corner and then touched it.

He then came out by the door Safa. When he came near Safa, he recited, Safa and Marwah are the signs of Allah. He said: I began with what Allah began. He began with Safa and ascended thereon till he saw the House. Then he turned his face towards the Ka’ba,declared the Unity of Allah, glorified Him and said: There is no god but Allah, He is One, there’s no partner for Him, the dominion is His, and all praise is His and He is Powerful over all things. There is no god but Allah, the Single. He fulfilled His promise and helped His servant and routed the Allies.

Then he made supplication in the midst of that, uttering similiar words thrice. Then he got down and walked to Marwah, till when his feet touched the bottom of the valley, he ran, and when he ascended, he walked till he came to Marwah. He did on Marwa just as he had done on Safa, till when the last of his rounds was on Marwah, he proclaimed while he was on Marwah and the people were behind him.

He said: Had I known my affairs as I came to know them after, I would not have brought sarcrificial animals, but made it an Umrah. If there is any of you with whom there is no sacrificial animal, he may take Ihram and treat it as an Umrah. Hadrat Soraqah bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) got up and asked: O Messenger of Allah! is this for this year of ours or forever? The Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) intertwined his fingers and said: Umrah has entered unto Hajj; no, rather for ever.

Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came from Yemen with the camels of the Prophet and said: What did you utter when you made pilgrimage compulsory? He (the Prophet) replied, “O Allah, I make Ihram just as Thy Prophet made”. He added: “There is sacrificial animal with me. So don’t put off the Ihram”. (Hadrat Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said): The total of sacrificial animals which Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) brought from Yemen and which the Prophet brought with him was one hundred.

Then all the people removed the Ihram and clipped their hairs except the Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) and those with whom there were sacrificial animals. When there came the 8th day of Dhul Hijja, they turned towards Mina and made Ihram for pilgrimage. The Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) rode on. He prayed there Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr. Then he stayed for a while till the sun rose high. He then ordered for a tent of fur to be pitched at Namerah. The Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) then made the journey while the Quraish did not doubt that he would stay at Mash’arul Haram as the Quraish in the Days of Ignorance used to. Then the Messenger of Allah went on till he came to Arafat. He found a tent pitched up for him at Namerah. He got down therein, till when the sun inclined towards the west, he ordered for his she-camel Qaswa which conveyed him.

Then he came to the foot of the valley and addressed the people and said:

“Verily your lives and your property are sacred to you like the sacredness of this day of yours in this month of yours and in this city of yours.

“Behold! everything of the Days of Ignorance has been destroyed under my feet and the blood claims of the Days of Ignorance have been remitted. The first murder of the murder of ours which I remit is the murder of Ibn-Rabiyah, son of Hares, who was nursed among Banu Sa’ad, killed by Huzail.

And verily all usury of the Days of Ignorance is forbidden, and the first usury of our usuries that was forbidden was the usury of Abbas, son of Abdul Muttalib, and that is entirely forbidden. Fear Allah abut women, because you have taken them with the trust of Allah and made their private parts lawful with the Word of Allah. You have taken with them with the word of Allah. You have got right over them that they shall not entertain anybody on your bed. If they do that, scourge them without being oppressive. And they have got rights over you that you shall clothe them and feed them in a just manner.

And I have left among you a thing which if you adhere to, you will never be misguided after me, the Book of Allah. You will be asked about me. So what will you say? They said: We shall testify that you have certainly communicated and fulfilled the messsage, and given admonition. Then he said with his forefinger raised up towards heaven and pointing towards men: O Allah, be witness [thrice].

Afterwards Hadrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) proclaimed the Azan, then he read the Aqamah and prayed the Zuhr prayer. The he read Aqamah and prayed Asr without praying anything between them. Then he rode on till he came to the halting place (Arafat). He turned the back of his camel Qaswa towards the rocks and kept Habul Mushat in his front and faced the Qiblah. He continued to stay till the sun set in or the reddish colour went a little, till the disc of the sun disappreared.

He took Hadrat Osamah (may Allah be pleased with him) back on his riding animal and marched on till he came to Muzdalifah. He prayed Maghrib and Isha prayers there with Azan and two Aqamahs without any Tasbih between these two. Then he slept till there was dawn. He prayed Fajr when it was early dawn with one Azan and one Aqamah.

He rode on Qaswa till he reached Masharul Haram. He then turned towards the Qibla, invoked Allah, glorified Him, recited Tahlil and declared His unity. He continued to stay (there) till it was very clear.

Then he began to march before the sun rose and took Hadrat Fadl bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) behind, till he came to the valley of Mohasser. He halted a little and then threaded the middle way which comes out over the greater Jamarah, till he came to a Jamarah near the tree. He threw seven small pebbles like the pebbles of Khazf uttering takbir at each throwing. He threw from the foot of the valley and then departed to the place of sacrifice. He sacrified with his own hands 63 camels and gave (the rest) to Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who sacrificed what remained. He made him (Sayyidina Ali) a partner in his animals. Then he ordered for some meat of every camel. It was then put in a kettle and cooked. They both partook of its meat and drank some of its broth.

The Prophet (May the blessings of Allah be with him) afterwards rode, hastened towards the House, prayed Zuhr at Makka and came to Banu Abdul Muttalib who were in charge of Zamzam well. He said: Take water from the children of Abdul Muttalib. But for the people who might overcome your right in your giving drink, I would have drawn water with you. They then gave him a bucket of water and he drank there-from. (Muslim)

Eid Prayers 8:00am & 10:30am

Posted on October 23rd, 2012 · Filed under MYF News

Eid Prayers will be at 8:00am & 10:30am inshallah on Friday 26th October.

 

As usual the jumma prayers will also be at there normal times of 12:15pm & 1:15pm.

 

 

Jealousy is not something new

Posted on October 17th, 2012 · Filed under International News, MYF Latest News, MYF News, MYF Projects, UK News

If you hear the beating of resentful words in your ears, do not worry jealousy is not something new. As a poet said: “Devote yourself to the gathering of virtues, and work, and turn your back on someone who cools his jealousy by giving you censure, Know that your life’s-span is the season of good deeds, in it, they may be accepted, and after is death, when all jealousy ceases.” A wise person said:

“When facing criticism or the unjust rebuke, those who have sensitive feelings must pour a certain amount of coolness into their nerves by force.” Another said:

If Allah wishes good for one of His slaves, He covers him with slumber as a security, as occurred to Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) before the battle of Uhud. A short time before the battle, while the disbelievers waited in nervous apprehension, he was covered with a slumber that made him, on a few occasions, drop his sword, so serene and calm did he feel.

Allah, the Almighty, said:

Say: Do you wait for us [anything] except one of the two best things [martyrdom or victory]; while we wait for you either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Him or at our hands. So wait, we too are waiting with you.) (Qur’an 9: 52)

And no person can ever die except by Allah :c Leave and at an appointed term.
(Qur’an 3: 145)

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Which of the two days of death do I fear? The day in which it was not decreed for me to die or the day in which death was preordained for me. As for the former, I fear it not. And as for the latter, it is destined to happen, and even cautious ones cannot be saved on that day.”

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Seek out death (i.e. be brave) and you shall be granted life.”

Do not be sad, for Allah defends you and the angels ask forgiveness for you; the believers share with you their supplications in every prayer; the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) will intercede for the believers; the Qur’an is replete with good promises; and above all is the mercy of He Who is the Most Merciful.

Do not be sad: the good deed is increased so that its value is multiplied tenfold or seven hundred fold or even much, much more.

Meanwhile, the evil deed is valued without increase or multiplication, and your Lord can forgive even that. How many times do we witness Allah’s generosity, generosity that is unmatched by any! And benevolence from any one else cannot reach even near His Benevolence.

If you do not associate partners with Allah, if you believe in the true religion, and if you love Allah and His Messenger (bpuh), do not feel sad. If you feel regret for your bad deeds and you rejoice when you do a worthy act, do not feel sad. You have much good with you that you do not perceive.

If, in your life, you are able to establish the state of balanced harmony that is referred to in the following hadith, do not feel sad:

“How wonderful is the state of the believer. All of his affairs are good for him! And that is not so, except for the believer. If he has cause to be happy, he is thankful, and that is good for him. And if he is afflicted with hardship, he is patient, and that is good for him.”

Do not be sad: forbearance in times of distress is the path to both success and happiness.

And endure you patiently; your patience is not but from Allah. (Qur’an 16: 127)

So [for me] patience is most. Fitting. And it is Allah [Alone] whose help can be sought against that which you assert. (Qur ‘an 12: 18)

So be patient, with a good patience. (Qur’an 70: 5)

Ore ace be upon you for that you persevered in patience! (Qur’an 13: 24)

And bear with patience whatever befalls you. (Qur ‘an 31: 17)

Endure and he more patient [than your enemy], and guard your territory by stationing army units permanently at the places from where the enemy can attack you… (Qur’an 3: 200)

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Through patience we have now achieved a good life.”

For the people of the Sunnah, there are three things that they resort to when faced with calamity: patience, supplication, and waiting with expectation for a good outcome. A poet said:

“We have poured them a glass and they have similarly poured one for us (alluding to the blood enemies draw from each other in battle),

But in the face of death, we were the more patient.” In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:

“There is none who is more patient when he hears something offensive than Allah. They claim that He has a child and a wife, yet He gives them health and provision.”

The Prophet (bpuh) also said:

“May Allah have mercy on Moosa (Moses)? He was tested with more than this (i.e. than what I have been tested with), and he was still patient.” And he (bpuh) said:

“Whoever is patient, Allah will give him further strength to continue to be patient.”
A poet said:

“I have crawled my way to distinction, and those who have striven have reached it,
With the toil of labor, and the sparing of no small effort, many have tried to reach it, and most became bored or tired during their journey, And they embrace distinction that remain true and are patient, Do not consider distinction to be an apple that you eat, you will not achieve distinction until you beat hardship with your patience.”

Higher goals are not achieved through dreaming or fantasizing; they can only be reached through dedication and commitment.

Do not grieve over how people treat you. And learn this lesson by observing how they behave with Allah.

Imam Ahmad reported a hadith in the book of Zuhd, in which the Prophet (bpuh) relates the following saying from Allah: “Strange are you, O’ son of Adam! I have created you and you worship other than me. I have provided for you and you thank those besides me. I show you love by giving you blessings and I do not need you. While you show me animosity through your sins and you are to me poor. My good is descending to you and your evil is rising to me.’

It is mentioned in the biography of Prophet Eesa (Jesus) (may peace be upon him) that, by the permission of Allah, he healed thirty sick people and cured many who were afflicted with blindness. Afterwards they turned on him as enemies.

New Classes starting at MYF

Posted on September 25th, 2012 · Filed under MYF Latest News, MYF News

On a weekly basis now there will be the following classes starting at the MYF:

 

Every Sunday after Asr Tajweed classes

Every Sunday after Maghreb Hadith classes

Every Tuesday 7-9pm Abu sondes Study circle

 

Call into the office for more info

Today is all that you have

Posted on September 1st, 2012 · Filed under MYF News

When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening live as though today is all that you have. Yesterday has passed with its good and evil, while tomorrow has not yet arrived. Your life’s span is but one day, as if you were born in it and will die at the end of it. With this attitude, you will not be caught between an obsession over the past, with all its anxieties, and the hopes of the future, with all its uncertainty. Live for today: During this day you should pray with a wakeful heart, recite the Qur’an with understanding, and remember Allah with sincerity. In this day you should be balanced in your affairs, satisfied with your allotted portion, concerned with your appearance and health.

Organize the hours of this day, so that you make years out of minutes and months out of seconds. Seek forgiveness from your Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this world, and live today happily and at peace. Be content with your sustenance, your wife, your children, your work, your house and your station in life.

So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful. (Qur’an 7: 144)
You must engrave onto your heart one phrase: Today is my only day. If you have eaten warm, fresh bread today, then what do yesterday’s dry, rotten bread and tomorrow’s anticipated bread matter?

If you are truthful with yourself and have a firm, solid resolve, you will undoubtedly convince yourself of the following: Today is my last day to live. When you achieve this attitude, you will profit from every moment of your day, by developing your personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds. Then you say to yourself:

Today I shall be refined in my speech and will utter neither evil speech nor obscenity. Also, I shall not backbite.
Today I shall organize my house and my office. They will not be disorderly and chaotic, but organized and neat.

Today I will be particular about my bodily cleanliness and appearance. I will be meticulous in my neatness and balanced in my walk, talk, and actions.

Today I will strive to be obedient to my Lord, pray in the best manner possible, do more voluntary acts of righteousness, recite the Qur’an, and read beneficial books. I will plant goodness into my heart and extract from it the roots of evil such as pride, jealousy, and hypocrisy.

Today I will try to help others to visit the sick, to attend a funeral, to guide the one who is lost, and to feed the hungry. I will stand side by side with the oppressed and the weak. I will pay respect to the scholar, be merciful to the young, and reverent to the old. O’ past that has departed and is gone, I will not cry over you. You will not see me remembering you, not even for a moment, because you have traveled away from me never to return.

O’ future, you are in the realm of the unseen, so I will not be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied about what is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been created.

`Today is my only day’ is one of the most important statements in the dictionary of happiness, for those who desire to live life in its fullest splendor and brilliance.

Do not be sad – Always remember Allah

Posted on August 2nd, 2012 · Filed under MYF News

Concerning His remembrance, Allah, the All-Glorious, says:

Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Qur’an 13: 28)

Therefore remember me [by praying, glorifying etc.] and I will remember you…
(Qur’an 2: 152)

And the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues, Allah has prepared for them. Forgiveness and a Great reward [i.e. Paradise]. (Qur’an 33: 35)

You who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early morning (fajr) and ASR prayers. (Qur ‘an 33: 41-42)

You who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. (Qur ‘an 63: 9)

Aild remember your Lord when you fbrget… (Qur’an 18: 24)

And glory’s’ the Praises of your Lord when you get up from sleep. And in the night-time also, glorify His Praises, -and at the setting of the stars. (Qur ‘an 52: 48-49)

You who believe! When you meet [an enemy] force, take a firm stand against them and remember the Name of Allah much [both with tongue and mind], so that you may be successful. (Qur’an 8: 45)

In an authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:

“The example of one who remembers his Lord in relation to one who does not remember his Lord is that of the living and the dead.”

The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) also said:

“The mufarridoon outstrip others.” His Companions asked. “Who are the mufarridoon, O’ Messenger of Allah.” He said, “The men who remember Allah often and the women who remember Allah often.”

And in another authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:

“Shall I not inform you of the best of deeds, and the purest of them with your Lord? The deed which is better for you than spending gold and silver (for a good cause). And which is better for you than to meet your enemy. And you cut their throats and they cut yours?” They said, “Yes_ O’ Messenger of Allah.” He said, “The remembrance of Allah.”

The following is an authentic hadith:

“A man came to the Prophet and said, Messenger of Allah, the commandments of Islam have become too much for me, and I am old in age; so inform of something that I can adhere to.’ He said, `That your tongue (continually) remains moist with the remembrance of Allah.”‘

Smile!

Posted on July 19th, 2012 · Filed under International News, MYF News

Laughing moderately can act as a cure or as therapy for depression and sadness. It has a strong influence on keeping the soul light and the heart clear. Abu Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I make it a practice to laugh in order to give rest and comfort to my heart. And the noblest of people, Muhammad (bpuh), would laugh, sometimes until his molars became visible.”

Laughing is an efficacious way to achieve comfort and light-heartedness, but keep in mind that, as in other things, you should not be immoderate. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:

“Do not laugh excessively, for verily, excessive laughter kills the heart.”

What is called for is moderation.

“And if you smile in the face of your brother, then that is a form of charity.”

So he, Sulayman, smiled, amused by her speech. (Qur ‘an 27: 19)

Also, when you laugh, you should not do so in a mocking or jeering fashion:

But when he came to them with Our Aayaat [proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.] behold! They laughed at them. (Qur’an 43: 47)

Among the pleasures of Paradise will be laughter:

But this Day [the DAV of Resurrection] those who believe will laugh at the disbelievers. (Qur’an 83: 34)

The Arabs would hold in high esteem a person who was known for his smile and laughter. They believed this to be a sign of a generous personality and of a person who has a noble disposition and a clear mind.

The truth is that the principles of Islam are based on moderation and on good measure, whether it is in matters of belief, worship, manners, or conduct. Islam does not condone a rigid, frowning expression, nor does it condone a constant playful giddiness; rather what it does promote is seriousness when it is called for and a reasonable level of light-heartedness when it is called for.

Bearing a gloomy mien and a frowning countenance are marks of a lowly character, a troubled nature, and hot-headedness. Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way… (Qur ‘an 74: 22)

The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said:

“Do not disparage (underestimate) any good deed (no matter how small it is), even if that deed was to meet your brother with a friendly countenance.”

Ahmed Ameen said in his book Fayd al-Khaatir:

“People who are always smiling not only make their own lives more joyful, but what is more, they are more productive people in their work and have a greater ability to live up to their responsibilities. They are more prepared to face difficulties and to find expedient solutions for them. They are prolific workers who benefit themselves and others.”

If I were given a choice between having status in society and plentiful money, and between having a happy, radiant, smiling self, I would choose the latter. For what is great wealth if it begets misery? And what is high position if what comes with it is constant gloominess? And what good is the most beautiful wife if she transforms her house into a living hell? Much better than her — a thousand times at least is a wife who has not reached such a pinnacle of beauty, but nonetheless has made her house a kind of paradise.

Consider this imagery: In a sense, the rose is smiling and so is the forest. The oceans, rivers, the sky, the stars and birds are all smiling. Similarly, the human being by his very nature is a smiling entity, were it not for those things that counteract this natural disposition, such as greed and selfishness, evils that contribute to his frowning. As such he is an anomaly and at odds with the natural harmony of all that surrounds him. Therefore the person whose heart is sullied cannot see things as they truly are. Every person sees the world through himself- through his actions, thoughts, and motives. So if our actions are noble, if our thoughts are pure, and if our motives are honorable, then the spectacles through which we see the world will be clean, and the world will be seen by us as it really is a beautiful creation. If the spectacles become dirty, and their lenses stained, then everything will seem to be black and morbid.

There are those souls that are able to turn everything into misery, whilst there are those that are able to derive happiness from the most difficult of circumstances. There is the woman whose eyes fall upon nothing but mistakes. Today is black because a piece of fine china broke or because the cook put too much salt in the food. Then she flares up and curses, and no one in the house escapes from her execrations. Then there is the man who brings misery upon his own self and, through his disposition, heaps the same upon others. Any word that he hears he interprets in the worst possible way. He is affected gravely by the most insignificant of things that occur to him, or that have occurred to him through his actions. He is drawn into misery by profits lost. By profits expected that went unrealized, and so on. The whole world from his perspective is black, and so he blackens it for those around him. Such people have much ability to over-exaggerate the trifles that occur to them. Thus they make mountains out of molehills. Their ability to do well is negligent, and they are never happy or content with that which they have, even if what they have is plenty. No matter how great their possessions, they will never feel any blessings from what they have.

Life is like an art or a science: it needs to be learned and cultivated. It is much better for a person to plant love in his life than to glorify money, using all his might to help it ease its way into his pocket or into his account. What is life when all its energies are exploited and used for the sole purpose of accumulating wealth, an existence where no energy is directed towards the cultivation of beauty, splendor, and love?
Most people do not open their eyes to the beauty of life, but open them only to gold or silver. They pass by a lush and luxuriant garden, a beautiful bed of roses, a flowing river, or a group of singing birds, yet they are unmoved by such scenes. All that moves them is the coming and going of money into or out of their pockets. Money is but a means to a happy life. They have reversed this fact, have sold their happy existence, and have made money to be an end in itself
Our body has been equipped with eyes to see beauty with, yet we have trained them to look on nothing but money.

Nothing causes the soul or the face to frown more often and with more intensity than despondency. If you want to be a smiling person, wage war with despondency and hopelessness. The door to opportunity is always open to you and to others, and so is the door to success. So indoctrinate your mind with hopes of prosperity in the future.

If you believe that you are inconsequential and have been created for things of only minor importance, then your achievement in life will never surpass this initial goal. And if you believe that your calling in life is to achieve extraordinary feats. You will feel in you a determination that can destroy all kinds of barriers. This can be exemplified as follows. Whoever enters a 100m race will feel tired the moment he completes it, whereas anyone that enters a 400m race, will not feel fatigue after passing the 100m or 200m mark. Therefore the soul gives resolution and will power in proportion to your goal. Hence you must identify your goal, and let it be high and difficult to achieve. And never feel despondency as long as everyday you are taking a new step in its direction. What blocks the soul, making it frown and placing it in a dark prison? The answer is despondency, hopelessness, seeing everything as being evil, searching for faults in others and constantly speaking about the evilness of the world.

Blessed is the one who has a teacher that helps him to develop his natural abilities and broaden his horizons. The best teacher is the one that instills kindness and generosity into his pupil, and teaches that the noblest of pursuits that one can strive for, is to be a source of goodness to others, in accordance with one’s abilities. The soul should be like the sun, radiating light and hope. The heart should be filled with tenderness, virtue, benevolence, and a genuine love for spreading goodness to all those that are connected to it.

The smiling soul sees difficulties, and loves to surmount them. When it sees problems, it smiles, reveling in the opportunity to solve and overcome them. The frowning soul, when faced with a problem, magnifies it and belittles its own determination, while spending all its time justifying. It loves success in life, but is not willing to pay its price. On every path, it sees a grinning lion. It waits only for gold to shower down upon it, or to chance upon some treasure in the ground.

Difficult things in life are only relative, for everything is difficult for the ordinary person, while there is no great difficulty for the remarkable person. While the remarkable person increases in worthiness by overcoming obstacles, the weak person increases in meanness by running away from them. Problems are comparable to a vicious dog. When it sees you scared or running away, it barks and follows in pursuit. However, when it sees your scorn, your lack of concern, and when you shine your eyes in its direction, it gives way and draws back.

Furthermore, there is nothing more deadly than a feeling of inferiority, a feeling that makes its holder lose all faith in his adequacy. So when he embarks upon a project, he is immediately doubtful of its completion or success and he acts accordingly by gratifying these doubts. Thus he fails. Having self-confidence is a noble virtue, and is a pillar of success in life. It is important to note, though, that there is a vast difference between conceitedness and confidence. Conceitedness means to rely upon a deceitful imagination and false pride. Confidence means to rely upon true abilities; it means fulfilling responsibilities, developing talents and organizational skills.

How much in need we indeed are of a smile, a friendly face, easy-going manners, and a gentle, generous soul. The Prophet said:
“Verily, Allah has revealed to me that you should be humble, so that none of you should transgress upon another, and so that none of you should be arrogant and proud to another.”