tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50394195554625707602024-03-13T14:18:22.498-07:00One Beauty of Islamla ilaha illallah muhammad rasool allahRihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.comBlogger377125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-49479465803456177442012-12-14T09:33:00.003-08:002012-12-14T09:33:48.827-08:00I guess this is the end...Alsalamualaykum Everyone,<br />
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Some of you may have been reading my blog since I first started it about 3 1/2 years ago, others may have just recently passed through occasionally. I used to literally be obsessed with this blog and would blog at least once everyday. Since than I've stopped blogging on here, I have a Tumblr blog page.<br />
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I've decided to delete this blog soon, I'm not gonna do it today, but in the next coming days I'm going to get around to deleting it. Anything I have written that has been of benefit to you is from Allah swt, and anything wrong is from myself and I pray that Allah will forgive me for that.<br />
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If you would like to keep up with me, my tumblr page is http://heaveniswheretheheartis.tumblr.com<br />
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and on twitter follow me @RiRi779Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-48423853271860143502012-12-01T13:47:00.000-08:002012-12-01T13:47:34.255-08:00The Hijab<br />
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<b>Why I wear the hijab</b></div>
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I wear the hijab because it’s an obligation upon every Muslim woman and Allah commanded it in the Quran. I wear it to please Allah swt. When I first started wearing it I did it because I knew it was the right thing to do and it just felt right. I kept trying to put it off until later on in life or until I got married or something, but a friend reminded me that I don’t even know if I’m going to live until tomorrow. I realized that waiting wasn’t worth the risk. </div>
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<b>Why I love wearing the hijab</b></div>
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I love wearing the hijab because it always feels amazing when a fellow Muslim brother or sister sees me and says “Al Salamu Alaykum” just because they recognized me as a Muslim. I feel a lot more confident in the hijab than I did before when I didn’t wear it. I love the feeling of knowing that I stand for something great and that anything good I do could be da3wa for someone else (or the opposite if I do something wrong because it could turn someone away from Islam) so it’s a big responsibility to wear the hijab, but I’m okay with that alhamdulilah. I’ve learned how to change the way I dress around the hijab and I really love the look of modest clothing and all the different ways I can wear my scarf. I find modesty really beautiful. </div>
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<b>What the hijab means to me</b></div>
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“Hijab” has a couple meanings to me. It has a literal meaning to me which is to wear the “veil” in order to be modest (cover the hair and the shape of the body) and protect my beauty. There’s also the “inner hijab” which is about being modest in speech, the way I act in public (especially with men), lowering my gaze, not gossiping, and just having all around etiquette. </div>
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This is simply what hijab means to me. I don’t follow the definition of hijab I mentioned 100% but I’m working on myself everyday and inshAllah soon I’ll be able to wear the hijab as it should be worn both inside and out. </div>
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Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-2174841820399005242012-11-26T13:06:00.000-08:002012-11-26T13:06:48.430-08:00Summer Vacation Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I just realized that I never shared some of my photos from Egypt and Sudan with you all. I had a great summer vacation and got to spend time with both my family in Egypt and Sudan. I stayed in Egypt for only 10 days, but each of those days was filled with something new everyday. I finally got to see the Pyramids up close, I went shopping in Cairo and in the Khan el Khalili Market, and I went to Sharm el Sheikh, Red Sea. I got to experience Ramadan for the first time in Sudan and also Eid. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ClSj_J7imDs/ULPXf-zDLJI/AAAAAAAABt8/qTo8PpIjlLg/s1600/526458_1740059352625_2043753839_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="371" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ClSj_J7imDs/ULPXf-zDLJI/AAAAAAAABt8/qTo8PpIjlLg/s400/526458_1740059352625_2043753839_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belly Dancer </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HbHqo5B0naw/ULPXWMNezGI/AAAAAAAABt0/AJdjuuIV-Tw/s1600/179585_1740065792786_316094685_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HbHqo5B0naw/ULPXWMNezGI/AAAAAAAABt0/AJdjuuIV-Tw/s400/179585_1740065792786_316094685_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Red Sea</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Great Pyramids of Giza</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family Picture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My and my sister in Cairo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the sun go down Ramadan 2012 Sudan</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramadan iftaar Sudan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3td2y7_KPpI/ULPVKXOKUXI/AAAAAAAABs8/r7i4p4ah5ys/s1600/250734_1774415811515_346864469_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3td2y7_KPpI/ULPVKXOKUXI/AAAAAAAABs8/r7i4p4ah5ys/s400/250734_1774415811515_346864469_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Men praying outside in Sudan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-liGU7Irv-UM/ULPUXBhg-hI/AAAAAAAABss/yqrvLwLa6LM/s1600/DSC_1700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-liGU7Irv-UM/ULPUXBhg-hI/AAAAAAAABss/yqrvLwLa6LM/s400/DSC_1700.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got henna done on my hands for eid</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOj5RZn2n28/ULPU6rz5EVI/AAAAAAAABs0/TWEGwRoJkac/s1600/401476_1774415371504_1068071499_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOj5RZn2n28/ULPU6rz5EVI/AAAAAAAABs0/TWEGwRoJkac/s400/401476_1774415371504_1068071499_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mosque in Omdurman, Sudan</td></tr>
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Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-14101111068734374972012-11-20T22:13:00.002-08:002012-11-20T22:13:23.324-08:00VCU Inter-MSA 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I attended Virginia Commonwealth University's Inter-MSA event this past weekend where students from George Mason University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Mary Washington, etc attended. It was really nice and we got to interact with each other and meet new people. Brother Joshua Salaam of Native Deen spoke at the event as well as a few other speakers. We attended a talent show and got to know each other. We also had a bonfire and enjoyed quality time together. </span></div>
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Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-51498586882593842382012-11-14T08:47:00.003-08:002012-11-14T08:47:52.273-08:00Realizations <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Last night I learned that the hijab is not a man repellent. Okay what I
mean by repellent, I mean that I thought the hijab would prevent guys
that weren’t serious about marriage and just wanted to date me from
approaching me and being flirtacious. I was wrong. 1) I couldn’t
understand how in the world a non-Muslim guy could imagine me being
their type 2) For some odd reason, I always felt like guys automatically
understood that I don’t date, so I was just a bit shocked at the
thought of a guy actually thinking he could possibly date me. </span><br />
<i>Have you ever had this happen to you?</i>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-34577322793248005302012-11-12T13:09:00.001-08:002012-11-12T13:10:13.735-08:00D.C. Photoshoot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I went on a trip with one of the programs I'm involved in at my university to D.C. We went to the National Gallery of Art, had lunch in Chinatown, and ended our trip with a visit to the National Museum of the American Indian. All photos were taken by me. </span></div>
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Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-39903576267444600402012-11-08T16:35:00.001-08:002012-11-08T16:35:05.009-08:00Realizations <br />
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Everyday when I go out and walk on campus, I see this boy who’s a student at my university who gets around in a wheel chair. Whenever I see him, he always looks so content and I hardly ever see him alone. He’s always with one of his friends.</div>
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I always get sad when I see him because I think about the state of my heart and how much I complain about tasks such as walking 15 minutes to class everyday. The other day when I saw him, I thought to myself, <em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline: none 0px;">“why am I blessed with the ability to walk, while he is confined to a wheelchair?”</em> I honestly don’t know the answer to that question or if there is one right answer, but what I do know is that God is the Most Fair and that people don’t face hardships for nothing. I really love that I can learn something from someone who’s name I don’t even know and hopefully apply something about them to improve myself.</div>
Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-7529418086560030922012-11-08T16:27:00.000-08:002012-11-08T16:28:52.740-08:00Trick or Treat for UNICEF<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week and on Halloween night, I participated in my first ever trick or treat for UNICEF event where we went door to door asking people to donate change for children in developing countries. Me and my two friends in the picture made about $151, but together the UMW club made over $1,000! I'm really proud of how successful our event was even though it was only our first time participating. </div>
<br />Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-24231809511801903292012-11-03T13:39:00.003-07:002012-11-03T13:44:04.749-07:00Fall Photography <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My university is so gorgeous in the Fall. I thought it deserved a photoshoot so I made sure I brought my camera with me on the way to work to snap some shots. I'll make sure to take more photos because my campus is beautiful in the winter as well.</span></div>
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<i>Photography by Riham O. </i>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-84186620685091067022012-06-16T09:00:00.003-07:002012-06-16T09:01:15.566-07:00Jealousy<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>what surahs help you feel better when you're feeling down and how can i fix my feelings of jealousy, what does the Quran say about jealousy?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Salamu alaykum,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I apologize for responding so late. These past few days have been hectic and I have a test tomorrow as a matter of fact, but I’m taking a break right now (a.k.a. I hardly studied and decided it’s time for a tumblr break lol). I also don’t like to respond to these type of questions right away unless I know I can respond well because they have to do with Islam and the last thing I would want is to respond with a wrong answer, so inshAllah I don’t misguide anyone with my response. This is a really good question and inshAllah the response is beneficial to other people as well as myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sourah that always makes me feel better when I’m down is surah adh Dhuha (The Morning Light.) I can’t even stress that enough. When I was going through a really tough time months ago, I was really drawn to this sourah. The verses just spoke to me subhanAllah. Later I found out that when one is overcome by anxiety and distress then they should recite Surah adh Dhuha. This surah was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad pbuh when he was going through a tough time and stopped receiving revelations from Allah swt. The people at the time made fun of him and told him that his Lord had forsaken him. He pbuh was feeling really down and felt like Allah was angry with him so Allah swt revealed this surah letting him know that He was pleased with him and that he would be rewarded for his hardships. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said something really profound that I think will help you fix your feelings of jealousy: he pbuh said: “When you see a person who has been given more than you in money and beauty, look to those, who have been given less.” Reported by Muslim, Hadeeth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There will always be people who have more than you and those that have less than you. If you look at those that have less than you, that will help you to be more grateful for what Allah swt has blessed you with. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jealousy is completely normal, and even the Prophet pbuh’s wives experienced it. Although it’s normal to feel jealous sometimes, it’s important to try to control it and not let it turn into envy. If you see that someone else has something you want and you wish it for yourself that is called ghibtah, which is positive envy. If you wish that that thing was taken away from them and given to you instead, that is destructive jealousy, which you want to avoid at all costs. There’s a hadith that states: ”None of you will truly believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself”. (Al-Bukhari)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So having destructive feelings of jealousy towards another does not fall under the category of loving for your brother what you love for yourself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This hadith explains when one should be jealous of another:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“No one should be jealous of anything except two people – a man whom Allah has blessed with knowledge and he teaches it; and a man who has money and he spends it in the sake of Allah.” (Bukhari)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Again, jealousy and envy are natural human emotions, but just because they’re natural does not mean we shouldn’t try our best to control ourselves except in the cases explained in the hadith. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Prophet Muhammad pbuh warned against jealousy and envy and the evil feelings it creates between brothers and sisters in Islam. Hasad (jealousy and envy) is a disease of the heart and makes your heart impure, which is very dangerous for your imaan (faith.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Prophet pbuh said: “Beware of jealousy, for verily it destroys good deeds the way fire destroys wood.” [Abu Dawood]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are some verses in the Quran that relate to jealousy: Allah says:<i> “Allah favored some of you over others with wealth and properties… Do they deny the favors of Allah?” [Soorah an-Nahl [16: 71] “Do they envy men for what Allah has given them of His Bounty?” [Soorah an-Nisa 4: 54] “It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world, and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in their work. But the mercy of your Lord is better.” 43:32 “And wish not for the things in which Allâh has made some of you to excel others.” 4:32</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To help yourself fix the feelings of jealousy <i>first</i> of all like I mentioned earlier, look at those that have less than you in the hopes of feeling grateful for all the blessings Allah has given you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Second</i>, make duaa to Allah swt to help rid you of this problem. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say in his du’aa’, “Wa’hdi qalbi wa’slul sakheemata sadri (guide my heart and remove ill will from my breast).” The phrase “guide my heart” means to the straight path, and “remove ill will from my breast” means take away all insincerity and hatred. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Third</i>, Read the Quran and look deeply into the meanings of the verses. Learn the meanings and work on applying them to your life. Especially Surat al-Falaq (The Daybreak.) “Say: “I seek refuge with (Allâh) the Lord of the daybreak”…”And from the evil of the envier when he envies.” (1-5)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Fourth</i>, having negative envious feelings to someone destroys good deeds so while your working on fixing your problem, work on increasing your good deeds to cancel out the bad ones inshAllah. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Fifth</i>, count your own blessings not theirs. Keep yourself busy and whenever jealous thoughts cross your mind, seek refuge in Allah from the accursed shaytan. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jazak’Allah kheir for this question. It really helped me to reflect on myself and my own problems. I’d also like to mention that I have very little knowledge if any at all when it comes to answering questions about Islam. A lot of this is just my opinion, so please refer to a local imam or skeikh if you have more detailed questions regarding rulings. I hope this helped and I didn’t confuse you. </span>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-62939910373682673662012-06-16T08:56:00.002-07:002012-06-16T08:57:14.669-07:00You Don't Have to Agree With Her, but You Should Respect Her<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday I was working at the register at my job when this girl came up to buy something. She was in short shorts and a crop top so her stomach was showing. I noticed right away but didn’t think much of it. No one was staring at her or anything. She started to cover up her stomach with her sweater. I thought she was doing it because she was embarrassed that she was half naked when everyone else was fully dressed, but no, she didn’t want her stomach to rub up against the counter because she’d get “stomach cancer” as she put it. I went on with my transaction and told her to have a good day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moments later, a woman comes in wearing the niqaab with her husband and beautiful children. It was so cute. She was shopping, and he was playing with the kids. I must have been the only one who found them “cute” because the entire store was staring at them. Not only staring, but making comments as well as they laughed to themselves. I helped her check out at the register and asked her where she was from. She’s from Saudi Arabia and here studying English with her husband. There is nothing oppressed about this woman. She was so kind and you could tell she was happy. She purchased a regular top for God’s sake that any ordinary woman whether she covers or not would wear. She has a life outside of the niqaab. She has a life at home with her family and friends where she’s not covered. She chooses to cover herself to protect herself from unworthy eyes that don’t deserve to see her beauty. She covers for Allah, not for society. Even if you don’t agree with it, respect her enough to no talk about her when she walks into a store or laugh to yourself because you think she looks crazy or something.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After she left I asked my co-worker if she saw her and what she thought of her. She told me she was honestly scared of her and that she thinks she needs to not wear it here, but only back in her country. I can understand that some people have never seen a woman in niqaab in their life, but there are plenty of things that people who have immigrated from other countries have never seen. I remember the first time I saw people making out at the mall when I was young and first came to America. I was taken back thinking why in the world would people be doing this in public, even my mother thought that same thing, but we didn’t laugh at them and talk badly about them. This is the way they are and it’s not for us to try to change them or restrict them. America is the land of the free right? Then people should be allowed to do as they please as long as it does not harm other people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just didn’t find it fair that a girl could come in half naked and not be looked down upon and a woman fully covered could be feared and talked about badly. It’s just not right. </span>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-88999539262873649462012-06-04T21:31:00.002-07:002012-06-04T21:31:48.501-07:00IBN AL-QAYYIM: SIT FOR A SHORT WHILE BEFORE YOU SLEEP AND DO THIS …<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ibn al-Qayyim said, ‘Avoid those things that necessitate the punishment of the grave.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And from the most beneficial of them is that when a man wants to sleep, he sits for an hour, for the Sake of Allaah, calling himself to account over the things that he has lost and gained during that day of his. Then, between him and his Lord, he renews his sincere repentance over those things that he lost, and sleeps on that repentance, firmly resolving not to return to the sin when he wakes up–and he does this every night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So if he dies on that night of his, he would have died upon repentance and if he wakes up, he will wake up going towards action, pleased with the postponement of his appointed time so that he can turn to his Lord and set right what he missed out on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there is nothing more beneficial for the servant than this sleep, especially when he follows that [i.e., his resolve to renew his repentance] up with the remembrance of Allaah, performing those sunnahs which have been reported from the Prophet of Allaah when going to bed, [doing so] until sleep overtakes him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So whoever Allaah wishes good for, He will grant him the success to do that. And there is neither movement, nor power except through Allaah.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ar-Rooh, p. 79.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source: <a href="http://giftsofknowledge.wordpress.com/">Gifts of Knowledge</a></span>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-1536734241383685252012-06-04T21:27:00.002-07:002012-06-04T21:27:33.262-07:00If it were your last day on Earth, what would you do?<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If it was the last day on Earth for all of humanity, I would remain calm first of all because I know the world would be in chaos. I would ask everyone I know for forgiveness because I wouldn’t want to leave this world having hurt anyone, I would make sure my mother and father are content with me, I would make my last prayers as sincere as possible, pay off all of my college debts, forgive anyone who ever hurt me, repeat la ilaha ila Allah throughout the day because the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said “Whoever breathes his last with the words: La ilaha illallah, enters Paradise.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Man kana akhir kalamihi La ilaha illallah dakhala al-janna</span><br />Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-50654926836712191832012-05-30T22:21:00.000-07:002012-05-30T22:22:18.176-07:00Tips for a New Muslim Revert<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As-salamu Alaikum sister, as new revert I was wondering if you could help me out with some of things. 1) It’s summer, how should I keep cool while still wearing hijab? What about going to pools/beaches? 2) What tips do you have for remembering how to conduct salah correctly and knowing the prayers by heart? 3) What are the most important things for me to know about going to Mosque? Thank you!</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wa alaykum al salam Sister :)</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First off, congratulations on your reversion to Islam and May Allah make everything easier for you. Of course I don’t mind answering your questions, if you have anymore I’d be happy to try to help. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1) When I first started wearing the hijab, I was scared to death of the summer time because I thought it would be incredibly hot and I’d die of the heat (i was a dramatic one lol), but it really isn’t bad at all. You quickly get used to it. I have a modest fashion blog called Her Name is Modesty, there are plenty of modest summer outfit ideas there. During the summer time, women who wear the hijab usually stick with maxi dresses and skirts. You can also wear pants and not be hot. If I were wearing pants, I would just pair it with a tank top and cardigan. There are also options with the hijab. You don’t need to wear a thick scarf, go for a light breezy preferably cotton scarf to keep cool. There are also different styles you can wear your hijab to keep cool, don’t wrap it too tight around your face, that could also make you really hot. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you want to go to the pool or beach, there’s a lovely option called the burqini lol see here. It’s really not that attractive, but if you’re desperate to get in the water, go for it. Otherwise, I usually just wear regular clothes and get in the water at maybe knee level. You can always go to an all girls pool. It’s a sacrifice you have to make for Allah, of course you can go swimming, but if it’s too difficult and there’s no way to dress comfortably and go swimming maybe you can let it go until you find a better option?</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) When remembering how to conduct the salah correctly, the best tip I have is practice. Try to practice a few times before you actually pray. Take a look at this, it shows you how to pray and what to say. If you mess up, it’s okay. Allah is the Most Forgiving, you’ll figure it out eventually. Also when memorizing the prayers, practice over and over again. Write it out in English transliteration if it helps you. Find a Muslim who can help you with knowing the prayers by heart. It really helps if you have someone there to listen to you recite the prayers and correct you when you make a mistake. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) The most important things to know about going to the mosque:</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Dress modestly even if you don’t wear the hijab everyday, wear it to the mosque. If you didn’t know already, the hijab consists of you covering everything but the face and hands. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- You should be clean. Make wudu (ablution) and make sure your clothes are also clean. Watch this video if you want to learn how to make proper wudu and learn what to say before and afterwards. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- Before entering the mosque, remove your shoes (it’ll be pretty obvious to know where to place your shoes, it’s usually at the front near the door)</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- The prayer area in the mosque is divided between the men and women, so you should go to the women’s section. If you don’t know where it is, just ask, I’m sure someone will be happy to help you.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Finally, enter the mosque with your right foot. There is a duaa for entering and exiting the mosque if you want to learn it (don’t stress yourself out if you don’t memorize it)</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope this was helpful and I didn’t provide you with any wrong information (May Allah forgive me if I did). Have a wonderful day wa salamu alaykum wa rahmutullahi wa barakatu :)</span>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-20366510703447817192012-05-30T00:28:00.000-07:002012-05-30T00:28:47.577-07:0030 Days Muslims and America<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vcdsABwKP-s" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<br />Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-91508240633020586842012-05-29T23:25:00.001-07:002012-05-29T23:26:20.340-07:00Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/14121737" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe><br />
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<i>Very well made informational video</i>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-76804407356320146972012-05-28T21:27:00.001-07:002012-05-28T21:28:16.157-07:00Is the Halal Way of Slaughtering Animals Cruel?<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I've gotten a few Islamic related questions on my tumblr page lately that I thought I would share with you all. I'm clearly not a scholar so I pray to Allah to forgive me if I misguide anyone with my response. I did a bit of research to answer this person's question and here's what I came up with. </i></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a question for you: how do you not feel bad eating halal meat? The western way of doing it is that the animal dies instantly, whereas with halal because they cut the 3 main arteries, the animal suffers and bleeds before it dies. Nobody deserves that kind of treatment! It's evil to make an animal suffer if it doesn't need to.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t feel bad eating halal meat because I know that the animal was slaughtered in a manner where the animal experienced the least amount of pain possible and also in the name of God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My understanding of the Western way of killing animals before slaughtering them is to stun them, electrocute them, shoot them, wring their necks in the case of chickens, etc. all which cause severe pain to the animal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The halal way of slaughtering animals is very humane and scientifically good and not cruel like some people might believe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For an animal to be killed in a halal manner the animal needs to be slaughtered with a sharp knife taken across the neck very quickly to minimize the pain. The wind pipe, the throat, and the vessels of the neck are cut. Cutting all of this allows all the blood to be drained from the animal’s body. If the blood isn’t completely drained, as it isn’t in the Western way, germs, bacteria, and toxins are left in the animal and consumed by humans, which obviously isn’t healthy for humans. That makes the halal way of slaughtering scientifically more healthy for humans, and morally, halal slaughtering is better for the animal even though it might not appear like that visually. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite the way it appears, the Islamic halal way of slaughtering animals is actually designed to make sure that the animals go through the least amount of pain possible. When the knife is used to quickly cut the vessels of the animal, the flow of blood to the nerve in the brain responsible for pain is disconnected therefore there is no pain. Even though it looks like the animal is suffering and struggling, it’s not, it’s the normal process the animal goes through when contracting and relaxing it’s muscles due to the blood loss. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Islam doesn’t permit humans to harm each other or animals. Both the Quran and hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) emphasize that animals should be treated as humanely as possible. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slaughtering animals through the halal way is not intended to be cruel and it is not believed to be cruel. If you believe that electrocuting or stunning an animal before slaughtering it is better then that’s your opinion. I personally believe that the halal way is morally better for both the animal and the human who is going to eat it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no non-violent or pleasant way for animals to be slaughtered, so I think in the end it’s up to you and what you believe is morally correct. </span>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-74500505995072999342012-05-25T18:39:00.001-07:002012-05-25T18:47:34.538-07:00Why Islam?<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">One of my followers on my personal tumblr page who is considering reverting from Christianity to Islam asked me this question:</span></b> <span style="color: #666666;">If someone were considering reverting to Islam, what would you say that Islam offers that makes it unique? What would you tell him/her about Islam to help him/her make a final decision on whether or not it was for him/her? How would you address some of the common misconceptions or concerns about Islam in getting people to understand the true message of the religion?</span></i></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I believe what makes Islam unique is its foundation. The word Islam itself is rooted from “salam” which means peace. Islam means submission to the one true God (Allah) and one who submits to the will of Allah is a Muslim. When you look at other religions like Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or Confucianism they are all essentially named after people or a place in the case of Judaism. Christianity is named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucious, Hinduism after the Hindus, and Judaism after the land of Judea. Islam is unique because its name does not refer to any human being, not even to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. It is pure in that sense and clarifies that all praise, worship, and submission should be to God alone and not to any human being. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For people that follow the faiths of Christianity or Judaism, I would tell them to look into the belief that Islam is the completion of the three Abrahamic faiths. Muslims believe this based on this Quranic verse: “Today I completed your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as your religion” (5:3) Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have the same foundation, that there is only one God. Islam believes in Jesus, Mary, Moses, and all the prophets that exist in the Torah and the Bible. Islam shares so much in common with them. The main major difference is that Islam does not believe that Jesus is the son of God or God in any shape or form. That’s another thing that makes Islam unique. Islam has stayed true to the original message of the Abrahamic faiths and to the origin of Islam which I mentioned is submission to one God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I would tell him/her to first of all put aside all the fears they have about their family, about society, about this life and to look at Islam purely. While Islam focuses on the role of the ummah (the Muslim community) in the life of a Muslim, Islam is really just a religion or a form of communication between you and God. There is no priest or any barrier between you and God. Five times a day, you get to meet with Allah and ask him for what you want, thank him, and ask for his forgiveness. I would tell them that Islam says that Allah is the most merciful. Islam really is the religion of forgiveness, tolerance, and equality. People usually have a misconception about Islam. They think that Muslims are very strict because they pray 5 times a day or because the women cover or simply because they try to follow the Quran the best way that they can. Islam is not a religion for the perfect, Islam is for the broken. Islam is there to guide and heal people, to provide them with guidelines on how to live their lives in the best way that God envisioned it to be. I would tell someone who was considering becoming a Muslim to not fear the things that God prescribed Muslims to do like praying, fasting, not drinking alcohol, etc. Allah judges based on intentions and He knows what’s in everyone’s heart, so if someone’s intent is to worship God alone then I would say just say your testimony of faith (shahada) la ilaha ila Allah Muhammad rasul Allah (There is no God but God, Muhammad is his last and final messenger) and take it from there one step at a time. Islam really is for everyone. Like I said, Islam advocates tolerance. There are over 1.6 billion Muslims around the world from all ethnicities, backgrounds, etc. The Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him said, The Prophet Muhammad said, “No babe is born but upon Fitra (as a Muslim). It is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a Polytheist.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 033, Number 6426) Muslims believe that everyone is born a Muslim, that’s why people who become Muslim are usually called reverts rather than converts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When addressing the common misconceptions or concerns about Islam, first I feel like one must realize that Islam has nothing to hide. Islam advises people to ask questions and learn, rather than blindly believe. When looking for the answers to misconceptions, one has to look at the right sources and ask the right people and not look around on just any internet site because especially today people are really ignorant about Islam and attack it without knowing anything about it. I think the best way to get people to see the beauty of Islam is to live it in your life. People believe what they see with their own eyes, so when people see a Muslim living their life in a good way, the misconceptions they have about Islam will gradually disappear. Also educating people by clarifying the misconceptions and concerns helps because people won’t learn unless their told. </span>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-4267949372686102922012-05-24T01:01:00.000-07:002012-05-24T01:09:09.902-07:00Arranged [Friendship Has No Religion]<object height="270" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/AbnkmEv4tzgFSGIOfi9Llg">
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I've been meaning to watch the film <i>Arranged</i> for a while but I never got around to it until tonight. I heard so many wonderful things about it and loved watching every minute of it. This movie is beautiful and carries the theme:<i> "Friendship has no religion."</i> Arranged is a film about a growing friendship between an Orthodox Jewish woman and a Muslim woman who meet during their first year teaching at a public school in Brooklyn, New York. They find that they have so much in common and learn that they are both undergoing the process of an arranged marriage.<br />
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Before watching this movie, I honestly did not realize how much Orthodox Jews and Muslims had in common. There were very few differences between the two women and I really liked that the film showed that. Most films focus that center on the Islam depict Islam in a negative light, but not this film. It showed the truth. It showed that Muslim women, as well as Orthodox Jewish women can follow their faiths while also being strong and make their own choices.<br />
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Watch and enjoy this film and please let me know what you think about it<br />
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<br />Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-3484290060003196842012-05-21T22:10:00.001-07:002012-05-21T22:13:21.324-07:00Don't Stereotype Me--UMW 2012 Campaign<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In March my university, the university of Mary Washington's Islamic Student Association was inspired to launch a campaign against stereotyping and judging. We had witnessed the atrocities of the Trayvon Martin case and thought why not combat stereotyping on campus. Trayvon Martin, and later Shaima Alawadi both were victims of stereotyping essentially and we thought to ourselves: how crazy is it that something as simple as a stereotype could eventually lead to someone being killed? Everyday we stereotype each other and juge each other without really knowing anything about those that we make preconceived notions about. This campaign was a huge success both at my university and online. I posted this on my tumblr page and alhamdulilah it got as of today 6,651 likes and reblogs which is awesome. Although this is late, here is a collection of some of the photos.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>I'm Muslim but I Love All Religions </b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I Am a Muslim. A Female. And a Feminist<br /></span></b><br />
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I'm Burmese-Chinese & I'm a Muslimah</div>
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We're Both Blonde and White, but We Were Born Muslim!</div>
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I'm a Muslim but I'm Not Arab</div>
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I'm A Convert and I Freely Converted to Islam on 9/23/11</div>
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I'm Muslim and It Takes Me Forever to Grow My Beard</div>
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Just because I Wear Hijab Doesn't Mean I'm Perfect</div>
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I'm a Hijabi and I love Sports </div>
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<i>I hope you guys enjoyed these photos and reading these stereotypes. Let me know what you think and what have you been stereotyped as before?</i></div>
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</tbody></table>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-26683819046463402672012-05-19T21:56:00.000-07:002012-05-19T22:06:54.596-07:00Islam Through Photography<i>Salamualaykum Beautiful People!</i><br />
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Every time I make a post on this blog I always feel like it's been a while. This is my millionth attempt at being consistent with my posts on here so inshAllah this time I'll actually keep my word and post more. Over the past couple months, I've really grown in my interest in photography. I take lots and lots of pictures to the point that my computer is now full and I need to get an exterior hard drive. Photography is a reflection of my life and how I perceive the world, so a lot of the times my favorite things to capture are subjects that remind me of Allah and Islam. I love capturing people worshiping Allah or simply capturing Allah's beautiful creations. It is so easy to find Allah in everything I see subhanAllah. If you would like to see more of my other pictures, please refer to my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/45556267@N07/">Flickr. </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Successful indeed are the believers:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">those who offer their prayers with all solemnity and full submissiveness,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and who turn away from all that is frivolous,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and those who pay the zakat.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">—Sourat al Mu’minun (The Believers) Verses 1-4</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mother & Son</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“And we have enjoined on man doing of good to his parents; with trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth; and the bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months; until when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says: my lord! grant me that i may give thanks for thy favor which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that i may do good which pleases thee and do good to me in respect of my offspring; surely i turn to thee, and surely i am of those who submit” —-The Noble Qur’an 46:15</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reliance Like Birds</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Umar (radi Allahu anhu) said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) say, 'If you were to rely upon Allah with the reliance He is due, you would be given provision like the birds: They go out hungry in the morning and come back with full bellies in the evening.'" [Ibn Majah - graded hasan, Tirmidhi]</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vanessa: A Latina Muslimah</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seeing Muslim reverts always reminds me to be grateful for being born a Muslim and to constantly work at increasing my faith. Whenever I see people that weren't born Muslims practicing Islam better than the majority of born Muslims it always reinforces the fact that guidance is something precious and that being a Muslim doesn't only mean saying La Ilaha Ila Allah, but actually practicing it everyday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Beauty in Black</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best kind of beauty is modest beauty. I'm always amazed when a Muslim woman can wear a black abaya and still light up a room. It tells me that there is no one definition of beauty. The type of beauty that radiates from Muslim women is truly the beauty of the heart. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 Years Later</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Muslim woman joins in a moment of silence for the victims of the September 11th, 2001 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">terrorist attacks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Brother Nouman Ali Khan</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorite quotes by him:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Your sins are not greater than Allah’s (swt) mercy.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">—Nouman Ali Khan</span></div>
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<b>Sourat al Kahf</b></div>
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<b>"Whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Friday, light shall shine forth for him between the two Fridays." [Ibn Hajar, Talkhis al-Habir]</b></div>
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It is said that it is recommended to recite Sourat al-Kahf the night before Friday, and it is also recommended to do so Friday, before Maghrib time.</div>
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<b>There is No God but God</b></div>
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<b>Driving in Peace</b></div>
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Duaa before driving your car: </div>
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<i>Bismillah, alhamdullillah, subhana-lathiee sakhara lana hatha wamaa kunna lahu muqrineen, wa inna ila Rabbina lamun-qaliboon. </i><i>alhamdu lillaah, alhamdu lillaah, alhamdu lillaah, Allaahu 'Akbar, Allaahu 'Akbar, Allaahu 'Akbar, subhaanakal-laahumma 'innee dhalamtu nafsee faghfir lee, fa'innahu laa yaghfiruth-thunooba 'illaa 'Anta. </i></div>
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<i>With the Name of Allah . Praise is to Allah . Glory is to Him Who has provided this for us though we could never have had it by our efforts. Surely, unto our Lord we are returning. Praise is to Allah. Praise is to Allah. Praise is to Allah. Allah is the Most Great. Allah is the Most Great. Allah is the Most Great. Glory is to You. O Allah, I have wronged my own soul. Forgive me, for surely none forgives sins but You</i></div>
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<i>Reference: Abu Dawud 3/34, At-Tirmithi 5/501. See also Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmithi3/156.</i></div>
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<i><b>Please do not use any of my photos without written permission first. Jazakum'Allah Kheirun and Thank You :)</b></i></div>
</span></div>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-81266002744640376922012-05-16T13:17:00.000-07:002012-05-16T13:20:54.612-07:00My Thoughts: Islam is faith not culture I was just thinking about how ironic it is that I feel more comfortable wearing the hijab and working on increasing my faith in America, than I do in my home country, Sudan. In Sudan, a lot of women wear the head scarf for cultural reasons, not religious so when people see me wearing the hijab strictly for Islamic reasons they kind of crack jokes at me. I remember last summer was the first time I wore the hijab in Sudan and I had more troubles there than I did in America subhanAllah. Whenever my mom’s cousins or other men who weren’t my mahrams would come to our house I’d rush to put on my hijab as soon as I saw them and they’d sort of laugh at me and tell me that I was being over religious and that they were just like a father to me. I feel like people in some Islamic countries sometimes take Islam as though it’s a culture and not a religion. I was surprised that women in Sudan didn’t go to Friday prayer and people again laughed when I asked to go. They told me only old women go to Friday prayer. I went to taraweeh prayers during Ramadan last time I went to Sudan and there weren’t many women there, let alone women my age.<br />
I feel like Muslims in Muslim countries should be more appreciative of Islam, but I don’t think they really are. Many take hearing the call to prayer 5 times a day for granted and don’t understand how amazing it is to have a mosque on every street corner. We don’t have that in the West. I would love to hear the call to prayer, but right now all I have access to is the athan on my lap top. When I came back to America from Sudan 2 summers ago, I was relieved that I was around my Muslim friends and the Muslim community that understands that Islam is special and that imaan is precious and needs constant care in order for it to grow and not fade.Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-68332067827641969922012-03-06T09:41:00.001-08:002012-03-06T09:45:07.472-08:00Middle Eastern PoetryI'm a <b>huge </b>fan of almost anything that has to do with Middle Eastern culture. I'm especially a big fan of Middle Eastern author Khalil Gibran and Syrian Poet, Nizar Qabbani. I want to share with you a piece by each of them. I'm sure after reading these short pieces, you'll fall in<i> love</i> with their work as well.<br />
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"In order to secure their power and to rest at heart’s ease they have armed the Durzi to fight the Arab. Have instigated the Shi’i against the Sunni. Have incited the Kurd to slaughter the Bedouin. Have encouraged the Mohammadan to fight the Christian – how long is a brother to fight his brother on the breast of the mother? How long is a neighbour to threaten his neighbour near the tomb of the beloved? How long are the Cross and the Crescent to remain apart before the eyes of God?" - <i>Khalil Gibran </i><br />
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<i>Nizar Qabbani----</i><br />
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<i>"In a country where thinkers are assassinated, and writers are considered infidels and books are burnt, in societies that refuse the other, and force silence on mouths and thoughts forbidden, and to question is a sin, I must beg your pardon, would you permit me? Would you permit me to bring up my children as I want, and not to dictate on me your whims and orders? Would you permit me to teach my children that the religion is first to God, and not for religious leaders or scholars or people? Would you permit me to teach my little one that religion is about good manners, good behaviour, good conduct, honesty and truthfulness, before I teach her with which foot to enter the bathroom or with which hand she should eat? Would you permit me not to mention the torture of the grave to my children, who do not know about death yet. Would you permit me to teach my daughter the tenets of the religion and its culture and manners, before I force on her the Hijab (the veil)? Would you permit me to tell my young son that hurting people and degrading them because of their nationality, colour or religion, is considered a big sin by God? Would you permit me to tell my daughter to revising her homework and paying attention to her learning is considered by God as more useful and important than learning by heart Ayahs from the Quran without knowing their meaning? Would you permit me to teach my son that following the footsteps of the Honourable Prophet begins with his honesty, loyalty and truthfulness, before his beard or how short his thobe(long shirt/dress) is? Would you permit me to tell my daughter that her Christian friend is not an infidel, and ask her not to cry fearing her friend will go to Hell? Would you permit me to argue, that God did not authorize anyone on earth after the Prophet to speak in his name nor did he vest any powers in anyone to issue ‘deeds of forgiveness’ to people? Would you permit me to say, that God has forbidden killing the human spirit, and who kills wrongly a human being is as if he killed all human kind, and no Muslim has the right to frighten another Muslim? Would you permit me to teach my children that God is greater, more just, and more merciful than all the (religious) scholars on earth combined? And that his standards are different from the standards of those trading the religion, and that his accountability is kinder and more merciful? … would you permit me?"</i><br />
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<i>Source: <a href="http://middleeasternpoetry.tumblr.com/">Middle Eastern Poetry</a></i>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-56664092582915296482012-03-04T21:27:00.003-08:002012-03-04T21:32:32.494-08:00May Peace Be Upon Us All<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I took a photo of this as soon as I saw it because it truly made me smile. 1) Because the translation of the phrase is written in Arabic and 2) It's a beautifully written phrase. While we should wish for peace to prevail on Earth, we should begin by wishing for peace within ourselves and those around us. Nothing feels better then peace of mind and soul. Wherever you may find that peace, hold on to it and use that peace as a way to spread good energy to everyone that you meet. Begin every conversation with the greeting <i>Alsalamu Alaykum [Peace be upon you.]</i> Imagine if we all wished peace on each other<i>...</i>I can't help but think we'd be living in a much more happier world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Alsalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmuttullahi Wa Barakatu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><i>May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you</i></span>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">Best Wishes,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 15px;">Riham</span>Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5039419555462570760.post-79293792069114204422012-03-04T20:26:00.002-08:002012-03-04T20:28:26.599-08:00I Am Woman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently came back from the UN Commission on the Status of Women, a conference essentially on feminism and women's issues. Besides attending that conference, I have read a lot about feminism and heard feminist arguments, and I realized that I don't agree with a lot of it. Many feminists will come off as anti-man. They will argue for equality and they will fight for the exact same rights given to man. I personally don't believe that to be women, we need to have the exact same rights as men. The Feminist in me tells me to embrace my inner woman-hood and to demand the God given rights I deserve as a woman. The Feminist in me does not tell me to demand to be like a man, but more like a feminine, beautiful, strong, and intellectual woman. I think as women, we fail to appreciate the beauty of our woman-hood. We don’t appreciate our emotional and sensitive qualities that God placed in us. We don’t appreciate mother-hood, a blessing only women were given. The Prophet pbuh said, “Heaven lies under the feet of the mother.” This is a blessing that wasn’t given to any man and it’s a blessing I believe every woman needs to embrace and appreciate. There is an entire chapter in the Quran titled, An-Nisa (The Women), and there is no chapter titled "The Men."<br />
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Just because Allah gave men the responsibility of being the protectors of women, to lead prayers, and many other things, some women like to believe that is not fair. Allah created men and women equally, but He gave us different qualities and responsibilities too. Men have many responsibilities that I don't hear women fighting for. For instance, men are required to give their wives a dowry upon marriage. It's rare that you'll meet a woman who is fighting for her right to give her husband a dowry. Men are also responsible for the feeding and clothing of their wives. Most women won't fight for their right to take care of their husbands in that way. The way I see it, as women many of us are not appreciative. We see what men have and we want it for ourselves while completely neglecting all the blessings Allah gave us that he did not give to men.<br />
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I think every woman can have an inner feminist in her, but I do not recognize myself as one. I don’t feel that I need to declare myself a feminist because I am simply in a battle with myself to embrace my inner woman-hood and to me that does not need to be labeled as a public movement.Rihamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08102654743044484939noreply@blogger.com0