Asaalam everyone,
It's the second odd night. Therefore, it's my second Laylatul Qadr blog! Tonight my blog is going to be on signs of a hypocrite (munafiq).
As you may now, there used to be certain enemies of Islaam, and they used to act like they were Muslims, when inside they were not, they were the munafiqeen.
Recently, the qualites of a munafiq were mentioned, and I noted them down. Today, I thought "Why don't I write about that in todays Laylatul Qadr blog?" You may or may not know that on every odd night now I write a second blog, based on something I've just learnt (Ilearn it, and then write about it in a blog) and seeing I just learnt this list recently, I thought, why don't I write todays blog on that?
Let's begin...
There are certain qualites that a hypocrite has, I want you to read through this list and I want you to think carefully. Do you have any of these qualites- and remember for the activity afterwards.
A munafiq:
1. Breaks promises.
2. Lies.
3. Breaks people's trust.
4. Takes things to heart (personally)
5. Misses Salah
6. Finds spending for the sake of Allah hard.
7. Feels proud when they are praised for something they do not have.
8. Hates it if someone speaks against them.
9. Thinks every arrow is pointing towards them, e.g. everyone is talking about them.
These are only some signs, I have only put the ones I am able to understand and explain fully, and that I'm sure she said, because I do not want to end up writing the wrong thing and if a lot of people see it, or pass it on etc. with any part of this blog, then- I think you get my point...
Insha-Allah this blog came of use to you, I hope you had a nice Iftari, and are getting to spend this night well, finnally- have a nice sehri!
Ramadan Mubarak!
Asaalam everyone,
I said I would do a special extra blog on every odd night for Laylatul Qadr, and this is my apology type blog, for not doing a blog yesterday.
This blog is all about Jihad.
WE (Muslims) use the word Jihad to describe three things (each different):
When a believer struggles to live out the Muslim faith.
The battle to build a good Muslim society
The battle to defend Islam- Holy War.
INTERNAL JIHAD.
The internal Jihad is when a believer tries to live their life in a way they know will make Allah (Subhanataala) happy.
We should try as much as we can to live how Allah has told us to.
There are however other types of Jihad, but I do not have time to write more than this at current because Iftari is soon, and I have just learnt about Jihad.
However, here's a link to read more:
Asaalam everyone,
I wanted to cover this topic today, and I am also going to write the Laylatul Qadr blog I was going to write yesterday, however, I didn't get the time, therefore I am going to write it today.
This blog, however, is going to be quite short, as I want to get my point around to you, and Insha-Allah, it should not take to long.
Ramadan is the month when we spend more time as we should. Reading Quran, doing tasbeeh, even praying all our salaah on time if we've been behind before. However, it doesn't stop there?
It doesn't mean, you've prayed your salaah, you've read Quran, done tasbeeh, so now you stop.
Why don't we come out of Ramadan as better people? We should make the most of Ramadan.
I have said this in most of my blogs.
Insha-Allah we have all adapted at least one activity from Ramadan that we can use after Ramadan. So here's what I want you to do.
I want you to write it down. Just write down the one ability you will be taking with you this Ramadan, are there more than one? Write all of them down!
Now, just have a read over your list, and add random notes.
Make sure these notes have meaning, don't just scribble what you had for sehri by the side...
Tonight is the beginning of the last 10 days of Ramadan for me, I'm not sure about others or whether it's the same, but I know these last 10 days are important- especially because of Laylatul Qadr, which I wrote about in my last blog, but also Itikaf, in fact I was going to write a blog on just one topic today, as I pretty much always have done, but I remembered that many are starting Itikaf today, therefore, I thought I would go over this topic with you.
Firstly, I want to give a brief explanation of what Itikaf is. Itikaf is when you enter the masjid (or in your home if you are a woman) with the intention of staying inside. Insha-Allah there will be many people who will do Itikaf for the last 10 days of Ramadan. There are three types of Itikaf.
ITIKAF.
WAAJIB ITIKAF:
If you pledged to make Itikaf if one of your wishes, or desires is fulfilled. For example, if you day you will make Itikaf if you pass your exams. This kind of Itikaf is one day and one night, and you must accompany this Itikaf with a fast.
SUNNAT MU-AKKADAH:
Performing Itikaf on the last 10 days of Ramadan is sunnat mu-akkadah'alal kifaayah, which means at least one person in the community has to perform it, or else everyone will be sinful.
MUSTAHAB OR NAFL:
Performing Itikaf for any amount of time, and no fast is needed.
You could even perform this type of Itikaf for a few minutes.
In order to perform Itikaf, you must be:
1. A Muslim
2. Sane
3. Free from Hadase Akbar (in need of a bath)
4. You must have the niyyat (intention)
It's makrooh for you to stay completely silent, as a form of Ibadah, but you should avoid talking about worldly things (matters).
A Mu'takif is some-one who performs Itikaf.
During Itikaf some things the Mu'takif should engage in are:
"1. Ibadat
2. Reading the Qur'aan.
3. Nafl salaat and Zikr
4. Durood Shareef and Istighfar
5. Remembrance of Allah
6. Learning or teach the knowledge of the deen."
Woman should do their Itikaf in their houses, where she prays her namaaz, or just in any place that's suitable.
WAYS TO LEARN IN RAMADAN.
I was initially going to do this list today, but I think it's important to know about Itikaf especially as many people are performing it soon.
Recently I have wrote quite a lot of advice on how to make your Ramadan productive, along with different activities to try, and Ramadan is the month where we should spend our time wisely.
Therefore, I am going to write some ways to learn (about Islam and different topics inside Islam) in a list.
1. Firstly, NOTES. It may seem simple but you can do so much from one set of notes, you could write it out into a report or more formal document, you could re-read your notes whenever you are unsure about something. You could go through your notes. You could share what you've learnt. However, by notes, I don't mean sitting there randomly, no book, no lecture,not even at a talk just scribbling about maybe the football match that's on TV. I mean go to a talk, listen to a talk on the internet, take notes from a book etc.
You could mindmap, bullet point- whatever helps you.
2. The Internet.
You can listen to talks over the Internet or read blogs, like this one.
I'm going to leave a a link to a talk below, as this is one of the talks I listened to in Ramadan and it really got to me.
It is about the day of reckoning.
It should encourage us to try hard, that this dunya is a test and that we should try our very best and more to pass it!
I know your thinking these are opposites, but you can learn from teaching. For example, if you are about to teach on a topic you only know a bit about, you will learn more about it won't you?
Through that, you have learnt and you have taught someone else.
Perhaps you can start a blog!
4. The Qur'aan.
Read the Qur'aan! You can read the translation if you don't know Arabic. Maybe you can even attend Tafsir classes to learn more deeply into the meaning of the Qur'aan.
It's important to know how you learn as well, so you can use this in a useful manner, and if I were you I would make sure the way you are learning is safe, and halal (so you are not looking on dodgy websites or learning in a manner that is not allowed in Islam.
I hope you are having a nice Ramadan, and if you are doing Itikaf, I hope it goes well.
You may have looked at the time I released this already, if you haven't then you may be trying to find out right now. Yes,it's early, very early. I've just finished reading Taraweeh. The reason I'm writing this blog now is because I did not get time to write it previously. There-fore, I have decided to write it now. You may be thinking AREN'T YOU TIRED! GO TO BED! However, the feeling you have in Ramadan is different, and besides, I thought I hadn't finished yesterdays blog, so why not finish it and post it today?
You may already know that the last 10 days of Ramadan are approaching soon, I'm not sure when everyone is starting, but I do know it is soon.
These last 10 days of Ramadan holds the night of power (Laylatul Qadr). This night was only granted to he Prophet (SAW)'s ummah. There is a few stories and quite some information about Laylatul Qadr, and today I'm going to go through some with you.
The Prophet (SAW) used to ponder about the long lives of people that had existed before, in the other ummahs. They had had many years to spend in Ibadah and so on. To comfort him Allah granted this night to the Prophet (SAW).
Did you know that 10 Laylatul Qadrs that you do are equal to 833 years of Ibadah!
Once the Sahabah heard about a man that has spent 1000 months in Jihad ("War or struggle against unbelievers"). The Sahabah begun to get envious, after all- their lives were not long enough to do that. Laylatul Qadr was granted, and is better than a thousand months.
The more sincerity you have on this night the more reward there is?
However... What is this night? The best way I would describe Laylatul Qadr to you is when you spend your night in worship. Praying, doing Tasbeeh etc. and the more sincerity you have, the more reward you get.
In this month the angels come down, and Jibraeel follows them, they also visit your houses, and shake you hand if they see you in prayer. They will not visit your house if you have: A dog A pig Photos of people (or any living creatures)
If you do then the best thing to do is to get rid of them for this night because imagine missing out on- this!
Just like if you had a guest coming over you would prepare wouldn't you? Well in this case you should do the same, taking off any photos of living creatures and placing them away ina cupboard etc.
I have heard that some people think Laylatul Qadr is only on the 27th of Ramadan. This isn't true. Allah (Subahanaatallah) has not specified. You should ,however, focus on the odd nights, so:
21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th.
Either of them could be Laylatul Qadr- and if you read once, you might be missing out, so read on all of these nights.
This was just some basic information about Laylatul Qadr because I am thinking of doing an extra blog every odd night, or for every odd night, and I'll tell you about it in my next blog Insha-Allah.
Hope your Ramadan goes well and if your reading this now, have a nice sehri... and before I forget:
Asaalam everyone!
Recently I read someone else's blog on how to keep your cool during Ramadan, however, I was not able to find it for this blog, but I will try to find it as soon as possible (Insha-Allah). Today I am going to write my own tips on staying calm during Ramadan, because it can be stressful. These are just the advice I would give you, but I also have another activity at the end, as they can be quite helpful depending on how you learn.
When you're not eating or drinking your bound to get irritated easily, and probably get stressed or very hot if it's summer, therefore it's important to do everything you can to keep calm and fast peacefully.
1. Firstly, water, drink etc. are so important.
I know what you're thinking "HOW CAN WE DRINK WATER IF WE'RE FASTING???" I am talking about Sehri, Iftari, the night and so on. If you are reading at night, keep a bottle of drink nearby and drink it when you can.
If you aren't then keep one nearby anyway, if you wake-up, have a quick drink, after eating your sehri meal and if you have a minute left, have a quick drink.
Fit in as many fluids as you can.
2. FOOD! What to have at Sehri? What to have at Iftari? When it comes to Sehri you should have something that will keep you going, maybe porridge, wheat etc.
When it comes to Iftari it's pretty much down to you, however avoid junk food.
3. When you get irritated just walk away. Say something that might calm you down. If someone is trying to pick an argument with you or you think that the situation would end up with an argument, just say " I'm fasting. I'm fasting" or think it.
If you need to relax then relax by either reading, praying (and more) as you should do in Ramadan, or maybe even doing an activity that you enjoy.
4. Take time out for Quran. Wudhu, Salah and Quran should help calm you down.
5. Finally, know your body. If you know that doing a certain activity will make you feel even more tired than anyone else usually would, stay away from it. If you know that something else will do you good, then do it.
I just want to take this space to mention that smoking does not apply in number 3. Smoking is extremely bad for your body. In fact, it is not Makrooh, it is actually Haraam. Some think it's makrooh because of the smell, however, if you look into the ayah's in the Quran, you will actually find out smoking is haram.
Don't believe me? Read this, an entry from someone else's blog, about smoking being Haram: http://inshafdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/why-islam-says-dont-smoke.html
This was probably the best one I found, as everything else I saw was either a debate or a video that didn't explain it properly or fully, here it is straight to the point and easy to understand.
Also, smoking during a fast breaks your fast.
It makes both Qadhaa (to keep a fast for one you broke intentionally) and kaffarah (to keep 60 fasts one after another).
I found this out from my Taleemul-Haq book which I have mentioned before.
"Eating, drinking or breaking fast in any other manner without e.g., smoking etc., without a valid reason, will make both Qadhaa and Kaffarah necessary."
In the book itself I am not sure whether it states anything about smoking being Haraam or Makrooh, but I do know that it is haram.
You can search it up anywhere.
It was a new discovery...
Also, smoking kills- it's best you don't do it.
Now onto the activity, what I want you to do is to write down your own weaknesses and you own tips, you can mindmap, you can make a list and so on. Just write anything that will help you whilst you are fasting, maybe write your weak points and what you can do to help prevent that getting in your way.
I hope your Ramadan is going well. Ramadan Mubarak!
