A great site that I find myself returning to year after year masha’Allah. A lot of information, including the benefits of fasting, emaan boosters, eating habits, etc etc. Alhamdulillah it’s just a nice site to bookmark and refer back to. 

How often do we ask of Allah without tying our “camel”? Sometimes we forget that we have to do our part as well. We want to ease our suffering, but we do nothing to change our situation. We want to do well in school but we don’t study as hard. We want to find a halal job but we know its easier to aim for the shops that sell haram. We want to pray on time but we hit snooze. We want to be more pious but we don’t want to cut out the people who influence us negatively. We want a pious spouse but just not right now.

Allah opens the doors, but we have to be willing to take the steps. We ask Allah for guidance, now we need to have faith that His guidance is the best solution.

1) Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree.

2) And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?

3) The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.

4) The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

5) Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.

Ten Thoughts To Ponder - 

1. Remember that your Lord forgives those who ask Him for forgiveness, and He accepts the repentance of those who repent, and He accepts those who come back to Him.
2. Show mercy to the weak and you will be happy; give to the needy and you will be well; do not bear grudges and you will be healthy.
3. Be optimistic, for Allah is with you, and the angels are praying for forgiveness for you, and Paradise awaits you.
4. Wipe away your tears, think well of your Lord, and chase away your worries by remembering the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you.
5. Do not think that this world is ever perfect for anyone. There is no one on the face of the earth who gets all that he wants or is free from all kinds of distress.
6. Be like a tall tree with high aims; if a stone is thrown at it, it simply lets it fruit drop.
7. Have you ever heard that grief brings back what has been lost, or that worry corrects mistakes? So why grieve and worry then?
8. Do not expect trials and calamities, rather expect peace, safety and good health, if Allah wills.
9. Extinguish the flames of hatred from your heart by forgiving everyone who has ever hurt you.
10. Ghusl, wudu, siwak and being organized are effective medicines for all kinds of distress and worry.

From the book: You Can Be The Happiest Woman In The World - A Treasure Chest of Reminders

Ramadan is a time for reflection. The gates of heaven are open, and the Shaytan are chained. We spend the day fasting from food and drink, and instead fill our minds and hearts with remembrance of Allah Subhanu wa ta’Ala. Every night is a gift, and every morning we wake up is a blessing. 

I have been trying insha’Allah to thank Allah for every gift I’ve been given. When I find myself getting irritated or frustrated with something, I try to take a moment to reflect on the gift that was given to me, and to be thankful for the opportunity. When I start to find something to be tedious, I think of those who have not been able to do something so much that they find it repetitive. There was a time in my life when I did not have shelter. Did not have water readily available to bathe. Could not go buy a new pair of shoes when my old ones were getting worn. As a child I grew up with little, and I had an appreciation for things that now, I seem to forget. I started to feel as though this great gift that Allah gave me as a child, this gift of compassion and gratefulness, I was beginning to squander it because I have started to forget what it felt like to do without. I am still of the mindset that worldly possessions are just that - possessions, and I am able to justify not spending money on pointless things because I know one day my situation could change and I need to be ready for that. However I have forgotten what it is like to do without the bare necessities, and because of that I am afraid I have become jaded. 

It is easy for me to feel for others who do without, because I have done without. But it had become so that I could sympathize with others, yet when it came to myself I personally forgot what it was like. So this Ramadan I have made it my mission to recapture this gift from Allah. Hardships are a beautiful thing. They humble us, they teach us how to overcome the obstacles, and they show us that when we come out the other side, we are capable of dealing with these things and become a better person for it. I don’t want to just spend this Ramadan focusing on the rewards I may obtain at a later date. I want to spend this Ramadan remembering the rewards I have already been given, and being grateful for those on a daily basis.