Old Muslim Grandma in the Shoe again!

Masha Allah, yesterday my oldest son and daughter-in-law had a baby; their first. The ultrasound predicted a boy but instead she gave birth to a baby girl! Only Allah knows what is in the wombs. Everything was set up for a boy, the clothes, the decorations, the shower gifts etc. Now I have 3 granddaughters, subhanAllah. May she grow up to be a righteous child and reach Jannah. Amin.

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Gradual Doom Al-Araf (The Heights) - Chapter 7 : Verse 182 "But those who deny Our signs - We will progressively lead them [to destruction] from where they do not know." When a person chooses the path of virtue and patiently perseveres in it, taysir or facilitation usually takes him into a new phase where his wise choice finds Divine support and help. If on the other hand a servant chooses an evil course in life, misusing his freedom, and persists in it, then the phenomenon of facilitation takes on a rather terrible form, against which we should always seek Allah's refuge. It is termed istidraj or driving someone to destruction gradually, by degrees or little by little. It is difficult to tell when facilitation actually takes on the form of divine help or emerges as istidraj, gradually drawing a sinner to his final doom. Man moves forward with great zest and force of his own free volition either in the direction of the good or on the path to disaster. In the one case, man is helped and supported by Allah, whereas in the other he is encouraged to keep on his chosen course until he meets his doom. But in both cases, whether one receives divine help or is gradually drawn to his final punishment, it is man himself who makes his choice and decides which way he is going to follow. Thereafter he is either helped along the course of his choice or simply encouraged and drawn on towards his final doom. Compiled From: "Freedom and Responsibility in Quranic Perspective" - Hasan Al-Anani, pp. 111-114

Understanding the Prophet's Life Bedtime Recitation When going to sleep it is recommended to recite Ayat al-Kursi, Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq, Surat al-Nas, and the end of al-Baqara (2:284-86). This is something to give particular attention to and is emphasized to heed, since rigorously authenticated hadiths concerning this have been established. Abu Masud al-Badri, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said, "The two verses at the end of al-Baqara are sufficient [in their blessings] for anyone who reads them in one night." [Bukhari] Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I have not seen any rational person who has entered Islam sleep until he had recited Ayat al-Kursi (Quran, 2:255). [Darimi] Uqba ibn Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The Messenger of God said to me, 'Do not let a night pass you unless you recite therein al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, and al-Nas.' Thereafter, not a night passed me unless I recited them." [Ahmad] Compiled From: "Etiquette with the Quran" - Imam al-Nawawi, pp. 107, 108

Blindspot! Meal Manners Spiritual masters traditionally have focused on hunger. The goal is not to create a nation of anorexics but to cut the knot that binds self-discipline. Ramadan is a time to experience hunger with good cheer and renewed gratitude. It is divorcing oneself from the world and being reminded of our spiritual soul. But a person can rob Ramadan of an important benefit by overeating at night in order to make up for what was missed during the day. The night become night-long buffets and worship vigils become secondary (or ignored). People who have a problem with eathing should start at least by lessening the portion of what they normally eat, which is the beginning of discipline. The combination of overeating and a breakdown of meal manners impairs a person's ability to build fortitude. A Muslim begins each meal in the name of God. The purpose of this, in addition to sanctifying a mundane act, is to consciously remember the source of the provision. And if one eats alone, he tries to find company to share the meal with. When the meal is complete, he praises God. If one is hosted, he thanks the host and offers prayers. Compiled From: "Purification of the Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 146, 147

Old Muslim Grandma in the shoe.

Did you know that besides having 10 children I also had a grandchild? She is 6 yrs old and the daughter of my second oldest, my daughter. Well in April she just had another one! Masha Allah. Alhumdullilah. She had another daughter who is like a baby doll for the older one! The amazing thing is that she looks like me! Masha Allah. I sure wish they lived closer so I could snuggle her all the time. Speaking of babies, did you see this new product? No I didn 't buy it ,but I just saw it a couple of days ago, while buying some presents for my friends' newborn babies. I guess this would be good for when you are exhausted.

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Respect Al-Maidah (The Table Spread) - Chapter 5 : Verse 48 (partial) "Had God so willed, He would have made you a single community." When it comes to relations between free and equal human beings, autonomous and independent nations, or civilizations, religions and cultures, appeals for the tolerance of others are no longer relevant. When we are on equal terms, it is no longer a matter of conceding tolerance, but of rising above that and educating ourselves to respect others. This requires a very different intellectual and emotional attitude. It begins with the recognition that the presence of the other within my own conception of the world is both a fact and a necessity. The above verse expresses the essence and finality of this diversity in no uncertain terms. Recognizing the diversity of paths and the equality of all human beings are the two preconditions for the respect that allows us to get beyond the power relationship characteristic of relations of tolerance. Respect implies an active and proactive attitude towards others, rather than a passive attitude: we have to be curious about the other's presence and being, and try to know the other once we have learned to recognize him. Recognition, active curiosity and knowledge introduce our intellects and hearts to the world of the complexity of others. We begin to gain access to their principles, hopes, tensions and contradictions, as well as the diversity of currents that run through their universe of reference. Tolerance can reduce the other to a mere presence; respect opens up to us the complexity of his being. At the same time it teaches us to recognize that the other is as complex as we are: he is our equal, our mirror, our question. The other exists within me, and I exist within the other. Compiled From: "The Quest for Meaning" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 48-49

Understanding the Prophet's Life Injustices The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When the believers pass safely over (the bridge across) Hell, they will be stopped at an arched bridge in between Hell and Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices (dhulm) done among them in the world. When they are then purified of their sins, they will be admitted into Paradise." [Bukhari] The Prophet also stated: "Whoever has wronged another concerning his reputation or anything else should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money [to compensate for wrong deeds], but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to the wrong he has done. And if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him." [Bukhari] Any kind of harm that a person does to another is a form of dhulm and is forbidden. A Muslim may not harm another's honour, wealth or life. If a person strikes, abuses, curses, cheats, backbites or harms another person or if he helps another wrongly against someone, falsely accuses someone, lies about someone, and so forth, then he is committing dhulm. In fact, if a person prevents another from getting his due rights, he has committed dhulm. Dhulm is also inclusive of the misuse of power by people in positions of authority. Compiled From: "Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi" - Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo, pp. 922-924

Cool Tips! 5 Great Goals for Ramadan 1. Give a dollar a day in charity...or five or ten The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was always generous but even more so in Ramadan. Let's open our hearts and dig a little deeper in our wallets this year. Even less than a dollar a day adds up. Whatever you can give, it's the intention that counts. 2. Call/email your relatives You'd think that given the easy access to email, competitive long-distance calling rates, phone cards, etc. these days, we'd keep in touch with family and friends more often. But the opposite seems to be the case, as we get caught up in life's "busyness." Strengthening ties with family members and keeping in touch with friends is part of our way of life and an act Allah is very pleased with. This Ramadan, call family and friends or at least email them a Ramadan card and ask them how their fasting is going. 3. Go on a technology diet Even if you work in the IT industry, you can do this. Avoid checking personal email and surfing the web during your fast. After Iftar, instead of plopping yourself in front of the screen, go to Tarawih. The same goes for the television. The point is to try to give our full attention to spiritual elevation this month. 4. Read 5 minutes of Quran a day...just five, not more, not less Even if you feel you've got absolutely no time, set a timer or the alarm on your cell phone and find a relatively quiet place. You can read the first page of the Quran you open or follow a sequence. The choice is yours. The point is simply to connect with God through His revelation in the month of the Quran. 5. Forgive everyone who has hurt you Still got a festering wound from the fight with your friend last year? Still upset about something your spouse said during a heated argument? Or are you still bitter about the way your parents sometimes treated you as a kid? Let go of the anger and pain this Ramadan and forgive those who have hurt you. Forgiving someone is not only good for the body, but it's also great for the soul. And in Ramadan, ten days of which are devoted to Allah's forgiveness, shouldn't we lesser beings forgive too? If you find it very difficult to forgive everyone, forgive at least three people. Compiled From: "10 great goals to set for this Ramadan" - SoundVision.com

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Cycle of Life Al-Rum (The Byzantines) - Chapter 30 : Verse 19 (partial) "He it is who brings forth the living out of that which is dead, and brings forth the dead out of that which is alive, and gives life to the earth after it has been lifeless. Likewise shall you be raised to life." It is a continuous cycle that never stops for a moment of the night or day at any place on earth, in space, or the depths of the sea. At every moment this great miracle occurs, but we remain heedless of it because of our long familiarity with it. Not a moment passes by without a life coming out of a dead thing, or a living being dying: a small bud shoots out of a seed or splits a stone to come into a life; or conversely a branch or a tree withers away. Still in the heap of dying plants and trees a seed or a stone is ready to start the life cycle again, and out of that heap gases spread into the air or provide nourishment to the soil that becomes fertile. At every moment life starts in a foetus, a bird or an animal. A corpse buried in the earth becomes part of the soil and gives it vapours and gases that make new life matter and nourishment for plants, which in turn provide food for man and animal. A similar cycle takes place in the depths of the sea and in limitless space. It is an awesome, fascinating cycle if we would only contemplate it with insight, guided by the light of the Quran. Likewise we shall be raised to life. It is all an ordinary, simple matter, familiar in the universe, ocurring at every moment of the night and day and in all places. Compiled From: "In the Shade of the Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 13, pp. 369, 370

Understanding the Prophet's Life Imagination When you imagine something, an image from the studio of your mind is brought to life on the stage of your inner vision. When you imagine someone greedily sucking on a sour lemon, his face all puckered up, your salivary glands become active. This is a physical reaction to a stimulus coming directly from your mind. Likewise, if you imagine beautiful and provocative sights, they will produce effects on your body as if you were looking at those things. When you talk to someone on the phone you never met, your mind automatically constructs an image of that person based on the timbre of their voice. When you imagine a loved one you miss very much, your mind might wander to that far-off place where they are, so you will fancy yourself sitting and talking with the one you love, oblivious to everything that is around you. Think about what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Have you considered if there was a river at the door of your house that you bathed in five times a day, would any dirt remain on you?" His Companions concurred that no dirt would remain. Then he said: "The five daily prayers are the same. Allah wipes away our sins with them." [Bukhari, Muslim] Can you read this without imagining yourself going out your front door and finding a river crossing your path? If this never happened to you before, then let it happen now. The time that you have for yourself is precious. You do not have to spend it all sitting in the cage of your circumstances, as if your mind was a prisoner behind the iron bars of the moment at hand. When you read in the Qur’an about the delights of Paradise and the punishment of Hell, does no image come to mind? What then moves us, when we read these verses, to turn to Allah in remembrance and devotion, when nothing in the Hereafter resembles the things of this world except in name? Every change in life requires imagining it first. Imagination is the secret means that transports us to our goals. It enables the mind to absorb the stresses of life and conceive of a better future, empowering us to surmount our obstacles and solve our problems. You must first imagine the circumstances that you want for yourself and society. Then you must take an appropriate course of action. Your goals are essentially what you imagine your future to be. Our dreams and aspirations have their origins in our imaginings. The imagination works upon the heart and the mind. If you come to the point when you cannot imagine a world any different than the one that surrounds you, then your life will become tiresome indeed. All progress starts with the imagination. It is the only way to reach beyond the closed doors of the future. Compiled From: "Imagine" - Salman al-Oadah

Blindspot! Liberation All Revelation reached the Prophet, peace be upon him, in the course of his earthly experience, with the exception of the verses that establish the fundamental pillars of faith (al-iman) and the duty of prayer (as-salat). The Prophet was raised to heaven to receive the teachings that were to become the foundation of Islamic worship and ritual, al-aqidah and al-ibadat, which require that believers should accept their form as well as their substance. Unlike the field of social affairs (al-muamalat), which calls for the creative mediation of people's intellect and intelligence, human rationality here submits, in the name of faith and as an act of humility, to the order imposed by Revelation: God has prescribed requirements and norms that the mind must hear and implement and the heart must love. Raised to receive the injunction of ritual prayer, the Prophet and his experience reveal what prayer must in essence be: a reminder of and an elevation toward the Most High, five times a day, in order to detach from oneself, from the world, and from illusions. The prayer enables us to liberate our consciousness from the contingencies of space and time, and fully comprehend the meaning of life. Compiled From: "In The Footsteps of The Prophet" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 73, 74

My trip to Malaysia Part 8 -Kuala Lumpur (not)

Insha Allah soon I will get to this post. :) This trip is almost over..well the reminisces.

Whoops I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I left out some important stuff that happens before the KL leg of the trip.

After eid and before we left for KL we did some things like get my daughter's IC card which was the whole point of the trip or in my opinion a good excuse for the trip. IC means Identification Card. Since my kids have dual citizenship, they qualify for it. The guy who worked there even told my husband that I qualify for it too. Yippee! And so do my kids from my previous marriage which we never knew before and tickled them pink to know!

 We also went to KB (Kota Bharu) mall to shop for clothes. Aside from getting new abayas and baju kurung at places like D'Yana, Perempuan and First Lady for ourselves and my second daughter who wasn't there for the trip, we also got Eid clothes for Eid-ul-Fitr 2013. The Eid clothes were from First Lady who also has men's clothes (baju melayu). Since Eid had just happened though, it was pretty picked over and we couldn't get the colours we wanted in all the sizes we needed so we chose a colour that we weren't really into, but alhumdullilah, we managed to find matches for everyone, except 2 which we found the same styles but a different colour. But dh was very happy that this time he didn't have to buy material and give all our measurements to a seamstress to sew; not only did he save time but also money. What's amazing is that we can even find our sizes since we are all taller than the average Malaysian. (actually this happened after we got back from KL but we did got to Tesco and get my daughter an abaya). Nevertheless we did go shopping ;)

This time period was also used to visit the graveyard where my parents in-laws are buried. The last time I went to Malaysia they were alive and well so this was hard for me. We recited Quran for them and made dua. I was expecting the tombs to have flat slabs on them with their names but they have these little white clay things (sorry I don't know what they are called) on them. Then we went to visit some other relatives who lived nearby.

Stay tuned for the next installment which features our surprise trip.

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Dealing Nobly Al-Hujurat (The Chambers) - Chapter 49 : Verse 11 (partial) "O you who believe, do not let people mock another people; for it may be that these are better than them; nor should women mock other women, for it may be that these are better than them. And do not taunt one another nor insult each other with nicknames." Mocking people is a form of ignorance, whether it is lampooning, caricaturing, or name calling. Humour and levity are important in human life. But levity as a way of life harms the spiritual heart. And laughter and amusement at the expense of the dignity of others is wholly inappropriate. Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Do not belittle anyone, for he may be a saint of God." Even if one sees a man inebriated and bellicose, vomiting in the street, one should not ridicule him, for one does not know what his future holds. Imam al-Qurtubi once said, "When he was bowing down to idols in Makkah, Umar ibn al-Khattab was still beloved to God." Only God knows the seal of people and their destinies. A Moroccan proverb says, "Never mock any creature of God, for it might be beloved to He who created it." There is strength in dealing nobly with people. It is simply a better way to live. The essence of mockery is to humiliate people. Those who mock people in this life shall be mocked in the Hereafter, for it is a divine law that God recompenses people with the like of what they have done. Compiled From: "Purification of The Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 141-143

Understanding the Prophet's Life Dignity of Individuals Justice is a condition for peace, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, kept insisting that one cannot experience the taste of equity if one is unable to respect the dignity of individuals. He set slaves free and recommended that Muslims pledge to do so constantly: the faith community of believers had to be a community of free beings. Revelation showed him the way, and, as we have often seen, he never ceased to give particular attention to slaves, the poor, and the lowly in society. He invited them to assert their dignity, to demand their rights, and to get rid of any feeling of inferiority; the message was a call for religious, social, and political liberation. At the close of his mission, in the plain lying at the foot of the Mount of Mercy (Jabal ar-Rahmah), men and women of all races, cultures, and colours, rich and poor, were present and listened to this message, which stressed that the best among people are so through their hearts, which are determined neither by class nor by colour or culture. "The best among you is the best toward people," he had once said [Bayhaqi]. In the name of human brotherhood - addressing not just Muslims but all people (an-nas), as he did during the farewell sermon - he taught each conscience to transcend the appearances that might hinder its progress towards the Just (al-adl). In the presence of God, nothing could justify discrimination, social injustice, or racism. In the Muslim community, a black man called the believers to prayer, and a slave's son commanded the army; faith had freed the believers from judgements based on deceptive appearances (linked to origin and social status) that stimulate unwise passions and dehumanize them. Compiled From: "In The Footsteps of The Prophet" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 212, 213

Blindspot! Public Safety It is street life and connected neighbours that make a neighbourhood safe. We think the Police can keep us safe. In our concern for safety, we too often defer to the professionals. Police are not the answer. They are needed for crime; they cannot produce safety. There is in every neighbourhood structures for citizens to volunteer: Citizens on Patrol, Neighbourhood Watch, safety meetings, educational pamphlets hung on people's front doors by the police. These go under the title of crime prevention. They are a useful warning system and help us watch out for criminals, loitering, strangers hanging out in the neighbourhood, but they still function within the retributive mindset. The shift is to realize that safety occurs through neighbourhood relatedness. The efforts that move in this direction focus on identifying neighbourhood assets. On creating occasions for citizens to know each other through clean-up campaigns, block parties, and citizen activist movements to confront irresponsible landlords, and abandoned houses and lots. Anything that helps neighbours to know who lives on the street. Every neighbourhood has certain connector people who know everyone else's going on. We need ways to recognize these people and others. If we looked at the assets of the neighbourhood, we would realize that youth are on the streets in the afternoon, and retired people and shut-ins have the time to watch what is going on. When we recognize the gifts of these people, safety will be produced. Compiled From: "Community: The Structure of Belonging" - Peter Block, pp. 166, 167

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Proper Response Al-Baqara (The Cow) - Chapter 2 : Verse 216 (partial) "... It may be that you dislike something, though it is good for you. And it may be that you love something, though it is bad for you. And God knows, and you do not know." There are four possible states in which the human being can live. A person is either receiving blessings (nima) or tribulations (bala) from God; or is either living in obedience (taa) or in disobedience (masiya). Each condition invites a response. What comes to a person in his or her life may help a person move closer to God when the response is right: 1. When God gives a person blessings, the response is gratitude in all of its manifestations. Gratitude is expressed first by performing what is obligatory then going beyond that by performing virtuous, recommended acts. 2. The response to tribulation is patience, as well as steadfastness and resolve. This is what God demands from people in times of trial - a beautiful patience. 3. As for obedience, one must recognize that obedience is a blessing from God. If a religious person starts to believe that he is better than other people - even if these "other" people are in the state of disobedience - he invites haughtiness. 4. When it comes to disobedience, the response is repentance to God (tawba), seeking His forgiveness, pardon, and mercy, feeling remorse for the past, and having the resolve never to sink into disobedience again. Compiled From: "Purification of The Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 69-71

Understanding the Prophet's Life Best Inerpretation Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal was once asked about the correct meaning of the following Hadith: 'When you hear something from or about your brother ascribe to it the best interpretation until you can no longer do so.' To this the Imam replied: 'Find an excuse for him by saying "maybe he said this, or maybe he meant such and such." It is further reported in another hadith: 'Whoever is offered an apology from a fellow Muslim should accept it unless he knows that the person apologising is being dishonest.' [Mishkat] While commenting on these hadiths, Tuffahah has rightly observed that, despite the occurrence of the word brother (akh) therein, they are of general import, and their scope need not be confined to Muslims, the reason being that in Islam justice and benevolence (adl wa ihsan) are not confined to Muslims alone. Compiled From: "Freedom of Expression in Islam" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 126

Blindspot! Loving Ourselves Love is a journey. The one thing that the teachings of all spiritualities, religions, philosophies and modern psychologies have in common has to do with the fact that we always have to begin with ourselves. There is no escaping that. We must learn to know ourselves, learn to accept ourselves and learn to love ourselves. Love's first journey is a journey to the inside: again and again, we come back to ourselves, watch ourselves, study ourselves and become completely imbued with ourselves. Not in order to drown in a blind and arrogant egocentrism, but in order to find a balance. It is in fact possible that going back to ourselves is the best way to avoid egocentrism. Learning to love ourselves means learning to accept ourselves. What do we see when we look in our own mirror? The gaze is more important than the evaluation because, ultimately, it is the gaze that determines the evaluation. Our relationship with ethics begins with our relationship with our being: if we began by deprecating ourselves or even hating ourselves, the harm has already been done. A love for someone else that fuses with the other to such an extent as to lead us to deny our own being and our own needs is a love that is fragile, unstable and unbalanced and that will lead, in the long term, to suffering and failure (unless it merges into the experience of absolute self-sacrifice).We must learn to listen to ourselves, to respect ourselves and, when we experience love, to make ourselves heard and respected. We must love ourselves with humility and dignity: we must expect ourselves to change and make constant progress, and expect others to help us on our way without denying us in any circumstances. We must learn to love ourselves, and to make ourselves loved. Compiled From: "The Quest for Meaning" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 195-198

My trip to Malaysia part 7

During the raya holidays I got to meet Kak Chik. I knew her only from her blog before, so it was a special treat to meet her in real life and lucky that she was available when I was. You can read all about it in her post. But sorry its in Malay. We met together at Pizza Hut in Kota Bharu. Later she took me to her house and I saw her home business there; Abaya Elegan. I purchased a lovely black jilbab with matching hijab with embroidered roses on it which I wore to a later destination which will be coming in a later post insha Allah.
Here is the full story!

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Encounter with God Al-Muminun (The Believers) - Chapter 23 : Verse 115 "Did you think that We have created you in vain and that you would never be recalled to Us?" God Almighty is fair towards all men. He has equally blessed all human beings with the gift of life and given them senses and perception and intellectual faculties to distinguish between good and bad, right and wrong. God has made promises and sent warnings; He has given some people good health and inflicted others with ailments; He made life a mixture of happiness and suffering; all of this in order to enrich the human experience and make people recognize the reality and value of God. People can choose either to be vigilant and prepare for their encounter with God, and invest for life in the hereafter, or they can choose to reject God and dismiss any accountability to Him. God will judge both with fairness and justice; but when it is too late, excuses will avail no one. Compiled From: "A Thematic Commentary on the Quran" - Muhammad al-Ghazali, p. 373

Understanding the Prophet's Life Suspending Judgement Some people forgive themselves everything and condemn everyone else. Some condemn everything about themselves and find extenuating circumstances for others. Some do not forgive themselves for anything and forgive nothing. And others forgive everything and (almost) everyone. To love and forgive is to be both demanding and indulgent. This is a matter of balance. An Islamic prophetic tradition says: 'Find seventy excuses for your brother (sister), and if you cannot find any, imagine that there is one excuse you do not know.' [Bayhaqi] This suggestion echoes the Christian maxim 'Love thy neighbour as thyself,' and 'Thou shalt not judge.' It is about loving and suspending one's judgement. This does not mean accepting everything that others do (in which case there would be no love), but it does mean taking the view that their mistakes or sins do not tell us the whole truth about them. In Measure for Measure, Shakespeare suggests that we 'Condemn the fault and not the actor of it' if we wish to ensure that we do not punish the wrong person. All the monotheisms recommend that we make that distinction: human beings can judge acts, but only God is in a position to judge human beings. When human beings turn into judges, they invent not the hereafter on earth but hell. Compiled From: "The Quest for Meaning" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 201, 202

Cool Tips! Openness Openness is vital to integrity. It takes both humility and courage - humility to acknowledge that there are principles out there you may not currently be aware of, and courage to follow them once you discover them. Throughout history, most paradigm shifts in science have been shifts from traditional thinking - shifts that took this kind of humility and courage. A good way to increase integrity, then, is to work on being open. As you evaluate your own openness, you might ask yourself: Do I believe that the way I see the world is totally accurate and complete - or am I honestly willing to listen to and consider new viewpoints and ideas? Do I seriously consider differing points of view (from a boss, direct report, team member, spouse, or child), and am I willing to be influenced by them? Do I believe there may be principles that I have not yet discovered? Am I determined to live in harmony with them, even if it means developing new thinking patterns and habits? Do I value - and am I involved in - continual learning? To the degree to which you remain open to new ideas, possibilities, and growth, you create a trust dividend; to the degree you do not, you create a trust tax that impacts both your current and future performance. Compiled From: "The Speed of Trust" - Stephen M. R. Covey, pp. 71, 72

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Spending Youth Al-Qiyama (The Day of Resurrection) - Chapter 75 : Verse 6 "He asks, 'When will the Day of Resurrection come?'" There are people who desire to continue in their wrongdoing throughout the entirety of their lives. Although people may be aware of ultimate accountability, they put off repentance as if they are guaranteed a long life. This is an ethic exemplified by the saying, "Sow your wild oats," which advocates getting all the lewdness and sin out of one's life when one is young, and then later calming down and adopting religion. Besides the obvious error of this ethic, another terrible flaw is that people die at all ages, and some never get the chance to repent and make amends. Moreover, what kind of repentance is this when people intentionally indulge in sin banking on the possibility that later on in life - after all the energy and drive diminishes - they will turn in penitence to God? We know that God loves those who spend their youth obedient to Him and His commandments. Compiled From: "Purification of the Heart" - Hamza Yusuf, pp. 90, 91

Understanding the Prophet's Life Source of Regret Bayhaqi mentions that, according to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'An hour that passes during which a person fails to mention Allah, will be a source of regret for him on the Day of Judgement.' He also mentions according to Muadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him): 'The people of Heaven have no regret except for the hour that passed them during which they did not remember Allah Most High.' The Prophet's wife, Umm Habiba (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'The Messenger of Allah declared, "All the servant's words are against him, not for him, except those enjoining fairness, forbidding evil or mentioning Almighty Allah.'" [Tirmidhi] Muadh ibn Jabal said, 'I asked the Messenger of Allah, "Which act is most beloved to Almighty Allah?" He answered, "That upon death your tongue is moist with His remembrance.'" [Mundhiri] Compiled From: "The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, p. 46

Cool Tips! Buddies and Bullies A lot of times, when a parent or teacher tells a kid that they are using words to hurt and/or scare another kid, they try to pass off their remarks as just jokes. "I'm only teasing her," you hear bullies say. But hurtful cracks are some of the cruelest weapons that bullies can use against a helpless kid. Sure, I understand that everybody jokes around. And there's nothing wrong with having fun with your friends. None of us wants to be too sensitive. There's nothing wrong with being able to take a joke. But everyone needs to know the difference between "good" teasing and "bad" teasing. There are some very clear ways you can tell the difference between jokes among buddies and harmful insults from bullies. Buddies: Joke around in ways that make you both laugh. Don'ts joke to hurt your feelings on purpose. Stop joking if they think they might hurt your feelings. Don't get angry if you joke back with them. Bullies: Always use jokes to hurt you. Refuse to allow you to joke in return. Keep insulting you even after they know they have hurt your feelings. Often get upset when you ignore their jokes. Compiled From: "Life Strategies for Dealing with Bullies" - Jay McGraw, pp. 21, 22

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Heavenly Message Surah al-Imran (The House of Imran) Chapter 3: Verse 81 (partial) "And behold! God made a covenant with all the Prophets, saying: 'Convey to your people whatever I give you of the Scripture and of revealed wisdom. Then when comes to you a final messenger who confirms what is with all of you - in fulfillment of My promise - ardently shall you support him.'" The Quran views as one community all those who believe in the Heavenly message, this bond of faith being restricted by neither the limits of time or space, nor by the reality that God has sent to humanity as many as 120 thousand Prophets carrying distinctive revealed guidelines to their peoples. Their God is One. Their essential religion is one. Their destiny - to stand before God in final Judgment - is inexorably one. The preceding generations of believers were aware that the faithful after them would share and confirm the message and the prophets they were upholding, and so prayed for their spiritual well-being and guidance, while the succeeding generations remembered that it was, in part, through the gallant efforts of their predecessors in belief that the religion of Heaven had been delivered to them. Compiled From: "The Gracious Quran" - Ahmad Zaki Hammad, p. 148

Understanding the Prophet's Life Lost Belonging The Prophet, peace be upon him, taught his Companions both deep faith and the exploitation of intellectual creativity in all circumstances. The genius of peoples, the wisdom of nations, and healthy human creativity were integrated into their mode of thinking, without hesitation or timidity. As the Prophet forcefully stated: "[Human] wisdom is the believer's lost belonging; he is the most worthy of it wherever he finds it."[Bukhari] This was an invitation to study the best human thoughts and products and adopt them as part of humankind's positive heritage (maruf, what is acknowledged as the common good). On a broader level, it meant showing curiosity, inventiveness, and creativity in the management of human affairs, and this appeared not only through his approach to war and strategies but also through his way of considering the world of ideas and culture. Compiled From: "In The Footsteps of The Prophet" - Tariq Ramadan, p. 138

Blindspot! Divine Scheme The Divine scheme, as outlined in the Quran, is designed to operate equally well under all circumstances and at all stages of human development, on the macrocosmic as well as the microcosmic scale. It makes full allowance for a human being's own abilities and potential for improvement and gives careful consideration to his strengths and weaknesses. It neither devalues a person's role on earth nor denigrates his status as an individual or as a member of society. In its view of the human being, God's scheme is neither idealistic, raising the human being far above his deserved position, nor does it describe a human being as worthless or dispensable. A human being is a unique creature who can, through his natural talents and innate abilities, adapt himself to the Divine order of life and so rise to the highest levels of progress and achievement. The Divine order is a universal plan for the long term. It is neither oppressive nor arbitrary. Its perspectives and prospects are broad and not restricted to the life or interests of one individual: it looks far into the future. Human ideologies, on the other hand, are usually limited to the lifespan of their proponents, who are bent on achieving all their ambitions and settling all their scores within a single generation. This inevitably comes into conflict with human nature, resulting in oppression, conflict, bloodshed, and the destruction of human values and civilisation. Islam adopts a very gentle approach towards human nature, encouraging, prodding, pampering, cajoling, reprimanding and, where necessary, disciplining and restraining. It prefers the patient, caring attitude, confident of the eventual outcome. It is a continuous process of growth and development that can only get better as time goes on. There is no need for compromises, half-hearted solutions, or arbitrary or foolish measures. In God's scheme, things must be allowed to take their natural course. Compiled From: Islam: The Way of Revival, "Living In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, pp.