QURAAN

Dunya Boutiques v Akhira Boutiques

Every woman knows about shopping. It doesn’t matter which country you are from, the words “shopping” or “sale” sends a shiver down the spine and a peek in to the purses. 

So let’s take this concept of shopping a little further. It is wonderful to be able to fill our time walking through malls and trying on pretty dresses, then filling our cupboards and basking in the feeling of accomplishment. So long as we remember, to live in this Dunya and not for this Dunya.

We would be foolish to live any other way, as Allah says, “O My People! The life of this world is only temporary enjoyment, while the abode of hereafter is everlasting”  (Surah Al Mu’min : 39) 

We are here as traveler’s, this temporary abode is a place wherein we are given the opportunity to prepare for our final destination. By virtue of being the reciters of La Illaha Ililallah, we already have the passport to paradise, however, we do require some Visa. This Visa is obtainable through doing righteous deeds, for Allah says,  “And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers or paradise,they will dwell therein forever” (surah Al Baqarah : 82). 

And we know that in preparation for any journey, the best provision is Taqwa, (surah Al Baqarah : 197) So in preparing, take as much as you can from this place for the next. 

So, how often do we go “Akhira Shopping”? The answer should be – it is my sole purpose. YES, life is about shopping. Shopping for the Akhira, stocking up on Akhira reserves, filling the bags, tipping the scales and rushing to the sales. 

I think as a start, we should add a few things to our Akhira shopping lists. The best currency to carry on these shopping expeditions, is glorifying the Almighty, lots of SubhanAllah will be beneficial.

Stocking up on Akhira reserves is simple, we need to engage in Tawbah,because Allah says, ” Truly Allah loves those who turn [to Him] in repentance, and He loves those who keep themselves in purity. (Qur’an 2:222).  

Thankfulness to Allah for the favours he has bestowed on us, everything we have, everything we do is only by His will, and Allah says,””Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, And be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me.” [Qur’an 2:152] 

Our actions, must be pure and good, and for the pleasure of Allah. Good actions, character and manners are all part of Imaan and we are told this by our beloved Nabi Muhammad S.A.W, when he said, “There is none heavier in the scales of the Hereafter than good character” (Hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud).

Actually, its simple, shop for the Akhira, in the constant remembrance of Allah. In doing for Him, you increase your love for Him, and in loving Him. And while you loving Him and The most Loving is Loving you, your Akhira reserves increase with every good action done for Him.

There is no need for a budget in this realm and Akhira boutiques are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Do all you need to for Allah, and He will do for you.

Do it with Grace xx
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Heavenly Peace

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Paradise : And those who believed and did righteous deeds will be admitted to gardens beneath which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein by permission of their Lord; and their greeting therein will be, “Peace!”

The Quranic definition of Paradise has thrown me in to a pool of reflection and introspection.  Why? The simple words explain the very idea of peace and satisfaction that we constantly crave.

I mean, I am certain that doing anything in a place so beautiful that words can not
even describe and abiding therein with the permission of the Almighty has to be the ultimate state of peace.

Allah is merciful and He loves us, I have said this before, His mercy has no limits. Allah tells us all these wonderful things and tells us how to achieve them too, Subhanallah! Here is this week’s naseeha: there is dunya peace – which is found in the righteous acts and in your salaah. The Quran tells us ‘those who do righteous deeds will be permitted entry’. But let’s take a minute to praise the Almighty – our acts that allow us ‘dunya peace’ are the same acts which are the keys to our ‘akhira peace’

May Allah give us all dunya and akhira peace and may we be guided to the righteous acts which please Him. Ameen

Do it Gracefully
Xx

A few Steps to Success!

“اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ”
(Guide us to the Straight Path)
All praises are due to Allah, may His choices blessings and salutations be upon the beloved Messenger.
Ultimately, every time we utter the above line, we are asking for success. This word “success” literally means ” accomplishment of an aim or purpose. And Allah says, Success is on the straight path, and success is with Allah and Success is achieved by doing righteous deeds, not wishful thinking!
With most things in life we need to figure out how to achieve our goals right? Decisions, decisions – but Allah, through his mercy has told us exactly how to achieve this success. He has given us the answers to the final test, the manual to achieve the goal. All Praises are to to Allah, the Master. 
أم بعد
1.  La illlaha Illallah – There is NO God but Allah. To affirm our faith in one  Allah, the Almighty. Nabi SAW says, There is no form of remembrance of Allah which is better than “La illaha illallah”. 
2.  Muhammad SAW, – Love Allah and love his Messenger. so we need to learn and practice the sunnah of the beloved. So those who believe in him, honor him, help him. And Allah says that in  respecting and honoring Muhammad , and following the light which has been sent down with him, the Qur’an and the revelation Sunnah that the Prophet delivered to mankind, it is they who will be successful.
3. Purify yourself تزكية   – Surely those who have purified themselves are successful. and this is to purify our nafs or striving against the desires within ourselves. Nabi SAW says the greatest jihad is to battle your own soul and fight the devil within you. In doing this we need to stay steadfast and sincere in the remembrance of Allah, which leads us to the next step:
4. And have Taqwa of Allah that you may be successful. Taqwa is more than the fear of Allah azza wajal, it is the consciousness  of Allah in every moment of every thing. I have done a post previously on the literal, technical definition of Allah – to refrain for His pleasure. And when you doing for Allah, and you try for his pleasure, Allah Loves you. So remember Him and hold on to the fear of disappointing Him. Because when you love someone, is it not the fear of disappointing your loved one that leads to your best action for them? towards them?
5. Establish Salaah. The call to Salaah in itself is a “call to success”. Allah is telling you, asking you, begging you in his call –  come to Salaah, come to success.  The action of Salaah is most loved to our Master. We are closest to Him in our Sujood, by doing the most beloved actions and humbling ourselves to Him, surely Allah loves us, surely those whom He loves, He guides and as we said, His guidance equates to our success. 
6. Our Actions, and I conclude with this, Allah tells us how to act, how to be close to Him. He even tells us what to avoid. How merciful is He? So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.) He says further “So enter houses through their proper doors, and have Taqwa of Allah that you may be successful) Intoxicants and gambling, and Al-Ansab, and Al-Azlam are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. 
We are told to enjoin Al-Ma` ruf (all that Islam orders) and forbidding Al-Munkar (all that Islam has forbidden). And it
those who are the successful. All of what is Haraam and what is Halaal is clearly defined for you to practice upon and for you to refrain from. 
And lastly, remember that everything is from Allah, the Creator So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) f rom Allah. ”) in reference to Allah’s favors and blessings) in this life and the Hereafter, surely there is success for a believer who follows the commands of his Lord.
 Guys, these are just basic steps we can take in our every day lives to help us attain Allah’s pleasure so that he may guide us and keep us firm on the straight path. Allah guides whom he wills. 
I am almost certain that everyone reading this is human, and no human likes to lose, right? so lets try to obtain the highest level of success in the eyes of the one who is the Majestic and Almighty. It is Allah’s standards we need to strive to achieve. The one who created this world is telling us that in comparison to the Hereafter, the world is but drop compared to an ocean. So – what we should be concerned about is that we get the blessings and comforts and luxuries of the ocean. 
And Allah knows best!
Do it gracefully
xx