"You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah - indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of determination." (Qur'an, 3:186)
Growing up, you read me the Ugly Duckling. And for years I believed that was me. For so long you taught me I was nothing more than a bad copy of standard (men).
I couldn't run as faster lift as much. I didn't make the same money and I cried to often. I grew up in a man's world where I didn't belong.
And when I couldn't be him, I wanted to please him. I put on my make up and wore your short skirts. I gave in my life, my body, my dignity, for the cause of being pretty. I knew that no matter what I did, I was worthy only to the degree that I could please and be beautiful for my master. And so I spent my life on the cover of Cosmo and gave my body for you to sell.
I was a slave, but you taught me I was free. I was your object, but you swore it was success. You taught me that my purpose in life was to be on display, to attract, and be beautiful for men. You had me believe that my body was created to market your cars. And you raised me to think I was an ugly duckling. But you lied.
Islam tells me, I'm a swan. I'm different - it's meant to be that way. And my body, my soul, was created for something more.
God says in the Qur'an, "O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowingly and Acquainted." (Qur'an, 49:13)
So I am honored, but it is not by relationship to men. My value as a woman is not measured by the size of my waist or the number of men who like me. My worth as a human being is measured on higher scale: a scale of righteous and piety. And my purpose in life - despite on what the fashion magazines say - is something more sublime than just looking good for men. And so, God tells me to cover myself, to hide my beauty and to tell the world that I;m not here to please men with my body; I'm here to please God. God elevates the dignity of a woman's body by commanding that it be respected and covered, shown only to the deserving - only to the man I marry.
So to those who wish to 'liberate' me, I have only one thing to say: "Thanks, but no thanks."
I'm not here to be on display. and my body is not for public consumption. I will not be reduced to an object, or pair of legs to sell shoes. I'm a soul, a mind, a servant of God. My worth is defined by the beauty of my soul, my heart, my moral character. So, I won't worship your beauty standards, and I don't submit to your fashion sense. My submission is to something higher. With my veil I put my faith on display - rather than my beauty. My value as a human is defined by my relationship with God, not my looks. I cover the irrelevant. And when you look at me, you don't see a body. You view me only for what I am: a servant of my Creator.
You see, as a Muslim woman, I've been liberated from a silent kind of bondage. I don't answer to the slaves of God on earth. I answer to the King.
(Yasmin Mogahed's Reclaim Your Heart page 124 & 125)
I just can't stop myself from writing word by word in order for you to read those beautiful letter wrote by Sister Yasmin Mogahed herself. Jazakillah sister, thank you. Those words bring such an inspiration and motivation to me, and perhaps to you too insha Allah. She wrote it beautifully to describe us, Muslim women. We should be proud knowing that Allah SWT created us in such an incredible creature. Alhamdulillah, all praises to Allah.
Assalamualaikum w.b.t,
Alhamdulillah, after four months, I've got a chance to update my blog, pheeew, what a long time, isn't it ?
So, I'll update with a story about the fabulous event conducted on 15th April 2013. The event was called Reclaim Your Heart. A talk by Sis Yasmin Mogahed, one of the international speakers. You can see the trailer up there :)
It was started with a recitation of Holy Quran by Ustazah Zainab Talha. Oh by the way, the MC of the day was Sis Wardina Safiyyah. Then, there was a play by students from Sekolah Islam Adni entitled The Flowers of Gaza. They did a marvelous job even they were just cute little children. Their English were ah-may-zing. Kudos ! After that, the video entitled A Story That Has To Be Told was screened. It was about the story of people in Gaza. The people who have been visited Gaza shared their experience. Their experience which they could not and will not forget for the entire life. I really do want to go and visit Palestinians people, one day, inshaaAllahutaala, one fine day. I want to experience it myself.
After a long wait, then Sis Yasmin Mogahed's turn to deliver a talk. The participants were full of enthusiastic energy. The talk was such a motivation to all. It's awesome. Those were notes that I managed to write.
Angels do not have choice, while us as human being (caliphs of Allah) do have choice. Never to allow arrogant to take over ourselves. It is our human nature to slip. So, we have choice to either repentance or be arrogant and blame others for the wrongdoings as what shaytan did.
The example given was the story about Adam a.s and iblis. Look at the story of Adam. Even he did break the rules of Allah not to eat the forbidden fruit, he never blame shaytan but he turned to Allah and repentance. While vice versa to the iblis which he blame Allah for the reason he was thrown away from Jannah.
Our situation will not change until we change ourselves, until we acknowledge Allah & until we prostrate sincerely to Him as a true believer.
The more you run for the creation, the more they push you away. The more you run for Allah, the more He comes closer to you.
Allah is Al-Wadud, the source of love. If you want real love, you have to seek the One who created love. Only then, you'll find true love.
When you put your trust in Allah and do something for the sake of Allah, Allah will return it back in the better form in this dunya and hereafter.
Never lean on creation, you can use it but do not depends on it, for Allah is The One who controls everything.
Know firmly that Allah will make way out for you so put all your trust in Allah.
Sometimes, we are too focus on the gifts that Allah gave which are called as false attachment. So, Allah take it back so you can be detached from whatever things and refocused yourself and know that the true attachment you need is Allah 'Azzawajalla.
If we want to be close to Allah during our time of hardship, we must be close to Allah during our time of ease.
Every good deed that you do is not a gift from you to Allah, but it's a gift from Allah to you.
When we are far from Allah, the heart becomes hard. When the heart becomes hard, the eyes become dry.
If Allah leaves us in a blink of an eye, we collapse.
We act. We strive. We put our effort. But remember, we have no power of the results. The results are from Allah. Work hard, but trust Him.
Focus on Allah when ease, then it will be more easier when the hardship strikes you.
That was part of the talk. Hopefully, it helps :)
The pass to enter the talk :)
Jazakillah khayr for your time spent to read this post. May Allah bless.
Alhamdulillah all praises to Allah, we have been given another day to be alive. I am so grateful to have this chance so I can share and spread the knowledge and the love I got from this amazing event. Truthfully, I feel that two whole days are not enough, I want more and more. It's just that this event is sooooo awesome amazing. I don't know how to make it into words, I just can't describe how I'm grateful to be chosen to attend this lovely event. Alhamdulillah, again all praises to Allah 'Azza Wa Jala, He's The Most Amazing :)
*Google courtesy
The speakers were truly amazing. I just fall in love with their way of disseminate da'wah. Truthfully, I am not the one who knew this international speakers, that was the first time I listened to them, but when I listened to their lectures, one by one, Subhanallah, I felt that I will follow their lectures after this. They are totally an inspiring dae'i who will make a betterment for this ummah, Islam. Sheikh Daood Butt, Sheikh Omar Suleiman, Sheikh Tawfique Chowdhury, Brother Abdurraheem Green are parts of the speakers. Google them, and listen to their lectures, people. You will find that they are truly amazing.
Okay so let's start the story. The conference opened with Quran recitation fro Brother Akbar, so here's a part of the beautiful recitation,
Then, we move on to the first lecture which was
'What is love?' by Sheikh Daood Butt
"Love is been hijacked by culture" - Sh. Daood Butt
"Gain Allah's love and you will gain love from others " - Sh. Daood Butt
Sheikh said that maybe some of us think that love is to be obedient. But let's look at an example. There's a person who follow the rules of police to be obedient of the speed at the high way, but the person hate the police, can this be concluded that the person love the police ? No, right ? So, love is not to be obedient. If you love something or even someone, you surely can't wait to do things for them, right ? This means that what you love to do is what you tend to do. Ask yourself, do you love Allah ? If you love Allah, you will spend more time on doing ibadah and can't wait to do good deeds for the sake of Allah. It's not just being obedient, but you will allocate much more time on doing something that pleased Allah then everything else. That's what we called love to our Creator, Allah SWT.
When you love someone, you will know everything about them, but the question is, how much do we know about our most beautiful Creator, Allah SWT ? It's the time to know Allah so He will love us even more, insyaAllahuta'ala.
Rasulullah SAW once said,
"Allah loves His slave who is pious and free from all the wants"
There are 3 elements to gain the highest level of Iman, which are :
Love Allah and His Messanger more than anything
Love the human being for the sake of Allah
Hate to be turned away from Allah
How big your sins are, know that Allah is the Most Forgiveness, the Most Merciful, so search for His forgiveness and let's aim for Jannah, InsyaAllahuta'ala.
Next slot,
'Exemplary love' by Sheikh Omar Suleiman
Heart is the ocean of love. Every single human being has the feeling of love towards something. Evan the bad person love something.
"When I love a person, I hear what he hers, I see what He sees" - Allah SWT
"A woman is normally saught as a wife for her wealth, beauty, nobility, or religiousness (adherence for Islam), but choose a religious woman and you will prosper" - Rasulullah SAW, from Hadeeth Muslim.
This hadith stated that choose the deen one for your benefit.
When we want something, we called upon Allah. But the question is, when we are in good condition, do we search for Allah ? Rasulullah SAW stand up and do qiamullail until his legs swollen. Allah doesn't ask him to do that. This is despite his former and latter sins (if he was to commit any) were forgiven. Sayyidatina Aisha r.a said in a Hadeeth authenticated by Imam(s) Al-Bukhari and Muslim that :
It means, “Rasulullah s.a.w. kept standing in Qiyamillail so long, that the skin of his feet would crack. I asked him: “Why do you do this, while you have been forgiven of your former and latter sins?” He said, “Should I not be a grateful slave of Allah?”
That is the exemplary love to Allah should we follow, let's pray for our istiqamah in doing ibadah, InsyaAllahuta'ala.
Solat is hard, but if you have the quality of love toward Allah, it is easy. Love towards Allah will give you strength that no one can gives you.
"Hardship is what determines love" - Sh. Omar Suleiman
Allah never shut the door for someone who is searching for Him, so search for Allah. Whoever aim for mardhatillah will eventually get Jannah for return.
Then, me and my friends went to the Marriage Corner :) IT WAS FULL HOUSE, you know ? Haha. The topic is,
'Free, Single and Available' by Sheikh Daood Butt
It was actually planned to be conduct by Brother Yusha Evans, but he cannot make it because his father is sick. Let's make dua to his father's health and may Allah give him hidayah to say syahadah and become a Muslim insyaAllahuta'ala.
So, here's the tip for looking a spouse, people :)
Look for someone who is compatible with your lifestyle.
Go to your parents and introduce her/him and said that you want to get married. Don't be shy.
Prove to your parents that you are capable to get marry even at the young age.
How to prepare mentally and spiritually to get marry ?
Look for someone who will work to earn for our family but not for his entire life. Means that he will come back home and help you and etc.
Make du'a to Allah SWT.
Okay, here's the funny thing, a guy asked Sheikh,
Guy : 'What is the best age to get marry ?' Sheikh : 'How old are you ?' Guy : 'I'm 22 years old' Sheikh : 'Oh, you're 4 years late'
And everyone was like whoaaaaaaaa, hahahaha. It was funny, even Sheikh said that if he has the chance to get marry in the age of 16, he will marry at that time. Whoa, shocked right ? But, that is the right thing to lessen the maksiat rate.
How do you want to know someone thoroughly before marriage ?
Find a middle person and go out with them to get to know her/him. Find ou about her/him. Ask questions.
Tips for marriage, put it o your mind, peeps, insyaAllah for the lasting marriage amiin >.<
First six month : Honeymoon time
Next six month : Compromise time
Next year : Buid love time, trust each other time
After 2 years : The best time to have cute little babies
Then, we went back to main hall to listen to the next lectures,
'Give a little love' by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Chao
Allah said,
"My mercy is beyond my anger"
Show mercy even to the sinner. When you show rahmah to other things, Allah will show rahmah to you. When you show love, then the world will show love to you.
"When you show mercy, you are renewing hope for humanity" - Sheikh Abdul Rahman Chao
Next lecture,
'What can you give for the love of god' by Mufti Sheikh Omar Sheriff
Everything we own belongs to Allah.
What had Allah gives us ?
Live
Body
Wealth
Then,
'Loving me, loving you' by Sheikh Abdurrahman Murad
If you want something, two things you need to do.
Du'a
Strive
'Caring means sharing' by Abdurraheem Green
Allah has given you something which is Islam. Islam is the most precious thing to us. There are out they who doesn't know about Islam. So, how can we do ? If you truly love Islam, spread Islam. There are many ways to spread Islam. Blogging also is one way of spreading Islam. Facebook and Twitter also can be a medium for us to spread Islam. Do you think Allah loves people who is selfish and uncaring ? So, let's be caring to each other and enter Jannah together.
There's also halal entertaintment by Omar Regan, Omar Esa and loads more. Omar Regan is spectacular ! He's awesoooome and funny !
And, Omar Regan Esa beautiful voice,
This is Dream Cube. You can watch a video about dream and write your dream at the cube as above.
Me and my friends got a chance to met Kak Farah Lee, Ally Iskandar and Afdlin Shauki. Alhamdulillah they are great people :)
Kak Farah is so beautiful and she's a shy person, hihi ^^
So, that's all for this today. Hope my little sharing can make you gain something. I'll continue the next part later, insyaAllahuta'ala.
