Month: Sep 2020

WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE?

Azeezat P7 Comments

BISMILLAH-IR-RAHMAN-IR-RAHIM

Please take time to watch the short video before reading and when you’re done keep on reading. The video is just 30 seconds long.

Blind man reciting the Quran with brail.

Now that you’re done watching, keep on reading 😊

I came across this video and it was really touching. It made me reflect a lot in terms of the beauty of the Qur’an. The way Almighty Allah ﷻ has made it easy to learn. ‘And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?’ Qur’an 54:17 I know that people struggle, and I struggle as well with learning the Qur’an. It’s normal. But you know what, watching this video made me think: what excuse do I have not to learn the Qur’an?  An Hadith goes thus: “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter.’ [At-Tirmidhi]. This Hadith urges us to learn the Qur’an, recite it and informs us of the great reward for reciting it.

Moreover, “[T]he best amongst you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” [Al-Bukhari]

Besides, there is the reward if you struggle to recite the Qur’an. To anyone struggling – don’t give up, for Allah ﷻ guarantees you a reward for your struggle.

Mother Aisha رضي الله عنهما reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honourable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have a double reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. This Hadith highlights that anyone who cannot recite the Qur’an fluently and is committed to read it with great effort will be given double reward; one for the difficulty encountered in reciting it, and another for reading it. So, I urge you to keep trying, keep learning, for Allah ﷻ will reward your effort.

Photo by fatemah khaled on Pexels.com

I thought it would be nice to share this video and my reflections over it. Many of us always claim to have excuses and reasons why we do not have time, such as: “I am still in school”, “I am busy”, “preoccupied with X and Y”, an endless list goes on. But I tell You, that you have to find that time. The Qur’an is important. It’s a priority in our lives and we must take time out to learn it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The believer who recites the Qur’an is like a citron whose fragrance is sweet and whose taste is delicious. A believer who does not recite the Qur’an is like a date-fruit which has no fragrance but has a sweet taste. The hypocrite who recites the Qur’an is like a colocynth whose fragrance is so sweet, but its taste is bitter. The hypocrite who does not recite the Qur’an is like basil which has no fragrance and its taste is bitter.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

If a blind person can learn the Qur’an through a brail, what more YOU, that you are able to see. Ask yourself what excuse do I have to say to Allah ﷻ?

Photo by Ahmet Polat on Pexels.com

I say to myself before anyone else. What is your excuse? What is hindering you from learning the Qur’an?

I hope the video and this post inspires and reminds someone out there to take time, know the importance of the Qur’an. If you’ve abandoned the Qur’an, go back to it. It’s not too late. (Some of the Sahabas (companions) learnt the Qur’an when they were old.) If you intend to learn the Qur’an, start! Don’t wait till there is a time when you are less busy, because you never will. Take that step. Take that move and get closer to your creator. Learn the Qur’an. May Almighty Allah ﷻ make it easy for us to learn the Qur’an; make us people of the Qur’an; and raise our ranks through the Qur’an on the day of judgement.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Read the Qur’an, for it will come as an intercessor for its reciters on the Day of Resurrection.” [Muslim]. “The one who was devoted to the Qur’an will be told on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Recite and ascend (in ranks) as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last Ayah you recite.” [Dawud and Tirmidhi] The merit of committing the Qur’an to memory is mentioned in this Hadith. The word ‘ascend’ here means to rise in ranks in the Jannah. The more one remembers the Qur’an, the clearer and more distinct is his/her recitation of it, the higher would be the status that he/she will go on attaining through its blessings. Thus, this Hadith provides inducement for the remembrance of the Qur’an and tells us that its frequent recitation is a means to attain higher ranks in Jannah.

So, I urge us all to leave whatever excuses we have and set our priorities right. Find that time and be committed. I have heard the importance of learning the Qur’an after the Fajr salah. You can start with that. If you are going to pay someone to teach you, take it up and learn the Qur’an.

Here are some practical tips to apply to ease your Qur’an learning

  • Make dua ﷻ to Allah and keep your intentions pure. Be sincere in your memorization.
  • Have a teacher. This will put you on check. But remember most of the work will be done by you. Your teacher can only teach and aid your learning. You must find time to revise.
  • Be consistent with your pace of learning. Ensure you learn something every day. Be as regular as possible.
  • Have a routine and time you learn. Some people learn early in the morning, some in the afternoon and others at night. Have a place you learn and stick to a Mushaf.
  • Repeat, repeat and repeat what you are learning.
  • Listen a lot to your memorization. Pick one reciter you love and stick to that person.
  • Try to recite what you are learning in the Salah.
  • Have time to recite what you have learnt previously so that you do not forget. Revision is important.
  • Remember consistency is the key!

May Almighty Allah ﷻ make this journey to knowing Him easy for all of us and accept our deeds. May He make us people who love Him and do things to draw closer to Him. Amen! AS SALAM ALAIKUM WARAMATULLAH WABARAKATU.

Is there any tip you have applied to aid your Qur’an learning or one you have learnt? Please share in the comment section to make others benefit from it. If you have found this post beneficial please do share with others. Till next time Fi Ammanillah!

I leave you with this short clip on the effect of the Qur’an in the heart!

DUA OF AN OPPRESSED

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Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah.  [Bukhari]

Prophet Muhammed ﷺ

My name is Bee and I will be narrating to you today about an incident that happened in my life. The event I am about to share happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. I decided to share this story because I feel it is important that people know how to use their tongue.  

I was in my sitting room watching the TV when my phone rang. A colleague from work called to inform me of a shocking news – the death of a co-worker. He died due to contracting coronavirus. I was a bit indifferent, unsure how to react. Immediately I supplicated to Allah ﷻ, expressing gratitude for my dua being answered. I am sure you are wondering what happened?  What dua did I supplicate to Allah for?

I remember vividly when the pandemic started and there was panicking at the workplace. I heard this colleague of mine who I will refer to as Sid, telling another colleague: ‘I pray that Bee (me) gets the virus and dies from it’. I am sure he did not know I heard him. Immediately I heard this, I was sad, scared, worries, distressed afraid of what I heard. I went straight to my musallah (prayer place at work) raised my hands to Allahﷻ and said I wish him the same, I wish him what he wishes me. I supplicated against him 😦

Sid has always given me a hard time at work, always complains of how I dress, what I do, about me having a prayer place at work, he complains when I am praying and he constantly makes my life unbearable in the workplace. My employers have tried to caution him to be respectful and tolerant, but he doesn’t listen.

Making dua was all I could do to pacify myself and remove my worries. I did not tell anyone else of what he did, not to my employers or family. I complained only to Allah ﷻ for comfort and that was it. It was few weeks later I received a call to hear that Sid died from coronavirus.

After I received the news I called the sister I was living with and narrated what happened to her. I asked her do you think I made the right dua? And she responded saying from what you told me he is an oppressor and you basically just wished him what he wished you.

PURPOSE OF SHARING THIS STORY: Oppression is something Allah ﷻ has forbidden and He disassociate Himself from. Abu Dharr رضي الله عنه reported: The Messenger of Allahﷺ said: ‘Allah the Exalted said: O my servants, I have forbidden oppression for myself and I have made it forbidden among you, so do not oppress one another’ Sahih Muslim. As Muslims we should be cautions of our actions and avoid oppressing others. Allah ﷻ deals with oppressors at the right time and punishes them. Look at the story of Prophet Musa عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ, and Firawn. The story of Abu Jahl persecuting the Muslims. Bilal رضي الله عنه  and Ummayah Ibn Khallaf… and the list goes on. Eventually Allah ﷻ punished the oppressor for transgressing. It may take time and to anyone being oppressed in any manner hold fast unto Allah ﷻ for YOU will one day be victorious. In Sha Allah you will look back and express gratitude to Allah ﷻ for lessons you learnt through the process.

After listening to Sister Bee’s story, I will like to expand on 3 points.

The importance of Tawakkul and complaining to Allah. For any worry, problem, issue You have, Turn to Allah! ﷻ Bee did not confront Sid nor report Sid to her employers, she did not tell anyone what she heard. Bee cried and turned unto Allah ﷻ and He ﷻ responded to her. She did only one thing – DUA. She made dua at her weak point. And the Prophet ﷺ guarantees that there is no barrier between the supplication of the oppressed and Allahﷻ (paraphrased) Sahih Bukhari so, whenever you are down, at your weakest point turn to Allah, cry to Him, talk to Allah ﷻ before anyone else because He is As-Sami (The All Hearing)  Al-Basir (The All Seeing) and have the conviction He will respond because He is Al Mujib (The Responsive).

Wishing good for others. What do you wish for others? What comes out of your tongue? We should be careful and conscious of how we use our tongue? The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘no Muslim servant supplicates for his brother behind his back but that the angel says: ‘And for you the same.’ (Muslim) This is an angel wishing you what you wish someone else. So, wish good for others and don’t use your tongue against yourself.

Avoid oppression. ‘Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression…’ Qur’an 16:90 . This is something Allah ﷻ disassociates Himself from and The Prophet ﷺ enjoins us to prevent oppression by ‘help[ing] your brother, whether he is an oppressor or is oppressed.’ It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, we help the oppressed, but how do we help an oppressor?” The Prophet said, “By seizing his hand.” In another narration, the Prophet said, “By restraining him or preventing him from committing injustice, for that is how you support him.” Sahih Bukhari and Muslim

POINT OF REFLECTION: when reading this story what came to your mind? We should look within ourselves and check whether we have in any way, shaped or form oppressed someone. It’s very easy to point fingers at others but look within and see if the problem comes from YOU. 

That’s it for now. I hope you enjoyed reading and have learnt from this story, if you found it insightful share with someone who will enjoy it as you do. Are there any lessons you learnt from this post please share in the comment section below.

TRUE LIFE STORIES

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BISMILLAH-IR-RAHMAN-IR-RAHIM

I hope you are excited as we are 🥳

Introducing a new category into the blog. It’s called TRUE LIFE STORIES. 💯

The aim of adopting this initiative is for us to be able to relate with others. Learn from what people have gone through – their challenges and how they reacted in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

It is hoped that this will provide an opportunity for us to look inward into our actions and be conscious of Allah ﷻ. We constantly learn from people and sharing life experiences on this blog is a medium through which we hope will encourage us to lead our lives to please Allah ﷻ.

All the stories shared on this platform are completely anonymized and cannot be attributed personally to anyone. If you would like to share your story or life event in a way to inspire others. Please get in touch. We would love to tell your story. ♥️

PS: In Sha Allah a story will be released this coming Friday. Make sure to subscribe by entering your email below 👇 to receive immediate notifications when a new post is uploaded. Don’t forget to share with friends and families too. 😌

Till then Fi Amanillah.