Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil- Azim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection)'.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Riyad-ul-Saliheen Commentary:
This Hadith affirms that man's actions carry weight. On the Day of Judgement, his actions will be cast into the Balance. At that time Allah will endow these actions with weight, or according to some scholars, those records which register man's actions will be weighed. This is quite possible for the reason that Almighty Allah is Capable of weighing things without even their physical form. This discussion apart, when actions will be cast into the Balance, the formula mentioned in the Hadith, the utterance of which is very easy, will prove weighty. Every Muslim should make it a practice to repeat them frequently.
Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith (May Allah be pleased with her) reported, the Mother of the Believers: The Prophet (PBUH) came out from my apartment in the morning as I was busy in performing the dawn prayer. He came back in the forenoon and found me sitting there. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Are you still in the same position as I left you.'' I replied in the affirmative. Thereupon the Prophet said, "I recited four words three times after I had left you. If these are to be weighed against all you have recited since morning, these will be heavier. These are: Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, `adada khalqihi, wa rida nafsihi, wa zinatah `arshihi, wa midada kalimatihi [Allah is free from imperfection and I begin with His praise, as many times as the number of His creatures, in accordance with His Good Pleasure, equal to the weight of His Throne and equal to the ink that may be used in recording the words (for His Praise)].''[Sahih Muslim]. Commentary: The recitation of the words quoted in this Hadith is highly meritorious and rewarding because they are full of Praise and Glorification of Allah.
Expression that is most loved by Allah
Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me, "Shall I tell you the expression that is most loved by Allah?'' It is `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi' (Allah is free from imperfection and His is the praise)'.''[Sahih Muslim].
Obliterating Sins of the extent of the foam of the ocean
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "And he who utters: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and His is the praise)' one hundred times a day, his sins will be obliterated even if they are equal to the extent of the foam of the ocean.''[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Commentary: Here sins mean minor sins and those which do not relate to the rights of people.
A Palm-tree will be planted in Jannah
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "For him who says: `Subhan-Allahi wa bi hamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection, and I begin with praising Him, and to Him),' a palm-tree will be planted in Jannah.''[At-Tirmidhi] .
Commentary: Jannah is so vast that we cannot even imagine its vastness. The planting of trees in return for the Praise and Glorification of Allah is, therefore, neither something difficult nor surprising. So, there should not be any hesitation in accepting it as a fact. Some people take it is as a metaphor for a plentiful reward.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Valentine's Day
Sheikh Muhammed Saalih Ibn al-Uthaimeen
Question:
In the recent times there has spread the celebrating of `Eid ul-Hubb (Valentine's Day) – particularly among the female students. And it is a holiday from the holidays of the Christians, and the clothing will be completely in red garments and shoes, and they exchange red flowers with each other. We hope from your eminence an explanation of the ruling of celebrating the likes of this holiday. What is your advice to Muslims regarding the likes of these affairs, and may Allaah preserve you and protect you?
Answer:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Giver of Mercy Wa `alaykumus-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh Celebrating the Holiday of Love (i.e. Valentine's Day) is not permissible for various reasons.
The first: That is an innovated holiday that has no basis for it in the Sharee'ah.
The second: That it calls to passion and infatuation.
The third: That it calls to busying the heart with the likes of these affairs that are trivial and opposed to the guidance of the Righteous Predecessors (As-Salaf us-Saalih), may Allaah be pleased with them.
So it is not permissible to introduce on this day (i.e. Valentine's Day) anything from the aspects of holiday celebrating, regardless of whether it is foods, or drinks, or clothing, or exchanging gifts, or other than that.
It is incumbent upon the Muslim to be distinguished and noble with his religion, and that he not be a characterless person who follows everyone who cries out.
I ask Allaah, the Most High, to protect the Muslims from all of the trials, whatever is apparent or hidden of them, and that He guards over us with His care and His aid.
Written by Muhammad Saalih Al-`Uthaymeen on 5/11/1420 hijri
Question:
In the recent times there has spread the celebrating of `Eid ul-Hubb (Valentine's Day) – particularly among the female students. And it is a holiday from the holidays of the Christians, and the clothing will be completely in red garments and shoes, and they exchange red flowers with each other. We hope from your eminence an explanation of the ruling of celebrating the likes of this holiday. What is your advice to Muslims regarding the likes of these affairs, and may Allaah preserve you and protect you?
Answer:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Giver of Mercy Wa `alaykumus-salaam wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh Celebrating the Holiday of Love (i.e. Valentine's Day) is not permissible for various reasons.
The first: That is an innovated holiday that has no basis for it in the Sharee'ah.
The second: That it calls to passion and infatuation.
The third: That it calls to busying the heart with the likes of these affairs that are trivial and opposed to the guidance of the Righteous Predecessors (As-Salaf us-Saalih), may Allaah be pleased with them.
So it is not permissible to introduce on this day (i.e. Valentine's Day) anything from the aspects of holiday celebrating, regardless of whether it is foods, or drinks, or clothing, or exchanging gifts, or other than that.
It is incumbent upon the Muslim to be distinguished and noble with his religion, and that he not be a characterless person who follows everyone who cries out.
I ask Allaah, the Most High, to protect the Muslims from all of the trials, whatever is apparent or hidden of them, and that He guards over us with His care and His aid.
Written by Muhammad Saalih Al-`Uthaymeen on 5/11/1420 hijri
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Utrujjah
"The example of a believer, who recites the Qur'an and acts on it, is like an orange (utrujjah) which tastes nice and smells nice.
And the example of the believer who does not recite the Qur'an but acts on it is like a date that tastes sweet but has no smell.
And the example of the hypocrite who recites the Quran is like a sweet basil which smells good but tastes bitter.
And the example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an is like a colocynth (bitter apple) which tastes bitter and has a bad smell."
[Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim ].
Commentary: This Hadith tells us that a believer who recites the Qur'an and acts upon it, Allah will grant him a high rank. He is loved by Allah and also enjoys public esteem. The believer who does not recite it but acts upon its teachings is also loved by Allah and people. The hypocrite who recites the Qur'an to have a good show has an evil and dark mind. Last of all comes that hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an and has a dark mind and appearance.
Source for the above:
Riyadh ul Saleeheen
And the example of the believer who does not recite the Qur'an but acts on it is like a date that tastes sweet but has no smell.
And the example of the hypocrite who recites the Quran is like a sweet basil which smells good but tastes bitter.
And the example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an is like a colocynth (bitter apple) which tastes bitter and has a bad smell."
[Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim ].
Commentary: This Hadith tells us that a believer who recites the Qur'an and acts upon it, Allah will grant him a high rank. He is loved by Allah and also enjoys public esteem. The believer who does not recite it but acts upon its teachings is also loved by Allah and people. The hypocrite who recites the Qur'an to have a good show has an evil and dark mind. Last of all comes that hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'an and has a dark mind and appearance.
Source for the above:
Riyadh ul Saleeheen
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Essence
Essence: es·sence
es·sence [éss'nss]
(plural es·sences)
n
1. identifying nature: the quality or nature of something that identifies it or makes it what it is
You've described the city, but you haven't communicated its essence.
2. most important feature: the most important element or feature of something
The essence of leadership is said to be the willingness of other people to follow.
3. perfect form: the perfect or idealized form of something, especially when embodied in a person
She's the essence of tact.
They say that dua’a` is the essence of worship.. So it is one of the most important forms of worship.. Calling out to Allah is one of the most perfect forms of worship.. To acknowledge that Allah is the only One who can help you.. To acknowledge that he can hear you when you call upon him.. When you call out to him.. When you are alone.. When no one else can hear you.. When no one else even cares.. Allah is there for you.. Listing to you.. Inshallah answering your dua’a` in one form or another.. Never lose hope in Allah swt.. He is there and He will help you in a way that is the best for you either in this life, or the hereafter..
Here are some tight du’a`s from the Qur’an and hadeeth:
1. Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the Fire (2:201)
2. Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance and make our foothold sure and give us help against those who reject faith. (2:250)
3. Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or fall into error. (2:286)
4. Our Lord! Lay not upon us such a burden as You did lay upon those before us.(2:286)
5. Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear, grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us. You are our Protector. Help us against those who deny the truth. (2:286)
6. Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your grace. Verily You are the Giver of bounties without measure. (3:8)
7. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings, and make firm our steps and succor us against those who deny the truth. (3:147)
8. Our Lord! Whomsoever You shall commit to the Fire, truly You have brought [him] to disgrace, and never will wrongdoers find any helpers (3:192)
9. Our Lord! Behold we have heard a voice calling us unto faith: "Believe in your Lord" and we have believed. (3:193)
10. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and efface our bad deeds and take our souls in the company of the righteous. (3:193)
11. Our Lord! And grant us that which you have promised to us by Your messengers and save us from shame on the Day of Judgment. Verily You never fail to fulfill Your promise. (3:194)
12. Our Lord! We have sinned against ourselves, and unless You grant us forgiveness and bestow Your mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost! (7:23)
13. Our Lord! Place us not among the people who have been guilty of evildoing.(7:47)
14. Our Lord! Lay open the truth between us and our people, for You are the best of all to lay open the truth. (7:89)
15. Our Lord! Pour out on us patience and constancy, and make us die as those who have surrendered themselves unto You. (7:126)
16. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the evildoing folk, and save as by Your mercy from people who deny the truth (10:85-86)
17. Our Lord! You truly know all that we may hide [in our hearts] as well as all that we bring into the open, for nothing whatever, be it on earth or in heaven, remains hidden from Allah (14:38)
18. Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Your presence and dispose of our affairs for us in the right way. (18:10)
19. Our Lord! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a comfort to our eyes, and give us the grace to lead those who are conscious of You. (25:74)
20. Our Lord! You embrace all things within Your Grace and Knowledge, forgive those who repent and follow Your path, and ward off from them the punishment of Hell. (40:7)
21. Our Lord! Make them enter the Garden of Eden which You have promised to them, and to the righteous from among their fathers, their wives and their offspring, for verily You are alone the Almighty and the truly Wise. (40:8)
22. Our Lord! Relieve us of the torment, for we do really believe. (44:12)
23. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins as well as those of our brethren who proceeded us in faith and let not our hearts entertain any unworthy thoughts or feelings against [any of] those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness and Most Merciful (59:10)
24. Our Lord! In You we have placed our trust, and to You do we turn in repentance, for unto You is the end of all journeys. (60:4)
25. Our Lord! Perfect our light for us and forgive us our sins, for verily You have power over all things. (66:8)
"Oh Allah, guide me with those whom You have guided, and strengthen me with those
whom You have given strength. Take me to Your care with those whom You have taken to Your care. Bless me in what You have given me. Protect me from the evil You have
ordained. Surely You command and are not commanded, and none whom You have
committed to Your care shall be humiliated (and none whom You have taken as an enemy
shall taste glory). You are Blessed, Our Lord, and Exalted".
Lord, do help me and do not help anyone else against me, grant me success and do not
enable my enemy to get the better of me, do support me by Your hidden manoeuvring and do not favour my opponents in similar manner against me; grant me guidance and make it easy for me to pursue the right path and help me in the event of an enemy rising against me. My Lord, grant me that I remember and remain grateful to You intensely and hear and obey You thoroughly and make me one who supplicates to You profoundly and make me one who is obedient to You and make me one who contemplates about You with incessant tears and devotion. My Lord, accept my repentance, wash off my sins, grant my prayer, strengthen my argument, straighten my speech, guide my heart aright and quench its irritation".
Abu Dawud, Book 8, Number 1505
"Unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray".
O Allah. I beg of You guidance, piety, chastity and independence (from your creation)
"We have entered a new day and with it all the dominion which belongs to Allah, Lord of all that exists. Oh Allah, I ask You for the goodness of this day, its victory, its help, its light, its blessings, and its guidance. I seek refuge in You from the evil that is in it and from the evil that follows it".
(Abu Dawud, Book 41, Number 5065
O Allah, set aright my religious life which is a safeguard in all my affairs, set aright my worldly life which is a source of my maintenance, set aright my life of the hereafter unto which I am bound to return, and make my life a source of earning more and more good and make my death a refuge against all troubles."
Muslim, Book 035, Number
O Allah! I surrender to You and entrust all my affairs to You and depend upon You for Your Blessings both with hope and fear of You. There is no fleeing from You, and there is no place of protection and safety except with You O Allah! I believe in Your Book (the Qur'an) which You have revealed and in Your Prophet Muhammad (SAW) whom You have sent".
(Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4, Number 247)
es·sence [éss'nss]
(plural es·sences)
n
1. identifying nature: the quality or nature of something that identifies it or makes it what it is
You've described the city, but you haven't communicated its essence.
2. most important feature: the most important element or feature of something
The essence of leadership is said to be the willingness of other people to follow.
3. perfect form: the perfect or idealized form of something, especially when embodied in a person
She's the essence of tact.
They say that dua’a` is the essence of worship.. So it is one of the most important forms of worship.. Calling out to Allah is one of the most perfect forms of worship.. To acknowledge that Allah is the only One who can help you.. To acknowledge that he can hear you when you call upon him.. When you call out to him.. When you are alone.. When no one else can hear you.. When no one else even cares.. Allah is there for you.. Listing to you.. Inshallah answering your dua’a` in one form or another.. Never lose hope in Allah swt.. He is there and He will help you in a way that is the best for you either in this life, or the hereafter..
Here are some tight du’a`s from the Qur’an and hadeeth:
1. Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the Fire (2:201)
2. Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance and make our foothold sure and give us help against those who reject faith. (2:250)
3. Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or fall into error. (2:286)
4. Our Lord! Lay not upon us such a burden as You did lay upon those before us.(2:286)
5. Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear, grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us. You are our Protector. Help us against those who deny the truth. (2:286)
6. Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your grace. Verily You are the Giver of bounties without measure. (3:8)
7. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings, and make firm our steps and succor us against those who deny the truth. (3:147)
8. Our Lord! Whomsoever You shall commit to the Fire, truly You have brought [him] to disgrace, and never will wrongdoers find any helpers (3:192)
9. Our Lord! Behold we have heard a voice calling us unto faith: "Believe in your Lord" and we have believed. (3:193)
10. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and efface our bad deeds and take our souls in the company of the righteous. (3:193)
11. Our Lord! And grant us that which you have promised to us by Your messengers and save us from shame on the Day of Judgment. Verily You never fail to fulfill Your promise. (3:194)
12. Our Lord! We have sinned against ourselves, and unless You grant us forgiveness and bestow Your mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost! (7:23)
13. Our Lord! Place us not among the people who have been guilty of evildoing.(7:47)
14. Our Lord! Lay open the truth between us and our people, for You are the best of all to lay open the truth. (7:89)
15. Our Lord! Pour out on us patience and constancy, and make us die as those who have surrendered themselves unto You. (7:126)
16. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the evildoing folk, and save as by Your mercy from people who deny the truth (10:85-86)
17. Our Lord! You truly know all that we may hide [in our hearts] as well as all that we bring into the open, for nothing whatever, be it on earth or in heaven, remains hidden from Allah (14:38)
18. Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Your presence and dispose of our affairs for us in the right way. (18:10)
19. Our Lord! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a comfort to our eyes, and give us the grace to lead those who are conscious of You. (25:74)
20. Our Lord! You embrace all things within Your Grace and Knowledge, forgive those who repent and follow Your path, and ward off from them the punishment of Hell. (40:7)
21. Our Lord! Make them enter the Garden of Eden which You have promised to them, and to the righteous from among their fathers, their wives and their offspring, for verily You are alone the Almighty and the truly Wise. (40:8)
22. Our Lord! Relieve us of the torment, for we do really believe. (44:12)
23. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins as well as those of our brethren who proceeded us in faith and let not our hearts entertain any unworthy thoughts or feelings against [any of] those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness and Most Merciful (59:10)
24. Our Lord! In You we have placed our trust, and to You do we turn in repentance, for unto You is the end of all journeys. (60:4)
25. Our Lord! Perfect our light for us and forgive us our sins, for verily You have power over all things. (66:8)
"Oh Allah, guide me with those whom You have guided, and strengthen me with those
whom You have given strength. Take me to Your care with those whom You have taken to Your care. Bless me in what You have given me. Protect me from the evil You have
ordained. Surely You command and are not commanded, and none whom You have
committed to Your care shall be humiliated (and none whom You have taken as an enemy
shall taste glory). You are Blessed, Our Lord, and Exalted".
Lord, do help me and do not help anyone else against me, grant me success and do not
enable my enemy to get the better of me, do support me by Your hidden manoeuvring and do not favour my opponents in similar manner against me; grant me guidance and make it easy for me to pursue the right path and help me in the event of an enemy rising against me. My Lord, grant me that I remember and remain grateful to You intensely and hear and obey You thoroughly and make me one who supplicates to You profoundly and make me one who is obedient to You and make me one who contemplates about You with incessant tears and devotion. My Lord, accept my repentance, wash off my sins, grant my prayer, strengthen my argument, straighten my speech, guide my heart aright and quench its irritation".
Abu Dawud, Book 8, Number 1505
"Unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray".
O Allah. I beg of You guidance, piety, chastity and independence (from your creation)
"We have entered a new day and with it all the dominion which belongs to Allah, Lord of all that exists. Oh Allah, I ask You for the goodness of this day, its victory, its help, its light, its blessings, and its guidance. I seek refuge in You from the evil that is in it and from the evil that follows it".
(Abu Dawud, Book 41, Number 5065
O Allah, set aright my religious life which is a safeguard in all my affairs, set aright my worldly life which is a source of my maintenance, set aright my life of the hereafter unto which I am bound to return, and make my life a source of earning more and more good and make my death a refuge against all troubles."
Muslim, Book 035, Number
O Allah! I surrender to You and entrust all my affairs to You and depend upon You for Your Blessings both with hope and fear of You. There is no fleeing from You, and there is no place of protection and safety except with You O Allah! I believe in Your Book (the Qur'an) which You have revealed and in Your Prophet Muhammad (SAW) whom You have sent".
(Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4, Number 247)
Monday, February 9, 2009
True friendship
"However rare true love may be, it is less so than true friendship." -- La Rochefoucauld
Throughout your life you meet certain people.. Some people you form this instant bond to them, some it takes awhile for you to warm up to them, and others you just don’t wanna be around..
What makes you gravitate towards some people and not others? Why can you spend hours talking to one person and never run out of things to say, yet while with others you struggle to keep a conversation going and flowing about something meaningful.. We all can have “small talk” with anyone, but you cant have deep, intellectual, spiritual, thought provoking, tear jerking conversations with everyone..
Life takes us all in different directions, sometimes leading us away from our greatest friends.. Friends who you may have connected with on a deeper level.. No doubt everything in our lives happen for a reason, although sometimes we lack the wisdom to realize what that reason is.. But those types of friends aren’t easily forgotten, but can they be replaced? I know that sounds extremely harsh, but it’s a fact of life that we humans eventually move on; its something that happens naturally over time, we attempt to find something better.. But is there always something better out there?
I believe once someone was a true friend, then they will always remain a true friend no matter what happens and where life takes them.. Alhamdulilah, I have been extremely blessed with about 7 great friends, who even if I don’t see for months, the moment I’m with them, it feels like we never left. Friends who know all the good and all the bad about me, and yet still talk to me.. Friends who I can hit up at anytime of the night and I know they will be there for me.. Some of these friendships were formed many, many, many years ago, and some that were formed very recently.. Friends who I see and talk to everyday, and some who I never get to see.. Friends who I can just look at and they know exactly what I’m thinking, without having to utter a word.. Friends who know me, the real me..
Alhamdulilah, Alhamdulilah, Alhamdulilah I hope Allah well increase us with love for each other, and keep us as friends in this life and the hereafter..
Throughout your life you meet certain people.. Some people you form this instant bond to them, some it takes awhile for you to warm up to them, and others you just don’t wanna be around..
What makes you gravitate towards some people and not others? Why can you spend hours talking to one person and never run out of things to say, yet while with others you struggle to keep a conversation going and flowing about something meaningful.. We all can have “small talk” with anyone, but you cant have deep, intellectual, spiritual, thought provoking, tear jerking conversations with everyone..
Life takes us all in different directions, sometimes leading us away from our greatest friends.. Friends who you may have connected with on a deeper level.. No doubt everything in our lives happen for a reason, although sometimes we lack the wisdom to realize what that reason is.. But those types of friends aren’t easily forgotten, but can they be replaced? I know that sounds extremely harsh, but it’s a fact of life that we humans eventually move on; its something that happens naturally over time, we attempt to find something better.. But is there always something better out there?
I believe once someone was a true friend, then they will always remain a true friend no matter what happens and where life takes them.. Alhamdulilah, I have been extremely blessed with about 7 great friends, who even if I don’t see for months, the moment I’m with them, it feels like we never left. Friends who know all the good and all the bad about me, and yet still talk to me.. Friends who I can hit up at anytime of the night and I know they will be there for me.. Some of these friendships were formed many, many, many years ago, and some that were formed very recently.. Friends who I see and talk to everyday, and some who I never get to see.. Friends who I can just look at and they know exactly what I’m thinking, without having to utter a word.. Friends who know me, the real me..
Alhamdulilah, Alhamdulilah, Alhamdulilah I hope Allah well increase us with love for each other, and keep us as friends in this life and the hereafter..
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Rain..
Rain
I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.
I step very softly,I walk very slow,
I can't do a handstand--
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said--
I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.
Shel Silverstein
Its been raining since last Thursday.. For some reason rain gets me feeling more artsy-fartsy.. I’m a big fan of Shel Silversein’s work, it reminds me a lot of my childhood.. I also really like Emily D’s work..
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us - don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know!
How dreary to be somebody!
How public like a frog
To tell one's name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Emily Dickinson
I love poetry, but I love the paintings of Claude Monet so much more.
"Giverny in Springtime"
And who doesn’t love Van Gogh’s work?
I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.
I step very softly,I walk very slow,
I can't do a handstand--
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said--
I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.
Shel Silverstein
Its been raining since last Thursday.. For some reason rain gets me feeling more artsy-fartsy.. I’m a big fan of Shel Silversein’s work, it reminds me a lot of my childhood.. I also really like Emily D’s work..
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us - don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know!
How dreary to be somebody!
How public like a frog
To tell one's name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Emily Dickinson
I love poetry, but I love the paintings of Claude Monet so much more.
"Giverny in Springtime"
"I am not a great painter, great poet. I just know that I do what I can to express what I feel in front of nature."
Claude Monet
Claude Monet
And who doesn’t love Van Gogh’s work?
"Branches of an Almond Tree In Blossom"
Al-'Adiyat
SubhanAllah, the Qur'an is so deep. Its so engaging, it asks mankind questions, give us parables and examples, makes you think..
Al-'Adiyat--
By the (Steeds) that run, with panting (breath),
And strike sparks of fire,
And push home the charge in the morning, And raise the dust in clouds the while, And penetrate forthwith into the midst (of the foe) en masse;-
Truly man is, to his Lord, ungrateful;
And to that (fact) he bears witness (by his deeds); And violent is he in his love of wealth. Does he not know,- when that which is in the graves is scattered abroad
And that which is (locked up) in (human) breasts is made manifest-
That their Lord had been Well-acquainted with them, (even to) that Day?
"An example of stallions is given to reflect on human attitude towards Allah. Stallions whom man provides only food and water, are so grateful to him that they jump into the valley of death on his command, while man whom Allah has given life, faculties, food and other provisions is ungrateful to Allah and he himself is a witness to this fact. This example shows that an ungrateful person is worse than an animal. Sucha a person is so blinded by the love of worldly wealth that he tries to obtain it by every means, however impure and filthy it maybe. He would never have behaved so, had he known that the time when dead would be raised from their graves for accountability.."
Why are we as humans so ungrateful? Even if there was no Heaven or Hellfire, shouldn’t we still feel obligated to worship Allah?
We have such a narrow sighted view about life and the hereafter; most humans are only concerned with attaining and consuming more. We are a people plagued with commercialism, materialism and consumerism. Inshallah one day our focus will shift from wanting to attaining worldly goods to attaining the bounty of the hereafter.
Al-'Adiyat--
By the (Steeds) that run, with panting (breath),
And strike sparks of fire,
And push home the charge in the morning, And raise the dust in clouds the while, And penetrate forthwith into the midst (of the foe) en masse;-
Truly man is, to his Lord, ungrateful;
And to that (fact) he bears witness (by his deeds); And violent is he in his love of wealth. Does he not know,- when that which is in the graves is scattered abroad
And that which is (locked up) in (human) breasts is made manifest-
That their Lord had been Well-acquainted with them, (even to) that Day?
"An example of stallions is given to reflect on human attitude towards Allah. Stallions whom man provides only food and water, are so grateful to him that they jump into the valley of death on his command, while man whom Allah has given life, faculties, food and other provisions is ungrateful to Allah and he himself is a witness to this fact. This example shows that an ungrateful person is worse than an animal. Sucha a person is so blinded by the love of worldly wealth that he tries to obtain it by every means, however impure and filthy it maybe. He would never have behaved so, had he known that the time when dead would be raised from their graves for accountability.."
Why are we as humans so ungrateful? Even if there was no Heaven or Hellfire, shouldn’t we still feel obligated to worship Allah?
We have such a narrow sighted view about life and the hereafter; most humans are only concerned with attaining and consuming more. We are a people plagued with commercialism, materialism and consumerism. Inshallah one day our focus will shift from wanting to attaining worldly goods to attaining the bounty of the hereafter.
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