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Date: March 17, 2015
Did you ever think of what is the meaning of blindness? The meaning varies for people, for their thoughts and approach. To some, it will be merely a sickness or defect by birth. To some others, it sounds something unsound or a state of ignorance or passiveness. Often it is a frightening thought or state. Here the thing is something different. Author states that blindness has become a way of life, to be open, a disguising to lead the life. Author recollects his experience from Manipal hospital, near Bangalore, that he was bedridden due to a massive stroke which lead him to a total blindness. His illness transformed him to a blind man physically, but not mentally. Gradually he started to recover his blindness using auditory senses and the mind to be able to overcome the deficiency. And this challenging situation taught him to keep his blindness as an asset. Instead of crying about the vision loss, he found himself taking up the challenges of gaining ground and bridging the gap between being sighted and facing blindness. He read newspaper e copy by software called JAWS (Job Access With Speech). Watched movies by listening the conversation and amazingly he got extra power for his other senses. Author is giving a positive message to the blind people that to keep the defect as a challenge and live life with full of joy and activities.
"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
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ١ _“Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muhammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”_ (Al-Isra, 17:1) An event (a journey) referred to in this verse is generally known as, “Isra and al-Mi’raj.” According to authentic traditions (ahadith), this journey took place a year before Hijrah on 27th of Rajab in the year 621 A.D. This journey took place in two parts. In this verse, the Qur'an mentions only one part of the Journey, i.e., from Masjid-i-Haram to the Temple at Jerusalem. The object of this journey as stated here was that Allah willed to show His servant some of His signs. The Qur'an does not give any details other than this, but we find further details in the traditions, which describe the following: “One night the Angel Jibril transported the Holy Prophet on al-Buraq from Masjid-i-Haram to Masjid-i-Aqsa (the Temple). There the Holy Prophet offered his prayers along with the other Prophets. Then he took him towards the higher spheres, where he met some of the great Prophets in different spheres. At last he reached the Highest Place in the Heavens and was received in audience by Allah. It was there that besides other important instructions five daily Prayers were prescribed. Then he returned to the Temple and from there came back to Masjid-i-Haram. During this Journey, according to many traditions, Paradise and Hell were shown to him. We also learn from authentic traditions that on the following day when he mentioned this event, the disbelievers of Makkah scoffed at him, and some of the believers also showed some discomfort.” Regarding the “Mi `raj” (the second part of the journey) it should be kept in view that all the Prophets were enabled by Allah to see His Signs in the heavens and the earth according to their ranks. And for this purpose, all the material curtains were lifted so that they could see with their naked eyes the unseen realities, to which they were required to invite the people. This was done so that the Prophets could say with full conviction what they had seen with their own eyes. For this experience would distinguish there from a philosopher who bases all his theories on guesswork and cannot say that he bears witness to what he claims. In contrast to philosophers, Prophets could say that they bore witness to the things which they presented because they had seen them with their own eyes. The same facts applied to the Prophet Muhammad, peace & blessings be with him. Extracted from Tafseer Maududi; NMS & SS; March 17, 2020
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 MorePraise be to Allah, the Creator and Cherisher of the worlds and peace be upon his prophet Muhammad SAW. The blessed month of Ramadan is near completion. A month which brings mercy, forgiveness, and freedom from fire if completed virtuously. The month of Shawwal, which follows Ramadan, also has unique opportunities to continue to earn Allah’s blessings. Muhammad SAW said, “The one who fasts the month of Ramadan, followed by six days in Shawwal, is purified of sins as if he was just born.” (Hadith: Sahih Muslim and Abu Da’ud). The six days of fasting in Shawwal can begin any day after Eid al-Fitr and can be completed continuously or spread throughout the month. There are differences of opinion regarding the requirement to make up missed Ramadan (fard) fasts before keeping Shawwal (nafl) fasts. See the link below from Yasir Qadhi: However we choose to do it, certainly, rewards come from Allah and anything we do sincerely to please him will not be wasted. _As for those who believe and do good deeds, rest assured that We do not waste the reward of him who does a good work._ (Quran 18:30) The Alim Foundation Inc., NMS/NH, May 21, 2020
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