DIY, Have fun with your child, make your own prayer rug

As Salaamu Alaikunna and good morning, I was asked by a few sisters to please put up a post today as I was intending to take a week off. Alhumdulilah, I love all of you sisters for the pleasure of Allah and only want to benefit us, so Insha Allah I have restated my intentions and I ask that Allah keep them pure and for his sake alone. Ameen.

SO as we all know today is my DIY craft day and I wanted to bring a different idea for crafts today. I would like us to do something with our younger children as they prepare to make salat a part of their everyday lives.
The Prophet(Salla Allahu Alaihi wa sallam) said: Order your children to pray at the age of seven. And beat them [lightly] if they do not do so by the age of ten.  And separate them in their bedding.

We all see our babies from as young as one year join the salat imitating us, it is a beautiful sight, It is one that I love to foster in my children and I am sure you all do as well. So I like to do things when they are younger to encourage this behaviour one thing that I saw about 7 years ago was an idea another sister had, which was to make prayer rugs with your children. It is a fun craft to do together and it is also a way to discuss the importance of prayer while doing it. Depending on the age of your child you can approach the salat with them according to their understanding and make it not only a craft time, but a learning time.
I came across this when studying and I would like to share it with you all.

The narrations found in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and elsewhere, describing the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) praying on a khumrah [small mat] and a haseer [large mat] show the permissibility of praying on other than the bare ground. A few of the scholars held the opinion that the prayer may only be offered on the bare ground, so these narrations are a proof against their position. They do not provide a proof for the one who takes this action as part of his Deen, since the Companions did not take this as Deen. Rather, they understood it to be permissible, and thus prayed on mats, bedding, clothing, etc. whenever it made sense, for example: in the extreme heat to protect oneself from the heat of the ground.

 Furthermore, the scholars have stated that it is better for a person to pray directly on the ground if he is able. Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "The ahaadeeth and the aathaar (narrations from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam and the Companions) show that they used to prefer placing their foreheads directly on the bare ground if they were able, and when necessary, like in extremely hot weather and the likes, they would pray with something between them and the ground, using something they had with them: a part of their clothing, turban, or cap..." [Majmoo' al-Fataawee (22/172)]

> However, if someone still holds that these ahaadeeth prove the legislated nature of praying on prayer rugs, then we can look again to Shaykh al-Islaam (may Allaah have Mercy on him) who responded to this argument from a number of angles:
>
> [1] The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) did not pray on them consistently, rather he prayed on them only occasionally, and for a reason, like the extreme heat or the likes. [as opposed to those who make it their Deen and pray on them all the time]
>
> [2] That which the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) prayed upon was small in size, just big enough for one's prostration or slightly larger, not like the full-body sized prayer rugs the people have.
>
> [3] The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) did not pray on them thinking to protect himself from najaasah (impurities), or just to be sure of the purity of his prayer area, as the people who advocate prayer rugs do.
>
> [4] It is not something the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) told the Companions to do, and thus they used to pray directly on the ground. So if it was recommended or "sunnah" to do it, then they would have done it.
>
> [5] The Prophet's masjid (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) had a dirt floor, and while he had access to the mats, bedding, and other things mentioned in the narrations, he did not take any of these things into the masjid to pray on them.
>
> [Summarized from Majmoo' al-Fataawee (22/175-179)]
>
> And it can be added:
>
> [6] The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) did not used to place one mat upon another, as the prayer rug advocates do, placing their rug on top of carpet or another rug.
>
> [7] He did not have pictures of the ka'bah, other masjids, colored designs, Allaah's Names, etc. on the mat he used occasionally, unlike the prayer rug advocates. Instead, he would keep such visual distractions away from his prayer area, as he returned a garment that had markings on it for one that did not in order not to be distracted in his prayer, and it is reported that Ibn 'Umar used to remove visual distractions from the qiblah direction in the masjids, like swords and mus-hafs.
>
> [8] He did not have the pride that would keep one from placing his face on the bare ground, as he used to prostrate directly on it, even when it was moist and remained on his forehead. And many of the prayer rug advocates could never imagine doing such a thing.
>
> And Allaah knows best... >With keeping this in mind we ask that Allah purify our intentions and make this craft idea one that will be beneficial. Ameen

                                                       

                      Child-Size Prayer Rug

Materials Needed:

Fabric any kind

Fabric (one piece, 22 x 14 inches for each child

Puff Paint

Fringe

Ribbon



Fabric Glue

Directions:

Glue some ribbon onto the prayer rug with fabric glue.  Edge any raw edges of glued-on fabric with puff paint.  Then use the puff paint or fabric markers to write the child’s name on the rug or add any additional designs.  Glue a fringe onto each end of the fringe.  Let dry.

Enjoy the fun with your children and while crafting and teaching along the way, they won't even know they're learning!



Tips Tuesdays, Tea Bags More than you Thought!

As Salaamu Alaikum and Good Morning, yes you've guessed it it's "Tips Tuesday"! Oh what fun we are going to have today insha Allah. Tuesdays tips are created to bring to you cost effective alternatives to manage your home. So many household products have multi uses and yet we use them only for one and buy many, many other items to fulfill the role of that one item. So once again here I am UmmHaya with new uses for an old product.

                       TEA BAGS!!!!


Tea bags!? you say, I say yes let's discover their splendor and reap their benefits.

USE 1

Relieve your tired eyes
Revitalize tired, achy, or puffy eyes. Soak two tea bags in warm water and place them over your closed eyes for 20 minutes. The tannins in the tea act to reduce puffiness and soothe tired eyes.  ( I've done this before so listen closely, try not to fall asleep )

USE 2
Get the gray out

Turn gray hair dark again while we can use henna as well, this alternative turns the hair dark. I also used this method and it works! Make your own natural dye using brewed tea and herbs: Steep 3 tea bags in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon each of rosemary and sage (either fresh or dried) and let it stand overnight before straining. To use, wash hair as usual, and then pour or spray the mixture on your hair, making sure to wet it thoroughly. Try not to get it on your clothes! Blot with a towel and do not rinse. It may take several treatments to achieve desired results.



USE 3
Condition dry hair

To give a natural shine to dry hair, use a quart (liter) of warm, unsweetened tea (freshly brewed or instant) as a final rinse after your regular wash




USE 4
Soothe those bleeding gums
To stop the bleeding and soothe the pain from a lost or recently pulled tooth, wet a tea bag with cool water and press it directly onto the site.


USE 5
Relieve baby’s pain from injection

As mommies we have all experienced this, take baby for his shots, babies little thigh swells up and is a painful red mess. Try wetting a tea bag and placing it over the site of the injection. Hold it gently in place until the crying stops. The tannic acid in the tea will soothe the soreness.




USE 6
Dry poison ivy rash
As summer is approaching us and the weather is getting warmer, the children are spending more time outside exploring. If you all have a child like my third born, you will understand when I say explore, he gets into everything so this is for him and all the little explorers like him. Dry a weepy poison ivy rash with strongly brewed tea. Simply dip a cotton ball into the tea, dab it on the affected area, and let it air-dry. Repeat as needed.

USE 6
Stop foot odor

Okay, okay I'm not saying you have smelly feet,but for the just in case or whoever may need this in your home.Put an end to smelly feet by giving them a daily tea bath. Just soak your tootsies in strongly brewed tea for 20 minutes a day and say good-bye to offensive odors.

USE  7

Make soothing mouthwash
To ease toothache or other mouth pain, rinse your mouth with a cup of hot peppermint tea mixed with a pinch or two of salt. Peppermint is an antiseptic and contains menthol, which alleviates pain on contact with skin surfaces. To make peppermint tea, boil 1 TBSP fresh peppermint leaves in 1 cup water and steep for several minutes.

USE 8
THIS IS MY FAVORITE ONE!!!!!

Tenderize tough meat

Even the toughest cuts of meat will melt in your mouth after you marinate them in regular black tea. Here’s how: Place 4 tablespoons black tea leaves in a pot of warm (not boiling) water and steep for 5 minutes. Strain to remove the leaves and stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar until it dissolves. Set aside. Season up to 3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) meat with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder, and place it in a roasting pot. Pour the liquid over the seasoned meat and cook in a preheated 325°F (165°C) oven until the meat is fork tender, about 90 minutes.

USE 9
Clean wood furniture and floors
Freshly brewed tea is great for cleaning wood furniture and floors. Just boil a couple of tea bags in a quart (liter) of water and let it cool. Dip a soft cloth in the tea, wring out the excess, and use it to wipe away dirt and grime. Buff dry with a clean, soft cloth.

USE 10
Shine your mirrors

To make mirrors sparkle and shine, brew a pot of strong tea, let it cool, and then use it to clean the mirrors. Dampen a soft cloth in the tea and wipe it all over the surface of the mirrors. Then buff with a soft, dry cloth for a sparkly, streak-free shine.





USE 11
In the Garden

Give roses a boost

Sprinkle new or used tea leaves (loose or in tea bags) around your rosebushes and cover with mulch to give them a midsummer boost. When you water the plants, the nutrients from the tea will be released into the soil, spurring growth. Roses love the tannic acid that occurs naturally in tea.





USE 11
Feed your ferns
Schedule an occasional teatime for your ferns and other acid-loving houseplants. Substitute brewed tea when watering the plants. Or work wet tea leaves into the soil around the plants to give them a lush, luxuriant look.

USE 12
Prepare planter for potting
For healthier potted plants, place a few used tea bags on top of the drainage layer at the bottom of the planter before potting. The tea bags will retain water and leach nutrients to the soil.

So now we know we don''t have to just drink out tea, we can use it in so many ways. As Always it has been a pleasure sharing with you and "Enjoy your day"

MakeOver Mondays! The Kitchen

As Salaamu Alaikum and good morning sisters. It is time once again to get our homes in organizing shape. We are still in this uphill battle to "Calm the Chaos" in our homes. So today we will be tackling that one room in the house the most of us spend a great deal of time and that is the KITCHEN! In order to be our culinary best we must be able to function in our space. So again go grab your notebooks and pens and let's start taking notes. "Organization Room by Room take 6"

Step 1

Keep your counter tops clear, this is your canvas so it needs to be clutter free. How do I do this, what do I do with all of my things? Stay tuned .....

Step 2  

Hang aprons, pot holders, and dish towels on pegs.



Step 3  Just like we prioritize our schedule, prioritize your kitchenware, arrange your kitchenware by frequency of use, with everyday dishes on an easy-to-reach lower shelf and special-occasion pieces up above.

Step 4  Be sure and put all similar object together. For example all bake ware should be together, all cups together, all plastic storage containers together. etc...


Step 5  Keep plastic bags and wrapping together in a drawer near the refrigerator to make quick work of storing away leftovers.

Step 6  Keep all cooking utensils together within easy reach of your cooking area for efficient food prep.

Step 7 Purchase lid racks, I know I have said to keep all like items together. Lids however have a mind of their own and require special care and attention. So the solution to those little buggers can be found at just about every store. Walmart, Kmart, Targets etc.. LID RACKS. Very inexpensive and perfect tool to organization.

Step 8  Keep all eating utensils in mugs and cups instead of utensil racks in a drawer. Store in cabinets, it is much less messy than the alternative.

Step 9 Organize your pantry shelves as you would a library, with food items grouped by category.

Step 10 If you have a small pantry space or no pantry at all you can purchase regular over the door clear shoe hangers to hang in the kitchen. (This picture is over the pantry door, but can easily be adapted to a wall. Smaller spaces doesn't mean we can't organize we just have to think outside the box.






These are just a few simple steps to get you going on the road to calming the chaos in your kitchen, we will revisit this area at another time. Oh yes there is so much more to do in the kitchen. So for now get going with this and enjoy your progress as well as your day. Love you ladies!!

Schedule Sundays! Procrastination another form of laziness!

As Salaamu Alaikum and good morning. Today is schedule Sunday. I am coming to you today not to show you how to make schedules, or what schedules you should be making. Instead Insha Allah I am going to help you to move past procrastination insha Allah and into regular paced routine that you can follow. Procrastination you say? Yes, sisters we all know that we need schedules, we need them in order to organize our super busy days. We purchase charts, we surf the net, we seek advice, and we finally make a schedule. That's great! However the schedule is sad, it is lonely, he has sat on your desk, or hung on your fridge and collected dust. He really wants you to use him, and you really miss him too,but you just can't seem to give it its full rights. I propose the reason for this is procrastination, it hinders us, it makes us lazy, it tells us that we can get to it later, or tomorrow. It lies to us, telling us we don't really need it, we are fine and have been doing fine on our own for this long. It is our comfort, our cheerleader and dare I say our companion. However procrastination, has help entering our lives and help staying, he has a companion stronger than we think, but in reality his companion is weak if we know how to fight him. He is Shaitan!  

Shaitan has many ways and means. It is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa Sallam) said,
"During your sleep, Satan ties three knots at the back of your necks. He breathes the following into them, 'The night is long so keep on sleeping.' If the person wakes and praises Allah, then one of the knots is unfastened. And if he performs ablution, the second knot is unfastened. When he prays, all of the knots are unfastened. After that he will be energetic and happy in the morning. Otherwise he would get up listless and grouchy."

It is also recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that he said,
"When one of you rises from your sleep he should make ablution. He should rinse his nose three times. For Satan stays in the upper part of one's nose during the night."
Al-Bukhari also records that the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi wa Sallam) was asked about a man who sleeps until the morning comes, that is, after the time of the dawn prayer. He said,"That is a man whom Satan has urinated into his two ears."

What is mentioned is from among the ways that Satan hinders the human from doing some actions. He also whispers into the human a love for laziness, postponing or procrastinating actions and thinking about what a long period of time we have to complete actions or work. 

It is time to fight back! Take control of your life, step back and look at what procrastination has done for you. He hasn't been that good of a companion to you. The schedules are sad, you are exhausted, the house is not how you want it, the children are not quite how you want them to be. So get rid of this unworthy companion, and move on to a better one, he goes by the name of "MR. SCHEDULE" some have termed him routine, others still call him organization, but he is one in the same and he really does help.
Sisters, there is so much benefit in being organized and in rising early in the morning. So much more gets accomplished. I am not saying that i don't get stressed or tired, but what I am saying is that since I have been practicing this method of rising and staying awake after fajr and scheduling my day, it has been so much easier. Wallahi I have less confusion in my day, less headache, less chaos, less worry. I am able to do all the things I need to do. I am able to study Islam and Quran where as before I had to compete for time for it, because there was just so much else to do. I am able to take care of my home, my children, myself and my husband and still have free time at the end of the day. I swear by Allah this is my case now. I have practiced this for 10 years now and the benefits are amazing. Alhumdulilah. I am reaching my goals and that is what is important to us all. Set goals, prioritize, and shake off procrastination.

"Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" - a famous maxim coined by the American scientist, writer and inventor, Benjamin Franklin.  And he was not alone in these beliefs.  The writer Samuel Johnson also warned that "nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good".

So how can we turn getting up for Fajr into a double advantage?  Certainly not by slinking back into bed again and snuggling up for another few hours.  As prophet Mohammed (salla allahu alaihi wa sallam) said:"The most excellent jihad is that for the conquest of self." (Bukhari)

In the context of fajr, what this means is, once up, stay up!  Stay up and do something useful.  Work on your goals.  If you don't have any, set some.  Decide what you want to achieve in life.  Devise a plan to make those goals a reality then take action.  You will be amazed at what you can get done in those few quiet hours when most of the rest of the world is still asleep.  You can organise your day, learn a language,memorize Quran, review Quran, prepare your dinner early freeing up more time to rest later,or get fit by going jogging in the coolness of the morning. Whatever you want to do! Just do it!

According to a hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim, prophet Mohammed (salla allahu alaihi wa sallam) stated that the action which is dearest to Allah is salat at its proper times.  On another occasion prophet Mohammed(salla allahu alaihi wa sallam)  also said to his companions:

"The five set prayers may be compared to a stream of fresh water, flowing in front of your house, into which you plunge five times each day. Do you think that would leave any dirt on your body?' When they replied: 'None at all!' Mohammed (salla allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: 'Indeed the five prayers remove sins, just as water removes dirt."  (Bukhari, Muslim)

Prophet Mohammed (salla allahu alaihi wa sallam)  also tells us that fajr salat along with isha is particularly rich in blessings:

"If people only knew what blessings are in the fajr and isha prayers, they would come to them, even if they had to crawl." (Bukhari and Muslim)

So Alhumdulilah we understand the blessing and benefit of getting up for Fajr Salat.

Date Night, yes it's Sassy Saturday

As Salaamu Alaikunna and good morning, it's date night again. Time once again to focus on President and Vice President of the cooperation. It's time once again to remember our marriages and work on keeping them fresh.

Marriage: Purpose and Obligation

Definition of Marriage

Nikah is an Arabic term used for marriage. It means "contract". ("Aqd in Arabic). The Quran specifically refers to marriage as "mithaqun Ghalithun,". Which means "a strong covenant".

"and they have taken a strong pledge (Mithaqun Ghalithun) from you?" (Quran 4:21)

The seriousness of this covenant becomes obvious when one finds the same term i.e., Mithaqun Ghalithun, being used for the covenant made between Allah and the Prophet before granting them the responsibility of the Prophethood. (Quran 33:7)
The Quran also uses the Arabic word "Hisn", suggesting "fortress" for marriage. Marriage is considered the fortress of chastity.

The Purpose of Marriage

As a meaningful institution, marriage has two main purposes:
To ensure preservation of the human species and continuation of the human race,

"O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord, Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them has spread abroad a multitude of men and women" (Quran: 4:1)

To provide spiritual and legal foundation of the family

"And of His signs is this: He created for you mates from yourself that you might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, therein indeed are portents for folk who reflect". (Quran 30:21)

Through Marriage, the conjugal relationship between a man and a woman becomes lawful. It provides a legitimate outlet for recreation as well as procreation. Islam regards sex as natural and good, but restricts it to the partners of marriage so as to ensure the responsibility for its consequences.

"Your women are a tilth for you so go to your tilth as you will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that you will (one day) meet him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad)." (Quran 2:223)

Marriage provides spiritual, physical, emotional and psychological companionship. This companionship generates and sustains love, kindness, compassion, mutual confidence, solace and succor (sakinah). It lays a spiritual and legal foundation for raising a family. The children born of the matrimonial union become legitimate and mutual rights of inheritance are established.

Marriage: A Religious Requirement

Marriage in Islam is a recommended as a religious requirement.

"Marry those among you who are single and (marry) your slaves, male and female, that are righteous" (Quran 24:32)

Prophet Muhammad (S) declared:

"When the servant of Allah marries, he has fulfilled half the (responsibilities laid on him by the) faith; so let him be God conscious with respect to the other half". (Mishkat)

Marriage has also been commended as the way of the prophets.

"We indeed sent messengers before you (O Muhammad), and We assigned them wives and children" (Quran 13:38)

Marriage, in fact, is specifically considered the tradition (sunnah) of Prophet Muhammad (S) when he declared:

"Marriage is my Sunnah, whoever disregards my (sunnah) path is not from among us". (ibn Majah)

Islam discourages celibacy and encourages marriage, as Prophet Muhammad (S) recommended:

"Whoever is able to marry, should marry". (Bukhari)

[Source: Marriage and Family in Islam]

Islam places great emphasis on marriage and family life and that is why I come to you every Saturday with a reminder to put your marriage first, to make it the center of your family this structure is so important. The husband and wife must have harmony between themselves and the children benefit from seeing mom and dad loving each other. It teaches our sons how they should be as husbands and our daughters how they should be as wives and how their husbands should be treating them. So today I have a few ideas on how we can best celebrate our marriages today and I would also like you all to comment on some ideas that you may have. Please share with us all your views and ideas for keeping your marriage strong.

Outdoor Date Ideas

Go for a bike ride in your neighborhood—maybe find a tandem bicycle to borrow or rent.

Go on a picnic, but choose somewhere extremely random--like on your roof ( Make sure you have a flat roof) hehehe

Go fishing    

Hike to see waterfalls or wildflowers

Go boating

Indoor Date Ideas

Make a homemade pizza together then sit down for a candle light dinner with some nice Italian bread and freshly made tossed salad.

Play Board games like Scrabble, Candy Land and Sorry

Set up a tent in your front room, sit in the tent and eat dinner on a blanket--build a fake fire, or roast halal marshmallows over a candle

Romantic Date Ideas
okay you guys take the kiddies out of the room this is just between us ladies.

Let Him Indulge after you dinner allow him to run you a bath or you run him a bath and after the bath how about a nice massage.

Do some star gazing together, when it gets dark out. Grab a blanket and sit in your yard or sit out on your deck or patio or whatever outdoor space you have and enjoy the night time sky.

Make the world's largest ice cream sundae together and have fun feeding each other this fun sticky treat. Be creative with this one, and do a blindfold taste test challenge. See where it leads you.

Ladies whatever you like to do or decide to do, just do it and keep that marriage happy and healthy for the pleasure of Allah and for the stability of your family. "Enjoy your marriages and enjoy your day"

Fit Friday Part 2 Your Heart

I am reposting this post from Friday in hopes that it has some benefit today. As today is a day of reminders, for both myself and my muslim family. Alhumdulilah, my blog and my page have been of some benefit to some of the people and I pray that it is accepted of me and without any riya. Ameen. With that said I am taking a step back from posting on both my blog and the page, Insha Allah I will begin to post on next week Wednesday as I have seen so many things since joining Facebook and trying to have my Page. It really sadens me and I need a little time to step back and re-evaluate my intentions and goals.

As Salaamu Alikunna, today is "Fit Friday", and we are going to talking about the heart and ways to get it healthy and keep it that way. Many times when we think about heart health we think in terms of running, walking and other various forms of cardio exercises. While these are important in having a healthy heart, we are going to go a few steps deeper and explore the ways in which we can truly benefit our hearts.

According to a Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alaihi wa Sallam),"There is an organ in the body, when it is healthy, the whole body is healthy, and when this is sick, the entire body becomes sick". It is the heart.

Insha Allah I wish for us as Muslimoon first and then as homemakers to look at the importance of this statement and how it relates to our lives. We as Muslim homemakers have a tremendous responsibility, it is weighty. We are responsible for raising our children and we will be asked about it on Yawmul Qiyaamah. What can we say, how can we avoid Allah's questioning or punishment? We have an Amanah, our children and this heart that Allah subhanAllahu wa ta'alla gave to us, it is a trust. So we need to know how to best take care of our trusts.




Step 1
Sisters I start with this one because, by Allah I see this being the biggest fitnah with the women.


                                                          Unnecessary Talking


In a hadith related on the authority of Mu'adh, the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, "Shall I not tell you how to control all that?" I said, "Yes do, O Messenger of Allah." So he held his tongue between his fingers, and then he said: "Restrain this." I said, "Oh Prophet of Allah, are we accountable for what we say?" He (Salla Allahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, "May your mother be bereft by your loss! Is there anything more than the harvest of the tongues that throws people on their faces (or he said 'on their noses') into the Fire?"


It has also been related by Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet,(Salla Allahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, "Let whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or remain silent."Abu Huraira reported that Ibn al-Abbas said: "A person will not feel greater fury or anger for any part of his body on the Day of Judgement more than what he will feel for his tongue, unless he only used it for saying or enjoining good."  
A hadith related by Abu Huraira says, "What mostly causes people to be sent to the Fire are the two openings: the mouth and the private parts."


These are just a few of the Hadith on this subject. Sisters I beg you to think about how much we speak unnecessarily. A lot of times a women who are home all day we feel tired and alone from having no adults to communicate with,so when we have an opportunity speak to our sisters we begin to talk too much and the talk is seldom beneficial. I want us all to think about what we are doing to ourselves and our trusts. Don't spend so much time complaining about the day you had or what your child did wrong. Take it as a time to remind each other of the blessing that Allah have given to us, give each other solutions for dealing with stress according to the Quran and Sunnah. The tongue can be used for good or evil, we have to consciously make the decision of how we will use our tongues.


Step 2
                                                   Unrestrained Glance


When we look at things without turning away from them we can become attracted to that thing and this attraction is imprinted on the heart.
Shaytan enters with the glance, for he travels with it, faster than the wind blowing through an empty place. He makes what is seen appear more beautiful than it really is, and transforms it into an idol for the heart to worship. Then he promises it false rewards, lights the fire of desires within it, and fuels it with the wood of forbidden actions, which the servant would not have committed had it not been for this distorted image. (The Purification of the Soul from the works of Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbabli, Ibn Al-Qayyim  al-Jawziyaa, and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali)


Staring and gazing without restraint is disobedience to Allah:
*< Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that is more purifying for them. Surely Allah is aware of what they do. (24:30)-<*


Someone may say how can I be guilty of this when I am home all day?  I say to this if you have a television in your home this is easily done. How many times on the TV do we see men and women who are clothed but naked, or acts of disobedience to Allah, or maybe even an attractive person? I don't think that everyone should follow me and throw out their television, because yes it can be used for good, but for me the evil that comes from it outweighs whatever benefit it brings to me.


Step 3
                                                      Too Much Food


The consumption of small amounts of food guarantees tenderness of the heart, strength of the intellect, humility of the self, weakness of desires, and gentleness of temperament. Immoderate eating brings about the opposite of these praiseworthy qualities. (The Purification of the Soul from the works of Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbabli, Ibn Al-Qayyim  al-Jawziyaa, and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali)


Al-Miqdam ibn Ma'd Yakrib said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu Alaihi wa Sallam) say: "The son of Adam fills no vessel more displeasing to Allah than his stomach. A few morsels should be enough for him to preserve his strength. If he must fill it, then he should allow a third for his food, a third for his drink and leave a third empty for easy breathing."

Over eating can cause us to become lazy and tired, so when it is time now to pray, but we have just eaten a huge meal, we don't want to move from our places. We are in our homes all day and it is easy to fall into over eating, but we must restrain from this. 

Step 4      

                                                          Keeping Bad Company    

Look around at who your companions are, who are they? Do they remind you of good, or call you to evil and never prevent you from evil? Are they someone that we choose just because they are stay at home moms like ourselves? As parents we want our children to take the best companions and we teach them this, we tell them "Well if so and so does such an such then they are not your friend." Or maybe we have heard this one, "If so and so jumps off the building will you?" What that means is you don't have to follow your friends in everything they do. The solution to that is choosing good companions to begin with, so this way you can and will want to follow them in all they do. We have to lead by example. 

In an authentic Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: “A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so look whom you befriend.”    

  

In another Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (saws) said: “The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk, and the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows.. So as for the seller of musk then either he will grant you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith’s bellows then either he will burn your clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him.”      

In his commentary of this Hadith, Imam an-Nawawy said that the Prophet (saws) compared a good companion to a seller of musk and spoke of the virtue of having companions who are good, who have noble manners, piety, knowledge and good culture. Such are those who grant us from their virtue. And he (saws) forbade us to sit with those who do evil, commit a lot of sins and other bad deeds, as well as with innovators, backbiters, and so forth. Another scholar said: “keeping good company with the pious results in attainment of beneficial knowledge, noble manners and righteous actions, whereas keeping company with the wicked prevents all of that.” Many times a Muslim is encouraged by his friends to do evil and to forget his duties. The result is that Muslims themselves are often ashamed to leave them to perform prayer, their friends thus causing them to clearly deviate from the Right Path.


Allah the Exalted says in the Qur’an: “And (remember) the Day when the wrong-doer will bite his hands and say: Woe to me! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger. Woe to me! If only I had not taken so- and-so as a friend! He has led me astray from this Reminder (the Qur’an) after it had come to me. And Satan is ever a deserter to man in the hour of need.” Qur’an 25:27-29

Allah, the All-Wise also says: “Friends on that Day will be enemies one to another, except al-Muttaqoon (i.e. those who have Taqwah).” Qur’an 43:67

    

Sisters I wanted to bring this to us all today as a reminder, I pray it benefits us all. Ameen. I say this to myself first "Take care of your heart, keep it pure and stay away from the things that will cause it to become sick." Enjoy your Friday ladies.

DIY TIME! Paper Pencils

Good Morning Ladies we have once again arrived at Terrific Thursday, Alhumdulilah! So we all know what that means. That's right time for the DIY crafty craft fun. Okay, okay stop jumping up and down in excited anticipation, go grab the kiddos and and let's get crafting.

  Paper Pencils

Supplies List


1. 2mm lead
2. paper
3. glue
4. scissors
5. paint brush
6. craft knife
7.scrap paper
Note on Supplies:
Paper: I recommend using 6″ oragami paper can be purchased at craft stores.
Lead: You can also get a bit creative and use colored leads! (If you are going to purchase leads to do this craft, make sure you used a HB lead.

Step 1:   First cut the piece of paper to the width of the lead.              


Step 2:  Cover the underside of the paper with glue. Give it a
generous coating as it will also make the paper pliable as well
as stick to the lead.


Step 3: Place the blunt end of the lead to the perfectly straight
side of the paper about 10mm from the bottom. Fold the
paper over the lead and pull the lead tight. Coat the flap with
glue.


Step 4: Roll the lead in the paper. Be firm to make sure there are no gaps
in the paper-try not to snap the lead. Make sure you roll it straight
and leave it to dry.

Step 5: Once you are sure the pencil is dry use a craft knife to
sharpen the pencil or you can use a pencil sharpener if there are no gaps
between the paper.


Step 6: Enjoy the pleasure of writing with a pencil you made or give it as a gift, and as always ladies "Enjoy your Day"
                              



   

                              

                                             

Let's increase our Ibadaat in order to increase our Iman.

As Salaamu Alaikum, Ya Akhwaati as you all may know I have renamed the days of the week each day corresponding with some action geared towards getting your home in order. So as it is Wednesday we are on Worship Wednesday this name is more out of default than practice. As worship is something we do everyday. It is the core of our lives, it is the most important factor in being a mom and wife. Our job isn't an easy one, so we have prepared dinner, we cleaned the house, we took care of our appearance, we home schooled the kiddos, we made some schedules, and we came up with some exciting new recipes to add to our menus list. Yes all of that is soooo very important and it is something that I do daily. However how many of us have memorized a new Surah this week, or read a new book on Islam, or made any extra fast, offered any extra salat? It is time to start to make those schedule for increasing our Ibadaat. We have to do this, as full time house wives our husbands afford us the opportunity to be home. Alhumdulilah. They are out of the home on average 50 -60 hours a week some more than this. They are constantly dealing with the Kuffar and dealing with all the fitnah that comes with it. They are the leaders of our families.

Allah says: “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because of what Allah has preferred one with over the other and because of what they spend to support them from their wealth.” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 34]

What does it mean that men are “protectors and maintainers” of women?

To answer this question, let us first look at the Arabic word that we are translating as “protectors and maintainers”. This word is “qawwâmûn” the plural of “qawwâm”.

This word – qawwâm – in turn, is an emphatic form of the word “qayyim”, which means a person who manages the affairs of others. The qayyim of a people is the one who governs their affairs and steers their course. Likewise, the qayyim of a woman is either her husband or her guardian – the one who has to look after her and ensure that her needs are met.

When Allah says: “Men are the qawwâmûn of women…” it means – and Allah knows best – that men are held liable for handling the affairs of women and are responsible for the women under their care. A husband, therefore, has the responsibility of taking care of his wife, protecting her, defending her honor, and fulfilling her needs regarding her religion and her worldly life.Having this knowledge is useful, but it does not mean that they are the only ones responsible for protecting and maintaining our Islam and Iman. We are helpers one to another and at times it can be that your husband is so beat down from the stresses of his life and his day that he needs you to lift him and help him with his role of protecting and maintaining Iman and Knowledge.  So my question is how do we do this, how do we tackle this most important role as well as teaching our children and raising an Ummah that Allah will be pleased with?

It is time to start placing our Islam at the top of the list of priorities. Increase your knowledge of Islam and increase your Ibadaaat to increase your iman and once you do that insha Allah the nur that you possess as a Muslimah will shine onto the rest of your family. So I would like to share a few of the things I do in order to help me increase my Iman. I ask Allah to protect me from riyah and from al ain, I ask that He that he purify my intentions Ameen.

Step one in protecting and increasing my Iman:   Quran, my day begins with the studing of Allah's speech. In the mornings after I pray Fajr (because Fajr comes in earlier now, before the time change it is before Fajr) I study from the Quran everyday taking something new from it. I spend at least an hour memorizing the Quran in the morning and I review what I have taken before throughout my day and during my salat. For me it helps to make a pray schedule for what I am reviewing that week.




Step two: I fast every Monday and Thursday. Because it is nawwafil you must seek permission from your husbands if you plan to do this.

The rights of the husband

Hadrat Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said: "When the husband calls his wife to his bed and she disobeys, and he spends the night in anger against her, the angels keep cursing her till the morning." (Bukhari and Muslim)
Hadrat Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said: "A woman should not observe an optional fast when her husband is present at home, except with his permission. She should also not permit anyone to enter his house without his consent". (Bukhari and Muslim, wording is of Bukhari)

Step Three:

After I have studied, I busy myself with teaching others. This helps me to not only gain barakah, it also helps me to solidify what I have learned already. It is an act of Charity.

Step Four:
This is something that I do with my family as a whole unit, it really is beneficial in that it not only increases our knowledge, but it also increases love between us. Because we enjoy each others company and have a sense of camaraderie between us. We have a family game time, where we play Islamic Trivia, Islamic Jeopardy, we have Quran competitions were we are on teams. We as teams take the same surah and are resposnsible for memorizing the tafsir of it as well as memorizing it. We also have tajweed competitions where we each have to reach in a bag and pull out a tajweed rule then we must give an ayaah coresponding to it. It is all done in fun and we benefit at the same time. We do this 5 days a week.

Step Five: This one seems like a small thing, but in reality it is a huge thing and it works. I make sure to keep my wudoo, and I advise my family with the same. Alhumdulilah we are home all day well most of us are. So this is something that is easy to do.
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says in the ayah of Wudu,“Allah does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favor to you that you may be thankful.” (5:6)
The Sunnah of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam is to constantly be in a state of Wudu. Once a companion entered upon the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and greeted him. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam did not return the salutation to him until he performed ablution. He then apologized to the companion saying: I disliked remembering Allah except in the state of purification. (Sunan Abi Dawood, Saheeh)
Preserving wudu is a sign of emaan.
“… and no one preservers their wudu except a Believer.” [Ibn Maajah, Saheeh]

Step Six: This one may also seem small but it is also a major factor in my life and in the lives of my children and husband. "Make sure your husbands attend the masjid for Salat when he is home and is able to. Many of us live within driving distance at least of a Masjid so the men praying in the Masjid should be something of ease for them. It is beneficial as this teaches our children the importance of praying in the Masjid. It also helps the husband to increase his Iman and there by perform his role better as husband and father. He should also be taking the boys to the masjid with him as well.

Bukhari :: Book 1 :: Volume 11 :: Hadith 617
Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is I was about to order for collecting fire-wood (fuel) and then order Someone to pronounce the Adhan for the prayer and then order someone to lead the prayer then I would go from behind and burn the houses of men who did not present themselves for the (compulsory congregational) prayer. By Him, in Whose Hands my soul is, if anyone of them had known that he would get a bone covered with good meat or two (small) pieces of meat present in between two ribs, he would have turned up for the 'Isha' prayer.'

Bukhari :: Book 1 :: Volume 11 :: Hadith 626
Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "No prayer is harder for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayers and if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly present themselves (in the mosques) even if they had to crawl." The Prophet added, "Certainly I decided to order the Mu'adh-dhin (call-maker) to pronounce Iqama and order a man to lead the prayer and then take a fire flame to burn all those who had not left their houses so far for the prayer along with their houses."

Muslim :: Book 4 : Hadith 1374
Abu Huraira reported: There came to the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) a blind man and said: Messenger of Allah, I have no one to guide me to the mosque. He, therefore, asked. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) permission to say prayer in his house. He (tee Holy Prophet) granted him permission. Then when the man turned away he called him and said: Do you hear the call to prayer? He said: Yes. He (the Holy Prophet then) said: Respond to it.
 

I realize that this was a long post, but it is very important this is the core of all of our lives.Our most important goal is Jannah and to make sure our families are in Jannah as well. Yes cooking, cleaning, organizing, baking, creating, teaching and in gerneral being a Muslim Mommy and Wive is extremely important and honorable. However in order to be the best at our profession we have to be the best in our religion. Again I ask that Allah accept this from me and that he purify my intentions, protect me and my family from the Eye, make me free of riyah and that it benefits us all. Ameen. As always ladies "Enjoy your day"