Make change happen

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah the Most Caring Lord Allah subhanahu wa taala, kept me safe during my journey. I have been driving long distance quite often, of late and realized something during one of the journeys. That driving alone, quietly for three hours plus, should qualify as suluk (solitude), provided one spends the quiet time doing non-stop zikrullah or salawat or tafakur (contemplation). It was a wonderful feeling Alhamdulillah. 

I suppose you could have the same experience if you took a bus, provided you don't give in to Whatsapping. May Allah make us take advantage and benefit from free time.

I saw this inspiring quote, thought I re-create it and place it here so I would remember, not that I want to preach.

Like many of you out there, I intend to change for the better this year - change for the better as a person and change certain things/circumstances for the better. It can be tough. It might be easier if we have got people near us who are supportive, cooperative who would cheer on us as we strive to change. Sometimes the road to change can be lonely. When it gets lonely, it's good to re-affirm our niyat (intention) for wanting the change and remind ourselves that Allah is aware of the niyat. That in fact, He has counted the niyat as a good deed bi-iznillah.

Pray Allah grant us the tawfiq to make change happen, that we would focus, focus, focus - that is follow on course until success.

Wish y'all a pleasant and productive weekend. I have got a majlis zikir to attend tonight InShaAllah. It's also a majlis haul commemorating the passing of Shaykh Abdul Kadir Al Jilani. May Allah bless the soul of my late father, it was he who first told me who Shaykh Abdul Kadir Al-Jilani was. I was 15 years old. 

Ah...let's tawassul with a sacred soul such as Shaykh Abdul Kadir Al Jilani, so that Allah takes pity on us and helps us as we struggle to change for the better and make change happen in a way that "better" is ensured.

Amin Ya Rabb.

7.1.17
7th Jan 2017
Page 7 of Twenty Seventeen

Different path | Allah Al Ghani

Bismillah.

Assalamualaikum

Wish y'all a blessed Friday. It's the first Friday in 2017. Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

Today, I saw a quotable quote so fitting with my recent experience regarding an old friend who mocked me for not hopping jobs.

I think it takes wisdom and maturity to accept the multiplicities of life. Allah the Almighty works in wondrous ways. He wants us to walk on different paths because He is Rich Al Ghani and wants to enrich each one of us differently. He reserves different kinds of gifts for each one of us. His Richness is boundless.

We have lots of things to thank Him for. We should not forget to thank Him for giving us an open-mindedness at seeing His grand plans. We should not forget to thank Him for making us patient and contented in accepting His decree. We should not forget to thank Allah for making us conscious of His signs everywhere. We should thank Allah for making us conscious of the presence of Rasulullah salallah alaihi wasalam and thus recite plenty of salawat for him (pbuh).

May Allah Al Mughni continue to enrich us with useful knowledge, good health, tranquility, and much prosperity. Amin Ya Rabb!

The Islamic Text Institute | Cape Town's Heavenly Gardens

Bismillah.

It was wonderful to hear from one honorable acquaintance of mine, Shaykh Allie Khalfe of South Africa, so I took the opportunity to congratulate him on the opening of the Islamic Text Institute's new premises at Surrey Estate in Cape Town. The Institute held an open day on 13th December 2016 with Shaykh Seraj Hendricks as the guest of honor who officiated the lovely place. 

Among the guests who attended the Islamic Text Institute's Open Day on 13 Dec 2016:
Qari Shaykh Bienyamin Toefy, Brother Yaseen Kippie
and Umar Kemp (age 90) a regular tholabul ilmi at the Institute

The Islamic Text Institute's beautiful new premises.
Contributions are welcomed:
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch: 5309 Type: MARKETLINK
Account: ISLAMICTEXT
Number: 07-620-713-7

The Islamic Text Institute has just begun offering Arabic & Tafsir classes for 2017 on Mondays and Tuesdays. Shaykh Allie Khalfe who leads the Islamic Text Institute, conducts this class at their new premises on Jupiter Road in Cape Town.

Shaykh Allie Khalfe with Umar Kemp at the Institute's opening ceremony.
May Allah give us a long healthy life as He the Almighty has blessed brother Umar Kemp.
At 90, he remains an istiqamah knowledge seeker.  

As a friend in faith, I wish Shaykh Allie Khalfe and his jemaah/students at the Islamic Text Institute all the very best for 2017 and beyond. Cape Tonian Muslims are indeed fortunate to be living in a highly spiritual and beautiful environment. On 14th December 2016, a Mawlid was held at the main Al Zawiyah center at Walmer Estate, Cape Town. 

Also in December 2016, a special zikir circle for ladies was held in the presence of its patron Shaykh Seraj Hendricks and Shaykh Ahmad Hendricks, the grandchildren of  Shaykh Muhamamd Salih Hendricks who first initiated the zikir circle for women in Cape Town about 90 years ago. 

I do not know of a must-visit popular city in the world which has a disciplined, committed and wonderfully close-knit Muslim community, other than Cape Town. May Allah preserve His blessings on them all.

   

Mawlid at the Al Zawiyah - In unison, in white, each one of them, MashaAllah
(Azzawia/the Al Zawiyah is a waqaf  belonging to the Hendricks family at Walmer Estate, founded in 1920
by Shaykh Muhammad Salih Hendricks)
[Pic credit: FB of the Islamic Text Institute]
For more info on Azzawia please visit
http://www.zawiyah.org.za/

Zikir Circle for Women - all white too!
[Pic credit: Shafiq Morton]
For more info on the history of this special zikir tradition for women, visit:
http://surfingbehindthewall.blogspot.my/2017/01/the-ad-dairat-us-salihiyyah-dhikr.html
 

For further info on Cape Town's new generation of the scholars, namely Shaykh Allie Khalfe and the organization he leads - the Islamic Text Institute - do follow his wordpress at below link:

https://islamictext.wordpress.com/

Once again, we say mabruk to the scholars of Cape Town and their jemaah. 
Please do remember us in your du'a.
Wassalamualaikum warahmatullah.

Show up | What to chase

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah, I woke up healthy and thankful for another chance at this life. Hope you woke up healthy too.

I decided to try to show up here every day, InshaAllah. I realized there must be something positive to write every day, it need not be academic or "religious". There should be some positive words to send out. There must be something positive buried in a day even if sometimes it's clouded by negativities or if it gets deafening with noises. On some days we have to look harder for the good and the positive that take place on that day. But I think on most days, it's there, the good and the positive is clearly visible, thus we should acknowledge it.

I came across below sayings/Tweet by Vala Ashfar. It's a good reminder for us to rethink and recheck what is it that we chase after. Yes, of course, it would be better to chase education, happiness, joyful work and ways to help - ways to help ourselves and others.

Today is the 4th of January, let's be mindful of what we write on this page 4 of our 365-page book called Twenty Seventeen.

Ahh...I have Quran lesson today, YaHuuu!
Several years back, I made a conscious decision to say YaHuu when I'm happy, instead of Yippie etc. because that's a zikir - Ya Hu. 

Did you know that our (Malaysia's) king decided to make his subjects say Allahu Akbar instead of Daulat Tuanku (a proclamation affirming the sacred power of the King). Because according to His Majesty, Sultan Muhammad V, saying Allahu Akbar would give the person/proclaimer more benefit than for him/her to say Daulat Tuanku.
   

Allahu Akbar!  

May Allah grant the King a long, meaningful and prosperous life, and may we benefit from his wisdom and piety. Ameen.

Unsubscribe

Bismillah.

It's only the second day of the new year, already I received unpleasant remarks from people I don't quite understand. Each time this person communicates with me, she would ask if I intended to retire at my present employment, she just kept asking the same question as if I must be insane to be working with the same organization for so long. Oh well, if I am happy, contented and excited about my profession, why change just because most other people (the so called high achievers in her circle) would hop job every three years. Oh well, I don't care about other people. I am me.

It so happened, yesterday, I saw this positive tweet, I made a poster of it and kept in my pix library for this blog. I guess, it's time to share, in case there is another person out there who has to face the same kind of negative character. 

Let's move on uber spirited and peppy. Don't think twice about blocking negative people. Simply unsubscribe them. Let's guard our mind and heart space well. Life is too precious to let other people impose their standards on us. And we don't have to subscribe to other people's definition of success. We can think and choose for ourselves, surely.

And having said, true believers would believe in this:
"My life may not be going the way I planned it, but it is going exactly the way Allah planned it."

p/s

Yes, I blocked that person immediately! 2017 must be filled with only positive input, no two ways about it.

Great first day | Praise be to Al Hadi

Bismillah.

They say, "Today, (1st Jan) is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one."

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

I had a wonderful experience on the first day of the new year.

Accompanied my nephew to one popular barber on Acheh Street, Penang. Son & Dad Barbershop is managed by a bunch of talented young Muslim man. They are well known for their vintage decor, uniform (lab/doctor's coat) and of course, their craft. The place is on the George Town heritage/tourist trail, it was extra crowded as it was the first day of the new year. 

I then met Brother Abdul Ghafur who manned a dakwah booth right in front of the iconic Acheh Street Mosque. He was with his team from the Islamic Dakwah Foundation (IDF) based in Kampung Kolam Penang where they hold free Quran classes three times a week. The IDF is 8 years old and has 40 active members. Its dakwah activities and materials are funded by members, volunteers, local donors and Saudi Arabia government. 

Abdul Ghafur ever ready to introduce Islam to the hundreds
(sometimes thousands) of tourists who scale George Town on foot. He and team operate the booth twice a month on top of public holidays.
The pale yellow structure in the background is the minaret of  Acheh Street Mosque built in 1808.

According to Abdul Ghafoor, the "I love Jesus" bunting behind him has been attracting many foreign tourists. Each person who inquired will be given free English Quran by Yusuf Ali. 

English and Mandarin Quran available for would-be reverts and curious non-Muslims, many of whom would be invited to enter the Acheh Street Mosque. There's a good variety of booklets and pamphlets for Muslims too.

Abdul Ghafur's colleagues engaging with tourists who
visited the Acheh Street Mosque

And...the best part of my new year's day outing was when the ever generous Almighty let me have the honor of teaching wudhu and prepare two fresh reverts for Solat Asar! Yes, two 20-something ladies from Guangdong China had just professed the syahadah when I arrived at the mosque. Another member of the Islamic Dakwah Foundation saw me and requested me to assist the two ladies: Siti Aishiah and Siti Maryam (their new names). MashaAllah tabarakallah!

Siti Maryam (left) 23 years old and Siti Aishiah (right), 22
holding a Quran in Mandarin,
a gift from the Islamic Dakwah Foundation
- such a special gift on the first day of the new year,
such a blessed bold move they made!

Siti Aishiah and Siti Maryam's performed their first solat,
about 15 minutes after professing syahadah!
They were on the George Town tourist trail, stopped by the IDF booth, visited the mosque and received hidayah!
They will be flying back to China tomorrow.
May Allah grant them tawfiq and useful knowledge, may they blossom as pious Muslimah.

Alhamdulillah for the opportunity and experience. Alhamdulillah for a wonderful first page of my 365-page book called Twenty Seventeen.

Praise be to Allah Al Hadi.

Sunrise | Happy New Year 2017

Bismillah.

May we rise up in the new year, uber spirited and peppy.

💗😁

p/s

I have just realized something, 2017 is the 9th year for Lisan al-Din this insignificant and sometimes merepek nonsense blog LOL. I wish to keep writing, keep speaking my mind and share things as they unfold. I never intended to pretend being a perfect example of a Muslimah cos I am so flawed, that goes without saying. Life is a steep learning curve. Religion will forever be a steep learning curve for as long as we have nafs. One's iman is as volatile as can be, so every day is a struggle, except for those self-righteous people maybe.

It's the first day of the new year 2017 and I look forward to 2018 already, inshaAllah bi iznillah as it would be my 10th year of blogging, inshaAllah. Blogging is a good way for me to document my thoughts, experiences and some of the lessons I learned throughout the year. Glad I started it. Now on this first day of the new year, I remind myself:

Happy to see 2016 wrapped up
and 2017 begins, hopefully as the best year ever
in all aspects of life. Amin