Defending the legacy of the Prophet (saw)

It happened then, it happened now and it will most certainly continue to happen.

At Taaif our beloved Prophet Muhammed [saw] was shouted, scoffed and jeered at. Driven out of the city, beaten SO badly that his Mubaarak shoes became filled with blood. Instead of allowing the people to be crushed, he forgave them and supplicated for them. Was this then not humiliation, disgrace and dishonour to our Prophet [saw] ?

In Makkah, when his efforts to call the people to Islam went in vain, was he not called a mad man and a liar? Was this then again, not humiliation, disgrace and dishonour towards him? 

As he stood on the mountains of Makkah, was he not cursed ? If this was not humiliation and disgrace toward him, then what does one call it?

They mock at the greatest man to ever walk the surface of mother earth. Can ANYONE, shine a torch, lit by a penlight battery at the sun, and expect the sun to be outshone? NEVER 

The west refer to our beloved prophet [saw] as a womaniser and a paedophile, Naa'oozoobillah! These are the qualities for which the West are known. He married Khadijah [RA] at the age of 40, well passed her peak and that too after SHE proposed to him. 

Besides Aaisha [RA], all his other wives were widows. These qualities best suite a man with great kindness, love and compassion.

A recent uprising was created amongst the muslim community with the release of the blasphemous, anti-muslim video. A person who could not choose a suitable title of a movie, most certainly ought to make a mess of the movie itself. The West, saw this as a way to de-humanise Islam, by means of this Movie.

Whilst the Prophet [saw] commanded women folk to cover their bodies, the West has asked them to bare their flesh. Never was a case of rape seen in the prophetic times, yet recent studies show the increasing number of women raped every seven seconds in the USA.

Nabi [saw] made a woman the queen of her home, whilst the West has made a woman the centre of attraction. An object, made to look so cheap with her images displayed all over magazines!

Then the movie talks about the prophet [Saw] as one who promoted and started war. For a moment let us take into consideration : who currently occupies Palestine and is responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people? Who dropped the first Nuclear bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killing millions of people ? Who is on a mission to grab all mineral resources of the world? Islam or the West? Definitely not the muslims. In fact Muslims who drank from the cup of martyrdom thank the West for granting them with such great salvation.

Who was the man responsible for writing the first satanic verses? Or rather who was the first European soccer player to score a hatrick? Forgotten? Right? YET the memory of beloved Rasool [saw] is celebrated daily by Muslim all over the world.

15 million people visit the Rowdah Mubarak yearly. Besides this billions of salawaat are sent upon him by Muslims all over the world.

Allah [swt] has himself praised the name of the prophet [saw] in the Quraan, Allah [swt] says "Wa ra fa'naa laka zikrak" 

Isn't it an interesting fact that one in every four infants are named Muhammed. Isn't this a sign? A sign to the west that even though our prophet was a human, he was a means of connection from us, to our creator

It is very Important for us to remember these words said to us by a honourable personality. He said "We should not try to defend the Prophet [saw] in a way that would offend him" 

The legacy of this great Prophet [saw] will never ever die and his name will never leave the lips of those who remember him daily. 

I leave you with a few enlightening words said to us by a Persian poet ,

"Be careful with the Prophet Muhammed [pbuh], for God may forgive a crime committed against himself, but he never forgives one who hurts his favourite"

AYESHA AMRA

Which F-word Will You Choose?!!

"The family.  We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together."  ~Erma Bombeck

It is wisely said that blood is thicker than water, thus meaning that family is most important and should come first before friends or acquaintances. But is this really what we practice upon in our everyday lives?

There are many arguments as to who plays the greatest role and influence in a person's life. Some might say the parents as they have, or should have, majority of control, and as they are the ones who shape a person from birth to become the person which they grow up to be. However, some may disagree with this statement, stating that friends play the greatest influence and role in a person's life because as one grows up, life becomes about fitting in with a group of people and fitting into the norm of society, thus following your friends. The amount of time one spends with their friends also emphasises this point greatly.

Regardless of who plays the greatest role in your life, at the end of the day, the question that I want to ask, and the question which you should be asking yourself is: Which F-word will you choose?... Friends or Family??

The answer to the question: 70% of the time, in our teenage years, we choose friends over family!

Reaching the teenage years, we become those people who suddenly care about how we look, we worry about what people think and say. We are no more those carefree souls in primary school who would run around with mud on our cheeks and paint splashed on our clothes not worrying about what other people thought. Instead, we are all about appearance, reputation, status and class. We all want to be seen and heard, and we all want to fit in... Even if fitting in means turning our back on our own family.

Sometimes its not about fitting in or being cool, maybe its just about who we feel comfortable with. Majority of people truly expose they inner self when they are with friends. That's when they can be themselves and have fun.

But, whilst we are growing up, making friends and having fun.. Do we ever stop and think about our family?

How many times have we chose "Movie night with the girls" over "Scrabble night with the family"?? 

Or how many times have we chose "Soccer with the guys" over "Fishing with dad" ??

Think about it.. 70% of the time we rather chose friends over family! Why??.. Well, because they are funnier, cooler, better to hang out with, we can be naughty with them, we can talk nonsensical stories and they somehow understand this teen-language that we speak, better than our family.

Whilst with our family we somewhat feel restricted.. At least that's what most people think.. I mean.. You can't exactly talk to your parents about that guy/girl everyone's crushing on.

Yes, we all need friends for all those good times.. But what about family? 

Ask yourself this:

How many friends have you had in your life? How many of them said they would be by your side forever and left? How long have you been friends with your current friends? How much of your life do your friends really know?

And now ask yourself this:

How long have your family been in your life? How many times has your family promised to be by your side and were actually there? How many times have they sacrificed for you? How much of your life do your family really know?

But.. HOW MANY TIMES DO WE CHOOSE FRIENDS OVER FAMILY????

Its become so sad that I've seen elder sisters display cruelty to their younger sister when in front of friends. I've seen daughters who are, for some reason, too embarrassed to walk with their parents and shy away from them. I've seen son's back chat to their mothers when in front of their friends.

Why do we have this crazy idea that our friends will always be there for us? 

We do so much for friendship, dedicate so much of our lives in the name of friendship.. What guarantee do we have that tomorrow that friend will still be that.. Our friend? Especially in High School.. How do we know if, when we complete matric, we will still meet up with that friend whom we substituted our family time to go out with then?

We might not realise it, but we are all somehow guilty of this. Some of us more than others. We take for granted our family and we don't appreciate them for the blessing that they are. Instead we see them as the people we have to and are forced to live with. Family is important because you didn't ask for them, you can't change them, and yet of all the people on earth they're likely to know you best and be the most important to you.

Anthony Brandt put it rightly when he said:

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."

It is only when we are left all alone to deeply ponder over our most prized possessions do we realise the true value of family.

So let's do that.. Let's consider all that our family is, all that they mean to us, and all that they've done for us.. And for once.. LET'S CHOOSE FAMILY OVER FRIENDS!!

Human Perception: Physical Beauty

Since the beginning of human kind, we have struggled with the definition of beauty. Different eras and different philosophers have had their own theories, yet no group was able to agree upon a single conclusion. The only thing that seemed somewhat acceptable and agreeable without being too cliché was that beauty was in the eye of the beholder.

Today, everyone still has their own definition of beauty. A mother may find her child with mud streaked across his/her face beautiful, whereas we might just see a murky, muddy mess! I might look at a book, seeing the wisdom and knowledge held within it beautiful, whereas someone else might look at it and think ‘Ugh, a book!’ 

Despite the differences in people’s opinion, it is important to explore these ideas to get a firm grip on what beauty COULD be. Is it all appearance? Is it perfection? Is it what WE were told? OR Is it something completely different?

In our lives we come across people who may be quite attractive, yet something about their character has a repelling effect on us. The reverse could be said about people who aren't so good looking, yet they possess incredible personalities that draw us towards them. 

An article written by a plastic surgeon, Dr Robert Tonambe, presents an interesting conclusion about how our minds judge beauty. The article, titled "What makes a person Ugly?" focuses on certain positive traits that serve to enhance and determine how we perceive physical beauty. Some characteristics that are mentioned are self-confidence, cheerfulness and optimism. 

It was proven that when it came to judging between physical beauty and personality, our minds incline towards appreciating people who possess positive personality traits.

Unfortunately though, standards of beauty have morphed over time. Historically, paintings show a wide range of different standards of beauty, yet humans who are young, with smooth skin and well proportioned bodies are still traditionally considered to be the most beautiful.

How much money one may earn can also be influenced by their physical beauty. A study found that people low in physical attractiveness earn 5 to 10 percent less than ordinary people, who in turn, earn 3 to 8 percent less than people who are considered to be good looking. Did you Know: Discrimination against others based on their appearance actually has a name, it is called Lookism.

What about a religious perspective? How does Islam view human beauty? Is physical attractiveness looked upon as a positive trait? Needless to say, physical beauty is indeed a blessing. But according to Islamic teachings, beauty is just like any other materialistic and perishable trait, such as wealth, rank and occupation. Physical beauty by itself has little worth and is given no significance in Islam if not accompanied with inner beauty, such as piety and good moral traits. Real beauty is what we carry with us in our journey to the hereafter.

I would like to conclude with a quote by a famous psychiatrist and pioneer, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. Her words, in my opinion, should represent how we all should see beauty, not physically, but rather inwardly, because that is what really shows through. She said …

"the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness and a deep, loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."

FATHIMA MOOLLA 

Loyalty in Friendship

The best gift any person could possibly receive is the gift of true friendship. There's nothing more exciting and pleasant as knowing that there's someone out there who cares about you and your happiness, who you can be yourself with and have the time of your life. But, However, many things are needed to make friendship a real one. These include trustworthiness, support, honesty, and loyalty.

And although I've listed quite a few characteristics required for a true friendship, the one I would like to focus on most, which I believe binds many of the characteristics together, is loyalty.
loyalty can be defined as faithfulness to commitments or obligations.

Growing up we are all true to someone, our friend. We don't care or ever think about if they are really true to us, we just young people they can count on an we can also count on them and trust them with the things we tell them or they tell us, we share stupid thoughts with them and laugh at all type of things, we would tell them about our fears, dreams, awkward moments, our likes, dislikes, our crushes, our enemies. We will tell them so many things not worrying whether they would go and expose the things we tell them to others.


Loyalty is one of the most important thing in life when it comes to friendship, because trust can be broken by small things and you need to know that you can count on your friends to always have your back and never let you down.

Nowadays, its become so common for friends to gossip behind each other's back. They start exposing your secrets that you shared with them.

Imagine if everything you ever shared with your friend got exposed?..
Once you share things with a friend, that friend of yours already knows your weakness, and if you can ever get into a fight he would know how to destroy you or you would know how to destroy them.
We see it happening so many times in High School where best girlfriends get into cat fights and cliques form, or when best guys friends get into a serious wrestling match due to disloyalty.

Imagine if your biggest secret was exposed.. That secret which only your best friend knew.. How would you feel?.. Knowing that everyone's looking and pointing fingers, and most importantly, knowing that you've been betrayed.. Betrayed by the person you trusted most.. The person who you thought was most loyal to you??..

So loyalty is a very important thing to a friend, and it can take you a long way and once its broken it can never be repaired cause that person will never trust you again. With loyalty, other characteristics of friendship come naturally, eg: trust, honesty, love, support, and respect.
Its easy to make friends and be friends with someone, but the important part is showing them that you will always be there to support them and you'll never hurt them or stab them in the back no matter what the circumstances may be.

Some people assume that if you are not friends with a person anymore, then you have the right to share they private life and their secrets with the world.. How can anyone ever trust you if you can so easily betray that person you once called your friend?
If you can't be loyal to someone, why be they friend?..


RAFIQ KAZEMBE

My Faithful Friend

My vriende, Mere dost, Sadiqy, Umgani wami, Mate, My friend, Buddy..

These words describe that one very special person in your life in different languages. That one very special person with whom you share a relation and life long bond. That person who you tell all your secrets and confide in without any doubt, that person who makes your saturday nights a YOLO experience... None other that your friend.

But what is friendship?
People have been asking this question for centuries, and we can never know the exact answer that will fit everybody’s definition of friendship.

In the dictionary you can find three definitions of friendship:
1.      The quality or condition of being friends
2.      A friendly relationship
3.      Friendliness, good will
In order to know what all these definitions mean we need to figure out what is the definition for friends. A friend is defined as a person whom one knows, likes, and trusts. So friendship is when two people know each other well, and trust each other.
Friendship is the relationship between two people who really care about each other.

In my opinion, friendship is when you and your friend know that you will never do anything bad to each other, that you can protect each other, fight but come together again and there will be always happiness around when your friend is next to you.
A friend can call you at 3 a.m. and you will never be mad at her, because you know that something happened. With your friend you are being yourself. You can tell her all the secrets and know that she will never tell them to anyone. A friend is a person that feels like family, but you are not connected by blood. You are connected by feelings. Sometimes even a friend can be closer to you than somebody from your family. We can choose our friends, but we can’t choose family.
Many people carry their friendships from early childhood, whether some can meet in the last 20 years of life and question themselves “How did we live without this person earlier?”
          
What is friendship?
It is knowing there is a person who you can trust completely. It is realizing that someone else wants the best for you, and you want the same for them. It is being together without needing to pretend. It is knowing that you can call them anytime and they will be happy to hear you. It is leaving somewhere for holidays with your family, and writing emails to them everyday explaining what is going on, and missing them a lot. It is sharing your grief and you happiness with them. It is helping them solve problems, and knowing they will do the same for you. It is fighting with them because of some stupid thing and knowing that after five minutes everything would be great again. It is forgiving them if they were wrong because you know they didn’t mean it. It is sharing your dreams, hopes, and secrets together. It is coming to help them and expecting nothing in return. It is having fun through everyday life together. It is finding time for each other no matter what. It is understanding that you friend is the best and telling him that all the time. It is saying no without having to explain why. It is knowing what they feel and why.

Here we see some beautiful quotes based on other people's perspective of what true friendship is:

"A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same."
-Elbert Hubbard

"An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind."
-Buddha

"Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything."
-Muhammad Ali

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down."
-Oprah Winfrey

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
-Anais Nin


But, If one had to narrate or relate a story of the most true and most beautiful of friendships throughout history, the one that would definitely top the list, or should top the list, is the Mubarak friendship of Nabi Muhammed (saw) and Abu Bakr (ra).
Their friendship is like none other. It was a friendship bonded by Religion. It was friendship that prevailed through all trials and triumphs, a friendship that lasted till death and beyond. A friendship where they always had each others back. A friendship in which they brought each other closer to Allah and closer to Deen.. How beautiful is that friendship!!

That is the kind of friendship we should all strive for.

I'm bored.. let's prank call !!

What immediately comes to our minds when our phone rings and we see the words "Private Number"??

"OMG a prank call !!", right?

We are all inclined to get together with our friends every once in a while, some more than others. Perhaps it might be for studying purposes, perhaps it might be a party, or to have a movie marathon, or to just have a chilled girls or guys night in or out. This is the time when we all unwind and relax, enjoying our time with people we have fun with. But the question that should be asked is.. What do we really do in these get together??...

Speaking from experience, I know that its become a norm in teenage get togethers to make prank calls as the highlight of their evening. The whole group cuddles together and share cell-phone numbers of their enemies or even friends they think would be quite hilarious to prank, and thereafter put their own cell number on private so as to not get caught.

Sometimes, prank calling is not only done when having a get together, sometimes one just simply prank calls because they are bored and want to have a good laugh.

Kids love the idea of making prank calls to people! There is just something so devilish about making prank calls to others and disturbing them in the dead of the night which appeals to the pubescent young souls of kids looking for something exciting and devious to do! 

nowadays, no one is exempted from the prank calling list- teachers, friends, parents, neighbours, partners, coaches, principals- they are all there. Teens mostly love the idea of calling elders who will be totally clueless as to how to handle the situation resulting in them screaming vulgar words at them through the phone. The scariest prank call, as some teens would say, is when a private number calls and no one speaks, or the person simply breathes heavily.

It’s also common for many teens to place prank calls to random numbers. They pick a number randomly, say something they think is funny, hang up, call the number again until they get the other person shouting angry words at them to stop. 

However innocent and harmless they think their phone calls may be, it cannot change the fact that prank calls are considered not only a nuisance but illegal as well, especially if the calls are becoming threatening and distressing.

Prank calls can easily be traced nowadays, and once located, the prankster may be charged with harassment. You definitely don’t want this to happen since, depending upon the number of times you have called and the nature of your calls, you can end up facing not only a warning but stiff fines and jail time as well.

What people don't understand is that prank calling can have many side-effect on the victim. Certain teens lose their confidence and feel somewhat shy away when they become victims of continuous pranks. They think that the world is against them and become paranoid at whoever looks or laughs their way, assuming that they are the one making the calls. This creates a negative impact on that person's social, academic and family life. 

Sometimes, prank calling can cause division amongst friends, families and partners because the prankster pretends to be someone they not and feed lies to the victim.

It can be totally agreed that prank calling is a fun and exciting activity done by many people out there, but what needs to be considered is not how you feel when you carry out a prank, but rather how the person on the other end of the line feels. How do you think they feel when they receive a random call at 12pm in the middle of their sleep from a reckless teen who tells them "baby, I miss you so much"??? 

How would you feel?

How would you feel if every night you received an anonymous call from someone who would just breathe heavily or say weird stuff like "I know what you did last night"??

At first, you might find it interesting and you might play along. But what happens after? When you get sick and tired of that person calling you everyday at random times with different approaches, and sometimes whilst you are busy with family?

How would you react if someone kept harassing your sister, brother, mother, father or partner in such a way? 

Before we are too quick to pull out our phones and dial that number, let's stop and think.. How would I feel if I was the person on the other side of the phone?

Alexander The Great

The last wishes of Alexander the Great: On his death bed, Alexander summoned his generals and told them his three ultimate wishes: 1. The best doctors should carry his coffin; 2. The wealth he has accumulated (money, gold, precious stones…) should be scattered along the procession to the cemetery, and 3. His hands should be let loose, hanging outside the coffin for all to see!! One of his general who was surprised by these unusual requests asked Alexander to explain. Here is what Alexander the Great had to say: 1. I want the best doctors to carry my coffin to demonstrate that, in the face of death, even the best doctors in the world have no power to heal; 2. I want the road to be covered with my treasure so that everybody sees that material wealth acquired on earth, stays on earth... 3. I want my hands to swing in the wind, so that people understand that we come to this world empty handed and we leave this world empty handed after the most precious treasure of all is exhausted, and that is TIME 4. We do not take to our grave any material wealth, although our good deeds can be our travellers’ checks. TIME is our most precious treasure because it is LIMITED. We can produce more wealth, but we cannot produce more time. 5. When we give someone our time, we actually give a portion of our life that we will never take back. Our time is our life! 6. The best present that you can give to your family and friends, is your TIME. May God grant you plenty of TIME and may you have the wisdom to give it away so that you can LIVE, LOVE and DIE in peace.

Poem: My Name is Islam

Let me, introduce myself.
My name, is Islam.
The root word of peace- salam,
Or even salema- meaning submission.
Which to a Muslim, is like his tuition.
It's his ticket in,
But before I begin,
Let me greet you, like I'm supposed to do,
So Assalamu alaikum, may peace be upon you!
You know? It's kinda' funny...
I'm accused of oppressing, when really I'm oppressed.
I've become on the list of things to detest.
I'm screamed in rage, in almost every protest,
& I've become the "red scare", a "threat to the west".
You see?
If you look at me, and all my obligations,
You'll see why I have such a great population,
It's cause there's the motivation,
And that sense of inspiration,
That keeps "Muslim" as their occupation.
To me, being a good Muslim means being a good person.
'cause I'll never ask you to kill or to slay,
Or to lie at least 5 times a day.
I'll never ask you steal, or to hate,
Or to swear or discriminate.
I actually tell you to smile to everyone you see,
Cause a smile's the best form of charity.
I tell you to not smoke and not to drink,
To stay clean and take showers so you simply don't stink.
I tell you to care for animals and treat them with care,
So yes, I'm against animal testing & abuse in case you weren't aware.
I tell you to treat those who treat you bitter...better.
I tell you not to be mad at someone for more than 3 days,
I tell you to respect women and lower your gaze.
I tell you that paradise lies under the feet of your mother,
I tell you to passionately love your significant other.
I tell you to never mistreat your wife!
I mean...if I tell you to care for animals, then what about the love of your life?
I tell you to be precious, and save yourself for the "one".
So you don't keep giving yourself away...till you're literally done.
I tell you to be moderate and that balance is key,
Just in the middle is the perfect place to be.
I tell you to excel in all that you do,
From that essay to that slam-dunk too!
I tell you to clear your ignorance and to never judge,
To love for your bro what you love for yourself; & to never hold a grudge.
I tell you how to be a good person. A person of peace, and a person of love.

-&

They say I'm a terrorist,
An extremist.
And you know what? I am.
I am a terrorist; I terrorize terror,
I kill injustice to make this world fairer.
I am an extremist; I am extremely kind.
So beware of my extreme benevolence, to all of mankind.
Yes, there are those who kill and bomb in my name,
But if I don't approve, then why am I to be blamed?
In every religion, you'll find those who abuse it,
Thinking they have a permit,
To do wrong.
A religion maybe perfect, but the followers may not be.
So when mine commit mistakes, don't blame it on me.
I give what I got, and what I got is good.
So if they do otherwise...they misunderstood.
& I'm not here to preach, I'm only here to teach.
I'm a professor in politics, economy and sociology.
In manners and etiquette, I got my PHD.
To all my teachings, I have two sources.
The book of God, and the words of the prophet are my resources.
I teach for free and to whoever desires to learn,
It's all for the sake of Allah, I ask for nothing in return.
& Listen,
I'm not here to convert, but just to clear misconceptions.
With the way I'm viewed and my common perception.
Because yes, it hurts when I'm literally abused,
By some, who do it for pleasure, just to be amused.
& By some, who just follow the "trend" cause they're clearly confused.
In a nutshell, my name is Islam,
And everything I do, goes back to Salam... peace.
& so as your prof, I need to make sure you pass this test called Life.

Eating The Flesh Of Your Dead Brother

Oh Muslims, one distinguishing characteristics of the Muslim community is that it is a community that is based on mutual compassion and support, solidarity, love and harmony. It is based on a foundation of co-operation and mutual respect. It is built on a floating of mutual love and kindness, with no room for hateful selfishness or overwhelming individualism. The hearts of its members are filled with love for their brothers, and they avoid slandering their honour or undermining their dignity. They do not bear deep-seated grudges against them or special lies about them. The are described as Allah describes them:
"Severe against the disbelievers, and merciful amongst themselves." (48:29)

The structure of Islam is such that it forms strong barries against destructive crimes, and fatal social ills that may cause these social structures to crumble from its foundations and turn into a society of ongoing coflict, disintegration, never-ending grudges and conflicting factions. Woe to the community at the time, when its enemies are watching from afar and it becomes easy pray for them, because the society is weakening itself through internal conflict.

Wallahi! There is a serious and chronic problem that is wide spread among the people. No gathering is safe from this illness, except that gathering which Allah has protected and showered mercy on. This probelm is the disease of backbiting, and what a bad characteristic it is! It is indicative of weak faith, a foul mouth and an evil nature.

Backbiting is a calamity for society, and what a calamity it is! It has a remarkable great effect o hearts and minds, and a dangerous impact on families and communities. It separates brothers, alienates loved ones, spoils relations between colleagues and undermines friendships. How often has it caused a division between man and wife, a father and a son, a man and his brother? How often has it destroyed ties and stirred up hatred and created grudges and ill feelings? The one who engages in backbiting is a toxic member of society.

So exactly how bad is backtbiting? Needless I say more than to quote the one who was given the pwer to concise speech- the prophet (saw):
1) "Backbiting is a chronic disease, a poison that taste sweeter on tongue than fresh water"
2) "The whole of a muslim is a sacred to another muslim, his blood, his wealth and his honour"
3) "by Allah, backbiting damages a person's religious commitment more quickly than gangrene damages his body"

Even more serious is what Allah (swt) says in the following verse:
"... Neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting)"

If eating the flesh of another brother is naturally repugnant and abhorrent, even if that person is a disbeliever, then how about a brother in faith? The repugnance is greater, so how about if he were dead? Subhaanallah how great is people's heedlessness regarding this matter today, as if is a form of entertainment in their gathering!

According to Islaam backbiting is anything you say about your brother that he dislikes, and if it is true then that is backbiting and if what you have said is lie, then that is even worse.

Oh brothers in Islaam, do you not know the punishment of those who backbite? Listen, oh you who think that this matter is not serious. Abu Dawood narrated that Anas (ra) said that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:
"When I was taken up (into the heaven, during Me'raj), I passed by some people who had nails of copper, with which they were scratching their faces and chest. I said: who are these people, oh Jibraeel? He said : " they are the ones who consumed the peoples flesh and impugned their honour".

When Aisha (ra) said to the prophet (saw)! "It is enough for you that Safiyah is such and such"- meaning that she was short - he said: "You have spoken a word that if the sea were to be mixed with it, it would change it"
If a person like the Nabi (saw) could issue such a warning to a personality like Aisha (ra) then who are we? Also, what a great sin this is, that the water in the ocean would change it, just because this sin was commited once. Now can you even begin to think how much you've backbited and how serious it is?

There are some people who set themselves up as judges over the poeple in a gethering, or even in one moment, issuing verdicts that this one is mistaken, that one is stupid, this one is ignorant, that one has no respect... Backbiting for these people is easier than drinking water. Where is the fear of Allah? Where is the feeling that Allah is always watching? Where is the respect for the sanctity of people rights?
Sadly this matter has reached its peak and has gone as far as it can go. This sin is commited openly in the homes and even in large public gatherings. It is a very serious matter that should not be kept quite!

Brothers and Sisters, it is not too late to change our ways. Go out today and ask Allah (swt) AND those who you have backbited for forgiveness. Do not let those simple-minded people, those who make false claims, the ignorant or the foolsih create trouble amongst yourselves, as this is the ploy of shaytaan. I ask Allah to forgive us all, and protect us from this sin, both listening or engaging in bacbiting.

Status of the Hafiz- Part 2

Let us take a look at further aspects that separate those who are doing hifz from the rest of the youth. When everyone else is asleep during the early parts of the morning, that hifz student is already out of the house, in the path of knowledge. Then there is the actual reward of reading the Quran. For every single letter that is recited the recitor will receive a reward, and due to the large amount of recitation done by a student of the Quran, one can only imagine the rewards he/she will receive. A further benefit that a hafiz receives is the knowledge he receives while spending time in the company of his ustaad. This time is more valuable than other act which our youth indulge in today. It is also mentioned in a narration that on the day of qiyaamah, amongst those who will be granted shade beneath the Arsh of Allah will be a person who looked after his youth, and don’t you think that a child who spent his youth in the memorisation of the Quran has “looked after his youth”?

However it is not only the duty of a hafiz to fulfil the responsibilities of Quran, but that is the responsibility of the entire community. Today the Quran is been neglected by a large number of Muslims, and by neglected I don’t mean that they just don’t read Quran, but the Quran can be neglected on many fronts e.g.
1)    Not listening to the Quran
2)    Not reading the Quran (with proper tajweed)
3)    Not relying on Quran and not increasing one's imaan through it
4)    Not taking out time to reflect on the Quran and its teaching
5)    Not implementing Quraanic injunctions and not inculcating its teachings in our lives

With all this said I would like to discuss a matter of personal concern. I want to know where is the respect for the Quran, the people of Quran and the Ulumah disappeared to?

It is sad to see that people get so worked up when they hear of disrespect to the Quran in the USA etc. yet the disrespect the Quran itself and the people of Quran around them. I not saying don’t get angry, but is it not the same Quran that is being burnt there, and the Quran memorised by a hafiz the same? Most definitely it is, so how can you be so hypocritical on one side and get angry about the abuse to to Quran, while on the other hand you abuse a person who has that same Quran in his heart. A sad yet common practice among many today is to try and take out the faults of these scholars. By doing this they try to justify their own faults and some even go to the extent of overlooking their own faults, and focusing on the faults of the scholars. Firstly it is not a quality of a Muslim to look for faults in others and publicise them, secondly people should look within themselves first before looking at the faults of others, and lastly we all make mistakes even the learned, but this is not a reason for other people to justify their faults.

 

One must remember that just because an Aalim made a mistake it does not mean that you can do the same. The scholars are special servants of Allah and should be respected at all times.

Disrespect towards the learned is a sign of qiyaamah as narrated in this Hadith:

Muhammad (SAW) made Du’aa to Allah Taa’la by saying, ‘O Allah (Taa’la) let Me not be alive and may you (O Sahaabah!) also not be alive at such a time when the Aalim will not be followed and when no respect will be shown to the wise-learned ones. The people of that time will have hearts like the kuffaar and their tongues will be eloquently sweet like the tongue of the Arabs.”

 

The problem is that we do not truly appreciate the true value and blessing in Quran, we do not appreciate our Huffaz and scholars. Go to parts of the world where Quran is not as easily available, and countries where Huffaz are few in number then you will see true respect for the book of Allah. Through personal experience I can tell you that. In my travels to a foreign land, I was sitting in the back of taxi, and when the passenger in the front heard I was a hafiz, he stopped the car and made me sit in front. When I questioned him about this, he said how can his back face the Quran. This is true respect and love for Quran. How fortunate are we that we have Huffaz who can perform the taraweeh salaah. Go and ask people in parts of the world where there is no Huffaz what they won’t give just to have one night of taraweeh.  I know of incidents where in Saudi Arabia, the holiest lands on earth, the local people were eating with some South Africans, and they eat on the floor, and when they heard one of the South Africans was a hafiz, they actually refused to let him sit with them, but they gave him a chair to raise him of the ground so as not to be on the same level as the rest of them. This is the true respect and love that one should have for the words of Allah and those who have memorised it.

 

In conclusion, to those who Allah has blessed with the gift of the Quran take care of this gift. Live and die by Quran and be exemplary examples for others to follow. To those becoming hafiz, remember that this is a blessed task you have undertaken, you were chosen by Allah for the task of preserving the Quran. Becoming a hafiz is and should be the greatest aspiration for youth. Turn to Allah for help and ask him for guidance. Never give up as the rewards are endless and unimaginable.

To those who are not hafiz, respect those who are and learn from them. Spend time in the company of the pious and fulfil your quraanic duties. Make dua that Allah guides the Huffaz of today, and help them in their task. Take the duas of the pious, and remember it is never too late to start memorising the Quran.

A pious person one said, “One who carries the Quran, is carrying the banner of Islam”

ZAKARIYYA KAKA

 

Status of the Hafiz- Part 1

 “Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian.” (15:9)

*It is written in the Hadith: Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (Radhiyallaho anho) narrated that Rasulullah (SAW) said, ‘If the Qur’an is placed in a skin and then put in the fire, it will not get burned.’

All praise is due to Allah Ta’ala alone for the priceless bounty of the Qur’an-al-Kareem. May our lives be sacrificed for the Glorious Qur’an. Hence those who have been especially chosen by Allah Ta’ala as a means to protect and safeguard His pure Book are extremely fortunate indeed. These special people are the Huffaz (plural of Hafiz). They are a manifestation of Allah Ta’ala’s Majesty and Power, that Allah Ta’ala showered His mercy upon them and enabled them to commit the Glorious Qur’an to memory. Memorising a book as voluminous as the Qur’an-al-Kareem is indeed a miracle — a miracle of the Qur’an which Allah Ta’ala has made manifest through His special servants. An indeed these are the most special of his servants.

Let’s look at the status, position and benefits of been a hafiz. The wealth and bounties of all the earth put together cannot even equal to one ayah, yet how fortunate and blessed a hafiz is, as they are able to memorise the entire Quran, which on its own is a miracle. Another great benefit is the mere fact that on the day of qiyaamah, when everyone will be in turmoil, only certain people will be allowed to intercede on the behalf of others, and among these selected few is the Huffaz. This mere fact is an indication of the noble and great position that the guardians of the Quran hold in the court of Allah. They are also amongst the BEST of people, and this is not me who is saying this brothers and sisters, but the Nabi (saw) himself as he declared in the following Hadith: "The best among you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it" (Tirmizi). 

It also comes in a Hadith that on the day of qiyaamah the parent of that hafiz will be wearing a crown that will be brighter than the sun. If this is just the status of the parents, can we imagine the status of the Huffaz?  Other benefits that the hafiz will receive are narrated in the following Hadith.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Qur’an will come on the Day of Resurrection and will say, ‘O Lord, adorn him.’ So he will be given a crown of honor to wear. Then it will say, ‘O Lord, give him more.’ So he will be given a garment of honor.’ Then it will say, ‘O Lord, be pleased with him.’ So Allah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said to him, ‘Recite and advance in status, and for each verse you will gain one more hasanah (reward for good deed).”

To emphasis the status of a hafiz, or a person who has memorised some portions of the Quran, after the battle of Uhud, when the Nabi (saw) was burying the martyrs, he would wrap two of them in a single sheet and then bury them. However one instance the Prophet (saw) asked which of the two men was more learned in Quran. When he was told which of the two he was, he said to lower him down first and bury him slightly separately from the other companion. This mere act shows what great esteem the Prophet (saw) had for the people of the Quran.

However for me as a hafiz the greatest benefit of becoming a hafiz lies in this next Hadith; Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is reported to have said: "Verily Allah Ta’ala has family members among the people." "Who are is Family?" asked the Sahaaba (Radhiallahu Anhum). Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: "The people of the Qur’an. They are the family of Allah and His special people!"

Subhanallah! What an honour has been bestowed upon the hafiz. To be a part of the “family” of Allah must be one of the highest positions that one can attain.

It is recorded that Ali (ra) the fourth khalipha in Islam once mentioned, “Had it not been for those people who recite Quran and perform Tahajud, then there would have been a tremor across the earth every morning.”

I now ask the question, “Can there be a greater privilege than been a hafiz?” I think not.

Just as Allah hand-picked from his creation, special individuals to be Prophets (as), so too has Allah specifically chosen certain individuals to become Huffaz. He has chosen these people as guardians of His word, he has chosen these people to lead the ummah in salaah, he has chosen these people to be part of His “family”, he has made these people among the elite few to be granted permission to intercede on behalf of others on the day of Qiyaamah and the parents of that hafiz will wear a crown as bright as the sun on the day of Qiyaamah. Do you think that Allah will bestow such a great honour and privilege on just any person? I don’t think so. The hafiz is most certainly different from others. Allah has chosen an elite few to look after such a great amaanah. Blessed are those who Allah has chosen to be the guardians and protectors of his speech and his book.

It is also important to note that even though Allah has given the gift of Quran to a few, they have the greatest responsibility, in looking after it, preserving it and living by it, and always remember that this gift can be taken away from you at any moment and be given to someone more deserving.

 

ZAKARIYYA KAKA

Poem:

A poem by Aaisha Vawda on the journey of Hifz 

It has been a dream

For as long as you can remember.
Ten years ago, you began a journey.
Tentative steps to fulfil an ambition. You strived through difficulty,
And then
As promised
The ease that followed.

Years passed

You wondered if you would ever fulfil this desire.
But you did not give up.

Each step brought you closer to the finish line…

 

Awakened a desire to turn this dream into a reality.

You heard the whispers that it’s impossible.
Not this kind of dream
And definitely not you.
You don’t deserve it.
It is only for those
Whom your Creator has Hand-Picked.
The ones who will become part of His Family.
The ones who  will be deserving of such honourable titles,
The  ones who will carry His Flawless Book
Protectors of His Noble Word

The whispers

Motivated you to work harder
To fulfil this dream.

And so you continued…

Closer and closer
To the finish line…
To discover that this journey never ends…

Now your journey begins...

Poem: Unlike Them

A poem taken from the Wordpress blog Seeking Sincerity

They’re pretty, they’re smart,
And their gorgeous hairdos
Sure make fashion statements without a doubt,
While I’m covered up in this garment, “ugly and loose”.

When they walk, they attract huge crowds,
Their speech leaves people amused,
They shine in the spotlight, loud and proud,
While I sit silent and dumb, “feeling refused”.

Everybody loves to befriend them,
Cause of their popularity.
While I’m “a victim of shame,”
Laughed at, getting only looks of pity.

They’re known by their names,
While even to know my name people are afraid.
They get roses, gifts and ice-creams,
While I get called like, sometimes a “ninja,” sometimes a “towelhead”.

They go for parties, looking their best,
And on dates, they forget everything else,
Hand-in-hand with their lovers, filled with zest.
While I always must lower my gaze.

They think I love their life and hate mine,
That, like them, I too wanna be famous and cool.
But the truth is I’m just fine,
Cause my religion is simply beautiful.

I might seem “lonely” and “deprived”,
But honestly, I’ve got everything I could ever want.
The freedom Islam has given me makes me feel complete and satisfied.
It’s they who have gone astray, lost and are bound.

Bound by this world,
By its money, fame and transient pleasures,
Deceived by Satan’s tricks; all bleak and cold,
Cause what are we but mortal creatures?

They don’t realize life is a test
The result of which we shall get in the next,
Because they’re not Muslims like you and me,
But Hindu, Christian, Atheist, Buddhist, or Pharisee.

Either caught in the web of so-called “reincarnation,”
Or maybe thinking Christ died for them,
Or not even believing in Creation,
Or engaged in mere lip-service, playing pretend.

They might brag about their clothes and guys,
And strut their stuff;
But only to pay a heavy price for their choice so unwise,
Choosing this world over the next is sure strange enough.

Well I choose to be unlike them;
Because, unlike them, I’m blessed with the truth;
Unlike them, I choose my Lord’s pleasure over deceptive fame;
And, unlike them, I choose to strive in His Path until my last breath.

Poem: The Taste of Death

A poem by Sara Bawany

What if your day had arrived?
Imagine if your entire life was a lie.
Assess yourself as your sins flash by;
You’re wasting your youth and you don’t know why.
Tears flow, but there’s no time left to cry -
You’ve got one last breath, one last sigh.

The Angel of Death has come too soon;
He snatches your soul with a startling boom.
In an instant, you know that you are doomed.
“Kullu nafsin dhaa iqatul maut. Thumma ilayna tur ja’oon.”
He warned you, He warned you; did He not warn you?
Hunched over, you’re miserable in a state of gloom.
Did you really believe that you were immune?

You’re made to enter your grave alone,
Compressed beneath your worldly throne.
Munkar and Nakir arrive; you’re now in the test zone.
“Who is Your Lord? Prophet? Book?” “I don’t know,” you moan.
Eternal punishment begins; it’s too late to atone
With the pressure of your sins squeezing your bones.
For ages to come, this pit will be your home.

You lived among many but you died alone, here with no allies,
Yet you know that you haven’t reached your final demise,
And when the Day of Judgment finally arrives,
When the trumpet is blown, out of your grave you arise.
The records prove you’re condemned; why were you so unwise?
Every beat of your heart echoes screams and cries.
Your shameful book of deeds can never be revised.

Before you, hellfire is set ablaze;
Its sparks leap to and fro in a craze.
The doomed are shocked and paralyzed in a haze,
Sorely regretting all the wasted nights and days.
The message of Allah had been clearly conveyed,
But all you did was go far, far astray.

"كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ"

What is Death?

A scholar once said: ‘Death is like an arrow in flight – your life ends the moment it reaches its destination’…

We have all been granted a great blessing and that is LIFE. Many of us take this Ni'mat for granted as we are so engrossed in life that we actually don't realise that this life is not going to last forever.

 

*“Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children” (57:20)

 

We are so involved in the amusement of this world, that love for this dunya takes over our heart. We are so distracted by the enjoyment and pleasure of this world that we fail to realise our true purpose in this dunya. We have to realise the basic truth: that all of us will die one day, we will all return to our Lord to account for our deeds. Allah says : كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ

 – Every soul shall taste death (3:185).

And this death will take us from this life of temporary existence to a life of Eternity, either of pleasure or of torment.

Are we ready to die? Have we prepared for this inevitable journey? Have we prepared for the final destination? Are we ready for the life hereafter? Ready for such a journey in which we will be alone, without money, status, position, loved ones or friends. Alone in our grave, where none will give us company but our good deeds?

Who Is Your Lord?

What Is Your Religion?

Who Is This Man? [You Will Be Shown A Picture Of Nabi (SAW)]

 

Will we be able to answer to these questions with ease?

How do we prepare for this journey? Allah, the Merciful gives us the answer Himself:

* "And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa" (2:197)

*"And the day we die, the drive will be on that Day to your Lord" (75:30)

 

Are we ready to face our Lord? The truth is that most of us are not. When death will come some will beg of Allah to spare them.

 

* "My Lord send me back" (23:99)

And what is the reason? They will say:

*"So that I may do good in that which I have left behind" (23:100).

 

But pay heed! That day has not come as yet. Why not perform those good deeds while we are able to do so, when the angel has not yet come, so that we do not have to ask for more time, which will not be granted.

 

Let’s weep for ourselves, before we are wept for.

Let’s hold ourselves accountable, before we are held accountable.

Let’s compel ourselves to read our Salah, before the Salah is read for us!

*"Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. But the Face of your Lord, full of Majesty and Honour will remain forever " (55:26-7)

O Allah! Make the agonies of death easy on us, when death comes. Make us firm during that moment when the tongue becomes heavy, the eyes closed, and the shrouds being prepared. Afterwards, take us to Paradise with your mercy. Ameen.

 

*Ayesha Amra*

They Call Me "Orphan"

On 24 February, Sunday, the Islamic schools were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to adopt an orphanage and treat the kids there for the day. This was an event organised by the ISMSA (Muslim Students Association). Alhamdulillah, the day went well as the atmosphere was surrounded with Allah's Muhabbat and Rahma. The feelings that these children arouse in us, and the smiles they brought to our faces could not compare to anything.

Although the day was quite successful and humbling, there was just one thing that seriously made my blood boil. Throughout the 5 hours that we were there interacting with the kids, my friends and I noticed something quite disturbing- most of the students and guides who were there kept referring to the kids as 'orphans' to their faces. Statements such as "come take an orphan to play with" and "all the orphans come on this side" were being used right in front of these kids with no worry or hesitation.

At first, my friends and I just assumed that we were being paranoid about the whole situation, but however, our concerns were confirmed when we overheard the bigger girls from the orphanage discussing the issue and being totally raged by the cruel and harsh word being hauled at them

Where do we get this idea that we can mistreat the less-fortunate? Why do we feel that, because we are giving them our time and money, we are superior to them and we can show disrespect to their feelings? How would we feel if we were in the same situation and people kept reminding us of our misfortune by labelling us a "orphan"? Are these kids not human beings just like you and I? What would the Prophet (SAW) think of our appalling behaviour?

We all know that the Prophet (SAW), himself, was an orphan yet he was the best of mankind. People respected him, they loved him, they envied him, and most importantly, they referred to him and called him with utmost respect.

We should understand that injustice and oppression to the orphans brings severe punishment in this world as well as Hereafter. In the same way kind and gentle behaviour towards them earns countless rewards in this world, as well as the Hereafter. Especially blessed by Allah are those who protect the orphans and take the responsibility of being guardians to them. Numerous traditions have been recorded concerning this. A few of these are quoted below.

Hazrat Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (AS) says: 

"One who maintains the orphans, Allah makes Paradise Wajib upon him, in the same way as he makes Hell Wajib upon those who usurp the property of the orphans."

The Holy Prophet (SAW) says: 

"I and one who maintains an orphan would be together in Paradise in the presence of Allah, in the same way as these two fingers are together."

And he pointed out to his index and the middle finger joined together.

According to a tradition, The Holy Prophet (SAW) and one who maintains an orphan, will not be separated nor would there be any barrier between them in Paradise.

The Prophet (SAW) has also stated: 

"If anyone from you becomes the guardian of an orphan and deals kindly with them, and he fulfils these actions satisfactorily, and he strokes the head of the orphan with sympathy, then Allah necessarily writes good deeds equivalent to the hair covered by his hand and forgives sins equal to the number of hair, and raises his position in grades equal to the hair of the orphan's head."

Elsewhere the Holy Prophet (SAW) has been reported to have said: 

"When an orphan cries the Heaven shudders, then Almighty Allah says, 'O Angels, Is this the same orphan whose father has been buried in the earth?' The Angels reply, '(O Allah) You are the All-Knowing.'

Then Allah would say, 'O My Angel be a witness. Whoever consoles this orphan and makes him happy, I will make him happy on the day of Qiyamat.'"

All the hadith above emphasise the status of an orphan and how important it is to be kind to them and to look after them. We should refrain from being the cause of their pain or sadness.

Let's start from today, let's achieve our Jannah by being kind to and showing love and mercy towards an orphan.

 

ѕнιяα.ѕυ∂ι ♡♥

Poem: They Call Me "Orphan"

They call me orphan.

What is this harsh word?

Ngazalwa uba mina?

Angiyiyo ingane na?

They look down on me,

they pity me.

They call me orphan.

What is this harsh word?

Nami ngifana nawe nje.

You shower me with gifts

"this poor orphan child",they say.

Is it really worth it?...

You label me with this sorrowful title

That title...

A constant reminder

of what I don't have.

They call me "orphan"

Does this define me?

My name is Halima.

I am a child.

A human being.

Just like you!

By Najma Canthitoo, Khadijah Desai and Shira Sudi.(dedicated to Queen Bee)

A Slit for Bieber..?

With my mind wandering elsewhere, I quickly rushed through my fardh of Maghrib, not even worrying about the sunnah and nafl I was leaving out. And as for Dua.. There was just no time. Perhaps I could make Istighfaar later on. I mean, Allah is the Most Forgiving, so surely, I would be forgiven for this.

I rushed to the living room, switched on the television, eager to watch the Live Justin Bieber Concert which would be starting any moment now.

Does this sound familiar?? How many of us are guilty of ignoring our religious duties so that we don't miss our favourite movie, episode or show in which our favourite drop-dead gorgeous star acts???

We, as humans, are not perfect. That is why we have role models or "idols" whom we look up to and sometimes imitate because, to us, they are the greatest thing ever.

The issue with this, however, is that, nowadays, the youth choose self-centred, obnoxious and mindless celebrities to be their role models. They practically worship everything about these superstars.

One celebrity who has made it big in the entertainment industry is singer, Justin Bieber. The young superstar came into the spotlight and stole young girls' hearts with his singing and his looks. With millions of fans (called the Beliebers), Justin Bieber is practically one of the most worshipped and idolised young personalities in the world.

Justin Bieber fans have been known to act wild and outlandish when it comes to supporting their idol. However, some fans may have taken methods to the extreme with messages they sent Bieber on Twitter asking him to stop smoking marijuana. It was reported that Bieber fans were asked to slit their wrists to protest the music icon's choice to use marijuana as a recreational drug.

The fans were less than pleased when pictures surfaced online of Justin Bieber smoking marijuana while in California.

To show their displeasure, Bieber fans were asked jokingly on Twitter to send in pictures of them cutting themselves in protest of Justin Bieber using marijuana.

The initial posts were made as an incredibly harmful, disgusting prank. A user posted a message stating, "Let's start a cut yourself for Bieber campaign. Tweet a bunch of pics of people cutting themselves and claim we did it because Bieber was smoking weed. See if we can get some little girls to cut themselves."

Although the Twitter post was initially sent as a joke, Bieber fans took it literally and began to tweet pictures of themselves with slashed wrists and bloody blades. The fans even created the #CutForBieber hashtag.

Just think about it... millions of young people out there, all placing a sharp blade to their wrist, cutting themselves, all in the name of Justin Bieber, their supposed "role model" who was caught doing drugs!!

This incident is one of the many gruesome and outrageous acts done by people out of love and in support of their favourite celebrity. And, Unfortunately, this foolish way of thinking has creeped into the lives of many Muslims also. In Muslim homes today, you find pictures of these celebrities on the walls, duvet covers are of these rock stars, a 100 CD's of the latest Rock songs, a million DVD's of the latest movies with the hottest movie stars, and the in wardrobes.. All the clothes are inspired by these celebrities.

We have the best of religions and the best of Role models, Prophet Muhammed (SAW), so then, why the need to imitate other nations and cultures? Why the need to adopt and imitate these worthless people as our role models?

Hadhrat Ibn Umar (Radhiyallaahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Salallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, `Whoever imitates a nation (in its ways and culture) becomes one of them.' (Abu Dawood)

By adopting even the appearance of the non-Muslims, that in itself is association with them and is therefore sinful.

Why do we Muslims, being the best of Ummah, feel that we need to follow others to be successful or happy? We should learn to lead by example, and let others follow in our footsteps, instead of following the West in all their corrupt way.

So...if you find yourself wanting to be a reckless idiot and cutting your wrist or doing some other crazy thing for a worthless celebrity.... Then go right ahead...but, after having cut yourself, just think... WAS IT WORTH IT ??!  The blood loss,the pain,the disgust...

 

Justin Bieber (or any other celebrity for that matter) doesn't even know you exist! He doesn't know your name, he doesn't know how much you suffered for him. He doesn't care! You just a fan who helps him make a living. Don't be fooled when he says 'My fans...I love you!...you make me!'

Basically.. Just Be.. Yourself :)

 

ѕнιяα.ѕυ∂ι ♡♥