Ideal outcomes of digital interpretation tools in heritage museums

Museums have started using interactive installations / digital exhibits for communicating the storylines. These exhibits use latest technologies and interaction methods to create compelling experiences. These experience are engaging, immersive, multi-sensory – leading to increased engagement and recall.

Few of my observations of why to use such digital interpretation tools in heritage museums

1. TECHNOLOGY IMPACT
   1. Interaction increases focus and engagement – Visitor’s action triggered the exhibit, he is curious to see the outcome
   2. Know the artefact in detail – zoom-in and view details, not just a small placard with text.
   3. Use of multi-format media: Images, Videos, Animations, Illustrations etc to
   4. Ability to visualize the past – Create an artistic impression of what could have been in past (using animated sequences)
   5. Gamify the experience – instills a sense of competition, repeated usage to beat the score, leader board gives a sense of honor etc.
   6. Direct Manipulation techniques – Can the visitor hold a artefact or sword in hand to examine its details? – without having to touch the artefact?
   7. Gestural Interfaces – hand, face and body tracking capabilities to interact with the exhibit
   8. Tap the current user behaviors to leverage the reach – e.g. multi-touch interactions on phones / social media sharing
      
      By infusing the technology seamlessly into a museum experience we can enhance the storytelling experience. It will compel the younger audience who are already using these technologies. But we must avoid over-usage or forced-usage of technology, just for the sake of using it. We must create a balance between digital and non-digital exhibits to make sure the experience is not over-whelming. Also too many screens in a musuem will decrease the heritage feel of the place. The musuem must not look like a TV showroom.
      
      
      
2. APPRECIATE ONE’S OWN CULTURE
   1. Using interesting interpretation mediums create a strong concept to communicate the narrative
   2. Making the narrative interesting by using unknown facts or anecdotes
   3. Visitors must be able to identify the symbolism / iconography, analyze the patterns. Next time when they view a similar artefact, they must be able to recall their learning and identify these visual symbols.
   4. Appreciate the effort of people behind these artefacts – The tools used, the materials required and the skills employed to create these cultural artefacts
   5. Know the Behind-The-Scenes activity which will create a sense of respect towards the process and artists involved
   6. Know about the various personalities who contributed in the p[articular field, milestones of their life and contributions
   7. Visitors might take up a hobby based on what they learnt, they might also take up museology or archeology as a profession
   8. Local visitors might sign-up as a volunteer, donate an artefact or sponsor a gallery. At least sign-up for the regular newsletter which will keep them updated of the latest activities
      
      
      
3. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
   1. One must be able to learn at their own pace – each visitor learning curve is different
   2. Each user has a different interest, The museum must try to satisfy to the needs of various personas
   3. Kids zone must be created so that the kids are engaged in learn-while-you-play experiences. Whereas the parents are looking at more serious information-oriented exhibits
   4. Holding area for kids must also be safe and child-proof. CCTV monitoring for child’s safety. A manual trainer who will both conduct the activities and baby-sit these kids.
   5. Every visitor must feel they learnt something at the museum
      
      
      
4. INCREASE REVENUE AND ROI FOR MUSEUM
   1. Reduce manual dependency
   2. Increase automation of redundant tasks to reduce recurring costs in long term
   3. Generate alternate source of income to museum to make it self-sustainable
   4. Online bookings, premium experiences, paid virtual tours on website, renting out the space for various cultural activities
   5. Review analytics periodically and adapt and make changes accordingly
   6. Conduct weekly / monthly visitor engagement activities which includes local artists and performers – premium events for increased revenue
   7. Repeated / Regular visits by local visitors increases loyalty and a sense of attachment
   8. No-Contact exhibits to make the museum covid-safe. Easy to sanitize and maintain the kiosks.
      
      
      
5. DOCUMENT FOR FUTURE
   1. Using latest documentation technologies like Laser Scanning, Lidar, Photogrammetry, hi-resolution scanners, drone photography, thermal imagery, orthophotography techniques etc. – We can preserve the volumetric data of artefacts which can help in restoration in future
      
      
      
6. LEVERAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
   1. Get visitor’s feedback and adapt accordingly
   2. Visitor sharing his images on FB, Instagram, twitter etc increases traction over social media
   3. Promoting hashtags leads to increased reach
   4. Use of photo-booths or vending machines for instant gratification
   5. Take-away a tangible piece – memorabilia / souvenir from the museum. Show-piece at home promotes museum story through word-of-mouth.

Hope these learnings will help you in designing better museums


Fawaz

Hello Again!!

I have stated to blog again after 7 years approx.

Mostly I am going to share some of my learnings and a designer / entrepreneur.
I am the co-founder and director of a new media design studio called Digital Jalebi

Thanks
Fawaz

Statements of wisdom by Ibn al-Mubarak

Some statements of wisdom by Ibn al-Mubarak:

‘How often does a small deed become big due to one’s intention, and how often does a big deed become small due one’s intention!’
~
‘When one of you learns enough of the Qur’an in order to pray, then let him occupy himself in seeking knowledge for that is the tool through which the meaning of the Qur’an is known.’
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‘If you people wish to backbite, then backbite your own parents so that your reward does not go out to a stranger, but rather to them!’
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‘How many people carry the Qur’an in their hearts but the Qur’an curses them from inside their hearts! If the bearer of Qur’an disobeys his Lord, the Qur’an calls him from inside his chest saying, ‘By Allah, you have not carried me (i.e. memorised me) for this! Will you not be shy from your Lord?’
~
‘Repentance from backbiting is to seek Allah’s forgiveness for the one you have backbitten.’ Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah then said, ‘Rather you should seek his forgiveness for what you’ve said.’ Ibn al-Mubarak replied, ‘No, you should not harm him twice.’
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‘Those of you who have the most knowledge, should also be those who have the most fear (of Allah).’
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‘The inhabitants of this world have left the world without tasting the best thing in it.’ He was asked, ‘And what’s the best of this world?’ He said, ‘Knowing Allah `azza wa jall.’
‘When a person realises the scope of his own self and capabilities, he becomes more lowly to himself than a dog.’
~
He was asked, ‘What’s the best that a man has been given?’ He said, ‘Abundant
intelligence.’ He was asked, ‘And if not?’ He said, ‘Then good character.’ It was said, ‘And if not?’ He said, ‘A close friend who he can seek advice from.’ It was said, ‘And if not?’ He
said, ‘Long periods of silence.’ It was said, ‘And if not?’ He said, ‘Then a quick death!’
~
‘If a person bears patience, then indeed how little is the patience he needs to bear. And if a person is regretful and anxious, then how little is the enjoyment he indulges in.’
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‘There are four principles that I have derived from four thousand narrations: Do not attach yourself to a woman, do not be disillusioned by wealth, do not let your stomach carry more than it can bear and only learn from knowledge that which will benefit you.’
~
‘Nothing has proven too difficult for me much as finding a brother/companion for the Sake of Allah.’
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A Jewish neighbour of Ibn al-Mubarak decided to sell his house. He was asked ‘How much?’ He said, ‘Two thousand.’ They said to him, ‘It’s not worth one thousand!’ He said, ‘You’re right. But I am taking one thousand for the house and one thousand for being the neighbour of Ibn al-Mubarak.’ This was reported back to Ibn al-Mubarak who began supplicating for the man and he gave the money to him saying, ‘Do not sell your house.’
~
Ibn al-Mubarak once went near a stream, he propped up his spear and tied his horse to it. Then he began to make wudhu (ablution) and pray. When he finished, he saw that his horse had began eating the crop. He said, ‘He has eaten of the impermissible, therefore it is not befitting to use him in battles!’ – He then left the horse for the farmer and bought a new horse for the rest of his journey.
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‘Prepare for death and what’s to come after death.’
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‘Mercy descends when the righteous are mentioned and remembered.’
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‘The Sultan of zuhd is greater than the Sultan of the people, because the Sultan of the people gathers them (and rules them) by the cane whereas the Sultan of zuhd flees from the people and they instead follow him.’
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‘There is nothing in this world for a person except one’s daily portion of food.’
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44
‘If a person’s goodness outweighs his errors, then his errors are not mentioned, and if his
errors outweigh his goodness, then his goodness is not mentioned.’
~
A man once said to Ibn al-Mubarak: ‘Is there anyone who will advice us?’ He replied,
‘Rather, is there anyone who will accept the advice?’
~
‘This world is a prison for the believer and the best of deeds in prison is to have patience and to overcome one’s anger. The believer has no country in this world, indeed his country lies in the Hereafter.’
~
A man said to him, ‘Advice me.’ So he said, ‘Abandon looking at things for long periods of
time and you shall be granted Khushu’ (humbleness), abandon excessive speech and you shall be granted wisdom, abandon excessive food and you shall be guided to ‘Ibadah (worship), abandon looking towards the faults of others and you shall be guided to seeing your own faults and abandon delving into the issues that concern the Being of Allah `azza wa jall, and you shall be guided away from doubts and hypocrisy.’
~
Another man once said to him, ‘I see myself as being in a better state than someone who killed a person wrongfully.’ He said to him, ‘Indeed the security you feel for yourself (and have given yourself) is worse than a person who killed another wrongfully!’
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‘Indeed the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, but if they fall into covetousness and greed, who shall be taken as leaders? The merchants and businessmen are the trustees of Allah, so if they are treacherous, who can be trusted? The warriors are the guests of Allah so if they become extreme (or take spoils without right), with whom can we defeat the enemies? The righteous and ascetic ones are the kings of the earth but if they become insincere (i.e. have riya’), who shall be followed? The governors/rulers are the shepherds (protectors) of the people, but if the shepherd becomes a wolf, who shall protect the flock?’

From the book:
The Life of ‘Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak
The scholar of the East and the scholar of the West
Compiled by Farhia Yahya
Download Book

Highly inspiring quotes by Boona Mohammed

Dubbed the “voice of a generation,” Boonaa Mohammed is a critically acclaimed award winning writer and performer with accolades including a playwright residency at Theatre Passe Muraille, a short story published in a Penguin Canada anthology called “Piece by Piece” and various slam poetry titles credits including winner of the 2007 CBC Poetry Face-Off “Best New Artist” award.

His popular Youtube videos have received over One Million views to date, and as an Artist he has toured and traveled across the world, speaking alongside some of the most influential scholars and entertainers of our time. He frequently conducts writing workshops and seminars, sharing his experience and expertise in Spoken Word story-telling with mainly youth from all walks of life.

Follow him on twitter: @boonamohammed
www.boonaa.com

1. Sometimes Allah allows us to fall because there is something down there we’re supposed to find
2. Stop focusing on how stressed you are and instead remember how blessed you are
3. Destroy your ego or it will destroy you
4. For this generation it is easier to make zina than it is to get married, Allahu Mustan
5. As long as you’re still breathing, you can start a new beginning
6. Just because you feel like you’re alone doesn’t mean that you are, always remember Allah tests those whom He loves
7. If you have time to worry, you have time to make du’a
8. A lion doesn’t lose sleep over the opinion of sheep
9. Those who gossip with you will one day gossip about you
10. Sometimes real friends are better than family
11. Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life
12. Don’t focus on your past, you’re not going that way
13. It’s better to be single with standards than married and miserable
14. Forgiving you is my gift to you. Moving on is my gift to myself
15. Sometimes you have to walk away from what you want in order to find out what you deserve
16. Seek knowledge or die trying
17. Cutting negative people out of your life doesn’t mean you hate them, it just means you respect yourself
18. The cemetery is full of people who thought they could change themselves tomorrow
19. Be humble, you could be wrong
20. We recite surah Al-Asr in our salaah when we are in a rush #irony
21. Love yourself, Cover yourself
22. The answer to your du’a is always on time
23. Practise what you tweet
24. Make friends with the Qu’ran, it will never let you down
25. Don’t count the amount of people you have helped guide to Islam, but rather count the amount of people who you have turned off from Islam
26. Only in your darkest hour can you see the brightest stars
27. People will judge you by what they see, and although it’s not fair, don’t give them a reason to find fault
28. Speak only when your words are more beautiful than silence
29. We will all return to Allah when we die, but let’s all strive to return to Allah while still alive
30. Everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to start with themselves
31. If it wasn’t written for you, it never belonged to you, so don’t be upset when it doesn’t come to you
32. If you can’t pray in it, you probably shouldn’t leave the house wearing it
33. The fool who knows he is a fool is for that very reason wise. The fool who thinks himself wise is the greatest fool of all
34. Iman doesn’t get you around problems, it gets you through them
35. People may fail many times, but they become failures only when they begin to blame someone else
36. If following the “Sunnah” makes you into an arrogant jerk, than know that you are not following the Sunnah
37. It’s not enough to just know the truth; you must live according to it
38. Do not take credit for what Allah has blessed you with; instead be mindful of how you use it
39. You can’t go into the past and make a brand new start, but you can start from now and focus on an amazing ending
40. While you are proclaiming faith with your lips, be careful to have it even more in your heart
41. You may be on the right track, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get run over if you don’t keep it moving
42. Life gives us time but only Islam gives it meaning
43. There is no limit to what our community can accomplish if no one cares who gets the credit
44. “Whoever sought the mistakes of his brothers is left with no friends.” – Ash-Sha‘bî (rahimahullâh)
45. The cost of power is responsibility
46. We can try many ways to get rid of our inner darkness, but none is as effective as simply increasing the light
47. Make du’a to become, not just to obtain
48. Let go of anger – it is an acid that burns away the delicate layers of your happiness
49. Focus on Allah’s blessings, for what you focus on increases
50. Success is not only measured by what you have, but also by what you had to give up
51. Egos destroy leaders
52. The assumptions you make about others are more telling of how you see yourself
53. People can only treat you the way you let them
54. Any fool can sit on the side and criticize, and most fools do
55. You will never discover oceans unless you have the courage to leave the shore
56. Focus more on your character than your reputation. Your reputation is who people think you are, while your character is who you actually are
57. We would all be able to learn so much more from our mistakes if we weren’t so busy denying them
58. Everybody wants happiness and nobody wants pain, but you can’t have a rainbow without a little bit of rain
59. Are you for or against US military intervention in Syria, why or why not?
60. “When you remember the dead, consider yourself one of them.” – Abu Darda radiyallahu ‘anhu
61. Boyfriends and Girlfriends will leave you in this dunya, while a righteous spouse will be with you even in Jannah
62. Remember your blessings and you will never feel poor
63. Doing good deeds lead to more good deeds
64. Ikhlas will give you courage
65. Worship Allah based on authentic knowledge, not just cultural traditions
66. The arrogant are never thankful and the heedless are never patient
67. You’re probably not making a difference in this world unless somebody hates you
68. To err is human. To stop, regret and repent is Muslim
69. Stay clear of people who gossip, for one day your flesh may also end up on their plate
70. The best way to understand a person is to look at the company they keep
71. Expect the best from yourself and be merciful with others
72. Reserve yourself for someone who deserves yourself
73. If you want to change the condition of this ummah, start by first changing yourself
74. Rusty hearts can only be cleansed by the remembrance of Allah
75. Pray now or pay later
76. Forgive your enemies but never forget the lessons they taught you
77. Now is the best time to return back to Allah
78. In order to be free, you must escape from the prison of your desires
79. Life is a dream, and you will only wake up when it’s over
80. Every rain drop is an example of Allah’s Greatness and Perfection, Allahu Akbar!
81. When the going gets rough, the tough turn to Allah
82. Say Alhumduillah, because you always have more than you think you have
83. If you want to get rich, give in charity
84. Bad things happen to good people because Allah knows they can handle it
85. Eid Mubarak, from my family to yours! pic.twitter.com/kVa0UeHNno
86. If you’re not working for Jannah, you’re waiting for Jahannam
87. Before you ask for your rights make sure you are fulfilling your duties
88. Don’t live your life as a warning to others
89. Most people never truly appreciate their parents until they’re gone
90. You can tell alot about a person based on what they say about others, as opposed to what others say about them
91. Part of sincerity is to be nice to people and expect absolutely nothing in return
92. Happy people don’t have everything; they just make the best of everything
93. Helping one person may not change the world, but it may change the world of that one person
94. Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, instead judge each day by the seeds you plant
95. You can spend your time telling Allah how great your problems are, or you can spend your time telling your problems how great Allah is
96. A righteous wife can make a poor man feel like a king
97. Allah tests you because He loves you, never forget that!
98. We are not blessed so we can have; we are blessed so that we can give
99. Some hearts are like flowers, they only open up when the time is right
100. Give your heart to Allah, and He will place it in the hands of someone who is worthy of receiving it
101. Allah doesn’t always give you what you want, but He always gives you what is best
102. Don’t ask for a lighter burden, instead ask for broader shoulders
103. Allah has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination
104. When you build your life around Islam, things will fall into their proper place or simply drop out of your life
105. When you ask from your friends and family eventually they will become annoyed, when you ask of Allah He will reward you with more #du’a
106. Let Allah will deal with the people who wronged you in this life, because too much hate will eventually consume you to
107. Repent sincerely before you are no longer able to do so, and before you feel regret at the time when regret will be to no avail
108. If you have time to sit around and complain about something, then you have the time to get up and do something
109. If you don’t watch the news your uninformed, but if you do watch the news your misinformed
110. Don’t be upset at people who only call you when they need you, instead feel honoured that you are a source of light in someone else’s life
111. The pain you feel today is the strength you will feel tomorrow
112. You will never find true love until you first learn to love Allah
113. Enjoy the little things in life, perhaps one day you may realize how big they really were
114. Goodbye Shaytan, Welcome Back Ramadan!
115. Holding a grudge is letting someone live rent-free inside of your head
116. Don’t wait for people to be kind, show them how
117. Life and Time are amazing teachers, life teaches us to make good use of time and time teaches us the value of life
118. Do not regret growing older, as it is a privilege denied to many
119. Better to be hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie
120. Do something today that you will thank yourself for on the Day of Judgment
121. Get married when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely
122. For some people life is like a joke, and it doesn’t make much sense, until it ends
123. One of the greatest things in life is finding someone who knows all about you and your mistakes, and still sees the best in you #UmmSakeena
124. Trials will drive you to Allah or away from Allah, the choice is yours
125. What gems did you take away from Jummah Khutbah today?
126. Two things define you. Your patience when you have nothing and your gratitude when you have everything
127. Knowing the Qu’ran is one thing, but knowing the author is another
128. You can learn from everyone who passes through your life, some lessons are painful, some are painless but all of them are priceless
129. When your past starts calling, let it go to voicemail, because it really has nothing new to say
130. Always remember there is someone out there that is more than happy with less than what you have
131. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, even if that means you will be standing alone
132. Ramadan is almost here, just a reminder to make up any days you might have missed last year and start some extra nafl fasting now
133. When you get married and tie the knot, don’t let go of the rope of Allah
134. The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest.
135. Never compare your marriage to the ones you see in movies. They’re written by screenwriters, yours is written by Allah
136. The longer it takes you to repent, the more chance you will forget
137. Whoever aims for nothing will achieve it with astounding success
138. How can we expect non-Muslims to understand Islam, when we do such a terrible job of representing it?
139. “The believer will not attain comfort until he meets Allaah.” – Ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu ‘anhu)
140. If intellectuals have such a hard time finding God, are they still considered intellectual?
141. The problem with our Mosques is that too many people want power and not enough people know what to do with it
142. Don’t fear death, fear the state in which you will die
143. We need to support reverts after they come into Islam, just as we supported them coming to Islam
144. A foul tongue is just a reflection of a foul heart
145. The angel of death is a celebrity everybody is dying to meet
146. It’s easier to stay away from sin than to get out of it
147. Beneficial knowledge is only beneficial if you act upon it
148. Allah gives us so much, yet we thank Him so little
149. If you want righteous kids, become a righteous parent
150. When you feel like you have no one but Allah, know that Allah is more than enough for you
151. “The one who advises his brother in secret has beautified him and the one who advises his brother openly has uglified him.” – Abûd-Dardâ
152. In the midst of making ends meet, don’t forget the day you will meet your end
153. Only the wise know when to be silent
154. We are a nation of sinners, not a nation of Angels so be kind to the people because everyone is struggling with something
155. The world has become too insane for anything but Islam
156. Ignore that which does not concern you and you’ll have much more time for that which does
157. Marriage isn’t all about looks, it’s also about looking past the surface and falling in love with the bigger picture
158. For some people this world will only make sense after they die
159. Beware of minor sins because even small cracks will eventually make the largest of ships sink
160. How you advise someone is almost as important as what you advise them about
161. This dunya is a fool’s paradise
162. Part of sincerity is to accept criticism the same way you accept praise
163. The wealthiest people are those who give, not those who have
164. Hold on tight to the rope of Allah, because it will eventually lead you to Jannah
165. Sins oppress the soul
166. Salaam akhi @LupeFiasco never forget the love of this world is temporary, but the love of Allah is for eternity. P.s. your Ummah needs you!
167. To love Allah you must know Allah #ilm
168. The USA is the worlds leading peace advocate and the worlds leading weapons manufacturer, ironic isn’t it?
169. Forgive people so that perhaps Allah may forgive you
170. The more they blast Islam in the news, the more free publicity they give us, they are supporting the dawah and they don’t even know it
171. “If remembrance of death departed from my heart for an hour, my heart would be corrupted.”- ‘Umar bin Abdul ‘Azeez
172. Real friends want to be neighbours in Jannah
173. Allah grants His servants honour and dignity through Islam, if you seek it through anything else you will be humiliated
174. Some communities name their masjid after Bilal (ra) but would never let a black man sit on the board of directors
175. The love of this dunya lasts a lifetime, but the love of Allah is for eternity
176. Only the sick truly understand the blessing of health
177. If the masjid isn’t welcoming of youth, don’t expect our youth to be in the masjid
178. The truth is not based on slogans and rhetoric, the truth is based on actions and legal precedents
179. This dunya is a commercial; get ready for the real show
180. Iman is your compass to Jannah
181. Every breath that you take is proof that Allah exists
182. It takes patience to be single and even more patience to be married
183. Don’t wait for your death to be someone else’s wake up call
184. Scholars make complex matters simple, while the layman makes simple matters complex
185. If it turns out these Boston bombers actually had some sort of skewed Islamic agenda, what should our reaction as Muslims be?
186. Some will only realize the blessing of time when they have none left
187. Communication is the heart beat of every marriage, without it your dead
188. Make excuses for one another, not excuses to backbite one another
189. Don’t wait for the bad days in order to appreciate the good ones
190. Make du’a like it’s your last day on earth and pray like nobody but Allah is watching
191. Beware the du’a of an upset mother
192. Seek knowledge of your deen and the dunya will start to make sense
193. Choose your words wisely, because you can’t ask the angels to erase them
194. The Qu’ran is food for your soul
195. The only One who will never abandon you is Allah
196. If you marry only for money, your marriage will eventually go broke. If you marry only for beauty, your marriage will eventually turn ugly
197. A mothers’ patience is worth more than any fathers’ wallet
198. Just because it’s your right to do it, doesn’t mean it’s right to do it
199. We should make tauba for the insincerity of our tauba
200. Jealousy and envy are from the arrows of the Shaytan
201. I was looking for faults, so I started in the mirror
202. No point discussing complex philosophical matters of spirituality if you can’t wake up for Fajr
203. Invest your wealth with Allah and you will never go broke
204. Life is too short for ignorance
205. Put your trust in Allah, but buckle up before you drive
206. Sleep is the cousin of death
207. Attach your heart to the hereafter and you will find paradise on this earth
208. You have to disobey Shaytan in order to obey Allah
209. Trials and tribulations are the turbulence you will face throughout your journey to Jannah
210. To repent and sin again is better than to sin and never repent
211. Love the young and respect the old, because the youth have the energy but the elders know the road
212. Muslim blood is getting cheaper than oil
213. Salah without kushoo is closer to gymnastics
214. Du’a could change the world!
215. It feels like some people online are completly different than offline, is too much social media making people socially akward?
216. Beauty without modesty is like a conversation without honesty
217. “Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire.” (3:16) #Ameen
218. People say they are just “killing time” but really time is killing you
219. The poorest people on earth are the ones who don’t have Allah
220. There is no better insurance than tawakkul
221. Self praise leads to self destructive
222. The best leaders do not seek leadership
223. Learn from the scars of others
224. Your intention is like a compass; make sure it’s correct before you commence
225. ‘Abdullaah bin al-Mubaarak was asked for how long one should seek knowledge. He answered: “Until death.”
226. You are who you are not because of your past, but because of the choices you make today
227. Islam is simple, people are complicated
228. You never know which good deed could be your ticket to Jannah
229. Behind every wrinkle on the faces of our parents, lies wisdom beyond our years
230. Lead people goodness and goodness will always find you
231. Sins are like viruses, it’s better you keep them to yourself
232. If you’re tough enough to criticize, you better be brave enough to help
233. If you want to speak to Allah than make du’a, but if you want Allah to speak to you than read the Qu’ran
234. Don’t make the truth bitter with arrogance and bad manners
235. Patience is a vitamin for the soul
236. A man who killed 99 people and repented to Allah was forgiven, what’s stopping you?
237. We are flooded with information, yet are more ignorant than ever
238. A heart that loves music will never be able to truly love the Qu’ran
239. Shaytan wins battles, Believers win the war
240. If you don’t respect yourself, don’t expect others to either
241. Lying is a poison for the heart
242. Who you are when you’re alone, is a better indication than who you are when you’re in public
243. Modesty is also for men
244. If your heart has grown distant from Allah, the real question is who moved?
245. Can men and women really just be “friends”?
246. Sometimes trials and tribulations help us to get closer to Allah in ways prosperity never could
247. Your tongue is a loaded gun, be careful where you point it
248. Sincerity can make small deeds gigantic
249. Money is a good servant, but a bad master
250. No pious person ever thought they were pious
251. A major mistake is not learning from the past ones
252. On my way to Abuja, Nigeria for an event in support of Children of Jannah, really looking forward to seeing the rich African Muslim culture
253. Speak less, Think more
254. Sufyân ath-Thawrî used to be overjoyed if he saw a beggar at his door saying, “Welcome to the one who has come to wash my sins.”
255. Iman makes people beautiful
256. There is no one more truthful than a sinner who repents
257. Think good of people so that perhaps people may think good of you
258. A man without iman is a dead man walking
259. The one who feels safe from hypocrisy is a hypocrite
260. Death is divorce for those who are married to the Dunya
261. Knowledge makes people humble and arrogance makes people ignorant
262. The help of Allah is near, but how near are you to Allah?
263. You have to be sincere to learn from the haters
264. Ignorance is not an excuse, it’s a disease
265. Do not allow today to be another day of regret
266. Some will laugh at this world only to cry in the next
267. The best gift you can offer your neighbours is Islam
268. Do not belittle your potential for Jannah
269. Before you ask Allah to grant you a righteous wife, ask Allah to grant your wife a righteous husband
270. Ask from Allah, or don’t ask at all
271. Wage war against your desires, combating your nafs isn’t always easy, but isn’t Jannah worth it?
272. The shortest distance between two hearts is a smile
273. Before you achieve peace with others, you must achieve peace within yourself
274. “Guard against having a bad opinion of people.” – Al-Hasan Al-Basree
275. The best real estate is in Jannah, invest in your home today!
276. Never despair in the mercy of Allah and never feel safe from His punishment
277. Be yourself, because everyone else is taken
278. The biggest barrier between you and Allah, is you
279. Too much laughing kills the heart
280. Before you find faults in others, make sure to correct them in yourself
281. Sometimes Allah does you a favour, and does not answer your du’a
282. If you’re not generous when you’re poor, you won’t be generous when you’re rich
283. You have to declare ignorance before you can pronounce intelligence
284. Real friends remember you in their sujood
285. Forgive the haters even if they don’t deserve it
286. Sins destroy the heart, Tawbah puts it back together
287. “3 signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks he speaks lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he betrays his trust.”
288. The moment you think you have enough good deeds, is the moment you realize how little you really have
289. Love your wife, respect your wife and be her best friend, but when things get real, stand up and act like a man!
290. Do not judge people just because they sin differently than you
291. Remember Allah when times are good and Allah will remember you when times are bad
292. Before marriage, a man yearns for the woman he loves. After marriage, the ‘Y’ becomes silent, lol
293. One of the most precious possessions that ever comes to a man in this world is a righteous woman’s heart
294. “The best of deeds are those which we force ourselves to do.” – ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez
295. To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world
296. One generation plants a seed, so that the next generation can receive the shade
297. Don’t cry for what could have been, but instead smile for what can still be
298. If he ain’t got no deen, do not become his Queen, because your knight in shining armor will turn out to be a loser in aluminum foil
299. Children need a father’s presence more than his presents
300. Our human race will come to an end, and the angel of death is waiting at the finish line
301. Lower your gaze and Allah will raise you in honour
302. The richest person is the one who is content with the least
303. Getting married shouldn’t be your introduction to happiness. Get your own life together, love it, live it, then share it with the world
304. Sometimes you have to stand alone to prove that you can still stand
305. The most beautiful part of a woman is her taqwa
306. To obey Allah or to disobey Allah… that is the question
307. Everybody wants Jannah, but nobody wants to die
308. A bad attitude is like a flat tire. If you don’t change it, you’ll never go anywhere.
309. Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin
310. It’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice
311. Measure the quality of your prayers to know the quality of your heart
312. Trying to become righteous makes you wise, but thinking that you are makes you a fool
313. Dhikr is exercise of the heart; gossip is exercise of the tongue
314. Don’t stress, put your trust in Allah and everything will be blessed!
315. The knowledge of a hypocrite is in his speech, while the knowledge of a believer is in his actions.” – ‘Abdullaah bin Al-Mu’taz
316. Ask yourself: “What have I done for Islam lately?”
317. Before you decorate your homes with verses of the Qu’ran, implement them into your lives first
318. True believers come out of trials better not bitter
319. If you’re not getting paid to be miserable, than stop working for free!
320. You are not a failure until you are satisfied with being one
321. A mistake some newlyweds make is confusing a real person with the image you’ve created in your mind
322. Truth persuades by teaching, but does not teach by persuading
323. “If Allah wants for a people ill, he gives them debates and takes away from them actions.” – Umar Ibn al-Khattaab
324. If you really want to help the ummah suffering around the world, wake up in the middle of the night for Tahajjud and ask Allah for victory!
325. Knowledge is to acquire that which you do not know and Wisdom is knowing what to do with what you already know
326. You always die too young, if you die without knowing Allah
327. To achieve the highest latitude have an attitude of gratitude
328. “Be afraid, from the curse of the oppressed as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.” (Bukhari) #Gaza
329. A boy will request to chat on your celly, but a man will request to chat with your Wali
330. When you doubt the intentions of others, you expose your own insincerity
331. Those who were created from clay have no right to be arrogant
332. If you are looking for the ideal woman, make sure you are the ideal man!
333. “The one who does not fear hypocrisy is a hypocrite.” – Al-Hasan al-Basree
334. Blankets weigh a ton at fajr time
335. You can’t count on pleasing everyone, so focus on pleasing the only One that counts
336. How can you be a believer if you don’t live according to your beliefs?
337. I am thankful to all those difficult people in my life who have shown me exactly who I do not want to be! RT if you agree!
338. Don’t just pray to marry the person you love, but pray you love the person you marry
339. Aspire to inspire before you expire
340. One of the most important things a father can do for his children is to love and respect their mother
341. Build your world around submitting to Allah, and Allah will make the world submit to you
342. Leaving for Mina, the Hajj is about to begin, Ya Allah please make this journey easy for us and cleanse us of our sins. Ameen
343. “One of the worst sins is a person taking his sin lightly.” – Abû Bakr Al-Siddîq ( Allâh be pleased with Him)
344. People are probably not happy with their lives if they’re busy discussing yours
345. In Hajj you will see people from so many different countries, tribes and ethic groups but we all smile in the same language =)
346. Allah made everyone beautiful, some people just see better than others
347. I’m making Hajj with my Mom, in the hopes that I will return sinless like the day she gave birth to me, forgive me! Labayka Allahuma Labayk.
348. I love my wife not just because of who she is, but because of who she has helped me become
349. Money doesn’t change people, it just magnifies what’s already in their hearts
350. The angel of death does not discriminate
351. You may lose the people you love, you may lose the things you have, but whatever happens, make sure you never lose Islam
352. It’s not happy people who are thankful, it’s thankful people who are happy
353. This dunya is like a toilet bowl, don’t get attached to anything in it
354. We stress and cram for school exams but when was the last time you pulled an all nighter with the Qu’ran?
355. “The Paradise is surrounded by hardships and the Hell-Fire is surrounded by temptations.” (Muslim)
356. If you like someone make du’a for them, if you dislike someone make du’a for them
357. No amount of makeup will ever make you beautiful if you don’t value yourself
358. You can tell a lot about a person by the way they speak to their parents
359. The day of Judgment will fall on a Friday, have you prepared for tomorrow?
360. The one who remembers Allah is never alone
361. Those who sin and do not repent to Allah are hurting themselves twice
362. Some people enter your life as a blessing and some people enter your life as a lesson
363. The best way to win an argument is to be right
364. If you’re happily married, make sure your spouse is too
365. “Verily, the land does not make anyone holy; it is the deeds of a man that make him pure.” – Salmân Al-Fârsî
366. If sins had an odour, would anyone sit next to you?
367. Knowledge, if it does not determine action, is pointless
368. We can wake up for work but we can’t wake up for fajr?
369. Some people are so poor that the only thing they have is money #Islam
370. Complain to Allah, do not complain about Allah
371. Why wish when you can just pray?
372. “A righteous wife to help you with your worldly and religious affairs is the best treasure anyone could have.” (Bukhari)
373. People will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold, but so does a hard-boiled egg.
374. Sisters you never know who is starring at your profile picture…
375. The laws of men are flawed and constantly change, the law of Allah is perfect and will always be the same
376. They insult our Prophet with the things that they say but we insult our Prophet by not following his way
377. Brothers please pull up your pants in Salah. The only full moon I look forward to is in Ramadan!
378. What is this world but a dream that a sleeper sees his delights in it for a few moments, and then wakes up to face reality – Hasan Al Basri
379. Don’t ask for advice if you’re just looking for an accomplice
380. “Straighten your rows as the straightening of rows is essential for a perfect and correct prayer (in congregation).” (Bukhari)
381. How silly is the one who makes the angels write down swear words?
382. We used to say that those amongst us with the most Sins, are those who spend their Time talking about the Sins of others – Muhammad ibnSiren
383. If a potential spouse does not give Allah his rights, what makes you think they will give you yours?
384. “When another man sneezes and says, “All praise is due to Allah,” you say “Yarhamuk Allah” (may Allah show mercy to you).” (Muslim)
385. If atheism is a religion, then bald is a hair colour
386. “We are more in need of a little bit of manners than we are in need of a lot of knowledge” – Abdullah ibn Mubarak
387. Envy is the consuming desire to have everybody else as unsuccessful as you are
388. “And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah, will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.” (4:110)
389. Take the first step to Allah even when you don’t see the whole staircase
390. “You have certain rights over your wives and (they) over you. They are the trust of Allah in your hands, treat them with kindness.” (Muslim)
391. Time is a teacher that will kill all of its students
392. “The sincere hearts and the pious supplications are soldiers which can never be defeated” – Ibn Taymiyyah
393. “When a Muslim spends something on his family intending to receive Allah’s reward it is regarded as Sadaqa for him.” (Bukhari)
394. “They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice- those will have security, and they are (rightly) guided.” (6:82)
395. Your profile name should be your real name, because without accountability people feel brave enough to say anything!
396. “Knowledge is ignorance for the ignorant ones, and ignorance is ignorance for the knowledgeable ones.” – Imam Ash-Shafi’ee
397. “He is not of us who does not show mercy to our little ones and respect to our great ones.” (Tirmidhi, Mishkat)
398. You’re not just marrying the woman of your dreams, you’re marrying the mother of your children!
399. “The night is long don’t shorten it with your sleep and the day is pure so do not make it filthy with your sins.” – Yahyaa Ibn Mu’aadh
400. “Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or fall into error” (2:286)
401. “Faith consists of more than 60 parts. And Haya (self respect, shyness, modesty etc.) is a part of faith.” (Bukhari)
402. “How strange! You lose a little from you and you cry. And your whole life is wasting and you’re laughing” – Ibn Qayyim
403. The month of mercy has passed, we have completed our fasts, but now the devils are back, Ya Allah keep us steadfast, Ameen! Eid Mubarak
404. “O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means of nearness to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed.” (5:35)
405. Humility is not disgraceful, and carries no loss of true honour
406. “Don’t depend too much on anyone in this world because even your own shadow leaves you when you are in darkness.” – Ibn Taymiyyah
407. “Definitely actions are judged by their intentions.” (Bukhari)
408. In the last 10 nights there is one, better than a thousand months, so pray until your feet swell, in hopes Allah adds it to your scale!
409. “They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allaah” [4:108]
410. “O Allah indeed you are one that pardons, and you love to pardon, so pardon me.”
411. “Pray while standing and if you can’t, pray while sitting and if you cannot do even that, then pray lying on your side.” (Bukhari)
412. “O how poor is man, if he fears Hell in the same degree of his fearing poverty, then he will enter Paradise.” – Yahya ibn Mu`adh
413. “Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.” (7:199)
414. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or justice to our enemies, justice will be done #burma
415. “Do not eat with your left hand, for the Satan eats with his left hand.” (Muslim)
416. “If you want your prayer to be of benefit to you, say to yourself, ‘I might not have a chance to perform another prayer.’ – Bakr al Muzani
417. Say: “My happiness is my Imaan and my Iman is in my heart and my heart doesn’t belong to anyone but Allaah”
418. “The strong man is not one who wrestles well but the strong man is one who controls himself when he is in a fit of rage.” (Bukhari)
419. “And the example of a bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, not having any stability.” (14:26)
420. The example of knowledge that is not acted upon is like that of treasure which is not spent
421. Every gulp of air that goes out in a cause other than the cause of Allaah will turn to sorrow and regret on the Day of Judgment – Ibn Qayyim
422. “Say Ameen when the Imam says Ameen, for one’s Ameen synchronises with that of the angels, & he will be forgiven of his past sins.” (Muslim)
423. The cure for grief is action and the cure for low iman is knowledge
424. “Sincerity separates good actions from faults like the separation of milk from dung and blood.” – Yahyaa bin Mu’aadh
425. “The best among you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.” (Buhkari)
426. There is no fasting without salah, so if you’re not praying you’re not really fasting, you’re just hungry
427. “I have never stood up for prayer without imagining that Jahannam is before my eyes.” – Hammad bin Salamah
428. “Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind.” (Bukhari)
429. Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were
430. “Renouncing the worldly pleasures is a comfort for both the human heart and body.” – `Umar ibn Al-Khattab
431. The gates of Hell are locked, The devils are chained up, The gates of Paradise are open, so let us reserve our spots! Ramadan Mubarak
432. “Who are the learned? Those who practice what they know.” (Bukhari)
433. A lie can go halfway around the world before the truth even has its shoes on
434. “And give the relative his right, and also the poor and the traveler, and do not spend wastefully.” (17:26)
435. “Imprisoned is he whose heart is imprisoned from Allâh. Captured is he who is captured by his desires.” – Ibn Taymiyyah
436. Ya Allah, grant the Muslims of Burma patience with all that you ordain for them and victory over all those who oppress them. Ameen
437. “Recite the Qur’an for the Qur’an will intercede for the reciter on the Day of Judgement.” (Muslim)
438. If Mr.Right ain’t Mr.Righteous than kick him to the left
439. “The one who advises his brother in secret has beautified him and the one who advises his brother openly has uglified him.” – Abûd-Dardâ
440. “…In the creation of the heavens & the earth & the alteration of the night & the day are signs for those of understanding.” (3:190)
441. Dawah starts in the mirror
442. “If anybody has to take an oath, he should swear only by Allah.” (Bukhari)
443. “Have mercy over those whom are upon the earth, and He who is above the heaven will have mercy over you” – al-Albânî
444. Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart
445. “He who is presented with a flower should not reject it, for it is light to carry and pleasant in odor.” (Muslim)
446. “The sunnah is like Ark of Noah. Whoever embarks upon it reaches salvation and whoever refuses is drowned.” – Imaam Malik
447. And never say of anything, “Indeed, I will do that tomorrow,” except when adding, “If Allah wills (inshAllah).” (18:23)
448. At the extremity of hardship comes relief and at the tightening of the chains of trials and tribulations comes ease
449. “People will not sit remembering Allah without angels surrounding them…”(Muslim)
450. “Renew your hearts with the remembrance of Allâh because it rushes into forgetfulness.” – Yahyâ ibn Mu‘âdh
451. When your brother is out of your sight, mention him as you would like him to mention you when you are out of his sight
452. “He who performed ablution (wudu) well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.” (Muslim)
453. “A believer plants a palm tree and fears that thorns will grow. The hypocrites plant thorns expecting ripe dates to grow! – Fudayl ibn ‘Iyâd
454. “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” (40:60)
455. “Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent…” (Bukhari)
456. “Whoever proposed to the world, then the world would not be satisfied until he gave up his Deen as dowry.” – Mâlik ibn Dînâr
457. Life is but a moment, so let it be a moment of obedience
458. “Verily, between man and between polytheism and unbelief is the negligence of prayer.” (Muslim)
459. “The one who loves fame is not truthful to Allaah.” – Ibraaheem bin Adham
460. What has he lost who has found you (O Allaah), and what has he found who has lost you (O Allaah)
461. “Surely Allah is my Lord and your Lord, therefore serve Him; this is the right path.” [3:51]
462. “The crying of the child (at birth) starts when satan touches him.” (Muslim)
463. “Knowledge exists potentially in the human soul like the seed in the soil; by learning the potential becomes actual.” ― Imam al-Ghazali
464. Chase this world as much as you please, but we all end up in a single bed sooner or later
465. “Verily! We have adorned the near heaven with the stars (for beauty).” [37:6]
466. “Do not be hasty in talking ill of your wife. If any of her actions are disliked, another may be likable.” (Muslim)
467. A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams
468. “The day that neither wealth nor sons will be of any benefit except for he who comes to Allah with a pure heart.” [26: 88-89]
469. “You are nothing but a number of days, and whenever a day passes away, a part of you passes away” – Hasan Al-Basri
470. A good way to forget your troubles is to help people out of theirs
471. “A true Muslim is thankful to Allah in prosperity, and resigned to His will in adversity.” (Muslim)
472. “Whosoever holds fast to God, he has been guided onto the Straight Path.” [3:101]
473. Ignorance is Innocence – Stupidity comes with experience
474. “If anyone of you enters a Mosque, he should not sit until he has offered a two-rakat prayer.” (Bukhari)
475. Feed your Iman and your doubts will starve to death
476. “Who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: Surely we are Allah’s and to Him we shall surely return.” [2:156]
477. “Nothing is weightier on the Scale of Deeds than one’s good manners.” (Bukhari)
478. “Were this world to be sold on the market, I would not buy it for a loaf of bread, for all the troubles it contains.” – Imam Shafi’i
479. Never argue with a fool, listeners can’t tell which is which
480. “And be true to every promise – for, verily you will be called to account for every promise which you have made.” [17: 34]
481. “The influence of an evil eye is a fact; if anything would precede the destiny, it would be the influence of an evil eye.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
482. “Sins cause harm and repentance removes the cause” – Ibn Taymiyyah
483. Tests are inevitable; patience is optional
484. “O followers of the Book! Why do you confound the truth with the falsehood and hide the truth while you know?” [3:71]
485. Du’a for the Muslims in Ethiopia who being indoctrinated with this “Ahbash” propaganda. Ya Allah allow the Haqq to reign supreme. AMEEN!
486. “Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind.” (Bukhari)
487. A bad habit is only a habit until you can observe it, then it’s a choice you make
488. “Whosoever chooses to follow guidance, follows it for his own good; whosoever goes astray, goes astray to his own loss.” [17: 15]
489. A wise man can see more from the bottom of a well than a fool can see from the top of a mountain
490. “In this world there is a paradise, whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter.” – Ibn Taymiyyah
491. “Kind speech and forgiveness is better than charity followed by injury” [2:263]
492. Parents are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait to hear the answer
493. “Let not your tongue mention the shame of another For you yourself are covered in shame and all men have tongues.” Imam Ash-Shaafi’ee
494. Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: “I am about to create man from clay.” [38:71]
495. Time is an enemy you cannot fight
496. “When Allah created His creatures He wrote above His throne: ‘Verily, my compassion overcomes my wrath.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
497. “The heart is like a bird: love as its head and its two wings are hope and fear.” – ibn al Qayyim
498. Don’t complain if you’re not getting everything you want, just be glad you’re not getting everything you deserve!
499. “Woman was created from a rib, and if you try to straighten up a rib you will break it, so deal with her gently.” (Bukhari)
500. “And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet with a better one than it or return it; surely Allah takes account of all things.” [4:86]
501. Do not fear the frown of the frowners
502. Righteousness is good character, and sin is that which revolves in your heart and which you do not want people to know. (Muslim)
503. Be kind to mean people, they need it the most
504. “…And bow down with those who bow down.” [2:43]
505. “It is from the conditions of the Last Hour that knowledge would be taken away and ignorance would prevail (upon the world)” (Muslim)
506. Important minds discuss ideas; common minds discuss events; tiny minds discuss people
507. “Those who have faith and do righteous deeds,- they are the best of creatures.” [98:7]
508. “If anyone of you feels drowsy while praying, he should sleep till he understands what he is saying (reciting).” (Bukhari)
509. Everyday we ask Allah to guide us to the straight path, sadly many of us are not actually willingly to make that journey
510. “If you loved a man for Allâh and then he innovates in Islâm and you don’t hate him for it, you never loved him for Allâh.” Sufyân Al-Thawrî
511. “And abandon open and secret sin; surely they who earn sin shall be recompensed with what they earned.” [6:120]
512. Live for Allah, because without Allah in your life you’re not really living
513. “Be afraid, from the curse of the oppressed as there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.” (Bukhari) #Pray4Syria
514. 1 year ago today Allah blessed me with my best friend and it has been the best year of my life, may Allah grant us many more. Ameen
515. “Allah desires that He should make light your burdens, and man is created weak.” [4:28]
516. Most women prefer beauty over brains because they know most men can see much better than they can think
517. Whenever the Prophet PBUH went into the restroom, he used to say, “Allahumma Inni a’udhu bika mina-lkhubthi Wal khaba’ith.” (Bukhari)
518. “The Jihad against the soul is the foundation for the Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites” – Ibn Taymiyyah
519. “If people knew what I know about the dangers of being alone, no rider would travel alone at night.” (Bukhari)
520. You can have all the technology in the world, but still be living in the dark
521. “Why should Allah chastise you if you are grateful and believe? And Allah is the Multiplier of rewards, Knowing.” [4:147]
522. “Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent…” (Bukhari)
523. Everyday is a battle, the Devil is your enemy, Hayaa is your weapon, your Hijab is a shield, may Allah grant you victory! Ameen
524. “Verily, your Lord knows better, who (among men) has gone astray from His Path, and He knows better those who are guided.” [68:7]
525. “The strong man is not one who wrestles well but the strong man is one who controls himself when he is in a fit of rage.” (Bukhari)
526. Whatever your past may have been, your future is still spotless
527. “Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do.” [61:3]
528. “A true good dream is from Allah, and a bad dream is from Satan.” (Bukhari)
529. Why would you ask someone to pray for you, if you’re not willing to pray for yourself?
530. “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” [2:153]
531. “Allah is One and likes Unity.” (Muslim)
532. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, try and make dhikr of Allah and the shaytan will help you go to sleep
533. Those who prostrate to Allah can stand up to anything
534. “There is one treatment for death: gaining the pleasure of Allah ‘azza wa jall.” – Zayd b. Aslam
535. He, for whom you have loved me, love you.
536. Marriage is like a bank account, you can’t continue to withdraw without making deposits
537. Beware of only receiving half the truth, you may have received the wrong half
538. One day your life will flash before your eyes, make sure it’s actually worth watching
539. Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate the blessings they already have
540. There is no right way to do something haraam
541. If you’re looking for faults use a mirror, not a telescope
542. Sometimes it’s better to keep silent and let people think you’re ignorant, then to open your mouth and release all doubts
543. Without Allah on your side, you can do nothing. With Allah on your side, there is nothing you cannot do
544. All mankind is lost, the sunnah is your GPS, the Qu’ran is your vehicle, iman is your fuel, your destination is Jannah!
545. Speaking to hearts is an art which starts by Speaking from the heart
546. ‘Â’ishah – Allah be pleased with her – gave seventy thousand (dirham) in charity, while her own skirt used to be patched.
547. Get rich if you’re looking for a woman, Get pious if you’re looking for a wife
548. “Narrate to people what they can understand; do you want Allah and His Messenger to be disbelieved?” – ‘Alî b. Abî Tâlib (radhi Allahu anhu)
549. He was on his way to kill the Messenger (SAW), now he’s buried next to him, never give up on people #Umaribnkhattab
550. And turn not your face away from men with pride [Luqmaan 31:18]
551. Pay attention to Allaah and He will pay attention to you
552. “Sit with the repentant, for they have the softest hearts.” – ‘Awn b. ‘Abdillâh
553. If you converted/reverted to Islam, you are my hero!
554. If you want a good wife, marry someone who has been a good daughter (and vice verse)
555. You can’t change the past, but you can ruin the future by neglecting the present
556. “The women of this world who enter Paradise will surpass Al-Hûr Al-‘În by the deeds they did in this world.” – Hibbân b. Abî Jablah
557. And speak good to people [al-Baqarah 2:83]
558. Work for this world as if you are going to live forever and work for the hereafter as if you are going to die tomorrow
559. Allah created everything to serve you and created you to serve Allah
560. The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken
561. “My Lord! Open up for me my heart. And ease for me my task. And untie the knot of my tongue. That they may understand my speech.” (20:25-28)
562. Knowledge is knowing what to say, Wisdom is knowing how to say it
563. If ignorance is bliss, why are there still so many unhappy people?
564. “One of the worst sins is when a man says to his brother, “Fear Allâh,’ and he replies, “Worry about yourself.” – ‘Abdullâh ibn Mas’ûd
565. Just because you forgot about your sins, doesn’t mean they have been forgiven
566. “Do they not ponder over the Quran? If it was from someone other than Allah, they would find many discrepancies in it.” (4:82)
567. This Dunya is like a flower that grows from the ground, and after a short while it dies, as if it never existed in the first place
568. Someone recently asked me if “Hell was fair?” How would you answer this question?
569. “Never does any pride enter the heart of a man except that his intelligence decreases by the same amount.” – Muhammad Al-Bâqir
570. Every pious person has a past, and every sinner has a future
571. “No matter where you may be, death is going to reach you, even if you are in fortified towers…” (4:78)
572. “The fasting person is in a state of worship as long as he does not backbite.” – Abul-’Âliyah (radhi Allahu anhu) #Ashura
573. Short days to fast, long nights to pray, winter is the spring for believers!
574. You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist
575. “By Allâh, I have lived amongst people who when taking lunch, if they were about to be full, would stop eating.” – Al-Hasan Al-Basrî
576. Show mercy to be shown mercy
577. “Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience.” – Ibn Taymiyyah
578. Ignorance is a Disease #iqra
579. Today is a gift from your Lord, that’s why we call it the present!
580. Don’t let your critics become your CEO’s
581. One of the fruits of knowledge is learning how ignorant you really are
582. “And if a person were given all of the world and what is in it, it would not fill this emptiness.” – Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah
583. One of the most intelligent things you can ever say is “I don’t know”
584. Chasing this dunya is like chasing your shadow, you’ll never catch it and before you know it you’ll just be alone in the dark
585. Never argue with an idiot – they’ll bring you down to their level then beat you with experience
586. “The trace of ink on the garment of the master of hadith is better than the perfume on the bride’s garment.” – Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak
587. If you can’t wake up for fajr, what’s the point of waking up at all?
588. 50,000 thousand years before the sky was introduced to the sea, Allah wrote down your name next to me ♥
589. “A man will never fear something besides Allah unless it be due to a disease in his heart.” – Ibn Taymiyyah
590. Those who criticize our generation forget who raised it
591. All people posses good. Either they help you and receive good deeds, or they slander you, and you take their good deeds
592. What’s the point of seeking knowledge when you don’t even make use of what you already know?
593. Superheroes allow their capes to hang off their backs; but our Superwomen choose to wrap them around their heads.
594. There is no liberation without education
595. A man who knows God will always be humble, a man who knows himself will never be proud
596. The angel of death does not discriminate
597. If you desire Allah to be persistent in granting you the thing you love, be persistent in doing the things He loves. – Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
598. If you worship Ramadan, it will eventually go away, but If you worship Allah, know that he is here to stay #eidmubarak
599. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who fears Allah!
600. His Justice is Just, it Just is! #AllahuAkbar
601. Do not fear those who are made of flesh and bones, fear the One who will resurrect them from sticks and stones
602. Music is the Devils Quran #haqq
603. If they can’t love Allah, their love for you will always be fundamentally flawed
604. “A calamity that makes you turn to Allah is better for you then a blessing which makes you forget the remembrance of Allah” – Ibn Taymiyyah
605. “Good manners is part of taqwa and you cannot have taqwa without good manners” – Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali
606. Fajr in the masjid #jihad
607. I love my mother, my mother, my mother, my father.
608. “Be content with what Allaah has given you, and you will be the richest of people.”
609. “Truly, there is a Heaven in this world, [and] whoever does not enter it, will not enter the Heaven of the next world” – Ibn Taymiyyah
610. “Guard against having a bad opinion of people.” – Al-Hasan Al-Basree
611. “The most beloved of food to Allaah is that which is touched by many hands (i.e., shared among many people).”
612. “Do not become angry, and Paradise will be yours.”
613. “Whoever slanders to you about others, will slander about you. And whoever reports to you, will soon report about you.” – Imam Ash-Shaafi’ee
614. “Pay attention to Allah and He will pay attention to you!”
615. “The one who points the way to good deeds is like the one who does them”
616. Verily I constantly renew my Islam until this very day, as up to now I do not consider myself to have ever been a good Muslim- Ibn Taymiyyah
617. Don’t celebrate the day I was born and don’t celebrate the day that I die, instead give thanks everyday just for the blessing of being alive
618. Grow a beard, stop acting like a ‘Bint’
619. “Anyone who criticizes you cares about your friendship. Anyone who makes light of your faults cares nothing about you.” – Ibn Hazm
620. “The Lord loves to be loved” – Ibn Taymiyyah
621. “If I remained silent and you remained silent, then who will teach the ignorant?” – Ibn Taymiyyah
622. “Whoever disbelieves in a single letter of the Qur’an has disbelieved in its entirety.” Ali ibn Abi Taalib (Radia-Allahu Anhu)
623. “If I were to backbite against anyone, it would be about my parents for they have more right to my good deeds” – Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak
624. If you want to talk to Allah, perform Salah. If you want Allah to talk to you, read the Qur’an
625. A man without a wife is like a vase without flowers
626. Knowledge with no wisdom, is a Prince with no kingdom

Fawaz

ISLAM: Between ignorant followers and incapable scholars – By Abdul Qadir Awdah

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate!

Glory be to Allah who taught man how to read and revealed to him what was previously unknown. And may peace be upon Muhammad, the unlettered Prophet, who was selected by Allah to invite and educate all people of the way to Allah, Who says:

“To you has come light and a clear Book from God. Through which God will lead those who follow His pleasure to the path of peace, and guide them out of darkness into light by His will, and to the path that is straight”.
(The Holy Quran, Chapter 5. “The Table Spread”, verses 15-16)

It is painful to a Muslim to see his fellow Muslims going from bad to worse, getting weaker and more ignorant every day, not realizing that the real reason behind that deterioration is their ignorance of the system of Islamic jurisprudence and their negligence in applying it, not-withstanding its perfection and excellence.

They are not aware that their tenacious adherence to defective secular laws has spoiled their lives and brought upon them their present weakness and humility.

I do believe that we deserted the Islamic Jurisprudence owing to our ignorance of its implications and the failure of our canons of religion to, or their incapability of, educating us in it. Had every Muslim known his obligations towards the religion, he would not have failed to fulfill them. In fact, every Muslim would have rushed forward to serve its cause and apply its principles.

I think that the best service a Muslim can render to his brethren is to educate them in Islamic jurisprudence and to reveal to them those precepts which they do not know.

I am writing this concise essay in which I have gathered those necessary principles of Islamic law, every educated Muslim should know, showing the correct views about the issues which have been demeaned by certain ignorant people, who advanced unfounded illogical allegations about them. I hope that this booklet would help to rectify some of our Islamic precepts which are misunderstood by those who received secular education. I hope as well that it would persuade our Islamic scholars to change their systems and adopt a new method for serving the cause of Islam. After all, they are thea successors of the
Prophets and the followers of The Messenger of Allah.

May Allah guide us all toward the right way.

THE AUTHOR
 – Abdul Qadir Awdah

Download the booklet here (PDF 184 Kb)

Learn Arabic with ease and comforts of your house – Khalid Arabic Academy, Bangalore

Insha’Allaah, Khalid Arabic Academy, now registered under Malak Welfare Trust, will be starting a new batch for brothers and sisters both. These classes will be conducted Online via skype for the convenience of those who could not make it to our earlier classes and those who want to learn from the comforts of their houses.

و السلام

MG Khalid
Director
Khalid Arabic Academy – +919845405745

Email: khalidarabicacademy@gmail.com

Skype Name: khalid.mg 

understanding the verbs in Arabic – taught in an innovative way so that you can remember for lifetime.Insha’Allaah

Visit for live recording of Arabic Class

Watch this little angel. A product of Khalid Arabic Academy

 

Divine World School – A School with Islamic perspective
Visit: www.divineuq.com
Is your child studying in Divine World ( Islamic ) School?
Yes, mine is. 

The Miracles of Qur’aan can be appreciated only when it is understood in Arabic Language, not through any translation.

ISHA Reading Room and Kalaskar Educational Services are FAKE ORGANISATIONS – Beware of them

Dear Friends,

 

ISHA Reading Room and Information Center is a FAKE ORGANISATION who CHEAT innocent students. They send letters to Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab etc. and ask the recipients to send a DD / Money Order / Cheque of Rs.250 for registration. They claim that they will help the students gain scholarship from the Prime Minister’ Scholarship scheme.

 

Indian Express and CNN IBN Live have written an article on them to warn people against such FAKE organisation.

 

http://newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/article596500.ece

https://www.nishkam.org/home/sites/nishkam.org/files/Urgent%20and%20Important.pdf

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/private-agencies-cheat-applicants-of-pm-scholarship/285787-60.html

 

Please do not fall trap to such false claims. Rs.250 may seem less but imagine the number of people they might be sending the letters to.

 

These are their fake Websites, Emails and Phone Numbers:

 

FAKE WEBSITES

http://www.ishastudent.com/

http://www.kesstudent.com/

 

FAKE EMAILS

kalaskarnetra@gmail.com

kalaskarkk@yahoo.com 

 

FAKE ADDRESS

Isha Reading Room and Information Center

Contact Name:  K. S. Paramesh

M.G. Road,Isha Building Basavanna circle, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bangalore, Karnataka ( Central ) – 583227 

Land Mark : Gangavati

 

Kalaskar Educational Services 

P.B.NO.4, MARKET ROAD, 

SHIKARIPUR-577 427. 

KARNATAKA 

 

FAKE MOBILE NUMBER

Mobile No: 99869 29998

 

May God save us and destroy such cheats.

“You will walk alone, die alone, and resurrect alone”

From the book: Men around the Messenger
By: Khalid Muhammad Khalid
Translated by: Sheikh Muhammed Mustafa Gemeiah, Dr.Abdel – Hamid Eliwa
Al Azhar University
Volume 1, Page 44-64
Published by: Dar Al-Manarah, Egypt

Abu Dhar Al-Ghifaariy
The leader of Opposition and an enemy of wealth

Abdullah lbn Mas’uud (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated the interpretation of the statement “You will walk alone, die alone, and resurrect alone,” to his companions:

Ibn Mas’uud said

“That was in the ninth year after Hijrah, during the Battle of Tabuuk, when the Prophet, (PBUH) had ordered full preparation to meet the Romans, who had begun to carry out their conspiracies and cunning tricks against Islam.

The days in which people were asked to go out for jihad were very hot, distressful, and hard. The destination was far away and the enemy terrifying.

A group of Muslims refrained from going forth, justifying their position with different apologies. The Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions went forth. The farther they went, the more exhausted and tired they became. Whenever a man stayed behind people said, “O Prophet! So-and-so stayed behind.” He then said, “Let him! If he’s any good, he will reach you. If he’s something else, then Allah will save you his trouble.”

One day the people turned around. They could not find Abu Dhar. They told the Prophet (PBUH) that Abu Dhar had stayed behind and his camel had slowed down. It is here that the Prophet (PBUH) repeated his first statement. Abu Dhar’s camel became weaker under the severe pressure of hunger, thirst, and hot weather. It stumbled due to weakness and fatigue. Abu Dhar tried by all means to force it to move forward, but the burden of the camel’s exhaustion was too heavy.

Finally, Abu Dhar felt that he would be left behind, losing the caravan’s traces. Therefore, he dismounted from his camel, took his belongings, carried them on his back, and continued his route on foot over the burning desert sand, hurrying in order to rejoin the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions.

In the early morning, while the Muslims were stopped for a while to rest, one of them saw a cloud of dust and sand behind which the shadow of a man could be seen. The one who saw that said to the Prophet (PBUH), “O Messenger of Allah, there is someone walking alone.”

The Prophet (PBUH) said, “It is Abu Dhar.”

The Muslims continued their talk until the man crossed the remaining distance between them. Only then were they able to know who he was.

The respectful traveler approached little by little. Although he could only with great effort pull his feet out of the burning sand and with a lot of pain carry the heavy burden on his back, he was very delighted to have finally reached the blessed caravan without staying behind and abandoning the Prophet (PBUH) and his Companions.

When he at last reached the caravan, someone shouted, “O Prophet, it’s Abu Dhar.” Abu Dhar beaded towards the Prophet (PBUH). The Prophet (PBUH) had hardly seen him, when he tenderly, kindly, and sadly smiled and said, “Allah will have mercy upon Abu Dhar. He walks alone, dies alone, and resurrects alone.”

Twenty years or more had passed since then. Abu Dhar died alone in the desert of Ar-Rabadhah, having walked on a path no one else had passed over so gloriously .

Abu Dhar Al-Ghifaariy’s Death

This slim dark-skinned woman sitting crying beside him is his wife. He is asking her, “Why do you cry and death is true?” She answers crying, “You are dying and I don’t have a gown which suffices to be a winding sheet!!” He smiles like a passing evening glow and says to her “Calm down. Don’t cry. I heard the Prophet (PBUH) once saying while I was sitting among a number of Companions “one of you will die in a desert land, and a group of the faithful will witness him.” All those who were sitting with me at that assembly have died, whether in a village or among a congregation. No one is left except me, and now I am dying in a desert land. Watch out, a group of the faithful will soon show up. By Allah, I didn’t lie in my life.” He passed away. Blessed was he.

There is a caravan which sets off on a journey across the desert.  It consists of a group of the faithful with `Abd Allah Ibn Mas’uud, the Prophet’s Companion, at their head. lbn Mas’uud visualized the scene before he reached it: a scene of an out-stretched body like that of a dead person and beside him a crying woman and boy.

He redirects his camel’s bridle and the whole caravan follows him towards the scene. He has hardly taken a look at the dead body, when he realizes that it is his companion brother in Islam, Abu Dhar.

Ibn Mas’uud’s tears roll down abundantly while he stands in front of this virtuous body saying, “The Messenger of Allah was truthful – You will walk alone, die alone, and resurrect alone.”

Abu Dhar Ghifaariy is also remembered alone by history for his brave resistance and his great asceticism. Allah will also resurrect him alone, because the multitude of his various merits will not enable anyone else to find a place near him.

Download the book: Men around the Messenger.pdf

The pain of a troubled father – A remarkable hadith

From the book: Maariful Quran
By: Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi Usmani
Translated by: Muhammad Shamim
Volume 4, Surah 17 (Bani Israil) Commentary of the Verse 22-25, Page 485 – 497

The pain of a troubled father – A remarkable hadith

Al-Qurtubi has reported from Sayyidna Jabir ibn Abdullah (RA) that a man came to the Holy Prophet and complained that his father was taking away what belonged to him. He said,

“Go and ask your father to come here.”

Right then, came Sayyidna Jibrail and told the Holy Prophet SAWS,

“When his father comes, ask him about the words he has composed in his heart and which his own ears have not heard yet.”

When this man returned with his father, he (SAWS) said to the father,

“Why is it that your son complains against you? Do you wish to take away what belongs to him?”

The father said,

“You better ask him on whom do I spend other than his paternal or maternal aunts or myself”

The Holy Prophet SAWS said: (an expression which denoted that he had understood the reality and there was no need to say anything else). After that, he asked the father of the man,

“What are those words that have not yet been heard by your own ears?”

The father said, “O Rasulallah, Allah Taala increases our faith in you through everything.” Thereby he meant that he (SAWS) got to know what was not heard by anyone, which was a miracle indeed. Then, he submitted,

“It is true that I had composed some lines of poetry within my heart, something not heard even by my own ears.”

The Holy Prophet SAWS said, “Let us hear them.” Then he recited the following lines of poetry he had composed:

I fed you in childhood and took care of you when young. You lived on my earnings alone.

When on some night, you became sick, I spent the whole night remaining awake and restless because of your sickness

As if your sickness was my own and not yours and because of which my eyes kept shedding tears throughout the night

My heart kept trembling lest something happens to you, though I knew that the time of death is fixed, being neither early nor late

So, when you reached the age and maturity that I had always been looking
forward to

Then you made hard-heartedness and harshness my return as if you were the one doing me favors and giving me rewards

Alas, if it was not possible for you to fulfill my right as a father, you could have at the least done what a good neighbor would have done

So, you could have given me the least right of a neighbor and abstained from becoming miserly in my case in my own property.

After having heard these verses of poetry, the Holy Prophet SAWS held the son by his shirt and said: Go, You and your property, everything belongs to your father.
(Tafsir al-Qurtubi, p. 246, V. 10)

These verses have also been reported in Hamasah, the famous book of Arabic literature as attributed to the poet, Umaiyyah ibn Abi as-Sult. Others say that Abd al-Ala wrote them. Still others attribute them to Abu al-‘Abbas al-Ama. (Al-Qurtubi, marginal notes)

Quran will stand witness to the martyrdom of Uthman

From the book: Travelling Across Central Asia
By: Hazrath Maulana Zulfiqar Ahmed Naqshbandi Mujaddedi
Translated by: Mohammed Aslam
Published by: Maktabat-ul-Faqeer, Pakistan
Chapter: Journey to Uzbekistan, Page 37 – 38

A View of Uthmani Script

“When I entered the Tala Shaykh building a young man told me that. it was a repository of hundreds of rare printed and script-copies of the Holy Qur‘aan. Uthman’s handwritten copy was the most rare. It was a Qur’aanic copy written on leather. Caliph Uthman (RA) had got it prepared during his reign of caliphate and he used to recite the same. Earlier this copy was present in another country but when Amir Timur conquered different countries he brought it to Samarkand. When the Russian Revolution took place in 1917 this copy was placed in the Leningrad Museum. Following the liberation of the Central Asian Republics from the Soviet yoke the Uzbekistan Government made a strong demand to Moscow that it should be returned to them. Accordingly, this Qur’aanic copy was brought to Tashkent with deep respect and reverence and placed in this building. Two doctors are deputed to check the room’s temperature and the quantity of moisture in the air and keep spraying different chemicals over this rare manuscript so as to save it from erosion.”

“When I saw this historic copy of the Qur’aan the passage written in the Kufic script was illegible to me. After pondering long enough I was able to understand two words, Gabriel and Michael. Then I started reading orally and the construction of the words became clearer and clearer to me. When I came to the words, But Allah will suffice thee against them (Surah 2: Verse 137), I found there a stain. I was told that when Caliph Uthman (RA) was martyred the blood emitting from his body had left this stain. Glory be to Allah! On the Day of Judgment the earth will bear witness to the martyrdom of somebody and a stone will bear witness to martyrdom in another case. But as for Uthman Ghani’s martyrdom the Book of Allah will stand witness to it. For a time I kept looking at this inestimable relic with an overwhelming sense of reverence and devotion. In the meantime, Dada Khan Nuri reached there and told me, “Hazrat, programmes about the Ferghana valley have been drawn up. It is too late and we should go home now.” ….

– Hazrath Maulana Zulfiqar Ahmed Naqshbandi Mujaddedi

Download the book: Travelling Across Central Asia.pdf