Date: March 18, 2015
Mufti Menk answered wisely to a question on how to keep away of quarrels in a joint family especially between husband’s relatives and daughter in law. He says that often a mom or dad cannot love their daughter in law as equal as they love their daughter or son. In Islamic way, we must keep away quarrels and must be united in a family life. The best solution is that to live separately with her husband and children and to visit home in occasions such as Eid, Bakrid etc. Islamically, women deserve a dignity, respect and privacy at home. Living together does not provide unity in Islam. But respecting others will produce unity in Islam.
Hiba Masood a writer, speaker and a story teller talks about her Baba's influence in teaching Quran and its holy threads in her wonderful opinion piece "Baba, The Quran and Me". When she was in her younger age, she had to recite Quran every day, that her Baba taught her to do so without fail. She memorizes her childhood experience in the holy month of Ramadan as well as her Baba's powerful Ramadan experiences. Her Baba looked after all his children with extreme care. She had not faced poverty or any other means difficulties in life. Baba used to talk about his life and his days spent with his eight brothers and sisters used to look like. They were like in abject poverty, splitting one bowl of food for Iftar amongst a family of eleven and so on. Baba used to say that once all the work is done, you should recite Quran in every single possible minute. Every letter you recite during Ramadan has 70 times the regular reward? That means every letter, like saying Alif, gets you seven hundred good deeds. Years passed and with all the impetuous, rebellion of youth, of spending my days in smoke-filled rooms, strategizing with socialist/activists, and my evenings protesting against the Iraq war on the frozen streets of Toronto. Of not praying at all, of not so much as glancing towards the dusty shelf where my Qur'an sat the entire year. Next year Hiba got married and her brand new husband got astonished by her behavior and activities. She never proper placed her shoes and she always misplaced her cell phone. And she blessed with a baby boy just before the month of holy Ramadan. And there have many, many more years filled with anxiety, scary financial strain and a stormy marriage of sickness and grief. Years passed with no changes. Hiba recited Quran verses just as a routine, or just like fasting in the month of Ramadan without knowing the rewards of reciting. At last wisdom came to her brain at the age of thirty and she started to settle in life. Slowly, as an enthusiastically expected reconnection, she started reciting Quran well to Allah to the Qur'an to her childhood, to her father and to herself. Now her beloved father is aging and sick and she is in great agony by thinking about her sick dad. She used to caress his dad's grey hair, press her cheeks to his. She says that she misses him a lot and she is afraid of the future. But most of all, she whisper her gratitude. Gratitude for gifting her so freely all the things, all the lessons, all the beliefs, all the forces of habit and inspiring stories and abiding, enriching traditions that have blessed her life. Ultimately he was the lighthouse when he was able.
Read MoreThe year 2017 is coming to an end, insha’Allah, and it has been a year full of turmoil and emotional ups and downs. As time goes on, we witness the forewarnings spoken by our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, unfold before our very eyes. However, amid this chaos, there are still rays of hope shining from the Heavens, as we hold fast to the rope of Allah and stand in supplication, and we watch Islam continue to grow, despite the adversities. We still have in our hands the ability to spread the knowledge of Islam throughout the world; now more than ever before because of technological advances that allow us to access this knowledge at the click of a button. As we approach the end of this year, please do not forget to support our organization, as we continue to make the Qur’an and Sunnah readily accessible through our Islamic software, our Alim.org website and Alim Qur’an and Hadith app. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, once said: “If the Hour starts to happen and in the hand of one of you is a palm shoot or seedling; then if he's able to plant it before the Hour happens, then let him plant it”. As-Silsilah as-Saheehah 9. Plant your seed today! Donate to The Alim Foundation by clicking the link below: https://www.alim.org/donate/
Read MoreRamadan is approaching fast, insha'Allah, are you ready? What goals have you set for yourself this year? We know that while the month of Ramadan is upon us, life continues. The majority of us will still have to go to work, rush to school, take care of household responsibilities, look after our families, etc. Although our schedules will still be jam-packed, insha’Allah, we will strive to make whatever adjustments are needed to wake up for Suhoor, read more Qur’an, make it to taraweeh, and wake up for tahajjud prayers. We will also try to eliminate distractions and vices, so we can purify and replenish our iman. Examples of such distractions are: • watching television • playing video games • listening to music • surfing the web • social media • spending hours on our cell phones, doing all of the above Why not use our “screen” time as opportunities for increasing our Islamic knowledge? With Alim.org and the free Alim Quran and Hadith Platform app for Apple and Android, you can search in Qur’an and ahadith, read the different translations and understand the meanings and roots of Arabic words in the Qur’an, learn about Islamic history and the life of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and so much more. When we feel the urge to scroll through useless posts on Facebook, call or text our friends, or play that game on our iphone, we can turn on the Alim app instead and choose from its many features. Make a promise to yourself that you will make the most of your time this Ramadan, insha’Allah. And remember to remind others to do the same. Download the Alim app for free and bookmark Alim.org! Go to: http://www.alim.org/alim-mobile-app May Allah, the Mighty and the Majestic, allow us to reach Ramadan so we can reap its benefits and gain Allah’s Mercy and forgiveness. Ameen.
Read More"When a person dies, his works end, except for three: ongoing charity, knowledge that is benefited from, and a righteous child who prays for him."
Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)
"The best of what a man leaves behind are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, ongoing charity the reward of which reaches him, and knowledge that is acted upon after him."
Sunan Ibn Mājah
"Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.'"
Sahih Bukhari