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Asalamu alaykum,
I hope all of you are well and pray that everyone is in a state of being close to Allah. Just 10 short years ago I was struggling as a new convert to Islam and one of the greatest hurdles was the ladies. My college days were rough in many regards. Before my conversion I was a successful DJ (I had just got my hands on a really nice four track mixer. Okay so you know I’m old school. But, in those days I could make it fly) and was about to walk the Burning Sands. All praise be to God that instead I became Muslim and slowly started to pull out of those things. It was rough but the most difficult part was dealing with the other gender.
Young brothers and sister I feel your pain man. It is difficult and as the summer months roll up it gets more and more difficult to manage as the clothes roll up as well. We all know the routine: “Lower the gaze! Lower the gaze! Lower the gaze!” But, if the heart is not lowered in awe of Allah’s magnificence and His tremendous bounties, then how can we expect the eyes to lower?
Tonight I attended a reading of the Shamil Muhamadiyah with Sh. Ibrahim al-Khalifa from Saudi Arabia. He is visiting Egypt for a few weeks and I had just finished my exam and decided to go and listen to his dars. The streets in Cairo are a mix of cars, buses, donkeys, cows and pollution that, seriously, when you make wudu slides off your face. I can only liken the air to a full vacuum bag that spews its contents creating a small cloud of dust. However, in the heat I remembered the homies in the West: My Boyz in Chicago, the brothers in L.A and most importantly the brothers in the Bay. I miss them all. The love for brothers is something that we should cherish and hold on to like we hold on to our checkbooks.
Anyways, after reading from the Shamail, the Sheikh moved on to al-Muhasibi’s Risalat Mustarshidin with the tahqiq by Sh. Abdul Fatah Abu Ghuda. The Sheikh was talking about worshiping Allah as though you see the Hereafter close and understand that your time is up. “Be ready! Don’t let this life delude you! Be good people. Treat others with respect and worship your Lord as though you are going to leave this life soon.” It was a real masterpiece to watch the Sheikh tie vice with the rope of responsibility and knowing that one is going to die one day and answer for his time. Imam al-Muhasibi’s texts is intense and I felt a buzz in my chest as the Sheikh started to get into the flow.
This is for the all the young brothers and sisters struggling:
The Sheikh, after talking about this responsibility linked it to a very interesting story. That, for me, is the sign of a good Imam,teacher or Sheikh that they can tie things into our daily lives. Thus, such a style gives the din fresh legs, opens up one’s heart and soothes the coals of sin. He said that during the time of ‘Umar there was a young man who’s desires got the best of him. It all started with the look and the next thing the young man was alone with a woman. Suddenly, as the clock was starting to turn, the young man heard a verse of Qur’an being recited that reminded him of Allah’s greatness. He left the young woman, stood up shaking from the fear of Allah and fell dead from this fear. ‘Umar (may Allah have mercy on him) buried this youth and after hearing how he died walked over to the fresh grave and recited the following verse from Surah al-Rahman, “And for the one who fears the meeting with Allah there are two gardens.” Suddenly a response came from the grave reciting the verse, “We have found the promise of our Lord to be true.”
Dear brothers and sisters,
The summer is upon you and it is no joke. Statistics show that as the barometer rises that evil rise as well. One of the most important things you can take with you is Allah’s awesome nature and bounties. Reflect! Turn of the PS3! Put down the I-Pod and think for a minute! Put handcuffs on your Internet use and know that you will be asked about your youth. Where are you headed? What are you doing and how are you going to use this summer? Take sometime away from the gadgets and turn on your heart. Make some goals for yourself to do some good things in your community. Remember that when you see something that causes your temperature to fly that Allah is watching you. He knows what is in your heart and understands that it ain’t easy. Ask Him for His help and try to withstand the attacks of Iblis. I have a lot of faith that our young brothers and sisters can do loads of wonderful things in their communities!
Cool the heat of summer with the following:
1. Good friends who take you to good places. The Prophet (sa) said, “A person is on the faith of his friend.” One nice note about the hadith of the three people stuck in the cave. If they had not been together then they would have not been able to help each other get out. However, since they were all decent guys they were able to work together and use their good to remove the rock from the cave.
2. Have some goals for this summer:
1. Community (volunteer with any number of Muslim/Non-Muslim organizations and do something good for your neighborhoods
2. Spiritual (get those five prayers rocking and if you are real with it you will throw in some night prayers and extra fasts)
3. Educational (try and attend some lessons or educational programs that will boost your faith)
4. Family (spend some time with the wife/husband (find one) kids and close relatives
3. Have some nice activities:
1. Qiyam
2. B-Ball tourneys (all nighters) followed by Qiyam, Fajir and some Aunties phat spicy eggs
3. Sleep overs
4. Camping
5. Weekly ‘Itikaf (inshallah, when I’m back in the States I’m down)
I ask Allah to help us, bless us and let us use our time well. I would appreciate it if whoever reads this could help us generate a list of things to do this summer.
Suhaib
www.suhaibwebb.com
as salaamu alaikum,
I hope everyone is well. Some goals I have for this summer are: learn the meaning of the COMPLETE salah, type without looking at the keyboard, tone my body by going to the college gym three times a week, start my internship with the Children's Home, get another article published by my local newspaper, increase my friendship with the sisters around me, finish Towards Understanding Islam by Mawdudi , and get A's in my summer school classes: Biochemistry and Developmental Economics. Some of these goals I have already started and others I will start soon, iA. Maybe this will help others get some ideas….
Jazak Allahu khayran, Shaykhuna.
It's tough as sisters to wear hijab & proper clothing in the heat, but may Allah preserve our brothers 'cuz it is crazy out there.
May Allah protect and preserve us all, and use this test as a means to raise our ranks. Ameen.
I'm kicking the summer by off by listening to Purification of the Soul by Imam Suhaib Webb
For the brothers and sisters who wear prescription glasses- I recommend you simply take off your eye wear when your outside to protect your eyes. It gives some protection, but still lower your gaze.
And be shy of Allah.
1) You can read the a good, inspirational book like “Three Cups of Tea” I love this book. Really opens your eyes about how a man can really change a community and the struggles you take to do it. It is simply amazing true story about a man building schools in Waziristan.
2) Stop watching movies and start having some Islamic lectures in the house with family. Quench the soul for 2+ hours, you will see the benefits later. With a movie you will forget majority of it, except if it was good or bad.
3) Throw a party for a brother that has done so much for the community and his family. Tell people to bring a gift, a smile, and a prospect for the this beloved brother(brother needs to get married). J/k about the prospect.
4) Stop puffing that Hookah and start reciting dhikr and recitations when your around friends. It is amazing how you can get others around you to do the same, kind of like the hookah. Plus it is soothing and you get the better flavor, the sweet taste of Imaan.
5) Finally, take your phone and play the Qur'an when you wake up, have your favorite reciter playing. I prefer having the last 10 verses of Surah Al-Imran by Sh. Ghamdi. Know the meaning and think deeply about it, great way to put things in perspective to start of your summer days, even if you had a bad dream.
Asssalamualaikum,
JazakAllahu Khair ya Ustadth…
Here are some ideas for things to do this summer…
* Join a local Islamic Camp in your area; MAS Youth and other Islamic organizations provide great options for a weekend or even a full week or two. Other programs are local to community centers as well
* Meet up with the Shabab for Fajr. Call each other up and carpool, pray in jama'ah and stay for the two Rakat after Shuruq and inshAllah you will feel great afterwards. Then go for b-fast or a jog or something
* Set a goal to memorize some quran by the end of the summer.
* Join a class like the “Summer Nights” or other options online or local.
* MENTOR a YOUTH! Take them under your wing and take interest in their affairs and life and most of all be a good example.
Help out with teaching the kids at your local masjid, organise a small get together for the aunties and uncles (seperately), cut down on the amount of hours spent watching movies and tv and replace it with listening to lectures.
For my sisters who get asked: “Aren't you Hot in that?”
http://muslimology.wordpress.com/2009/05/30/are...
no love for new york? or the east coast in general? =/
Is your spouse or significant other a little too chummy with someone of the opposite sex? — perhaps a workmate, a neighbor, an old schoolmate, or an online friend? DO NOT TREAT THIS LIGHTLY. Close friendships of this type can easily progress to emotional infidelity, which can often lead to sexual infidelity, even if that was not the original intent. It could be the beginning of the end for your marriage or relationship.
http://infidelityadvice.blogspot.com/
haha not “phat spicy eggs” though! You crazy akh.
very good advice Ahmed. it all starts with “just talking”
gotta have love of where your from. We New Yorkers (”BROOKLYN”) can hold our own. By the way H. what's good in our hood?….we don't have an excellent network of what's going on in NYC anymore, not like the old days. Let me know, if you know insha-Allah
Salams all,
If you have some free time this summer, I would recommend building your relationship with the Qur'an – I found a great free resource designed by some excellent Pakistani women, which has helped me profoundly in understanding the Qur'an more clearly.
Go here for a 60 hour explanation of the Quran in English go here:
http://www.alhudapk.com/audio-video/fahm-alqura...
For a 600 hour course go here:
http://www.alhudapk.com/audio-video/taleem-al-q...
Hope that helps.
P.S. If you have trouble sticking to your Qur'an related resolutions or any of your summer goals, go here: http://www.myliferesults.com – this guy will give you the psychological and emotional tools to follow through on any goal you set.
Wassalam