Take benefit of five before five

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Take benefit of five before five:your youth before your old age,your health before your sickness,your wealth before your poverty,your free-time before your preoccupation,and your life before your death.”(Hakim)

This hadith reminds us to make proactive use of my talents, gifts, and resources. Nothing in this is life is permanent and it is important to utilize our strengths/skills NOW, rather, than later, iA. Each gift mentioned in this hadith is important: our youth, health, wealth, free-time, and life. I hope we have the ability to take full advantage of these gifts to empower ourselves and our communities.

Khutbah.com has a great khutbah on this topic
http://www.khutbah.com/en/sunnah_seerah/five.php

Visit the sick

During Fajr prayer, the imam reminded us about the importance of visiting the sick. I believe he was referring to the following hadith.

The Prophet (S) said: "When a man goes to visit his sick Muslim brother, he walks along a path of Paradise until he sits, and when he sits he is cloaked in mercy. If he comes in the morning, seventy thousand angels pray for him until evening, and if he comes in the evening, seventy thousand angels pray for him until morning." At-TirmidSubhanAllah.. Who wouldn't angels praying for him/her? This hadith is a great reminder on the importance of visiting the sick. I definitely need to this more often. Hopefully, I will be make it a point to visit someone sick within a week, iA.

Practice what you preach

Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah bepleased with them) reported: The

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,

“A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and will be cast
into Hell, and his intestines will pour forth and he will go round
them as a donkey goes round a millstone. The inmates of Hell will
gather round him and say: ‘What has happened to you, O so-and-so? Were
you not enjoining us to do good and forbidding us to do evil?’ He will
reply: ‘I was enjoining you to do good, but was not doing it myself;
and I was forbidding you to do evil, but was doing it myself”.

Salams, It has been a long time since my last post. The imam at fajr prayer today reminded us the importance of implementing our own advice. This hadith is a reminder to practice what we preach. Sometimes it is easier to advise others to do good than reflecting on and practicing our own advice. The best way to advise others to do
good or change a particular action is by demonstrating THAT very action in our own behavior. May Allah help us be sincere in all ouractions/advice and be the very best examples.

Ameen.

Advance in Quest for HIV Vaccine

"In the latest development, U.S. government scientists say they have discovered three powerful antibodies, the strongest of which neutralizes 91% of HIV strains, more than any AIDS antibody yet discovered. They are now deploying the technique used to find those antibodies to identify antibodies to influenza viruses."

Read the rest of the article by clicking on the link below:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703609004575355072271264394.html?mod=wsj_share_digg


How are you contributing to the betterment of the world?-

ADHD: Why More Adults Are Being Diagnosed - WSJ.com

This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702304620304575165902933059076-lMyQjAxMTAwMDAwNjEwNDYyWj.html

Nouman Ali Khan's talk on Islam and Ego

Salams. I watched the talk below and found it enlightening and thought provoking. What are our intentions? Where is our sincerity?

No matter how we might seem to the outside world, our inner thoughts and actions define us, and thus, reminders of this reality are beneficial, mA.

Check yourself, and renew your intentions, and make sure to surround yourself with good company.

Much love and peace-

www.halaltube.com/nouman-ali-khan-islam-and-ego

Salams- Come closer to your Lord with extra deeds

Salams- I think I posted this hadith before, but, I love this reminder:

On the Authority of Abu Hurairah who reported that the Messenger of Allah said:

"Allah the Exalted has said: 'Whosover shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My slave does not draw nearer to me with anything more loved by me that the religious duties that I have imposed upon him, and My Slave continues to draw near to ME with extra works so that I shall love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hands with which he holds, and his foot which which he walks. Were he to ask of Me, I would surely give it to him and were he were he ask ME for refuge, I would surely grant it.' "

Related by Bukhari.

My take:
1. Wow, mA.. Take care of religous obligations (testify the oneness of your Lord, pray 5 times/day, pay your zakat, fast in ramadan, make the hajj), and do a little extra to earn your Lord's love
2. How amazing is it to be loved by your Lord?

Be safe and take care-

Work hard/Trust in your Lord + Expecting a Surge in U.S. Medical Schools

Bismillah.

So.. Tawakul (Complete Trust in Your Lord)..

One day the Prophet (peace be upon him) noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the Bedouin, "Why don't you tie down your camel?" The Bedouin answered, "I put my trust in Allah." The Prophet then said, "Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah"

My take:

1. Try your very best AND place your trust in your Lord

Also, for those interested in medical school, read the following piece. Thanks Naji and Dulbahai.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/15/education/15medschools.html

Marriage Decision: Following One’s Heart

http://seekersguidance.org/ans-blog/2010/01/29/marriage-decision-following-ones-heart/

Time Management- a prespective from Muhammad Alshareef

Saalams..

The link (Journey's end lecture) below is useful, mA. Feel free to listen to it.

http://attendthisevent.com/Modern/?eventid=10763076

Peace-

ICNYU Conference 2010: Building Momentum in Mainstream Culture

Register now. This should be good, iA. (Friday, Jan. 22nd- Sat, Jan. 23rd).
www.icnyu.org/conference

Who should you aspire to be?

Bismillah

Thanks, Ibraheem for sharing this prophetic saying:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud:

The Prophet (S) said, "Do not wish to be like anyone except in two cases. (The first is) A person, whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it righteously; (the second is) the one whom Allah has given wisdom (the Holy Qur'an) and he acts according to it and teaches it to others."
-Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 1, Book 3, Number 73

My take:
1. Give generously and use your wealth for good, betterment of your community, iA
2. Learn, teach and act upon the lessons from the Quran

Peace-

How to Get $20 Billion for Using Electronic Medical Records

Congress had passed a HITECH stimulus bill in Feb that gave Medicare and Medicaid incentives to docs and hospitals to make meaningful use of electronic medical records. The HITECH bill laid out a few basics about meaningful use: (e.g. reporting quality measures, sharing information electronically, etc.). Read the article and click on links within the article for more info.

Peace-

Click the following to access the sent link:

How to Get $20 Billion for Using Electronic Medical Records*

This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/12/30/how-to-get-20-billion-for-using-electronic-medical-records/?blog_id=10&post_id=28096

Abu Eesa Niamatullah on relationships

Salams, my cousin sent me this link. This Al Maghrib instructor offers advice on how to engage the opposite gender Islamically.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Kyy_4NE3Y

Peace-

Day of Arafat

Assalamu Alaikom.

The Prophet said, "Fasting the day of Arafat erases the sins of two years: the previous year and the coming one."

Tomorrow, (Thursday, 11/26) is the Day of Arafat. For those of us not fortunate enough to make the pilgrimage this year, this is is a beautiful chance to take advantage of the blessings of this day, iA.

Just wanted to share a small reminder and also invite you all to my family's home in Long Island on the first day of Eid (Friday, 11/26) anytime between 2-5pm. Let me know if you can come through, iA.

Be safe and take care.

Peace-

Jumma Mubarak! Trust in your Lord

Bismillah

Jummah Mubarak! Have you read sura Kahf?

In terms of a reminder, the following two ayaat remind me of the importance of complete trust in our Lord. Alhamdullillah, we are living in the wealthiest country in the world and I pray Allah gives us the strength and creativity to utlilize this privledge to make amazing contributions to our families, communities, and beyond, iA. Ameen!

Sura Bakarah (2:216)
It may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.

Sura Nisa (4:19)
And live with them [women] honourably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good.

Peace-

Are you taking advantage of the next ten days?

Bismillah.

It has been a long time. Ramadan is over, healthcare bill passed the House, and Dow Jones has been setting new highs for the year.... More importantly, we are close to the first ten days of the Islamic calendar month of Dhul-Hijjah (starts on Nov. 18th, iA).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "There is no day more honorable in Allah's sight and no acts more beloved therein to Allah than those in these ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah)"

I know I need to take advantage of these 10 days to rejuvenate myself. May Allah bless us with the strength to take advantage of these days, and help us be kinder, more positive influences on the ones around us. Ameen!

Shaykh Muhammad Alshareef gives the following suggestions for extra good deeds during these days:

1. Fasting these 10 days
2. Giving more charity during these 10 days
3. Say the "Eid" Takbeers loudly wherever you go. (Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Laa ilaaha illa Allah. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Walillaahil hamd.)
4. Try to pray more prayers in the Masjid
5. Increase ties of kinship (visit family, say kind words to them, etc.)
6. Perform more voluntary prayers at home
7. Read more Quran, contemplating the meanings
8. Do more Dhikr
9. Ask for forgiveness more frequently

Peace-

Trust in your Lord

Bismillah.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "No one of you will enter Paradise by his deeds alone." His companions asked, "Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?"
He (peace be upon him) said, "Not even me, unless Allah covers me with His Grace and Mercy"

My take:
SubhanAllah... This prophetic saying reminded me of our complete dependence on our Lord and his Mercy. No doubt, we have to work hard, be kind/sincere in all our actions, and always keep working towards developing ourselves, but, Ultimately, our destiny/fate is in our Lord's hands. And, knowing this should give us comfort. I remember Shaykh Hamza Yusuf put it nicely, 'We are in good hands.'

Be safe, work hard, and have complete trust in your Lord.

Peace-

Say Good words

Bismillah..

Adi bin Hatim reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Guard yourselves against the Fire (of Hell) even if it be only with half a date fruit (given in charity); and if you cannot afford that, you should at least say a good word."

My take:

1. Give charity as a means to to protect yourself from punishment in the the hereafter

2. Saying good words will serve as a protection for you in hereafter, iA

May our Lord forgive all our sins, guide us on the straight path, and make us among the most generous. Ameen.

Peace-

Be there for your brother and your Lord will be there for you

Bismillah..

So, it has been a while. Anyhow, I wanted to share a hadith on the benefits/beauty of being there for your brother/sister.

Abu Huraiha (R) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

"He who removes from a believer one of his difficulties of this world, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the day of Resurrection; and he who finds relief for a hard-pressed person, Allah will make things easy for him on the Day of Resurrection; he who covers (the faults and sins) of a Muslim, Allah will cover up (his sins and faults) in this world and the hereafter. Allah supports his slave as long as the slave is supportive of his brother;

and he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah make that path easy, leading to Jannah for him. The people who assemble in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, learning it and teaching, there descends upon them the tranquillity, mercy covers them, the angels flock around them, and Allah mentions him in the presence of those near hm;

and he who lags behind in doing good deeds, his noble noble lineage will not make him go ahead." (Muslim)

My take:

Three major points:
1. Help/honour your brother, and Allah will be there for you in this life and the next. iA
2. Pursue and teach knowledge of the religion, and the path to Jannah will be made easy for you.
3. Perform good deeds, because your family's nobility isn't going to take you to jannah.

May Allah help us be the best source of comfort for ones around us, make our path towards gaining beneficial knowledge easy for us, and help us be consistent in good work. Ameen!!!

Be safe and take care.