Tag Archives: Spirituality

Ramdhan Reminders: Day 1…

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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Oh Allah, on this day make my fasts the fasts of those who fast (sincerely), and my standing up in prayer of those who stand up in prayer (obediently), awaken me in it from the sleep of the heedless, and forgive me my sins , O God of the worlds, and forgive me, O one who forgives the sinners.

We are encouraged to make dua in abundance during the month of Ramadhan, these are recommended Dua’s. May Allah accept all our prayers Insha Allah.

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

Ramadan Reminders: Rejuvenation thru Salaah…

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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Time Management in Ramadan is key to achieving spiritual success. Very few of us have the luxury of just dropping everything for 30 days and focussing on Ramadan so it is essential to plan and manage your time to allow maximum benefit. I’ve found that planning your day around your Salaah is a good strategy. The biggest gap is between Fajr and Dhur which allows you to focus on productivity, take advantage of the first half of the day and get most of your work/study done then. Dhur is a good break from work and allows you to refresh and rejuvenate.

People always tell me to nap at mid-day, I’d love to, but if I sleep at Dhur time I may miss Asr and Maghrib so until it becomes necessary, I’ll be skipping the mid day siesta.  After mastering the Qailulah, I highly recommend it for anyone who can spare 20-25 mins after Dhur each day.The time between Dhur and Asr is shorter but this is when your energy levels begin depleting. By 3 pm its time for another break, pray Asr and refresh yourself once again.

If you’re not sleeping enough and not keeping healthy, the time between Asr and Maghrib can become challenging, I find this time to be least productive in terms of work/study so I prefer to use this time to make Dhikr and reflect on Ramadan itself. Its the home stretch so give it all you got!

May Allah accept our efforts!

Ramadhan Reminders: Keep Healthy, Keep Hydrated…

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In the Name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

As much as fasting is not about the mere abstinence of food & water, it’s important to plan your day and prepare for the fast to avoid a melt down. Fasting is an act of worship and if you’re doing it right, Allah will make it easy for you… but this doesn’t mean you don’t need to make any effort. Between all the soft drinks and fried stuff, many of us neglect on keeping well hydrated. This year I’ll be keeping a water bottle with me from sunset to sunrise Insha Allah. Hydration is very important and can influence the way your body acts and reacts throughout the day. Your food intake through the night can greatly influence the way you feel through the day so be mindful of that. If you’re looking for tips on keeping healthy this Ramadhan, check out 5 tips for a healthier Ramadhan!

Kudos to the Gold Coast Musjid for providing bottled water for everyone at Taraweeh!

Blessed Ramadhan!

 

Ramadhan Reminders: Its not about the food…

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In the Name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Stay focused in Ramadhan. Don’t obsess about food and don’t let your Ramadhan revolve around the dinner/iftaar table. There are lessons to be learnt and sacrifices to be made, getting through each day just to make it to the dinner table defeats the purpose of the fast so keep that in mind and make the best of this auspicious month.

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

Taking Care Of Your Children Through Good Deeds…

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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Many of you might be familiar with the story of Musa (A.S) and His encounter with Al-Khidr. For anyone who isn’t, watch this space and Insha Allah I will summarise the story at a later time. There were 3 events that took place on this journey, in summary, they were:

  1. Al-Khidr made a hole in the boat of the men that assisted them to cross the sea
  2. Al-Khidr killed a child
  3. Al-Khidr reinforced a broken wall in a town whose people were selfish and inhospitable
I’d like to focus on the 3rd event that took place as there is a great lesson to be learnt.  Beneath the wall lay a treasure that belonged to 2 orphans, so in order to protect the treasure from the people of the town, Al-Khidr fixed the wall. It was revealed that the reason he was ordered to fix the wall for the orphans was because their father was a righteous man.
“And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure belonging to them, and their father was a righteous man; so your Lord desired that they should attain their maturity and take out their treasure, a mercy from your Lord, and I did not do it of my own accord. This is the significance of that with which you could not have patience.” (Surah al-Kahf)
Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbas: “They were taken care of because their father was a righteous man, although it is not stated that they themselves were righteous.”

In this is a great lesson for parents today. Uphold the commandments of Allah and Allah will take care of your children whether you are with them or not.

Remembering Allah: Alhamdulillah…

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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Make a habit if saying Alhamdulillah and acknowledge Allah in everything you do. It’s very easy to forget and to neglect this. Acknowledging Allah as often as possible will save you from becoming selfish, self-centered and proud.

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

Ramadhaan Preps: Clear up the clutter…

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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

The month of Ramadhaan is fast approaching and with only a few days to go, it’s time to consider a few Lifestyle Optimisation Strategies. Clear up the clutter now so you can take advantage of every opportunity during the month of Ramadhaan.

  • Make up previous year’s missed fasts / Pay Fidyah, etc. depending on your circumstances
  • Read Quran – if possible, complete your current recitation and begin a new one in the month of Ramadhaan
  • Get a good sleep cycle going so you can handle waking up for Suhoor/Sehri
  • Go easy on socialising and social media so you can avoid unnecessary talk/chat, etc
  • Limit the amount of Entertainment/Television/Gaming, etc
  • Plan your meals early – Ramadhaan is not just about food but since we need to eat and drink, plan your menu in advance and make all necessary preparations so you don’t waste time in the kitchen.
  • Shop now – get your shopping done early, stock up on groceries and your Eid clothes too so you’re not frequenting the shops when you can be benefiting from  the virtue of this auspicious month.
It’s been a year since the last Ramadhaan, take this opportunity to get into the Ramadhaan zone so you don’t waste valuable time trying to find your feet. Prepare early, prepare well and get ready for the month of Mercy.
May Allah extend our lives so we may witness the month of Ramadhaan Insha Allah.

The night of Bara'ah…

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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

The night of Bara’ah is upon us. Here is a Dua to be recited on this auspicious night:

أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ، وَأَعُوذُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عِقَابِكَ،
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ لَا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ

“I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your annoyance, and I seek refuge in Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek Your refuge from Yourself. I cannot praise You in the manner that You deserve. You are exactly as You have defined Yourself.”

May Allah allow us to benefit from this night and witness many more nights of Barakah!

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

Preparing for the month of Ramdhan: Fasting in Sha'ban…

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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

The month of Sha’ban precedes the greatest month in the Islamic calendar and is a good opportunity to prepare for the auspicious month of Ramadhan.

The blessed companion Anas (RA) reports that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was asked, “Which fast is the most meritorious after the fasts of Ramadan?” He replied, “Fasts of Shaban in honor of Ramadan.”

Umm Salamah (RA) says: “I have never seen the Messenger of Allah fasting for two months continuously except in the months of Sha’ban and Ramadan.”

These narrations highlight the importance of fasting during the month of Sha’ban. This weekend is a great opportunity to prepare for the month of Ramadhan and earn extra rewards Insha Allah.

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

Modesty: Dress to impress…

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In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful.

Musa (A.S) was a very modest man and always dressed appropriately (i.e. he covered his body). The people of Israel were unashamed and lacked in this respect to the extent that they would bathe together in the nude.  When Musa (A.S) chose to bathe alone in seclusion and chose to cover his body and not reveal it to them, they accused him of hiding something, they accused him of being infected or diseased.

In this there is a lesson for Muslims today. When we cover our bodies and choose not to display ourselves inappropriately we are accused of being oppressive and our intentions are often questioned. Don’t make the mistake of conforming with these ideals, we are meant to be different, we are meant to set an example. So be proud of who you are, uphold Islam in the way you dress and Allah will be impressed.

Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty:
That will make for greater purity for them. Qur’an 24:30-31

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