Sunday 30 December 2018

Society stigmas

When a divorced Muslim man remarries quickly after divorce, he's labeled as a dedicated father who needs a wife to help him raise the kids.


When a divorced Muslim woman remarries quickly after her divorce and iddah, she's labeled an immoral hussy who most likely had him waiting on the side until the marriage ended.


When a widowed Muslim man remarries quickly, he's labeled as someone who needs companionship and a woman to take care of his needs.


When a widowed Muslim woman remarries after her iddah, she's labeled as a woman who obviously never loved her poor deceased husband in the first place.


The best of women, the female Companions, were never subject to the disgraceful double standards that exist today.


How do we expect our sisters to remain chaste when our misogynist community considers the end of one relationship to be a permanent expiry date?


(Not everyone views are like this, but the crux of it is still a trend that needs to be tramped out)

Everyone's rizq is fixed


A brother moved to Makkah many years ago. He was a high flying manager of major departmental stores in U.K., Malaysia and China. 

He had been brought in by Bin Dawood stores as a regional manager for the Makkah region. He was from England. 


After living and working in Saudi for some time, he later narrated how he found it so strange, unique and uplifting in how business was done in Saudi. 

Here were the examples he gave:


1. In Makkah, next to a major *Bin Dawood superstore* a rival new company were entering the kingdom and decided to open a mega store right next to Bin Dawood, within metres. 

The brother was perturbed/disturbed, "Why can't they open just somewhere else."

The owners of Bin Dawood frowned on his outlook. They ordered him to send his workers to the other store being setup and offer them tea and food and any help they needed to setup! 

The brother was left astounded/shock. The Bin Dawood management simply replied, "Our rizq is fixed, they cannot take even one Riyal from what has been decreed upon us. So why not gain ‘ajr’ and help them." 


2. The owner of *AlFakieh poultry* in Saudi, he has a famous mosque in MAKKAH (Masjid Faqih). He is very rich ماشاء الله تبارك الله and religious. He found out that his major rival AlWatania was floundering/struggling with huge debts of a million plus riyals. So he one day sent a cheque to the owner of AlWatania and said, "Pay off your debt, and pay me back, whenever you can." He had the opportunity to become the sole major distributor of chicken but instead he decided to help his main rival.

ماشاء الله تبارك الله 


I personally feel we have been affected growing up in the west with the capitalistic and consumer mindset, that is in every part of our lives. 

It removes *Tawakkul* and the *muhabbah/love of brotherhood from our hearts.* 

Just some advice. Don't worry about others, if we do our work with *Ihsan* and *If Allah gives us tawfeeq* then we will never have our success limited by others.


*BECOME A WELL WISHER.*


[Source: Forwarded from Shaykh Abdul Raheem Makkah Al Mukarramah.]

Sunday 23 December 2018

The following are minor signs of Qiyamah


 Lost of trust (from the hearts of people). (Bukhari)

 Lost of ilm and rampant ignorance. (Bukhari)

 Widespread adultery (Zina). (Bukhari)

 Interest (Riba) being widespread. (Tabrani)

 Appearance of musical instruments. (Ibn Majah)

 Extensive use of alcohol. (Muslim)

 Competing with each other in decorating Masjids. (Ahmad)

 Competing with each other in building (houses, building etc.) (Bukhari)

 Abundance of killing. (Muslim)

Contrition in/of time. (Bukhari)

Extensive immorality, break of family relations and evil character among neighbors. (Ahmad)

The use of black dye by men. (Ahmad)

Widespread miserliness. (Tabrani)

Abundance of earthquakes. (Bukhari)

Extensive trade/business until a woman would accompany/join her husband in trade and business (Ahmad).

Removal of the pious (by Allah Ta’ala). (Ahmad)

Salam (to say Assalamu Alaykum) will be made by a person only to those whom he knows. (Ahmad)

Ilm (Knowledge) will be sought from young (Asagir). (Jami As-Sagir)

Women would be clothed yet naked (due to their style of clothing). (Ahmad)

Presence of liars. (Muslim)

False oaths will be taken. (Ahmad)

The presence of more women than men. (Bukhari)

Unexpected and sudden deaths. (Tabrani)

 


 


It is clear that all the minor signs of Qiyamah have taken place. However, Allah alone knows when the major signs will occur. Our responsibility is to prepare for our death in the state of Imaan and save ourselves from all forms of sins.

Sunday 16 December 2018

Lifes lessons


*Many years ago, on a Sallah Day, in Dubai, a very Rich Man who had no wife, no children, no other family members, decided to invite all the employees of his Mansion to dinner.*


*He called the staff and asked them to sit at the table.*

*In front of everyone there was a QUR'AN and a small sum of MONEY.*


*After everyone had their dinner, the Rich Man asked:*


*"What would you prefer to receive as a gift: this QUR'AN or this MONEY?*


*Do not be shy, you can choose what you want. "*


*THE SECURITY GUARD WAS THE FIRST TO REACT:*


*"Sir, I would love to receive The Qur'an, but since I have not learned to read, the money will be more useful to me."*


*THE GARDENER WAS THE SECOND TO SPEAK:*


*"Sir, my wife is very sick and that's why I need more money, otherwise I would choose The Qur'an for sure!"*


*THE THIRD WAS THE COOK:*


*"Sir, I like reading to tell the truth, it's one of the things I like to do, but I work so hard that I never find time to flip through a magazine, let alone The Qur'an. I will take the money. "*


*IN THE END, IT WAS THE turn OF THE BOY WHO TAKES CARE OF THE ANIMALS OF THE MANSION.*


*And as the Rich Gentleman of the villa knew that the boy's family was very poor, he stepped forward and said:*


*"Surely you too want the money, do you not?  So that  you can buy food to have a good dinner at home and buy new shoes? "*


BUT THE BOY,

as for him, surprised everybody with his answer:


*"It would not hurt to buy a turkey and other tasty food to share with my parents and siblings. I also need a pair of new shoes because mine are very old. Even so, I will choose The Qur'an, because  I have always wanted one. My mother taught me that the Word of Allah (SWT) is worth more than gold and that it is more tasty than a honeycomb."*


*After receiving The Qur'an, the boy immediately opened it.  He found TWO ENVELOPES inside.*


*In the first, there was a CHEQUE  that was 10 TIMES  higher than the money on the table.*

*In the second, there was a DOCUMENT (Will)  that made him (whoever would choose The Qur'an), the HEIR to all the wealth of the Rich Man!*


*Faced with the Boy's emotion and the astonishment of the other servants, the Rich Gentleman opened The Qur'an 5:23 and read aloud so that everyone could hear:*


*"...And put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed."*


*The fear of God  Almighty is pure, it subsists forever;*


*The judgments of Allah (SWT)  are true, they are all just.*


  *They are more precious than gold, than a lot of fine gold; They are sweeter than honey, than the one that pours rays.*


*May Allah (SWT) give us Wisdom and help us always make the Right Choice.*

Saturday 15 December 2018

The adventure called Life

"I never sat on a sofa with my father and after my marriage, I had already left him.......


Many years ago, after I got married I was sitting on a couch on a hot, humid day, sipping frozen juice during a visit to my father.


As I talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities and obligations, my father thoughtfully stirred the ice cubes in his glass and cast a clear, sober look at me.


"Never forget your friends," he advised, "they will become more important as you get older."

“Regardless of how much you love your family and the children you happen to have, you will always need friends. Remember to go out with them occasionally, do activities with them, call them ..."


"What strange advice!" I thought. I had just entered the married world, I am an adult and surely my wife and the family that we will start will be everything I need to make sense of my life.


Yet I obeyed him; kept in touch with my friends and annually increased their number. Over the years, I became aware that my father knew what he was talking about!


In as much as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on a man, friends are the bulwarks of his life.


After 50 years of life, here is what I learned:


Time passes.

Life goes on.

The distances increase.

Children grow up and become independent and although it breaks the parents' heart, they are often separated from them.


Jobs come and go.


Illusions, desires, attractions, sex ... weaken.


People do what they should not do.


Parents die.


Colleagues forget the favors.


The races are over.


But true friends are always there, no matter how long or how many miles away they are.


A friend is never more distant than the reach of a need, reaching out to you intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or with blessings for your life.


When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead.


We did not know how much we would need from one another. 

Love your parents..

Allah's mercy