Oppression

From the book Reflection of Pearls.

When leaving the house:

Bismi'Llahi tawakkaltu 'ala 'Llah, Allahumma inni a'udhu bika an udilla aw udall, aw uzilla aw uzall, aw azlima aw uzlam, aw aj-hala aw yuj-hala 'alayy

In the name of Allah, I trust in Allah. O Allah I seek your protectoin from misleading and being mislead, from causing someone to slip or slipping, from oppressing and oppression, and from promoting folly and being foolish (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

I think there are some muslim leaders around the world who need to start making this dua when they leave the house. I wonder how many people who make this dua when they leave the house actually think about the meaning of the words they are reciting, and strive to do what they are praying for?

Before Ramadan there is...

...Rajab and Sha'ban. Looks like Rajab will start this weekend.

It has been mentioned by Abu’ Nu’aim in ‘Hilya’ from Anas Ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) he said, that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to make the following dua, when the month of Rajab came in:

‘Allahuma Barik lana fi Rajaba wa Sha’bana wa ballighna Ramadhan’

Oh Allah, bless us in Rajab and Shaban, and allow us to reach Ramadan

After Salat

What do you do after salat? Usually, I make my salaams to my recording angels (kiraman katibeen) and pop up right away to go about my dunya business. My husband, on the other hand, usually remains seated and makes dhikr and dua. He's been nagging me for awhile to try it, and subhanAllah, I didn't know what I was missing. Think about it, if you sit an extra 5 minutes after each prayer in remembrance and praise of God, that's an extra 25 minutes each day you spend in worship.

If you have trouble concentrating in salat, this is a chance to refocus on God and worship in the way that helps you connect best. Heck, it could even help if you've apt to rush through salat so that you can get to the other stuff on your mind. Rather than having those nagging thoughts about dunya at the back of your mind urging you to hurry up, you know that you have a set amount of time after the salat to dedicate to God. So, there's no sense in rushing the salat if you will be sitting afterwards in dhikr and dua.

Why not pick a dua and commit to making it after every prayer? Make it a part of your routine.

Lack of sleep

Its nice that the birds in our area are happy and plentiful. These happy birds decide to congregate on the tree outside our apartment window and start a chirp fest at 4:00 a.m. Alas, this is just the latest in a long line of sleep issues that are driving me mad. I'm almost to the point of asking my doctor (ala the television commercials) about Ambian CR, Lnesta or some other sleep pill that could help me get to sleep and stay asleep.

But, before that, the husband and I are working on a more natural, deeny plan. 1st, make salat right before sleeping. 2nd, drink some anseed (anise seed boiled in water for 3 to 4 minutes). 3rd, make dua. inshaAllah this will work, cuz I don't want to add another pill to the pile I'm already taking. Blah.

Allahumma gharati n'nujum(u), wa hada'ati 'l-'uyun(u), wa Anta Hayyun Qayyum(ul), la ta'khudhuka sinatuw wa la nawm(un), Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum(u), ahdi' layli wa anim 'ayni.

Oh Allah, the stars have gone and the eyes [of people] have sunken [into deep slumber]. Verily You are Everlasting and Eternal, neither sleep, nor slumber can seize you. O Everlasting and Eternal, bless my night with peace and my eyes with sleep.

From Ibn al-Sunni, in the book Reflections of Pearls.

:(

Please excuse my self centered moping post with a lack of much real islamic content.

I'm moping today. I went to the doctor for what I thought was a follow up appointment in regards to my allergies and whatnot, and low and behold, I'm diagnosed with asthma. Dang. I went from no medicine at the beginning of December to a whole cupboard full today. I can't keep track of a pair of mittens. How on earth will I not lose 2 inhalers?

Also, even better, it's triggered by the cold. Good thing I live in Minnesota, eh, cuz we never get any cold here. I suppose it could be worse. It could be exercise indused, and that would suck. Alhamdulilah, I can keep up my exercise (lost 4 pounds since I was at the doctor's in mid December, subhanAllah). The doctor even said that it may increase my exercise capacity! I have this dream of running a marathon some day (hijab and all), but I've kinda hit a wall at 3 miles. I hope that's been due to my breathing issues and not just the fact that I'm not an athlete. inshaAllah these inhalers will be a blessing and help me push for my goal of 26.2 miles.

I'm planning on doing a massive overview of the burqini coverage that seems to be all the news rage this last week. I did get my own swimsuit from Splashgear earlier this week, and I'm lovin it. I did laps on Tuesday and I'm planning on swimming again tonight. I'll do a full review of that too.

But now, I'm just going to mope.

Oh, and from "Reflections of Pearls, a concise & comprehensive collection of prophetic invocations & prayers" compiled by Inam Uddin & Ubdur-Rahman Ibn Yusuf, this supplication:

When feeling helpless regarding a matter:

Hasbiya 'Llahu wa ni'ma 'la-wakil

Allah is my sufficiency, and how perfect a benefactor [is He]

from Abu Dawud

Reflection of Pearls

One of the best books I've bought pertaining to Islam (and I've bought dozens), is Reflections of Pearls. It is by far my favorite dua book. It contains everyday supplications, a comprehensive section on supplications from the Qur'an and Sunnah, as well as a very thorough section describing prayers outside the fard salat.

Each arabic entry is followed by an excellent transliteration into the roman (ie western, european) alphabet and translation into english. So, for someone who's arabic isn't the best, they can (attempt to) read the arabic, follow up with a reading of the transliteration and finish with a reading of the translation. The dua is said three times, engraining it in your mind, heart and soul.

inshaAllah I'll put up duas from the book on occasion, although I don't know if I'll be able to type out the arabic.

Allahumma aslih li diniya 'lladhi huwa 'ismatu amri, wa aslih li dunyaya 'llati fiha ma-'ashi, wa aslih li akhiratiya 'llati fiha ma-'adi, wa 'j'ali' l-hayata ziyaddatal li fi kulli khary(in), wa 'j'ali 'l-mawta rahatal li fi kulli sharr(in).

O God, set aright my religious life which is a safeguard in all my affairs, set aright my worldly life in which is my subsitence, set aright my Hereafter unto which I return, and make my life a source of increase in all good, and make my death a refuge from every evil (Muslim)

Ameen