Trust in Allah Ta'ala

Assalamu-alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

 Alhamdulillah for many of us our exams are over. But for some they may have just begun and for others it may just be the end of a long and exhausting week. Whatever it is, we should go through every step of our lives by putting our trust in Allah.

This is something that affects us all in our life time, whether it is from a positive or a negative aspect. Sometimes our trust in Allah brings out the best in us, i.e.  When things are running smoothly and going according to what we want we tend to be happy individuals. Other times we feel so low and empty and feel nothing but despair in Allah. Why? 

What we need to remember is that when we claim we have faith in Allah we are also required to have faith in 6 other things. I won’t go into too much depth about them all, but want to point out one which is that we proclaim that we believe in taqdeer (fate), whether it is good or bad. Fate is the knowledge of something before it takes place and indeed that quality is only with Allah. What we have to remember is Allah knows what will be better for us and He loves us more than anyone or anything in the world. Allah Ta'ala even loves us more than our parents so how can it be that He would let anything happen to that could harm us.

When you’re in despair, there is no need to feel helpless because the tests and tribulations that come your way are merely signs that portray Allah Ta'ala's love towards you. Instead you should feel special. Allah Ta'ala says “Verily He is with those whom have patience”. So when a calamity hits you, don’t become saddened because “Allah does not afflict someone with any situation unless He knows they are capable of bypassing it” and “Verily Allah does not break His promise” so how much trust do you have in Allah?

Relating this topic to exams or any test that you may be faced with, just keep in mind if exams have gone well then carry on thanking Allah as your blessings are likely to increase. If you're thinking “I should have written this” or “Oh no, others have answered differently” then all I have to say is don’t worry too much. You yourself know how much effort you put in and that maybe next time you should revise harder. But there is one thing that you need to do and that is you need to stop with the doubting. Why? Because like many of us, you must have prayed extra Nawaafil, Tasbeeh, Dhikr and done lots of Dua. So, these doubts should not even cross your mind as you are not doubting your own capabilities but you are doubting Allah. What you should be thinking is it’s all in Allah’s hand and at the end of the day it is Allah's decision as He knows best. The only thing that could possibly change your fate is Dua as "Dua" is the weapon of a believer.

Don't ever feel that your dua isn't being accepted because this will make you lose trust in Allah. Ask Allah everyday for whatever you need. Humble yourself in front of Allah. Talk to Him as he is As-Samee, The All hearing. Allah will never turn his servant away, so carry on asking and praying.

In a Hadeeth Qudsi it has been mentioned: “O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon for you. Then I recompense you for them. The one who finds good is to give praises to Allah. The one who finds other than that should not blame anyone but himself ."

So remember, if at times things go wrong then as mentioned above we have no one but ourselves to blame. This can be due to our sins and wrong doings, but then again we would prefer to live with the calamities faced in this life, compared to the punishment of the Akhiraa (after life). To put our hearts and mind at peace Allah Ta'ala says “even if you come to me asking forgiveness and your sins have reached the froth of the sea or are equal to the size of a mountain I will forgive.” Subhanallah.

May Allah give me and you the ability to have full trust in Him, as He is Most Merciful, All Knowing and a True Friend.

Ameen

Dont forget the daily target which is to say Astaghfirullah at least 100 times a day.

No good deed is too small

Assalamu-alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

Throughout our lives we often miss and overlook many deeds that we see as small. I wouldn't say that these deeds are really small deeds because the reward that we get from doing them is huge. However they are seen as small because it takes little time and effort to do these good deeds.

As Muslims, we should strive to do as many good deeds that we possibly can so that in the hereafter we can In Shaa Allah, enter Paradise. Every good deed, no matter how small, has the potential of becoming our ticket to Paradise.

We all know that there are certain acts of worship which we have to do, such as praying Salaah 5 times a day and fasting in Ramadan. But we often forget or pay less attention to other acts that we do that could or already are great ways for us to gain a lot of reward.

For example, eating. We usually eat 3-4 meals a day. If at every time we sat down to eat, we followed the way Prophet Muhammad (saw) would eat, then we will In Shaa Allah get loads of reward. We can start by reading the dua before eating, by sitting down, by eating with our fingers and then reading the dua after we finish. Doing these acts take no time at all so why miss them out.

There are also many duas and Dhikr that we can do that will also help us get a lot of reward. I will mention some below, but before I do so I want to quickly add something.

I don't know about you, but many times I have planned a schedule of certain Hasanaat and good deeds that I want to do on a daily basis. I write them all down. From praying Tahajjud to reading Qura'an to doing tasbeeh and doing Dhikr. Alhamdulillah when I start to follow my plan I do everything I can to make sure I have ticked off everything on my list. However, due to other reasons, after a few weeks I realise that I am doing only a few things from my list. I am sure there are many people who have done something similar to this and in the end have reached the same ending as mine. I am not saying that don't plan or make a schedule like this. It's a good way of helping you to do more good deeds and become a better person, but remember, Rasoolullah (saw) said "The deeds most loved by Allah (are those) done regularly, even if they are small."

So start of doing maybe 1-2things for a week. Then every week add something on, making sure that you are still doing what you started in the past weeks. In Shaa Allah by doing so we will have consistency and can do more.

Ok so below are a few Hadeeth of Rasoolullah (saw), in which there are some quick and easy and rewarding good deeds that we can all In Shaa Allah do EVERYDAY.

1. Prophet Muhammad (saw) once said to some people in a gathering "Is anyone of you incapable of earning one thousand Hasanah (rewards) a day?" Someone from the gathering asked, "How can anyone of us earn a thousand Hasanah?" Prophet Muhammad (saw) said "Glorify Allah a hundred times by just saying "Subhanallah” and a Good deeds will be written for you, or a thousand sins will be wiped away.”

2. Prophet Muhammad (saw) said to his Companions, “Are any of you unable to recite a third of the Qur’an in a night?” That was difficult for them and they said, “Which of us is able to do that, Messenger of Allah?” Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “[The surah]‘Say: He is Allah, Absolute Oneness, Allah, the Everlasting Sustainer of all’constitutes a third of the Qur’an.'

3. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon him) said, “There are two statements that are light for the tongue but are heavy on the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-Azim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection)'.''

It is also important to remember that we need to ensure that our intention before we do something is correct. This means that whatever we are doing is for the sake of Allah Ta'ala and no one else. We also need to remember to do everything with sincerity.

I have also decided that in order to help myself and others, at the end of some of my blogs , I will write a deed that we should try to do every day. In Shaa Allah, by doing it every day it will become a habit for us. So keep your eyes open and make sure you check the end of the blog.

The first one is to say Astaghfirullah at least 100 times a day.

So lets try from now on to do make this part of our daily routine.
I pray that Allah gives me and you the ability to utilise our time in doing good deeds. And I pary Allah accepts all our deeds.

Ameen

 

The Importance of Repenting

Assalamu-alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

Every day we are busy running around, trying to fit our crazy schedule in the limited 24 hours that we have. From the minute we wake up we are continuously carrying out our daily routine. But sometimes we are soo busy that we don't realise some of the sins we commit. It easy for us to make mistakes, it's human nature. But how many of us repent after realising that we have made these mistakes.

We gossip, backbite, lie, and use foul language. This is just some of the sins that we do, the list is endless. We have become used to committing some of these sins that when we are told to stop we find it difficult to accept what we are doing is actually a major sin.

In order for us to purify ourselves from the mistakes and sins that we have committed, we should repent and ask Allah to forgive us. Allah Ta'ala knows we are human beings and that we are weak. Allah Ta'ala knows that Shaitaan is constantly tempting us to do wrong. Allah Ta'ala knows that our nafs  are trying to deceive us. So to help us Allah Ta'ala has given us the opportunity to repent over the mistakes that we have made.

In a Hadeeth it has been mentioned that ''The person who repents from a sin is like the one who has not sinned in the first place.''

So each time we sin, we should repent. By repenting, it is as tough we are deleting this sin from our record. It is a lifeline which will help erase our sins. And remember we can repent all day, every day at any time and at any place as long as we repent sincerely. If Allah has put no limit to how many times we can repent, why should we limit the amount we repent..

Don't let Shaitaan fool you and trick you into thinking there is no point. He will make you think that your repentance has no purpose. He will make you think things like 'look you keep doing the same sin again and again. You know you can't leave it. What is the point in repenting.

NO! Don't let him fool you.

He is making you think like this, so that he wins and you lose. There is a point to your repentance. Remember each time we repent it is as though we never did the sin. So we will be erasing the sins from our records.

It has been said that on the day of Judgement, Allah Ta'ala will call a person forward and the angels will be told to examine the persons book of deeds. The angels will say 'Oh Allah.. this person, he sinned then repented, then sinned, then repented ,then sinned, then repented and he did this his whole life.' Allah Ta'ala will say 'This means that my servant would fall into Shaitaan's trap. However after falling, he would get back up saying I will be faithful to my Lord. Then Shaitaan will trip him up again. My servant got up again saying I will be faithful to my Lord. and This would continuously happen. All his life he fell into Shaitaan's trap, but he repeatedly got up wanting to be faithful to Me. This shows that he wanted to obey me, so I have forgiven all his sins.

Subhan Allah. Allah has blessed us with a great yet simple way of making up for our sins. All we have to do is repent with sincerity and Allah will forgive our sins. In Sha Allah. Even when we do fall into Shaitaan's trap, if we get up and repent, Allah knows that we are trying to obey him and will forgive our sins.
There is a Hadeeth narrated by Hadhrat Anas, may Allah be pleased with him . Hadhrat Anas (ra) says that I heard the Messenger of Allah say, that Allah the Almighty has said: “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as its.”
Don't ever think that it's too late. Have hope and repent now. Spend a few minutes after each Salaah or before you go to sleep. Think about what have I done wrong today and ask Allah to forgive your sins. Ask Allah to forgive the sins that you commited knowingly and unknowingly because Allah Ta'ala knows us better than we know ourselves.

May Allah give me, you and all the Muslims the ability to make the most out of this opportunity. May Allah protect us from the whispers of Shaitaan.

Ameen

Exam Tips

Assalamu-alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu

It's the time again for many of us where we are sitting exams or will be over the coming weeks. For many of us this is a very stressful time. But remember, DON'T lose hope. There is always someone who is waiting for you to ask for his help. A Muslim student should put his/her trust in Allah Ta'ala when facing any sort of test.

I thought I could share some tips for exam success.

1.      When revising, divide your time in such a way that you have time for a few breaks. This doesn't mean one every 10-15 minutes. Be reasonable when planning your breaks. Maybe study for one hour then have a 10-15 break. In this break try to do something that will benefit you. For example, do wudhu and read your namaz or read some quraan.

2.      Perform 2 rakaat nafl and after make dua to Allah for help and that He grants you success.

3.      Ask your parents to do dua for you because their dua will be answered. In Sha Allah.

4.      Whilst waiting outside the exam hall or inside the exam hall, do some Dhikr. This will help remove any worry and anxiety and tension.

5.      Start your exam paper with Bismillah. This will bring you many blessings, In Sha Allah. You should also recite durood shareef both before you start the paper and after. In Sha Allah this will help you.
 

6.      When answering the questions, highlight/underline any key words, write notes on the side which may help you answer the questions.

7.      Take your time doing the paper. Don't rush through it. Remember ''Calmness and Deliberation is from Allah and Haste is from the Devil.'

8.      Whilst doing the paper, if you find anything difficult pray to Allah to make it easy for you. If you find a question difficult, move on to the next one. Don't waste your time on one question. You may find by answering the other questions that they are easier and if you didn't answer them you could have lost marks.

9.      Save at least 10-15 minutes of your time to recheck your paper. This will allow you to find any incorrect answers and time to add more to your answers.

10.  After the exam, perform 2 rakaat nafl and thank Allah that the exam went well.

11.  Don't spend time complaining and worrying about what you could have done. What you have done will hopefully be enough In Sha Allah. Accept the will of Allah Ta'ala.

12. Whilst doing your revision or when in the exam, if you do get stuck, recite durood shareef. It is mentioned in a hadeeth that 'Whoever recites one durood shareef, Allah Ta'ala showers ten blessings on them.'

 

Below are some duas to read before doing your exams.

•  Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja’altahu sahla, wa ‘anta taj-alul hazna idha shi’ta sahla
• O Allah! There is nothing easy except what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy if it be Your Will.
• Allahumma inii as'aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifthal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen.
•   O Allah! I ask You for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to You.
• Allahumma infa’nii bimaa ‘allamtanii wa’allimnii maa yanfa’uunii. Allahumma inii as’aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifzal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen. Allahumma ijal leesanee ‘aiman bi dhikrika wa qalbi bi khashyatika. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’u qadeer wa anta hasbun-allahu wa na’mal wakeel.”
• “Oh Allah! Make useful for me what you have taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. Oh Allah! I ask you for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to you. Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of your remembrance and my heart with consciousness of you. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, and you are my availer and protector and best of aid.”

Just in case you cant read the duas without the Arabic, I have found the Arabic to  some of the above duas and a few more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I pray you find these beneficial and that Allah grants you success in all your exams both in this life and the hereafter. Ameen

Remember the biggest exam is the exam that we are sitting everyday.

Please remember me and all those people who have exams in your duas.

Jazakallah Khair