First Day back to School

Who is God?A poor woman’s riches A hungry woman’s bread A sad woman’s joyA sick woman’s healthWho is God?A crippled woman’s legs A deaf woman’s ears A blind woman’s eyes An tired woman's restWho is God?A troubled woman’s peace A foolish woman’s wisdom A defeated woman’s victoryWho is God?An insane woman’s sanity A dead woman’s life A lost woman’s salvation

I want to take a moment to extend a very warm welcome to everyone this morning. Whether you're are a returning student or staff or coming to Madinatul Uloom for the first time, I am delighted that you are here with us today.

Just looking at you guys fills me with  so much excitement because you are the people whom Allah has chosen ... Allah has handpicked you from the hundreds of thousands of girls ... The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, when Allah wishes well for a person, Allah grants her the understanding of the religion.

You are not here for any other reason, except for the reason that Allah loves you and Allah wants you to be here.

Allah wants to be your riches, your joy, your rest.

Allah wants to be your legs, ears, and eyes.

Allah wants to be your peace, your wisdom, your salvation

Allah wants to be your sanity, your life.

When Abdullah ibn Masood came to learn Islam from the Prophet (s.a.w), the Prophet (s.a.w) took his hands in his own two hands and taught him. The Prophet (s.a.w) gave so much love and attention to each and everyone of his students. And today, I extend the same feelings toward you.  

Among us, are some of the best staff members and students in the country, the best friends and sisters anyone can wish for.

Alhamdulillah we are so lucky to be brought together, by Allah, under this building, where the framework and philosophy of our academic learning is grounded in Quran and hadith.

I'll quickly sketch some of our goals for this year:

First, our vision for the morning assembly, is to grow our staff and students in relationship with Allah. I have many stories and activities and prizes lined up – trust me, you do not want to miss them. Come here on time, get front row seats and I will show you a good time inshaAllah.

Secondly, we are all about students. Every student who walks through these doors is important to us, so if you ever feel like just another number, we are doing something wrong and I give you permission to tell me about it.

At Madinatul Uloom, we care about you and your family and we here not only to feed you intellectually, emotionally and spiritually, but to help in any way we can. We love doing it and it's why we exist! InshaAllah, I will introduce our guidance counselling and tarbiyah system to you shortly.

I pray that all your righteous dreams come true. I pray that you have a gratifying year. I ask Allah to make our education and our friendships meaningful and a means of nearness to Him amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day, and may Allah bless your studies and your personal endeavours amen.

Alhuda Reunion

Today I gave a warm welcome to some of my classmates from Alhuda, Taleem al Qur'an 2007. Just looking at them filled me with with so much excitement and camaraderie. It was very special and very meaningful day for all of us. Today we celebrated our friendships that began 8 years ago. I wanted to rekindle those friendships and appreciate how we have impacted each others’ lives and how we will always cherish each other.

For all of us, Alhuda held an ocean of memories. It was our imprint and paradigm because it helped us shape our models, our frameworks and our philosophies in life. That’s where we formed most of our religious roots; and, for the most part, that's when we had, for the first time ever, a very real connection with Allah. For many of us, Alhuda is just a building now but when we were doing the Taleem al Quran course together, or the Alhuda weekend course, it was our spiritual home, a site of our coming of age and where adult life started.

Alhamdulillah, I am grateful for everyone who arranged their schedules to be here. Their presence enriched the entire experience for everyone.  I know that there were some who were hindered by time and distance from attending, we missed them and remembered them in our duaas.  We remembered each and every one of our teachers and our group incharges, to whom we are forever indebted. There are not enough words in the world to complement them and thank them for their hard work.

Alhuda was the hub of our knowledge, our inspiration and friendships.  Like branches of a tree, our lives may grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.

It was definitely a nostalgic day, back to the good old days . Along with enjoying a pot-luck brunch we challenged each other to a hifdh challenge, MashaAllah Aaminah Khan was quick to complete an array of randomly selected verses from Juzz 30th. MashAllah Huma and Humeira performed and narrated ahadith on various good character traits in a charades game based on Husne Akhalq book. Azka Mariam caught all the clues  I threw her way and guessed the names of the Sahaba (ra) correctly. In the end, the kids whacked the living daylights out of the pinyata. 

After graduation we all went on to pursue our lifelong dreams. Alhamdulillah we all went on to living very gratifying lives  and had many meaningful journeys . We shared our family and professional achievements, any personal endeavours. All in all, it was great to meet some of my classmates. 

The Second Love of my life

“I began to look at him and at the moon, he was wearing a red mantle, and he appeared to be more beautiful than the moon to me.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

This is how Jabir ibn Samura described the Last of the Prophets, the Leader of the Righteous, the Mercy to the Worlds – Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. I have finally made it to his Masjid. I can't describe how I feel.

Hasan bin Thabit (ra) said,
When I saw his (saws) light shining forth, In fear I covered my eyes with my palms, Afraid for my sight because of the beauty of his form.
So I was scarcely able to look at him at all.
The lights from his light are drowned in his light and his faces shines out like the sun and moon in one.
A spirit of light lodged in a body like the moon, a mantle made up of brilliant shining stars. I bore it until I could bear it no longer.
I found the taste of patience to be like bitter aloes. I could find no remedy to bring me relief other than delighting in the sight of the one I love.
Even if he had not brought any clear signs with him, the sight of him would dispense with the need for them.
Muhammad is a human being but not like other human beings. Rather he is a flawless diamond and the rest of mankind is just stones.
Blessings be on him so that perhaps Allah may have mercy on us on that burning Day when the Fire is roaring forth its sparks.

اَللّٰھُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
O Allah! bestow mercy upon Muhammadۖand the descendants of Muhammadۖ.

Sitting at the Place of Death

This is where my husband and I normally used to drink zamzam and snack after performing Tawaf. This was our chill-spot at Masjid al Haram. We would relax and take a break here before going for Sa'i. Little did we know that this was actually the area where the deceased are brought for Salah al Janaza (funeral prayers). So as I was enjoying the crisp cold taste of zamzam with my cheese croissant, the funeral procession coming towards me gave me a sudden jolt. I not only lost my appetite but jumped to me feet, mortified. Let's face it, we live in a death-denying culture. When we are having fun we forget that death even exists. How many young people have died whilst chilling or doing their favourite things!
Generally we think death is something that should not happen or that it only happens to those who don't take care of their health or foolishly put themselves in harm's way. So when we suddenly see death, we are are taken by shock and surprise.

When I saw the funeral, the first thing I said to myself was, "this is going to happen to me!" I am going to wear a shroud, not a dress; I will return to dust, not a party. I could have been the one who is being prayed over but Allah is giving me the opportunity to stand and pray for the dead. I need to value the time I have left; try to take an inventory of how I lived my life and how I want to be remembered. Try to make amends for anything I regret and to make towbah/istighfaar to Allah and apologies to anyone whom I have hurt.

Three is a Crowd

This is a picture of me touching the Ka'bah Alhamdulillah 

The other day when I was offering nafil Salah in Masjid al Haram, people - adults, children and yes even a cat went in front of me. I ignored the first few people who jumped over my sutrah but by the time I was in my second rakah, I started blocking people with my hand. I was frustrated: can't they find any other place to walkthrough, I am praying here? This is my alone time with Allah, must they come in between? This is when I realized three is a crowd.

a) First, I am asked to spend time alone with Allah and in corporate extra voluntary worship (nafil, tahajjud etc) for the best nourishment of my emaan.
Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi, "My servant keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary deeds) until I love her, so I become her sense of hearing with which she hears, and her sense of sight with which she sees, and her hand with which she grips, and her leg with which shebwalks; and if she asks Me, I will give her, and if she asks My Protection, I will protect her..." [Bukhari]

Spending time alone with Allah rids my of distraction, worries, stress, sadness and emptiness so that I can focus on Him and hear His Words (Quran). Abiding in Him, I can enjoy the intimacy to which He calls me and come to truly know Him.

b) Second, I need to protect my relationship with Allah by not allowing anyone to come between me and Allah. Sometimes I let my spouse, my relatives, my job, my hobbies and emotions become more important or more of a priority than my relationship with Allah. When I follow the decisions, wisdom and approval of others over what Allah commands me or when I allow my feelings to control my behaviour rather than seeking what Allah desires, I am compromising my relationship with Allah.

How do I put Allah first?
By intentionally pursuing Him first my daily actions—from the moment my alarm goes off until I fall asleep again. By praying and asking for His guidance not only when things go wrong, but on every occasion. By encountering Him through His Words (Quran) and listening to how He wants me to live it every day.
Allah is not a back-up plan but the Planner of life itself. And the sooner I recognize this, the sooner I reshape my priorities and recharge my faith.

What I learned from Hajar

This is a picture of mount Safa , behind a glass enclosure. This is symbolic of Hajar (as) - it marks her trust in Allah as she ran in search for water. 

For a long time, women have lived in so much turmoil. It really saddens me to think about all the years women have wasted waiting to get married and later waiting for their husband's approval to start living and achieving great things in life. The reason why I believe Hajar is a great hero for our time is because she shows that a woman does not need a man to be happy or productive, she needs Allah.

Women who are unable to get married, or are going through problems in their marriage or have had a bad breakup, experience feelings of guilt and condemnation most of the time, they have no peace and they don't want to do much with their life. Hajar's life offers women a radical transformation: develop the habit of trusting Allah to make life really worth living.

Trusting Allah is simply believing that He loves me, He’s good, He has the power to help me, He wants to help me, and He will help me. I need to ask Him with all my heart, all my soul and all my might.

اِنَّمَآ اَشْکُوْا بَثِّیْ وَ حُزْنِیْ اِلَی اللهِ o
As Yaqub (as) said, "I Complain, beg, whine, beseech, nag, insist, persist, pray to Allah and only Allah for all my needs and sorrows."

Muslims are called believers, but many times, we are more like unbelieving believers. We trust our friends, our doctor, the bank, the news, the stock market or the government more than we trust Allah and the Quran. Allah wants us to put Him first in our lives. He wants us to put our confidence and trust in Him, and ask Him to help us all the time, in everything.

We can only trust Allah to the degree that we choose to think positive thoughts. It is impossible to have faith in Allah without thinking good of Him. Faith is built on trust and not on spiritual lies. Hajar (as) took her every thought and made it surrder to the Glory of Allah. This is why when Ibrahim (as) didn't exactly promise her a condo at lakeshore or thousands of dollars in mahr - she was not mortified. And when Ibrahim (as) left her in the desert with their newborn baby all alone, with no Loblaws or Starbucks at walking distance, she was peaceful and content because she was consumed with faith, confidence trust in Allah.
When we base our faith on ourselves, our skills and circumstances, we tend to only trust Allah as far as "the good times". In the difficult times we feel hopeless. Trusting Allah involves hope in a future blessing. The joy of trusting Allah, praying to Him and seeking Him is securing a better immediate future for ourselves and even better treasures in Heaven.

So when I walked between the mountains of Safa and Marwah during Sa'i, as Hajar (as) once did, I tried to imagine what must be going through her mind? What she must be thinking? That Allah is The All Beneficent, The Most Merciful in Essence, The Compassionate, The Most Gracious, The King, my King, my Boss, The Sovereign and Owner of everything and everyone that exists, The Ultimate Reality, all realities are contingent in Him, The Most Holy, The Most Pure, The Most Perfect, the Most Beautiful, The Only True Source of Lasting Peace and Blessing, Safety, The Granter of Security, The One Who Sustains me in every way, The Guardian, The Preserver, The Overseeing Protector, The Almighty, The Most Powerful, The Irresistible, The Compeller, The Most Lofty, Exalted, Praiseworthy and Justly Proud.

The more of these Divine Names and Attributes, us Muslim women sincerely embrace as we think of Allah, the more we will find ourselves trusting, loving, and respecting Allah. Life is happier and more productive when we come to Allah like Hajar (as) did. Say: “Ya Rabbi, I don’t want to live on my own. I want to trust You. When I want to give up on my life or when I don’t know what to do with life, I’ll trust You. When I don’t understand why, I’ll trust You. I’ll do my part with Your help, and when I’m done, I’ll trust You to do the rest.”

Why should we obey Allah? A personal hygiene story...

Many of us when we look in the mirror, we try to tell ourselves that our physical appearance and clothes do not define us. Alhamdulillah us hijab and abaya wearing sisters do not dupe, trap and degrade ourselves with half nude/all curves-hanging-out fashion or starve ourselves anorexic. By covering ourselves the way Allah has commanded us, we protect our bodies and thereby our self-image and self-respect from being consumed and exploited by the public for their sensual pleasures.
Our physical bodies are a gift from Allah so props to all the sisters who cover their bodies and keep themselves pure (modest and chaste) out of love, respect and obedience to Allah.

“Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves.” (Quran 2:222)

Purity is modesty in clothes and physical chastity. Purity is also bodily cleanliness such as istanja (washing oneself after using the toilet), wudu (ablution) and ghusul (showering).

At Masjid al Haram, I learned that when our physical appearance and clothes do not matter; we are all children of the same father, Prophet Adam (as) - worshipping the One True God, Allah. Personal hygiene, here matters a lot.
All the lovely awesome places like the Black Stone (Hajar al Aswad), the Door of the Ka'bah (multazim), and the Hateem (the semi-circle which marks the original size of the Kabah) begin to stink up when hundreds and thousands of people with poor hygiene pray together.

Bodily and physical cleanliness is half of faith. No act of worship is accepted by Allah without extensive physical cleanliness. Practicing good body hygiene helps one feel fresh, energized and confident. A clean body leads to a clean mind: it helps achieve a higher level of focus and comfort during Ibaadah.

Cleanliness means trimming nails, removing unwanted hair and embracing soap, shampoo, listerine, body spray, moisturizers, face cream and frequent trips to the laundry. Alhamdulillah, we are so lucky to be Muslims because we are meant to enjoy the best personal hygiene - our religion, Islam gives us reason to groom, pamper and maintain ourself at least 5 times daily.

Overall, Allah wants us to enjoy and be the best at everything in life - Allah says, "We have not neglected anything in the Book." (Quran 6:38). Therefore obeying Allah in things like trade and commerce, parenting, cleanliness, human rights, marriage, friendships and environmental care everyday means guaranteed success.

Allah's commands are for our own good. He loves us and with every difficulty He blesses us with twice as much ease. Allah created everything we own and He is the Life-giver. In His All-Encompassing knowledge, He is All-Aware and Alll-Acquainted with how we should live, what works best and what causes the most happiness and what is smiltaneulously more rewarding, communally and socially and economically, in the long run. We have to trust Him in that; His perspective is much better than ours. Obedience expresses faith in His Lordship. Obedience is what He made us for, and life works better if we are in tune with the way we were made

ps. Unscented toiletries can be bought in Makkah to use while in Ihraam.

There is a Salah for "That"

The unfailing remedy for all burdensome, distressing care is Salah. The place where Allah is the closest is Salah. There His Presence and Power is always found, and there He is at hand to bless, to deliver and to help.

When I did my first Umrah, the temperature at Makkah was over +40• Celsius. At the haram around 9 am it was scorching. The sun blazed down from a cloudless sky. My lips were parched from dryness and dust. There was no cool solace anywhere. I was doing Tawaaf sluggishly through the stifling crowd. As my back began to bake under the heat and sweat tarred my abaya, I called out to Allah for rain. For a complete one circuit around the Ka'bah, I just raised my hands and begged for rain.

There is no sorrow, Allah, too light.
To bring in prayer to thee;
There is no anxious care too slight
To beseech Your sympathy.
There is no secret sigh we breathe,
But it changes Your Divine Decree,

Before I could reach the Black Stone, a sudden frenzied rush of panic-stricken people started crushing me from every direction. Alhamdulillah Muhammad Sajid Aga grabbed my wrist and pulled me out before I fell into the stampede. We ran into a fleet of police officers in dark shades and Saudi dignitaries carrying life-size swords in gold sheathes, making their way into the courtyard. A camera crew was quick on their heels filming their entrance. Guns and swords in the haram? What was going on?

I dashed upstairs to the second floor to get a better look from the gallery. Imaam Sudais was being escorted by the security to lead Salah al Istisqa!!! All this time when I was praying for rain, at the back of my head I was thinking, come'on what are the odds, it can't rain in Saudi Arabia, it never rains here ... Moments later Allah sent Imaam Sudias himself to make Salah for rain.

I couldn't control my tears. This was so epic subhanAllah! For years in Canada, I had made duaa for Imaam Sudais to return and lead Salah when I visit the Haram. This was another unlikely possibility yet Allah made it happen for me today. Not only Imaam Sudias was here but he came to supplicate my duaa to Allah and everyone on the haram said ameen! Ya Salam!

Alhamdulillah this made me realize that Allah loves to be asked. He wants His servants to desire Him, to ask Him, to invoke Him and show their need of Him. He loves those who are earnest and persistent in supplication. For this reason Allah has given us a special Salah for all our needs, so we are assured that whatever affects us concerns Him. There is Salah for everything: to offer gratitude (salah al shukr), seek forgiveness (salah al tawbah), to satisfy a need (salah albhaajah), to overcome fear (salah al khowf), to praise and sanctify Allah (salah al tasbeeh), to request for rain (salah al istisqa), commorate Allah's Majesty during eclipse (salah al Khusuuf), to celebrate ( salah al Eid). For everything, there is a Salah.

There is no distinction here between temporal and spiritual things. Such a distinction is against faith, wisdom and reverence. Allah rules everything in nature and in Deen. We are affected by things secular as well as by things spiritual. Our Hereafter hangs on our communal lives (our careers, our spendings, interaction with our families and society) as well as our Salah. Our communal life hangs on our Salah just as it hangs on our diligence.

So in everything which comes to us and which concerns us, in everything which we want to come to us, and in everything which we do not want to come to us, Salah is to be made for all. Salah blesses all things, brings all things, relieves all things, and prevents all things. Everything as well as every place and every hour is to be ordered by Salah. Salah has in it the possibility to affect everything which affects us.

The bitter of life sweetened by Salah! The feeble made strong by Salah! Sickness flees before asking Allah for health in Salah. Doubts, misgivings, and trembling fears retire before Salah. Wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and heaven are at the command of Salah. Nothing is outside of Salah. It has the power to gain all things from the provisions of Allah. All departments and the entire field of human concern, conditions, and happenings are covered by Salah.

ps. Don't wait till you reach the Haram to take Salah seriosuly. InshaAllah pray as much Salah as you can from anywhere in the world and don't limit yourself to just the obligatory Salah, go the extra mile for Allah and pray Sunnah and nawaafil regularly as well. I am confident InshaAllah Allah remove all distances between you and Him; He will invite you to His House because of the excess and beauty of prayers (Salah).

Making Sa'i with this little guy

When I felt like my legs were going to fall off from all the walking during Sa'i, this little guy gave me an instant energy boost. His tiny legs were frolicing about. His smile was a million bucks. 

I realized there is a lot of walking here in Makkah. One has to walk a lot at the airport then there is a long walk from the hotel to Masjid al Haram. All of Umrah and Sa'i consists of walking around the Ka'bah followed by walking between the two mountains of Safa and Marwa. In the end, the spiritual high is worth the physical exhaustion Alhamdulillah. It reminds me of the verse - Say: "Verily, my Salah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Rabb of all that exists.' Quran 6:162

Alhamdulillah since I arrived in Makkah, my walking has only been for Allah. I take my feet only to the places of worship to please Allah. I eat and drink not for the love for flavour or savoury tastes but to further exert myself and drive myself in the way of Allah. I rest, to give myself to Allah again the next day. Sadly, I understand now that this is how life was meant to be lived all along. Our beginning and end is with Allah then naturally everything we do in between should also gravitate around Him.

Starting Umrah

Looking at the Ka'bah is such a magicial experience each time. I can't take my eyes off of it. SubhanAllah It's a dream come true. I dream I wish would never to end. I can only fantasize what it would be like to see Allah in the Hereafter. Ya Salam!

This Sacred House is an emblem of Tawheed, thereby Islam's backbone. The Ka'bah is the melody, comfort and passion of our hearts. A radiating breath in our chest, it is the precious soul of our beliefs. From its dew our Ummah gained viridity and life. I can't imagine any Muslim who has seen the Ka'bah and not become overwhelmed with love for it. Yet there is something Allah wants us to respect and revere even more than the Ka'bah - other Muslims.

The Prophet Muhammad saws said, “The Blood of a Muslim is worth more than the Ka'bah.” (Sunan Ibn Majah; Silsilah El Saheehah: hadith #3420; Saheeh El Targheeb wal Tarheeb: hadith #2441). By this extension, the feelings and emotions of a Muslim person is more sacred to Allah than His Own House. Allah wants us to hold other Muslims in high esteem. Just as we respect the Ka'bah, we are meant to respect the feelings of other Muslims even more.

A person is not a believer until she likes for other Muslims the same words, manners and gifts she prefers for herself.
When Aisha ra made a distasteful remark about Jawariya ra, the Prophet saws told her that she has said something so toxic that if her words were to mix with water, they will pollute all the oceans on earth. The Prophet saws disliked for a believer to put down other Muslims by demeaning their appearance (or their efforts) because all Muslims are precious to Allah like the Ka'bah.

Tawaaf around the Ka'bah does not simply bring us closer to Allah but also bring us in solidarity with other Muslims from all around the world. In its sanctity and vastness we merge our strengths and become a cemented, United people. Muslim unity is verily one of the aims Umrah. 

Qur'an at the Ka'bah

Alhamdulillah reciting Quran at Fajr was never more heart-felt than today. Genuine recitation of the Quran has all the characteristics of a wonderful and meaningful conversation. I recited the Quran this morning, intentionally to communicate with Allah. It helped me know Him more fully, understand Him better, feel more at home in His presence, find cause to praise Him more, and have a deeper relationship with Him.

Quran is the key to a relationship with Allah.The purpose of the Quran is that we might know Allah better, experience more of His love, and have an abiding awareness of His miracles in our lives.

A relationship with Allah, of course, is very personal. In fact, it’s the most intimate relationship we can ever know. Nobody knows us like Allah knows us. Nobody loves us and takes care of us like Allah does. Nobody desires good for our life more than Allah. In the Quran, we soon discover not only more about Allah, but more about our position with Allah. There is no more exciting or enriching experience!

I encourage you to open yourself to the grand possibility that Allah has a lot to say to you. The pages of Qur'an are filled with joy and wellbeing, eagerly waiting to be internalized.

Ultimately, Quran is to be studied as much as it is to be experienced. With a teacher, you can learn how to better learn the language of the Quran and the oceans of knowledge attached to each word. My eternal gratitude to Dr. Farhat Hashmi for being my Quran teacher. I can never pay her back except invite you to learn from her www.farhathashmi.com. Life is too short to miss out on the Quran.

My Dream Finally Comes True

By Him whose House 
the loving pilgrims visit,
Responding with ihram 

at the appointed limit,covering their headsin total humility,Before One to Whomfaces bow in servility.
They exclaim in the valleys,“We have responded to You –All Praise is Yours, and Kingdom too!”He invited and they answered,with love and pleasure;When they called upon Him,nearer came the Divine treasure.You see them on their mounts,clothes dusty and disheveled,Yet never more content,never happier have they felt;Leaving homelands and familiesdue to holy yearning,Unmoved are theyby temptations of returning.Through plains and valleys,from near and far,Walking and riding,in submission to Allah.