02.13.09
Posted in Pearls of Wisdom at 5:29 pm by Shhh....
Courtesy sister Naseerah
1. Remember that your lord forgives those who ask Him for forgiveness, and He accepts the repentance of those who repent, and He accepts those who come back to Him.
2. Show mercy to the weak and you will be happy; give to the needy and you will be well; do not bear grudges and you will be healthy.
3. Be optimistic, for Allah is with you , and the angels are prating for forgiveness for you , and paradise awaits you.
4. Wipe away your tears, think well of your Lord, and chase away your worries by remembering the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you.
5. Do not think that this world is ever perfect for anyone. There is no one on the face of the earth who gets all that he wants of is free from all kinds of distress.
6. Be like a tall tree with high aims; if a stone is thrown at it, it simply lets its fruits drop.
7. Have you ever heard that grief brings back what has been lost, or that worry corrects mistakes? So why greave and worry then?
8. Do not expect trials and calamities, rather expect peace, safety and good health, if Allah wills.
9. Extinguish the flames of hatred from your heart by forgiving everyone who has ever hurt you.
10. Ghusl, wudu, siwak and being organized are effective medicines for all kinds of distress and worry.
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Posted in Pearls of Wisdom at 1:23 pm by Shhh....
When trials come, as they do, what will the first words on our lips be? To Umm Zayed, the words of the Istirjaa prayer - to Allah we belong and to Him will we return - helped her to reconcile with a sudden and unexpected loss.
WE are taught that we should not ask for or seek out trials or difficulties in life. In fact, our Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed us to “Seek refuge with Allah from trials and tribulations, both visible and hidden” (Sahih Muslim). Yet, the virtues and rewards of observing patience in the face of adversity is highly extolled in our deen.
In the story of Umm Al-Momineen, Umm Salamah, she narrates the events following the death of her beloved husband, Abu Salamah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught her how best to respond to her trial, by teaching her the beautiful words of the Istirjaa.
She says:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ‘There is no Muslim who suffers a calamity and says what Allah has commanded: ‘Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raji’oon. Allahummaa ujurni fi musibati w’ukhluf li khayran minha’ (Truly! To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. O Allah, reward me for my calamity and compensate me with something better than that), but Allah will compensate him with something better.
“When Abu Salamah died, I said, ‘Who among the Muslims could be better than Abu Salamah, the first family to migrate to the Messenger of Allah?’ Then I said (this Du’a) and Allah compensated me with the Messenger of Allah.” (Sahih Muslim).
The inspiring narrative ends on a happy note where she is blessed with a new husband in the person of the Prophet (peace be upon him) – a prospect she could never have imagined. This was the result of her faith, her patience and her Du’a at the time of her loss.
One can feel the emotional turmoil Umm Salamah went through and reflecting on the power of Allah, and make a Du’a: “Oh Allah, don’t put me into any trial. But if and when you do, for You do as You will, according to Your Wisdom, then guide me to remember You when calamity strikes. Guide me to the Istirjaa. Give me the strength of faith and soundness of mind to pray to you for patience and better compensation at that critical moment.”
“Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil).” (Qur’an, 2:155)
Indeed whatever is destined for us, good or bad, will come to pass. Allah can test us and whenever this will happen, don’t forget to say:
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raajioon. Allah humma ujurni fi musibati wa ikhlufli khairun minha.”
Indeed, Allah will listen our Du’a. Indeed Allah will guide us. Allah is Most Loving and Most Merciful to His servants.
The scholars have said that if we are guided to patience and to the words of Istirjaa after a disaster hits us, we should thank Allah for this honour. The Qur’an tells us: “… Give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere” (Qur’an, 2:155).
Every traumatic periods are short-lived. We should remind ourselves of the special blessing of Allah on us at hard times.
Only Allah Who took care of us yesterday and will take
“O Allah, if and when you decide to try me again, guide my heart to more than patience. Guide me to the state of Ridha (pleasure in God’s decree and decision).” Ameen.
Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications.
- Shahid Khan
mail2shahid AT gmail.com
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02.12.09
Posted in Pearls of Wisdom at 12:58 pm by Shhh....
Running Start encourages high school girls from across the
country to channel their leadership into politics. Participants will meet
extraordinary women leaders of diverse backgrounds and learn the
importance of having more women in political leadership and running
for office. EVEN if the girls are not interested in politics, this is
a great program way for them to build self-esteem, practice public
speaking and learn to collaborate with other young women.
WHO: Open to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school
WHERE: American University, Washington D.C.
WHEN: July 15-19, 2009 (no applications will be accepted after
February 16, 2009)
COST: The program is entirely FREE of charge, and travel scholarships
are available.
APPLY ONLINE:
http://www.runningstartonline.org/leadership-program/index.php
www.runningstartonline.org
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Scholarship Information
Florida A & M University is providing an outstanding opportunity for Black women
entering college in the fall of 2009. It is designed to address their absence in the
field of computer technology. Dr. Jason Black is the Principal Investigator of a
recently awarded $552,000 NSF Grant entitled African-American Women in
Computer Science. The grant provides scholarships from $4,000 to $10,000 per year
for female African American students. We need your help to get the word out about
this great opportunity to build back up the enrollment of women in the CIS Department.
Pass this information along to high school or community college students, their parents,
and to guidance counselors you may know. The full text of the press release can be
found at: http://www.famu
You can also contact Dr. Black by email at
jblack@cis.famu.edu
http://us.mc830.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=jblack@cis.famu.edu
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Tags: Black Women, Running Start, Scholarships, Self Esteem, Young Women, Youth
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02.11.09
Posted in Pearls of Wisdom at 10:52 pm by Shhh....
As salaamo alaikum wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatu sisters and brothers,
It has been brought to our attention there is a family at PGMA that is about to get evicted. The family has at least one child that attends An-Nur Academy and the mother is currently pregnant with another. The husband went to court this morning to fight the eviction. They are in need of money and of course du’as. Any donations can be sent directly to PGMA:
Attention: Taqwa (for family fighting eviction)
Prince George’s Muslim Association (PGMA)
9150 Lanham Severn Road
Lanham, MD 20706
Unfortunately this is all the information that I have on the family.
Jazakellah Khairun
–
Umm Hamza Shazia Khan
Tags: Eviction, Homelessness, Muslims, PGMA
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02.08.09
Posted in Pearls of Wisdom at 12:37 am by Shhh....
Coming Back to Center in a Relationship
Anyone in a long-term relationship knows that the dance of intimacy involves coming together and moving apart. Early in a relationship, intense periods of closeness are important in order to establish the ground of a new union. Just as a sapling needs a lot more attention than a full-grown tree, budding relationships demand time and attention if they are to fully take root. Once they become more established, the individuals in the union begin to turn their attention outward again, to the other parts of their lives that matter, such as work, family, and friendships. This is natural and healthy. Yet, if a long-term relationship is to last, turning towards one another recurrently, with the same curiosity, attention, and nurturance of earlier times, is essential. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: DailyOM, Intimacy, relationships
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