Sunday, March 29, 2009

MSA WEST Conference @ UCR!


The 11th Annual MSA West Conference, "Change, that's Real!"

April 10-12th
UC Riverside
REGISTER NOW at msawest.net!

Confirmed Speakers:
*Amir Abdel Malik Ali*
Masjid Al-Islam, Oakland
*Shaykh Muhammad ibn al-Faqih*
Islamic Institute of Orange County
*Br. Imad Albahri*
MAS San Diego Chapter Head
*Br. Ahmed Shama*
Co-Founder of MSA West
*Sr. Megan Wyatt*
DiscoverU Certified Life Coach
… more to come inshallah!

Early registration deadline: April 1, 2009
Early registration fee: $20
Registration deadline: April 9, 2009
Registration fee: $25

TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!
JazakamAllahu Khairan!

[check out the facebook invite: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=51575101727&ref=ts
*Please note: Confirming your attendance on the Facebook event page does not confirm your attendance for the conference, please go to msawest.net*]

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Dua'a (Invocations for Rain)


Allaahumma 'asqinaa ghaythan mugheethan maree'an maree'an, naafi'an ghayradhaarrin, 'aajilan ghayra 'aajilin.
O Allah, shower upon us abundant rain, beneficial not harmful, swiftly and not delayed.

Reference: Abu Dawud 1/303. See also Al-Albani SahihAbu Dawud 1/216

Allaahumma 'aghithnaa, Allaahumma 'aghithnaa, Allaahumma 'aghithnaa.
O Allah , send us rain . O Allah , send us rain . O Allah , send us rain.

Reference: Al-Bukhari 1/224, Muslim 2/613


Allaahum-masqi 'ibaadaka, wa bahaa'imaka, wanshur rahmataka, wa 'ahyi baladakal-mayyita.
O Allah , give water to Your slaves , and Your livestock , and spread Your mercy , and revive Your dead land.
Reference: Abu Dawud 1/305. Al-Albani graded it good in Sahih Abu Dawud 1/218.
[Fortress of the Muslim]

Dua'a (Invocation) upon hearing a 'dog barking/donkey braying' in the night


When you hear a dog barking or a donkey braying in the night, then seek refuge in Allah from them, for surely they have seen what you see not.

Reference: Abu Dawud 4/327, Ahmad 3/306. Al-Albani graded it authentic in Sahih Abu Dawud 3/961. [Fortress of the Muslim]


Friday, March 20, 2009

World-Class Training and Practical Matching for Muslim Singles in the West - Practimate.com

http://practimate.com/blog
'As-salamu alaykum,

For the brothers and sisters who have been waiting to see what is the outcome of this blog and the marriage revolution…

For the singles who have been wondering, why they are still singles…

For all the unmarried who have been asking the question “how can I go about getting married?”…

For the young ones and their parents who have been struggling to understand one another over an issue so crucial to them all: “marriage”…

To all the Muslim singles in the West, practicing and hoping to become practicing through their marriage…

To you all, we are glad to announce the imminent launch of our “World-Class Training and Practical Matching for Practicing Muslim Singles in the West”…

We are proud to announce Practimate

Practimate your life, practimate your marriage and learn how to find and decide on Mr. and Ms. Right.

We will stay open for the first batch of pioneers for a limited time only.

We would like to hear from you. Share your thoughts and comments here

Yaser Birjas'

Monday, March 16, 2009

Learn to be Happy!


As we all pass through life looking at people and materialistic things around us, We often tend to look at people above us and desire to be like them. But Islam advises us to look at those below us and feel contempt at what Allah has provided us. Listed below would be some practical suggestions on achieving this contentment and repelling the greed of want of more.

It is said that a man complained about his old shoes until he saw a man who had no feet.

Greed for More: A Fact of Human Nature
Contentment is one of the most important prerequisites for happiness in life, and, unfortunately, many of us don't have it. We have a good car that meets our needs, but we always want a nicer, more expensive one---a Mercedes or a Jaguar perhaps. We have a nice house, but we always want a bigger, fancier, more expensive one. More jewelry, fancier clothes, a boat. The list goes on. We always think about more rather than saying, "Alhamdulillah," for what we already have.

Things that Lure us Out of Contentment
A good rule for developing contentment is to always look at the people who have less than us, not the ones who have more. In America, this is difficult because almost all advertising is geared toward showing us people who have more than us and enticing us to want it. They show us beautiful cars, beautiful houses, handsome men, and beautiful women. And we can get it all with a credit card. If our lives don't match the ad, we should make a change --- buy a new car, get a new wife or girlfriend, give her a bigger diamond!

Muslims Falling Prey to Materialism
Even Muslims have fallen into this trap. Many drive expensive cars far beyond their needs, not just for dependability, but for prestige or to make people say, "Wow!" These Muslims have been deceived, duped by the multi-billion dollar advertising industry --- the chief enemy of contentment, the chief advocate of a lifestyle of constant wanting.

Many children are the same. They have grown up surrounded by advertisements on TV, on the radio, and on billboards. They want everything they see, and they expect to get it---now! But how can we teach them to be content, if we are not content ourselves? Instead of wanting everything we see, we need to learn to resist. Instead of letting our children have everything they want, we need to teach them to be thankful for what they have.

Example of the Prophet Life
This is indeed following the example of the Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) and the early Muslims. The story is told of the time Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) saw his beloved daughter Fatima wearing a dress made of camel hair. Although tears welled in his eyes at the sight, he is reported to have told her, "Fatima, today endure the hardships and poverty with patience so that you may acquire the comfort of Paradise tomorrow on the Day of Judgment."
On another occasion, Umar saw the simple life of the Prophet (SAWS) and said: O Messenger of God! While kings sleep in soft, feather beds, you are lying on a rough mat. You are the Messenger of God and thereby deserve more than any other people to live an easy life. The Prophet (SAWS) was reported to have replied: Do you not agree that the luxuries of the world should be theirs but those of the Hereafter ours? (Bukhari, Tafsir, 287; Muslim, Talaq, 31) There can be no doubt that the Prophet himself (SAWS) and the early Caliphs --- some of the greatest heroes of Islam --- lived very simple lives with contentment.

Practical Suggestions in Developing Contentment
The following are some principles that, if remembered, will help us develop this type of contentment in our own lives.
¥ As previously mentioned, we should look at the people who have less than us, not those who have more.
¥ When purchasing something, we should consider what we need, not how glamorous or prestigious it is.
¥ We should feel empathy for the poor and know that they have rights on our excess money.
¥ We should look at what we already have and be thankful to Allah (SWT).

Many people possess the material goods of the world and are not happy. In fact, they are often the most miserable people. With everything they have, they still feel they want more. This unfilled desire, along with the constant nagging in their heart for more, makes them unhappy. Those who have little but feel no need for more do not experience this nagging in their heart. They can relax and find peace. Indeed, the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who is content with what he has.

[Contentment: The Secret to Happiness in Life. By Ibrahim Bowers.]

Friday, March 13, 2009

Allah(swt) is Al-Wudood (The Loving)

The One Who Loves His Prophet and Messengers and those who follow them and they in turn love Him - He is more beloved to them than anything else. Their hearts have been filled with love of Him, their tongues are constantly moist with praising Him and their hearts are always drawn to Him in love, sincerity and repentance.

"And ask forgiveness from your Lord and turn to Him in repentance. Verily my Lord is the Most Merciful, the Loving." (11:90)

"And He is Oft-Forgiving, the Loving." (85:14)

[The Explanation of the Beautiful and Perfect Names of Allaah by Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmân ibn Nâsir as-Sa'dî, Translated by Abu Rumaysah.]

Monday, March 9, 2009

Don't Smoke, Please


A general rule of the Islamic Shari'ah is that it is haram for the Muslim to eat or drink anything which may cause his death, either quickly or gradually, such as poisons, or substances which are injurious to health or harmful to his body. It is also haram to eat or drink large quantities of a substance if large quantities of it cause illness. For the Muslim is not entirely his own master; he is also an asset to his religion and his ummah (the Muslim nation), and his life, health, wealth, and all that Allah has bestowed upon him are a trust with him which he is not permitted to diminish. Says Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala: And do not kill yourselves; indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you.(4:29)

He also says: And do not be cast into ruin by your own hands.... (2:195)

And His Messenger (peace be on him) said: "Do not harm yourself or others.'' (Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Majah.)

As an application of this principle, we may say that if it is proved that the use of tobacco is injurious to health, it is haram, especially for a person whose physician has advised him to stop smoking. Even if it is not injurious to health, it is still a waste of money, spent neither for religious nor for secular benefit, and the Prophet (peace be on him) forbade wasting of property. (Reported by al-Bukhari.) This becomes the more serious when the money is otherwise needed for the sustenance of oneself or one's family.

[The Consumption of Harmful Things is Haram in The Lawful and Prohibited in Islam, by Yusuf al-Qaradawi]

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Enjoy your non-Zabiha food


Opinion of Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

“Since Allah did not prohibit it, the food of the Jews and the Christians is permitted to you on the basis of the original permissibility of things, and likewise you can share your food with them. Accordingly, you can eat the flesh of the animals they have slaughtered or hunted, and they can eat what you have slaughtered or hunted.”

“The application of the phrase, [part of the verse of the Quran, 5:5] ‘the food of those who were given the Scripture,' is general and includes their meats, produce, and other foods. All of these are halal for us excepting what is haram in itself, e.g., the flesh of a dead animal, pork, and flowing blood, as these are haram regardless of whether they are obtained from a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim. “

“If one does not hear from a Christian or a Jew that a name other than Allah's such as that of Jesus or a saint, was mentioned at the time of slaughter, the meat he offers is halal. If, however, he says that a name other than Allah's has been mentioned, it is haram, according to the opinion of some jurists who argue that it falls under the heading of what has been dedicated to other than Allah. Some others hold the opinion that the food of the People of the Book has been permitted to us by Allah, Who is aware of what they say when slaughtering an animal.”

“...we know that imported meats, such as chicken and canned beef, originating with the People of the Book are halal for us, even though the animal may have been killed by means of electric shock or the like. As long as they consider it lawful in their religion, it is halal for us. This is the application of the above verse from Surah al-Maidah.” (Sheikh Qaradawi is referring to Quran 5:5)

[
The Lawful and The Prohibited in Islam by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, Animals Slaughtered by the People of the Book]