Heat of Entice — Part One

I guess you thought it ended there, and for a minute I was going to leave you hanging - let your minds run wild with thoughts of [...]

I knew you were laying in wait for me again that day, watching from a distance, analysing my every move. I can only imagine your glee as [...]

… that’s what they call it when a writer is unable to make sense of thoughts bubbling in their mind and transfer them into comprehensible prose (or [...]

The depths of this journey should not be underestimated, and Umm Junayd tells you why.
Imagine the 29th of Shawwal. Muslims around the world anticipate news of [...]

This poem really brings a smile on my face. If you notice the copyright date, it was written over two years ago. A friend of mine was looking for poetry, stories and recipes for a cookbook she was writing, and so I wrote the poem below. It’s true though, marriage does alter your taste buds!

Sometimes it takes the loss of something or someone dear, in orderto gain in strength and faith.

For every Muslim, ‘Eid-ul-Fitr is a day of joy and celebration - a day to signify the end of a month of sacrifice and abstinence. However, on the cold, crisp morning of ‘Eid-ul-Fitr in 2001, 1422AH, I received some shocking news: my best friend’s mother had passed away. This was a woman I respected and loved; someone I had served iftaar to and hugged only two days before. Yet that morning was her calling to return to her Lord.

A bit of fiction for those who thought that Muslims can’t write ‘halaal’ fiction.

My first poem for the year… so sad…

Rage.
The word
is years away
from describing the turmoil
of heat and anguish within me

Nothing could have prepared me
For the ride I was to take
No words could have soothed
For it was a ride
Unexpected
Nothing could have padded my nerves
Made them stronger to [...]

She’s alive, she thought, and with that, she submitted to the One Who deserves full submission, and there, on the pavement she prostrated to her Lord, crying thanks to Him, for saving her daughter… sparing her from such a tragic end.

Just when
It hits rock bottom
Has sunk
To indescribable depths
When
Prayers start to slack
So hard
To concentrate
When
Dispair kicks in
At loss
Unsure of rectifying
It’s when
A reminder is sent
Hits hard
Sharp on target
It’s then
The root [...]

The moments are savoured - no ice cream could taste as rich; no chocolate could be as sweet… as this embrace.

This is the very first that has made we weep when reflecting on the salaah - the prayer. It is a time when one focuses on Allaah and tries to worship Him. However, this book does not simple tell you to pray, or the reasons why it is important to do so, but places an emphasis on trying to cure the disease that is widespread within this vital act of worship: tranquillity.

Bismillaah.
As the Director of An-Najm Publishers, I’m pleased to announce a new book that we will, inshaa`Allaah, be publishing: Open Letters, Open Hearts. You can find out [...]

Pain is usually short-lived, because its sweetness soon overtakes.

Make this Ramadaan different; make it special. Join the challenge!

Do you think Allaah can REALLY be denied?

If someone told you that in the Qur`aan, there are references to ‘rabb’, but not referring to Allaah, what would your response be?

Your next class begins with your class instructor again asking you define tawheed. Mashaa`Allaah you roll it off your tongue with ease. The instructor then asks:
“What are the categories of tawheed and what are the proofs for them?”

Bismillaahi was-salaatu was-salaamu ‘alaa Rasoolillaah. Wa ba’d:
My experiences last weekend (9th & 10th June) at AlKauthar’s fifth London course Lord of the Worlds are indescribable. I came [...]

Bismillaahi was-salaatu was-salaamu ‘alaa Rasoolillaah. Wa ba’d:
I simply love these aayaat from Soorah ash-Shu’araa` [26:75-85] (interpretation of the meaning):
He said [Ibraheem ('alayhis-salaam)]: “Do you observe that which [...]

Bismillaahi was-salaatu was-salaamu ‘alaa Rasoolillaah. Wa ba’d:
Sometime before ‘Eid-ul-Adha 1427, Allaah made it possible for me to attend a workshop where I learnt the art of cupping. [...]

thought I’d inform you that there’s a new category on this blog: My Poetry.

As the title says, An-Najm Publishers are now online, mashaa`Allaah. The site’s not TOTALLY complete, but you’ll get a general feel for it. Let them know what [...]

** Published @ An-Nisaa **
Earlier last month, I received a text message from a dear sister; it read:
Wen we c rain we learn how gr8 it is2 [...]

Last night I was moved to tears upon the sight of a blind brother reciting Soorah Muhammad so beautifully, mashaa`Allaah laa quwwata illaa billaah.

Bismillaahi was-salaatu was-salaamu ‘alaa Rasoolillaah. Wa ba’d:
How many times have I heard:
“My father’s an Imaam!”
and statements like it, yet the one making the claim - as true [...]

On ‘Eid day, I was asked - read: told - to give a reminder to the sisters about remaining steadfast after Ramadhaan and I thought that I would post an excerpt of the reminder for the benefit of the wider community inshaa`Allaah.

** Cross-posted on Inscriptions from the Heart **
Ramadhaan:
‘Tis the time
Of suppressing desires
Tightening loose ends – that which moves hearts, causes love, hate or fear.
To express words of [...]

Eemaan is in the heart and the six articles or pillars of eemaan (faith) are matters of the heart, but what about the pillars of Islaam?

With respect to my last post, I thought it would be best to illustrate how we can combat putting our deen until last.

Allaah ta’aala says [interpretation of the meaning]: “Say: “Tell me! If (all) your water were to be sunk away, who then can supply you with flowing (spring) water?”

SubhaanAllaah! It’s been over a month since I last updated - for those of you who are scratching your heads as you notice that the last post [...]

If someone told you that they would pay you for every act of good you did, how reluctant would you be in doing them?

Providing the reader with du’aa and references left, right and centre, I say that it is a must-have for all parents and parents-to-be

As a blogger/ owner of a website, it’s always quite interesting to see where your visitors are from and from where they reached your website. It was on one of this little tours that I took through the statistics counter that I stumbled across one of my reminders on another blog.

This wasn’t intended to be another rambling about death, just something to think about.

As my love for writing Islaamically orientated children’s stories and beneficial poems is on the increase, I’ve decided that posting my thoughts and ramblings on the subject would be unfair to those of you who find it ‘boring’.

News reached us yesterday that my husband’s grandfather passed on to the life in the barzakh - inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon.

I’ve been seriously thinking about my writing and writing and whether I should take it into another ‘realm’. However, I’ve got a serious case of writer’s block; if only there were doctors for this syndrome - or are there?

Assalaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullaah.
This is more of a request to you all for advise than a real post and I hope that I get some replies to [...]

As surprising as it may seem, the last ten days of Ramadhaan are fast approaching (starting from tomorrow night inshaa`Allaah), which means we only have 9 or 10 more days and nights of Ramadhaan. In light of my previous entry, I’d like to urge you all to excel more in acts of ‘eebaadah during this time and become more aware of your actions.

As mentioned in the previous entry, Ramadhaan, for most of us, is a time for an identity check. It’s a time when we truly try to excel in our good deeds, rid ourselves of our bad habits and establish relations with friends and family, right? For some, it’s kind of like ‘a new year’ where one turns ‘a new leaf’ and starts afresh.

Watch the flash movie at the beginning of the entry to understand this post. JazaakumAllaahu khairaa.

In an attempt to adjust my ‘body clock’, I’ve reinstated my habbit of staying awake after Fajr to engage in memorisation of the Noble Qur`aan and general reading.

Among the many things that excite passions between a man and a woman, is touching. Thus, touching, which opens the door to fornication, is also forbidden as it is a form of fornication…

“Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon” - “Indeed, to Allaah we belong and, indeed, to Him we shall return.” These were the very words I uttered while tears poured forth from my eyes when I read that sister Amatullah has passed away.

If not one page from the 66 pages this book contains does not cause you to weep, I don’t know what will!

In Islaam a will is known as Wassiyyah which basically means one gives a gift to others in term of wealth, debt and beneficence of one’s property [...]

… the point is: have we thought about what will become of that which we own when we depart from this life? Have we thought about how our things will be distributed to those we leave behind?

Assalaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
When you think of a Masjid, you can picture a serene, warm setting where brothers and sisters are (separately) learning together, or [...]

As good as a mother’s natural milk is, after the age of 6 months mothers who exclusively breastfeed need to think about the amount of vitamins and minerals their baby’s getting. A condition that I have recently been made aware of is infantile osteomalacia - otherwise known as rickets.

Assalaamu ‘alaikum
Yesterday I met, by the Grace of Allaah, with a revert sister that I had not seen or spoken to for a very long time. The [...]

Those of you who are members of the Muslimahs’ Lounge and As-Saabireen Yahoo groups may have read this already and also those of you who visit Sabeelillaah. Anyhow, I wrote this a while ago and have decided to re-post it here.

Mashaa`Allaah, this book is a must-read for all - whether you feel down or not, it’s for you. It enlightens you about the many things you should be thankful for and why depression should not even exist.

For years we say that we are Muslims, yet sadly there are many of us do not know what a Muslim is, what is required of a Muslim, and what classifies one as being a Muslim. Many people call themselves Muslims, but Islaam does not consider them as Muslims.

In the previous installment we mentioned who Allaah was referring to when He said:

“Say: “Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds?”
Those whose [...]

Im wrapped in a pure white cloth
Covered from head to toe.
It’s dark in this lonely bed
There’s nowhere for me to go.
The Creatures of Light are on their [...]

Blessings and Gratitude
Umm Junayd
Allaah says:
“Whatever blessings you enjoy are from Allaah, and when touched by distress, He is the One to Whom you cry for help.” [16:53]
As [...]

Ibn ‘Umar (radiAllaahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “All of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards. The ruler is a guardian and the man is a guardian of his family; the lady is a guardian and is responsible for her husband’s house and his offspring; and so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards.” [Reported in Al- Bukhaaree: volume 7, hadeeth 128]

Ahmad Fareed
From the morals and manners of the Salaf was that they would be fully conscious of fighting Iblees and they would strive to know about his [...]

It was late in the afternoon - the year was 2002 during the first semester of my first year at University and the place was an empty [...]

Dear Mum,
don’t cry anymore
wipe those tears dry.
Dear Mum,
I know things aren’t easy
but you’ve got to continue to try.
Dear Mum,
I know times are hard
but Allaah is always here.
Dear [...]

A man wonders, sightless
Stumbling upon life
Cautious yet curious, forever in the dark.
A dangerous place to be.
My eyesight is a blessing – I`ll thank You.
A young boy limps, [...]