Today a sister messaged me apologizing that she still hasn't listened to the voicenotes that I left for her. We communicate often and I honestly didn't even remember what I had said in those messages. 

Reflecting on this occurance reminded me of these verses. How quickly I had forgotten what I had *intentionally* recorded - how will I feel when I have to confront what was being recorded in my book of deeds while I was unmindful? May Allah forgive me and have Mercy on me!

how will I feel when I have to confront what was being recorded in my book of deeds?

I came across this ayah today while I was reading the Quran and it had me thinking. Ultimately we will all experience death. It’s a given and that this is the only permanent truth we are certain of. Here Allah reveals how we actually do experience death on a daily basis. A light death in our sleep. 

So then it got me thinking. How should I focus to end my day?

I should work to end my day as how I’d like the end of my life to be. Because I wouldn’t want to go through death unless I’m in my best state, right?

So how should I focus on ending my days?
Is it with a whole day of goodness? With sincere prayers? With time well-spent with my loved ones? 

Now this paints life a little differently. It’s as if our life is a big picture, but its smallest unit is actually a day. The way we live our day purposefully would reflect the way we live our lives entirely. And that’s all there is to it, isn’t it? With Allah reminding us how weak we are, not even able to hold on to our souls at the end of the day. How capable are we to think that we’ll never meet our end eventually?

To live a life full of purpose, starts with living our days with purpose. 

Big leaps don’t happen overnight. It starts with small steps. Sincere, meaningful steps. Steps that are hopeful in the Graciousness of our Maker. And with the right intentions, it’s these small steps in our short days that will make our years and lives meaningful as a whole, and hopefully return us to our Maker in the best path. InshaAllah.

I’m not the best Muslimah, I know. But then again, it’s the gift of a human being to be imperfect. Because at least it allows us to continuously strive to be better. Alhamdulillah.

May you and I, and the Muslims of our Ummah, continuously strive to live our days mindfully in this world, so that when it’s time to leave this dunya we’ll be in our sincerest, most wonderful states that Allah is pleased with. May He accept us. 
آمين

#Goodend... this is what matter to us and all ummah... may Allah guide us to the path of Sirat ul mustaqeem and protect us from every fitnah.. Ameen

This verse oscillates between fear and hope. On one hand, Allah has likened sleep to death, and awakening to life. Allah has also said, Whatever you do in the day (i.e., during life), Allah knows it all. From this perspective, This verse is, in fact, a rehearsal for the Day of Judgment, when human beings will be resurrected and their deeds will be laid bare before them. They will realize that every small and great action is within Allah's knowledge. Then, the unsuccessful one will regret, 'Would that I had turned to dust!' While the successful ones will attain the great reward. In this sense, this is a call to fear. 

Yet, this verse also offers hope, for as long as life remains, hope remains. If Allah is awakening us every morning despite being aware with our previous conduct, it means we still have time to rectify our past-day mistakes, lest we become those who regret. Each new day is a chance for us to start anew, to avail the opportunity provided by our Merciful Lord to join the ranks of the successful ones. If we have bagged some regrettable yearnings , we can still replace those regrets with the hope of forgiveness. From this perspective, every new day in our life, in which many souls return to their Creator, is a reminder that our Lord still keeps the doors of hope/repentance open for us, provided we knock and strive to reform ourselves.

May Allah SWT guide us to rectify our shortcomings before we're awake to the Final Day

﷽

Each night, as darkness descends,
and the world drifts into slumber,
Allah SWT calls back our souls,
to the realm beyond our conscious reach. 

Even the mightiest among us, 
those who have power and influence over nations, 
cannot defy this innate need for rest. 

No fortress, 
no wealth, 
no earthly authority 
can shield us
from the certainty of surrendering 
to the divine decree each night.

Then, with each morning, 
we are granted a new lease on life—
a fresh opportunity to navigate 
 and fulfil our purpose. 

This cyclical journey, 
of sleep and awakening continues  
until our allotted time on Earth draws to a close.

It is a reminder of our mortality,
our transient existence in this world.

We are but fleeting travellers, 
journeying towards our ultimate destination. 

And it is in this realization 
of our fragility and dependence 
that we find humility, gratitude 
and a deeper understanding 
of our relationship with the Divine.

May Allah give us all a good ending. 
Ameen

SOMETIMES DEATH 

And it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do.  
~Qur'an:6:60

'As the human soul grows weary from the cumulative effects of sin and the exhaustion of daily life, it seeks solace in Allah's presence at night. The Prophet (peace be upon him) reminded us that Allah has complete control over our souls, taking them when He wills and returning them when He wills.

Let's consider a hypothetical scenario: what would happen if the hormone Melatonin, responsible for regulating sleep, were not released in a person's body?'

'Despite a day marked by sin, Allah's mercy alleviates the weight of those transgressions, bestowing tranquility upon the human body, calmness upon the mind, and serenity upon the heart. This divine reprieve enables individuals to awaken feeling revitalized and composed, rendering the challenges of the forthcoming day more manageable.

'Interestingly, the hormone Melatonin, released by the human body, is only produced in the absence of light. It transmits signals to the brain, triggering the sensation of sleepiness.'

'When we sleep, our brain clears out the worries, tensions, and thoughts that accumulated throughout the day. And when we wake up in the morning, our brain feels completely fresh. Isn't this a sign of Allah's immense mercy towards us, that despite our numerous sins, He still grants us peace and tranquility?'

'Scientifically speaking, sleep temporarily paralyzes our body, a phenomenon alluded to in the Quranic verse: 'It is He who takes your souls by night, and knows all that you do by day.' (6:60)

'Prolonged sleep deprivation can leave our body feeling lethargic and weak, as if it's struggling to bear its own weight. Chronic sleep deprivation can also predispose us to a range of health issues, including anxiety, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems.'

'Ponder over this: despite your multitude of transgressions, Allah's mercy still grants you restful sleep. He doesn't overwhelm you with a burden that would crush your spirit. Allah, in His infinite mercy, is upholding His promise to you. But are you, as a believer, fulfilling your obligations to Him? Are you adhering to His decrees and walking the path He has prescribed? Are your actions aligned with His commands?'

In the Name of Allah the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious.

Every time you will read the Qur'an you will discover something new, something that will humble you or sometimes you will discover the such obvious but you have never stared it straight in the face until you reflect upon the Qur'an.

We have reached Surah Al An'aam with our sisters, and glory be to Allah two ayats one after the other which makes the reader more cognizant of Allah, ayah 59 makes me understand that Allah knows everything, how close He is to us and He has knowledge of everything to the tiniest molecule. Immediately you feel He is very close, when often we make the mistake of not remembering how close Allah really is.  The reader will understand that nothing misses Him.  

Then, what about ourselves individually? It is  poignant that the very next ayah 60, the description of our souls returning to Him in the night - how close does this makes us feel? incredibly close! how powerful Allah is, how in control He is, by His Mercy our souls are returned back to us until the appointed time of death when our souls will return permanently in the barzakh or next realm (until tbe Day of Judgment) How weak we are and it is pertinent to note that almost a large part of our lives we spend not even present (awake).

I could write so much more, about the each of the ayahs individually but how they come together one after the other is something I fail to put into words. However, I can describe that if a person wants to feel Allah very close, if they want to practice better 'Ihsan' then personally I should reflect deeply upon these two ayats (indeed the entire Qur'an) to remember how close Allah is, and how nothing can ever miss Him.

Both these ayats awakens this soul to remember He is observing, He is all knowing and everything is at His Mercy. Ayah 59 how All knowing He is and Ayah 60 how close He is to every single one of us. Indeed our sleep should also be a sign of how close He is! 

It was narrated from Abu Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when they slept and missed the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: 'Verily Allah took your souls when He willed, and He returned them when He willed.'

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7474 

Glory be to Allah Lord of the worlds.

#sleep
#Allahisclose
#AllahisAllKnowing

#MindfulFasting 
 I'll admit that one thing I would like to work on is thinking more deeply about Quran, I try to make it a habit to read something everyday but often it becomes just that- reading not reflecting. Today, however I thought of something interesting when reading ayahs 59 and 60 of Al-An'am. In ayah 59, Allah mentions that He *Alone* has the keys to the unseen, no one knows them except Him. When you think of a key, whether it be for a house, garage or even a safe, it is just that person who owns it, that can easily access that place/thing. In this life we can copy keys, pass them to others to use for a short while, but for the most part a key- especially if it is to something important we keep it close to ourselves and do not allow just anyone to use it. Allah mentions keys and that He holds them exclusively but in the next part of this ayah, He says that no one knows them. Is Allah referring to the keys here? It got me to think deeper as it is one thing to know that the knowledge of the unseen is locked- only Allah has access but then Allah tells us that the keys themselves are something that no one has access to, subhanAllah. A key is a tool in which one uses to access something and this knowledge of the unseen is so locked that one can't even access the the tool that is used to unlock it. It got me thinking of soothersayers, fortune tellers, card readers...etc., all these people who think they can 'access' some of the unseen and Allah is showing us in this ayah how safeguarded this knowledge is. In the next ayah, Allah shows how even something we experience everyday- our sleep is something that we cannot fully understand. Where exactly does our soul go, how do we dream? These are parts of the unseen world that we do not know much about- other than whatever Allah has told us in His Quran or through His messenger (saw).

Introduction to the Sections
1-5: Allah created the heaven and earth but the non-believers call others equal to Allah:
* 1-3 Praise to the Almighty and Omniscient creator
* 4-5 The willful disbelief of the Makkan infidels.

6 - 11: Allah’s punishment came upon those who denied the truth: 
* 7-9 If Allah had sent a written Book and an angel with it the unbelievers still would not have believed
* 10-11 Previous nations were punished for their disbelief.

12- 73: Rebuking of Idolators and their conditions on the day of judgement :
* 12 - 18: The Prophet (SAW) has been commanded to never be a polytheist.
* 19 - 20: Those who deny the Hereafter they are the real losers. 
* 21 - 32: Prejudice has made the people worship deities other than Allah
* 33 - 35: Consolation of the Prophet 
* 36 - 41 Those who listen will accept the Truth and use common sense to learn from the signs of nature. Even Idolaters will call upon God in their distress 
* 42 - 45 Prosperity in this world is not a reward but a respite
* 46-70 The decree of Allah, his majesty, power and might. Allah is the Final judge, the knower of the unseen and He will decide the destiny of the individuals or nations
* 71-73: Believers are commanded to establish Salah and to fear Allah alone

74-90: Prophet Ibrahim's arguments against Shirk
* 74 - 79 Ibrahim (AS) learned faith through the study of nature.
* 80 - 82 Arguments of Ibrahim(AS) with his people about Allah
* 83 - 90 The Prophets who succeeded Ibrahim (AS) including Musa, Isa and Muhammad, gave the message of Tawhid and Radical Skepticism of the people (87)

91 - 100 Allah's signs in the creation.
* 91-93 Allah is the One Who revealed the Taurat and Al-Quran. The fate of those who forge Scriptures is stated.
* 94 Idolaters deserted by their gods on the day of judgment
* 95 - 100 Examples from Allah's creation are clearly spelled out for the understanding of mankind

101 - 107: Allah has no partner, no son: How could Allah have a son without a spouse? Allah’s favour in sending the Quran.

108-115: Arrogance of the non-believers and their opposition to the Prophets.
* 108 - 110 Do not insult the deities to whom the Mushrikin offer their worship and that Guidance depend on the attitude of individuals
* 111-117 All Rasools of Allah had opposition from Shaitan and his followers & Radical skepticism (following the majority might mislead you from true guidance). The Scriptures are from Allah revealed in truth and None can alter the Qur’an. 

118-121 Law of permitted and forbidden meats:
* Allah's gifts for humanity and people's self-imposed prohibitions.
* Eat only that meat on which Allah's name has been pronounced

122-135 Guidance & Misguidance
* 122 - 124 Allah gives light (guidance) to whom he wills out of mercy. When good and bad are treated alike, criminals are appointed as their ringleaders
* 125 - 127 The blessedness of the faithful: Whomever Allah wants to guide, He opens up his chest to Islam
* 128 - 129 Jinns, and human beings who are misled by them, will all be cast into Hell
* 130 - 135: On the Day of Judgement kafirs (unbelievers) will confess that they were indeed kafirs. Rewards and punishments shall be according to actions

136 - 140 Mushrikin give their deities preference over Allah and Mushrikin falsely attribute their self-imposed prohibitions to Allah

141-147: The law concerning forbidden meats rehearsed 
* 141 - 142 Give Zakah of agriculture on the harvest day
* 143 - 144 Falsely attributed prohibition of livestock are clarified
* 145 - 147 Correct prohibitions of livestock are spelled out and Explanation of why live stock was prohibited on the Jews

148 - 150 Mushrikin' excuse for being Mushrikin
151-152 The 10 Islamic commandments. In Islam forbidden things are based on fundamental moral principles 
153 - 160 Those who divide the religion into sects are not Muslims
161 - 165 Affirmation of the nature of life in this world as a trial, a continuous test, from beginning to end. 
* Islam is the true religion (Insistance upon the Straight path)
* Universal principles of Islam: Our prayer, sacrifice, life, death, everything must be for Allah. The idolaters exhorted to believe in God

Basic Themes: 
1. Unity of Allah is the reality in this universe.
2. Polytheism has no foundation.
3. Prophet Ibrahim -peace be upon him- preached Tawhid.  Other Prophets also gave the same message.
4. Allah's judgment will come and the truth will prevail.
5. Allah gives right the guidance about food and other matters of life.
6. The will of Allah (He guide those that seek guidance and mislead those that seek misguidance)

6: Surah al-An'am (Livestock)

* 6th Surah according to the arrangement of the Qur'an; 55th according to the order of revelation.  
* Verses: 165 verses .
* It was revealed in Makkah about 1 or 2 years before the Hijrah. 
* High emphasis on Tawhid (Creed).  It contains basic principles of Tawhid.  It gives beautiful description of Allah's creative power.  It criticizes Shirk and its manifestations.

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