Welcome

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Assalamu Alaikum,

Inshallah every month I write 2 newsletters for my brothers and sisters of Islam. They are just simple reminders to myself as well as everyone else, I am no perfect person, I make mistakes too, so we should remind ourselves about what is right and what is wrong.

What I have written here are all from past newsletters that I have created since February 2007.

This information blog is only used for learning purposes,
You can share with whom you like, that way it can get across
to many inshallah, All praises is due to Allah for giving me this opportunity to write to my fellow brothers and sisters of
Islam, and trying to point out things that we may of forgotten about.

Your Brother In Islam

Islamic Information Blog Issue 6


Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Assalamu Alaikum brothers and sisters,

I would like to start by saying that I love the whole ummah, whether I know you in person, or never met you or even if you are not reading this, I love all my brothers and sisters of Islam, because I could go to anywhere in this world, any Masjid, walk in and someone will pass their Salaams to me, it doesn't matter whether we knew each other or not, only because we love and fear and worship Allah, that we love each other for the sake of Allah. It doesn't matter what colour we may be, what backgrounds we might come from, we don't judge a person by silly categories like nationality, skin colour etc, because I am a Muslim and this brother is a Muslim and to us that's what matters more. I am proud to be a Muslim because there isn't need for groups because we are no better than the others. Allahu Akbar.

Praying towards a Surtrah

I've seen many brothers praying at my local Masjid without a surtrah and there have been brothers walking past, and sadly their rewards are being reduced because of this, I'm not sure about the sisters, but I believe it happens for the sisters too. A Surtrah is something in front of you when you are praying so no one walks in front of you when you pray, this can be a wall, pillar, a bag etc, there is no limit to the width but it should be at least the height of the back of a saddle, which if we use our human body, its about a hand span. Brothers and sisters! don't you want the full reward when praying obligatory and optional prayers? If you don't have anything in front of you, your reward may be cut or reduced, of course you may have children running around, but they wont reduce your reward, unless they are at an age of puberty, this is Sunnah to have a Surtrah in front of you when praying.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: "When one of you prays, pray towards a sutrah. Stand close to it and don't let anyone pass between you and it"

Making Dua

You can make Dua for almost anything, I say almost anything because there are some that make Dua to hurt someone, or wish for bad things for this person/family etc, You can not wish for someone to die, or anything bad that will go against Islam. Making Dua is asking Allah for help, asking Allah to help others. We can make Dua for our families, friends, brothers and sisters, even ask Allah to guide the ones who are misguided. Remember a small Dua can make a big difference, you can make Dua for forgiveness. Theses above are not the only duas we can do, how about the ones like for example: eating and drinking? Wearing new items of clothing? oing to the Masjid? I'm sure many of us have got a book about Duas, I'm sure the book
"Fortress of the Muslim" is popular one, we should say theses duas so that we can remember Allah more than what we do at the moment. There is a website for those who might not have the book or haven't got a book about Dua,

http://www.makedua.com/

inshallah I will try and find a e-book for you all by the next issue. Brothers and Sisters, while you are sitting there you could make a Dua, raise your hands to Allah and ask Him for whatever is in your mind right now, is something confusing you? You going through hard times? Tell Allah, start with "Oh Allah!" and end your Dua with "Ameen" Ask Allah to increase your Iman, Please don't think that you are wasting your time when making Dua, don't think that Allah will forget what you have asked, Dua will be answered when Allah wills, it could be then and there, it may take time, or even in the hereafter. Allah knows best when they will be answered

"...And whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him (Taqwa), He will make a way for him, to get out (from every difficulty), and will provide for him from sources that he never could imagine…" [At-Talaq 65:2-3]


Hand of Prayer

When I read this on a bookmark, I thought it was a beautiful way to remember others when we pray, inshallah we can use this.

Thumb:
The strongest and nearest digit to you.
Begin by praying for those closest to you and giving thanks for all the strong things in your life.

Index Finger:
This is your pointing finger.
Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal.
They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction

Middle Finger:
The tallest finger reminds us of our leaders
Pray for those who govern and have authority; These people shape our nation

Ring Finger:
This is our weakest finger.
Let it remind us to pray for those who are being treated unjustly, those whose are in trouble,
or in pain

Little Finger:
The smallest and last finger.
By praying for others first it helps to put your needs into perspective.

I have recently found a website with more Quran Recitation, Subhanallah there is a total of 271 reciters, audio lectures from 163 people, many video lectures, video documentaries and video quran recitation, inshallah it should be a wondeful site to learn from.

http://www.aswatalislam.net/

I would like to thank you all that has been sharing this with others, I have been getting a few more people to sign up Alhamdulillah! to be honest I didn't expect has many as people to sign up, I was happy with just 1 person. but inshallah if you like theses issues why do you share with others? If you can learn something from this, I'm sure that others can too inshallah, so please forward this to your friends, even if they dont sign up to this, at least share with others.

Thank you for your support.

Your Brother in Islam

Islamic Information Blog Issue 5


Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Assalamu Alaikum brothers and sisters,

Do we really think about Allah seeing everything we do? It might sound funny when someone would say Allah is watching you picking your nose, but how about when Allah is watching you even when you thought no one saw you? We could lie or cheat our ways to anywhere in this world and fool every human, but we cant fool Allah, you will be the fool to even think Allah didn't see what you are doing, Allah knows more about your life in the present and future before we even experience it. Allah knows what will happen to everyone's life, even what will happen in this world, He is the only one who knows what will happen and when. That is a reason why we say inshallah (if Allah wills) when we plan to do something, I could say that there will be another issue in this month, but we never know if that will happen or not, I could be directed into doing something else, or may not be alive to even think of a next issue, that is why we say inshallah, just like above, only Allah knows what will happen to us in the future.

I was talking to a few friends of mine about how the Christians believe that Jesus (pbuh) was crucified on the cross.

I told them if Jesus (pbuh) was on that cross and died, how would he come back someday (when Allah decides when the right time is) and people see him alive? Isn't it true that EVERY human has only ONE life? Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did do miracles that shocked many but he is only a human, not able to do things that Allah can do. The things Jesus (pbuh) did was only cause of what Allah allowed him to do. I was asking them if they believe that Jesus (pbuh) was "God" because his mother Mary gave birth to him without a father, What does that mean for Adam? Who was born without a mother OR a father? Jesus (pbuh) only has a mother, In Islam we believe that Allah is not his father, nor anyone's father, nor is Allah related to anything that he created, whether its Human, animal, plants etc, Allah is one.

It was narrated from Hazrat Ali that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said "Commonly in Islam there are six rights of a Muslim upon a Muslim: when he meets him he should give him salaam; when he invites him (to a meal) he should accept it; when he sneezes he should bless him; when he falls ill he should visit him; when he dies he should accompany his funeral and he should prefer for him that which he prefers for himself"

I understand that many of us might be shy to say Salaam to fellow Muslims, but don't be, they are family, even if we never know what their names are, they are our family, try for the sake of Allah and send your Salaams to every Muslim you meet, whether they reply, its up to them, at the end of the day you will be rewarded for saying Assalamu Alaikum, that's a good deed brothers and sisters, something that small is a deed.

I would like to share a website with you all, a sister found this and passed it on to me and Mashallah it is very useful especially if you would like to learn about the Hadiths, the whole collection of Sahih Bukhari (total of 652 Hadiths) and Sahih Muslim (total of 7190) and there is more from learning about the Quran, many books to read from. Do read and learn inshallah

http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/index.htm

I did find problems when I used firefox, there was not links, but found all the links in internet explorer, but another person said that firefox showed links and internet explorer didn't so do try theses programs out, if one doesn't work, do use another.

Many things we should say:

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) passed by Aboo Hurayrah while he was planting something and said: 'O Aboo Hurayrah, shall I not show you a planting better than this?' he said: 'Of course, O Messenger of Allah He (pbuh) said: 'Say

Subhanallah, Alhamduilillah, la ilaaha illallah, Allahu Akbar

and a tree will be planted for you in Paradise for every one you say'

At the moment inshallah if we go to paradise, our homes will be beautiful, but the surroundings will be empty, by saying Subhanallah, Alhamduilillah, la ilaaha illallah, Allahu Akbar a tree will be planted for you. Has you got time reading this brothers and sisters say a few so that the angels can plant the trees for you.

Brothers and sisters there are so many rewards you can do, in minutes, lemme share a few, you can get theses rewards just by sitting there and saying something like:

In one minute you can seek the forgiveness of Allaah more than 100 times by saying "Astaghfir-Allaah (I seek the forgiveness of Allaah). The virtues of seeking forgiveness are no secret, for it is the means of attaining forgiveness and entering Paradise, and it is the means of being granted a good life, increasing one's strength, warding off disasters, making things easier, bringing rain and increasing one's wealth and children.

Adhkaar of the Morning and Evening:
(quoted from "More Than 1000 Sunan Every Day & Night")

Some adhkaar to be said in the morning and evening:

1. Aayah al-Kursee (Sura Al-Baqarah 2:255)
Allah - there is no deity expect Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer if [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him expect by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge expect for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him out. And He is the Most High; the Most Great.

Benefits from saying this:
Whoever says it in the morning will be protected from the jinn until evening, and whoever says it in the evening will be protected from them until the morning.

Al-Mu'awwidhaat: (Sura Al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4)
1. Say "He is Allah, [who is] One,
2. Allah, the Eternal Refuge.
3. He neither begets nor is born,
4. Nor is there to Him any equivalent."

(Sura Al-Falaq 113:1-5)
1. Say "I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak
2. From the evil of that which He created
3. And from the evil of darkness when it settles
4. And from the evil of the blowers in knots
5. And from the evil of an envier when he envies."

(Sura An-Naas 114:1-6)
1. Say "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
2. The Sovereign of mankind,
3. The God of mankind,
4. From the evil of the retreating whisperer -
5. Who whispers [evil] into the breast of mankind -
6. From among the jinn and mankind".

Benefits from saying this:
Whoever says them three times in the evening and morning, they will be protected from all kinds of evil (as mentioned in Tuhfat al-Ahwadee by Shaykh Muhammad al Mubaarakpuri)

Brothers and sisters, you might think that this newsletter might be a waste of time, or you might not be learning something new, if that is the case, I am sorry, my intentions are just to remind you whether its small or big, theses good deeds can be recorded for you. Remember Allah

Allah the All-Mighty has said: (Sura Al-Baqarah 2:152)
"Therefore remember Me. I will remember you. Be grateful to Me and never show Me ingratitude."

And He said: (Sura Al Ahzab 33:35)
"And the men and women who remember Allah frequently, Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward."

Theses information emails are not to make me better than you, I am only a Muslim wanting to help my fellow Muslims to achieve and do good deeds, if this has helped you in anyway alhamduilillah, if it has not alhamduilillah. I'm just happy to do what I can, even this small token of gratitude to Allah shows that Muslims shouldn't give up learning because life maybe getting tough, yes it is, but what is more important is that you are pleasing Allah, with the good deeds you do. What is more important? This life? Or the next?

Your brother in Islam,
Wa Salaam

A small Du'a can make a big difference

Make Dua for your brothers and sisters, wouldn't you want good things to happen to them as much as good things happening to you?

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