Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Du'a Is Like A Sword

As salaamu Alaikum

Excerpts on 'Du'aa' (Supplications) from the book: 'Realities of Faith' by Umm Muhammad


It has been confirmed in Saheeh al Bukhari that the Prophet (Sallalahu alaihi wasalam) said,

"Allah has sent down no disease for which He has not sent down a cure" And it is documented in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet (Sallalahu alaihi wasalam) said, "For every disease there is a medicine; and when the medicine contacts the disease, it cures it with the permission of Allah"

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) informs us that the Qur'an is a cure:

"Say, 'it is for those who have believed, a guidance and cure.'" [Surah Fussilat, 41:44]

"And We reveal of the Qur'an that which is a cure and mercy for the belivers" [Surah al Isra, 17:82]

It is clear from above that the Qur'an in fact is the cure for 'hearts and from the diseases of ignorance and doubt

Indeed Du'aa is one of the most beneficial medicines. It is the enemy of disaster - defending against it and fighting it, preventing its descent and pushing it back, and weakening it if i should descend. It is the weapon of the believer.

When Du'aa meets disaster, there are three possibilities:

1. The Du'aa is stronger than the disaster and thus drives it away.

2. The Du'aa is weaker than the disaster, so the disaster overcomes and the servant is struck (although it may be lessened in degree by even a weak Du'aa.

3. The Du'aa and the disaster oppose each other, and each one prevents the other from victory. The Prophet (Sallalahu alaihi wasalam) said, "Nothing repels fate except dua". [At-Tirmidhi and al Hakim - hasan].

And among the best treatments is persistence in Dua.

The Prophet (Sallalahu alaihi wasalam) said,

"Do not weaken in Du'aa, for no one will be destroyed as long as he is making Du'aa.' [Al-Hakim, who graded it saheeh]

Among the weaknesses which prevent the effect of the dua is haste or impatience.

According to the Prophet (Sallalahu alaihi wasalam), "Any one of you will be answered as long as he is not hasty, saying, 'I made Du'aa, but it is not answered'. [Sahih al Bukhari]

All in all, a servant should not give up Du'aa prematurely, thinking the answer to be slow in coming; for then he becomes like the one who plants a seed or a twig and begins to care for it and water it, but when he finds it to be slow in growing, leaves it and neglects it.

Therefore, if Du'aa is combined with the presence of heart and complete concentration on what is desired, and it corresponds with one of the times when response is expected, and it is expected in fear of Allah (taqwa), humbleness and humility to Him, in earnest and gentleness, and then the supplicant faces the qiblah, and is in the state of purity (taharah), and then raises his hands to Allah, beginning with praise of Him and blessings upon the Prophet (Sallalahu alaihi wasalam), and asks forgiveness and repents, then supplicates, begging Allah and persisting in his request in fear and hope, using the best names of Allah and words recited by the Prophet - all this after having offered some charity (sadaqah) - such a Du'aa could hardly be refused at all; and this is the kind most pleasing to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala)

Prayer is like a sword; and the effectiveness of a sword is in its use by the swordsman. So, when the sword is perfect, without fault, when the swordman's arm is strong and skillful, and when no preventing factor is present, then the enemy is defeated. But if one of these three conditions is weak, then the effect is weakend accordingly.
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SubhanAllah so true!

-believeress

Monday, August 28, 2006

As salaamu alaikum

I was bored today so I decided to make something...or experiment in the kitchen as most would put it hehe.

I was actually planning on trying to make this a while ago, but never really found the time. So anyway, I tried it, and it turned out pretty good Alhumdulillah.

It's just some sort of pudding or something like that..I dunno lol. I smothered some Cool Whip on it (yum!) and sprinkled some sliced pistachios and almonds, and some little silver, sweet, (edible) candy-like round things...







And this is my shortest post yet lol.

-believeress

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Meditation

As salaamu alaikum

So today I was signing onto my msn when that "MSN Today" window pops up. I never usually look at it, but just quickly skimmed through the 'headlines'. I clicked onto some headache remedy thing which was pretty cool and I was gonna end up posting that cause seriously, it was interesting. But then I scrolled down and I saw links after links of other interesting articles. So naturally I sort of went on reading them until I came to this one. It was about meditation. As I was starting to read the article, I realize there's an audio on about the whole meditation process...so I started listening to it.

It was basically going to give me a five minute meditation session. So I was all "Hmm, lemme try...must be cool". So I'm listening to audio and trying to follow along. Not even 2 minutes pass before I burst out laughing. And trust me, I was doing that throughout the whole thing! I have no idea what was making me laugh but it was just way too funny doing that. I'm not so used to the whole meditation thing...suppose that's why lol.

Anyhow, I started the audio from the beginning determined to listen to it this time. And I actually pulled through.........well almost lol. It was funny and I fully stopped when the lady in the audio was like "If your having some difficulty deepening your breath or allowing your abdomen to move with your breath, call me, I'll coach you over the phone, it's very simple." ...and I'm all confused like huh? what?! And then I got scared for a second...but decided to brave and go on with the rest.

When it came down to part of inhaling the word "mind", and exhaling the word "one" I tried the exercise of pas anfas by inhaling the word "Allah" and exhaling the syllable "Hu"...this was from the book "The Path To Perfection" under the title "The exercise of Pas Anfas" http://madeofearth.blogspot.com/2006/02/exercise-of-pas-anfas.html

I didn't last the whole twenty mintues at the end (you'll know what I mean when you listen to the audio :p) instead, about 15 seconds later I stopped and started posting this as a blog entry..teehehe.

Right well, just try it and tell me how it goes. Might be relaxing once you get used to it I suppose. I was actually thinking of trying that out every morning after Fajr...but who knows eh lol.

If you want something more then offer Nafl Salaah. This is where you actually feel like your in complete solitude and have a piece of mind and relaxation

Okay, before I forget to post the link, here it is and enjoy :p

http://www.canadianliving.com/canadianliving/client/en/Health/
DetailNews.asp?idNews=2294&idsm=316

-believeress

Friday, August 25, 2006

As salaamu alaikum

I went over to the farm yesterday, and it's all pretty much the same. Well...that's if you omit Amirah (the horse) and Tiger (the "guard dog"), and instead include a donkey. Yeah. My dad sold the horse and tiger...then bought a donkey...

The donkey's pretty big though...and he looks kinda old as well. He's white and grayish looking and I only saw him standing once. He's stubborn as well lol. My little sister was trying to get him to walk towards the pear tree since he was looking in the grass for food. So she started waving a pear infront of him to try and make him notice the pear tree. Well...he did notice...but not the pear tree...only the pear in her hand. And when she wouldn't give it to him he started kicking around and (according to my sister) began braying -or hee-hawing as she put it- so loud.

My parents were also slaughtering animals yesterday. So while my sister was outside with the animals, I was inside with my digital camera at hand taking pics and videos of the slaughtering and skinning of the animals...and...erm...it's not that disgusting. Although there was a lot of blood and...right well...yeah.

I would post some of the pics I took...but I'm not too sure lol. They're not the usual everyday things you'd see so...

But here are some pics of the donkey...He doesn't have a name yet, but I think I like the way Shrek calls donkey "donk-eh" hehe.





Edit:
Well, here are some of the pics. I had more gruesome ones - let's just say the following definitely do not fit the description of "gruesome" or "gross" or "ewww", that is only while it's being compared to the others - but I'm still a bit iffy about putting these up let alone those lol. Still though, if anyone wants me to take them off just let me know, and they'll be gone. :)






Edit:
Just to let you all know the above pics are of a slaughtered COW... um..yeah..it's not the donkey..just incase some of you thought it was (you know who you are, and thanks :p). The donkey's just there..it has it's own space to roam around freely and whatnot..so don't worry :)

-believeress

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Dealing With Troubles...

As salaamu alaikum

Just another story I came across and decided to post...

Shake It Off & Take A Step Up
Author Unknown

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Lesson:
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

The Illusion of Reflection

As Salaamu Alaikum

~The Illusion of Reflection~
Author Unknown

Once there was a king who had presented his daughter, the princess, with a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. Some said a bird may have stolen it. The king then asked them all to search for it and put a reward for $50,000 for anyone who found it.

One day a clerk was walking home along a river next to an industrial area. This river was completely polluted and filthy and smelly. As he was walking, the clerk saw a shimmering in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and catch it so that he could get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the filthy, dirty river and grabbed at the necklace, but some how missed it and didn't catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again, this time he walked in the river and dirtied his pants in the filthy river and put his whole arm in to catch the necklace. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling depressed.

Then again he saw the necklace, right there. This time he was determined to get it, no matter what. He decided to plunge into the river, although it was a disgusting thing to do as the river was polluted, and his whole body would become fillthy. He plunged in, and searched everywhere for the necklace and yet he failed. This time he was really bewildered and came out feeling very depressed that he could not get the necklace that would get him $50,000.

Just then a saint who was walking by, saw him, and asked him what was the matter. The clerk didn't want to share the secret with the saint, thinking the saint might take the necklace for himself,so he refused to tell the saint anything. But the saint could see this man was troubled and being compassionate, again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it. The clerk mustered some courage and decided to put some faith in the saint. He told the saint about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it , but kept failing. The saint then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the filthy river. The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was dangling on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to capture a mere reflection of the real necklace all this time.

Moral of the story:
Material happiness is just like the filthy, polluted river; because it is a mere reflection of the TRUE happiness in the spiritual world.

We can never achieve the happiness we are looking for no matter how hard we endeavour in material life. Instead we should look upwards, toward God, who is the source of real happiness, and stop chasing after the reflection of this happiness in the material world. This spritual happiness is the only thing that can satisfy us completely.
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SubhanAllah...

-believeress

Monday, August 21, 2006

New Blogger

As Salaamu Alaikum

I hope your all fine and in the best of health and Imaan InshaAllah.

I'm just and addition to the blog...basically I'm of earth's sis taking over for her while she's away and I'm very new to blogs as I've never had one and I'm just used to reading them...so hopefully I don't mess her's up...or what a surprise that would be for her when she comes back eh haha.

Right well, I would've started sooner but ah well lol...hopefully those "very few readers" haven't deserted the blog.

Anyhow, as my sister already mentioned that she was going to JAS in her last post, I guess it would make sense just to continue on from there.

So that Sunday morning was insane. We were all running around trying to get the previous night's shopping in order for them (of earth, and my baby sister). We basically tried to sort everything out and stuffed them in bags, and then threw those bags in huge black garbage bags only because we had no suitcases at home and the ones we did have were at the farm. But oh well, it's not as if they were going to the airport and the extra thousand pounds of things they were carrying were going to be taken out...so it's all good.

My aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandparents all came over to say goodbye and all that mushy stuff. A while later at about 1 pm we got in the car and everyone's just saying goodbye...and I'm waving back at them...and then I stop cause I remember how I'm not going anywhere. It was weird lol...I guess it was one them "in the moment" things where you just go about doing something and then realize you have absolutely no need to do it...err..right.

The drive there was quite longer than I had actually expected. It took us around an hour to get there (and I'm not including the time spent to turn back since we took a route on a closed highway...). When we got there our friend had already saved them a room. We took a look at it and liked it. So we hauled alllll the bags into the building. We also met Maulana Nazim..who thought we brought our whole house with us lol. And it seriously did look like that. I looked at all the bags once more and thought to myself, "what on earth did we pack in them?" :|

While they were still settling down, we prayed and ate. Then we walked around and talked for a bit. After Maghrib we took a walk outside and saw all the buildings there. It was getting pretty late so we decided to leave...and...yup all that mushy stuff came up. It was over real quick though. Was just kind of like a "okay then, take care, be good.....*sniff*.....ahem, make sure you two call home, and eat your food, and study...." Right well..yeah..you know...kinda awkward.

It was so weird for me and my little sis to get back into the car. It never really clicked that my sisters wouldnt be coming home until Ramadhan until we got in the car. I know it's not a long time, but it's still weird. The whole hour drive home was quiet with the exception of my parents talking now and then. We got home, prayed Isha, then just went to sleep.

It's so quiet in the house now, with only my little sister and I..only when we're not arguing ofcourse. But even then...

Hm, now with of earth gone...guess who's got to take over the cooking? Yup, yours truly...me. I made pasta today and my little sister and I are still alive so it's all good Alhamdulillah. I shall be cooking more often now I suppose...wait...I have to...blah. If any of you have any good recipes or anything, feel free to tell me. With no one home I could continue with my experiments in the kitchen muahaha...*cough*...right.

*sigh* I realllllllllllly wanted to go to JAS as well. Ever since I heard they were opening it I wanted to go. However, I'm basically not allowed to. Sometimes I think and even say so many times that it's unfair. But Allah (swt) has something planned out for each of us. And if it's not written in my Taqdeer (destiny) then it's not. He has something else planned for me InshaAllah, and that's what'll happen. Patience is the key...if I don't get this, then InshaAllah I'll get something better...if not now, then later. SubhanAllah.

Alright, well some of the following pics are from the JAS website. And the other pics were taken by me.











So until another day I post,
As salaamu alaikum :)

-believeress

Saturday, August 19, 2006

It's Destiny

Just a few months ago, I thought about the remaining year, trying to imagine where I might be. And I couldn’t come up with much. I thought, “It’ll probably be same ol same. I might get married…nah that might not happen either since I need a guy to get married too…yup it’ll be same ol same for me.”

But I was wrong (no I’m not getting married) …I am going to go to a place where I thought only a miracle from Allah (swt) could take me. InshaAllah I’ll be going to the newly opened Islamic institute called Jamiah Aishah Siddiqah, run by Shaikh Nazim Mangera. I heard so many amazing things about it, that I'm confidant that it'll be the "bestest" girl Maderasa in the whole wide world. :) InshaAlla, InshaAllah, InshaAllah.

It’s been a while since I was learning in an Islamic environment/institute, and since then I’ve been feeling a deep void in my heart. A void so deep and painful that it has been making my Iman weaker. Now that Allah (swt) has opened this door of Ilm for me, I cannot let it pass without trying to get in. And that’s what I’ve done, no actually that’s bc Allah (swt) helped me through.

I know this new part of my life will help me in my journey in this world and for the Hereafter inshaAllah.

So all I ask in this post from you (very few regular readers), is that you remember me in your du’as (bc I neeeeed them) and you keep visiting my blog while I’m gone. Why? Well because my younger sister is going to take over until I come back for Ramadhan (inshaAllah).

Hmm maybe that’s a bad idea. Well we’ll just have to see…muahahaha

Monday, August 14, 2006

Pics from MuslimFest

So here are the pictures my sister took from MuslimFest. She had a headache so she only took a few.








My art buddy from Sakina Designs







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Some facts about HIV/AIDS:

* There are 38,600,000 people living with AIDS around the world
* There are 60,000 people in Canada living with the disease - 49,400 men and 9,600 women

Courtesy of globalhealthfacts.org

Alarming Trends

* Every six and a half seconds, another person is infected with HIV.
* Every ten seconds, one person dies of AIDS-related illness.
* There are an estimated 11,200 new HIV infections and nearly 8,000 deaths every day.
* Sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world that has been most severely impacted by HIV (in terms of the percentage of the region's population that is infected). This is followed by the Caribbean.
* Only one-tenth of the world's population lives in sub-Saharan Africa, yet almost 64 percent of those infected with HIV live in this region.
* India and China, the world's most populous countries, are experiencing rapid growth of HIV in certain subpopulations and geographic areas.
* More than two-thirds of those infected with HIV from Asia live in India.
* There has been a major increase in HIV infection in Eastern Europe and the nations of the former Soviet Union, a region which has among the fastest rates of new infections in the world.
* The majority of people living with HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe live in the Ukraine or the Russian Federation.
* The total number of people living with HIV continues to rise in high-income countries. In the US, for example, HIV prevalence reached its highest level to date in 2005.
* Even with a 3 percent increase in school enrolment, over the past four years, there has continued to remain a gender gap in education. An estimated 113 million school-age children are not currently in school, 54 pecent of which are girls. In high prevalence countries, girls' enrolment in school has decreased in the past decade. Girls are often taken out of school to care for sick relatives or to look after young siblings.
* Access to basic prevention services is inadequate. Less than one in five people at risk for HIV infection has access to prevention services.
* As of December 2005, an estimated 20 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries (1.3 million) received appropriate HIV treatment (including antiretroviral medicines).

Courtesy of the International AIDS Conference 2006.

_________________________________________________________

Taken from "An HIV/AIDS Primer & Facts" article on CityNews.ca

Also check out the XVI International AIDS Conference Website.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Backbiting

I saw it a while back, and I saw it again today it and creeped me out even more...check it out.

"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicions are a sin. Do not spy on one another, nor backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, you would abhor it, [so similarly, avoid backbiting]. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful." Qur'an, [49:12]

Recent Quotes I've Read

"Washington is the only place where sound travels faster than light."
- CVR Thompson

"In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy you cover the known."
- Thomas Pickering

"I believe that people would be alive today if there were a death penalty."
- Nancy Reagan

---

Currently listening to nothing, my ears are sore because of my iPod for way too long.

Currently reading The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum and PS. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Currently watching Video Blog #10: How did you convert to Islam? by Baba Ali

Sunday, August 06, 2006

My paintings for MuslimFest

On August 12, two events are taking place, the BBQ at Bowmanville's Darul Uloom and MuslimFest. I would just love to go visit Bowmanville again, but I have to be at MuslimFest, obviously because of my paintings.

"What paintings?" you ask.

Well I paint. I have not mentioned that before, have I?

However let me assure you all that I'm no professional, but just an amateur (well below an amateur actually). Anyways, if anyone is coming to MuslimFest, be sure to check out my stuff. I've tried to put some sort of meaning in each painting relating to the Rasul (s.a.w). Especially since this year they have a theme and it's "Inspired by the Prophet (s.a.w)".

Try to figure them out. You can also click on them to see the larger image. And criticism is most welcome.


The Seal


(I actually stuck on real stones/pebbles from Mount Uhud, in Madinah al-Munawarra.)




In White










Hangman







Love of Rasulullah (s.a.w)

(There were many failed attempts to steal this one...)







Dua




Illusion




Mawla