Memorise Quran in TWO months?! (18 Tips to Get You There)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al Amry runs a summer Quran boot camp in Dubai, where children from the age of 13 and above come and spend the entire day memorising Quran and commit the entire Quran to memory in TWO months. They have been running this boot camp for around 10 years and MashaAllah they have had an extraordinary rate of success. And for these people age is NOT an issue, students here start from 13 year olds and the age group goes up to SEVENTY – I kid you not.

These are some of the tips that the Sheikh provided,

1. Intention.

Whatever you do, do it for the sake of Allah, no one and nothing else. Do it for the rewards He has promised in the hereafter and in this Dunya. Purify your intention often. And be careful of falling into Riyaa (hidden shirk) - showing off to please people. Or wanting people to appreciate your effort.

2. Empty your mind.

This is how the Sheikh described it - imagine a glass full of water, no matter how much you try and fill it with more water, you won’t succeed. Similarly when you sit down to memorise Quran, you must clear your mind of every tension, of every worry, of every distraction, thought, everything! Forget about what you *have* to do later and concentrate on the task at hand: memroising the words of Allah.

It would also be ideal if you switch of your mobile phone. 

3.  Desire to memorise.

You must have a sincere desire to memorise. Why do you want to do it? Because it’s the summer and you have nothing else to do? Or you want to do it to please Allah before anything else. (This goes hand in hand with the sincerity part). And the sheikh especially mentioned this, because parents drop of their kids and the kids have absolutely no desire to memorise. Prior to accepting the child, they conduct and interview and only those who really *want* to memorise Quran FOR THE RIGHT REASONS are accepted into this program.

4. Competitiveness.

This program (boot camp) has a strong level of competitiveness and this is one of the main reasons students excel. So if you’re trying to do this at home, try and get someone to help you through it.

5. Time.

Dedicate time. Some serious amount of time.

The camp starts at 8 am and goes on until Isha (which is around 8 pm), and in between they take prayer breaks, food breaks, and there is a resting period between Dhuhr and Asr, also they have games and other sports available and they encourage the students to play as well.

They are on a very tight schedule so no time, absolutely no time, is wasted (and this is not contradictory to taking a break to play and rest, your brain needs it).

Set a time frame where you will be memorising AND STICK WITH IT!

6. Recite to someone.

After memorising the bit that you need to memorise, recite it someone. This solidifies whatever that you have memorised. And listener will be able to point out mistakes you might have over looked. 

7. Avoid haram.

One of the reasons for the success of this camp is because thestudents stay clear of anything haram. Because they spend their time with righteous people in a Masjid, they do not see anything haram, or hear anything haram or say anything haram, and this has an amazing impact.

So if you are serious about memorising Quran, then rid your life of every haram, whether it is Music*, movies, idle talk, backbiting, slandering, whatever it is, just get it out of your life.

*Music and Quran cannot co-exist in a person’s heart. If you have one, you cannot have the other. And for Muslims who are considered practicing and are memorising Quran, they might not be listening to pop music and what not, but they might be listening to Nasheeds that have music and music whatever it is paired with, it is still considered music.

8. Practice, practice, practice.

Another example the sheikh gave – your brain is like a muscle, the more you ‘work it out’ the stronger it will get.

So practice. =)

In the earlier days of Islam, papers weren’t readily available, so our scholars used to memorise everything, everything! And their memory reached to such an amazing capacity that when they would go out to the market, they would cover their ears because whatever they heard they instantly memorised.  

Practice.

9. Dua.

Allah makes the impossible possible. And you need to make dua to Allah to help you in this noble process.

Do your part and work hard but don’t forget the most important bit: seeking Allah’s aid.

This is most of what the Sheikh advised. I decided to write down some more tips that I have picked up over the years from scholars and through experience:

10. Use the same Mushaf.

Mushaf is the copy of the Quran with the ayat only. When you are reading over and over again from the same Mushaf, the pages get imprinted in your mind and thus easier to recollect. When I first started seriously memorising I was using a different copy than what I read from now, but whenever I recite from the beginning parts I can still recollect which ayah (or Surah) is in which page.

Scholars always recommend Mushaf Al-Madani (the copies printed for Masjid An-Nabawi) because of the clarity of the writing.

11. Technique.

You must develop a technique that works for you. You know yourself and how much you can take in and what are your capabilities so work with them. I started off by memorising 3 ayat in one sitting, I graduated to 5 and then to a page. But whatever you find easiest.   

Read the bit that you need to memorise, whether it is 3 ayat, 5 or more at least 10 times. Then recite it to yourself, if you get stuck, read the part where you got stuck 5 times. Then recite to yourself again. If you manage to recite it correctly till the end a couple of times, open your Mushaf again and read that part 20 times whilst paying attention to every word and every symbol.  

This is what works for me, though I can now manage to remember if I read it less amount of time, but it doesn’t stay too long with me, so I prefer this method.

12. Revision:

You will forget if you don’t revise.

Some people find that ‘warming up’ before starting to memorise by reciting what they already know helps, but this never works for me. I prefer to set a separate time for revision.

13. Organise.

If you intend to finish memorising Quran then set a time limit by which you want to finish memorisation, be it a couple of months, a year or more. And stick with it.  

14. Tahajjud.

The best way to ensure whatever you memorise really sticks with you is to get up and pray tahajjud.

(Coincidentally, this is also the best time to ask Allah to help you through this process).

If you want something and you are not praying tahajjud for it, then the truth is you don’t really want it.

15. Tafseer.

You are more likely to remember what you understand, thus if you try and learn some tafseer it would make the process easy for you. If you do not have time for tafseer then at least read the translation.

16. Tajweed.

People generally overlook this part, but what is more important than memorising the Quran is reciting it correctly. And most of us cannot recite the Quran like it should be recited.

If you can’t find a qualified teacher then take the help of a learned sister who can guide you. 

17. Listen to Quranic Recitation. 

Over and over again. 

18. Don’t Rely on Osmosis:

As our teachers used to (sarcastically) say, ‘Placing your books under your pillow at night won’t help you pass your exams’. Point is, make the effort to memorise. It won’t happen simply because you *really want to memorise*, you need to actively work for it.

Finally remember, the rewards for those who memorise Quran AND act upon it are unimaginable, let this be your motivation to see you through this noble process. 

[And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?]

- Surah Al Qamar:17

Are Islamic Memes Haram and a Story.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

What prompted me down this train of thoughts that led me to write this were two things that happened in a very shortspan of a few months:

1. A writer, poet, journalist, blogger, youth, etc. committed blasphemy (and thereby apostasy) by defaming our Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our prophet).

(This first incident led me down another train of thoughts, transcribed here)

2. A writer, poet, journalist, feminist, etc. committed the greatest apostasy (Kufr al Akbar) - in one tweet, no less.

(Note: Scholars spoke about this matter at GREAT length and called for her trial, so this is not something that I have declared).

Both these individuals are from the Land of the Two Holy Cities. Which would (should) grieve any Muslim simply to see the state that we have come to.

The thing is, just because a country is Islamic, the people cannot be expected to hold the same beliefs, and just because their families are Muslim, we cannot count on the “Islamic gene” to pass on. Especially in our times where the infiltration of highly corrupt ideologies is at an excess. What is easier for Shaitan to do is not to get you to enter a bar or a club, or do something that is haram, contrary to popular belief, but what is easier for him is to put thoughts and ideas in your heads, and this is infinite times worse than the former.

And this is exactly what happened to these two individuals, mentioned above.

We suffer from low Eeman, added to that, we have insufficient Islamic knowledge – most of which is learnt on the World Wide Web. And added to that still, our hubris is over the top, and this leads us to think that we are invincible, not physically (ah, but some are convinced that they are), but invincible from misguidance. We think we are right, all the time. We think we *own* the right path and thus what most youth do is that they take a laid back approach to taking precaution.

How many times has someone debated a non-believer over the internet or in real life? And I am not talking about efforts in Dawah, but I am talking about “philosophical discussions”, because our sheer arrogance has led us to belief that we are capable. Have you ever though, what if, what if, this backfires? Instead of convincing them, you get convinced otherwise? This happens more than we would like to acknowledge. Even if this is not through philosophical discussions, it is through books that we read that are much too advanced for us, and thus, the reader becomes smitten by the ideas presented. And is swayed from the right path, far, far away.

If you are new here, and haven’t read the ‘about me’, this is some food for thought: I am currently doing my second semester of a Bsc in Quranic Studies with a major in tafseer (I am a baby in this field, take my word for it), right at the beginning of this degree we were told about some of the prominent books of tafseer that are there, they told us about the history of the books,  the authors of the books, they explained the strength and weakness of each book, and finally they mentioned several books, about which they said, “If you are an intermediate student of knowledge then don’t even look at these books”. This strict, oft-repeated warning is to protect us from the corrupt aqeedah (creed) that these books promote, an ideology so corrupt that an intermediate student of knowledge will have no means by which to repel it, let alone a beginner.

Coming back to the misguided idea of invincibility, do you see how everything fits? Students who have spent years studying Islam – at the hand of the scholars of this ummah – are still considered not ready to merely look at these books. Where do we stand then?

To drive the point home, the female mentioned above was not your average woman. She was in fact – are you ready for this? – the great* granddaughter of Mohammed ibn Abdul Wahab. If this name sounds unfamiliar than this further proves my point of how unaware we are about Islam.

Mohammed ibn Abdul Wahab was the author of Kitab at-Tawheed, he is responsible for single handedly reviving this ummah to uphold the Tawheed of Allah, and to worship Allah as He should be worshiped. The man who spent his entire life in the path of Allah. Do you really think she hasn’t read the book? She probably did. Her uncles, fore-fathers and other relatives were and are some of the greatest scholars of our time. I think it is safe to believe that the “Islamic gene” skipped this one. No one, absolutely no one, is invincible from shaitan’s treachery. Even if they are, at some level, Islamically educated.

What is more, I am quite positive that she didn’t start her day with the intention of committing apostasy. The story goes, someone tweeted a link to a singer/song, she tweeted back – clearly in awe of the singer’s voice – praising it. And in her attempts at a poetic description of the singer’s voice, she said things that are blasphemous (and thus I refuse to translate), and then she said some more. Initially, when people expressed their horror, she arrogantly ignored their comments – haters gonna hate – until the news reached our scholars and they immediately denounced it and called for her trial, after which she deactivated her account, denied that she had tweeted it and eventually denied that she had an account to begin with. (Her honourable family condemned her words and ill actions).

Amongst the many thoughts expressed by scholars and dai’ees, one statement struck me more than any other; a female scholar – a sheikha – said: “We have always heard how music can lead to zina (fornication), but this is the first time I am witnessing how music can lead to Kufr”.

This brings me to the title of this piece, ‘Are Islamic Memes haram and a Story’.

We’ve covered the ‘story’, how do I link these two absurdly unrelated topics?

Before we answer this question, we must answer another: are Islamic Memes haram?

Really short answer: Idk.

Only Allah and His prophet can state what is Haram and what is not.  And if, no direct mention is made in the Quran and/or Sunnah then the inheritors of the prophets (i.e. scholars), those who are qualified to use analytical deductions can then do so and provide us with an opinion as to whether something is halal, haram or in between.

Islamic memes have the sole purpose of mocking things, people, actions, objects, etc. though fun and jokes are absolutely permissible in Islam, theyhave boundaries. With regards to jokes, our Prophet has made these boundaries clear. (See references below).

I have had the pleasure (displeasure?) of going through many of these “Islamic” memes. And though, I admit, some are amusing, others… I’m not quite sure.

Let’s be clear, mockery in Islam (or mocking something) is not permissible – even if the object of mockery is a much despised leader of a much despised nation. It is unbecoming of a person who calls himself a Muslim to do so and Allah has clearly forbidden it.

So when something is based upon mocking things, especially when the subject of this said mockery is Islam (yes, Islam!), who draws the line here? YOU?! (Ask yourself, who are you to draw such lines?)  

It may be that we might view certain things as insignificant, but to Allah the Most Exalted, they might not be insignificant, then where do we stand with Him?

[When you received it with your tongues and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allah, tremendous] – Surat-Nur:15

The thing is, we might not be doing something wrong but in our heedlessness, arrogance and ignorance we might do something that we will forever be regretful over (and to us a forever is literally forever, isn’t it?).

You might not be mocking Islam directly but you are in the process of getting there. This is how Shaitan works, he makes the means to harm look harmless and then: bang.

[And if you ask them, they will surely say, “We were only conversing and playing” Say, “Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?”,

Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.]

– Surat-Tawbah:65-66

Some may argue that these memes don’t in fact poke fun at Islam, per se, but they mock Muslims (Note: The memes that I have seen also use salah and other acts of worship to “poke fun” at Muslims).

Ever read Surah Al Muttafifeen? (Read it again).

Mockery is not a trait of the Mu’mineen (rather it is a trait of the hypocrites and if you’ve read surah al-humaza then you would know that it is also a trait of people of the Hellfire).

Lastly, something Sheikh Mohammed Al Qahtani mentioned in a tafseer class:

“It may be that you mock others and because of that Allah might punish you by trying you with whatever you mocked in others. Nowadays, people have taken this matter of mocking others very lightly, and what’s more, they’ve become creative in how they ridicule and belittle others (by making petty jokes and using caricature and comic strips that are written and drawn for this sole purpose (!!!!). This is further exaggerated with the help of new communication and social platforms. There is no doubt that this not allowed in Islam and it is one of the greatest sins as this surah (Surah Humaza) describes and their final abode is in the hellfire, may Allah protect us from it”

Coming back to the question, are “Islamic” memes haram?

The comment of the Sheikh should suffice. But it would be sad if all of the above is not sufficient to convince a Muslim that they should stay away from anything that can lead them to ridicule the Creator subhaneh wa taala OR His Prophet and in doing so committing Kufr. By entering something that Allah has made forbidden you’ve already taken the first step towards exiting the folds of Islam, as we have so clearly witnessed.

*I am not quite sure how many ‘greats’ go in there (two or at most three).

Reference:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO3VRTJMLv0  (3 minutes 34 seconds)

2. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/22170/jokes

3. http://islamqa.com/en/ref/102871/jokes

Surah Al Fatiha known as Umm Al Kitab (mother of The Book): 

The beginning is Rahma/Mercy of Allah:

(الرحمن الرحيم) •• (Most Gracious, Most Merciful)

The middle is guidance of Allah:

(اهدنا الصرات المستقيم) •• (Guide us to the Straight Path)

The end is Ni’ma/blessings of Allah:

(صرات الذين انعمت عليهم) •• (The path of those you have bestowed Your Favour/Grace/Blessings)

It is out of His mercy that He guides us. And the fact that He has guided us is a blessing from Him. In the end, it ALL comes down to His mercy and blessings. 

Reflect.

When you put a limit on patience, then you haven’t really understood patience.

[So be patient with beautiful patience.] - 70:5

Lessons from Surah Al Kahaf

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In Surah Al Kahaf, Allah describes various circumstances of life a person goes through. And Allah sheds light on how to attain success in all those circumstances. Reflect with me:

Youth:

They were tested and oppressed but through it all they remained obedient to Allah and remained upon righteousness.

And thus Allah guided them (even more!) to Him and He guided them out of their troubles.

Not only that because of their belief in Allah, He helped them speak the Truth even in face of oppression.

[Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance

And We made firm their hearts when they stood up and said, “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Never will we invoke besides Him any deity. We would have certainly spoken, then, an excessive transgression.] – 18:13-14

Righteous Companions

They were young and they were faced with a lot. It might have been that alone they would have faltered. But they weren’t alone; they had righteous companions.

And this was, besides the Mercy of Allah, one of the reasons that they could stand up to the tests that they went through; the fitna that they faced.

And notice how it was this righteous company that got an animal, a dog, mentioned in the Quran.

Thus, highlighting the importance of righteous companions on two levels; through righteous company you are saved from falling into sins and it through righteous company you gain honour.

In the Quran when Allah lauds one thing, it is a condemnation of its opposite; in this context a condemnation of bad company.

And bad company is that which takes you away from Allah.

 [And keep yourself patient by being with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever in neglect.]  – 18:28

The Shepherd

Allah tells the story of the owner – the shepherd – of a magnificent garden. An estate that was an epitome of what the seekers of this world seek.

But he became blinded by its magnificence, deluded that it was his, but it – and everything else – belongs to Allah.

His blurred vision made him arrogant and disobedient, and worse: he denied A Promise of Allah – he denied The Hour.

And in doing so, he oppressed himself and thus he called for the wrath of Allah to befall his garden.

And this man is seen in people from all walks of life; shepherd of a family, of a business, of an estate, of a country or even just over himself.

Lesson for us: whatever we have is from Allah, and if we are ungrateful and disobedient, He can take it away in a heartbeat.

[And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allah, nor could he defend himself.] – 18:43

The Student

Musa (عليه السلام) was a great man, he was a chosen one; he was a Prophet. Honoured beyond imagination. Kaleemullah. Messenger of two scriptures: The Scrolls and the Tawrah.

He had an apprentice, he was a teacher to a young boy, yet the high status that Allah bestowed him did not prevent him from being in the most humble position; a student.

[Moses said to him, “May I follow you on the condition that you teach me from what you have been taught of guidance and sound knowledge?”] – 18:66

But what is the big deal about knowledge?

It is a Mercy from The Most Merciful. And knowledge, ANY knowledge, is from Allah. Whatever you are learning is because Allah has allowed you to learn it, and that in itself should be reason enough for you to be in awe.

And those who have been given knowledge and those who are seeking knowledge are indeed under the Mercy of Allah.

[And they found a servant from among Our servants to whom we had given mercy from us and had taught him from Us a certain knowledge.] – 18:65

And knowledge, Mercy of Allah, is not gained except with: Patience.

A message to students: observe patience and remain upon seeking knowledge.

You can never attain patience if you berate this golden opportunity to gain a mercy of His. Regardless of how tough it gets, be grateful to Allah that you are able to seek knowledge and by doing so you will find it becoming easier.

 And the more knowledge you gain, the easier it becomes to observe patience.

[He said, “Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience.

And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?”

Moses said, “You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in any order.”] – 18:67-69

The hard time that you are going through as a student, if Allah wills ease will follow.

The Blessed Ones

When Allah blesses you with something, it is not to establish your superiority over others, but rather it is to be used to serve Him.

Look at Dhul-Qarnayn, he was the most powerful man on earth and what did he do with his might that Allah had bestowed him?

He helped those who were in need.

Allah has given us an advantage over so many others, how have you served Allah’s deen with this blessing?

[But as for one who believes and does righteousness, he will have a reward of Paradise] – 18:88

A Bonus Lesson to those Striving in the Path of Allah

Allah has guided you to Him. And you have acknowledged that your duty, as a slave of Allah, is to serve His religion by calling people to it.

You are mocked, rejected and shunned because you follow Allah and Rasool Allah’s commands.

It hurts. More than anything, you want those you love to be guided to The Right Path, you want them to be your neighbours in Jannah.

[Then perhaps you would consume yourself in grief over them, if they do not believe in this message, sadly] – 18:6

Your duty is to call people to see the light, but it is only Allah who can make this Light enter their hearts.

So go, O my beloved Muslim, go; strive in the path of Allah, be obedient to Him, be humbled that He has chosen you to worship Him, and stand up for The Truth. And He will then make a way out of every hardship and reward you with the Ultimate Prize – Jannah.  

An Open Letter to Parents of Muslim Youth: Love, Life, Fitna and Your Children

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Dear Parents,

I have, a few short days ago, commenced the third decade of my life, so the following is written from a specific perspective, that of a 21 year old who remembers the past couple of years very clearly. I would suggest that you keep this little piece of information in mind when reading the following.

At times I wonder, could it be that these older people who talk down to me and dismiss my life threatening issues as trivial don’t remember what it was like being my age?! The horror that I go through?! (Some may point out that horror is an exaggeration, but when you are in the moment of it, it is nothing short of a horror).

A few years ago, I was convinced that they – most definitely – had no recollection of their youth. And that they had a rather boring, drama-free youth. And that they are mean.

Now I have concluded that it may be for some people time and trials fade the memories of the years past, so they underestimate feelings that they went through and they under appreciate events that shaped who they are.

Upon forming this conclusion, and being dismissed one time too many, (and… additional reasons will be disclosed later on), I decided to step up to the plate and offer my most earnest opinion, advice and more importantly an insight into the lives (and times) of ‘kids’ my age.

Note: It is tough listening to someone younger offer advice. If a thirteen year old would come to me, offering advice, I would be tempted to laugh it off, after all I have lived more years than her, and I know a things or two about being thirteen (been there, done that, owned it). But I will not laugh it off, because I am not her, what bothers her may not have bothered me or even occurred to me. And so, I shall put into practice one of the qualities of the believers; listening with ears, minds and hearts.

Now that all the formalities are out of the way, I dive right in:

Marriage. This is what I want to talk to you about. Not yours, obviously, but your child’s.

If the apple of your eye has broached this topic with you and you have listened* to them, then you come under the category of the ‘Understanding Parent’. And they are blessed to have you, especially during this, uh, emotional time that is to ensue.

If this said apple (of eye) has broached this topic and you have brushed it aside, whilst lecturing them of the more important issues – such as: education and earning a living. Then… I shall come to you in a bit.

And if your child has never brought up the topic then:

a. They might be too terrified (or too shy) and if the environment was made less threatening and hostile, they will bring it up.

b. They might be in a pre-marital relationship, so a heads up, I guess.

c. They might be genuinely uninterested (keep an eye on that one).

When we get down to the cold hard facts, the reality is this: the time that our honourable parents (you) grew up in, is completely different from the time that we live in now. And it should not come as a shock but much has changed over the years. When I look at pre-teens/tweens nowI am amazed at how advanced their level of awareness of stuff around them is. We grew up in an environment barren of the ‘cold, hard facts of life’. We were kids. And the same cannot be said about children nowadays. They have an awareness of things that they do need to know, but not how they should know them. They have had access to too much information, too early. The point is, times have evolved and thus we are left with a huge gap between each generation that is hard to reconcile with. And even harder to relate to. (Hence I write this piece).

We live in a time that is flooded with fitna in all shapes and forms and from all directions. A situation much different to the one faced by those who grew up in the past few generations. The fitna is to such an extent that the most righteous youth of this ummah are falling off the path. They are falling into haram. Into major sins. Into sins that have severe consequences in this life and the next.

And these are the good ones; can you even imagine what is becoming of those who are not in touch with their deen?

A survey was conducted by a blogger whom I refuse to mention due to the nature of issues that she blogs about, this survey had staggering figures; anonymous confessions of young Muslim girls who were doing the most unthinkable things. The first thing to come to most of your minds will be, my daughter is not amongst them, my child will not do any of it.

I am sorry, but simply because she is related to you does not guarantee her protection from falling into the traps of shaitan. And do you really know what goes on with your children’s lives, in their minds, in their hearts?

Besides Allah, no one knows a child better than the parents, I give you all the credit in this regard, but we need to have a grasp of reality; we must have a sound grasp of reality. And the reality is this: Until our very last breath, NONE of us are safe from the claws of shaitan, from his whispers.

So what should be done? Everything. Everything that is necessary and that can protect us from the evil that the most accursed stirs.

[O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones] – Surah At-Tahreem 6:66

Scholarly commentary (tafseer) suggests that this ayah does not refer to ensuring ones family performs all their obligatory duties and maintains a good reputation (what many parents emphasis on). But this ayah says that as their parent or the head of the family, it is your duty to protect yourself and your family from the Hellfire – so protect them from anything that takes them closer to it and protect them from anything that takes them away from Jannah – whether it is done in public or done in private. This involves protecting them from the haram they may fall into as a result of too many temptations around!

(And parents, tell me, why do these children have unnecessary temptations around? Nothing much can be done about people from the opposite sex walking around, but why do they have access to filthy movies, books, music, etc.?)

The times we live in have become flooded with images (books, movies, pictures, magazines, music, everything) of zinaa – they have glamorised zinaa. Day by day it gets harder and harder for an unmarried youth surrounded by all of this to not fall into haram. There is a struggle within them. That is killing them. And I think as a parent, you would care, yes?

I write this, because one sister too many has come to me in tears, explaining how going on any further seems impossible. One sister too many, who has said that her biggest worry is that she might fall into haram and with each passing day she gets closer and closer to haram. One sister too many, who has reached out for help when her parents have failed to provide the support she needs, so I write this on behalf of your daughter(s) whom you may not be on the same wavelength with.

Read this:

Oh but there is more, and these news screen shots are from a newspaper of a country that has a majority Muslim population, a country that is yet to be infiltrated with “western” shamelessness. I cannot imagine what would become of the youth when globalisation goes up another notch. I don’t want to imagine.

Tell me; don’t you think it would have been better for the girls (above) to have been wed to “not-worthy-enough” men as opposed to do what they did?

Is this not enough for you to take some action on behalf of your child, to protect them from something greater that would result if they should fall into wrong company?!

By Allah, it is only with His mercy that we are still safe.

It is evident that some parents are more concerned with finding the “right” partner for their child (i.e. a highly qualified professional, who has a certain skin colour, who comes from a certain country/culture, etc.) rather than finding a partner who can take their spouse to Jannah.

Yes, criteria is important, but maybe you might want to ask your child what criteria they have in mind since, you know, they will be spending their life with their spouse.  And maybe, you might also want to consider what Islam has to say about these criteria. And maybe, this perfection that is sought by parents in a prospective spouse for their child is a tad bit unrealistic? Maybe?

On the other hand, there are parents who adamantly believe that their young adult is too young to get married. Or that this young adult needs to finish their education, or get a job. These conditions might not have been too unrealistic, but given the situation that we have at hand these conditions are not only unrealistic but they are plain illogical. Furthermore, the only reason these conditions are in place is because of what society dictates the norm to be; grow up, go to university, get a job, get a job that pays enough, then get married, have kids, and the cycle repeats for next generation.

Islam encourages a young person to get married as soon as possible if they are able to and those who do not have the means to get married then they have the option of fasting as a way to keep them in check.

However, most youth today can get married but they do not because of their parents.

Let me ask you; is it so wrong for a young married couple to start their life together in an unconventional (but Islamic) circumstance? No by Allah it is not wrong.

Can’t their parents provide for them? And give them shelter till they find their feet?

A youth who attends university, who is bombarded with fitna every single day and who has friends – Muslims and non-Muslims – who are openly and freely in relationships but yet this youth has to maintain his/her chastity because he/she fears Allah, talk about torture - in broad daylight!

And Allah has given them a solution; Marriage. A halal solution, a beautiful solution. Allah has told us what marriage is, what its purpose is, how to go about it and have successful marriage, and He has made it easy to get married. But it is us who complicate things and who turn beautiful things ugly.

The idea of marriage is daunting, it is scary, what it makes it worse, is the idea of taking it up to parents – and this is the case with many sisters that I have spoken to.

Lastly, I do not endorse the idea of a “love” marriage that is based on a pre-marital, haram relationship. This is the worst way to start a beautiful union. A happy, successful marriage that is aiming for jannah cannot have its roots in hellfire.

Neither do I endorse the idea of a “you marry person X or you remain a spinster” marriage.

The definition of marriage that I have is Islam’s definition of marriage and this is the definition that most practicing young Muslims have in mind. And marriage in Islam is based on love for His sake firstly, and it is rooted in purity and taqwa. And I believe that Islam is the only religion that promotes the idea of ‘soul mates’ and of an eternal love that begins here and ends in Jannah. InshaAllah.

So regardless of where the prospective person comes from, Allah chooses them, so even if it is someone your daughter suggests or your sons suggests, consider them, for they might be It. Or whether it is you, the parent, who finds a prospective other, then I urge every youth reading this, to consider them, for they might be the one.

Finally, I have written this because of your child who wants to get married but can’t because of you – the parents. And it is in your hands to take action and do something. Yes, your child might be an ‘adult’ but they are still entirely dependent upon you to help them start the most important venture of their life.

Sincerely,

A.S. x

*Definition of listen: To make an effort to hear something (this also involves paying attention and comprehending what is being told). 

Another Reason to Learn Arabic?

“Most of the Muslims who went astray from the right path and drifted away from the proper understanding of Islam was a result of their weak understanding of this noble language through which all mankind are addressed, and the ultimate fate of a person - whether in paradise or hell - is connected to understanding this language…”

— باب في ما يؤمنه علم العربية من الاعتقادات الدينية، الخصائص.

Notice how the four greatest men (after all the prophets) to ever walk this earth  shared a similar trait: the most dearest to them were their women and they were recognised by these women. 

Fundamentals of Faith: The Creator

This is a brief summary of the Fundamentals of Faith series (conducted at a weekly online Halaqah). The Online Halaqahs were started as part of an initiative to build an online community of sisters (albeit on a tiny scale). These Halaqahs came to be after observations showed that many sisters had started detaching themselves from Islam after graduating and leaving university (and more specifically the ISOC). Thus, the main purposes of these Halaqahs are to nurture a sisterhood that transcends ‘worldly frontiers’ and to create a community where sisters can voice their thoughts, ask questions, discuss issues, etc. without facing the setbacks that are normally faced in our times.     

For more information please comment below or click on the ‘ask’ box.

Disclaimer: All the material is taken from authentic sources and from scholars of Ahl us sunnah wal Jama’a. None of it is based on “personal opinion”. 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Most students of knowledge come across the Hadith of Jibreel right in the beginning of their journey. This Hadith constitutes of the fundamentals of what a Muslim should believe in. From the 5 pillars of Islam that are ordained upon every sane adult who testifies Islam, to the 6 pillars of faith that a Muslim must believe in, with full conviction, in order for eeman to enter their hearts, to a simpler yet profound concept of ihsaan - the highest form of which is worshipping Allah as if you see Him (for even if you don’t, He sees you).

This series aims to instill eeman in hearts of Muslims, the only way to have eeman is when you believe in ALL that is required to be believed in, and this is only possible through knowing what Allah, the most Exalted, wants us to believe in.

The pillars of faith are:

1. Belief in Allah.

2. Belief in His angels.

3. Belief in His books.

4. Belief in His Messengers.

5. Belief in the Last Day.

6. Belief in destiny and predisposition.

Prior to any further discussion on the topic, a reminder is due. A reminder of a promise you made, to Allah.

Before we were sent to this earth, all of us were assembled before Allah and He took an oath from us, a covenant;

The Most Exalted asked, “Am I not your Lord?” and we replied, “Yes, we have testified”. This was so none from mankind can claim to have been unaware of the existence of Allah on the Day of Judgment.

This conversation is depicted in an ayah of the Quran, this ayah is known as ayat al meethaq (meethaq meaning covenant):

[And when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, saying to them, “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have testified.” This - lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, “Indeed, we were of this unaware.”] ~ 7:172

When you take an oath something is expected of you, right? What does this oath, this meethaq, entail?

Ahl al ‘ilm (people of knowledge), have three opinions as to what this oath, or meethaq means:

1. Literal meaning: Allah made us, bani Adam (the descendants of Adam) testify to His Lordship – ar-Ruboobiya, from Rabb.

2. The second opinion suggests that this meethaq, the covenant that we are bond to means Fitrah (the natural disposition human beings are created at).

And the ayah supporting this view is:

[So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. Adhere to the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created all people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know.] Surah Ar-Room:30

And there is the Hadith: “No baby is born but upon Fitra. It is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a Polytheist.”

3. The third opinion merges the first two opinions, and adds an extra shade of meaning to meethaq: This meethaq is a proof that Allah has established, that he has sent down prophets with their respective books, and made His law clear.

And these are the three opinions, now you know the promise you have made so it is up to you to fulfill it.

The first pillar, belief in The Creator, consists of three parts:

1. Belief in the existence of Allah.

Almost all major world religions believe in a Single God, Who is above all, despite their belief in multiple deities. But only Islam nullifies all other false deities and attributes worship to the One who should be rightfully worshipped. And thus, as Muslims, we must dedicate our worship to Allah alone and in order to do so, we must know what nullifies Tawheed.

The only ideology that does not believe in the existence of Allah, are the Atheists (there are Agonists as well, but these are just flowered up names for the same wrongful accusation).

And Allah asks them in the Quran:

[Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]?

Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Rather, they are not certain.] Surah Toor: 35-36

Logic, reason and rationality insist that there must be a Creator, not only that, but if you were to think with logic, reason and rationality you would come to the conclusion that there is only One Creator.

A scientist, Alexander Tsiaris who worked on a project which looked at the development of a fetus from conception to birth, said, “So perfectly organised is the structure it is hard not to attribute Divinity to it”

What is expected for us to believe in by believing in the existence of Allah?

- We must believe in whatever Allah has told us about Himself; believe what He asked us to believe in and deny what He asked us to deny about Himself.

- Furthermore, it becomes incumbent upon us to obey Him, so we do what He asked us to do and we avoid what He asked us to avoid. And this obedience to Him is part of believing in His existence.

2. Belief in His Lordship.

Eeman bir ruboobiya. Belief that He is our Master, He is Exalted above all creation. He is the Controller of everything. The Determiner of our paths, of our provision, of our life and death, of everything! He is the Supreme Commander. 

Evidence of Ruboobiya from the Quran:

[Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.] Al –Araf: 54

Evidence of Ruboobiya from rationality:

The Quran explains this as well, there is an ayah that suggests that were we to think with rationality and logic the conclusion will also lead to Tawheed ar Raboobiya,

[Allah has not taken any son, nor has there ever been with Him any deity. (If there had been), then each deity would have taken what it created, and some of them would have sought to overcome others. Exalted is Allah above what they describe (concerning Him).] Al-Muminoon 23:91

This ayah is known as the rational proof (دليل التمانع).

Greek mythology gives an excellent example of what can happen if there were multiple deities. Undeniably, there will be a clash of power, they would be fighting with each other and there would be utter chaos.

How do we fulfill belief in His Lordship?  

1. Dedicating our worship to Him alone.

2. Believing in His Oneness through His names and attributes

3. Obeying His law. His shari’i law.

4. Being pleased and accepting His will (qadha qal qadar)

Now in order to fulfill the Oneness of His Lordship, we must know what nullifies it.  

The nullifiers of this Tawheed are: (Consisting of beliefs, words, and actions)

1. Denial of existence of Allah.

2. Associating a partner with Allah in creation.

3. Associating another planner and instigator with Allah.

4. Associating another law maker with Allah.

3. Belief in His Divinity.

Tawheed al uloohiya. Belief that He is the one Ilah. The One God.

And we fulfill this Tawheed through our actions: worship. (The previous type of Tawheed was achieved through beliefs).   

The definition of ‘ibadaa (worship) in Arabic is: It is a word that encompasses everything that Allah loves and that pleases Him, from action and speech, the obvious and the hidden. (This definition is by Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah).

Anything that is considered worship in Islam and is done for someone else’s sake or done for someone else is considered as shirk.  

What is the importance of this Tawheed:

(i) Firstly, we were created for this purpose. To dedicate our worship to Him alone.

(ii) The reason that prophets were sent down to us, and the reason they brought the Books of Allah to us, was in order to fulfill this Tawheed of uloohiya.

(iii)  Tawheed of His Divinity is a right that He has upon us.

(iv) Peace. =)

The Kalmia, predominantly encompasses Tawheed of Divinity.

La ilaha illa Allah. 

The definition of ‘laa ilaha illa Allah’ is: None can be truly and rightfully worshipped except for Allah.

This Kalima is in two parts. Firstly a negation that there is any god and the second part is the condition; except for Allah.

What are the conditions/terms for the kalima? (The condition is what is required of us, so that we may fulfill it):

1. Knowledge: That He is the one true Ilah and worship is attributed to Him alone, and we must work upon this knowledge which nullifies ignorance. Meaning we must not do what is related to shirk and what is related to things that displease Him.

2. Certainty that eliminates any doubts.

3. Sincerity that eliminates any chances of Shirk.

4. Truthfulness, say it because you believe it to be true.

5. Love. =)

6. Holding onto this belief and His commands: Complete submission to Him.

7. Acceptance: Belief with complete certainty whatever Allah has revealed and accepting it. There were people who knew, what was revealed to them was from Allah but didn’t accept it, they were the Jews and Christians; They knew it was the Truth yet they did not follow, simply because they followed their desires.

8. Denying ALL else that is worshipped besides Allah or other than Allah.

Fruits of believing in Allah:

1. Anyone who has tasted the pleasantness of eeman would know that nothing in this entire world can compare to it..

2. When you believe in Allah, you find that your heart is attached to Him, and you know that He makes things better, and that He takes care of you subhaneh wa ta’ala. And this is the ultimate happiness in this Dunya.

3. Your heart will glorify Him, you will not have doubts in your heart.

4. Contentment with His Decree. So regardless of what troubles you go through; you’re content knowing that He has decreed and He is the only One who can make it better.

5. A key to gaining sacred guidance starts with you:

[Whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart] ~ 64:11