The Vacation Called Taraweeh: Rest

An Exclusive Vacation Called Taraweeh:

When: Ramadan
Location: Any Masjid
Destination: Allah
Cost:Priceless
Goal: Rest & Relax
Passport: A heart that remembers Allah

Did you ever wonder why you love coming to salat al tarweeh even though its about two hours long?

The word tarweeh comes from the arabic word "Raaha" which means rest and relax

This explains why although it is two hours of long standing we still love it and we are so sad when Ramadan is over

While people spend thousands of dollars to go on vacation just so they can "rest and relax", Muslims await for the Tarweeh.Muslims dont have to go on vacation to achieve
this relaxation, they just wait for Ramadan...

 

Through the tarweeh it is not your body that is at rest, but rather your heart is at rest as it remembers Allah

Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.
Surat Al-Rad Aya 28

The one whos salat brings this this feeling of raha will tell you two hours is not enough, and they will get up in the middle of the night for the salaatul Qiyaam.

While people find sleeping as a form of rest the believer's find the standing of long  salaat and the making of long sujuds as the greatest form of rest...

The one who has not yet tasted the sweetness of faith in salat will not understand how long salat is a form of rest and relaxation.

Those who have achieved the raha part of the tarweeh try to prolong thier sujud and thier eyes are filled with tears  as thier hearts remember Allah....

I have a question for...has your heart cried this Ramadan?

Have you cried for your sins, or simply because you love Allah?

In the next sujud ask Allah to make you cry because the Prophet said

"One teardrop that falls from the eye of a believer out of love and fear for Him is better than this world and everything it contains!"

If you achieve raha -rest/relaxation this Ramadan you will find yourself in Ramadan withdrawal mood as you will miss ramadan greatly and most of all you will miss the feeling of rest your heart has but you can ask Allah to allow your heart to awlays have this feeling!!

Ask Allah to give to prolong  this feeling of "Raha" throughout the rest of this Ramadan and throughout your entire life

Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah's Reminder -this Quran....

Surah Al-Hadid Aya 16

I want to relate this aya to those speak over the recitation of the Quran...

If you are talking over the Quran during the salat, then your heart has still not been affected by the beauty of the Quran...

It may have to do with the fact that you may not understand what is being recited. I understand its hard... imagine I start talking in Chinese  I will lose your attention right away....some of you may argue I dont understand arabic...sure alot of ppl didnt but humdallah now they understand

 When you understand the meaning of the Quran you are given the great chance to think,ponder, contemplate, and more importantly truly connect with Allah as you listen to what He speaks as the Quran is known as His words...

You want to achieve raha? You have to understand the Quran, so make it your lifetime goal to understand the Quran, and start now...make it your goal to read the arabic aya followed by the english definition and slowly the words will become familiar to you as many of them are repetitive throughout the Quran...and more importantly ask Allah to help you understand His words because in the end He is Qadr- on everything

I found this article after speaking about this and how I did the SAME thing to learn the meaning of the Quran...this is a must read article

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/worship/prayer/how-can-i-enjoy-listening-to-the-quran-in-taraweeh-when-i-dont-understand-what-is-being-recited/

I used to have no idea what was going on in the prayer. I remember standing for lengthy time periods behind the Imam, trying to make my mind focus but finding it constantly drift off; it’s very, very hard to concentrate when the mind has nothing to contextualize. I eventually would settle on trying to think of anything for which I could possibly be grateful. But taraweeh prayers are long; without understanding, my heart would simply get bored and my limbs would always fidget. Thoughts of my day, my concerns, my hopes and my food cravings after a day of fasting would all filter through my conscious while I shifted around. It’s hard to keep still for that long when one is mentally checked out and physically disengaged.
However, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) guided me to an action which changed my life and revolutionized my prayer and du`a (supplication) experience ever since. It’s simple, but it takes long-term dedication. The results, for me, were powerful and transformational. The common-sense solution that worked miracles in my life by Allah’s blessings: reading a translation.

Only Allah can bring this feeling of raha in your salat, so next time you make sujud ask Allah to increase you in raha, understanding of the Quran, and

 an eye that cries when it remembers Allah..

This Aya!

It feels like everytime I think of the aya

Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.-13:28

It plays on radioquraan.com

I love this site!! SubhnAllah, AlhumdAllah

I was just writting a post on this aya, and then a hour later I get on radioquraan and Im like oh lets see if this aya plays and then it recites!

Duaa before You Sleep -Mustafa Hosny

If you saw my last post,  I have been watching this amazing series titled "Sihr Al Dunya" on Iqraa and Youtube by my favorite speaker Mustafa Hosny!

I want to share this amazing duaa before you sleep which he beautifully explains!! Ya Allah I love his expressions when he says it watch the part of the video I sent you in which he says the duaa but this whole lecture is WORTH watching esp for the month of Ramadan.

I am attaching what  I understood of what he said, sorry its not excat, it sounds better when he says it but you can follow while watching!
سحر الدنيا - الحلقة 3 - مقامات اليقظة - مصطفى حسني
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO4mITh7msc&feature=player_detailpage#t=331s


Alhuma Aslmaatu Nafsee ilyk...O Allaah, I submit my soul unto You

I submitted to you, I am a Muslim for real, I am going to leave my soul with you, im not going to fight/argue with you maybe with the creation but not you Allah, with You I fully submit.

Wafadayty amree ilyk...and I entrust my affairs to You

I will put in the efforts and I will put my full trust in You.

Wa wajjahtu wajhee ilyk...and I turn my face towards You

Not your face but your heart, the qiblah of my life is towards You, I move away from anything that takes me away from You

walajtu dharee ilyk....and I totally rely on You
You know what this means? You have full trust in someone and you give them your back with no worries.. thats it I am totally reliable on you  and I am fully reliable on you that when I am with you I will have a good life in this world,

I will be rich, even if You dont write for me alot of rizqk(money), because there are those people who Allah didnt write alot of rizqk( money/wealth) for them but they are rich, because they have the richness of the heart <3 Just as the Prophet said: "The richness is not in the greatness of (i think he said wealth) but rather it is the richness of the heart"


raghbtana wa rabhatan ilyk... in hope and fear of You

I  have none excpet for You, and I love You, and  I get scared to make You angry


wa laa manaja minka ila ilyk...there is no refuge and no escape excpet to You

Where am I going to go from you? I am going to run away from You, when you are the Qaharr of everyone? As much as I enjoy my time while doing haram, where am I going to go? In a moment my soul is going to be in Your Hands and I will not own anything

ammantu bi kitbaikal-althee anzalata wa bi nabiyakal althee arslata ...I beleive in Your book that you have revelaed (the Quran) and the Prophet whom you sent

Oh Allah I beleived, this is the wise person,  he/she took the decsision to leave sins that create this hijab/veil between him/her and Allah  so he/she can begin to smell the sweetness/beauty of tawheed of the Lord of the Creations.

	‘If you take to your bed, then perform ablution, lie on your right side and then supplicate: ‘O Allaah, I submit my soul unto You, and I entrust my affair unto You, and I turn my face towards You, and I totally rely on You, in hope and fear of You. Verily there is no refuge nor safe haven from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.’ …If you then die, you will die upon the fitrah.’

Ramadan 2012 Series-Mustafa Hosny!

This is a 2012 Ramadan series on the IQRA channel titled, " Sihr AlDunya" The Magic of This World,by my favroite Arabic speaker Mustfa Hosny!!

I saw two episodes and im telling you its worth watching it!!! Amazing topic

In the series you will realize he doesnt literlly mean magic, but rather districtions from Allah

سحر الدنيا - الحلقة 1 - المقدمة - مصطفى حسني

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMUb4bDTRg4&feature=relmfu

"Was our dunya a door to Allah or did it take us? Did we get affected by the sihr-magic of the dunya?

The dunya can be a door to Allah or a hijab-veil between you and Allah

Alot of people, houses, events, sadness, etc....dunya..

Theres two things: are you going to live while remembering Allah, going back to Him in everything you do or think, or are you going to allow the dunya to take you with its days,years, joy, sadness. Dunya can take your heart, and you can live with it , you can remember her(dunya) and forget Allah, it will isharik (like take distarct you), it could move you away from Allah and become a hijab-veil between you and Allah?

Allah sent Adam down to the dunya to live on it until the Day of Judgment, He choose the dunya, but he warned us about it...

we are on the highest building of the world (hes in Dubai)... Understand that the dunya has tricks...

Allah says:

"Wamaa ALhayat al dunya ila maat al ghoor"

Allah spoke alot about the akhairha, but the people want the dunya only- alajlaah...

Qalaa bal tahboon al ajylaa? (Aya-gota find it)

Farardd ain min tawalaa ain dikrinha- Move away from those who are away from my Remberance

Move away from these kind of people before you get affected by them....those who love the dunya, and forgot Allah..

There is a test in this dunya, and it is the sihr of this dunya-magic of this dunya...but there are those who wont fall for the sihr of the dunya..

Allah warns us of falling for the dunya

Becareful, dont get sihred-affected by the magic of this dunya!

10 Minutes:

I am standing and the highest building in the wolrd is in front of me, and I say to myself Alhumdallah....Adams sons created all of this

It is a beautiful view but dont let it make you forget Allah... I feel the beauty of the dunya with the water around me, the beautiful buildlings but Dontttt forget Allah! Dont let the beauty take you, dont let the dunya take you! The dunya has tricks!

It is the place Allah choose for you to know Him, thank Him, worship Him, but within the naam-blessings there is fitnah-evil and lots of desires...this series is going to help you learn how to live in this dunya without becoming sihired(like under its magic)

14 Minutes:

There are levels of those whom the dunya took with its magic

1. Kafr-

The dunya totally took his/her heart, they totally deny Allah...there is an aya about this person

2. Ghafle-Ignorant / Cant see

This person loves Allah, the Messenger, the Religion, but there is a halal blessing thats in his/her heart and they became attached to it

16 Minutes:

Malik Ibn Dinar says:

Fear the dunya for it is a magician that puts magic on the hearts of the ulma-scholars. The ulma are the closest to Allah. The dunya is strong, its fitnah is strong, and it can take thier hearts if they werent attentive

The shytan beautifues all of the fitnah and he took them away from Allahs rembearcne...these people dont see Allah they only see what they want.

20 Minutes:

Prophet Issa once had a dream (or vision) and it was the dunya in the image of an old lady she had on gold, jewlry and lots of adornments,

Issa said: Who are you??

She said: I am the dunya!

He said: How many did you marry? *As in how many hearts have you entered

She said: I cant even count

He said: Did all of them leave you?

She said: I kiled all of them

The dunya put its magic on them

He quotes a beautiful aya at 21minutes about those who are ghafleen-blind/lost from Allah and how they will react on the Day of Judgement, but I cant remeber where the aya is...he quotes alot of nice ayas and hadiths but its hard to find! sorry!

22 Minutes

22:41

And they are] thosewho, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayerand give zakahand enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters.

These people didnt forget about Allah, and when the dunya tries to take its heart and trick him/her, they feel guilty, because Allah is in his heart so he/she goes back to Allah quickly

24 Minutes

This is my favorite part of this lecture and I think ima use it if I ever do a lecture!

He says I want you to do three things when listing to this series

1. Open up your heart and feel like I am talking to you so it can have an impact on you. When I talk about the fitnah,sins, etc,

say 'Oh he is talking about me, oh maybe thats me?!

Open your heart and feel liek I am talkin to you directly, dont say "ohhhh thats not me, no no I am good" ALWAYS OPEN YOUr heart in every episode and picture it might be you I am talking about...I myself ask myself before I begin these episodes oh is that me?

When open your heart the message will get there more

2. Face yourself, if I say signs of those who are under the magic of dunya and they are in you then know that you are under the magic of this dunya...or this blessing. It became a hijab-veil between you and Allah..

3. Take the cure

I am going to give you cures on how to cure this sihr-magic from the Prophet, and Allah

Yallah!

Lets be honest with ourselfs....

Is the dunya a door to Allah ???

Or

Is it a hijab-veil or jail in which we cannot feel Allah because of the dunya??

ahhh I love this conclusion of these questions Subhnallah

listen to how he says it in arabic heres where he asks this question http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fMUb4bDTRg4#t=1543s

Now ask yourself and take some time to think about the answer...if you want me to contunie "attempting" to translate these amazing series let me know!!

Sweetness of Tarweeh-Rahaa,Rest SubhanAllah!

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/how-to-taste-the-sweetness-of-prayer/

The Salah Series: 27 Parts

Did you know that the word Tarweeh means "To Rest" SubhanAllah!

Taraweeh is derived from the Arabic root word, raaha, which means to rest, and relax..

One may wonder how can praying for 2 hours be a form of rest?

In Ramadan you are tasting the sweetness of prayer...you are remembering Allah and so your heart becomes at rest as described in the following aya...

Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the

  remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.-13:28

Through the tarweeh, you are remembering Allah, and your heart is finding rest.SubhanAllah this is probably one of the reasons we love Ramadan so muchhhhh and esp the Tarweeh prayer, because in Ramadan we finally are able to attain the sweetness of prayer <3

The author writes:

What time of year do we generally have most khushoo’ (devotion)? The answer is easy: Ramadan. And when during Ramadan? It’s probably during qiyaam prayer (night prayer). And when do we find people’s eyes overflowing with tears? It’s mostly during the du`a’ of salat al-witr (witr prayer) when everyone prays behind the imam.

How? At that point, we feel as though we are talking to someone and we are waiting for a response. This brings our heart and mind to the prayer, and this is when we taste the sweetness of prayer.

Ibn Al-Jawzi said about the prayer:

إنا في روضة طعامنا فيها الخشوع و شرابنا فيها الدموع

“We are in a garden, where our food is khushoo’ (devotion), and our drink is the tears that flow.”

 

 

When I read this quote I thought of the sweetness you taste in Salat  Al-Tarweeh and the tears that run down your eyes when the sheikh recites the duaa al qunoot for Salat Al-Witr...

Ya Allah!!!

Ruly Ramadan

This Ramadan, I have to obey the Masjid Ramadan rules and I have to go downstairs with the 14 and up youth group...I prefer to stay on the second floor with the older people, but I promised last year to the Masjid organizers that I would stay downstairs...I reallllllly want to go back to the 2nd floor!!!!

Imagine this...

The sheikh has begun the salat, and for about 5minutes you hear chi-chat but you dont want to cut off your salat to tell them to stop, so you just stand there losing patience, khusho, and everything else that makes you love salat altarweeh...it is not until he finishes Surat Al Faitha, they stop talking.

If I were to address the crowd about why they should basically bequiet...I think I would say the following..first I would start off with showing this video..

The Poem that made imam Ahmad cry ‎

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afbFQegvVp8&feature=share

My speech would go like this.....

Do you understand the Greatness of Allah?

Do you understand the Greatness of the Quran?

Do you know that Allah speaks to you through the Quran...
this is His way of communicating way with you.

You obviously do not, because you feel the need to speak over Him
...yes thats exactly what you are doing, you are speaking over Allah.

Do you know what it means when the sheikh starts the salat with "AllahuAkbar" That Allah is Greater then Anything, even this conversation you insist on having while Allah is trying to conversate with you...

Once the sheikh says, AllahuAkbar you need to drop that conversation because its time for you to listen to Allah , and open your heart and be affected by what is being recited..

Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe  to be affected by Allah's

 Reminder (this Quran)?

Holy Quran -57:16

Ramadan, Rain,Jumah, NJ

As we begin our first day fasting on this blessed day of Friday, Allah sends us rain before,during, and after the Jumah Salat...It is as if He is purifying our sins, and it is as if we are already going through the process of Tazikyah-Purification that the Imam spoke about during the khutbah.

The duaa is answered when your fasting, in the rain, and

during jumah, so you have triple the chances!

اللَّهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا وَزَكِّهَا أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا أَنْتَ وَلِيُّهَا وَ مَوْلَاهَا

O Allah, grant my soul its piety and purify it, You are the Best to purify it, You are its Guardian and Master.

Allah Loves Those Who Remeber Him

Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying, etc.). I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me. (2:152)

Every time I try to decide if I should get up for qiyam, and I play http://radioquraan.com/

 an aya about getting up for tahjud plays, I love feeling, that Allah is speaking to me through the Quran <3...and I love tarweeh prayer ya Allah the more you understand Allah, the more you understand the beautiful  Quran that is being recited, the longer you want to stand in prayer....if I had a chance I would go to the Masjid for tajhud...may Allah always make us love the Quran, salat, and Him.

Ya muqallib al-qulub thabbit qalbi `ala dinik

‘O the Controller of hearts! Make my heart firm on Your Deen.’

 

 

 

The Ultimate Sound To My Ears

Allah talks to you if you listen closely, and His messages are the ones you want to listen to.

This Ramadan dont just read the Quran  to say "I finished reading the Quran" but take your time and read it with serious contemplation and soon you will find yourself in love with it..subhnAllah.

When I didnt really understand the arabic of the Quran I used to read the arabic and then english and alhumdAllah today when I hear the recitation I can understand it, it makes contemplation so much easier. I suggest for anyone who doesnt understand to take this step of going back and forth from arabic to english and soon Allah will give you the ability to understand inshAllah.

 Make the reciation of the Quran your ultimate enjoyment for your ears...listen to it the way you would listen to your favorite song but know that these verses are truly from God
One of my favorite recitations...

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqw5hvtFwyg

Ibn al-Qayyim says:
‘There is nothing more beneficial for the heart than reading the Qur’ān with contemplation and reflection. The Qur’ān encompasses all the levels of the travelers, the conditions of the workers, and stations of those possessing knowledge.

It is the Qur’ān that generates love, desire, fear, hope, repentance, reliance, pleasure, entrustment, gratitude, patience and the rest of the different states that are life to the heart and perfection of it.

Likewise, it repels all the rebuked characteristics and actions that cause the corruption and ruin of the heart. If people were to possess a realization of what the recitation of the Qur’ān with contemplation contains, they would devote themselves to it at the expense of everything else.

When the person reads it with reflection and he comes across an āyah (verse) that he is in need of for curing his heart, he repeats it, even if he does so a hundred times or the whole night.

Hence, to recite a single āyah of the Qur’ān with contemplation and reflection is better than reciting the Qur’ān to completion without any contemplation.

It is also more beneficial for the heart and more conducive to attaining īmān (faith) and tasting the sweetness of the Quran

Orphan Sponsorship

Imagine this....

'You are 12 years old and both of your parents have passed away due to a lack of water. You have two younger sibilings, and your elderly family memebers are all displaced. Who is going to take care of you and your siblings? Finally a kind donor sponsors you and your siblings for a whole year through the Islamic Relief Orphan Sponsorship program...."

Around this time last year - Ramadan,

I was able to collect money from you to sponsor an orphan, alhumdAllah through a group effort we were able to sposnor two orphans in Somilia. This sponsorship expires this month, and we have to renew it by July 31st...it is a total of $516 for Somilia or a monthly payment of  $43

Are you going to neglect these orphans or are you going to help? I ask you all to help me renew this sponsorship and psossibly set a goal of getting at least one sponosrship by the end of Ramadan.

 How You Can Help

Donors in the IRUSA community have a variety of options for orphan care—you can choose to provide support on a monthly or yearly basis via a one-to-one sponsorship, and can specify the country you would like your gift directed to. Of course, you can also choose to direct your charitable giving to a general orphan support fund so that your gift will go wherever it is needed most.

Sponsor an orphan in**: Bangladesh,Chechnya,India,Mali,South Africa,Sri Lanka, Yemen

Donate $43/monthDonate $516/year

Sponsor an orphan in**: Afghanistan,Albania,Iraq,Kenya,Niger, Pakistan.

Donate $49/monthDonate $588/year

Sponsor an orphan in**: Bosnia, Egypt, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Palestine

Donate $65/monthDonate $780/year

Allah Speaks To You Through the Quran So Listen Closely

SubhanAllah everytime I stay up extra late and I debate on whether I should pray Qiyam (Night) prayer or not surat Al Muzzamil about qiyam plays on my favorite site radioquraan.com. This happen twice already! I love when I feel like Allah speaks to me through the Quran. HumdAllah for this blessing of being able to connect with Allah SWT

Surat Al-Muzzammil (The Enshrouded One) - سورة المزمل

 

O you who wraps himself [in clothing],

 

 

Stand to pray  the night, except for a little -

 

Half of it - or subtract from it a little

 

Or add to it, and recite the Qur'an with measured recitation.

Praying In Public (NonMuslim Country)

Last week I took a group of  about 8 girls from the Mosque to the NJ State Fair, alhumdAllah they had a great time. They enjoyed the overall fair, but my favorite part was the VIP service  the Non-Muslim secuirty guards gave us when I asked for a place to pray!

  I was thinking of just praying when we got back to the Masjid, but that would mean we wouldve missed Salat AlMaghrib. So I went up to one of the security guards, and I kindly asked him for a place to pray, and he responded soooo kindly along with his other buddies and they said sure.

 I told them we would come back to them after we ate, so we came back and I told him we were ready to pray, with huge smiles, he along with like 3 other guards took us behind the rides (where noone can see us) and they made one guy leave the area, and then they stood as if they were guarding us while we prayed in jaamaa.

 It was amazing subhanAllah! While everyone else was "enjoying thier time"

 we were enjoying the prayer.

Dont ever make excuses to miss your prayers....

One of the most inspiring stories of a Muslim praying amongst Non-Muslims is that  of

'Muslim Praying During 2012 Wayne State University Graduation"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4gBmD4lZw

FireWorks-Allahs Works

Fireworks light up the sky during the annual Macy's Fourth of July fireworks display over the Hudson River as seen from New York, Wednesday, July 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Furticella)

 People come from all parts of NJ and NY just to watch this NY fireworks spectacular, but subhnallah when I came home 2 hours later from this show I found that Allah had put on His own show for those who contemplate and pay attention to His signs.Thousands of people watched the NY fireworks show and other shows around the country, but how many got to watch what Allah has shown?

My friend Diana texted me saying, 'Huda you have to go outside.Check out the sky. Its like opening. And bits of light. I cant explain it."

I didnt understand what she was saying, so I looked out of my window and there it was, some type of lights in the sky, at first I thought it was more fireworks, but I realized this is only the creation of Allah SubhannAllah...I decided to bring a chair and watch the show go on with some duaa by Mishary and Hani in the background.

These ayas from Surah AlFurqan remind me of what I saw, an emotional reciation by Idris Abkar with english translation amazing Subhnallah
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=_61Y2lj3bSs

And it is He Who made the Night and the Day to follow each other: for such as have the will to celebrate His praises or to show their gratitude. 25:62

While people celebrate with man-made fireworks, I got to celebrate in the best way possible. Subhnallah what an amazing show that was. I tried to capture it the way you capture the images of the fireworks, but I just couldnt. I hope you all get a chance to watch a show like that. In the end I realized it was lighting, but this time I wasnt scared I watched it the way the millions of people would watch the NY fireworks show, in enjoyment and relaxation, except this was from Allah and it brought me a remembrance of Allah...<3

Best firework show ever alhumdAllah...its called the lighting show and its by Allah alone...look for it next time and sit yourself down the way you would for the NY fireworks show, you wont be disappointed!