We Will Soon Come to Know.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah and Allah only.

From Allah we came, to Allah we return. 

On Friday the 16th, I was informed with the news of the returning of a friend to our rightly Owner, our Creator. Allah Al A'zeez. For a moment I was numb and speechless. I didn't know how to react. I double confirmed with my friend was it really the person that I had in mind. And it was true. Allahuakbar. 

Allahyarhamah Nadia Zahari. 

We weren't really that close but I had the chance to know her, and to me now that she's no longer in this dunya, made me appreciate the opportunity to have known such a wonderful person. 

I first met her at PASUM. Her room was next to mine. My first impression; a bubbly girl she was.

I then met her again on my best friend's engagement day last year. She was the photographer commemorating that special day. We had a little chit chat and took photos together. Added each other on Facebook and admiring her from then on. 

The last time I saw her was on my friend's wedding day in February, and had a little catching up on her wedding preparation. Nadia was engaged to be married in October. But Allah's plan and love for her were greater.   

She was a daie, spreading Islamic knowledge through her profound talent in photography and graphic design, and not to mention through her personality as well. She set up a Facebook page called Jom Solat, reaching out to people to better understand the meaning of our readings in Solah. 

Those who knew her well including those who admire her from afar would definitely say she's a very bright and kind lady. 

Her sudden departure leaves us with endless questions that we might not even had the time to think of before. Made us realise how short our time is in this dunya, how we can never escape the angel of death Izrael when his and our Lord says its time, how did we spend our time that was given by Allah s.w.t., and the most heart gripping question, are we prepared to meet Him? :( 

"Every soul shall taste of death, and you shall only be paid fully your reward on the resurrection day; then whoever is removed far away from the fire and is made to enter the garden he indeed has attained the object; and the life of this world is nothing but a provision of vanities" Ali 'Imran (3:185)

Though sadness veils us, we truly believe and asked Allah s.w.t. to place her soul in a better home than in this dunya, a better rank with the saliheen, in a more peaceful valley only for the mu'mineen, Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen Ya Rabb.   

Alhamdulillah, allahyarhamah has left us with legacy of love, ilm, and act of kindness that will remain in the hearts of the people. The one thing that we should strive for. The purpose of our life. Should we not follow? 

Al-Fatihah.  

    

The Trip of The Soul.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah and Allah only.

When I was a kid, I have always wondered what is it like to perform the tawaf or circumambulating the Kaabah. Heard stories from grandma, uncles and aunties but I couldn't imagine myself in that position. Read a lot of peoples' experiences too in magazines, and most of them would be telling about how they couldn't see the Kaabah, or how they got lost in the Masjidil Haram etc. and this happened due to the sins they did in the past. I too then became anxious and worried. Will I be able to see Kaabah when I set foot in front of it? 

This question lingered in my mind frequently when my father came home one day and told us that we will be going for Umrah or the lesser pilgrimage. Allahuakbar. The feelings were of a mixed one. Happy and excited, because I can finally perform Umrah, moved and affected because Wallahi I realised that this is the call of Allah s.w.t. and my family & I are about to become His guests in Haram. But I was scared too. Anxious to bits. What if I passed out when my feet touches Haram? What if I can't see the Kaabah? What if? WHAT IFS? 

All of these WHAT IFS were negative thoughts that need to be burned with the thoughts of how much Mercy Allah s.w.t. has for His slaves. Tawbah. Yes. Before one sets for an umrah or hajj, one has to prepare one's self for this journey. It is a journey of the soul, so the soul must be purified.

Habib Ali Zainal Abidin told us that to perform the Umrah means bringing one's heart, purified, for Allah's sake. 

So I took the steps little by little.

And eventually my worries subsided. Alhamdulillah :')

Put your utmost faith in Allah s.w.t. He will not let you down. That's the lesson I've gained throughout this process.

InsyaAllah, I'll continue sharing my heartfelt Umrah experience soon.  

A Mouth to Feed, A Soul to Rectify

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah and Allah only.

It has been a very hectic week for me and how I wish I can have more time to do everything that comes in my way.

Work at the office suddenly piled up, I would say I'm a bit confuse as to which one I'm going to do first. Because all are urgent! I really really REALLY need to learn how to manage my time more wisely. And I have to be more sincere in doing my work, because it is the rizqi from Allah s.w.t.

I have to constantly remind myself and correct my intention to work for Allah s.w.t. Instead of feeling it as a burden or just a source of money, I actually am worshipping Allah s.w.t. That feeling is the sweetest.

I am so far away from being a perfect muslimah, but I will try.

*Fudayl bin 'Iyyaad said,

"If an action is sincere but not right, it will not be accepted; and if it is right but was not sincere, it will not be accepted until it is sincere and right. The sincere one is that which is for the sake of Allah and the right one is that in conformity with the sunnah" Then he recited,

"So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord." - Al-Kahfi (18:110)*

May Allah protect my heart and yours from intending other than His rida. Ameen Allahumma Ameen.

*An excerpt taken from the book 'How to Rectify the Heart' by Dr. Muhammad Moosa Ash-Shareef

Things We Took For Granted

                          


"Surely your Lord knows that you pass in prayer nearly two-thirds of the night, and (sometimes) a third of it, and (also) a party of those with you; and Allah measures the night and the day. He knows that you are not able to do it, so He has turned to you (mercifully), therefore read what is easy of the Quran. He knows that there must be among you sick, and others who travel in the land seeking of the bounty of Allah, and others who fight in Allah's way, therefore read as much of it as is easy (to you), and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and offer to Allah a godly gift, and whatever of good you send on beforehand for yourselves, you will find it with Allah; that is best and greatest in reward; and ask forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." - Al-Muzzammil (73:20)

Reading this verse has truly made it clear that Allah is speaking to me, to us. His slaves. This verse shows how merciful Allah s.w.t. is towards His slaves, and how He is guiding us in every way possible so that in the end, we'll be placed in Jannah. Subhanallah.

But we often take His mercy and blessing for granted. We do things that has been prohibited and turn a blind eye from Allah's guidance.

I remembered being so sick and having to swallow pills of different kinds in a day, and how awful I felt at that moment. It was so hard for me to get up and pray, I just wanna sleep! Truly this sickness teaches me to be grateful for having a good health. This body that Allah has entrusted us with, is nothing more than a vessel for us to worship Him, Ar- Raheem. As a reminder to myself first and foremost, do not give up in the act of worshiping Allah. To err is human, but the best of those who err are those who repent.

Signs Along The Way

Quite recently I had one of the greatest moments that mere words can't describe. It is that feeling of tranquility and peace in the heart that one can rarely achieve these days, what's with the hectic and busy life one has to endure.

My family and I were on our way back to KL from north of the country and we stopped for Maghrib prayer.

It was dusk, the sky started to blend its colour with the sunset, and part of it becomes purplish. As soon as I had my wudu', I felt the light wind touching my face and MasyaAllah, the chill was immensely refreshing.

When the adhan was called and we started to pray, the birds outside harmoniously sing and chirp, as if they are rejoicing with us the Glory of Allah  :')

The tears that flow were priceless and they are tears that I want to experience again and again. It was so beautiful Ya Allah.

Ya Allah, so many blessings that You have endowed me with, Alhamdulillah.

"And (in) the variation of the night and the day, and (in) what Allah sends down of sustenance from the cloud, then gives life thereby to the earth after its death, and (in) the changing of the winds, there are signs for a people who understand." - Al- Jathiya (45:5)

Muslim Sisters Lesson 101

                                           

When negativity starts to build up in your heart and mind, always find excuses or positivity and do not be judgemental towards ourselves. It has been narrated by A'ishah r.a. (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet s.a.w. said, "None of you should say: My soul has become evil. He should say: My soul has become annoyed" (Bukhari and Muslim)  

Take some time off and reflect. Keep reminding yourself the purpose Allah created you. InsyaAllah He will make it easy for you =) 

He is The Bestower

Sometimes or most of the times, when we want things in our life, we make du'a. Each and every time after salah we ask Allah Glorious is He to provide us with things we want. We keep asking and asking but it never came. But did we ever stop to ponder that the things we want might not be good for us and for our deen?

Eventually, we will see the wisdom Allah puts behind every events in our life. No time is too early and no time is too late when it is from Him. There will come to a term where we see that Allah actually does respond to our du'as. BUT. In a BETTER form and in the BEST of ways. Subhanallah.

He will open doors you never imagined before. Doors that are bringing you closer to Him, for Allah is Ar-Rahim (The Merciful) and Al-Wahhab (The Bestower). He gives us what we need the most. Never stop to ask Him things that are good for us and our deen, and most importantly be patient. InsyaAllah Taala.

"O you who believe! seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with the patient" - Al-Baqarah (153)