a story

--
Amina is not feeling very well today. She has caughta cold and she
coughs. Mummy tells her: "What you need is a nice hot drink with
honey. Let's go and buy some honey, and you'll see your cough will get
better insha Allah."
Amina and her mother go out to the supermarket. They stop in front of
the shelf where the honey is.
"Oh, Mummy, there are all sorts of different colours!"Amina says
excitedly. "Look, this honey is almost white, andthis one is golden,
and that one over there is brownish."
"Yes, Amina", her mum answers. "They are different sorts of honey.
There's clover honey, lavender honey, eucalyptus honey… and mixed
wildflower honey."
"But then, does honey come from flowers?"Amina asks.
"Come on, you know it doesn't!" her Mum answers. "You know bees make
honey. The bees fly from flower to flower to collect a fine powder
called pollen and a liquid called nectar. And then they make the honey
with their bodies. Since there are different sorts of flowers with
different colours and smells, this produces different sorts of honey.
If the bees have been only on clover flowers, they make clover honey,
which is almost white, like the one in this jar.
If the bees have been on lavender, as in the South of France, you get
this nicegolden colour. And if the bees go about on all sorts of wild
flowers, they produce mixed wildflower honey."
Amina asks: "And what colour is mixed wildflowerhoney?"
"Well, it depends on the flowers!" Mummy answers,. "Look, the honeyin
this jar is yellow, this one is brownish, and yet they're both mixed
wildflower honey."
Amina thinks for a while and then she asks: "But who has taught the
bees how to make honey?"
"Allah has taught them, darling", Mummy explains. "When the bees make
honey, they obey Allah.
Do you know Allah tells us about bees in the Quran? Listen to what He says."
And then Amina's Mum recites for her the verses from surat an-Nahl, "The bees".
"And your Lord inspired the bees, saying 'Take yourhabitations in the
mountains and in the treesand in what they erect. Then, eat of all
fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord.' There comes forth from
their bellies a drink of varying colours whereinis healing for men."
(Qur'an - Surah Nahl l, 68-69)
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m-najimudeen-bsc-india-

129 Names and Attributes of Almighty Allah

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ‏
- -
Ya-Allaho [66]
If recited 66 times at the time of Asar (Afternoon prayer time) or at
the time of setting sun, or in that last part of the night, prayer
will be granted and legitimate desires willbe fullfilled. For a very
busy man it is permissibleto recite 66 times. This is the self name of
God. This name has been repeated 2,607times in the Quran. If recited
200 times on a Firday with ablution for any legitimate desire it will
be fullfiled by Almighty God.If this nameis pasted on the wall in the
house there will be blessings of Almighty Allah. If this name is
recited 11,000 times on pills of flour and those pills are thrown in
the river or sea, difficulties of the person will be sloved by
Almighty God. There are many merits of this name. Due to lack of space
these few have been written, If recited 1,000 times daily the person
will become pious and wordly love will be vanished form the heart of
the person and cognizance of Almighty God will be achieved Mostof the
ulema have recommended that this inone of the Isme Azam i.e Great Name
of Almighty Allah.
Al-Ahado [Unique] [13]
If recited 1,000 times in solitude it will be felt thatAngels are with
the reciter. If recited 100 times it is useful for snakebite and the
patient will be cured.
Al-Avvalo [Foremost] [Alfa] [37]
If recited this name beforestarting any job/work, it will be completed
nicely with the blessings of Almighty God. If recited regularly a
great deal people will be kind to the person, and will meet with
departed and separated persons and reliatives in their dreams.
Al-Akhiro [Everlasting] [801]
If recited regularly there will be everlasting sucess in all works
taken in hand.The person will be loved by all and respected in all
aspects of life.
Al-Aliyyo [The Highest] [110]
If recited a great deal, the person will be respected and will be
honoured by all and will be promoted in rank if recited regularly.If
written name is kept ona person, one will becomeprosperous.
Al-Alimo [All knowing] [150]
If recited 10 times after every Wajib (obligatory) Prayer the person
will be aware of secrets of nature. If recited a great deal the person
will recognise Almighty God. Ifrecited 21 times daily, theperson will
become a learned man, If this name is written on a piece of bread and
eaten for 40 days the person will neverhave to starve.
AL-AZIZO[Predominant][117][AL-MIOZZO]
If recited 40 times every day the person will acquire great wealth. If
recited 99 times it will be useful to gain the knowledge of alchemy.
If recited unlimited number regularly the person will gain such
spiritual powersthat all will be afraid of him/her.
AL-Aadilo[EQUITABLE][105]
If recited regularly the person will do justice in all cases. Also
secrets are revealed by reciting this name. If written on a piece of
bread and eaten, the person wil have light in his/her heart. If
recited regularly with unlimited number Almighty God willjustify
his/her cases amicably.
Al-A'fvo [All forgiver] [156]
For removing of sins and achieving blessings of Almighty God this name
isvery effective. This name can be recited at any timeand at any
number, specially reciting this name 70 times after everyWajib prayer
is very effective.
Al-Akramo [The Gracious] [261]
This name is very effectivefor obtaining grandeur. It should be
recited after every Wajib prayers and at the time of sleeping.If
recited a for a great number of time at the time of sleeping angels
will be detailed by Almighty God, who will ask forgiveness for the
person throughout the night.
Al-Azimo [The Grand, The Magnificent] [1020]
Practice of this recitation of this Holy Name is beneficial for
gaining respect with influential personatlities as well as for the
attainment of an imposing and dominant personality. If recited
regularly for any disease the patient will be cured.
Al-Ba'eedo [The Farthest] [92]
If recited regularly worldly passions and desires will be removed from
the heart of the person and he will become pious.
Al-Basito [ Uncloser] [72]
If after reciting this Holy Name ten times daily at dawn with one's
arms raised, one rubs hand on ones face he will for ever be free from
asking anbody for anything. It is also recommended to be recited 72
times after Wajib Prayer, specially after morning prayer.
Al-Barro [The Good] [202]
This Holy Name should beregularly recited to gain inspiration to do
good deeds, for removal of troubles and for the long life of children.
Also it creates love of Almighty Allah. If recited 202 times on a
child, the child will become fortunate and lucky one
AL- Bareeo [The Artificer][213]
If recited daily the body ofthe person will not be decayed in the
grave. A barren woman should recite this Holy Name a great deal to
have conception
Al-Baseero [All Seeing] :->

--

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m-najimudeen-bsc-india-

Keep Your Head Up and Smile

Keep your head up, smile, and look to the future. Youhave much yet to
do in this life. Ask Allah for guidance, then do what your heart tells
you, speak the words that you've always held back, and be yourself.
Don't let the past freeze you in place, and don't punish yourself for
things you cannot change. Everything you've experienced: the happy
times, loneliness, laughter and tears, all have meaning, and have all
gone into making you who you are. If you have any wisdom or insight,
it isprobably a result of hardship you've experienced in the past.
"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known
defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found
their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a
sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with
compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.Beautiful people do
not just happen." — Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Everything that you do today has meaning. The caress you give a child,
thehelp you give a stranger, the quiet charity, all matter and make a
difference, even when you don't see it. It's all worth it. Your love
maters, your work matters, your life matters.
Keep your head up, and forge forward fee-sabeel-illah. Accept yourself
and be at peace. Look ahead and smile. Stand up straight, and don't
bow your head except in prayer. Keep praying, learning, thinking,
following your dreams, and loving the people in your life. You are my
brothers, my sisters, my heroes.

Expecting Great Things, and Doing My Part

"Holding on to the rope of the LORD, believing in the power of
prayers, faith andgood deeds. Expecting great things from GOD. I am
ready and willing to put in the work and do mypart to make it happen…
faith without works equalsnothing but false hope… wanting without
striving and struggling is like dreaming. I gotta get busyputting in
more work!"

Only one Advice

I'm often touched by my readers' comments, and I feel grateful to
Allah that I have the opportunity to help people through my writing.
However, I will no longer advise people personally through email or
Facebookchat. I have so many business and personal projects going, and
I also have a daughter to take care of. And I have my own struggles.
I'm doing my best just to walk the path, and raise Salma up right.
I have to be blunt about another thing: sometimes sisters read my
writing or poetry here and then wantto message me privately. I'm not
comfortable with that. Please take my writing as it is: a gift, a
sharing of whatever wisdom I have acquired, and an expression of love
to all. And if you benefit from it then Alhamdulillah.
If you need advice on a marriage or family issue, please to go my
IslamicAnswers.com website and submit your question to the team.
Besides, I really have only one answer to almost any question:
"Take responsibility for your own choices and happiness. Live up to
your talents and make something happen. Eliminate 'I can't' from your
vocabulary. Create opportunities. People will tell you 'no': you tell
them 'yes'.
Turn to God for guidance with an open heart and have the courage to
followwhat comes, rather than clinging to your own imagined outcomes.
He will always provide a way out, will always open a door; you only
need eyes to see it, and that comes from sincerity.
Be sincere with yourself above all, because if you'relying to yourself
then you're stuck. Focus on yourown mistakes rather than the mistakes
of others, butonly in order to learn and do better. Don't bind
yourself with guilt and self-pity. Regret for the past is a waste:
it's gone and you can't change it, so forgive yourself and forgive
others.
Believe in something greater than yourself. You have a purpose in this
life, a mission, and most likely you know in your heart what it is, so
find a way to follow that path, one step at a time.
Guard your spirit from harm but be open to love. Choose compassion
again and again, even when the world makes it hard. Be patient with
your family and friends. Don't hold your love back: you only go
through this world once, so let your love shinelike the sun."
Finito. If this has been helpful, then make dua' forme. Jazakum Allah
khayr, may Allah reward you all.

A Trip to the Zoo

Asalamu Aliakom Wa Rahmat Allah Wa Barakatu. I would like to apologize
to my readers for not writing any new stories during the entire
summer. It has been a hectic summer for me, andthe ongoing events in
Palestine have dulled my desire to write. This, of course, is no
excuse, so I ask that you be patient with me, as I attempt to rekindle
the fire of writing within me.
Most of us at one point in our lives have visited the local zoo.
Although I am sure many of our brothers and sisters who have young
children may classify their own homes as zoos, this is not the kindof
zoo I am writing about today!
Every zoo has a wide variety of animals. As a child I used to take
great joy in visiting the zoo. From the roaring lions to the graceful
giraffe, I lovedit all. Over the course of my lifetime, I have been
tomany zoos, yet there was one visit that I shall never forget.
It was the mid eighties and my family and I were visiting Egypt during
the winter. Winters in Egypt are not as exciting as the summers, but
there is still a lot a person can do. My mother and her sister decided
to take us to the International Zoo in Madinat Nasr (Nasr City). Oh
the sheer excitement after hearing we were going to visit the zoo! I
ran all over the home shouting, "We're going to the zoo, we're going
to thezoo!" This was going to bea fun day.
The International Zoo was much like any typical zoo. It had its trees
and plant growth which attempted to enhance the feeling of being in
the wild. A quick look to the right, and therewere the wild African
monkeys. A look to the leftand one could see a peacock showing off its
beautiful feathers. I lookedin awe at each of the animals and thought
to myself that this was truly a grand place to visit.
As we ended our tour of the zoo, we came upon the most well known
animal of Arabia, the camel. It was sitting in the middle of its gated
clearing watching the passers by as if monitoringfor anyone heading in
its direction. Earlier we had stopped by a food stand and purchased
some popcorn and "coca-cola gummies" to eat. As I chewed on my popcorn
I watched the camel staring at us and licking its mouth periodically.
Both my mother and aunt commented that the camellooked hungry and
decided to feed it some of our coca-cola gummies. The camel had a
serious appetite. It finished all the candy we had. My mother and aunt
tried feeding the camel some popcorn but itwasn't interested. Seeing
as our day had come to an end, we decided to head towards the exit.
Suddenlymy mother felt the clamping of the mouth of an animal on her
shoulder.Lo and behold it was the camel himself! My aunt pulled us
away and yelled"Get away from the camel!" Oh no, it hadn't had enough
candy and now it was going after my mother.
Alhamdulilah, the camel only caught on to a shawl my mother was
wearing. With a tug she was able torelease the shawl from its mouth
and quickly ran away to put some distancebetween herself and the
hungry camel. Some school children on a field trip noticed the
incident and a young girl exclaimed, "Stay away from the camel, it
bites!"
Realizing that we had more than our fair share offun-filled adventure
we headed back home. The ironic thing is that I don't ever recall
seeing a "Do not feed the animal" sign. Now whenever I visit a zoo, I
think twice about feeding the animals.
Jazakom Allahu Khairan forreading. 'Til next time Insha Allah.

Be True, and Be You

Listen to the quiet voice inside yourself. The persistent voice that
tells you that there's something more to life, that calls you to do
something meaningful, toexperience the world in a profound way. So
many ofus dismiss that voice, suppress it. We are told that our dreams
are not realistic or practical. We are told that we should settle for
what is reliable, and will pay the bills, and garner us the respect of
our peers.
But if we do not listen to that quiet voice, then whowill? There is no
external advocate who can read the yearnings of your heart and speak
up on their behalf. You must be the champion of your own soul.
On the authority of Abu Malik Al-Harith bin Asim Al-Ashari said that
the messenger of Allah said:
"Purity is half of faith. alhamdu-lillah [Praise be to Allah] fills
the scales, and subhana-Allah [How far is Allah from every
imperfection] and alhamdu-lillah [Praise be to Allah] fill that which
is between heaven and earth. Prayer is light; charity is a proof;
patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against
you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either
freeing it or bringing about its ruin."
(Related by Muslim).
You are the vendor of your soul: either freeing itor bringing about
its ruin. You free it by worshiping Allah in love, gratitude and fear;
keeping the praises of Allah on your tongue and in your heart; praying
and fasting and living righteously (as opposed to self-righteously);
by showing love and concernfor other human beings; and by being true
to yourself.
Allah created you with a unique nature. Do you think it's only your
fingerprints that are unique? Or your retinal scan, palm print, voice
print and DNA? Do you believe that your uniqueness is encapsulated by
measurable biometrical data? No, your uniqueness extends to your own
wonderful thought patterns, your special heart, and your soul. You are
you, not anyone else.
You are not an assembly-line robot, or a machine put here to consume,
produce and expire. You are different from everyone else in the world
because you are you. Respect that, and don't try to force yourself in
an uncomfortable or even impossible mold that someone else has
dictated for you. Be true, be you , and free your soul.
I'm not talking about sinful desires. I am speaking of the quiet and
inspired urgings of your heart. Maybe you dream of working in disaster
relief, helping all those poor souls who suffered after the Indian
Ocean tsunami, or from the earthquake in Haiti. Maybe you have an
inner artist and you'd like to pursue that passionately and see where
it takes you. Maybe you love children and would like toteach; maybe
you are not satisfied with current school curricula and you have an
idea of starting your own school. Maybe you've always fantasized about
being a karate black belt, or helping poorvillages in Africa become
self-sustaining, or campaigning for human rights.
Maybe you're single and you have feelings for a certain person, or
just an undercurrent of admiration and respect, but you fear
rejection; or maybe the person comes from a different cultural
background and you worry that your family or your peers would not
approve.
I could go on and on, but you get the point. Don't be afraid of your
dreams. Life is short; it passes so quickly, much sooner thanwe
expect, and when we get to the end of the roadwe will regret only that
we suppressed our hearts,and shoved them down into silence.
We will never regret pursuing our dreams, taking bold chances,
expressing our love, whether or not we succeeded or failed, whether we
experienced great joy or intense pain. In the end the difference
between success and failure in any venture is inAllah's hands anyway.
All you can do is try, and trying is everything.
Stand up for your inner voice. Listen to it.
Stand up for your dreams.Give them a chance.
No one else will do it for you.

1b- The Benefits of becoming a Murîd

1b-
14. Associate very little with rulers and those who hold high positions.
15. Stay very far from irreligious people.
16. Do not search for the faults of others. Do not have evil thoughts
about anyone. Instead,look at your own faults and try to put them in
order.
17. You should be very particular in offering your salât in the proper
manner, at the proper time and with great concentration.
18. Always occupy yourself in the remembrance of Allah either with
your heart or tongue. Do not be neglectful in this regard at any time.
19. If you experience any satisfaction in taking the name of Allah and
your heart feels happy over this, then express your gratitude to
Allah.
20. Speak in a nice, humble way.
21. Set aside specific times for all your different tasks and abide
strictly to these times.
22. Consider whatever regret, sorrow or loss you may experience to be
from Allah. Do not be despondent. Instead, think that you will be
rewarded for this.
23. Do not think about worldly matters, calculations, profits
andlosses, etc. all the time. Instead, think about Allah.
24. As far as possible, try to helpand benefit others irrespective of
whether it be in worldly affairs or Dînî matters.
25. Do not eat and drink too littleto the extent that you become weak
and fall ill. Nor should you eat and drink too much to the extent that
you feel lazy in carrying out the different acts of 'ibâdah.
26. Do not have any desire or greed for anything from anyone except
Allah. Do not allow your mind to wander towards any place thinking
that you will be able to gain certain benefit or profit from there.
27. Be restless in your quest for Allah.
28. Be grateful for the favours that are bestowed upon you
irrespective of whether they areplenty or few. Do not be depressed
with poverty and destitution.
29. Overlook the faults and mistakes of those who are under your control.
30. If you learn of any fault of someone, conceal it. However, if the
person plans to cause harm to someone else and you learn of it, then
warn the other person beforehand.
31. Be in the service of guests, travellers, strangers, 'ulamâ, and
the pious servants of Allah.
32. Choose the company of the pious.
33. Fear Allah all the time.
34. Remember death.
35. Set aside a certain time daily wherein you should think aboutall
your actions for that day. When you remember any good action, express
gratitude. When you remember any evil action, repent.
36. Don't ever speak a lie.
37. Don't ever attend gatheringsthat are contrary to the Sharî'ah.
38. Live with bashfulness, modesty and forbearance.
39. Do not be conceited by thinking to yourself that "I
havesuch-and-such qualities in me."
40. Continue making du'â to Allah to keep you steadfast on the straight path./

1a- The Benefits of becoming a Murîd

1a-
5. If you mistakenly become a murîd of a person who acts contrary to
the Sharî'ah, or if he was good in the beginning and later changed,
then sever your contact with him and become a murîd of some other
pious person. However, if your shaykh commits a sin which could be
overlooked, then think to yourself that he is also human and that he
is not an angel. He has made a mistake which could be forgiven by his
making taubah. Do not allow your conviction in him to dwindle over
trivial matters. However, if the shaykh persists on such acts, sever
your contactwith him.
6. It is a sin to believe that your shaykh has full knowledge of
everything you do.
7. Never read books which havestories of the dervishes which appear to
be contrary to the Sharî'ah. Similarly, you should not read poems that
are contrary to the Sharî'ah.
8. Some dervishes say that the path of the Sharî'ah is different from
the path of the dervishes. Such dervishes are astray. It is fard to
consider them to be liars.
9. If the shaykh asks you to do anything that is contrary to the
Sharî'ah, it is not permissible to act upon it. If he insists on you
to carry it out, sever your contact with him.
10. If, due to the barakah of taking the name of Allah, you experience
a good state in your heart, you have a good dream or upon waking up
you hear a voice or see some light, then do not mention this to anyone
other than your shaykh nor inform anyone of the wazîfahs that you read
or the 'ibâdah thatyou make, because by doing so, this good fortune
will go away.
11. If your shaykh asks you to recite a particular wazîfah or engage
in a particular form of dhikr and after some time you still do not
experience any delight in this, do not be disheartened, nor should you
lose your confidence in your shaykh. Instead, think to yourself that
the greatest effect is that your heart is making an intention of
remembering Allah and that you are being given the opportunity to do
good. Never think that you should be blessed with the opportunity of
pious persons appearing in your dreams, that you should begin to have
knowledge of things that are still going to occur, that you should be
able tocry profusely or that you shouldbecome so engrossed in your
'ibâdah that you are unaware ofother things. These things occur at
times and at times they do not. If they do, express your gratitude to
Allah. If they do not occur, decrease after having occurred frequently
or cease to occur altogether, then do not be saddened. However, if,
Allah forbid, you display any shortcoming in following the Sharî'ah or
commit any sin, thenthis is definitely something to be distressed
about. You should immediately make an effort to put your condition in
order, inform your shaykh about it and act upon his advice.
12. Do not be disrespectful of other shaykhs or other sûfi orders. Nor
should you address the murîds of other shaykhs or other sûfi orders by
telling themthat your shaykh is greater thanhis or that your sûfi
order is greater than his. By engaging in such unnecessary and foolish
conversations the heart begins to darken.
13. If your shaykh pays more attention to a fellow murîd, or if a
fellow murîd gains more benefit from his wazîfahs and dhikrs, do not
be jealous of him.
Guidelines on how a Murîd and every other Muslim should spend his night and day
1. Acquire knowledge of the Dîn according to your needs. You could
acquire this knowledge either by reading a book or by asking the
'ulamâ.
2. Abstain from all sins.
3. If you commit any sin, repent immediately.
4. Do not hold back in fulfilling anyone's right. Do not cause anyone
physical or verbal harm.Do not speak ill of anyone.
5. Do not have any love for wealth nor any desire for name and fame.
Do not concern yourself with extravagant food and clothing.
6. If someone rebukes you for your mistake or error, do not tryto
justify your action. Admit your fault and repent.
7. Do not embark on a journey without any dire necessity. This is
because many unconscious and unintended acts are committed while on a
journey. Many good deeds are missed out, there is a shortcoming in the
different forms of dhikr (remembrance of Allah), and youare unable to
accomplish your tasks on time.
8. Do not laugh excessively nor talk excessively. You should
takespecial precaution in not talking with ghayr mahrams (those with
whom the observance of purdah is incumbent) in an informal way.
9. Do not go about repeating or mentioning an argument that may have
taken place between two persons.
10. Always be mindful of the rules of the Sharî'ah in everything that you do.
11. Do not display laziness in executing any act of 'ibâdah.
12. Try and spend most of your time in seclusion.
13. If you have to meet and converse with others, meet them with
humility and do not display your greatness.
14. Ass....

1-The Benefits of becoming a Murîd

1-
By Shaykh Ashrafali Thanawi (ra)
There are several benefits in becoming a murîd:
1. At times a person errs in the different methods of reforming the
heart that were mentioned previously. The shaykh shows the correct
path in this regard.
2. At times the effect and benefitthat one derives from a book is not
as great as that which one would have obtained from the guidance of a
shaykh. One gainsthe barakah of the shaykh. Furthermore, if the murîd
displays any shortcoming in carrying out a good act or commits an evil
act, he will be ashamed of this in front of the shaykh.
3. The person develops confidence and love for the shaykh. Based on
this, he is inclined to follow and emulate the ways of the shaykh.
4. If the shaykh is strict in giving his advice or displays his anger,
the person does not feel offended and endeavours to actupon his
advice.
There are many other benefits which are acquired by those whom Allah
has favoured. Thesecan only be known by acquiringand experiencing
them.
Qualities to be found in the Shaykh
If a person wishes to become a murîd, he should first consider the
following factors in the shaykh. If the latter does not possess these
qualities, do not become his murîd.
1. The shaykh must know the masâ'il of Dîn. He should not be ignorant
of the Sharî'ah.
2. He must not possess any quality that is contrary to the Sharî'ah.
His 'aqâ'id (beliefs) must be the same as those that have been
mentioned in Part One of Bahishti Zewar. He should not possess any
quality that is contrary to all the masâ'il and all those things
connected to reformation of the heart that have been mentioned in this
book.
3. He must not be carrying out this programme (of shaykh and murîd) as
a means of sustenance. (That is, he must notbe doing it for financial
gain).
4. Become the murîd of a person who is regarded as a pious person by
the majority of good people.
5. Become the murîd of a person who is spoken highly of by good people.
6. His programme of instruction must be such that one develops a love
and inclination for Dîn. This can be gauged by looking at the
condition of his murîds. Even if fifty-sixty percent of his murîds are
good, consider such a shaykh to be effective. Do not have doubts on
him by looking at the condition of a few murîds. You may have heard
that the pious persons have a lot of effect. This (looking at the
condition of his murîds) is the criterion whereby one gauges the
effect and power of a shaykh. Do not gauge the effect and power of a
shaykh through other means, such as somethingoccurring exactly as he
mentioned it to you, someone getting cured by his mere touch,that a
ta'wîdh worked accordingto the reason for which he gaveit to you or
that if he fixes his gaze on a person he becomes completely entranced
and at a loss. Never be deluded by these effects and powers.
7. The shaykh must be such thathe does not take into consideration the
status of his murîds when giving them advice of the Dîn. (That is, he
does not favour his murîds when it comes to reprimanding them in
matters of the Dîn). He stops them from useless and foolish things.
Once you have found such a shaykh, seek permission from your parents
(if you are unmarried) or from your husband (if you are married), and
become a murîd of such a shaykh solely for the purpose ofputting your
Dîn in order. If your parents or husband do notpermit you to become a
murîd, do not become one as it is not fard to become a murîd. However,
it is fard to tread the path of the Dîn. You should therefore continue
treading this path even if you are not a murîd of a shaykh.
Rules connected to the shaykh and murîd
1. Be respectful to your shaykh. Remember the name of Allah in exactly
the way shown to you by your shaykh. Have the following belief with
regard to your shaykh: "The spiritual benefits that I can gain from
this shaykh cannot be gained from any other shaykh."
2. If the murîd's heart has not been reformed properly as yet and the
shaykh passes away, hemust become a murîd of another shaykh in whom
the above-mentioned qualities are found.
3. When you come across any wazîfah in any book or read about the
frugal life of someone, do not act upon it on your own accord. Ask
your shaykh about it first. If any good or evil thought enters your
heart or you decide to do something, first consult your shaykh.
4.Women should not remove their purdah in the presence of their
shaykh. At the time of becoming a murîd, do not shakehis hands. It is
permissible to take the oath of allegiance (bay'ah) by holding one end
of a handkerchief or piece of cloth while he holds the other end. A
verbal bay'ah is also sufficient.
5. If you mistakenly become a murîd of a person who acts contrary to
the Sharî'ah, or if he was good in the beginning and later changed,...

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Remove a Harmful Thing

"Removing anything harmful from the path is part of faith." We are
taught to be concerned about the safety and well being of all human
beings to this degree. If a road or pathway thatis used by people, be
they Muslim or not, has anything that may cause harm upon it, then in
the same way that we would like to save ourselves, we should like that
for all. One day we will have been saved due to a similar deed by
others

The Gift of a Child

A friend of mine recently wrote about her son:
"There are moments in parentingthat break your heart open with
boundless love, where you see your child so clearly navigating their
own space… a funny mix ofpride, empathy and fall-over-yourself love
and gratitude for the gift of your child ensues, followed by
tears….watching Wilder walk up to a new friend on the playground at a
new school and navigate the space between shy and easy was just such…
thank you universe for giving me that moment."
I know what she means. Earlier this morning I told my daughter Salma a
joke and she gave me a smile as sweet as a mango that made my heart
melt. And just now she climbed into the chair next to mine and said,
"Baba, cover your eyes." I did but I peeked between my fingers because
sometimes she leaps onto me full bore, with her kneespointed at me, as
if I'm a trampoline. But this time she climbed into my lap, and kissed
me on the cheek.
Of course she followed it up by telling me she was bored, and asking
me to buy her a new doll. Still, having this child has taught me to
love as I never did before. I have learned patience, sacrifice,and
aspiration, not for myself but for another.
I recently listened to a lecture by Umm Sahl of Damascus in which she
remarked that our children do not belong us, but to Allah. They are
given to us in trust, andwe are their shepherds.
I can see that. How could I own or possess something so beautiful, and
powerful, so unique? No one but Allah can hold a human being in their
hand, seeing the essence of that person, knowing and appreciating
every atom.
What a tremendous responsibility a child is. What a tremendous gift.
May Allah make us all equal to the task, and help us to fulfill our
roles as shepherds, providing tarbiyah and love, and ushering in a
better generation than our own, Insha'Allah.

Keeping food diary could be key to staying slim and fit

Adopting a fixed timetablefor meals could be a more effective method
of dieting than trying to cut out fatty foods, say researchers. People
who snack on healthy food can put on weight if their eating patterns
are not maintained properly, according to new study.
In contrast, the researcherssaid, sticking to strict mealtimes is good
for the metabolism and helps the body burn off fat, allowinga more
liberal choice of food, The Telegraph reported.
Previous studies have shown that both a high-fat diet and eating
patterns that disrupt the natural body clock can interfere with our
metabolism and raise the risk of obesity.
Scientists from the HebrewUniversity of Jerusalem tested the effects
of timingand fat intake on four groups of mice over an 18-week period
to determine whether carefulscheduling of meals could lower the
effects of a high-fat diet.
Half were given a high-fat diet that would normally be expected to
make themobese. Of these, a quarter were fed at the same time each day
and another quarter could eat as much as they liked, whenever they
liked.
The other half was fed a diet that was lower in fat. Again, one
quarter had a fixed feeding time, the other had not.
All four of the groups gained weight over the course of the trial,
with the group that ate a high-fat diet at irregular intervals
unsurprisingly gaining the most weight, while those on a low-fat,
scheduled diet gained the least.
But more surprisingly, the mice that had been fed a high-fat diet at
regular intervals finished the trial in a better condition than those
that ate low-fat foods whenever they wanted, despite both groups
consuming the same number of calories overall.
The mice in the scheduled, high-fat group had 12 per cent lower body
weight, 21 per cent lower cholesterol and 1.4 times higher sensitivity
to insulin than the unscheduled, low-fat group.
The diet also changed their metabolism so that they burnt off the fats
they ingested to produce energy in between meal times, rather than
storing the fat in their bodies.
"Our research shows that the timing of food consumption takes
precedence over the amount of fat in the diet, leading to improved
metabolism and helping to prevent obesity," the paper quoted Prof Oren
Froy, who led the experiment, as saying.
"Improving metabolism through the careful scheduling of meals, without
limiting the content of the daily menu, could be used as a therapeutic
tool to prevent obesity in humans," he suggested.
The study was published in the Journal of the Federation of American
Societies for Experimental Biology.

Sugar in blood can shrink your brain

medical research
Doctors ought to think again about what is a normal blood-sugar level.
Researchers in Australia have found that even those now considered
normal are at greater risk of the brain shrinkage thatcomes with
type-2 diabetes and is evident in dementia patients.
"We found that even within the normal range, and in people without
diabetes, higher sugar levels were associated with greater shrinking
of the hippocampus," said Nicolas Cherbuin, head of the brain lab at
the Australian National University in Canberra.
"If these findings are replicated in other cohorts,norms for blood
sugar levels and diabetes may need to be re-examined." Over four years
Cherbuin studied 249 people aged 60-64 whose blood sugar was in the
normal range of 4-6.1 millimoles per litre.
He found that those in the top of the range were more likely to have
loss of brain volume in the hippocampus and the amygdala than those in
the lower blood-glucose range. The hippocampus and the amygdala are
important to memory and cognitive skills.
Type-2 diabetes is often put down to poor lifestyle choices and the
same goesfor high blood sugar. To ward off brain shrinkage, eat well
and get fit — and try and avoid the stressful things in life.
"Lack of exercise and chronic stress also affect blood sugar levels
and a healthy lifestyle should include regular exercise and avoiding
chronic stress," Cherbuin said.

THINGS TO KEEP YOU FIT

You are what you eat -andwhat you don't eat. Similarly, life depends
on what you keep and what you don't keep. There are many things in
life that people may keep, but onlya few are truly worth keeping. Here
is a list of what to keep (and how) for a brighter, happier and more
fulfilling life.
1) Keep calm. Life can be unnerving and if you don'tmake an effort to
keep collected and focused, you could easily lose your cool.Take
regular, conscious deep breaths to calm and center yourself.
2) Keep your chin up. Not only is it good for your posture and
diminishes your double chin, it also helps you maintain an "I can
handle it" attitude. By keeping your chin up, you can keep your head
above water.
3) Keep your spirits high. Always maintain a positiveand joyful
attitude. Remember that no one can perk you up like yourself. Keep
your spirits high when the going gets rough by focusing on your dreams
and counting your blessings.
4) Keep your word. The true measure of a man is ifhe keeps his word.
Honorable and trustworthy is the man who stands by what he says and
promises. It is important to think well before speaking because once a
word is uttered andreleased into the universe, its vibrations could no
longer be erased.
5) Keep in time with your inner drummer. Don't be swayed by others
into following the confusing beat of their drums. Although it is
sometimes necessary to adjust to the pace of others, it is best to
keep in step with your personal rhythm and to dance to your own music.
6) Keep in touch with the child in you. The source of creativity in
your life is that little child within you. He questions, he marvels,
he imagines and invents. Stay in touch with him, and be young and
creativefor life!
7) Keep abreast of the times. The world is movingso fast. Know what's
happening, what's in style,what's au courant, what's relevant, what's
important.Learn the hottest trends and the latest in technology. Don't
be caught in a time warp or you'll be left behind.
8) Keep in shape. Your shape shows your state of health. Your body is
the vessel that you journey through life in. Keep it healthy and
strong. Don't be one of those people who say, "I'm in shape; round is
a shape!"
9) Keep your mouth shut. People talk too much. We language ourselves
to our own destruction and defeat. Know when to talk and when to shut
up. Avoid being too verbose. Oftentimes, silence speaks more
eloquently than words.
10) Keep good friends. Good friends are hard to find. Nurture
friendships that make your plight through life easier, more wonderful
and meaningful. Truly poor is the man who has no good friends.
11) Keep great memories, not heavy objects. In the very end, good
memories of life are what we will be left with, not jewels and riches
that we can't bring when we finally go. Live each moment beautifully.
Linked together, these magical moments create a magnificent life.
12) Keep a diary. Writing a journal is therapeutic. Record the
important events in your life, your dreams and aspirations, even your
failures and disappointments . When you trace back events in your
life, you are bound tolearn lessons from them aswell as find great
inspiration and strength.
13) Keep saying grace and thanks. Blessed is he who says grace before
he eats and gives thanks for all thegifts he receives daily. Maintain
a thankful attitude and focus on your blessings instead of
disappointments .
14) Keep on moving forward. The universe moves forward in time. Don't
get stuck in yesterday; make an effort to move ahead to a better life.
Drop those unnecessary pieces of material and emotional baggage that
weigh you down and keep you from flying to your loftiest dreams.
15) Keep out of danger. Hewho exposes himself to danger finds it.
Don't courtdanger; avoid it. As they say, an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure. Look out for number one (that's you!), and
always stay safeand sound.
16) Keep up the good work. Success is built uponsuccess. The more you
do, the more you achieve; the more you achieve, the better you get at
doing it. Make success a habit by keeping up the good work.
17) Keep young. Do everything in your power to stay strong, supple and
youthful. Think young; feelyoung. A wise man once said "It is never
too late to be what you might have been." Remember that ageis a number
and that youth is an attitude.
18) Keep on dancing. Life isa dance through space andtime. Embellish
whatever music life plays for you with your own fresh orchestration
and creative choreography. Be excited in your heart and keep your feet
light with happiness.

Introduction Hajj

Once a year, Muslims of every ethnic group, colour, social status, and
culture gather together inMecca and stand before the Kaaba praising
Allah together.
It is a ritual that is designed to promote the bonds of Islamic
brotherhood and sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal in the
eyes of Allah.
The Hajj makes Muslims feel real importance of lifehere on earth, and
the afterlife, by stripping away all markers of social status, wealth,
and pride. In the Hajj all are truly equal.
The Hajjis or pilgrims wear simple white clothescalled Ihram. During
the Hajj the Pilgrims perform acts of worship and they renew their
sense of purpose in the world.
Mecca is a place that is holy to all Muslims. It is soholy that no
non-Muslim is allowed to enter.
For Muslims, the Hajj is the fifth and final pillar of Islam . It
occurs in the month of Dhul Hijjah which is the twelfth month of the
Islamic lunar calendar. It is the journey that every sane adult Muslim
must undertake at least once intheir lives if they can afford it and
are physically able.
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Top
History
History of the Hajj
Four thousand years ago the valley of Mecca was a dry and uninhabited place.
Muslims believe the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) was instructed to bring
his wife, Hajira (Hagar) and their child Is'mail to Arabia from
Palestine to protect them from the jealousy of Ibrahim's first wife
Sarah.
Allah told the Prophet Ibrahim to leave them on their own, and he did
so, with some supplies of food and water. However the supplies quickly
ran out and within a few daysHajira and Is'mail were suffering from
hunger anddehydration.
In her desperation Hajira ran up and down two hillscalled Safa and
Marwa trying to see if she could spot any help in the distance.
Finally she collapsed beside Is'mail and prayed to Allah for
deliverance.
Is'mail struck his foot on the ground and this caused a spring of
water to gush forth from the earth. Hajira and Is'mail were saved. Now
they had a secure water supplythey were able to trade water with
passing nomads for food and supplies.
After a while the Prophet Ibrahim returned from Palestine to check on
his family and was amazed tosee them running a profitable well.
The Prophet Ibrahim was told by Allah to build a shrine dedicated to
him. Ibrahim and Is'mail constructed a small stone structure - the
Kaaba or Cube - which was to be the gathering place for all who wished
to strengthen their faith in Allah.
As the years passed Is'mail was blessed with Prophethood and he
gavethe nomads of the desert the message of surrender to Allah.
After many centuries, Mecca became a thriving city thanks to its
reliable water source, the well of Zam Zam.
Gradually, the people began to adopt polytheistic ideas, and worship
spirits and many different gods. The shrine of the Prophet Ibrahim was
used to store idols.
After many years, Allah told the Prophet Muhammed that he should
restore the Kaaba to the worship of Allah only.
In the year 628 the Prophet Muhammed set out on a journey with 1400 of
his followers. Thiswas the first pilgrimage inIslam, and would
re-establish the religious traditions of the Prophet Ibrahim.

Daughter of Namrud

Namrud was the oppressive king who threw Ibrahim (A.S.) into the fire.
His daughter, Ru'dah, was watching the scene from above. She noticed
that the fire was having no effect on Ibrahim (A.S.). She shouted and
asked him the reason for this.
Ibrahim (A.S.) replied: " Allah has saved me from this calamity
through the blessing of iman."
She replied: "If you permit me, I will also come into the fire."
He replied: "Recite Lâ ilâha illallâhu Ibrahim khalîlullâh
(translation: There is none worthy of worship except Allah and Ibrahim
is the close friend of Allah).
She recited this kalimah and immediately dived into the fire. The fire
had no effect on her as well. She then came out of the fire and went
and rebukedand censured her father. He subjected her to great
difficulties but she remained steadfast on her iman.
Lesson: Glory be to Allah! How courageous she was that she did not
abandon her iman even when in difficulty! O women! You should also be
strong-willed at the time of difficulties and do not act contrary to
the Deen even if it equals a hair's breadth.

Fatimah bint Abdul Malik

Fatimah bint Abdul Malik was a highly placed woman of first century
Hijrah . She was wife of thegreat Banu Umayyad Caliph Umar ibn Abdul
Azizand daughter of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan. She wasraised in palatial
atmosphere like princessesand she was familiar with the royal culture.
Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, himself a man of great beauty was regarded one of
the few who greatly were mindful of their get-up. His diet and dress
were equally worthy of royalty. But after he had totake over the
charge of the Caliphate, he gave up all princely practices. He turned
his mouth away from the superb and delicious cuisine. The pulses were
started to be cooked daily and all the people of his household were
sick with the pulses.
One day a servant complained his matron that he was fed up with the
pulses. She silenced him to tell that his master,the Commander of the
Faithful, too ate the same and they themselves, as well.
Once the Caliph praised the taste of Lebanon-honey before her. She
sentword to ruler of Lebanon, Ibn Ma'di Karb. He immediately sent the
honey. When it was servedbefore the Caliph, he questioned his wife if
she had ordered for that. She answered in affirmative and the Caliph
sold out thehoney and deposited the price in Baytal Mal (state
exchequer).
Once a woman came from Iraq to get approved the allowance for her
orphan daughters. She saw the first lady baking bread herself and sat
near her. She was looking at the house and then said regretfully that
she had come to find some favoursfrom that house but it, itself is in
the worst. The Caliph's wife said, "your homes are cared for, at
thecost of ours." Then she inquired about her problems and put her
casebefore the Caliph who approved the allowance forthwith.
When 'Umar ibn Abdul Aziz fell ill with mortal disease, his brother in
law Muslima ibn Abdul Malik came to inquire about his health. He saw
the Commander of the Faithfulwearing a worn Kameez (long shirt). He
took aside his sister and asked her to change the Kameez of the
Commander of the Faithful. She told her astonished brother that the
ruler of the greatest empire of the time had only that shirt.
Fatimah was a woman who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and
was bred with royal manners. But she withdrew from that sort oflife to
the will and wish of her husband and lived her life poorly. She lived
long after her husband but she persisted to live simply. The noted
Turk writer Dhehni Afindi writes, "Fatimah bint Abdul Malik ibn Marwan
was known Dhatid Khimar (the woman of shawl).
She was a lady of great piety and reverence. Her tomb is in Busra
(Syria) where her devotees pay visits frequently.
(Serah 'Umar ibn Abdul Aziz, Taha'in Tarikh Islam ).

Hazrat Umme Salamah(R.A)

Hadhrat Umme Salamah was the daughter of Hadhrat Abu Ummayyah
(Radhiyallaho anhu). She was first married to her cousin Hadhrat bin
Abdul Asad known as Abu Salamah (Radhiyallaho anhu). The couple
embraced Islam in the verybeginning and emigrated to Abyssinia, due to
the persecutions of Qureysh. A son was born to them in exile, who was
named Salamah. After returning from Abyssinia, the family emigrated to
Madinah . Hadhrat Umme Salamah's (Radhiyallaho anha) story about her
journey to Madinah, has been alreadygiven in the early part of the
chapter. After reachingMadinah, Hadhrat Umme Salmah (Rad laho anha)
got another son 'Umar andtwo daughters Durrah andZainab (Radhiyallaho
anhum).
Hadhrat Abu Salamah (Radhiyallaho anho) was the eleventh man to
embrace Islam. He participated in the battle of Badr as well as in
Uhud. He got a severe wound in Uhud, which did not heal for a long
time. He was sent by the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam)
in an expedition in Safar, 4 A. H. When he returned from the
expedition, the old wound again started giving trouble and at last he
died of the same on 8thJamadil-Akhir, 4 A. H. Hadhrat Umme Salamah
(Radi-allaho anha) was pregnant at the time. Zainab was born to her
after the death of her husband. After Umme Salamah had completed her
Iddat (waiting period), Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radlahoanho) proposed to
marry her, but she declined.
Later, the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) offered to
marry her. She said: "O, Prophet of Allah! I have quite a few children
with me and I am very sensitiveby nature. Moreover, a people are in
Mecca, and their permission for getting remarried is necessary."
The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) said: "Allah will
look after your children and your sensitiveness willvanish in due
course. Noneof people will dislike the proposed marriage".
Hadhrat Umme Salamah then asked her (eldest) sonHadhrat Salamah
(Radhiyallaho anho) to serve as her guardian and give her in marriage
to theProphet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) She was married in
the end of Shawwal, 4 A. H. She says: "I had heard from the Prophet
Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) that a person struck with a
calamity should recite this prayer:
"O, Allah! Recompense me for this affliction by giving me something
better than what I have lost: then Allah would accept his prayer." I
had been reciting this prayer since the death of Hadhrat Abu Salamah
(Radhiyallaho anho), but I could not imagine a husband better than he,
till Allah arrangedmy marriage with the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho
Alaihe Wasallam) ." Hadhrat Aishah (Radhiyallaho anha) says:
"Umme Salamah (Radhiyallaho anha) was famous for her beauty. Once I
contrived to see her. I found her much more beautiful than I had
heard. I mentioned this to Hafsah who said. "In my opinion, she is not
as beautiful as people say." She was the last of the Prophet Mohammad
(Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) wives to die. It was in 59 or 62 A. H.
She was 84 at the time of her death, and as such she wasborn 9 years
before Nubuwwat.
As already been said, the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe
Wasallam) married Hadhrat Umme Salamah after the death of Hadhrat
Zainab Khuzaimah (Radhiyallaho anha). She therefore lived in Hadhrat
Zainab's (Radhiyallaho anha) house. She found a had-mill, a kettle and
some barley in an earthen jar, lying in the house. Hadhrat Umme
Salamah milled some barley and after putting some fat cooked a
preparation , which she served to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho
Alaihe Wasallam) on the very firstday of her marriage with him.