Monday, July 23, 2007

The Sunnah

A beautiful analogy which Maulana Yakub, a visiting scholar to my local Masjid, gave in the talk he delivered. Whilst these aren’t his exact words, this is what I understood from them.

When a man has £50 in his pocket and he misplaces or loses that money, he will ask those around him about it, including his family, and will seek it high and low and in every place he can think of. On the other hand, the condition of the Ummah is such that we have ‘lost’ many of the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) but yet so little is done to find and revive these Sunnahs.

Never mind seeking them high and low, we have left the books of Seerah, Ahadith and even the Qur’an to gather dust on our shelves at home and in the Masjid.

May Allah Almighty give us the ability to educate ourselves of the Sunnah of the beloved Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) and commence acting upon them, ameen.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Shipwreck

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island...

He prayed feverishly for Allah to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger.

"Allah, how could you do this to me!" he cried.
(Comment; Plenty of people use such statement --- think again you should never question Allah nor object to His willing)

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because Allah is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace of Allah.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

The Buzz

The Buzz
by Ahmed
inspired by a talk given by Shaykh Ahmed Ali

Everyone is seeking to find
‘The buzz’, contentment and peace of mind

Some seek it in pubs and bars
Others try to find it in flash cars

Several try and find it in women
While others in Drugs, again and again

With these the buzz you may gain
Not lasting long, your efforts in vain

The truth is this is not where it can be found
So stop all this crazy fooling around

And remember your Lord in repentance and humility
For only through this will you find serenity and tranquillity

Give up this worldly and material yearn
Rather strive for Jannah, the beautiful place of final return

‘...Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.’ Surah Ar-Ra'd Verse 28
Source: Islamic Poems

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Altering Your Head to Fit a Cap?!

by Usama Mahmood

Our honourable Shaykh was sitting once in the masjid and sitting near by was a child. Shaykh, in a playful manner, took off the cap of the child’s head and asked the child if he would let him keep it. Shaykh then addressed the gathering: “This cap can not fit my head because of its size and the size of my head.

He then said “Deen is like the head of person and the cap is us. Deen is a fixed religion sent by Allah and we have to work around to facilitate its requirements, just as you would do and alter the cap for it to fit you. However you wouldn’t trim your head so that the cap fits you?!

This is the condition of the Muslims today they change around the Deen to suit them. This is why the wrath of Allah descends. So we must change ourselves so that we fit in the different branches of the religion of Islam”.
Source: In Shaykh's company