Tree Of Iman .

If someone gives you a plant to take care of..how do you think you will do it? Wouldn't you try your best to not to let that plant die? And of course, to do that you are going to make sure that all the things that plant need, you provide it and keep it away form all the harmful things.

At the same time you will try to find out about the basic elements that plant is consisted of and the basic things those elements need to grow properly.

Believe me or not but all of us have one, very delicate and at the same time very strong tree to take care of given to us by our Lord.

Allah (SWT) has given us this tree that is planted in our hearts, called "shajarat-ul-Iman" (Tree of Iman).

Allah (swt) describes that tree in Quran:

"Have you not seen how Allah coined a similitude (of parable) a good word like a good tree, the root of that tree is firmly established in the ground and the branches reach the heavens."

At another place in Quran Allah (swt) said:

"(this particular tree by the permission of its Lord), gives fruits (all kinds of fruits) anytime Allah (swt) wants it to give fruits."

Allah (swt) also said:

"Allah coin similitude for the human beings (for you and I), so that perhaps we may reflect (we may think)."

Science say there are trees in other plants than earth ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Allah (swt) created seven heavens and earth other than this planet. Some people say that there are trees and some say there are not. There is proof in Quran and Sunnah that there are trees in Jannah (heaven). One of them is called "Toobaa", the tree for the "ghurab'a" (strangers). The shade of that tree is one month journey and this is where the believers will take their clothes from.

Most Important Tree in this World: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The most important tree in this dunya (world) is the Tree of Iman (shajarat-ul-Iman). The tree that Allah (swt) has planted in our hearts. The tree that we all should be worrying about day and night. We all must know what that tree of Iman is made of so that we can take good care of it.

What Does the Tree of Iman Have:

Almost all the trees that Allah (swt) has created/originated, almost all of them have three very basic things:

01. Root (O'rooq)

The roots of the most important tree on this earth are:

a) Knowledge (I'lm)

b) Certainty (Yaqeen)

The tree of Iman is the basic belief of Islam

"La ilaha illal lah"

"There is no God worthy of worship except Allah (swt)"

So the root for us of the Tree of Iman, is the KNOWLEDGE of the meaning of "la ilaha illallah". It covers every single aspect of our life. When we know that there is no God other then Allah (swt), we totally surrender to Him alone and we take everything that He gave us through the Quran and the Sunnah of Rasul of Allah (saw).

The other half of the root of this tree is the certainty, meaning the certainty of everything what "la ilaha illallah" brings.

When implementing Islam in our lives, or when accepting a matter which we were not aware of before, we should do it with firm belief and certainty, as long as it is from the Quran and the authentic Sunnah of Rasul and his Companions.

02. Trunk: (Saaq)

The tree of Iman, like the other trees, also has a trunk, which is Purity of Intention: (al-Ikhlas)

We must have the purity of intention for our tree to be firm and unshakable and immovable.

Abdullah Ibn Sahl at-tuzkuri (ra) (scholar from the taba'een) was asked:

"What is al-Iman?", he said:

"Iman is statement, is action, is nyyah (intention) and is Sunnah. If it is a statement without actions then it is Kufr (disbelief), if it is a statement and action with out intention then it is Nifaq (hypocrisy), if it is a statement, action and intention without the Sunnah, then it is Bid'ah (innovation)."

To keep a healthy trunk of our tree, we must have a pure intention of our actions. Our every righteous deed is divided into two parts. The first half of a righteous deed is the purity of intention. The nyyah has to be pure for the pleasure of Allah ONLY!

03. Branches & Fruits:

This tree should also has branches and fruits. And these are:

a) Righteous deeds

b) Honorable/Noble Character

At several places in Quran, Allah (SWT) has distinguished the people of Jannah from the people of Hell as Indeed those who believed and did righteous deeds....

Those people who believed and did righteous deeds have also been given the glad tidings of Jannah at several places in Quran:

Every righteous deed consists of two parts. First part is the purity of intention (for the sake of Allah only!). Second half of the righteous deed is that the action has to be in conformed with Shariah (Quran and Sunnah of Rasul (SAW) and the Companions(May Allah be pleased with them)). If the action is not conformed with Shariah, it is not considered a righteous deed!

When a tree has firm roots and healthy trunk and branches, it automatically produces good fruits. Similarly, when we establish firm roots of Iman in our heart and keep healthy trunk and branches of the tree the fruits will prosper. If we have the knowledge of our deen and certainty of whatever knowledge we have, and we do righteous deeds with pure intentions, we will automatically develop an honorable and noble character.

Things that will Make Our Tree Die:

1)Kufr:

If we allow kufr to come into our tree, it will destroy the tree.

2) Shirk:

If we allow shirk to come into our tree, it will also destroy the tree.

3) Bid'ah:

If we allow Bid'ah (innovations) of all types to come into our tree, it will demolish our tree. Our tree will become yellow, our tree will become dry and our tree will eventually die!

Note: Muslims nowadays are involved in so many "religious practices" thinking that they are pleasing Allah (swt), though in reality they are getting themselves involved either in bid'ahs or sometimes even to the extant of shirks. Muslims, intentionally or unintentionally, either add or remove stuff from how a certain act was originally practiced by our pious predecessors and hence making it a bid'ah. And since the act was not practiced according to the "Shari'ah", it will not be considered a righteous deed.

To avoid from getting ourselves involved in these dangerous things, it is extremely important to have the "knowledge" of the deen and to refer back to our pious predecessors in every single thing we do or say.

What is AL-Iman: 

Al-Iman is:

1) Belief:

Iman is a belief in our hearts. It is to have a firm belief of "la illah illallah" in our hearts and all the thing that it brings. Every thing that we find from Quran and Sunnah, we must have a sincere and firm belief on that without having any doubts.

2)Statement:

Iman is a statement by our tongue. We must state "la illaha illallah" by our tongues. Meaning what ever believes we have, we cannot just keep them in our hearts, but we must say them out.

3) Actions:

Iman is to carry out our believes and our statements by our bodily limbs. After believing in "la illaha illallah" and stating it, we must imply it in our actions. And the way we imply "la illaha illallah" in our actions is by modifying our every action and deed according to the Quran and

Sunnah of Rasul and our pious predecessors. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A general example of the above could be wearing hijab. If one has a firm belief in Allah (swt) and whatever He revealed, will definitely believe that wearing hijab is a command of Allah and it is mandatory. Then only believing is not enough, we must have to admit by stating by our tongues the fact that hijab is necessary and inform other people about it in a nice pleasing way (not in a displeasing or complaining manner). But still our Iman is not completed until we start wearing it ourselves.

To think that Iman is in our hearts only, is one of the tricks of Iblis (satan). We shouldn't be fooled by the shaytans (satan) of the Ins wal Jin (Humans and Jinns) by thinking that Iman is in our chests only and as long as we have a firm belief, our Iman is completed Rather we HAVE to show our believes by our statements and by our actions.

Highest and Lowest of Iman: 

Rasul of Allah (saw) said:

"Iman has 70 branches. And the highest of al-Iman is the statement "la illaha illallah" (It is the most sublime, the most magnificent and the most superior of all Iman). The lowest of the Iman is to remove some harmful thing from the street. And modesty is a part of al-Iman."

Iman Wears Out: 

We all go through high and low levels of Iman. As Rasul of Allah told us:"al-Iman wears out in each and everyone of you and me like a "thaub" (garment) wears out (like our clothes wears out...and they become shabby eventually. Iman wears out like that "thaub").

So Rasul of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) advised us (since our Iman wears out) :
"So all of you Muslims, should ask Allah (swt) to RENEW the Iman in our hearts."

Last Minute Solah

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THIS INSHALLAH YOU WILL RECTIFY YOUR MISTAKES FROM THIS...

He remembered his grandmother' s warning about praying on time:
'My son, you shouldn't leave prayer to this late time'.
His grandmother' s age was 70 but, whenever she heard the Adhan, she got up like an arrow and performed the Solat.
He, however could never win over his ego to get up and pray.
Whatever he did, his Solat was always the last to be offered and he prayed it quickly to get it in on time.
Thinking of this, he got up and realized that there were only 15 minutes left before Salat-ul Isha'.
He quickly made Wudhu and performed Salat-ul Maghrib.
While making Tasbih, he again remembered his grandmother and was embarrassed by how he had prayed.
His grandmother prayed with such tranquillity and peace.
He began making Dua and went down to make Sajdah and stayed like that for a while.
He had been at work all day and was tired, very tired.
He awoke abruptly to the sound of noise and shouting.
He was sweating profusely. He looked around. It was very crowded.
Every direction he looked in was filled with people.
Some stood frozen looking around, some were running left and right and some were on their knees with their heads in their hands just waiting.
Pure fear and apprehension filled him as he realized where he was. His heart was about to burst.
It was the Day of Judgment.
When he was alive, he had heard many things about the questioning on the Day of Judgment, but that seemed so long ago.
Could this be something his mind made up?
No, the wait and the fear were so great that he could not have imagined this.
The interrogation was still going on.
He began moving frantically from people to people to ask if his name had been called. No one could answer him.
All of a sudden his name was called and the crowd split into two and made a passageway for him.
Two angels grabbed his arms and led him forward. He walked with unknowing eyes through the crowd. The angels brought him to the centre and left him there.
His head was bent down and his whole life was passing in front of his eyes like a movie.
He opened his eyes but saw only another world.
The people were all helping others.
He saw his father running from one lecture to the other, spending his wealth in the way of Islam.
His mother invited guests to their house and one table was being set while the other was being cleared.
He pleaded his case, 'I too was always on this path. I helped others. I spread the word of Allah. I performed my Salah. I fasted in the month of Ramadhan.'
'Whatever Allah ordered us to do, I did.'
'Whatever he ordered us not to do, I did not.'
He began to cry and think about how much he loved Allah.
He knew that whatever he had done in life would be less than what Allah deserved and his only protector was Allah He was sweating like never before and was shaking all over.
His eyes were fixed on the scale, waiting for the final decision. At last, the decision was made.
The two angels with sheets of paper in their hands, turned to the crowd.
His legs felt like they were going to collapse. He closed his eyes as they began
To read the names of those people who were to enter Jahannam.
His name was read first.
He fell on his knees and yelled that this couldn't be,
'How could I go to Jahannam? I served others all my life, I spread the word of Allah
to others.'
His eyes had become blurry and he was shaking with sweat.
The two angels took him by the arms.
As his feet dragged, they went through the crowd and advanced toward
the blazing flames of Jahannam.
He was yelling and wondered if there was any person who was going to help him.
He was yelling of all the good deeds he had done, how he had helped his father, his fasts, prayers, the Noble Qur'an that he read, he was asking if none of them would help him.
The Jahannam angels continued to drag him.
They had gotten closer to the Hellfire.
He looked back and these were his last pleas.
Had not Rasulullah [PBUH] said, 'How clean would a person be who bathes in a river five times a day, so too does the Salah performed five times cleanse someone of their sins?'
He began yelling, 'My prayers? My prayers? My prayers?'
The two angels did not stop, and they came to the edge of the abyss of Jahannam.
The flames of the fire were burning his face.
He looked back one last time, but his eyes were dry of hope and he had nothing left in him.
One of the angels pushed him in.
He found himself in the air and falling towards the flames.
He had just fallen five or six feet when a hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.
He lifted his head and saw an old man with a long white beard.
He wiped some dust off himself and asked him, 'Who are you?'
The old man replied, 'I am your prayers.'
'Why are you so late?! I was almost in the Fire! You rescued me at the
last minute before I fell in.'
The old man smiled and shook his head, 'You always performed me at the
last minute, did you forget?'
At that instant, he blinked and lifted his head from Sajdah. He was in a sweat. He listened to the voices coming from outside.
He heard the Adhan for Salat-ul Isha.
He got up quickly and went to perform Wudhu.
Pass this on to your friends and family......
Maybe, you can help someone open their eyes.
And who knows?
Maybe, this is a good deed that can help you during The Day of Judgment. INSHA-ALLAH

فَإِذَا قَضَيۡتُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱذۡڪُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمً۬ا وَقُعُودً۬ا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِڪُمۡ‌ۚ فَإِذَا ٱطۡمَأۡنَنتُمۡ فَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَـٰبً۬ا مَّوۡقُوتً۬ا
"When ye have performed the act of worship, remember Allah, standing, sitting and reclining. And when ye are in safety, observe proper worship. Worship at fixed times hath been enjoined on the believers."[An-Nisa':103]

Why I love Islam?

What I love about Islam is that any practice that it teaches has hikma (wisdom) and such a clear purpose behind it and so many benefits. Today I was waiting outside a supermarket In Brooklyn, and this black kid walked pass me about 15 years old. He saw me dressed in Islamic clothing kind of like a tobe and he said.
“Yo it’s your holiday right?”.
I replied “na not yet but we are fasting for 30 days”.
then he said “werd, that means ya can’t eat right”.
I said “Yup from sunrise to sunset”. Then he said "yo how you be doing that?".
I told him "people die all the time around the world because they don’t have food, and plus it makes us stronger”.
Then he said “Yo i feel you man”, “Waalaikumusalam”. I was happy to hear him say that in his Brooklyn accent, which i also possess as you can see.
But anyhow what I wanted to say was that anytime a person questions what we are doing because we are Muslim, so many thoughts automatically come into our head, that can make them think why Islam is so official. Especially when they question our prayers.
My first answer is that you can compare praying to taking a bath except it cleans our hearts and brings us back to our purpose in life, but on top of that, what other religion prays to God 5 times a day, this is why Islam is the truth, and when we are praying and we go into sajdah, we are bowing down and that is the highest level of Submission to Allah.
Another thing which I love about Islam is the brotherhood. The other day i was speaking to a non Muslim about Islam, an African American. I first told him that Islam was the first Religion to Eliminate Racism (Mashallah the same day he took shahadah, Inshallah Allah guide him), and in a beautiful Hadith our Prophet Muhammad said:

"There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a non-Arab over an Arab. Neither is the white superior over the black, nor is the black superior over the white -- except by piety."

Rasulullah SAW words in his final sermon

Especially in Brooklyn, if you enter a mosque, at least around my way, you see all types of brothers, Black, White, Arab, Desi, Spanish, and Islam came with this gift, and there is no person in history that came before Our Prophet with this teaching of equality.
So what im saying is be yourself, be Muslim, today i saw so many Jews wearing yamachas whatever that’s called, and it made me think I should wear a kufi, its my religious symbol, and if we do follow our Beloved Prophet Muhammad more and more we will see the significant change in our life’s. Just by doing little things, Non Muslims will question our practices as the kid did today, and Alhumduillah as a result I was able to open his mind up.
So Inshallah let’s Keep it Real and Remember that first and foremost we our Muslims, We all Submit To the Will of Allah. We can make such a big difference by reviving the sunnah in any way we can and this is another reason why i love Islam, anyone hating on Muslims, Stop watching the News, Go pick up some real books and read, read and learn why this Religion is so beautiful.
Inshallah Allah helps us all in this life, Ameen!

Non-muslim Will Never Enter Jannah?

It was during the time of Propeht Muhammad SAW. A Christian man once came to the Prophet SAW during a battle, he asked the Prophet: “Should I become a Muslim or should I fight along with you”?
The Prophet did not delay him a minute and told him: “Embrace Islam than fight”, so the man embraced Islam by uttering the Shahadah (La Ilaha Illallah Muhammadun Rasulullah) with the intention of embracing Islam, and so he became Muslim. Than that brand new Muslim went to fight and he got killed in the battlefield.
The Prophet was informed about that and He said about him: “He accomplished a little yet gained tremendous amount of reward” That meant that the man did not pray, fast nor work on gaining deeds, but before his death by short time, he sincerely embraced Islam and died as a martyr in which he gains lots of reward in the hereafter; and you know what a Shaheed is and how much reward he gets! But if he had died before embracing Islam he will not see Paradise at all.
Only Muslims enter paradise, non-Muslims will enter hellfire with eternal punishment. Dying as a Muslim whether the person was a jew, Christian or any other religion, once they embrace Islam, Allah accepts their submission if they are sincere. No matter how much sins a Muslim believer commits, if he died without repentance, he will deserve the punishment in hellfire, but he will not remain there forever because he is a Muslim, eventually he will come out of hell and get washed by a river near Paradise and than he will enter paradise, and once he enters he will forget all pain and hardship he had and the enjoyment will start!!.
We call upon every freind in here that is not a Muslim to save his life in the hereafter from hellfire by embracing Islam imediately by saying: I bear witness that there's no God except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad Is the messenger of Allah, and with the intention of embracing Islam, one becomes a Muslim.
We ask Allah to let us die as Muslims and to protect us from the punishment of hellfire. Ameen.

Instinct.

Perception always cheat
Mind view always mistaken
Frequent passion view reckless
The hearts belief that actual
If the heart clean

Heart if always clean
The view shall go through hijab
Heart if already clean
The premonition right will of God

But heart when begrimed
The murmur no longer truth

Place heart fall Allah view
Body born human focus
Emphasize Allah view
From human view

Palestin Will Be Free

Palestine Will Be Free

Every day we tell each other
That this day will be the last
And tomorrow we all can go home free
And all this will finally end
Palestine tomorrow will be free
Palestine tomorrow will be free

No mother no father to wipe away my tears
That’s why I won’t cry
I feel scared but I won’t show my fears
I keep my head high
Deep in my heart I never have any doubt
That Palestine tomorrow will be free
Palestine tomorrow will be free

I saw those rockets and bombs shining in the sky
Like drops of rain in the sun’s light
Taking away everyone dear to my heart
Destroying my dreams in a blink of an eye
What happened to our human rights?
What happened to the sanctity of life?
And all those other lies?
I know that I’m only a child
But is your conscience still alive

I will caress with my bare hands
Every precious grain of sand
Every stone and every tree
‘Cause no matter what they do
They can never hurt you
Coz your soul will always be free

Palestine tomorrow will be free

Funny Isn't??

- Funny how a $20 bill looks so big when you take it to the Mosque, but so small when you take it to the market.
- Funny how long it takes to do Zikr for an hour, but how quickly a team plays 60 minutes of basketball.
- Funny how long a couple of hours spent at the Mosque are, but how short they are when watching a movie.
- Funny how we can't think of anything to say when we pray, but don't have difficulty thinking of things to talk about to a friend.
- Funny how we get thrilled when a baseball game goes into extra innings, but we complain when a "Tarahvi"(Tarawikh) during Ramadhan is longer than the regular time.
- Funny how hard it is to read a Para in the Quran, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a best selling novel.
- Funny how people want to get a front seat at any game or concert, but scramble to get a back row at mosque so that they can scramble out fast.
- Funny how we need 2 or 3 weeks advance notice to fit a Mosque event into our schedule, but can adjust our schedule for other events at the last moment.
- Funny how hard it is for people learn a simple Preaching well enough to tell others, but how simple it is for the same people to understand and repeat gossip.
- Funny how we believe what the newspaper says, but question what the Quran says.
- Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, or to think, or to say, or do anything.
- Funny how you can send a thousand 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding Allah, people think twice about sharing.

FUNNY, ISN'T IT?

Are you laughing? Are you thinking?!!
Give thanks to Allah for He is good & Mercifull!

Satan Speaks!

Iblis (Satan) organised an international conference, which was attended by his followers from all over theworld. In his opening address, he said:
“Oh my friends and helpers, we cannot stop righteous, pious people - believers in Allah, from going to themosques. We cannot stop them from reading their Holy Book(Quran) and familiarising themselves with the Truth. We cannot stop them from establishing a deep and meaningful relationship with Allah.
But remember, if they are successful in establishing this relationship with their Rabb, we will lose our hold on them. Remember, Allah has told me about them: “Indeed, over My (believing) servants there is for you no authority.” “So let them go to their place of worship and let them continue with their normal routine. But snatch one thing away from them - their time.
Then they will not be able to establish the required connection with their Creator. This is what I want you to do. O my followers, make them inattentive and careless in achieving that closeness, that important relationship with Allah, which is the purpose of their existence. Without bonding with Him, their lives will become meaningless.”
The delegates loved every word he said. This mission gave meaning to their lives. They sat up and asked:
“How shall we do it, O Master?”
“It’s not difficult,” said Iblis.
“Just keep them preoccupied and contented with the unimportant, unnecessary things in their lives. Be creative. Invent numerous ways to keep them busy, busy, busy.”
“Incite them to spend extravagantly and then go around borrowing for their needs. Encourage the wives to spend and spend. Plant ambition in the husbands - they must be ahead in the race for money, status, power. Let them work and work 18-20 hours a day, 7 days a week, to compete in fulfilling the demands of their material self. Deprive them of time to spend with their children. As the family gradually becomes dysfunctional and falls apart, their homes will cease to be a source of peace. With the increasing pressure of work, reluctant to go home, they will look for that peace outside. Make their minds so occupied, they will not be able to hear that small voice crying out to them that something is not right.”
“Encourage them to turn on their radios, CDs and cassettes when they are driving. At home, make sure their PCs , TVs , VCRs, DVD Players and radios are operating round the clock. Let their mobile phones ring incessantly. Their minds, numbed by all the activity, will have no time to think of Allah or their duty to worship Him, at least in the way they should. This way their connection with Allah will be weakened.”
“Fill up their tables with magazines and newspapers. Assault them with a barrage of news, so that their minds are constantly occupied. On the road, let them be distracted by massive billboards and ads, tempting them to buy things they don’t need. Flood their mail-boxes with letters and junk mail. Whatever little time they have left, will be taken up by this.”
“In their recreational activities, let them be excessive. When they return home, they will be so tired and irritable, they will remain so the whole of next week. And don’t let them go near nature, in case they ponder and reflect on Allah’s signs in the universe; instead send them to concerts, cinemas, and stadiums. Keep them busy, busy, busy.”
“Convince them that religion is ‘personal’, the inherited beliefs of their ancestors are best and that ‘majority is authority’. Even when they attend assemblies of Allah’s remembrance, keep their minds preoccupied with worldly thoughts. Or let the arguments between religious scholars where each one claims that he is the only one on the right path, make them so disturbed that they will not go to such assemblies again. And make them waste their goods deeds by gossiping and backbiting.”
“March forward my commandos. Busy them in winning each others hearts and flood their lives with so many good aims, they will have no time to ask Allah for help in achieving them. Very soon they will exhaust themselves, sacrificing their health and their family life for these ‘lofty’ goals. This will be good, this will be super, this will be great!”
What a convention it was! Such a roaring success! What a thunderous applause! With great zealousness and enthusiasm, all the delegates – Satan’s forces went their respective ways and got cracking with their assigned tasks.
So Iblis succeeded in his mission and the believers were seen running around here and there, busy, busy, busy.
BE WARNED! Iblis means ‘deprived of hope’, ‘in utter despair’ and his abode is Hell. He has set out to destroy Adam’s descendants, “except for few.”
May we, by Allah’s grace, be amongst those who recognise Satan’s wiles and do not fall prey to them.

First Love Story

As you know, the most important thing in life is living as a Muslim and dying as a Muslim. Prophet Muhammad said which means: “no one enters hellfire if he’s a believer”
and the believer is the one who believed in Allah the true belief and believed in Prophet Muhammad the true Belief. Even if he did not pray and committed sins other than Kuffur, he is still a believer as long as he does not blaspheme in Allah, and he dies on that belief.
Once a Muslim young man loved a Christian girl, they wanted to get married but her parents would not accept because he was a Muslim! It was a big dilemma for them! But they both loved each other sincerely and thought nothing should separate them.
One day, the Muslim man got very ill and was dying, he was on the death bed. A friend of his was beside him, he told him: Say Shahadah, say La Ilaha Illa llah Muhammadun Rasulullah, but the Muslim man didn’t say it, he cried and told his friend: I’m afraid that if I die as Muslim I will not find my beloved in the hereafter!! So I want to become Christian hopefully I will meet her in the hereafter!! And he became Christian!! He came out of Islam, he became a murtad! And right after he went out of Islam he died! So he died as a non-Muslim.
The girl that he used to love came asking about her lover, she found his friend, she asked him: Have you seen that person (her lover)? He sadly told her that he died! But he did not tell her that he went out of Islam (Apostated). She was very sad and cried, and said: I fear not to meet him in the hereafter, So I bear witness that there’s no God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah! She embraced Islam! Later on she died, and died as a Muslim and her lover had died as a non-Muslim, she won Paradise and lost him, and he lost her and lost paradise and got hellfire.
Subhanallah, the wisdom behind this story is for one to remain steadfast onto Islam and keep the intention in the heart that I will live all my life on Islam and to stay patient over the hardships and calamities, and Allah will reward tremendously. We ask Allah to keep us stead fast to Islam, wal Hamdulillah.

One Missile, One Playground: The Will of Gaza

Iyad was not here to show me any militant training camp, or even to assess the damage that had befallen the impoverished Gaza Strip during Israel’s devastating war, Operation Cast Lead, which killed and wounded thousands in 2008-09. Scars of the damage sustained during the three-week onslaught are still visible throughout the Strip. Iyad was here to show me his latest personal project: a playground for refugee children.

At first glance, the “playground” did not seem impressive at all. All I noticed was a small plot of dirt jammed between two unsightly concrete buildings.

“So, what do you think?” asked Iyad, with a proud smile. His attempt at growing a full beard was not entirely successful, giving him a younger, albeit disheveled appearance.

“It’s impressive,” I replied, still trying to understand the nature of the accomplishment.

I learned later that the achievement was creating space out of the debris. At one time prior to December 2008, when an Israeli missile decided to drop in, a family had lived in this spot. The house had collapsed, and its residents became mere posters of mourned Palestinian faces adorning the walls of other houses in the neighborhood.

Iyad and few of “Shabab Al-Masjid” — youth of the mosque — cleared almost everything, using only their bare hands and other primitive means. The siege had made it nearly impossible to access modern technology to clear the uncountable tons of concrete scattered in and around Gaza as a result of the war. Cement remains a precious commodity in an area that needs building material above most other resources. People here somehow remain positive.

“And here will be a soccer field,” continued Iyad, who seemed to have no budget whatsoever, except the will of the “shabab”.

Predictably, Iyad’s residence is located in a refugee camp. What seemed to be a large crack around much of the house was in fact a mark left by an Israeli missile, which blew up most of the house. Iyad’s entire family — his brothers, their wives and about two dozen children — were watching TV in a room that miraculously managed to stay still as the house imploded. The neighbors rushed looking for dead and survivors, only to find everyone alive and well.

Iyad smiled in wonder.

When the unmanned drone began circling above his head, Iyad knew that the Israelis had located him. So he began running.

“I didn’t want them to know where I lived, so I began running without a clear sense of direction,” said Iyad, who reiterated that he always prepared himself for such a moment. “I am not scared of death. Life and death is in God’s hand, not some Israeli pilot, but I worried about my family.”

Then, Iyad’s house came down.

Since then, the house has been rebuilt, although in a haphazard way. New additions to the house stand above the deep cracks. There are no guarantees that the foundation is safe, or if the house is even inhabitable at all. Oblivious to war, death, unarmed drones and shaky foundations, the children are full of life.

Three of the boys in Iyad’s household carry the same name. It was the name of Iyad’s brother who was killed by an Israeli sniper as he protested the occupation during the First Palestinian Uprising (Intifada) of 1987. It was this very event that changed Iyad’s life forever. In a moment, the little boy had become a man, as expected of any “brother of a martyr”.

Iyad’s niece — a cute girl in a checkered dress — was asked to perform her nashid, a song she had learned in the street. She did so with untold enthusiasm. The song referenced paradise and martyrs and “right of return,” and of children facing missiles with bare chests. The crowed clapped, and the girl huddled by my side bashfully. Perhaps she had not expected such a passionate response from her audience. She was five years old.

Iyad, who is now studying at a local Gaza university, already speaks of a Master’s degree and a teaching career. He also remains consumed by his playground and the challenges awaiting him and the “youth of the mosque” once the uneven ground is completely flattened.

His nieces and nephews sing for the martyrs, but they are also keen to do their homework. They discuss end-of-year exams with dread and excitement. All the boys are fans of Barcelona, and devotees of a man named Lionel Messi.

“When I grow up, I wanted to study physical education,” said one of the boys, a teenager of about 14. ‘I will specialize in soccer, just like Messi’s major at the University of Barcelona,’ he added excitedly.

I laughed, and so did everyone else.

Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net) is an internationally-syndicated columnist and the editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His latest book is My Father was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story (Pluto Press, London)

Love Allah.

Feeling of love

Is an award Allah in His slave

And because of it human beings are willing anything

As long as he own what hoped for

Because love

Willing to sacrifice anything, property and life

Every moment only think on so-and-so that dear

Want with all the time

Yet certain your love appreciated

Possible so-and-so? will still loyal

After you submit soul and your basket

Possible you make sure not ?will crushed

If you love flower

Aware you the flower ?will wilt

If you love human

Aware his one day ?will go

If you love property

The property later you will leave

If you love Allah

Only Allah which will unchanged

Love Allah

Talk said.

Sweet utterance beautiful talk said
Not as beautiful as the insight appearance
Soft him tongue talk about insult
Tongue that no bony
Incite
And slander among relative

Occasionally I think private
Have to be angry me left continue to be lit up
Burn glow with feeling of pride
Discredit them with words

Said like sword
Penetratingly him venom murder opponent
Words that meaning
Awaken us

Said poet's eulogy
Venom become human guide
Look after language said us
Do not is blamed use

That those red saga
That the kurik pitcher
That beautiful language
That beautiful character

Occasionally I define human
Kurniaan Tuhan have been many betrayed
Abuse, insult, the lie talk
Arrange insult with words

Overshoot boat can still be withdrawn more
Overshoot said bad the consequences
Overshoot boat can still be withdrawn more
Overshoot said lose believe
Lose believe.

Hejira a vision.

Every human that having vision,
Want change,
To achieve all dream,
To create a success,
That more glorious.

Start migrate with intention,
Saintly and sure,
Build harmonious life,
Hejira claim perseverance patience sacrifice,
Safe lived well tranquil.

Hejira a transition,
In pass over living stream,
From ignorance on truth.

Emulate Rasulullah,
Migrating from Makah to Madinah,
For set up phrase saintly.

Hejira a change,
In pass over modernity current,
From backwardness to development.

Avoid hostility,
United close love,
For succeed migrate that noble.

Stand together

Album : Tiada Lagi Kasih

Munsyid : In-Team
http://liriknasyid.com

Here we are living in this world
A journey to the end
We are servants
We bow to Allah
From Him a helping hand
We are different races
From countries far and wide
Together we can face it
Uphold what?s pure and right
We can stand and work hand in hand
We?re stronger when we unite
Share the words and spread the truth
With Iman Allah?s light
In our hearts can?t fake it
When Allah?s love embraced
Together we can make it
The world a better place
Everything in life
We can take everything in stride
?Cause we live in this worldly life
Can only try
Every dream we have
We want to have the very best
But we can only face the test
For we can try

And in team we stand
And in team we can
We can make it through the day
We can help each other one another
And in team we should stay
Let us take the guidance from Allah
And Rasulullah
We can face the world
We can make it through the night

Sport Car vs. Al-Quran

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man waited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Quran. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said "With all your money you give me a Quran?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Quran, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Quran and began to turn the pages.

As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Quran. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss ALLAH blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

12 Wonders Of Juma'at

Jamm’at is when muslims gather to make salah in which one is the Imam who leads and the rest are muqtadee who follow him; there is great reward for jamm’at.

1) Sayeduna Anas (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Beloved Prophet (Swall Allahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Whoever reads Salah with Jamm’at for forty days with the first takbeer * ; two salvations will be written for him: one from hell and one from hypocrisy.”

2) Sayeduna Abdullah bin Umar (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Beloved Prophet (Swall Allahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Salah with Jamm’at is twenty-seven times greater than salah prayed alone.”

3) Imam Muhammad Gazali (Rahmatullahi Alaih) says, “Salah was so important to our salafsaliheen [pious predecessors] that if they missed the first takbeer they would mourn for three days and if anyone missed jamm’at then they would mourn for seven days.” (Mukashifatol Quloob)

4) Sayeduna Maymoon bin Mahraan (Rahmatullahi Alaih) came to the masjid. He was told that the jamm’at has finished. Upon hearing this, he sadly said, “The fazilat (auspiciousness) of this [jamm’at] is better than ruling over Iraq .” (Mukashifatul Quloob)

5) Sayeduna Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Beloved Prophet (Swall Allahu alaihi wasallam) said, “If the people knew what was in the [calling of] Azaan and [being a part of] the first saf [row of jamm’at] then they would not get it without drawing names. So they would draw names [i.e., they would compete for the honor of these two acts]. (Bukhari)

Thoughts and Points

6) Jamm’at is compulsory for every sane and mature man who has the ability to pray salah. It is very important for the people living in the vicinity of the masjid to attend the jamm’at.

7) To move closer to a masjid or madarsa with the intention of getting Jamm’at is a very commendable action. May Allah give us the taufeeq to keep our Masjids and Madarsas filled. In fact, keep this in mind when moving or buying a house.

8) If you live so far that you can not drive or walk to the masjid or madarsa comfortably then make time to come for jamm’at atleast once or twice a day or week or more[based on distance and means of travel] to atleast earn the reward of coming for and praying with jamm’at.

10) One should not think ‘I can’t make it for Jamm’at, I am too busy with school or work and family, this if from the Shaitan or our ill-Consciouss. If you make the intention and effort, Allah-willing, the hardships will go away.

11) Stand in the saf (rows) shoulder to shoulder so that there is no space left imbetween.

12) To wait for Salah has been called “Salah,” so be punctual for the Salah.

* First takbeer which is also called Takbeerul Tahreema

The Making Of A Mother

By the time the Lord made mothers, He was into the sixth day working overtime. An Angel appeared and said "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"

And the Lord answered and said, "Have you read the spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not elastic; have 200 movable parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up; have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart; and have six pairs of hands."

The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs of hands! No way!" said the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!"

"And that's on the standard model?" the Angel asked.

The Lord nodded in agreement, "Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word."

The Angel tried to stop the Lord "This is too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."

"But I can't!" The Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower."

The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made her so soft, Lord."

"She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?" asked the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate."

The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like You have a leak with this model. I told You that You were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak." the Lord objected. "That's a tear!"

"What's the tear for?" the Angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride."

The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything for this one. You even created the tear!"

The Lord looked at the Angel and smiled and said, "I'm afraid you are wrong again. I created the woman, but she created the tear!"

How Embarrassing!

People usually feel embarrassed when they do something wrong in front of a crowd. The embarrassment increases as the size of the crowd increase.

For example, a person will feel more embarrassed if his/her faults are revealed in front of a thousand people than in front of only 10 people. Imagine how you would feel if your faults were broadcasted through the media to all the people in your country.

We are very particular in protecting our honour and dignity in this world, however, while disobeying Allah, are we mindful of the Day of Judgement when we will be standing in front of Allah in the presence of the whole humanity?

Besides the ordinary people, all the prophets will be present along with all the sahabah, martyrs and pious individuals. How embarrassing it will be if they see us standing in front of Allah as sinners!

Besides the whole humanity, how bad it is if we are to stand in front of Allah alone as a disobedient servant?Therefore, to avoid those major humiliations, we should avoid committing sins in this world.

Dangers Of Smoking!

It is a universally accepted and indisputable fact that smoking has many serious health and life hazards, for example, lung cancer, etc. to the smoker as well as those (non-smokers) in his (smokers) environment, therefore, not permissible.

Shari'ah has explained in great length the importance and virtue of good health to the extent that Rasulullah (PBUH) even advised to maintain a balance in eating and drinking as an imbalance could be harmful to health. He advised having dates, being hot in nature with cucumber, as it (cucumber) has a cooling effect (Shamaail). On one occasion, Rasulullah (PBUH) even stopped Hadhrat Ali (RA) from eating dates upon recovering from his illness and advised him to have vegetables instead.

Although dates is not only nutritious but also a means of obtaining blessing, but in certain conditions, since it could be harmful, Rasulullah (PBUH) advised against it. From that, one can gauge the extent of abstaining from cigarettes which contain many harmful ingredients, for example, carbon monoxide, nicotine, tar and benzene vapour.

Therefore, smoking is harmful to the smoker as well as those around him. Consider the following:Muhammad Abdul Ghaffaar al-Afghan in his book, 'Ninety nine harms of smoking' has said that smoking results in many sicknesses which doctors have explained and they all amount to ninety nine.

Doctor Salahuddeen Abdur-Rabbi Nabiy, a neuro surgeon in Cairo says, 'When a person becomes enslaved to the habit of smoking, it has a very harmful effect on the smoker's health, especially to his heart. As a result his heart beat and blood circulation becomes unstable and he experiences drowsiness from time to time due to the shrinkin of his brain arteries.

Sometimes during old age, he suffers from high blood pressure and angina. Similarly, his digestive and respiratory systems are harmed and the smoker loses his appetite. He is also afflicted by a cough which is known as the smoker's cough. When his nervous system is affected the smoker feels a prickly sensation, a numbness in his limbs and also a pain in the nerves.

In the annual conference of the American Doctors Council which took place in Chicago in 1966, the main topic discussed was the harms of smoking. Doctors, who were aware of the role that smoking played in lung cancer, became alarmed when they heard that the least harm smoking causes is that at arouses anxiety.

Doctor Edward Kweller Hammond, head of statistics in the Cancer Association of America said, "Verily lung cancer which is caused by smoking cigarettes is not so serious in comparison to the injury caused by smoking with other means." It is stated in the ninth edition of "World of Knowledge" magazine that the time has come wherein it has become necessary to expose all the harms of smoking. It should also be realised that these dispecable substances even cause death.

It is also necessary to elucidate the harms of smoking in the hope of saving many intelligent and educated youth, who will be astonished on how much has been written regarding this topic. It is also stated in the above-mentioned magazine under the following heading, "Cancer Caused by Smoking":

This fatal illness is the culmination of many illnesses which are the result of thin blood and other sicknesses which are related to the blood vessels. All these are connected to this loathsome substances. However, lung cancer is the most likely outcome of smoking.

Lung cancer was a very rare disease but the end of this century witnessed a high rise in its occurance, primarily in men and thereafter in women. In the beginning of the sixties, the death rate due to lung cancer increased compared to before. Smoking also yields other health hazards besides its general and specific economic harms.

PROOF FOR THE PROHIBITION OF SMOKING

Smoking did not exist in the time of Rasulullah PBUH, but our magnificent Deen has laid down general principles from which many laws are derived. From these principles, the Ulama (Allah's mercy be upon them) have come to the conclusion that smoking is Haraam.

An Aayaat of the Noble Qur'aan states, 'And do not throw yourself into destruction with your own hands.' (Baqarah 195).

Smoking causes fatal sicknesses, for example, lung cancer, tuberculosis, etc.

In another Aayat, Allah Ta'ala says, 'And do not kill yourselves'. (Nisaa 29).Rasulullah SAW said, 'Whomsoever drinks poison, thereby killing himself, will sip this poison forever and ever in the fire of Jahannum.'

Cigarettes consist of many poisonous substances and furthermore, the smoker indulges in a slow suicidal act by smoking this poison.

[MUFTI EBRAHIM DESAI]