#Ramadan Reflections

[invitetoislam92]

[thebellekeys]

I want my future husband to be someone that's a true partner and companion, not a man with whom I have to live out a preconceived cultural expectation. I want him to be someone who I know will not make my future daughter feel lesser or limited because she is a girl, as that's certainly not the type of home I grew up in. I want my future husband to be someone with whom I share affection, not someone for whom I constantly self-sacrifice and repress myself. I want him to be someone who will not scoff when I say I'm a feminist and believe in women's autonomy. Inshallah, Allah SWT will have me remain alone until I can be with such a person He has chosen for me.

[revealingcontentment]

[astoldbylayo]

Navigating the Sacred Path to Hajj: A Pilgrim's Companion

Hajj is more than just a journey—it’s a spiritual transformation. As one of the five pillars of Islam, it’s a deeply personal and profound experience that leaves an everlasting impact. During this holy month of Ramadan, many of us find ourselves reflecting on our faith and contemplating the sacred pilgrimage ahead. But even with extensive preparation, many pilgrims face unexpected challenges.…

[thevoidwrites]

Yaqeen Ramadan Reflections: Day 4

The Other Side

In this episode, Ameer, the young man from Gaza, experienced a beautiful dream even in the middle of such hardship. How do you think dreams could help you when you are going through difficult times?

Not gonna lie, most of the time my dreams are absolute nonsense or a replay of events of the day. I do have trouble sleeping and low quality sleep often though. I hadn't paid much attention to my dreams most of the time except when they are upsetting, alhamdulliah that is not often. One time, I checked up on certain people because I saw great distress for them in a dream. Another time, I woke up in a fright because my dream showed me something I desire that I knew shouldn't be in my heart at all. E

Quran 30 for 30

This reminder especially matters to me when I consider doing things that may be (according to my own estimates) outside of my "skill" range. When, for example, I might think "oh I'm not a great conversationalist, so I won't make friends easily in a new office" but hearts are in the Lord's hands. And He can send you someone you vibe more easily with. Same with any other relationships, jobs, grades, and so on.

الإنابة

To return to Allah often.

This was my favourite portion of today's episode. Ust. Lobna Mulla is phenomenal when it comes to speaking about relationships and their effect. I also believe this is a depserately ignored part of the religion, gentlness. People often jump to "my right, their right" when handling conflicts in relationships with no regard to how others feel. This ignores the concept of Ihsan, excellence in character, to give to others even more than what those rights dictates. And as someone said before, though I do not recall who did, once you go back to the list of right and duties of each person, then that means there's conflict. You won't go to this list when the relationship is being led with love and mercy. A hadith I heard before prohibits people from aiding the shaytan against their brethren, being harsh with someone who has sinned or is going through difficulty is aiding the shaytan against them. To alienate them in a moment of weakness is a disservice and an injustice. They even mentioned the Prophet's peace be upon him response to the 40 archers who abandoned the mountain at Uhud and, by extension, caused the death of his beloved uncle, AlAbbas. I wanna read up about that.

[hilyahkamilah]

Dan taatlah kepada Allah dan Rasul (Muhammad), agar kamu diberi rahmat. Dan bersegeralah kamu mencari ampunan dari Tuhanmu dan mendapatkan surga yang luasnya seluas langit dan bumi yang disediakan bagi orang-orang yang bertakwa; (Yaitu) orang yang berinfak, baik di waktu lapang maupun sempit, dan orang-orang yang menahan amarahnya dan memaafkan (kesalahan) orang lain. Dan Allah mencintai orang yang berbuat kebaikan.

[Qs. Ali Imran: 132-134]

Dari Uqbah bin Amir Al-Jahmy ra. Meriwayatkan bahwa Rasulullah SAW. bersabda kepadanya, "Wahai Uqbah maukah kamu aku tunjukkan akhlak yang paling baik, bagi penghuni dunia dan akhirat? (Yaitu) engkau menyambung (persaudaraan) orang yang memutus persaudaraanmu, memberi hadiah kepada orang yang tidak pernah memberimu hadiah dan memaafkan orang yang menzalimimu."

[HR. Al-Hakim]

Beberapa poin yang bisa kita tadabburi dari dua pedoman hidup manusia (Qur'an dan Hadits) di atas, ada beberapa akhlak baik bagi orang-orang bertakwa yang bisa kita lakukan:

• Berinfaq

• Menahan amarah/ emosi

• Memaafkan

• Silaturahmi

• Memberikan hadiah

Baarakallah fiikum

1 Ramadan 1444 H

[al-firdaus]

Some days, we rush to our musallah (prayer mat), eager to stand in front of Allah ﷻ, feeling that khushū’ and that sweetness in being close to Him. And other days, it feels as if we’re dragging our feet, exhausted, distracted, or don’t really feel like praying. And it’s in those moments when shayṭān whispers to us, making us feel as if we’ve failed—that our ṣalāh isn’t “good enough,” that Allah ﷻ will be displeased, that we’re not good Muslims. We’re so hard on ourselves because we feel as if every ṣalāh needs to be filled with khushū’, sweetness and tranquility, and we become disheartened when it’s not.

But dear soul, don’t you see? The fact that you still pray, even when your heart feels heavy, even when you’re dragging your feet, even when you don’t feel like it, shows how much you long to please Allah ﷻ. That even when it feels difficult, your soul knows where it belongs—before Him.

And it’s okay. It’s okay if not every ṣalāh is filled with khushūʿ. It’s okay if some days feel like a struggle. Perhaps those ṣalāh’s are even more beloved to Allah ﷻ because they are a testament to your perseverance, your unwavering effort to turn back to Him.

So to the one dragging their feet to ṣalāh—keep going. Keep knocking on Allah’s door. He will, for sure, open it in a way that fills your heart with a love so deep that your soul will love to stand before Him, again and again.

May Allah ﷻ grant us the sweetness of ṣalāh and the ability to worship Him with sincerity, no matter how we feel. Amīn.

[suhyla]

The Prophet ﷺ said: Allah the Almighty said: “I am as My servant expects Me to be. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assemble better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.”

What this means is the way we choose to see Allah is the way we will find Him. The more we invest in our relationship with Allah, the more we find. Our relationship with Allah allows us to feel loved, seen, protected, supported, and healed. But only if we see our relationship with Him in that way. Like any relationship, it grows with regular conversation. With trust. With vulnerability. With effort. With consistency. And the best thing is Allah already knows us better than we know ourselves. So why don’t we approach Him while truly internalizing that? That He already knows what we hope for, the gentleness we need, and how we feel. Doesn’t that make it easier to be vulnerable with Him?

Our relationship with Allah is one of those things we have to experience for ourselves to appreciate. You can tell others to make duaa for you. But don’t you want to experience what it’s like to make a secret duaa and have Allah respond to you? To be sad about something and have Allah Himself cheer you up in a way that only someone who knows you deeply can? To secretly wish for something and have someone with the power to help you reach it and whose nearness to you means He is with you at every step of the process? All these moments fill us with love for Him.

If you don’t know how to approach Allah with love, ask Him to show you how. Put in effort every day and show up even when it’s hard to. It will be your most rewarding relationship. It will heal you in ways you didn’t know were possible. It will fill you with love and light, and make everything easier. It will make you more compassionate. One who has someone they can fully depend on, trust, and be vulnerable with feels able to take on anything that comes their way. Let that someone be Allah 🩵

[lightup0nlight]

The best of those who fast are the ones who remember Allah the most while fasting.

❛𝗠𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗿 (𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲) 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵, 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀, 𝗥𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗵𝗶 𝘄𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗺 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗛𝗲 ﷺ 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱:

🌺 ❛𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵.❜ 【𝗔𝘁-𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗹-𝗠𝘂’𝗷𝗮𝗺 𝗔𝗹-𝗞𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗿 (𝟰𝟬𝟳)】

𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹-𝗪𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝘀-𝗦𝗮𝘆𝘆𝗶𝗯, 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗺 𝗜𝗯𝗻 𝗔𝗹-𝗤𝗮𝘆𝘆𝗶𝗺 [𝗿𝗮𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗵𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵] 𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗵: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 [𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵].❜

— 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗸𝗵 𝗔𝗯𝗱𝘂𝗿-𝗥𝗮𝘇𝘇𝗮𝗾 𝗮𝗹-𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗵𝗮𝗵𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗵 【Translated from Shahih Fiqih, may Allah accept from them】

So fast as best as we can, and pray as best as we can, make du’a as best as we can, do good deeds as best as we can, — by remembering Allah in all of those actions.

Your sister in Deen, Aida Msr ©

[bebyarifien]

Bare Minimum

Terkadang fast response malah kontra produktif dan bahkan dapat membuka celah untuk dimanipulasi...

Dalam obrolan santai dengan Pak Mentor, “mengapa kita sering tertipu orang, atau disakiti orang? karena kita menganggap orang lain itu baik, sebaik kita memperlakukan mereka.”

Kita terus memberi udzur yang banyak dan berlapis-lapis pada mereka yang mengecewakan, bahkan di budaya sunda ada peribahasa “buruk-buruk papan jati, yang artinya baik buruk mereka, tetep keluarga yang gak bisa kita tinggalkan, mereka akan terus stay juga bersama kita.”

Berkali-kali batasan yang kita dirikan, dirobohkan dan kita tetap saja memberi pemakluman dan kesempatan demi kesempatan, dengan harapan suatu saat nanti mereka akan berubah. Setahun, dua, lima, tujuh belas, 28 tahun… terus-terus memberi pemakluman sampai takdir Allah datang, memberikan kekuatan kepada kita untuk bertindak dan tersadar betapa kita tak pernah cukup bagi mereka, tersadar kita terlalu lemah hingga mudah dimanipulasi, tersadar kita selama ini berada di tempat yang salah, yang tak memberikan value kecuali minim dan tak pernah seimbang, kita terus-terus dalam kondisi dilemahkan sepanjang tahun bersamanya.

Dari pengalaman hidup dan kecewa yang mendalam jadi belajar untuk bare minimum dalam merespon perlakuan orang lain. Agar kita tak terluka lagi.

Dalam konteks hubungan, “bare minimum” seperti perilaku seseorang yang hanya melakukan apa yang diperlukan untuk mempertahankan hubungan, tanpa melakukan usaha atau upaya tambahan untuk memperkuat atau memperdalam hubungan tersebut.

Hanya melakukan kegiatan yang diperlukan untuk mempertahankan hubungan, tanpa melakukan usaha untuk menciptakan kenangan atau momen spesial bersama.

Bukan berhenti berbuat baik, namun lebih ke menjaga kewarasan dari suatu hubungan yang cenderung toxic dan memberi kesempatan pada diri kita untuk ishlah diri. Karena diantara delapan milyar orang di dunia ini, harus ada satu orang yang paling sayang pada kita yaitu… diri kita sendiri.

[invitetoislam92]

[islamicsuggestions]

Just for a few moments, be with yourself and tell yourself it doesn't matter who sees you, Allah sees you. He will validate you and reward you for your efforts. Keep going. Don't let this Ramadan slip by. Allah is aware of your efforts. Khalas, he knows. He will bless you. It does not matter what the world sees, knows or if they are appreciative. What matters is how you feel you are doing in front of Allah. For just a moment, be with yourself and tell yourself only Allah's approval matters.

[revealingcontentment]

“You don’t need to force yourself into happiness. Instead resort to Submission.”

-Sh. Omar Suleiman, Why Me? Ramadan 2024

[songofwizardry]

belated Ramadan Mubarak!

I try to do a bit of reading every Ramadan, so, for accountability, and so that when I inevitably don’t get through them I can find my list next year—here's my (extremely very ambitious) reading list for this year!

(suggestions are very welcome, with the warning that I very much may not get through them. this year, I’m trying to learn more about Islam and liberation theology and I’m trying to read more abolitionist texts, and of course my standard queer Muslim books, I’m trying to read more poetry by Muslim poets I don’t know well, and every Ramadan I try and only read fiction by Muslim authors, so there’s some sff on here too!)

non-fic:

memoirs:

We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib (reread)

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

The Colour of God by Ayesha S Chaudhry

Love is an Ex-Country by Randa Jarrar

A Dutiful Boy by Mohsin Zaidi

other nonfic:

Islam and Anarchism by Mohamed Abdou

We Do This Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba (reread-ish? I never fully finished it)

Let This Radicalise You by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba

Qur'an and Woman by Amina Wadud (which I also never finished)

The Women's Khutbah Book by Fatima Seedat and Sa'diyya Shaikh

Qur’an of the Oppressed: Liberation Theology and Gender Justice in Islam by Shadaab Rahemtulla

With Stones in Our Hands: Writings on Muslims, Racism, and Empire by Sohail Daulatzai and Junaid Rana

fiction:

The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad

Mirage by Somaiya Daud (yes I still have not read this)

The Light at the Bottom of the World by London Shah

Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faisal

poetry:

Halal If You Hear Me (anthology)

If They Come For Us by Fatimah Asghar (reread)

Hagar Poems by Mohja Kahf

Bad Diaspora Poems by Momtaza Mehri

The Fortieth Day by Kazim Ali

Black Seeds by Tariq Touré

Postcolonial Banter by Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan

[thevoidwrites]

Yaqeen Ramadan Reflections: Day 2

The Other Side

Consider the qualities you show in your honesty, or integrity. How would you be described by those who know you best? What do your actions say about you? What changes can you make to ensure that your name in the heavens aligns with the person you aspire to be?

I really hope its kindness. really hope its overflowing love and mercy and a soft heart toward the suffering of any living thing. It's as if really want to be loving and give everything have but can't always master the patience to do so. think ifl slow down and focus in my Salah and athkar this may translate to other areas of my life as well.

Quran 30 for 30

Pairing this with the Barzakh series is a very strong reminder. The visualization of the ending, of the soul leaving the body as the eyes follow. That gets me so scared that I am not ready for this. Iman ebbs and flows, rises and lowers. I'm ebbing now and I'm scared.

Other than this lesson, Dr Omar spoke about how Allah is the one who gives ملك and takes away ملك. That empire that may seem permenant, it will fall one day. I have no doubt that it will, but one lingers their eyes at it waiting to catch the moment it does.

الحمد لله على نعمة الإسلام وكفى بها من نعمة

اللهم لا تزغ قلوبنا بعد إذ هديتنا وقنا عذاب النار

[penaimaji]

Yang Terlupa dari Ramadan

Seringkali menjelang bulan Ramadan, yang kita pikirkan selain kewajiban membayar zakat, diantaranya; mudik kemana, budget oleh-oleh lebaran, budget THR orang tua, mertua, ponakan, sepupu, bocil-bocil tetangga, hampers untuk kolega juga teman, belanja kue lebaran, baju lebaran, dkk.

Kita hampir melupakan budget lebih untuk makanan, laundry, jasa beberes rumah atau kebutuhan kita lainnya di bulan Ramadan. Bulan yang penuh berkah, dimana dilipatgandakan setiap amal ibadah manusia; yang kita temui hanya setahun sekali (semoga Allah izinkan untuk bertemu Ramadan kembali, dan beri keberkahan pada umur kita).

Mengapa tidak kita siapkan dana khusus? Selama sebelas bulan kita anggarkan pos untuk Ramadan, supaya kita tidak perlu repot-repot memasak, menyuci, beberes rumah. Sehingga, kita bisa memaksimalkan waktu untuk beribadah.

Mungkin kondisi setiap individu berbeda-beda, tidak bisa kita samaratakan. Apabila kita merasa masih bisa diusahakan—setidaknya di sepuluh malam terakhir, kenapa tidak? Bukankah tujuan hidup ialah beribadah? Kenapa kita tidak tergerak untuk berlomba-lomba dalam melakukan amal shalih?

Semoga Allah jadikan hati dan fisik kita ini, kuat dalam berjuang pada momen Ramadan. Semoga Allah pertemukan kita dengan Ramadan yang akan datang, dengan tekad terus memperbaiki diri dan amal :'))) biidznillah.

تقبل الله منا ومنكم. صيامنا وصيامكم

كل عام و أنتم بخير. و عساكم من العيدين والفائزين

Jakarta, 10 April 2024 | Pena Imaji