Responsibility

You're young and each day you grow towards that level of maturity. Being a mature person means having much responsibility.

Which responsibilities do you have now and how do you fulfill them? For example:

- Do you need to take care of your little brothers and sisters?
- Is it your task to make sure there are enough vegetables and milk in the fridge?
- Is it your responsibility to take care of the money?

The Boy and The Apple Tree

I pray that you are all well and in the best state of Imaan, Ameen!

I read this story today and it was really sad, yet very true

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow…he loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by…the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.

One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. ''Come and play with me'' the tree asked the boy. ''I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more'' the boy replied.
''I want toys. I need money to buy them.'' ''Sorry, but I do not have money… but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.'' The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited ''Come and play with me'' the tree said. ''I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?'' ''Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.'' So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. ''Come and play with me!'' the tree said. ''I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?'' said the man. ''Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.'' So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the man returned after many years. ''Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you'' the tree said. ''No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite'' the man replied. ''No more trunk for you to climb on'' ''I am too old for that now'' the man said. ''I really cannot give you anything... the only thing left is my dying roots'' the tree said with tears. ''I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years'' the man replied. ''Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, Come, come sit down with me and rest.'' The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears…

This is a story for everyone.
The tree is like our parents

When we were young, we loved to play with our Mum and Dad...

When we grow up, we leave them, only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble.

No matter what,parents will always be there and give everything they can just to make us happy.


You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how some people treat their parents. Astaghfirullah!
They take them for granted they don't appreciate all they do for then, UNTIL it's too late.

Let this stroy be a lesson to all of us, Inshallah!

May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala give us all the ability to sereve our parents well, Ameen!

Selfish Man

Once upon a time, there was a selfish man. He liked everything to be his own. He could not share his belongings with anyone, not even his friends or the poor.

One day, the man lost thirty gold coins. He went to his friend's house and told him how he lost his gold coins. His friend was a kind man.

As his friend's daughter was coming from an errand she found thirty gold coins, when she arrived home, she told her father what she had found. The girl's father told her that the gold coins belong to his friend and he sent for him. When the selfish man arrived, he told him how his daughter had found his thirty gold coins and handed then to him. After counting the gold coins the man said that ten of them was missing and had been taken by the girl as he had forty gold coins. He further commented that he will recover the remaining amount from him (the girl's father). But the father refused.

The selfish man left the gold coins and went to the court and informed the judge there about what had taken place between him and the girl's father.

The judge sent for the girl and her father, and when they arrived asked the girl how many gold coins did she find. She replied thirty gold coins. The Judge that asked the selfish man how many gold coins did he lose and he answered forty gold coins.

The judge then told the selfish man that the gold coins did not belong to him because the girl found thirty and not forty as he claimed to have lost and then told the girl to take the gold coins and that if anybody is looking for them he will send for the girl.

The judge told the selfish man that if anybody reports that they have found forty gold coins he will send for him. It was then that the selfish man confessed that he lied and that he lost thirty gold coins but the judge did not listen to him.

Moral: This story of honesty teaches us to be always honest as dishonest never pays.

The Destruction of Namrood

Namrood’s destruction was at hand. Allah Ta’ala had given him enough time to reform. But he imagined he had himself to thank for the respite he had been granted. He had become more and more cruel and unjust. His despotism knew no bounds. He summoned Hazrat Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) and said to him, “Tell your Allah that I neither fear Him nor need Him! Go tell Him that the whole world is in awe of me. All people are obedient to my command. If He is the God of heaven, I am God of the earth. Where are His armies? If the sky fell on my troops, they could hold it up with their lances. Tell Him I challenge Him to a battle. He has no say on earth. The
whole earth belongs to me; it is my kingdom!”
The answer was revealed to Hazrat Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam): “Let him come to such and such a place, where I shall do battle with him!” The venerable Ibrahim Khaleelullah (Alaihis Salaam) passed the news to Namrood. On the day appointed, the brigades and regiments assembled on the battlefield, forming themselves in ranks. The Glorified and Exalted Rabb gave His army of mosquitoes their orders, and then sent these humble creatures into action against the proud and stubborn unbeliever who
claimed to be deity. The skies turned black as Namrood’s horde stood ready for battle. When the order was given, the host of mosquitoes hurled themselves in their hundreds of millions against the army of the enemy of Allah. They filled the soldiers’ mouths, eyes and ears, biting with a
vengeance. When the cavalry horses met the mosquitoes’ onslaught, they started to bolt in all directions, unseating their riders as they fled. In the space of half an hour, destruction had overtaken Namrood’s army, more than a hundred thousand strong.
Namrood himself left the battlefield, taking refuge in one of his castles. He thought he had saved his life by stopping up all doors and windows. In spite of the great miracle he had witnessed, he could not bring himself to repent and accept the Oneness of Allah Ta’ala. How could he do so, without overcoming his arrogance and pride? The scoundrel was wilfully obstinate in his disbelief. One lame mosquito, with a damaged wing, had been unable to obey the Divine Command to attack this stubborn infidel. It now addresses itself to Allah Ta’ala, saying, “Oh Allah, what a sinful and luckless creature I must be, that You should deprive me of my share in this battle. If
only my leg and my wing had been sound, I would have done my bit in fighting this enemy of Yours!” Almighty Allah, Lord of the worlds, then gave it the command, “Go now! You destroy that accursed one!” The lame mosquito made its way, limping to the castle where Namrood was hiding. Getting in through a keyhole, it went and settled on Namrood’s knee. There it rested, recovering from its exhaustion. Namrood spotted the insect and tried to kill it, but the mosquito settled on his other knee. As it rested there, it seemed to say, “You once told the venerable Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam)
that you had the power of life and death. You sought to prove it by killing one man and letting another go free. Come, what is stopping you from killing me now?” Namrood could not kill the insect, no matter how hard he tried. Allah Ta’ala was demonstrating his weakness to him, as if to say, “Unless I will it, you cannot kill! When you killed men by My will, you imagined that you had granted them death. Look, you are a nonentity. You used the
kingdom I gave you as a pretext for disobeying Me. You are nothing! What has become of the arrogance of yours? Where are your armies? Where is your divinity? Look, you have been conquered by that humble creature of Mine, the mosquito. You have been disgraced!” For all his efforts Namrood still could not kill the mosquito, which now went up inside his nose.
Once upon a time, Namrood had wanted to burn Hazrat Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) in the fire, but in that he had also failed. The fire would not burn. Fire is only the secondary cause, the Real Cause being Almighty Allah.
The mosquito started eating the membrane of Namrood’s brain. The tyrant beat his head from rock to rock. Now he had really begun to feel the pain of his defeat. He had felt no sympathy for the hundred thousand soldiers he had left on the battlefield, nor for their bereaved parents. His only thought had been to save his filthy skin and rotten soul by running to hide in his castle; but hiding could not save him from the dreaded claws of death.
How many lives he had slaughtered, how many houses he had destroyed, how many brains he had dashed out. Now he was dashing his own head against the rocks and walls; now he was suffering himself the pain he had inflicted on others. Those people who oppress others should take heed of Namrood’s condition and remember that Allah Ta’ala will give you enough time and respite, but the day His Wrath befalls you then there is no escape.
Namrood appointed salaried officials to hit him on the head with mallets. The blows gave him a brief respite, since they interrupted the insect’s work. As soon as the mosquito began eating his brain once more, he would cry, “Help! Hit me!” He would get angry with those who did not hit him hard enough, while he increased the salaries of those who were hard hitters.
The so called ‘God of the earth’ was being beaten by his own servants. One day, one of these servants wielded the mallet too hard, and Namrood’s evil soul departed. They laid his filthy corpse in the pit of hell which was his grave. We should learn from this incident that arrogance and pride will lead us to nothing but destruction in both the worlds. The more arrogant one is the more disgraced one would end up. This can be seen from the fact that Namrood gave himself such a high status that he considered himself as God, yet he was disgracefully defeated by one of the weakest and most humble
creatures of Allah Ta’ala. This is the Qudrat of Allah Ta’ala. And the more we remind ourselves of the Power of Allah Ta’ala and His Bounties, the further away arrogance and pride will be from us because we will realize that everything that we have achieved and attained is due to the Blessings that Allah Ta’ala has bestowed upon us, not because of our own doings. That is why Fakhrul Islam Qutbe Mauritius Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ibrahim Khushtar Siddiqui Qadri Razvi (Rahmatullah Alaih) used to always say, “I am Nothing, He is Everything.” The more Allah Ta’ala raised his status, the more he crumbled himself with a quality of nothingness before the All- Powerful and Exalted Rabb.
May Allah Ta’ala save us from pride and arrogance and may He in His Infinite Mercy grant us the Taufeeq to constantly remind ourselves that “I am Nothing, He is Everything,” Ameen. [Compiled from Irshad: Wisdom of a Sufi Master by Shaikh Muzaffer Al Jerrahi ]

The Healing Powers of Prayer Beads

Just as using beads for prayer is a long-standing tradition, so is healing with beads. Throughout history cultures have used gemstones and wood for healing. Dr. Robert Frost, a physician in Basel, Switzerland, recently studied the scientific properties of these gems and woods and created a method of testing woods and gemstones that reveals their healing properties in scientific terms (Frost). In his clinical work, Dr. Frost discovered that using the correct gemstone or wood could reduce pain, prevent allergic reactions, improve coordination and even increase muscle strength.

Tiger-eye is traditionally used to enhance understanding and strengthen belief. It is healing to the stomach area and is often used to assist with problems of the kidney, pancreas, liver, small intestine or stomach. It has also been found to have a calming effect on people who hold it.

Turquoise keeps the feeling of unconditional love in one's heart and helps one feel more connected with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. It also assists in the digestion of proteins and thus aids digestion. Turquoise also helps draw out negative feelings such as envy or anger from a person. It assists in healing ailments of the thyroid, throat, ears, neck and respiratory system. It can also help to combat allergies or heart problems.

Beads of amber can help lift the heaviness of burdens, amethyst can be spiritually uplifting or heal the stomach or liver, and black onyx helps one to change bad habits.

The healing power of wooden prayer beads is often in their scent, which is released and revived with usage. The scent of rosewood is traditionally used for nervous tension, frigidity, and headaches. It also assists the immune system, helps to fight viruses and regenerate cells. It is good for jet lag and skin inflammations and has the ability to relax a person without making them drowsy.

Beads made of sandalwood emit a scent that has been used for healing since the time of the prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa Sallam. Sandalwood is an antidepressant, antiseptic, insecticidal, and sedative wood. It can assist in the healing of cells and is used to assist the immune system in any healing process or to prevent illness.

The End will surely come!!

The reality is that life in this world is limited and has an appointed end, and that this end will surely come…

"The righteous will die;

And the wicked will die.

The warriors who fight Jihaad will die;

And those who sit at home will die.

Those who busy themselves with correct beliefs will die;

And those who treat people as their slaves will die.

The brave who reject injustice will die;

And the vile who seek to cling to this vile life will die.

The people of lofty-goals and ambitions will die;

And the wretched people who live for cheap enjoyment will die."

May we all be prepared as surely the end will come for all of us, death is inevitable.

Five Things Cause Five Others

Five Things Cause Five Others

Imam as-Samarqandi

Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah, radhiallahu `anhu said, "If anyone has five things then he will not be deprived of five others.

1. He who is enabled to show gratitude will never be deprived of increase of blessings.
"If you give thanks, certainly I will give you more." (14:7)

2. He who is guided to persevere will not be deprived of reward.
"Truly the persevering will be paid their reward in full without reckoning." (39:10)

3. One who is inspired to repent will not be deprived of its acceptance:
"And He is (Allah) Who accepts repentance from His servants." (42:25)

4. One who is enabled to seek forgiveness will not be deprived of receiving pardon.
"Seek forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is Ever-forgiving." (71:10)

5. He who is spurred to make supplication is not deprived of an answer.
"Call upon Me, and I shall answer you." (40:60)

Someone else added a sixth proposition that one who is encouraged to spend will not be deprived of reward thereof.
"And whatsoever you expend (for good) He shall replace it." (34:39)

Woman

Woman

By Shammah Bakir


Mother, beneath whose feet lies paradise. Daughter, who is the mercy of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. Sister, who is the honour of the family. Wife, who is the jewel of the home. All these are facades of the great personality known as woman.

The woman who had no worth before Islam. She was buried alive soon after birth, as her arrival signified disgrace and humiliation. Islam gave her respect and greatness. Consequently, as a mother she was presented with a status much higher than that of a father, and has given birth to some of the greatest prophets and saints.

The beloved prophet Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa Sallam said, "Oh Muslims, the example of the following four women should suffice for every generation of your women: Hadhrat Maryam Radi Allahu anha (mother of Hadhrat Isa Alai hisallam), Hadhrat Khadja-tal-Kubra Radi Allahu anha, Hadhrat Fatima- al-Zahra Radi Allahu anha , and Hadhrat Asiya Radi Allahu anha (wife of the Pharaoh)." (Tirmidhi)

Let us contemplate the importance of this example. Hadhrat Khadija Radi Allahu anhu was one of the richest amongst the Arabs. Once she married, she sacrificed all her wealth for Islam and for the love of her Husband. She lived a happy life with patience and gratitude.

Then there is Hadhrat Fatima Radi Allahu anha, who whilst she lived in her father's home, she valued her father's love and affection above anything else in the world. After her marriage, her husband's home became everything. She raised her children through sheer struggle and graft, but her tongue never uttered a word of complaint.

The status quo in society is achieved only as a result of woman's faithfulness, modesty and her sacrifices. She maintains a systematic order in the home, and her knowledge and skills can illuminate it. Whilst she grows up in her parental home, she dutifully abides by her parents wishes. Following marriage she transfers this loyalty to her husband. Once she becomes a mother, she becomes the purveyor of abundant love for her offspring.

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala has entrusted the guardianship of woman to man, initially in the guise of a father, then in the shape of a brother and then as a husband. Prophet Muhammad Salla Allahu 'alayhi wa Sallam stated, "A woman is like a flower. Her purpose is not just to serve you. Her time in your home is but one stage of her life. Take care of all her needs. Do not burden her with more than she can manage and do not subject her to hardship or injustice."