I don’t really recall many people cheating when i was in Canada, but coming here for university, i realized SO MANY PEOPLE CHEAT! And i just cant understand why! i’m in a muslim world… HELLO people! *sigh* The prophet alayhi asalaam said: “Anyone who cheats us is not one of us.” [Muslim] Okay, maybe people haven’t heard this hadith, or have but don’t completely understand it. For me, put aside that i’m studying Islam as a degree, but this hadith since i remember hearing it in grade 7 makes me feel pity for myself, and pretty much sad. Imagine the prophet saying ‘you’re not one of us’… imagine? :S subhanAllah, may Allah protect us all.

I was writing a midterm today – Seerah midterm – and the girl beside me starting whispering my name. a) i don’t cheat, period. b) comon, this is a seerah midterm, if u wanna cheat at least major in something other than deen! When we came out she was like ‘DANIA, I wanted to give u the answer!’ My reaction was basically jaw dropped down, face in utter disgust. How could she? i basically said to her that i’d rather give in a blank exam then cheat on one question.

Can you imagine cheating on your exam? Deen, medicine, geography, biology, whatever it is, you cheat on the exam – good for you. You get an A, hooray. Then what? You get a good job! Okay, mabrook. Then what, you get an income… how halal is that money do you think? Then you start a family, the money you’re getting them, from the degree that you cheated to get, just because you were either too lazy to study, or wanted the so called ‘thrill’ of cheating. Rethink your life. That’s what it comes down to … cheating on an exam to some people is so 3aady, no biggie, but thinking about the bigger picture and how you might be affecting the rest of your life. Can you cheat your way out of the judgment in front of you Lord, subhanahu wa talaa.

This is just a reminder for myself foremost, the trap of shaytan is too darn ugly to get caught in.

SAY NO TO CHEATING!

One of the biggest things i’ve noticed about people here is their greetings. No one anymore uses salaams as a greeting, rather they either say ‘Marhaba’ or ‘Hi’ or ‘Ahlan’ – and its driving me NUTS!

The definition of salaam is peace. And the definition of as alamualykum wa rahmatuallah – Peace be upon you.

Ibn al-Qayyim said in Badaa’i’ al-Fawaa’id (144):

“Allaah, the Sovereign, the Most Holy, the Peace, prescribed that the greeting among the people of Islam should be ‘al-salaamu ‘alaykum’, which is better than all the greetings of other nations which include impossible ideas or lies, such as saying, ‘May you live for a thousand years,’ or things that are not accurate, such as ‘An’im sabaahan (Good morning),’ or actions that are not right, such as prostrating in greeting. Thus the greeting of salaam is better than all of these, because it has the meaning of safety which is life, without which nothing else can be achieved. So this takes precedence over all other aims or objectives. A person has two main aims in life: to keep himself safe from evil, and to get something good. Keeping safe from evil takes precedence over getting something good…”

Imam alNanawi said that using salaam is sunnah wajibah. Obviously after saying salaam you can go on with the ‘good morning’ & ‘ahlan’ dealio. I feel like people really underestimate the power of the salam, the barakah it has to bring, and the value of it in Allah (swt)’s eyes. Salaam is bringing the peace and blessings of Allah, what better greeting between muslims do you want, and yet we tend to repalce it with hi/marhaba etc. And then when you wanna say ma’salaam or fee aman Allah etc, people say BYE. *insert loud scream + pulling of hair*

I competely refuse to say marhaba and stick to my salaam, but what is more outragging is when you say salaam and it is replied with maraha or ahlan. I wanna start a move with making little buttons/bookmarks/bags saying ‘and spread peace amongst you’. Even the angels will greet the people of jannah with salaam, what more do people want!

Sigh, maybe i’m blowing it out of proportion, but i ask Allah aslsaam to send down His mercy on our people and to allow them to fully benefit and realize the benefit of spreading the beautiful greeting of salaam amongst each other.

Has anyone else realized this in arab countires or between muslims in general?

As beautiful as the sky is right now, with a layer of pink, yellow and purple, it really reminds me of the name Allah alQahaar (ever-dominating, overpowering). This name really puts a person back in line – shows you the magnificence of Allah’s creation, yet His ultimate power. The power He has to create, and the power to destroy it all in a second. Every time i see the sun set or rise, it reminds me of the immense power of Allah. It really scares me, the transitioning between the two days, its just so mind boggling subhanAllah.

(35) Which is it, of the favours of your Lord, that ye deny? (36) And when the heaven splitteth asunder and becometh rosy like red hide – (37) [Surat Ar-Rahman]

On the day when there is no shade but His, the sky will split, the colors will be so magnificent and wondrous, yet it will ultimately show you the power of Allah. If He can have the sun set, the earth rotate, and the trees grow, He is the most capable.

This is my friend’s favorite verse in the Qur’an. It was this part of the ayah which brought tears to her eyes and brought her closer to Allah. This ayah talked to her, as it should talk to all of us: Allah guides whom He wills; I never really understood it fully until a couple of weeks ago.

“Dania, she wants to do it, she wants to become Muslim,” another friend approached me in chemistry class to break the news. I remember standing there in shock, not being able to believe it was true. I thought to myself, the day had finally come! My friend had decided that this was the day she wanted to embrace Islam. Then actually witnessing her shahadah (testimony of faith), choking on my tears, holding her so tight, and so happy for what had just happened –it was a day I will never forget.

Allah guided her and He had shown her the Light. The same Light which many of us are blessed to have been born with, something we very much take for granted. Yet guidance from Allah comes from places we may not comprehend. Sometimes we focus so much on ‘someone’, thinking if we keep inviting him or her to a halaqah or an event that something will eventually click – that something will change. The truth of the matter is that it really isn’t in our hands to decide who will be guided and who will not. After all, Allah’s wisdom for guiding someone is much greater than our own knowledge which He has given us in the first place.

My friend has been guided by the mercy of Allah, and she has been the biggest inspiration to many of us who know her. A friend who sat beside me in English class in high school, although a casual classmate at the time, but now my sister in Islam.

She is special because with her Islam and determination, she taught me about the importance of something I had simply grown up with, something I did just because I knew it was ‘right’. She taught me the importance of the hijab. When she told me a week after her shahadah that she had she decided to wear hijab as her next step, I couldn’t hold back my tears. This was awesome, alhamdulillah. But the questions began to bounce around in my head like ping pong balls: how can you do this, you’ve been Muslim for a week, and you already you know now is the right time? How do you know this is right for you so soon?

The response I received from her will stay with me forever. She quoted the ayah of hijab, telling me that this decision felt right, in both her heart and mind. She tried out hijab for a day and it felt right. Taking it off, she felt she missed it, it was already a part of who she was. She said that wearing hijab gave her an extremely good feeling and sense of modesty. She just had to do it.

We are showered with blessings upon us daily, and while some deny them, others are too blind to see them. My friend told me that her conversion was the clearest sign of Allah’s blessings upon her. Alhamdulillah. Being Muslim is a blessing, seeing someone become Muslim is a greater blessing, and seeing someone who is just a week or so into Islam take on the Hijab, just makes me so grateful for Allah’s favours upon me.

So to my dear sisters who are hesitant to take the step of wearing hijab, think of my friend. Think of your new sister in Islam, who like many others out there. has changed her whole life by deciding to take it another step within a week of her Islam and wear the hijab. Remember this, when you look in the mirror and make an excuse that people will judge you, realize that even Allah waits until the Day of Judgement to judge you, and so the instant judgements of those around you truly have no basis.

Sarah Hurst, you have been an inspiration to me. You have taught me so much about myself and so much about our friendship. I ask Allah to shower you with His mercy. I ask Him to guide your family, and to show them all the Light. I ask Allah to allow us to be under His shade on the Day there is no shade, for a friendship for His sake. I ask Him to keep you firm on His Deen and make everything easy on you, as well as those who are inspired by your story, as I forever will be.

http://www.igotitcovered.org/2011/03/25/light-upon-light/

Grade 12 has been way to hectic to get onto my blog sadly, but i just had to come on today to write up a post insha’Allah about what happened at school today.

I get into chem class, the usual, boring stuff on the board, whateves. A friend of mine comes up to me and says “— wants to convert to Islam.” Let’s say her name is Sally.

The hot tears streamed down my face as i couldn’t even like imagine it, i didn’t know what to do, what to say, how to react. I just wanted to get to the floor and just thank Allah subhanhu wa talaa.

Anyhoo, a good friend of mine, decided today, she wanted to accept islam. ALLAHU AKBAR. It was probably the best day of my life. Wallahi.

Sally, and my two other friends spent a good amount of time during our spare just crying out of happiness and excitement, it was finally happening. Alhamdulilah!

She began talking about how it just seemed so right, Islam fit her life, she’s been studying so much, and it just worked out. Islam was right, islam was what she needed to complete her life. She said she couldn’t wait another day, because we aren’t guaranteed any time, she needed to convert now.

I was just trying to wrap my head around this, its such a big thing to do in high school, its a big big thing to take upon. It’s a blessing, something Sally didn’t have to do, but did alhamdulilah. She decided this was going to be the best thing for her.

My (non-muslim) friend *Sally* quoted this in our convo:

“God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is as if there were a niche and within it a lamp: The lamp enclosed in glass: The glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! God doth guide whom He will to His light: God doth set forth parables for men: and God doth know all things.” [Surat AnNoor: 34]

She found the light, and it makes me so happy because she said that this light, this ayah was talking to her. Alhamdulilah! She gave me hope in humanity, she’s an inspiration to me, because she’s thinking of the bigger picture. She’s thinking for her children, she said that she has to do this for herself, and for the future.

What got to the me the most, and what i told her is, that sometimes we focus too much on other fellow ‘muslim’s’ who you think if you work so hard on them, they will change. And as much as you try, on that ONE person…nothing happens.

Then a friend of yours, from an english class, comes to you and says this, wallahi i just witnessed a miracle, and i’m so blessed to be there for her alhamdulilah!

Guidance is in the hands of Allah, He chooses whom He wills, because only He knows who will change! It puts life in perspective, sometimes, you just need to realize that it always ends up in His hands.

Make duaa’ for her, and for all of us!

<3

الٓمٓ (١) أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُترَكُوٓاْ أَن يَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَهُم لَا يُفتَنُونَ (٢) وَلَقَد فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبلِهِم فَلَيَعلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْ وَلَيَعلَمَنَّ ٱلكَـذِبِينَ (٣) أَم حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسبِقُونَا‌ سَآءَ مَا يَحكُمُونَ (٤) مَن كَانَ يَرجُواْ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ لَأَتٍ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلعَلِيمُ (٥)

Alif. Lam. Mim. (1) Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction? (2) Lo! We tested those who were before them. Thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign. (3) Or do those who do ill-deeds imagine that they can outstrip Us? Evil (for them) is that which they decide. (4) Whoso looketh forward to the meeting with Allah (let him know that) Allah’s reckoning is surely nigh, and He is the Hearer, the Knower. (5)

To start off, the central theme of this beautiful surah is faith. As the surah starts off, it immediately tells you that you will be tested on you oath of faith, and shows you reality. Note; the beginning ayahs were a rhetorical question.

The thing about faith and believe is not how people make it seem, all fluffy dovey. Faith is measured upon actions and intentions, responsibilities and duties a person takes to prove his faith. One example that always comes in mind here is hijab.

The greatest argument you hear is: “Well, i have belief in hijab in my heart.”

Really? May Allah guide us all, but really? If you had true belief you act upon it, to sum it all up. Obviously the courage to put on hijab is amazing, and the ones who struggle with it, may Allah make it easy on you. But remember this ayah – its just a cycle of life … you believe = you will be tested accordingly.

In reality, in school you can tell your chem teacher you know all the alkines and have the periodic table off by heart – to make sure of your ability, you have quizzes along the way, some you excel, some you do really bad. Its life . I read in Sayyid Qutubs book that the Arabic word used here for test derives from the root fitnah, which imparts exactly this sense of being subjected to a test with all that this implies.

The thing about tests is that they bring out what God already knows is in you, to human knowledge. Yes you may believe, but this cannot be certain until it is brought out in front of you, to show your worth and capability in doing so.

The thing about these life tests is that they put you in the spotlight. How many times are you faced with hardship that you think to yourself ‘how is everyone else living their day to day lives!’ This is the reality of the world, and this in itself is a test. Tests come in so many different types and forms that i will leave it up to you the reader to think about yourself now and what you may be going through.

The beauty of tests though – is that they teach you your ability in strength and steadfast. If you succeed, you are proud of your faith and what you did! When you are teasted, just think about this – Allah chose you to test, He chose you for a reason …

“The most severely tested are prophets, then the most pious people, then the ones closest to these, one degree after another. A man will be tested in accordance with his strength of faith. If he proves himself strong, the severity of his test is increased.”

Doesn’t that make you feel all fuzzy and warm inside?

In verse 4 we see the result of not enduring hardships. Tests are made to show between true believes (who endure) and others whom try to escape. Just a reminder – Allah made these tests, He made the fire as well. Just a reminder to us when we feel in the weakest stages if confronted with a test.

Instead of thinking why did you put me to this, why can’t we ask Allah to give us strength to get through it.

Don’t worry though, for those who strive to strengthen those bonds. This is such a tearful heart warming ayah for me personally. Its kinda like you are so eager to meet Him subhanahu wa ta’ala and He chose these ayahs to reassure you, that YES if you endure the pain and keep strong faith, then He will fulfill His promise.  He ends off this promise with 2 beautiful names:

Alsamee’: s m ‘

To hear or listen. The One whose hearing and comprehension overrides all, pays attention to all supplication and invocation.

Albaseer’: b s r. means to see, behold

Allah subhanahu wa tala, insights all things clearly, both apparent and hidden. He sees and understands and perceives every detail. Through the first 5 ayah’s He talks about knowing what is in you before even being tested, He also knows those who want to escape and those who are eager to meet Him insha’Allah.

As we saw above, first it is inner thoughts and actions, then it goes out to the doing. Look at the attributes put at the end of these ayahs. He is the All Hearing and All Seeing.

It begins within, a struggle to get to the truth and to let it out. We have the right mind set but yet we don’t know how to act upon it. AlBaseer reassures us that faith = action. Yes He hears and He see’s. We must do both to equal this ayah and to reach the rank of seeing Allah insha’Allah!

Sorry for the lengthy probably not making sense post Reflections? Add on please.

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 8,400 times in 2010. That’s about 20 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 146 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 234 posts. There were 119 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 58mb. That’s about 2 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was March 15th with 104 views. The most popular post that day was On One Leg.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were igotitcovered.org, pen-marks.com, facebook.com, mail.live.com, and mail.yahoo.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for surat yusuf, white house iftar menu, salat, eid mubarak, and i love allah.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

On One Leg March 2010
1 comment

Not as it Seems January 2010
2 comments

This Hijab April 2010
15 comments and 1 Like on WordPress.com,

Sahaaba 101 ® FlashCards September 2009
39 comments

About July 2009
25 comments

Then we got a phone call that my aunts sister in law passed away – May Allah have mercy on her soul. And i began thinking, subhanAllah that family (my aunts husbands family) have lost so many people. His brothers, and now his sisters.

It was a good wake up call for me alhamdulilah, step back from my overwhelming so lost in this dunya and think for what i’ve prepared for the akhira. Obviously, we do our best in this life with our affairs, and strive to do our best for the sake of Allah, but just reminder- No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware. (Luqman:34)

Are you ready?

Update on life- seniorities at its finest basically. Overwhelmed with school work and my own work, and everything else. Alhamdulilah.

Today at our school khutbah, the khateeb really hit home. Literally we were all like in awe, masha’Allah very powerful. He talked about thanking Allah.

When was the last time you thanked Allah, from the bottom of your heart, for the blessings he has bounded you with. Take a piece of paper and try writing some down. See how far you get.

PS. I have a tumblr – withmydreams.tumblr.com