Living in the moment…

Posted: March 29, 2012 in Family Reminders, Lifestyle, Personal Reflections, Reflections & Lessons
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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

I got carried away scrolling down my Twitter timeline while sitting at the dinner table last night, I’m sure there was something meaningful I was looking for to share with my wife and sister but I got distracted and made my way through the mostly useless tweets I missed through the day. My wife was quick to remind me that it was dinner time and I immediately put my phone away. When I think about it now, not only is it sad but it was extremely rude. I don’t think we can use technology and social media to justify breaking traditional social protocols.

Facebook and Twitter connect us with family and friends around the world which is amazing but can we really justify a connection through social media at the expense of those sitting right next to us?

I’m a big fan of Facebook and Twitter so I’m not going to advocate against the use of technology and social media but I do think that it’s worth reflecting on how much time we spend using these mediums of socialising while neglecting our immediate social environment.

Next time you’re tweeting about what you ate for dinner or uploading dinner pics to facebook or drawing something for someone across the world to guess… think about the people sitting with you at the dinner table… connect with them first and live in the moment you’re in.

Friday morning…

Posted: March 16, 2012 in Daily Reminders, Family Reminders, Friday (Jumuah) Reminders, Reminders
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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

As I took out the trash this morning I was reminded of a little story … The Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was seen by one of his companions while taking out the trash.  His companion was alarmed and said to the Prophet: Oh Messenger of God, you are taking out the trash!  The Prophet replied: who should I have take out the trash, the mother of the believers?

Following the Sunnah is really not that difficult… Blessed Jumuah!

My sisters wedding…

Posted: February 22, 2012 in Lifestyle, Reflections & Lessons
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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

I had the privilege of speaking at my sister’s wedding a few weeks ago, this is an extract of my speech:

As we celebrate and commemorate tonight, I believe it is important to distinguish the marriage from the wedding and the events attached to it. The wedding will end tonight, the honeymoon will end in a few weeks, its the marriage, the Nikah that will live beyond the events we’ve come to enjoy over the past few days. Behind all the glitter and glamour… beyond the fancy clothes and the delicious food lies a simple tradition, a simple belief… the Sunnah of Nikah!

In order to fully appreciate the importance of Nikah and benefit from the merits attached to it, we must reflect on the tradition itself and the divine wisdom behind it. We witness everyday the blatant disregard for marriage so the very fact that we are here today to celebrate this Nikkah is a blessing in itself and worthy of our acknowledgement.

As a newly wed myself, I don’t believe I am in a position yet to be giving marital advice but if there’s one piece of advise I will give the couple tonight, it would be this, that there is not much that can go wrong in a marriage if both parties respect and acknowledge the institute of marriage itself. Understand that this Nikkah has been prescribed upon you and that your spouse has been predetermined for you, it is this understanding and acceptance of divine intervention that will allow you to succeed not just in marriage but in all aspects of life.

May Allah keep us all happily married!

Reflection: Less racing, more winning!

Posted: February 21, 2012 in Personal Reflections
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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

I realized today that I sometimes get carried away with certain obsessions at the expense of things more rewarding and fulfilling in life. It must be a human thing because it feels natural and you often notice it in other people. I guess the wisdom lies in the realization of these obsessions and the ability to recognize and alter the way you do things.

For the past few months I’ve been obsessed with my fitness and as a result, I now hold 2 concurrent gym memberships. I’m sure I’ll make good use of them but in hindsight, it may not have been the brightest idea. Reflecting on my actions I’ve realized that by obsessing over it, my expectations where higher and it became more difficult to achieve what I was set out to achieve.

That’s not what I regret though, what I regret are the things I missed out on.

As my passion for the obsession fizzled, I stopped chasing it so much and have found my priorities re-aligned with the more important things in life. As soon as my focus shifted, my priorities changed, I felt more fulfilled and despite not frequenting the gym as often… I’m fitter than ever … And I have more time for my family!

Alhamdulillah!

Australia’s 1st prime time tv ad…

Posted: November 18, 2011 in Uncategorized
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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

 

There’s been growing emphasis on the separation of Religion from schools, government and other public sectors. I read an article recently that proposed an overhaul of the regulation surrounding religious celebrations in public schools including banning Easter and Christmas celebrations. We now have a Prime Minister who doesn’t believe in God, it seems Religion has taken a back seat in the public eye and only creeps up on Current Affair shows. Until a few weeks ago, the thought of religious propagation through mainstream media was a pipe dream.

The first Mormon ads aired on local TV recently and I recall my wife asking me if I thought we’d ever witness Islamic ads on TV in the future, my response was pessimistic with a slight hint of hope. With the media coverage Islam currently gets, to me, an ad promoting the Religion seemed far-fetched. The Mormon ads were done well, very simple and effective. A few years back, I probably wouldn’t have thought much of the ads as I didn’t have any knowledge of the Mormon faith. Having worked with people of the Mormon faith for over a year now, the ads appealed to me because I could relate to both, the people and the faith. I thought to myself, if there ever were Islamic TV ads, they should be done the way the Mormon ads were done – steering away for traditional preaching and text book Da’wah.

To my amazement, a few weeks later the first Islamic TV ad aired on local television. The ad itself is 30 seconds long and consists of 3 key points based on Quran & Sunnah. The message is one of peace and understanding, promoting aspects of Islam that the average person wouldn’t even consider.

The ad promotes awareness of Islam and emphasises the similarities between “Australian” and “Islamic” values. The voice-over creates the perfect dramatic overlay to a subtle yet concise message. A message of Religious tolerance and understanding!

As an Australian Muslim, I don’t believe the ad could have been done any better. I was impressed when I read about it online and I was amazed when it aired on TV a few weeks later. It will take more than a 30 second TV ad to address the misconceptions of Islam but I believe this is a great start. The campaign makes me proud to be an Australian Muslim.

Allah’s plan…

Posted: September 28, 2011 in Personal Reflections, Remembering Allah
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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Sitting on a bus en route to Brisbane airport after our flight from the Gold Coast was cancelled, I was reminded of a verse from the Quran. “They plan and Allah plans, and Allah is the best of planners.”

Its a good reminder of how helpless we are, we can plot and plan all we want but Allah knows what’s best for us. I enjoy acknowledging the power of Allah in these situations. It’s humbling and reassuring to know that He is watching us and guiding us.

When you understand the magnitude of Allah’s power and trust in what has been decreed for you, it’s easier to accept and be content when things don’t go as you planned.

I’m grateful for the ability to recognize Allah’s power and accept his plan. I really hope the weather clears and we can get to Melbourne tonight Insha Allah!

Ramadhan Reflections: The first few days…

Posted: September 3, 2011 in Personal Reflections, Ramadhan Reminders, Reflections & Lessons
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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

With Eid celebrations well under way and the month of Shawwal now upon us, each day that passes by takes with it a small part of the legacy of Ramadhan. As time separates us from the Blessed month, we are presented with another opportunity to test our faith and enhance our spirituality. Many of us experienced a spiritual high during Ramadhan, no matter how much or how little we were able to achieve, we all experienced a sense of peace and spiritual enlightenment. No words can describe the feeling of satisfaction and contentment that Ramadhan brings with it.

During the past few weeks we were able to sacrifice food & drink all day, we controlled our desires and were still able to stand in prayer at night. We woke up earlier, slept later, at times didn’t sleep at all but we did it and I know most of us enjoyed it. It’s important to look back and reflect on what we were able to achieve during Ramadhan, if we could do it during Ramadhan, the only thing stopping us from continuing outside of Ramadhan is a lack of motivation.

Reflect on Ramadhan and realise your potential, the mercy and blessings that descended during this month may have boosted our faith but the real change came from within ourselves. We all made an effort, we all experienced the change and Insha Allah we will all be rewarded.

The month may have ended but our efforts and achievements shouldn’t end with it. Waking up for Fajr may not be as easy any more, and I’m speaking from experience here, it’s all good to do it for 30 days but the true test comes the day after Eid, when we’re all recovering from the celebrations and feasting. I believe it’s our actions during the first few days after Ramadhan that determine whether we are able to maintain our spirituality and carry on the legacy of Ramadhan throughout the year.

After a month of hard work and dedication, we need a little break to adjust our routine, perhaps make up for some lost sleep and enjoy the festivities of Eid. As we celebrate our achievements and return to our normal routine, remember the month of Ramadhan, remember what we achieved, remember the effort we made and remember the peace and contentment we experienced.

Our efforts shouldn’t end with the sighting (or calculation of the birth) of the new crescent. Maintaining our spirituality during the first few days after Ramadhan will allow us to benefit from Ramadhan throughout the year. May Allah accept our efforts, allow us to maintain our faith through the year and may we witness many more Blessed months Insha Allah.

…and remember… “The deeds most loved by Allah are those done regularly, even if they are small.”

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