In reality, these terrorists have no rights to be called Muslims. They are just violent creatures
who are using Islam as an excuse to create violence around the globe and trying to put hatred for
Islam in many people’s hearts. They call this act of terrorism ‘Jihad’ that means fighting in the way of
Allah Subhana Wa Taallah to them. But in reality the word Jihad means struggling and perfecting inner
personality according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah teachings.

War and Terrorism, Islam is a religion of peace, love and hope.

But today around the world Muslims are treated very badly where they are settled in minority
populations. Non-believers abuse them in public; they say sarcasm about Islam and taunt them at every
step of their life. Muslim trade has declined and is going to lose. The western world has discouraged
trade with Muslim businessmen and has broken many deals and partnerships.

All these terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, Tahreek-e-Taliban and many other extremist groups
have created a very bad image of Islam around the world. In reality, Islam doesn’t promote violence;
if one has any doubts about this religion then they can read the Holy Quran which is available in many
languages. The Quran will help remove all doubts about religion Islam.

Prophet Muhammad Sallalaho Alayhi Wasalam was the last prophet of this religion; he completed the teachings of Islam and declared it as a universal religion complete for every living thing. Prophet Muhammad Sallalaho Alayhi Wasalam
himself said not to kill any child, woman, sick or elderly people, not to chop down fruitful trees, or kill
any animals except for sheep, cow and camels for food.

Islam brings the message of peace and brotherhood. In Holy Quran, it is mentioned to be polite
with Muslims and non-Muslims. Muslims can invite non-believers to the religion Islam but can’t force
them, in fact should leave those people in peace who love their religion. It is a real fact that war is not
solution of any dispute in the world. It is important to solve the disputes by table talk and discussion.

In the west, Islam prohibits practicing having premarital sex and girl friends. The Quran principles have clearly stated that men capable of supporting their wife must protect her chastity by marrying her.

Men considering themselves to be unfit for marriage need to practice fasting. However, the families choose the right partners for both, women and men. The religion preacher guides the Muslim husband to look for a Muslim woman and to offer a happy Islamic marriage. This builds an everlasting and strong marriage, besides good Islamic relationship.

As per the Islamic principles, a Muslim husband should look at his first duty to provide clothing, food and shelter to his offspring and wife resulted of this marriage. Hence, women are free of financial duty and offering financial security is completely shouldered by Muslim husbands.

Muslim husbands are expected to follow the Islamic principles so that they do not harm their wives. However, the principles of Islam allow a wife to go for divorce in case her husband is doing something unlawful to her or if he is an alcohol addict.

Muslim men as per Islamic religion need to offer financial assistance even after divorce and do not interfere in her life after divorce, regardless of the way of life she prefers to live and lead.

The Islamic law states the husband to educate his wife about Muslim customs. It is his duty to support her, not suppress her. He should consult in important matters and adhere to it if it is good and reasonable. In fact, the holy book offers right for the husband to beat his wife, in case she fails following Islamic norms and obeying her husband, despite enlightening her.

Finally, Islamic husbands are the one treating their wives with dignity. He should treat her with a smiling face, should be easy going natured and have a smiling face. Islamic marriage asks each husband to respect their wife so that their marriage consummates. This is the ground rule as husband is the Imam and has to take care of the household.

However, any good Muslim husband is not arrogant or chauvinistic, but is in authority.  He does not roam ordering, but takes care to attend and center things to be orderly.

Husbands need to be a good provider and should not fritter his money away. It is the duty of every Muslim husband to treat his family with respect and equality by honoring his wife and giving equal respect to his mother.

No wife or husband is perfect, it is made perfect with love and act state the Islam principles and is expected to follow.

Observing someone praying to Allah Almighty, saying the heart out, which you cannot say or share with others is very unique and interesting. You can say anything or everything because you don’t have any secrets from Allah Almighty. You can do this in your heart so that nobody else should involved, or keep faith in your heart that none but Allah Almighty can understand what exactly you have in your heart. All you wish to do is to pass all your tensions, anxieties, worries, problems, doubts, fears and everything to none other than but your Lord, Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty is the Lord of all worlds and all that exists in between them. To whom you can submit all what you have in your heart and mind with a firm belief that He listens and grants wishes for or whatever is good for you. This can be done only with firm belief in Allah Almighty and through dua or supplication.

“Dua” a connection, a link, a bonding or in other words dua or supplication is the essence of Ibadah(worship). Dua is a gift blessed to the believers by Allah Almighty. If you call dua as the strongest weapon of believers, you will not be considered wrong at all.

Dua is so powerful and effective that it can change fate when nothing else could do. With dua you can never fail. It is actually the matter of your strong belief upon Allah Almighty. How you see Him? How strong your Imaan is? Submitting everything to Allah Almighty is so fulfilling that the person who does so feels so much satisfied and peaceful that nothing can harm him or her. Allah Almighty shall do what’s the best for them. All they need to do is to pray to Allah Almighty and have a strong faith that he shall do the best for them.

Dua itself is such an empowering and liberating act with an exceptional significance. Islam has emphasized so much on dua. Number of times Allah Almighty has mentioned in Holy Quran about supplication, prayer and dua. It affirms our faith and offers tranquility to our hearts. Our Holy Prophet S.A.W has also guided Muslims to turn to Allah Almighty in the times of troubles or happiness, indeed. We can see number of hadiths and Quranic verses stating with the importance of Dua. Islam has guided Muslims about each and every matter of life and has also guided different duas for the solution of problems and sufferings. Starting from getting up in the morning till going to bed, we have been guided for each and every matter of our lives. If you are starting anything you should start by reciting BISMILLAH, that is: Starting with the name of Allah Almighty, it incorporates Barakaat in everything you do and keeps devil away. Similarly, we are guided for each and every matter of our lives by Allah Almighty. Specific duas or supplications are being guided to us and reciting them adds barakaat and Allah Almighty’s will with everything we do. According to a Hadith:

“Whosoever desires that Allah answers his duas in unfavorable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful dua in days of ease and comfort.”

So adding these Islamic duas in our daily matters can bring us peace and tranquility.

RIYADH, June 25 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia will enter women athletes in the Olympics for the first time ever in London this summer, the Islamic kingdom’s London embassy said on Sunday.

Human rights groups had called on the International Olympic Committee to bar Saudi Arabia from competing in London, citing its failure ever to send a woman athlete to a Games and its ban on sports in girls’ state schools.

Powerful Muslim clerics in the ultra-conservative state have repeatedly spoken out against the participation of girls and women in sports.

In Saudi Arabia women hold a lower legal status to men, are banned from driving and need a male guardian’s permission to work, travel or open a bank account.

Under King Abdullah, however, the government has pushed for them to have better education and work opportunities and allowed them to vote in future municipal elections, the only public polls held in the kingdom.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking forward to its complete participation in the London 2012 Olympic Games through the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, which will oversee the participation of women athletes who can qualify for the games,” said a statement published on the embassy website.

In April the head of the kingdom’s General Presidency of Youth Welfare, the body that regulates sports in Saudi Arabia, said it would not prevent women from competing but that they would not have official government endorsement.

The IOC said on Monday that talks with the Saudis were “ongoing” and that “we are working to ensure the participation of Saudi women at the Games in London”.

The head of the kingdom’s Olympic mission, Khalid al-Dakheel, told Reuters on Sunday evening however he was unaware of any developments allowing women to participate.

Top Saudi clerics, who hold government positions and have always constituted an important support base for the ruling al-Saud royal family, have spoken against female participation in sports.

In 2009 a senior cleric said girls risked losing their virginity by tearing their hymens if they took part in energetic sport.

Perhaps the most likely woman candidate to compete under the Saudi flag in London, equestrian Dalma Malhas, represented the kingdom at the junior Olympics in Singapore in 2010, but without official support or recognition.

Physical education is banned in girls’ state schools in the kingdom, but Saudi Arabia’s only female deputy minister, Noura al-Fayez, has written to Human Rights Watch saying there is a plan to introduce it. (Reporting by Angus McDowall and Asma Alsharif; editing by Andrew Roche)

Marriage is defined as the harmony, synchronization and bonding between two persons of opposite gender as husband or wife, in a consensual and contractual association recognized by law, nature and religion. Every relationship has its good and bad days, but only that relationship survives that has the strength to bear the trials and tribulations of time, while others result in to a state of strong disagreement known as divorce.  Divorce can be defined as the action or an instance of legally and spiritually dissolving a marriage so that the couple no longer remains bonded and the people are now two separate entities. The rate of divorce in the west is greater and only a few marriages last till the end, the same trend is now being opted by the Muslim countries.

In Islam there are particular rules for divorce for men and women in the stipulations of Islamic commandment known as sharia. When a man has commenced a divorce the practice is called ṭalāq. When a woman has instigated an annulment it is called khula.

Muslims existing in New York are in a twin circumstances when it comes to the functioning of family unit commandment. They are presided over by the spiritual law of Islam, entitled as Islamic sharia, and by the material family law of the state of New York. To Muslims, the family commandment of Islam commands that matrimony and annulment amongst Muslims should be completed in agreement with the Islamic law known as sharia, despite of whether they survive in an Islamic or secular and materialist fatherland Civil divorce diktat attained by worldly courts are not documented by Islamic sharia. Under Islamic ruling, a Muslim man may get hitched to a non-Muslim woman, whereas a Muslim female is forbidden from marrying a non-Muslim gentleman under these rules, a non-Muslim woman marrying a Muslim man in observance with Islamic sharia is subjected to the regulations of Islam in the areas of dissociation, adolescent guardianship and heritage. In other prose, a non-Muslim woman who marries a Muslim man in harmony with Islamic regulation, deprives herself of the supervision of her offsprings in state of divorce, or if the husband expires. Subsequently, a non-Muslim woman in harmony to a Muslim man in Islam is inclined, under the conventions of Islamic sharia, to capitulate charge and protection of her son when he by passes the age of seven, and her daughter at the epoch of nine. She is also proscribed from legacy and heritage. These regulations are functional right the way through Muslim nations with an organization and scheme of Islamic-law pedestal family unit regulation in place.

Islam the second largest religion, and with the aggravated figure of Muslims immigrating to the United State, American courts are further recurrently seeking into Islamic annulment litigations between Muslim pairs.

Nikah is the Islamic word for a marriage contract in which the bride and the groom promises in front of relatives usually close family members of both the sides to accept each other for the rest of their lives.

The importance of Nikah can be understood through the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who replied when once asked “What is more important than prayers”, he replied, “the spirit of prayer”, similarly when asked what was more important than fasting the answer was the spirit of fasting and so for everything else I Islam the most important thing is the spirit behind the action as it is the main guide which leads to action. So in this case what is more important than the marriage is its spirit which in this case is the Nikah?

NIKAH is a binding between two souls which can be conducted either at a single place where both the groom and bride are present or the help of the modern technology can also be taken and nowadays telephone and internet is also being used for conducting Islamic marriages or the Nokah.

The Hijab, which is the Arabic word of the veil is much emphasized is Islam and is considered a part of it as Islam lays much stress on the covering of a Muslim women in every age and step. In many societies Hijab is considered as a cultural part and something that is not a part of the Islamic religion however this is not the case. Anything that is deemed as cultural tends to have its roots from common practices and customs that have been living through for a long time now. Rather the covering of the women which resided in the past and carried on as a cultural aspect was known as the “Jahiliyah” which covered the women rendering her as a lower being as compared to man.

Islam gave the concept of Hijab or a veil to make the women an equal part of the society rather earning her more respect and dignity in the society. Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) declared clearly that it is incumbent upon every single Muslim to search for awareness no matter how far you have to go searching for it. Islam respects all women as equals in a society and the reason for recommending Hijab to them is only to provide them more self respect and an added bodily protection from the evils and wrongs of the society which are also a part of every civilization.

Women in Islam have many rights which were given to them 1400 years ago which are not well known even by many Muslims today. Women in Islam is give in some instances much more respect and honor than anything else and women are not just mere individuals to serve men or look after their homes or babies rather they are acknowledged as an individual being that has much self respect.

Transgender which is also called Mukhannatun(in Arabic), is commonly utilized like the overarching term for many different individuals, behaviors and also groups involving tendencies on the gender continuum which are in resistance to and within divergence from the sex role (woman or man) generally but not continually assigned for life on birth. Transgender is definitely the state of someone’s identity not matching someone’s assigned gender that is commonly based on physical and genetic sex and of falling in to multiple classes in terms of sex or gender plus sexual identification. The Transgender is inclusive from such diverse categories like cross-dressing, the transsexuals plus any other characteristics and behaviors not usually associated with someone’s assigned gender.

A lot better array of human sexuality as well as gender identities exist compared to have been traditionally recognized in western culture. A possibility to discover how many distinguishable classes exists nevertheless is to list all of them within the terms of all those classes that are mutually exclusive, partly exclusive,  or even inclusive then crisis the numbers. Transgender is much less frequently utilized especially refer to folks whose gender identity and / or appearance is within an “in-between” condition, rather than just as one umbrella term. A more recent related term is the genderqueer that refers to mixing of the qualities traditionally connected with female and male, and may also refer to an in-between sense oftentimes associated with transgenderism.

The majority of folks who self-identify like genderqueer would utilize “transgender” solely like an umbrella term. In case physical appearance, gender perfectness as well as general behavior is similar exact than the internal feeling, it’s still the Transgender Hidden Symptoms (TGHS) symptoms or syndrome, which may become treated without any kind of surgical gender change. The Mukhannathun is the Arabic word-defining person who is born with male’s sexual organs and also behaves like male however inside there is the strong desire to become a female. Such folks hate the gender they’re born and try to become girl by hormonal therapy plus later gender change by surgery.

In Islam, in case the Mukhannath is normal within his sexual behavior, through physical appearance as well as by physical activities, however his internal perception is powerful to change the gender. Then it’s a physiological disorder that anyone should be treated by medicinal therapy, which can involve changing the hormonal level more powerful for what he’s born. Male hormones allow him to behave similar to man and think as man instead of female. Change of the sexual organs isn’t desired in Islam plus anyone suffering from the transgender syndrome will be treated spiritually with patience and endurance.
Transgender Hidden Symptoms (which is also called TGHS) could be successfully treated with all the following Zikroperational treatment by the patient on his own, while parents may help complete supplications concurrently.

Emotional disorders are common medical complication in this century. The current man is really under pressure from different factors is largely affected emotionally. Depression is very common and leads to very complicated health ailments. There is much pressure from the workplaces, academic work, and family, among others. Problems of high blood pressure are very common globally. There is need that preventive measures are prescribed for this. Emotional disorders are the disturbances of the behavior and results in disturbance of a person’s function in the society. It is evident that human life is affected by biological, social and psychological factors. These factors equally have a great bearing on the human behavior.

Religion plays a very special role in the satisfaction of our physical and spiritual needs. Islam as a religion has teachings on the code of behavior and gives a meaning for the existence for each and every one of us. It is very unfortunate that in the modern society there is a great decline in the moral standards. There are numerous cases of divorce, drugs and substance abuse, excessive indulgence in sexual activities and other unethical behaviors.  These behaviors have led to conflicts, loneliness, depression and other psychological signs. Even though there is a great advancement in sciences of behavior, there is very limited progress in obtaining solutions to the psychiatric problems.

Psychotherapy is very important in seeking a lasting solution to these problems. It is clearly known to be a form of education, which directs the patient to recognize his conduct and conform to the required standards. It helps to encourage a person with a deviant behavior to change and conform to the good ethics expected of him in the society. In the Quraan and Hadith the best principles of change of behavior are illustrated. The Muslim physicians and mental health professionals need to incorporate the Islamic values and ethics in seeking ways of treating such complications. This is indicated in Sura 41 verse 44 of the Al-Quraan.

Islam as a religion in satisfying the physical and the spiritual needs of the believers. It teaches on the ways to behave and the conservation of social values and expounds on the reason for their existence. This enables people adapt to stressful events that may lead to emotional disorders.

The family is a very important institution in shaping the life of any person. The family is therefore very important as an institution in seeking lasting solution to the problems of emotional disorders. The family is the first institution that a child interacts with upon birth. That immediate environment is very important in shaping the behavior of that child. There is therefore need to cultivate good family values in order to curb the above problems.

In conclusion, the Islamic teachings are very vital in ensuring that the problems associated with emotional disorders are controlled once and for all.

Islam just like any other religion has its own teachings on the benefits of the purification of the hart and the soul. This act forms the major portion of building the Muslim personality. It is referred to as al Tazkiyah in the Quraan. Some of the virtues associated with it are very keys in the Islamic faith and include adorning and practicing the 99 attributes of Allah, applying the virtues of compassion and mercy, holding one’s brother and sister’s well being higher than one’s self, generosity, trustworthiness and piousness. The most high God had a great regard for this practice and this is illustrated by examples in the Quraan

This aspect is one of the spiritual goals of the Islamic faith and is very fundamental for all the Muslims across the globe. This is must be a practice in a Muslim’s daily living. Since the aspect is very critical to Allah, a believer must act intelligently to acquire it by staying very closely to Allah. This can be achieved by seeking closeness to Allah, reading and comprehending clearly of the words from the Quraan. It is very clear from Quraan that those who want love from Allah must practice this aspect. This is brought out in the verses 1-10 of Surah al Shams (91).

Thikru Allah i.e. the remembrance of Allah is one of the most important components of the aspect. This term is always used to reflect a collection of ways in which any Muslim remembers, resides and attains being close to Allah in his heart and him. The term has to do with more than just recollection of something in memory but it is a training institution that aids develop people Muslims with enlightened hearts, fully occupied with Allah and his attributes. This is brought out in verse 13:27-28 of the holy Quraan. A Muslim can find it easy to accomplish a change in the heart by practicing Thinkr Allah. The simplest way to achieve this is fast is to start out by attaching your heart to him and then connecting it to his guidance. Once the heart is cleansed all the other parts of the body become clean and pure.

The 99 attributes largely mentioned in the Quraan are heaven of spiritual enrichments. Each attribute is an institution that gives a clear communication about Allah. It is always said that a true believer loves Allah most. Having good knowledge in Allah makes him to delink himself totally from evil things. This practice is as a result of having a deep knowledge of Allah.

Thinkr uses the symbols of the most high God and his creations as a way of recollection and contemplation. These are signs that are well illustrated in the Quraan. It is fact that about 75 verses in the Quraan speaks about this fundamental teaching in Islamic religion. The verses are said to highlight on the teaching in a number of ways.

In conclusion it is very important for every Muslim believer to practice purification of the heart and soul as this will enhance their closeness to Allah and enable them do good deeds all the time as illustrated in the Quraan.

Present day Muslim women are now becoming more aware of their moral values and religious teachings, thus turning themselves towards their religion. This has resulted in numerous women in covering themselves up. This dress code depicts the modesty and simplicity every Muslim woman possesses. This dress code is known as the hijab, which implies that all Muslim women cover themselves up while going out. And they should cover themselves in such a manner that only their face and hands are visible. Rest of the body should be fully covered.

As numerous women have turned towards covering themselves, it is becoming more of a trend now. It has considerably gained popularity amongst the Muslim women. Therefore, this dress is now seen in many styles, colors and designs. One thing we need to keep in mind is hijab is not only a head scarf or head gear to simply hide your hair and neck. Though these two parts are also to be covered when you wear this dress, but it is more of a complete body dress which allows you to cover up fully.

As more women now cover themselves, you can find a verity of designs and styles. Many hijabs have embroidery on them. They are adorned with beads, embroidery, lining of different colors, outlines and many more. But if you are in search for the more traditional ones, then you can buy those in plains. Same way, the more traditional colors included blacks and browns. But today, it’s not the same. You will find a verity of colors to choose from, so many colors that you will be dazzled.

There are numerous styles now available, and in different clothing material. Mostly it is found in silk clothing. All these designs not only complement your looks, but also enhance your entire outlook and add an element of elegance to your personality. From the very traditional ones for old ladies to the very classy and trendy ones for the young college or office-going girls, you will find an unlimited verity. So there’s no need for you to compromise with fashion because of your dress code that your religion asks you to wear. You can bring some style to your new outlook with the many designs that are now available.

Due to the increased demand in hijabs, many fashion designers have now responded to it by coming up with designs that not only are stylish, yet they complement the Islamic dress codes. Not only that, they are now made with material to complement different parts of the world and the climate of that particular region or place. As Muslim dressing is largely influenced by their surrounding environment, climate, culture, traditions and values. So as to show the true identity the Muslims of this world hold.

Various analysts throughout the world agree that democracy has its foundation in Islam and the Koran, as the Koran clearly states that mutual discussion is required among the people.  The implementation of complete Shariah law, for many Muslims, is the last hope left for them to be united under one banner, to be free of autocratic corruption and to be treated with Justice and the rule of the law. On the other hand many favor the democratic or secular system in which the Muslims will be able to follow their religion out of their own spiritual needs and not due to the pressure put on them by the law obligating them to perform their religious duties.

Due to the mixed opinions of the Muslims all around the globe, the democratic law and the Islamic law have been incorporated together in three different ways, all in the hope of creating a balance between the two. The first system is known as the Dual Legal System which is practiced in majority of the Muslim countries. In this system Shariah courts are allowed to exist under a secular government and the citizens are permitted to take their family and financial issues to the Shariah courts. Many western democracies are considering the establishment of small level Shariah courts to tackle disputes regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance etc among the Muslims of their country.

The second system is known as the Government under God. This system is practiced in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait etc. Under this system, Islam is considered the religion of the state and the laws and constitution is derived from the Shariah Law. The third system is the completely secular one, in which Islamist groups influence the local traditions however in the constitution there is no influence from the Shariah. Such a system is practiced in countries like Azerbaijan, Chad, and Somalia etc.

Even in secular Islamic states, the Islamist political parties affect the way of life reducing the crack between the state and the religion. Hence there is no denying that the Shariah Law makes it way up the system and has a control over the way the Islamic countries are run.

“This picture* was taken last year in March. I remember because it was a good day for several reasons. At that point, my life was at a high, but a false high. All the wrong things mattered to me; I couldn’t realize right from wrong. Blinded by feelings, I had given away my soul to the devil for momentary happiness. I thought this was where I belonged, but it turns out I was wrong. Since the events of this year (2011), I’ve come to realize that my life was just for the moment. All those feelings and people wouldn’t do me any good. After hitting rock bottom, I built myself again; this time, I leaned on Allah instead of people. I looked to the higher power to pick me up and put me where I belong. I don’t understand why I thought I was happy back then my life was so unfulfilled.

Today, I can honestly look at myself and admire the changes that have taken place inside of me. I would actually thank people for bringing me so down that I was forced to rise, out of the darkness, and into Allah’s guidance. If I’m lucky and I stay focused, I will be the person I strive to be. And with Allah’s help, I’ll find my way to the salvaged group of people, the believers, the maintainers of truth. InshAllah my life will only get better.”

That is what I wrote for my 30 day challenge on Facebook. I have to admit, it wasn’t the easiest thing to admit to 300 friends, or actually just the 10 or so that generally stalk me; but writing my thoughts down made my realizations stronger, more appealing. Although I have been having a hard time dealing with my emotions lately, something about the presence and security of Allah comforts me.

Being a teenager, I know tons of people my age, maybe a little younger, some a little older, lost in the world. They feel that their problems outweigh them by too much- they feel like they have no support. I know this feeling because I’ve felt it too. Yeah yeah, I know every individual’s experiences are different and all that stuff, but I also know that feelings bring humanity together; so I’ll repeat myself, I’ve been there, in that lost stage, the “I don’t know where I am” stage, the “I’m a messy teenager and I don’t know what to do” stage, and definitely the “I don’t have anyone that understands me” stage.

Personally, it took me a long LONG time to realize what I was missing. I had spent my life as a Muslim but studied the religion, on my own, so rarely. Listening to other people’s lectures and stories and studies didn’t cut it for me anymore. When I reached my breaking point, I looked up to Allah. It started with just talking to him, in my heart, late at night- when I would feel lonely; I had just lost one of my best friends (lost as in we decided to no longer be friends) and the other things in life weren’t looking so good either. The private late night conversations with Allah comforted my heart, I knew he listened and cared. The talks led to me reading Al Sahifah Al Sajjadiyyah Al-kamilah (The Pslams of Islam) by Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (as).  Reading his supplications started creating a change that led to more reading, praying, and finally, perhaps the most important, reading the translation of the Qur’an.

My point is- that the feeling of loneliness and despair disappeared once I let go of my worldly attachments. Once you realize that you can’t always have it you way but that as Muslims we have the best support we could possibly find and everlasting, unconditional love. People may throw you away, treat you like trash, put you down, call you a fatty, or an ugly face, but you have someone that would love me no matter what.

If your hearts aching, you might want to look away from the comfort of people, and look towards the comfort of God.

“Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (13:28)

And remember that whatever you’re going through is just for the time being. This life is so temporary; if you aren’t even sure of when your next breath will be, then why waste your time on things that won’t last? People come and go, but Allah is forever- and I don’t mean that in a cheesy, puny way.

Source: www.iqraonline.net

There are two views among the Ulama regarding the disposal of interest money received from the bank:

1) The first view is that such interest money can only be given to the poor who are entitled to receive Zakat (i.e. they must not possess the nisab of Zakat). It is also necessary that the recipients are granted ownership and possession of the wealth (tamleek al-fuqaraa). According to this view, it is not permissible to utilise such interest money directly in public welfare projects, such as building roads, bridges and public toilets etc.

(Fatawa Mahmudiya: 24l431, Maktaba Mahmudiya)

2) The second view is that in addition to giving such interest money to the poor, it is permissible to use such interest money directly in public welfare projects. According to this view, granting of ownership to the poor (tamleek al-fuqaraa) is not a requirement.

(Fatawa Raheemiya: 9/279-282, Darul Isha’at)*
(Kifayatul Mufti: 7/105, Darul Isha’at)

The first view is more precautionary (ahwat) whereas the second view is more accommodating (awsa’).

In view of the different academic views, there is a leeway to use interest money received from the bank for the construction of toilets and ablution facility for an orphanage.

Note:
As a general rule, no Muslim by his free choice should deposit his money in an interest-bearing account. A non interest-bearing account should be utilised for the purpose. If there are any intricacies, a mufti should be consulted.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Checked and Approved by,
Muftī Ebrahim Desai.

By my brother, Muhammad Tim, 4th year student at Madinah University:

Assalaamu alaykum warahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his companions.

With regard to the matter of sincere intention, it seems that some people are confused with regard to certain aspects. Therefore, I wished to make the following points, and all success is from Allah:-

1. Firstly, the correct intention is one of two conditions for every act of worship to be accepted, along with the action being in accordance to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah – may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The proof for this is the statement of Allah, the Exalted, The proof for this principle can be found in Allah’s statement: “So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.” [Al-Kahf 18:110].

2. Secondly, the essence of the correct intention is for an action to be sincerely for the sake of Allah, and not to contain any form of shirk, or giving some of Allah’s rights to someone or something else. Fadl bin Ziyaad said, “I asked Abu Abdullah (i.e., Imaam Ahmad) about the intention in action, how should it be? He said, ‘One should treat his self when he intends to do an action, not desiring by it the people (i.e. showing off).’”

3. Thirdly, intention is something that needs to be constantly reviewed and worked upon. Sufyaan ath-Thawree said, “I have not battled with anything more difficult than my intention.”

4. Fourthly, the fact that another person is the cause for some of your good deeds, or that they call you to guidance, or that they encourage you to do something which you were not intending to do, does not affect your intention. This is part of the foundation of da’wah and calling people to guidance. The Prophet – may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him – used to encourage some of the companions to do actions that they were not intending to do, and he encouraged others to do the same. The Prophet – may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him – said, “Whoever calls to guidance has the reward of it and the reward of everyone who acts upon it, until the Day of Resurrection, without their reward being decreased in any way.” So if a brother comes to you and says, ‘come to the masjid’, and you were not intending to come, but because of him calling you to guidance, you decide to come, and you make your worship for the sake of Allah alone, then your intention is correct, if Allah wills, and the fact that another brother called you to do something that you had not planned to do does not affect your intention.

Similarly, if your intention was not pure, and then you realise that you have been showing off in some of your deeds, then you correct them and seek Allah’s forgiveness, then your intention returns to being correct, and if you do so before you complete the action (such as before you finish praying), then you do not lose the reward of the entire prayer.

5. Fifthly, showing off is a form of minor shirk and is extremely serious, but it is equally serious to not perform good deeds out of fear of showing off. Al Fudayl bin ‘Iyaad considered it another form of riyaa’. Rather you should say, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge with you from making partners with you while I realise, and I ask your forgiveness for what I do not realise.’ Leaving that which Allah has ordered you out of fear of what people may say can even reach the level of major shirk, so do not allow the shaytaan to open a door to your destruction!

To answer the question, “if a person became Muslim because of worldly reasons but later changed their intention sincerely for the sake of Allah and repented, then that is okay?”

To answer this question, my point was that it may happen, and that a person may correct themselves. A person’s Islam is not accepted by Allah until it is sincere – this is one of the conditions of laa ilaaha ill Allah, but as Muslims we are commanded to treat them as normal Muslims, since the matter of intention is left to Allah. In general, we shouldn’t rush to encourage a person who is not sincere. This does not benefit Islam and the Muslims, and the person themselves may be harmed.

However, we may see someone who has some fault in their intention, and we believe that there is a good chance that the person will be corrected, based on their environment and their character. First of all we should try to correct their intention before they become Muslim. In the example of marriage, we try to make the marriage secondary to pleasing Allah. If we believe that they will change, then we may accept their Islam. However, if the person who they are marrying is not even practising Islam, then it is unlikely that they will see the beauty of Islam, when the person they are marrying does not even see it. So, I think that we should be very careful in some of these cases. More information here:

6. Sixthly, a person may enter Islam for the sake of the dunyaa, or with a fault in their intention and then correct his or her intention, as Imaan enters their hearts, and so become from the true Muslims. This was the case of some of the companions, especially those who became Muslim after the conquest of Makkah. Some of them became Muslim for worldly reasons, but the sun did not set before Allah and His Messenger were more beloved to them than the earth and whatever was in it. This does not mean that we should encourage people to become Muslim who do not want to, however, we have not been asked to rule based on the hearts of the people, and it is possible for people to change once they see the beauty of Islam.

7. Finally, do not succumb to the whispers of shaytaan, that when a person calls you to do something good you say, ‘my intention is not right’ – this is nothing but the whisperings of the shayaateen, may Allah protect me and you from them. Rather embrace this good deed and make it sincere for Allah without showing off. This way you will get the reward for your action, as will the person who called you to do good. At the very least be honest and say, ‘I am too lazy to do it’, rather than inventing a religious excuse that Allah has given you no authority for; perhaps Allah will open your heart to the truth because of your honesty.

Don’t forget that intention alone is not enough for your deeds to be accepted. They must also be in accordance with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah – may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. ‘Aa’ishah – may Allah be pleased with her – narrated that the Prophet – may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him – said, “Whoever does an action that is not in accordance with my affair [i.e., my sunnah] then it is rejected.”

May Allah grant us all beneficial knowledge and the ability to act upon it, and save us from the whisperings of the shaytaan,

Wassalaamu alaykum warahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,
Muhammad Humble.

MIAMI (AP) — The Muslim holiday of Ramadan falls during the long, hot days of August this year, and Muslim Americans are getting ready to accommodate the daylight fasts required during the month-long period with adjustments in their schedules and eating habits.

It can be even tougher for Muslims in America than for their counterparts in majority-Muslim countries, where business slows down during Ramadan and people take it easier during the day, says Dr. Elizabeth Rourke, an internist at Boston Medical Center.

“In the U.S., everyone is required to do what they would do ordinarily, the entire month,” Rourke says, “so it makes the fast much more demanding for American Muslims.”

Mubarakah Ibrahim, a personal trainer, hopes to cram all her clients in the morning when she has the most energy. She’ll serve vegetables as the first course when her family breaks their fast in the evenings to make sure they get their nutrients for the day. And she’ll buy her four kids — ranging in age from 10 to17 — shiny new water bottles as a reminder to hydrate during the hours they’re not fasting.

“We know spirituality can get you through anything,” says Ibrahim, who lives in New Haven, Conn. “But the choice really is, you can suffer through it and still do it, or you can do it and do it efficiently without making your health suffer.”

Ramadan requires daily fasts of food and water during daylight hours. Typically observers eat a meal before dawn and break their fast at sunset. The fast-breaking meal — which varies by ethnic group but traditionally starts with a handful of sweet dates — is seen by many Muslims as an opportunity to gather with family and friends.

This year the holiday begins Aug. 1, when daylight in the U.S. lasts 13 to 14 hours, depending on where you are. The Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, which is shorter than the sun-based Gregorian calendar, so Ramadan creeps up 11 days every year. Ramadan can last 29 or 30 days, again depending on the lunar cycle.

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the most important duties in Islam, one that even the not-so-religious typically observe. Children are not required to fast until they hit puberty, though many start building up to it when they’re younger with half-day fasts. Also exempt are the elderly, women who are pregnant or nursing, and people with chronic medical conditions. But even for healthy Muslims, the daily fast from dawn until sunset can be grueling.

Rourke teaches medical residents about Ramadan and its implication for patients — how to adjust medication regimens to fit the daytime fast when possible, how to advise patients on avoiding dehydration, how to enlist help from a local religious leader if someone who shouldn’t be fasting expresses the intention to do so.

Even for a totally healthy person to sustain that fast for a very long period of time during a time where it can be very hot, it’s a very demanding thing to ask of your body,” Rourke says.

Sheikh Ali, a college student from Boca Raton, Fla., tries to ease his body into Ramadan mode by fasting intermittently the prior month, a practice of the Prophet Muhammad that some people emulate.

The premed chemistry major also extols the benefits of eating a high-fiber breakfast, like whole grain cereal, especially in the pre-dawn meal before fasting to help keep him feeling full.

Still, many Muslims say they won’t do much differently this year and they’re not too worried about the summer Ramadan.

“Once you’ve done it for this long,” says Natasha Chida, a medical resident at the University of Miami who’s been fasting since she was in middle school, “it’s not really something that’s physically difficult, it’s just about continuing to learn self-restraint.”

Beyond abstaining from food and drink, Muslims try to avoid negative words, thoughts and actions while fasting. Ramadan is seen as an opportunity to improve oneself, spiritually and personally.

Rizwan Jaka, a technology manager in Washington, D.C., puts the fast in perspective by reflecting on and empathizing with those in need, one of the main purposes of fasting.

“In the end, we have to realize that people go without food and water on a regular basis,” Jaka says. Whatever hardships people feel during their fast, he adds, “we’ve got it easy compared to people who don’t have access to food and running water.”

Source: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/US-Muslims-prepare-for-summertime-Ramadan-fasting-1584022.php