•  “Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk”– “Here I am at Your Service, Oh Allah.  Here I am at Your service.” People from all over the globe are gathering for the completion of one common goal–Hajj Mabrook.
• Allah doesn’t burden a soul more than it can bear– We must realize that God knows us better than we know ourselves, and He knows best what we are capable of.
• Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wa sallam)– He completed the Hajj in the best way possible, and every Muslim should strive to do the same. That means no complaining or whining and no anxiety or aggravation.
• Each difficulty comes with an experience– Things happen to us for a reason. Therefore, we must learn from mistakes and hardships. No one said Hajj was easy, so any difficulty faced has a beneficial factor to help us become wiser human beings.

Insha’Allah you’ve all enjoyed this audio. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and share this post with your friends and family.

Audio Post: Salam From Jeddah– En Route to Hajj is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Bismillah.

As revealed in our previous audio post, Ponn has been traveling to the most sacred lands in Islam–Mecca, Medina, and Palestine. Outside Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, there are umbrella-like canopies–nearly 200 of them! This video shows them opening:

Canopies fully open.

These next few images were taken after Fajr while awaiting shurook (daybreak). SubhanAllah, what an experience it must have been taking a picture of something so beautiful that we have only seen in photographs taken by others on the internet. Realizing its reality–seeing it in person. Stepping on the land that the beloved Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wasalam himself stepped on when Islam itself was born and established.

Masha’Allah, with much patience and fortitude, SubhanAllah, Ponn was one of 50 women in her group of 150 Americans, and was blessed enough to pray in the Nobel Rawdah, which is the area between the Prophet Muhammad’s  salallahu alayhi wasalam minbar (where he lead prayer) and the room that contains his grave.

The Prophet Muhammad’s  salallahu alayhi wasalam was reported to have said,

“The area between my house and my Minbar is a garden from the gardens of Paradise and my Minbar is upon my Pond.” (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim.)

May Allah accept a completed Hajj (Hajj Mabror) and the du’a (supplications) made in the Noble Rawdah. Ameen.

Share with us your experiences of Hajj and Umrah, or what you look forward to most on your planned future pilgrimage, Insha’Allah.

The Medina Experience is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

Grabbed your attention, didn’t I? Well, let’s consider three things before you just yell back, “No! You Shut Up!”

First, it is reported that Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said “I stood at the gate of Paradise and saw that the majority of the people who entered it were the poor, while the wealthy were stopped at the gate (for the accounts). But the companions of the Hellfire were ordered to be taken to the Fire. Then I stood at the gate of the Hellfire and saw that the majority of those who entered it were women.”  (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmed)

Second, it is reported that Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said “A person utters a word thoughtlessly (i.e., without thinking about it being good or not, or if these words have any significance that will raise their ranks in Heaven) and, as a result of this, he will fall down into the fire of Hell deeper than the distance between the east and the west.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Third, sins of the tongue include but are not limited to:

• Lying,
• Exaggerating,
• Back-biting,
• Slander,
• Gossiping,
• Picking fun at,
• Ungrateful remarks,
• Negative talk, anger, and unwarranted disappointment,
• Whining,
• Sharing your disapproval of others to everyone except the one involved,
• Making hypocritical remarks and acting indifferently to said person,
• Sharing private secrets and/or intimate moments between a married couple,
• Entering into debates solely to stir up emotions and cause harm,
• Maintaining an argument out of defensiveness and insecurity,
• Making emotional assumptions public without giving the other party the benefit of doubt,
• Jumping to conclusions without said facts and acting inappropriately prematurely,
• Stating someone is guilty without seeking justice,
• Manipulating others,
• Dissuading others from seeing the truth, and
• Talking simply because one is unaware of the beauty of silence, or deep and reflexive thought.

While it is a known fact that women presently and will continue to out-number males in the world’s population, and one can debate that this may be a logical reason that women will out-number men in Hellfire. However, one can also argue the fact that when compared to men, women are more apt to participate in one or many of above stated sins of the tongue once in awhile and in many cases: often.

So, since we as Muslim women have the profound ability to bring the only true joy to this world through our piety, righteousness, and silence; if given the opportunity to talk or not, won’t you just consider shutting up?

Now, based on the given stated facts and proposing the above questions, the logic used above does not touch upon the stereotypical belief that Muslim wives are submissive. Quite the contrary, in fact there are many examples that when a pious, righteous Muslim male leader had a pious, righteous, intelligent, loving, charitable wife, together they ruled their families and the public at large.

Make every word count. Dare to make your words meaningful and memorable. Words when said with accompanying tones hold power. So, give words the strength of your character, and not your weakness of your flaws.

Just like everything we do in this life, when seeking to please Allah and Him Alone, we will gain from the pleasures of this world and the hereafter. Rather than enter into acts that seem easily harmless, and ultimately harmful; such as the numerous sins or “slips of the tongue” stated above–choose to reflect peacefully and walk away from such circumstances. Distance yourself from negative situations. Offer a charitable smile, and dare to be a pious leader, one who can effect change by choosing to use your tongue wisely–or simply just keeping it inside your mouth.

I’m extremely interested in the feelings, emotions, connections or disconnect you felt in reading this post. Please share your comments below. For discussing this topic is not the time to shut up!

Muslim Wives Need to Learn To Just Shut Up! is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

My beloved husband encouraged my girls and I to watch this powerful video and reflect upon the many lessons taught.  Many people today are deceived by the pleasures of this World (Dunya, this life on Earth), such as power, status, money, cars, clothes, looks, or other materialistic things. In doing so they are following a path away from the true meaning of why man was placed on Earth in the first place.

Deception includes chasing worldly things and the approval of people

Yet, it’s not only the people chasing these worldly things who are going astray. People who are concerned about how and what they are judged on by their peers is also at fault; because they are concerned about what people think, rather then what Allah (God) thinks.

The one who obeys Allah’s (God’s) commands will be the one to achieve the greatest reward of Jennah (Heaven).

Therefore, I believe we should be more concerned about pleasing Allah (God) by working on our own character, behavior, morals and ethics. After all, we can only change ourselves. When done correctly, one’s strong character, self-confidence and self-respect also earns the respect and attention of loved ones and friends.

Shaykh Zahir shares many ahadith (sayings or actions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him), an incredible story about Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him), past khalifahs (Islamic leaders following the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon them all) and other scholars. Each message is profound. One such story shares how humans are born and die involuntarily and living our lives is a trust to Allah (God). Therefore, it is our duty to succeed in Allah’s (God’s) cause to be successful.

Success being defined at Death

Success to a believer is defined at death, because this is the point when he is removed from Hellfire and enters into Heaven. He further explains that only when we die, do we wake up to the reality of the dunya (life on Earth). At that point we will we see the weight of our good and bad deeds. The value determines if we are placed in Hellfire or in Heaven.

Again, this video is very deep and captivating.

Intelligent people prepare for the Hereafter

The Shaykh continues that an intelligent person prepares of the akhira (Hereafter). He is not concerned about worldly things. He understands fully that whatever he has is a provision of Allah (God) and if he spends in the cause of Allah (God), his wealth, health, and well-being will be increased, as described in the story between the man with leprosy, the bald man and the blind man.

We are reminded that whatever amount of wealth we give to the poor, Allah (God) will always give it back to us with more. But, remember, in Islam we believe that charity must start at home. So, it’s a duty to provide for one’s family comfortably, not too luxuriously nor inferior.

All men die with unfulfilled aspirations

We are reminded also that Allah (God) is fully aware of what He provides each one of us. He knows when we are grateful or not, and knows when we are lying. So, we need to always be aware of the obvious worldly things blinded us from the true purpose of this life, and astute to our own desires and aspirations.

The Shaykh ends his speech stressing that all men die with unfulfilled aspirations. So, rushing after things we do not have is one more sneaky attempt to deceive people and lead them astray.

Realistic goal-setting, and striving to provide for one’s family is not wrong at all. But, dreaming, complaining and chasing for a bigger, more luxurious house, bigger savings that you’ll never use, fancier cars that can’t even fit your whole family, etc. is!

If you and your family have their health, strong eman (faith), and a  very comfortable living, these are all blessings that should never be overlooked. Be grateful to Allah (God) and give back to the needy in His name.

I’m curious what you think of this video, and if it made a lasting impression like it did to me. Even at this late hour, I felt the dire need to share my thoughts, and each of my girls are writing down their reflections as well. This activity is keeping them very quiet and peaceful right now. See how lessons can be taught all day and night!?

If you have powerful family videos like this to share with us, please comment with the links below.

Don’t Be Deceived By Worldly Things. A lecture by Shaykh Zahir Mahmood is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

The popular Muhammad Nabeena nasheed which is played in shops in Makkah and Madina plays in our home and the girls’ cell phones throughout most of our blessed days. I believe all Muslim kids should embrace and memorize this beautiful nasheed. Alhumdulilah, this brother took pictures from Umrah and Hajj, made a gorgeous slideshow with English translation. In the right info. bar at youtube, he even writes the transliteration of the Arabic of the full nasheed.

May Allah bless you dearly in this dunya (life) and the akhira (Hereafter). Ameen.

InshaAllah (God willing), we will introduce new Muslim Kids Weekly Videos every Sunday, and keep them nicely categorized for you under the “Nasheeds” category.

Muslim Kids Weekly Video – Muhammad Nabina (My Prophet Muhammad) is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog

I’ve been bugging hubby lately about finding a good Sirah (Life Stories) of our beloved Prophet Muhammad Peace & Blessings be Upon Him book, because I haven’t been happy with the many I’ve reviewed thusfar.

This is a beautiful free online book “This is Mohammad” (PBUH) from IslamWay.com Multiple languages are available.

Advantages:

• This Sirah book is not too dense to read. All the past Sirah books are written so scholarly that they are very hard to read passed the first page, with no interest to return to that particular book the next day.
• This Sirah is written in simple English.

One Shortcoming/Advantage:

• While some Sections/stories may seem overly simplistic, the book is 175 pages long, so I find that a summary/overall view of each section/story is much more encouraging for my girls and I as we learn new things in every single section/story even though it may be a bit brief in its explanation.
• To make up for this one shortcoming, we’ve been having family discussions to amend to the story by conducting additional research at the same time…so our lessons are very interactive and interesting.
• Again, this is the only Sirah books we’ve returned to day after day, so I see this one shortcoming as one of its biggest advantages.

Please share your suggestions, links or recommendations to other Sirah books online or hard cover in the comments section below.

Insha’allah (God willing) you will appreciate and enjoy this one!

This Sirah of Prophet Muhammad PBUH Online for Free is a post from: American Muslim Mom Blog