Last Days of Ramadan!

ohhh the sadnessss when the sheikh starts to say " in these last days of Ramadan" in his duaa

=(

July 18, 2013 Aerial Photos of Syrian Zaatari Refugee Camp ,Worlds 2nd Largest Refugee Camp after Dadaab Kenya

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/18/zaatari-refugee-camp-photos_n_3618761.html

An aerial view shows the Zaatari refugee camp on July 18, 2013

"The photos below, taken during U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's trip to Jordan, are a shocking reminder of the scale of the Syrian refugee crisis"

Zaatari Refugee Camp Photos Highlight Enormity Of Syria's Refugee Crisis

An average of 6,000 Syrians a day have fled their war-torn country since the beginning of 2013, in what the United Nations considers one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. More than 1.8 million Syrians have officially registered as refugees since the start of the conflict in March 2011, taking shelter in neighboring countries Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Lebanon.

The photos below, taken during U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's trip to Jordan, are a shocking reminder of the scale of the Syrian refugee crisis. According to AFP, Zaatari is now home to 160,000 Syrians, a number that would equal the population of Jordan's fifth-largest city. The AP puts the population at 115,000.

According to the U.N., the war in Syria is the worst humanitarian crisis since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, with more than 93,000 people already having lost their lives.

 

An aerial view shows the Zaatari refugee camp on July 18, 2013 near the Jordanian city of Mafraq, some 8 kilometers from the Jordanian-Syrian border. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

 

An aerial view shows the Zaatari refugee camp on July 18, 2013 near the Jordanian city of Mafraq, some 8 kilometers from the Jordanian-Syrian border. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

An aerial view shows the Zaatari refugee camp on July 18, 2013 near the Jordanian city of Mafraq, some 8 kilometers from the Jordanian-Syrian border. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Sadness, أيام الحزن, Ramadan Is Leaving

Photo Credit: capture the spirit of Ramadan contest, Masjid Al Aqsa Ramadan 2013

 

Before Ramadan we were making duaa that Allah allows us to witness Ramadan. Now we are making duaa during Ramadan to witness "Laytul Qadr" The Night of Decree. When the sheikh started to make the beautiful witr duaa and he mentioned us witnessing Laytul Qadr....a huge feeling of sadness came upon me as I realized Ramadan
is leaving very soon.

 

The last 10 days of Ramadan are probably the saddest days of Ramadan.

 

It feels like أيام الحزن, because you start to think about the emptiness of your heart, the empty rows in the mosque, the lovely witr duaas, the  taraweehs, the tears, and the sujuds

 

 

Its like going on a beautiful vacation...you are enjoying your time and when its time to go back home you begin to cry as you realize how attached you have become to this vacation...but Ramadan is greater then this parable.

 

Ramadan is the ultimate vacation for the believer from the dunya (World).

 

Ramadan is the closest we get to the ultimate House Paradise inshAllah. You spend so much time in the House of Allah, at His Doors making duaa to be admitted to Dar Al Salaam,

The House of Peace, Paradise.

 

On a side note I just learned that  taraweeh counts as qiyam al lail!

 

Imam Omar Suleiman writes:

 

" Pray the entire set of taraweeh with the Imam. Taraweeh is qiyaamul layl. Yes its permissible to pray as little or as much of it as you want on any given day. But the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam) said that whoever prays with the Imam “until he leaves” would receive the full reward of qiyaamul layl for the whole night. No one of us will be able to spend the entire night praying so this, along with tip 3, is a good way to ensure that you get the entire credit"

 

 

Go To Taraweeh Before Ramadan Goes

 

 

Ramadan Decorations in the Masjid



Right now we are officially in the middle of Ramadan,

and that means we are very close to the end...

 

While I was praying taraweeh I realized how much being able to pray the taraweeh is such a blessing. The fact that I am standing there with hundreds of others out of thousands praying....this feeling is very special....oh how I am going to miss this peace, even if it was for one rakah.

 

Its so sad when you start think about laytul qadr and the final days of Ramadan. It gets soooo sad when the sheikh gets towards the end of the Quran.

 

 

One of my favorite parts of Taraweeh is the beautiful concluding duaas, esp when the sheikh becomes emotional! Ohhhhh. I decided to record it today but seems like  I cant post it on the blog

 

If you have not gone to Taraweeh yet, go before Ramadan goes!

 

 

My Sheikhs voice is amazing, his name is Sheikh Hassan Saleh, he has a whole youtube page with all of the Surahs recited.

 

 

سورة الرحمن من صلاة التراويح للشيخ حسن صالح

Surat Al Rahaman, from Salat Al Taraweeh, Sheikh Hassan Saleh

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62lTLImtZgg

 

Ramadan Without Salat And Siyam

 

 

 

There is a huge difference between Ramadan with salat and siyam ,
 and Ramadan without salat and siyam.

 

It is known that there is a time in Ramadan when women do not have to make salat or fast.

 

Sometimes you get excited because you think you are getting a "free pass" or a "vacation' as we call it but think again....think again about the blessing of salat and fasting....and how much you actually MISS salat and fasting during this time!

 

The most positive aspect of that time of the month is that you begin to miss salat and siyam so much that when you are able to fast and pray once again you appreciate it and you feel blessed because when you are just sitting there on the sideline during taraweeh while everyone is tasting the sweetness of prayer you become sad, and you wish you were there standing with them in prayer.

 

Accept Those Iftar Invitations With Honor! Muslims Right Upon Another Muslim

 

 

 

During the month of Ramadan people like to invite one another for iftar. It is a great invitation that one must accept with honor. It is really hard for people to host iftars, and they go through a lot so imagine how they feel when you deny their request of your honor.

 

Even if it is a masjid iftar that someone invited you to, try to go.

 

One of the rights of a Muslim upon another Muslim is:

 

"When he invites you, respond to his invitation."

 

After Ramadan iftar invitations I realized how important this right is.

 

Remember this right when someone invites you, especially in Ramadan!

 

Oh Your Over 20 And You Are Not Married??

 

 

Although I am young (21), in my community I am at that "age" where you are supposed to get engaged, married, or already have kids (yes people my age already have kids). This concept can be both a "Arab cultural" thing or "Muslim" thing, because  in both cultures, marriage at a young age is highly valued. (Always remember that there is a huge difference between the Arab
 and Muslim culture).

 

I agree, marriage at a young age should be highly valued as it keeps you away from haram (dating), but at the same time the  people in the community need to be careful with making single people feel unvalued or making them feel like they are a shame.

 

This is not a very friendly post lol and it is more based on my own opinions, so if you disagree its okay. It is meant for single people. If you are married and you are reading this don't forget that you were once in this very same position where people used to bother you for being single....or maybe not

 

This is to all the single people who feel like they are unvalued in their community:

#1 thing to keep in mind: it is not in your qadr to choose when to get married and if you are chaste and you are on your deen, don't ever feel unvalued because your patience is what makes you valuable. Don't Be Sad (this is the title of my favorite book) and don't feel bad!!

 

It seems like despite all the accomplishments you have accomplished (college, manners, respect, prays, fasts, etc)  if you are not married you are missing out on a big accomplishment in the Arab and Muslim lifestyle.

 

One of the ultimate goals of this dunya is to get married, which is an awesome goal for one to have as marriage is half your deen, but it is not awesome when you are looked down upon for not "achieving" this goal.........as if the qadr is in your control to get married!!

 

And then when you show any type of interest in marriage you are described as "desperate".

I am probably "desperate" for writing this post, but  guess what:

"As long as I am not doing haram and I am pleasing Allah I don't care what anyone thinks of me!"

 

Oh and if you are always at the Mosque helping or fundraisers or any type of volunteering the assumption is that you are probably trying to find someone and that looks bad but then again if you think about it...its usually the single people who are at the Mosque and volunteering all the time, and once they get married they literally disappear and you are just wondering where did he go?? Then you get the golden explanation "Oh that person got married!!!"

I actually think this is funny and a very sad and I hope this standard will change...instead of stopping everything because you got married, get your husband to come with you to volunteer or go to all those lectures, don't just stop out of no where!

Oh and let me tell you about that golden question, married people usually ask you, instead of helping you find someone :

 "OHHH when are you going to get married, yallah"  but then again be careful not to show to much interest because if you show any type of interest, you are looked at upon as desperate.

 

And there are those people who "recommend" someone but they never follow up....like why would you get me excited for. Oh and if I follow up I will seem  desperate, hahaaaaa

 

And then your community that is supposed to help "facilitate" marriage as Dr. Islam Elfahymoui told us, but they are not doing anything.
 

And then you hear about how men want a religious girl but they get married to the girl with tons of make up and tight clothes so your just like oh okay I thought it wasn't all about "looks" and you wonder why the sisters take off their scarfs in weddings.

 

Okay.....enough of this lol, but on a good note, let us change this culture of making single people feel unvalued.  Instead of making single people feel bad help facilitate marriage in your community.

 

Syrian Team Page, Lets Go $1Million 4 Needy SYRIANS

Here is the minimum you can do for Syria:

(if you don't know what is going on in Syria watch the very emotional video which is a very good overall view of what is going on and not to graphic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAQ59LnlNDc&feature=c4-overview&list=UUV-uyD-xxM2WnNBvI1FDCLA)

1.You can share this COOL fundraising TEAM page I created
2.Contribute
3. Become a part of the team to get people to contribute!!http://irusa.convio.net/site/TR/Events/General/283704223?pg=team&fr_id=1110&team_id=1075


Islamic Relief USA's Campaign for Every Child: Child Protection

$1 Million for Syria

Goal:$3,000.00Achieved:$115.00Make a gift!

Syria

Right now my team and I are working on collecting small donations through the sale of Syrian wristbands for $10 and up for the month of Ramadan.

The Syrian Relief efforts will contunie even after Ramadan inshAllah. I will keep you all posted on that.

If you want to help, email me through this page and I can send you some bracelets to sell or add you to our volunteers list.

You could have been the Syrian in the following video:

Islamic Relief posted this emotional video about Syria, July 16 2013. Please share it with this page!!!

Hope for Syria: Islamic Relief USAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAQ59LnlNDc&feature=c4-overview&list=UUV-uyD-xxM2WnNBvI1FDCLA

Reply All

Taraweeh When You Were 12 to 17 And When You Are An Adult ,Spiritual Growth

 

 

Today I was thinking about my taraweeh prayers now and when I was 12 to 17.

 

Today I went downstairs to the youth program during taraweeh instead of staying on the 2nd floor with the older people on the main floor (even though its a floor for ladies over "30"  I get past the masjid security ladies loooool ).....

 

 I noticed the younger boys were talking during salah, alot of youth were texting,  girls were praying half the prayers and then pretending they couldn't pray the rest of the time, a lot of them were getting up to leave during the "break" to dunkin, quick check, etc  ( its really khitrah lecture time ).

 

For a moment I was like wow these kids and teens are annoying but then I thought to myself I used to do the same exact things not to many years ago! I used to get "tired" during the long taraweeh prayers and take breaks, and sneak out during the "break" because it was cool.....but now I cant imagine myself missing 1 of the taraweeh prayers, especially the beautiful witr prayer and its amazing duaa, its like  the beautiful conclusion of taraweeh!!!

 

Some people will tell you that you that these kids and teens shouldn't even come to the masjid during taraweeh but if you kick them out at age 14 dont have hopes for them to come back when they are ready to pray in khusho.

 

Its a spiritual process of growth... and its amazing to watch the results mashAllah.

 

In a couple of years or so, those teens who used to never shush during salat will be telling shushing your kids, helping them reach the spiritual

level you are on today.

 

The teen who used to leave after salat al isha, will finally taste the sweetness of faith and never want to leave even during "break" time.

 

 

Don't ever yell (well you can tell them to bequiet if they get to loud but in a "cool" manner), and dont  discourage them  to not come to the masjid even if you think these kids and teens are "bad" because if you do, don't expect them to come back when they are mature enough to understand why they used to get yelled at when they would talk during salat.

 

 

SubhanAllah!!

What a beautiful process

 

For Sure InshAllah, "The Good Woman for The Good Man"

These pictures ! MashAllah

 

Yesterday the Sheikh recited the ayahs in  Surat Al Nisa which has ayahs about marriage.

 

For all the single people who are staying chaste, and keeping far from haram relationships , remember Prophet Yusuf who said no to the lady who wanted to seduce him and remeber how Allah raised his status for his patience through his trials (his brothers hated him and tried to harm him, he became a prisoner even though he didn't do anything wrong, but then he became king of Egypt!)

 

Surat Yusuf: 90

 

 

They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly favored us. 

Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good."

 

أهل الجنة - الحلقة 3 - مُحب الخير - مصطفى حسني Mustfah Hosny, Episode 3 Love of Good For Each Other

 





Beautiful Dunya...not even close to Jannah!

 

أهل الجنة - الحلقة 3 - مُحب الخير - مصطفى حسني

Mustfah Hosny, Episode 3, The People of Jannah: those who love good for each other

 

The "haqood" is the one who wants bad for someone else and holds a grudge (kind of like a hater). The shytan is a huge haqood. On the Day of Arafat, when the shytan sees Allahs blessings brought down upon the believers and forgiveness upon them, the shytan gets very annoyed.

 

The shytans goal is to make you hate one another so he can cause division.

 

Every one of us wants to be the first in everything. Compete, it is okay if you compete for the good. Allah wants you to compete for the good, but the shytan makes you hate it when someone is first and you are not.  

 

Is there someone whom whenever you think of them you get annoyed? Or when you see that something bad happen to them you are excited. Or if they got engaged, a job or etc before you are mad.

 

Prophet Yusufs brothers is an example of this haqood (See my Almaghrib notes on tafsir Surat Yusuf. His brothers were jealous of him because the father favored him, and the brothers wanted to hurt him. The brothers did hurt him,

 

Allah brings a lot of blessings upon everyone, but you get annoyed when someone else is given Allahs blessings.

 

 

 

 

Certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs for those who ask,

 

 

When they said, "Joseph and his brother are more beloved to our father than we, while we are a clan. Indeed, our father is in clear error.

 

 

For an example, the girl was very annoyed from her cousin who got engaged before her. When someone does not like the good for someone else it is heavy on the heart.

The person who does not like good for others is bringing themselves far from Allahs forgiveness

 

Iman Albukhri:

There are three things that if you dont have Allah forgives will forgive you:

1. The one who doesn't make shirk

2. The one who is not a sahir (magician)

3. The one who does not "ihaqid" hate on their brother or sister

 

The haqad is put next to the one who makes shirk and sihir, because Allah loves those who love the good for one another.

 

If anyone ever feels haqad, inshAllah with these steps, you can protect and cure yourself

 

1. Duaa: Make a lot of duaa, especially the following duaa: 

"Alhuma ishfee qalbee alhaqood wa imlaa ba alhob"

Make a lot of this duaa

 

2.  If you don't like someone, speak very good of them in front of others.

 

 

The person who does not have haqad:

This person knows that the haqad is only going to bother themselves

He makes duaa for that person

He goes to sleep and make sure it is free of haqad

 

The Prophet said the Jannah wont open its doors to those

 who don't love the good for one another:

 

Prophet said:

You will not enter Jannah until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another, shall I not tell you about something that if you did you will love one another (so you can go to Jannah). He said increase the salaam (peace) amongst each other"

 

No haqad only salaam!

 

أهل الجنة مصطفى حسني People of Paradise ,Mustfah Hosny New Ramadan Show

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CGkS7Gy_VU&feature=player_detailpage#t=18s

 

أهل الجنة - الحلقة 1 - مملكة الشيطان - مصطفى حسني

Ahul Jannah, The people of Jannah

 

 

(I tried to write as much as I can!I did not include the second part which is about how shytan and how he takes you from Jannah)

 

If you can watch the video while reading this post because Mustfah Hosnys speaking skills make you feel like he is speaking to your heart, esp when he talks about going to Jannah

 

 Mustfah Hosny: 1:00 to 10:00

 

Last year in Ramadan we talked about the dunya and how the dunya (this world) can be a door to Allah and not a hijab (veil ) from Allah (this was the "Sihr AlDunya" show that I sent you all last year).

 

This year we continue that journey towards Allah but this year it is of the best journey one can take.

 

We are going to try to do the something similar to the prophets journey of Isra and Al maraj  on our capacity and every day in Ramadan and we are going to visit ahul Jannah

 

We are going to walk in the beautiful dunya (if you watch the video you will notice the amaaaazinggg scenery ), but the beauty of the Jannah is something you cant even imagine.

 

 

The journey to Jannah:

 (Amazing descriptions of going to Jannah! )

 

The Day of Judgment begins,

the people are in fear, and then Allah calls the beleivers and brings peace to their hearts and he says:

43:68

 

To whom Allah will say, "O My servants, no fear will there be concerning you this Day, nor will you grieve"

 

 

"You who believed in Our verses and were Muslims" 43:69

 

 

 

Isnt this day of fear, aren't we supposed to be scared? Allah tells us:

 

 

"The great fearful event shall not grieve them, and the angels shall meet them: This is your day which you were promised" 21:103

 

 

The Judgment has finished, the good people have gathered together, all the good (Salaiheen) from Adam to the final person on this earth will be gathered in one place, and the angels and the Prophets, the best people from the earth, will gather and Allah will tell them to go to Jannah!

 

 

 

On the Day We will gather the righteous to the Most Merciful as a delegation" 19:85

 

 

The one you see from far who is so handsome is Prophet Yusuf, and the kind lady who is walking over there and when you see her you will know she is Khadjah, and the man walking near her is Prophet Issa, and his mother Maryam is walking with him, and the cute young ones that are walking with them are the grandchildren of the Prophet Al Hassan and Hussein, and the strong and truthful one walking is Prophet Musa,  for you to walk in the middle of this crowd of good people, Prophets this is Jannah.

 

And the huge 8 doors of Jannah, and we are walking and the doors of Jannah open with the Prophet Muhammad,  yallah (like lets go), yalllah as the angels are telling you:

 

"Salamun 'Alaikum (peace be upon you) for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!" 13:24

 

 

"Naaim" in this ayah means that you don't know how amazing this Jannah is you are still going to see. When you first go to Jannah you are going to look at the floor and you are going to say is it okay if I step on this, because the floor has amazing things (he mentioned laloaa I don't know what that means but its in the Quran). But you can step on it in peace, yallah walk upon this beautiful floor .

 

You are now in Jannah, congratulations.

 Today you are of "Ahul Jannah" the people of Paradise.

 

Let us come and imagine our first day in Jannah, just as the salaheen (good) used to talk about Jannah.

 

 

Surat Al Tur:

 

"Indeed, the righteous will be in gardens and pleasure"

 

 

"Enjoying what their Lord has given them, and their Lord protected them from the punishment of Hellfire"

 

All of their sitting is of enjoyment

 

Then a table of food is placed in front of them

 

 

"They will be told, "Eat and drink in satisfaction for what you used to do."

 

 

 

"They will be reclining on thrones lined up, and We will marry them to fair women with large, [beautiful] eyes"

 

We will all be sitting on thrones in front of each other.

 

 

Then the parent will ask where is my child (who may be in a higher or lower level of Jannah):

 

"And those who believe and whose families follow them in Faith,- to them shall We join their families: Nor shall We deprive them of the fruit of aught of their works: (Yet) is each individual in pledge for his deeds"

 

This ayah means that if someones family is in a lower level of Jannah they can bring them to the higher level so they can be together. So they will be brought to them and right when they come :

 

 

 

"And We will provide them with fruit and meat from whatever they desire"

 

 

 

 

"They will exchange with one another a cup  of wine  wherein  results  no ill speech or commission of sin"

 

 

 

They are giving each other cups and drinks.No one hurts another person with mean words, no one will say something that bothers someone else. Everyone is kind to one another.

 

 

In Jannah all you are in "sakinah" peace, enjoyment, rest

 

The Prophets home in Jannah is not far from your house, because these people used to follow the manners of the Prophet

 

 

Another scene from Jannah of Sakinah, peace, enjoyment, rest,

 

(The ayahs he mentions are the same ones from my tafsir class http://hudawritess.blogspot.com/2013_06_01_archive.html)

 

Surat Yasin:

 

Indeed the companions of Paradise, that Day, will be amused in [joyful] occupation 

 

 

They and their spouses  in shade, reclining on adorned couches.

 

 

For them therein is fruit, and for them is whatever they request  or wish

 

 

And "Peace," a word from a Merciful Lord

 

 

 

And then suddenly, the image is totally changed as Allah talks about the wrong doers in the ayah after these ayahs:

 

 

"Then He will say, "But stand apart today, you criminals"

 

 

"Did I not enjoin upon you, O children of Adam, that you not worship Satan  for indeed, he is to you a clear enemy"

 

The shytan tricked these people and these people followed him

 

Ramadan Healthy Smart Suhoor Tips

Sunset during Ramadan amazing subhanAllah! Perfect way to break the fast

 

These are notes from a pre Ramadan lecture with the chaplain Sheikh of our MSA.  These notes have been very useful to me especially the nutrition tips for suhoor.

I never put so much  thought into the benefits of eating certain foods for suhoor.

 

Here is what he said:

 

If you have suhoor you will have energy, stay up right after suhoor because this is the time when you have the most energy. Try to take a nap after duhr when your energy starts to go down.

 

Drink a lot of water from iftar to suhoor time.

 

Eat dates, figs, these are full of nutrition and fiber which gives you energy.

 

Eat yogurt, and cucumbers (I have been eating 1 cucmber for suhoor and I think it really does help)

 

Help yourself make fasting easier through choosing healthier foods. Tabloueh salad (grain, wheat) is very good for you. Avoid spices, to much meat as these foods make you tired.

 

Fasting is supposed to give you a better health experience

 

Be thoughtful of what you eat during Ramadan.

Think :Quality over quantity

 

If you minimize the issue of food, you can place more focus on Quran, books charity, and preparation for the taraweeh.

 

Try to eat parsley and mint as it brings a good smell to your stomach. It also refresh's your system.

 

Rasins, dates, yogurt, figs, plum, watermelon, hummus chick peas are all good food choices

 

Try yogurt, cucumber, mint, and water blended