Ramadhan Fasa Ke Dua...

RAMADHAN DAY 11!

After hours and hours of fasting, it's normal for us fasting Muslims to feel the hunger and thirst. And once the Adhan Maghrib is heard, the first thing you would do is to gulp down all the yummy food that's placed in front of you!

So here's one common mistake most of us do but fail to realise; which is food wastage. Most fasting people tend to think that they SHOULD eat alot for fasting after missing all the meals (breakfast, lunch, etc) but the fact is, your stomach can only consume little!

So what happens with the left over food on the table and on your plate?
You tend to throw them away in the garbage.

Ramadhan teaches us to be grateful, but very often our nafs' takes over. Every grain of food and every drop of water or any halal drink must be greatly appreciated. Wasting is the way of the devil!

"Indeed those who waste are the brothers of syaitan (devil). Verily syaitan was most ungrateful to his Rabb" (17:27).

So to avoid wastage of precious food, one should refrain from cooking too much or buying too much food from bazaars!
If possible, try to avoid those ridiculous Buffet "offers" from hotels and restaurants too. RM65++ (about USD21) for adults and RM35++ (USD11) for kids - SERIOUSLY? They're only ripping your money off!

RM3 to RM5 (USD0.95) would be sufficient for an iftar (if bought from bazaar). RM65++ worth of buffet could feed about 13 other stomachs! Wouldn't it be better to use that access amount of money to feed the orphans?

So for the next remaining days of Ramadhan, let's all try to be more careful when it comes to cooking or buying food for iftar, insyaAllah.

 

 

RAMADHAN DAY 12 - LEVEL UP!

Fasting in Ramadhan is a form of spiritual training for Muslims. So this is the PERFECT time for Muslims to change or "upgrade" themselves to be better Muslims! ♥

However, change is something each person has to

do himself.
"... Thus, God does not change the condition of any people unless they themselves make the decision to change..." (13:11)

So by sitting down idly or doing nothing, why not give it a thought and try to change something about yourself? Surely everyone isn't perfect, and humans are bound to make mistakes, but there is always room for improvement and change. And by "improvement and change", it means spiritual upgrade ♥

Here are some tips for you to LEVEL UP!

1. Understand that all shall be well. Allah forgives sins for He is All-Understanding and All-Forgiving. Even if you feel that you are already too deep in sin to turn around and become the good Muslim that you truly are.

2. Think of the influences around you. Are they good or are they bad? Are the influences making you turn your back against your religion? If your friends are steering you away from the right path - LEAVE THEM. Your friends cannot grant you Paradise! In fact, bad ones will only drag you to Hell. Think about it.

3. For ladies; if you truly want to change to be a better Muslim, consider wearing a hijab/ veil. The hijab is not just a piece of cloth that covers hair, it changes you mentally and spiritually. Think of it as a way for Allah to protect the women. As soon as you wear the hijab, hopefully, your whole perspective on self-respect and values will automatically change. Not to say that non-hijabis are not protected or enlightened, but you have a better chance of achieving this feeling by wearing the hijab. :) ♥

4. Pray 5 times a day. It helps you to become a better Muslim!

5. Learn more about Islam. Islam is knowledge, and without the proper knowledge, it's hard for one to truly embrace Islam. The more you know about Islam, the more you will understand and the "beauty" you will discover. Can't afford to buy books? The internet is pretty useful!

6. Ladies, dress modestly. This does not mean that you have to look ugly or not stylish. Just be modest. Wear longer shirts and avoid tank tops and shorts. Stay away from clothes that are too tight. Remember that it is obligatory to cover the whole body except the face and hands. This also helps you to change your whole outlook on what is acceptable and what is not. For the boys, avoid wearing rude or obscene graphic t-shirts.

7. Hang out with good friends! Find those with the same mission: To please Allah and go to Paradise. Good friends would surely want you to enter Paradise, so choose your peers correctly.

8. Believe in yourself! YOU CAN DO IT! ♥ ♥ ♥

Changing can be rather hard, but it's possible. Make dua' alot! ♥

 

RAMADHAN DAY 13!

Knowledge is something very vast, limitless and can be found everywhere. But the question is, have you been seeking knowledge? Or best, have you been s

eeking spiritual, Islamic knowledge to upgrade your deen and taqwa to Allah?

Most people often think that knowledge only comes from your high school textbooks. WRONG! What you learn from your textbooks isn’t the only source of knowledge! Even those FAQs and “how to upload photo on Facebook” you Google are also considered as knowledge ;D If knowledge is that easy to require, why not learn something new about Islam, your God Allah or even our beloved Prophet Muhammad today?

"Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim." Truer words have never been spoken!


When the Quran began to be revealed, the first word of its first verse was 'Iqra' that is, read. Allah says:

"Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood).

Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not" (96: 1-5)


Knowledge is so important that seeking it is a COMMAND from God. He has given you the perfect “tools” to acquire knowledge.
"And Allaah has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allaah)" (16:78)
And by “tools”; yup, those are your senses! Wise them to the fullest to seek precious knowledge! ♥

Since knowledge is LIMITLESS, how should we, Muslims, know which knowledge is best to acquire first? The most important knowledge that a Muslim must seek is the knowledge of “syirik / shirk” and all that relates to it. You must first learn and understand God and your religion, so know your priorities! Academic and wordly knowledge is as important as we need to live, and knowledge operates how we live (even methods of brushing our teeth requires knowledge, yes?)

And did you know that seeking knowledge is a form of Ibadaah? Paradise waits for knowledge seekers!
"Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allaah will make a path to Paradise easy for him." (Al-Bukhaari)

Personally, I like gaining knowledge and information about Islam from the interwebz, especially from Youtube.com. There are many credible and awesome speakers from all over the world, plus it's more entertaining to see visuals. Look around and you might find really good ones!
(I personality recommend UmmahFilms / Baba Ali - go Google!) ♥ ♥

Last words: Don't stop seeking knowledge, even if takes you to China! Imagine yourself holding a BIG empty container or somesort, and each knowledge is represented by a piece of grain. Your mission is to fill up the container as much "grain", so don't ever give up on doing it and while you're at it - have fun!

 

 

RAMADHAN DAY 14~

Now that you've got your knowledge (refer to Day 13), whatchu gotta do? SHARE and SPREAD it around! Tell your family, your peers and the non-Muslims the wonderful beauties of Islam! ♥

Muslims must realise that they shoul

d not only require knowledge, but they must spread the good dakwah around!
"Invite to the Way of your Lord (Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided." (16:125)

"Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining al-ma`roof [i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do] and forbidding al-Munkar [polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden]. And it is they who are successful." (3:104)

"Amar ma'ruf nahi mungkar" is simply to tell others to do good and to stop others from doing bad.

There are many ways for modern Muslims to share and spread dakwah; why not utilize your smart phones, Facebook and the interwebz? Say you found a good video online; simply copy and paste the link on your Facebook status! Perhaps 1 out of 20 friends would actually click and watch it! Even if it's just one person, you have already reached a mission, which is to give dakwah :D ♥ ♥

However, keep in mind that you need manners and the correct methods of doing dakwah. During my research, I found an interesting write-up on 12 ways to dakwah:
http://www.themodernreligion.com/dawah/dawah-12tips.html
Insyallah it will guide us to be a good dakwah-doer! :D

And remember, before giving dakwah make sure you acquire the right knowledge! :)

I wish you dakwah-doers ALL THE BEST! ♥ Let's share and spread Dakwah to the society, and insyallah it will remind us to be better Muslims too :)

 

 

RAMADHAN DAY 15!

Ramadhan, WOOT! Ramadhan isn't the time for you to sleep and laze around like Patrick the starfish, but a fasting Muslim should be happy, active and positive! ♥

Not having to eat and drink for a day, and even doing ibadaa

h and night prayers might be tiring, but it's not a reason for you to have that zombie look! Give people greetings and salaam, put that OSM smile your face and give fist bumps! Show to the society and the non-muslims that we fasting Muslims are too, with energy! :D

Sure, as mere humans, we deal with everyday problems. From heart wrecking worldly problems to mood swings; it's the matter of how we deal with them. If you are troubled and or in despair, think of Allah. Turn to him, tell him all your problems and your needs, and insyallah He will help you, for He is Almighty.

Back to being active and positiveness in Ramadhan; remember the Bad'r war during Prophet Muhammad s.a.w's time? He and his warriors fought victoriously during Ramadhan. It proves that even when one is fasting, you can go through day even if you're in a challenging situation.

So for the next remaining days of Ramadhan, stay happy, active and positive.

"Yes! Whoever submits himself entirely to Allah and he is the doer of good (to others) he has his reward from his Lord, and there is no fear for him nor shall he grieve.” (2:112)

 

 

RAMADHAN DAY 16 ♥

"Share gifts, spread love" (Abu Ya'la)

Giving gifts is special in Islam, and it doesn't only apply to certain occasions. Muslims are encouraged to give gifts to each other as that strengthens bond; all year round! ♥

Giving gifts might be a simple thing, but there are proper etiquettes to it.
“Whoever does you a favour, respond in kind, and if you cannot find the means of doing so, then keep praying for him until you think that you have responded in kind.” (Abu Daawood) From this hadith sahih, we Muslims should know that:

- Respond kindly to the gift-giver, just as he treated you
- If you're unable to treat him in return, make dua' and pray for him

The best dua' that was thought is to say "Jazakullahu Khair" which means "May Allah reward you with good" to gift-givers.

There are many selection of gifts you can give to your family, peers, neighbours and your halal partner, but giving Islamic gifts (hijab for the ladies, book of reminders, modest clothing, etc) is the best as you're also doing your job as a righteous Muslim, which is to encourage Islam to other people! :D

And the most important thing is that, give gifts with upmost sincere niat! :)

So give gifts, spread love and strengthen bonds.

RAMADHAN DAY 17

As humans, we encounter with problems and challenges every single day. We get tested from the smallest issue (why won’t this computer start?!) to the biggest, often very heart wrecking (losing someone beloved) . It’s the fa

ct that we cannot escape from it.

HOWEVER, there IS a method to counter these challenges! It’s called patience (sabr) ♥ ♥.

The concept of patience is easy, once you’ve managed to grab hold of it. For example;
You’re looking for a job, and after some hard work, you manage to lock an interview with the Director. So happens that your best friend is also after the same job, but she gets the job instead of you.

Will you throw your resume away, make nasty remarks about it and put the blame on Allah? Or will you sit back, take a deep breath and make dua’s?
If you choose the latter, Allah would most probably grant you a bigger reward, insyallah. You might lose the job you wanted, but in return you would get a MUCH BETTER job in the future!

You may cry and be sorrow, but don’t ever curse and put the blame on Allah. He’s only testing you and if you can pass the level of patience, He will grant you with limitless reward. Proof:

“[...] Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!” (39:10)
Allah has mentioned patience more than seventy times in the Qur'an and has commanded patience in more than sixteen ways in His Book. That’s how important patience is for Muslims!

So remember my fellow Muslims; practice patience. It may be hard, but always think of Allah and make loads and loads of dua’s. Believe in the rewards He has promised you! :)

"Verily, with every difficulty there is relief." (94:5-6)

 

RAMADHAN DAY 18~

Tafseer (or tafsir) is to understand (the meanings) of the Quran. Many Muslims are only taught to read and memorize the Quran, but it's important to understand what the ayats and verses mean so that we can imply and practi

ce them in our daily lives ♥

As a non-Arabic speaker myself, I find it difficult to understand the meanings, especially in prayers. But that's not an excuse for us to escape from learning the tafseer of the Quran! :D

"This is a Book full of Blessings that we have revealed unto you so people ponder upon its verses and men of intellect may reflect." (38:29)

Many people assume that the Quran is the book of "No's and Don'ts" but that's not true at all! The Quran covers many aspects of human life, such as political, manners and many more! Being a "visual-oriented" person, I enjoy stories of the great Prophets most! ♥ ♥ ♥

So get your friends or your family members, organize tafseer sessions with them! It's more fun, meaningful and educational to sit in a group and study about the beautiful words of Allah together.

Upon studying, make sure to get the correct interpretations of the Quran by referring to knowledgeable scholars and what not. There are many books and websites for that; you just need an extra effort to obtain them :)

Goodluck and have fun! ♥ Don't forget to spread the knowledge around!

 

RAMADHAN DAY 19

"It is He Who sends down manifest Ayat (signs, revelations) to His Slave Muhammad SAW that He may bring you out from darkness into light. And verily, Allah is to you full of kindness, Most Merciful" (57:9)

Honestly speaki

ng, I get very, very emotional when it comes to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I was a jahil to realize the things he has done for his ummat (people), but it hit me when I started studying about him, Subhanallah! Since then I grew to love him more and more each minute. ♥ ♥ ♥

And we Muslims should too! In fact, we should love him MORE than we love our parents, and even our halal partners.

To love Prophet Muhammad s.a.w, we should learn about him. And to only love is not enough, we should also practice the guidance and examples he has shown us :) :)

Studying about him would increase our deen, inshaAllah. Let's all be righteous Muslims and follow his guidance, and we will meet this great man in Paradise :) ♥ ♥ ♥

 

 

RAMADHAN DAY 20!

There are 10 Ramadhan days left! If you haven't ditched that game you've been wasting on for the past 20 days; time for you to let it go and focus on the last 10 days! Woot!

So it's the last 10 days, what should we Muslim

s do?

Pray HARDER!
Make LONGER dua's!
Recite the Quran MORE and MORE!
Donate to the EXTREME!
Go to the mosque MORE!
Socialize LESS!

And most importantly;
Get your SINS completely WIPED OUT! Hi-yah!

In the last 10 days of Ramadhan, Muslims should seek the "Night of Power", or also known as "Lailatur Qadar" (we will go more in-depth about this later insyallah)

So stop wasting your precious, precious time and grab the opportunity! Wake your family members and friends, and invite them to increase their deen ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥