BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM.
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRWBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
The following is a comprehensive du'a from the hadith source. It might be beneficial during Ramadhan:
" O Allah, I seek Your protection from helplessness, lethargy,cowardice, senility, debt, and sinfulness; from the punishment of the Fire, the ordeal of the Fire, the tribulation of the grave, the punishment in the grave, and the evil tribulations of affluence and of poverty; from the evil tribulation of the Anti-Christ; from the tests of life and death; from the hardness of heart, heedlessness, economic dependence, humiliation, indigence, unbelief, transgression, dissension, and seeking fame and showing off; from deafness, dumbness, lunacy, leprosy, and all painful diseases; from the burden of debt, worries, grief, stinginess, and coercion of the people; from reaching debilitating old age; and from the tribulations of this world, the knowledge that does not benefit, the heart that does not submit to Allah, the soul that is never satiated, and the du'a that is not accepted."
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
IBN AL-JAWZI'S VIEW REGARDING TIME
BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM.
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRWBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
Imam Abu'l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi lived for 89 years, and in that time he wrote 500 books! The following is his saying regarding the importance of time:
" I have seen majority of people making strange use of time! Spending long nights in useless talk, or reading books of ghazal (love poetry) and entertainment, and spending long days in sleep, and you would find them at the end of the day by the river Dijlah or in the markets. I likened them to people chatting while on a ship that is moving fast while they are unaware of its movement! I found that rare were those who understood the essence of existence, and it is those you find gathering their provisions and preparing for their departure. Thus be ever conscious of the passing of time, and hasten to use it before it is too late, and compete against time."
* One of the signs regarding the End of Time is that there will be no barakah (blessing) in time. It has already appeared. How many of us can truly recall events that happened not too long ago? How many of us are baffled on Fridays because the week had gone away with such speed? But at the same time, when we pray our salat on time, or when we are engaged in work that are pleasing to Allah SWT, time continues at a slow pace.
May Allah SWT bless the moments of our lives and fill them with activities that please Him. May we leave this transient world while we are involved with good work.*
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRWBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
Imam Abu'l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi lived for 89 years, and in that time he wrote 500 books! The following is his saying regarding the importance of time:
" I have seen majority of people making strange use of time! Spending long nights in useless talk, or reading books of ghazal (love poetry) and entertainment, and spending long days in sleep, and you would find them at the end of the day by the river Dijlah or in the markets. I likened them to people chatting while on a ship that is moving fast while they are unaware of its movement! I found that rare were those who understood the essence of existence, and it is those you find gathering their provisions and preparing for their departure. Thus be ever conscious of the passing of time, and hasten to use it before it is too late, and compete against time."
* One of the signs regarding the End of Time is that there will be no barakah (blessing) in time. It has already appeared. How many of us can truly recall events that happened not too long ago? How many of us are baffled on Fridays because the week had gone away with such speed? But at the same time, when we pray our salat on time, or when we are engaged in work that are pleasing to Allah SWT, time continues at a slow pace.
May Allah SWT bless the moments of our lives and fill them with activities that please Him. May we leave this transient world while we are involved with good work.*
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
Monday, September 22, 2008
INFORMATION ABOUT YESTERDAY'S TALK
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRWBTH, DEAR SISTERS,
Thank you so much for coming to the ICN yesterday. I really appreciated seeing all of you.
The following are the three books about which I spoke about:
1. Muslim Women - A Biographical Dictionary by Aisha Bewley, Ta-Ha Publishers
2. The Women of Madina by Muhammad Ibn Sa'd (translated in English by Aisha Bewley), Ta-Ha Publishers
3. Muslim Women Activists in North America, Speaking for Ourselves, edited by Katherine Bullock, University of Texas Press
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The following are the list of women that I spoke about:
1. Aisha RA, Ummil Momineen
2. Nusayba bin Ka'b al-Ansariyya
3. Umm Hahiba bint Abi Sufyan RA, Ummil Momineen
4. Aisha bint Ali
5. Aisha bint Muhammad ibn 'Abdil-Hadi
6. Bersilat
7. Fatima Al-Hadina
8. Iparhan
10. Khawla bint Al-Azwar al-Kindiyya
11. Nana Asma'u
12. Aisha (Gray Henry) Gouverneur
13. Ingrid Mattson
14. Naila Alam and Yasmeen Durrani
15. Nadjet Bouda (Algeria)
16. Mehrangiz Kar (Iran)
17. Mariam Hussein Muhammad (Somalia)
18. Muborak Tashpulatova (Uzbekistan)
19. Saliha Kalandra Cooke (my friend)
20. Susan B. Anthony
Once again, Jazak Allah Khairan.
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
Thank you so much for coming to the ICN yesterday. I really appreciated seeing all of you.
The following are the three books about which I spoke about:
1. Muslim Women - A Biographical Dictionary by Aisha Bewley, Ta-Ha Publishers
2. The Women of Madina by Muhammad Ibn Sa'd (translated in English by Aisha Bewley), Ta-Ha Publishers
3. Muslim Women Activists in North America, Speaking for Ourselves, edited by Katherine Bullock, University of Texas Press
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The following are the list of women that I spoke about:
1. Aisha RA, Ummil Momineen
2. Nusayba bin Ka'b al-Ansariyya
3. Umm Hahiba bint Abi Sufyan RA, Ummil Momineen
4. Aisha bint Ali
5. Aisha bint Muhammad ibn 'Abdil-Hadi
6. Bersilat
7. Fatima Al-Hadina
8. Iparhan
10. Khawla bint Al-Azwar al-Kindiyya
11. Nana Asma'u
12. Aisha (Gray Henry) Gouverneur
13. Ingrid Mattson
14. Naila Alam and Yasmeen Durrani
15. Nadjet Bouda (Algeria)
16. Mehrangiz Kar (Iran)
17. Mariam Hussein Muhammad (Somalia)
18. Muborak Tashpulatova (Uzbekistan)
19. Saliha Kalandra Cooke (my friend)
20. Susan B. Anthony
Once again, Jazak Allah Khairan.
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
VALUE OF TIME
BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM.
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRWBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
Allah SWT vows by Time in surah Al-Asr:
" By (the token of ) Time (through the ages),
Verily man is in loss,
Except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds,
And (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy."
Imam Fakhr-al-Razi commented on the value of Time:
" Allah vowed by Asr - which is time - because of its wonders, for within it good and bad matters occur, health and illness, richness and poverty, and because its value and preciousness cannot be measured against anything else. For if you wasted a thousand years in useless things, then repented and achieved happiness in the last instant of your life, you would dwell in Paradise for eternity, and you would know that the most precious thing in your life is that instant. Thus time is one of the most fundamental blessings, hence Allah vowed by it, and He the Exalted, stressed that night and day are opportunities wasted by Man!..."
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRWBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
Allah SWT vows by Time in surah Al-Asr:
" By (the token of ) Time (through the ages),
Verily man is in loss,
Except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds,
And (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy."
Imam Fakhr-al-Razi commented on the value of Time:
" Allah vowed by Asr - which is time - because of its wonders, for within it good and bad matters occur, health and illness, richness and poverty, and because its value and preciousness cannot be measured against anything else. For if you wasted a thousand years in useless things, then repented and achieved happiness in the last instant of your life, you would dwell in Paradise for eternity, and you would know that the most precious thing in your life is that instant. Thus time is one of the most fundamental blessings, hence Allah vowed by it, and He the Exalted, stressed that night and day are opportunities wasted by Man!..."
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
SCHOLARS AS GUIDES
BISMILLAAIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM.
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
Anas RA related that Prophet Muhammad SAWS said: " The similitude of the religious scholars on earth is that of the stars in the sky, by which (people) are guided through the darkness of the land and sea. If the stars are extinguished, even the guides might stray." (Ahmad)
Imam Hanbali explained: " The scholars are the guides through the darkness of ignorance, ambiguity, and deviation. When these guides are lost, the travelers go astray.
The religious scholars have been likened to the stars, which provide three benefits: they guide (people) through the darkness; they adorn the sky; and they are missiles that repel the satans who ascend the heavens (endeavoring to intercept Allah's Commands to the angels)."
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
Anas RA related that Prophet Muhammad SAWS said: " The similitude of the religious scholars on earth is that of the stars in the sky, by which (people) are guided through the darkness of the land and sea. If the stars are extinguished, even the guides might stray." (Ahmad)
Imam Hanbali explained: " The scholars are the guides through the darkness of ignorance, ambiguity, and deviation. When these guides are lost, the travelers go astray.
The religious scholars have been likened to the stars, which provide three benefits: they guide (people) through the darkness; they adorn the sky; and they are missiles that repel the satans who ascend the heavens (endeavoring to intercept Allah's Commands to the angels)."
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
SEEKING SACRED KNOWLEDGE
BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM.
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
Our esteem Sahabahs went out of their way to acquire sacred knowledge. Ibn Masud RA stated:
" I swear by Allah, beside whom there is no deity, no chapter of the Quran has been revealed except that I know where it was revealed. No verse from the Book of Allah has been revealed except that I know why it was revealed. Yet if I know of anyone more learned than me in the Book of Allah, I would make every effort to reach him."
We know that Muslims of earlier times traveled far and wide just to learn sacred knowledge. Let us also try to emulate them in some ways.
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
ASSALAMU'ALAIKUM WRBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
Our esteem Sahabahs went out of their way to acquire sacred knowledge. Ibn Masud RA stated:
" I swear by Allah, beside whom there is no deity, no chapter of the Quran has been revealed except that I know where it was revealed. No verse from the Book of Allah has been revealed except that I know why it was revealed. Yet if I know of anyone more learned than me in the Book of Allah, I would make every effort to reach him."
We know that Muslims of earlier times traveled far and wide just to learn sacred knowledge. Let us also try to emulate them in some ways.
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
Monday, September 15, 2008
WORDS OF WISDOM
BISMILLAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM.
ASSALMU'ALAIKUM WRBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
The following are some words of wisdom:
1. " Nations are but morals, while they last. For if their morals are gone, they will follow."
Poet Hafith Ibrahim
2. " No gift is more precious than good advice." Erasmus
3. " The wise strives to attain wisdom, whereas the ignorant thinks he has already found it."
English Proverb
4. "Thousand dollars cannot buy a single laugh." Proverb
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
ASSALMU'ALAIKUM WRBTH, DEAR ILHAM FRIENDS,
The following are some words of wisdom:
1. " Nations are but morals, while they last. For if their morals are gone, they will follow."
Poet Hafith Ibrahim
2. " No gift is more precious than good advice." Erasmus
3. " The wise strives to attain wisdom, whereas the ignorant thinks he has already found it."
English Proverb
4. "Thousand dollars cannot buy a single laugh." Proverb
Ma'Salamah,
Sr. Tasneem
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