Dear Brother And Sisters, A Time Is Going To Come When You Will See Things That Will Cause Your Faith

Dear brother and sisters, a time is going to come when you will see things that will cause your faith to shake. People shall experience inner earthquakes, great calamities and tribulations. A time filled with hardship, fear and struggle. No matter how difficult things become and what people say and do - never let people take your smile away from you. Never let anyone snatch away your belief, your morals, your hope and your religion from you. If you trip and fall, get straight back up and continue. Don't drop your head and feel ashamed or scared. Raise yourself and be proud of who you are. When mankind is flooded with hate and discrimination - don't drown. Carry on swimming. Don't look back and don't despair. You can do it. You can survive. Safety is with the ship of the Ahl al-Bayt. Guidance is with the Companions who are like stars in the dark night. The place of safety is with the Sunnah of Rasūlallāh ﷺ.

Allāh is your Lord and the Lord of everything in this universe. He took charge of your sustenance, your health, your lifespan, every breath that you inhale, every drop you shall drink, and every morsel you will consume before you ever came into this world. How then can the believer ever be in loss regardless of any situation he goes through? Who can oppose the one who Allāh protects? Who can debase the one Allāh raises? Who can extinguish a light which Allāh illuminates? The rulers and policies of the people of the earth change but Allāh's dominance, power and promises for you will forever remain. He looked after you yesterday. And He will continue to look after you forever to come.

-Shaykh Mohammed Aslam

Beautiful list of little habits to cultivate.

Things to do in pursuit of happiness

• Wake up for Tahajjud prayers at least once a week. • Fast on Mondays and Thursdays. And the white days every month. • Spread salaam to those whom you know and those who you don’t know. The full salaam. • Send peace and blessings upon the prophet Muhammad, everyday. Salla Allaahu ‘alayhi wassalam. • Read the morning and evening and sleep adhkaar every day without fail. • Read at least one page of the Qur-aan with the translation a day. Gradually increase. • Dedicate at least 20 minutes a day to read from tafseer Ibn Kathir. Take notes. • Aim to memorise the Qur-aan. Make the intention and set realistic goals. • Have the Qur-aan or a beneficial tape playing anytime you can. When you’re getting ready in the morning… Brushing your teeth, washing your face, eating your breakfast, driving, cooking… Etc. • At least 15 mins a day to listen and FOCUS on an Islamic reminder/audio. Or read out of an Islamic book. Take notes. • Lower your gaze. • Don’t talk to opposite gender without reason. • Try to pray as soon as the time has been called. • Pray the sunnah prayers. • Do the adkhaar after each prayer. Astaghfirullaah. Alhamdulillaah. SubhaanAllaah. Allaahu akbar. Ayaatul kursi. Du'aa. • Kiss your parents. Hug your parents. Smile at your parents. Serve your parents. Be kind, be kind, be kind. • Give small gifts. • Smile to people and say hello. • Tell people you love them. • Keep in regular touch with your relatives, even if its through a text. • Give bottles of water to strangers on a hot day. • Give glasses of water to those close to you on a hot day. And a normal day. • Hold the door open for people. • Offer the seat you have to someone. • Make genuine du'aa for those you think of, those who ask you to, and those who you you say you will to. • Think of your brothers and sisters around the world, the situations they’re in and pray for them. • Attend the masjid regularly for prayer and talks. Think of the angels surrounding you and supplicating for you. • Treat people according to your manners and values, not theirs. • Eat your greens. Exercise. Brush your teeth. Brush your hair. Shower. Exfoliate. Moisturise your skin. Wear clean clothes. • Know you can’t please everyone. And forgive the mean ones. • Do it all for His sake. • Beg for jannatul firdous. Beg for jannatul firdous. Beg for jannatul firdous.

You will fall again and again. It’s in your nature. Just don’t stop getting up. Keep struggling and striving till you get there. Because eventually, by His will, you will.

Wow that's deep.

‏عنِدما نكون سعداء فعلاً لا يخطر لنا أن نتساءل إن كنا سعداء أم لا ‏نحن نتحسّس الأشياء فقط عندما نشك في وجودها.

When we are truly happy, it doesn’t cross our minds to wonder whether we’re happy or not. We search for things only when we’re unsure of their existence.

- Ghada Al-Samman

"Never underestimate the small gestures, the choice between micro-agression and micro-compassion. The difference is between making someone feel like a real human being, or crushing their soul. The human heart is so fragile. This is why the Prophet ﷺ was so adamant to teach us the etiquette of emotion, the core of character: Don't whisper between two if you are joined by a third. Smile, its a charity. Turn your full torso when someone speaks to you. Don't take someone's seat when they get up temporarily. Regard anything personal someone tells you as a secret to hold close even if you aren't told to do so. Make peace between people. Don't hold a grudge more than three days. And so so so much more. The big things aren't what break hearts. The big things aren't what destroy friendships. Its the little things."

— Dalia Mogahed

The story of two gardens in Surah Al-Kahf speaks about this:

وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصۡبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيۡهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيهَا وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَيَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أُشۡرِكۡ بِرَبِّيٓ أَحَدٗا

-Surah Al-Kahf, Ayah 42

(Sahih International)

And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin], so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said, "Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Lord anyone."

وَلَمۡ تَكُن لَّهُۥ فِئَةٞ يَنصُرُونَهُۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا

-Surah Al-Kahf, Ayah 43

(Sahih International)

And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allah, nor could he defend himself.

هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡوَلَٰيَةُ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ هُوَ خَيۡرٞ ثَوَابٗا وَخَيۡرٌ عُقۡبٗا

-Surah Al-Kahf, Ayah 44

(Sahih International)

There the authority is [completely] for Allah, the Truth. He is best in reward and best in outcome.

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Striving to get closer to Allah should be our goal irrespective of our circumstances. Always being grateful to Him and believing in Him sincerely, putting all of our trust in Him helps us both in time of adversity and prosperity. If we are struggling with this, that doesn't mean we should give up but instead we should keep working on it and remember no one is perfect except Allah so strive in His cause for His sake.

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وَٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَهۡدِيَنَّهُمۡ سُبُلَنَاۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمَعَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

-Surah Al-Ankabut, Ayah 69

(Sahih International)

And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.

Nearness to Allah is the only shelter from the storms of life. And a wise person does not wait until after the storm hits to find refuge. A wise person is already safe inside the shelter before the storms hit. Stay close to Allah in ease and you will be protected in hardship. And indeed the worse punishment in this life are not the storms of the life, rather the distance with Allah.

What if the bigger harm that was to befall you unexpectedly was delayed by another smaller pain and suffering.

Just know sometimes in life you could have been saved from something a lot bigger when you seem like your getting tested. Sometimes you can see it and sometimes you’re unaware of the hidden blessings for you during your misfortune. If only you were to realise what our eyes miss to see sometimes.

Whether you are stuck somewhere and things don’t go as planned, know maybe there was betterment for you behind it.

When your not always rushing, maybe it’s a good thing. Maybe it gives you time to see what lies ahead on that path that you wanted to take, was it good or would it have been a bad decision for you? Sometimes we might realise and sometimes we may not. Don’t take everything for granted every time.

By seconds you can miss harm and by seconds you can do yourself good. Just have faith in God and whatever befalls you, have patience. Think could it be worse, is there good or is there something else waiting for me around the corner in the next minute.

If your time is written, it is written, no matter how you try to avoid it and if not, then the Most Merciful always has a better plan than the plan you are trying to carry out.

Life is delicate, one day your here and one day your gone. People die strangely everyday so if you are here today, know that it is from the Mercy of the Creator. He is The Guardian, The Only Protector, The Preserver of safety.

Make it a habit to seek forgiveness, glorify and thank Him a few minutes when waking up and just before going to sleep. Let Him be the first and last thing in your mind and heart.