NO EID SHOPPING CHALLENGE

Are you ready for another challenge?

It's almost the mid of Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr is approaching.
Undoubtedly, this Eid is going to be a different one. 
Instead, Let's make it a special one!
Say No to Eid shopping this year and Join this campaign with me.

"It is Sunnah to adorn oneself for Eid by wearing one's best clothes".
Let us all wear the best clothes we have in our closets which have been rarely worn and are kept for special occasions. I'm sure all of us will find not one, but more than one.

Why?

This year many muslims all around the globe are suffering during this COVID-19 dark times and this campaign is in solidarity with all those people who are facing this ordeal who can't celebrate Eid the way they used to.
Let's be united together and help those in need . ( In addition to the zakah and zakat-al-fitr.)

How can I help?

• Feed a family.
• Pay some one's school fees.
• Pay someone's bills.
• Pay someone's rent.
• Help someone restart a business.
• Buy clothes for the needy.

The Prophet SAWS said "Give charity without delay , for it stands in the way of calamity".

You will not only be rewarded and blessed for this good intention and deed of yours but also have a lot of peace and contentment InshaAllah 

"Those who spend on charity will be richly rewarded" ( Quran 57:10)

Who doesn't wants to be rich here and in the hereafter!SubhanAllah!

"Sadaqah (Charity) wipes out sins like water extinguishes fire."

Who doesn't wants their sins to be forgiven!

Prophet Muhammad saws said, "When a man dies, his deeds come to an end, but three , recurring charity, or knowledge by which people benefit, or a pious child who prays for him." (Tirmidhi)

We are standing amidst a global pandemic where nothing is certain. By doing charity now, we can can benefit ourselves in this world and the next. InshaAllah

So, Are you with me?

#SayNotoEidShopping

 Have a blessed Ramadan!

-Hafsa Mohd.

SUNNAH SUHOOR.

Assalamuwalaikum wrwb.

Sehri also called as Suhoor is the meal taken before Fajr/dawn.

Benefits of Suhoor.

Prophet Muhammad SAWS said "Eat Sehri , because in it lie great blessings." (Bukhari & Muslim)

• Through Sehri , we differentiate ourselves from the Ahlul-Kitaab.(Jews and Christians)
• Sehri meal provides strength for the day.
• It promotes greater sincerity in "Ibadah".
• Having Sehri , Sunnah is followed.
• Avoids bad temper which is a result of hunger usually.
• We get the opportunity to do dua and dhikr during this time.

Fasting has been ordained for us in order to develop Taqwa , while medically speaking it does have a detoxification/purification effect on the body.It is not meant to weaken the body and induce the process of protein breakdown that occurs with long periods of starvation , which is prevented by having suhoor as it moderates or lessens the time that the body is without the food.

Time to have Suhoor-

Prophet saws said that the sehri should be delayed as much as possible whilst the iftaar should be opened immediately once the time sets in. Hence, the latest time is better and greater in reward to eat sehri making sure not to eat once the fajr time has set in.

Food to eat during Suhoor-

"A healthy sunnah suhoor is a healthy mind set".

Abandon the fried foods , left-over samosas, and choose the sunnah in a simple and nutritional suhoor having an odd number of dates and a glass of milk with a light healthy meal if needed.

It is narrated by Abu Huraira that the Prophet saws said," The best suhoor for the believer is dates".

(Abu-Dawood)

"And Indeed, for you in livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from that which is in their bellies, and for you in them are numerous benefits,and from them you eat." (Quran 23:21)

Packed with iron, potassium, vitamins A,B and K, glucose, fiber , calcium ,etc there is no wonder that our beloved Prophet saws recommended it.

The right meal during Suhoor will help you be energetic in your fast through out the day.

It has to be a necessary combination of carbohydrates,proteins,fats and water.

Carbohydrates-

Good carbs give you the right energy. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and easily used by the body for energy but can play with the sugar/glucose levels if the wrong type of carbohydrates are used.

Avoid Simple Carbohydrates.

It is advisable that their consumption be limited to small quantities. 

Go for Complex Carbohydrates.

These are rich in fiber,vitamins and minerals. They take a longer time to digest and they don't fluctuate the sugar levels. They act as body's long term fuel.

Proteins-

Proteins maintain body strength , prevent starvation and keep you full.

Proteins are very important as they prevent excessive breakdown of muscle during the fast.

If one doesn't consume sufficient protein for suhoor then it will manifest in a feeling of weakness and neither will you be able to do any physical work, but also feel lazy in doing ibadah like praying or reading Quran.

Fats-

Did you know that your brain is about 60% fat? The good fats you eat strongly influence your level of brain function.

Not having enough fats in your Suhoor meal can lead to depression,poor sleep, lack of concentration,fatigue and allergies.

Please note that I mentioned good saturated fats. I am totally not talking about samosas deep fried in oils,or other junk foods. These fatty acids can cause serious health problems.

Water-

Nobody has to acclaim the benefits of water, which is essential for survival and should be consumed in the Suhoor meal in moderate quantity to prevent dehydration.

Best foods during Suhoor-

• low gi brown rice, whole grain breads
• low gi fruits like apples, strawberries,banana,etc
• some protein in the form of eggs,meat,beans,etc
• fat from butter,nuts or meat
• soups
• dates
• water

Prophet saws said "In three things , are great blessings, In Jama'ah, in eating Thareed, and in Suhoor."

Thareed is a soup mixture with meat and barley bread or a mixture of dates and barley bread.

It is the perfect combination of low gi bread containing complex carbohydrates as well as high fiber content, and meat which is rich in proteins and fats provides a power sunnah suhoor.

Dates although a high GI fruit, they are an exemption as they are unique and no other fruit can come close in terms of nutritional value. 75-85% of date being glucose and fructose while it also contains proteins, fats, vitamins such as Vitamin A,B1,B12 and minerals including calcium, phosphate,potassium, sulfur, sodium,magnesium,cobalt,zinc,fluorine,copper,manganese, and a good amount of cellulose fiber.

(GI- Glycemic Index is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels.)

May Allah swt make our fasts easy upon us , accept all our fasts and reward us.

InshaAllah Ameen

Have a Healthy and Blessed Ramadan!

-Hafsa Mohd.

Dietician & Nutritionist. 

RAMADAN REPORT : The first ten days.

Assalamuwalaikum wrwb.

We have almost reached the end of Ramadan's first ten days, and it's petrifying how fast they have passed.

For most of us we are moving in fast track ahead of all our goals Alhumdulillah .
For others, we need to kick it into high gear.
And, for some, we need to get started.

Regardless of what our situation is, it's always better for self-evaluation.

Umar Ibn Al Khattab RA said, " Hold yourself accountable before you are held accountable, and weigh your deeds before they are weighed for you".

Keeping this is mind, here is a simple report we can use to grade our-self to compute how well we have utilized the ten days of this blessed month.

Grades-
A- My Ramadan is excellent and I'm reaching my goals.
B- My Ramadan is very good but there is scope for improvement.
C- More conscious effort needs to be put in utilizing my time wisely.
D- Giving up on my goals easily, frustrated , tired and not trying to achieve them.
E- I feel I am Lost!

Subjects-

PRAYERS-

All five prayed on time.
All five completed within the first hour of prayer time.
Sunnahs prayed.
Nawafil prayed.
Taraweeh prayers in congregation with family members.

QURAN-

Reading.
Reading with translation.
Reading tafseer.
Memorization.
Listening.

DUA-

Making dua after every prayer.
Following dua list in the most important times like breaking of fast , tahajjud.

DHIKR-

Keeping your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah at all times.
Doing Dhikr while doing chores.

SADAQAH/CHARITY-

Zakat paid.
Weekly Sadaqah.
Asking the kids to contribute in the Sadaqa box.
Participating in iftar kits , feeding the hungry and the poor , etc
Non-monetary Sadaqah like smiling more often, etc

BEHAVIOR-

Avoid Backbiting.
Avoid Lying.
Avoid arguing.
Controlling Anger.
Being Patient.
Respecting parents , elders, etc.
Being Kind to children.
Avoiding over-eating and food wastage.
Maintaining good relations and being more considerate with neighbors.

Now, is the time to evaluate our-self and start rectifying our mistakes to make the most of this Blessed Month before we actually run out of time and this month too passes away in the blink of an eye.

Ya ALLAH! Help us to strive to do good deeds in this blessed month.
Have a Blessed Ramadan!

-Hafsa Mohd.

The POWER of TAHAJJUD

Assalamuwalaikum wrwb

What is Tahajjud Prayer?

Salah is one of the pillar of Islam. A prayer generally means the remembrance of Allah swt and getting His mercy and blessings.
Salah is of two types : First is obligatory and second is the Nafl (supererogatory prayer) which is optional.
"Nafl" is an Arabic word , which means to get "something extra".

Allah mentions in the Quran "And from [part of the night, pray  with it as additional (worship) for you, it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station." [ 17:79 ]

The above mentioned Ayah shows that there is one supplementary mode of asking Allah swt for His compassion, which is performed during night time and it results in finding a blessed rank on the day of Judgement. The prayer that is referred here is indeed the salah of Tahajjud.

Timing of Tahajjud Prayer 

"And those who spend (part of ) the night to their Lord prostrating and standing in prayer" [25:64]

Tahajjud prayer is implemented in the final third of a night after waking up from one's sleep.

Requisites of performing Tahajjud prayer

1. Making a clear intention of performing Tahajjud .
2. Sustaining a complete state of cleanliness and doing the ablution (wudhu) just like any other normal prayer.
3. Assign a clean and quiet place in the house away from any distractions.
4. Offer atleast 2 rakat's up to 12 depending one one's will power.
5. Try to emulate the Prophet (saws) during this auspicious hour of the night.
6. Make this prayer a part of one's routine as Prophet (saws) disliked this act. Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (R.A) "O' Abdullah! Do not be like so and so , who used to offer Tahajjud at night and then stopped offering it." (Bukhari)
7. Don't forget to make dua to Allah swt for one's just and rightful requests and prayers in order to get benefited from this rewarding hours of darkness.

The power of Tahajjud Prayer

Tahajjud Prayer is that power which will make you wonder how amazingly the duas are answered by your Lord. It is like an arrow which does not miss it's target! (Imam Shafi)

Since , it is difficult to rouse from one's slumber , that is the reason ,why this salah carries greatest amount of rewards and great status from Allah swt.

"The best of prayers after the prescribed prayers is prayer in the depths of the night, and the best of fasting after the month of Ramadan is fasting in the months of Allah (Muharram)," [Muslim]

This Hadith is the testimony of the fact that it is the most desirable form of supplication near the Almighty after the ones which are mandatory to act upon.
It is a Gateway to Allah's compassion and mercy.


The Magic of Tahajjud Prayer

Did you know that Allah swt descends every night to the lowest of the heavens to answer our dua's?

Include Tahajjud prayer in your daily routine and you will start noticing the immense amount of mental satisfaction.
Personally , I feel at ease and at peace with myself.
While my duas initially were solely based on those quick fulfillment's I used to yearn for, I slowly began to diversify my list of duas and finally reached a stage where I would just sit and thank Allah for every single thing that I had never thanked before. I could never count my blessings I had been bestowed with and so I would remain an indebted slave.

The calmness of the night , the peace and the serentiy, the feeling of sitting infront of your Lord, pouring your heart out is inimitable.
Tears roll down....anger, frustration, disappointment , all kinds of negative emotions are soon replaced with peace , tranquility , contentment and mental satisfaction.

It is a time to reflect and  speak with your Creator.
Cry out to the Almighty during this time and see His Mercy touch you miraculously!

As rightly said,
"Verily in the remembrance of Allah , do hearts find rest" [13:28]

If you haven't included Tahajjud Prayer in your routines yet, NOW IS THE TIME!
Don't let this Ramadan pass by, by not offering Tahajjud prayers . 
Seek for His Mercy , Ask for Forgiveness , And remember the whole ummah in your prayers.

-Hafsa Mohd.

Quarantine and Gratitude...

Come , close your eyes and see the world with me.

What would you see a month back and what do you see now?

All those little things we took for granted are not with us today.

You hear the Athan, but there is no congregation of prayers in mosque.
You have the online classes, but there is no exposure of your child to the school premises.
You have friends and relatives around you, but you are not able to see them.
You have food to eat but , no one to share.
You have a car , but you cant go outside .
You have money, but you can't go out for shopping.
Everything is virtual around you and you are yearning for real!

Did we ever ponder and reflect what are the blessings and rewards we are being deprived off in the current situation?

The chance to erase our sins by walking to the mosque in a state of wudhu.
The chance to make accepted duas between Athan and Iqamah.
The rewards of the congregation prayers.
The chance to have the angels pray for us as we wait in the mosque.
The chance and rewards to personally exchange face-to-face salams with our neighbors.
The chance and rewards of meeting each other for islamic gatherings.
The rewards of visiting a sick.
The rewards of exchanging foods with neighbors.
The rewards of attending Friday prayers.

As it is rightly said , "The value of a thing is only realized after it being lost."
How many of these free for all rewards are at stake ? It breaks my heart to know what we might be missing in Ramadan.

Sadness mounted in me until I came across this Hadith , "Worship in a time of turmoil is as if he had emigrated to me"
SubhanAllah!!
What a beautiful thought to keep us motivated to perform acts of worship during these tough times.

Although things might not look good right now, There is always light at the end of the tunnel -We can look forward with the hope that one day , InshaAllah everything will get back to normal again.

We will be able to walk to the mosques racing each other immediately after the call of prayer begging our Lord for forgiveness.
We will be able to see our friends and relatives without fearing our lives.
We will get to travel places and fly around the world.
We will get to shop again with a new attitude toward money after we are being forced to "make do"with so little!
We will be able to value and protect the beautiful nature around us.
We will be able to weigh out the rewards being given to us by our Lord in a million free ways!

And, We will get back to our lives with a newfound appreciation for the things that made us feel "alive"!
InshaAllah

I end my piece of writing with my favorite verse from the Holy Quran from Surah Rehman
"So which of the favors of your Lord will you deny"

Be grateful and appreciate the things around you!

-Hafsa MazharUddin

My son.....My pillar of strength!

Assalamuwalaikum wrwb

19th March, 2020 was that day where all I wanted was to hold my little man in my arms.

Today its' been one month post elbow fracture surgery of my son ( Mohd.Rayyan) and I just thought to share how we overcame this ordeal.

Thursday, 12th March,2020

It was just a normal day when my kids were playing and suddenly i heard my son's cry and he came running to me. He complained that he had a fall and his hand is paining.
I couldn't figure out what happened and just like most of the time I thought it's a small hurt and he'd be fine. He slept on my laps after crying for a little while. I thought the pain subsided and he is fine.
He got up with the same pain and was finding difficulty to move his arm.
We thought it could be a muscle spasm. It was late night so we had to take him to the doctor the next day.
On Friday , we took him to the emergency and we came back with the good news that it was not a fracture and it was a muscle pull.

Next day, we get a call from the doctor asking us to get him to the hospital as it was a fracture.

Reason for negligence- The doctors in the emergency were more concerned about the other patients due to the Covid 19 outbreak and they didn't give a proper check on the x-ray report.

We immediately rushed to the hospital and the doctor said that it's a clear fracture on the elbow joint.
The bad news was that , since it's on the elbow joint he may need a surgery to avoid dislocation or hindrance in movement in future.

And so it started.......

He got a big plaster on his hand and was advised to keep his hand at 90 degrees at all times.
This little boy was smiling at all times when the nurse and the doctor were putting on the plaster.

We came back home and were asked to come back in 5 days to check whether he needs a surgery or not.

5 days passed..... my husband took him to the hospital and came back with the another bad news .
All the time till their return my heart was beating fast praying that there shouldn't be a call for surgery.
When i was announced the news of surgery next day, I couldn't stop my tears.
Tears continued to roll down the whole evening that day.
For some reason , he seemed all the more lovely and adorable. I just didn't want to leave him even for a second.
We kept him awake for a little longer that night since he had to stop eating or drinking 5 hours pre-surgery.
He missed everyone , took names of all his near and dear ones before sleeping.
He even kept a milk on the side table saying me that he would drink it after he wakes up.

The day arrived ..

We woke him up early and my husband took him to the hospital. I was asked to stay at home because of my other kids and due to the covid19 outbreak going around.
He spoke to me before being dressed up in his surgery gown . Little did he knew what's going around or what's happening with him.
After 2 hours , alhumdulillah he was shifted to the room. He only cried asking his dad to change his dress and then slept after being changed.

After half day he was discharged and bought back home.
As a mother that half day was no less than a mountain falling on me. I hugged him immediately after he came back.
Rayyan acted a bit strange for 5 minutes tried to cry and ask me why wasn't I there with him....
He got back to normal after a few sorry's and tight hugs from his mommy.
He fell asleep over me and was overwhelmed with get well soon cards by his sisters once he woke up. He was happy and continued to get back into his routine.

There are countless things I have learned with this little man who patiently overcame this with a smile on his face:)

He taught me patience

Not once did he complain about the surgery or the plaster in all this one month. He has been patiently managing everything with a smile. It's surprising to see how a small soul has a brimming amount of patience inside him.

He taught me to be grateful

At times , when I questioned him what did he do to his hand , he always replied that he has his other hand and it doesn't effect him! SubhanAllah he never denounced about it.

He taught / gave me strength

He wiped my tears and gave me strength. He assured me that he is fine every single day! He taught me the real meaning of strength. He is indeed a strong boy mashAllah.

Nothing stopped him from doing his best

He continued doing almost every little things from his online classes, drawing or coloring , hands on activities , making videos for his teacher , etc and nothing stopped him to give his best!

You are the beautiful gift that I receive every day.
My life is magical because of you, my dearest son.
You are the rainbow in my sky!
I LOVE YOU!

May you be blessed with all the bounties of life and in the hereafter.
May you be the coolness to your parent's eyes
May you keep shining always!


-Hafsa Mazharuddin

Ramadan is coming soon.....

Assalamuwalaikum wrwrb!

Ramadan is just around the corner. As much as we are all excited to witness the best time around the year and gain rewards, there is something missing this time due to the Covid 19 outbreak across the globe. Amidst this pandemic we are all aware , Ramadan 2020 is not going to be the same and it is going to come with "more ___________".

"RESPONSIBILITIES"

This Ramadan we have a bigger responsibility! 

As a mother , I just thought to share what all we can do and what are the things which can multiply our rewards.

Be a responsible muslim.

Muslims must ensure compliance to the directions of their respective country's authorities.

Avoid Iftar Parties

Something which we eagerly wait for "iftar parties"!
Have it with your family within your homes and avoid socializing with anyone.

Make your home - the best place to worship.

I personally would miss badly going to taraweehs. It's the best part of Ramadan. Listening to the imam and praying would really bring a lot of peace to my heart especially the duas would sink my heart.
Now that we are going to miss out on this , pray taraweeh with your family. Learn/Revise your Surahs and duas which you can recite during the prayers.

Involve kids in every act of worship

Children like to get involved in everything so why not now!
Involve your kids big or small in all acts of worship in Ramadan.
Recite Quran with them , Pray with them, do dua with them. Let them help you in the chores as well.
This will not only help you bring them closer to their deen but also encourage them to do good deeds more with a sense of responsibility.

Do some interesting activities with your family and kids

Here are some activities we can all do with our family. I will inshAllah share details about them each in my coming posts.

1) Sadaqa box
2) Good deeds tree
3) Dua box
4) Our little Masajid
5) Ramadan planner

Pay Zakat or Charity

Keeping the current situation in mind, we can pay a little more than usual to help those in need during these crisis so that they can keep fasts and have their Ramadan.
Believe me you will be rewarded abundantly!
Avoid cash transactions as much as possible and use digital transfer to your poor relatives , orphans, food / rations kits, etc.
Encourage kids to add money into their Sadaqa box.

Avoid Eid shoppings

My kids are already excited for Eid before Ramadan itself but we must do a little sacrifice this time.
There are people really suffering during this time . Let your children know about it too.
Wear your best attire . Perhaps , it could be any new dress which is there in the closet or any dress which is meant for special events and rarely worn. Kids will be happy anyway!:)

May Allah help us reach this Ramadan in the highest state of Imaan.
May Allah make it better than the previous Ramadans.
May Allah shower His mercy on all of us!
May the blessings on Ramadan bring an end to this pandemic.

Ameen Ya Rab!

Stay safe and Be responsible! Have a blessed Ramadan!

-Hafsa Mazharuddin