Someone is making Money Off your Distractions

Endlessly surfing YouTube, CNN and Facebook?

Someone is thanking  you for the revenue you generated FOR THEM while you were distracted and draining your own resources.

Stick To It to be Successful

49:15

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Sahih International

The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah . It is those who are the truthful.

Muhsin Khan

Only those are the believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allah. Those! They are the truthful.

Shakir

The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger then they doubt not and struggle hard with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah; they are the truthful ones.

Dr. Ghali

Surely the believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger; thereafter they have not been suspicious, and have striven with their riches and their selves in the way of Allah; those are they (who are) sincere.

Quran -49:15

Doubts and Wavering

It is only those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts are in doubt that ask your leave (to be exempted from Jihad). So in their doubts they waver. 
(  سورة التوبة  , At-Taubah, Chapter #9, Verse #45)




Hearts are in doubt............

Sun - A Punctual non-Procrastinating Device

"Allah is He, who created the sun, the moon, and the stars (all) governed by laws under His commandment." (7:54)


http://www.moonsighting.com/quranmoon.html

Islam is to Spirituality

Islam is to spirituality as organic is to the body.
Healing and helpful.

A Good read - for the Muslim afflicted with Doubts

A Good read - for the Muslim afflicted with Doubts and has Atheistic Tendencies

Surat Yūnus (Jonah) 

Sun and Moon Serving Mankind?

"It is He who made sun a lamp, and moon a light and measured stages so you know number of years and count (of time)." (10:5)

Signs of God

"Among His Signs are the Night and the Day and the sun and moon. Prostrate not to the Sun and the Moon but Prostrate to Allah Who created them if it is Him ye wish to serve." (41:37)

Distracting and Neglecting Yourself?

59:19

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Sahih International

And be not like those who forgot Allah , so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient.

Some people who call themselves atheists haven't actually found Allah, they haven't discovered Him ...they are searching constantly .

Some atheists do not like the God concept. 

Every Morning...

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.

― Christopher McDougall, Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

Muslim looks at rising sun - says "Alhamdullilah, the Sun looks beautiful."

Atheist - "Wow, the Sun looks beautiful."

Muslim doubting God - " :( I am not sure, let me contemplate this....how, this, what, why, I doubt."

In short a muslim that doubts God is wasting his time.

A muslim that doubts God will never be able to at peace with himself. When he takes an atheistic stand he will wonder if Islam is right and vice-versa. 

Also he will miss the satisfaction obtained from his ingrained habits of Salat, Zakah, Fasting,  being grateful and being nice in a moment of anger for the sake of God.

The Sun Shines on Everyone

"...My mercy encompasses all things..."7:156

Belief in God

Belief in God is an act of the soul, of the heart.

The mind and the limbs and the faculties of hearing and speech are simply followers.

Keep the mind is busy with secular things and the heart busy with belief.

Wasting Time

Farah Al-Shammary ‏@Simplyfarahhh

"Wasting time is worse than death; death separates you from this world whereas wasting time separates you from Allah(SWT)"#MASICNA2012

 Retweeted by Mohamed Abutaleb

Think Act

Think like a [person] of action; act like a [person] of thought. -Henri-Louis Bergson

Atheism, Evolution and Common Sense

Evolution appeals to the intellect but God appeals to the common sense.

But what has shaped my intellect?

Also what about those who are too poor to get access to education in evolutionary biology?

 Is atheism only for the elite?

"GOD is beyond scientific method" by @MohamedAbutaleb

 Retweeted by Mohamed Abutaleb

God and Parents

Can a child get ahead materially without acknowledging his parents? Without being thankful to them?
Without giving them due respects? Without giving them due rights?

Yes.

Parents may ignore your hurtful words, forgive them and sometimes help you in your lows.

A human's relationship with God is the similar to his relationship with his parents.

One doesn't need to acknowledge the existence of God to get ahead materially.

Marc Manley ‏@manrilla

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

 Retweeted by Mohamed Abutaleb

Passive Procrastination

Passive Procrastination can lead to wrong conclusions such as:

• This is too hard
• I am not capable

Trust / Tawakul

Trust/Tawakul is an act of the heart , not a lack of action of the mind and the limbs.
Trust/Tawakul is an act of the heart, and not a license to retrieve actions.
TrustTawakul is an act of the heart, not a lack of use of the faculties of hearing, talking and movement.

Mohamed Abutaleb ‏@MohamedAbutaleb

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason,and intellect has intended us to forego their use"

The Only Enemy

2:208

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Muhsin Khan

O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulationsof the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily! He is to you a plain enemy.

Shakir

O you who believe! enter into submission one and all and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy.

Satan Speaking like a Human

I do not know if this page is authentic,  however worth a read.

http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=8630

Satan is Hardworking and Consistent, Are You?

7:16

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Muhsin Khan

(Iblis) said: "Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path
.

7:17

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Muhsin Khan

Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You).
"

114:4

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Dr. Ghali

From the evil of the constantly slinking whisperer

2:208

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Muhsin Khan

O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules and regulationsof the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily! He is to you a plain enemy.

Shakir

O you who believe! enter into submission one and all and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan; surely he is your open enemy.

If you aren't hardworking and consistent, then know that playing ground is not level. 

Some Useless Productive Activity

“Anything which is not included in the remembrance of Allah is useless and futile except for four things; playing with one’s spouse, training one’s horse, walking between two targets (while aiming arrows), and learning how to swim”. (al Jami’ al Saghir)

Muslim "Yogi"

"It is not asceticism that you should not possess anything; rather, ascetism is that nothing should possess you," 

"Asceticism in this world is not to prohibit what is lawful or to leave wealth alone; rather, asceticism in this world is that you should not have more confidence in what is your hand than what is in the hand of God" 

Source: http://www.al-islam.org/imam-ali-s-first-treatise-on-islamic-ethics-and-education-qorbani-lahiji/8.htm

 “Detachment is not that you should own nothing, but that nothing should own you.”- Ali (radii allaho anho)

Detachment is when the dunya remains in our hand – not in our heart. Yasmin Mogahed

A Reason to Complete Your Tasks Quickly

I came hastily to you, oh Allah, so that you will be pleased with me (Taha 20/84). 

Suicide is Haram, So Practice Some Self-Compassion

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7806/17-ways-to-shed-negativity-and-achieve-happiness.html

The Perils of taking Muslim Heroes besides the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him

To much of their chagrin, some people who have allowed their faith to revolve around people and not principle will inevitably have crises of faith when the people they view as the incarnation of application or knowledge fall from grace or change their views.

AbdulRahman Chao

Coupling Practicality with Islam

Manners coupled with faith is like a fragrant flower with sweet nectar.

AbdulRahman Chao

Plus it keeps people puzzled and guessing where the sweet fragrance, besides the flower aroma, is coming from.

Deliberating on Details

A person who cannot appreciate the basics of the deen but only through esoteric minutia within the deen is feared to never find the sweetness of faith.

AbdulRahman Chao

Our Delicateness and Vulnerabilities

One simply does not simply understand the true meaning of surrendering to Divine Providence until one realizes that he or she is as helpless at times of ease in equal or greater measure to one's helplessness in times of need.

AbdulRahman Chao

Satisfaction Obtained from Overcoming Hurdles

Scratching an itch is very satisfying. It is only so because there was an itch. Had there been no itch, there would be no satisfying feeling. In many ways, the satisfying after-feeling of relief when one looks back at the challenges brought by life itself can only be achieved after conquering pain, trails and tests. After all, had there been no challenge, there would be no feeling of victory.

AbdulRahman Chao

Inner Critisizer?

"Slow birds need to fly earlier than the early bird." or "Dumb Birds Fly First" - Chinese Proverb

Courtesy: AbdulRahman Chao

If your inner editor/ inner critic always uses a negative tone accept the criticism instead of sushing, hushing and subdueing it.

Tell your inner critic that you are going to compensate the 'dumbness' and 'slowness' by starting early.

Also, remember you may not be slow or dumb; creative and smart people do procrastinate and come up with good ideas at the last minute making it seem like you arrived late. 

So you could have afterall, misdiagnosed your dumbness and slowness. 

However use the 'starting early defense' to defeat the inner critc.

Swinging between Islam and Atheism?

The sudden theological shifts some people undergo from one polar extreme to the other proves to none other than themselves that the fanatical fervor they demonstrated at either extreme was simply done to overcompensate for their theological imbalances. 

AbdulRahman Chao

Pairings

51:49

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Sahih International

And of all things We created two mates; perhaps you will remember.

Muhsin Khan

And of everything We have created pairs, that you may remember (the Grace of Allah).

Pickthall

And all things We have created by pairs, that haply ye may reflect.

Yusuf Ali

And of every thing We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction.

Shakir

And of everything We have created pairs that you may be mindful.

Dr. Ghali

And of everything We created pairs, that possibly you would be mindful.

94:6

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Sahih International

Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

Muhsin Khan

Verily, with the hardship, there is relief (i.e. there is one hardship with two reliefs, so one hardship cannot overcome two reliefs).

Pickthall

Lo! with hardship goeth ease;

Yusuf Ali

Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.

Shakir

With difficulty is surely ease.

Dr. Ghali

Surely with difficulty comes ease.

Quotes related to Hard Work in Islam

1. Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The Momin dies with his sweat on his brow.” [An-Nasai] 
* (Momin=doer, muslim who puts knowledge into action)
2. Verily We have created man into toil and struggle. (90: 4)
3.  He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allaah will make a path to Paradise easy for him." (Al-Bukhaari)
4. “Man can get only what he strives for” (53/39) (Although this refers to hereafter, it is still inspiring )

Related Links 

http://forum.daffodilvarsity.edu.bd/index.php?topic=10044.0

How Studying Hard May Keep You Away from Haraam...

 He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Whoever follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allaah will make a path to Paradise easy for him." (Al-Bukhaari)

Internal Behavior

“Verily, Allaah will not change the condition of a people as long as they do not change their state themselves” - [al-Ra’d 13:11] 

We can only control our "internal" behavior, attitudes and thoughts. 

Humans are never in a position to control external  sources. 

The best we can do is change our own state. It is in fact the only thing we can do. 

Success is 99% perspiration , i.e change of state. The 1% inspiration is divine guidance .... I think,  which amounts to 100% success.

99% perspiration + 1% divine help =100% success

or from a different perspective 

1% perspiration + 99% divine help = 100% success, considering our efforts are minuscule in the grand scheme of things. 

And Allah know best.

Knowledge is the most miserly thing ....

At this moment you are in this place at (your) differing levels – from them the high (levels) and from them lesser than that. However regardless of where the person reaches in knowledge, then he is (still) in need of knowledge – as per the statement of Allaah, the Blessed and Most High: But over all those endowed with knowledge is the All Knowing One (Allaah) [12:76].

Therefore I urge you to have a general eagerness in pursuing (your) studies; and that you know with certain knowledge that the person who does not strive with all his efforts in attaining knowledge, then knowledge in its entirety will slip away from him.

And therefore it is said: indeed knowledge is the most miserly thing there is! For if you give it your all, you will attain (only) some of it; and if you give it only some (of your all), then it will elude you entirely. And therefore I urge you, O young people, to have a complete eagerness for knowledge.

— Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeenraheemahullah addressing students of Muhammad ibn Sa’ood Islamic University. (via shuayyb)

Ingratitude

When Allah gives you a gift, when Allah gives you intelligence, and Allah gives you an educational opportunity  and Allah gives you a  creative idea, and Allah gives you a creative talent and you say I am way too humble to exercise my talent, then that is not humility that is ingratitude. You have to exercise your talents, you have to make the most of yourself. Everybody should work in accordance with their disposition.  Everyone one of you has a predisposition, you have a talent you are good at something.Find out what that is and find out how you are going to use it to its maximum potential so you become a contributor to the world not a consumer.-Nouman Ali Khan

The Islamic Point of View : Believe , Work, Act

Believe it all depends on you, but know that it doesn't; know that it depends on Allah.
Work like this life is forever, but know that it isn't; know that this life isn't for ever.
Act like all power rests in your hands, but know that it isn't true; know that all power belongs to Allah.

I sometimes agree with Rumi...

He whose intellect overcomes his desire is higher than the angels; he whose desire overcomes his intellect is less than an animal.
~Rumi 

Unhappy to meet God...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgi1Q-o8gMk

A Beautiful Thinking Mind: Dr.Periyar Dasan Abdullah

From polytheism to atheism to Buddhism to Islam

http://vimeo.com/16336758

The Uncertainity of The Nothing

The audience at the time of revelation of Quran were mainly theists and polytheists. However the Quran did address the questions put forth by present day atheists.

Hmmm...strange....as a poorly practicing Muslim my tongue goes on auto-pilot and says, "SubhanAllah"


Image Source : CNN

Lawrence Krauss,""I can’t prove that God doesn’t exist," , but I’d much rather live in a universe without one."

Of rain showers and lightning...

Your good deed will not cause a rain shower and your bad deed will not summon a lightning strike on your head.

However it alters your personality.

If you unknowingly do something wrong it changes your personality in a subtle way and if you knowingly do something wrong you alter your personality in a drastic way.

Everything you do is either making your brain or breaking your brain.

Each one of us is imperfect; those of us born with normal beautiful perfect bodies realize it late.

How To Find Out If An Online Shop Has Lowered Price of an Item you Like

Not all online shops send out a Facebook notification whenever they lower a price. Here is an easy way to be personally notified  a.k.a via email whenever the price of an item you are eyeing is reduced in price.

1. Goto http://www.changedetection.com/
2. Fill details for page address and send alert to.

You will get notification whenever the webpage changes, whenever the prices are lowered or increased.

The Perfect Black Dress Of The Muslim Woman

Indian Clothing Trivia: Did you know that not just the muslim woman's cloak but even the salwar kameez has been referrred to as the "tent"? I can't quite remember the piece of literature, but the salwar kameez wearing heroine was a case of 'pink and green flowery tent'.(Vikram Seth's Suitable Boy was it?) And ofcourse, how many times have he heard the cliched phrase 'yards and yards of fabric' coupled with the sari?

O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. Quran 33:59

Shopping for an abaya, the tradititonal black cloak of the muslim woman is no easy task, as these days majority of the pieces are sold with bling on them. I have nothing against bling; however what about the consumer that wishes to wear it plain and simple? For example contrast the themes: black embroidery in the black backdrop, and: the night sky and here are the stars, up-close and within reach.

I recently asked my Dubai based sister-in-law to go abaya shopping for me specifying "no bling" as the most important factor. She forwarded me these three choice and I settled for the simple one nestled in the middle.

 I thoroughly enjoy abayas which have minimalistic add-ons: subtle pieces like lace, embroidery, crochet and sequins in moderation (like food) which add class without making it glitzy.




Creating the cloak of the muslim woman while keeping the looseness intact and without making it look like a maxi dress is no ordinary art. The general public may call it a tent, but the muslim woman whose heart has taken to the looseness and flowy attire, simply gushes at the sight of this perfect black dress. Yes people, this is our version of the perfect black dress.

I recently came across the UK based 'Barakah'. Their wall photos on Facebook comprise of abaya's that give importance to the drapery, the material, loose fittedness and most importantly add-ons that are subtle yet sophisticated. They also have a blog with a very interesting name : Shewasvain.blogspot.com

(Keep reading to find out the reason behind the interesting name.)

I got curious about the makers (I believe behind beautiful artworks are beautiful-at-heart people). Who are these designers who don't seem to be following the mainstream fashion trend of glitter that hurt your eyes?

Following is the interview of the lovely sisters. I have italicized 'lovely sisters' because I have never met them; the interview is the outcome of a mere email exchange; an old fashioned letter-writing-pen-friends concept of sorts. Lovely is the reply they sent forth; just like the artsy work that spills of their hands. Mashallah.

The Interview

Q:Congratulations while keep the modesty factor in the abaya intact. Its difficult to find abayas that dont cling to the body and sans sparkles. Is this a conscious choice you make when creating your pieces, to keep within the limits as set by religion. For example, I have noticed even when you cinch in the waist, you add on drapery to keep the loose fit intact, Mashallah.

 Barakah: JazakAllahu Khair, at the beginning it was kind of conscious as we aimed to make loose fitting garments and keep the rules of keeping the abayas modest, but as we started making more, it just kind of became second nature.

Q:I am impressed you are not following the mainstream bling-bling abaya fashion. What keeps you motivated to create these pieces when the majority of the consumers suffer from excessive-rhinestones and swarovski crystals disorder?
 Barakah: We've never really been into the whole excess swarovski crystal style abayas. What keeps us motivated is the abayas we design and make are ones that we see ourselves wearing. We try to make unique and classical pieces that sisters may feel comfortable in but we also want our abayas to be seen as works of art.

Q: Do you have other hobbies/interests, (like writing poetry)..do you sense a correlation between the two or get inspired by the other?
 Barakah: Yes we do have other hobbies, some of which are; photography, interior design, baking, art and painting, mostly creative things. Yes we do see a huge correlation between them which makes the design process much more exciting being able to get inspiration from things you enjoy.

Q: How many days does it take to create a single piece; the ball park range of the journey from the drawing board to the mannequin.

 Barakah: The days it takes to create depends on how complicated the design is and making adjustments can extend the process. The days also vary from the drawing board process to the mannequin depending on how quickly we get inspiration. Some days we might just drape fabrics on a mannequin to see what we can create. 

Q: Future plans...I really hope you have a clothing line in the works, Inshallah. The world needs simple yet sophisticated abayas. 

 Barakah: Insha'Allah we hope to expand in the near future, maybe get a website and open a boutique.

Q: Lastly, is there a story behind naming your blog "She was vain"?
 Barakah: "She 'WAS' Vain" suggests that it is in the past tense so she used to be vain, so She Was Vain is the girl that cared too much about her clothes, but changed and chose modesty.

https://www.facebook.com/barakahabaya
shewasvain.blogspot.com

Top View of an Anti-Eggitarian Breakfast

Fruit: Champagne grapes and cantaloupe
Cheese: Babybel
Juice: Orange juice fortified

For picky eaters and anti breakfasters.

:)

Interesting Concepts in HeadScarves: Review of Hijab-ista Pushing Hijab

I recently received a complimentary Hijabista Blue Petal Pushing Hijab in turquoise; it was a case of "choose whichever headscarf you like from our website".  I chose a unique one.

It is an interesting concept in headscarves, especially useful for those of us who are floral patterns shy, however still crave the floral concept.

The fabric is the headscarf friendly 100% viscose, perfect for all year.

You can wear it in four  different ways

1. Plain portion  on head with floral decoration on neck
2. Plain portion on head with stripes of floral around neck creating the illusion of layers
3. Floral pattern on head with plain portion of cloth on neck region
4. Floral pattern on head with plain stripes around neck

The crinkle effect lends it a casual look.  It is a double layered scarf, like a open-ended cylinder,which adds to its uniqueness.

Demonstration of sunlight passing through...to give you an idea the level of transparency and translucency. If you choose to layer the plain portion on your head, the floral patterns underneath would be visible; this concept makes it a subtle piece. A 'peek-a-boo flower of sorts thingy'.

The floral portion has bold colors: lime green, red, orange and bright blue. On careful examination the colored portion incorporates VIBGYOR without making the scarf appearing like a rainbow. 

Plus there is a lime green portion in it. Trendy!

Pairings:  Denim skirt  with any neutral colored top; the scarf goes with most basic pieces.

The headscarf is available on Hijabista in two other colors: Pink and Red.

Delivery: Super fast; it was a complimentary scarf yet I received it in less than three days, which speaks volumes about the customer service quality.

Thanks a volume, Hijabista !!!

:)


(Tip/Disclaimer...lol): Accompany the above look with an outer cloak/abaya as prescibed in the Quran  33:59

O Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

Makers of simple yet stylish and sophisticated abayas, the Barakah sisters interview coming soon on this blog.

Embarrassed by the Athan Software

Aaah... the benefits of the portable athan.... Not!

The athan software recently went of during a job boot camp session at my uni. It went off uptil 'Allaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh.......' after which I quickly pressed the mute button on my laptop.

The north indian and south indian girls  next to me gave me a "are-you-crazy-out-of-your-mind" look. I have my doubts anyone in the room made any sense out of what had emanated from my laptop. A bunch of guys did giggle; however they were muslim guys and hence quickly understood what I had set off.

It recently went off on my iPad while I was on the subway.  However the volume was set at low and I acted like "it wasn't me".

My friend said it once went off while he was giving a presentation. Another friend said it went off while he was taking a Skype video interview and he ended up apologizing because the software had hung up, but the athan voice was intact; the interviewee suddenly felt at ease during the course of the interview due to the pause in the interview.

I have limited its installation to my home computer.

Have you been in a similar situation?  Please share in the comments below.