In the pursuit of knowledge

Salam alaykum, A friend asked me this question what can women do and asked me to interpret it the way I want so here goes. May Allah accept our fasts and forgive us all our shortcomings. Ameen. "I have heard this phrase ... Women can do and be whatever they want to be. To my knowledge this statement is not true. The ability of women to do or be whatever they want is tempered by family, culture and society. The society expects the woman to be across the board, be a good wife, mother, daughter, friend and employee. When she can’t achieve this she is a letdown not only to herself but the society as a whole. If this is what is meant by women can do and want anything then I am so sure I want to be doing it all. Imagine having a 9 – 5 job you pick up the child/children from childcare on your way home, get the house and food ready before your husband gets home and still make sure you are on top of the job so the next promotion does not pass you by. Is it possible for a woman to be mother...

THE ART OF GREETING In all cultures and languages there is a form, manner and word associated with greeting. Ranging from the way we greet our friends to the respect involved when greeting our elders. Greeting is more than a word; the best of greetings includes love, warmth and respect. The importance of greeting is reflected in the manner in which all cultures have invested in their form of greeting. The best of greetings is that which is in the Quran and Allah (SWT) taught Adam (AS). “But when you enter the houses, greet one another with a greeting from Allah (i.e. say As-Salam alaykum) blessed and good.” (Q24:61) “When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally.” (Q4:86) Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: the prophet (SAW) said, “when Allah created Adam (AS), He said to him: ‘Go and greet that company of angels who are sitting there – and then listen to what they are going to say in reply to your greetings because that wil...

Assalam alaykum waramatullah wabarakatuhu, Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, all praise be to Allah, the Creator of the seen and the ‘ghaib’ (unseen). I thank Allah for His mercies and blessings. I send salaam and salat on our beloved prophet (SAW). I pray this reminder meets you in the best of eeman and health. Every so often we need a shakeup in our lives - away from the mundane activities we carry out. We seem to get bored with our daily routine; we itch to do something slightly different. This state of boredom sometimes creeps into the way we carry out our acts of ibadah without any feeling or contemplation. We say our salah in a ‘robot’ like fashion, losing out on getting the maximum reward for it. We might not even remember the surah we recited in the previous rakah. The days merge into one another, we cannot remember if we did a certain activity last week or last month. We forget that with each passing weeks and months the time for us to meet our Lord draws closer....

Salam alaykum, I pray that you read this blog in the best of eeman and in the best of health. May Allah continue to bestow His mercy on us in this blessed month. Ameen Reminders Verily! We have made that which is on earth as an adornment for it, in order that We may test them (mankind) as to which of them are best in deeds. [i.e.those who do good deeds in the most perfect manner, that means to do them (deeds) totally for Allah's sake and in accordance to the legal ways of the Prophet]. {Surah Al-Kahf , Ayah 7} Hadith of the Day Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (sallallhu alayhi wa salam) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should not hurt his neighbor and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should talk what is good or keep quiet." {Volume 8, Book 73, Number 158, Sahih Bukhari} O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is me...

Salam alaykum waramatullah wabarakatuhu, I pray this email meets you in the best of eeman and health. I pray Allah forgives us all our short comings. I apologise for not posting any blog in the past four months. It would not do for me to use a busy lifestyle as an excuse. I thought to seek inspiration for my writing and so I concluded that there was no inspiration therefore there was nothing worth writing about. This thinking is due to foolishness on my part. Be it a big or small activity in my everyday life should inspire love, hope and fear of Allah. If I feel I there isn’t anything in my everyday life to inspire me does that mean I have missed the everyday reminders of Allah and the purpose of my life on earth? If not in my life then I should have seen the manifestation of the signs of Allah in the lives of others or in the daily news from as far as Africa or America? It does happen that we take the pleasures from this life for granted and we think it is our right and we forget that...

As salam alaykum waramatullah wabarakatuhu, How are you all. I hope this blog meets you in the best of health and eeman. I have been away visiting family. Alhamdulilah it is good to see the family also to meet the new additions to the family. Inshaallah I would be back to writing as soon I have settled back in properly inshaallah. Ayah of the Day: O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded. Hadith of the Day: Narrated Sahl: I heard the Prophet saying, \"A (small) place equal to an area occupied by a whip in Paradise is better than the (whole) world and whatever is in it; and an undertaking (journey) in the forenoon or in the afternoon for Allah\'s Cause, is better than the whole world and whatever is in it.\" (Sahih Bukhari, Book 76, Number 424)

Water is ice Needed by some An inconvenience to others But why have our hearts turned to ice We no longer feel the pain of others There was a time when pictures of hungry starving people made me Cry and cringe When I hear the news of people killing people for no just reason I ranted and raved, I cried over spilt blood People dying all over the world for no just cause Now I hear these same stories but it seems my heart has lost its ability to feel I say oh how sad But the tears no longer come to my eyes Why has my heart turned to ice? Do I have it all? Can I no longer remember what it was like to want what I do not have? There were times when little things brought tears to my eyes The behaviour of the squirrel on the grass The injustice I see and hear Now I want to shed those tears but it has all turned to ice I get upset over nothing O’ my icy heart When did you become so? O Allah please bring the tears back to my eyes Please help me feel the pain of those around me Let me rise from in...