Tuesday 13 June 2017

Celebrity designers headed to Durban



Some of the biggest designer names in India are on their way to the Haute Fashion Extravaganza that takes place on 28-30 July 2017 at The Square Boutique Hotel, Umhlanga Durban.

The show is a collaboration between Haute Events by Nafeesa Joosab, local SA celebrity fashion designer Haroun Hansrot and businessman Faisal Supariwala who have appointed internationally acclaimed Bollywood celebrity stylist, Eshaa Amiin as curator of the show.

Amiin has been the head stylist of Miss India and has also worked with A-list celebrities like Karishma Kapoor, Lara Dutta, Sania Mirza, Sridevi, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar and Madhuri Dixit. Her work has featured internationally, in popular magazines Filmfare and Forbes as well as movies like Singh is Bling.
Amiin has announced designers Manish Arora, Aza, Gauri and Nainika, Malani Ramani, Rajat Tangri, Babita Malkani, Nupur Kanoi, Arti Vijaygupta, Kartikeya, Devnaagri and Aditi Holani will feature at the show.

Tuesday 6 June 2017

Adopt a sunnah

Dont despair...

Ustadha Yasmin Mogahed in Durban

Durban: YASMIN MOGAHED (USA) ❤️
Durban, the best news ever! One of the World's Most Influential Muslim Woman Ustadha YASMIN MOGAHED (USA) will be visiting Durban this July 2017! Teaching two unmissable courses, book your seat now before it's too late! The course of the year is coming to your city, full details below:
--- DURBAN: 16TH JULY 2017
1) The Greatest Quest: Steps towards an Everlasting Marriage for those Married/Unmarried: 10:30am-14:30pm
For more info & to book, visit: http://www.alburujpress.com/courses/course/292/
2) Seeking Solace: Hardships, Challenges and Difficulties in Everyday Life: 17:30pm-21:30pm
For more info & to book, visit: http://www.alburujpress.com/courses/course/293/
Features of Each Seminar:
1) Inspirational Lectures
2) Open Q and A Session
3) Different Live Interview with Ustadha Yasmin Mogahed (USA) for each Seminar
4) Launch of the New Book Love and Happiness by Ustadha Yasmin Mogahed
5) Book Signing
6) Meet and Greet
7) and more!
Please save this poster and share on! Women only.

Monday 5 June 2017

Mending hearts...

One day Nabi (SAW) was resting in the house of Hazrath Ayesha (RA) and he was very happy. So he told Hazrath Ayesha (RA) that today she must ask for anything and he'll give it to her. She wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity so she started contemplating what to ask for. Everything she thought of asking for wasn't good enough so she told Nabi (SAW) that she will consult with her father Hazrath Abubakr Siddique (RA) and come back.
She goes to Hazrath Abubakr Siddique (RA)and tells him why she came to him. Hazrath Abubakr Siddique (RA) gets happy and he tells her that she must ask Nabi (SAW) to share some of the secrets that were spoken between him and Allah Ta'ala on the night of Miraaj.
Nabi (SAW) smiles and thinks what a question Hazrath Abubakr (RA) thought of. Nabi (SAW) then tells Hazrath Ayesha (RA) that on the night of Miraaj when he met Allah Ta'ala then one of the things Allah Ta'ala mentioned was "Anyone who mends broken hearts, Jannah becomes compulsory for him"
As promised, Hazrath Ayesha (RA) rushes to Hazrath Abubakr Siddique (RA) to tell him what Nabi (SAW) said. Hearing this Hazrath Abubakr (RA) begins to cry. Hazrath Ayesha (RA) gets confused and she asks her father why he's crying so immensely. He says "Allah Ta'ala said that which ever person mends a broken heart, Jannah will become compulsory for him. So what happens to that person who breaks someone's heart and hurts them. I'm crying out of that fear of going to Jahannum and May Allah save me from that"

Sunday 4 June 2017

Surah Ad-Duha

Many of us know surah ad-duha off by heart and have probably read its meaning many times as well, which seems quite straightforward. How many of us, though, have actually gone into the reason behind its revelation and derived the lessons and implications this surah has in our lives?

This surah was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (saw) at a time when he had not received any revelation for six months, not even in the form of a dream! The Prophet (saw) was in a very disturbed state of mind, feeling negative and depressed and believing that Allah was displeased with him, had forgotten him, and did not want him as a Nabi anymore.

Don’t we have similar feelings in our lives? Times when our level of imaan is low, our khushoo in salah wavers and we feel a drop in our connection with Allah? We feel like our duas are not being answered, our salah is not having a positive impact on our hearts, and worst of all the feeling that we’re horrible human beings, that Allah doesn’t love us or doesn’t care about us anymore.

Surah Ad-Duha was revealed to the Prophet (saw) to relieve him of these negative feelings and to give him hope, positivity, and the assurance that Allah is with him no matter what. From it we too can find peace, hope, and a renewed faith in Allah when we go through similar states of depression, sadness, and hopelessness.

So what does this surah say?

Wad duhaa— By the morning brightness

This is the first thing you need to hear when you’re depressed: Wake up, look at the sunshine! Everything in life is not doom and gloom– you just have to look up!

Wal laili iza sajaa— And [by] the night when it covers with darkness,

Why is this aayah immediately talking about darkness? As a reminder to us that the night is meant to cover and give us comfort and rest.

Generally when we’re depressed, we tend to get into a very bad sleep pattern by staying up at night and sleeping all day, thereby worsening our state of mind. This aayah reminds us to use the night as a comfort to ease our distress.

Ma wad da’aka rabbuka wa ma qalaa— Your Lord has not taken leave of you, [O Muhammad], nor has He detested [you].

This is a very powerful verse from Allah telling us that He doesn’t hate us and hasn’t forgotten us– reminding the depressed person that He is always by his or her side!

Walal-aakhiratu khairul laka minal-oola— And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life].

Many times when we’re depressed we think: Is this all my life is going to be? Is it never going to get better?

This aayah serves as a perfect answer to those questions, reminding us that life in this world is temporary and that Aakhira is certainly a better, more permanent place for us than this world could ever be.

This makes us look forward to attaining our place in Jannah and helps us look at any problems in our lives as temporary tests of our faith from Allah.

Wa la sawfa y’uteeka rabbuka fatarda— And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied.

A promise from Allah that very soon he will give us a massive reward (Jannah) and we will be happy! Subhanallah!

Isn’t this the best thing to hear when you’re depressed and fed up with this worldly life and the problems you’re facing?

Alam ya jidka yateeman fa aawaa – Did He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge?

From this verse onwards, Allah gives us reason to believe His declarations and promises in the first half of the surah.

Now many of us may think:  how would this aayah about orphans relate to the majority of us? Think about it– weren’t there many times in your life when you were sick or lonely and felt like you had nobody who cared about you? Who was the only one by your side at that time? Allah! It was He who took care of you and guided you out of that stage in life.

Wa wa jadaka daal lan fahada— And He found you lost and guided [you].

How many of us, despite being born Muslims, have found ourselves misguided and straying away from Islam in the past? It was Allah who gave us that hidaya and brought us back to the straight path and to Him and made us practicing Muslims. Alhamdulillah!

Wa wa jadaka ‘aa-ilan fa aghnaa— And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient.

Many of us have probably gone through many periods in our lives when we have been short of money and wealth. Now when we look back we realize that it was only Allah who gave us that rizq in some form and got us through those tough financial times.

When a person is depressed, giving him or her examples of how Allah has helped them in the past will strengthen their conviction and belief in the promises Allah makes in this surah for their future.

Fa am mal yateema fala taqhar — So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him].

This aayah is the ultimate antidote to depression!

Depressed people are mostly consumed with their situation and feel that nobody could possibly be in a worse situation.

This aayah reminds us to look at people who are in far worse situations than ourselves when we’re feeling hopeless and depressed— Look at the orphans, who have no family or loved ones and nobody to care for them. We have families and parents who love us, a roof over our heads and food on the table and we still think we’re in a bad situation? Subhanallah!

Wa am mas saa-ila fala tanhar— And as for the petitioner, do not repel [him].

Another example is of the beggar – to once again remind us of the many material blessings that Allah has given us that we take for granted – food, clothing and shelter. How many of us have ever gone to sleep hungry? How many of us don’t have clothes to wear? Or don’t have a home to go to?

These examples of the orphan and the beggar are ones we should constantly remind ourselves of to be thankful for the numerous blessings Allah has given us, get over our depression and feel connected to Allah again, out of gratitude.

Wa amma bi ne’mati rabbika fahad dith – But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].

This final aayah is about maintaining that renewed faith and bond with Allah – by pondering, glorifying and talking about the blessings of Allah! Either in terms of halaqas, discussions with family and friends or even da’wah! Dhikr, reading quran and listening to lectures are also great ways to keep the remembrance of Allah close to your heart!

So the next time you feel disconnected, disheartened or depressed with your level of Imaan and your connection with Allah – read Surah Ad Duha and ponder over its meanings – Inshallah it will restore your faith and increase your belief in the greatness of Allah

Prevention is better than cure

*TEN SURAHS*

1) *Surah Faatiha* prevents the Wrath of Allāh
2) *Surah Yaaseen* prevents the thirst on the Day of Qiyaamah.
3) *Surah Dukhaan* prevents from the terrors of Qiyaamah.
4) *Surah Waaqiah* prevents from poverty.
5) *Surah Mulk* prevents from the punishment of the grave.
6) *Surah Kauthar* prevents from the disputes of adversaries.
7) *Surah Kaafiroon* prevents from kufr at time of death.
8) *Surah Ikhlaas* prevents from hypocrisy.
9) *Surah Falaq* prevents from the jealousy of envious people.
10) *Surah Naas* prevents from waswaas (the shaytaan who cast evil thoughts in the mind).