October 2008 Eid Al-Fitr Special
So Eid has finally arrived and we hope it brings blessings galore to the whole Ummah! But we musn't forget all our good habits that we developed during Ramadhan, the extra ibadah, quran recitation or just being more supportive towards one another. Don't get sucked into the 'Ramadhan Blues' post Eid. It's easy to do and we don't realise just how far we've slipped out of good habits until next Ramadhan.
Special Note: The Store will be closed until 11 October but inshaAllah we will be back with new styles of hijabs, pins and jilbabs.
This Ramadhan will be marked in my soul because of a narration that I heard which have brought relief and light into my soul. I have tried to share these with everyone I can, whether it is was my listeners on Ramadhan Radio or friends & family. Once you read it, I am sure you too will be sharing it.
Anas (RA) narrated, "We were with RasulAllah (SAW) and he said, "There will be a dweller of Paradise (Jannati) that comes here right away. At that moment an Ansari companion arrived. He had shoes in his left hand and the water from ablution was dripping from his beard. He greeted all of us. The next day RasulAllah (SAW) said the same thing and this same companion arrived. The same thing happened on the third day. When RasulAllah (SAW) had left, Abdullah bin Amr bin 'Aas (RA) followed the Ansari companion and said to him, "I have had a disagreement with my father and have I have taken an oath not to go to him for three days. Can I spend these three days with you?"
The narrators report that he spent 3 nights at the Ansari companion's house. He saw that he did not get up to worship in the night but that when he would turn over in his sleep he would take the name of Allah Ta'ala. He stayed on his bed until it was time for morning prayer. He did not hear anything but goodness from his mouth in the time that he spent with him. When he had spent three days with him and realised that his deeds were minor he said to him, "O slave of Allah Ta'ala ! There was no fight between my father and I nor was there any disagreement. I heard RasulAllah (SAW) say that you were a dweller of Paradise. I wanted to see what great deeds you did that you received the good news of Paradise on the earth. I did not see you doing any extra worship or deeds in these three days, so how did you attain this high status? He replied, "My deeds are just those that you have seen." When I started to leave he called me back and said, "I do not hold any hatred for any other Muslim in my heart and I have no jealousy for anyone for any blessings that Allah Ta'ala has given them." Abdullah (RA) said to him, "This is the quality that has enabled you to reach such a raised position and this is beyond us." (Narrated by Ahmed)
September 2008
So Ramadhan is finally upon us by the grace of Allah. We have some great new products and deals to celebrate its arrival. Please do us the kind favour of placing your orders early so we can free up time in the latter part of Ramadhan for ibadah. Please remember us in your duas! And please do recommend our site to all your family and friends, even send them the link to this page. Meanwhile here are some verses from Quran and Hadiths (Prophetic sayings) about Ramadhan to keep your spirits up!
Allah's Apostle said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." [Bukhari] ...
Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Prophet said:"... whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Sahih Al-Bukhari).
"...whoever witnesses the Month of Ramadan should fast through it..." Q(2:185)
"Ramadan is the (month) in which the Quran was sent down, as a guide to mankind and a clear guidance and judgment (so that mankind will distinguish from right and wrong).." (Q 2:183)
"Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many learn piety and righteousness" (Qur'an, al-Baqarah, 2:183)
"...And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew." (Q 2:184)
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying, "Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all." [Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah]
It is called the night of Power (i.e Laylat-ut Qadr) or the night of blessing (Laylat-ul mubarak). The deed in this night is better than the rewards of deeds of 1,000 months (about 83.3 years).
"Indeed We have revealed it (Qur'an) in the night of Power. And what will explain to you what the night of Power is? The night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein descends the Angels and the Spirit (Jibreel) by Allah's permission, on every errand: (they say) "Peace" (continuously) till the rise of Morning!" Q(97:1-5)
`Abdullah ibn `Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, said: "The fast and the Qur'an are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The fast will say: 'O Lord, I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.' The Qur'an will say: 'I prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.' And their intercession will be accepted." [Ahmad]
Abu Umamah reported: "I came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'Order me to do a deed that will allow me to enter Paradise.' He said: 'Stick to fasting, as there is no equivalent to it.' Then I came to him again and he said: 'Stick to fasting."' [Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, and al-Hakim].
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (S) said : "The time between the five prayers, two consecutive Friday Prayers, and two consecutive Ramadhans are expiations for all that has happened during that period, provided that one has avoided the grave (major) sins." [Muslim]
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) says, "Ramadan has come to you. (It is) a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He sends down Mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your competition (in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this month) of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted." [Narrated by Tabarani]
Abu Umaamah r.a.a. said: I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an action by which I may enter Paradise'. He said: 'Take to Fasting, there is nothing like it.' [An-Nasaa'ee, Ibn Hibbaan, Al-Haakim, Saheeh]
"Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwaa (piety)." [2:183]
The most honoured by Allah amongst you are those best in taqwaa (piety)."[49:13]
"Every action of the son of Adam is given manifold reward, each good deed receiving then times its like, up to seven hundred times. Allah the Most High said, 'Except for fasting, for it is for Me and I will give recompense for it, he leaves off his desires and his food for Me.' for the fasting person there are two times of joy; a time when he breaks his fast and a time of joy when he meets his Lord, and the smell coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better with Allah than the smell of musk." [-Bukhari]
"Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the Fire." [Ahmad, Saheeh]
“There are in the month of Ramadhan in every day and night those to whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire, and there is for every Muslim and supplication which he can make and will be granted." [al-Bazzaar, Ahmad, Saheeh]
The Prophet said: He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, except that nothing will be reduced from the fasting persons reward." [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan, Saheeh].
May Allah accept our fasts this Ramadhan and grant us barakah in the Dunya and bless us with Jannah in the Akirah. Ameen
August 2008
Assalamu alaikum!
The new website is finally live though there seems to be a few kinks which we hopefully sort out soon. We are hoping to develop this section soon. So look out for this or better still make sure you subscribe to our mailing list and we will update you.
In the meantime, we leave you with some definitions that people have found helpful and as with everything, Allah knows best what the true wisdom is with all things.
Muslimah Muslim Woman
Hijab In Shari'ah terms, hijab refers to the dress code of the Muslimah. However, the word hijab is increasingly being understood to mean the headscarf. Sisters take care that we do not lose sight of the Shari'ah meaning of this word.
Khimaar From the Shari'ah perspective, this word means head covering, as per the ayah in Surah An-Nur. The head covering is only part of the Islamic dress code, for the Muslimah according to the majority of Islamic Scholars. There is a debate amongst scholars as to what the khimar should cover- some say it should be the head and neck slit, some say this and the bosom or chest and other say it should cover the face as well.
" And they do not show off their charm (zeena) except only that which is apparent and let them draw their head coverings (khumur) over their necks and bosoms (juyub)" TMQ Surah An-Nur, Verse 31
Jilbab/Jelbab From the Shari'ah perspective, this word is mentioned as part of a command by Allah in Surah Al-Ahzab, ordering the believing women to wear the jilbab when going out. Though some Scholars may differ on what constitutes jilbab, it largely understood to mean a long dress that covers the entire body of the woman. Some make a distinction between a jilbab and an abaya.
" Oh Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (jalabibihinna) all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known so as not to be annoyed." TMQ Surah Al-Ahzab, Verse 59
Abaya/ Ubaya Essentially, the word abaya is a cultural terminology. In much of the Middle East, it is traditional to wear black jilbab when going out. This black jilbab is often referred to as an abaya. This term is also used to refer to the head to toe garment similar to the burka worn in afghanisatan excpet it is black and sometimes worn with a niqab to cover the face.
Niqab This is usually understood to mean the veil covering the face.
Awrah This is a Shari'ah term used to refer to the parts of the body that must be covered. The awarah is different depending on whether a person is in public, with certain relatives and with their spouse and differs for men and women.
Jazak Allah Khair (un) This often quoted phrase means ‘May Allah reward you more than you have rewarded me’. What a beautiful way to say ‘thank you’.
Insha Allah This literally means ‘God Willing’. When we intend to do something or we hope for a particular outcome, we should say ‘insha Allah’. This will remind us to put our trust in Allah & remember that every outcome is by His Will.
Shari’ah In most cases this word is used to mean Islamic Law, as determined by the Quran and Sunnah (example of the Prophet SAW). |
