NATIONALISM IN ISLAM

Assalamualaikum Warahamatuallahi Wabarakaatuhu!

There is no nationalism in Islam. There are some people who claim to be super proud Pakistanis or super proud Indians or super proud Saudis to the extent that they start hating other nationalities and start feeling superior and start abusing or degrading people of other nations. This is strictly forbidden in Islam and this is the way of absolute ignorance. This is exactly what is happening in America, India, Pakistan and many other European countries where people from different countries are looked down upon as if they were a piece of scum. Only in the name of nationalism or racism.  Especially when it comes to Indians and Pakistanis, Israelis and Palestinians, the hate and disrespect for each other is appalling. Ofcourse this doesn't apply to everyone. It would be unjust to label everyone as racists but let's just say, it's pretty common all over the world.
I personally never really cared to be an Indian, all I care about is my identity as a Muslim. Yes, I am happy to be an Indian but this never made me feel superior or made myself to be divided from my other fellow humans in the name of Nationalism. May Allah keep us steadfast. 
The Prophet Sallalahu alaihi wa sallam said, “He who promotes nationalism is not one of us, neither the one who fights for the sake of nationalism, nor the one who is passionate for nationalism.” [Sahih Muslim]
Islam teaches us to be united because of our faith and to not be divided because of our nationalities. Such partisanship divides Muslims, while Allah commands us to unite, and help one another in causes of good deeds and righteousness, and He forbids division and discord.
This is the true teaching of Islam, to be untied and to eradicate old practices of ignorance from our current affairs and affairs to come. Be loving and kind to other people and welcome other nationalities with open arms.
This is why when millions of people from different parts of the world come to do Hajj and Umrah, we see that there is no distinction between an Arab and a non-Arab, all are muslims and one! 

جزاكم الله خيرا كثيرا for reading! 

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- Manal Mirza

DON'T BE JEALOUS OF ONE ANOTHER

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuhu!

Abu Hurairah [RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“Avoid jealousy between yourselves, do not outbid one another (with a view to raising the price), do not harbor hatred against one another, do not bear enmity against one another, one of you should not enter into a transaction when the other has already entered into it; and be fellow brothers and slaves of Allah. A Muslim is a Muslim’s brother. He does not wrong, desert or despise him. Piety is found here (pointing three times to his chest), despising his Muslim brother is enough evil for any man to do. Every Muslim’s blood, property and honor are unlawful to be violated by another Muslim.” Related by Muslim.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-{ لَا تَحَاسَدُوا وَلَا تَنَاجَشُوا, وَلَا تَبَاغَضُوا, وَلَا تَدَابَرُوا, وَلَا يَبِعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَيْعِ بَعْضٍ, وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اَللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا, اَلْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو اَلْمُسْلِمِ, لَا يَظْلِمُهُ, وَلَا يَخْذُلُهُ, وَلَا يَحْقِرُهُ, اَلتَّقْوَى هَا هُنَا, وَيُشِيرُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلَاثَ مِرَارٍ, بِحَسْبِ اِمْرِئٍ مِنْ اَلشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ اَلْمُسْلِمَ, كُلُّ اَلْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى اَلْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ, دَمُهُ, وَمَالُهُ, وَعِرْضُهُ } أَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ.‏ (1959)‏ .‏

‏1 ‏- صحيح.‏ رواه مسلم (2564)‏.‏

 Book 16, Hadith 1539 

Jealousy is very common these days. Jealousy is so common that people have now started working their ways into satisfying their jealousy to the extent that others get hurt or have serious issues. Jealousy is also happening especially when there is a rapid rise of media outlet where everyone is sharing everything and every bit of their lives online. This leads to people envying each other and wishing and desiring for things that others have and feeling bad that they don't have it like good food, beautiful partners, makeup, shoes, accessories, bodies etc! This leads to the extremely dangerous jealousy where the person starts to wish bad upon the person he/she is jealous of. One starts cursing them which is very bad and unacceptable!
The worst thing is when women see other women they are friends with or even related to, and start hating them for it internally. And men get jealous when they see other men having better cars, jobs, wives than themselves. This is a disease. A big disease!! Not only the person who is jealous gets restless, the people who he/she is jealous off also suffers big time, either due to evil eye, or secretly plotted disaster like black magic or simply slandering, calumny or dishonoring.

“Beware of jealousy, for verily it destroys good deeds the way fire destroys wood.” (Abu Dawood)

To be jealous of another person is itself dangerous. It burns off your good deeds slowly but surely.

Why should one be jealous? We must be happy for other's blessings. We should not wish bad upon them or assume that they don't deserve it. It is Allah's Decree that He wishes to provide for someone with whatever Provision He wills. We have no right to unnecessarily interfere into other's businesses or lives to see how they live and why they live and that they don't deserve it. Be happy and most importantly, we all should be GRATEFUL! Say Alhumdulillah that we have a lot of things to be grateful off like our husbands, our families, our children, our houses, our jobs, our lives, our iman and everything basically! We need to accept of what we have been given and what others have been given and being happy for everyone in the end. 

[Also don't be that type of person who purposefully makes others jealous by showing off and what not. Don't do that. Please.]

When we envy others and ask questions or point fingers or start talking about that particular person, we need to ask ourselves, is that really any of my concern? Does this really benefit me? Do I need to talk about it? Is it really worth it? When you know it's not, you'll stop and it only takes a little practice to process and perfect this thought and action. Just avoid that thought, just avoid talking or matter of fact, just thinking about that person. Just practice that and see you feeling light. Jealousy is a negative trait and thought, and getting relieved of it is very liberating. 

Remember that not everyone has a perfect life. You must be deluded by the outward appearances or outward leisure of other people but it's not always the case. No one is happy all the time, what they show to you might not be what they really are in private. We need to see the overall picture and not always get carried away with the glitters and amusement of others' lives. Look at the lives of the famous celebrities and youtubers, how they always keep crying and keep complaining of discontentment! They got everything, but are they really happy? What do you really like from them? Their happiness or their fame? They ain't got happy lives all the times. What you can do for yourself is pray for your betterment and to work hard to get what you want in life! Be busy. The more you are free you will find yourself occupied in these petty little issues which are so very insignificant. 

So remember there is always something better and good that YOU have and you only need to acknowledge it and be grateful for it and to never compare your life with others'. It's not worth it. In fact, before building up the feelings of jealousy remember that jealousy is a SIN and committing this sin robs you of your good deeds. 

Just remember this beautiful and thoughtful advice from our Prophet sallalahu alaihi wasallam


Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him):

Allah’s Apostle (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said, “Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales and do not look for the others’ faults, and do not do spying on one another, and do not practice Najsh, and do not be jealous of one another and do not hate one another, and do not desert (stop talking to) one another. And O, Allah’s worshipers! Be brothers!”

Muslim :: Book 32 : Hadith 6218

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) as saying: “Don’t bear aversion against one another and don’t be jealous of one another and be servants of Allah.”

At-Tirmidhee narrated from al-Zubayr Ibn al-Awam (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “There has come to you the disease of the nations before you, jealousy and hatred. This is the ‘shaver’ (destroyer); I do not say that it shaves hair, but that it shaves (destroys) faith…” [(Hasan) Jamee at-Tirmidhee (2434)]

جزاكم الله خيرا كثيرا for reading! 

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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

BACK WITH A POWERFUL IMPLEMENTING HADITH

Assalamualaikum Warahmatuallahi Wabarakaatuhu!!

It's been long since a posted anything on my blog. And, there are many reasons for that like for instance I was having my final exams, moving my house, having my holidays begun, having my sister over from Canada, getting into Ramadan with my brother here and traveling by road to places we never went and now, teaching Summer Islamic course!

I know it's a lot but now here I am, coming back to set my mind back into perspective, trying my best to think for the positive outcome and bringing back the hope of benefiting others I had when I first began this blog. in sha Allah!

We can start over by this wonderful hadith that I came across today, and if we all tried to implement on this hadith then we would achieve a lot in this dunya and aakhirah. 




Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "1. He who removes from a believer one of his difficulties of this world, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and 2. he who finds relief for a hard-pressed person, Allah will make things easy for him on the Day of Resurrection; 3. he who covers up (the faults and sins) of a Muslim, Allah will cover up (his faults and sins) in this world and in the Hereafter. 4. Allah supports His slave as long as the slave is supportive of his brother; and 5. he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah makes that path easy, leading to Jannah for him; 6. the people who assemble in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, learning it and teaching, there descends upon them the tranquillity, and mercy covers them, the angels flock around them, and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him; and 7. he who lags behind in doing good deeds, his noble lineage will not make him go ahead.'' [Muslim]

These are some of the things we all must hurry ourselves into implementing. This is one of the greatest hadiths that teaches us about brotherhood, removing harm from others, acquiring knowledge and removing ignorance, to teach others and help others in times of difficulty and to not deceive them in any way. 

I hope this hadith brings some change in our behaviors and actions bi idhnillah!

Pray for my khair and consistency. 

جزاكم الله خيرا كثيرا for reading! 
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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

HALAL IS CLEAR AND HARAM IS CLEAR

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuhu

This hadith is added to the collection of Arbaeen Nawawi by Imam An Nawawi at the sixth rank from the sequential order. 

On the authority of an-Nu’man ibn Basheer (ra), who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, “That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters [eventually] falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh, which, if it be whole, all the body is whole, and which, if it is diseased, all of [the body] is diseased. Truly, it is the heart.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ: سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم يَقُولُ: "إنَّ الْحَلَالَ بَيِّنٌ، وَإِنَّ الْحَرَامَ بَيِّنٌ، وَبَيْنَهُمَا أُمُورٌ مُشْتَبِهَاتٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُنَّ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ النَّاسِ، فَمَنْ اتَّقَى الشُّبُهَاتِ فَقْد اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ، وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ وَقَعَ فِي الْحَرَامِ، كَالرَّاعِي يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَرْتَعَ فِيهِ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى، أَلَا وَإِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ مَحَارِمُهُ، أَلَا وَإِنَّ فِي الْجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إذَا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، وَإذَا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الْجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ، أَلَا وَهِيَ الْقَلْبُ".
[رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ]، [وَمُسْلِمٌ].

Reference : 40 Hadith Nawawi 6 

If you really want to understand this hadith, you will need to read it word by word and understand what it really means. Comprehending is not that difficult, it's quite simple, it's we who read ahadiths really quickly and jumping to conclusions. 

In Islam, halal and haram has been clearly defined to us and what falls into halal and what falls into haram has also been clearly stated to us Muslims in the Qur'an and sunnah of Rasool sallalahu alaihi wa sallam.  But what is in between these two are ambiguous, obscured and unclear matters that haven't been made clear to us and the rulings of which we don't know, and they are the 'doubtful matters' or 'grey matters'. We are asked to stay away from these grey area as these cause doubts or suspicions in our heart as to whether they are right or wrong. This is where we are tested, what we really do on the grey matters. Do we stay away from them or go near it? That's the real test.


And we know we are asked to stay from anything that is doubtful or suspicious lest it puts us in a calamity. If you are in a prayer and you suddenly get a doubt of whether you have broken your wudhoo or not. You will eradicate this doubt because you won't break your salat on the basis of a doubt. Your salat will be broken if you heard a sound or smelled something or felt something. It is broken on the basis of daleel; Proof.  

The sins are like a private sanctuary, it's like a border of caution and beyond that comprises the area of sins, the area of prohibitions. It's like a big sign in front of that sanctuary, NO ENTRY, NO TRESPASSING. And whoever dares to go inside has committed a felony, he has committed haram. And whoever goes NEAR that border of sign is usually tempted to go inside that trespassing border of sins.  This place of temptation is the Grey area, Ambiguous, unclear matters which we don't know.  


And we are asked to stay away from the grey area and we need to stay close to the halal as much as possible. Stay near the border of halal and lawful things which you can do without having any doubt.

A person who stays close to the grey area usually falls into the haram activities. For example, a woman is used to bleaching her eyebrows so that she can get a nice shape of it because she thinks plucking is only what is stated as haram in the Hadith and not bleaching, or trimming them, so she does it thinking she is doing halal, but what she is exactly fallen into is the grey matter, ambiguous, unclear matter. She is in the temptation border, which is very close to the haram. This is the doubtful matter which we are asked to stay away from because if we fell into it we will also fall into haram matters.  We will start doing what is haram as well that is plucking them and shaping them.

We need to protect ourselves by staying in the halal border.  We usually satisfy ourselves by going near the haram things without actually doing it, then we complain about how we never did anything but the haram just happened. Just like when girls or boys make friends of opposite gender, think that 'we can totally stay friends', (remember they are in the temptation border by being just friends) and sooner or later they will fall into haram by either falling in love, or start dating. Or sometimes the men say the first glance at the women is allowed and he fools himself by this and keeps staring at her just at the first glance, and therefore, he is in this grey area. And what do you think will happen to him after falling into this grey area? He will definitely fall into the haram. 

What is the benefit of staying away from the grey area?? 

He will save his religion and honor. He will save that! And he surely does save them!

Remember the grey areas are the slippery areas, if you walk on it, you will definitely slip in the black area of Haram!

This hadith is such a clear way of living of life as a Muslim. If ever you have any doubt regarding any matter, first clear that matter and if you don't find a solution to that matter, stay away from the obscurity.  Guard yourself and then you will find yourself much close to halal than haram.  In sha Allah!

May Allah grant us the straight path for steadfastness. Ameen!

جزاكم الله خيرا كثيرا for reading! Ask me anything regarding this  topic heree 

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

PROBLEM IN TODAY'S YOUTH

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuhu!!!

Most of the times when the question of straightening our Ummah comes, the consideration of straightening the youth comes at least once. This is one of the most least talked about topics of this generation… The truth behind this can come from the greatest scholars who’ve written books on these issues or from somebody who is striving against these problems as youth too. According to what I have experienced and what I have come across the problem of the youth under lies in many paths of the road of this world and enjoyment.

FRIENDS: The biggest issue that any practicing muslimah or any muslimah in general would face is through her friends. As the famous hadith goes, you are on your friend’s deen. This is exactly how many of the youngsters have failed to come out off. Whatever the friend does, you do. Whatever language your friend speaks, You speak. Your friend curses, You swear double. Your friend hangs out with boys, so do you.

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “A man is upon the religion of his best friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends.” [Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 483 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to An-Nawawi]

Of course there is an exception to this, not many are like this. But majority are. Unfortunately, the fitna of friends is very easy to fall in, and coming out from it is only by leaving that company itself. For the sake of Allah!

MATERIALISM: Many of the youth have become so materialistic that they think they will only feel contended if they buy a little something or eat a little something. Without that iPhone not many are happy, without that Anastasia Beverly hills liquid lipstick many are not happy. Without those shoes or dress they will look ugly or they won’t fit in. Hoarding things that majority of the crowd is hoarding has become a major disease that our ummah is being engulfed into. It’s a sad reality and many are working to lead such a life. They are earning more of the dunya. When was the last time a youth had an intention to earn to give sadaqah? To spend in an Islamic or beneficial education? To give it to parents? To spend it on relatives?

FOOD: Food is also a form of materialism. When you eat or consume something that is junk all the time or dining out all the time, you are spending way more money than you would normally spend if you were to cook at home and eat. Not only are our youth eating way too much they are spending way too much. What you consume is what you are. If you are eating what pleases you all the time you are satiating your stomach with your desires, and when you fulfill your desires you get used to that life and you are less immune into facing changes or hardships in life. When was the last time, if you as a youth had to eat food you didn’t like, didn’t become angry or irritated? We have revolved our lives so much around food that the moment we wake up, we think of what we will eat, where we will eat and with whom we will eat. This is a disease and we think it is a way of life. We should only eat what is necessary and not eat till everything becomes a calamity for us to do.

SELF-OBSESSION: Not only girls but even guys are facing self-obsession due to media outlets and it is very saddening. The high demand in the makeup world is one of the biggest causes of self-obsession in girls and it is the collecting of money and showing it off in guys. Extreme immodesty has increased in our ummah, there is no shame in doing anything. Where there is no shame, then one can do anything as they will, and this is what is happening, the youth are doing anything they want. Exceptional love and admiration in oneself is way different than being confident and Islam has not liked the behavior of a narcissist self-obsessing humans. It is one of the diseases of heart and it needs to be cured by removing the root cause or replacing it with humility.

 MUSIC: The fact that many don’t consider music to be prohibited and sinful, is a sin in itself. And only a countable number of youth don’t listen to music. May Allah accept from them. Listening of music is happening even in practicing households and every single girl and boy are listening to filthy music. It’s like a habit. It’s a routine. Parents are not stopping the kids from listening to music let alone supervise what kind of music is being heard. One has to remove this illness from the heart because Music is considered to be the whisperings of the shaitaan, and the heart where music lies is a place of darkness. Just refer to this link https://islamqa.info/en/5000 for more information on music being haram and listening to it is sinful.

Taking care of our youth is our responsibility and with responsibility comes great consistency. When these root causes are removed, naturally a normal teenager would be praying five times a day, understanding Qur’an, lowering gaze, doing hijab, staying away from haram and enjoying life within the halal boundaries and being grateful for every single thing. In sha Allah!!

May Allah guide us all and reward us for striving against these fitnas. Ameen! :D

جزاكم الله خيرا كثيرا for reading!

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