Monday, 25 April 2016

For in SILENCE I find no rejection

I start in the Name of God, The Most Merciful, The Most Kind.

I came across this poem by Rumi:

I choose to love you in silence…
For in silence I find no rejection,
I choose to love you in loneliness…
For in loneliness no one owns you but me,
I choose to adore you from a distance…
For distance will shield me from pain,
I choose to kiss you in the wind…
For the wind is gentler than my lips,
I choose to hold you in my dreams…
For in my dreams, you have no end.

I found one line in particular very interesting in this poem and it reminded me of how many people may be afraid of, whether they articulate it or not, REJECTION.
Nobody likes rejection or to feel rejected by people.
People that are afraid of or dislike rejection are those that may have felt it before or seen someone else go through it - in whatever form - and they do not want to go through it and be broken by it.
Everyone is different so it affects different people differently.
I always assumed rejection does affect people in some way.

I think the remedy of the broken people (and those that feel rejected or are afraid of rejection fall into this category) is to find solace in God. To find the silence within and know God. And that is the way to find contentment.

The silence, the aloneness is where people will not feel rejected.
It is so beautifully put:
For in silence I find no rejection.
Anyone that finds the sweetness in the silence is content. In silence is where one can smell the fragrance and be or learn to be the fragrance.
In the silence, the solitude - aloneness, is where one most likely finds God.
There is comfort in the thought that God never rejects us.
We were not created for this world. We were created for Jannah (heaven). We need to start acting like it.
"Have patience for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in PEACE, God is awake." ~ Victor Hugo

We will all feel rejected at some point or another in this world but the key is to REALISE that:
"The heart will rest and feel relief if it is settled with God and it will worry and be anxious if it is settled with people." 
~ Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah ~

Even those that reject God, He never rejects them. He always provides for them.
God does not need us. He is The Self Sufficient. We need God.
He is the Most Merciful and truly our praises are not sufficient and lacking when it comes to praising the oh so Merciful, Kind, Loving, Lord of the worlds.

May we be beloved to God The Everlasting and may He forgive any mistakes and errors and grant us jannah al firdaus amongst the likes of His faithful servants Muhammed may peace be upon him Amin.

♥ I found this image on Instagram. ♥

Saturday, 16 April 2016

Walkers

Everyone knows this poem. If you don't, where have you been?
I always assume it is very popular. I guess for some it isn't.
It's called The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The poem reminded me of this photo I took for some reason.
It's a place close to where I live.
I used to always go there for a walk, run, to clear my mind...
I love my walking. I used to walk miles and miles. I walk about a mile to work and back everyday. 
I walk whenever and wherever I possibly can because:
1, it is healthy physically
2, it is healthy mentally
3, I just love walking

I believe everyone should walk whenever they can. Make it a hobby.
We live in a day and age of cars where people drive almost everywhere. People don't get the much needed fresh air because they are literally stuck in cages a.k.a cars.
Now I don't hate cars because they are VERY convenient, however, what I'm talking about here is, when going in a car is definitely not necessary for example, to the shop that's five minutes a way - that can be walked to. You know, those kinds of things. Cars can make people lazy to some extent sometimes and many people I have spoken to that drive cars agree with that.

{to those who cannot walk due to an injury, etc, what I also mean by walking is getting 'fresh air' and being outdoors when one can possibly go}

I'm 22 and people are always shocked when they learn I don't have a driving license. 
I have never been fond of or had an interest in driving and don't think I ever will be. To be honest, I don't think I ever want to even learn to drive a car.
Someone once told me "when you have kids then you'll want to drive". Girl, I'm not even married never mind having kids! I probably still wouldn't want to learn to drive a car unless completely necessary. Kids need fresh air is my comeback!
I'll get a bike :) 

I love walking in the rain, snow, any weather!
I always say as long as you are wearing the right shoes and jacket you are good to go no matter the weather
My parents and people I know and knew were always baffled as to why I woke up extra early just to walk to work or wherever I was going. I'm just that kind of girl. I've seen people drive past me and look at me like I'm crazy walking in the rain.
I love walking - walking isn't only for sunny days pal.

I remember one time when I'd just started high-school and the bell rung and off me and someone I knew (who sadly passed away at the age of 19 from cancer in 2012. May God have mercy on her soul) walked into the distance away from school and a teacher called us back and referred to us as the 'walkers'...For some reason that moment has always stuck in my memory.
I agree, I have always been a walker. A lover of the outdoors and the natural beauty of the world and the core.

People always complain about being stressed, depressed, angry, anxious, headache, heartache or whatever else. 
Take a hike mate! Go for a walk! You will most definitely feel better and even if you aren't 'fixed' by the end of your walk it certainly does relieve tension.
(I say 'fixed' because some people these days think that 'a walk will make it all better' they misunderstand the point, a walk will not fix you but a walk will break you down and help you find the pieces - well that's how I see it. Don't give up on the walk because if you do you won't reach home in the end and remember home is where the heart is. Quite a lot of people think that if things don't 'fix' them then there's 'no point' but the truth is things won't fix you, you will have to take steps in order to get to where you want to be...)

I absolutely love walking. It's so therapeutic and relieving. It gives one time to reflect. It's sad that not many people like walking. And sometimes the 'walkers' have to walk alone.
Not to worry because the aloneness lets one hear away from all the noise. And you realise that's the point.
Sometimes we all just need to be alone.

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be."

Now I'm going off into the distance onto the path, the road,  that leads towards peace and the sound heart. The path not many decide to take.

I'll end this post with a beautiful Hadith
Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessings be upon him) said : 
God Almighty said:
I am as My servant thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me.
If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself;
and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it.
If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length.
And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.

& Allah knows best.

Tuesday, 12 April 2016

Throw out BROKEN

I start in the name of God, The Most Merciful, The Most Kind.

I really like this quote. It's by Audrey Hepburn.

"People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others."

The words are beautiful and they speak volumes.


We live in an era of throwing out people. It is a day and age of getting rid of people, I was going to say supposedly whom we may think 'we don't like' but the truth is they are 'people we don't understand'.
I think that's the key thing UNDERSTANDING
The lack of understanding is what causes people to reject, neglect and 'throw out' others.
Many relationships, through out the whole of existence, have broken down due to misunderstanding(s).

Misunderstanding is what leads to 'throwing people out'.
We live in a day and age where if something breaks some people just throw it out. 
Nobody wants to or can be bothered to FIX anything any more, they just throw it out. Into the trash...And wait for something so called 'better' to come along....
Which is a very sad state of this world we live in because there are many 'broken' and 'hurting' people out there.

The beauty of the above quote is this: 
"Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms."
Maybe our hands are a metaphorical sign from God that we can indeed fix ourselves that's why he gave us two.
I wish some broken and hurting people out there would realise the strength of their own hands.

It's interesting that:
"As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others."
I think the growing older is not literal it's more a state of mind or heart. Some people REALISE this at a younger age and others at older ages. Then there are some that are just realising this or have not even realised this. 

The people that have not realised this part of the quote below, are the people that throw out. The selfish people that do not care. The people who can put on a façade that they do care when they really don't. Those are the types of people that in the end will end up empty-handed because one day they will realise all the nothingness and breaking their weak hands put forth into the world.
"You have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others."


The broken-hearted people may look empty handed but they really are not.
Broken people gain more than they have lost and I wish they would realise this.
To all the broken people out there:
I hope you find solace in this [It's a quote by Hamza Yusuuf]
"God is with the broken-hearted. When your heart breaks, it's a good thing - the breaking of the heart is what opens it up to the light of God. The world {dunya} is designed to break your heart and crush it."

I found this image on Google and I found it so beautiful and so true.
I believe that the flowers that give out fragrance to the hands that crush it are the ones with the most beautiful CORE.
Sometimes hearts and people need to break to see the light in the darkness.
And in the darkest nights the stars and moon shine the brightest.
The most gentlest, kindest and soft-hearted people are the ones who were once broken. They understand.

& in the end Allah knows best.

Friday, 8 April 2016

There's always HOPE

I start in the name of God The Most Merciful, The Most Kind.

I came across this image on Google. It's a poem by Shel Silverstein. I found it very interesting...
Sometimes we all wear masks on.
The poem also got me thinking of the colour blue.

BLUE, one of my favourite colours.
In UK when someone says "I'm feeling blue today". It's similar to saying I'm feeling sad.
Or "out of the blue" is similar to saying unexpectedly.
It might be similar in other countries - I'm not too sure.
I find it interesting that blue could bee linked with sadness because I always saw the colour blue as a hopeful colour. When we look up at the sky it's blue... But as the ever changing colour of the sky we too are changing...In our feelings, thoughts, ideas etc.
The sea, the ocean is blue too. 
I'm a lover of the outdoors and I love being amongst nature. My two loves are the sky and sea and they are blue....And somewhere in the horizon the sky and sea meet I find that beautiful. That's where I find myself.
I'll forever see blue as a hopeful colour because the limitlessness of the sky and the depths of the sea are so very beautiful to me... And in the midst of that beauty there is calmness and hope...
And sometimes when you look up to the sky or look down at the sea you just begin to reflect....


If you're feeling sad know that there is hope. Just look up to the sky - it will be blue one day. Patience. Trust God.
 It might be shades of grey today. But it will be blue someday inshaAllah. The limitlessness of the sky is a depth above us and is a symbol of hope.
 Look down at the deep blue sea and find hope in the depths...See the depths of yourself. Reach within and find that hope.
 Don't ever despair. God loves you. God tests those whom He loves.


Some people teach you that being down on your knees is the worst position to be in...on the ground where people trample all over you...
 However, when you go towards the path of knowledge and understanding you realise that being down on your knees is a humbling position and the perfect position to pray.
The ground, the place where more than likely people will walk all over you.... That is the place where you may reach out in despair and realise and reflect.
Being broken on the ground is how one finds all the pieces, puts them back together and builds themselves back up to new heights.

God always hears us. God is the Most Merciful.
I found the following image on Google and I think the words are perfect to reflect on. God hears us all.

To call out to The Creator is beautiful. God always responds, in different ways and we may never even realise it. Something one never really will find amongst people. People let us down.... People come and go....
God is the healer of the broken-hearted. Turn to Him.

"Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake." ~ Victor Hugo


There's a beautiful ayah (verse) in the Quran that says:

"Be not sad surely God is with us."

 - [Quran - 9:40]

 May God The Healer heal all the broken-hearted people who are suffering. May God guide us all to the right path and help us see the light at the end of the tunnel and the blue sky. May God shower blessing and peace upon Muhammad. May God have mercy on all the souls who have left this world and may they see the lights of heaven. May God make us among the kind, soft-hearted and gentle people and may God reunite us all in jannah-al-firdaus Amin.

Thursday, 7 April 2016

Die Gedanken Sind Frei

I start in the name of God The Most Merciful, The Most Kind.

Die Gedanken sind frei means thoughts are free.
When I first found these words years ago I really liked them.
I was watching a documentary and it talked about a prisoner who said these words to the guards....
It reminded me how people can metaphorically be prisoners of this world and it also reminded me how some people can be prisoners of their own thoughts...
They even reminded me of a child-like innocent state when as a youngster day-dreams about the world and what they want to be when they 'grow up'.

Here's the English translation of the poem [I prefer it as a poem rather than lyrics]:

Thoughts are free, who can guess them?
They fly by like nocturnal shadows.
No man can know them, no hunter can shoot them
with powder and lead: Thoughts are free!

I think what I want, and what delights me,
still always reticent, and as it is suitable.
My wish and desire, no one can deny me
and so it will always be: Thoughts are free!

And if I am thrown into the darkest dungeon,
all these are futile works,
because my thoughts tear all gates
and walls apart: Thoughts are free!

So I will renounce my sorrows forever,
and never again will torture myself with whimsies.
In one's heart, one can always laugh and joke
and think at the same time: Thoughts are free!



Thoughts, thoughts, thoughts. Aren't they interesting!
No human soul can truly know ones thoughts. Only God The One knows someone's thoughts and that is beautiful. The notion of thoughts are free reminds me of, if the remembrance of God is always in someone's heart then truly thoughts are free and if the remembrance of God is not in ones heart then everything becomes foggy....

The quotes below are from Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah (may God bless his soul and all the scholars) and I think that they sum up the idea freedom of thoughts and where they come from and how ones thoughts can truly be free:


"Yearning for God and His meeting is like the gentle breeze blowing upon the heart, extinguishing the blaze of the dunya [world]. Whosoever caused his heart to settle with his Lord shall be in a state, calm and tranquil, and whosoever sent it amongst the people shall be disturbed and excessively perturbed."

"And if a person were given all of the world and what is in it, it would not fill this emptiness."

"The heart will rest and feel relief if it is settled with God and it will worry and be anxious if it is settled with people."

"Get yourself out of this limited world of diseases to the wide world of the hereafter, which has what the eyes have never seen. Nothing is impossible there, and love is not lost."

Peace out and love thy neighbour. ♥

May God the Almighty The Turner of hearts bless all the prophets. May God the Merciful forgive us all and make us among the ones who remember Him constantly and may He The Giver of Beauty give us a beautiful patience and may God grant us jannah-al-firdaus Amin.

Wednesday, 6 April 2016

Proud

I start in the name of God The Most Merciful, The Most Kind.

The following poem is one of my favourites. I came across it when I was reading a book about Abraham Lincoln's life a couple of years ago. I thought it was a really good poem...
The reality of life.


by William Knox

Oh! Why should the spirit of mortal be proud? 
Like a swift-fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud
A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave
He passeth from life to his rest in the grave.

The leaves of the oak and the willow shall fade,
Be scattered around, and together be laid;
And the young and the old, and the low and high,
Shall moulder to dust, and together shall lie.

The infant a mother attended and loved;
The mother that infant’s affection who proved; 
The husband, that mother and infant who blest, --
Each, all, are away to their dwellings of rest.

The maid on whose cheek, on whose brow, in whose eye,
Shone beauty and pleasure, --her triumphs are by;
And the memory of those who loved her and praised,
Are alike from the minds of the living erased.

The hand of the king that the sceptre hath borne,
The brow of the priest that the mitre hath worn,
The eye of the sage, and the heart of the brave, 
Are hidden and lost in the depths of the grave.

The peasant, whose lot was to sow and to reap,
The herdsman, who climbed with his goats up the steep,
The beggar, who wandered in search of his bread,
Have faded away like the grass that we tread.

The saint who enjoyed the communion of Heaven,
The sinner who dared to remain unforgiven,
The wise and the foolish, the guilty and just,
Have quietly mingled their bones in dust.

So the multitude goes --like the flower or the weed
That withers away to let others succeed;
So the multitude comes --even those who behold,
To repeat every tale that has often been told.

For we are the same our fathers have been;
We see the same sights our fathers have seen;
We drink the same stream, we view the same sun,
And run the same course our fathers have run.

The thoughts we are thinking, our fathers would think;
From the death we are shrinking, our fathers would shrink;
From the life we are clinging they also would cling; --
But it speeds from us all like a bird on the wing. 

They loved --but the story we cannot unfold;
They scorned --but the heart of the haughty is cold;
They grieved --but no wail from their slumber will come;
They joyed --but the tongue of their gladness is dumb.

They died --ay, they died we things that are now,
That walk on the turf that lies over their brow,
And make in their dwellings a transient abode;
Meet the things that they met on their pilgrimage road.

Yea! Hope and despondency, pleasure and pain,
Are mingled together in sunshine and rain;
And the smile and the tear, the song and the dirge,
Still follow each other, like surge upon surge. 

'Tis the wink of an eye --'tis that draught of breath--
From the blossom of health to the paleness of death,
From the gilded saloon to the bier and the shroud--
Oh! Why should the spirit of mortal be proud?

Sunday, 3 April 2016

The people we meet....

I start in the name of God The Most Merciful, The Most Kind.
"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you. Indeed, God is Knowing and Acquainted." - [Quran 49:13]

I believe that God puts certain people on our path for a reason. Whether it was to learn a lesson or as a blessing (a blessing in itself is also a lesson - for those who reflect).
Two people don't just come across each other for no reason. It's no coincidence or by accident there's always a deep rooted reason....and God knows best.
I think sometime it's important to reflect on the people we have come across in our lives.
There may be wisdom(s) behind it... But don't think about it so much you drive yourself crazy and get all delusional....
Truly God knows best.

Mother Teresa
In this day and age of the internet we don't always meet the people we come across. But nonetheless, our paths collide(d) in some way....
It doesn't even have to be a person it can be 'something' for example, a book, a pod-cast, a video, art etc.
I know there are many 'things'  and people I have come across that changed my life in some way.... Changed my way of thinking. Opened my mind more and made me understand the world a little better. There was always something to learn. There's a teacher in all of us.
May God bless every heart and souls Amin.

We come across people for a reason. We are people. Be a good reason. InshaAllah

"Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others." ~ Otto Von Bismarck

I grew up in a diverse house-hold. I was always taught to respect every 'race' and to not judge a book by its cover. However, when I was 'let out' (i.e. grew-up) into the 'world' I saw how intolerant and closed-minded some others were. This really put me off certain peoples personalities and made me cynical to some extent....
My whole life I was taught to accept people. Yet, what I was seeing was some people who didn't accept what they deemed the 'others' and 'outsiders'. I found that utterly disgusting.
Being "Moslem" who read the "Koran" we constantly get called 'terrorists' whether that is to our face or behind our backs....
And to think that some kids may be exposed to their elders closed-minded ways of thinking - who may know no better - is very sad for this already corrupt world.

May God guide us all Amin.



Some people are so judgemental and I know this is human-nature to some extent but it is unacceptable the way some people act towards other ethnicities and/or religions or what is deemed a 'minority' in a particular place.
Now, I was going to say races [for the word ethnicities] as I was brought up to believe but I think it's more fitting to say we are all ONE human race. The difference in appearances are apparent that's why it's called ethnicity.

I prefer that word 'ethnicity' because it differentiates between the external but it does not differentiate between the internal which I feel the word race does. Look at the word 'race-ist' a racist can come from any ethnicity but we call them a racist because something is wrong with their internal i.e. they are full of arrogance (the trait of satan). Which is not the norm and should not be the norm.
I feel like the word race implicates the internal. The heart races in all ethnicities. The people of good character race each other in good deeds...
The racist (race-is - ist in  German means IS) takes their own ethnicity and makes it a race i.e. the human race - in their distorted thinking. I believe there is only one human race and we are all united in our differences unless someone makes the choice not to be (the racists).

 Okay! I'm weird and that may not make too much sense... BUT what I'm trying to say is in the end we are One Human Race and we should be tolerant of one another and accept each other no matter our differences! And as Prophets Jesus and Muhammed, and plenty of other people in some form or another, taught was to: 'love thy neighbour'. It's a universal belief taught in many forms.

Love thy neighbour is very profound - something to reflect on.


There's always something to take away from this 'coming across something or someone'.
Whether it be in real life or the internet. God made you come across someone or something for a reason. Just think about it and what lesson you can derive from it and Truly God knows Best.
For example, I came across intolerant people and I learned so much about the psychology of some humans....And it lead me to the conclusion, and Anne Frank said it best:
"Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart".

I learned that having a positive view of the world, despite all its ugliness is a very beautiful thing.
It makes one a better person internally because one is not constantly assuming the worst.
One looks at the world beautifully and that in turn makes them beautiful. It makes them tolerant. It makes them accepting. It makes them love their neighbour(s). It makes us realise in the end in spite of everything we are one. Ummah - community.
Kurt Vonnegut
Don't ever let your emotion(s) get involved when you are reflecting on things in life because that could be a recipe for disaster and a very destructive thought process.

I believe that for reflection there is a process one has to go through before one can get some wisdom out of what one reflects on. That is to master oneself, ones mind and soul. If one does not master oneself then one can likely enter into the realm of the disordered, disorganised and dysfunctional mind (or rather thought process).
...And God knows best

There's always a lesson to take away from people - the interactions and encounters etc.
I think they are a guide from beyond.

Truly God knows best. I'm no scholar I'm just a girl learning and making mistakes along the way. May God forgive all our mistakes and errors. May God guide us all and make us among the righteous and internally beautiful like Prophet Muhammad may peace be upon him. May God make us gentle, kind and soft-hearted. And may God reunite us all in jannah-al-firdaus Amin.

I will end this post with a Rumi poem:
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honourably.
He may be clearing you out
for some delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Thursday, 31 March 2016

I 'want' You

This post was inspired by the following words I read on Instagram on @humansofny. I found them so relatable. 

“I never really felt like ‘one of the guys’ when I was growing up. I felt a lack of acceptance. I wasn’t the guy who was playing on the team, or going to IHOP after prom, or getting invited to birthday bashes. I’m not saying that I was a complete loner. I was relatable—just never enough to be included. I tried out for the football team in high school. I put everything into it. I got a trainer and everything. I was going to play, start, and become that person. But it never quite happened. And in a way, I still feel like I’m trying to get there. I just got into the grad school of my dreams. I interned at the White House last summer. I’m joining Teach For America. Part of me still feels that if I can elevate my image to a certain level, then people will be attracted to me. And I’m trying to get beyond that. I’ve been listening to this sermon lately called 'Getting To The Core.' And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do. I want to wake up knowing that it will be OK, no matter what I accomplish."


I reflected on them and on my own situation and this blog post came about.

A reminder to myself....
The Core
I think it's important for us as human to accept ourselves, flaws and all. 
This whole trying to 'fit in' and trying to get to a 'higher position' is nothing but destruction to the soul and in the end will leave us feeling empty when we, so call, 'have it all'. The happiest people, I have noticed, are not the ones in the 'high positions' or the ones who 'have it all', they are the ones who have 'found themselves'. 
When one is searching for meaning and understanding in life and when one is on the path of searching for knowledge one inevitably finds God. God brings you to Him because He loves you and true serenity and happiness is Only with God. He created us to worship Him Alone and not to worship the world, satan, this worldly life and people. That's what burdens our core and brings about our anger, sadness, grief, anxiety, stress, miserliness, cowardliness, the burden of debts and being overpowered by people.
It is a guarantee that this world will break ones heart. It was made that way for a reason. It's a trial and test - from God - for us, to see who is most sincere at heart.
Don't wear your 'heart on your sleeve' or become 'cold-hearted' because anyone can come along and break your heart and they most surely will one day. Take heart. Guard your heart. Open your heart to peace. May peace (salam) be with us all.

Stop with this 'want, want want'. Please. It's no good for you. It's hurting you. The wisdom one needs to figure out - in this 'want' - is that the materialism does not benefit humanity [spiritually] one bit. Only a sincere heart full of love and faith will benefit humanity in the end. 
This 'want' is destructive to a person. It leaves one displeased, dissatisfied and ungrateful. 
Growing up and living in the West, when I analyse the culture here, it is a culture of 'want' to some extent. When I say 'want' - I mean - when we always want 'things' - materialism and it comes in many many forms (I'll leave it up to you to decide the many forms of materialism because for each and every person it is different). This can leave people in a spiral of despair because 'want', 'attachment' and 'comparison' go hand in hand - they are triplet flames (soul mates if you will), and as the saying goes "comparison is the thief of joy". They are very destructive to the heart.

Worldly Want + Worldly Attachment + Worldly Comparison = Equation of the Broken Hearted People.

What we should really want is a connection with God. We need God. Know that God does not need us mere mortals, God is the Almighty free of all want. We need God. He is our Creator and knows what's best for us.

Take Heart
I have walked many miles on this earth. Seen places and come across many people....
My conclusion is that we are in dire need of God. We all need God not just some people. Yet arrogance, ignorance and 'want' of this world has left us in a state of illusion and delusion. 'Want' of this world has made us abandon or neglect God. (May God the Turner of hearts save us from this trial and guide us. God knows best.)
How can we do that to our heart? The 'want'! That emptiness, that void you feel can only be filled with the remembrance of God.
"Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest." [Quran 13:28]

One can search this earth, chase materialism, chase what ever one 'wants' but the heart will never be filled. There will always be that void. By the grace of God one may find a temporary satisfaction but the emptiness - that void, will return sooner or later. Give it some time it will surely return and you may try and fill it with 'something' else but it's futile in the end. 
The heart needs God. We all need God. Without God we are nothing.
Worldly 'wants', been there... Found nothing. Came back empty handed, broken hearted, lost and in despair. My hands were empty and I raised them to God and He is the Only One who listened and filled the emptiness.

The greatest happiness I have ever found in my whole life is in finding God. In knowing that God loves me and cares for me. Knowing God is always there. Knowing that when the world has trampled all over me God has 'grasped my hands and lifted me up' when I turn to Him.
I could have had the [worldly] dream life, the best job, the best education...but without God I would be empty. There would be no substance; no meaning in my life. 
For many years I was lost and searching. We all go through lows and highs in faith. I learned that just like we need food, we constantly need to revive our heart and soul and nourish it with faith. If we don't we fall into emptiness. Faith is food for the heart and soul it is what brings the heart to life without it we feel dead, empty, lost, confused and alone inside.

I wanted to be rich...beautiful...successful in my work and in the world... I wanted the luxury but I found it all empty and futile in the end. It truly was and is a path of destruction. Snakes coming for you from all four sides - the back, the front, the left and right. The battlefield of life. C'est la vie.
To me, the vortex of the worldly (dunya) life is a spiral into destruction.
I was lost, alone and searching. I looked above to the heavens and put my head to the ground. That is the best of places and that's where my heart found serenity. With God.
I love simplicity. I love nature and the creation of God. I love God most.
I'll tell you what I want now, I want God, I need God. God is enough for me.
The secret and treasure, the heaven (jannah) of this world is in finding God and when you do - you have all you need.
We all go through highs and lows in faith but never lose that connection with God. The most precious thing in the world is your faith. If you lose it it can NEVER be replaced.
Wealth, beauty, family etc - the materialism will all fade one day but your faith will last for eternity. Your faith is your heaven in this world (dunya) and the next - the afterlife (akhirah).
For what shall it profit a wo/man, if they shall gain the whole world (dunya) but lose their own soul (i.e. faith or Eeman)? The answer is nothing - no profit but despair.

May God The Almighty, The Merciful, The Kind, The Turner of hearts guide us all to the straight path and may we never go astray. May we be sincere and love God. May we be Gods beloved servants. May God grant us all jannah-al-firdaus (the highest heaven).
Truly God knows best. May God forgive our shortcomings and errors and make us among the righteous true believers and may peace and blessings be on the gentle man, brother, messenger who walked this earth once upon a time, Muhammad.

I'll end this post with a poem by Rumi:
Tending two shops

Don't run around this world
looking for a hole to hide in.

There are wild beasts in every cave!
If you live with mice,
the cat claws will find you.

The only rest comes
when you're alone with God.

Live in the nowhere that you came from,
even though you have an address here.

That's why you see things in two ways.
Sometimes you look at a person
and see a cynical snake.

Someone else sees a joyful lover,
and you're both right!

Everyone is half and half,
like the black and white ox.

Joseph looked ugly to his brothers,
and most handsome to his father.

You have eyes that see from that nowhere,
and eyes that judge distances,
how high and how low.

You own two shops,
and you run back and forth.

Try and close the ones that's a fearful trap,
getting always smaller. Checkmate,
this way. Checkmate that.

Keep open the shop
where you're not selling fishhooks anymore.
You are the free-swimming fish.

The Core. The Heart. Take Heart. See with your Heart.
Look at the heart. Look for the heart.

"Indeed there is a piece of flesh in your body that, if it be sound, then the whole body will be sound and if it be corrupt then the whole body will be corrupt. Indeed it is the heart.” 

- al-Bukhari [1/49] al-Muslim [1599]

Tuesday, 5 April 2011

Zakah Tip...


Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem.
Asalamualaykum.

Please know and understand what zakah is and what it means before you read this post.

This post is to give a tip to those whom it is fard (obligatory) to give zakah....and it's to help you and prepare  you beforehand inshaAllah....



"Be prepared rather than falling in despair."
What I mean by this is people can go on in ignorance and not prepare for something and then the time comes when they have to meet their obligation and they just despair because they were not prepared and ready....
*This can be applied to many things in life and zakah is one of them.*

Allah knows best.

What you will need:
A safekeeping box a.k.a zakah box

On the box write "zakah money"
And every penny that goes into the box should be as part of your zakah money.
A rule should be: Once you put the money into the box you cannot take it out and use it under any circumstance. Unless (Allah forbid) your hit by poverty yourself.



Always remember in Islam everything is about niyah (intention) have the correct intention!
Everything one does should be for the sake Allah...inshaAllah.
May Allah make us amongnst the ones with the purest intention Amin.

Everyday get some of your money out you pocket wheather it is £1, £5, 10p, 20p or whatever....any amount of money....
and put it safely into your box (know known as your zakah box)
And for one whole year keep on putting money into your box everyday (how much ever it be) if you cannot every day then at least once a week put money in....

At the end of the year calculate how much zakah you are meant to give........................

Get your 'zakah box' out and count all the money that is inside it and if there's less in it then add in the necessary amount you're meant to give....and zakah for one year is done.

However if you find that in the box there's more than what you're meant to give, then remember:
~It's better to give more than less.~

Then give the zakah where you're meant to...........

If your the type of person that ALWAYS is very precautious about your zakah and you are always way ahead, Alhamdulilah then I don't think you'll really need the zakah box...SubhanAllah.

But instead of the zakah box you can have a 'Sadqah box' (voluntary charity) and the same applies for this box as the zakah box.
A rule should be: Once you put the money into the box you can take it out and use it If you want to but it's preferable you do not...


Truely Allah knows best.
May Allah forgive me for any mistakes and errors. Allah knows best.
May Allah guide, forgive and protect us all Amin and grant us jannah al firdaus Amin.
This post was only intended for giving an idea of how one could maybe save together their zakah money for 1 year or how they could save extra money in the box and give that to charity....all for the pleasure of Allah.....Allah knows best. May Allah forgive us all. Amin.

Amin


Monday, 28 March 2011

A Poem...


Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem.
Asalamualaykum.

I wanted to write a quick blog post.....so I just made this poem up....anything that popped into my head I just wrote down....so it may seem random and a bit muddled up but in sha Allah maybe one could learn something new or just think/reflect on the poem....may Allah forgive me for any mistakes....

An interesting thought:
Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah (may Allah have bless him) said: "One person may read a text and learn one or two lessons from it, while another may learn one or two hundred."



Allah knows best.



The light of this life is like a dusty reflection,
The light of this life is nothing but imperfection,
Artificial. Temporary!
The light of the afterlife is more than light...
More than something one calls bright...
The light of the afterlife is what we want and what we should seek...

Kind words all around! Is what we should speak...

There's pain in this world, there's hate and sorrow
Allah knows best and what truly is coming for us tomorrow...

We should work righteous deeds,
And never look up to people who mislead...
This world is a place that can truly deceive...

We should remember death constantly...
Because truly that is what makes us want to believe...
It's builds fear in our heart and we don't want to tear apart...
There's things in this life that have already been broken...
But we need to piece things together and build again even if it's from scratch because success is not always one big block...success is lots of smaller pieces that make the block...

A jigsaw is only finished when all the pieces are put together in the right place...yes, surely you can misplace them...but it takes practise...one needs to try again and again to gets things right...
It is jihad-a battle an inward struggle and fight.

Allah is Great!
O people,
Allah is Greatest!
Worship Allah alone...
We need to work hard for our heavenly home...

Ever been in an exam?
What does it feel like when you haven't revised?
You think OH DAMN!

We need to work hard to succeed and achieve...

Be sincere in all acts...
There is no God but Allah! and that's a FACT!!!!!!!!!
I could write so so so much more....and more...
But truly we all need to look into the guidance of the Quran and sunnah if we want jannah...
Seek ilm (knowledge) because truly as ahmad ibn hanbal (RA) said: "People need knowledge more than they need food and drink, because they need food and drink two or three times a day, but they need knowledge all the time."


The light of this life is almost like darkness to me...
Sometimes one can get so wrapped up in this world and one can become too blind to see-metaphorically...
The light of this world is something in my eyes but the dust makes me want to run and cry....

I want to run to Allah, Allah is so great and merciful I don't need to even run because in every thought in my mind: I find, oh I find: my path to Allah and I don't even have to even move...
Allah is SO Merciful.

The light of the akirah (afterlife) is what I want because artificial light is a burden...
It fades away and will not stay...

May Allah guide us all
And forgive us when we fall...
Allah forever answers our calls
We all seriously need to learn to be grateful!


Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah: "Love of Allah is the power of the heart, the sustenance of the heart, the light of the heart."




Monday, 18 October 2010

Be Inspired #3

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem.
Asalamualaykum.

The people who love the life of this world have left it without tasting the best thing therein." 
He was asked: "What is that?" 
He answered: "Knowledge of the All-Mighty Allah
 
Scholar Name: Malik ibn Dinar

If you have the means to seek knowledge DO SO...on Islam inshaAllah...

Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak used to often stay at home alone, 
so he was asked, “Don’t you get lonely?”
He replied, “How could I get lonely when I am with the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him (i.e. I read his hadith)?”

Scholar Name: Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak

Learning fills solitude

A man will never fear something besides Allah unless it be due to a disease in his heart.
Scholar Name: Ibn Taymiyyah

'Purification of the heart' by 'Hamza Yusuf' is a great book to read on how to purify ones heart inshaAllah

And verily for everything that a slave loses there is a substitute, but the one who loses Allah will never find anything to replace Him.
Scholar Name: Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah

Allah the Almighty the Most High is the only One who can make our empty hearts and souls full...nothing else can! Turn to Allah always!

Beware of speaking about Allah, the Most High, without knowledge.
Scholar Name: 'Abdul-'Aziz ibn Baaz

If you have knowledge you cannot go wrong inshaAllah...but if you don't have knowledge there is room for mistake! BE AWARE of what you say and how you say it...

Hopes of forgiveness have deceived some people until they left the world as bankrupts, that is devoid of good works.
Scholar Name: Al-Hasan Al-Basree



Do not detest the misfortunes that befall you, for what you detest may be the cause of your salvation and what you like may be the cause of your ruin.
Scholar Name: Al-Hasan Al-Basree



In our view, a person does not have an understanding of the religion until he thinks of a hardship as being a blessing, and a comfort and luxury as being a hardship. 
Scholar Name: Sufyaan Ath Thawree

Hardship makes you realise spiritually...comfort and luxrury sometimes make you forget...

You build that which you will not live in; you work and work and you die in them. You gather up that which you will not consume and you have hopes which you will never have. The people before you got deceived by the dunya (world) so they gathered up homes and wealth…and all it did was take them away from the akhira (afterlife).
Scholar Name: Abu Ad-Darda'

Our eternal homes are in the akirah! That is what WE SHOULD BE working for!

Yearning for Allah and His meeting is like the gentle breeze blowing upon the heart, extinguishing the blaze of the Dunya. Whosoever caused his heart to settle with his Lord shall be in a state, calm and tranquil, and whosoever sent it amongst the people shall be disturbed and excessively perturbed.
Scholar Name: Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah





May Allah forgive us all Amin.