Category: religious

The Second 10 Days of Ramadan

During these second ten days, we need to make sure that we forgive anyone we have had a falling out with. If we are holding any sort of grudge, anger, bitterness, or pain, we need to let it go. Holding on to these feelings will help neither one of us. In fact we could be missing out on Allah’s forgiveness because of it. We must take the first steps towards healing and repairing those relationships, as Allah forgives those who have a forgiving nature.

The Prophet (saw) said about the blessed month of Ramadan: 

“And it is a month, the first (part) of which is mercy, the middle ( part) which is forgiveness, and the last( part) which is freedom from the Fire.” [ Ibn Khuzaimah]

Allah (swt) in His infinite compassion and generosity has given us many ways to seek His forgiveness at any time. This is something that we can easily do throughout the day. 

One Minute of tasbeeh 

Salma Umm Rafi said: “ O Messenger of Allah, teach me some words, but not too much for me.” The Messenger of Allah ( swt) said: “ Say Allah is the greatest” ten times. Allah Almighty will say, “ This is for me.” Say “ Glory be to Allah” ten times. Allah Almighty will say, “This is for me.” Say “ O Allah, forgive me.” Allah will say “ I have done so.” If you say it 10 times, Allah will say each time, “ I have done so.” [ Tabarani]

This is a reminder that is simple and quick and can therefore be said at any time. Simply by saying Allahu Akbar ten times and SubhanAllah ten times, and then seeking Allah’s forgiveness, Allah will promise to forgive us by saying I have done so every time we ask his forgiveness.

 Charity

Giving charity is not only a way to obtain reward while helping others. Charity is one of the easiest ways that we can show good deeds. It could be done by simply smiling at someone, saying a good word, or if you are able to, a quick on-line donation. 

Forgive and You Will be Forgiven

The Prophet ( saw) said:, “ Be merciful to others and you will receive mercy. Forgive others and Allah will forgive you.” [ Ahmad] 

During these second ten days, we need to make sure that we forgive anyone we have had a falling out with. If we are holding any sort of grudge, anger, bitterness, or pain, we need to let it go. Holding on to these feelings will help neither one of us.  In fact we could be missing out on Allah’s forgiveness because of it. We must take the first steps towards healing and repairing those relationships, as Allah forgives those who have a forgiving nature. 

Make Daily du’a for others

Not only should we pray for our own forgiveness, but we should also seek forgiveness for our loved ones as well. 

Abdullah ibn Sarjis (ra) reported “ I met the Prophet (saw) and I ate a meal of stew with him. I said, “I ask Allah to forgive you, O Prophet.” The Prophet said, “ Yes and for you as well.” Then the Prophet recited the verse, “Seek forgiveness for your sins and for the believing men and women as well” [47:19]. [Muslim]

Seeking forgiveness for others is therefore the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw). Plus when you make du’a for others, an angel requests that Allah answers the same du’a for you. 

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “ There is no Muslim servant who supplicates for his brother behind his back but that the angel says, “ And for you the same.” [Muslim]

Daily Iftar for Others

Another way that giving to others can bring forgiveness is by providing ifta for a fasting person. This does not necessarily mean cooking for them. It could be something as simple as giving them dates or providing them with a glass of water. You can also make online donations to the many organizations that provide meals to the many hungry people all over the world. 

The Messenger of Allah ( saw) said, “ Whoever provides iftar for a fasting person in it ( Ramadan), then that shall be a forgiveness for his ( minor) sins and freedom from the Fire.” [ Ibn Khuzaimah]

Make Wudu as often as possible

The Messenger of Allah ( saw) said: “ A Muslim man does not perform ablution in an excellent manner and then performs prayer, but that Allah will forgive him for what occurred between his prayer and the next.” [ Bukhari]

One thing that we can do is increase our voluntary prayers throughout the day and make Wudu before all of them. 

Pray at night

All that was mentioned above are forms of worship that can be done in a few minutes at any time throughout the day, but it is also encouraged to a good part of our night in prayer, if we are able to. Even though many of us are not able to go to the masjid, we can pray Taraweeh by ourselves or with our families. 

Abu Huraira reported, “ The Messenger of Allah ( saw) encouraged standing for the night prayer during the month of Ramadan, without imposing it on them. The Prophet would say,” Whoever stands in prayer during Ramadan due to faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [ Bukhari]

Trust in Allah’s Forgiveness

This Ramadan, as you seek Allah’s forgiveness, it is important to trust Allah and hold on to hope. Whether you are making du’a, giving charity, or praying at night, trust that Allah (swt) will forgive you and have faith in His infinite mercy. 

“ O child of Adam indeed,  as long as you have called upon Me and placed your hope in Me, I forgave you and did not mind, despite whatever was in it, ( i.e. despite what you have done.) O child of Adam, if you had sins piling up to the clouds and then asked for My forgiveness, I would forgive you and I would not mind. O child of Adam, if you came to me with enough sins to fill the earth and then you met Me, I would come to you with enough forgiveness to fill the earth. [Tirmidhi] 

Do not ever doubt in Allah’s forgiveness. In these second ten days, put all of your effort into seeking His forgiveness. Trust that Allah will see our sincerity and repentance and erase all of our sins InshaAllah. May Allah make us among those who are forgiven this Ramadan. Ameen

Sister Rebecca is a SAHM living in Houston Texas. Married for 13 years with two children, and a revert since 2014,  her hobbies include cooking, reading, and spending time with family. 

Ramadan Re-boost!

Here we are, almost halfway through the blessed month of Ramadan, subhanAllah! While we should be grateful that there is still another half of Ramadan left, full of opportunities to do even more, many of us are feeling a bit down at this time of the month. We are disappointed in what we haven’t been able to accomplish so far, worried that the end of the month will be here before we know it, and lacking motivation or stamina to do more right now.

We go through these emotions every year: we start the month so strong and all of a sudden we just see the days go by and we become sad at the idea that Ramadan is almost over and that, this year again, we won’t accomplish our Ramadan goals. The good news is: it doesn’t have to be this way! Here are a few tips to get back on track insha’Allah.

It’s normal to feel like you are not doing enough

It’s okay to feel this way as long as we are not letting it discourage us from striving even more. For the believer, it’s a completely healthy thing to think that we could be doing more, that we haven’t done enough. Even competing with others in good deeds is something that is part of our deen, as long as we nurture those feelings and act upon them in a positive way.

Make sure to push away negative feelings and replace them with positive ones:

  • Envy/jealousy: feeling like others are doing better than you and it frustrates you? Say “Masha’Allah” and let them be your source of inspiration and motivation: what are they doing that you could do as well? Giving charity, making extra prayer, volunteering, showing good character? And make sure to thank Allah SWT for surrounding you with good examples.
  • Disappointment: feeling disappointed in yourself? Ask for Allah’s SWT forgiveness and help so that you can find ways to do more. Also remember that anything can be considered an act of worship if you set the intention to do it for the sake of Allah SWT alone! For instance: instead of reluctantly doing the dishes and feeling like you’re the only one taking care of house chores, have the intention to do those things to please Allah SWT and make your house a clean place during this blessed month! It’s also okay to ask the other household members to help with the chores, but ask nicely and let them do things their way. 
  • Lack of motivation: feeling like it’s already too late because you haven’t started Ramadan right? It’s never too late alhamdulillah!

The importance of the middle 10 days

It’s easy to lose sight of the importance of the middle 10 days of Ramadan because we are over our initial “emaan rush” of the first 10 days, maybe exhausted, and in a waiting mood for the last 10 days to search for Laylat ul-Qadr, and then celebrate Eid. But the middle 10 days are just as important because they are part of the blessed month of Ramadan and represent as many opportunities to seek Allah’s SWT forgiveness and do good deeds as the first 10 or last 10 days! 

Allah SWT has made the whole month of Ramadan a blessed and special time of year for Muslims, not just the first 10 and/or the last 10 days of it. So do your best not to neglect this time of the month, or think that you can relax now and do less so that you can do more in the last 10 days, you will lose the precious momentum of these middle 10 days.

 How do you spend your days during Ramadan?

Some studies conducted in Muslim countries in previous years have shown a huge increase in TV and online video streaming viewership during the month of Ramadan. This is most likely the case for Muslim homes in non-Muslim countries as well. Let’s give the benefit of the doubt and assume that there is a spike in interest in Islamic lectures and Quran recitation videos during this time of year.

Check yourself and be honest: how much time are you spending scrolling through social media posts, binge watching the latest shows, or watching the news for three hours straight before iftar?

It’s not too late to make a few changes to your daily routine! Ask Allah SWT for His help and try this out:

  • Whenever you feel like checking your social media, make dua instead.
  • Whenever you feel like watching another episode of that show, pick up the Quran and read instead, even if it’s a translation.
  • Whenever you feel yourself reaching out for that remote again, consider enrolling in a Quran class to keep you busy everyday at that time and increase your understanding of the Book of Allah SWT!

If you feel like you can’t do this on your own, ask a close friend to become your Ramadan buddy to check on you and help you be accountable. 

Make a plan for the remainder of Ramadan

If you didn’t make a plan prior to the start of Ramadan, or if you had one but haven’t been able to keep up, it’s not too late: just make a new one from now! Start over. 

Making a plan increases your chances of success. Of course, outcomes are always with Allah SWT, and all we can do is put in our best effort insha’Allah. But it’s difficult to put in efforts in something that hasn’t been planned, especially over such a long timeframe.

 Remember less is more but be consistent 

Sometimes all we need is to be more realistic with what we can and cannot achieve during Ramadan, especially when we have other obligations that we can’t push to the side for a whole month (work, studies, taking care of children especially when they are young, taking care of elderly parents, etc.). We start the month with a boost of emaan alhamdulillah, but we use it all up and by day 10 we are completely burnt out, and can’t even get up for suhoor anymore. Sometimes we even miss fajr, may Allah SWT forgive us.

Instead of pouring all of our energy and emaan all at once, let’s think about small deeds that we can do more consistently and while still keeping enough energy to fulfill our other duties. Remember that it’s better to fulfill our obligations (this includes praying our obligatory prayers on time, continue to be a good employee at work or a good student in school, taking care of and helping our families) and do less extra good deeds, than do many/big extra good deeds and fail at our obligations.

Here are a few ideas:

  • Make dhikr while doing the house chores, 
  • Automate daily payments to charities you want to support (it can be a small amount of money, whatever you can afford), 
  • Listen to a lecture about the Quran while cooking, and the list goes on…

Abu Huraira (may Allah SWT be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.” (Sunan Ibn Mājah 4240)

Focus on what you can do now

This is really important because our mind easily gets stuck on what we have – or haven’t – done in the past, what we have missed out on, and what the consequences might be. At the end of the day though, we cannot change what is behind us, and we have no power over the future, so let’s focus on the present.

Do ask for Allah’s SWT forgiveness for the wrong you have done, or for what you have not done while you should have, have hope that He SWT will grant it to you, and ask for His help moving forward. Then focus on what you can do in the present moment and work on your worship plan for the rest of the blessed month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is such a special time of year alhamdulillah! There is so much barakah (blessing) in it and so much we can gain from it, but we need to put in our best effort to make the most of it. Yes, the devils are chained and the gates of Hell are closed, but our nafs (our ego, our own self) is still here, wide awake, so don’t let it loose: put it to work in ways that are pleasing to Allah SWT so that you may earn the best of rewards in this Holy month insha’Allah.

The Prophet (saw) said about the blessed month of Ramadan: “And it is a month, the first ( part) of which is mercy, the middle ( part) of which is forgiveness, and the last ( part) of which is freedom from the Fire.” [ Ibn Khuzaimah] 

We are in the second 10 days of Ramadan. This is a time that we should ask Allah ( swt) for forgiveness. The Second Ashra (Second 10 Days of Ramadan) signifies the plead of “Astaghfaar”, translated as “Atonement” from ALLAH Almighty, for all the wrongdoings committed knowingly or unknowingly. These ten days of Ramadan are the days of Forgiveness, Seek ALLAH’s forgiveness and repent for all sins. May Allah SWT allow us all to reap the countless benefits and rewards of this blessed month and accept all our acts of worship, ameen! 

Sister Rebecca is a SAHM living in Houston Texas. Married for 13 years with two children, and a revert since 2014,  her hobbies include cooking, reading, and spending time with family. 

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The Benefits of Fajr – Rebecca Pena

Asalaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh 

The Prophet Muhammad ( pbuh) said: “ the two rak’ahs ( before) Fajr, are better than this world and everything in it.” 

Prayer as a whole is one of the five pillars of Islam ☪️ holding a place of such importance and benefit, the the Holy Prophet Muhammad ( pbuh) stated that the observance of daily prayers that separates belief from disbelief. It is an essential part of our faith. The word Fajr means dawn in Arabic. In the same way that the sun ☀️ sustains all life on earth and causes all things to grow, it is in that same way that Fajr provides light and guidance, strength, and support to our hearts ♥️. Fajr ensures that we begin the day with light and life. Starting your day, connecting with Allah and being in the presence of his angels, sets the tone for the entire day, blessing your day with barakah ( blessings) and noor ( light). The importance of prayer is conveyed constantly throughout the Quran and was also stressed by our Prophet Muhammad ( pbuh) 

Before Fajr At Masjid Al Haram. The Minaret And The Moon Shown. » Salah . » Salamyou Muslim Social Network
Pre-Fajr at Al-Haram

      “ know that among your duties prayer is foremost “  Prophet Muhammad ( pbuh) 

However, waking up for Fajr can pose as a difficult task for many of us. Getting out of our warm, comfortable bed when we feel our bodily needs for sleep outweigh our spiritual needs. Especially at the time of Fajr. We are human after all. Allah wants us to work on maintaining a connection with Him. A connection that needs to be nurtured and cared for. Here are a few things that help me.

  1. Reminding myself that I am doing this for Allah ( swt) Before I sleep, I remind myself that waking up for prayer not only benefits me, but please Him. If I can’t even sacrifice a few minutes of sleep, to stand in front of Him, how can I expect Him to grant me sabr ( patience) and strength throughout my day? 
  2. I remind myself of  the rewards of prayer every night. An account of the previous day and off of the blessings received attached to my prayer, motivates serves as a good reminder.
  3. Every night I make a sincere dua before bed. I ask that Allah ( swt) help in waking me up on time for Fajr. If you call on Him sincerely, He will not let you down. After all dua is far more effective than any alarm clock.
  4. Speaking of alarm clocks. Mine sits about 5 feet away from my bed. I use my phone but still not having it close to the bed, forces me to get up and begin my day. And forget that the snooze button even exists. 

Prayer increases our awareness of Allah. It gives us an opportunity to seek and ask Him for forgiveness therefore, making us more aware of our wrongdoings and sins. Prayer makes our day more fruitful and blessed and serves as a shield against evil deeds and bad habits. When we pray, we connect with Allah. It satisfies our spiritual needs and helps us to become humble. It helps us to stay on a righteous path. There are so many benefits to Salah. Every morning we are given a new opportunity to repent and return to Allah. At times it may seem difficult, however, when peace descends upon us, it is the greatest feeling. May Allah make it easy for us all.

About the Author: Sister Rebecca is a SAHM living in Houston Texas. Married for 13 years with two children, and a revert since 2014,  her hobbies include cooking, reading, and spending time with family.

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