Bismillah
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Allah
Hi
Bismillah hirahman niraheem
Ok, I was actually typing in Wix.com but there is this stupid AI thing at the left margin that is annoying and there is no way to remove it cos it's like part of the site just like how AI is part of the whole world right now. Well, qiyamah
Anyway, I just want to start by reminding myself that I should feel free to type whatever I want because this is good for my mental wellbeing. Yes, because I dont mingle nor socialize so I have too many thoughts and feelings that I keep bottling up with no one to tell or talk to or bounce off my ideas with, and this will make me stressed and groggy
My insomnia is getting very bad and I have eyebags huge ones so I need to learn to relax and usually dhikr and prayer and reading the Quran will make me feel at peace but also I need to be practical and know that actually I do need to let off some steam and talk about my feelings, not pent them up because that just causes more stress
So, what am i thinking about that makes me stressed? 1 is the terrible management in my current workplace which is 7oaks preschool sister company of PPIS. Well, when I was applying for relief teaching jobs, I saw one called Brainy Bunch montessori which has the same vibe as the other malay muslim childcares like Zulfa, Iman, etc. which is that people are either like yes men who avoid conflict but end up gossiping about each other instead (which is not only haraam but also counter productive, which I absolutely hate) when things are counter productive and not forward progressing. come on, people need to learn to work together without all this nonsense. but of course working with people is the most difficult task, I would say in any industry. that's why we gotta have proper guidelines and rules to make things clearcut but of course in 7oaks that is not the case. they let people who are not effective in their jobs take control and then it will lead to the whole thing becoming so ineffective. like, they are such babies when it comes to running a company. they probably know it (half maybe) business side wise but in terms of everything else like people and behaviour management, theyre not at that level yet that i feel like i dont respect them.
at all
and this principal that i have, yes she has a lot of good points whereby she is chill but i also feel like she can be quite unprofessional. working with a whole group of emotionally-driven women is not a good idea, i would say. I mean, i wanted to work with women because i dont like my flirty side that comes out when i start mingling with men, because i tend to try to get their love, attention and affection cos i didnt get enough of that growing up but obviously that is not good for both my spiritual and professional front.
anyway, another thing that is bothering me is Ibraheem who did not contact me for the past 2 days. I feel like I have been neglected, abandoned and deserted. all of them, not just one. and that makes me feel unloved. I know that I only should rely on Allah to feel at peace and loved because everything that I have is from Allah and I am nothing without His help and mercy. but I do feel very sad when someone I thought or hoped would invest in me is not. what was I thinking talking to a guy living halfway across the globe who is 10 years younger than me. it's as if I didnt learn my lesson from the Saif saga.
It's crazy how much I exaggerate but at the same time my emotions tend to be very strong and flailing like a plastic bag in the whirlwind.
anyway, i feel very sad because I'm single and all the guys that I talk to online are not here in Singapore with me, those who are here are just looking for sex or are not commitable people or are not interesting to me. they can be pretty boring yeah. anyway, what else is on my mind.
for work, there is another thing which i find is so ridiculous. so the contract states that we have to work 42 hours in a week. and some weeks, especially when we do closing which is usually once a week, we are rostered to work an extra half an hour. so that half an hour can be used as Time Off (TO). so there is this TO sheet that we have to fill in to record all the times we worked over time (OT) and the times we claim that TO. there is a remarks column for the times we claim TO but i feel that i dont need to fill that in because it is MY RIGHT to claim that TO! I dont understand why I have to give a reason why I am claiming my right?! that's so ridiculous like why. come on. it's crazy. ms sharina told me i have to put something like "not feeling well" or "family emergency" which is gonna be a lie because the only reason I claim it is because that time is rightfully mine not to work
Some people may say that I'm being calculative but I feel like i'm here to work and I dont owe my workplace any explanation for taking what has been rightfully given to me at the time of the contract.
Maybe I'm more suited to work for a chinese company that is more fair and also ' calculative' in this sense. It's crazy how malays are so unprofessional!
I really want to try to find a job in another country just to feel what it's like to work in other cultures. two things could arise from that, either I feel like the other culture's way of working is much better and relaxed and fair, so i wanna stay there or in comparison, singapore is still better and I come back. the issue is that I am a single mother. would i leave my child in singapore whilst I work in another country? or do bring her and separate here from her family here and struggle to care for here and work at the same time in a foreign land? what if I fall sick or she falls sick? would i have enough funds to get a nanny or the safety of sending here to a good day care?
so many factors to think about
I feel like my life has been this mentality of me just wanting to escape when I feel stressed about a situation or sad about it. like I wanted to leave my family house to get away from the toxicity but i end up creating and being a part of another toxic environment in my matrimonial house. then now i am divorced but still staying in this darn house, i want to escape and go to another country altogether. it's really tough.
sometimes i feel like I'm overy closed and negative minded, but also i feel like i just need to stop self isolating and learn to be less offended and sensitive when interacting with others. it could just be that i'm a spoilt brat, or it could be that i have been hurt so many times that i dont even want to try anymore for fear of feeling the same way again from when i was a child as an adult now.
but i really need to get over this inner child syndrome that i have and just grow up and move on with my life. sure, i'm not perfect and i have many issues that i need to constantly get over, be aware and deal with when it comes to my interaction with others (which i have currently labelled as social anxiety cos i dont know what else to call it).
it could be the fact that maybe i just dont like and love myself. which is sad but could be true. i do like some things about myself, but i know for sure that there are many things i dont really like to think about when it comes to my characteristics and behaviours. and how i handle conflicts or challenges in my life
I really feel so stuck and stunted and I am blocking my own sunshine with all these "I cant do it" ideas that fill my head. yes, I am somewhat being responsible by staying with my child in this house instead of just picking up all my stuff and running away with some man (or alone i guess) to another country. which I could totally do and do think about more often than I should. but khai is not exactly an examplary father which i would feel safe leaving hidayah with. really. i feel already anxious and worried when we do eventually sell the house and move out to our separate homes and when she goes to stay with him (since we have joint custody, he can take him for a week then me etc) because I then wont see what happens between them behind closed doors. he could get angry, annoyed, etc. and me being fierce and strict with ida at times, and of course cranky angry when i am sleepy, tired or hungry, she might not be willing to tell me things that they do in his house and also the whole story about why they fight and argue etc.
sigh, i really feel so worried about her when she is with him.
stressed.
Allah's plan is the best and He is the Best of Planners, His timing and Perfect and He is Most Loving, Most Merciful.
I do my best as a muslim and inshaAllah with His guidance, I will never stop repenting. And I pray that whatever comes my way are opportunities for me to better myself as a muslim, as a mother, as a daughter, as a sister, as a woman.
I'm so sad. I feel so alone. I feel like nobody actually likes me and if they like me, it's cos they want sex in return.
I just want to feel at peace and happy again.
I dont remember when I last felt happy
My mind is clouded with worry and anxiety and feelings of being depressed and loneliness.
I feel so overwhelmed about everything. and when people dont understand my plight, that's what makes it more lonely and i feel so far and estranged from everyone else.
a part of me thinks that I'm just trying to gain pity or get attention and affection and love from people by acting up and ' pretending ' to be unwell etc. but deep down I know I am actually just sad and depressed and negative thinking.
i feel like i've failed so many relationships that i dont even know what to do with myself anymore. do i try and be more confident with people only for them to gossip about me and not like what i say anyway? should i be so thick skinned about it? or should i just keep to myself pleasantly or keep to myself angstily?
am i a teenager still?
i dont know.
it sucks when i dont have friends to talk to about these things but it is my choice. because technically, i can put in the effort or invest in the friends that i have, but i always feel like i cant trust them
because i either dont like somethings about them or that i cant forgive them for some of the betrayal that they've done to me in the past
ain, if Allah the Al-Mighty can forgive us humans, who are we to not forgive each other?
who am I
a question that i've asked myself 15 years ago
and i still ask this now?
I am a mother
I am a divorcee
I am a preschool teacher (do I want to continue to be?)
I am a woman
I am single
I should be grateful and happy
I do feel better after typing this post and listening to myself read as I'm typing.
Thankyou blogger, for not having AI bothering me when I'm typing.
Bye
Love you, Ain
I am already doing my best.
Alhamdulillah
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
notes
1. Faith in the Messenger (saw)
2. Believe in Allah
3) Believe in Last Day + Akhirat
4) Act righteously (do good deeds)
- avoiding sin
- solat, zakat, fasting, sincerity
-dzikir, hajj, iman, akhlak (morals)
Prophet Daud - when he prayed, nature would pray with him
very powerful yet humble and wise
when prophet Daud was in his private quarters high in the tower
fasir =fear that removes your logic (react without thinking)
2 brothers dispute. one has 99 sheep, the other 1 sheep
99-sheep bro asks 1-sheep bro for his 1 sheep (applies to business owners/family members)
ppl are more likely to wrong those close to you
prophet daud just heard the 1-sheep bro and did not ask for the other side of the story from the richer bro before making judgement
even though in most cases, the rich is wrong, a fair judge should still hear both sides/stories
if you are asked to pass judgment and you are not in the right mind (logical/rational and calm), don't pass the judgement first. do it another time when you are more calm.
don't follow whim/impulsive desires
it will mislead you from Allah's path
everybody is asked to be a fair judge
we maintain the integrity of our ummah
sense of justice to those who are closest to us
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women/wives
if you don't take care of it, it will die. -marriage
your treatment of your husband is a direct reflection of your connection with Allah
NO corrupt attitude, NO spiteful demeanor
active effort to maintain her attitude
willing, obedient and subservient to Allah
constantly check yourself
guarding what can't be seen
-respect, dignity, trust of husband when he's not around
-caretaker
-trust your husband (he resists many temptations to be good to you)
-provide peace and tranquility to your husband
ADMIT YOUR FAULT
communication
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prayer to ask for:
1. the good of this world
2. the good of the hereafter
3. to be protected from the punishment of the hereafter
not asking for more but asking to be pleased with what you have
and that your deeds are accepted by Allah swt
what to doa for in hasanah dunya (goodness in this world)
1. beneficial knowledge
2. pure sustenance - halal earnings
3. Allah accepts your good deeds
what You've given me: material blessings, knowledge, Allah being pleased with me
Islam is a tool to enter jannah
Ihsan > Taqwa
Principles of Happiness:
something to do
something to love
something to look forward to
muslims have it all
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Make sure your investment in your light is not killed before the Last Day
Those who buried their light away
Blinded TYPE #1 - what you see isn't actually there
like in a desert, seeing a mirage
Runs towards water but there is nothing there except Allah
You are so thirsty
Allah will give you what you deserve (and He will be quick in His audit)
Just because of your external appearance (committed to faith on the outside)
aka Reputable people
but your inner diseases still occur
so you think that you will get your 'mirage'
sense of superiority
"I'm better than the other guy who doesn't even pray"
you're just in a desert
whether or not people praise/criticize means nothing (only what Allah thinks is important)
Blinded TYPE #2 -
layers of darkness out at sea
waves get worse and worse
a wave so huge, it overtakes him
you are now underwater
and more waves and storms still hit you while you're underwater and in darkness
cannot get up from rock bottom, cos waves keep crashing onto him again and again
Allah doesn't give light to those who choose not to
bad influence in environment
addiction of the elements (haram things/behaviour) of that entire scene
even in darkness (at rock bottom of the sea), you still have some light in your heart. you can almost see your hand = still have hope
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Quran is the protection of the heart
light (lamp) = guidance (in hearts) which can light up others
light gets appreciated when you're in the dark
all prophets were a minority
on the day of resurrection, the light in your heart is going to be seen
it will be total darkness, light only comes from people to guide them towards their destination (Heaven or hell)
light
- from our hearts (sincere to Allah and your faith)
- from our right hands (good deeds)
Light given by Allah in your heart
Never blows out completely
no matter how far gone you think you are
Allah is saying "You are the one who gives up on Me, not that I gave up on you."
but...there are situations where the light in your heart is completely gone
-when people knowingly suffocated it
heart turned to stone
you don't even feel guilty anymore
haram temptations are justified (coming from syaitan)
believe in Allah and His messenger and the light He sends down
keep coming back to Allah's Quran with sincerity
Al-Baqarah verse 30
Allah brought you to life from death, then death and life again
2 beginnings:
1. Adam's beginning
2. 1st guided nation
1. Adam was not sent to earth as a punishment
Allah swt had already planned for Adam to be earth's khalifa
we are born with innocence, unlike what christians believe
khalifa - someone who will proceed one after another (offsprings)
Allah created humans to be in harmony with the enivronment
in reality, many humans don't respect the honour and gifts given by Allah swt
believers are the ones to prove that there are exceptions to this statement
Al- Baqarah verses 31-35
Allah swt taught humans language and articulation
in many studies in this world, it boils down to terminologies
"he (adam/man) was taught the names of things"
'names of things' - knowledge of dunya came from what Allah taught us
man-made inventions -from the human mind, but the human mind was gifted from Allah swt
the honour is our admitting our weakness as slaves of Allah swt
your words are just a symptom of a pre-existing disease (eg. arrogance, greed of power)
iblis - rationalizes his disobedience to Allah
36-38
Iblis has animosity towards mankind
the animosity between women and men are also fueled by iblis
tools on this earth are to use, not to enjoy
in your hands, not your heart
Allah accepted the repentance of Adam
Allah gave Adam words to recite, Adam recited sincerely, his repentance was accepted

Surah Al-Bagarah 39-44
investigate that the guidance is from Allah swt
when non-believers challenge islam, we need to think about what they say in terms of verifying the 'doubt' and clarify the teachings
ensure there is evidence/proof of what teachings tell you (e.g. quoted from ARABIC Quran)
Fear is associated with the future (scared of what may happen)
sadness is associated with the past
muslims will not be worried like how others will be worried/fearful
having a fear vs having a fear on them (more dangerous)
on judgement day, even when you feel afraid, there will be no fear on you
believers are nothing else but brothers to one another
believers don't let one group make fun of another group of believers
if you try to fulfil happiness that is not from Allah's guidance, you will be filled with sadness.
fear - noun (permanent)
grief/sadness - verb (temporary)
in this dunya, there is no loss for the believer
when someone who is sick, it's a good thing. "It is a purifier from Allah's will"
the longer you are sick, the more purified of your sins
2 trials that test your faith:
1.extreme difficulty/calamities
2. extreme luxury (may stop being faithful)
"If you follow Allah's guidance, it will not be they who will be grieving."
if you are a believer, that means you follow guidance. if you don't follow guidance, don't claim that you are a believer
following guidance (it's an individual thing)
sometimes you are alone, swimming upstream
muslims being obsessed with hoarding too much wealth (saving money)
don't need!
bani Israel (jews)
remember the favours of Allah (gifts, to be followers of the last prophet)
fulfill Allah's promise, and Allah will fulfill His promise to you
"And be afraid only of Allah"
softening of heart first (being grateful)
then fear of Allah will come easily and naturally
"believe of what I have sent down that confirms what you already have."
Torah -> Quran *last messenger
1. First faith: faith in the messenger
2. believe in Allah
3. last day + Akhirat
4. good deeds
iman = believe 100% of Quran, cant take anything less than 100%
"Don't sell my ayat for a small price"
small price = dunya elements
Taqwa = fear/seeking protection
don't diguise truth with falsehood
Taqwa only of Allah, don't fear people/dunya
should not interpret Quran from grief or fear of dunya (personal agenda)
zakat = purification (increases your fear of Allah)
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Surah Al-Baqarah is the peak of Quran
understand that you cannot understand everything
only Allah knows all
you can only attempt to understand the Quran and insyaAllah, doors of knowledge will open to you
read the Quran with this humility
point to something far away, means you look up to it (it's above you)
those who ask for guidance, to protect yourself, to be cautious, you will feel something in your heart. it's called taqwa
if you believe in the unseen,
1. establishing solat is easy
only from We provided for you (it's not mine)
2. you spend for Allah
believe in what was sent to you and sent before you (Muhammad saw)
proof that there is no other Rasul after prophet Muhammad (saw)
'faizun' vs 'muflihun' (after a long time of labour/effort to be successful)
whether you warn them or not, they will not believe. door to dakwah is closed to them. Allah has placed a seal upon their hearts
not applying to all believers, only some
Types of people (in all of humanity)
1. people who have taqwa - iman, spending, fear of Allah = believers
2. people who are bent upon disbelief = kafir
3. people who say "we have come to believe in Allah" = munafik/hypocrites
seems as we are one with the believers. Allah says they have no iman at all, they try to deceive Allah but only to deceive themselves (attempting to be spies, and they don't even realise)
hypocrites:
1. Great punishment
non-muslim but pretending to be muslim
ulterior motives (eg. from churches trying to get proof that muslims are terrorists)
2. constantly painful punishment
they themselves don't even know that you are a hypocrite, you think you are muslim
look for symptoms of hypocrisy (2nd type)
disease of the heart
even if you see the slightest symptom, address it immediately
symptoms:
1. continuously lie (cause corruption). they called the sahabah 'fools' for sacrificing everything for Allah
Legacy of Ibrahim - making sacrifices
those who abandon sacrifice
2. paranoid that people can see them for who they really are
overcompensates for needing to announce their faith
3. wen argued/confronted, he will get angry
4. makes friends with both sides. muslims and enemies of muslims
'amiah' - blind of the eyes
'amihah' - blind of heart
5. did not make an effort to be guided
joined islam easily, during a time when islam was very easy to join
iman is inside your heart
islam is outside
Friday, December 21, 2018
Tafsir of Surah Al-Mulk (by Nouman Ali Khan)
You can only see it if you pay USD$11 per month.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) particularly mentions this surah more than most others.
A remarkable surah that argues on behalf of his companion, until it gets him into heaven.
Before even judgment day begins, when we are in our graves, we are already warded from the fire.
total 6 parts
2nd section is the longest (also unique in its signature)
-more talk of hellfire than talk of heaven
focused more on disbelievers
tension, warning and discourse on disbelievers are more intensified
When the Quran is getting less and less 'soft' in its rhetoric against disbelievers (not just disbelieving but also enemies of Islam)
(1) ١ تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things capable
[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is better in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Surah Al-Fatihah (Nouman Ali Khan, Bayyinah.TV)
ALHAMDULILLAH
You can praise something/someone but not thank them
and you can thank something/someone but not praise them
Mentally prepare yourself to praise Allah and then thank Him on top of that
Not, mention something bad that happened to you (i.e. say Alhamdulillah and then complain at the same time.)
Our religion begins with a positive attitude ('Alhamdulillah is the first ayah in Quran)
People who think negatively don't understand when they stand in front of Allah and say "Alhamdulillah"
'HAMD' also means - GENUINE praise and thanks
gratitude/thanks is a reaction
Somebody does you a favour, and after that then you say thanks
You have to acknowledge it
To acknowledge it, you have to know it
but HAMD is gratitude is not limited to a reaction,
cos sometimes you don't even know all the favours of Allah for you
nouns vs verbs
Difference #1
nouns don't have past, present or future - it is timeless
but verbs, are dependent on time
Difference #2
you need a subject associated with verb
eg. "She ate the apple."
but for Noun, don't need a 'do-er' (Allah doesn't need you, anyone or anything to praise Him)
Allah is praise in it by Himself
Praise and thanks - they are nouns
nouns - place, person, thing, idea
ALHAMDU - it is a noun, it is timeless, no need for a 'do-er'
Allah used a noun and not a verb
Means?
The praise of Allah is timeless.
We also praise and thank other than Allah too. E.g. Prophet Muhammad (saw)
The ultimate HAMD belongs to Allah, but some HAMD can go to others (but that is because you know that all is from Allah and that people/situations/things are gifts from Allah, so you are indirectly attributing HAMD for Allah anyway.)
if you start reading the Quran with the right lens (first impression - Surah Al-Fatihah), then everything following that will be understood properly insyaAllah
RABB
- first meaning: owner (MALIK)- 2: the one in control/in charge (SAYYID)
- 3: makes sure something grows and is taken care of (TARBIYYAH)
- 4: maintainer / makes sure something does not fall apart, makes sure it stays intact (AL-QAYYIM)
- 5: the Giver of gifts, which are not something we earned, have the right to, etc. You are not getting something you deserve, if you don't get it, you don't have any right to complain. Whatever you get or don't get in life, it's not because you earned it. Allah is an incredibly generous giver. and there is no way you can compensate for His gifts
you can own something and not take care of it
you can own something but not be completely in charge of it
Meaning?
We cannot do anything ourselves, without Allah
so the English translation of LORD, does not have the same connotations of the many meanings of RABB
therefore, Eng translation of MASTER is a better alternative
also denotes that we are SLAVES
but SLAVES also have a connotation that they are in a bad situation
why? because of their master, and the best thing for a slave is freedom from his master
so is it good for us to translate RABB = MASTER, means we are SLAVES being oppressed and abused?
humans have an innate desire to get away from authority
you hate when people tell you what to do
but it is a delusion that you want freedom
you are going to be enslaved by something or other (trends, culture, money, others' impression of you, societal demands, etc)
might as well be enslaved by Allah, the MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE
the only FREEDOM is being a slave of Allah
the only One you have to make 'happy' is Allah (the only One you really need to please)
everything else looks like freedom on the outside, but it is a hidden slavery
it is a tragedy that humans try to run away from the only One that will make them FREE
a Slave is a Slave, not dependent on time, place, event, situation, etc.
our relationship with Allah is not just through worship, but it is a constant state
worship is there to reinforce that you are a SLAVE, to remind you that you live your life to please Allah, for those moments of worship, you are in complete submission (your body, your tongue, your thoughts, etc) SubhanAllah
AL-ALAMEEN
commonly translated to 'OF THE WORLDS'
but the mountains, clouds, etc, dont need a warning, intellectual creations are the ones who needs the warnings.
but better to say: OF THE NATIONS (of people)
connotation: referring to people/jinn/angels - all creations with intellect
a different world - referring to a different culture, generation, society, people, mentality, etc.
Allah cares for ALL OF THE NATIONS
Allah wants Every Nation to develop and grow better - despite where they're from, which nation they live in, what culture they're in, etc.
Think about how Allah owns YOU
it is personalised to people, that's why Allah doesn't mention the earth, land, skies, universe, etc.
AR-RAHMAN AR-RAHEEM
We are not capable to understand/comprehend how Allah takes care of us
but there is a possibility that Allah's extreme and immediate mercy, love and care could be taken away
MALIKI YAWMIDDEEN
Praise and thanks belongs to Allah because...
(1) RABBIL A'LAMIN
(2) AR-RAHMAN, AR-RAHEEM
(3) MALIKI YAWM IDDEEN
If just have (2), then you will take advantage of Allah's kindness
(3) balances the equation
"Human Being, what turned you away from your Gracious Rabb?"
MAALIK/MALIK - Rahmah is removed from the equation a little bit
MAALIK = Owner (of things that are small) - Micro Manage
MALIK = King (of things that are huge, eg. country, nation, etc.) - Macro Manage
King only owns the big decisions, but not the small decisions (eg. what your citizens will eat for lunch)
Allah is both.
Day of Judgement
'day' is a unit of time
humans can own things but we don't own time
Allah takes ownership of something that only He can control
Allah owns time, He owns The Day, and everything inside that Day
DIN = Judgement
everything and everyone will be dealt with, and everything that is owed will be paid off
Justice does not exist in the perfect sense in this world
but nothing you did (good and bad) will go unaccounted for on The Day
AR-RAHMAN, AR-RAHEEM < Judgement > PUNISHMENT
instead of countering the Positive with the Negative, He counters it with the Neutral,
All Allah does is being fair
whoever gets questioned on Judgement Day, they are getting Allah's justice, that means you're doomed to Hell
First 3 ayah concisely describes Allah, He introduces Himself
Part 1 - Allah is talking
Part 2 - You are talking to Allah
Al-Fatihah confirms that you have your own conversation with Allah, you have to have your own relationship with Allah
Messengers came to connect people to Allah
Nothing can get in the way between you and Allah, there is no barrier
IYYAKA NA'BUDU
It is only to You that we willingly give ourselves in slavery and worship
not just 'worship', because that limits the relationship to just the duration of time you are in worship (Salah)
Allah created the human in two moulds - mind and heart
some decisions we make, because we thought through it properly (thinking)
some decisions we make because we just felt like it (feeling)
for this ayah, humans thought about it and gave it serious thought and consideration
at the same time, it is emotional too
i am heart and mind together coming to the conclusion that i will give myself to You in slavery and worship
Al-Fatihah is like a conversion each time, like you're restarting with Allah
revisiting why you are a slave of Allah and why you are worshiping and believe in Allah
slavery is all the time, not just during your Salah
I made my commitment to Allah to stay within the lines in between the Salah
Salah reminds you of that commitment and refreshes your commitment with Allah
being a slave to Allah is not easy, you can't do it on your own
therefore...
WA IYYAAKA NASTA'EEN
We seek Your help and only Your helpalso shows that you don't need anyone else's help, other than Allah's
You don't need any other help, support, friends or resources
Just recite Al-Fatihah, and mean what you recite
the fact that Allah is the only One worthy of slavery to, there is no other relationship more important
now that you have committed to being His slave, then you can ask for Help
Purpose: To be Allah's slave
Getting the help from Allah is a benefit, after you put in your effort
What you do for Allah comes first, then asking from Allah
Human Effort then Divine Help
ISTI-ANA is only one word of many words referring to HELP -
HELP that only comes when you have placed effort
One extreme: Allah does everything, and I can't do anything (blame everything on 'Allah's help didn'tcome yet)
Other extreme: I did everything, every result came cos of my own efforts
Effort & Results
Allah is asking you for your best effort
Results will always be in the Hand of Allah
because you made effort, the results comes from Allah
when you ask for help, you usually need to specify what kind of help you need
but in this ayah, the kind of help you need from Allah is not specified
Why? cos you need Allah's help for everything
imagine you are falling off of a cliff, hanging on by one hand
You just need to say 'HELP!!'
When you're desperate, you're short on words
this ayah shows the desperation of the human being asking Allah for help desperately
desperation is not in our words, desperation is an attitude
what is your attitude when you recite and ask for help?
Allah concerns Himself only for words that comes from the heart, doesn't matter how well you recited the ayah with the best tajweed, etc
you can recite something well but not ask for guidance
one who especially just came to Islam and just finally found Allah, but the one thing that is most important to them, that they don't want to ever ever lose, is the right course
It is GUIDANCE
the most desperate need you have is Guidance
Guidance is like Water
it's not like you need it once and you have it and not need it anymore
you always need it
again and again and again and again
everything else, Allah gives you without you asking - food, water, safety, comfort, luxuries of this world
but guidance is only given to those who ask
so for your sake, Allah asks you to come to Him every rakaat and ask Him for guidance, even Prophet Muhammad (saw) asks Allah for guidance
Guidance doesn't come from memorising the Quran, it doesn't come from knowledge
you may know more than others but still not be guided
You can also be a muslim but still not be guided
Guidance is not one act, it is in EVERY DECISION you make
Allah is the One who can and is willing to give you His Guidance for every decision you make
IHDINA SIRAT AL-MUSTAQEEM
Guide us to the Straight Path
A master-slave relationship is defined by the instructions from the master
The greatest gifts of all is guidance
so that we will not be lost ever again
the moment you are unappreciative about it, guidance can be taken away
how to gauge how much you appreciate Allah's guidance?
-How moved and emotionally attached you are in Salah
-The Quality of your conversations with Allah
there are many Arabic words for PATH
SIRAAT qualities:
- straight path (no confusion, you can see what's coming in front of you, it's not like it has hidden corners)
- wide road (many people are on it with you)
- long road
in this world, we usually ask for directions/guidance to a destination, not a path
why then we ask Allah to guide us to a path, not say 'Guide us to Jannah' ?
understand that in this life, your destination is the road itself
you just have to make progress
if you get to a destination, you can stop cos you've already reached there
but no
Islam is about continual progress
As long as you are on the path - doesn't matter slow, fast / far ahead, way behind - you're on the right track
it eliminates you comparing yourself with others
you just need to compare yourself with yourself from yesterday
Allah created everyone differently
Guidance is NOT = Knowledge
Ya Allah, I've learnt this. Through it, guide me.
MUSTAQEEM = Straight up (going vertically/upwards)
The Straight Path is literally Upwards
Going Up takes more effort
When you stop making effort, you start going down (getting lost in Dunya)
Dunya and its temptations will keep pulling you down - Gravity will always pull
it doesn't matter how long you've been on this road
the higher up you get, the more dangerous it is
if you fall from a greater height, you will crash (be in a worse state)
AN'AMTA = Whom you've made their journey easy and luxurious
'made'?
that's past tense
just like when you're in school, you take advise from your seniors (those who've already made the journey, not those who are still in journey)
that's why the Quran is full of examples of Good, Successful people
They are the ones who are your 'seniors' who have made it
GHAYR = Change / away from
AL-MARGHDUBI 'ALAYHIM WALA AD-DALLEEN
Not anything like of those who receive rage, Nor of those who are lost
receive (it is a noun, not verb) = timeless, you can find them in the past, present and future
(1A) when someone does something wrong, when knowing that it was wrong, then they deserve more anger
(2A) the one who does not know and did wrong, is also responsible for his doing
when Rasul (saw) said that these refer to Jews and Christians (as case studies)
but these terms are not interchangeable with AL-MARGHDUBI 'ALAYHIM WALA AD-DALLEEN
AL-FATIHAH is balanced (//) that is humanly impossible
doesn't matter where you're from or who you are, you are in one of these 3 categories
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Ramadan Transformation
I'm listening to this guy's podcast now from http://www.quranforbusypeople.com/18/
Mamoon Yusaf is an Arabic Teacher and Quran Coach, Founder of QuranForBusyPeople at www.quranforbusypeople.com. After working as Islamic Society President and Students’ Union Communications Officer of Manchester University in 2004/05, he took to a serious study of NLP Leadership & Coaching techniques. He holds a BA (Hons) in Arabic & Politics from SOAS, University of London. He currently resides in Barcelona, coaching people online to understand, contextualise and memorize the Holy Quran
(Source: http://productivemuslim.com/improve-quran-recitation/#ixzz53g870vE0)
To know more about him, you can check out his website http://mamoonyusaf.com/about/
DISCLAIMER: Please research about this dude on your own. It's very important to "background check" the speakers you listen to so that their teachings are validated, i.e. they have some forms of qualifications or credentials. And always, always refer to other sources of information (my rule is at least 3) to confirm that their teachings are valid and based on thorough and deep research about the topic (and not just them rambling what they think, without facts to back up what they say - even some qualified speakers may fall into that trap).
In this series, he focuses on transforming the self through psychological "inside-out paradigm shift". The following are my notes:
1. Thought and Feelings are best friends (inseparable)
They come together, and you can't have feelings without the power of thoughts. Therefore, when you say "You make me sad", it really is not true. The truth is "My thoughts make me sad."
2. Nafs and Ruh
Nafs is the lower level of self - what you want to fight [jihad]
Ruh is the higher level of self - what you want to achieve [level of the Prophets]
Criteria to know if you are acting from nafs:
When you use your imagination to create an illusion of separation between thought from feelings.
E.g. "This work is making me feel stressed."
That illusion (the space between the thoughts and the feelings) is nafs. When you remove that illusion, you will know that you're not acting on your nafs.
E.g. "My stressful thoughts is making me feel stressed."
3. Self correction
Automatically checking yourself - "Am I coming from ego (nafs)?"
Nafs Trap #1 - "Allah will only love me when I do..."
It is the illusion that Allah is not with you right now. You are already so deeply close and connected with Allah swt. All you need to do is stop pretending you're not. Allah is closer to you than your jugular vein.
It's an illusion that you're not already good enough. Allah is the One who gives you feelings from the power of thought. It is how you direct those feelings - towards your ego (external factors) or towards Allah?
Nafs Trap #2 - "I'll only be happy when..."
Achievement of this worldly things does not bring happiness. Happiness comes from thought.
"Allah is not with me right now, but when I do these things (memorize Al-Quran, learn Arabic language, be a good parent, etc.), then Allah will be with me and love me."
Happiness is only one thought away. Sadness is only one thought away. You have the ability to abuse your thoughts pretending that you need to achieve something to be happy (even if happiness to you means being closely connected with Allah).
What immensely rich people and absolutely poor people have in common is that both of them know that money does not bring you happiness.
Nafs Trap #3 - "My experiences are created by external factors."
Everything you're seeing is created by your power of thought. Your experience of the circumstances are being generated by your mind. 100% of what you're feeling and experiencing is from your thought.
Thought is a divine gift that Allah swt gave you to navigate yourself in this world.
The fact of thought itself is underestimated thing in the world. We think that other people or the circumstances around us create our experiences in life, but that's falsehood. The truth is that our thoughts create our experiences in life. The moment we underestimate the power of thought, we overestimate the power of external factors.Allah creates our whole experience of life for us through the power of thought.
4. Fearlessness
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Omar Suleiman - Faith Revival
http://productivemuslim.com/6-steps-to-get-closer-to-allah/
I've been listening to this site's audios - https://www.muslimcentral.com/playlists/