Resolution 1 - Salah Update

Alhumdulillah, last month I made a resolution to improve my imaan and the way I practice deen and give myself a new challenge each month to completely concentrate on one aspect. January was all about Salah (prayer).

It is a pillar of Islam. A hadith states that the difference between a believer and a non-believer is salaah. It is thus the first thing I wanted to work on. 31 days, 5 times a day. 6 if you consider witr separate.

Alhumdulillah, I was pretty successful. I have to add that praying regularly also really helped my imaan. It's the connection you have with Allah and when you make a sincere intention to do something to be closer to Allah, He helps you succeed.

I also read a really interesting (and long) khutba on Muslim Matters on the matter and importance of salah. I feel that it might be beneficial as a reminder to everyone, perhaps act as a motivation even.

New Year Resolutions - Part 1

Hope everyone had a wonderful start to this new year, inshaAllah. I felt like the previous year just flew by me and I didn't achieve much. So I've decided a make a few new year resolutions to help myself be a better Muslim and whether I achieve much in this dunya or not, I should prepare for my akhirah.

It is believe that in order to make anything a habit, one needs to repeat it over prolonged periods of time. Once you've done it 20 times or more, it will eventually come naturally. Hence, I've decided to spread my new years resolution over the period of next 12 months. This way, it is not overwhelming and it gives me time to practice.

The other benefit is that I have time to concentrate on perfecting this ONE thing and even if my imaan dwindles at any point, I can push myself to just do that single thing instead of trying to do a bunch of things and then feeling like I can't go on.

So here are my resolutions so far:

1. Praying salah at proper times. I wanted to start with salah because it's the difference between a true Muslim and a non Muslim. It's what makes us different. It's also the way we connect with Allah. Unfortunately, I used to miss prayers at times because I used to get preoccupied with other things or find it difficult to wake up for fajr.

2. Reciting Surah Kahf every Thursday after maghrib or on Friday before maghrib.

3. Reciting Surah Mulk daily. It's the Surah that will protect us again the punishment of the grave.

4. Learning a new Surah.

5. Waking up for tahajjud. Several scholars recommend this as the best time to pray and make heartfelt dua to Allah (swt).

6. Spending at least 2 mins reciting dua after every salah. Most people might find it confusing how this can be difficult. But, unfortunately, I never had the habit of making regular dua after salah but there are also other reasons which I won't go into.

7. Reciting duas upon waking up and going to bed. I would love to include how beneficial some of these duas are. InshaAllah, I'll cover them in individual posts when I get to them.

Right now this is no set order. I figure that I should probably test it out and see how it goes before fixating on what I'm going to be doing next. One thing's for sure, salah is this month's priority.

Now these are only 7 because at the moment as they are something I want to achieve. I may make changes as and when I see fit. If anyone would like to join me, they are most welcome. And of course, it doesn't have to be the same set of things that you'd like to do. It can be anything you'd like to fix. Do let me know if you decide to join. It might be more motivating for us. :)

Change in layout?

I'm hoping to hear from my readers regarding my current layout. Do you feel it needs changing? Or should I consider sticking with it?

Lately, I've been experimenting with photoshop and trying to design my own blogger background. Of course, I'm still a beginner so I might be changing backgrounds often to try and experiment.

Please use the comments area for feedback. Would love to hear from you. :)

Back In Action & Recurring Dreams

As salaam walaikum all,

I know I've been on a huge blogging break. I had been extremely busy for a while now after which I needed a break. Did a bit of travelling and relaxing. Alhumdulillah. But I am back.

Recently, I had a dream about an amusement part which I believe I've dreamt about several times. In fact, the dream was so familiar that I actually felt that I had been to such a park. But in reality, the more I thought about it, the more I began to realize that I've never been to such a place. But I felt as if I had collected memories of several places and formed a unique place that came to me in my dream. I love amusement parks and I've been to several places in different parts of the world. Just a few of the things I recall is this water ride. It was a huge slide with turns and twists and you sit down and are eventually thrown into the water but somehow people were floating over the water which flowed like a stream around the steps leading up to the slide. The interesting thing was no one was actually getting wet except for a little bit. Everyone was normally dressed. In another part of this park were some rides similar to the octopus where I thought I could sit and try myself off.
http://susieofarabia.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/dscf6012-4.jpg
Source: http://susieofarabia.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/water-park/
Please note that I have never actually been to the above waterpark. It's the closest image I could find to what I had seen in my dream.

In earlier parts of the dream I saw myself driving along a coast line. It was a really beautiful sight. Huge waves hitting the rocks. Apparently I had driven off to a different part of the country where a cousin lives.


Source: http://www.new-zealand-pictures.co.nz/
Above is a place in new zealand. This was similar to what I had seen in my dream.

In reality cousin lives in a different place. The city I was in isn't as beautiful as I had dreamt. Nor is there such a coast line. This part of the dream was new but the previous part was as though I have seen the park several times before.

Have you ever experienced any recurring dreams or dreams that made you feel as if you've been to certain places but in reality never have. Or anything that felt so real, even after you awaken, you feel unable to recover from what you have seen.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Alhumdulillah the blessed month is here. I wish every Ramadan Mubarak. Remember to increase good deeds and stay away from bad habits.

I've come across a Ramadan check list that may be beneficial to us all: http://www.scribd.com/doc/277033/Ramadhan-action-checklist

May Allah accept our fasts, duas and good deeds. Ameen.

We've got some awesome dates at home this time. I'm not sure of their name but they taste wonderful when they are ripe. Here's a pic:


Enjoy your Ramadan and may Allah make our fasts easy. Ameen. :) Do keep me in your duas as well.

Benefits Of Reciting Various Surahs

I found a a link stating all kinds of benefits of various Surahs including those which the Prophet read during various prayers:

http://www.sunnipath.com/library/Books/B0039P0009.aspx

Something To Reflect On

A hadith I came across recently:

The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said, “Allah `azza wa jall said: ‘Verily, from amongst My slaves is he whose faith cannot be rectified except by being inflicted with poverty, and were I to enrich him, it would surely corrupt him. Verily, from amongst My slaves is he whose faith cannot be rectified except by wealth and affluence, and were I to deprive him, it would surely corrupt him. Verily, from amongst My slaves is he whose faith cannot be rectified except by good health, and were I to make him sick, it would surely corrupt him. Verily, from amongst My slaves is he whose faith cannot be rectified except by disease and illness, and were I to make him healthy, it would surely corrupt him. Verily, from amongst My slaves is he who seeks worship by a certain act but I prevent that from him so that self-amazement does not enter his heart. Certainly, I run the affairs of My slaves by My Knowledge of what is in their hearts. Certainly, I am the All-Knower, All-Aware.‘”

[Reported by al-Tabarani.]

If anyone comes across an explanation for this hadith in more detail, please do post in the comments.

Jazakallah khair. :)