A SHORT REMINDER

Assalamualaikum WarahmatuaAllahi Wabarakaatuhu!

I would like to share something amazing with you all and it is this hadith.

“Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.” [Reported by Muslim]

Question is how can we stop the evil with our hearts?

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “Condemning with the heart is belief that this is an evil. If a heart loses the knowledge of what is good and condemning what is evil, then Iman is lifted from the heart”

If we don’t condemn the evil with our heart then it can lead to a black heart meaning that our heart MUST hate the evil deeds like Shirk, fornication, immodesty, violence, sodomy, injustice, backbiting, cursing, watching indecent movies, songs, T.V shows, envy, jealousy and so on or else we would lose the knowledge of what is wrong or right in our hearts. If our hearts do not hate the evil deeds then most likely our hearts would not realize that the evil deed is EVIL anymore. We might justify or support these evil acts or maybe even commit it them ourselves. Our hearts would not realize that the evil deed is EVIL anymore.
Most often, the person who show negativity or hatred towards any evil deed is considered as a 'prude' whereas the one who minds his own business not caring about what others do are considered as the ones 'who do not judge' and 'good guys'. Do not forget the ayat of Surah Ash Shuara: 168, He (Lut alaihisalam) said: "I am, indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and fury your (this evil) action (of sodomy).
He didn't say that he hates them but he rather loathed and detested their evil act of sodomy. And not to forget, Allah saved Lut alahis salam and his family except of his wife. She was destroyed with the rest of the nation. Why? Wasn't she a believer? Yes, she was but her heart was inclined towards the homosexuals and she didn't consider their act as evil or disturbing. She supported them.    

Brothers and sisters, ask yourself, how many times do we support or keep quiet when our own families are indulged in shirk, biddah, usuray (riba) or backbiting, or when our own friends drink, party, fornicate or listen to music? Are we stopping those evil with our hands first? If that doesn't work, then are we stopping them with our tongues? IF that doesn't work either then, are we at least considering their acts as something that displeases Allah in our hearts? 

 We are so used to seeing the fahisha (indecency) that it doesn't seem haram anymore and all the feelings of love and affection overcomes towards our family and friends, between what is halal and haram.
So let's save our imans brothers and sisters because stopping the evil with our hearts is the weakest of faith and not considering a haram act as evil might risk the removal of iman from our hearts and we all fear of that!

JazakumuaAllah hu khairan for reading! Do share and follow my blog for more posts.
Ask me anything regarding this topic here. Thank you for reading. Please feel free to send me the link of your blogs and comment below if you have similar views. 

- Manal Mirza

HOW TO BECOME A SLAVE OF ALLAH (PART-3)

Part 3 Continued. If you haven't read the previous parts then please click on Part 1 and Part 2

Assalamualaikum WarahmatuaAllahi Wabakaatuhu!

Who are the slaves of Allah? Surah Al-Furqan Ayat 73-76 (continued)

1. Those are the ones who do not bear witness to falsehood and, If they ever pass by futility, they pass with dignity. 
Bearing witness to falsehood means to not lie, support anyone who lies, to not involve yourself to bear against the truth in court or outside of court, and to not indulge into the falsehood majlis like the concert, comedy shows where the comedian lies about the characters or makes fun of others and the majlis where falsehood occurs and so on. We should not speak a lie lest support it. They also pass any invitation of useless vain talks or parties in a dignified and honorable way. He doesn't let another person down. He just  passes away from it quietly. The weddings these days are a big Fitna and a Big Lagw. But how do we pass from such lagw (vain/useless) gatherings? Or do we even pass away from it? 

 2. Who, When reminded about the revelations of their Rabb, Do not turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to them. 

Whenever the ayats of Allah are recited, the slaves of Ar-Rahman do not become blind or deaf on purpose. Their imaan increases and their hearts softens. If it comes to choosing between listening to music or Qur'an, the slave of Ar-Rahman would chose to listen to Qurán and ponder upon the ayats. Many times when Qur'an is played in the car, some people consider it boring and just feel irritated to listen to the ayats of Allah and they want to listen to music. That's just because they have chosen to become blind and deaf from Allah's ayats on purpose (chose to be misguided) and their hearts have harden. Are we one of those? 

3. Who Pray, "O, Our Rabb! Make our wives and our children to be the comfort of our eyes and make us leaders of the righteous."

These Ibaadur Rahman, are super concerned about their spouse's and children's hidayat and aakhirah. They want Allah to give them tears of joy when they see their spouses or children striving in the path of Allah. They want to feel happy and their eyes to be comforted when they see their loved ones worshiping Allah. They also make duwa to Allah to make them leaders of the righteous people so they guide others to the path of guidance and are always in the company of the righteous. This duwa is really powerful and it becomes TRUE! I have witnessed it and even you can. Memorize it and make a sincere duwa. 

أُوْلَـئِكَ يُجْزَوْنَ الْغُرْفَةَ بِمَا صَبَرُواْ وَيُلَقَّوْنَ فِيهَا تَحِيَّةً وَسَلَـماً .75

- خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَا حَسُنَتْ مُسْتَقَرّاً وَمُقَاماً .76

75. Those will be rewarded with the highest place because of their patience. Therein they shall be met with greetings and the word of peace and respect.  76. Abiding therein - excellent it is as an abode, and as a place to rest in.

And they will be given the highest room in Paradise. Why??? Because they had patience over all these things that they had to control themselves from! SubhanAllah! Sabr means when you control your nafs from the things you want to do and to do things that are beneficial for you but also hard at the same time. If you remember the Part 1 & 2 of Ibaadur Rahman, all those qualities of them, how did they achieve it? Through patience! 
SubhanaAllah!

So Patience is the Key to success. Patience in Everything! :D

JazakumuAllah hu khairan for reading. So Rate, share, comment and follow my blog for more posts. 

Ask me anything regarding this topic here Thank you for reading. Please feel free to send me the link of your blogs and comment below if you have similar views. 
- Manal Mirza

QUALITIES OF IBAADUR RAHMAN (PART-2)

Part 2 continued! (If you haven't read the part 1, then please click here)

Sifat of Ibaadur Rahman:

Surah Al Furqan-

1. "Who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor stingy, But keep the balance between those two extremes."

A slave of Allah is not extravagant in spending or in anything that he does. He does not waste his time or money on illegal things, legal things or things that he buys to show off! He is ever humble when he spends. He spends more on what he needs than on what he wants. He has control over his nafs (nerves) from all the materialistic things. 
Also he is not stingy or miserly. A miser person is he who spends as much as he wants on himself but when it comes to spending on his family, relatives, poor sellers or spending in the way of Allah, he holds back his hands and thinks 10 times before giving something from his pocket. Are we one of those? Even if we are, Ibaadur Rahman are not one of those and our main purpose is to become Ibaadur Rahman and maintain that balance between extravagant and stingy. Bi izniAllah!

 2. "And those who do not invoke any other God besides Allah, nor kill any soul which Allah has made sacred, except for a just cause, nor commit fornication. He that does this shall be punished for his sin!"
Ibaadur Rahman do not Indulge in any of those things mentioned. Their hearts are purified which do not allow them to kill (except in cases of revenge or in defense), fornicate or do Shirk! They do not even go near these major sins let alone commit them.

 3. "Except of the one who repents, becomes a true believer and starts doing good deeds, for then Allah will change his evil deeds into good, and Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful"

 Allah will forgive the sins of those who committed shirk, murder and fornication IF they truly repented (meaning they accept their sins, repent and do not repeat) and believed in Allah and starts doing righteous deeds. Then Allah will convert ALL their previous sins into GOOD! subhanAllah!! He wouldn't only remove those sins but convert them into righteous deeds. Isn't that just the heights of Mercy that one mind can comprehend?! This is my favorite ayat because If Allah can forgive such major sins then why do we feel so reluctant in not seeking forgiveness from Him when we commit small sins? Allah is The Most Merciful and Forgiving if you sincerely repented. Let us all truly repent from all our hidden sins and apparent sins that no one but Allah knows. Let us all strive to be Ibaadur Rahman and act upon our knowledge. in sha Allah!


STAY TUNED FOR PART 3. Remember, these short posts are for us to understand the ayats of Allah first and then start implementing on them. It's just a waste to just seek knowledge and then not put it practically into our lives. Reminder for myself first and then to everybody. 
May Allah guide us all and make us from among His chosen Ibaadur Rahman! Ameen :)

Ask me anything regarding this topic at http://ask.fm/manalmirza23 Thank you for reading. Please feel free to send me the link of your blogs and comment below if you have similar views. 
- Manal Mirza

ARE WE SLAVES OF AR-RAHMAN? Find out (Part-1)

Assalamualaikum WaramatuAllahi Wabarakaatuhu!

I would like to share with you some beautiful ayats of Surah Al Furqan.
We often ask ourselves how can we become better Muslims? What is there more than praying five times a day, paying zakat, performing Hajj & fasting in the month of Ramadan? Well you have your answer coming up now. There are many things what we, as Muslims, can do to become the Slaves of Ar-Rahman, The Most Merciful, The Most Compassionate! The only intention to become the slaves of Ar Rahman is to please Allah, increase our Iman and to become closer to Allah SubhanaAllah wa Ta'la! :)
So What can we do to become the Slaves of Ar-Rahman? Simple! Allah has clearly mentioned us what are the qualities of Ibaadur Rahman from Verses 63- 75. And He didn't mention these qualities for no reason. But He mentioned them so that we take heed from His ayats and strive to become one of them. 
Today I would like to share only a couple of those qualities so when we read, we gain some knowledge and after we have acquired that knowledge, we also need to act upon that knowledge. Slowly, slowly can we only become better Mo'mins. So let's begin! :)

1. True Servants of the Compassionate (Allah) are those who walk on the Earth in Humility and when the ignorant people address them, they say, "Peace"

We need to keep a check on our walk to see if we are not walking with our chests out, walking with our muscles all flexed up, walking lazily, walking with pride or show off etc.
Our Rasool Sallalahu alaihi waSallam used to walk so humbly as if he was walking down the hill with firm steps and in a constant pace. mashaAllah! We need to walk with humility, grace and with gentleness, making sure that no one is affected with our walk. What is inside our hearts will also reflect on our outside. So humble your heart free from arrogance and walk with humility. :)

Ibaadur Rahman are also those who do not indulge in fights or arguments especially when the foolish ones or the ignorant ones address them in a very bad way. But let's talk about ourselves. What do we do when an ignorant addresses us? We are the ones who become the most ignorant of all by cursing them, making sure they are humiliated and feel worse about themselves. May Allah forgive us all.
We should say Peace and walk away rather than indulging in any kind of fights or abusive arguments. This is the Sifat of the genuine slaves of Allah!

2. Who pass the night prostrating before their Rabb and standing in prayers.
How can we be the ones who pray Qiyaam Al Layl or Tahajjud at nights? Only if we spend our days in productivity and not wasting our energy in things that tires us but does not benefit us. We need to sleep early at night and make sincere intentions to wake up for tahajjud. Then only will we be among the Ibaadur Rahman!

3. Who say, "O, Our Rabb ward off the punishment of Hell fire from us, for its punishment is Atrocious."

They make duwa to Allah to remove the punishment of Hell fire from them. Why? Because even after doing so many righteous deeds they feel as if their deeds are not enough to please Allah. They know that only the Mercy of Allah can remove them from Hell Fire.
But we, after doing a single good deed, consider ourselves righteous and forgiven by Allah. As if we have done a lot of good deeds and now its enough. AstagfirAllah! For Ibaadur Rahman, they are always humble and even the thought of Hell fire fears them and they just want that punishment to be warded off from them.
We need to check our intentions a lot before doing any good deed. Just because you performed Hajj once and don't want to do it again, doesn't mean you are forgiven or saved from Hell. We need to keep on striving for the best. 
What our problem is that when we do a good deed, we feel great and proud of ourselves that we have done something great and now we don't need to do more deeds and start sinning again as if its no big deal. May Allah save us from this.

These three qualities are enough for now. Let us all act upon these ayaats to become more closer to Allah. I will share the next few qualities of Ibaadur Rahman in my next post. in sha Allah! Stay tuned! :)

JazakumuAllah hu khairam for reading. Please share, rate, comment and follow my Blog for more posts. 

Ask me anything regarding this topic at http://ask.fm/manalmirza23 Thank you for reading. Please feel free to send me the link of your blogs and comment below if you have similar views. 
- Manal Mirza