Once it’s gone, it’s gone. This saying is very relevant when it comes to seizing opportunities and overcoming self-doubt.

Those everyday opportunities; perhaps a chance to present your opinion, to say what you think or to ask your question. These opportunities are the ones I find are missed most often.

So many people struggle when it comes to speaking up and saying what they think. They know what they want to say but they just can’t get the words out. Self-doubt is stopping them and before they know it the opportunity has been missed. The time has passed and once it’s gone… it’s gone.

Does this situation sound familiar?

You’re in a work meeting, classroom, at a social event…. You have a valid question or point to make. You formulate your thoughts (usually word for word) in your head. You know exactly what you want to say. You know it makes sense. You’re even confident in your mind that you’re right. The words are literally on the tip of your tongue.

In your head, you repeat what you want to say. You know your point or question is a good one. You start thinking about what will happen when you speak. A voice in your head is saying… what if I’m wrong, what if my point is irrelevant, what if I get asked a difficult question… what if… what if… Then, it’s too late.

The time has passed. The conversation has already moved on. Or, even worse, someone else has made the exact same point you wanted to make (and taken the credit). How frustrating. That could have been you.

 

For some people this may happen several times a day. The more it happens, the harder it is to break free from that nagging voice in your head.

That nagging voice which makes you question yourself. Makes you question your own knowledge and ability. That nagging voice is called self-doubt.

Self-doubt plagues us all. It’s only natural to question ourselves from time to time. But when you continually let it stop you doing or saying the things you know you should, it becomes a mental barrier to gaining self-confidence.

Once you start questioning yourself in your head, you’ve entered a Danger Zone. Your aim is stop yourself entering this Danger Zone. You need to avoid the “what ifs” at all costs. Overcoming self-doubt is essential if you want to speak up and sound confident.

So how can you do that? The good news is that overcoming self-doubt is possible. Here are 6 tips that will help:

 

1. Tell yourself you know more than you think.

Ask yourself… when was the last time someone questioned your opinion? When were you last wrong? Whenever I ask this question to people who doubt themselves, there’s a silence. They can’t think of a situation. It’s irrational to make the assumption you’re wrong if you can’t remember it happening before.

2. Prepare yourself for the voice that will try to stop you.

Forewarned is for forearmed as they say. If you know you’re about to enter the Danger Zone, you are aware that the ‘voice’ is waiting to hijack you. You’ll be in a stronger position to stop it. Be super-aware the next time you sense self-doubt creeping in, and then literally exclude the voice. Do not allow it a say in the matter. Block out the “what ifs.”

3. Don’t wait for someone to invite you to get involved or share your thoughts.

People who doubt themselves often expect an invitation to speak. If you have something to say, say it. Don’t overthink it. You have as much right to speak as anyone else. Remind yourself that people will respect you more for sharing your thoughts.

4. Know how you look and sound.

If you make use of your voice, facial expressions and hands it will make a huge difference to how you come across to people. You can project confidence by making some small adjustments. Being able to control how you look and sound will boost your confidence and encourage you to speak up.

5. Consider the worst case scenario.

Think to yourself – “what’s the worst that can happen?” Is it really going to be that bad? If you doubt yourself, your default position will be to expect the worst. Counteract this by trying to think of the last time something catastrophic happened as a result of you doing or saying something. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to recall such a catastrophe. Your imagination is fooling you.

6. Stop past failures getting in your way.

Squeeze what you can from any failures you’ve had and then set them aside. Bad memories are often the reason why you stop yourself doing things. You can’t expel these experiences from your mind completely but with disciplined thinking, you should be able to put them to the back of your mind so that they don’t interfere with your decision making.

ADVICE

Overcoming Self-Doubt And Starting Seizing Opportunities

Mohamed 0

Read More

Today we are going to give 21 tips to help you remove your sins not by us but by our prophet peace be upon him. it is a well-known fact that we all are sinners, we commit sins daily, that is why we are in need to a way to help us get rid of this sins. 

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “All of the children of Adam are sinners, and the best sinners are those who repent.” Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2499 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Suyuti

1) Repenting

Allah says : “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, if your sins reached the clouds of the sky and if you then ask forgiveness of Me, I will forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.” [Hadith Qudsi]

2) Performing Prayer

The Prophet (saws) said :“When the time for a prayer comes, if any Muslim performs ablution well and offers his prayer with humility and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this applies to for all times.” [ Muslim ]

3) Performing Wudhu (ablution)

The Prophet (saws) said :“He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.” [ Sahih Muslim ]

4) Attending the Jumu'ah Salah (Friday Prayer)

The Prophet (saws) said :“The five prayers and from one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer is an expiation (of the sins committed in between their intervals) if major sins are not committed.” [ Sahih Muslim ]. “Whoever takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, then uses his (hair) oil or perfumes himself with the scent of his house, then proceeds (for Jumua prayer) and does not separate two persons sitting together (in the mosque), then prays as much as (Allah has) written for him and then remains silent while the Imam is delivering the Khutba, his sins in-between the present and the last Friday would be forgiven.” [ Sahih Al-Bukhari ]

5) Waiting for Prayer

Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.S) asked : “Shall I not tell you of something by means of which Allah erases sins and raises you in status?”. They said :“Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He (saws) said : “Doing wudoo’ well even when it is difficult, taking many steps to the mosques and waiting for praying after prayer. That is (equivalent) to guarding the frontier.” [ Muslim ]

6) Doing good deeds

Do more good deeds because Allah said :“ Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (small sins).” [ Quran : 11 verse 114 ]

7) Performing Umrah and Hajj

The Prophet (saws) said :“Whoever performs Hajj for Allah’s pleasure and does not have sexual relations with his wife, and does not do evil or sins then he will return (after Hajj free from all sins) as if he were born anew.” [ Sahih Al-Bukhari ] “The performance of Umra is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise.” [ Sahih Al-Bukhari ]

8) Saying ‘Ameen’ after the Imam

The Prophet (saws) said :“When the Imam says 'Ameen’, you should all say 'Ameen’ at that time, and he whose 'Ameen’ coincides with the 'Ameen’ of the angels, all his past sins will be forgiven.” [ Bukhari ]

9) Calling out Adhaan

The Prophet (saws) said :“The muadhin (the one who call out the prayer) will receive forgiveness to the extent to which his voice reaches, and every moist and dry place will testify on his behalf; and he who attends (the congregation of) prayer will have 25 prayers recorded for him.” [ Aby Dawud ]

10) Walking to the Prayer Place

The Prophet (saws) said :“If he performs ablution completely and then goes to the mosque with the sole intention of perfoming the prayer, and nothing urges him to proceed to the mosque except the prayer, then on every step which he takes towards the mosque, he will be raised one degree or one of his sins will be forgiven. The angels will keep on asking Allah’s forgiveness and blessings for everyone of you so long as he keeps sitting at his praying place. The angels will say, 'O Allah, bless him! O Allah, be merciful to him!’ as long as he does not do a thing which gives trouble to others.” [ Bukhari ]

11) Giving charity

The Prophet (saws) said :The charity erases the bad deed like the water puts out the fire. [ Tirmidhi ]

12) Asking forgiveness from others on wronging them 

 The Prophet (saws) said :“Whoever has oppressed another persons concerning his reputation or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Ressurection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him.” [ Bukhari ]

 

13) Reciting Salawaat (Blessings) on Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.S 

The Prophet (saws) said :“He who sends blessings on me once Allah sends blessings on him ten times and removes from him ten times and raises him by ten degrees.” [ al-Nasa'i ]

14) Being kind to animals

The Prophet (saws) said :“A prostitute was forgiven by Allah, because passing by a panting dog near a well and seeing that the dog was about to die of thirst, she took off her shoe, and tying it with head-cover she drew out some water for it. So Allah forgave her because of that.” [ Sahih Al-Bukhari ]

15) Praising Allah after Eating Food

The Prophet (saws) said :“ He who has taken food and says at the end : Al-hamdu lillahi-lladhi at'amani hadha, wa razaqanihi min ghairi haulin minni wa la quwwatin (All praise is due to Allah Who has given me food to eat and provided it without any endeavor on my part or any power), all his past (minor) sins will be forgiven.” [ At-Tirmidhi ]

16) Removing Obstacles from the Road or Way

The Prophet (saws) said :“ While a man was on the way, he found a thorny branch of tree on the way and removed it. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him (his sins).” [ Bukhari ]

17) Hide Other’s faults and sins

The Prophet (saws) said :“ He who conceals (the faults) of a Muslim, Allah would conceal his faults in the world and in the Hereafter. Allah is at the back of a servant so long as the servant is at the back of his brother.” [ Sahih Muslim ] He (saws) also said :“ The believer will be brought close to his Lord until He conceals him and makes him confess hin sin. Allah will say, 'Do you remember such and such a sin?’ The man will say, 'Yes, I admit it.’ The Lord will say, 'I concealed it for you in the world and I forgave you for it today.” [ Bukhari ]

18) Observing Patience during Hard Times

The Prophet (saws) said :“ Whenever a believer is stricken with a calamity (discomfort, illness, anxiety, grief or worry), even the pricking of a thorn, his sins are expiated for him.” [ Bukhari, Muslim ] He (saws) also said :“ When Allah loves someone He tests them, as for whoever is content Allah is pleased with him, and as for whoever is discontented, Allah is displeased with him.” [Tirmidhi, classed as Hasan]

19) Making some dhikr

The Prophet (saws) said :“ Whoever says, 'Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi’, 100 times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.” [ Sahih Al-Bukhari ]

He (saws) said :“ If anyone glorifies Allah after every prayer 33 times (SubhanAllah), and praises Allah 33 times (Alhamdulillah), and declares His Greatness 33 times ( Allah hu Akbar ), ninety-nine times in all, and to complete a hundred says : 'La ilaaha illal-lah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd wa huwa 'alaa kulli shai-in qadeer’ his sins will be forgiven even if these are as abundant as the foam of the sea.” [ Sahih Muslim ]

He (saws) said :“ If anyone says: Astaghfirullah-alladhi la ilaaha illa Huwal-Haiyyul-Qayyoumu, wa atoubi ilaihi ( I seek forgiveness of Allah besides Whom there is non worthy of worship, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, and I turn to Him in repentance ), his sins will be forgiven even if he should have run away from the battlefield.” In another narration, these words are to be repeated 3 times.[ Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and Al-Hakim ] He (saws) said :“ If anyone sits in an assembly where there is clamor and says before getting up to leave 'Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu Allah ilaaha illa-anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayka’ (Glory to be to You, O Allah, I begin with declaring all praise is to You, I testify there is no god but You; I ask Your pardon & turn to You in repentance), he will be forgiven any sin (of the tongue) he might have committed in that assembly.” [ Tirmidhi]

20) Saying 'Subhan-Allah’ 100 times

Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas ( May Allah be pleased with him ) reported : We were with the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) when he asked :“Is anyone of you unable to earn a thousand good deeds?” One of those present asked: “How can one earn thousand good deeds in a day?” He (SAWS) replied :“By saying :'SubhanAllah 100 times, then 1000 good deeds will be recorded for him or 1000 sins will be blotted out from his record.” [ Muslim ]

21) The best duaa for seeking forgiveness is to say : “Allahuma Anta Rabbi, la ilaha illa Anta, khalaqtani wa ana 'abduka, wa ana 'ala 'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu, a'udhu bika min sharri ma sana'tu, abu'u laka bini'matika 'alayya, wa abu'u laka bidhanbi faghfir li, fa innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa Anta.” (O Allah! You are my Lord. There is no god except You. You have created, I am Your slave, I hold to Your Covenant as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me and I confess my sins. Pardon me, for none but You has the power to pardon). He who supplicates in these terms during the day with firm belief in it and dies on the same day (before the evening), he will be one of the dwellers of Jannah; anf if anyone supplicates in these terms during the night with firm belief in it and dies before the morning, he will be one of the dwellers of Jannah.“ [ Al-Bukhari ] May Allah erase our sins and save us from the torment of Hell. Ameen

May the most merciful, ease our pain and suffering, grant us jannatul firdaus, bring us closer to him, place us amongs those who are patient, kind, forgiving, compassionate, loving, honest, warm, humble gentle and pious. allahumma ameen.

About Islam

21 Tips To Help Erase Sins - Prophet Muhammed SAW

Mohamed 0

Read More

The black stone was a meteorite that was sent down by Allah Almighty to Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael, peace be upon both of them, to give the precise location of where the Kaaba was to be built by them. We believe that Prophets Abraham and Ishmael built the Kaaba. The black stone is placed in one of the corners of the Kaaba, and it serves as a starting and ending point for the Circumambulation (tawaaf) 7 times around the Kaaba.

The Black Stone is set in the eastern corner of the Ka’bah. Tawaf begins and ends facing this sacred stone. Throughout the ages, countless people including many of the Prophets (upon them be peace), the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) himself, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), pious personalities and millions of Muslims who have performed Hajj and Umrah have placed their blessed lips on it.

Facts about the Black Stone ( The Hajar al-Aswad )
Du’as are accepted at the Hajar al-Aswad and on the Day of Judgement it will testify in favour of all those who kissed it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “By Allah! On the Day of Qiyamah, Allah will present the Hajar al-Aswad in such a manner that it will have two eyes and a tongue to testify to the Imaan (faith) of all those who kissed it.” [Tirmidhi]
 

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (ﷺ), while leaning against the Ka’bah said:“The Hajar al-Aswad and al-Maqam (Ebrahim) are two jewels from the jewels of Paradise. Had Allah (ﷻ) not concealed their radiance, they would illuminate everything between the East and the West.” [Tirmidhi]

The Hajar al-Aswad was brought from Jannah and presented to Ebrahim (upon him be peace) to be placed on the corner of the Ka’bah. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The Black Stone came down from Paradise and it was whiter than milk, but the sins of the sons of Adam turned it black.” [Tirmidhi]

When the Quraysh demolished the Holy Ka’bah in order to reconstruct it, a dispute arose when the building reached the level of the Black Stone. They differed on the issue of who was eligible to restore the Black Stone to its original place. A civil war was about to break out. Banu Abdu’d-Dar brought a bowl full of blood and all of the tribes inserted their hands in it, which meant that they had made up their minds to fight one another. But Abu Umayya Ibn al-Mugheera , their elder, asked Quraysh to agree on the judgement of the first person to come through the Bani Shaibah gate and they all agreed on this suggestion. The first to come through this gate was the Prophet (ﷺ). This was five years before his mission. He put the Black Stone in the middle of a piece of cloth, and asked a representative of each tribe to hold one of the edges of the cloth and raise it close to its place. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) picked it up with his own noble hands and restored it to its original place. This was how the Prophet (ﷺ) prevented a war from breaking out among the Quraysh by a supreme demonstration of wisdom.

The Hajar al-Aswad was stolen from the Ka’bah around 930 CE by Qarmatian warriors who were an Ismaeeli Shia sect. They ransacked Makkah, desecrating the Well of Zamzam with Muslim corpses and carried the Black Stone away to their base in Ihsaa, in medieval Bahrain. According to the historian Al-Juwayni, the stone was returned in around 952 CE and restored to its original location.

The Hajar al-Aswad was originally a complete stone but due to various historical incidents now consists of eight pieces of varying sizes affixed to a large stone and encased in a silver frame. The silver frame was first made by Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) and replaced by later Khalifas as the need arose.

Six (additional) pieces are claimed to be in Istanbul, Turkey. One is displayed in the mihrab of the Blue Mosque, one above the entrance of the tomb of Sulaiman the Magnificent and four in the Sokullu Sehit Mehmet Pasa Camii mosque (one over the mihrab, one below the lower pulpit, another is above the upper pulpit and the last is over the entrance door). The authenticity of these additional pieces has been questioned, although the Turks did rule over what is now Saudi Arabia for many years and hold many historical Islamic relics. And Allah (ﷻ) knows best.

Note that when kissing the Hajar al-Aswad, one should neither push people nor harm anyone because while kissing the Hajar al-Aswad is Sunnah, causing harm to people is a forbidden act (haram). When the area is crowded, it will suffice to merely point towards the Hajar al-Aswad with one’s hand or a stick while reciting the Takbeer and then to kiss the hand or stick. Although the Prophet (ﷺ) kissed the Hajar al-Aswad directly, he also pointed towards it when the area was crowded, it is therefore clear that both kissing it and pointing towards it are Sunnah.

Muslims don’t worship the black stone.

The black stone in Islam is NOT sacred! Prophet Muhammad Said:  Demolishing the Kaaba completely is much easier upon Allah Almighty than shedding the blood of a single Believing Muslim.

Abis bin Rabi'ah (R. A) reported: I saw 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (R.A) kissing the black stone and saying: "I know that you are just a stone and that you can neither do any harm nor give benefit. Had I not seen Messenger of Allah (‎ﷺ) kissing you, I would not have kissed you". [Bukhari and Muslim].
 

The statement of 'Umar (R.A) quoted in this Hadith is highly significant in the sense that he wanted to make it absolutely clear to the illiterate and ignorant that Al-Hajar Al-Aswad (Black Stone of the Kaaba) is not kissed for because stones are venerated in Islam, as was the practice in pre-Islamic period. What he wanted to emphasize was that kissing the Black Stone was in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (‎ﷺ).
 

Obedience of the Prophet (‎ﷺ) in every affair is a must, whether one understands the wisdom behind it or not. By analogy, kissing of the Black Stone, some people think it is permissible to kiss and show respect to the tombs of saints. But this is not valid reason because kissing the Black Stone is an 'Ibadah (act of worship), or a part of it, and every 'Ibadah is Tauqifiyah (prescribed by Allah and the Prophet (‎ﷺ) and it can neither be increased nor diminished, nor can it be graded as something else.

About Islam

The Black Stone ( The Hajar al-Aswad )

Mohamed 0

Read More

List of some of the extremely common mistakes that most of people make, year after year, the reason we made this topic is that we can be weary of them and protect and prevent ourselves from making them. This way Insha Allah our Hajj will be closer to the Sunnah and more acceptable to Allah ﷻ.

Thinking that praying 40 prayers in Madina is compulsory
Some people think it’s necessary to complete 40 prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque and that this is necessary and part of Hajj. It’s not. This is based on a weak Hadith. Neither is it necessary to complete 40 prayers there nor is visiting Madina a part of Hajj. Obviously it is good if you can spend as much time as you can in Madina and pray as much as you can in the Prophet’s Mosque, but to think that one has to complete 40 prayers there is not correct.

Sheikh Bin Baz said, “The widespread idea that the visitor should stay for eight days so that he can offer 40 prayers in the mosque is wrong. Although it says in some Ahadith that “whoever offers 40 prayers therein Allah will decree that he is safe from the Fire and free from hypocrisy,” it must be known that this Hadith is Da’eef (weak) according to the scholars and cannot be taken as proof or relied upon. There is no set limit for visiting the Prophet’s Mosque. If a person visits for an hour or two, or a day or two, or for more than that, there is nothing wrong with that.” [Fatawa Bin Baz]

‘Kissing’ the Black Stone from far away and stopping during Tawaf to do so
Kissing the Black Stone is a beautiful Sunnah and an honour indeed for the one who is able to do so. However, due to the immense crowd, majority of the people cannot reach it. So many people try to “kiss” it from far away. When they are in line with the Black Stone, they stop in their tracks during Tawaf, face the Black Stone, put up both hands on the side of their head and ‘kiss’ the Black Stone in air, as if the Black Stone were right in front of them. Or they throw ‘flying kisses’ at the Black Stone. Besides being a wrong practice, stopping the flow of Tawaf causes disruption and unnecessary crowding in that area, thereby creating a lot of inconvenience to fellow pilgrims.

‘Distance kissing’ is not from the Sunnah of course. All the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) did while doing Tawaf was kiss the Black Stone if he easily could do so, or touch it with his hand and kiss his hand. But, when it was crowded, he only pointed to it from far away and said, “Allāhu Akbar.” That’s it.

It was narrated that Abu Tufayl (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I saw the Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) perform Tawaf around the House, touching the corner (where the Black Stone is) with a crooked staff which he had with him, then kissing the staff.” [Sahih Muslim]

Ibn Abbas said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) performed Tawaf on his camel, and every time he came to the corner (where the Black Stone is) he would point to it and say Allāhu Akbar.” [Al-Bukhari, no. 4987]

That’s all we need to do. If we are far away from the Black Stone, we should point to it with our right hand, say Allāhu Akbar and move on. No facing the Ka’bah, no ‘distance kissing’, no stopping dead in your tracks. Keep moving and don’t disrupt the flow of the Tawaf.


Sheikh Bin Baz said, “It should be noted that the Tawaf remains perfectly valid without kissing the Black Stone. If one does not or cannot kiss the Black Stone. it is sufficient simply to point to it, saying ‘Allāhu Akbar’ when one comes parallel to it, although one may be at a distance from it.” [Fatawa Bin Baz]

Shouting out Du’a in unison
Some people shout at the top of their voices, in unison, while making Du’a during Tawaf. They follow an Imam or a leader who says out different Du’as aloud, and then the followers all repeat after him in unison. This causes a lot of confusion and disturbs others engaged in their own Du’as, making them lose focus and Khushoo’. And obviously, it is also not befitting that one should shout and raise his voice in a place as sacred as the Haram.

The right thing to do is to know, before you go for Tawaf, the Du’as that you want to make, the Qur’an you want to recite, etc. This way you won’t have to follow anybody and you will be making your own Du’a, in your own language, from your own heart. It will give you better concentration and satisfaction. Plan your Du’as ahead of time; repeat them to yourself, with humility and Khushoo’. After all, you’re making Du’a to the One Who hears all and sees all. The Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) said, “Each one of you is conversing with his Lord, so do not disturb one another or raise your voices over one another when reading (or he said) when praying.” [Abu Dawood, Sahih by Al-Albani]

Thinking that Du’a is accepted at first glance of the Ka’bah
Many people have the wrong notion that the first time they look at the Ka’bah, any Du’a that they make will be answered. Not true! This has no evidence from the Shariah. And any Hadith that one may find regarding this matter is either extremely weak or fabricated. When asked about Du’a being accepted at the first sight of the Ka’bah, Sheikh Sa’d Al-Humayd replied:

“This is not true; there has to be evidence for this to be true, because acts of worship should only be based on evidence. And that evidence must be Sahih in and of itself and it should be clear and unambiguous. And Allah ﷻ knows best.”

Designating specific Du’as for specific rounds
Some people designate specific Du’as for each round and there are even books that have specific Du’as written for every round. This is not something from the Shariah. The Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) did not recite any specific Du’a in any of the rounds, and neither did his companions. If there was such a thing, then he would have told us about it, and he would have done so himself first.

The only Du’a that he did specify during Tawaf was when he reached at the end of each circuit between the Yemeni Corner and the Black Stone. He would say,

“Rabbana atina’ fid-dunya hasana wa fil-akhirati hasana wa qina adhaban-nar”

“Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the punishment of the Fire.”

Multiple Umrah’s
Some people perform multiple Umrah’s after finishing their own, going outside Makkah either to Masjid Ayesha (Tan’eem) or other Meeqat points to put on a new Ihram and perform more Umrah’s again and again. Some people do one Umrah every day, some even more! This is not from the Sunnah and not from the practice of the Sahabah.

If it was good to do multiple Umrah’s all in one trip, surely the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) would have done so himself and the Sahabah would have done so too. But we see that although the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) stayed in Makkah for 19 days after the Conquest, yet he did not leave Makkah to do Umrah, even though he could have easily done so.

Sheikh Bin Uthaymeen said, “Ibn Taymiyah mentions that the Salaf are agreed that making multiple Umrahs is discouraged. In any case, leaving Makkah and going to the boundary of the sacred precincts to make a second or third Umrah is an unfounded practice that was unknown during the time of the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). The only exception to this was the case where Ayesha sought permission to make a single Umrah after Hajj because of special circumstances. If it was generally recommended to leave Makkah to perform Umrah in this way, the Prophet (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) would have encouraged his companions to do so.”

Actually, instead of making multiple Umrah’s, it would be better to perform as many Tawaf as you can for yourself. Tawaf is an act of worship that cannot be done anywhere else except Makkah and this is a golden opportunity.

Ibn Taymiyah said, “The Salaf agree that performing voluntary Tawaf is superior to going to Al-Tan`eem or to the boundaries of the sacred precincts and making Umrah.” [Majmu Al-Fatawa]

Doing Tawaf on someone else’s behalf
Many people make this mistake. They circumambulate the Ka’bah seven times and then they donate the reward of this Tawaf to their loved ones, their family members or their relatives who have passed away. Also, when people go for Hajj or Umrah, their relatives and friends specifically ask them to “do one Tawaf on their behalf”. This is not valid and there is no evidence for its permissibility.

Only Hajj and Umrah can be done on others’ behalf, but Tawaf individually cannot be done for someone else.

Sheikh Bin Baz said, “Tawaf around the Ka’bah cannot be done by proxy, so no one can do Tawaf on behalf of someone else, unless he is doing Hajj or Umrah on his behalf, in which case he may do it on his behalf along with the rest of Hajj or Umrah.” [Fatawa Bin Baz]

Thinking that the Jamarat are devils
When some people go to stone the Jamarat, they think they are going to stone the devils. In fact, they think they are stoning Iblees himself! They even call this ritual, “Stoning the Shaitan.” That is not true. The Jamarat are not devils. All we do when we stone these Jamarat is an act of remembering Allah, following the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as an act of worship. That’s it. No need to get emotional, no need to cuss at the Jamarat, no need to push and shove.

Touching or wiping over the Ka’bah
Some people touch the Ka’bah or Maqam Ibrahim thinking there is blessing in it. They also touch and wipe their hands on the pillars of the Grand Mosque or the Prophet’s Mosque and then they wipe the hands over themselves believing this is something good. This is another act with no basis in the Shariah of Islam. The Prophet ﷺ did not do any of this. If it was good, he would have done so. But he didn’t, so we won’t either.

Note: The Ka’bah walls and Maqam Ibrahim enclosure is perfumed and it’s forbidden to apply/touch perfume, scents when you are in Ihram

Blessings come from following what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have prescribed, and not from introducing innovations.

About Islam Hajj

Common Mistakes During Umrah and Hajj

Mohamed 0

Read More

• There are millions of way to strengthen your marriage. In no particular order, here are twenty-one wa.

• Nourish Love between you and your mate. Allah made permissible the sexual intercourse between you and your spouse. Make it more often, with each other only! 

• Don’t keep secrets from each other. COMMUNICATE about everything.

• Argue less. Cuddle more.

• Don’t get deep in debt and if you’re already there, work together [Wives can pray sincerely and become an encourage for her husband] to get out of it!

• Pray together, make FAITH a foundation for your life together.

• Turn off your phones. Talking with each other is better than texting with someone else!

• Pray for each other. prayers can change destiny make your life connected to the Almighty Allah through dua and prayers.

• Leave LOVE NOTES for each other. Sometimes we need a unique way to express our love for each others this can be a vital way in sha Allah.

• Send flowers on unexpected days, not just holidays. as man I can tell you that with very simple way you can keep your wife happy, a flower will not afford you much but it has magnificent effect on here feelings

• Don’t ignore problems in your relationship. Deal with them quickly and aggressively.

• Be quick to remember each other’s positive traits and quick to forget each other’s flaws.

• Don’t hold grudges. Forgive and seek FORGIVENESS when you’ve wronged each other.

• Don’t waste time or energy comparing your lives to anyone else’s. Allah’s plan for you is masterfully unique.

• Go on long walks and HOLD HANDS.

• Make “DATE NIGHT” a priority! Time alone together is vital for your continued growth and health.

• Give COMPLIMENTS constantly, and never give insults.

• When you’re happy, laugh together. When you’re sad, cry together. Whatever you do, do it together!

• Show LOVE and RESPECT to each other even in those moments when you don’t feel like it.

• Keep dreaming new dreams and making big plans together. Don’t get stuck in a predictable rut.

• ENCOURAGE each other. Build each other up so much that nothing in the world can tear you down.

• NEVER give up on each other!

21 simple ways to strengthen your marriage

Mohamed 0

Read More

there have been many mothers whose efforts have contributed to the progress of great men.Great personalities of the world owe their success mainly to the mothers who have duly performed their serious duties and played their fundamental role in building up their children.

Edison and his Mother.

Edison not only failed to show any talent in childhood, but also seemed to be quite stupid since he had an excessively large head. His relatives and acquaintances thought him to be suffering from mental aberration. The strange questions he asked them from time to time, too, confirmed this supposition of theirs. Even at school, which he did not attend for more than three months, he was nicknamed 'stupid' owing to his repeated questions to the teacher. 

So, one day he returned home in tears and narrated the matter to his mother. She took his hand and they returned to the school. Addressing the teacher, she said: "You don't know what you say. My son is more intelligent than you. The trouble lies in this same fact. Now I will take him back home and undertake his education myself, and will show you what talent is hidden in him!" Such was the strange prediction of that mother! Thenceforth she did as she had promised, and undertook his education.

A friend of Edison's family writes in this connection: "Sometimes while passing by Edison's house I noticed Mrs. Edison and her son sitting in the vestibule, while she was engaged in teaching him”.

This place served as a classroom, and he was the only pupil there. His gestures and movements were like his mother's, and he loved her very much. When she spoke, he listened attentively, as if she was an ocean of knowledge.

As a result of his mother's efforts, Edison managed, even before the age of nine, to read the masterly works of such writers as Gibbon, Hume, Plato, and Homer. This wise and intelligent mother also taught him geography, history, arithmetic and ethics. Edison attended school only for three months, and all he had learnt during childhood was through his mother. She was a true teacher in every sense of the word, since her care was not only for his education, but also to discover his natural talents and develop them. In later years, when Edison rose to the height of fame, he said: "In childhood, l realized what a fine figure a mother is.

When the teacher called me 'stupid', she defended me. I determined seriously to prove that she was not mistaken about me." He also said: "I shall never lose the effects of my mother's education. If she had not encouraged me, I may not have become an inventor. In my mother's opinion, if those who went wrong after attaining adolescence had been educated and taken care of sufficiently, they would not have become useless parasites in society.

 The experiences she had gathered as a teacher, taught her many secrets of human nature. I had always been careless, and if it had not been for her attention, I would, in all probability, have deviated from the proper course. But her steadfastness and goodness were the powerful factors that checked me from deviation and error

 Sheikh Murtadha Ansaris  Mother

 The late Haj Sheikh Murtadha Ansari, wept bitterly at the death of his mother, knelt by her corpse and shed tears of sorrow. One of his learned pupils said in consolation and sympathy: "It is not fitting that you, with such a high scholarly position, should act so restlessly and shed tears on an old woman's death."

That great man raised his head and said: "It seems that you are still unaware of the lofty position of a mother. I owe my position to the proper education given to me by this mother and to her hard work. It was she who laid the foundation of my progress and led me to my present position as a scholar.

10 Wonderful reasons to be grateful to your mother 

1. Your mother carried you for 9 months bearing pain upon pain.
2. During this time, she could not eat becuase of you! She could not sleep because of you!
3. When you were a baby, she spent every minute of her life looking after you!
4. She only slept when you slept! She only ate after you had eaten!
5. She was patient and loved you even when you cried all night and when you cried all day !
6. She taught you how to walk, how to speak, how to eat, she taught you how to live!
7. When you fall ill, she looks after you!
8. She always cooks and prepared food for you !
9. She buys you whatever you ask for !
10. She loves you unconditionally !

Muslim Family

Why we should be grateful to our mothers ?

Mohamed 0

Read More