Islamic Connection

[Sheyanne]

I like this quote very much...

"That which is false
troubles the heart,
but truth brings
joyous tranquility."

[Sheyanne]

Originally Posted by HesMyForever

Salaam (Peace),

I wish I had a suggestion for you. Unfortunately, most Muslim sisters I know will not write a Muslim brother that is incarcerated (unless it's family). A friend and I have considered, in the future, starting a pen-pal site for incarcerated Muslims....however, we'd strongly recommend, instead, that a woman's "wali" (guardian) write the Muslim brother that she may be interested in. But, neither of us really know how to set something like that up, and right now, we both have our hands full with school as it is.

Thanks for this info hesmyforever...i am no longer writing to my mwi and this is one of the reasons along with a couple of others...one which include he is not muslim and i dont see him as ever becoming muslim...i would not write to another man in prison unless he was a close relative or husband.

[HesMyForever]

Shukron sister for commenting on that. I was a bit worried about posting that, I didn't want to offend anyone. Truth is, I do write a few incarcerated Muslim brothers, but only with the approval of my husband, who I have also told him he is open to read any of my letters I receive or send...just so that he can see and know that the only thing being discussed is Islam. My penpals all know I am married and have been respectful of that. The reason I write to them is because I know some brothers do really want to discuss Islam and unfortunately there is a stigma with writing someone that is in prison, so many free Muslim brothers do not write them. I'll give an example....

A brother at the local county prison is a new Muslim, alhamdulilah. He wrote the masjid, asking for someone to correspond with him...the letter was displayed out in the open for everyone to see. I wrote him to congradulate him on his shahadah...I am the only person that took the time to do so. He asked if I know any Muslim brothers that can/will go visit him because there is so little info there on Islam; and they don't even have an Imam to come give the khutbuh on Fridays. I asked some of the sisters, to see if their husbands would be willing to....but everyone is "too busy;" (this was before I got married, btw). I feel very sad for this brother; he wants to learn and wants to stay on siratul mustaqeem upon his release...and I feel it is important for him to establish connections NOW while he is inside, so when he is released, he has those people he can talk to.

Alhamdulilah, my husband has agreed to go talk to him. Anyways, this is why I write them, even tho I know ideally I probably shouldn't. Allahu alim.

Btw sis...I am sorry that you felt the need to end the relationship with your MWI, but I completely understand (and I would have done the same, probably, hopefully)...and insh'Allah, Allah (SWT) will bless you with someone better for your deen.

[Sheyanne]

I came across this on a Islamic website

REPENTANCE

The word Tawbah (Repentance) in Arabic literally means 'to
return'. In an Islamic context, it refers to the act of leaving
what Allaah has prohibited and returning to what He has
commanded.

The subject of repentance is one which concerns all people who
believe in God, and is vital one for the Muslims to understand
because our salvation in the hereafter is dependent on our
repentance to Allaah, as is shown by Allaah's order: "AND TURN
YOU ALL TOGETHER IN REPENTANCE TO ALLAAH O BELIEVERS, THAT YOU
MAY BE SUCCESSFUL" [An-Noor (24):31]

In Soorah al-Baqarah, Allaah tells us: "SURELY ALLAAH LOVES
THOSE WHO TURN UNTO HIM IN REPENTANCE AND LOVES
THOSE WHO PURIFY THEMSELVES." [2:222]

This shows how pleasing our repenting is to Allaah. Also, the
Prophet, Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam gave us an example of
just how pleasing to Allaah our repenting is an authentic
hadeeth in which he,Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "Allaah
is more delighted with the repentance of His servant than one of
you would be, who suddenly finds his camel laden with supplies
after 22losing it in a barren land" (1)

Try to imagine your joy if you were to suddenly retrieve
everything you ever possessed after losing all hope of
recovering what you had lost. Then think that Allaah's delight
is even greater than this when His slave repents to Him. So much
so, that if man stopped repenting to Allaah, He would replace us
with another creation that would turn to Him for forgiveness.
The Prophet, Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "If you did
not commit sins, Allaah would sweep you out of existence and
replace you by another people who would commit sins, ask for
Allaah's forgiveness and He would forgive them." (2)

The problem with many of us today, is that we don't fear Allaah,
which means that we don't think twice about disobeying Him and
therefore falling into sin, which we give no real tought to. So
perhaps we should think about the statement which Ibn Mas'ood
(3) radi Allaahu 'anhu, made: "A believer sees his sins as if
he were sitting under a mountain which he is affraid may fall on
him, whereas the wicked person considers his sins as flies
passing over his nose and he just drives them away like this
(and he moved his hand over his nose in illustration)." (4)

NEVER DESPAIR Someone might say, 'I want to repent but my sins
are too many.' But Allaah says: "SAY: O MY SLAVES WHO HAVE
TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THEMSELVES! DESPAIR NOT
FOR THE MERCY OF ALLAAH, VERILY ALLAAH FORGIVES ALL SINS. TRULY
HE IS OFT FORGIVING, MOST MERCIFUL." [Az-Zumar (39):53]

Therefore, we should never lose hope or stop asking for Allaah's
forgiveness. Its importance is shown to us in a hadeeth in which
the Prophet, Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam said: "O people!
Turn to Allaah in repentance and seek His forgiveness, for
surely I make repentance a hundred times every day." (5)

Repentance is such a great act of worship that doing it can
totally erase our sins altoghether, as the Prophet, Sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam said: "One who repents from sin is like one
without sin." (6)

ONLY ALLAAH CAN FORGIVE SINS Forgiveness for our sins is not
something that comes automatically, it is something that must be
sought sincerely and with consciousness. Also we should remember
that it is only through Allaah's Mercy that anyone will ever
enter Paradise. The Prophet, Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam
advised: "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and
rejoice, for no one's good deeds will put him in Paradise." The
Companions asked, "Not even you O Messenger of Allaah?" He
replied. "Not even me unless Allaah bestows His pardon and mercy
on me." (7) Therefore in Islaam, salvation rests on faith (which
includes), good actions and hope in Allaah's mercy, all combined
in truly unique manner which is not found in any other religion
or system. Furthermore, it is only Allaah who can forgive our
sins and He is not in need of any intercessor. The proof for
this is in a du'aa (supplication) which the Prophet Sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam taught his closest Companion Abu Bakr(8): "O
Allaah, truly I have wronged myself and none can forgive sins
except you." (9) Therefore it is a complete waste of time asking
forgiveness from the people such as "saints", pious people or
even the Prophet Sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam. Allaah say in
reply to people who do such things: "VERILY, THOSE YOU CALL
UPON BESIDES ALLAAH, ARE ONLY SLAVES LIKE
YOURSELVES." [a;-A'raaf (7):194]

It is important that we never despair of Allaah's Mercy - no sin
is too great to repent for... or too little for that matter. As
one of the salaf (Pious predecessors) said: "Do not look at the
insignifance of your sins, but consider the greatness of The One
you are disobeying." (10)

[Sheyanne]

The Story Of Lot[peace be upon him] [from Wikpedia]
Quran

Main article: Islamic view of Lot
Jews and Christians do not consider Lot a prophet, but Muslims do. The story of Lot impregnating his daughters while drunk[8] is not mentioned in the Qur'an and not believed by Muslims. The Qur'an does say that the people of Lot insisted on their wickedness of homosexuality, murder and robbery while also refusing to stay lawful to their wives.

And his people came to him, rushed on towards him, and already they did evil deeds. He said: O my people! these are my daughters-- they are purer for you, so guard against God and do not disgrace me with regard to my guests; is there not among you one right-minded man? They said: Certainly you know that we have no claim on your daughters, and most surely you know what we desire.
He said: Ah! that I had power to suppress you, rather I shall have recourse to a strong support.
They said: O Lut! we are the messengers of your Lord; they shall by no means reach you; so remove your followers in a part of the night-- and let none of you turn back-- except your wife, for surely whatsoever befalls them shall befall her; surely their appointed time is the morning; is not the morning nigh?
So when Our decree came to pass, We turned them upside down and rained down upon them stones, of what had been decreed, one after another.[9]

And Lut when he said to his people: What! do you commit an indecency which any one in the world has not done before you? Most surely you come to males in lust besides females; nay you are an extravagant people.
And the answer of his people was no other than that they said: Turn them out of your town, surely they are a people who seek to purify.
So We delivered him and his followers, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind.
And We rained upon them a rain; consider then what was the end of the guilty.[10]

Consequently, an Arabic expression for homosexuals is derived from the name for the people of Lot or Lut (in Arabic); i.e., Luti.

[Sheyanne]

Muminah"s kitchen [some great recipes]

http://www.muminahskitchen.blogspot.com/

[Sheyanne]

“The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for. Bukhari 1:1:1


“He who lets the people hear of his good deeds intentionally, to win their praise, Allah will let the people know hisreal intention (on the Day of Resurrection), and he who does good things in public to show off and win the praise of the people, Allah will disclose his real intention (and humiliate him). Bukhari 8:76:506


Action Plan
1. Make intention for sake of Allah
2. Be sincere with your intention
3. Let your intention and action coincide
4. Do not do good deeds for show or being praised by others
5. make clear intentions
6. Write down your intention
7. Have a plan to implement your intention

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9IXs...eature=related

[WazirsWifey]

Holy Qur'an Chap. 30, Verse 21: "And of His signs is this: He created for you helpmates from yourselves that ye may find rest [Yusuf Ali uses the word 'tranquillity'] in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy."

Equanimity is a state of peace, of rest. It is not achieved when everything is going perfect or smooth. Instead, it comes about by way of balance of the good and bad. In marriage, we should find equanimity. Marriage should be our respite from the world.

I wish you all peace, love and equanimity in your relationship with your husbands.

[Sheyanne]

"It is reported that Al-Fudayl b. Ayyah said,
"When backbiting appears,brotherhood for
Allah will disappear:and at that time you
will be like things plated with gold and silver;
wooden on the inside,[merely] looking good
on the outside."Abu Nuaym

[Sheyanne]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoySi...eature=related

[HesMyForever]

The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) has an Inmate Correspondence Program, where you can correspond with inmates (brothers write brothers; sisters are paired up with sisters). The purpose is to give da'wah and help keep Muslims in contact with the Ummah, providing them with moral support. To find out more about the program:

http://whyislam.org/Resources/BillBo...2/Default.aspx

ICNA also has an Inmates Assistance/Da'wah Program:

"The purpose of this da'wah initiative, inshaAllah, is two fold:

• To create an awareness within the correctional system of the needs of Muslims.
• To give dawah to Muslims and non-Muslims

GUIDELINES:


Establish an initial meeting with the director of social services at your local county or state prison. Take prominent figures from your Muslim community/ Islamic Center, e.g. Imam, to this meeting.
At the meeting, explain what it is that you would like to do. e.g. educate the prison officers about the needs of Muslims (prayer facilities, Jumah, special considerations such as meal times during Ramadan, halal food, etc.). Take some literature or educational videos with you. Talk about establishing a visiting schedule for Muslims."


To read more about this program go here:


http://whyislam.org/Resources/BillBo...1/Default.aspx

[Sheyanne]

What Enemies Want from Muslim Women

My Dear sister, know that you are man’s sister and half of humanity.

You are a mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grand daughter or grand mother. The Prophet said (what translated means) “Women are, indeed, men’s partners.” (Abu Dawud)

You are a member of the great nation of Islam, the best nation ever produced for mankind. No other nation on earth has more great men, leaders and conquerors than this nation. It is the nation of guidance and the straight religion, and it leads humanity to righteousness and truth.

It transforms people from worshippers of slaves to worshippers of the Lord of slaves, from life’s pressures to the pleasures of the Life after, and from the injustice of other religions to the justice of Islam.

Your ancestors, great women of Islam, were one of the main reasons for this great nation to take this great place among all nations. Allah, Who granted Islam to this nation, made a high place for Muslim women, and decreed that they share in the responsibilities of enjoining truth, forbidding
evil and raising the flag of Islam.

He said (what translated means) “The believers, men and women, are helpers of one another, they enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, they offer their prayers perfectly and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will leave His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” (The Noble Quran, surah At-Taubah: 71)

Allah has given Muslim women what they can bear of orders and duties. “He is the God Who knows His creation, should He not know what He created? And He is the Most Kind, All-Aware (of everything).” (Surah Al- Mulk: 14).

My dear sister, you are called upon today to truly become an active member of the Muslim nation, strive to establish victory for Allah’s Word, implement the Quran and help build the generation of Iman.

What do your enemies want from you?

There are those who want to distract you from doing your duty. They want to distract you from meeting your noble obligation, that is, to defend the religion of Allah and raise His Word high. Those enemies use many methods.

First, they distract you from worship, belief and Da’wah (propagating Islam). They use this worldly life as their bait: jewelry stores, non-Islamic fashions that originate from non-Muslim countries (leading to) hunger that can never be satisfied, pleasures and competition for them... Allah did not create us for this. Indulging in these matters is usually accompanied by wasting time and money and igniting enmity and competition between the rich and the poor.

Second, they ignite enmity between you and man. They tell you that you are a humiliated mother, an abused wife and an oppressed sister! They tell you that all men are always unjust, hypocrites, dictators... They start war for no reason other than to direct you to rebel against your father, be arrogant with your brother and disobedient to your husband. They do not call for justice, mercy and unity. They call for hatred, arrogance and destruction.

Third, they do not stop at calling for your rebellion against parents, brothers and husbands, they go further and plot against Islam. They call upon you to rebel against the obligations of Islam and the decrees of the All-Knowing King. Islam, to them, is unjust and Islamic laws are imperfect and restrictive. They call upon you, day and night, to rebel and insist on the disobedience of this religion. They try to rid you of your religion. They try to rid you of comfort and safety under generous parenthood, happy marriage and good brotherly relations.

They portray piety and honour as chains on freedom. To them, Hijab does not cover the head, but also covers the mind; prayer, fasting and Zakat are a waste of time and effort; and obedience to husbands is slavery and a retum to the stone age.

Dear Sister,

Your enemies and the enemies of your religion are seeking to make you available for them to fulfill their evil desires whenever they wish. They want you to be a mistress that has no honour. They want you to be found everywhere, on roads and in places of sin, without honour, religion
or manners. They seek for you only what they want you to do.
But Sister, be proud of your religion and the religion of your ancestors. Be a good example for your sons and daughters and sincere in your belonging to this mighty nation. Know that honour is an honour to all wise people, and that adultery is dishonorable to all nations, even if some called it freedom.

Your happiness is in being an obedient and believing daughter, a loyal and generous wife and a pious and merciful mother. Know that prayer is the cornerstone of Islam. Fasting one day, for the sake of Allah, takes your face seventy years away from Hellfire, as the Hadith, related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, states.

Charity is a major cause for gaining forgiveness and for repentance to be accepted. Those women who are showing parts of their bodies to men, will not enter Paradise or smell its fragrance and are cursed, as in the Hadith related by Imam Muslim. Hijab is an honour and protection for
you.

These are words from the heart, words of good and sincere advice from your sister.

By: Sis Kitabah

[Sheyanne]

Bismillah Irrahman Irrahim

'Amongst mankind the greatest resemblance with Abraham was to those who were with him,and to this Prophet[Muhammad][s],and to those who have believed in this Prophet..And Allah is the Guardian of the Muslims.

'And when it is said to them,'Believe as all other people got to believe,they say:Should we believe as the fool's got to believe? BEWARE!they are the fools but perceive not.[sura al-baqarah]

"Events have passed before you,so journey in the world and behold how was the end of those who denied[the Messengers].sura3 verse137

'No doubt in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alteration of night and day there are signs for the men of wisdom."sura 4 verse190

"And Satan will say when the matter has been decided."Verily ,Allah promised you a promise of truth..And i too promised you,but i betrayed you.I had no authority over you except that i called you,and you responded to me.So blame me not,but blame yourselves.I cannot help you,nor can you help me.I deny your former act in associating me[satan] as a partner with Allah[by obeying me in the life of the world].Verily,there is a painful torment for the Zalimun[polytheists and wrongdoers]"suraibrahim14:22

"And they say"None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian"These are their wishful beliefs.Say,'Produce your evidence if what you say is true!
Nay,whosoever surrender his whole being unto God,and is a doer of good,shall have his reward from his Lord,on them shall be no fear,neither shall they sorrow[al-baqarah2-111-112

"So patiently persevere for verily the promise of Allah is true nor let those shake thy firmness,who have[themselves] no certainty of faith.sura30:60

"He it is who hath sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth,that He may cause it to prevail over all religions,however much the idolaters may be averse.[al-taubah:33

[These are some of my favorite Quranic verses..i have many]

[HesMyForever]

Somebody had this posted on their FB page:

For real love to be mutual, both people must love Allah with deep respect and should demonstrate those morals that gain Allah’s good pleasure

People who do not live according to the Qur'an's morals cannot love or be loved in the true sense of the word. For real love to be mutual, both people must love Allah with deep respect and should demonstrate those morals that gain Allah's good pleasure. Allah will place love in the hearts of His beloved servants and ensure that other people will love them. It should not be forgotten that Allah is the real source and owner of love. To enable someone to live with true love, which is of great value and a great blessing, a person should seek to be worthy of this blessing by adhering to the Qur'an's morals, and should pray that Allah bestows true love. People who do not adhere to the Qur'an's morals live a life bereft of true knowledge, hope, and true friends in both worlds.

Allah informs us that love is a blessing that He bestows upon us:

And affection and purity from Us-he had fear [and respect]. (Surah Maryam, 13)

As for those who believe and do right actions, the All-Merciful will bestow His love upon them. (Surah Maryam, 96)
Among His signs is that He created spouses for you of your own kind so that you might find tranquility in them. And He has placed affection and compassion between you. There are certainly signs in that for people who reflect. (Surat ar-Rum, 21)

Given below are some of the characteristics Allah considers to be worthy of true love:

To Be Self-Sacrificing

Do not direct your eyes longingly to what We have given certain of them to enjoy. Do not feel sad concerning them. And take the believers under your wing. (Surat al-Hijr, 88)

Some people who do not believe in Allah and the Hereafter judge this world to be a place of great struggle, and therefore believe that the strong will inevitably overcome the weak. This view, the product of a completely mistaken way of thinking, is based on driving people away from good morals and seeking to protect their own gains and interests. A community that is ruled according to such claims sees no need to help those who need assistance; to be self-sacrificing or concerned about another person's welfare, happiness, and ease; to put his or her interests above their own. Subsequently, such activities are avoided because they bring no benefits to those who engage in them.

Thus, these people cannot really love one another, for people cannot truly love those who think of their own welfare before they think of somebody else's. For example, people who experience another person's selfishness feel their love for that person die slowly. If a person only thinks about his own comfort, keeping a delicious meal or a comfortable bed for himself, and not thinking about his or her neighbors, this will inevitably shatter the love felt for that person. Since people regularly witness this type of behavior, they subconsciously hold a negative view point toward such people.

Some people who are far removed from the Qur'an's morality cannot ask even their closest friends to make any sacrifice. For example, a mother who has to take care of her sick child cannot ask her coworker to do her work while she is meeting her child's needs. Even if one helps his own parents, some trouble will probably arise among his siblings. On the other hand, most people, when asked, say that they love their parents dearly. However, if self-sacrificing is required and there is no real gain in sight for that person, most people will seek to avoid such obligations. However, those who truly love somebody else will make all sorts of sacrifices, and will never tire or get sick of such sacrifice.

One of the sincere believers' most identifiable characteristics is that they will freely put their own interests below those of other believers. Allah gives one such example in the Qur'an, when recounting the Makkan Muslims' emigration to Madinah, and how the Muslims in Madinah welcomed them.

The Qur'an informs us of the beautiful morals of the believers in the following verse:

Those who were already settled in the abode [Madinah], and in faith, before they came love, those who have migrated to them; do not find in their hearts any need for what they have been given; and prefer them to themselves, even if they themselves are needy. The people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves are successful. (Surat as-Hashr, 9)

You will not attain true goodness until you give of what you love. Whatever you give away, Allah knows it. (Surah Al 'Imran, 92)

[The people who guard against evil are] those who give in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon other people-Allah loves the good-doers. (Surah Al 'Imran, 134)

The Makkan believers emigrated so that they could live their religion. They left behind all of their belongings, relatives, homes, vineyards, gardens, and their places of work in order to gain Allah's good pleasure. This demonstrates their superior morals and indicates the fact they have chosen Allah as their guardian and are trustworthy people. Their beautiful morals caused Madinah's Muslims to welcome them in the best possible manner with deep love, respect, and mercy.

Without considering their own needs and interests, they provided for the interests and needs of their brethren when it came to eating and living. Their self-sacrificing actions were based on their strong and sincere love for Allah and all other believers. Their beautiful morals also drew the love of other believers toward them. Allah mentions these believers in the Qur'an with love and praise, and for the past 1,400 years they have left an indelible impression in every believer's heart.

Another example is given in the following verses:

They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor, the orphans, and the captives: "We feed you only out of desire for the Face of Allah. We do not want any repayment from you or any thanks. Truly, We fear from our Lord a glowering, calamitous Day." (Surat al-Insan, 8-10)

Despite being in need themselves, those who offer their food to the hungry will naturally be loved and respected. Let's expand upon this with the following example. Let's pretend that you and two other people are very tired and hungry. In front of you is enough food for just one person and only one bed. One of them decides to eat the food and use the bed without asking you for permission, while the other person, despite being hungry, offers his food to you and insists that you sleep in the bed. In this situation, you would feel quite cold toward the selfish person, but quite warm and loving toward the one who placed his needs below yours. Allah created human soul so as to be pleased with good morals and feel love and affection for such people.


To Be Forgiving

Some people who do not live according to the Qur'an's morals easily become angry and dissatisfied with others, and get upset with those who do not live up to their expectations. Many people end long-term friendships with their "closest friends" and become their worst enemy in an instant due to relatively minor matters. This is because they do not live by the Qur'an's morals and thus cannot forgive, be patient or loving toward others, and they lead a life that is far removed from superior morals and the resulting characteristics.

Believers, who are very patient and forgiving, will not become angry and end their friendships just because of some minor mistakes and misgivings. Instead, they will give the other person another chance, remind them of the truth, and help them change their behavior. Instead of feeling anger and animosity toward their friends in public, they attempt to fix their mistakes and misgivings by giving examples from the Qur'an. In sincere love, feelings of great understanding and tolerance reign supreme. Every situation will be resolved with love, understanding, and in peace.
Allah reveals that believers should be forgiving:

Those of you who are affluent and rich should not make oaths that they will not give [anything] to their relatives, the very poor, and those who have migrated in the way of Allah. Rather, they should pardon and overlook. Wouldn't you love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nur, 22)

You will never cease to come upon some act of treachery on their part, except for a few of them. Yet pardon them and overlook. Allah loves good-doers. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 13)

O you who believe. Fear [and respect] Allah, and speak words that hit the mark. He will put your actions right for you and forgive you your wrong deeds. All who obey Allah and His messenger have won a mighty victory. (Surat al-Ahzab, 70-71)

The Qur'an places no limitations on how believers are to forgive others. Thus, even those people who constantly harm the believers should be forgiven. Believers will quite easily forgive another person, even if they suffer a great loss as a result of that person's actions. By forgiving a gossip, a trouble maker, or someone who causes him a serious material loss, and thus by being an excellent example of high morals, that same person may become a close friend. In fact, when a believer is forgiven, he or she will feel great love and gratitude toward the forgiver. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that one has to be able to forgive in order to develop true love:

A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with something better. If there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend. (Surah Fussilat, 34)

To Be Humble

One can acquire genuine love only after conquering selfishness, working for gain, insincerity, haughtiness, and similar behaviors. On the other hand, modesty is one of the most important aspects of love, for those who see themselves as superior to others only value themselves. Viewing other people as without value and inferior, they believe that they are the most intelligent, conscious, and worthy of respect. In other words, they turn their selves into little deities. Such a person find it impossible to associate with those who are "inferior," and so cannot sacrifice for them or put their needs first. As a result, they can feel no true and sincere love for them. Thus, love and haughtiness are mutually exclusive. A person who is haughty can neither be loved nor feel a deep and sincere love towards anyone.

There are many reasons why haughty people lead a loveless life. They generally have characteristics that are conducive to making fun of people in order to increase their value in their own eyes. They think that publicizing other people's shortcomings will display their own superiorities. No one will feel a sincere love in their hearts for those who constantly ridicule and degrade others.

On the other hand, modest people are always loved, for they value the person in front of them and, because of their adherence to Qur'anic values, other people will feel at ease with them. Such people listen intently and sincerely to any advice given to them, and never argue and assert that they know better. Rather than becoming haughty, they will display a good and positive attitude. They will not dispute the truth nor repel the wrong with anger. They answer all questions with great sensitivity, and never demand that other people show him love or respect first. Even when dealing with a haughty and argumentative person, they will respond by being modest, value other people's opinions, reply to everyone's greetings in the best possible manner, and be full of love and respect toward everyone. In short, the modesty brought about by the Qur'an's morals will develop into a model person who is very harmonious, open to different views, and not haughty. In fact, they will be models of honor, care for others, and value others. For this reason, modest people are usually loved very much. Allah informs us of this, as follows:

The servants of the All-Merciful are those who walk lightly [without arrogance] on the land, and who, when the ignorant speak to them, say: "Peace." (Surat al-Furqan, 63)

In another verse, He relates that:

Your god is One god, so submit to Him. Give good news to the humble-hearted. (Surat al-Hajj, 34)

Moreover, as a result of his modesty and soft nature, people gathered around our Prophet (pbuh):

It is a mercy from Allah that you were gentle with them. If you had been rough or hard of heart, they would have scattered from around you. So pardon them, ask forgiveness for them, and consult them about the matter. When you have reached a firm decision, put your trust in Allah. Allah loves those who put their trust in Him. (Surah Al 'Imran, 159)

To Be Straightforward

Some unbelievers feel very comfortable when telling lies. If such people do not admit their lies and stop engaging in this deceitful behavior, no one will love them. Liars often lose sight of the truth, and therefore are very undependable and untrustworthy people. People cannot love those whom they don't trust.

Believers, however, never lie, regardless of the consequences to their own interests. Thus, they are completely reliable and trustworthy, for they do not hide or distort the truth, or make promises they cannot possibly keep. For believers, there are no such things as white lies. As a result, they do not resort to lying in order to be seen as doing good, or to protect their esteem in the eyes of others, to show off, to ensure their material gain, or to cause any sort of loss to other people.

This beautiful moral value is one of the factors that turns a person's soul toward love, for soul will form feelings of true love toward a person who displays honesty and truthfulness. Our Prophet (pbuh) emphasized the importance of love between believers and stated that before this love could be developed and strengthened, sincerity and trust had to be established first:

Abu Hurayrah reported: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) observed: 'You shall not enter Paradise so long as you do not affirm belief (in all those things that are the articles of faith), and you will not believe as long as you do not love one another. Should I direct you to a thing that, if you do, will foster love among you: (the practice of paying salutation to one another by saying) as-salamu alaikum.'" (Sahih Muslim)

To Be Patient

Your god is One god, so submit to Him. Give good news to the humble-hearted. (Surat al-Hajj, 34)

The Qur'an reminds us that "people are prone to selfish greed" (Surat an-Nisa',128). Thus, we must strive to protect ourselves from such negative character traits so that we can attain the high morals befitting Paradise. However, despite this, people make mistakes. People who are trying to live lives of genuine love and friendship should not forget this fact. They must be very patient and forgiving toward those who they love, be patient when their friends do something wrong, and attempt to compensate for their shortcomings, for only those who are patient and unselfish can love and be loved. Patience strengthens and develops mutual love and tolerance. Believers rely on each other and, because they are believers and respect one another, bear each other's mistakes with tolerance and forgiveness. To compensate for these mistakes, they redouble their efforts to live according to the Qur'an's morals in the best possible manner, which only draws them closer to their fellow believers. For this reason, they are always patient with other people, regardless of the magnitude of their mistake.

Our Prophet (pbuh) directs the believers to cover their fellow believers' mistakes and to support them:

Every Muslim is a brother to a Muslim, neither wronging him nor allowing him to be wronged. If anyone helps his brother in need, Allah will help him in his own need. If anyone removes a calamity from [another] Muslim, Allah will remove from him some of the calamities of the Day of Resurrection. If anyone shields [another] Muslim from disgrace, Allah will shield him from disgrace on the Day of Resurrection. (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

The patience of a person who loves Allah and is constantly pleased with Him differs significantly from the understanding of patience of unbelievers. Unbelievers attempt to "endure" in some situations if they think that they will gain something from another person, or if they fear the repercussions of their community. They consider that they have the right to sulk, complain, or act badly. They will think: "I am putting up with this much trouble, so I am entitled to do as I like," or other similar statements. For example, an unbeliever who is looking after his sick friend will at some stage begin to be bored, become angry, and start to complain. He will complain that he cannot sleep, is very tired, that the job at hand is very hard, or even that nobody could possibly be as self-sacrificing as he is. These feelings will become noticeable and will cause his sick friend to feel obliged, for he will remind him all the time that he is doing him a favor.

A patient person however, responds to all of these needs with pleasure and does whatever is necessary to help him. He will never make that person feel obliged. Allah tells all believers to be patient with others, for it is one of their most beautiful character traits:

O you who believe, be steadfast. Be supreme in steadfastness and firm on the battlefield, and fear [and respect] Allah, so that, hopefully, you will be successful. (Surah Al 'Imran, 200)

To Be Faithful

[The steep ascent is] then to be one of those who believe and urge each other to steadfastness, and urge each other to compassion. (Surat al-Balad, 17)

One other characteristic that attracts the love of other people is faithfulness. Allah informs the believers that He will reward them for their faithfulness. For this reason, all believers implement this characteristic without reserve. As Allah tells us in the Qur'an:

So that Allah might recompense the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites, if He wills, or turn toward them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Ahzab, 24)

Even under the most difficult of circumstances, believers will never compromise their faithfulness toward Allah and the believers. Allah mentions Prophet Musa (as) and his young followers as role models for all believers:

No one had faith in Musa, except for a few of his people, out of fear that Pharaoh and the elders would persecute them. Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land. He was one of the profligate. Musa said: "O my people. If you believe in Allah, then put your trust in Him, if you are Muslims." (Surah Yunus, 83-84)

Throughout history, the believers and prophets have led lives whereby they have been killed, lost their wealth or esteem, and have been accused of various misdeeds. The believers, who have never left each other, as a result of their love for Allah and their fear, respect, and closeness to Him, have endured all of these dangers and have not yielded to them. Their heartfelt and unconditional loyalty to Allah is reason enough for the believers to feel love for one another. Allah informs us of this in the following verse:

The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His messenger, and then have had no doubt and have striven with their wealth and themselves in the way of Allah. They are the ones who are true to their word. (Surat al-Hujurat, 15)

To Be Merciful

Mercy is one part of love. Therefore, one cannot have sincere love if he has no mercy for others. Our Prophet's (pbuh) mercy is an excellent example for all believers. As Allah states in the Qur'an, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) displayed the most superior morals possible:

A messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering is distressing to him. He is deeply concerned for you, and gentle and merciful to the believers. (Surat at-Tawba, 128)

Merciful people do not wish for the people living around them to lead miserable lives no matter how important their own lives are, how well they are doing, for those people are just the same, even more important, than their own needs. For this reason, one of the most obvious characteristics of a merciful person is that he is concerned with the issues of others and does his best to resolve their problems.

Our Prophet (pbuh) directs all believers to act mercifully toward all other people:

Those who have mercy will receive the mercy of the Most Merciful. Have mercy on those who are on Earth, and the One in Heaven will have mercy on you. (At-Tirmidhi)

A Person Will Think of the Hereafter of Someone He Sincerely Loves

A person's real life, the eternal life of the Hereafter, only begins after death, for this world is no more than a temporary residence in which all people are tried. The believers, who are conscious of this reality, demonstrate their love for one another by preparing for the Hereafter. As much they would like to attain Allah's good pleasure, mercy, and Paradise, they would like their loved ones to share the same blessings and beauties as themselves. Knowing that one could face eternity in Hell, they behave in a manner designed to lead others toward the true path. Whenever they see a mistake in each other's behavior, they immediately will do their best to help their beloveds alter their behavior and morals so that they will gain Allah's good pleasure. They invite one another to what is good and beautiful, and withdraw from what He has proclaimed to be unlawful. Their eagerness and sincere love for one another is one of their best characteristics. Allah informs us of the believers' understanding of the strengthened love:

Believing men and women are friends of one another. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong, perform prayer and give alms, and obey Allah and His messenger. They are the people on whom Allah will have mercy. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat at-Tawba, 71)

Allah is the protector of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness and into the light. But those who do not believe have false deities as protectors. They take them from the light into the darkness. Those are the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it timelessly, forever. (Surat al-Baqara, 257)

In Sincere Love, the Other Person's Desires Always Take Precedence

For many people, the most important thing in their life is their own welfare. However, those who love other people sincerely forget their own desires and put those of their beloved's first. They do whatever is necessary to make that person comfortable and meet his or her needs. For example, if two people successfully complete a topic, he would rather see the person that he loves complimented. He will gain great satisfaction if his beloved is in the right, instead of himself, and would rather do the work himself instead of seeing his beloved become tired. He would never confound, belittle, or hurt his beloved, because his sole desire is to gain Allah's good pleasure and love, as well as His Paradise. As a result, he will be able to demonstrate a sincere love and understanding for the other person.

[Sheyanne]

The Quran on the Origin of the Universe


The science of modern cosmology, observational and theoretical, clearly indicates that, at one point in time, the whole universe was nothing but a cloud of ‘smoke’ (i.e. an opaque highly dense and hot gaseous composition).1 This is one of the undisputed principles of standard modern cosmology. Scientists now can observe new stars forming out of the remnants of that ‘smoke’ (see figures 10 and 11).

Figure 10: A new star forming out of a cloud of gas and dust (nebula), which is one of the remnants of the ‘smoke’ that was the origin of the whole universe. (The Space Atlas, Heather and Henbest, p. 50.)

Figure 11: The Lagoon nebula is a cloud of gas and dust, about 60 light years in diameter. It is excited by the ultraviolet radiation of the hot stars that have recently formed within its bulk. (Horizons, Exploring the Universe, Seeds, plate 9, from Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

The illuminating stars we see at night were, just as was the whole universe, in that ‘smoke’ material. God has said in the Quran:
Then He turned to the heaven when it was smoke... (Quran, 41:11)
Because the earth and the heavens above (the sun, the moon, stars, planets, galaxies, etc.) have been formed from this same ‘smoke,’ we conclude that the earth and the heavens were one connected entity. Then out of this homogeneous ‘smoke,’ they formed and separated from each other. God has said in the Quran:
Have not those who disbelieved known that the heavens and the earth were one connected entity, then We separated them?... (Quran, 21:30)
Dr. Alfred Kroner is one of the world’s renowned geologists. He is Professor of Geology and the Chairman of the Department of Geology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany. He said: “Thinking where Muhammad came from . . . I think it is almost impossible that he could have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only found out within the last few years, with very complicated and advanced technological methods, that this is the case.”2 (To view the RealPlayer video of this comment click here ). Also he said: “Somebody who did not know something about nuclear physics fourteen hundred years ago could not, I think, be in a position to find out from his own mind, for instance, that the earth and the heavens had the same origin.”3 (View the RealPlayer video of this comment ).

[HesMyForever]

A new movie is being made called "MOOZ-lum". The title is making fun of how non-Muslims often mispronounce the words "Muslim" and "Islam" by using a "z" instead of an "s" in the words. Anyways, it's about a young man who grows up in a very strict Islamic environment with his dad. When he goes to college, he drifts away from Islam...but eventually learns that it does not have to be as hard as his dad once made it. But, as he is beginning to explore Islam again, the 9/11 attacks occur...and he has to make some decisions about his life. I am really looking forward to this movie. I hope it is able to make it into the theatres. It is staring Nia Long and Danny Glover....so I'm hoping that will help get it into the theatres.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...v=677989641418 (Behind the scenes of MOOZ-lum).

[Sheyanne]

ON MUSIC

Music is an issue that has been hotly debated by scholars of the past and the present. While many of them have been generally inclined to condemn all forms of music—with the singular exception of al-dduff (tambourine) in weddings--, quite a few of them have taken a more positive approach of considering only music containing sensual, pagan, or unethical themes or subliminal messages as being categorically forbidden.

The latter view seems to be more consistent with the general nature of Islam, which is undoubtedly a complete way of life that caters to all of the genuine human instincts and needs within permissible limits. Thus to say that all music is forbidden in Islam does not seem to agree with the balanced approach of Islam to issues of human life and experience.

Traditions often cited by the first group scholars to justify condemnation of all musical instruments and music, according to some scholars, are considered as either spurious, or phrased in such way solely because of their associations with drinking, dancing, and sensuality.
While everyone agrees that all forms of music that contain pagan, sensual themes, or subliminal messages are clearly forbidden, the latter group of scholars considers all forms of music free of such themes and messages as permissible.

As a matter of fact, we know from the authentic traditions that the Prophet, peace be upon him, not only allowed music in the weddings but also listened to girls singing: While listening to girls singing on such an occasion, he interrupted them only once when they sang the following verse, “In our midst is a prophet who knows what will happen tomorrow”; whence, the Prophet, peace be upon him, told them, “Cut this sentence out, and continue singing what you had been singing earlier.”
There is nothing in the sources to indicate that the above permission is limited to the occasion of wedding, as some people tend to think.

In light of these, according to the last mentioned group of scholars, music that is deemed to be free of un-Islamic and unethical themes and messages—the same is true of musical instruments so long as they are not used for the above—have been considered as permissible.
A final word: Islam clearly prohibits mixed dancing of males and females.

BY SHAIKH AHMED KUTTY

[Sheyanne]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G5DgQCcClE

[HesMyForever]

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

[HesMyForever]

Asalaamu alaikum....

Someone had this on their photo album in FB, and I wanted to share it here, because I thought it was beautiful, masha'Allah:

When I say..I am a Muslim,
I'm not shouting: "Down with Christians and Jews"
I am whispering: "I seek peace"
and Islam is the path that I choose.
When I say.. I am a Muslim,
I speak of this with pride.
And confess that sometimes I stumble,
and need Allah to be my guide.
When I say..I am a Muslim,
I know this makes me strong.
And in those times when I am weak,
I pray to Allah for strength to carry on.
When I say. . . I am a Muslim,I'm not boasting of success.
I'm acknowledging that Allah has rescued me,
and I cannot ever repay the debt.
When I say..I am a Muslim,
I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are indeed visible,
but Allah forgives because his followers are worth it.
When I say..I am a Muslim,
it does not mean I will never feel pain.
I still have my share of heartaches, which is why I invoke Allah's name.
When I say..I am a Muslim,
I do not wish to judge.
I have no such authority
My duty is to submit to Allah's all-encompassing love.

[Sheyanne]

The House in which the Quran is Recited

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b. Mas’ûd – Allâh be pleased with him – said:
The house in which the Qur’ân is not recited is like a derelict house that has no one to maintain it.
It is also reported that he said:
Verily the emptiest of houses are those that are empty of the Book of Allâh.
It is reported that Abû Hurayrah – Allâh be pleased with him – used to say about the house in which the Qur’ân is recited:
It becomes spacious for its inhabitants, the good of it becomes plentiful, the angels come to it and the devils leave it. And the house in which the Qur’ân is not recited becomes cramped for its inhabitants, has little good in it, and the devils come to it.

[HesMyLife01]

My religion is not Islamic..but my fiance is Muslim. I am willing to learn about it. And I totally accept his religion, because I love him. We are getting married in July.

[HesMyForever]

Originally Posted by jspeight

My religion is not Islamic..but my fiance is Muslim. I am willing to learn about it. And I totally accept his religion, because I love him. We are getting married in July.

Salaam (Peace),

It is wonderful to have you here. If there are any specific questions you have, feel free to post them here, or PM me or one of the other sisters on the board. We have a few other good threads in the Spiritual Connection Resources forum as well...particularly a great Islamic videos thread. I want to thank you on your willingness to learn and be open-minded....not all people are. It is much appreciated. I hope to see you around, insh'Allah (God-willing).

Salaam,
Aakifah

[Sheyanne]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaEpU...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn_Sv...aynext_from=PL

[Sheyanne]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fe1O...eature=related