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Date: February 26, 2016
Sheima Salam Sumer, a trained counselor by profession explains that faith should be a source of achieving felicity and joy, paving the way for happy individuals and happy societies, and a happy humanity at large through her book ‘How to Be A Happy Muslim Insha Allah.’ The book aims to guide you in attaining inner peace and joy by uniting Islamic teachings with mental and physical health concepts. Do not get into worries or hurries due to pitfalls in your life, Allah will create a happy path in between. By reading this book, you can manage your emotions and sentiments. One of the main subjects she talks about is on negative judgement about other people. There are people around us who used to blame others for their deeds or conditions. But why we are talking negative on others? Who gave us the authority to blame them? Our situations will go back and forth. It will progress or regress. But the apex of judgement can be given by Allah only. No other living legends can comment negative on others. The book also talks about Quran and Sunnah, resources from psychology, health and nutrition, and personal stories to provide readers with clear, practical tools to make positive improvements in their attitude and behavior. Happiness has great importance in one’s life so that we have to produce contents that can establish happiness all the way. The book provides steps on how the practical application of timeless and sacred Islamic teachings can formulate a happy Muslim.
"The best of what a man leaves behind are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, ongoing charity the reward of which reaches him, and knowledge that is acted upon after him."
Sunan Ibn Mājah
"Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,' and the other (angel) says, 'O Allah! Destroy every miser.'"
Sahih Bukhari
There are many memorable and historic journeys took place in the past which stands as the milestones in the historic culture. Musa had crossed the Red Sea! Caesar crossed Rubicon! These are some wonderful and inspiring instances for historic journeys. But here is a wonderful story of an epic journey which changed the human civilization. Dr Abdullah Al-Kadi researched for years and wrote the book Makkah to Madinah: A Photographic Journey of the Hijrah Route. The book reveals the journey took place in the start of the Muslim calendar Hijrah from Mecca to Madinah by Umar and the great companions of the Prophet who were alive at the time. Dr Abdullah Al-Kadi travelled 30,000 miles through the route of Hijrah to know the hurdles and puddles across the way. The journey helped him to get familiar about the oddly shaped rocks that were used as milestones along the way. Dr Al-Kadi was accompanied by his family and Peter Sanders a well-known British photographer. The book incorporates wonderful images from the journey which is captured by the golden eyes of Peter Sanders. Author reveals that there is much more to learn from the history for even more than 14 centuries.
Read MoreMarriage is a religious duty and a moral safeguard in the society. Marriage is the most legal way to indulge in intimacy between a man and woman. Delaying marriage without a legitimate reason is a sin in Islam. We should not get engaged for many months and the marriage should be solemnized quickly in order to allow the newlyweds to start their new life in the most pure manner. Keeping the engaged couples without a Nikkah is a great sin and it is similar to widowing. Get your Nikkah as soon as possible and complete your studies. To delay marriage in Islam is prohibited.
Read MoreOne of the most commented verses in Quran is the “Verse of Light” (24th Surah - An-Nur). The Surah unveils how Allah is the light of heaven and earth. Allah says the so called light in him is a niche and within which is a candle. The candle is placed in a glass which twinkles like a star in the sky. Olive tree’s oil from the blessed land of Quds is used for fuel to light the candle. This is very bright itself even without fire. With this, Allah guides to his light whomsoever he wills. There are a number of commentaries on this verse and the most famous comment is that this verse is a parable of faith. Here the candle refers to the light of Iman. The ultimate message of this Surah is that light of Iman and how to attain it. Verse 2 incorporates the topic of chastity and modesty and it talks about the punishment of fornication. Verse 27 is all about the modesty of seeking permission while entering to someone’s house. Verse 30 and 31 are the command of Allah for the believing men and women to lower their gazes and guard their chastity. Verse 58 speaks about the need to ask permission to enter parent’s room at special times by a person under the age of maturity. In short, all the verses talks about modesty. If a person preserves their modesty and stays away from anything that diminishes this, they preserve the light of Allah which He places in the hearts of the believers. Allah combines between light, modesty which means that if anyone preserves modesty, there will be blessed light, and if the modesty lacks, the light becomes dimmer.
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