Developing Love for Allaah
By Imaam Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (rahimahullaah) said:
"People have discussed about mahabbah (love of Allaah); its causes and what brings it about, its signs and its fruits and its rulings. The most comprehensive saying about this is what Abu Bakr al-Kattaanee (rahimahullaah) relates about al-Junayd (d.279H).
Abu Bakr al-Kattaanee (d.322H) said:
"A discussion about mahabbah took place in Makkah during the Pilgrimage month. The Shaykhs who were present spoke about this matter and al-Junayd was the youngest of them. They said to him: O 'Iraaqee, what do you have to say? So he bowed his head and tears were flowing from his eyes and he said:
"A servant should overcome his soul;
And be continuous in the remembrance of his Lord;
Establishing the Rights of his Lord;
Focusing upon Him with his heart;
The late of fear setting a blaze upon his heart;
Whilst drinking from the vessel of true love;
And certain realities become unveiled to him;
So when he talks, it is due to Allaah;
When he speaks, it is from Allaah;
When he moves, it is by the command of Allaah;
And when he is serene, then it is from Allaah;
He belongs to Allaah, is for Allaah, and is with Allaah."
So the shaykhs began to weep and said: How can that be increased upon? May Allaah reward you with good, O crown of the knowledgeable ones!" [1]
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) further said:
"The reason which cause the mahabbah (love of Allaah) to develop are ten:
Firstly: Reciting the Qur`aan, reflecting upon it and understanding its meanings.
Secondly: Drawing closer to Allaah through the performance of optional deeds, after fulfilling the obligatory deeds.
Thirdly: Being continuous in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah - in all circumstances - with the tongue, the heart and the limbs. The more constant the dhikr, the more mahabbah intensifies.
Fourthly: Giving precedence to what Allaah loves - when being overcome with desires - over what one personally loves and desires.
Fifthly: Causing the heart to contemplate over the Names and Attributes of Allaah. Being a witness to what they necessitate and causing the heart to be enlightened in the garden of this realisation.
Sixthly: Witnessing the blessing and the favours of Allaah; the apparent and the hidden.
Seventhly: Subduing the heart and humbling it before Allaah, causing it to be in awe of Him.
Eighthly: Being in seclusion during the time in which Allaah descends to the lowest Heaven; reciting the Qur`aan, and finishing this recitation with seeking Allaah's forgiveness and sincerely repenting to Him.
Ninthly: Sitting in the gatherings of the sincere and true lovers of Allaah; reaping the benefits of their teachings, and not speaking except when you know there is benefit in doing so and that such speech will increase you in good and benefit others as well.
Tenthly: Keeping clear from all those matters which will cause the heart to distance itself from Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic.
So these are ten matters which cause the lover to reach the station of true love for Allaah, so that he may then reach Allaah - his Beloved." [2]
Footnotes:
[1] Madaarijus-Saalikee n (3/9)
[2] Madaarijus-Saalikee n (3/17-18)
Monday, February 25, 2008
Boycott Danish goods: Qaradawi
Boycott Danish goods: Qaradawi
CAIRO : One of the world's most prominent Sunni religious scholars called on Muslims on Friday to boycott Danish products in response to the decision by several newspapers in Denmark to reprint a controversial cartoon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The cartoon was one of 12 caricatures that sparked protests across the Islamic world when they were first published in 2006 and led many Muslims to avoid Danish goods.
Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian cleric based in Qatar , urged Muslims on Friday to repeat their boycott, warning them that the world would view them as weak if they didn't react strongly. "Regrettably, Muslims start potently with these issues, then they relax gradually as the strong (supporters) get weaker and the enthusiastic (supporters) get lazy," said Al-Qaradawi during a press conference aired by Al-Jazeera television.
Islamic law opposes any depiction of the Prophet (PBUH), even favorable ones, for fear it could lead to idolatry. "Our duty is to go on (with the boycott)," said Al-Qaradawi. Danish exports to Muslim countries fell by more than 11 percent in 2006 during the boycott, according to Denmark 's national statistics agency. The boycott was accompanied by angry protests, with mobs burning the Danish flag and attacking the country's diplomatic missions in Syria , Iran and Lebanon .
The outcry across the Islamic world has not been as strong in response to the reprinted cartoon, but Muslims in Iraq and Indonesia held protests this week and Egypt banned four foreign newspapers for running the caricature. More than a dozen Danish newspapers reproduced the drawing on Feb 13 to show their commitment to free speech after police foiled an alleged plot to kill the cartoonist who created it. – AP
http://www.kuwaitti mes.net/read_ news.php? newsid=MTE5ODk3N DY2
CAIRO : One of the world's most prominent Sunni religious scholars called on Muslims on Friday to boycott Danish products in response to the decision by several newspapers in Denmark to reprint a controversial cartoon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The cartoon was one of 12 caricatures that sparked protests across the Islamic world when they were first published in 2006 and led many Muslims to avoid Danish goods.
Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian cleric based in Qatar , urged Muslims on Friday to repeat their boycott, warning them that the world would view them as weak if they didn't react strongly. "Regrettably, Muslims start potently with these issues, then they relax gradually as the strong (supporters) get weaker and the enthusiastic (supporters) get lazy," said Al-Qaradawi during a press conference aired by Al-Jazeera television.
Islamic law opposes any depiction of the Prophet (PBUH), even favorable ones, for fear it could lead to idolatry. "Our duty is to go on (with the boycott)," said Al-Qaradawi. Danish exports to Muslim countries fell by more than 11 percent in 2006 during the boycott, according to Denmark 's national statistics agency. The boycott was accompanied by angry protests, with mobs burning the Danish flag and attacking the country's diplomatic missions in Syria , Iran and Lebanon .
The outcry across the Islamic world has not been as strong in response to the reprinted cartoon, but Muslims in Iraq and Indonesia held protests this week and Egypt banned four foreign newspapers for running the caricature. More than a dozen Danish newspapers reproduced the drawing on Feb 13 to show their commitment to free speech after police foiled an alleged plot to kill the cartoonist who created it. – AP
http://www.kuwaitti mes.net/read_ news.php? newsid=MTE5ODk3N DY2
Friday, January 25, 2008
12 Tips for Muslim Youth
12 Tips for Muslim Youth
Why should you, a young Muslim, be helping to bring your friends closer to Allah?
After all, you've got your own struggles to deal with: trying to explain why you pray to hostile teachers, Hijab discrimination, standing up in class when the professor attacks Islam, dealing with parents who think you've gone nuts because you're growing a beard, or all the other difficulties faced by a number of practicing Muslim youth?
Islam was never meant to be an individualistic faith, reserved for the "chosen few". Muslims have a duty to spread the Deen, and practicing Muslim youth, whether beginners, activists or leaders have a crucial role to play.
"Allah has put them in a position that perhaps no one else is in," notes Sheema Khan, former Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) advisor for eastern Canada. "They have the means to communicate with their peers, they have an understanding of what they're going through plus they have the guidance of Islam."
Who is your childhood friend, who would rather spend Fridays at MacDonald's than the Masjid, or your classmate who is Muslim in name and only knows that "Muslims don't eat pork" going to listen to: the nice Imam of the Masjid who would freak out if he saw the way they were dressed and talked or you who may have grown up with them, joked with them, or see them everyday in school?
The answer is obvious: you.
Don't panic. Here are some tips and advice which can help from other Muslims, many of whom have been there and done that:
Tip #1: Make your intention sincere
All work we do should ideally be for the sake of Allah. That includes the task of bringing someone closer to Allah. That of course means this should not be connected to arrogance, thinking you're the teacher and everyone else should be lucky you've embarked on a crusade to save them. Guidance is from Allah. Make Dua and make sincere efforts and remember Allah can also misguide you if He wills (we seek refuge in Allah from that).
Tip #2: Practice what you preach
Not practicing what you preach is wrong and you will lose the confidence of anyone, young or old, once they figure you out. Don't do it.
Tip #3: Use the Quran and Seerah (biography of the Prophet) as Dawa guides
Read and understand those chapters of the Quran which talk about how the Prophets presented the message of Islam to their people. Read the Seerah (for some good Seerah books)to see especially how the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought Islam to so many different people, including young people.
As well, talk to Dawa workers, and check out manuals they may have written, like Yahiya Emerick's How to Tell Others About Islam.
Tip #4: Talk to people as if you really don't know them
Don't assume you know someone just by looking at them. You don't know that the Muslim girl in your homeroom who walks through the school's hallways as if they were fashion show catwalks (see Ambe Rehman's perspective on this) is not someone you can talk to about Allah because she looks like a snob. Or that the Muslim guy who you've never seen at Juma at your university is a "bad Muslim". Maybe he was never really taught Islam and has no idea what importance Friday prayers have in Islam, especially for Muslim men.
Tip #5: Smile
Did you know the Prophet was big on smiling? But many "practicing" Muslims seem to have "their faces on upside down" as one speaker once said-frowning and serious.
Smiling, being polite and kind are all part of the manners of the Prophet, which we must exercise in our daily lives. If we want to approach others with Islam, we have to make ourselves approachable. Smiling is key to this.
But note that being approachable does not mean being flirtations with the other gender. There are Islamic rules for how men and women should deal with each other which have to be respected. Dawa is no excuse to have long and private conversations and meetings with the other sex, for example. Set up a system where someone expressing an interest in Islam is referred to someone of the same sex.
Tip #6: Take the initiative and hang out with them
Take the first step and invite someone you may have spoken to a couple of times to sit at lunch together, to check out a hockey game or invite them over for Iftar in Ramadan. Also, share difficulties, sorrows and frustrations. Help with homework, be a shoulder to cry on when depression hits, or just plain listen when your friend is upset, discuss common problems and KEEP THEIR SECRETS. There are few things as annoying as a snitch and backstabber. But an important note: if the problem is of a serious nature,(i.e. your friend is thinking of committing suicide or is taking drugs), notify and consult an adult immediately.
Tip #7: Show them Islam is relevant today, right here, right now
Young people may think Islam is too "old fashioned" and not in tune with the modern age. Prove this wrong. Show how Islam is really about relating to Allah, which any human being can do, anywhere, anytime. Allah is always closer to you than your jugular vein and He hears and knows everything. Encourage friends to ask Allah's help during tests, exams, and in dealing with problems at home with parents and siblings. Also point out how Islam relates to teenagers: Islam gives you focus and an understanding of who you are and where you are going, which most of "teen culture" does not.
Tip #8: Get them involved in volunteer work with you
If you are already involved in the community, get your friend to help out. Ask them to make a flyer for one of your youth group's events or brainstorm for ideas about activities to hold this school year. This involvement makes them feel part of the Muslim community and deepens your friendship, since you are now working together on something beneficial for both of you. Make sure you thank them for their contribution.
Tip #9: Ask them 4 fundamental questions
As your friendship develops, you will notice the topics you discuss may become more serious. You may be discussing, for instance, future goals and plans. Khan recommends four questions to ask that can steer the topic to Allah and Islam:
a. Where am I going in life and what would make me really happy deep down inside?
b. What do I believe?
c. Who should I be grateful to?
d. Did I get to where I am today without the help of anyone?
Tip #10: Emphasize praying five times a day before any other aspect of Islam
A person's main connection with Allah, on a daily basis, is through the prayer five times a day. Don't emphasize any other aspect of Islam until your friend starts making a real effort to pray five times a day. Emphasize the direct connection one has with Allah in prayer. If they are facing a problem, tell them to pray, and to ask Allah for help in Salah and outside this time. When possible, make it a point to pray together during your "hang out time". If your friend begins to pray, that is the first step to other aspects of Islam like giving up swearing, treating parents with respect or dressing Islamically.
Tip# 11: Help instill confidence in adults
Adults, like Bart Simpson's dad Homer, are considered bumbling idiots in the eyes of "teen culture". Your job as a young Muslim is to help turn the tables on this false and unIslamic belief. All you have to do is this: when a Muslim adult does something good (i.e. saving someone's life, donating money to a worthy cause, the Imam gives a good speech, taking good care of his/her family) bring it up in the course of your conversations with your friend and praise the adult in question. Doing this regularly may not only change your friend's perspective, but could lead to them seeing their own parents in a more respectful way.
Tip #12: Support them even when they become more practicing
Remember, just because a person starts practicing Islam more regularly, this does not mean everything will be okay from this point onwards. There will still be hard times, difficulties. There may be times when your friend may have doubts about his or her newfound practice of Islam. Be there to reassure them.
Why should you, a young Muslim, be helping to bring your friends closer to Allah?
After all, you've got your own struggles to deal with: trying to explain why you pray to hostile teachers, Hijab discrimination, standing up in class when the professor attacks Islam, dealing with parents who think you've gone nuts because you're growing a beard, or all the other difficulties faced by a number of practicing Muslim youth?
Islam was never meant to be an individualistic faith, reserved for the "chosen few". Muslims have a duty to spread the Deen, and practicing Muslim youth, whether beginners, activists or leaders have a crucial role to play.
"Allah has put them in a position that perhaps no one else is in," notes Sheema Khan, former Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA) advisor for eastern Canada. "They have the means to communicate with their peers, they have an understanding of what they're going through plus they have the guidance of Islam."
Who is your childhood friend, who would rather spend Fridays at MacDonald's than the Masjid, or your classmate who is Muslim in name and only knows that "Muslims don't eat pork" going to listen to: the nice Imam of the Masjid who would freak out if he saw the way they were dressed and talked or you who may have grown up with them, joked with them, or see them everyday in school?
The answer is obvious: you.
Don't panic. Here are some tips and advice which can help from other Muslims, many of whom have been there and done that:
Tip #1: Make your intention sincere
All work we do should ideally be for the sake of Allah. That includes the task of bringing someone closer to Allah. That of course means this should not be connected to arrogance, thinking you're the teacher and everyone else should be lucky you've embarked on a crusade to save them. Guidance is from Allah. Make Dua and make sincere efforts and remember Allah can also misguide you if He wills (we seek refuge in Allah from that).
Tip #2: Practice what you preach
Not practicing what you preach is wrong and you will lose the confidence of anyone, young or old, once they figure you out. Don't do it.
Tip #3: Use the Quran and Seerah (biography of the Prophet) as Dawa guides
Read and understand those chapters of the Quran which talk about how the Prophets presented the message of Islam to their people. Read the Seerah (for some good Seerah books)to see especially how the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought Islam to so many different people, including young people.
As well, talk to Dawa workers, and check out manuals they may have written, like Yahiya Emerick's How to Tell Others About Islam.
Tip #4: Talk to people as if you really don't know them
Don't assume you know someone just by looking at them. You don't know that the Muslim girl in your homeroom who walks through the school's hallways as if they were fashion show catwalks (see Ambe Rehman's perspective on this) is not someone you can talk to about Allah because she looks like a snob. Or that the Muslim guy who you've never seen at Juma at your university is a "bad Muslim". Maybe he was never really taught Islam and has no idea what importance Friday prayers have in Islam, especially for Muslim men.
Tip #5: Smile
Did you know the Prophet was big on smiling? But many "practicing" Muslims seem to have "their faces on upside down" as one speaker once said-frowning and serious.
Smiling, being polite and kind are all part of the manners of the Prophet, which we must exercise in our daily lives. If we want to approach others with Islam, we have to make ourselves approachable. Smiling is key to this.
But note that being approachable does not mean being flirtations with the other gender. There are Islamic rules for how men and women should deal with each other which have to be respected. Dawa is no excuse to have long and private conversations and meetings with the other sex, for example. Set up a system where someone expressing an interest in Islam is referred to someone of the same sex.
Tip #6: Take the initiative and hang out with them
Take the first step and invite someone you may have spoken to a couple of times to sit at lunch together, to check out a hockey game or invite them over for Iftar in Ramadan. Also, share difficulties, sorrows and frustrations. Help with homework, be a shoulder to cry on when depression hits, or just plain listen when your friend is upset, discuss common problems and KEEP THEIR SECRETS. There are few things as annoying as a snitch and backstabber. But an important note: if the problem is of a serious nature,(i.e. your friend is thinking of committing suicide or is taking drugs), notify and consult an adult immediately.
Tip #7: Show them Islam is relevant today, right here, right now
Young people may think Islam is too "old fashioned" and not in tune with the modern age. Prove this wrong. Show how Islam is really about relating to Allah, which any human being can do, anywhere, anytime. Allah is always closer to you than your jugular vein and He hears and knows everything. Encourage friends to ask Allah's help during tests, exams, and in dealing with problems at home with parents and siblings. Also point out how Islam relates to teenagers: Islam gives you focus and an understanding of who you are and where you are going, which most of "teen culture" does not.
Tip #8: Get them involved in volunteer work with you
If you are already involved in the community, get your friend to help out. Ask them to make a flyer for one of your youth group's events or brainstorm for ideas about activities to hold this school year. This involvement makes them feel part of the Muslim community and deepens your friendship, since you are now working together on something beneficial for both of you. Make sure you thank them for their contribution.
Tip #9: Ask them 4 fundamental questions
As your friendship develops, you will notice the topics you discuss may become more serious. You may be discussing, for instance, future goals and plans. Khan recommends four questions to ask that can steer the topic to Allah and Islam:
a. Where am I going in life and what would make me really happy deep down inside?
b. What do I believe?
c. Who should I be grateful to?
d. Did I get to where I am today without the help of anyone?
Tip #10: Emphasize praying five times a day before any other aspect of Islam
A person's main connection with Allah, on a daily basis, is through the prayer five times a day. Don't emphasize any other aspect of Islam until your friend starts making a real effort to pray five times a day. Emphasize the direct connection one has with Allah in prayer. If they are facing a problem, tell them to pray, and to ask Allah for help in Salah and outside this time. When possible, make it a point to pray together during your "hang out time". If your friend begins to pray, that is the first step to other aspects of Islam like giving up swearing, treating parents with respect or dressing Islamically.
Tip# 11: Help instill confidence in adults
Adults, like Bart Simpson's dad Homer, are considered bumbling idiots in the eyes of "teen culture". Your job as a young Muslim is to help turn the tables on this false and unIslamic belief. All you have to do is this: when a Muslim adult does something good (i.e. saving someone's life, donating money to a worthy cause, the Imam gives a good speech, taking good care of his/her family) bring it up in the course of your conversations with your friend and praise the adult in question. Doing this regularly may not only change your friend's perspective, but could lead to them seeing their own parents in a more respectful way.
Tip #12: Support them even when they become more practicing
Remember, just because a person starts practicing Islam more regularly, this does not mean everything will be okay from this point onwards. There will still be hard times, difficulties. There may be times when your friend may have doubts about his or her newfound practice of Islam. Be there to reassure them.
The Sins of The Youth
The Sins of The Youth
By Sheikh Feiz
In this issue we feature sins and their harmful effects. Some special mention is needed regarding young Muslims, especially those in their teenage years.
It is often taken for granted that these are the years of carelessness and not those of serious thought. This is not an Islamic position. Indeed we find youth in the time of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) performing heroic deeds and very serious in their practice and dedication. Examples such as Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, Ibn Abbaas, Anas Ibn Malik, Usaamah Ibn Zaid, Mus'ab Ibn 'Umayr, Ammaar Ibn Yaasir and others (radiallahu 'anhum ajma'een) will be forever remembered for their sacrifices and willingness to give their lives in the cause of Islam at tender ages. This is a character assessment checklist aimed at the youth to assist them in making their own assessment of themselves and decide if changes in their character are in order. Parents too can use it as a gauge.
In fact, what is listed are sins certainly not limited to youth. Each point is an interrelated sin that either weakens eemaan or comes from weak eemaan. Some stem from others while others lead to something worse. Possessing any of them makes change necessary because to continue doing them may lead to worse sin, hypocrisy and disbelief. It may not seem like it, but even you, as young as you are, could face death at any moment. Do you want to meet Allah in a sorry moral condition? One step toward correction is recognizing one’s faults and setting out to do the opposite.
A second step is honestly seeking Allaha help and asking His forgiveness. There have been people who commit terrible sins and Allah has guided and forgiven them after true repentance and struggle with themselves. Certainly you can too.
Look at yourself and ask yourself if you do any of the following:
1. Lie to and disobey parents .
2. Raise your voice to or abuse parents or other family members.
3. Disregard the advice of parents.
4. Disrespect adults.
5. Break your promises.
6. Insult the opposite sex.
7.Freely mix with the opposite sex by flirting or looking lustfully at them Backbite and gossip.
8.Look at bad movies and listen to music, especially sexually explicit types or that have a lot of profanity.
9.Use profanity Lie or steal.
10. Devise ways to avoid anything Islamic.
11. Spend your money on what is haraam.
12.Think mostly of yourself and little of others .
13.Do as little as you can to assist in the home.
14.Put minimum effort into schoolwork.
15.Imitate, respect or love the ways and manners of kuffaar.
16. Act hard with Muslims and easy with kuffaar .
17. Smoke or do drugs.
18. Mostly keep company with weak and sinful Muslims or kuffaar.
18. Waste a lot of time and never study the deen.
19. Find it easy to do wrong and difficult to do right.
20. Hate to be reminded of religious duties.
21. Feel little or no sense of shame or modesty.
22. Hate proper hijaab.
23. Do not enjoy listening to the Quran.
24. Only try to learn Arabic or how to recite the Quraan if pressured.
25. Don't go to the masjid or consistently go late to prayer (for males) when there is no obstacle to doing so regularly and on time.
26. Dislike going to prayers or concentrate little in them and hurry to get them over with.
27.Rarely give charity or gifts.
28. Avoid the company of striving Muslims.
29. Rarely or never make extra (sunnah) prayers
Read anything else other than the Quraan or authentic hadeeth that is of little or no value or haram.
30. Read the Quraan or the hadeeth only if forced to Attend circles of Islamic knowledge only if forced and pay little attention.
31. when you do Never give thanks, seek forgiveness from Allah nor seek refuge from wrong doing.
32. Dont use the faulty logic that ËœI am young so I want to enjoy as much as I can before I get old and I will ask forgiveness before I die!
Such people almost never change on their own. They usually get worse because sins become a part of their character that they can no more rid themselves of than they could the noses on their faces. Being good or right according to Islam has absolutely no importance in their lives. Almost anything else is more important than their religion and they couldnt care less about how Allah sees them. They may even be ashamed to be Muslim! This is a sure sign that they are headed for the worst fate if they dont change.
You are a Muslim and you must not take a defeated attitude or think that your sins affect you only. When the Muslims complain of their position or situation it is because there are too many of them who take the attitude that Islam is not the number one concern in their lives and it is not important to follow or that its for Ëœold people. Are you a part of the problem or part of the solution? Practicing Islam to the fullest is a cause for great inner joy, satisfaction and happiness and totally eliminates the desire or need for any other means to feel good, better or best.
May Allah help you to be the kind of youth that all Muslims can be proud of
Avoid Hypocrisy
Strengthen Your Faith
Depend On Allah
Make Your Islam Real
By Sheikh Feiz
In this issue we feature sins and their harmful effects. Some special mention is needed regarding young Muslims, especially those in their teenage years.
It is often taken for granted that these are the years of carelessness and not those of serious thought. This is not an Islamic position. Indeed we find youth in the time of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) performing heroic deeds and very serious in their practice and dedication. Examples such as Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, Ibn Abbaas, Anas Ibn Malik, Usaamah Ibn Zaid, Mus'ab Ibn 'Umayr, Ammaar Ibn Yaasir and others (radiallahu 'anhum ajma'een) will be forever remembered for their sacrifices and willingness to give their lives in the cause of Islam at tender ages. This is a character assessment checklist aimed at the youth to assist them in making their own assessment of themselves and decide if changes in their character are in order. Parents too can use it as a gauge.
In fact, what is listed are sins certainly not limited to youth. Each point is an interrelated sin that either weakens eemaan or comes from weak eemaan. Some stem from others while others lead to something worse. Possessing any of them makes change necessary because to continue doing them may lead to worse sin, hypocrisy and disbelief. It may not seem like it, but even you, as young as you are, could face death at any moment. Do you want to meet Allah in a sorry moral condition? One step toward correction is recognizing one’s faults and setting out to do the opposite.
A second step is honestly seeking Allaha help and asking His forgiveness. There have been people who commit terrible sins and Allah has guided and forgiven them after true repentance and struggle with themselves. Certainly you can too.
Look at yourself and ask yourself if you do any of the following:
1. Lie to and disobey parents .
2. Raise your voice to or abuse parents or other family members.
3. Disregard the advice of parents.
4. Disrespect adults.
5. Break your promises.
6. Insult the opposite sex.
7.Freely mix with the opposite sex by flirting or looking lustfully at them Backbite and gossip.
8.Look at bad movies and listen to music, especially sexually explicit types or that have a lot of profanity.
9.Use profanity Lie or steal.
10. Devise ways to avoid anything Islamic.
11. Spend your money on what is haraam.
12.Think mostly of yourself and little of others .
13.Do as little as you can to assist in the home.
14.Put minimum effort into schoolwork.
15.Imitate, respect or love the ways and manners of kuffaar.
16. Act hard with Muslims and easy with kuffaar .
17. Smoke or do drugs.
18. Mostly keep company with weak and sinful Muslims or kuffaar.
18. Waste a lot of time and never study the deen.
19. Find it easy to do wrong and difficult to do right.
20. Hate to be reminded of religious duties.
21. Feel little or no sense of shame or modesty.
22. Hate proper hijaab.
23. Do not enjoy listening to the Quran.
24. Only try to learn Arabic or how to recite the Quraan if pressured.
25. Don't go to the masjid or consistently go late to prayer (for males) when there is no obstacle to doing so regularly and on time.
26. Dislike going to prayers or concentrate little in them and hurry to get them over with.
27.Rarely give charity or gifts.
28. Avoid the company of striving Muslims.
29. Rarely or never make extra (sunnah) prayers
Read anything else other than the Quraan or authentic hadeeth that is of little or no value or haram.
30. Read the Quraan or the hadeeth only if forced to Attend circles of Islamic knowledge only if forced and pay little attention.
31. when you do Never give thanks, seek forgiveness from Allah nor seek refuge from wrong doing.
32. Dont use the faulty logic that ËœI am young so I want to enjoy as much as I can before I get old and I will ask forgiveness before I die!
Such people almost never change on their own. They usually get worse because sins become a part of their character that they can no more rid themselves of than they could the noses on their faces. Being good or right according to Islam has absolutely no importance in their lives. Almost anything else is more important than their religion and they couldnt care less about how Allah sees them. They may even be ashamed to be Muslim! This is a sure sign that they are headed for the worst fate if they dont change.
You are a Muslim and you must not take a defeated attitude or think that your sins affect you only. When the Muslims complain of their position or situation it is because there are too many of them who take the attitude that Islam is not the number one concern in their lives and it is not important to follow or that its for Ëœold people. Are you a part of the problem or part of the solution? Practicing Islam to the fullest is a cause for great inner joy, satisfaction and happiness and totally eliminates the desire or need for any other means to feel good, better or best.
May Allah help you to be the kind of youth that all Muslims can be proud of
Avoid Hypocrisy
Strengthen Your Faith
Depend On Allah
Make Your Islam Real
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