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).

Can You Skip Jumuah due to Psychological Problems?

 

Let us also remind you of the Hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in which he stated that Allah Almighty rewards every Muslim for anything harms him even a thorn prick.

So, never feel sad for what had happened to you. Rather, you should be patient and satisfied imploring Allah Almighty to abundantly reward you for it.

I ask Allah Almighty to protect you, grant you speedy recovery, and reward you highly. Allah Almighty has made this tribulation as a gift for you by opening doors of worship you wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. So, praise be to Allah Who makes it easy for His servants after any hardship.

I want to emphasize to you that Friday prayer absence cannot be excused by such types of excuses, as was unanimously agreed upon among scholars of Islam.

Other congregational prayers attendance is less strict because attending congregational prayer in times other than Friday is a controversy among scholars whether it is required or just encouraged.

But, if you can observe all congregational prayers, that should be your first priority. Observing Friday prayer should be the absolute minimum though as whoever misses 3 Fridays out of negligence, Allah will conceal his heart.

Almighty Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Dr. Salah Al-Sawy

President of the Shari`ah Academy and the Secretary General for the Assembly of Muslim Jurists in America

Patience Is a Blessing From Allah

 When you recognize Allah’s presence, you will be able to practice patience. Patience comes from Allah and He reminds you of Himself at the right moment. - aboutislam.net

6 Patterns of Narratives in the Quran

 

The Quran contains many narratives (qisas, singular qissah), referred to in the Quran itself:

{We do relate unto thee the most beautiful of stories} (Yusuf 12:3)

These narratives, which illustrate and underline important aspects of the Quranic message, fulfill their functions in a variety of ways. The following are some of the more common patterns:

1. Explaining the general message of Islam

2. Giving general guidance and a reminder

3. Strengthening the conviction of the Prophet and the believers

4. Reminding of the earlier prophets and their struggles

5. Indicating the continuity and truth of Muhammad’s message

6. Providing arguments against some opponents of Islam, such as Jews and Christians

Quran Stories:

• Stories of the Prophets: Exemplary Patience of Prophet Ayub (PBUH)
• These Prophets Were Separated from Families Too… What to Learn from Them?
• Learn Ethics of Teamwork from Prophets Musa and Harun (Peace Be upon Them)

---

As far as the contents of these narratives are concerned, one may, broadly speaking, distinguish between the following three kinds:

1. Stories of the prophets of Allah, their peoples, their message, their call, their persecution, etc., such as the narratives about Nuh (Ash-Shu`ra’ 26, Nuh 71), Musa (Al-Qasas 28), `Isa (Maryam 19) and many others

2. Other Quranic narratives about past people or events, such as the narratives about the Companions of the cave, or about Dhul Qarnain (Al-Kahf 18)

3. References to events that took place during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, such as the Battle of Badr (Aal `Imran 3:13), the Battle of Uhud (Aal `Imran 3:121-128), the Battle of Al-Ahzab (33: 9-27), the Night Journey (Al-Israa’ 17:1)

- aboutislam.net

About Ahmad Von Denffer

Ahmad Von Denffer was born in Germany in 1949. He is working for the Islamic Center, Munich, Germany. He has various publications in different languages.

Don’t Worry, Allah Has Your Back

 

Do you struggle with pains that life throws at you? Your fear and agony, your illness, your anxiety that eats at you, your business that you’ve lost… Don’t worry.

You should be grateful for your pains, especially pains that you don’t complain about and don’t even vent, pains that only Allah knows about.

Why?

Because something amazing happens!

Allah is saving for you a great place in Paradise; He wants to elevate your status to a higher level you deserve.

This is how believers handle their challenges in life. Their patience when calamities strike, and their trust in Allah’s plan and promise relieve their hearts and reduce the pains of this life.

A Life of Test

People who are tried and tested the most are the Prophets and the messengers, then people who are closer to them in faith.

A person will be tried and tested according to that level. If their faith is strong, then their trials will be strong; but if their faith is weak, their trials will be at the same level of intensity.

This is the story of this life. Allah never promised us that earth here to be Paradise; He never promised us to make us enjoy this life to the fullest. Allah says:

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed. (Quran 67:2)

Allah promised that this life is life of test and He promised that He is not going to commit even an atom weight of injustice.

So why would we go through trials and hardships, when we don’t get what wish? When our plans are ruined? Why do we feel as if Allah is targeting us, or as if He abandoned us or doesn’t care about us, or doesn’t have mercy upon us?

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

Allah gives this dunya to the one that He loves and the one that He doesn’t love. But He only gives the akhirah to those He loves.

If you’ve been going through hardship, if you’ve been going through a financial loss, emotional or physical struggle… Or any type of pain and suffering, and it’s been going on for a long time. You are not the only one. This is how life is meant to be. Not because Allah loves humans to suffer, but because:

Indeed with every hardship there is ease; with every hardship, there is ease. (Quran 94:5-6)

How Do We Deal With All These Hardships and Calamities?

Some people have been suffering for ten years, some people for twenty or fifty years. They’ve been calling upon Allah to remove some kind of hardship and Allah hasn’t removed it yet! Not because Allah doesn’t care, but maybe Allah wants to elevate them.

Prophet Muhammad said that:

Allah has a high place for one of you in Paradise, and the person doesn’t do enough to get it, but Allah sends hardships so that he can get it.

When this person responds with patience, Allah elevates him to that level.

Anywhere you go, any side you sleep on, any ceiling you’re under, you are well taken care of. There are no mistakes in your life; there is nothing random that even happened to you in your life. Everything was written before the creation of the heavens and the earth.

This is a source of relief because the one who wrote that down is the Most Merciful, the Most Wise, and the Most Just.

Quran.

- aboutislam.net

Husband Doesn’t Allow Me to Wear Hijab

 

May Allah (swt) continue to guide you on the straight path and bring you all the knowledge and strength to practice the deen as it has been prescribed to us.

Wearing the hijab publicly has been an issue discussed a lot, especially in recent time, and will inevitably raise concern for us all as Muslims due to the attacks that have occurred on people as a result.

Where a Muslim man’s identity as a Muslim is not so obvious, wearing hijab is obviously a lot more covert and openly identifies us a Muslim.

The hijab is an obligation on us as women and, therefore, is a must that we wear it, even in situations where we may fear persecution.

It can certainly feel very daunting when we hear all the negative stories in the media about it; however, there a number of things we must always keep in mind to remain strong in our desire to wear it.

Firstly, Allah (swt) said we should wear it and there is a very good reason for this. It serves as a protection to us.

Remember that we wear it to obey the command of Allah (swt) and that we are not doing it for anyone but Him (swt).

Therefore, the judgements of others are irrelevant. Ultimately, Allah (swt) is the One who will be judging our life on this earth and not anyone else.

Therefore, it is more important for us to strive to please Him (swt) even if it meant that everyone else on the planet was displeased.

This can be easier said than done when your spouse does not agree that you fulfill this obligation of wearing the hijab and you fear the consequences of disobeying him.

However, whilst in most cases, you should respect what your husband says, when a husband tells the wife to do something that is haram or outside of the fold of Islam, then they cannot obey such a command. 

Understandably, he is worried for your safety and this is a sign of his love for you, so you might reassure him that it is an obligation on you to wear it and that your fear of Allah (swt) is worth more than the fear of persecution from others.

In sha’ Allah, if he loves you for the sake of Allah (swt) and wants what is best for you in the Hereafter, then he will begin to support you with this.

Perhaps at the start, he could accompany you out to see for himself the kind of reaction that you get from others around you.

In sha’ Allah, he will come to realize that even though people may stare, the reaction probably won’t be half as bad as he expects.

Whilst we hear many stories of people being persecuted for wearing it, there are just as many (often unreported) stories of people actually desiring to ask questions about Islam and find out more.

In many cases, they even revert to Islam as a result. We can use it as an indirect form of making dawah.

People see the hijab and automatically know we are Muslims and will make judgements about Islam based on our behavior.

Therefore, having this constant reminder on our head will always encourage us to act the best of ways to show the beauty of Islam and that Muslims are not all as bad as is portrayed in the media.

Use it as a chance to challenge the stereotypes that exist for Muslims right now.

Being in the minority, wearing the hijab provides the perfect opportunity to do this.

So, yes, maybe as a Muslim you don’t “fit in” as much as you would in a country where the majority are Muslim, but you can use this to your advantage and do your best to mix in as much as everyone else, and let people know that Muslims are good people.

May Allah (swt) make it easy for you to proceed with your decision to wear the hijab and reward you for doing so.

May He (swt) soften your husband’s heart to accept you in doing so, and may He (swt) open the hearts of others’ hearts to Islam in accepting you into the community with no problems.

- aboutislam.net

About Hannah Morris

Hannah Morris is a mum of 4 and she currently works as Counsellor and Instructor of BSc. Psychology at the Islamic Online University (IOU). She obtained her MA degree in Psychology and has over 10 years of experience working in health and social care settings in the UK, USA, and Ireland. Check out her personal Facebook page, ActiveMindCare, that promotes psychological well-being in the Ummah. (www.facebook.com/activemindcare)

How Do You Get Answer to Your Question from God?

 

The Best Way to Ask About the Unseen

First of all, when you have a personal question about the unseen- like we all do – the best thing surely is to consult The Knower of the unseen who has full knowledge of the past, present and future of everything, Allah Almighty.

The Prophet taught us the consultation prayer (salatul istikhara).

The dua in it says:

(O Allah, I consult You through Your Knowledge, and I seek strength through Your Power, and ask of Your Great Bounty; for You are Capable whereas I am not and You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of hidden things.

O Allah, if You know that this matter (and name it) is good for me in respect of my Deen, my livelihood and the consequences of my affairs, (or he said), the sooner or the later of my affairs then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me.

But if You know this matter (and name it) to be bad for my Deen, my livelihood or the consequences of my affairs, (or he said) the sooner or the later of my affairs then turn it away from me, and turn me away from it, and grant me power to do good whatever it may be, and cause me to be contented with it).

And let the supplicant specify the object.” [Al-Bukhari]

This is such a beautiful and powerful prayer and supplication to make.

Do You Know For Sure?

You asked Allah for something. But the question is: Do you know for sure that this thing will be good for you in the future?

We can never be sure. Sometimes what we wish for now, we regret later.

So, through this prayer, you consult Allah given His Supreme Knowledge and you trust Him.

You ask Him that if what you wish for is good for you in the future in your religion, livelihood and afterlife, that He facilitates it for you.

But if it is harmful for you in your religion, livelihood or afterlife that he would keep it away from you and keep you away from it and give you something better and make you pleased with it.

About Allah and Answering Our Wishes and Dua

Allah hears all our prayers and responds to them in the way that is best for us.

There are 3 ways in which Allah answers one’s prayer:

1- He responds to the dua directly or soon enough (and we all have duas that were responded to quite soon).

2- He delays the response to when the time is best for us to have it. You’ll find throughout the Quran that Allah responded to even impossible duas of Prophets after years, but the time of the answer was the best for them.

3- He knows that this thing isn’t good for us, so He – on account of our dua-, grants us something much bigger, better and eternal in the Hereafter.

Is My Wish Really Good For Me?

We need to make sure that what we ask for is not actually unlawful, sinful or harmful.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) says:

“The supplication of a slave continues to be granted as long as he does not supplicate for a sinful thing or for something that would cut off the ties of kinship and he does not grow impatient.

” It was said: “O Messenger of Allah! What does growing impatient mean?”

He (peace be upon him) said, “It is one’s saying: ‘I supplicated again and again but I do not think that my prayer will be answered.’ Then he becomes frustrated (in such circumstances) and gives up supplication altogether.” [Sahih Muslim]

We also have to ask ourselves: are we here on earth to get all our wishes answered, or are we here for a greater purpose that determines our eternal place in the Hereafter?

This world is but a test for us, and the Hereafter is the place where we will get all our wishes immediately and eternally.

So we have to continue to prove our faith here and succeed in our test, this is our number one goal.

“[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed — and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving –“[Quran 67: 2]

This brings us to another essential point.

The Quran and Answering One’s Questions

Allah Almighty has already provided answers to our most essential questions in the Quran.

He has already spoken to us, we don’t need another prophet or messenger as you were thinking.

“This [Quran] is a clear statement to [all] the people and a guidance and instruction for those conscious of Allah.” (Quran 3: 138)

If we are closely engaged in studying the Quran and the Seerah, we will be in a good position to find answers, relief and resolutions to most, if not all, our quests.

Additionally, Allah is closely guiding all those who seek Him. Maybe you ask Allah, and He inspires you to send a question here that gives you the response you need.

Maybe you find several posts online about your issue that speak directly to you, maybe you meet a knowledgeable/trustworthy person who shares with you something that is exactly the answer to your question, maybe you sit peacefully and reflect and then things become clearer for you…

“And how many a sign within the heavens and earth do they pass over while they, therefrom, are turning away.” (Quran 12: 105)

So pay attention to the signs. Allah knows your surroundings and knows how to reach you. If you ask Him, He will give you answers that you can easily find.

The Test of Faith and Trust in Allah

Most importantly, the issue is not about waiting to know whether Allah agrees or not.

Allah will not prevent something good from His slaves unnecessarily; Allah is The Most caring for His slaves.

The issue is: when you consult Allah, then this means you trust Him and you ask Him to do what He thinks is best for you, and not what you think is best.

If you simply ask Allah to grant you your wishes, it is as if you’re saying, “O Allah, I know everything and I know what’s right for me, I’m not consulting you; I’m demanding you to do what I want”—of course this isn’t right.

Prayer and consultation is about humility, faith and trust in Allah that He knows better than us and being at peace with this fact, and with His Wisdom and direction He leads us to.

- aboutislam.net

About Dina Mohamed Basiony

Dina Mohamed Basiony is a writer based in Cairo, Egypt. She specializes in Islam and spirituality. Dina holds an MA and BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from the American University in Cairo.

I Feel Overwhelmed With Missed Prayers Daily

 

The scholars of Islam insist that a Muslim must not deliberately delay the performance of the five mandatory prayers beyond their specified time.

But if we forget to do them owing to reasons beyond our control or have fallen asleep, there is no blame. But then we should perform them as soon as we remember or wake up.

Islam permits no excuse for the deliberate postponement of prayer owing to work or business or study or any other worldly pursuit.

True Believers

Indeed one of the characteristics of genuine believers is that they do not permit any worldly affairs to take precedence over the observance of regular prayer within the specified time.

Allah in His Noble Quran describes the believers thus:

People whom neither [worldly] commerce nor striving after gain can divert from the remembrance of God, and from con­stancy in prayer, and from charity: [people] who are filled with fear [at the thought] of the Day On which all hearts and eyes will be convulsed [and who only hope] that God may reward them in accordance with the best that they ever did, and give them, out of His bounty, more [than they deserve]: for, God grants sustenance unto whom He wills, beyond all reckon­ing. (Quran 24:37, 38)

People who are engaged in trade or business are generally unwilling to pause their activities for a while for anything; they think they will be losers if they do so. They forget that Allah is the Disposer of all affairs, and without His blessing no human activity can bear fruit.

So the best we can do is to plan our activities in such a way that we set apart short intervals in the midst of our activities for prayer, which need not take more than a few minutes.

Easier Prayers for The Sick

Allah Almighty also says of later generations of people who ignored their prayers:

Yet they were succeeded by generations [of people] who lost all [thought of] prayer and followed [but] their own lusts; and these will, in time, meet with utter disillusion… (Quran 19:59)

On the basis of the Quran and the Sunnah, our jurists have clearly specified the time for each Salah, for which there is a beginning time and no one is expected to perform it before that time. And for each prayer there is an ending time too, after which no one can do it with the certainty of acceptance by Allah.

We should not postpone the mandatory five times’ Salah, not even during the times of battle, fear, or illness.

Even a person suffering from an extreme illness is not exempted from prayer. Such a person is allowed to pray sitting if difficult to do it standing; and if he or she can’t do it sitting, they can do it lying on bed.

And if a patient can’t make wudhu (ablution), they can do tayammum (a form of ablution without using water) before the prayer.  All these underscore the fact that Salah cannot be postponed for the sake of some worldly pursuit.

The foregoing means that study, research or project work is NOT a valid excuse for the postponement of prayer.

Breaks in Work Are Good, Not Bad

Now let us come specifically to your problem, namely your fear that if you stop in the middle of your work for prayer, you will lose your focus. You feel, effectively, that you can’t engage in any meaningful work or project if you take an interval or recess for prayer.

In fact, several studies have been conducted about the advantages or disadvantages of taking a break from work; and these show that taking an interval actually enhances creativity.

A recess from any difficult work or project allows the person to take up the work with a fresh mind and approach after the break which allows them to view the problems in a new light. This reinvigorates their creative potential to produce much better results than they could otherwise achieve.

Your feeling that taking a recess is detrimental to your creative efforts is a misunderstanding about how your brain works.

Allah Knows Best What Is Good

Allah is Wise and He knows about the strengths and weaknesses of humans; and the five times’ mandatory prayers have indeed more benefits than we can easily see or assess at face value.

We need Allah’s help and guidance in matters where we encounter difficulties or where we are utterly helpless. The best way to get His help and guidance is to supplicate to Him, and one of the best times for supplication is just after our mandatory prayers.

And if by any chance you miss a prayer, you need to do it before performing the next one. Also, you need to ask the forgiveness of Allah Almighty to forgive you for your lapse in the doing of the mandatory prayer.

Finally, it all depends on your faith in Allah Almighty and your commitment to living in submission to His will. And Allah knows best. 

And Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Professor Shahul Hameed

Professor Shahul Hameed is an Islamic consultant. He also held the position of the President of the Kerala Islamic Mission, Calicut, India. He is the author of three books on Islam published in the Malayalam language. His books are on comparative religion, the status of women, and science and human values.

Islam Is Religion of Ease (Hadith Explained)

 

Although most of us have good intentions when we ‘advise’ others, oftentimes our words have the opposite desired effect.

We need to pause before advising and ask ourselves, “are my words gentle and kind”?

What the Prophet said about ease

Abu Hurairah narrated:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said; “The religion (of Islam) is easy, and whoever makes the religion a rigor, it will overpower him. ” (Al-Bukhari)

As you can see above, our religion is the definition of ease. Out of the 24 hours in the day, Allah only requires us to devote around 20 minutes a day to praying. The rest of the time belongs to us. Allah could have required us to pray every 20 minutes throughout the day but to make it easy, He only requires us to pray 5 times a day.

He could have required us to pay thirty percent zakah every year (kinda like Uncle Sam does) but instead requires us to pay 2.5% of our SAVINGS. Surplus money. Islam is ease.

Advising others kindly

When we advise harshly or in a way that could push a person further away from Islam, we are going against what we’ve been advised by our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him).

Offering advice should always be done with ease. To learn how to properly advise someone, check these 15 helpful tips. 

This short khutbah by Sheikh Yasir Qadhi further explains the hadith above including why we should set a high bar for ourselves but a low bar for others. 

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Source: Yasir Qadhi Youtube Channel

Is Misyar Marriage Valid?

 

What is misyar marriage?

Misyar marriage is a form of marriage that has been contentious; some approving it as long as it fulfills the conditions of marriage, another group disapproving of it, and still another considering it undesirable or makruh.

When we look at the issue of misyar marriage from the perspective of the higher purposes of Shari`ah, it is something we should disapprove. When we look at the Islamic legislation regarding sexual unions, Islam forbade all forms of sexual union except the standard and generally accepted method of marriage.

The purpose of marriage is to establish a family foundation- family being the bedrock of society. It is a union built on shared responsibilities living together and laying the foundation for a new generation.

Allah says, “Among His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves in to relate to them in tranquility and instilled in your hearts love and mercy towards one another. Indeed, there are signs in these for those who reflect.” (Ar-Rum 30: 21)

Is misyar marriage valid?

Misyar marriage is contemplated by those who are already married. Then often without the knowledge of his wife and children, he marries another woman without sharing the home but simply for sexual fulfillment.

When seen from a purely ethical point of view, it amounts to degrading the sanctity of marriage.

Therefore, it is fraught with dire consequences of destroying the family and undermining peace and tranquility at home.

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