Archive for August 2007
great websites
Find these sites and many more on our blogroll.
Naseeha man :-(
innalillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon
i loved the naseeha man cartoons.
the artist, Zuhair Munshey, passed away recently.
May Allah give him Jannah.
note: please do not slap your sheikh in the face.
tufah
Pornography Addiction: from Muslim Matters
Muslim Matters has a series of beneficial posts. They contain practical guidance and relavant information for young and old, male or female. Don’t miss out. To highlight the major points:
The Addicts: From the Husband’s Perspective
The Addicts: From the Wife’s Perspective
Advice from a “Recovering Addict”
Islamic Advice
NLP/Psychological Advice
Other Advice
Advice from Shaykh Yasir Qadhi
A Talk with the Self by Kamal El-Mekki
Struggling? Wake Up. Get Help. Fight Back.
zfnd
from atheism to islam: why a scientist reverted
A scientist shares how his reversion to Islam was rooted in his love for science, clarity and logic.
“We will soon show them Our signs in the Universe and inside their selves, until it will become quite clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not sufficient as regards your Lord that He is a witness over all things? (The Noble Quran, 41:53)”
zfnd
Muslim Mom’s Cafe: Lets talk, let’s share, let’s care
A man came to the Prophet (Peace be Upon him) and said, ‘O Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy my good companionship? The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said: Your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: Then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said: Then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said: Then your father.
(Bukhari, Muslim).
Showing kindness to our mothers is a integral part of our religion, and kindness doesn’t have to involve intricate plans or large amounts of money. Heres a link that might help ease the long days that involve being a mom, check it out!
“This forum will allow us to talk about the pleasures and challenges of motherhood...”
Okay, so your probably wondering why/how I found this, and why Tufah isn’t posting this rather than myself. Well, keep wondering.
from the about section: “It is my hope that this forum helps unite Muslim moms from all over the world and helps strengthen our bond as an Ummah or community of believers in Islam. InshaAllah I pray this forum is beneficial to you all. I only ask that you pray for me and my family.”
Muslim Mom’s Cafe has a surprising vast array of forums dealing with practically every topic that comes to mind. To skim the diverse spectrum:
Family Issues
Grandmas
Husband/Marriage Issues
Single/Divorced Moms
The Mommies-to-be section includes among others:
Not-pregnant-yet!
Pregnant
After-Birth-Issues
More interesting ones:
Child Nurture (birth to college years)
Education
Work-at-Home
Career Seeking
Dua Corner
Great Muslim Women
Islamic Art
…and one to make the husbands happy: Frugal Living. I can see the husbands’ faces beaming.
Of course, if you happen to know a Muslim Mother whose having a particulary bad day, don’t be afraid to direct her to another popular section: Need Advise/Vent!
“We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth” Quran (46:15).
zfnd
how to: raise a child
The Deen Show interviews Shaykh Islam Rajab in regards to raising a child upon Islam. Heres a clue: It starts before the birth of the baby:
Shaikh Islam Rajab graduated from Madina University with a BS in Islamic Studies. He has 2 ijazas for memorizing the entire Quran and has an ijaza from the Prophetic Masjid in Madina in The Inheritance System in Islam. He also has a MA in Islamic Studies and is a PhD candidate at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He has worked as an Imam for 5 years in Kuwait and 2 years in Albuquerque, NM. He is the Founder of Arees Institute and Foundation and is also currently Imam for Masjid Hamza (Mission Bend) in Houston.
zfnd
good advice
GOOD ADVICE
During one of his journeys, Sari as-Saqati passed by a cave, from which he heard continuous sobbing. Aroused by curiosity, he entered the cave and saw a young man whose body seemed to be wasted away by grief and sadness. Having immediately perceived that the man was a righteous worshipper, Sari humbly asked, “O young man, how is safety achieved?”
He said, “By performing all prescribed acts of worship, by not wronging others, and by repenting to Allah.”
Sari asked, “Can you please deliver a sermon to me?”
The young man said, “The best sermon you can receive is by looking into your own self. I will say this: be obedient to Allah when you are alone, for doing so will atone for your sins, and Allah will then display you to the inhabitants of the heavens.”
zfnd
Why 20,000 Americans Convert to Islam Anually
Miswak the Miracle Brush
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said, “Were it not that I might overburden believers, I would have ordered them to use the Miswak at every prayer”
(Imam Muslim, Vol. 1).
I can’t quite remember my first encounter with the Miswak. It must have been circa the same time as the debut of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I have a vague recollection of strutting across the playground with a Miswak sticking out of my mouth being admired by all my fellow third graders. I believe I tried to convince them I chewed steel as well. I have a stronger memory of constantly ducking underneath my desk during class and spitting what seemed like an endless amount of fiber.
In any case, perhaps one early morning you were in your uncle’s bathroom rummaging through the medicine cabinet with little/no light, trying to find toothpaste (by the way that’s pretty nasty, please use your own toothpaste). As you move the 5th bottle of Tiger Balm something solid hits the sink with a twang of a dropped pencil. Flipping the light switch you find yourself staring at a piece of………wood? It’s one of those scenes during life, when you know exactly what just happened, but somehow it just doesn’t seem to add up.
Then again maybe I’m the only one who has family that seems bent on collecting a globally diverse array of foreign labeled toothpaste tubes.
No worries though! Let’s try to understand exactly what this powerful dental hygiene tool is, and why everyone has an uncle who has one stashed in the depths of their bathroom cabinets.
Okay-lets just try to focus on the first one.
Background
The Miswak is a natural toothbrush made from the twigs of the Salvadora persica. The Miswak is also referred to as Siwak, Neem, African Chewing Stick, and the non technical, ‘piece of wood.’ Oh, and its not only found in the those countries.
American Indians used fresh bark from the prickly ash tree to clean their teeth. The sap from this tree kills bacteria. Other tree types that are used are the arak tree, peelo tree, olive, walnut, and other trees with bitter roots.
Beginning
Middle
End (s)
(pun intended)
Application
Aisha (RA) said:’The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said, ‘It ( Miswak) is a purification for the mouth and it is a way of seeking Allah’s pleasures.’ (Source:Sahih Bukhari)
Advantages
- Instant reward in this world, and the hereafter InshaAllah!
- does not require: water or sink
- easily carried
- disposable
- biodegradable
- everyone’s uncle has one (trust me)
HOW TO USE THE MISWAK
STEP ONE:
Simply scrape off about half an inch from the tip.
STEP TWO:
Then chew the tip gently until brush-like
STEP THREE:
Start brushing horizontally.
STEP FOUR:
After brushing wash the tip.
STEP FIVE:
Store miswak in packet provided so it doesn’t become dirty.
STEP SIX:
Before going sleep store the miswak in a glass filled with water and put the part of the miswak that was used and leave it overnight to be soaked.
STEP SEVEN:
In the morning cut the bristles and start from step one again, this ensures u have clean bristles every day so that it is more hygienic and effective.
[Source: Collected & Edited by MiracleBrush.com Team]
Tips
- a Miswak should be one hand span in length
- It shouldn’t be too brittle, or too soft
- If it becomes dry, soak in rose water to ensure the end is soft
- wash after every use
- the best way to shape it is using a tool that isn’t too sharp (kitchen knife) or too dull (your little sisters scissors) but rather something in between like an unused garden tool cutter
my personal recommendation:
Food for Thought
Miswak. It is the ultimate toothbrush. Remember that one time you were talking to that person who had horrible bad breath? Remember how you kept trying to avoid having them talk by being quiet, and how that only made them talk more? Bad breath is not only embarrassing, its not in accordance with our Deen.
How much time and effort would you put into impressing a potential spouse? How about getting ready for a job interview? You definitely would not plan on preparing for similar events without taking care of your oral hygiene. Try and see if you can take care of your oral hygiene every time you step out of the house, and especially when you come back into house. Your family deserves the effort. Finally, imagine getting ready for prayer and facing our Creator, Allah Subhanhau wa tala. The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) himself, used to use the miswak before every prayer (Sahih Muslim, Vol.1). If you can’t snag a Miswak, at least spend some time cleaning your mouth beforehand. Notice that doesn’t mean during Salaah (gross, man). Oh, and everyone can see and smell through you, if you pop a piece of gum or an altoid, it is not the same.
Lets try our best to follow the Sunnah. Perhaps next time we open our mouth to tell someone cleanliness is half our religion we’ll actually be following it, inshaAllah. Our Prophet (Peace be Upon him) expected us to do so.
Abu Ayyub narrates that Rasulullah (Peace be Upon him) said:’Four things are amongst the practices of the Ambiyaa—circumcision, application of perfume, Miswaak and marriage’. (Source:Ahmad and Tirmidhi)
—————————————————
Miswak is also contributing in the fight against desertification. Desertification? No, not the one involving a
pint of Blue Bell and one spoon. See effects of Salvadora Persica “Miswak tree” on stopping deserts and fixing the soil, thereby affecting our environment and global climate.
translation: It can stop the onset of an approaching desert. Whoa.
And here you thought it couldn’t handle your mouth’s bacteria ? Tsk tsk…
‘Piece of wood,’ indeed!
sources
-miraclebrush.com a wonderful resource dedicated to implementing this sunnah, check it out!
-wikipedia search: ‘miswak‘
- watch out, its Peelu USA!
zfnd
Saladin: The Animated Series
This series is a project out of Malaysia, it won the Tokyo Big Sight Award at the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2007, the world’s largest anime exhibition. I have a feeling people outside the target audience (10-12 year olds) will be tuning in for this animated series…
Behind-the-Scenes
zfnd
