Month: July 2015

Ramadan Reminder Day 29: #Alhamdulillah for being a Mother. You may be wondering why am I saying this. You maybe thinking have I lost the plot. How can I be a mother? I don’t have a child. That is where I will stop you. Let me remind you that I did have, I do have and always will have my baby boy – my son Zakariah.

Allah had given me the opportunity and status of being part of the Motherhood club. He gave me almost 9 beautiful months with my little Angel. He allowed me to feel him move and jab me in the ribs! He let me feel my sweet baby boy squirm around inside me like a rollercoaster. He gave me the gift of feeling tiny yet strong kicks of my little footballer. He gave me the joys of pregnancy – the aches, pains and cravings. He let me have someone to talk to in the middle of the night, and listen to me babble away. He enabled me to feel the nurturing emotions of a mother, the overwhelming breathlessness of love and the tidal wave of protectiveness. But most of all Allah has bestowed upon me a prized possession – a million memories that is stored away tightly in my heart.

Alhamdulillah for being a Mother. The journey through pregnancy, the pain and joy of labour. Through this both -Allah has raised me as a person to the highest and esteemed status of Mother and Inshallah allowed me to gain rewards as such and expiated my sins through this.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah 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.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Alhamdulillah for being a Mother. I may not have my baby in my arms right now – but I take comfort knowing that he is now in Jannah (Paradise) and if Allah permits we will meet again there.

Our beloved Prophet said, ‘Who do you reckon to be the childless among you?’ They said, ‘They are those who do not have any children. ‘No,’ he said, ‘The childless are those who have not sent any of their children ahead’ (i.e. none of their children have died). (Al-Buhkari)

Alhamdulillah! Alhamdulillah for the past 9 months of my life – the joys AND the sorrows. Inshallah I pray that My Lord provides me the honour once again to reach the status of motherhood. That He blesses all of us with pious, beautiful, healthy children soon. May He make our children a source of Jannah for us and make our hearts swell with pride when look at them. For all you mothers who have sent their little Angels to heaven – be strong and know that Allah will bless you both in this world and the next. For surely the ones who are patient will be rewarded.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“When a person’s child dies, Allah the Most High asks His angels, ‘Have you taken out the life of the child of My slave?’  They reply in the affirmative. He then asks, ‘Have you taken the fruit of his heart?’ They reply in the affirmative. Thereupon he asks, ‘What has My slave said?’ They say: ‘He has praised You and said: Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un (We belong to Allah and to Him we shall be returned).’ Allah says: ‘Build a house for My slave in Jannah and name it Bait-ul-Hamd (the House of Praise)’.”

Alhamdulillah for being a mother to my little Turkish Delight – my Zakariah.

You can support our Maternity and Child Centre project that we have set up in our beloved son’s name here: Zakariah Maternity & Child Centre

#Alhamdulillah #Motherhood #ParadiseLiesAtTheFeetOfTheMother
#Hope #Patience #Reward
#InLovingMemoryofZakariah #MyTurkishDelight

Salaams and Hello all!

Apologies for not updating with the Reminders for past few days. I will try my best to update with Ramadan Reminder days 19 to 22 soon (Inshallah!)

For now, please read Ramadan Reminder Day 23.

Thank you for your patience.

Peace

Azzah

Ramadan Reminder Day 23: #Alhamdulillah for Another Tomorow. We all go to sleep in our comfortable beds, close our eyes, confident we will wake up the next day and continue life. But what guarantee is there we will see another Tomorrow? We have no knowledge of the unseen nor of the future – and only Allah swt has this All-Seeing knowledge. So when we do wake up the next morning, it may be a good idea to say Alhamdulillah. That should be the first thing that escapes our lips when our eyes open to a new day, a new sunrise, a new moment of hopes and dreams.

The past one month for me has gone in a blur. A lot has happened, and my life has changed in a blink of an eye. Death has been more prominent on my mind due to what has happened, and since then I have heard of various stories of people passing away. I was just like the person decribed above – convinced as I closed my eyes each night of a new tomorow, and of many more tomorows. Yes – make Dua to Allah to give you a long and healthy life, have faith Allah will answer this Dua – but don’t be arrogant in your thoughts that you may not taste death now.

Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing). ( Aal-e-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #185)

Us younger generation believe that as we are “young” we have a whole life in front of us to do all the things we want to do, and amend all the things that need to be amended. We have enough time to change our bad habits, to ask forgiveness for our sins and to start practicing our religion more. Some of us believe that tomorrow we will aim to pray all 5 prayers on time – wake up for Fajr for once instead of delaying or missing it. The question is – WILL you wake up for Fajr? What if today was your last day?  Wake up for Fajr with the intention that it may be your last one.Then there are some of us sisters who think we will start wearing Hijaab (Head cover) “when we come back from Umrah or Hajj”. But what guarantee is there that you will go for these pilgrimages?  There is no guarantee! Sisters – instead take the plunge today. Look at the mirror and think to yourself, “today may be the only day I get to wear this Hijaab”. Put that beautiful piece of cloth on your head, and do it for the love of Allah. Do it for the fear that tomorrow you may not be here.

This week a very sincere and noble brother of our Muslim community passed away. Brother Basheer Osman, the Vice President of FOSIS. I never personally met the brother myself, but I have heard of him and know of his great work. He was a young man who died in a tragic drowning incident, whilst on holiday with friends. When we look at his posts and tweets leading up to the day he died, they were full of hopes and dreams of tomorrow. This is a reminder for us that we keep planning, in the false comfort of seeing tomorrow, but Allah is the best of all planners. Surely it is He who gives life’s and takes it away. Brother Basheer however left this Dunya with a great legacy. He has touched thousands of hearts and minds and helped many people along his life journey. However short his life was, his legacy will live on in the good deeds he has done. Let us learn from him and live each day as if it is our last. Let us do good for ourselves and for others and leave a legacy too.

My dear friends, don’t procrastinate till tomorrow. From the smallest acts of Ibadah (worship) to the largest of good deeds  – start carrying them out now. Leave a legacy in this Dunya, that will benefit you in the Akhira, the  next world, too.

Death can touch any one of us – Young or Old – Rich or Poor. May Allah swt bless us with a long and healthy life, but make us of those that has لآ اِلَهَ اِلّا اللّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُوُل اللّهِ (There is no God but Allah Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) on our lips when the time does come.

“Wheresoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in fortresses built up strong and high!” And if some good reaches them, they say, “This is from Allah,” but if some evil befalls them, they say, “This is from you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم).” Say: “All things are from Allah,” so what is wrong with these people that they fail to understand any word? ( An-Nisa, Chapter #4, Verse #78)

https://www.facebook.com/tributestobashir

#Alhamdulillah #AnotherTomorow #DontProcrastinate #RamadanReminder #InLovingMemoryOfBasheerOsman

Ramadan Reminder Day 18 – #Alhamdulillah for the Lesson learnt from Prophet Ibrahim  عليه سلم. Following my blog about Surah Maryam, I would like to look at the story of Ibrahim عليه سلم mentioned in this Surah.

41. “And mention in the Book (the Qur’an) Ibrahim (Abraham). Verily! He was a man of truth, a Prophet.

42. When he said to his father: “O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything?

43. “O my father! Verily! There has come to me of knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me. I will guide you to a Straight Path.

44. “O my father! Worship not Shaitan (Satan). Verily! Shaitan (Satan) has been a rebel against the Most Beneficent (Allah).

45. “O my father! Verily! I fear lest a torment from the Most Beneficent (Allah) overtake you, so that you become a companion ofShaitan (Satan) (in the Hell-fire).” [Tafsir Al-Qurtubi]

46. He (the father) said: “Do you reject my gods, O Ibrahim (Abraham)? If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely before I punish you.”

47. Ibrahim (Abraham) said: “Peace be on you! I will ask Forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily! He is unto me, Ever Most Gracious.

48. “And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allah. And I shall call on my Lord; and I hope that I shall not be unblest in my invocation to my Lord.”

49. So when he had turned away from them and from those whom they worshipped besides Allah, We gave him Ishaque (Isaac) and Ya’qub (Jacob), and each one of them We made a Prophet.

50. And We gave them of Our Mercy (a good provision in plenty), and We granted them honour on the tongues (of all the nations, i.e everybody remembers them with a good praise)“. (Surah Maryam)

Prophet Ibrahim عليه سلم had strong conviction and Imaan (faith) in the message he was spreading. He believed in Allah swt and the Oneness of Allah, putting aside the beliefs of his father and forefather – of Polytheism and Idol worship. He had such strong conviction in Islam, that he stood up to his own father and tried to make his father accept the truth too.  He had no fear to speak openly without fearing the reprisals from his father and people. His courage and sincerity shines through and we must follow his lead by also possessing conviction in our faith and to speak honestly and fearlessly about the truths of Islam. Why do we cower down in the fear that if we say something deemed sensitive, people may see us in a different light. Why do we act like ensnared animals, docile and tame -when in reality we should roar like lions and speak the truth of our beautiful religion. In the current climate we live in – we should boldy and categorically voice our opinions of what is being said about us in the media, in society and in the hearts and minds of people. If certain group/s and individuals are carrying out heinous acts in the name of our Islam – then as Muslims, we should tell the world that is not part of our religion. Instead, like Ibrahim عليه سلم with conviction and courage we should shout about our TRUE Islam – that is Oneness, Peace and Respect.

But the most beautiful aspect of how Ibrahim عليه سلم approached his father is after trying to guide his father and being harshly rebuked by him, Ibrahim a.s. wished him peace asked for forgiveness for his father from Allah.  Such was the peaceful and merciful nature of this beloved Prophet, just like his Lord – and that is why he is lovingly referred to as Khaleel-ullah (Friend of Allah).

“And Allah did take Ibrahim (Abraham) as a Khaleel (an intimate friend)” [an-Nisa’ 4:125]. 

I make Dua that the Muslims of today follow in Ibrahim عليه سلم footsteps and allow us to spread the pearls of truth and deny the thorns of falsehood. I make Dua that each and everyone of us stand firm in our faith,  but in doing so, we never forget that our Islam is a religion of Peace and Mercy.

#Alhamdulillah #LessonsFromOurProphets #OurProphetIbrahimKhaleelUllah #Conviction #Truth #Forgiveness #Peace #Mercy #PearlsOfTruth #ThornsOfFalsehood #RamadanReminder

Ramadan Reminder Day 17 – #Alhamdulillah for the ability to Smile. There are many reasons not to smile (especially at this point in my life) but I think the reasons to smile outweighs that.

The physical act of Smiling takes about 23 facial muscles to move. Your  mouth moves upwards, your facial muscles start flexing. But is that all it is? A physical movement. No it is much more than that. A smile symbolises the happiness we feel inside of us. It is a manifestation of the joy and magical sparkles that builds up within us. A smile is reward we give to another when that person tells us something sweet or funny. A smile is the currency of love between husband and wife and the rope that bonds mother and child. That one smile is considered Sadaqah (charity) and it doesn’t cost a penny.

Abu Dhar reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“Your smile to your brother is a sadaqah (charitable act) for you. Your commanding the right and forbidding the wrong is a sadaqah.  Your guiding a man in the land of misguidance is a sadaqah for you. Your seeing (showing the way) for a man with bad eyesight is a sadaqah for you. Your removing a stone or thorn or bone from the road is a sadaqah for you. Your emptying your bucket of water into your brother’s (empty) bucket is a sadaqah for you.”  [Tirmidhi]

Smiling is given so much importance in Islam that our beloved Prophet has mentioned it before even enjoining good and forbidding evil in the above Hadith. A smile is Sadaqah because it gives another person hope. It can make all the difference to someone’s day, be it from a colleague,  a friend, a family member or stranger on the street. You never know what that person is going through on that day, and that small action can really help!

My dear friends – let us try harder to smile each day. Smile for the small and the bigs things in our lives. Smile when Allah blesses us and gives you good. Smile when Allah tests you and gives you hardship – in the knowledge that Allah loves you. Keep giving this Sadaqah, and let it multiply the goodness in your lives.

#Alhamdulillah #ASmileIsCharity # #KeepSmiling #ASmileCurrencyOfLove

Your Name….

I felt you move, i felt you kick. I felt you tickle me from inside. The conversations we had were many, the songs I sang a memory. But baby Raja (oh how I called you so!)-  you have gone and now I’m left with just your name and nothing more. Nine months were spent weaving dreams and having hope. Your first outfit, your first bootie your first little teddy. All locked up or given away. And now I’m left with just your name and nothing more. Football player is what we thought you would be – just like Papa is what I said so confidently.  Even before you arrived we knew you would be – a personality so strong, a person who all from near and far, wanted to hold and see. Now you’ve gone, to a place so far away, we will never be able to reach you at night nor day.- And now I’m left with just your name and nothing more.  But your name is what will get me through this journey we call life – a name that I will make proud, so proud that oneday you will hold my hand tight and pull me to your beautiful abode.

Now I am left with just your name. And so much more…

Ramadan Reminder Day 16 – #Alhamdulillah for Surah Maryam. Ofcourse we must say Alhamdulillah (All Thanks to Allah) for the whole miracle that is the Quran. But I will leave that blog for another day. Today I just want to focus on this specific Surah (chapter) of the Quran. It is the nineteenth surah of the Quran and the title of this Surah is named after one of the most sacred and revered woman in Islam – Maryam Bint Imran – Mother of Isa a.s. (Prophet Jesus). One whole chapter has been dedicated to her. This shows the importance of this honoured lady and her son, Prophet Isa in our religion. عليه سلم

No one can refute that Islam loves and respects Isa ibn Maryam عليه سلم so much so that the Quran has a whole chapter about him عليه سلم and his mother.

This surah is so beautiful as it talks not just about Maryam عليه سلم but also about many different highly esteemed Prophets. The surah starts of with Zakariah عليه سلم beseeching his Lord for an offspring, despite his age and the fact his wife was barren. His Lord does not forsake him but instead answers Zakariah’s عليه سلم Dua and makes what we would believe impossible – possible.

2. “(This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya (Zachariah).

3. When he called out his Lord (Allah) a call in secret,

4. Saying: “My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, And I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord!

5. “And Verily! I fear my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir,

6. “Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Ya’qub (Jacob) (inheritance of the religious knowledge and Prophethood, not the wealth, etc.). And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are Well-pleased!”.

7. (Allah said) “O Zakariya (Zachariah)! Verily, We give you the glad tidings of a son, His name will be Yahya (John). We have given that name to none before (him).”

8. He said: “My Lord! How can I have a son, when my wife is barren, and I have reached the extreme old age.”

9. He said: “So (it will be). Your Lord says; It is easy for Me. Certainly I have created you before, when you had been nothing!”

In this section of the Surah – Zakariah عليه سلم is an example for us of hope. Hope in Allah’s Mercy, Power and Magnificence. If we ask sincerly from the heart, Allah will surely answer us if it is good for us.

The Surah further goes on to tell us about Maryam عليه سلم and the miraculous birth of her son عليه سلم .
The amazing manner in which  Isa عليه سلم was conceived and born is a lesson for us that Allah makes miracles happen – all He needs to say is “Be – and It Is”. We must never doubt His Might.

18. She (Maryam a.s.) said: “Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah.”

19. (The angel) said: “I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.”

20. She said: “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?”

21. He said: “So (it will be), your Lord said: ‘That is easy for Me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allah).’ ”

Maryam عليه سلم did not become frightened nor challenge Allah’s will. She was strong and alone endured the hardships of pregnancy and pain of labour. She had full faith in Allah’s plan and she was rewarded by being the mother of the most honoured Prophet to walk this Earth.

Alhamdulillah for Surah Maryam. We learn so many lessons from it. It teaches us to remain firm in faith, be hopeful and believe in Allah’s Glorious Power. He is Al Khaliq (The Creator) and Al-Muhyi (The Giver of Life).

May Allah swt make us all be sincere in our Duas like Zakariah عليه سلم and bless us with beautiful and pious children, like his son Yahya (John) عليه سلم. May Allah swt allow us to be remembered with honour, diginity and respect like our most pure – Maryam عليه سلم

#Alhamdulillah #SurahMaryam #LessonsFromTheQuran #OurBelovedProphets #Faith #Dua #Respect #Dignity #Honour

Ramadan Reminder Day 15 #Alhamdulillah for that Special Person. The special person in our lives that makes us laugh. The special person in our lives that listens to us as we pour our heart to them. That person could be a sibling, a husband or wife but more often than not, its a friend. No matter the ups and downs that encompass us in our lives, this person holds your hand and tells you it will be ok. They console you at times of despair and laugh with you at times of happiness. Their is no jealousy or ill feeling towards you, and you feel safe in the knowledge that this special person makes sincere Dua for you from the deepest corner of their heart.

That special person. You may have not seen that person for a long time – but the moment you do, their single smile brightens the room, and the Noor (light) that emits from their face illuminates your soul too.  The worries, despair and sadness that weighs you down suddenly seems as light as a feather because that special person has commited to share that burdTn with you. One hug from them gives you a warmth that even the snowcaps of the Himalayas would melt in. That special person – they know when you need a cup of tea and a shoulder to cry on.

That special person. Just knowing that person is there is enough to keep you going. My dear special person, my friend, my strength and my hope. May Allah keep you safe and make me a special person for you too.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “The example of the believers, in their mutual love and mercy for one another is like the example of one body, if one part feels pain, then all of the body suffers in sleeplessness and fever.” and “The believer to the believer is like a solid building, one part supporting the other.” (Sahih Muslim / Bukhari).

#Alhamdulillah #ThatSpecialPerson #GoodFriend #AGoodFriendKnowsWhenYouNeedACupOfTea