Keep Your Cool in Ramadan

Do not try to resolve issues with anyone when you are fatigued or irritated,Try to always pick the best time to talk to people,preferably when they are not easily infuriated,
Always think of the consequences of your irritability.Will it create unnecessary tensions in your relationships between your boss,colleagues.family or relatives?Be creative and invest your anger in channels other than arguing.
Train yourself to forgive others throughout this Noble mouth.Do not underestimate the power of forgiveness and positive thinking.
Do not express your anger immediately.Take time to think over the best way to deal with the problem.The next day when you meet the person that has angered you,express your discontent rationally.
To reduce the pressures of the day,allocate a relaxation period.Use this time to pray and concentrate in prayer.As Allah says,(And seek assistance through patience and prayer,and most surely it is a hard thing except for the humble one)(Al-Baqarah 2:45)
Exercise regularly,this relaxes the body and mind.Try to abstrain from smoking or any other stimulants which increase the sense of irritability.
At the end,remember the hadith of the Prophet(peace be upon him)"The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength,but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger"(Al-Bukhari)

clipped from www.islamonline.net Ramadan is a month of serenity and spiritual elevation. But when the body's glucose level decreases too much from fasting, this could lead to irritability and aggression. Other factors may also contribute to the feeling of irritability, such as refraining from the habitual cigarette. Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) advised us to ‘keep our cool' while fasting and prevent ourselves from being easily provoked or dragged into a fight. The practice of self-control is a pertinent part of fasting. From Prophet Mohamed's (peace be upon him) traditions, “If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting'.” If you begin to feel angry or irritated say, “I seek refuge with Allah from Satan.”

Pentingnya Kebersamaan

clipped from www3.darussalaf.org “Apakah mereka yang membagi-bagi rahmat Rabbmu? Kami telah menentukan antara mereka penghidupan mereka dalam kehidupan dunia, dan Kami telah meninggikan sebagian mereka atas sebagian yang lain beberapa derajat, agar sebagian mereka dapat mempergunakan sebagian yang lain. Dan rahmat Rabbmu lebih baik dari apa yang mereka kumpulkan.” (Az-Zukhruf: 32) “…Dan janganlah kamu termasuk orang-orang yang mempersekutukan Allah, yaitu orang-orang yang memecah belah agama mereka dan mereka menjadi beberapa golongan. Tiap-tiap golongan merasa bangga dengan apa yang ada pada golongan mereka.” (Ar-Rum: 31-32) “Dan berpeganglah kamu semuanya kepada tali (agama) Allah, dan janganlah kamu bercerai berai.” (Ali ‘Imran: 103) Tentunya kepemimpinan tanpa ketaatan adalah sesuatu yang sia-sia. Oleh karena itu, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala memerintahkan untuk menaati seorang yang telah Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala takdirkan sebagai penguasa.

Hukum Menerima Hadiah dari Penghasilan yang Haram

clipped from www3.darussalaf.org Tanya : Apakah diterima hadiah dari orang yang bekerja pada perkara yang haram, atau sumbangannya untuk membangun mesjid atau selainnya dari amalan-amalan kebaikan? Tanya : Apakah diterima hadiah dari orang yang bekerja pada perkara yang haram, atau sumbangannya untuk membangun mesjid atau selainnya dari amalan-amalan kebaikan? Jawab : “Yang lebih hati-hati jangan diterima, kalau tidak maka (asalnya) dosa ditanggung oleh yang mengerjakan (perkara haram itu) secara langsung sebagaimana yang telah berlalu. Dan kami katakan bahwa dosanya ditanggung oleh yang mengerjakannya secara langsung karena Nabi Shollallahu ‘alaihi wa ‘ala alihi wasallam bermu’amalah dengan orang Yahudi sedangkan mereka bermu’amalah dengan riba dan terkadang mereka mengundang Nabi Shollallahu ‘alaihi wa ‘ala alihi wasallam (untuk makan) lalu beliau memenuhi undangan mereka padahal mereka bermu’amalah dengan riba”.

Antara Sabar dan Syukur

clipped from www3.darussalaf.org Setiap insan yang hidup di muka bumi ini pasti pernah mengalami suka dan duka. Tak ada insan yang diberi duka sepanjang hidupnya, karena ada kalanya kemanisan hidup menghampirinya. Demikian pula sebaliknya, tak ada insan yang terus merasa suka karena mesti suatu ketika duka menyapanya. Bila demikian tidaklah salah pepatah yang mengatakan, "Kehidupan ini ibarat roda yang berputar", terkadang di atas, terkadang di bawah. Terkadang bangun dan sukses, terkadang jatuh dan bangkrut, kadang kalah, kadang menang, kadang susah, kadang bahagia, kadang suka dan kadang duka… Begitulah kehidupan di dunia ini, kesengsaraannya dapat berganti bahagia, namun kebahagiannya tidaklah kekal. “Sesungguhnya pada yang demikian itu terdapat tanda-tanda bagi setiap orang yang banyak bersabar lagi bersyukur.” (Ibrahim:5) Qatadah rahimahullahu menafsirkan ayat di atas dengan mengatakan, “Dia adalah hamba yang bila diberi bersyukur dan bila diuji bersabar.” (An-Nukat wal ‘Uyun, 3/122)

Pentingnya Shalat Berjamaah

clipped from www3.darussalaf.org الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ عَلَى فَضْلِهِ وَإِحْسَانِهِ جَعَلَ الصَّلاَةَ عَمُوْدَ اْلإِسْلاَمِ وَأَحَدَ مَبَانِيْهِ الْعِظَامِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيْكَ لَهُ فِي رُبُوْبِيَّتِهِ وَأُلُوْهِيَّتِهِ وَأَسْمَائِهِ وَصِفَاتِهِ {تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِي الْجَلاَلِ وَاْلإِكْرَامِ} [الرحمن: 78] وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ وَصَفِيُّهُ وَخَلِيْلُهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ سَائِرِ اْلأَنَامِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ الْبَرَرَةِ اْلكِرَامِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيْمًا كَثِيْرًا، أَمَّا بَعْدُ: Selengkapnya...

Sehatnya Qalbu, Lurusnya Amal

clipped from www3.darussalaf.org Kebagusan amalan anggota badan seorang hamba tergantung pada kebagusan qalbunya. Apabila qalbunya salim (sehat), tidak ada di dalamnya melainkan kecintaan kepada Allah Subhanahu wa Taala dan kecintaan kepada apa yang dicintai Allah Subhanahu wa Taala, takut kepada-Nya, takut terjatuh pada apa yang dibenci oleh-Nya, akan baguslah seluruh amalan anggota badannya. Akan tumbuh pula pada dirinya perasaan untuk menghindarkan diri dari segala perkara yang haram dan syubhat. Selengkapnya...

When You Feel Bad

clipped from www.islamonline.net There are days in our lives when we wake up and feel like a heavy gray cloud is hovering above our heads. In that moment everything seems so bleak, so hopeless and you can’t seem to shake it off. It may be you feel that way for a particular reason or perhaps you can’t quite seem to understand why you feel so bad. Some people think that if they feel down or bad about themselves that they have weak faith. However, this is not necessarily the case. If we look at the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) we can identify a few times that he felt bad: when he lost his newborn son - when his daughter Ruqayya passed away, he used to sit beside her grave and weep for her - when he lost his most beloved wife and companion, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) when he lost his uncle Abu Talib who used to protect him

I Have Failed - What Now?

clipped from www.islamonline.net I wanted to share my story because I thought there might be other young people out there who are experiencing the same kind of problem. Thanks to Allah I can talk to my mum and she supports me and tries to tell me things to help me understand how to cope. At first I kept quiet and let them talk them I'd go somewhere and cry. I know it sounds like I'm chicken hearted but I really didn’t feel I had the strength inside to do anything else. So I decided to try to do something. I made myself a small poster to put on my wall. On this poster I wrote down the things I have to be careful of. Things like: don't be negative; when I'm upset, talk; study each subject everyday and seek help for things I don't understand well…. The list was a bit long and I also wrote things I wanted to remember if I feel down again. Things like 'Life is sink or swim,' and 'stand up for yourself.'

So Many Reasons to Cry

clipped from www.islamonline.net Did you ever stop and think that most people in the world do not have their basic needs fulfilled? By basic needs, I mean things like sufficient food and water, adequate shelter, stability, safety and security, acceptance, and enough education to feel hope for the future. Not having even one of these basic needs met gives one enough reason to cry. Look at yourself and look at the people around you and think about how life is not perfect. We might all wish and dream for perfection in ourselves and in life, but it is the touch of imperfection that makes people and life perfect! Does it make you feel better to know that everyone carries some kind of pain? That everyone, if they were truly honest, would acknowledge their imperfection and bad feelings that they experience from time to time. Does it make you feel stronger to know that not everyone who carries pain becomes a junkie? Not everyone sets out and blames the world for how they are and what they face?

Learning to Control Anger

One Outburst at a Time

clipped from www.islamonline.net Do you get angry? Often? How do you express your anger? Do you think you are unique in your family in the way you express your anger? If not, do you find yourself repeating another family member's style of expressing anger? Have you witnessed someone become angry recently? What about in your own family? How did their reaction make you feel? The popular advice we often hear these days about handling anger is "don't hold it in, let it out." We are told that it is unhealthy to hold in our anger. Television shows, movies, and video games tend to sensationalize outbursts of anger, often showing in too much detail the facial expressions of angry people and the wanton destruction they wreak. Although the great debate as to how much popular entertainment influences personal lives rages on, one thing is for sure: Anger hurts not only the person becoming angry but also people close to that person. Frequent outbursts of anger ultimately will negative affect a person's physical health as well.

A Life With No Fear

clipped from www.islamonline.net I watched a program on TV about the survivors of the tsunami in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. I noticed how resilient the people are. There are still miles and miles of 2-meter-high rotting rubble that needs to be cleared so the people can start seriously rebuilding. Many people have left the area to inland villages because they have nowhere to stay and are awaiting the time when they can safely return. In the course of this program I saw an interview with an old woman. She had become a kind of mother figure to many of the orphan children and youth who were saved from the tsunami and had lost their families. She looked very old but also very calm, like she had a lot of inner strength. I thought, how special she is! What she said was translated and so I understood what she wanted to say. She was telling the young people to be responsible and not to think only about themselves; that true and lasting survival depended on everyone working together to build up the community again.

Hijab and Sports

clipped from www.readingislam.com Asmahan Mansour and her teammates In late February 2007, 11-year-old Asmahan Mansour was ordered to remove her hijab or leave the field during a soccer tournament in the Canadian province of Quebec. The referee, who is also Muslim, said that her hijab would endanger her safety. After she was ejected from the game, her team walked off in protest. Four other teams forfeited their games and left the field in support of Ms. Mansour. As a result of this incident, there has been much discussion surrounding hijab and sports. Is it possible to adhere to the proper Islamic dress code and at the same time be physically active? Is it a challenge to do so and what are some ways to overcome this challenge? Islamonline.net recently asked some Muslim reverts these very questions, and their responses were as follows. ealth issues on both parents' sides, I understand the impo When a child has a passion for a sport, it can transcend barriers and bring people together. Modesty and sports can go together.

Patience of Believers

The following example in the Qur' an about the patience evinced in displaying moral perfection will give us a better understanding of this concept:

[ A good action and a bad action are not the same. Requite the bad with something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will become like a bosom friend. None will attain this attribute save those who are truly steadfast. None will attain it save those who have great good fortune ] ( Fussilat 41:34-35 )

Patience is one of the most important signs of a believer's sincerity and efforts to draw near to Allah.

clipped from www.readingislam.com For a believer, the scope of patience is not limited to enduring difficulties and problems with calmness. In the light of the verse,[You who believe, be steadfast; be supreme in steadfastness…] (Aal `Imran 3:200), throughout his life, he shows an undeviating commitment to meticulously fulfilling all the commands of the Qur’an, to avoiding what is unlawful, to displaying moral perfection in every situation, without becoming daunted or losing heart. In short, he resolutely shows the patience and good manners prescribed by the religion. That is because one can develop these noble character traits only if one makes a steady effort. It is the people of faith who exhibit patience when making such efforts. As the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) informed Muslims in the following hadith, they know that patience is a gift for them from Allah: “No-one can be given a better and more abundant gift than patience” (Bukhari and Muslim).

Akidah

Selamat Membaca

clipped from tasekpauh.blogspot.com Aqidah: Persoalan Mengenai Kedatangan Roh Wahhabi Sesat? Wahhabi sesat kata Gus Dur Hubungan antara agama dan akal Riddah Yang Paling Bahaya Wahhabi : Fahaman Wahhabi, Satu Penilaian

The Muslim Belief in Good

By Harun Yahya

Muslim believe that every event that happens to the believer has some sort of goodness in it. God states that even events that seem to be unfavorable may have a lot of good in them :

[ It may well be that you dislike something in which Allah has a placed a lot of good.] ( An-Nisaa' 4:19 )

[ It may be that you hate something when it is good for you and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know.] ( Al-Baqarah 2:216 )

clipped from www.readingislam.com Muslims believe that even bad situations have some goodness in them. Picture © Microsoft.com Accordingly, believers give their most inner thanks to Him because no loss in this world equals the loss in the hereafter. Loss in the hereafter means eternal and intolerable punishment, unless God wills otherwise. Muslims believe that people should seek goodness and beauty not only in ordeals, but also in daily routines. Those who are aware that everything has a purpose in God's creation never use phrases such as "I wish I had not done this" or "I wish I had not said that" and so on. [Those who follow My guidance will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.](Al-Baqarah 2:38) [Yes, the closer servants of Allah will feel no fear nor shall they grieve: those who believe and have done their duty, there is good news for them in the life of the world and in the Hereafter. There is no changing the words of Allah. That is the great victory.](Yunus 10:62-64)

Do Your Best, Allah Will Do the Rest

"I'm so anxious about my exams; I'm afraid I won't get married; I'm feeling bad that I can't find a suitable person to marry; I spend the night thinking about the future." These are some of the voices of various youth who are continually anxious and stressed.

People who feel anxious often manifest symptoms, such as headache, sleeping problems, concentration problems, muscle tension, nervousness,heart palpitations, tremor, sweating problems, and distress.

Because of the fast rhythm of life in today's world, which is full of challenges, problems, and stress, anxiety has started to be a common and widespread feeling, especially among the youth.

Sources of Anxiety

Actually, anxiety occurs as a result of social, academic, and life stresses. Some youth face social stress and anxiety because of issues like marriage. They feel they may not be able to find a suitable person to marry. Others get worried about whether they will be able to fulfill the financial responsibilities of marriage and other general duties. Even married couples might also face several obstacles in their life, which makes them feel anxious.

Another source of anxiety among the youth is the stress that often comes about because of the fear of failure in choosing the right career or because of high expectations and ambitions.

Even school and university students get anxious particularly during the period of exams. Submitting projects, research papers, and completed assignments and meeting deadlines are also sources of anxiety among students. In many cases, students fear to be blamed if they fail to meet the high expectations of their families.

clipped from www.islamonline.net Because of the fast rhythm of life in today's world, which is full of challenges, problems, and stress, anxiety has started to be a common and widespread feeling, especially among the youth. Although anxiety is a problem for many people, it can still be solved. Engy Mohasseb, a 25- year-old Egyptian teacher, said, "Reciting the Qur'an is the best way to get rid of any feeling of anxiety." She added, Our role is to exert our utmost effort in our studies, work, and issues at hand and to leave the future to Almighty Allah. Regularly praising and remembering Almighty Allah and reciting His Book are the main key to tranquility of the heart and confidence, which in turn treat any feeling of anxiety. It is not a matter of a specific medication; you are the one who can treat yourself through your sound faith and trust in the will and choice of Almighty Allah. And always remember to do your best and Allah will do the rest.

The Way of Allah

Islam requires a person to submit himself whole-heartedly and fully to Allah. Thus, surrendering all the areas of one's activity to Allah, leaving nothing to the whims and fancies of anyone else, is in fact the true meaning of Islam.

The Qur' an shows that there are only two ways laid out before Man: one is the way of Allah and the other is the way of the Devil. A person cannot stand with one foot in Allah's way and the other in the Devil's way.

Once a person accepts Allah as his Creator, Sustainer and Lawgiver, he cannot follow other gods. Islam is a complete way of life that asks its followers to model their entire lives in accordance with its principles. This may sound somewhat difficult for many; but in fact it need not be because what we mean here is chiefly a change of attitude and approach. Of course, it will have its impact on one's life, both internal and external; but for those who wish to lead a good life on earth, Islam is the way.

Worship helps a Muslim to wipe out all evil from his/her life.

clipped from www.readingislam.com In Islam, the term ‘ibadah (service, worship) does not merely signify the ritualistic activities such as Salah (ritual Prayer), fasting, Zakah (obligatory alms) or Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah). It includes all the activities of a believer that are in accordance with the laws of Allah (God). When a Muslim performs all the activities of his life for the pleasure of Allah, then all his deeds become ‘ibadah or worship. Naturally this includes his ritualistic worship, such as prayer, as well. A Muslim is one who has willfully submitted his whole self to Allah, and his duty then is just to obey Him. A Muslim cannot split his life into compartments and say, “This is the area of my religion where I will obey Allah and these are the areas where I will follow others.” For service and worship are one in Islam. By following or obeying others than Allah, one is, in effect, worshiping them, which is a contradiction of the first item of Muslim belief: there is none worthy of worship but Allah.

Tools of a Winner!

clipped from www.readingislam.com One sister came forward mentioning the following hadith. Abdullah ibn `Umar reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, Three persons set out on a journey. They were overtaken by rain and they had to find protection in a mountain cave, where at its mouth there fell a rock of that mountain and thus blocked them altogether. One of them said to the others, "Remember your good deeds that you performed for the sake of Allah and then supplicate Allah the Exalted, that He might rescue you." Du`aa'(supplication) is a blessing from Allah, a tool to achieve our goals in this life and the hereafter. Allah loves it when we ask Him for anything. He is expecting us to ask Him for our needs. Allah says in the Qur'an what means, "I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls on Me (seeking My help without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright." (Al-Baqarah 2:186)

The Path to Paradise

Setting the Goal

The path to God is only illuminated when a person recognizes the central place of God in his life and strives to develop his self accordingly. The Messenger of God said :

If someone wants to know what position he enjoys in the eyes of God, he has only to look at what place he gives to God [ in his heart and life ]. ( Hakim )

The term nearest in meaning to self development in the Qur' anic vocabulary is : tazkiyah. Tazkiyah means purification and refers to the cleansing of the human self from all that is unwholesome, undesirable and unwelcome.

It also refers to the nurturing and strengthening of all the qualities within the human self that are essential for growth and development, for blossoming and flowering.

Sucess and happiness in this world and the Hereafter depend on tazkiyah, the purification and nurturing of our personality. The Qur' an states that true success is only reserved for those who seek to purify themselves:

clipped from www.readingislam.com The path to paradise is paved for those who seek God's pleasure in their life. Picture © Microsoft.com [Successful indeed is the one who purifies his whole self.] (Ash-Shams 91:9) Know, however, that attaining the pleasure of Allah takes precedence over seeking Paradisebut the two are closely connected. Paradise can only be attained through seeking Allah's pleasure, and when Allah's pleasure is gained, we will indeed be granted Paradise. [And there is a kind of person who would willingly give up personal interests, seeking Allah’s pleasure; and God is Most Compassionate towards His servants.] (Al-Baqarah 2:207) [You will only be rewarded fully for all your good deeds on the Day of Resurrection, and [on that Day] whoever will be drawn away from Hell-fire, and admitted into Paradise, will indeed have triumphed.] (Al-`Imran 3:185) [And surely Paradise – it is the goal.] (Al-Nazi`at 79:41) [Indeed the Next abode – it is truly the life!] (Al-`Ankabut 29:64)