Category: Ramadan Reminders

DAY 11: FORGIVE EASILY

وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“…And let them pardon and overlook. Would you not love for Allah to forgive you? Allah is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful.”
[Al Qur’an 24:22]

Forgiving those who hurt us is very difficult, but if we don’t forgive and hold on to the bitterness in our hearts, then there will be lesser space for love, peace and positivity in our life.
We should deal with people by pardoning and overlooking as we would like them to treat us in the same manner.

So, forgive someone for the sake of Allah سبحانه و تعالى and you won’t be disappointed with the reward you will receive for doing so, In Sha Allah.

May Allah سبحانه وتعالى make us among those who forgive others and are forgiven as well. اللهم امين

DAY 10: LOVE YOURSELF

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ

“We have certainly created man in the best of stature.”

[Al Qur’an 95:4]

The one who created you informs you in His own Book, that He created you in the best shape .

You are beautiful/handsome and intelligent.

So, love yourself for who you are. Don’t underestimate yourself nor put yourself down.

The ability of a man to strive for excellence , his willpower and determination to accomplish, his resilience, and his adaptability to surroundings are some of the noblest blessings Allah سبحانه و تعالى has bestowed upon a man. So, love yourself and discover your capabilities.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى help us love ourselves the way He created us. اللهم آمين.

DAY 9 : SMILE OFTEN

Abdullah ibn Al-Harith reported:

مَا رَأَيْتُ أَحَدًا أَكْثَرَ تَبَسُّمًا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

I have not seen anyone smile more often than the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi 3641, Grade: Hasan

Smiling is Sunnah .

Our beloved Prophet (saw) smiled very often.

He said that Smiling is an act of charity.

Studies show that smiling elevates your mood, relieves stress, boosts your immune system and lowers blood pressure.

Smiling helps us to stay positive in life. A smile be it natural or forced, still sends an impulse in the body that, “Life is Good!”

During these tough times, stay away from stress and worry by smiling often.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى make our affairs easy and make us the reason behind someone’s smile. اللهم آمين.

DAY 8 : JUDGE LESS

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ

“O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicions are sins…”

[Al Qur’an 49:12]

Suspicions, judgements, and assumptions are like venom.
They can kill relationships in a second. At times, they might be right. However, encouraging such thoughts is not allowed in order to prevent its habit formation.

When we have a thought, positive or negative, we are so habituated with feeding that thought that we don’t realise the direction we’re headed towards. This happens especially when we’re not certain about anything. Therefore, Islam prevents us from falling into this trap and harming others with our thoughts. The best way to prevent this is to make sure we always think the best of our brothers and sisters ( Husnu Zann ).

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى make us from among those who aren’t judgemental. اللهم آمين.

DAY 7 : BE PATIENT

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

“O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.”
[Al Qur’an 3:200]

Patience is an essential attribute of a believer. However, in today’s age, most only “persevere” and forget to “endure.”
Being patient doesn’t only mean that we remain calm and hope for Allah’s ﷻ Mercy, but also that our attitude causes no displeasure or harm to the ones living with us.

Sometimes, all we do is say “ we’re calm”, while our hearts and minds swirl with turmoil. This not only harms our emotional health but also creates stress, which additionally ruins our balance and focus in life.
Therefore, it is crucial to understand our attitude and how we are patient in that state.

May we all be granted better patience. اللهم آمين.

DAY 6 : DREAM BIG

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

“And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse in the land and seek the bounties of Allah and be grateful to Allah so that you may be successful.”

[Al Qur’an 62:10]
Allah سبحانه و تعالى, no doubt, created us to worship Him, but He also asked us to aim for goodness in this Duniya.

We can’t be praying all day and night, except that we lose our enthusiasm, which in turn will shrink our focus. This is why, to keep our minds properly occupied, we need to be engaged in the beneficial knowledge of this Duniya, too. If we seek good ‘Ilm , our earning will be Halaal and full of Barakah. This will help us take full advantage of our lives here. And, as a result, we’ll end up inspiring the youth and the Ummah at large to build a much better and healthier world.

It’s a common mistake among the youth today where they neglect the Duniya talking about the bounties of the hereafter. We need to logically perceive matters and understand that this gift of life has been given to us for a reason.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى bless us with a better understanding of our Deen. اللهم آمين.

DAY 5: BE HONEST

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ

“O you who believe! Fear Allah, and be with those who are true (in word and deeds).”

[Al Qur’an 9:119]

We all know the basics about lying and honesty. However, many don’t ponder over how this should be applied when dealing with our emotions and feelings .

There are times when we are uneasy or have questions when making a decision , what we commonly call the “intuition.” This sort of confusion shouldn’t be further analyzed, and one should refrain from it. On the other hand, if we find that the answer brings certainty and peace, then that decision could be considered well.

This is something we don’t think much about, and choose to engage in whatever our hearts aren’t happy with. Dishonesty , with others and ourselves, should be avoided for the peace of our minds.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى guide us all to righteousness. اللهم آمين.

DAY 4 : MEDITATE

إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْئًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا

“Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words.”

[Al Qur’an 73:6]
According to a recent estimate, close to 265 million people are affected by depression worldwide. That’s nearly one-fourth of the world’s population. A number of varied factors can cause this illness; however, the root cause stems from not analysing who we are and what our purpose in life is. Hence, we find ourselves indulging in the trails that life throws at us.

This is why Allah سبحانه و تعالى has clearly stated that man must remember his purpose as a Muslim, pondering over Allah’s Deen and his creation. This stimulates our cognitive and subconscious mind to perfect our acts of worship, thereby granting us peace, which in turn boosts our creativity and IQ. When we fulfill our purpose of worshipping Allahسبحانه و تعالى wholeheartedly, life unravels its gifts and our productivity increases steadily, and Shaitaan can no longer harm our mind because, now, it’s filled with the light of knowledge. Remember, only an empty mind can be a devil’s workshop.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى help us make the most out of our lives. اللهم آمين.

DAY 3: EXERCISE

ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيم

“Then on that day you shall most certainly be questioned about the bounties.”

[Al Qur’an 102:8]

Of all the uncountable blessings we have, our bodies and health top the list. We, as humans, are ungrateful no matter how much Allah سبحانه و تعالى gives us. However, we must always remember that after the end of this life, we are going to be questioned about how we lived and used our blessings for the welfare of our families and the world. At the same time, Allah سبحانه و تعالى will also ask us how we maintained our own bodies and health. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to handle our bodies well because they are an Amaanah (trust) we’re blessed with. We need to take in a balanced diet, maintain a healthy sleep pattern, and so on.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى guide us to make use of His bounties in the right way. اللهم آمين

DAY 2 : EAT WELL

كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِي ۖ وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدْ هَوَىٰ

“Eat from what We provided you of pure things and exceed not therein, lest My anger may descend on you, and he on whom My anger descends falls down.”

[Al Qur’an 20:81]

Anything in excess doesn’t solve an issue- it makes it worse. For instance, we acknowledge that exercise keeps us fit and healthy, but not many of us are aware that over-exercising not only damages our immune system and decreases our stamina but also endangers our mental well-being. Similarly, eating a balanced meal with all the essential food items is all that needs to be done to live a healthy life. It is the biggest misconception that overeating isn’t harmful, when in fact, it is known to have caused many diseases like sleep apnoea, heart diseases, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension to name a few. Besides, it affects the subconscious the most.

By constant overfeeding, the brain develops an automated habit of doing so whenever it feels like it’s got nothing productive to do. This means that anytime we’re bored, we’re most likely to reach out for the fridge. Control and discipline are what Allah سبحانه و تعالى has ordered us to follow strictly so we refrain from harming ourselves.

May Allah سبحانه و تعالى make us of those who are discipline-centered and focus-oriented in life. اللهم آمين.