Welcome to Islam ☪
Assalam-u-Alaikum Warahmat-ul-laahi wa-barakaatuh (May peace and blessings and mercy be upon you)
It is truly an amazing step that @GlenM and the team have taken to provide people of religious and spiritual beliefs with a place to come together and connect freely on this site. I also understand that it's a very sensitive topic in most cases and can very quickly lead to debate and conflict.
So I humbly request everyone to please be mindful of what you say. Treat others with the same respect that you would like for yourself. Remember that when you engage with someone on any matter, you are representing your side of the discussion and the entire community that goes with it (your religion in this case).
With that out of the way, I would like to open up the discussion for Islam here. I have seen many of my Muslim brothers and sisters in this 7 Cups community as well as people who may not be Muslim but have questions about or an interest in Islam. And I think this is a great place for having such discussions.
In the spirit of making this community a more inclusive environment and alleviating Islamophobia, I urge you to ask questions. I can't promise you I'll have an answer to every question but I'll give it my best shot.
And on that note, I'll leave you with a few verses from the Quran (our Holy Book) that really help me if my faith starts to waver in the midst of a hard time. (Recitation down below as well)
Surah Ad-Dhuha (The Morning Hours)
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
وَٱلضُّحَىٰ
[I swear] By the morning brightness (93:01)
وَٱلَّيۡلِ إِذَا سَجَىٰ
And [by] the night when it covers with darkness (93:02)
مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ
Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor has he become displeased (93:03)
وَلَلۡأٓخِرَةُ خَيۡرٞ لَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡأُولَىٰ
Surely the Hereafter is much better for you than the present life (93:04)
وَلَسَوۡفَ يُعۡطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرۡضَىٰٓ
And your Lord will give you so much that you will be pleased (93:05)
أَلَمۡ يَجِدۡكَ يَتِيمٗا فَـَٔاوَىٰ
Did He not find you an orphan, and give you shelter (93:06)
وَوَجَدَكَ ضَآلّٗا فَهَدَىٰ
And He found you lost and guided you (93:07)
وَوَجَدَكَ عَآئِلٗا فَأَغۡنَىٰ
And He found you in need so He made you self-sufficient (93:08)
فَأَمَّا ٱلۡيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقۡهَرۡ
So as for the orphan do not oppress him (93:09)
وَأَمَّا ٱلسَّآئِلَ فَلَا تَنۡهَرۡ
And as for the beggar, do not repel him (93:10)
وَأَمَّا بِنِعۡمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثۡ
But as for the favor of your Lord, do talk (93:11)
@Mahad2804
Assalam-u-Alaikum Mahad2804! How are you?
Thank you for your post, I also hope this can become a safe space for everyone 💙
I would like to help the discussion asking you something that might interest everyone :
* What is a suggestion you would give to help people accomplish all the prayers starting from al-fajr? (for those who don't know it's the early morning prayer performed before the horizontal dawn light appears on the horizon)
I thought it could be nice to help those that have hectic routines and many working hours to face daily
Thank you for all your good wishes and blessing! ( Jazakallah kheir - God bless you) 🙂
@MeaningfulSilence
Walaikumassalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh
That is such a great question. I know I myself used to struggle quite a bit with waking up for Fajr. Here's what helped me with that.
For me the solution was 2-fold.
1.) The practical side:
This was setting all the practical things in order to give me the best chance of waking up. Sleeping early, setting multiple alarms, and making sure I'm getting good sleep (not drinking coffee later in the day, eating well, hydrating enough, etc.)
2.) The spiritual side:
This was more motivation focused. I read about the religious benefits of Fajr so that I would be more tempted to wake up and get those blessings.
Here are some of the Ahadith that mention the rewards of offering Fajr:
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Whoever offers the Morning Prayer, he is under the protection of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime” (Ibn Majah).
The Prophet (SAW) said: “Two Sunnah cycles of Fajr prayer are better than this world and everything in it.” (Muslim)
“Angels come to you in succession by night and day, and they meet at Fajr and Asr prayer. Then those who spent the night among you ascend, and He (Allah) will ask them, although He knows best: ‘In what condition did you leave My slaves?’ They will say: ‘We left them when they were praying and we came to them when they were praying.” (Bukhari)
And my personal favorite
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Whoever prays the morning prayer in congregation then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, then prays two units of prayer has the reward like that of Hajj and Umrah.” (Tirmidhi)
I know that it can be really hard to get out of a warm bed in the morning before even the sun is up but remember the lines from the Fajr adhaan
اَلصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ، اَلصَّلَاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ
Prayer is better than sleep, prayer is better than sleep
@Mahad2804
Hi Mahad, thank you for sharing! It'd be wonderful to know it can help others facing same difficulty!
You are welcome to participate also in other threads where you see you can share your experience, feel free to join if you feel to! Here is one thread : click HERE
In creating a question there, I specifically thought about the importance of our gratitude for nature, the creation itself, something we can find in the Holy Quran (Sura An-Nahl) .... '' And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided and marks and signposts; and by the stars (men) guide themselves.'' (hope I shared the correct english translation).
@Mahad2804 ♡ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ
Perfect surah to share. Thanks for sharing.
@Mahad2804
Wa alykum alsalam wa Rahmat Allah wa baraktuh
Thank you soo much for this beautiful post
May Allah bless you 🙏🙏
Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Thank you so much for this wonderful post. I have been looking for an Islamic related post here to connect with my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. I wanted to know if you have any advice for me, I believe in Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him) but due to alot of religious pressure from my family I feel repelled from the Quran and can not bring myself to read it. The more they tell me to read the Quran the lesser I want to. If anyone has any advice how I can overcome this weakness I will be very grateful. May Allah be pleased with you and grant us all Paradise Ameen.
@unassumingEyes
Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Raheem.
Assalamu Alaikum Brother/Sister Eyes. I understand what you mean, when you say you feel repelled by the Qur'an due to external pressures. I completely understand, and I do not blame or judge you for it. Everyone is unique in the eyes of their Lord, and no one person is the same. Allah (SWT) is not your parents, He is not your friends, He is not your brothers or your sisters. He is your Lord, the Most High. The Most Forgiving. He forgives you more than your parents ever will. He understands you better than you would ever understand yourself. He loves you more than 70 mothers. Thats large, when we think about it. The reason I say all this is, Allah (SWT) is the one who your turning towards when you read the Quran, pray your Salah, do your Zikr. When you do those things, you're turning your attention towards the one who understands you best, who loves you to the ends of the world, who is willing to forgive you even if you have commited sins as many as the foam of the sea.
And I would have to add, He knows whats in your heart. He understands that you're burdened by external pressures. He knows that you don't hate Him, that you don't hold any grudge against His book. I would suggest take a break from the Quran. Dont go near it. For now. Let it be there. Approach it when you feel ready to interact with it, ready to put your heart into it. It will wait. And try to turn your heart and mind towards your Rabb. I personally like to just talk to Him like I'm in a conversation with Him, even though I'm technically not. I like to just pour my heart out to Him, knowing that He's there, listening to what I'm saying, listening to my worries, my pains, my joys and my sorrows, my hopes and my regrets. That's the way I developed a relationship with my Rabb. Once that happens, once you feel comfortable opening up to Him, the opportunities that arise are endless. Everything will fall into place. Salah will find a whole new meaning. Imaan will find a whole new meaning. Zikr will find a whole new meaning. The color will return to your acts of worship. And your Lord will set straight for you the things that are troubling you. He knows them. He understands what you're going through. He will, In Shaa Allah, make a way out for you.
I hope I gave you something of benefit through these words. I am merely a servant of Allah (SWT), and a means for this message to get to you. It was your Lord, that sent you this message, through me. I pray that He guides us all through the various challenges we face in our lives, in all its spheres. Ameen Yaa Rabb.
Your Brother in Islam,
Grapes 🍇
@thoughtfulGrapes1163
Wa alaikum as salam Brother. I have read your kind message and I agree with what you say that Allah (SWT) is more forgiving and loving than my parents and so on. Unfortunately I have been feeling very disconnected from this beautiful religion, but trying to read the Quran has not been working. In Shaa Allah I will follow your kind advice and try to open up to Allah (SWT) more often.
May Allah (SWT) guide us and our brothers and sisters across the globe to the right path. Ameen.
@unassumingEyes
Sister eyes, you really do seem to be going through a rough time in your life. I hold nothing but hope and concern for you as you go through this phase. There most definitely are times when we feel distant and disconnected from the Creator, and that is a part of the journey. As I have no other advice that I can offer, I would want you to know that you are in my heart and prayers. I shall supplicate for you, to ease your burdens, to give you a peace and clarity of heart, and to help you get through this difficult period. You’re not alone in this sister, we’re all here for you as you are going through this time. We are here to help you and support you in whatever way we can.
Much respect and wishes,
your brother grapes 🍇
New to this and just wanted to say Salaam 👋
if anyone is searching for ease and comfort at the moment, Surah 93 has really been that for me so I hope it helps you too
@intelligentBeach776 peacw be with you, too.
Yes, surah 93 - deeply comforting