LOYALTY IS A BLESSING

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

May peace and blessings of Allah swt be on all of you.

Loyalty is truly a blessing from the Almighty.
All of my posts are inspired by my own life experiences. This one is also the same. So here I would like to share something very important and has been happening around from ages.

What I experienced was that I recently got to know of a person who looks very religious and has a family which includes an adult daughter, has made two of his sons huffaz ( the one who memorizes the Quran ) is in a haram relationship with another woman!! It was really hard to believe.

I have been seeing this man almost everyday since a decade and its unbelievable to know this fact about him. Maybe for some of you it’s not a big deal but for me it is as I have only heard of all this on social media or television and not in real life.

I don’t understand when Allah has made it halal to marry more than one then why this INFEDILITY? I am not promoting polygamy here but halal is halal. So if one can accommodate more than one wives then why indulge oneself in sins. Also when Allah has asked us to get married that completes half our faith which protects us from worldly temptations and from committing these grave sins, then why be a cause of our own and others destruction?

In marriage it’s not just earning well and taking care of the family but being loyal to your spouse is one of the most essential things. If your giving everything to your spouse sans loyalty then it will not be a healthy relationship and the rest doesnot count.

As Prophet Muhammad saw said:

“The best of you are those who are best to their wives”

Here I am referring to both husband and wife.

If we are two faced with our husband’s let us remember that both our faces will be revealed one or the other day or if not on the day of judgment for sure. You will be ruining your life and your spouse’s as well as the ones with whom you have been in this haram relationship and not to forget most important your children’s (if you have) this will lead eventually to loss of everything in this world as well as in the hereafter.

Prophet saw also said :

if a woman prays her daily prayer, fasts her months, protects her chastity and obeys her husband, on the day of judgment shell be asked to enter paradise from any of the eight gates”

So if you have a loyal spouse then it’s a blessing from the Almighty. Having everything under the sky but an infidel spouse is like having an incurable disease while having all the means to be treated.

Let us just not follow our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW only in our appearance but also within our selves by being faithful to everyone especially our spouses.

People keep beard and wear trousers above the ankle, wear hijab, etc., but within closed doors they abuse, cheat, lie and do all that is not the teachings of Prophet SAW.

Let’s practice before we preach!!

Let’s pray that we stay loyal to our spouses all our lives. And that may Allah SWT protect us from the fitnah (temptations) that is all around us. May Allah SWT give hidayah (show the right path) to those who are involved in this and sabr (patience) to those going through this tough times with their spouses.

Ameen.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

The Quran teachers academy

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

May peace and blessings of Allah swt be on all of you.

Ways and Techniques to Memorize the Holy Quran

The Holy Quran is the sacred book of Allah (SWT) and a form of ultimate guidance for all mankind till the Last Day of the world. Muslims understand the instructions and follow the right path guided by Allah (SWT) in the Quran to be among those who are blessed by Him (SWT). The words of Allah (SWT) in the Quran contain the supreme knowledge required for every Muslim to be a true believer.

Memorization of the Quran is a blessing of Allah (SWT) that memorizers can absorb in their hearts the entire Quran along with its meaning and understanding. There are high rewards for memorizing even the little parts of the Quran. Memorizers of the Quran not only become respected members of society but also get high ranks and rewards from Allah (SWT) in the next world.

Our Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “The best among you (Muslims) are those who learn the Quran and teach it to others.”

The task of memorizing the Quran is a great pledge and challenge for both mind and spirit. But this challenge is indeed not difficult since there are many successful ways and techniques of memorizing the Quran so that any Muslim can devote time to the Quran memorization. Here are some effective tips to increase the memorization power.
Tips before memorization

1. Make intention: Before memorizing the Quran, set a goal first and pay attention to the intention of memorization. Your intention should be directed toward Allah for His pleasure and mercy. Your aim of memorizing the Quran must be an effort to seek the blessings of Allah. This will not only strengthen your belief but also motivate you to memorize the Quran with firm determination , it’s now easier than before that you can learn quran online only using your computer .
2. Look for Allah’s help: Always make Dua to Allah for remembrance and memorization of the Quran as well as His blessings and mercy. Nothing is more powerful than seeking Allah’s help in Dua so whenever you lose motivation, turn to Him without any hesitation .
3. Stay away from sins: Note that bad deeds and actions have negative impacts in your life. They will distract you from your goal and prevent you from memorizing the Quran. Thus always repent for your sins to Allah and ask for His refuge.
4. Have a teacher: During memorization, it is common to make mistakes without realizing. You should have either a companion or teacher or anyone at home who can recite the Quran properly with Tajweed and spot out your mistakes.
5. Select one Mus’haf: To memorize the Quran, use the same Mus’haf daily. It ensures that pictorial memory can help in memorization of the Quran effectively.
6. Choose memorization style: You can use either one or more than one way to memorize the Quran. Reciting loudly, listening to the recitations (Qira’at) and repeating them or writing the verses are different methods of memorizing the Quran that can be adopted.
7. Set a plan: Don’t make plans to memorize according to the number of pages. Memorizing one or more pages per day will make you give up soon due to lack of time and you will lose motivation. So from the beginning, make a suitable and productive goal and try to memorize two to three verses per day. This will help you memorize the Quran quickly and successfully.
8. Routine: Select a suitable time for yourself when you are most attentive. The best time for memorizing the Quran is before the Fajr time (Tahajjud) and after the Fajr prayer. At these times, your mind and body both are fresh and you can memorize the verses easily.
9. Tips during memorization
10. Distraction free environment: Find a quiet place free from distractions to increase your focus and attention while memorizing the Quran. It will help you recite, memorize, revise and retain your memorization of the Quran.
11. Selecting surahs: It is easy to memorize the small surahs of the Quran first. You can memorize the Quran from 30th Para to 25th Para because they contain small surahs that can be easily memorized. When you will become able to memorize the surahs comfortably then you can start from first Para to the 24th. Hence you can memorize the whole Quran smoothly.
12. Repetition and revision: Keep on repeating the verses or surahs each day that you recite and memorize. When moving to the next lesson, revise the previous lessons too. It will not let you forget what you have memorized.
13. Recite in prayers: Recite the verses that you memorize in prayers five times daily. Doing this you will never forget the memorized lesson and never make mistakes in recitation.
14. Recite to teachers: You can recite your lesson to the teacher or to anyone at home who can read the Quran with Tajweed so that you will not make mistakes during memorization.
15. Teach Quran: To memorize the Quran, the best way is to teach it to others. This makes your memory strong and indelible. So try to teach others the verses that you memorize.

Lastly, it does not make any difference how busy you are, by applying above mentioned techniques you will definitely memorize the Quran over a span of time. However, hard work, stability and devotion pave the way for memorization of the Quran. May Allah give this honour of memorizing the Quran to every Muslim of the Islamic world and reward him with the high position in this world and the world hereafter.

about Wahion Yoha :

our quran academy is a non profit organization , which means that every dollar you pay goes to events to spread islam in foreign countries

in our academy , you can learn quran online with a private teacher , you’re guranteed to get your money back whithin 30 days if not satisfied with our academy .
when you try our online quran classes you can :

• Learn From The Comfort Of Your Home Or At Work – Only A Mic, PC And Internet Are Required.

• All Levels And Ages Of Students Are Welcome.You Can Choose Any Teacher, Male Or Female, To Teach You Or Your Kids No Problem In Shaa Allah.

• We Teach Individuals (1 To 1 Tuition) And Organisations (On Request) And You Will Find It Difficult To Find More Competitive Lesson Prices On The Internet, Yet Our Quality Of Teachers Is Outstanding

So if you are the one trying to memorize Quran then this is your place do contact them for more.

Www.quranteacheracademy.com

Jazakallah hu khair

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Blind Following and Islam.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

May peace and blessings of Allah SWT be on all of you.

Many of us may not be knowing about Blind Following and its relation with Islam. So here I am with this interesting topic , that co-relates to our existing times and lets us make our lives easy , peaceful and helpful to others , in sha Allah.

Blind Following existed in all times. In fact , Islam came to eradicate Blind Following. Every Prophet was sent to guide people onto the right path and to eliminate Blind Following.

Blind Following is called TAQLEED in Arabic. Taqleed , in Islamic view means , to blindly follow any of the four Imaams and their school of thoughts known as Madhabs. To elaborate , it means blindly or rigidly following an Imaam even after getting an authentic narration or hadith that opposes the teachings or statements of that particular Imaam. Whereas , the Imaams , weather it is , Imaam Abu Haneefa or Imaam Maalik or Imaam Ash-Shaafai or Imaam Hambal , all the Imaams have told that , if you get more authentic narration or an authentic hadith then that is my opinion.
For example : Imaam Abu Haneefa said , ‘ This is my opinion , but if there comes someone whose opinion is better than mine , then accept that. ‘
Imaam Maalik said , ‘ I am only a human , I may be right or I may be wrong , so measure my words by the Quran and Sunnah. ‘
It was their advice that the students of knowledge , obtaining Islamic knowledge , should acquire it from where they acquired it , that is , the primary source , the Quran and Sunnah. Shaikh Ibn Taymiyyah said ‘ no one has to blindly follow any particular man in all that he enjoins or forbids or recommends , apart from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). ‘

After the era of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the companions (sahabas) , again , Blind Following (taqleed) started to make its comeback in the society. This was the time when Fiqh was evolving. The Evolution of Fiqh took place in Six stages.

#Revelation stage ( i.e , Prophet’s time )
#Establishment stage
#Building stage
#Development stage
#Consolidation stage &
#Stagnation or Decline stage.

Taqleed was the prevailing characteristic of the sixth stage of Evolution of Fiqh , that is , Stagnation or Decline. This was the period of rise of the Ottoman Empire (1258-19th C). This was the era where following any of the four Imaams was compulsory. Any one Imaam had to be followed , people could not shift from one Madhab to another , this was considered a crime and they would be jailed for this act of ‘crime’. During this time the door of Ijtihad(reasoned ruling) was closed , there was no more Ijtihad as scholars feared forgery in Islam. Hence , Taqleed was “Rule Of The Day!”.
During this time the scholars of Islam like Ibn Taymiyyah , Ash Shauqanni opposed Taqleed and fought against it. Imaam Ash-Shauqanni even declared Taqleed Haram and wrote a book on it called ‘ Beneficial Ruling On Blind Following ‘ . The Imaams had also discouraged Taqleed during their time , by not letting their students write their teachings like , Abu Haneefa. He had even explained the reason by saying ” I may say it today and reject it tomorrow….” Because of the care the Imaams took in warning their students of blind following , those early scholars never hesitated in rejecting what the Imaams taught , when new hadiths were made available. For example , Abu Yusuf and Muhammad Hassan differed from their teacher , Abu Haneefa , in about one third rulings of their Madhabs . Similarly , Al-Muzani and others differed in many rulings from their teacher , Ash-Shafaai.

Therefore , to conclude , we come to know five main things from these evidences . Firstly , that all the Imaams and the scholars discouraged blind following . Secondly , that we are allowed to blindly follow only Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as he was infallible. Thirdly , others after him are bound to errors. Fourth , that if one has to know of any ruling or anything to that matter , relating to Islam , he should go back to the sources and find out. And Lastly , the main thing that throws light upon here is not to blindly follow any Imaam and that if truth comes to you , the teachings of Imaam should not be considered.
NOTE:- Hadith is given precedence over the opinions of Imaams. But following Imaams and scholars is important as Islam came to us through them. Common people should follow whatever knowledge is available to them and keep their minds open and rely on open-minded scholars as much as possible.

And Allah Knows Best.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Night of Decree

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
As the last 10 days of Ramadan approach , we are reminded of the most sacred , highly majestic night that our Prophet Muhammad PBUH told us to find , so that , we get the highest reward and that our past sins are erased.
So what is this night ?
This night is called , Lailatul Qadr. Lail means ‘night’ , Qadr means ‘decree’. It’s the Night of Decree , Power or Majesty.

Why is it so important ?
The virtues of Lailatul Qadr are that it is the night better than a thousand months as this is the night in which Quran was revealed. Allah swt says in the Glorious Quran – inna anzalnahu Lailatul Qadr. Lailatul Qadr khairum min alfi shahar , tanazzalul malaaikatuhu fiha bi izni rabbi him min kulli amrin salaam , hiya hattah matlail fajr . Surah Qadr .

Indeed we have revealed the Quran in the night if Decree. What will explain to thee the night of Qadr , that it is better than a thousand months. Therein the spirit , the angels descend with the permission of Allah swt for every matter . Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.

Allah swt also says about this powerful night in Surah Dukhan:
“ By the book that makes things clear. We sent it down during a blessed night.”

This night The Glorious Quran was revealed and Allah swt did not disclose the exact night and it’s the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Narrated/Authority of Ibn Abbas
The Prophet said, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of Ramadan, ‘on the night when nine or seven or five nights remain out of the last ten nights of Ramadan (i.e. 21, 23, 25, respectively).”

Hurayrah r.a relates that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Whoever stands (in the voluntary night prayer of) Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven. And whoever spends the night of Lailat Al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i]

How should the night be observed?
Aisha r.a reported: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work harder) and used to pray the whole night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers. [Bukhari]

In another hadith Aisha r.a reported: I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! If I realize Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), what should I supplicate in it?” He (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) replied, “You should supplicate: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun, tuhibbul-‘afwa, fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me).”[At-Tirmidhi].

May Allah swt give us good health and hidayah to observe this night of decree and gain plenty of rewards from the Almighty. May Allah swt accept our apologies and prayers and shower His blessings and mercy on all of us. Ameen.

The Month of Quran.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

May peace and blessings of Allah swt be on all of you.

As we witness this beautiful and beloved month of Allah swt , Ramadan , we try to grasp more and more knowledge about this Holy month. So we will be throwing some light on the essence , culture and custom of Ramadan , we will also be looking into some physical , psychological and social effects of Ramadan.

Ramadan is derived from the Arabic word ‘ ramida’ or ‘ Ar ramad’ , which means , intense scorching heat and dryness. It means , intense heat in stomach due to thirst. It could also mean , good deeds scorching the sins. The other meaning also means it’s related to heat. Heat reshapes , reforms or moulds any matter. So Ramadan helps in reshaping , reforming and moulding the spiritual and moral aspects of a human being.

Ramadan is the 9th month of Islamic calendar. The essence of Ramadan is that it rejuvenates and rekindles the relationship with Allah swt upon a very high level. A very high level because , Ramadan gives us bonus rewards. The good deeds are multiplied several times as we do it while fasting.

One of the major part of Ramadan – fasting. Its one of the five pillars of Islam. And an obligatory act of worship. Every bad habit , bad thing is stopped , the moment Ramadan moon is sighted. Even a person with lowest level of faith stops every bad habit of his. Alhamdulilla. It is said that the doors of heaven are opened and the doors of hell are closed , the satanic forces are chained. This means all the bad is stopped and all that is good, is done. This is the essence of Ramadan. Allah swt says , every act of worship is for the believer , but , fasting is for Me. And I will reward it. Subhan Allah. So it’s beyond our imagination to even assume the amount of reward we will get for fasting , as it’s from the Lord of the heavens and the earth.

Fasting is not something that was made obligatory during Prophet Muhammad PBUH’S time , but Allah swt says in The Quran , Al-Baqarah 2:183
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous –

Its just that the people before Prophet Muhammad PBUH would fast for three days , but , now after this verse was revealed , it was for 30 days , one whole month of Ramadan.

Fasting is obligatory when one has reached the age of puberty , there is no exemption , even if you miss it due to valid reason , you need to make up these missed fasts as soon as possible , but Allah swt has given us ease by saying in The Quran – Al-Baqarah 2:185Al-Baqarah 2:185

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.

The main objective of fasting is to gain or increase God-Consciousness – Taqwa , as said in the former verse. While fasting , we are prohibited all that is halal for us in other times , this increases our will power and helps us stay connected to the Creator and brings about discipline in our worship and leads us towards a lot of astaghfar – asking forgiveness. Hence , builds Taqwa.

Physical benefits of Ramadan. When you fast you are physically more active and energetic. As the science also says that fasting atleast twice a week will have many positive effects on health. Stomach has maximum ailments , as it never rests. But , while fasting the stomach gets rest and it removes all the toxins from stomach.

Psychological factors
Patience , one of the major changes a human faces is patience . Science tells , If you can control hunger , you can control all your desires. Perseverance , forbearance , self control and discipline are the other changes that takes place in a human body. These things lead to a positive change. The daily basic habits are changed to a healthier one. And makes a person a better human being.

Social benefits.
By fasting , a person realises of other less fortunate human beings, who are poor , donot have food and shelter. He realises how it feels to be hungry. This increases the love and care for poor and leads to becoming a more generous person.
The suhoor { morning meal at dawn } and iftar { breaking fast at dawn } usually involves a family gathering. Hence , increases family bonds and relationships.

Taraweeh. There is a highly recommended and encouraged prayer in the night , where the entire Quran is recited and completed before the sighting of the moon called Taraweeh. This is the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH. It is after the night prayer.

Then comes after the end of the month , Eid called , Eid ul fitr. It is celebrated on 1st of the next month called Shawwal. Eid is the gift from Allah swt to us for fasting whole month. Allah swt has prohibited to fast on Eid day , just like , He has made it obligatory to fast the whole month. This Eid day is celebrated by offering prayer in congregation , preferably in the open ground , it’s the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Before the moon is sighted , it’s compulsory to give zakaath ul fitra. Fitra as the name of the Eid goes , means , purifying charity for fasting. That means , it purifies our minor sins , obscene talks , lies or other sins that we might have done while fasting. This zakaath is to be paid by Every Muslim , irrespective of his financial status. And it’s a compulsion , to be given before the Eid prayer and to poor people and in the form of food , who donot have the provision of food . The objective here is , to not have a single person who is hungry or starving on the day of Eid.

Importance of Ramadan
The Holy month of Ramadan is scared and considered highly important because of the following reasons : –
1. The Holy Quran was revealed in this month , therefore , it’s called the month of Quran. And we make it a point to recite the whole Quran atleast once in this month and also because the reward is also multiplied.
2. Introduced obligatory act of worship. It is important because Allah swt chose this month to introduce one of the obligatory act of worship – fasting.
3. All the previous revelations were revealed in this month. The other sacred thing is that , it’s reported by Abdullah Ibn Abbas r.a ‘allah swt revealed all His revelations in the month of Ramadan. Whether it is Torah , Injeel or Zabur or other scripture that are not mentioned.
4. The Night of Decree , Lailatul Qadr. The other most important thing is Lailatul Qadr. The night of decree. The odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan , which Allah swt says He revealed the Quran in one of these nights.
Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree.
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree.
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months
The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

5. Performing umrah in this sacred month is equal to performing Hajj. As said by the Prophet PBUH.

6. Fasting will interceed for the believer on the Day of judgement. Fasting is one of the acts along with Quran , that will interceed for the one who fasted and recited the Quran in his life.

So to conclude , this precious month comes every year to transform us into a better Muslim and better human being. It is for us to stick to this upgradation of our system and lead a life that pleases our Creator Allah swt. That is also beneficial to people around us. Ameen.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

The Real Heat!

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

As we are experiencing a harsh summer , may be , we will have to deal with even more scorching heat in coming days . Hope we don’t , in sha Allah. So let me remind you , that , this is just a 70th part of the heat of jahannum (hell) ! May Allah protect us.

Prophet Muhammad PBUH said ~ the heat of the hell fire has 70 parts and the last part is experienced on earth. So imagine if the 70th part of hell fire is so fierce and hot , then how will the hell fire be , which is 69times more scorching , more intense and even more fierce.

Prophet Muhammad PBUH said ~ the hell fire was not able to bear it’s heat and hence , pleaded to Allah swt , then Allah swt allowed it to breathe once a year. That is , it exhales once and inhales once , as a relief from its own heat. The time hell fire exhales is the time we experience summer ! And when it inhales it’s winter. Narrated by Abu Huraira , Sahih Al Bukhari. Subhan Allah.

This season comes to remind the believers of hell fire. It’s beneficial for those who understand this and turn to Allah swt in order to be protected from the 69times more hot and strong fire of hell.

People ask me and sometimes unfortunately its my Muslim sisters , that how do you bear wearing abaya and niqab in this scorching summer ? My reply to them is , I am happily bearing this in order to be protected from the worst heat of the hell fire. I am more worried about that heat and not this.

As the verse of the Quran ~ Those who remained behind rejoiced in their staying [at home] after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allah and disliked to strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah and said, ‘Do not go forth in the heat.” Say, “The fire of Hell is more intensive in heat” – if they would but understand. Surah Tawbah , 81.

This was revealed when the hypocrites stayed back during the time of war (tabuk expedition) because of scorching summer. They had backed off even after knowing that they will be attacked.

Donot negotiate or forget your obligations towards the religion just because of the weather. Remember the day of judgement when the sun would be over our heads , that would be just 1 mile away.
Prophet Muhammad PBUH also gave us concession during heat that offer Dhuhar prayers late , when it gets slightly cooler. Alhamdulilla.

May Allah swt protect us from the heat of the hell fire , may our children be protected as well. Ameen. It’s a reminder for those who believe. May Allah guide us all to the straight path. Ameen.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

A Muslim Traveller….

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

May peace and blessings of Allah swt be on all of you.

Travelling , going on vacation is loved by one and all. It’s a necessity as well , to lead a peaceful life. But , in this stage of relaxing ourselves , making time for our loved ones , we should not neglect our obligations towards our religion. We must remember that This vacation or the luxury of going on a vacation is blessed to us by the one who has control over everything in this world , above and also beneath it. Allah subhana wa ta’ala.

What are our daily obligations that we ignore while travelling or on vacation ? It’s most commonly the Salah .
We are so engrossed in enjoying the pleasures of our vacation that we forget to thank our Creator for giving us these pleasures. We forget , that we are enjoying only because He allowed us to Breathe. We forget , that we are enjoying only because He gave us the Means to enjoy them. We forget , that we are enjoying only because He Wished , that we enjoy . We forget , that in no time He may stop our breath and in no time we may have to enter our graves and all these pleasures are gone . We are so busy enjoying that we forget salah which will be our intercessor on the Day of judgement . For these limited pleasures of this limited world we forget the unlimited pleasures that we are promised of by our Sustainer , of the never-ending hereafter.
Allah swt has made our religion so simple that he has granted us concession when we are in difficulty or while travelling. Why don’t we take these opportunities and please our Creator ? While planning our vacation the First thing most of us do is finding the best hotel or a serene resort by the beach and so on…. But we forget or are least bothered to plan our salah , while on journey , how and when are we going to offer our prayers? But we will surely plan where to have our meals or stop by if travelling by road. Or where to head to immediately after landing , but will not plan on our salah. It’s so unfortunate. We forget our identity the moment we get into vacation mode.

We will definitely plan the sightseeing and the shopping to be done , but will not search for Mosques to offer our prayers. We , as Muslims should think about this. We are the role models of our children , their future depends on our upbringing. May Allah swt guide all the Muslims towards right path. Ameen.

Now coming to the concessions granted, while travelling, by Allah swt are as follows :-
◆Kasar in salah.
◆Skip fast

These are the major relieves to a believer. Alhamdulilla.

Allah swt has allowed us to reduce the number of rakats (portion) in our salah and also club two times salah and offer once. So five times salah will become three times when your travelling.

1• Fajar will be offered as usual and on fajar time.
2• Dhuhar , Asr and Isha will be two rakats instead of four.
3• Maghrib will be the same , three rakats.

Now the other concession is combining the salah.
◆Asr can be combined with Dhuhar or Dhuhar can be combined with Asr.

If you are certain that you will not be able to make it for Asr salah then you can read it immediately after offering Dhuhar.

Or , if you missed your Dhuhar salah and it is time for Asr then you can read Dhuhar and then Asr. Simple.

◆Isha with Maghrib or Maghrib with Isha.

Same as in case of Dhuhar and Asr. If you are not certain of Isha then you can offer it during Maghrib . And if you missed your Maghrib then you can read it while offering Isha. But one thing , you should first read Maghrib then Isha under both circumstances and first Dhuhar under both circumstances.

◆Witr

Witr will be read post Isha , whether five rakats , three rakats or one .

◆Wudhu

The other most important aspect to perform salah is wudhu (ablution) , it’s the hadith ~ al wudhu u miftahus salati.

Wudhu is the key to salah. Hence , we should prepare ourselves and plan about wudhu before travelling. Or the salah would be nullified without wudhu.

Carry enough water to do wudhu.

If travelling by road then you can find it easily.

If travelling by air then also you can find water at the airports and also prayer rooms.

If travelling by rail then it’s a little difficult to perform wudhu with water , so it would be convenient to carry sand and make Tayyamum . But still in Indian rails you will find wash basins and toilets with water so not an issue. But to be on the safer side it’s better to carry sand.

◆My Suggestion

To avoid any inconvenience and to not miss out on your salah , firstly ,I would suggest you to start your travel by keeping in consideration the timings of salah and then start your journey . If your leaving before fajar then make sure you reach your destination by fajar or if your journey is long then plan for a stop during fajar , search for Mosques if travelling by road atleast half an hour before , so that you can pray and continue your journey. This is important because fajar cannot be clubbed with other salah.

Secondly , I would suggest to offer Asr and Dhuhar in last hour of the Asr , for example , if Asr is at 4 p.m then the time for Asr would be till before sunset , if sunset is at 6p.m then offer Asr and Dhuhar at 5.30p.m. Same way Isha and Maghrib , offer them immediately as the Maghrib time starts , this will help you in times of difficulty for wudhu , as you can perform four times prayers in one wudhu , you just need to wait one hour in between.

Lastly , when your vacationing and are out in the city , Dhuhar , Asr and Maghrib , these are the main timings of your sightseeing. So while on the city tour you will definitely be pausing for your lunch , hence , can plan and offer Dhuhar and Asr together during lunch. Then Maghrib and Isha can be offered in your room post dinner. Tada! And your salah is planned for the day.

Now go and rejoice your vacation without forgetting to thank Allah subhana wa ta’ala.

◆Ramadan and travelling

During Ramadan , if one is travelling , then he can skip the fast but must make for it post Ramadan , before the next Ramadan starts. Yes , he has one whole year to make up for those missed fasts . As fasting is an obligation , it cannot be excused.

Allah swt has simplified our obligations for us , has made our religion easy for us , but we do not oblige. May Allah guide us and protect us , ameen.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

The Saviour !

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

May be peace and blessings of Allah swt be on all of you.

As women we are faced with many health issues which require us to take care of , manage ourselves , adjust to the situations and try to make ourselves comfortable with , so that these inevitable things donot hinder our day to day activities.

So one of the products I am reviewing here is very important and it’s like saviour in times of disguise. Yes, it’s called The Pee Safe Panty Liners.This product is such an amazing thing to happen in these times , it’s really a commendable initiative. https://www.peesafe.com/products/pee-safe-aloe-vera-panty-liners-set-of-2-pack-of-50

These panty liners are super thin , very easy to use , you can carry it easily like if your travelling it’s not at all a pain , it’s so comfortable that you will not realize that you have it on and the plus point is it has aloe vera fragrance and it is really there! And not just mentioned on the box. It comes in a small compact box , no messy thing. And very reasonably priced.

Click on the link above to head to their website for purchase.

You can also buy it on #nykaa #flipkart #amazon , and so on

https://www.nykaa.com/pee-safe-aloe-vera-panty-liners/p/350575

https://www.flipkart.com/womens-hygiene/pantyliners/pee-safe~brand/pr?sid=t06%2C80g%2Crom

Why should I use it ?

• To avoid staining from unpredictable discharge. You need not worry of staining your panty, especially if it’s lighter in colour. It’s been so many times with me that I regret wearing light colour panties and later on stopped purchasing them completely. After I got to know of this and started using it , the first thing I did was bought light colour panties especially white , which I never had till now.
• It is also good post peeing and cleaning yourself , it keeps you dry and happy.
• 
• It is also beneficial to use pre and post mensuration if you are the one to experience spotting or brown/white discharge at odd times.
• The other usage is post intercourse , it will help in saving your panty from getting wet and staine.
• Then you can use it to avoid tampon staining as well.
• The other main reason could be if you experience white discharge now and then , which is really irritating and annoying at times. So this can be avoided majorly and you can stay dry and fresh all day.
• You can even wear it if you are not sure if you’ll start mensturating and this will save you to some extent.
• Peesafe panty liners are not as heavy or thick as sanitary pads so you need not worry on that part , I can assure you of that.
• 
• They are free of irritation. As they are cotton made. Soft and smooth. Safe for sensitive skin as well , it will not cause rashes or any allergies.

The cons

The only minus point is that , it’s quite narrow and doesnot go well with a hipster or a broader panty line. Either ways you’ll stain in this case. The width is too precise and that makes it some times get twisted. Hence , not suitable for hipster and broader panty line panty. Best for bikinis and so on.

So what are you waiting for, if your the one experiencing any of these then you should get one for yourself. And I think I have given enough reasons for you to agree with me.

Until next stay connected…..

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Women’s Day

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu .

May peace and blessings of Allah swt be on all of you.

Introduction

Today , 8th March is International Women’s Day , so what is it ? How did it come into existence ? Let’s check out.

Women’s day is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions , whether national , ethical , lingual , religious , cultural , economical or political .

Women’s day is celebrated throughout the globe.

How did it originate ?

Women’s day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of 20th century in North America and across Europe. The Socialist party of America designated this day in honour of the 1908 Garment Workers strike in New York , where women protested against the working conditions. Hence , It was celebrated on Feb 28th for the first time.

Later , in 1910 , the Socialist International meeting was held in Copenhagen , established as women’s day , to honour the movement for women’s rights and build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. 100 women from 17 countries attended this and as a result on 19th March International Women’s Day was marked in a few European countries.

How did it fall on 8th March ?

After the Socialist International meeting , in 1940’s , women demanded Right to Vote with addition to Right to work , to vocational training and to end discrimination in jobs. Post WW1 there were protests for peace. Russian women chose to protest and strike for “Bread and Peace ” which fell on the 8th of March on Gregorian calendar. Four days later Czar granted women Right to Vote. Since then Women’s Day is a non-working day in many countries especially USSR.

United Nation also celebrates this day every year with a new theme and a new topic each year. The last year’s theme was – Time is Now – Rural and Urban activists transforming women’s lives.

So after all this struggle women finally got their rights in respective fields. To vote , to be educated , do business , equality amongst men , etc., but still there are many parts of the world where women are still striving to make a mark.

Role of Islam

Now , what if I tell that all these rights were already granted to women in Islam without them striving or struggling or fighting for it.

Yes , you read it right. Islam gave all these rights to women 1400 years ago , before any other society or religion.

Islam gave them these rights when they were considered as a commodity , bought and sold , when they were considered a bane if they were born to someone and buried alive. Or even were considered as a means to fulfill the pleasure of a man. They were not at all considered Human Beings.

When Prophet Muhammad PBUH was sent to us to remove us from darkness and guide into light , he ensured all this was made prohibited completely , not only to bury a girl child but also it was prohibited to become upset or sad at the fact that a girl was born. It’s a sin and Islam stopped it. Women were even inherited , like if a person who was in debt and couldn’t pay and has passed away , his wife or sister or daughter were sent to the person who owed the debt. Islam stopped this. Infact , you should pay a token amount to her that she can keep it to herself in such a way that she will not have to use it.

Islam has taken care of females financial needs and has made it a rule where a closest male relative has all the responsibility to look after her. Like Father , Brother , Husband , Older son. If this is followed then a woman need not have money , but still Islam acknowledges the fact that she’s also a human being after all and makes it mandatory for her husband or closest male relative to give her something so that she can do or buy anything of her choice.

People say shes given less compared to man. But we need to think that a man has to look after his own family plus the sister or sisters who got the share and his mother if he has lost his father. Whereas , the sister gets the share completely for herself , she doesnot have any other person’s responsibility like man or that she needs to spend or share or give to anyone , but it’s solely for herself . So Islam raised the status of women. This is why she is given a right in property in Islam.

Islam also gives her right to choose her spouse. She cannot be forced to marry. Some believe it’s in Islam , it’s a misconception. Infact if she likes a particular individual and he is a decent one , it’s the duty of her male relative to facilitate for her. If she doesn’t like one she can refuse also , forced marriage is not valid in Islam. It nullifies, if either of spouses are forced into a marriage.

When it comes to spirituality , both men and women are equal. Allah swt looks at our hearts not our physical appearance , social status , race , or sex. It’s the level of piety that is considered. Therefore Islam elevated her degree. There are differences we need to acknowledge them , but that doesn’t make women inferior to men. And also when she is married she is to be considered a partner and not a slave.

She has all the rights , whether , to be educated , to be an entrepreneur , to vote , to buy or sell property , to use her property as per her choice , to use her earnings according to her wish and in this husband doesnot have any right on her earnings. Of which, if she wants she can give it to her husband , to be equally treated amongst siblings and all…

Prophet Muhammad PBUH said ~ the best amongst you are those who are best to their wives.

If your wife bears witness to this and acknowledges it then you are the best among all.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Five pillars of Islam

Part – 1

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

May peace and blessings of Allah swt be on all of you.

If you would have read my blog post on Islam , you might know that Islam is based on five pillars.
👉Tawheed {Believing Allah swt is One Alone}
👉Salah {prayer}
👉 Fasting
👉 Zakat {charity}
👉Hajj{pilgrimage}.

So in our first part we will discuss on Tawheed. Many of our non Muslim brothers/sisters might not be aware of this Arabic word. So let me introduce you to this.
Tawheed comes from the root word “Wahda” which means “one” so Tawheed means ascribing unity or oneness.

In Islam Tawheed has the most important role. As the entire faith of a person is based on tawheed . Tawheed implies to “Believing in the ultimate unity of Allah swt”. This includes the following:-
* Believing that Allah swt is One and Unique in his Lordship.
* Believing that Allah swt is One and Unique in His names and attributes.
* Believing that Allah swt is One and Unique in His right to be worshipped.

Tawheed is the first pillar of Islam as you first need to believe that Allah swt doesnot have any partners and that He is One in the basis of Worship , Lordship and His Unique names and attributes.
To have tawheed , the above three concepts are crucial . As a person cannot say he has tawheed but worships someone else along with Allah. This is not tawheed.
Or say a person worships Allah swt but gives the names and attributes of Allah swt to others. We cannot give them to ourselves or our children also. If we give them Allah’s names then it’s a must to add Abdul to it. Which means , ‘slave of ‘ or ‘servant of’. For example, Raheem. We cannot call our son just Raheem no we should call him Abdur Raheem. Servant of The most Merciful.

Tawheed is the foundation of Islam. Associating partners with Allah swt is a major sin in Islam. If a person dies while he was associating partners with Allah swt , then he is never forgiven. Allah swt says He’s most forgiving. He will forgive everything whether robbing , adultery , fornication , murdering. But He has said he will not forgive “Shirk” that is associating partners with Him.

Allah swt guides us and reminds us about tawheed in many places in the Quran. Like the very first verse of the Quran , when you open it , look at the way Allah swt opened the Quran. By praising Himself , describing Himself , Masha Allah. He says :-
❗️Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘allameen. ~
All praises due to Allah swt , the Lord of the worlds. The word here Rabb indicates Creator , Nourisher , Cherisher , Provider , Sustainer , Protector , Curer , the one in absolute control. This is how the oneness of Allah swt is mentioned in the first verse of the Quran.
❗️Then he says ~ Ar rahman nir raheem. ~ He is the most Merciful , He is the most Beneficient.
❗️Then ~Maaliki yaummiddin ~ He is the owner of the day of judgement.
This testifies that He is the only owner and that there will be day of judgement.
❗️Then Allah swt says ~ Iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nastaeen ~ You alone we worship and you alone we seek help.
This means in the matter of unseen or issues where only Allah has control of completely like happiness , sadness , success , failure , life , death , good fortune , sustainable and so on , we should seek help only from Allah swt. There are no intermediaries for the contact between a believer and Allah swt. We must ask directly to Him. This surah is named as Surah Al Fatiha , which means “The Opening”

Then we also have another beautiful Surah called Ikhlas , this is the Definition of Allah. Many people ask , who is Allah ? What is he ? So the answer is given by the Almighty Himself.

He says ~
❗️Qul hu wallah hu ahad ~ say , Allah is one and only.
❗️Allah hus samad ~ Allah is absolute and eternal , He is independent , endless and infinite.
❗️Lam yalid walam yu lad ~ He is not beget nor is He begotten.
❗️Walam yakullahu kufu’an ahad ~ There is nothing like Him.

He has no beginning . He has no ending . He was there before the beginning , He will be there after the ending. That is Allah swt.

The other verses that mention tawheed or oneness of Allah swt are :-
Holy Quran ~ 3:189 Allah says ~ to Allah belongs the dominion of earth and heaven and everything belongs to Him.

Holy Quran ~ 19:65 Allah says ~ Lord of the heavens and earth and all that’s in between them so worship Him Alone .
{This indicates Lordship and worship the 1st 2 concepts of tawheed}

Further Allah asks ~ do you know any who is similar to Him { this indicates the third concept , attributes and names }

So these were the evidences from the Holy Quran. Now we shall see a few hadiths of Prophet Muhammad PBUH that guide us to Tawheed.

Narrated ~ Ibn Abbas r.a , when the Prophet Muhammad PBUH sent Mu’adh to Yemen , he said to him , ” you are going to a nation from the people of the scripture , so let the first thing to which you will invite them be , the Tawheed of Allah. If they learn that , tell them Allah has enjoined on them five daily prayers to be offered in one day and one night . And if they pray , tell them that Allah has enjoined on them zakat of their properties and it is to be taken from rich among them and given to the poor . And if they agree to that then take from them zakat but avoid the best property of the people. “

Sahih Al Bukhari Volume – 9 . Book – 93 Hadith number – 496.

Narrated Mu`adh bin Jabal:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “O Mu`adh! Do you know what Allah’s Right upon His slaves is?” I said, “Allah and His Apostle know best.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “To worship Him (Allah) Alone and to join none in worship with Him (Allah). Do you know what their right upon Him is?” I replied, “Allah and His Apostle know best.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Not to punish them (if they do so).

Sahih al-Bukhari ~ Book – 97 ,Volume – 9, Book 93, Hadith 470

Narrated Masruq:
`Aisha said, “If anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen his Lord, he is a liar, for Allah says: ‘No vision can grasp Him.’ And if anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen the Unseen, he is a liar, for Allah says: “None has the knowledge of the Unseen but Allah.”

Sahih al-Bukhari Book – 97, Volume 9, Book – 93, Hadith – 477.

So this is Tawheed. Believing in Allah alone , Believing in the description given by Allah Himself. Trusting Him the most in all phases of life.

Therefore , this makes it the foundation of faith and the First pillar of Islam. Then comes the other duties to be followed as a Muslim.

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.