Good Cheer

Source: http://fridaynasiha.com/

“Say, ‘In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.'”

We must learn to remedy our sorrows with joy and good cheer. There are so many things that we can rejoice in. We should rejoice in our very humanity, knowing that Allah has so honoured the human being.

We should rejoice in the blessings that we have, and that we often overlook or take for granted. We should feel joy in being alive. We should rejoice in our family and loved ones, and in the provision that Allah has given us.

We should take cheer in thanking Allah for His blessings, since through our gratitude Allah will continue to bless us. 

Israeli missile lands in Gaza live on Al Jazeera (Video)

Source: Al Jazeera

 Bloodshed in and around Gaza has surged with a strike killing seven Palestinian children and a heavy overnight bombardment from Israel shattering hopes for an end to three weeks of devastating violence.

The middle of Ramadan: a gift of forgiveness

Forgiveness has been a recurring theme throughout the realm of creation.

From the moment God created the first man – Adam (peace be upon him) – Iblis (Satan) was denied forgiveness after defying God’s command to prostrate before the first man of creation.

Iblis was left to roam around Paradise, but wasn’t forgiven and it’s a well known narration that Iblis would never be forgiven despite his duration on earth, and will eventually become a dweller of Hellfire.

The story of creation of course continues with the creation of Hawa (Eve). Adam and his wife, Eve, were lured into consuming forbidden fruit, both made the first error as far as God was concerned, as they defied God’s one single commandment to stay away from the forbidden fruit. Both husband and wife asked God for forgiveness for transgressing His instruction.

Both of them were forgiven after repenting, but were also assigned the position of vicegerents on Earth. From then on, the offspring of Adam and Eve have always committed errors, and forgiveness has always been on the platter as far as the relationship between man and God is concerned.

God promises: {And seek forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Compassionate.} (Al-Muzzammil 73: 20)

The fact that God talks about forgiveness shows how deficient human beings really are. Humans do commit error and do engage in wrong doings, but there is an important facet to this flaw in our own beings, that we may be completed by turning back to God and asking for His forgiveness.

There is also no measure as to how much error one can commit, as God being Al-Ghafour (the All-Forgiving) promises that He will forgive those who ask forgiveness. Part of being human includes committing wrongdoings and incurring sin. However, just because we were created that way – with the grand possibility to follow evil – it doesn’t justify making the active choices to engage in bad deeds without any conscientious effort to repent. The whole silver lining as a circumference of a bad deed is the fact there is an opportunity to make that change and beg for forgiveness from God.

{And whoever does evil, or wrongs his own soul, but afterwards seeks Allah’s forgiveness, will find Allah is Forgiving, Compassionate.} (An-Nisa’ 4: 110)

In particular, the middle of Ramadan encompasses the 10 days of Forgiveness, and this is when Muslims are commanded to ask for forgiveness the most. The important thing to note about forgiveness is its root comes from God. With God being Al-Ghafour(the All-Forgiving), Muslims pay heed to God’s power to forgive. Without God’s forgiveness, admission to Paradise would be impossible. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that whosoever stands in worship on this night with sincere faith and with genuine hopes of gaining reward his previous sins will be forgiven. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

In fact, one who fasts sincerely and successfully from one Ramadan to another will have his sins forgiven. So obviously, the month of Ramadan is one of full forgiveness, and to solidify this, Prophet Muhammad said:

“The smell from the mouth of a fasting person is sweeter in the sight of Allah than the fragrant smell of musk. For believers who are engaging in the fast, the fish in the sea seek forgiveness until they break their fast. Paradise is decorated everyday for the person who fasts; the evil minded Satan is chained; and on the last night of Ramadan, all their sins are forgiven.” (Ahmad)

But What Is Forgiveness?

Follow your hopes and not your fears.

 Follow your hopes and not your fears.
 Siga sus esperanzas y no sus miedos.
 Volg uw hoop en niet je angsten.
 Suivez vos espoirs et vos craintes pas.
 Folgen Sie Ihre Hoffnungen und Ängste nicht.
 Ànzhào nǐ de xīwàng ér bùshì kǒngjù.
 Följ dina förhoppningar och inte din rädsla.
 Sledite za vashimi nadezhdy i ne vashi strakhi.
 Umutlarını ve korkularını değil izleyin.
 Segui le vostre speranze e non le tue paure.
 Ikuti harapan dan bukan ketakutan Anda.