Salams Nasheeds you say? I'm sooo into them nowadays! Wonderful way of increasing remembrance of Allah swt. Sami Yusuf -- A very talented and brilliant singer, I had the pleasure of seeing him perform live and I just have to say MASHA'ALLAh!!! His new album is released I think, I suggest you go and get both albums! Ahmed Bukhatir -- Another amazing nasheed singer although he sings mostly in Arabic, but still wonderful. Check Last Breath which is on my signature as well--gives me the chills! Mixed nasheeds -- you can save Zain's nasheeds (what a beautiful voice!) from here. As for for Qur'anic recitations, try (two of my favourites): Sa'd Al-Ghamidi Mishary Rashed al-efasy

Salam Shirwac, Honouring parents is one of the greatest obligations we are to fulfill as Muslims, and disobeying them is indeed a major sin (next to shirk) in Islam. The following article explains it in deatail. Hopefully it will help Being Good to your Parents In today’s rapid-paced life, we often tend to get so busy that we forget our parents’ rights. Family values have significantly dropped in our lives, and our friends often become more important to us than our own relatives. What better can emphasize the good treatment of our parents than the following verse from the Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning) {And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) "Ugh" nor rebuke them, and speak to them in honorable terms} [Qur'an Al-Israa 17:23]. There are two noteworthy conclusions that may be noticed from this verse. First, Allah the Exalted has called for good treatment of parents immediately after ordering us to worship Him. This proves the importance of being kind to our parents and the elevated status in which Allah (SWT) has placed parents in our lives. Second, He has ordered us not to utter even the least of inappropriate comments to them; thus it is very surprising that some people yell at their parents or even tell them to shut up. Furthermore, when Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) was asked which deed was the best, he replied: “The prayer at its appointed hourâ€. He was asked: “Then what?â€, to which he replied: “Kindness to the parentsâ€. Again he was asked: “Then what?â€. He replied: “Earnest struggle (Jihad) in the cause of Allah [Muslim].†Whether or not you live with your parents, or if both of them are still alive, here are some tips to a good relationship with them: If you live with your parents Bring something home every now and then. For example, buy them a gift or a cake whenever you receive your paycheck. Make sure to spend time with them every day, whether it be for reciting Qur’an or reading hadiths together, conducting household chores, or just plain friendly talk. Take them out. My mother is extremely happy when I go out for a walk with her. Obeying whatever they ask you to do, as long as it complies with Islam. If you don’t live with your parents Visit them regularly -- say once a week or every two weeks. If you are unable to visit them often because you live far away for example, then do the next best thing and call them frequently. Also, you may send them letters, and don’t forget greeting cards on Islamic occasions (Ramadan, Eid, etc.) If one or both of your parents have passed away In the authentic hadith, a man came to the Prophet (may peace be upon him) and asked him whether he can do any good for his parents after they passed away. The Prophet (may peace be upon him) told him to do the following: · Supplication and istighfar for them, · Executing their will, · Connecting with relatives that are likely to be cut with the parents’ death, and · Honoring their friends In another hadith, the Prophet (may peace be upon him) also taught us that among the good deeds that benefit one who has passed away is a ‘righteous son that supplicates for him/her.’ Difficulties with parents Reverts to Islam often tend to face difficulties with their non-Muslim parents. Likewise, Muslims who take up new acts of worship (such as growing a beard or wearing niqab) might get into unpleasant situations with them. Although one should not abandon such acts of worship in order to obey one’s parents, one should still retain a good relationship with both parents and treat them kindly. Allah the Exalted has ordered us to obey our parents even if they are non-Muslims – but, once again, as long as what they ask complies with Islam. Conditions such as this require a good deal of patience and can be considered opportunities to show your parents that your newly-found beliefs have actually made you better and closer to them. Finally, I would like to close with the supplication of prophet Ibrahim (may peace be upon him) as in the Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning) {My Lord! Make me keep up prayer and from my offspring (too), O our Lord, and accept my prayer: O our Lord! grant me protection and my parents and the believers on the day when the reckoning shall come to pass} [ibrahim 14:40-41] Source PS. sis Raxma and I must've posted at the same time, you might the info overlapping.

^thanks sis...will try to listen to it some time. Oh my, what a splendid virtual tour that was *sigh* For some reason I always imagine the jannah having cool rainy weather (which I absolutely love) and an atmosphere enriched with magnificent fragrances that were unheard of in the dunya. I think to myself, thank God you quit using the meaningless perfume of the world for you wouldn't have been near the smell of the jannah (ok I'm still dreaming b/c I havent really quit but Insha'Allah I have high hopes that this ramadan will liberate me from certain wordly attachments). To be honest, I think the janna is well beyond the human mind's capacity of imagination, it's something we can't even start to fathom. I pray that Allah swt makes us among those of the highest ranks in jannah. One thing that amazes me about the janna is that one will be forever content with Allah's nicma unlike in this Dunya where we easily get used to or tired of Allah's blessings. JZK for sharing the info!

Originally posted by Foxy: so I guess its forbidden to ask and seek answers in regards to the religion No sis, don't guess! You have every right to ask questions and seek clarification on issues you may not be familiar with. In fact it is an obligation on every Muslim to seek knowledge about their Deen. Therefore, you shouldn't be discouraged by any arguments you come across here Insha'Allah. JB...Let me begin by saying May Allah swt Guide you to the truth. As far as this issue of hur-al-ain that you seem to be fixated on is concerned, well, you're trying to challenge the nomads without having sound evidence to back up your statements. For the 10th time, how do you know there will be no male hur-al-ain present in Jannah? As Muslims, we only know that which Allah, the all Mighty, has revealed to us and that which He has kept a secret from us, only He knows and it is not for us to make insinuations of any sort.

Ina Lilaah Wa inaa Ileyhi Raajicuun :eek: I'm beginning to think yoomul qiyaama is closer than ever subhanallah. Ya Allah have mercy on those innocent souls and aid those who have been impacted by this calamity.

May Allah(swt) increase you in taqwa and reward you immensely for your efforts of reaching out to people. There's nothing like the Ramadan spirit of joy and generosity. Just yesterday this elder lady approached me while I was in my car at a parking lot in front of a grocery shop. It was a nice sunny day so the lady decided to walk to a store she thaught was near by but she took the wrong directions and wound up walking for almost an hr, anyways she asked me for the directions and I gave it to her, she thanked me and turned to continue to walk...I thaught to myself, she'll be walking for another 1/2 hr if not more so why not give her a ride, I quickly called her and told her to hop in--she was so surprised and delighted that I had offered her a ride. I was also very happy with myself, not just b/c I had given her the ride but on our way to her destination, I had the opportunity to briefly explain to her this holy month of ramadan for Muslims and how it's a month of charity for us. She left me smiling and repeating 'God Bless'. It's just small random acts of kindness that can make all the difference! About food sharing...My mother has always been very keen on qurban or food giving ever since I can remember, especially during the month of ramadan, we cook a lot and take it to the local masjid usually on fridays...many bachelors come there for iftar I hear. And there hasn't been one family cazumad where we haven't sent some portion to our neighbours and to the Imam's family--they happen to love my mom's biryani and spicy food. Even when people come over to visit, my mom was always very quick to fix some food for them and as a teen I used get upset at her for troubling herself for I used to think some sweets and tea would be enough...and she would always say, honey, you never know how their day was or whether they've had something to eat or not so why not offer; it's something that doesn't require much effort on your part but it will put a smile on people's faces (so true). I used to pray to Allah to make me as generous as my mother. Alhamdulilah, as I grew up I believe my prayers have been answered...now all I wanna do is to give, give and give some more. It's a gift from Allah really! Thanks for reminding me about the neighbours--I shall make more sambuuus for iftar today

Originally posted by Camel Milk: May this Ramadan be one we benefit fully from and whereby we increase in emaan and taqwa, ameen. May our acts of worship multiply abundantly ameen. May we increase in righteou actions, and do good deeds sincerely for Allah Alone, ameen. May our character become beautified, may our hearts become connected upon this haqq and we fulfill each others rights with happiness, ameen. May we be saved from the punishment of the fire, and enter Paradise, ameen. May Allah forgive us of our sins and have mercy on us all, ameen. Allahuma Ameen! Ramadan Mubarak to you too walal, May Allah bestow His blessings upon you and my Muslim brethrens around the world.

Insha'Allah, for those of you who post questions, try and provide some feedback eh. Originally posted by m u h a m m a d: ok walaal; Q) How old is The Qur'aan? and How old is Islaam? How come no one answered these? Let me take a shot. I believe the Qur'an is 1438 yrs old approx., as far as Islam is concerned, I'm not exactly sure about the timing but I believe prophet Ibrahim was the first Muslim, right?

^^There is no such thing as gender inequality in Al-Islam or the Qur'an. The only thing that differentiates us as believers or puts us into different rank in front of our creator is solely our piety. Therefore, our rewards in the hereafter (as well as in this dunya) are strictly dependent on our deeds and nothing else! Hope that sheds some light and clarifies what brother Rashid was referring to

^Next question pls?

Ya Allah Ameen! That was very kind of you walal, Ilaahay ha ii aqbalo. I wish for you the same and much more, will definitely keep you in my prayers Insha'allah brother Muhammad

Ramadan Mubarak ya jamaca. May Allah (swt) accept all of our prayers and Ibadah Insha'Allah. In this blessed month we should Insha'Allah be mindful of our Muslim brothers and sisters around the globe who are suffering, and those who are being oppressed and abused.

Amazing women Indeed, May Allah be pleased with them. JZK sis. Originally posted by *Proud_Muslimah*: May Allah (SWT) make us amongst the residents of Paradise (Ameen) Ameen!

Jazakallah Khair brother. I've been meaning to get the documentary about the Prophet(Pbuh) every since I heard about it's release, and unfortunately I still haven't bought it yet but I shall do so soon Insha'Allah. I can't think of other documentaries at the moment other than those of Harun Yahya--amazingly insightful videos that I'd recommend for people with every level of Islamic knowledge and even those with none, and make sure to check them all. I find all of his work extremely captivating and brilliant! May Allah swt reward him and his crew greatly for their excellent efforts of Da'wa.

^^Masha'Allah, may Allah accept your prayers walal. Can you send some this way too...nin lagu jiraba Ilaah baa og you know Pacifist, Jazakallah khair walal. I've listened to the interview while back and it is indeed very beneficial. I usually try not to miss any lecture made by Imam Zaid or Shaikh Hamza--wonderful shayuukhs Masha'Allah. While we're at preparing for ramadan, let me take the opportinity and post a short article with some reminders: Preparation of the Winners in Ramadan The following is a reminder of some matters that help one to be among the winners in Ramadan by using its days and nights properly. “Remind, for indeed reminding benefits the believers.†(51:55) 1. Mujaahadah: struggling against the nafs “As for those who strive hard in Our Cause, We will surely guide them to Our Paths.†(29:69) Do you want guidance? Do you want steadfastness? Struggle against your soul, for if we bring ourselves closer to Allah, Allah will come closer to us. 2. Having high aspiration and determination Ibnul Jawzi said, "The sign of completion of the mind is high aspiration, for he who is satisfied with low aspiration is disgraceful, and I didn't see a severer shortcoming than that of people who are capable of completion yet don't aspire for it." 3. Knowing the virtues of the month and its distinguishing characteristics He who knows something develops interest in it and preserves it. Even if there was nothing in Ramadan but Laylat ul-Qadr (the Night of Power), which is better than one thousand months, that would suffice. 4. Recognizing Ramadan's few days and its speed of departure “A fixed number of days…†(2:184) [From the verse, “(Observing fast is) for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other daysâ€]. Yesterday we were congratulating each other for the beginning of Ramadan and today we give each other condolences for its departure. This is how both days and life are, passing quickly. So hurry up to benefit in Ramadan. 5. Competition of the righteous people in doing good deeds The righteous people compete for good deeds, while the others are captives of their lusts and slaves to their desires. “Then We gave the Book (the Qur'an) for inheritance to such of Our slaves whom We chose. Then of them are some who wrong their ownselves, and of them are some who follow a middle course, and of them are some who are, by Allah's Leave, foremost in good deeds. That is indeed a great grace.“ (35:32) 6. Remembering death and bewaring its suddenness You might not reach another Ramadan, so watch for yourself! source

Ramadan Kareem all! Subhanallah, I have so many for this Ramadan...on top of the list is however increasing my knowledge of tafseer Insha'Allah, not missing any taraweeh prayers as well as tahajud. I should be able to accomplish a good deal Insha'Allah for this is the first ramadan in ages where my schedule is practically free Alhamdulilah. May Allah make it easy on all of us, may He help us reap the wonderful benefits of this blessed month, and may He give us the chance to observe the night of power Insha'allah.

^^Ala wey nooshahay...gabadh, missed ya very much, check your pm Insha'Allah Montreal eh? Aaah, I heard wonderful things about that city...I'm actually planning a weekend getaway there with my girlfriends in early Sept...do any of you know of Nice hotels and interesting places worth visiting there? I have attended couple of get-togethers here and in the States (exclusively sisters), and alhamdulilah I had a blast(mainly due to the fact that it was all girls, of course no pun intended towards the brothers ). I met wonderful people some of whom I still keep in touch with. So AF, It's not a bad idea. I personally think Toronto would be very Convenient for the majority of the Nomads. Lol@prom night for akhwaans...do akhwaans attend prom nights horta? Mr SUBZ...nice guidelines you got there...lol...how about you bring along a cardboard listing those guidelines in bold just to keep reminding the nomads

We Are All Collateral Damage By Zaid Shakir The Roads to Peace The roads to peace are paths of war, The gentle dove will leave her scar. The moral men to say the least, Will kill us all to get their peace. The roads that lead to victories gained, Are filled with people full of pain. Only our Creator knew, We’d kill so many to save so few. The recent terrorist tragedy in London is disheartening. Once again some nefarious force has seen fit to totally disregard innocent human life in pursuit of a vile agenda that few of us know and even fewer could understand. The response of the world leaders assembled in Edinburgh for the G-8 Summit is perhaps more disheartening, as it promises more of the misguided policies that have proven so ineffective in prosecuting the war on terror. The leaders of the Western powers continue to imply that they will fight violence with more violence of their own. If current events are any indicator of future developments, such a policy will only serve to beget yet more terrorism. This is a war being guided on both sides by self-righteous murderers whose motives and proclamations mirror each other. Each side sees God as being exclusively with them. That being the case, the restraint and judiciousness urged by Christian and Islamic theology to guide the execution of war is cast aside with wanton impunity. Each side manipulates a vulnerable public to create a climate that allows for the perpetuation and the inevitable escalation of the ongoing slaughter. Each side reserves the right to use the spectacle of indiscriminate violence to “Shock and Awe†the opposition, yet will deny that its tactics can be described as terrorism. Each side sees their civilian population as hapless, innocent victims, while the suffering innocent civilians on the other side are acceptable collateral damage. There will never be any real progress in ending this terror war, until we realize that we have all become collateral damage, unacceptable collateral damage. That being the case, there is no they or we in this affair. We are they and they are we. When a child in New York never sees his mother again because she was crushed in a collapsed tower at the World Trade Center, we all have suffered an irreplaceable loss. When an impoverished family in Afghanistan is bombed from the face of the Earth by a misguided missile, something of our collective humanity is destroyed by the blast. When a child in Iraq is born with gross birth defects due to his mother’s exposure to depleted uranium, we have all been deformed. When London commuters fear ever again entering the underground, because of the ill-advised actions of a handful of desperate fanatics, their insecurity touches us all. We, the collaterally damaged, will continue to exist in a state of dehumanizing loss, deformity, and insecurity until we rise up, unite, and refuse to support at any level the policies of leaders who continually fail to heed one of the surest of all political lessons: killing innocent civilians will never lead to a positive outcome for the transgressing party. This realization is the first meaningful salvo anyone could fire in a real war on terror. However, as long as we are not as moved by the suffering of innocent civilians anywhere as we are by the suffering of those close to us, it will be a salvo that remains unfired. Imam Zaid Shakir 7/7/05 ------------------------------------------------- For UK sis's and bro's , there's upcoming lectures featuring this Shaikh and others. They seem very interesting, do try and attend them Insha'Allah. For more info on the "We are all collateral damage" lecture Please click here For more info on "Spiritual remedy for the present crisis" and "When all else fails read the directions: Eternal wisdom and present solutions" lectures ... please click here If any of you do decide to go, tell us about them Insha'Allah...Enjoy

Inaa Lilaah Wa Inaa Ileyhi Raajicuun. May Allah swt have mercy on her soul and grant her Jannah. She truly was an inspirational activist.

Masha'allah sis...nice piece! The heart is indeed extremely delicate and needs constant protection for it is where all good and all evil emanate. May Allah swt help us in this constant battle of ridding our hearts of all evil, and strengthening its immunity. p.s. www.islaam.com has a great section on Tazkiyah(purification) for any one who's interested.

I say it's a must listen for Islaamaha SOL as well (well, at least "Caano Daatay" which is the one I got around listening to...will check out the other one another time Insha'Allah) Walee ninku waa nin waxgarad ah oo xaqiiqda taabtay. Aad baan ugu raacsanahay fikradiisa ah, xalka kaliyeeta ee maanta wax wanaajin kara inuu yahay Diinta oo la isku xukumo. Waxaan anu qabaa jaahilnimo aad u weyn iney dhinacan inaga heysato hadaanu nahay Somali, ee Ilaahay siraatul mustaqiim-ka ha inagu hanuuniyo oo diinta qiimaheeda ha na fahansiiyo. Kolkaasaanu isku xukun diineed gaadhi doonaa, Insha'Allah...oh how I dream for this day to come! Inkastoon hadalkiisa oo idil la dhacay, hadana qeyb baan isku dayay inaan soo qoro (ii sax walal hadaan wax khalday ama ku tuntay..ceebtayda maha ). War duub duub hadaydaan ku liqin daxalka laabtiina Dabka iyo hadaan layska dhigin seefta danaaneysa Haweenkii duleynayee hadaan weerka laga deynin Aayaadka soo dagay hadaan daacad loo noqonin Oo diinteynu eednayee hadii aan cayda laga deynin Dugsiyada Qur’an-ka iyo hadaan deyrka lagu weeran Kutubaha hadii aan dagta iyo duudka lagu qaadan Walee wey ka sii dari sidaa doorkan eey tahayee so true! Jamal, Jazak Allah khair walal for sharing this wonderful gabay with us. :cool: ...and btw, the ending was a little abrupt, was there more to it?

^^good to see you're still around Mr. Sis, we're still around. Some are still busy with school (excluding me Thank God), some are busy with life in general, and others have resorted to the 'silent reader' position

Originally posted by Bishaaro: NOW, How in the world are we suppoused to find one? Perhaps by being patient, and when the opportunity arises, not being too analytical I couldn't remember it. I stood there for what felt like an eternity, trying to sift through all the pins I have memorized and I just couldn't come up with the right combination. And this from a girl with a gift for remembering numbers and dates. Now THAT is bizarre. Hon, you're not alone! My memory has not been doing me justice these days either. For some odd reason I seem to be forgetting my car keys and purse everywhere I go nowadays, bal taa adu eeg...ilaahow inoo gargaar

^hmmm, I can so see how that would work...I could actually use one regardless of my mood. Hibo...I don't know whether you have Hasan-al-Muslim or not, but It's an incredibly useful supplication book that contains all types of supplications....in it there's a dua for when going to sleep and after waking up. If you read those, Insha'Allah you won't have to go through this again. Oh and do wudu before sleep...this also helps with nightmares.

Yes, I do! Don't know about the sexy Lingerie though It's Sunnah for the woman to take care of herself, there's nothing freaky about it!