Purification of the soul + heart ♥

You see, purification of the soul means strength of the heart. They are interrelated. So if you can work on trying to purify your ‘soul’, your heart will be in good shape and you will find the strength and resources to face life with dignity and faith in Allah.

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♥ STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART ♥

1. Do your prayers and all basic obligations.
2. Keep good company.
3. Keep away from bad, empty talk.
4. Don’t overeat or over sleep
(This may sound strange, but think of how high you feel in Ramadan!)
5. Be satisfied with what you have but at the same time, strive to develop yourself.
6. Keep making du’a and asking Allah for whatever you need.
7. Try to read a bit Qur’an everyday.

- Anisa Kissoon, Youth Counsellor (London)

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“God is with the broken-hearted. When your heart breaks, it’s a good thing – the breaking of the heart is what opens it up to the light of Allah. The dunya is designed to break your heart, to crush it.”

- Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

ABU HURAIRAH – Father of the Small Cat

Referring to Abu Hurairah…

“In the pre-Islamic time his name was ‘Abd Shams. When he embraced Islam, the Messenger r called him ‘Abd Ar-Rahman’. He used to be sympathetic towards animals. He had a cat that he used to feed, carry, clean, and shelter, and it used to accompany him as if it were his shadow. Thus, he was called Abu Hurairah, which means ‘father of the small cat’. May Allah be pleased with him.”
source

Knowing a person.

This is a story of one of the companions of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his method of knowing a person and their character.

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A man came to Umar ibn al-Khattab and spoke in praise of another. Umar asked him: “Are you his nearest neighbor such that you know his goings and his comings?”

“No.”

“Have you been his companion on a journey so that you could see evidence of his good character?”

“No.”

“Have you had dealings with him involving dinars and dirhams [money] which would indicate the piety of the man?”

“No.”

“I think you saw him standing in the mosque muttering the Quran and moving his head up and down?”

“Yes.”

“Go, for you do not know him…”

And to the man in question, Umar said, “Go and bring me someone who knows you.”

(quoted from Islam The Natural Way by Abdul Wahid Hamid, p. 66)

Four things to do during Ramadan

Everyone has their life goals but we know that one day we have to face Allah. Among other goals our ultimate goal is Jannah. We get so caught up in the dunya that we forget our purpose. Alhamdulilah though we got a full month of just endless blessings so take advantage of it inshaAllah and keep your goal in mind throughout the year! Check yourself and your intentions. This is a reminder for myself first.

Please remember me in your du’aas.
Ramadan Kareem! Take Care,
- B.

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Four things to do during this month:

The Prophet [may Allah's peace and blessing be up him] stated that there are four things we should do during this month. Two that bring about Allah’s happiness and two that are for you, the servant of Allah.

1. To say lai laha illah allah in abundance

2. To make istighfar [saying Oh Allah I seek your forgiveness]

3. Asking Allah for paradise. I would suggest that you ask Allah to grant the entire Ummah Paradise as such a dua, in your brothers and sisters absence, will be a means for the malaikah to pray for you. Thus, if you make this dua for the 1.3 billion Muslims the world over, 1.3 billion malaikah will supplicate the same for you!

4. Ask Allah to save you from the fire of Hell.

source

Jealousy + Envy

Hasad (jealousy and envy) is among the most destructive emotions or feeling which a man may have towards his fellow human being. It causes him to wish evil for others and to be happy when misfortune befalls them.

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) warned against envy by comparing it to fire that completely burns the wood.

He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “Beware of jealousy, for verily it destroys good deeds the way fire destroys wood.” [Abu Dawood]

The world is a bridge

“Jesus (upon him peace) said, “The world is a bridge, so pass over it to the next world , but do not try to build on it.”

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When Sulayman ibn AbdulMalik visited Makkah, he asked if anyone was present who met the companions of RasulAllah (saw). “Abu Hazim,” they replied. “Why is it that we dislike death? Why is it we don’t want to die?” Sulayman asked. Abu Hazim replied, “Because you have built and established this world and you have destroyed your Aakhirah, so you hate to go from what you have established to what you have destroyed.”

Be just!

“Let not the hatred of a people towards you move you to commit injustice. Be just! That is next to piety. And fear Allah.” (Quran, 5:8)

A void in the heart

“Truly in the heart there is a void that can not be removed except with the company of Allah. And in it there is a sadness that can not be removed except with the happiness of knowing Allah and
being true to Him. And in it there is an emptiness that can not be filled except with love for Him and by turning to Him and always remembering Him And if a person were given all of the world and
what is in it, it would not fill this emptiness.”

-Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya (rahimahullah)

Chasing after the world

This dunya is like a shadow.
If you try to catch it, you will never be able to do so.
If you turn your back towards it, it has no choice but to follow you.
- Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah