Files of your life

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in a
room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall
covered with small indexcard files. They werelike the ones in
libraries that list titles by author orsubject in alphabetical order.
But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly
endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew
near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that
read "People I Have Liked". I opened it and began flipping through the
cards. I quickly shut it,shocked to realize that I recognized the
names written on each one.
And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.
This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for
my life.Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and
small, ina detail my memory couldn't match. A sense ofwonder and
curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly
opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet
memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense thatI would
look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.
A file named "Friends" was next to one marked"Friends I Have
Betrayed".The titles ranged from themundane to the outright weird.
"Books I Have Read", "Lies I Have Told","Comfort I Have Given","Jokes
I Have Laughed At".Some were almost hilarious in their exactness:
"Things I've Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh
at:"Things I Have Done in MyAnger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My
Breathat My Parents". I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.
Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than
I hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could
it be possible that I had the time in my 30 years to write each of
these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed
this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with
my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To", I
realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were
packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the
end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of
music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file
represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts", I felt a chill
runthrough my body. I pulledthe file out only an inch, not willing to
test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed
content. I felt sick to thinkthat such a moment had been recorded.
An almost animal rage broke on me. One thoughtdominated my mind: "No
one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have
to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked thefile out. Its size
didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took
it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge
a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find
it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly
helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my foreheadagainst
the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.
And then I saw it.
The title bore "People that I Have Taught About Allah". The handle was
brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its
handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my
hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. Ibegan to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt
startedin my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and
cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of itall. The
rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever,
ever know of this room.
I must lock it up and hide the key.

advice

Take this Ramadan to really cleans your insides so that your actions
will begenuine. By that meaning, act with sincerity, pray with
submission, make dua' with humility, love foryour brother what you
love for yourself, truly honor your parents, don't gossip, be a good
neighbor, assume the best of people, be kind, think about what to give
than what you'll get and there are so much more you can do.
In sha Allah, sisters and brothers, let us cleanse ourhearts.

Taking pills to prevent period in the last ten days of Ramadaan

If a woman's period is going to come in the last ten days of Ramadaan,
is it permissible for her to use contraceptive pills so that she can
continue to worship during these days of blessing?
Praise be to Allaah.
This question was put to ShaykhMuhammad ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah
have mercy on him)and he said:
We do not think that she should use these pills to help her worship
Allaah, because the period which happens to her is something which
Allaah has decreed for the daughters of Adam.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)entered upon
'Aa'ishah when she was with him during the Farewell Pilgrimage. She
had entered ihraam for 'Umrah, thenher period came before she reached
Makkah. He entered upon her and found her weeping. He asked, "Why are
you weeping?" and she told himthat her period had come. He told her,
"This is something which Allaah has decreed for thedaughters of Adam."
So the period is not something which is under her control. If it comes
during the last ten days of Ramadaan, then let her accept what Allaah
has decreed for her and not use these pills. I have heard from
trustworthy doctorsthat these pills cause harm to the uterus and the
blood, and they may cause deformity in thefoetus if she should
conceive. Hence we think that she should avoid them. If her period
comes and she cannot pray or fast, thisis beyond her control and is
the decree of Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)

The hadeeth of Salmaan about the virtues of Ramadaan is da’eef (weak)

A khateeb of a masjid in my area mentioned in a khutbah a Hadeeth
narrated by Salmaan, mayAllah be pleased with him,that the prophet,
peace and blessings be upon him, gave them a khutbahin the last day of
Sha'abaan .. etc. some brothers objected to whatthe khateeb says in
front of the worshippers sayingthat this Hadeeth is fabricated. He
also said that the prophet said: "who feeds a fasting person, Allah
will bless him a drink of my Cistern (Al-Hawd), he will never feel
thirsty after it until heis in paradise" and also said: "who makes it
easy on his salve, Allah will forgive him and frees him of the
hellfire". The brother objected and said:this is lying and the prophet
did not say this. Aperson tells lies about what the prophet said
should expect his place in the hell". Is the Hadeeth mentioned correct
or not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The hadeeth of Salmaan was narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh. He
said: Chapter on the virtues of the month of Ramadaan if the report is
saheeh. Then he said: 'Ali ibn Hijr al-Sa'di told us, Yoosuf ibn
Ziyaad told us, Humaam ibn Yahya told us, from 'Ali ibn Zayd ibn
Jad'aan, from Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyab, from Salmaan who said: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
addressed us on the last day of Sha'baan and said: "O people, there
has cometo you a great month, a blessed month, a month in which there
is a night that is better than a thousand months. Allaah has made
fasting it obligatory and spending its nights in prayer a voluntary
act. Whoever draws close (to Allaah) during it by doing a good deed
will be like one who did an obligatory deed in any other month, and
the one who does an obligatory deed in it will be like one who did
seventy obligatory deeds in any other month. It is the month of
patience, and the reward of patience is Paradise. It is the month of
helping others. It is a month in which the believer's provision is
increased. Whoever gives a fasting person food with which to break his
fast will have his sins forgiven and he will be ransomed from the
Fire, and he will have a reward like his without it detracting from
his reward in the slightest." They said: Not all of us can find
something to give to the fasting person with which to break his fast.
He said: "Allaah will give this reward to the one who gives a fasting
person a date or a drink of water or a sip of milk. It is a month the
beginning of which is mercy, the middle of which is forgiveness and
the end of which is ransom from the Fire. The one who reduces the
burden for his slave will be forgiven by Allaah, andHe will ransom him
from the Fire. So do a lot of four good deeds during it,two with which
you will please your Lord and two which you cannot do without. As for
the two good deeds with which you will please your Lord, they are
bearing witness that there is no god except Allaah, and seekingHis
forgiveness. As for those which you cannot do without, they are:
asking Allaah for Paradise and seeking refuge with Him from Hell.
Whoever feeds a fasting person until he is full, Allaah will give him
to drink from myCistern, a drink after which he will not thirst again
until he enters Paradise."
Its isnaad includes 'Ali ibn Zayd ibn Jad'aan, who is da'eef (weak)
because of his bad memory. Its isnaad also includes Yoosuf ibn Ziyaad
al-Basri,whose hadeeth is munkar.It also includes Humaam ibn Yahya ibn
Dinaar al-'Awadi, concerning whom Ibn Hajar said in al-Taqreeb: He is
trustworthy but he may make mistakes.
Based on this, the hadeeth with this isnaad is not false, but it is
weak. However, many of the virtues of Ramadaan are proven in the
saheeh ahaadeeth.
Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhoothal-'Ilmiyyah wa'l-Ifta.