A Good Speech   Among the many important life lessons that I learned from my mother, the one that I have benefited the most from since my reversion to Islam is, "If you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything at all." "Striving for the past five years, to make my life conform to the tenants of Islam and to the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wasallam, I now realize the true wisdom of this statement. The … [Read more...]

Forbidden Limits   Whatever I forbid you, then avoid it, and whatever I enjoined, then perform of it what you can (Muslim) The forbidden things are the limits set by Allah, "These are the limits set by Allah so approach them not." [2:187] Allah indeed has threatened whoever transgresses these limits and violates them when He said, "And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the … [Read more...]

Turn Off the TV   Every year, more and more Muslim households are throwing out their television sets. While the reasons vary from family to family, a common concern among these families is that it is un-Islamic. In the last two decades, the type of programming on television has changed dramatically. Even by Western standard, what was unacceptable twenty years ago has become a common place on prime time television today. Whether it is … [Read more...]

Cultivating One's Character   We have to constantly search our behavior to insure its consistency with that of the believers. While walking in the market not so long ago, I happened to see a group of foreign Muslim sisters heading my way. Needless to say I was very happy, because it is not often that I run across other Muslim women when out and about. From the manners of giving the salams, I greeted them first. To my dismay, they all … [Read more...]

Who we keep company with is reflective of who we are For as far back as I can remember, my parents would always admonish me and my siblings to keep good company. My Dad specially had a favorite saying, "Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are." Needless to say, I was always very conscious, and careful about choosing the right people to surround myself with. In Islam it is doubly true and essential to surround yourself with … [Read more...]

A day in the life of a Muslim Woman   Normal, every day activities become acts of worship if they are done for the sake of pleasing Allah. And among these deeds, the regular, consistent deeds are best. Aisha (Radhiallaahu Anha) said that Allah's Messenger, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, said, "The deeds most loved by Allah are those done regularly, even if they are small." (Bukhari and Muslim). This means that we do not need to do anything … [Read more...]