He will open a way. [A mini memoir]

Assalaamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu,

Hope you all had/are having a fantastic Eid InshaAllah! May Allah accept from us and you.

My Eid has Alhamdulilah been a great one. It's been nice spending quality time with family, friends and relatives, eating, chit-chatting, and of course watching the hujjaj in Makkah and then moaning about how much we want to be there lol.

We also took a trip to Wilmslow Rd in Manchester for a meal with the family. Was quite a unique trip and I'll tell you why...

We arrived at Manchester and began to search for this famous 'Wilmslow Rd', apprantly, my dad can never find it,  whenever he goes he always gets lost,  and this time the Tom Tom was doing our heading which wasn't helping. So we were spending ages, searching for this road and it was fastly approaching Maghrib. We had no idea what we were doing and where we were going.

When we finally arrived after getting lost in side streets and what not - it was around quarter to seven or just before, and the clock was ticking. We were in panic mode!

It was near to impossible for us to find an empty spot on that busy road to get a prayer mat out and start praying and so we decided to find a restaurant that had a room in which we could pray. But which restaurant do we choose?! There's like a million! Anyway, at this point we were like in rush mode and couldn't find a spot to pray. (There was police everywhere and we knew we'd be moved for sure). We could also have combined if we classed ourself as travellers but we decided we wanted to pray right then. And then mum randomly pointed out a restaurant amongst them all and said 'Let's try that.' We got there, and surprisingly a man was standing outside, (who I believe was the manager) and he welcomed us in, in such a nice, pleasant and welcoming manner. We asked about prayer facilities and he said he'd provide us with a room so we could pray.

Alhamdulilah!

So we were provided with a room to pray, a place to make Wudhu and Alhamdulilah we got to pray our Maghrib. After Salaah, my mum turned to me with tears in her eyes, "SubhanAllah, it's amazing that when you have the intention, Allah will open ways."

You're right mum, I honestly feel the same way...

And that's it! When you make the intention for something, Allah will for sure, no doubt, open a way. Time was ticking, yet we never gave up in looking for a prayer spot. Such a small example but the lesson here could be applied to all the other struggles and wants we have in life.

Don't ever give up. Just know that you've made the niyyah, you've knocked at His door, He surely will open - just be patient. :)

And that kinda gave me hope in every other thing I want to do in life, that I have made the intention for. I told myself, Look Madiyah, you've made the intention, you've asked Allah, now await His answer. He will open doors.

I love how Allah reminds me though daily life experiences.

That's just a small memoir from me to you!

May Allah grant us tawfeeq and keep us steadfast, Ameen.

::: Arabic words in the Qur'an :::

Assalaamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu,

So, I've recently started taking Arabic classes through my local college. Although, it's more 'Amiyah (slang/street Arabic) that I'm being taught, I decided to continue the classes as I believe it's a good way to kickstart my Arabic learning. I must say, that so far it's going amazing. I guess learning a new language is always fun right? :) In addition to that, our Arabic teacher kindly decided to give us an extra lesson where we study Arabic in the Qur'an. Alongside that, I also bought the 'Word-to-word' Arabic book which is an excellent book I recommend you all save up for and buy InshaAllah. I got it as a gift a few years ago from my parents, and only started to put it to use now and it's really helped with my understanding of the Qur'an.

Anyway, I'm hoping this is just a start of my 'learning the Arabic language' journey, I hope to soon study Fusha (classical/Qur'anic) Arabic and in a lot of depth, bi'thnillah.

For now though, I am so eager to share with you all what I've learnt, but just to start off, I decided that I should share some Arabic terms with you that are commonly used in the Qur'an. Think that would be more beneficial and will help you in your understanding of the Qur'an. I'll post some terms regularly, perhaps weekly, so it'll give you enough time to learn them, understand them and also memorise them, InshaAllah. How does that sound? :)

- Watch this space! :)

Hajj: A Humbled Heart [Poem]

It's that time of the year again. Hajj.

The time where millions gather to embark on this spectacular journey of a lifetime. It's also that time of the year again, where the nostalgic feeling begins to kick in. Your newsfeed is filled with live updates and pictures about what is happening in the blessed land of Makkah and your heart longs to visit.

I've never performed Hajj before and am eagerly awaiting the day I am invited to embark on this spritiually boosting journey of a lifetime. But I must admit, every year, every Hajj, I cannot explain how I feel part of this wonderful journey. The buzz, the atmosphere, the spirit within my own home is alive and kicking, Alhamdulilah - just like it is in the month of Ramadhan.

I wrote a poem related to Hajj and how I imagine the experience. Thought, it won't do justice, it may just give you a small insight into a pilgrim's thought.

Here I was, wearing my two peices of white cloth,
Unsewn, simple, draped over my burning body.
Around me were worshippers,
Of all colours and ethinicity,
Some sitting, others bowing,
But every individual -
Was preparing,
For this once in a lifetime journey.

The soft whispers of Istighfaar echoed in my heart,
As I poured a glass of zam-zam,
Before setting off to a place,
Where millions would gather,
A tent would be my home,
I thought -
As I recalled my five bedroom terrace I had left behind.
But to me, everything,
Seemed worthless, temporary,
And insignificant,
In light of what I was about to face.

The sun shone down at the millions of worshippers,
One step...
And I'd collide with a worshipper in front of me,
My own concious told me,
To remain patient,
And silent,
When faced with argumentive people,
When faced with pushing and shoving,
And so,
It only increased me in strength.
And piety.


Humbled by another sleepless night,
I walked further,
Arafah.
Arafah?
Yes, here I was,
Standing on the plains of Arafah,
Around me,
People begging, crying, weeping, asking,
Calling, yearning and pleading,
to Allah.
The sounds of Dhikr eneveloped me,
As I stood to ask Allah.

The sky began to darken,
The daylight began to dissappear,
The orange sky began to become visible,
Far in the horizon.

Laying on the plains of Muzdalifah,
The sky was my only roof,
The rocky ground caused me to feel uncomortable,
But then I remembered my grave,
What deeds will I take with me?
O Allah, please, please forgive me!

Pelting stones at the shaytaan,
A sense of anger builds up inside me,
Towards my lethal enemy,
Who only wants me to stray,
But no,
As I throw,
I throw him out of my life,
Out of my way.
As he only wants me to stray.

Tired, drained and feeling weak,
But my heart is stronger than ever,
My Imaan is higher than I thought it would ever be,
My faith firm than a firmly rooted tree,
I can only praise and thank Allah,
For an experience that has only bettered me,

As I perform my final tawaaf,
As I perform my sacrfice on this blessed day,
And as I make my way to leave,
What you call an incredible journey,

I can only cry, cry that now it's all over,
but cry,
because my only wish as I leave,
Is that I return to my homeland,

As a new,

born,

baby.

A Little Stronger Than Yesterday [Heart Food]



"his heart would have melted out of the love for Allah.."

I was just reflecting over life in general today (as usual). I was thinking about how I've come to learn so much from the experiences I've been through. How, if I were never to have gone through them, I would never have learnt, never have understood the beautiful lessons my Lord was trying to teach me. Sometimes I look back, and smile. I smile because at that very moment I was feeling pain, feeling so much hurt, that moment I had tears rolling down my cheek, that moment I was despairing, was actually the moment that allowed me to become stronger and wiser today, all by the will of Allah.

Life may not be going so good for many of us. We may be at a point in our lives where we feel lost, trapped, drowned in fear. We may be in a circumstance where we feel we never deserved to be in. Someone we loved may have just walked out of our life. Yet, each heart ache, each tear is contributing towards a stronger YOU.

Strength lies in you believing that your life is but a test. It is strongly believing that although your life is not going the way you want it to go, it's going exactly the way your Lord has planned it to go, and *that* is much better for you. The plan of Allah for you is perfect. Because He is perfect, and whatever He does He does it with perfection.

Although...

Many of us can't see it at that very moment. We can't look beyond the surface when we are in a difficult situation - however small.

Everything is a big blur.

We sit confused, drained from over-thinking, confused, helpless and hopless. We feel like this IS it. How possibly could this situation be resolved?

Only to come to realise, moments, days, months, perhaps even years later, the blessing in that situation.

That moment was all worth it.

It was.

No matter how hard you try to wipe it away from you memory, your difficult times will come back to you. For some, it will strengthen their faith, for others it will cause their heart to weep, and for the minority it will give them a little more strength, a little more courage, it will spark in them an inspiration, so that others will somehow benefit from their life's yet untold story.

As one wise scholar said:

"Had Allah lifted the veil for his slave and shown him how He handles his affairs for him, and how Allah is more keen for the benefit of the slave than his own self, his heart would have melted out of the love for Allah and would have been torn to pieces out of thankfulness to Allah. Therefore if the pains of this world tire you, do not grieve. For it may be that Allah wishes to hear your voice by way of duaa. So pour out your desires in prostration and forget about it and know, that verily Allah does not forget." - Ibn al Qayyim

Poem: The Healing Heart

It's never easy to let go,

To let go of that which you loved,

That which you chased, which you admired,

That which filled the emptiness inside your heart,

That thing you longed, you yearned to have,

The void within your soul -

Felt completed with you.

But the loss of separation pained me more.

Until,

I realised that truly you do not deserve,

A place within my heart which is only reserved for God,

A place no individual, no possession, no desire could ever fill,

Without one day leaving, causing heart ache and heart break,

The hole within me could only be filled by the one who Created it,

No love can seep its way through,

Without causing me destruction,

Cos only the love of God is fit for this empty space.

My heart longed that which would one day die,

Whether that was money, fame, popularity, or that guy,

Soon, there is an ending to that which is in this fleeting world,

You live, you die, and then you're resurrected back to life,

Whereas -

God never dies.

So chasing after something,

Which one day will leave this world,

Is like chasing an illusion,

Which looks appealing, but will one day disappear,

When reality strikes.

So let nothing complete you except your yearning for God,

Your yearning to attain His love,

His forgiveness,

His reward.

Because then, there will be no separation,

No broken heart.

Because you'll be yearning for something,

That will never perish,

That is Allah.

So stop. Just stop chasing the world,

And rush to the one who Created it.

Who gave you gifts, bounties and blessings,

No other being could ever grant,

And when you feel empty,

Remember His divine words,

"Indeed in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest."

It is only then that you feel whole again.

Dhul Hijjah - Preparing for the best 10 days of the year

So tonight marks the beginning of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.

There was an article I came across that explained the virtues of these 10 extremely important and blessed days of the year, and I'd like to share it with you all as I found it very beneficial. May Allah reward the sister who wrote it. Please share to maximise benefit. :)

http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/dhul%20hijjah.htm

Additional to that, I wanted to remind you all to prepare for these ten days just as you prepared or would prepare for the last ten days of Ramadhan. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail and so you and I should be motivated and driven in making the most of these days which hold such great value.

Here are some tips to help you set your goals and targets:

1) Make a list - If you're someone who easily forgets what they plan to do and has an extremely bad memory - (just like me!) then it is usually helpful to jot down the things you want to do. I've always found that when I write down my goals and targets or type them up and stick them on my wall, I actually end up completing the task and a lot better too. Write down at least five good deeds you want to do in these ten days, or perhaps write a deed for each day - that's ten good deeds in ten days and double the reward :)

2) Don't overburden yourself - I used to be one of those who would become so extremely passionate about doing something, that I'd do more than what was in my capability and then I'd come to a point where I'd lose all my motivation. So pick small, consistent deeds which you know you are capable of doing and something you will be able to do consistently. As Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:  The best deeds are those we are consistent with, even if they are small deeds.” (Bukari)

3) Do it with Ihsaan - Whatever you do, do it with Ihsaan, meaning excellence. Don't settle for less. Rather strive to perfect your deed and remember to do it purely for the sake of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "Actions are by intentions.." (Bukhari)

Blessed is He the best of Creators

I am in awe of the sky. So many times when I have been feeling low, down, and gloomy I’ve just had to glance at the sky above me and all of a sudden I‘d be reminded of the greatness of Allah. It’s because I remember the countless times Allah has mentioned in the Qur’an about how He raised the sky as a canopy and how from the sky He sends down rain for vegetation and growth. It’s like, I get this sense of peace in my heart when I look above me and realise that there is someone who is so Great, who is so Perfect, so Kind, so amazing, so much so that He has the ability to create something as vast, as intricate, as awe-inspiring as colossal as what I am looking at right now. Or perhaps it’s the thought that if the sky is such a flawless and beautiful creation, then how must be my Lord, the CREATOR of this creation? I don’t know how you cannot look at the sky - such a serene sight even on a cold winters day, and yet not believe that some *being* created it? How could you possibly deny that there is a creator of such marvelling beauty?

"So blessed be Allah,the Best of Creators" (Mu'minoon)