Real power

Salaams all,

Hope you all are doing well. I've just recently started my fourth
year of medicine at UVA (we have a weird schedule and really long
fourth year). Right now I'm about 90% certain I will be applying for
a residency in dermatology. Please make dua for me. Other than
school, there is not much new in my life other than looking forward to
my sister's wedding this fall inshallah. My niece Lena is two years
old now and my nephew Humza is about 10 months. The rest of my family
is good alhamdulillah.

O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully):
Verily! those on whom you call besides Allâh, cannot create (even) a
fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly
snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it
from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought. (22:73)

I chose the following verse because I thought it showed the real power
of Allah (SWT) when compared to us. Mashallah humankind has
progressed so much in the fields of technology and many things are
capable now that were not even fathomable in the past. However, try
as we may, we will never come close to creating even the most simplest
of Allah's (SWT) creations.

--Zain

Trust in Allah

Asalamu'alaikum,

Unfortunately I was not able to make it to meet up with you guys in Texas. Inshallah I look forward to seeing all of you sometime soon. I had an excellent vacation in Chicagoland with my in-laws and other extended family. We also did some skiing up in Wisconsin...

My advice this post is in regards to the present state of the Ummah and what the only solution for change is. The following MuslimMatters.org post is the full message of what I would like to share: http://muslimmatters.org/2008/12/31/double-feature-revive-a-sunnah-action-alert-for-the-gaza-massacre/. The most important part of this message is that we as an ummah need to put all of our trust in Allah alone, so the following ayah is most relevant:

And put your trust (O Muhammad SAW) in the Ever Living One Who dies not, and glorify His Praises, and Sufficient is He as the All-Knower of the sins of His slaves
[25:58]

Allah (swt) is the only one that can provide us support and grant us success in this life and the next. Therefore, the only way to be successful is to strive to be the best servant of Allah that one can be.

May Allah enable us to be successful in this life and the next...

Wa'salaam,

Usman

We Need Brotherhood

Assalamu alaikum my JHUMA brothers!

Alhamdulillah, I'm half way done with my 2nd year of Med School.

I really wanted to come to Houston to come chill with you brothers, but subhan Allah things didn't work out...

Good news though, Alhamdulillah Allah has blessed me with an excellent opportunity to spend some time this week with a Quran recitation expert, Brother Wisam with the Bayyinah Arabic Institute. So insha Allah, I pray Allah blesses me with some benefit of this time.

I just read an excellent translation, done by one of Ahmad (Sam)'s freinds on the issue of Brotherhood. (Check it out at the end of the e-mail)

This advice is EXCELLENT, and is a great reminder to keep our ties of brotherhood.

So I hope you guys are doin well, please keep me in your duas. :)

Salam,

-Saf

-------

"…Allah Said: {"Indeed, the believers are brothers…"} [al-Hujurat; 10]

Brotherhood is from the most beautiful topics that a person can talk about! It is so pure and pleasant like light! It is so rich and beloved to the heart…

However, what is the brotherhood that is referred to in the Book of Allah?

Two people can walk down a wide road as brothers in safety and relaxation with each putting his arm on the shoulders of the other out of brotherly love. However, look at them when the road becomes narrower and is only wide enough for one of them to walk behind the other - who should I give preference to? Should I walk ahead? Or should I follow my brother and let him walk ahead of me?

Then look at the road when it becomes even narrower, leaving room for only one of them to walk on it! There is only one opportunity: either me or my brother. Who will I give preference to? Do I say that this is my opportunity and he can go look for his own? Or do I say to my brother 'Take this opportunity for yourself, and I will find my own'?

This is the test.

Brotherhood in times of safety and ease is one thing, as it does not go against the desires of the self. In fact, it is itself one of those desires that a person seeks to obtain in order to achieve the sense of relaxation that comes along with it.

As for situations of hardship or personal gain, this is where true brotherhood is tested, where the distinction is made between the love for others and the love for oneself which can become hidden during times of ease and safety, causing one to assume that he is a true 'brother' who is fulfilling the implications of brotherhood!

How many gatherings, how many lectures, how many admonishments, how many advices does a person or a group need to establish this concept in their minds, such that it does not simply become a theoretical concept that doesn't go past this level? It should become present in the heart, deeply entrenched in the heart until it gives birth to physical manifestations such as is mentioned in the Book of Allah:

{"And those who before them had homes and had adopted faith, love those who emigrate to them and have no jealousy in their hearts for that which they have been given, and give them preference over themselves, even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful."} [al-Hashr; 9]

It was examples like this that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) would work for when he was mentoring his Companions for thirteen years in Makkah and the years spent afterwards in Madinah. However, he never told himself while he was in Makkah: 'Until when will we keep teaching these concepts without doing something?' He never said this because he knew for sure that this was from the fundamental requirements of establishing the base of believers that he was working towards, and that this brotherhood - in addition to being necessary for establishing a base of believers that would serve as the seed for the Muslim nation - was also a part of the fulfillment of the behavioral aspects of لا إله إلا الله, because this statement is not simply a deep belief held in the heart. Rather, it means that one should physically adhere to what Allah has revealed and everything that has come from Him. So, adhering to this brotherhood is from the implications of this statement, and Allah Loves this brotherhood and has praised it and obligated it upon the believers in Him, and He revealed many verses regarding it, the most famous of which is:

{"O you who believe! Let not a group scoff at another group, as it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor let women scoff at other women, as it may be that the latter are better than the former, nor defame one another, nor insult one another by nicknames. How bad is it to insult one's brother after having faith! And whosoever does not repent, then such are indeed are the wrongdoers. O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, as indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Merciful."} [al-Hujurat; 11-12]

With the Qur'an…with friendship…by living with each other…by constant mentoring…with the leadership found in the noble personality of the Messenger…with the love that gushed to them from his big heart…with attention and care for each one of them as if nobody else mattered but that one person…by the active manifestation of the emotions of faith within the jama'ah…

Through these combined methods, the Messenger of Allah nurtured this brotherly group that accomplished wonders with its brotherhood, and he built this sturdy, interconnected structure whose individual parts each supported and backed up the others.

In this new strangeness in which Islam finds itself, we need exactly what was needed in its first strangeness. If we cannot achieve the same level of what they achieved, at least we should try to come close because the jahiliyyah has caused every relationship that cannot withstand all of its pressures and stay strong despite these pressures to crumble away and disintegrate.

How long will this take, and how much effort is required? I have no idea. However, I know for sure that it is absolutely necessary, and that the base from which this jahiliyyah will be faced with all its plots needs to fulfill in its physical behavior this characteristic from the characteristics of لا إله إلا الله so that it becomes worthy of the protection of Allah…"

[ Original Article: http://iskandrani.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/we-need-brotherhood/ ]

Helping those in need

Salaams all -

For the many poor and homeless people that live on our city streets, the winter months can be very trying. As difficult as it is to try to get by without food, water or shelter, it is just that much harder during the cold winter months. With the economy in recession, I've noticed more and more people on the streets of Baltimore asking for money or food. With this is in mind, I would like to share some hadith about the importance of giving food and charity to the needy.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Feed the hungry, visit the sick and set free the captives." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 552. "(The righteous are those) who feed the poor, the orphan and the captive for the love of God, saying: 'We feed you for the sake of God Alone; we seek from you neither reward nor thanks.'" - (Quran, 76:8-9).

'Uthman an-Nahdi reported that 'Abdurrahman ibn Abi Bakr as-Siddiq informed him that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "He who has enough food for two, let him invite a third, and he who has food for four, let him invite a fifth or a sixth."

It is related from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: "He whose holdings exceed his needs, let him support the one whose holdings do not, and he whose food exceeds his needs, let him share it with him who does not have food."

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri says: "Then he mentioned so many kinds of property that we thought no one of us had the right to have anything surplus with us." Concerning this tradition, it is reported on the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari that the Prophet (pbuh), said: "Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and ransom the prisoner."

'Umar says: "If I were to live again the past which I have already lived, I would take the surplus from the rich and distribute it among the poor immigrants (mujhajirun)."

'Ali said: "Allah, the Exalted One, has placed a due upon the properties of the rich to meet the needs of the poor. Thus, if the poor go hungry or naked or struggle because of the neglect of the rich, then Allah will hold them [the rich] accountable on the Day of Judgment and will punish them."

It is related from 'Aishah (the mother of the believers), al-Hasan ibn 'Ali, Ibn 'Umar that all of them replied to those who had asked them: "If you are asked for help in cases of blood money, heavy debt, or desperate poverty, then it is a must for you to give them from your holdings."

InshaAllah, we will remember these hadith the next time we cross someone in need.

Wa-Salaams,
Azim

Giving thanks

Salaams Bros,

Sorry I'm a bit late on my blog posting, I've been out of town with
family for break. I hope everyone had a good time getting together in
New York this past weekend, it's too bad I couldn't make it. Life is
the same as always, trying to survive through third year of medical
school and figure out what specialty of medicine I should pursue.
I've gotten some great advice from other JHUMA alumni on which
specialties they chose. It makes me very grateful to have connections
to so many people in various fields (in medicine and outside of
medicine) that are also young and Muslim. On that note, and since the
holiday of Thanksgiving just passed, I thought I would share some
Quranic verses on giving thanks to Allah (SWT):

O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for
you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship. [Surah
Al-Baqarah, 172]

What can Allah gain by your punishment, if you are grateful and you
believe? Indeed, it is Allah who recognizes all good, and knows all
things. [Surah An-Nisa, 147]

We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his
mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of
the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length,
when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he
says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favor which
Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may
work righteousness such as Thou may approve; and be gracious to me in
my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to You) in
Islam." [Surah Al-Ahqaf, 15]

Wa-Salaams,
Zain

Love for the Sake of Allah

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh my brothers,

May Allah keep myself and all of us steadfast in our worship in this post-Ramadan time. Aameen.

I am doing well, alhamdulillah... work is the same old same old, which is a good thing i suppose. Little Maryam, mashaAllah, is doing also... she has begun to take her first steps independently (no hands!) just a week ago, mashaAllah, and she has developed quite the personality as well. InshaAllah I hope you guys can see her and myself. Other than that, life is good... walhamdulillah.

Here are a few narrations that I found on love for the sake of Allah. I love you all for the sake of Allah, walhamdulillah :)


The Messenger of Allah (sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will Say: 'Where are those who loved one another for My glory? Today, I will shade them in My shade on the Day when there is no shade but Mine.'

The Messenger (sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) also said: "No two men love one another except that the better of them is the one whose love for his brother is greater."

He also said: "If a man loves his brother, he should tell him that he loves him."

A man was with the Prophet (sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) when another man passed by. The first man said: "O Messenger of Allah, I truly love this man." The Prophet asked him: "Did you let him know that?" He said: "No." The Prophet said: "Tell him." He caught up with him and told him: "Indeed, I love you for the sake of Allah," and the man replied: "May Allah Love you as you love me for His sake."

Greek letters

Greek Letters
Name	TeX	HTML	Name	TeX	HTML	Name	TeX	HTML	Name	TeX	HTML	Name	TeX	HTML
Alpha		Αα	Digamma		Ϝϝ	Kappa		Κκ	Omicron		Οο	Upsilon		Υυ
Beta		Ββ	Zeta		Ζζ	Lambda		Λλ	Pi		Ππ	Phi		Φφ
Gamma		Γγ	Eta		Ηη	Mu		Μμ	Rho		Ρρ	Chi		Χχ
Delta		Δδ	Theta		Θθ	Nu		Νν	Sigma		Σσ	Psi		Ψψ
Epsilon		Εε	Iota		Ιι	Xi		Ξξ	Tau		Ττ	Omega		Ωω

Do Good Deeds Now

Asalamu'alaikum Brothers!

Alhumdulilah we are in the month of Ramadhan. It has been a busy time for me. Last Sunday I had the opportunity to give an informative speech at a church, during the time when they would usually have their Sermon. I of course did some al maghrib research beforehand and listned to the Fiqh of Dawah course CDs. Alhumdulilah, after my speech many people came up to me and said that they do not believe that Jesus is God and they agree that he is just a prophet (pbuh), while others just said thank you for being clear about what Islam is. Basically, as the Figh of Dawah course pointed out, I avoided the message that we are all the same but made clear that Islam is the completion of the true message of all the prophets before Muhummad (pbuh)...These following two Sundays there will be discussion sessions to follow up with the members of this Church, inshallah...

I have also launched my new business, http://www.PeaceWand.com , so please make du'a that it is a success and that the business will succeed in collecting $100k for Islamic Relief (if you haven't bought a PeaceWand yet, you are missing out...spreading the world would also help:)

I would like to share the following hadith, which basically stresses the doing of good deeds right now, while you still can...after all this life is about collecting good deeds so that we can all enter the highest level of Jannah, inshallah...everyday we should reflect on what good deeds have I done today and ensure that for every day that passes we are doing more and more good deeds and staying away from things that don't benefit us, like T.V....may Allah enable me and us all to follow this advice.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions.'' Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter".[At-Tirmidhi].

-Usman

Ramadan Iftar Dua!

Assalamu alaikum my brothers!

I hope you guys had a blessed start this Ramadan...
Lately I've been reminiscing about the blessed times we had at JHU, man I miss seeing you guys!

This past summer I finally got a chance to visit my grandparents and relatives (from my mom's side) in India.
It's been 7 years since I last went, so alhamdulillah, it has been a memorable experience!

When I got back from India, Allah blessed me with the chance to go to Houston for a 2 week Islamic program.
While there I got to finally meet baby Maryam Zamanian and her wonderful father, Sam Ahmad :)
Subhan Allah it's almost been 2 years since I last saw him!

Since then I have started back up with my 2nd year of Med school, with a short break this past weekend for ISNA in my hometown, Columbus, Ohio.

Now that Ramadan has started, I found this dua to be very relevant to help us make the best use of our time:

The prophet (SAW) declared, 'Three men whose dua is never rejected (by Allah) are: when a fasting person breaks fast (in another narration, the fasting person until he breaks his fast), the just ruler and the one who is oppressed.'[Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi - Hasan]

So next time we are anxiously waiting to break our fast, let focus on making dua :)

Check out this video to learn about how to best apply this hadith: http://www.halaltube.com/towards-an-outstanding-ramadan

Salam,
-Safi

ISNA blood donor

ISNA Blood donation info

all friday 3-9pm

50 donors

currently 9-10 donors

10 minutes
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30 minutes total time for donating

The Month is approaching!

Salaams all! InshaAllah, everyone is doing well. I have been doing well myself, alhumdulillah. Still working, am closing in on my one year anniversary at the law firm (and as some of you may know, I didn't think I was going to make it this long). As I am sure you all know, that most blessed month of Ramadan is fast approaching. I am definitly looking forward to it!

In Surat al-Baqara, Allah proclaims the following about the month of Ramadan:

“You who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you—so that hopefully you will have taqwa”(Surat al-Baqara: 183) and

“That you should fast is better for you, if you only knew.” (Surat al-Baqara: 184)

"The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur’an was sent down as guidance for mankind, with Clear Signs containing guidance and discrimination. Any of you who are resident for the month should fast it. But any of you who are ill or on a journey should fast a number of other days. Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you. You should complete the number of days and proclaim Allah’s greatness for the guidance He has given you so that hopefully you will be thankful."(Surat al-Baqara: 185).

In one of his sayings our Prophet (pbuh) emphasizes the importance of Ramadan as follows:

"Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month... month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time... It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased..." (narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah).

InshaAllah we can all use these ayats and hadith as inspiration and do our best to make the most of this blessed month.

Azim

Obtaining happiness

Salaams all,

I hope everyone is doing well with their lives. Alhamdulillah, I've
finished two full blocks of my third year of med school and starting a
new one tomorrow. I'm still clueless as to what I want to do with my
life, but third year has definitely been a lot of fun so far and
waaaay better than the first two years of med school (for all those
currently in or going into your first two years of med school...trust
me, its all worth it in the end). I just recently moved into a new
apartment and am also busy with everything that goes with that.

Here's a hadith I found on obtaining happiness, which, according to
this hadith, is a lot easier than we make it out to be:

"Happiness is granted to he who deals with his own defects and leaves
the defects of others, spends in alms the surplus of his goods,
retains from futile words and satisfies himself with the sunnah."

Take care.

--Zain Syed