The Power of Prayer...

Salaam my Professional Muslims!

Well, as some of you may or may not know, I am getting married very soon, inshallah (23 days to be precise!) and Alhamdulillah, the past 6 months have been such a blessing that I thought I'd remind you all (as well as myself!) about the awesome power of dua.

"Verily your Lord is Geneous and Shy. If His servant raises his hands to Him (in supplication) He becomes shy to return them empty." (Ahmad, Aby Dawood, Tirmidhi)

It was in Ramadhan last year that I started making dua to Allah that He find me a pious, God-fearing, gentle yet strong, polite, intelligent, funny, sporty, broad-minded, family-orientated, loving Muslim partner. I was asking for a lot, I know, but Alhmadulillah, 6 months later I was engaged, and there he was, the answer to my prayers, personified. (",)


Everytime I see or speak to my fiance, I'm reminded of how amazing Allah is in the way that He hears, understands and fulfills our heartfelt duas. I pray that He continues to grant me the best of this world and the Hereafter.

Dua has the unique power to change destiny. Salman Farsi narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said,

"Dua turns away destiny and good deeds lengthen age". (Tirmidhi)

The quote above makes me think what my situation would have been had I not bowed my head in humblesness and raised my hands in need, all those nights ago. Perhaps I would have missed out on the best thing that ever happened to me... : (

These days, we only seem to make dua when hardship befalls us and is the last resort, when all else has failed. However, it's just as important to make dua when times are good too! The Prophet (SAW) said,

"Whosoever desires that Allah answers his Duas in unfavourable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful dua in days of ease and comfort."

We've got to have complete conviction that Allah will accept the dua too. It is only when we put our complete faith and trust in Him that our prayers will be answered.

Dua is essentially a conversation with Allah, our Creator. This act in itself is of extraordinary significance. It is the most uplifting, liberating, empowering and transforming conversation we can ever have. We turn to Him because we know that He alone can lift our sufferings and solve our problems. We feel relieved after describing our difficulties to our Creator. We feel empowered after having communicated with the Almighty. We sense His mercy all around us after talking to the Most Merciful.

So, please let's all make an effort to have more of these amazing converasations with Our Lord.

I hope the above strengthens our resolve to make more duas and I hope you can all say a little prayer for me and my future-husband-to-be! (",)

And I'll make an extra effort to make dua for all my fellow Professional Muslims when I'll be sat in front of the Holy Kaaba in a month's time, inshallah.

A meeting with Allah...

This video took my breath away and sent chills down my spine. May Allah bless us all with such an honour, inshallah...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwZzfagqhIc

Losing a Loved One...

A recent death in the family and an e-mail I received a few weeks ago have led me to write a blog on the true meaning of "Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raaji'oon".

Most of us say this statement when someone dies but how many of us know what it actually means?

Okay, so it's translation is 'To Allah we belong and to Him is our return' but it's implications go a lot further.

The statement is actually trying to say that whatever we have is not really ours. It all belongs to Allah.

Everything around us; everything we see, all that we have and all that there is belongs to Allah, alone. It is He who has given us all the property and goods we possess, and that makes him the true owner of them all.

So the cars that we own, the houses that we live in, all our wordly possessions truly belong to Allaah. Even the family that He blessed us with, the health that He's given us, the time that He has allowed us, are all Allah's property.

"And to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth…." (Surah Aal-Imraan:180)

Now, since everything belongs to Allah, then we have to include even our souls in that list. Essentially, we belong to Allah. And this is the essence of the concept of accepting God's will when He takes someone's life away.

He's merely taking back something that He gave you for a while.

He will bless you with a precious child that you love dearly… and then He may take it away.
He will grant you money, honour and status… and then He may take it away.
He will give you youth, vitality and health and then surely He will take it away.

So when Allah does reclaim what was rightfully His, why do we mourn our losses?

I know it's easier said than done but we should try and say Alhamdulillah and not grieve. We should be patient as Allah loves those who are patient. Allah says:

 "But give glad tidings to the patient - those who, when afflicted with a calamity, say, "Truly, to Allah we belong; and truly, to Him will we return." It is those who will be awarded blessings and mercy form their Lord; and it is those who are guided." (The Holy Qur'an, Chapter 2, Verses 155-157.)

On the occasion of the death of his son Ibraahim, our Beloved Prophet (SAW) said:

'Our eyes are filled with tears, our hearts with grief, but we say nothing with our lips except that which pleases Allah... Verily, to Allah we belong, and to Him we return.' (Bukhaari)

Subhanllah! What beautiful words at such a difficult time.

And when the companion of Muhammad (SAW), Abu Talha's son passed away, Abu Talha was not at home. His wife washed and shrouded the child when Abu Talha returned home and asked about his son, she said,

'The child is quiet and I hope he is in peace…' (Bukhaari)

Subhallah… such patience! And such faith in the statement "Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi Raaji'oon"!

She truly understood its meaning and the effect it should have on her life as a Muslim, submitting to Allah's will and being pleased with whatever He has decreed for her. She knew that whatever she had, was not truly hers. Rather, it was Allah's and He took back whatever He owned at its appointed time.

May Allah grant us the same the patience and undestanding of the wife of Abu Talha. Aameen.

105 fans!

Mashallah!

Thankyou all for your support. Honestly, I'm so happy right now. 100 fans may not seem alot compared to the other groups out there, but for me, it's a great achievement and I'd like to sincerely thank every one of you for choosing to follow my blog. May Allah bless you all, accept all your duas and may we continue to help each other grow in becoming Professional Muslims.

Please spread the link to the blog and invite others to join this page. I'm not being greedy or anything but 200 fans would be awesome! (",)

Jazakallah!

Your fellow Professional Muslim x

The Power of Prayer...

Revolutionise Your Salaat

Jummah Mubarak y'all!

So, we pray namaaz numerous times a day and recite Surah Faatiha dozens of times daily but how many of us know the meaning behind this beautiful Surah?

Please take a moment to read and even memorise the translation below, it really will transform the way you pray your salaat. Mashallah, it worked for me and it will for you too, inshallah!

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah.

Lord of the Worlds, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Master of the Day of Judgement.

You alone we worship,

And to You alone we look for help.

Guide us to the straight path,

The Path of those upon whom You have bestowed favours,

Not those who have earned Your anger, nor those who have gone astray.

Duty to Parents

"Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or more attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say, "My Lord! Bestow on them Thy Mercy, even as they cherished me in childhood."

(Quran 17: 23-24)

What a beautiful quote, Mashallah! May Allah grant us all the knowledge to understand Islam and it's principle to be well mannered towards our parents... Aameen!

P.S. Jummah Mubarak y'all! (",)