In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate,

'As for those who are ˹rightly˺ guided, He increases them in guidance and blesses them with righteousness.' Surah Muhammad Ayah 17.

Deeds.

I have been evaluating upon my relationship and journey with the Qur’an. When you start reflecting and reflecting to implement the lessons and messages contained in the Qur’an sincerely, things change. 

You start to love doing good things, you love what Allah loves and you start disliking all the things He does not like. 

Then you come to realise, it is never you behind your good deeds, it is Allah who has guided you to conduct good deeds and behind everything good is Allah.

How humbling this is. When you keep the Qur’an as your companion, you will notice that your supplications will also change, your supplications start to increase also for the Hereafter and you come to understand that you require in this world Allah’s guidance, perhaps more than anything else.

˹They say,˺ 'Our Lord! Do not let our hearts deviate after you have guided us. Grant us Your mercy. You are indeed the Giver ˹of all bounties˺. Surah Al Aal I Imran Ayah 8. 

Perhaps you were successful in completing the entire recitation of the Qur’an or perhaps you strived with a few Juzz, whatever the case dont’ close the book of Allah, it was sent for you. So that we are  kept on being reminded and being directed to what is our life’s purpose. 

Carry the Book of Allah throughout the years, and it will always remind you of Ramadan and with the Mercy of Allah lead us to everlasting success.

Wa iyyaki sister whenever it is Eid where you are - Eid Mubarak taqqabal wa minkum! 💓

After br @Abdelminem posted about these verses , I've been thinking about them here and there. 

So I finally got a chance to ask Dr Akram Kassab about the understanding of these verses, with regards to my concern 
Suppose I do give in charity (اعطى) , and I truly believe Islam is right and believe that His reward is excellent. 
But I can't say  for sure that I have taqwa , so do I even qualify for this? 

So he recited the verse from surah Muhammad. 
And told me , 'ask for guidance and Allah will increase you in guidance and grant you taqwa' 

So it's not a matter of checking off the list but striving for it. 

اللهم اجعلنا منهم

Muslim Student Organization & Women in Islam  CCNY

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً 

The love of this world urges us to acquire ‘Everything’. Where as, the Quran teaches us to ask for what is best for us as everything we desire and want will not bring us blessing and advantage.

This is a perspective only guidance can gift! (هَٰذَا هُدًى)

ما معني قوله تعالي ' و آتاهم تقواهم ' 
في الآيه التي قبلها الله سبحانه و تعالي يقول ' أولئك الذين طبع الله علي قلوبهم و اتبعوا أهوائهم' و كأن اتباع الهوي كان سبب و نتيجة ، فهم لما اتبعوا أهوائهم طبع الله علي قلوبهم و من آثار الطبع علي القلوب اتباع الهوي، و بالمقابلة الذين لم يتبعوا أهوائهم هم الذين هداهم الله ، يقول تعالي في الآيه التي تليها ' و الذين اهتدوا زادهم هدي و آتاهم تقواهم ' ، لكن ما معني آتاهم تقواهم ؟ المعني الذي يرجحه السياق هنا هو أنهم لما خالفوا أهوائهم زادهم الله هدي فصار هواهم إلي ما يهوي الله و رسوله  و هذا هو كمال الإيمان و أعلي درجات الإيمان و مصداق ذلك حديث النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم ' لا يؤمن أحدكم حتي يكون هواه تبعا لما جئت به' و المعني أنه لا يكون المؤمن كامل الإيمان حتي يكون هواه و حبه لكل ما جاء من عند الله، نسأل الله العظيم ان يجعلنا ممن يتدرجون في رتب الإيمان و رياضة النفس و يمارسوا مخالفة الهوي فيؤتيهم الله تقواهم فيجعل الله هواهم إلي ما يحبه الله و يرضاه.

It Is important to realize when Allah sais He guides whom He wills, that guidance is only in the hands of Allah and he gives it based on the means (asbab) taken by the servant to achieve that guidance . The same way rizq and provision is only on Allahs hands and he gives it to whom he wills but the servant is expected to exhaust the means in reaching the provision Allah has decreed for him. So we see in the 2 following verses some of the means of gaining the guidance of Allah such as pursuing His pleasure , and in there 3rd verse I quoted he mentions actually seeking the guidance. So if you see that someone is not guided, it is true that Allah did not will for their guidance (for now at least) however the only one to blame for his misguidance is himself and not Allah because had he taken the means to achieve that guidance Allah would have given it to him as he promises