Is It Compulsory to Shave Baby Hair in Islam?

 

Shaving the head of the baby is among the rites of aqeeqah. So a Muslim should never hesitate to do the shaving as well as all other Sunnah acts of aqeeqah, for they entail obedience of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

I congratulate both of you for this wonderful gift of Allah. You have every right to cherish it and give thanks to Him. I also pray that Allah grants your son sound faith and upbringing, and may he become a valuable asset to the community. Amen.

What is aqeeqah?

Aqeeqah is an important Islamic rite of initiation. It is a great sunnah of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). This custom existed among the pre-Islamic Arabs, albeit in a twisted and distorted form, as they had mingled it with pagan customs.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent by Allah to restore the pristine faith of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him). He thus restored `aqeeqah to its original status as a rite symbolizing the true tawheed (Oneness of Allah), purging it of all pagan associations and accretions.

What should be slaughtered for aqeeqah?

The aqeeqah process consists of the following rites: shaving the head of the child and donating its equivalent in weight in charity; sacrificing a goat or a lamb and offering the meat in charity as thanksgiving; and giving the child a good name.

Thus, you should never hesitate to shave the head. If you are afraid of doing it yourself, you should get a barber or some experienced elder who can do it for you. Just as it is important from a religious point of view, it is also good for better hair growth. So don’t skip it.

As for weighing the hair, it should also be done. An ordinary, sensitive kitchen scale is all that is necessary for this purpose. If you cannot find one, you may go by an educated guesswork. In this case, it is better that you err in terms of giving more, rather than giving less.

As for the meat, if you are giving a feast, you should make sure that you invite some poor people to partake of it. For the original purpose of aqeeqah is not to feed those who are rich and well-fed.

Rather it is intended to offer an avenue for feeding the poor and indigent. An alternate way is to pick out some poor families and offer part of the meat to them, in case you are unable to invite them for the feast.

Finally, the aqeeqah ritual is the first step towards initiating the child into the Islamic faith and practices.  Following this, you and your wife bear the added responsibility of nurturing sound faith, values, ethics, and morals in the child in your everyday living.

May Allah grant you the strength and knowledge to shoulder this heavy responsibility, amen.

Allah Almighty knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is a Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Why Can’t We Always Be Close to Allah?

 

“I perceive Your glimpses at times, but why not always?

Why do clouds keep coming to my mind’s sky and prevent me from finding You?”

Why can’t we always be close to Allah?

Try to recall that feeling to your mind. We experience it when we first get interested in learning and practicing Islam. But it doesn’t end there. Allah keeps sending life events our way that shake our hearts awake.

It might be a terrible accident, or an extremely painful loss. It might be finding your soul mate, or visiting the House of Allah for Hajj.

It’s not the momentary high you find once in a while during the Friday sermon that makes you cry with the congregation, and then forget all about it by the time you’re home and having lunch and criticizing your wife’s cooking.

How to Love Allah

I’m talking about the more permanent kind of feeling, the days on end of bliss. When you feel all day long that peace in your heart that seldom leaves you even in turbulent hours of the day when things go wrong.

When you feel like thanking Allah every so often. When watching a dog pick up some crumbs you threw away after lunch brings tears of gratitude to your eyes. And when you feel a slight ache in your heart that you’re semiconscious of all day.

It’s similar to what one feels when in love. Like you’d be flying up among the clouds if only you’d got wings. Like every little thing reminds you of the object of your love. Like how the awareness that he’s watching you brings a sweet smile to your lips.

It’s like falling in love. But it’s a thousand times better.

You just have to open any book of poetry. People throughout time, Muslim and non-Muslim, young and old, of every place and era, have attempted to put the feeling into words, and have succeeded to some extent. That’s what makes poetry so beautiful after all. The first two lines I quoted, for example, were by Rabindranath Tagore (translated by me).

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Yearning for Allah and meeting Him is like a gentle breeze blowing upon the heart, blowing away the blazing desire for this world. (Hardness of Heart)

And this is Rumi’s way of expressing it:

That which God said to the rose, and caused it to laugh in full-blown beauty, He said to my heart, and made it a hundred times more beautiful. (Goodreads)

Why Do We Keep Losing it?

How much do we really love Allah?

If we do love Allah, why don’t we feel this love in our hearts all the time? Why do we keep losing this incredible feeling?

It’s because the world is full of distractions – and it is full of distraction for this very reason.

Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed. (Quran 18:7)

Allah says about the disbelievers on the Day of Judgment:

… Who took their religion as distraction and amusement and whom the worldly life deluded.’ So today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs and for having rejected Our verses. (7:51)

We lose that incredible feeling when we get distracted by things – earning money, spending money, eating food, cooking food, selecting what to eat from a hundred different menus, games, relationships, clothes, shoes… all kinds of stuff.

And once we lose the feeling, we don’t remember what it felt like anymore, and don’t feel the urge to get it back either. We’d rather settle for less fulfilling pleasures. We’d rather opt for a temporary pacification of our desires than true, lasting peace of mind.

We’d rather stop being the moonlight and settle for being the pool of water that’s reflecting it, as Paulo Coelho says. “Tomorrow, the water will evaporate in the sun*”, as will our temporary pleasures.

The Key to Finding it

What’s the key to remaining connected to Allah? Allah gave it to us already – salah. The five daily obligatory sessions are to establish and maintain our direct connection with Allah, not just in these sessions, but throughout the day.

How do we establish prayer? By praying like the person who had the closest connection to Allah – Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Pray as you have seen me praying. (Bukhari 6008)

What was his prayer like? Of course, it is necessary to follow the rules of doing the ritual correctly, such as praying within the specified times, praying the correct number of units, saying the supplications in the correct order, etc.

But those are just like the bricks with which you build the prayer. The actual essence of the prayer lies, not in the physical movements, but in the heart of the worshiper.

The Prophet described the prayer as the “coolness of my eyes”. That exactly describes the feeling you get when you’re at an imaan-high. And that’s what we want to achieve.

Many great people much more learned and experienced than us have written on this topic, on how to find khushu’ and imaan in salah. I share the following advice with you in my humble effort to add to it a personal element.

How to Achieve Khushu

The first thing that helps is bringing a sense of timelessness in your salah, to feel as if the rest of your time on earth is dedicated to praying this prayer only, and that nothing else comes after it.

The Prophet put it this way:

When you stand to pray, pray like a man bidding farewell. (Ibn Majah 4171)

This can seem incredibly difficult to achieve given our hectic lifestyles. And it might take a lot of willpower and mental energy. But even if you achieve one moment of it at a time, it’s worth all that effort. And it gets better insha’Allah.

Finding this sense of timelessness is made easy if you know what you’re saying in salah. So learn the basic Arabic you need to do that. Concentrate on the meanings of what you’re saying, trying to make it personal.

For example, when you say “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is Greater), think of the topmost worry in your mind right now, such as an assignment or your spouse’s illness, and assert in your heart that Allah is greater than all that.

Make Personal Dua

Another way of making the prayer personal is by adding in personal supplications in the steps of prayer where supplications are recommended, such as during sujood (prostration).

The purpose of supplication is not to inform Allah of your thoughts and feelings, because Allah already knows all about those. It is to express to Allah our love for Him, our helplessness and neediness, our submission to Him.

The quotes given above show us some of the more successful human attempts at expressing our feelings for our Creator. If you want to give full expression to your feelings, there’s an easier and more effective way. Memorize duas from the Quran. These duas are actually Allah teaching us how to speak to Him in the best way.

I’ll leave you with an example of the best form of expression of our feelings for Allah:

Say, ‘O Allah, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent. You cause the night to enter the day, and You cause the day to enter the night; and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give provision to whom You will without account.’ (Quran, 3:26-27)

* Manuscript Found in Accra

- aboutislam.net

About Tabassum

Tabassum is a freelance writer and online Alimiyyah student at Al-Salam Institute, UK.  ihsan.life

Only Allah’s Light Can Defeat Darkness

 

The world can be a dark place. War, greed, racial hatred, oppression… these are expressions of social ignorance on a sweeping scale. Sometimes it feels like the world is being consumed by the forces of darkness, doesn’t it?

Then we have personal suffering, abuse, and selfishness – manifestations of spiritual darkness at the most intimate level. Because these ills strike at our friendships, in our homes and in our own hearts, they are even harder to deal with than global calamities.

There’s only one refuge, one source of protection, comfort, and guidance. The only true light comes from Allah (God, the Cre isator). Only Allah’s light can defeat the darkness. All other promises of hope and salvation are illusions.

{Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth.} (Quran 24:35)

Can one find comfort in material luxury, physical sensation, or intoxication? Not really. Those are distractions. Whatever pleasure we get from them fades quickly.

Can one find solace in nature? Perhaps, but only because the beauty of nature is a reflection of Allah’s mercy and creative genius. The creation is a sign that points to the Creator.

When you’re sitting there on a mountain meadow, looking out over the forested slopes and thinking, “This sure is beautiful. I feel at peace,” what you’re really doing – whether you realize it or not – is praising Allah and sensing the beauty and wonder that He placed in His creation.

One another note, do some fools commit evil in the name of religion? Yes, but Allah is exalted and glorified above what people do.

Our refuge from all of this is Allah’s light. The following is an authentic dua’ which the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to supplicate in sujood:

“O Allah, place light in my heart, and on my tongue light, and in my ears light and in my sight light, and above me light, and below me light, and to my right light, and to my left light, and before me light and behind me light. Place in my soul light. Magnify for me light, and amplify for me light. Make for me light, and make me light. O Allah, grant me light, and place light in my nerves, and in my body light and in my blood light and in my hair light and in my skin light. O Allah, make for me a light in my grave… and a light in my bones. Increase me in light, increase me in light, increase me in light. Grant me light upon light.”

It should be noted that this light has nothing to do with skin, hair or eye color. It is a reference to Allah’s light, which Ali ibn Abi Talib said was the gift of Allah’s guidance in the heart of the believer. Allah says:

{Allah is the Wali (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light.}  (Quran 2:257)

It seriously disturbs me that people – and Muslims are not immune – continue to equate lightness and darkness of skin to goodness and badness of character. A person might have skin dark as ebony, yet be filled with Allah’s light, so that the noor radiates from her face. And a person might be white as bone, yet thoroughly evil. Anyone who believes differently is confused and spiritually lost. May Allah protect us from such corrupt ways of thinking.

We seek refuge in Allah’s light from the darkness of the world. In practical application, seeking Allah’s light means that we seek the guidance of the Quran (which is a manifestation of light).

We love and follow the Prophet (peace be upon him). We strive to be present in our worship. We try to be kind to Allah’s creatures – not only other humans, but the animals and plants as well, as we were placed in stewardship over them. We struggle daily against our own negative impulses, and we try to make the world a better place.

Source: http://islamicsunrays.com/

Does Feeling Lonely Mean Allah No Longer Loves Me?

 

In Islam, feeling lonely or doubting Allah’s love does not mean Allah has abandoned you. These emotions are considered human tests that can bring a believer closer to Allah, who knows the heart, hears every supplication, and promises love to those who do good.

Islamic Perspective on Loneliness and Feeling Unloved

What you are feeling is deeply human. Loneliness, emptiness, and even flashes of envy do not mean Allah has left you. Your worth is not measured by who checks on you but by your heart and deeds: “Allah does not look at your appearance or wealth, but at your hearts and deeds” (Muslim). “Those who believe and do good—the Most Merciful will grant them love.” (Maryam 19:96)

Being alone can be a test, not a punishment. Many of the righteous experienced isolation and were elevated through it. If dark thoughts arise, gently turn away and say: A`udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim.

Wanting companionship is natural. Always seek kind company and a community that reminds you of Allah. Comfort is not found only through one person; it flourishes among believers.

Remember: “He is with you wherever you are.” (Al-Hadid 57:4)

What feels like emptiness can be an invitation to draw closer. Your tears and whispers are heard by As-Sami` (All-Hearing) and embraced by Al-Wadud (Most Loving).

Small Daily Steps to Strengthen the Heart

• Keep praying and supplicating to Allah—in any words, often.
• Join a study circle or Dhikr group; build gentle friendships.
• Remind yourself: being alone, unloved, it may be how Allah strengthens your heart.

You are not forgotten. Allah sees you, hears you, and cherishes your patience. Keep reaching for Him; He never abandons His servants.

Almighty Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is a Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Getting Rid of Stress and Anxiety

 Anxiety is part of the human condition, and the only thing that reduces anxiety is certainty. How do you get certainty? Listen to this educative and informative talk by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, as he takes us through 4 minutes of reflection on how to cure stress in our lives. - aboutislam.net

What Allah Says When You Recite Surah Al-Fatihah

 In this episode, Dr. Yasir Qadhi explains a very beautiful hadith qudsi about Surat Al-Fatihah.

The hadith tells about a conversation you engage in when you recite Surah Al-Fatihah during your prayer. The other party you are talking to is Allah subhanahu wa tala.

Can you imagine that? You have this amazing opportunity to talk to your Lord every day. The Almighty does respond to you and reply to your words.

Recite Surah Al-Fatihah, Enjoy Divine Conversation

Abu Huraiah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah (glory be to Him) has said

“I have divided the prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for…“

Salah (prayer) is a personal conversation between the slave and his Master; between the worshiper and the Lord of the Heavens and the earth.

How often do we take heed of what we are saying in Salah and how often are we aware that Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) is responding to us!

Join Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi as he discusses the Hadith Qudsi of the conversation between Allah and you in prayer.

Learn and benefit from this great series and transform your prayer so that it’s never the same again, insha’ Allah! - aboutislam.net

The Power of a Thankful Heart

 

Sleep closes your eyes, but power continues to run through your veins and nerves, sustaining life in your body, never ceasing or slackening.

Who keeps them alive, active, and vigilant for you? Who created and caused them to work from nothing?

You were not created because you asked to be, or provided for while an embryo and a baby because you asked to be. Rather, it was the Generous Bestower and Glorious Maker Who did these things for you, out of His Grace. He truly is more merciful to you than you are to yourself.

Meaning of Thankfulness

Thankfulness is a word that – along with gratitude – means praise and exaltation, and herein lies its worth and merit.

What is important is that the tongue utters gratitude while feeling it in the heart, and acknowledging from deep inside that God, as the source of every good bestowed, deserves all thanks that is sent.

With every blink of the eye and beat of the heart, Allah acquaints mankind with Himself through the blessings He bestows and the good things He sends.

These blessings and bounties, which are renewed throughout every day and every night, should be received with recognition for and thanks to the One Who Bestowed them.

It is He Who made the night and the day follow each other, for such who desires to remember or desires to show gratitude. (25: 62)

If you provide someone with food, give him shelter, pay off his debts, or raise him to a high rank, and he then frowns upon you or gives you his back despite the kindness shown to him, you would perceive him as someone without whom earth would be a better place.

What do you think about the Lord of existence – Who creates out of nothing, provides sustenance and clothing, and showers down His Graces and Favors year after year – when He sees that those living and rejoicing in His Blessings are stern and steadfast opponents of Him!

He has created man from Nutfah (mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge), then behold, this same man becomes an open opponent. (16: 4)

Ingratitude

Ingratitude is baseness. The incessant flow of bounties is just repaid with turning the back to their Giver and disobeying Him in His watchful Presence.

With persistence in such behavior, the right to more is diminished to nothing. Therefore is the command to mankind to thank and express gratitude to Him, their Lord.

Gratitude is not a difficult duty that has to be borne with patience; rather, it is the road to perfection that people must walk with determination and purpose.

O you who believe, eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and give thanks to Allah, if it is truly Him that you worship. (2: 172)

Thankfully acknowledging Allah’s Favors with sweet composure and acquiescence of the heart towards the Maker makes a person worthy of receiving more. Blessings in his hands are like water poured on a fertile land that bursts with flowers and fruits. Pouring more cannot be withheld or reduced.

Contrarily, watering a barren land is a waste, and therefore water is cut off.

If you give thanks, I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless, verily My Punishment is indeed severe. (14: 7)

Severe punishment is thus deserved for the evilness of ingratitude.

What will people lose if they enjoy the Blessings of Allah with a thankful heart that acknowledges the Bestower and says to Him, “Thank You.” Or is this too difficult?

The Prophet’s Thankfulness

Gratitude is more a feeling than mere movement of the lips, a feeling that was superbly translated into sincere actions and behaviors throughout the day and life of Prophet Muhammad.

Whenever he woke up, he would say:

All praise and thanks to Allah Who restored to me my soul, made my body healthy, and allowed me to remember Him.

Whenever he finished eating, he would say:

All praise and thanks to Allah Who fed us, quenched our thirst, and made us Muslims.

Whenever he returned from relieving himself, he would say:

All praise and thanks to Allah Who made me taste its (food) good flavor, retained within me its power (strength and energy derived from food), and removed from me its harm.

Whenever he wore a new garment, he would say:

All praise and thanks to Allah Who has clothed me with this garment and provided it for me, with no power or might from myself.

Whenever he returned from traveling, he would say:

We are returning, repenting, worshiping, and praising our Lord.

Whenever something happened that pleased him, he would say:

All praise and thanks to Allah by Whose Blessings all good things are perfected.

And whenever something happened that displeased him, he would say:

All praise and thanks to Allah in all circumstances.

And he prayed:

O Allah, help me remember You, thank You, and perfect my worship of You.

Satan’s Plan

What plan did Satan have against mankind after he was expelled from heaven?

His vengeful endeavors were to rob mankind of contentment and make them ungrateful.

His vengeful endeavors were to distract them and cover their insight with veils of heedlessness, so that they eat the Bounties of Allah and do not thank Him and see His Grand Signs and do not glorify Him.

When beasts find food, they devour it, sensible of nothing else. And when they lack food, they feel hungry, sensible of nothing else. When healthy, they run and jump. But when sick, they lie down and rest, sensible of nothing else.

They know no patience with affliction or thankfulness for bounties.

This is the kind of life that Satan wants mankind to live, neither to remember nor thank Allah.

This was the oath of Satan on the day he was driven out of heaven.

I will surely lie in wait for those on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from in front and from behind and from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them grateful (to You). (7: 17)

The Consequences of Ingratitude

The worst of ingratitude is when it is a collective feeling into which an entire nation slides. As if there is a written agreement among them not to mention anything good about Allah, and to gorge His Bounties and ascribe them to anyone other than Him.

Were previous nations, such as ‘Ad and Thamud, destroyed for any cause other than ingratitude?

It was said to ‘Ad:

Remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh (Noah), and increased you amply in stature. So remember the graces (bestowed on you) from Allah, so that you may be successful. (7: 69)

It was said to Thamud:

Remember that He made you successors after ‘Ad (people); and gave you habitations in the land, you build for yourselves palaces in plains, and carve out homes in the mountains. So remember the graces (bestowed on you) from Allah, and do not go about making mischief on the earth. (7: 74)

The flood of blessings and bounties that flowed throughout their land was nothing to these people. Consequently, they were deprived of what they were ungrateful for; dispossessed of what they denied, and torment was justified against them.

Mankind is warned not to tread such pernicious paths.

Remember Me, I will remember you. And be thankful to Me and do not be ungrateful. (2: 152)

But despite Allah’s Warnings, only few are those who acknowledge His Favors or feel grateful.

But few of My slaves are grateful. (34: 13)

_____________________

From the book “The Emotional Side of Islam” by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghazali. Translated and adapted by Haya Muhammad Eid and edited by Emily Katharine Richardson.

- aboutislam.net

An Islamic Thanksgiving?

 

Allah Almighty says:

So remember Me and I shall remember you; give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me for My favours. (Al-Baqarah 2: 152)

And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): “If you are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you; but if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed. (Ibrahim 14: 7)

We bestowed Wisdom on Luqman: “Show (your) gratitude to Allah.” Any who is (so) grateful does so to the profit of his own soul; but if any is ungrateful, verily Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praise. (Luqman 31: 12)

The National Day of Thanksgiving in America, (Canada, etc.) is a beautiful holiday. It contains a good spirit and noble message.

It is not a holiday of any particular religion. It is not a Christian or Jewish holiday but it has many deeply religious and spiritual meanings.

America at thanksgiving is America at its best.

It is unfortunate that like many other moral and spiritual things, this holiday is also turned nowadays into too much indulgence and commercialism.

It is important that we remember and remind others about the spirit of thanksgiving.

The Qur’anic word for thanks is “shukr.” It is mentioned in the Qur’an many times. It is the quality of human beings and it is also the quality of Allah.

According to scholars shukr means:

“It is the consideration of the favor and its acknowledgment. Shukr from the human means the recognition of the favor. Shukr from Allah means the reward and appreciation.”

Shukr is a very important principle in Islam.

It is a quality of the believers, and it is a source of all goodness. Shukr is used in the Qur’an sometimes as an equivalent to faith.

The faithful are thankful people, and the unfaithful are ungrateful people.

Allah has described His prophets and messengers among those who were thankful:

“Prophet Nuh was a grateful servant of Allah” (Al-Israa’ 17: 3).

“Prophet Ibrahim used to thank Allah for His many blessings“(An-Nahl 16:121).

“Prophet Dawud and his family were told to be grateful to Allah” (Sabaa’ 34:13).

Allah told His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):

Nay, but worship Allah, and be of those who give thanks. (Az-Zummar 39: 66)

Allah also promised:

Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave, the term being fixed as by writing. If anyone desires a reward in this life, We shall give it to him; and if anyone desires a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that who are thankful. (Aal `Imran 3: 145)

In Islam, thanksgiving is not only a particular religious act or service; it is the whole life.

The whole life should be lived in obedience to our Ultimate Benefactor, Allah. God has been good to us, and so in our thankfulness we should worship Him and obey His commands and orders.

Our daily prayers, our fasting during Ramadan, our zakah, and our Hajj are all acts of thanksgiving. We should do them not only as duties that must be performed but as our gratitude to our Lord and Creator.

Furthermore, we should remind ourselves that we are constantly under Allah’s favors and blessings.

When we eat, he told us that we should say: “When the Prophet used to eat or drink, he used to say,

“Thanks be to Allah Who gave us food and drink and made us Muslims.” (At-Tirmidhi, 3379)

There are many special prayers that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught us to keep us on the path of gratitude and thankfulness.

Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) put on any new dress, he would say its name ‘Amamah or shirt or shawl, then he would say,

“O Allah, Thanks be to You, You gave me this to wear. I ask You to give me the good of this dress and the good for which it is made and I ask You to protect me from the evil of this dress and from the evil of that for which it is made.” (At-Tirmidhi, 1689)

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to mount his camel going on a journey, he used to say “Allah Akbar” (God is the greatest) three times, and then he would say,

“Glory to Him Who has subjected these to our (use), for we could never have accomplished this (by ourselves). And to our Lord, surely, must we turn back!” (Az-Zukhruf 43:13)

“O Allah, we ask you this journey righteousness and piety and the deeds that are pleasing to you.“

“O Allah, make this journey easy for us and shorten its distance.“

“O Allah, You are the Companion in journey and You are the Guardian for the family (left behind).”

“O Allah, We ask you to protect us from the exhaustion of journey, from bad scenes and from bad return to our property and family.”

When he used to return, he used to say,

“Returning, repenting, worshiping and praising our Lord.” (Muslim, 2392)

Islam does not only teach us to thank Allah, but we are also told to thank our parents, our spouses, our friends, our neighbors, and all those who do any good to us.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Those who do not thank people, they do not thank Allah.” (At-Tirmidhi, 1878)

- aboutislam.net

About Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi

Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi is the Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America

How to Make Time for Allah When Life Gets Busy

Isn’t it ironic that in the world with the most time-saving technology, we still find ourselves so busy and exhausted?

The biggest tragedy is we’ve allowed our busyness to take away from time dedicated to Allah. As a result, we’ve sucked the barakah (blessing) out of our time.

This is one reason why so many people approach the end of their life wondering where the years went. They question what they’ve put forward for their akhirah (the Hereafter) with all the days they’ve had.

But we shouldn’t have to wait until our last days to give our time to Allah, the Master of Time itself.

You’re Never Too Busy!

“I’m too busy!”. We’ve all said this before, but let’s be honest: “too busy” is a construct. You’re never “too busy.”

It’s a matter of priority and what you’re willing to cut down on/get rid of completely to prioritize your relationship with Allah. Don’t believe me? Delete one of your social media apps on your phone and notice the free time that magically appears. 

No man on earth was more busy than the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Yet among his never-ending responsibilities as a father, husband, leader, teacher and counselor, he never had a day pass without private time with Allah.

If you believe it was only possible because he was a prophet, think about the Companions. They were also parents, working jobs, and running their homes without the time-saving technology we have. Yet, they took from the Prophet’s example. For them and us, it was a matter of priority. 

Prophet Abrahim (peace be upon him) also knew the importance of never being “too busy” for Allah. He would spend time, even before prophethood, reflecting on the creation of Allah and this life. Also, he would reflect in the late night and early morning. He would share his reflections with his people as described in the Quran.

After prophethood, worship became a family affair alongside his wives Sara and Hajar. This connection to Allah would give him the conviction needed to honor the challenges Allah would send all their ways.

The Blessing of Giving Time to Allah

When we give time to Allah through dedicated worship (like Quran, prayer, dhikr and duaa), we feed our souls by giving it the worship it was created for. This is a different and more beloved flavor of worship than turning everyday actions into worship with a good intention (although this is important too!).

Abu Hurayrah reported that that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it.  (Al-Bukhari)

This is the blessing of giving time to Allah. When we remember Allah, undistracted, we show Him how much we care for Him in our hearts. In return, Allah increases us in His closeness and favor. He even tells the angels about us and the angels make duaa for us! They become our close friends in this world, eager to be around us. What a beautiful gathering to be a part of!

On the other hand, when we constantly push worship away, we eventually will close ourselves to it altogether. And if we do that with no intention to turn back to Allah, we lock ourselves out of His mercy. That is the worst fate and yet, it is completely in our control. We make the decision to stay in Allah’s mercy or leave it.

We read in the Quran:

{Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.} (Al-Baqarah 2:7)

We would never want to be those on the Day of Judgment who beg to come back for another chance they’ll never get. This is our one chance, so we have to make the most of it. And Allah appreciates all our effort, big and small.

Without God, You’ll Always Be Stressed Out

Allah says in the Quran:

{So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me. O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.} (Al-Baqarah 2:152-153)

The reality of life is that Allah wants us to be close to Him. He gains no benefit from our worship and is not harmed by the lack of it. We are the ones who need the worship. Without it, the core of who we are (our soul) starves and nothing can fill it besides Allah. 

Without Allah, you’ll end up chasing the many glittery things in life that never make you happy.

You’ll fall into miserable haram only to feel perpetually unfilled. Even in those times, Allah is still there, waiting to accept your tawbah (repentance) and open doors to you.

One of the biggest blessings we see in our life is the hardship we are given. We often don’t appreciate it while it occurs because of our overwhelming fear and anxiety. But it is these tests that show us what is really in our hearts. These tests show us how much we’ve invested in our relationship with Allah, they erase our sins and they increase us in good deeds for the akhirah. 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said; “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that.” (Al-Bukhari)

Even Hajar, the wife of Prophet Abrahim, a beloved woman to Allah, endured trial. She was left completely alone in a barren desert with a baby. Imagine her fear and uncertainty!

And yet, because of her conviction and effort, we commemorate her every single year during the holy month of Dhul-Hijjah.

Her trial was temporary, even though at that time, it was likely the only thing on her mind. Her trial was resolved and, God willing, she will enjoy Paradise forever after it .

So, What Do I Do Now?

The amazing thing humans and jinn have that no other creation has is choice. We decide what we use our time to do. So, assess your free time. Make a 24 hour schedule and write down what each hour is used for. After the big time consumers like work and school, how much free time do you have? Account for the required eating, sleeping, commuting, hygiene and prayer. What time is left? What do you fill that free time with? 

If you’re like me, you’ll be shocked at how much time you actually have left over! For most of us, it’s wasted on entertainment. So now, you know you’re not “too busy.” Dedicate a specific wird (daily worship). Show Allah you’ll carve out the time for dedicated worship. Some ideas include reading a page of Quran every night before sleeping. Waking up 10 minutes earlier (or not) to do the morning adhkar. Create an istighfar routine before getting ready for bed. Pick a prayer and do a special undistracted duaa after that prayer. 

There are so many options, pick one, stick to it for a month and watch yourself transform. The barakah in your time will expand. You’ll find yourself no longer enjoying the things you used to waste your time with. Your heart will be cleaner. And most importantly, you’ll thank yourself in the akhirah.

- aboutislam.net

About Hana Alasry

Hana Alasry is a physician associate practicing medicine in the US. She has over 10 years of Islamic community organizing experience. She is the founder of SALIM Life LLC and has a self-improvement brand which focuses on God-Conscious Self-Improvement. She has a particular interest in premarital preparation and healing chronic trauma and offers personal coaching, group coaching, workshops & more. You can find more about Hana's work at hanaalasry.com, on Tiktok (@HanathePA) and on Youtube (Hana Alasry).