Sunday

Went to the park with my sister-in-law and watched the fountains and had a talk for a few hours. We didn't reached evening to see the fountain lights, but the afternoon was still lovely.

Life

There are so many lessons learned, and there are so many ones yet to be learned. 

Life is an ongoing process of learning, a great responsibility,  not only for ones self, but also for others, and most of all in our relationship with Whom we came from. Life, faith, religion is a process of continual striving and on how to harmonize and balance the most often perceived conflict and imbalance of the three. 

And although sometimes, the thought comes into our minds if this still makes sense or it's something futile, but No - it isn't. It has meaning, and it serves a purpose. Some of us may take it and confine it in black and white (a kind of shortsightedness): for those not tolerant enough to accept that even though human beings are given with guidance directly from Allah - they also have different abilities and means of understanding, including free will and freedom of choice.

In the end, it is Allah who will decide what He wills for His creation. And thus, faith is not confined to preaching alone and exhorting others to good and condemning evil, while ones life and relation to the Creator, to ones self and compassion to other fellow beings is compromised. It is true, that while striving in the path of Allah we should have firm courage and conviction, but we also have to consider the situations and differences of others, and be tolerant and understanding to them. 

Islam is very simple and natural, it is responsive to our nature (Fitrah), it is not meant to complicate our lives, but to regulate it for our own benefit both in this world and in the Hereafter. It is not self-imposed hardship, nor extremism. It lies on the middle, moderate path. It tames the self and disciplines it, and it grants peace of mind and real inner happiness by channeling energies (not for instinctual yet destructive satisfaction) to what is the best for us: upon submission to Allah with love and hope, in recognition and sincerity to His Tawheed, and in following the example of His noble Messenger. And then, everything else follows.

May Allah accept our deeds and sacrifices. May Allah protect us from the evils of our selves, of what He has created, from the trials of this life, in the grave, and in the Day of Judgment. And may He guide us and enlighten our hearts and minds, and purify our souls, our bodies from our sins and mistakes. And may He grant us humility, compassion, and enduring patience until the Day He decides to take us back to Him.

Ameen.

Remembrance and Forgiveness

Indeed whenever I waiver and become indecisive in my mind about an issue, or about something or a situation (which is problematic for me) then I ask forgiveness of Allah the Most High a thousand times or more, or less until He opens my chest for me and solves the problem which I was confused about. Even if at that time I was in a market place, or in a masjid or in a mountain pass, or a school, that does not prevent me from the remembrance of Allah and asking for forgiveness until I achieve my objective.

 

- Ibn Taymiyyah

Roadsides

These are the trees I pass by everyday. During the summer months around February until May, they bear yellow flowers that fall on the ground and surround the air with delicate fragrance. I walk fast while cars and people pass me by along the road. Sometimes, I trip over when I'm not looking at the ground because there are many rocks, pebbles and exposed roots of trees, not to mention the trash that people throw away.

In the morning, I rush to walk to the library, and in the afternoon, I rush to return to our shop. And one of the reasons why I always rush walking is to avoid people staring at me. It's my daily dose of exercise, so to speak. But then just being surrounded with trees and some wildflowers along the road softens the stark environment of the city.

P.S.

I just dropped the set of Islamic lessons for this month at the post office a couple of hours ago. I'm wearing my new glasses (a second pair besides the prescription glasses), they were handed to me yesterday by my sister friend and they have a smaller frame which fit just right around my eyes. I'm adjusting with a bit of headache, but in sha Allah, I will get used with them. Whew, May is almost coming to an end, and it's time for scheduling plans for the coming month. :)

- maica

Sky

♡

Mirror

The believer is a mirror to another believer, he removes his sufferings and also protects him in his absence.

- Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم

(compiled in Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi)

 

Sea and Cadena de Amor

The Prayer of Prophet Jonah

There is no deity but You. Glory be to You! Verily, I have been among the wrongdoers.

High Station

For a certain believer, Allah ordains a high position that he cannot achieve by himself. So Allah afflicts him with some physical or material distress or grief from within his family, whereby he is granted the good fortune of being patient. Thus, Allah raises him to the high station originally decreed for him.

 

- Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم

(compiled in Abu Dawud and Musnad)

Artist's Studio

View from Artist’s Studio in the Alservorstadt Toard Dernbach, 1836, by Jakob Alt

Modesty

Every religion has a distinctive quality, and the distinctive quality of Islam is modesty.

- Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم

(compiled in al Muwatta)

♡

Finally

Finally, after counting many years, my study was organized. I had shared here my frustrations of having a bookshelf and study on my room. Articles on the shelf include psychology, literature, coffeetables and art. Islamic books are on the writing table and are not shown. Alhamdulillah, it was a dream come true.

Faults

If God The Most High wills good for you, He will give you the ability to see your faults.

- al Ghazali

Meadow Garden

Recently

Picnic at the park with sissies / At the bookstore / Dinner / At the sea Sunday afternoon and I was not there (taken by my bros)
 

By Time

By Time,

Verily Man is in loss,  

Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, 

and in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy.  

  

(103: 1-3) 

Interesting Topics to Explore

Lately, I've been musing about some interesting topics about Islam which are worth exploring. And for this part, I will jot down some of them here, just so I could outline them for the meantime:

1. Fitrah - the innate nature of creation and humanity. Where did humanity came from (physically and spiritually), its origins, blueprint of nature, or essence? What are our basic natural inclinations? What are the forces that drive our character, behavior and motivation? Psychology within Islamic perspective. What is the significance of worship (Ibadah) to this Fitrah? How do we balance the belief in destiny and submission to the power of God with that of our will, abilities and control? Are we fully accountable with the outcome of our lives and with the consequences of our decisions?

2. Tolerance and differences of opinion. Differentiation of definition between Shari'ah (God's Law) and Fiqh (man-made legal opinion). How do Muslims handle differences? How to balance independent critical thinking with the guidance of God? How to deal with extremist blind (Taqlid) following of schools of thought or extreme veneration of 'scholars'' opinion? Making Ijtihad (independent judgment / decision) on matters not stated on the primary sources. Dealing with overzealous reaction / intolerance of differences and eventually of divisions among Muslims.  Negative passing of judgments. Conflicting groups. Harshness of conduct and loss of manners. Re-cultivating compassion and respect with sisters / brothers in faith in light of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Unity and dis-unity.

Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who go aright. (16:65)

3. Bid'ah (innovation) in religion - both good and bad aspects and its effects. Stagnation or flowering of Islamic civilization on worldly science and arts along with Islamic religious knowledge. The immense task and responsibility of translation / interpretation of the Qur'an and Sunnah from the original Arabic to another language and the impact of individual perception to literal and figurative meanings.

4. Balancing between worldly affairs with working towards Hereafter. Developing a positive mindset and perception between both worlds.

That's it. There are many ones worth exploring, but God willing, other notes will follow later on.

The Creator

Allah is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. His signs are imprinted throughout the universe and all of the creation pronounces Him to be the Creator, the One with perfect qualities, and the only One Who deserves to be worshiped.

- Aidh Al Qarni