ON PATIENCE, ACCEPTANCE AND TRUST - LEARNING TO SEE ALLAH'S PLAN

Sometimes, you literally feel as though you've been cut open and exposed, still raw with the trauma you've been through and thinking back on it feels like prodding on an unhealed wound. It hurts to the limit of it being almost unbearable and it's natural to want to cut out on any recollections of that hardship. 

Some people would say that it's a closed chapter and you should never allow yourself to think back on it but personally I feel that you should look back once in a while and allow yourself to explore that wound again just so that you rebuild hope in your heart that if Allah got you through that, then He most certainly can get you through any difficulty you're tackling right now as well.

Yes, you went through some of the hardest times but never forget that there was a reason as to why you had to go through it. There are lessons in that. Because of that difficulty, your life may have taken a new path, or you may have learned to love yourself, or you may have started to rely more on Allah. We never know the reason for it but I want you to remember that no matter how hard your difficulty is, Allah decreed it upon you for a reason. And even if your mind cannot comprehend what that may be, teach yourself to see Allah's plan even in the raw and bleeding flesh of your wounds. It would hurt - no doubt - but if you accept it with patience, Allah will heal that wound and erase it in a way you could never even recognize that it existed. Such is the power of Allah. Trust Him with your whole heart and with your entire being. Trust Him and allow Him to heal those wounds for you.

A CUP OF COFFEE OVER FEEDING A STARVING CHILD?

The money we spend on a cup of coffee is enough to feed a hungry child for one entire day.

Let that sink in.

We are so used to having three meals on our dinner table everyday that we take it for granted. While we are enjoying our dinner or lavish cup of cappuccino, a child is dying out of hunger somewhere. I'm not saying to not enjoy great meals, no way. If Allah has blessed us with food and money to buy great food then Alhamdulillah, it's yours to enjoy. But while you do, don't ever ever forget that some child somewhere in the world is aching, yearning and dreaming of a simple meal to just silence those hunger pangs.

I've teamed up with charityright.org.uk to raise funds to feed hungry children all over the world. It could be only a couple dollars that you would spend on an everyday cup of tea but it could mean the world for a hungry child out there. Donate what you can for the sake of Allah and your contribution, no matter how small it is, can feed them and In Sha Allah, shape their future too. It's just a small effort from our side and I most humbly request all of you to please help raise money for this cause. Please follow this link to donate. If you can't donate, please spread the world.

"None gives charity from what is good, for Allah only accepts what is good, but that the Merciful takes it with His right hand. Even if it is a date, it is nurtured in the hand of the Merciful until it becomes greater than a mountain, just as one of you nurtures his young horse or camel" Sahih Muslim 1014

May Allah make your contribution be a means of you attaining the highest ranks in Jannah!

To make your donation, follow the link https://charityright.org.uk/cr-star-campaign/689/team-365/

HOW CAN I NOT TRUST IN YOU, ALLAH?

When I was in the darkness of the womb, You protected and delivered me.

When I was a helpless infant, you helped me grow.
When I found myself entangled in difficulties, You brought me out of it.
When everyone turned away, You listened to me.
When everything failed me, You uplifted me.
When everyone slept by the night, You watched over me.
When I cried, You consoled me.
When I smiled, You gave me more.
When I fell, You lifted me up.
When I was sick and tired, You cured and made me strong
When lost my way, You brought me back.
When I wept by the night, You were right by me.
When I screamed in agony, You mended me.
When my heart was broken, You healed me.
When no one understood me, You understood.
When I was hungry, You fed me.
When I felt hopeless, You gave me hope.
When I felt worthless, You made me feel special.
When I turned way, You still showed mercy on me.

When You gave me this and more, how my Lord, can I ever, ever falter in trusting You? 

"And upon Allah let those who trust place their trust in" 💕

NO MATTER HOW TOUGHT IT IS, HOLD ON TO SABR

Patience will wreck you, break you, kill you from the inside. It will hurt so much that you feel suffocated, drowning in despair, gasping for hope. You will feel like problems are crashing over you like incessant waves and you can't find your way in the darkness. But with your heart in such a state of unrest, turmoil and turbulence, you silence it with hope and patience, knowing that Allah is watching every hurt that aches your heart, every worry that weighs on your mind and every difficulty you are tackling. And so, even though your eyes are stinging with tears, you hold it back with a smile on your face, knowing that just as the night ends and the morning begins and just how Allah brings the dead out of the living, Allah can bring you out of your problems.

So know that for holding onto patience in the toughest of times and hoping for better things even when things look its darkest, Allah is preparing something spectacular for you. Something you truly deserve for your patience, trust and hope in Allah. And when He grants that ease to you, you will realize that all those tears and pleas of your heart in Sujood were not ignored by Allah. He heard you and He always hears you. He only put you through that hardship to test your patience and when you do hold on to patience, then be prepared to be blown away by what Allah has in store for the patient ones. And know that after patience, beautiful things await 🌹💖 #Sabr#HoldOntoSabr #goodthingsarecoming

DIARY OF A NIQABI: FIRST DAY AT COLLEGE

So, I enrolled into a course and as anyone else, I was pretty nervous about my first day at College. And for Niqabis especially, the nervous-o-meter must be really, really high because somewhere in the corner of our mind, we're already bracing ourselves to having to explain our Niqab.
 

The first day is always the hardest. My sister and I (Alhamdulillah I had someone with me for morale support :)) walked into the class and two students were already seated. I smiled at them which they probably wouldn't have noticed with the Niqab and they smiled at me. I took my place right behind them and those two girls turned behind and they were like 'So, this is your first class?' And we got into a conversation and immediately I felt at ease.

Alhamdulillah, there was another Niqabi and a few other Hijabis in the class as well so I settled in pretty well. The lecturer walked in then and he noticed two new students. So he asked me for my name which I said. I thought I was pretty loud but he asked me to repeat again. I did and he said 'I hope I don't mind having to repeat yourself' (because he couldn't hear me with the Niqab) and I said 'It's ok, I'm used to it'. And he smiled.
 

It's true. The girl at the front desk told she couldn't understand me properly as well and honestly, the fault is all mine. I am a very fast talker so I guess with the Niqab, it does make it hard for some people. So Niqabis, take note. Make sure to speak slowly and very clearly :)

And then the lecturer went on with the lesson and somewhere in between, he asked me why I wear the Niqab. He pointed to a girl who wore the Abaya and another Hijabi and he was like, they are dressed differently so why do you cover your face? At this point, I'll be frank, I was having a thousand things running in my mind. I mean, I've been writing about the Niqab for years now and everything just came rushing into my head but I thinking, 'Ok take it calm'. I probably overreacted a bit lol. But I told him quiet simply 'It's just a matter of choice'. And he nodded 'Yes of course'. 
 

This lecturer, I understood, was just genuinely curious and when we do get the chance to tell anyone why we wear the Niqab, then make sure you tell them simply. Of course, there's no need to launch into big talks - just one sentence would do :) 

On the second day, I had to pray at class or I would have to miss my Zhuhr salah. So in the short break between two lessons, I ran up to another lecturer (a woman this time) and asked if I could use the back of the class to pray. She was like 'Yes of course. Can you pray there? Do you want another class?' 
 

I prayed at the back of the class and just after I was done the other students were like 'Sorry, did we disturb you?' I told them they didn't and I took my seat. The girl at the front turned behind and she asked 'So you guys pray five times a day, right?' And I told her yes and that I needed to pray now or by the time the lesson ended, the time for that particular prayer would have ended too. She seemed really interested in it.
 

SubhanAllah, I love it when people are so nice and non-judgemental about Muslims and Niqabis in particular. These kind of people, they really make the world a better place to live in. I know I probably sound outrageously cheesy but it's really nice :)
 

We were then having this group activity thingy and one of the girls asked me why I wore the Niqab and if my parents asked me to. The other girls were looking at me for an answer and I told 'No. They didn't ask me to but my mother and older sisters were already wearing the Niqab and I felt I wanted to do as well'. I also told them that I went to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage and that's when I really decided and this girl nodded and she was like 'Ah yeah. Makka, right?'
 

The truth is, most non Muslims don't understand why Muslim women wear the Hijab or Niqab and most of them are honestly curious to know why we do it. They may not have had to chance to ask anyone else and when they do ask you, make sure you talk to them nicely and tell them. If we don't, or if we behave even slightly hostile, they wouldn't even want to talk. And if we don't tell them, what choice would they have other than to believe that the media is true and that Islam is really oppressive towards women?

The point I'm trying to get at is that we tend to think that non-Muslims are very hostile to the Niqab but the reality is that not all of them are like that. In fact, majority of the people I've come across and very understanding and friendly and treat Niqabis just as they treat anyone else. And that feels really good. 

It has only been my second day at college but already, I feel so at ease. The students and lecturers, even the front desk and everyone else were so friendly, understanding and just wonderful people. Alhamdulillah.

Since it's just the early days now, I might have some interesting college experiences to share in the future, In sha Allah. And if I do, I'll be sure to share it here.

So any other Hijabis/Niqabis - do you have your own experiences to share?

 

 

"I'M GOING TO HAVE 50 BROTHERS IN JANNAH!"

The other day, my sisters are I (4 in total Alhamdulillah) were talking about how awesome it would be to have a brother. People actually call us a 'ladies hostel' because that's how many ladies we have at home lol so we were moaning about not having a brother. And then my sister was like, "I'm going to have 50 brothers in Jannah!" :)

And you know what? It's true. This Dunya, we don't get everything we want here and life isn't perfect. But, so what? If we live by the Quran and Sunnah, in obedience to Allah, then we can have everything we want in Jannah, In sha Allah, where the blessings are such that no eye has ever seen or no mind has ever perceived.

So it's ok if you didn't get that dress you couldn't afford- you can have something far more amazing in Jannah. It's alright if your skin isn't that perfect here- it'll be flawless in Jannah. It's ok if your life is not perfect here- it'll be complete in Jannah. And it's ok if I don't have a brother here. I can have not 50 but even 500 if I want in Jannah (probably too much to handle I guess?)

Oh and by the way, I recently created an Instagram account. I was playing around with my sisters' accounts and finally decided that I was going to have one of the own so here I am. Please give me a follow. My username is niqabi_nuances. Link here: www.instagram.com/niqabi_nuances

10 OCCASSIONS WHEN WE SHOULD "FLEE TO ALLAH"

Just picture this for a moment: A child who has been hurt and is crying and the mother says "Come to me" and the child rushes to her.

Now put it in this perspective - you are hurt and breaking and there Allah says "Flee to Allah". Not come to Allah but flee because you know what? We have no better choice than to flee to Him. The faster to we turn to Allah, the safer we will be.

If our mother called us with affection, we go to her, don't we? And Allah, who loves us 70 times more than her, when He says "Flee to Allah", how much faster should we run. Flee to Him desperately.


1. Flee to Allah when you have sinned

We are human as we sin. That's natural. But the best of sinners are those who repent. No matter how large your sin was, it is not greater than Allah's mercy and forgiveness so turn to Him in repentance. In fact, flee to Him in repentance with a sincere heart. No one forgives as mercifully as Allah does.

2. Flee to Allah when you are hurt

This Dunya, there is hurt everywhere. From your own family even sometimes and at those times when we are heart beyond words, flee to Allah. He knows you are hurt and He is calling you to Him. So go... go to your Lord and you shall find comfort with Him.

3. Flee to Allah when you are confused

You don't know what to do. What is right and what's not. Your mind is confused, you feel lost. So flee to Allah. Tell Him why you feel the way you feel. No matter how confusing you sound even to yourself, He understands.

4. Flee to Allah when everyone has abandoned you

In fact, you should flee to Allah at all times but often, when we are let down by those closest to us, we realize that Allah will never let us down, so flee to Him and hold Him closer to you. He will be right there with you all the time.

5. Flee to Allah when you want to get closer to Him

Ibn al-Qayyim spoke at length explaining that the level of “fleeing to Allah” is one of the levels of those who are striving to reach Allah. Flee from disobedience of Him to obedience to Him. Flee to Him and strive to obey Him. In even the smallest of things. Smile at another Muslim and do it for Allah. You'll attain closeness to Him. Be patient for His Sake and you'll attain closeness to Him. Everything you do, do it for Him. Flee to Him.

6. Flee to Him when you are depressed

‘Amr ibn ‘Uthmaan said: Flee from yourself to your Lord. He also said: "Flee to (and be content with) that which Allah has already decreed for you, and do not rely on your own efforts". Talk to Allah, beg of Him and ask Him. Feeling depressed, that's normal and it happens. But at this time, turn your attention to Allah. Prolong your Duaas, prolong your Sujood. And even if your lips don't utter anything, Allah understands the language of your heart. He knows you are hurting and no one can fix your heart better than Him. So flee to Him.

7. Flee to Allah when you have nowhere else to turn to

When all your paths have become constricted and you just don't know where to turn to, know that the path to Allah has, is and will always be there for you. Just accept His invitation and flee to Him. It's the best thing you can ever do to yourself.

8. Flee to Him when you need help

We turn to people for help and yes, they may help us or they may not. The only One who is guaranteed to help you no matter what is Allah. He is Ar-Razzaq, your Provider and He has taken it upon Himself to provide for you- everything from your parents, to your house to your food and even the very oxygen you are inhaling in right now. So why, when we know that everything we have and want comes only from Allah, don't we flee to Him? Allah called turning back to Him fleeing, because turning to anyone or anything other than Him involves a great deal of fear and negative consequences. In turning to Him there are all the things that one likes, security, happiness and victory.

9. Flee to Him in obedience

Flee from that which Allah hates, both visible and hidden, to that which He loves, both visible and hidden. Flee from ignorance to knowledge, from kufr to faith, from disobedience to obedience, from heedlessness to remembrance (dhikr) of Allah. The one who achieves all of that has fulfilled all the commitments enjoined by Islam, and will no longer have any fears; he will have achieved his ultimate goal.

10. Flee to Him because He is calling you to Him

This one reason is enough. Therefore, run to Him for help. Run to Allah to find solace. Run to Him for indeed all things come from and return to Him in His sublime perfection. Allah loves you and will never abandon you, so never abandon His remembrance and obedience. Do you think that when Allah Himself asks you to flee to Him and when you do, that He will abandon you? No. He will welcome you. With Allah, we are always safe. We always have a place of refuge. A home to finally go to, In sha Allah.

TALK TO ALLAH. BREAK FREE

 

Let me tell you of someone who is better than your best friend

Those moment when we feel depressed, often for reasons we can't properly explain even, we yearn to talk to someone about how we feel. In those times we feel so low that we desperately want to talk to anyone, anyone who will listen, we forget that we have someone with us all the time, the All Hearing, the One who hears us all the time.

We pour our hearts out to people who hardly pay any attention to us, or even if they do, they will never understand us completely. They may judge us, consider us to be stupid even, but yet, in our desperation to just talk, we are willing to speak our thoughts out to people, forgetting that there is someone out there who understands you so totally because He is the One who created you.

We have a deep secret in our hearts that we don't want to tell anyone but to just get it out of our chest, we confide in people who will sometimes even betray our secrets, forgetting that there is someone out there with whom your secrets are totally safe.

We seek ways out of our problems that we are willing to ask help from people, forgetting that the one who put us in that situation is the only One who can get us out of it. Forgetting that the entire heavens and the earth function by His will and for Him to bring us out of our problem, all it takes is a simple word - "Be" and it is.

We get depressed because we have no sister, no mother, no friend, no family with whom we can talk to freely about - our fears, our wishes, our thoughts, even the most random ones... But you know what? Even if you forget it, there is always someone out there who is watching out for you. The only One who takes care of you and looks after you, even while you are asleep. Your Lord, the Most Compassionate, the most Understanding.

Pour your heart out to Him. Tell Him your secrets. Tell Him what your afraid of. Tell Him about what you want. Tell Him anything and everything. Because He just as we love to be heard, He loves to listen to us. He is the best friend you can ever have. The One who totally understands. The One who knows you inside out. The One who looks after you in those times when you don't look after your own self. Your Lord, the Most Gentle, the Most Kind. The One who is so, so close to you. The One who hears every ache in your heart. Every unsaid feeling. Everything.

 

So what's there to hide from Him? Feel free to talk to Him. And when you do so, feel yourself tearing free of the shackles of this world, your soul rejoicing in confiding with Allah - the One who created you.

 

Allah hears. Allah knows. Allah understands.

"And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein"

Quran 50:16