رمضان نے مجھے سکھایا: 'سادگی میں سکون ہے'
اس بار ہر سال کی طرح نہ افطاری کی رنگا رنگ میز سجی، نہ کپڑوں کی لمبی فہرست بنی، نہ بازاروں کی رونق دل کو کھینچ سکی…  
اور پہلی بار احساس ہوا کہ جب زندگی سادہ ہوتی ہے، تو دل ہلکا ہوتا ہے… اور جب دل ہلکا ہوتا ہے، تو رب قریب لگتا ہے۔
میں نے سیکھا… کم کھانے سے پیٹ نہیں، دل بھرتا ہے۔ کم بولنے سے زبان نہیں، روح پاک ہوتی ہے۔ کم خرچ کرنے سے جیب نہیں، نفس آزاد ہوتا ہے۔
رمضان نے مجھے یہ سبق دیا کہ سادگی غربت نہیں، دانائی ہے۔ یہ وہ طرزِ زندگی ہے جو ہمیں دنیا کی چمک سے ہٹا کر، دل کے سکون کی طرف لے جاتی ہے۔
اللہ تعالیٰ نے قرآن میں فرمایا:
وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِينَ (الاعراف: 31)  
'کھاؤ، پیو، مگر اسراف نہ کرو، بے شک اللہ فضول خرچی کرنے والوں کو پسند نہیں کرتا۔'
ہم نے رمضان میں سادہ افطار سے روزے کھولے… کھجور، پانی، شاید ایک پھل…  
اور دل نے کہا: 'یہی برکت ہے… یہ قناعت ہے… اور یہ ہی اصل سکون ہے۔'
رمضان نے سکھایا کہ ایک سادہ چٹائی پر قرآن کھولنا، صوفے پر بیٹھ کر فون گھمانے سے کہیں زیادہ قیمتی ہے۔ خاموشی سے افطار کرنا، ہنر مندی سے پکے کھانوں سے بڑھ کر تسکین دیتا ہے۔ کپڑوں کی چمک نہیں، نیت کی پاکیزگی اصل خوبصورتی ہے۔
اور یہی سادگی ہمیں وہ دل کا سکون عطا کرتی ہے، جس کی تلاش میں ہم دنیا بھر کی مصروفیات میں بھٹکتے ہیں۔
میں نے یہ بھی محسوس کیا…  ہمارے پیارے نبی ﷺ کی زندگی بے حد سادہ تھی، مگر دلوں پر حکمرانی کرتی تھی۔ ایک چٹائی، چند کھجوریں، ایک خالی کمرہ…  مگر اس میں وہ سکون تھا جو آج کے محلوں میں بھی نہیں۔
رمضان ہمیں اُس سنت کی یاد دلاتا ہے… جہاں کم چیزیں، زیادہ برکت لاتی ہیں…  جہاں کم الفاظ، زیادہ تاثیر رکھتے ہیں… جہاں سادہ زندگی، اعلیٰ سوچ پیدا کرتی ہے۔
اور اب سوال اپنے دل سے… رمضان تو رخصت ہوا… لیکن کیا میں اس سادگی کو اپنے ساتھ لے کر جاؤں گی؟ کیا میں بازاروں کے شور کے بجائے دل کی خاموشی سے جڑ سکوں گی؟ کیا میں دکھاوے کی دنیا سے نکل کر رب کی رضا کی طرف پلٹوں گے؟
یا اللہ! ہمیں دنیا کی چمک دمک سے بچا لے، ہمارے دل کو قناعت دے، زبان کو شکر، اور زندگی کو سادگی عطا فرما۔ ہمیں وہ نظر دے جو چیزوں کی قیمت سے زیادہ ان کی برکت کو پہچانے، اور وہ دل دے جو تیرے قرب کو سب سے بڑی نعمت سمجھے۔ 
آمین یا رب العالمین۔

آمین۔ جزاکم اللہ خیراً

Allah (SWT) does not like the wasteful, extravagant people, yet here we are wasting billions of tonnes of food every year, while our brothers and sisters suffer from acute malnutrition.

'Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful.' 7:31

Globally, roughly 1.05 billion metric tonnes of food are wasted annually.

This wasted food amounts to enough calories to feed roughly 2 billion people—which is more than four times the amount of food required to completely end world hunger (which affects over 700 million people).

- Google AI Overview

When we come to the prayer, especially in the congregational prayers, Allah wants us to present ourselves before Him with the best manners, to feel good, and also to look good. That's why Allah says in Surah Al-Araaf:


يَٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ


'O children of Adam, take your beautiful adornments at every masjid. And eat and drink, but do not be excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who transgress.' (7:31)


However, I don't think that the purpose of this first command in this verse is to impress Allah by just wearing nice and clean clothes.  If the heart is not present and humble in front of Allah during the prayer, then, of course, how nicely we are dressed up won't matter to Him.


We are advised to wear nice, clean, modest, and comfortable clothes, but the main purpose of dressing that way is to create a positive internal change within ourselves.


Intuitively, we all know that wearing good clothes also makes us feel good. But, one thing that this highlights for us is that our thoughts, feelings, and cognition are heavily tied to the states of the body; we are also influenced by the clothes that we wear.


This idea is an example of what scientists call 'embodied cognition.' The core premise of embodied cognition is that the states of the body influence the states of the mind, although there are some other implications as well. Google's AI Overview states:


'Embodied cognition theory argues that our thoughts and knowledge are shaped by and arise from our physical interactions with the environment and our body's sensory and motor experiences. It suggests that cognition is not solely a brain-based process, but is deeply intertwined with our bodily states and how we perceive and act in the world.'


Even the postures and physical movements within the salah can (or should) have an 'embodied' effect on our behavior because the postures themselves symbolize acts of restraint, patience, and humbling ourselves, and so this should positively influence our behavior as well, as Allah says, 'Indeed, the prayer prevents immorality and wrongdoing' (29:45).


As a more specific formulation of embodied cognition, psychologists Hago Adam and Adam Galinsky coined the term 'enclothed cognition,' which refers to the influences that clothes have on a wearer's psychological processes, and there are also many experiments that demonstrate such effects. Google's AI Overview states:


'Enclothed cognition refers to the phenomenon where the clothing we wear influences our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This influence is thought to stem from both the physical experience of wearing clothing and the symbolic meaning associated with it.'


In the US, for example, when it gets very cold outside, I'll wear a winter hat sometimes. Then, I feel that the physical sensation of something covering my head and my ears increases my feeling of modesty and humility, and I think that the changed appearance also creates that internal effect.


Now, after the instruction to take our (best) adornments to the mosque, Allah says in the same verse:


وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ


'And eat and drink, but do not be excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who transgress.' (7:31)


I used to wonder to myself, what is the connection between this and the previous command to dress beautifully to the places of worship? At first, the two seemed unrelated to me, but recently I realized that there is a connection.


The clothes we wear are on the outside of our bodies, while the food and drinks we have are on the inside of our bodies. But again, the connection is that both can affect our experience of the prayer through the effects of embodied cognition: while the clothings we wear can have a positive impact on our experience of praying in a psychological manner, what we eat and how much we eat can also have an impact on us physically and psychologically as well.


Eating too much can sometimes reduce our sharpness and concentration and sometimes even create some level of drowsiness. After a meal, blood rushes to the stomach to aid in the digestive process, which then reduces blood flow to other parts of the body, including the brain. And that can lead to a feeling of tiredness, known as 'food coma.' This article below explains this in simple terms:
https://www.newscientist.com/lastword/mg24332470-900-does-a-large-meal-make-you-tired-and-if-so-why/ 


In another verse, Allah says, 'O you who believe! Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated' (4:43), but in Surah 7:31 Allah didn't say not to come intoxicated, but rather He gave us a further precaution which is a step beyond that, which is not to be excessive in our consumption of food even, because that can also create a little bit of tiredness or drowsiness.


So, our bodies have to be like a 'container' which is balanced, moderate, and beautiful both on the outside and inside as well, and Allah SWT has given us some instructions to help us achieve that, so that we can maintain a greater focus and experience more peace and humility in our prayers.


#EmbodiedCognition

﷽

Sometimes, I find myself reflecting on the true nature of my daily duties. 

While we all have duties to fulfil, I sometimes wonder if, in the presence of Allah SWT, I will be judged based on how precisely I cooked a meal or if I used the correct amount of spices.

It often feels that the value of our lives as housewives is measured by how well we perform in the kitchen.

Yet, I know there is more to life than this. The Quran reminds us to avoid excess and embrace simplicity. In Surah Al-A'raf (7:31), Allah says, 'O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.' This verse speaks to the importance of moderation, urging us to live without extravagance.

So, I ponder: in the divine judgment, will my worth be determined by the balance of flavours in a pot? Or will it be based on whether I nurtured my family with kindness, fulfilled my duties with sincerity, and lived a life of simplicity and moderation? 

These thoughts stay with me, reminding me that there is more to my existence than the perfection of a meal.

Allah says; 'O Children of Adam! Dress properly whenever you are at worship. Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful.'
And how better way to commence our beautiful Eid festival with this verse as a reminder.
The Sunnan of Eid are based upon the above verse;
 On the day of `Eid, there are some Sunnah acts that we should do, among which are the following:
1. Engage in takbir (saying 'Allahu akbar') from fajr until the imam comes out for salah. Takbir is recommended for males, females, young and old.
2. It is also important to make sure that zakat Al-Fitr is given out before the salah. Ideally, it should be given in advance so that the poor can enjoy their `Eid.
3. Appear in the best clean clothes or dress that one can afford that are reasonable and modest.
4. It is recommended to go early to the prayer ground.
5. And most importantly, to wish every one the joy of `Eid and show true signs of Islamic brotherhood by shaking hands and embracing and supplicating: 'Taqabal Allahu Minna wa Minkum' (May Allah accept it from us and you).
6. It is also considered a good Islamic practice to visit one another and exchange gifts. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Exchange gifts in order to foster love.'
7. Remember the true spirit of `Eid is reflected in our extreme generosity to the poor and the needy. So, be charitable as best as you can.
8. Make lots of istighfar (asking Allah for forgiveness) and pray that Allah accept our fast, prayers and devotion, and may He grant the Ummah glory and success.
Read More on islamonline: https://fiqh.islamonline.net/en/sunnah-acts-on-the-day-of-eid-al-fitr/
And please this Eid don't forget the courageous, lionhearted and  heroic children, women and men of Gaza.
Eid Mubarak!

ASA WRWB

These Ayahs really puts a wrench in our perspective. Many of us subconsciously drown in commercialism by our national and global economies. Marketing is an applied psychology to get us to buy more, to spend more. And pulls us past our limits, ie we transgress.

It's interesting how we are told to not spend wastefully, but it appends two different commands. In Surah A'raf, we are told to dress properly and eat and drink. This is all well and good--Allah wants us to live decently. Not walk nakedly nor starve just to avoid spending. At the same time, in Surah Isra, we are told give to those in need. Here, by not spending with extravagance, we will have enough to comfortably share with others who need our money for more crucial things.

Islam is about balance, and these Ayahs are a perfect dichotomy of spending. We can and should spend to have a decent lifestyle, but we shouldn't go overboard and rather always keep money to donate to others instead of spoiling ourselves. Ayah 27 of Surah Isra comes in with a sharp and direct point where it akins the wasteful to the devil. Why does Allah draw that similarity? He answers that question immediately, the 'devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord.' Someone ungrateful to what his Creator has given him, will always be on the hunt for more and will continue to seek 'happiness' by spending money towards it. The saying goes, 'the grass is always greener on the other side,' and someone who will do whatever it takes (monetarily, etc.) to get to greenest part, only to find something even greener when he gets there.

May Allah allow us to earn and spend in Halal manners and protect us from the association with the devil.

Thank you for sharing your insightful reflection on the Ayahs that highlight the balance and moderation in spending as taught in the Quran. Your analysis of the impact of commercialism and consumerism on our spending habits is thought-provoking. The connection between extravagance and ingratitude to the devil emphasises the dangers of uncontrolled desires and materialism. May Allah guide us to earn and spend in permissible ways and protect us from falling into the traps of excessive spending and ingratitude. Thank you for sharing this reflection.

Do your very best as if it's your last. When I read this verse, it reminds me of the saying earlier. It's not just a typical motivational quote people refer to, but we can also implement it in our daily ibadah. When my grandparents were still around, I always see them wash up, wear nice outfits, apply perfume and baby powder (their favourite. I can still smell its scent) before every prayer. That means they took a bath FIVE (or more) times a DAY. I remember asking where are they going because they always dressed up as if they're going somewhere, WITHOUT ME. My grandma then said they are waiting for prayer. She told me that if I want to see Allah, I must clean myself, dressed up nicely and wear perfume. Allah loved it when I give my best when I pray because if Allah were to take my soul, may it be during my best prayers. I still remember they would wait for adzan and pray on time. Very punctual and would stay on the prayer mats for quite some time. That has become an inspiration and motivation for me to perform the best prayer for the sake of Allah. Both passed away a few years ago, and I pray for Allah to shower them with His Blessing and Love eternally. I wish the same for your beloved ones too. InshaAllah.

We live in  a world where food is abused as  drugs. 

Yesterday my mother was telling me that diabetic people can't eat many things such as rice,potatoes,juices, desserts etc.

I'm struggling these days on my irregular eating habit. I'm a food lover. It seems like putting a stone on my heart..


Eating beyond our need leads us to laziness in general and in salah. Furthermore, it is a poison for heart.

Urwah' reported :Aisha (May Allah be Pleased with her) said:-

'Verily, the first trial to occur in this nation after the passing of its Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was people eating to their fill. For when people fill their stomachs, their bodies are fattened, their hearts are hardened, and their desires are uncontrollable.'

Source: al-Jū’ li-Ibn Abī Dunyā 22


'Their bodies are fattened,their hearts are hardened  and their desires are uncontrollable.' It is to be note that iff we have a desire to stay away from haram then we will also have to stay away from excessive eating as it makes us transgress the limits of Allah.


Salman reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:-
إِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ شِبَعًا فِي الدُّنْيَا أَطْوَلُهُمْ جُوعًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Verily, the people who ate to their fill the most in this world will be the hungriest on the Day of Resurrection.

Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 3351, Grade:  Sahih.


The Almighty wants to purify us  from all the impurities. Connecting it to the diabetic part of the talk,what we should understand is that Almighty wants us to enjoy His blessings in a balanced manner. The people who suffer from various diseases because of irregular eating habits are unable to eat their favourite things.

Allah wants us to have hasana in Dunya and Akhirah.

Do you have any reflections on this? How did you altered your certain habits when you got to know that they are not liked by Allah? 
Would love to connect. :)

#excessiveeating #food #AllahLovesUs
#reflections

Maa Shaa Allah! This is so very interesting! JazakaAllahu for the reflection and for mentioning that study brother Yousef!
