I am the type of person who likes everyone. I genuinely like listening to other people, learning from them, helping them with whatever they need. It fascinates me to know what other people think, what their lives are like, what they go through. It makes me happy sit with them and make a little difference in their day. Its hard but its worth it. We look at a person's skin colour, dress, height, weight, number of freckles on their face and quickly sort them out to interesting or something else. The problem, of course, is that people are much more than just those numbers. Yes, my niqab defines me but it is more than a piece of cloth, its belief, a lifestyle and a destiny.
Aisha (r.a) narrated, "Men would pass by us when we accompanied the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) while we were in the state of ihram. When they came by us, every one of us would let down their Hijab over their face, and when they had passed on, we would uncover our face." In Islam, everything in a woman is considered an 'awrah that has to be concealed in the presence of men; nothing of a woman's body is permissible to be exposed in the presence of men. Shaykh Salih Fawzan is of the opinion that even during Salah and in Ihram if there are men around, a Muslim woman should cover her face. The Prophet (s.a.w) once told a companion (r.a) that "Allah is more entitled to be shown shyness and modesty than people" - Abu Dawood. So I wear the niqab, foremost, out of love for Allah because He wants me to cover and He loves decency, bashfulnes, humility and shyness in His servants. Secondly, I wear the niqab because the best women of Islam (the wives, daughters and female companions of the Prophet s.a.w) wore niqab. But a lot of people, and many times even Muslims, don't get that about me. I am more than a person with a cloth on her face just as everyone is more than the external clothing they wear everyday.
I guess Islam has returned to being something strange. I am not sad though. Allah is Rabb of mankind, Sovereign of mankind and Deity of mankind (Qur'an, 114:1-3) He creates, He feeds, He heals. I am His slave and He is my Master and God. I have no shame in saying that I love Him, trust Him and obey Him. To think or feel any differently is سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ foolish. Its absurd, insane..completely diabolical. It is the sunnah of our father, Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) to أَسْلَمْتُ submit to Allah wholeheartedly, with utmost conviction and contentment. When he was dying, he (a.s) said to his children, إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ "indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion so do not die except that you are Muslims." Thereafter, on his deathbed, Ishaq (a.s) made his children testify, نَعْبُدُ إِلَـٰهَكَ وَإِلَـٰهَ آبَائِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِلَـٰهًا وَاحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ "We will worship your Deity and the Deity of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims to Him" - Qur'an, 2:132-133. So I live for Allah. Even if my actions are deficient, in principle, my heart, limbs, prayers and prostrations sincerely belong to Him. This is why I wear the niqab and pray and eat halal food etc.
I don't know why some Muslims try to hide their Islam. They want to give up all physical and spiritual aspects of Islam to sort of look like everyone else. The fasting and football documentary just came out. I have to tell you, I love football like a fat kid loves cake. I take football with me everywhere, even Islamic conferences. If you see a football flying cross the hall in break time, its probably mine. So when I first saw the trailer to this movie I was thrilled but then I was confused. Were the Fordson players, Muslims? They surely didn't look or act like Muslims. Then the movie director on CNN was like he wanted to show that Muslims are just like anybody else. Then one of the players on the team is shown during the interview saying, "When its time for football, it don't matter what religion you are." Again, I love football, I was in my school football team for crying out loud but I strongly disagree with this documentary - I am NOT like everyone else. I am different, I am Muslim! My religion DOES matter to me - on and off the field.
There is a hadith in Ahmed, the Prophet (s.a.w) said, "Verily Allah looked at the earth with disdain, the arabs and non arabs except for some of the remnants of the People of the Book". You see, Allah does not like looking at anyone on earth except the People of the Book. The remnants of Book are the individuals lives are made up of the teachings of the Qur'an. A little bit of the Qur'an reflects in everything that they do and who they are. They are reminder of the Qur'an to the people around them. Alas, they are strangers in this world but Allah loves looking at them. You know what else Allah loves? The recitation of the Qur'an. Abu Hurairah (r.a) narrated, the Prophet (s.a.w) said, "Allah does not listen so attentively to anything as He listens to the recitation of the Qur'an by a Prophet who recites well with a melodious and audible voice" - Bukhair and Muslim. Allah listens with acceptance and approval when we recite the Qur'an with tajweed. Who amongst us would want to deliberately miss the chance of getting Allah's attention and approval? You know I wonder, on the Day of Judgment, will Allah only see and speak to the people who He looked at and heard in the world by the virtue of their attachment to the Qur'an? Just a thought - we will reap on the Day of Judgment, the rewards of the actions we perform now. So inshaAllah the people of Qur'an can anticipate the best rewards from Allah. لَّهُمَّ اجْعَلُ حُبَّكَ اَحَبُّ اِلَيَّ مَنْ نَفْسِيْ وَمَالِيْ وَاهْلِيْ وَ مَنْ الَماءِ البَارِدِ - O Allah make me love You more than I love myself, my wealth/possessions, my family and cold water (Tirmidhi) اَلَّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْءَلكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظْرِ اِلَي وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ اِلَي لِقَاءِكَ فِيْ غِيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ - O Allah I ask you for the pleasure/delight of seeing Your Face and the yearning to meet You without any difficulty that will cause loss/harm or any fitnah that leads astray (Tirmidhi) - aameen.
Whats my point in writing all of this? Yes, I am selfish, this article is for me, not you =( I am missing a really good friend so I need to vent out somewhere. Who is a friend? Or what makes a person a really good friend? If you ask me, I would say someone who appreciates my religion and cares to follow every aspect of it in private and public. Someone who is a reminisce of the Qur'an; someone who reminds me of Allah. Someone whose genius mind and kind heart attached to Allah. An embodiment of Tawheed and Taqwa; eloquence, grace and generosity. Someone who raises my fascination, faith and fervour in Allah. Someone who brings out the best qualities in me and wants me to seek the best path in life. Yes =) I am missing a really good friend who is mashaAllah tabarakAllah all this and much more.
We are our company. If we hang with Muslims who remember Allah then inshaAllah their company will uplift our imaan. But if our crew is made up of disbelievers and hypocrites then the smut of their sins will stink up our Deen. Allah advised the Prophet (s.a.w), "O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. And rely upon Allah; and be sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs" - Qur'an, 33:1-3 So Allah comes before everyone else. Anyone who weakens our commitments with Allah is a big no no. Its better to be friends with the Qur'an and spend time with Allah through it, than chill with disbelievers and hypocrites and obey their lusts. Put your full trust and faith in Allah and rest assured He will take care of you now and the Hereafter. Just read Surah Mutaffifeen. Allah promises, "Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure. On adorned couches, observing. You will recognize in their faces the radiance of pleasure. They will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed. The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete. And its mixture is of Tasneem, A spring from which those near [to Allāh] drink." - Qur'an, 83:22-36.
May Allah make my friend righteous and from the happiest people in Paradise aameen. JazakAllahu khairan for everything =)
Aisha (r.a) narrated, "Men would pass by us when we accompanied the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) while we were in the state of ihram. When they came by us, every one of us would let down their Hijab over their face, and when they had passed on, we would uncover our face." In Islam, everything in a woman is considered an 'awrah that has to be concealed in the presence of men; nothing of a woman's body is permissible to be exposed in the presence of men. Shaykh Salih Fawzan is of the opinion that even during Salah and in Ihram if there are men around, a Muslim woman should cover her face. The Prophet (s.a.w) once told a companion (r.a) that "Allah is more entitled to be shown shyness and modesty than people" - Abu Dawood. So I wear the niqab, foremost, out of love for Allah because He wants me to cover and He loves decency, bashfulnes, humility and shyness in His servants. Secondly, I wear the niqab because the best women of Islam (the wives, daughters and female companions of the Prophet s.a.w) wore niqab. But a lot of people, and many times even Muslims, don't get that about me. I am more than a person with a cloth on her face just as everyone is more than the external clothing they wear everyday.
I guess Islam has returned to being something strange. I am not sad though. Allah is Rabb of mankind, Sovereign of mankind and Deity of mankind (Qur'an, 114:1-3) He creates, He feeds, He heals. I am His slave and He is my Master and God. I have no shame in saying that I love Him, trust Him and obey Him. To think or feel any differently is سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ foolish. Its absurd, insane..completely diabolical. It is the sunnah of our father, Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) to أَسْلَمْتُ submit to Allah wholeheartedly, with utmost conviction and contentment. When he was dying, he (a.s) said to his children, إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ "indeed Allah has chosen for you this religion so do not die except that you are Muslims." Thereafter, on his deathbed, Ishaq (a.s) made his children testify, نَعْبُدُ إِلَـٰهَكَ وَإِلَـٰهَ آبَائِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِلَـٰهًا وَاحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ "We will worship your Deity and the Deity of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - one God. And we are Muslims to Him" - Qur'an, 2:132-133. So I live for Allah. Even if my actions are deficient, in principle, my heart, limbs, prayers and prostrations sincerely belong to Him. This is why I wear the niqab and pray and eat halal food etc.
I don't know why some Muslims try to hide their Islam. They want to give up all physical and spiritual aspects of Islam to sort of look like everyone else. The fasting and football documentary just came out. I have to tell you, I love football like a fat kid loves cake. I take football with me everywhere, even Islamic conferences. If you see a football flying cross the hall in break time, its probably mine. So when I first saw the trailer to this movie I was thrilled but then I was confused. Were the Fordson players, Muslims? They surely didn't look or act like Muslims. Then the movie director on CNN was like he wanted to show that Muslims are just like anybody else. Then one of the players on the team is shown during the interview saying, "When its time for football, it don't matter what religion you are." Again, I love football, I was in my school football team for crying out loud but I strongly disagree with this documentary - I am NOT like everyone else. I am different, I am Muslim! My religion DOES matter to me - on and off the field.
There is a hadith in Ahmed, the Prophet (s.a.w) said, "Verily Allah looked at the earth with disdain, the arabs and non arabs except for some of the remnants of the People of the Book". You see, Allah does not like looking at anyone on earth except the People of the Book. The remnants of Book are the individuals lives are made up of the teachings of the Qur'an. A little bit of the Qur'an reflects in everything that they do and who they are. They are reminder of the Qur'an to the people around them. Alas, they are strangers in this world but Allah loves looking at them. You know what else Allah loves? The recitation of the Qur'an. Abu Hurairah (r.a) narrated, the Prophet (s.a.w) said, "Allah does not listen so attentively to anything as He listens to the recitation of the Qur'an by a Prophet who recites well with a melodious and audible voice" - Bukhair and Muslim. Allah listens with acceptance and approval when we recite the Qur'an with tajweed. Who amongst us would want to deliberately miss the chance of getting Allah's attention and approval? You know I wonder, on the Day of Judgment, will Allah only see and speak to the people who He looked at and heard in the world by the virtue of their attachment to the Qur'an? Just a thought - we will reap on the Day of Judgment, the rewards of the actions we perform now. So inshaAllah the people of Qur'an can anticipate the best rewards from Allah. لَّهُمَّ اجْعَلُ حُبَّكَ اَحَبُّ اِلَيَّ مَنْ نَفْسِيْ وَمَالِيْ وَاهْلِيْ وَ مَنْ الَماءِ البَارِدِ - O Allah make me love You more than I love myself, my wealth/possessions, my family and cold water (Tirmidhi) اَلَّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْءَلكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظْرِ اِلَي وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ اِلَي لِقَاءِكَ فِيْ غِيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ - O Allah I ask you for the pleasure/delight of seeing Your Face and the yearning to meet You without any difficulty that will cause loss/harm or any fitnah that leads astray (Tirmidhi) - aameen.
Whats my point in writing all of this? Yes, I am selfish, this article is for me, not you =( I am missing a really good friend so I need to vent out somewhere. Who is a friend? Or what makes a person a really good friend? If you ask me, I would say someone who appreciates my religion and cares to follow every aspect of it in private and public. Someone who is a reminisce of the Qur'an; someone who reminds me of Allah. Someone whose genius mind and kind heart attached to Allah. An embodiment of Tawheed and Taqwa; eloquence, grace and generosity. Someone who raises my fascination, faith and fervour in Allah. Someone who brings out the best qualities in me and wants me to seek the best path in life. Yes =) I am missing a really good friend who is mashaAllah tabarakAllah all this and much more.
We are our company. If we hang with Muslims who remember Allah then inshaAllah their company will uplift our imaan. But if our crew is made up of disbelievers and hypocrites then the smut of their sins will stink up our Deen. Allah advised the Prophet (s.a.w), "O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and hypocrites. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted. And rely upon Allah; and be sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs" - Qur'an, 33:1-3 So Allah comes before everyone else. Anyone who weakens our commitments with Allah is a big no no. Its better to be friends with the Qur'an and spend time with Allah through it, than chill with disbelievers and hypocrites and obey their lusts. Put your full trust and faith in Allah and rest assured He will take care of you now and the Hereafter. Just read Surah Mutaffifeen. Allah promises, "Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure. On adorned couches, observing. You will recognize in their faces the radiance of pleasure. They will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed. The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete. And its mixture is of Tasneem, A spring from which those near [to Allāh] drink." - Qur'an, 83:22-36.
May Allah make my friend righteous and from the happiest people in Paradise aameen. JazakAllahu khairan for everything =)
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