ChittaKookar Let's Loose.

Feeling that I owe you guys a Blog at least.....

2010-05-05T17:07:00.000+01:00

So I know I was supposed to blog after effects well lets just say that encounter was "unsuccessful"...I wonder why...nothin' to do with the fact that I am a 5 times darker shade than the prospective....hmm and his mother could not stop rubbing it in my face....

Anyways besides the point....History. End. of. Moving on.......(very slowly).

So lets update everyone on the last 6 months to date....can you believe we just had 2010 start and already we are less than 1 month away from half way through the year....time is going superfast...SubhanAllah. Anyways so the big age change will occur in 1.5 months - 27 , still not married, still looking for a job ....oh but have perfected my in-house cuisine skills so that has to count for something.

So I have not really progressed personally....except I think I am stepping into the "I dont care anymore" zone.

So whether I do care in the next couple of weeks...will determine whether I choose to post another blog....hmm

anyways....I need to go cook.....Toodles.

Am getting Cold Feet....(Literally)

2010-02-16T17:44:00.000Z

Yes in the literal sense of the word....my room is bloody freezing and my feet are numb cold with two pairs of socks on!

Jokes aside though.....I have a potential rishtha engagement this weekend and well its been a while since I have "played the field" so to speak and I am nervous so yeh cold feet in the non-literal sense as well.

I just recently have been attending some practimate seminars which gives women (mainly 25-35) tips on how to approach a guy in the "halaal" way and ask the right questions and answer the questions to what he wants to hear....i picked up a few tips I must say. I learnt that my personality should not be a job application .... well this is a bit dubious...I mean if you have sat through one then you know that the mother in law interviews you like it was a job application!

Well I have been unemployed for nearly 4 months now so although i knew this day was coming...I somehow felt this urge to not really be serious about it and just wing it? I am slightly annoyed at the situation though..I mean I really am genuinely busy this sunday and next sunday with an ALM course but these two sundays are the only days that they can come...I cant even begin to tell you how I cannot miss this one as my mum will literally unleash the apocalypse on me and that my friends aint going to be pretty, considering last time I was also at a course and I said no.

But its timing right? and Qadr right? well thats what I keep telling myself.

Okay so I have literally a few days to not only plan a seminar and make sure everything comes together but also get my interview mode and questions in check ... plus my mum wants me to lose a stone in 3 days?! lol...I mean seriously...why do I even bother? I am only going to put it back on after I get Married? innit? I think all Married women can attest to that?

So I guess I will blog the after-effects? Till next week....

Leme 'splain you.....

2010-01-05T19:24:00.001Z

So yes I have not blogged for a while and not because I didn't want too just because I could not be bovvered and I was busy....

Anyways the thing is right, I have all of a sudden become a social butterfly - yes - me. I know its hard to believe as those of you who know me...I prefer "me-time". I have just come back from an exhausting 10 days of pure Ilm...and yes people the one thing that has stayed in my head is:

"The Ilm is in the Ilm" (not in the text) - AE

I have now realised that my social diary is packed for the next few months to say the least. A friends' mehndi is this weekend her walima the following and then another mate is getting married last weekend of Jan. Then our next seminar is last two weekends of Feb and I am sure I have to fit in a rishta meeting in there between then.

But lo and behold I get news that maybe my baby sister "might" get married before me....hang on...that situation is familiar...oh wait...my other baby sister DID get married before me. Hmmm....so my mum asks me if I would mind coz the possibility at this point is that my other sister will probably get married before me....and so I say: "no mum I dont really care" - was that my defence mechanism to say "yes I do care?" and I am doomed never to get married?! maybe a lil melodramatic but I sit here thinking to myself "does it bovver me?"

[5 hrs later]

Still thinking......lol. We can weigh up the pros and cons of this situation...

Pros:

* I finally get the master bedroom after 26 years and cupboard space beyond my dreams

* I have my parents to myself.....

* Always save the best till last...my husband best be tall, handsome and rich (in no particular order)

Cons:

* People think there is something wrong with me I am not married therefore I must like girls...?! lol [ note: I dont!]

* more housework? always a bummer

* people still think there is something wrong with me

Hmm interesting scenarios. I think this whole thing is giving me a inferiority complex which I need to now work on before my mum thinks I am falling into depression and afraid I will start jumping out of windows again. The crux of the matter is that I am okay with it. I am enjoying the benefits of being single and not turning into the "Surrendered Wife" ( a book that I got as a gift). I am not succumbing to the annoyances of the male gender. I am thinking about number 1 and that is me. I like the idea of not having to share my bed with someone because he is is intruding into my personal space. I like the idea that I have a certain freedom that my parents give me and I like my own company. I can see myself criticising my husband because he did not put the toilet roll the right way or why did he put the dishes in the sink when the dishwasher was empty or why he didnt call me when he decided to have a night out with the lads.

Not the type of wife I want to be but hey thats why I am reading the "Surrendered Wife".

Until the next blog.......

Pre-Travelling Blunders

2009-11-17T00:02:00.000Z

SubhanAllah everything that can go wrong before flying in 10 hours does go wrong...

I was worried that I am not running around panicking about whether I have everything only to find out that my suitcase is overweight and I have literally chucked everything out of it and still overweight!!

In one day I have been back and forth doing last minute shopping....and visited 5 peoples houses and still managed to get the heat for not seeing two people who will not be named but like people would think that I am going to emigrate to another country...even when you are going on holiday you dont get any rest.....whats that all about?

Typical asian right? 6 boxes of quality streets weighing in at 1 Kg each!! When I think about it...I have not taken a lot so I think....well...I need the bare essentials right? I packed and repacked about 7 times only to find that I only saved myself half a kilo of weight.

The joke thing is not my situation though....my younger sister is the ultimate plonker...she has just locked the combination lock on her suitcase without actually knowing what the combination is on the lock so now she has a locked suitcase a night before we fly and no combination to open it with -- lol -- and now she is sitting in the next room trudging through each combination from 300 - 399 to hopefully get a result. She is currently on 305.

For now this is just the beginning...I am sure that I will wake up tomorrow morning and find that something else is wrong......Make Du'a.

Anyways next time I blog I shall be on the other side of the Atlantic......

Till then.....Alvida.

Consider Charity Helping Yourself.

2009-11-12T14:01:00.001Z

Trudging through my old paperwork and stuff...I come across some notes I wrote down on Charity. I dont recall the name of the course shamefully, (okay actually I do...it was an AlKauthar course in Fairfield halls:) but I am glad I stumbled across the notes, because reflecting on them was a great reminder.

" Consider Charity Helping Yourself: Tawfique Chaudry"

Charity comes from Sidq. Truthfulness attests to the truth of Emaan that you have
Charity extinguishes the anger of Allah and He becomes merciful to you.
Charity protects you and your progeny from harm
Through charity you are giving charity to the bones in your body
Charity shows signs of love for your brother
Attain a higher level of righteousness
Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala increases charity level x 100
Amount of charity = amount of shade in Jannah
Defends you from the punishment in the grave
Ground you safety from the fire
Sign of Tawakkul
Giving in charity you get reward
Sadaqa Jariya - continuous benefit and ajr until the day of Judgement
Charity is better than individual nafl deeds because it helps and benefits others
Allah causes charity to grow
Give charity and protect your wealth in the Akhira
Giving Charity is Sunnah

Chicken and Mango Salad

2009-11-12T12:44:00.001Z

Yep you read it right....I am going to post my fav receipes...This one is just too good! And I keep going on about it and then my goofy cousin keeps telling me to make it but something always comes up. So here it is....and well you know...make it yourself! :p

Ingredients:
- cooked chicken cubed or shredded (either left over chicken or cubed boneless chicken seasoned with garlic, ginger, salt and pepper)
- ripe/raw mango - you can either get the ready made ones or you can buy one and cut it yourself.
- mixed green salad leaves and spinach leaves
- celery
- cucumber
- avocado
- salt/black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- parsley and/or coriander
- lemon or lime juice
- Lemon/Lime wedges

How to make the salad:

This is the easy bit.

Take the salad leaves and spinach and put in a mixing bowl - shred as you see necessary
Chop up into cubes the mango, avocado, cucumber and celery
Chop up finely the coriander and/or parsley
Mix up the lime juice or lemon juice in a bowl with the mango, some salt/pepper and the cayenne pepper
Add the mango mixture and all the remaining chopped ingredients and herbs to the mixed green salad leaves and toss
Add the cubed or shredded chicken
Add any remaining seasoning to taste
If you are like a masterchef style cook then arrange beautifully on a plate and voila....enjoy!

This is IT.

2009-11-12T01:47:00.000Z

Yep you heard me. This is IT. This is not a movie review of the incomplete concert documentary film of Michael Jackson although many of you thought it was. What if this was it? Life, I mean and tomorrow was Judgement Day. Are we ready?

I find it bizarre that soo many people around the world have gone crazy over this whole Michael Jackson death and apocalypse mentality. Like its the end of the world that he has passed away. I mean death is a reality. Its crazy though I swear I heard a story today whilst chilling with my cousins that one guy actually got plastic surgery to mimic Michael Jackson's face and appearance - I mean come on seriously? He dont even look human. Astagfirullah.

Elvis. The Beatles. Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Michael Jackson and even Amitabh Bachan are treated like gods in this day and age. People die over every little thing that happens to them. I even heard when Michael died, there were people committing suicide.

So is this not like worshipping an idol? I mean at the end of the day, they are all humans....they are going to die one day and then the they will be questioned in the grave....they may have had ALL the success in this world with the fame and the money but then when they cant even answer three simple questions..... then what? Thats it. Aint no pound or rupee in this world gonna save any of them. And next man next to him in the grave aint gonna be wanting his autograph either! Buoy...the world is a funny place.

Shortlived happiness v Eternal happiness...that my friend is the question.

What's "Chittakookar" all about it?

2009-11-11T11:36:00.000Z

So anyways, I am constantly being asked about the reason behind my alias "Chittakookar" ??

Well there is a story behind it. And here it is.

It was Aug 2001 on a hot summers day in Toronto, Canada. My eldest cousin was getting married and the whole clan was there enjoying the festivities. I was 18 at the time, not practising in terms of hijaab. Anyways, to the point.....since I was a little girl I had this fascination with the dholki "drum". So any mehndi that I would attend I would always sit in front of it an practice the beat. Flash forward to Toronto.....I was sitting in a corner playing it or practising it whilst the commotion of a bunch of women were attempting to sing folk songs....and then someone shouts out, " you know how to play it? come here and start playing...." so I start playing and the then out burst the out of tune.... " Chittakookar banaray dey...." the Musarrat Nazir track....and I dont know why singers want to sing about white chickens...it beats me...but the torment was how you had the aunty in the back hitting the out of tune soprano notes and then aunty jee next to me thinking she was the next Celine Dion....I recall that same tune was sung like about 30 times and it aint no short track either believe me!!

Ever since then "Chittakookar" has had this nostalgic presence over me and the name well....kinda just stuck.

And that my friends is the story behind : ChittaKookar.

One for the Abaya/Jalabiyaa/Jilbabs Obsessed Ladies

2009-11-11T01:08:00.002Z

Yep you got it right....lets discuss clothes.....Jilbaabs to be exact. I mean there is such a choice out there mashAllah - you are quite literally spoilt for choice. Gone are the days where I browse through Dorothy Perkins, Mango, Zara and TopShop and in with the Masoomah, Orient Express, Arabian Nites etc etc......

Now the question is - is it okay to get trendy with your Islamic Clothing? ...I mean the essence of the hijaab is to cover and avert attention "away" from you yet living in the West even when we dress to express our faith we are still attracting attention.

Now you have the fitted jilbabs, the butterfly ones, the swarovski ones, the embroidered ones, the cowl neck ones and even the urban street wise ones and not forgetting the smart and sophisticated work wear ones...so you are technically in the same position as you were when you were not wearing them which is still spending time and money over clothes. I mean daymn...you got the islamic clothing lines on the bloomin catwalk? whats all that about? is modesty being exploited? Is commandment being overturned by culture?

I have to admit its my weakness...one which I need to get rid of quickly....

But no harm in window shopping eh?

Every other sister that I know is jetting off to Dubai and bulk-buying over there and selling them here for a good margin. So its hardly become a niche market...I can see the headlines now.... can you imagine if we had an Islamic Department Store??? that would be awesome.

Here are some of my favourites.....

and if you want to know more about hijaabs and jilbaabs then inshAllah check out this blog - a lot of valuable information even the stylish catwalk pictures

http://hijabstyle.blogspot.com/

Double Standards

2009-11-10T23:43:00.000Z

**| a set of principles that allows greater freedom to one person or group than to another |**

Its the one that peevs me off. Double Standards. It really annoys me. What kind of concious do you have if you say one thing and do another...it doesnt make sense. Your actions should reflect your beliefs. Its like saying you dont drink alcohol whilst you are downing a tequila shot!

I want to relate an incident where this has happened. PS I am going to talk in the third person so I dont reveal the identity. So anyways an un-named person basically has issues with segregation and its like the be-all and end-all if they even dared to see any part of the opposite gender. ("segregation segregation segregation") BUT here is where I got confused...this un-named person then did not find it difficult travelling with the opposite gender despite not being their mahram. ??!! In true AE response: What the FATWA man?!

Why do people do that?

I just had to get that off my mind....i feel better now...

daymn...this blogging can be quite therapeutic.......WOOSAAH!! :P

Punjaabi/Hindi/Urdu Blog - With Transalation

2009-11-10T21:26:00.001Z

Meh koshish karoongee ke meh saari "blog" punjaabi/hindi ya urdu vich likoongee or "type" karoongee. Leken thore botay shabdo meh angrezi vich "type" karoongee kyunki meinoo voh lafaz nahee athay.

[I will try to blog entirely in punjaabi /hindi or urdu. But there are a few words which I will type in English because I dont know what the words are]

Teek Hai...ab mein kya baatein karoon? Pata nahin.

[right. now what shall I talk about. I dont know]

Yeh tho bahot mushkil ve. Mujhe nahi pata ke meh kya baat karoon. Haan Yaad agaye. Chalo, shuroo karay?

[this is harder than I thought. I dont know what to talk about. Yes I remember...shall we start]

Meine aaj kya kiya?

[what did I do today?]

Meine subhe gyara bhaje utee aur neechay jakar "kitchen" mein gayee aur phir ammijaan ka "post-it" note paree aur uss mein likha tha - Beta "fridge" acheetara saaf karo, chulla saaf karo, dhaniya go saaf karo aur phir khana pakao aur phir thora botha safai bhi karlay.

[I woke up at 11am in the morning and then went to the kitchen and read my mums post it note. It said beta clean the fridge properly, clean the cooker, clean the dhaniya and then cook and do some other cleaning as well.]

Teek hai mama...meine mariam ko kaha fridge saaf karo aur meine sab baaki kaam kiya. Phir mann tha ke "shopping" jao tho me kapray badal kay bahar gayee or ghaari mein "whitgift center" gayee. Bahot maza ayaa...or "bargains" bhi miley thay "primark" se....

[okay mum. I told mariam to clean the fridge and then I did the rest of the work. Then I felt like going shopping so I changed my clothes, sat in my car and when to the Whitgift Center. I had a lot of fun and found some bargains from primark]

Do bhaje tho ghar ayee or chaa choo peekar meray "laptop" mein "mail-mool" "check" kiya aur phir mama ke saath "hospital" gayee ammaji ko dhek-kar or phir nanni ke paas gayee aur phir ghar akar faisla kiya ke mein "blog" shooroo karoongee....

[2 pm I came home and after drinking a cuppa, I sat in front of the laptop and checked my mail. I then went to the hospital to see my grandma and then went to see my nanni. I came home and decided that I would start a blog]

Arre Vah...yeh tho badi achee cheez veh...maza agaya!!!

Vah bhay Vah.......

If one more aunty-jee says.....

2009-11-10T19:56:00.001Z

..... halay viah nee kithay. There some aunty-jees are gonna need some hip replacements! LOL
I mean come on I am 26 years old and in an ideal world okay I admit that maybe I am " of age" but not that old. But I can honestly put my hand on my heart and say that " I am ready" and "It is time".

I regret not having my own blog at the tender age of 18 when I got my first rishtha. I could have had bare blogs on every single bloke I met and rejected. Looking back my expectations have changed. I was young, naive and materialistic. I wanted the good looking, tall, 6-figure salary geezer who had his own house.....(yes I know...wishful thinking right?) but now I want the 5 time namaazi brother with a beard and hell I will live at home with his parents - apparently based on my current requirements I am fussy?! whats all that palava about? One of the most funniest "interviews" with a potential rishtha was when I asked him if he prayed 5 times a day as this was the "intel" I had received....turns out he was a jumuah geezer....forget the 5 compulsory ones. I give him credit though he never missed his Jumuah!

In fact even then I was a traditionalist and in some ways I still am. My mum brought me up proper you know....aint no way she gonna let me get married if I dont know how to cook "salan" and every "handi" known to the asian familia. And my mum was proud when I first made Keema Mattar....it was good too!! Now 12 years on I can cook pretty much anything. Alhamdulillah.

So I got the cooking skills down so why is it that I cant find a rishtha then? Well....apart from the obvious fact of Qadr and I completely 100 percent believe that when the time is ordained then it will happen inshAllah......hmmmm....well my patience is wearing thin....but I keep reminding myself...you will get rewarded for the patience so hang in there...and 5 years on am still hanging.

I put it down to the fact for some strange reason.....i am not conforming to what "pakistani" mother-in-laws think I should look like.....I got the dark gene even though my dada-ji is half kashmiri believe it or not! and I didnt even get the green eyes!! khair...I got a nice nose though! (so I have been told). So I am not Gori-Gori and am not "slim and shlim" So that means that I am not wifey material. What is up with that mentality? It completely sucks by the way.

This just reminded me of the time that my mum was talking to a mother of a prospective rishtha and she had the nerve to ask my mum if I was pretty??!! come on yaar like any mother is going to tell a stranger that her daughter is not pretty?! its such a pind-attitude to have. I mean okay I am no Aishwariya Rai but I aint no Vicki Pollard either ya get me?!

And its mothers like mine who i highly respect coz of the way she treated her Mother -In-Law.....

And the search continues.....

To be Continued..........

40 Ahadith An-Nawwawi: Know Your Religion (Hadith Two)

2009-11-10T19:23:00.001Z

This is quite deep as it covers pretty much every aspect of your belief that you need to know. So sit back and relax as this is going to take a while.

Also on the authority of 'Umar, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said:

"While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him.
He sat down close by the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, rested his knee against his thighs, and said, O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam." Said the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, "Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity save Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah (ritual prayer), pay the zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it)." Said he (the man), "You have spoken truly."
We were astonished at his thus questioning him and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, "Inform me about iman (faith)." He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, "It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects." He said, "You have spoken truly."
Then he (the man) said, "Inform me about Ihsan." He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, " It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you." He said, "Inform me about the Hour." He (the Messenger of Allah) said, "About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner." So he said, "Well, inform me about the signs thereof (i.e. of its coming)." Said he, "They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings." Thereupon the man went off.
I waited a while, and then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, "O 'Umar, do you know who that questioner was?" I replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, "That was Jibril. He came to teach you your religion.""

[Muslim]

This hadith is also known as the hadith of Jibreel otherwise known as Umm As Sunnah - its the most important hadith.

So to break it down:

PART 1: The 5 Pillars (Imaan)

1) In order to seek knowledge you should be sitting down. This lowers your energy levels because it makes you focussed.

2) The way the student should dress should be a garment that is pure and clean.

3) The significance of the black hair is that knowledge should be sought whilst you are young.

4) We know that Umar (RA) and the others did not know Jibreel because they had not seen him pray in Jama'a and this is how they could differentiate between the believers and the hypocrites whether they came to pray Fajr and Ishaa in the Masajid.

5) A student should sit close to the teacher and make eye contact with him to increase communication.

6) Resting the knees - showing that you should also sit in a dignified manner when seeking knowledge.

7) Inform me about Islam: Ibn Taymiyyah said: " The best of the angels is asking the best of creation the best of questions" Islam is built on 5 codes - Kitaab - ul - Imaan. These are the 5 pillars of Islam

8) Covering the 1st Pillar there is a deeper meaning to the Shahadah and its not just the physical aspect by saying the words but it should be said with conviction and with the 7 conditions attached to it. They are:

Knowledge - 'Ilm
Certainty - Yakeen
Acceptance - Kabool
Truthfulness - As-Sidq
Compliance - Al-Inqiyaad
Sincerity - Ikhlaas
Love - Mohabbah

La Ilaha IllAllah is the key to Jannah and the ridges on the key are the 7 levels of Shahadah.

9) Establishment of the Salah. How to gain Khushoo?

Increase your knowledge of the Arabic language
Get out of the force of habit by changing the du'a and adhkaar within the salah. This was a Sunnah of the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam. It takes a concious effort to make the change
Changing the frame of mind that you approach the salah with. When you are in a state of haste then you cannot feel the emotion.
Visualise before the salah. The sahabahs used to imagine that Jannah was in front of them and Jahannum was behind them.

10) Establishing Zakah

The biggest problem is knowledge of zakah and what to pay it on. In Islam any item that is considered merchandise you have to pay zakah on. The worst thing to do is to be ignorant of it.

**GEM** - Protect your wealth by looking after the orphans, giving out of interest free loans and distance yourself from the boundaries of prohibition.

11) Fasting.

That which is done communally is easier than if you were to do it individually. So muslims will find it easier to pray during Ramadhan then the nawaafil fasts outside of Ramadhan.

The nawaafil fasting include:

- 13/14/15 of every Islamic Month

- Mondays and Thursdays

- Muharram

- Shaabaan

- Fasting every second day

12) Hajj

The most difficult factor in this pillar is the commitment factor

PART 2: System of Belief

Inform me about Imaan

1) Belief in Allah

There are 3 primary beliefs:

Belief in Allah and that He is One and not to prescribe partners with Him. Otherwise known as Tawheed Ar-Roobibiyyah (including the alternation of day and night)
Tawheed Uloohiyya meaning the sole right to be worshipped belongs to Allah Alone. Worship includes the physical aspect which is defined as Ibaadah in Islam that includes all things that are pleasing to Allah from statements and actions and that which is open and concealed. There is also a spiritual aspect that Ibaadah is the completion of Love with submission and humility.
Asmaa As-Siffat - the names and attributes of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala. There is no limit to Allah's names.

**GEM** The more that you educate yourself, the more your Imaan becomes compulsory upon you.

2) Belief in the Angels

The angels are made up of light and their quantity is known. We know at least 2 angels are with every human on this earth to track their good and bad deeds.

Of the angels we know of they are:

Jibreel (AS) - angel of revelation

Maalikul Mawt - angel of death

Munkar and Nakir - angels in the grave

Angels were created without free will and their sole purpose is to obey Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala. On the other hand Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala gave humans free will to choose between right and wrong.

So who are closer to Allah?

Well, before Qiyaamah it will be the angels because they are unable to disobey Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala but after Qiyaama it will be the humans or the believers. This is because even with free will they chose to obey Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala.

3) Belief in the Books

This not only includes the Qur'an but includes the other holy scriptures that were sent down before the Qur'an was revealed. They are: Qur'an, Zabur (sent to Dawud AS), Torah (sent to Musa AS) and the Injeel (sent to 'Isa AS)

There is a weak hadith which pertains to another holy scripture revealed to Daniyaal (AS) which is mentioned in the Torah and the book revealed details about Yaumal Qiyaamah. However, its authenticity is dubious.

4) Belief in the Messengers

This includes the Prophets and the Messengers. There are 3 opinions with regards to differentiating between the two:

Opinion 1: There is no difference
Opinion 2: A Messenger is someone who was given revelation and his people turned away from him and a Prophet is someone who was given revelation but his people did not turn away from him.
Opinion 3: A Prophet was given a revelation but not a scripture and a Messenger was given both.

The most strongest opinion is Opinion 2.

In terms of the number of Prophets and Messengers - this quantity is unknown and there is no definitive number.

5) Belief in the Last Day

The minimum requirement for this is to believe in the last day and that it will come. The specific requirements of its belief include that the trumpet will be blown twice. The first time all of creation will fall dead and on the second blow all of creation will be resurrected.

Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam will be the first to be resurrected and he will see Musa (AS) hanging from the Arsh of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala. However this has lead to speculation around whether Musa (AS) will be the first to be resurrected.

Through the Du'a and Supplication of Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam will Yaumal Qiyaamah begin. The greatest intercession will be from Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam and he will go into Sujood before Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala and will be a taught a du'a not taught to anyone before.

The mizaan (scales) of accounting will be placed in front of the people.

Crossing the Siraat (bridge) will be the scariest aspect of Yaumal Qiyaamah. Its as thin as an eye lash and as sharp as a sword. There will be absolute darkness except for the believers who established salah will have light radiating from them to enable them to see and will be able to cross the siraat easily.

6) Belief in Qadr - the good of it and the bad of it

There are 4 necessary components within this category:

Belief that Allah knows everything (past/present/future)
Allah wrote Qadr 50,000 years before the creation of the heaven and the earth
Nothing can happen without the will of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala
Everything is created besides Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala

All good is attributed to Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala and there is no Evil attributed to Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala as in Islam pure evil does not exist. Evil was created by the means of ones self.

PART 3: System of Purification and Belief - Ihsaan

1) Ihsaan can be described as someone who works hard regardless of who is watching them and to do that act well.

Every action that you do has a level of Ihsaan attached to it. Know that Allah is watching you all the time, so keep good company with those who remind you of Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala.

2) Inform me about the hour

Even Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam did not have knowledge about this and whatever knowledge he did have it was limited. Therefore we should always be ready for Yaumal Qiyaamah.

3) Of the Signs

One of the signs of the last day will be when then slave-girl will give birth to her mistress. This indicates how the relationship between parent and child will reciprocate and change.

Another interpretation of this is from Hafidh ibn Rajab who stated: "towards the end of time, slavery will come back and many battles will take place between muslims and non-muslims."

So this one single Ahadith has basically encompassed everything that a Muslim believes in! SubhanAllah.

40 Ahadith An-Nawwawi: Intentions (Hadith One)

2009-11-10T15:14:00.000Z

I am currently attending the AlMaghrib Sacred Scrolls seminar in Birmingham with QFawz. We are talking about and going through in depth meaning behind the most important ahadith in Imaam An-Nawwawis 40-Ahadith. I was amazed at the depth of the first ahadith alone on intentions. We spent at least half a day on the one ahadith.

Moreover it really makes you think. I want to share this with everyone and inshAllah maybe we can all reflect on the underlying message of this hadith and why its so important so here goes:

It is narrated on the authority of Amirul Mu'minin, Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say:

"Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated."

[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Lets start with why Imaam An Nawwawi began his book with this ahadith?

1) The main reason was that he was a scholar who gave value to tradition. The first hadith by Imaam Bukhaari started with this ahadith and therefore Imaam An Nawwawi was simply following tradition.

2) Abdur Rahman Ibn Mahdi stated that when one of you compile a hadith start with this ahadith. So Imaam An Nawwawi hated not to fulfil the request of his predecessors.

3) The hadith revolves around intention. Before you embark on any deed you should check your intention and therefore this would be a reminder to anyone who was reading this book that check your intentions before doing so.

There is a lot of importance attached to the weight of this hadith aswell as it has been narrated that this hadith consists of 1/2 of knowledge with a righteous intention and the other 1/2 is doing the act itself.

In another hadith related by Imaam Ahmed, he stated that religion is based on 3 hadith.

1/3 = this hadith based on intention

2/3 = hadith 5 based on knowing what the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam did and opposed

3/3 = hadith 4 based on learning that which is halaal and haraam within the deen

The intention plays two roles:

1) distinguish who or what the action is done for

2) differentiate between different acts of worship that are similar to one another

Once you perfect your level of intention, you differentiate yourself from others.

Its all about turning the everyday mundane acts into acts of ibaadah...even if it is sleeping or eating to gain rest or strength so that you CAN worship Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala.

Its also important to remember that your intention changes constantly before, during and after an act and therefore it must be consistently renewed.