#how to seek forgiveness from Allah

[arabriddler]

important ! In recent years especially this year I’ve noticed a lot that the internet language picked up so many Islamic phrases and, from a muslim perspective, it makes the internet a little more welcoming. the thing is, a lot of the time with Islamic phrases you have to be careful about when and where to say them they hold their own weight and demand their own respect so here is a list explaining each phrase and some notes about it.

In sha allah

It means “ If God wills “. It’s mostly a response that can mean yes or no. If someone asks you to do something you can say in sha allah as in “ I heard you and I’ll try to do itc but I can’t claim that It will happen “ . Muslims say it because we’re unaware of what future holds it’s actually blasphemous to claim to know the future, so saying so means “ If it’s the will of god it will happen if not it won’t “ and you’d also say it about future events.

Ma sha allah

It means “ this is what god intended “ and it’s a compliment. Saying so is like saying WOW! But it’s also kind of a prayer of protection? If I see someone with pretty hair I should say “ Ma sha allah your hair is very pretty “ the ma sha allah protects the person from the evil eye. By saying that I’m also saying I’m not jealous I’m genuinely enamored and I don’t wish any harm to go to it.

Astagfurullah

it means “ to god I repent “ or “ from god I seek forgiveness” it’s usually used when you make a mistake but people also use it when they see something bad or when they want to avoid saying something bad. Like once my card refused to work and I’d say that so I won’t say any curse words and to calm down my anger

wallah/wallahi

okay this one is important. This one shouldn’t be used so lightly. It means “ by god’s name “ and it’s basically swearing in Allah’s name. You are only supposed to say it if you genuinely mean what you’re saying. It’s such a heavy word that I only say it very rarely and if you say it and don’t follow up on what you said you have to fast for three days as repentance.

ya allah

ya is an addressing word? Like talking to someone or calling them? Like saying O’ ( someone ) so ya allah means O’ god

Al hamdullilah // hamdullilah

it means ‘ praise/thanks to god ‘ said when something good happens or when you feel relieved about something— for example, my shirt is stained badly and I’m worried it won’t clean well. I clean it and the stain is gone so I say “ al hamdullilah “ kind of like phew!. Sometimes people say it as an answer when they’re asked how they are it can either mean things are good or bad but we preserve .

One more note is that with the name of Allah you should also be careful it’s not supposed to be written on papers that’ll get stepped on or lightly used in art because it also has its own weight it’s regarded heavily. Like even in home decorations it should be elevated and not overshadowed. If I have to throw away a paper I have to sit down and color over the name of Allah or burn the papers so it won’t get thrown in trash.

another note is that those phrases aren’t Muslim exclusive. Some Arab non-Muslims use them as well. This is only my explanation from a Muslim perspective.

Another another note is this is what I can remember at the moment but if you have additions or enquiries let me know

[snoonz]

List of duaas

1. Ya Allah grant me the companionship of Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, his family and the Sahaba's in Jannathul Firdous al 'áala.

2. Ya Allah make me and my family from amongst the sabiqoon you mention of in Surah Al Waqi'ah. Let the light of our imaan emanate from our chest and from our right hand side.

3. Ya rabb, make me of those who are patient and obedient to You and to my parents.

4. Ya Allah make me of the few You love, You Pardon and You shade on a Day when there is no shade but from Your Majestic Arsh.

5. Oh my Lord, increase me in Yakeen and Tawakkul in you. Let there be no doubt in my belief in Your Oneness, Your Majesty and Power.

6. Ya Rahman, shower your Mercy upon me and save me from disgrace on the Day of Reckoning.

7. Ya Allah Al Wali - The Protecting Friend, protect us from hearts that are not humble, tongues that are not wise, and eyes that have forgotten how to cry.

8. Ya Allah, increase me in Sadaqa-e- Jariya. May the legacy of my good deeds be never-ending.

9. Ya Rabb, perfect my Deen and my Worship. Save me from Faahisha and let me complete half of my Deen with someone whose heart is attached to you.

10. Ya Allah accept my good deeds and increase me in reward and Your Mercy. Wipe away my sins and pardon me completely.

11. Ya Allah, when I die, let my soul and my record of Deeds be with the Illiyeen. Grant me and my loved ones shade under your throne when there will be no shade but yours.

12. Ya Allah grant me, my parents, and family guidance, steadfastness and increase us in Imaan and taqwa. Keep me and my loved ones away from major and minor sins and from everything that earns your displeasure.

13. Ya Razaq increase me in my love for You and Your Prophet sallallähu 'alayhi wa sallam.

14. Ya Jabbar forgive me and my loved ones and increase us in Your Blessings and Provisions.

15. Ya Khaliq lead me to more opportunities to do good and seeking Your Pleasure. Help me expand my knowledge with sincerity and ikhlas.

16. Ya Wahhaab, Purify my intentions for Your Sake alone and let me not show off or take false pride. Save me from arrogance, pride, showing off and reminding of favors.

17. Oh my Creator and Sustainer, do not leave me alone. Bless me with a righteous spouse and children who will be the coolness of our eyes. Fill our hearts with a pure love that is pleasing to you. Bless us with spouses who will guide us towards your pleasure and with whom we will spend an eternity in Jannatul firdous al'aala.

18. Oh my Lord, make me of those who are patient and obedient to You and to my parents.

19. Ya Latfeef, save me from the Fitnah of Dajjal. And save me from becoming a fitna for others

20. Ya Ghafoor, save me and my loved ones from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Hell Fire.

[ahl-e-dil]

(The Sweetness of Salah)

Always keep in mind that Salah isn't just obligatory it is food for our souls. Our soul needs prayer, it's to purify it, it's to beautify it and it's to nourish our souls. Just like how all of us are busy taking care of our bodies and appearances, we need to take care of our soul aswell, which is through, salah, getting closer to Allah everyday, seeking his forgiveness, thanking him for everything and remembering Him often.

Remember, your body will remain 6 feet under the ground and your soul will rise up and travel to Allah. Hence, in order to have a healthy soul, you need to take care of it, don't deprive it of it's food which is salah, just like you wouldn't deprive your body from it's food and exercise.

Never abandon your salah no matter what you're going through and no matter what situation you're in. Salah is what separates you from a kaffir, it's what makes us a Muslim. When you neglect your salah your neglecting your soul as well and it's final destination will be to Allah.

Disobeying Allah just to fulfill your own desires will never be worth it. It will only lead to consequence after consequence. In return it will only leave a hole in your soul, for everytime you miss a prayer it will cause that hole to become bigger and bigger until you become soulless.

Remember, when you stop praying, it's not you who has stopped praying, Allah is the One who has taken away the privilege to pray to Him from you.

Without salah you'll feel miserable, lost, empty and nothing in this dunya will truly ever satisfy you until your soul is fed. We will always feel like somethings is missing. We are nothing without salah, our life is nothing and it will seem pointless without salah.

Ask yourself this question, do I really want to get lost in this cruel dunya, which isn't even our real home and it will grant us nothing but disappointment. As you grow older you realize that this dunya is literally a prison for us believers and paradise for the disbelievers.

We need to keep in mind that salah is where your soul can heal and find comfort from this dunya which is nothing but filled with problems and chaos. It's to purify our hearts and fill it with peace and tranquility. It's to remind us of our purpose and worth, it's to show us who we truly are.

Remember, true happiness and peace only comes from remembering Allah, which you will never get from this dunya.

Always remember, that we're having a private and intimate conversation with our Creator five times a day, it's truly a blessing. When we recite surah Fatiha, Allah responds after each ayah we recite.

The moment you raise your hands and say 'Allahu Akbar', you're pushing all your problems and desires away, because Allah is greater than everything, anything and the dunya itself.

When you go in ruku, the weight of your sins fall off from your head and shoulders. The moment your forehead touches the ground, your heard in the highest heavens. In sujud your closest to Allah, so pour your heart and soul out to Him. Let it all out. SubhanAllah. How beautiful is salah.

Allah (ʿazza wa jall) has made the Hell-fire ḥarām for the face which prostrates itself to Him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Hell-fire will consume all of the son of Ādam except the mark of prostration. Allah has forbidden the Fire to consume the mark of prostration.”

-Ibn Mājah

[9amartt]

Each one of us has a life he’s seeking, some ask Allah for righteous spouses, others seek wealth, others righteous offspring, and for a few others, their goal is not in the dunyah and its distractions-not at all- they seek Allah’s pleasure and reward, and they will get it.. in sha Allah.

Oh my Lord, look at our intentions, purify them, and assist us in our path towards you, ya Allah we truly don’t know how to interpret our hearts, are our intentions sincere? Are we just following our desires with the excuse of seeking your pleasure?

Only You know, and only You can change that, so have mercy on Your weak helpless servants, and grant us from every hardship a way out, and grant our hearts and minds peace and acceptance of your decree, for what comes from You, ya Allah is all good, and we cannot complain of your decree, but oh my lord have mercy on our hearts, do not shatter the heart of a weak believer who will not bear that pain.

Oh Allah I testify that none of this dunyah’s distraction has ever truly pleased me or made me hesitant in seeking Your paradise, however, we humans were created weak, and You know that better than us, so Oh my Lord, forgive All my sins which weren’t, By Your might, but slips and moments of heedlessness, wallah My Lord We never once doubted Your mercy, we only doubt our degree of deserving for your beautiful kindness and mercifulness…

Oh Allah, look upon your weak servants who expect good from you, and do not disappoint them.

May Allah grant us what we long for in dunyah and Akhirah.

[sabrgirl]

7 tips in getting closer to Allah SWT

read the Qur'an everyday reading the word of Allah and understanding what you are reading will make you feel close to Him as you know that this is not a Book that anyone has just written - it has come directly from Allah SWT. subhanallah. reading and understanding what He says will make you want to practise what the Qur'an says and, in turn, be closer to Him.

be around people who remember Allah human beings have great influence on each other so it is important to have righteous people around you. their relationship with Allah SWT will inspire you to build and improve yours.

understand what you recite in salah knowing what you are reciting will help you understand how many blessings you are gaining with just a single prayer. take time to learn the translation (if you do not speak/understand arabic) of what you are reciting and why.

learn Allah's 99 names and attributes 'And to Allah alone belong all perfect attributes; so call on Him by these' (7:181) Allah likes it when we call Him by his names and it is important to recognise and understand Him. think of Him as your friend: when you get to know someone better, you get closer to them. it is the same thing, in fact, better, with Allah SWT.

have secret good deeds between you and Allah again, like having a friend, having something that is just between you and your Lord will make you feel closer to Him.

make lots of du'a - especially in sujood having your dua's come true is the best feeling, especially when you have been praying for something for a long time, alhamdulillah. praying for anything, no matter how big or small, will make you feel closer to Him as you know that He alone will make everything okay and knows what is best for you.

remember death and prepare for it this one can be very hard but it is important to remember that death can come at anytime so always try and do good deeds and live righteously in order to please Allah. when having this mindset that each day is a new chance to seek forgiveness and do good deeds, you will feel closer to Him by wanting Him to be happy with you.

[islamicrays]

How to deal with stress, anxiety, anguish and sin, and helping find the secret of success & happiness.

People often forget the importance of the simple yet powerful dua (supplication) – Istighfar i.e., saying “Astaghfirullah” (I seek forgiveness of Allah).

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recited this at least 100 times a day.

Let us see the benefits and virtues of reciting this simple beautiful supplication insha Allah.

Istighfar (Astaghfirullah) is the gateway of relief and happiness. Whenever you are in distress start reciting it and Insha Allah it will take you out of your anxiety and will put you in a peaceful situation and will give you happiness.

Istighfar removes anxiety and duas are answered.

Istighfar opens the door of sustenance.

Istighfar opens the door of mercy.

Istighfar opens the door of knowledge.

Istighfar is also gateway of productivity.

Istighfar relieves you.

When you feel that sadness within you, when you are disturbed and frustrated, when anxiety surrounds you, say “Astaghfirullah” “Astaghfirullah”…

Reciting Astaghfiruallah is an effective method of calming our self and wipes away the variety of worldly worries from our mind and body. It may also help us, if we are suffering from depression, it calm us and lessen our depression.

Astaghfirullah also helps us to refrain from all forms of sins. Regularly saying this reminds us that Allah is everywhere and in this way there is very small chances of doing wrongful actions.

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,

“If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.” [Abu Dawud].

In another hadith, Abdullah bin Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:

“The one who (regularly) says Istighfaar, that is, frequently repent to Allah Ta’aala for sins committed, Allah Azza Wa-Jal will open a path from poverty and difficulties.

All sorrow and hardship will be removed, and in its place prosperity and contentment granted. One will receive sustenance from unimagined and unexpected sources.

Do Tasbih of Astaghfaar at least 100 times daily as it is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

In one minute, you can say “Astaghfiru Allaah” more than 100 times!

The virtue of seeking forgiveness is well-known, it is a reason of obtaining forgiveness, entering Paradise, having good provisions, increasing one’s strength, repelling harm, having affairs facilitated, the descent of rain, and increasing in wealth and children.

The doors of repentance are always open therefore don’t delay your repentance in a hope of tomorrow, as tomorrow is uncertain , Repent now and make it a habit to ask Allah’s forgiveness by reciting “Astaghfirullah”.

Say I believe in Allah’s mercy, I have sinned, I have gone astray, I have been negligent, but still I believe in Allah’s soothing mercy and forgiveness, I’ll not despair!

IMPORTANCE OF ISTIGHFAR FROM THE QURAN:

One of the 99 Names of Allah is Al-Ghaffaar (الْغَفَّارُ) – The Great Forgiver The Forgiver, the One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again.

There are numerous verses in the Quran about the importance of asking for forgiveness of Allah SWT. Here are few of them:

And (commanding you): “Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with his wealth, and even with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). [Hud 11:3]

Declare (O Muhammad SAW) unto My slaves, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful. [Al-Hijr 15:49]

Then, verily! Your Lord for those who do evil (commit sins and are disobedient to Allâh) in ignorance and afterward repent and do righteous deeds, verily, your Lord thereafter, (to such) is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [An-Nahl 16:119]

Your Lord knows best what is in your inner-selves. If you are righteous, then, verily, He is Ever Most Forgiving to those who turn unto Him again and again in obedience, and in repentance. [Al-Isra 17:25]

And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death). [Ta-Ha 20:82]

And say (O Muhammad SAW): “My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the Best of those who show mercy!” [Al-Mumenoon 23:118]

Need more verses? Read the Quran! There are plenty of verses about the importance of seeking forgiveness.

So did you say “Astagfirullah” (I seek forgiveness of Allah) 100 times today?

#Reflect

-Qasim Rafique

[julaibib]

What is Istighfar? How to do it?

Istighfar is seeking forgiveness, which is asking Allah for forgiveness verbally while repenting in the heart. Indeed, seeking forgiveness with words alone, without repentance in the heart, is not beneficial.

“And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful” [ Ayah 110 Surat Al Nisaa]

Istighfar (Arabic: استغفار‎‎ istiġfār), also Astaghfirullah (Arabic: أستغفر الله‎‎ ʾastaġfiru l-lāh) is the act of seeking forgiveness from Allah. This act is generally done by repeating the Arabic words astaghfirullah, meaning "I seek forgiveness from Allah"

Many other variants like

Astaghfirullah wa atubu ilaih is written as: أَسْـتَـغْـفِـرُ اللهَ وَ أَ تُـوبُ إِ لَـْيهِ Meaning: I seek forgiveness to Allah and. repent towards Him. It's that simple, ask (with sincere. heart)and you will receive.

-Whoever says this in the day with conviction and dies before evening, he will be among the people of Paradise. Whoever says this in the night with conviction and dies before morning, he will be among the people of Paradise.” Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6306

Another one "Rabb- ighfir li, wa tubb ‘alayya, innaka Antat-Tawwaabur-Rahim. "

(My Rab! Forgive me and pardon me. Indeed, You are the Oft-Returning with compassion and Ever Merciful

[suhyla]

The Quran gives us many cases of people who act based on their desires or what they feel & want in the moment. The brothers of Yusuf acted on their envy. The wife of the Aziz acted on her lusts. The women of Egypt acted on their haughtiness and spread gossip. The leaders of Quraish & Bani Israel acted on their arrogance. The men of the garden acted on their greed and refused to share their fruits with the poor. Shaytan acted on his envy and continues to be too arrogant to seek forgiveness from Allah. They all share one thing in common: they act from a place of desire. What they do rests upon what they *feel* like doing or what feels good, even if it is wrong. They treat people based on how they feel and what they want. They lack character, consistency, and a sense of self that is rooted in their relationship with Allah.

And the Quran gives us many cases of people who restrain themselves even when it’s difficult for the sake of Allah. Yusuf refuses to acquiesce to the wife of the Aziz regardless of desire. He refuses to seek revenge toward his brothers regardless of their betrayal. He refuses to respond to his brothers’ hurtful comments regardless of his pain. Yaqoub forgives his sons regardless of his grief because of their deceitful scheming. Musa chooses to face Pharaoh regardless of his fear. The Prophet ﷺ continued to preach and prayed for Quraish regardless of the sting of rejection and betrayal from his own people. All these people share one thing in common: the act based on their values. Based on what would please Allah. Values are eternal and feelings are fleeting, so they act based on those eternal truths and take them as a guiding compass.

It takes practice and you won’t always get it right. But clinging to your values will guide you to recognize that you made a mistake and immediately seek to rectify it for Allah. That’s what separated Adam and Shaytan ✨

[realitycheckin]

Race and Ethnicity in Islam

Wallahi, the state of our ummah is in disarray. Yet, Alhamdulillah, there are communities where fikrah is upheld and followed correctly. But this alone is not enough. Wallahi, may Allah punish those who harm His creation simply because He created them. May Allah punish those who believe they possess any form of racial superiority.

To those who think their Arab ethnicity grants them status: beware. On this earth, you may be Arab, but on the Day of Judgment, you will stand as nothing more than a servant of Allah. And Allah, the Most High, has declared:

"O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware." (Quran 49:13)

We must acknowledge the beauty and vastness of the Arabic language, chosen by Allah for a reason, just as the Arabian Peninsula was chosen. But also remember the origin of the chosen people- before the Quran, the Arabs were among the pagans. Their societies today are like any other—some do good, while others indulge in actions detested by Allah. They persist in these wrongs without shame because, as Allah wills, some are guided while others are left in error, unable to perceive it.

It is a great sin—a great sin—to disassociate from your brothers and sisters in Islam because you think your fair skin makes you superior. How deluded must one be to believe that white skin signifies Allah’s noor or that blue or green eyes are signs of His favor? Allah favors the Muslim- the Mumin. Allah favors those who seek to please Him and seek the akhirah.

If this makes no sense to you, it is for one of two reasons:

You have never been inclined to believe you are superior, and you worship Allah as you should.

You do not believe that Allah created us equal.

The only distinctions lie between male and female, believer and disbeliever, and the righteous and the corrupt. Allah told us that we are different- it is by his decree. Never did He say that there is over a race a certain degree in anything. Not iman, not character, nothing.

And Allah says:

"And warn the people of a Day when the punishment will come to them, and those who did wrong will say, 'Our Lord, delay us for a short term; we will answer Your call and follow the messengers.' But it will be said, 'Had you not sworn before that you would not be removed?'" (Quran 14:44)

Allah is the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful. Will we not reason? Will we not reflect on how we treat others? We claim to follow the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, yet fail to uphold justice because of ego and arrogance.

Do we not see the error in how we treat those entrusted to us by Allah—servants, housemaids, those working under us? We yell at them as if they are deaf, overwork them as if they do not tire, and isolate them as if they do not feel. But Allah sees all, hears all and knows all. What do you even understand when you read surah Al-Kahf on Fridays?

Change your ways. Rid yourself of these vile, oppressive habits. Allah is just, and every soul will be recompensed for its deeds. Be a friend of Allah by doing right by His creation. The amanah of this dunya and everything in it is ours to uphold. Treat all of Allah’s creation with dignity, attributing all goodness to Him and recognizing evil as stemming from the nafs and Shaytan.

Allah will question us on the Day of Judgment for what we used to do. That Day is near, though we take it for granted. We live uncaring of how we make life difficult for others, concerned only with easing our own. Fix your ways. Turn back to Allah.

Have adab, akhlaq, and haya—not just toward your boss, king, or president, but toward your gatekeeper, children, spouse, parents, and brother/sisters in Islam. Do not be a hypocrite, selectively treating people well based on their ethnicity. The Arab society has its flaws, as do African, European, and Asian societies. Yet, how beautifully do mixed societies flourish when rooted in justice and equality. When rooted in haqq- when rooted in Ilam.

La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.

[ynx1]

‎Beautiful explanation of why Du’a is delayed:

‎Ibn al-Jawzi رحمه الله said,

‎“I think part of the test is when a believer supplicates and receives no response, and he repeats the dua for a long time and sees no sign of a response. He should realize that this is a test and needs patience.

‎What a person experiences of waswaas (whispers from shaytan) when the response is delayed is a sickness which needs medicine ? I have experienced this myself. A calamity befell me and I supplicated and did not see any response, and Iblees started to lay his traps. Sometimes he said:

‎“The generosity (of Allah) is abundant and He is not miserly, so why is there a delay?”

‎I said to him:

‎“Be gone, O cursed one, for I have no need of anyone to argue my case and I do not want you as a supporter! Then I told myself: Beware of going along with his whispers, for if there was no other reason for the delay except that Allah is testing you to see whether you will fight the enemy, that is sufficient wisdom.”

‎My soul (nafs) said:

‎“How could you explain the delay in the response of Allah to your prayers for relief from this calamity?”

‎I said:

‎“It is proven with evidence that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Sovereign, and the Sovereign may withhold or give, so there is no point in objecting to Him.”

‎The wisdom behind that is proven in definitive evidence. I may think that something is good, but wisdom does not dictate it, but the reason for that may be hidden, just as a doctor may do things that appear outwardly to be harmful, intending some good purpose thereby. Perhaps this is something of that nature.

‎There may be an interest to be served by delay, and haste may be harmful. The Prophet ﷺ said:

‎“A person will be fine so long as he does not become impatient and says, I prayed but I did not receive any answer.??

‎The response may be withheld because of some fault in you. Perhaps there was something dubious in what you ate or your heart was heedless at the time when you said the dua, or your punishment is being increased by means of your need being withheld, because of some sin from which you have not repented sincerely.

‎So look for some of these reasons, so that you might achieve your aim. You should examine the intention behind this request, because attaining it may lead to more sin, or prevent you from doing some good, so withholding it is better.

‎Perhaps losing what you have missed out on will cause you to turn to Allah and getting it will distract you from Him. This is obvious, based on the fact that were it not for this calamity you would not have turned to Him, because the real calamity is what distracts you from Him, but what makes you stand before Him is good for you and is in your best interests.

‎If you ponder these things you will focus on what is more beneficial for you, such as correcting a mistake or seeking forgiveness or standing before Allah and beseeching Him, and forget about what you have missed out on.”

‎[Source: Sayd al-Khaatir [59-60]

[basicsofislam]

ISLAM 101: ETHICS: Part 3

How should the ethics of a Muslim man/woman be?

According to the information obtained from the Quran, every Muslim woman/man has the following characteristics – in summary:

- He believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment. He is careful about the seditions of the world and the tricks of Satan. He worships his Lord, fulfills His order and avoids His prohibitions. He surrenders to Allah fully. He repents a lot and asks his Lord for forgiveness due to his mistakes, negligence, and sins.  

- He is aware of his responsibility toward his family members. He seeks Allah’s consent in everything that he does. He orders what is good as much as he can and forbids what is evil.

- He is aware of his duties toward himself. He is aware that man consists of mind, spirit, and body and that each has a structure and needs peculiar to them. He is careful about the balance among them; he does not give one too much importance by ignoring the others. He regards the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Prophet and the lives of great personalities as a guide regarding the issue.

- He gives importance to his clothes without waste, extremism, and conceit. He shows the care that fits man, whom Allah made honorable, ordered His angels to prostrate and put what is in the skies and earth under his service, in his inner world.

- He treats his parents well and does them favors. He appreciates them. He tries not to be a disobedient child.  

- He becomes mature, loving and friendly toward his spouse; he tries to attain her consent; he tries to show respect to her, do her favors, keeps her secrets, helps her do favors act piously and do righteous deeds; he fills her with happiness and peace.  

- She is a very compassionate mother toward her children. She is aware of her responsibility for their education. She makes her children feel her love, compassion, and mercy toward them. When it is necessary, she warns her children and corrects their mistakes. Thus, she makes high ethics settle in their hearts; she tries to give them a good education by directing them to good and honorable works.

- He continues the bond of love between him and his relatives. He does his neighbor's favors and helps them. He takes care of them. He knows the rights of neighbors and observes them.

His relationship with his brothers and friends are based on “loving for Allah”. It is the loftiest and cleanest love in human life. For, it is a love that is free from all kinds of material interests and doubts. A relationship based on this principle takes its cleanliness and purity from the light of the Quran and the Sunnah.

Therefore, a Muslim is honest, sincere and tolerant in his relationships with his brothers. He does not break off his relationship with them; he does not hurt their feelings by arguing and quarreling with them. He does them favors whenever he can. He always welcomes them by smiling. His social relationships are at a very high level. He takes his socialness from the principles of his religion and the decrees about high ethics of the fiqh of mutual relationships.

In addition, every Muslim, man-woman, has the following characteristics:

- He has high ethics. He tells the truth to everybody and is honest.

- He does not trick, deceive or betray people. He does not perjure.

- He gives advice. He leads people to good deeds. He keep his promise. He is modest and chaste.

- He does not interfere in the things that do not interest him. He does not search for people’s private issues.

- He keeps away from showing off. He acts justly in all cases. He does not oppress. He acts justly toward the people that he does not like. He does not become happy for the bad things that happen to anybody.

- He does not have negative thoughts about others. He does not backbite or commit talebearing. He does not swear and utter bad words. He does not mock anybody.

- He is lenient and merciful toward people. He helps those who are in need. He is generous. He does not run anybody’s nose in it. He makes things easy, not difficult.  

- He does not act jealously. He avoids fictitious words and deeds. He is good-humored. He does not act arrogantly; he is humble. He is not engaged in useless things.

- He visits ill people. He cares about the problems of others. He prefers others to himself. He appreciates the favors done to him and thanks people.

- She adapts her customs and traditions to Islamic criteria. She shows respect to the elderly and virtuous people.  She does not try to resemble men.

- She calls to Allah. She calls people kindly and wisely. She stays together with righteous women.

- She is chaste and modest; she protects her awrah places. She protects not only her body, eyes, and ears but also her mind, heart, and intention from all kinds of haram deeds.

- She is patient and hopeful. She never abandons hope of Allah’s mercy.

- She is knowledgeable about religion and ilm. She learns what is useful and harmful for her and acts accordingly.

- She is solemn and respectful.

- She is natural; she appears as she is and she is as she appears.

He never falters and acts lazily in important and dangerous duties. He relies on Allah.

- He gives importance to bodily and spiritual cleanliness and acts accordingly.

- He is not a gambler, drunkard, trickster, fraud, cheater, sycophant and twister.

- He does not judge about something that he does not know.

- He never leaves the truth and justice anywhere even if it is against him.

- He never leaves justice related to his enemies; he does not obstruct justice due to his enmity toward them.

- He avoids extravagance and stinginess.

- He does not harm anybody with his hand or tongue.

- He helps others at times of both welfare and hardship.

- If he wants to commit a bad deed or wrong somebody, he remembers Allah at once, asks forgiveness from Him and repents.

- He accepts the truth no matter who tells it; he accepts and takes knowledge, skill, wisdom, and truth wherever he finds them; he does not act bigotedly about them.

- He is not lazy. He works for the world as if he will never die and gets ready for the hereafter as if he will die tomorrow; he fulfills his duties about both of them fully.

- He regards the love of Allah and the Prophet superior to everything. Love and fear of Allah cover all of his body.

- He avoids doubtful things by all means.

- His biggest aim is to try to be a real Muslim, to practice and make others practice the virtues that Islam determines and suggests, and to serve as a model to everybody.

Those are some examples from the personality of a Muslim, whom Islam forms with guidance, whose heart Islam forms with wisdom and whose prudence Islam enlightens.

[softeningmyheart]

Hello and welcome. My name's Rachel. I made this blog because I'm interested in learning more about Islam. I feel called to Islam, but my heart is still torn because of fear and bad circumstances. So please be patient with me as I learn and grow. Insha Allah I will gain the courage and willpower I need to overcome all barriers between me and Allah.

I am not yet Muslim though. I have not taken my shahada. Please do not pressure me to grow faster than I am ready. I will take it when I am ready, when I am able to live a muslim life and exist within a muslim community. I have many barriers in my living situation and in my habits that keep me from being openly muslim or doing things like salah. Rather than judging me, please keep me in your prayers so that I might overcome these circumstances and be free to pursue faith as I choose.

I ask that men, please do not DM me. I am not comfortable with talking to men in private at this stage in my journey. I do not wish to invite any more negative temptations into my life than already exists. Muslim women however, please feel free to reach out. I am all by myself in my journey right now and I hope that will find friendship and sisterhood that will help me grow into a better person.

If you want to know why I'm interested in Islam, there's a few reasons.

Firstly, I feel abandoned by western feminism and I seek real and true sisterhood, without compromise. It feels like Muslimah are the only ones who truly understand what sisterhood is supposed to be, rather than just using it as a means to fuel her own ego and wealth at the expense of others. I feel like I have been encouraged to make myself vulnerable and unprotected for those with the worst intentions.

I have been taught that I am wrong for feeling violated by the exposure of my chest and my hair and I must learn to enjoy being objectified. I have lost all faith in western feminism to help women at all. Western feminists will never look after me or come to save me. It is every woman for herself, so long as she is sufficiently naked and consumerist.

All this, in the name of making a point for a movement that does nothing to actually help women in the worst situations. So for this reason, Islamic ideas of womanhood and the rights of women are highly appealing. Islam gives me the right to gatekeep my beauty. Islam gives me the right to protect myself from the predatory eyes of evil men. Islam tells me that I do not need makeup, or fast fashion, or plastic surgery, in order to be a woman because I was made exactly how I am meant to be by Allah. In Islamic feminist thought, I feel truly protected and liberated from the male gaze.

Some struggle to want the hijab. I struggle because circumstance will not allow me to veil myself. Hijab is a beautiful gift to protect women.

Another reason is because it is fully compatible with my own experiences of the supernatural, as a former neo-pagan and occultist. Through following these paths I saw some of the worst of humanity and I've experienced first hand how these things are not only real, but dangerous. Nothing I ever contacted or indulged in ever felt anything like Allah. No other spirit ever offered me guidance, respect, or protection like Allah.

I will not go much more in depth, because I know I should not project my sins, but I feel it is important to explain my background so you can understand where I am coming to Islam from. I was not a Christian, nor a Jew, nor a Buddhist. I was raised new age, I bounced between polytheist practices that led me down the dark path of the occult and Satanic. Now Allah has blessed me with a change of heart. I hope Allah will forgive me for what I did in ignorance. It is a long road ahead for me, but there is nothing beyond the power of Allah.

So that is why I feel called. There are many reasons, but here are a few of my thoughts on the matter. I have a very complicated life situation and a very complicated relationship with faith. I pray only that my heart be softened, my gaze turned to the straight path, and that the right doors will open to lead me toward truth and goodness in a state of flow and ease. I wish only to be a good person, live a good life, know community, know love, and know spiritual fulfillment. Please pray for me so that the right doors will open for me and lead me into a virtuous life.

[asma-al-husna]

Allah calls Himself Al-Wadood— The Affectionate, The Most-Loving, The Beloved— twice in the Quran. Al-Wadood is the One who is the source of all affection, love, and kindness. Even though He does not need us in any way Al-Wadood wishes the best for us. He has a special form of love for His righteous servants who love Him because of their knowledge of His perfection and His readiness to forgive. Al-Wadood is the Affectionate and the Beloved!

The Most Loving, the Ever-Affectionate, and the Beloved

Wadood comes from the root waw-daal-daal, which carries three main meanings: to love, to be affectionate and to long, wish or desire for.

This root appears 29 times in the Quran in five derived forms. Examples of these forms are yawaddu (like, will wish), al mawaddata (the love), and wuddan (affection).

The concept of love in the Arabic language is decribed by different words, hubb and wudd are examples of them. Hubb is the inner-feeling of love for someone whereas Wudd is an intense, consistent affection as it is expressed in actions and conduct.

Wadood is from the fa’ool pattern which in Arabic grammar points to intensity and continuity. Allah is Al-Wadood; His love is intense, continuous and translates into the blessings, favours, mercy, guidance and forgiveness He gives to His slaves.

Al-Wadood Himself says: . . . Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds, The Most Merciful will appoint for them affection. [Quran, 19:96] ..And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Affectionate. [Quran, 11:90] . . . And He is the Forgiving, the Affectionate [Quran, 85:14]

How Do We Gain the Love of Allah?

In a beautiful, comprehensive hadith you will find the formula on how to gain the love of Al-Wadood. The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: … And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing voluntary acts of worship until I love him.. Most beloved to Al-Wadood are you doing your obligatory acts of worship, then by doing your voluntary acts of worship you come closer and closer to Him.

Then what happens next? The Prophet continued about the amazing reward: …(so much so that) I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me something, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My Protection (refuge), I will surely protect him. [Al-Bukharee]

Al-Wadood then becomes your special Helper, protecting your limbs and organs by not letting them work for anything He dislikes and a heart-melting seal: Al-Wadood will grant your wishes and keep you safe. Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi!

How Can We Live By This Name?

1. Have a close relationship with Al-Wadood.

Telling Al-Wadood about your concerns is a beautiful type of ‘ibaadah (worship) in itself. He wants you to turn to Him and tell him about your problems while remembering how close He is to you and how much you love Him. The mother of Maryam ‘alayha sallam said: ..My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing..[Quran, 3:35] This pious woman is a beautiful example of someone with a close relationship with Allah and Al-Wadood answered her dua’.

2. Love Al-Wadood above everything and anyone.

Al-Wadood says: Say, [O Muhammad], If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people. This ayah is a great reminder pinpointing all the things we tend to love over Allah and His messenger.

3. Let your love be for the sake of Al-Wadood.

Ask yourself for what reasons you love people? Love people for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala so Al-Wadood, His angels and the people of the earth love you! What an amazing deal. The Prophet sallallahu ’alayhi wa sallam said, When Allah loves a slave, calls out Jibril and says: `I love so-and-so; so love him’. Then Jibril loves him. After that he (Jibril) announces to the inhabitants of heavens that Allah loves so-and-so; so love him; and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him and then make people on earth love him. [Al-Bukharee, Muslim] So mind who you love and love those who fear Allah, love Him and who strive for the good and forbid evil. This is the most beautiful kind of love you can have for another human being, even if you don’t know them.

4. Follow the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Proof your love for Al-Wadood by sticking to the sunnah of His messenger. The reward: Allah will love and forgive you your sins. Another lucrative deal! Say: If you love Allah then follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Quran, 3:31]

5. Love to recite Suratul Ikhlaas.

If you want Allah’s love, love talking about Him. Surah Al-Ikhlaas is one of the most comprehensive surahs describing Allah. The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam appointed a man in charge of an army unit who led them in prayer. He always concluded his recitation with Surah Al-Ikhlaas. Upon their return to Al-Madinah, they mentioned this to Messenger of Allah who said, “Ask him why he does so?” He was asked and he said, “This Surah contains the Attributes of Allah, the Gracious, and I love to recite it. Messenger of Allah then told them, “Tell him that Allah loves him”. [Al-Bukharee , Muslim]. So increase in reciting Surah Al-Ikhlaas with love!

6. Love for others what you love for yourself.

The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi said: None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself. [Al-Bukharee, Muslim] If someone just got married and you can’t find someone, someone got that new job and you didn’t, even though it might be hard, be happy for them. Strive to control your nafs (ego) and know it is Al-Wadood Who gives and takes. You will notice the peace it gives you inside when you love for others what you love for yourself, in stead of being jealous and anxious over others’ happiness. Live by this golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated!

Wallahu ta’alaa ‘alem.

O Allah, Al-Wadood, we know that You are the One Who is Most Affectionate. Make us of those who love You and Your Messenger above all, bless us with Your love and protection. Bring righteous people on our path and make us love them and them love us for Your sake only. Guide us in following the sunnah and in fulfilling our obligations towards You and give us the tawfeeq to perform many voluntary deeds of worship, ameen!

[9amartt]

I tasted hope…

I tasted trust in Allah’s decree and i’ve never been more accepting of myself and everything that happens in my environment.

Alhamdulillah.

Being what they call ‘delusional’ is indeed the key to a happy life.

Be delusional about Allah’s decree, He split the sea for Musa, saved Yusuf from the belly of a whale, and split the moon for Muhammad. He created you! Isn’t that enough of a miracle?

Allah created you and He is the disposer of every single one of your affairs.

We will all die, wether we suffer or not, wether we sacrifice or not, wether we give up on our desires or not, wether we exhaust our weak bodies and minds or not, wether we spend this life wailing or laughing. It all ends in death. And one step in Jannah makes you forget years of pain, meanwhile one step in Jahannam makes you forget all the pleasures of this world.

So be akhira-minded. Hopeful in Allah’s decree.

Know that this dunyah is but an hour compared to the akhirah, it really is not worth despairing for.

Sit in loneliness with your lord often, think about your decisions, regret your past sins, trust that Allah is forgiving but not forgetful. Seek His forgiveness.

Before taking any steps, dispose all the burden of your worries on Him, make dua, cry between His hands, spend the night He has blessed you with in worship. Cry.

Really, cry. Let out all the pains you stored during the day.

Smile upon hardship. Say as they say: ‘Allah is my Lord and disposed of Affairs’, say it with your heart. And mean it.

Stand up now. Compete with your nafs and shaytan, be competitive and do not let them win over you. For the reward is worth the struggle and more.

Let the future for its creator, regret the past but don’t let your regret cause you to hate yourself or destroy your present, rather, let it be a lesson for you. Live your present.

And this is my heartfelt advice to you.

A dear friend of mine, who got out of the loop of depression and despair before us, sent me once a beautiful text she had written about hope In Allah. I told her jokingly: ‘it’s funny how this is coming from the most suicidal person I know’ she said: ‘Allah granted me tawfiq in becoming human again’

Human.

What makes us human is our relationship with Allah.

So come back to being Human. Come join the caravan of hopeful believers. Come join the saving ark. The ark of Allah.

Come join our ranks, let’s reinforce each other, this path is a lonely one, so let’s be each other’s assistance.

[sabrgirl]

what to do when you've committed a sin

oftentimes when committing a sin, it can be very easy to fall into a state of hopelessness, extreme guilt, shame and anxiety. The Prophet ﷺ said that "regretting (a sin) is repentance" (Sunan Ibn Majah 4252), and this shows that guilt is a good thing - a feeling that comes along with regret that drives you forward to ensure you don't commit the same sin again.

however, letting guilt and shame consume you entirely to the point where you've lost hope in Allah's Mercy and in yourself and end up sitting in a place of despair is not productive. as long as you're alive, you can still make amends and do good deeds in the hope of attaining the Pleasure of Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ .

here is a response I've already made to someone asking me how to let go of shame for past sins, but these are things you can do (in general, of course) but after making a mistake/sinning:

salat al-tawbah (the prayer of repentance) immediately this is the nawafil prayer for when one falls into sin and it is usually two raka'ats. pray this immediately after committing a sin with sincere repentance, putting that guilt into this prayer and weep and ask for forgiveness. regarding this prayer, the Prophet ﷺ has said “There is no slave of Allah who commits a sin then purifies himself well and stands and prays two rakahs, then asks Allah for forgiveness, but Allah will forgive him". (Hisn al-Muslim 140). subhanallah.

sadaqah ◦ give money to charity, create a sadaqah box if you do not already have one and put money inside to increase your good deeds over your bad ones. "Know they not that Allah is He who accepts repentance from His servants and takes their charity, and that Allah is He Who is Oft-Returning with compassion, and is Merciful?" (9:104) - Surah Taubah itself. ◦ if it is a repetitive sin, then say to yourself that every time you commit the sin, you have to put a certain fixed amount in. for example, £10 every time you do xyz and you must put it in every time. keep it at a high amount and it will help you in the future to stop, Insha'Allah.

constant dhikr ◦ i cannot even truly express in words the benefits of doing istighfar in a way that will truly sum it up. it washes away the sins of man to the point where his heart will be purified. it is so important to immerse yourself in doing istighfar day and night as it can protect you and Allah is always prepared to hear the cries of taubah from His people. not a single soul can claim that they can absolve themselves of sin on their own, as only Allah's Mercy can release a man of his sins. Prophets were well aware of this fact, so they also continually sought forgiveness of Allah. make it a plan to recite أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ (astagfirullah waatubu alaiyhi, I seek Allah's forgiveness and I turn to Him in repentance) 100 times daily ◦ i also love the app Azkar - it has morning, evening, sleep and waking up dhikr's that you can just recite while reading them on your phone that has the arabic, transliteration and translation. it is so easy for anyone to follow and so helpful in remembering Allah daily - i highly recommend everyone to download this app

make an action plan after committing the particular sin, make an action plan moving forwards of something you're going to do to seek the Pleasure of Allah and His forgiveness. for example, you tell yourself/Him that you will now wake up for tahajjud every morning for the next 2 weeks (and actually do it) and ask Allah to accept this as an apology and to have Mercy on you. that way, you can even build it as a habit and continue after.

nawafil (voluntary) prayers along with the fard prayers start praying voluntary prayers, like: - 4 raka'at's before asr prayer (The Prophet ﷺ said: "May Allah have mercy upon a man who prays four before Al-Asr." (at-Tirmidhi 430) - tahajjud - 2 raka'at's after the 2 raka'ats of sunnah after zuhr - duha prayer (after sunrise and before zuhr time) etc. doing these extra prayers on top of the obligatory 5 daily prayers will give you more blessings and help you weigh more on the righteous side of the scale

reading Qur'an daily with lengthy recitation this has so many blessings. it's a form of dhikr, the remembrance of Allah, and it helps you to gain His pleasure by doing so. make sure to also read it with translation if arabic is not your first language / a language you understand so that you can listen to what Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is saying and reflect and act on it too.

may Allah, Al-Ghafoor Ar-Raheem, forgive us all for our sins, accept our good deeds and have Mercy on us all, Allahumma Ameen.

[julaibib]

Aslm any advice on how to stop falling into a particular sin, lately after I sin I feel like I'm not good enough to pray my Salah because of the sin, I've been stopping and starting for years but am struggling. I feel guilty and really really don't want to stray away from my Salah because I feel too ashamed to pray to Allah after repeating that sin

If a person commits sin time after time, his sin is forgiven every time if he follows his sin with repentance – if his repentance each time is sincere.

It was said to al-Hasan al-Basri:

Would not any one of us feel ashamed before his Lord to seek forgiveness from his sin then go back to it, then seek forgiveness then go back to it? He said: The shaytan would like you to feel that way; never give up seeking forgiveness.