Date: May 29, 2016
The author Jameel Syed expresses his experience in Umrah that he witnessed while his pilgrimage. He says nobody can walk empty handed from this place of purification. He first visited Umrah in the month of Ramadan in 1998. The pilgrimage journey was a gift from his parents for graduating from the University of Michigan. Pilgrims chanted loud and loud as they moved closer to the object of desire. His heart beats started to beat faster and faster when he reaches the place of Allah. His eyes started to fill with tears and while walking towards the object of desire he was in a dreamy state. Finally he stopped and he knew that he was in the presence of majesty. People come from far and near to have their prayers heard. Different people believes in Islam with different skin colors eat different foods, speak different languages, wear different clothes and practice different customs all gathered in one place to celebrate peace, brotherhood and unity. The pilgrimage places like Mecca and Madinah have their own flavors. Both cities carry the wonderful air of devotion and humanity and both are complimentary to one another. Both cities make you feel safe and privileged. While the trip to Madinah, he could meet many notable personalities who are working for Islam and its teachings. Qalam Institute, Ustadh Wissam Sharieff, Imam Dawood Yasin, Imam Khalid Latif, imam Omer Bajwa, Ustadh Jameel Besada were some among them. The ever loving and memorable thing that the author could do was being given the permission to raise the adhan in two masajid of the holy city: Darul Hadith and the famed Islamic University of Madinah. Since this greatest thing happened, he believes that nobody can walk away from this place empty handed.
Al Fatiha means "the opening." Surah Fatiha is the opening chapter and introduction to the Quran. It was the first complete Surah revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in Mecca, during the early period of prophethood. The main content of Surah Fatiha is the establishment of the fundamental principles of Islam. An angel asked Muhammad (SAW) about Surah Fatiha, to which the Prophet replied, "There are two lights from heaven, one is surah Fatiha and the other is surah Baqarah." (Sahih Al-Bukhari). Surah Fatiha has many names that reflect its significance such as Umul-Kitab (mother of the book) because it includes the foundation of the entire religion. It is also called Al-Hamd (praise) as it begins with the praise of Allah. In Surah Al-Hijr, it is referred to as Sabah-Mathani (seven often repeated). _"And We have certainly given you, O Muhammad, seven of the often repeated verses and the great Qur'an."_ (Quran 15:87). Fatiha is the only Surah recited at every salah, repeated more than 20 times a day. Prayer is incomplete without it. Thus, it is also known as Al-Kafiyah (sufficient). Surah Fatiha is also called Al-Shafiya (healer) because it acts as a cure for the heart and body. The Prophet (SAW) called it ruqya (incantation) (Sahih Al-Bukhari). The first verse of Surah Fatiha praises Allah. "All praise is for Allah-Lord of all worlds." Through this verse, Allah introduces Himself as master of everything in the universe, including prophets, angels, jinn, and humans. In the next verse, "The Most Compassionate, Most Merciful," Allah informs that He is incredibly merciful to all human beings. In the following verse, "Master of the Day of Judgment," Allah states that he is the master of the day of judgment when every person will face Allah's justice. Good deeds will be rewarded as only He can reward, and evil will be punished as only He can punish. In the middle of Surah Fatiha, we declare, "You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help." A believer makes this pledge multiple times every day. The last part of the Surah is a dua (supplication) focused on seeking guidance from Allah. We ask Him to guide us to the straight path and keep us away from the path of those who have gained His anger. The messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "Allah has not revealed the likes of Umm Al-Kitab in the Tawrah, nor the Injil. It is the seven most repeated ayah (Sabah Mathani), and (Allah said), it is divided between myself and my slave, and my slave shall have what he asks for." (Jamiat at-Tirmidhi). This means that Allah personally responds to us with every ayah of Surah Fatiha that we recite. "When the servant says, 'praise be to Allah, the lord of the universe,' Allah then says, 'My servant has praised me.' For the verse, 'The most compassionate, the merciful,' Allah responds, 'My servant has lauded Me.' For the verse, 'Master of the day of judgment,' Allah responds, 'My servant has glorified Me.' And for the final few verses, Allah responds, 'This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for.'" (Sahih Muslim) Surah Fatiha is a conversation between the reciter and Allah as well as a prayer for guidance. The rest of the Quran is the answer to this prayer. The Alim Foundation: NPS / NH; September 29, 2020
Read More1. The last messenger of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca,a city in Hejaz in Saudi Arabia. 2. Prophet Muhammad is known as the last messenger of Allah. 3. Prophet’s father, Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib, died before the Prophet was born. 4. Prophet Muhammad’s mother’s name was Aminah bint Wahb, and she passed away when Prophet Muhammad was just six years old. 5. It was Prophet Muhammad’s grand father, who raised him until he died two years later. 6. After the demise of his grand father, Abu Talib, Prophet Muhammad’s uncle raised him. It was Abu Talib, who protected Prophet Muhammad for later years. 7. Prophet Muhammad was well known by his character because of his honesty and trustworthiness. 8. When he was 40 years old, Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from Allah from the caves of Hira through Angel Jibreel.
Read MoreDid 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.
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