How To Transition To Healthy Foods

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Transitioning to healthy foods is definitely a worthwhile goal. Here are some tips to lead you down the path from a junk food based diet to a healthy one, in sha Allah.

First of all, you need to determine where your diet currently stands.

• Are you an almost 100% processed food eater?
• Do you eat 80% junk foods and 10% healthy foods?
• Are you currently eating 80% healthy and 10% junk foods?

This can help you decide where to go from here. Remember, baby steps. Jumping in all at once is great, if you are capable of being consistent with it, but if not it’s better to move one small step at a time.

First off, I would recommend checking your fridge and pantry for all processed foods. Generally, this is anything with a label and more than one ingredient. (Although there are sometimes exceptions!) Take these things and donate them to your local mosque or homeless shelter so others, who actually could use these foods, can benefit.

Second, always plan your shopping list before you go to the store. You can also have it delivered to your house or pick it up (from some stores like Walmart) in case you are concerned about being tempted by junk foods. Only add foods to the list that will nourish your body. These are generally foods that walk/swim/grow on the earth. Fruits, vegetables, fresh dairy products, whole grains, etc.

When you go to a gathering always offer to bring a healthy meal and try to make at least 80% of what you eat there your healthy dish (or whatever other healthy dish is offered).

There is a helpful website fooducate.com that can help you determine what some healthy alternatives to your current favorite foods are. Just make sure they are halal!

Slowly you can replace your foods, one by one, with better alternatives from that website. For example let’s say you currently eat Funyuns chips. These are rated around a D+ on fooducate which is a very low score. If you click on Funyuns one of the better alternatives listed is Tostitos Tortilla Chips which are a C+. You can transition to that for a few days or so then next shopping trip get the better alternative listed for Tostitos which is Skinny Pop Popcorn which is listed as a B+. Keep doing this until you average around an A rating for all of your foods.

In sha Allah this helped! If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment.

The Pagan Origins of Christmas

[Image source]

Today’s post is just a short Public Service Announcement for all of the readers (muslim and non-muslim) who celebrate Christmas. Too many people they remain unaware of the pagan origins of this man-made holiday. This is not a Christian holiday but rather a Pagan holiday. It doesn’t matter what other people around you do, or make light of, now you can, in sha Allah, be informed regarding the truth and give up in celebrating this fake holiday.

For example:

• In the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1908 it states that, “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. Irenaeus and Tertullian omit it from their lists of feasts“
• In A Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft it is mentioned that, “It is also absolutely correct that some British folk customs have descended directly from pagan rituals, such […] the giving of presents and decoration of homes with greenery at midwinter.”
• “Most Christmas customs are, in fact, based on old pagan festivals, the Roman Saturnalia and the Scandinavian and Teutonic Yule. Christians adopted these during the earliest period of Church history. The Church, however, has given this recognition and incorporates it into the Church year without too many misgivings. Only the more radical fundamentalist elements in some churches protest from time to time about this mixing of ‘pagan’ elements into the religion.” (The Phenomenon of Religion: A Thematic Approach)
• “The largest pagan religious cult which fostered the celebration of December 25 as a holiday . . . was the pagan sun- worship, This winter festival was called . . . ‘the Nativity of the SUN.’ (Sir James Frazer)
• Perhaps most shocking of all: “The Church of Rome, to facilitate the acceptance of the faith by the pagan masses, found it convenient to institute the 25th December as the feast of the temporal birth of Christ, to divert them from the pagan feast, celebrated on the same day.” (iahushua)

These are just some of the many evidences of Christmas not being a Christian holiday but rather a pagan man-made holiday. A simple google search may reveal many more. Please don’t be deceived into following the customs of this if you are a believer in the one Creator.

Thank you for reading.

The Muslims Guide to: Health and Fitness

Bismillah! Elhamed lillah our book is now ready to distribute! This book has lots of information linking science, Islam, health and fitness. I wanted to help those, who may not be able to afford the book, by offering it for free. If it benefits you then you can click here to donate. Jazak Allah Khayr!

What you may learn, in sha Allah:

• *Scientific evidences for various acts of worship
• *Health sunnahs from our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh – Peace be upon him)
• *The importance of exercise and recommended forms of exercise
• *The healing power of Islamic prayer
• *Eating in the Islamically acceptable way
• *Eating in season (and WHY it’s important!)
• *Healing remedies from the Quran and sunnah
• *Healthy food recommendations (brands, etc.)
• *Simple healthy recipes
• *And more!

Download The Muslims Guide to: Health and Fitness for free by clicking here!

If this book benefits you in any way consider donating by clicking here. This blog is run by one person and this book took a lot of effort to write and do research for. Your donation helps benefit the author. If you cannot donate your duas are of course GREATLY appreciated! Jazak Allah Khayr!

Donate now!

Please leave a comment if there is anything haram (or even doubtful) in this book so that I may update it, in sha Allah, in the next version. Thank you so much for any help! Jazak Allah Khayr.

Current Version 1.1

Last Update 1.9.2020

Update log:

1.9.2020 – Download link corrected

Please feel free to share this free book with your family and friends who you think may benefit! Jazak Allah Khayr.

The Incredible Importance of Seasonal and Wholesome Foods

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The importance of seasonal and wholesome food is something that we should all try to learn about. What we eat, how much we eat and when we eat it can all have an effect on our health.

In the Quran there are instances which mention the importance of us eating halal foods. Halal and tayyib are sometimes mentioned together. Halal has been translated to mean allowed/lawful and tayyib as meaning healthy/wholesome/nutritious/good. It is best if the food we eat is halal, tastes good to us personally and is also healthy and nutritious.

O ye messengers! enjoy (all) things good and pure, and work righteousness: for I am well-acquainted with (all) that ye do. (The Holy Quran 23:51 – Yusuf Ali Translation)

O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, Lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the evil one, for he is to you an avowed enemy. (The Holy Quran 2:168 – Yusuf Ali Translation)

Wholesome foods are considered to be foods that are found in nature and that are healthy for us to eat. For example: animals on the earth (aside from pigs), seafood (fish etc.), fruits, vegetables, raw and freshly milked animal milks, whole grains (brown rice and 100% whole wheat products), olive oil, raw unfiltered honey, etc. Processed, junk and fast foods are not generally considered to be wholesome.

By filling our bodies with nutrient-dense and wholesome foods we may feel full faster (due to the higher fiber, water and protein content that is contained within many of these healthy foods), our health may dramatically improve in sha Allah (due to the nutrients and vitamins/minerals contained therein) and we will be eating the foods that were put on Earth for us to enjoy. Not man-edited chemical laden, and potentially harmful, fake foods.

The importance of eating seasonally is something to look into as well.

It is He Who produceth gardens, with trellises and without, and dates, and tilth with produce of all kinds, and olives and pomegranates, similar (in kind) and different (in variety): eat of their fruit in their season… (The Holy Quran 6:141 Translated by: Yusuf Ali 1985)

Eating seasonally has been discovered to also be very good for us.

As quoted from seasonalfoodguide.org, “Seasonal food is fresher, tastier and more nutritious than food consumed out of season. Even though we all like to eat strawberries year round, the best time to eat them is when they can be purchased directly from a local grower shortly after harvest. Seasonal fruits and vegetables produced on local farms are often fresher, as they do not require long distances for transport. Also, unlike out of season produce which is harvested early in order to be shipped and distributed to your local retail store, crops picked at their peak of ripeness are also better tasting and full of flavor. What’s more, studies have shown that fruits and vegetables contain more nutrients when allowed to ripen naturally on their parent plant.”

“Foods that are grown and consumed during their appropriate seasons are more nutritionally dense. In a study monitoring the vitamin C content of broccoli, it was found that broccoli grown during its peak season (hint: fall) had a higher vitamin C content than broccoli grown during the spring. When foods are grown out of season, they aren’t able to follow their natural growing and ripening rhythms. In order for certain fruits and vegetables to be available year-round, post-harvest treatments, known as ripening agents, are used. These include chemicals, gases, and heat processes. Some produce is also coated with an edible film to protect it.” (https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4807/10-Reasons-To-Eat-Whats-In-Season.html) 

As always, in every way, following the Quran and sunnah leads us to the best in this life and the next. Allah truly designed us in an amazing way and teaches us exactly what is best for us. Stop following health trends and start following what the Creator who designed us actually gives us.

Resources

https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/ (Find out what’s in season near you [if you live in the USA]).

http://www.eattheseasons.com/index.php (Please ignore the wine recommendations. It is clearly harmful. Jazak Allah Khayr)

http://www.seasonalcornucopia.com/sc/searchResults.asp (Shows meats, fruits, veggies, etc. that are in season this month)

 

Jazak Allah Khayr for reading!

13 Amazing Sunnahs of Eating Properly

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If you want the best in this life and the hereafter then you must follow both the Quran and the sunnah!

Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will surely bless them with a good life, and We will certainly reward them according to the best of their deeds. (16:97)

As proven above if we do good deeds then we can live a good life, in sha Allah. Part of doing good deeds is making sure that every aspect of our lives is in accordance with what Allah wills.

Included in that is our eating habits. If we eat properly we can, in sha Allah, avoid obesity, fatigue, illnesses and other problems if Allah wills it for us. We should do our part (by eating right: in accordance with the sunnah) and also make dua for good health.

Here are 13 amazing sunnahs with regards to eating properly:

1. Begin with Bismillah: ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you eats some food, let him say Bismillah, and if he forgets to do so at the beginning, let him say Bismillah fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (In the name of Allah at the beginning and end). Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 1781; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him).
2. Sit on the floor: It was also narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never ate at a khiwaan or a sikrujjah, and he never had any soft bread.” I said to Qutaadah: “What did he used to eat from?” He said, “A cloth (spread on the floor).”(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5099).
3. Eat with others: Salim bin ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said:
   “I heard my father say: ‘I heard ‘Umar bin Khattab say: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Eat together and do not eat separately, for the blessing is in being together.’”
4. Eat (and drink) with your right hand: Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “When one of you eats, let him eat with his right hand. When he drinks, let him drink with his right hand. Verily, the devil eats and drinks with his left hand.” Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2020
5. Eat from the side nearest to you: Narrated `Umar bin Abi Salama: I was a boy under the care of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and my hand used to go around the dish while I was eating. So Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, ‘O boy! Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you.” Since then I have applied those instructions when eating.
6. Eat using 3 fingers: Ka’b bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
   I saw Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) eating with three fingers (i.e., the thumb, the index finger and the middle finger) and licking them after having finished the food.
7. Never criticize food: Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would never complain about food. If he liked something, he would eat it. If he disliked it, he would leave it. Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3370, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2064
8. Compliment food you enjoy: The Prophet ﷺ asked for sauce and was told that there was nothing except vinegar. He asked for it and began to eat from it saying, “How excellent is vinegar when eaten as a condiment! How excellent is vinegar when eaten as a condiment! Sahih Muslim
9. Never throw away (or waste) any food: I heard Allah’s Apostle ﷺ as saying: The Satan is present with any one of you in everything he does; he is present even when he eats food; so if any one of you drops a mouthful he should remove away anything filthy on it and eat it and not leave for the devil; and when he finishes (food) he should lick his fingers, for he does not know in what portion of his food the blessing lies. Sahih Muslim
10. Do NOT overeat: “A human being has not filled any vessel worse than [his] stomach. A few bites are sufficient to support his back. If it is inevitable, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath” (Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi and authenticated by Al-Albani) Notice how a few BITES is the recommended sunnah for when you eat. 1/3 is the MAXIMUM!
11. Lick your fingers: Jabir Bin Abdullah narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “He should not wipe his hand with a tissue until he licks his fingers, for he does not know in which part of his food is the blessing”. Sahih Muslim
12. Clean your plate: Anas Ibn Malik narrates: “(The Prophet) commanded us to wipe our plates”. Sahih Muslim
13. Say “elhamed lillah” (all praise goes to Allah) after eating and drinking:Anas Bin Malik narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah is pleased with a servant if he eats his food, he praises Allah for it; or if he drinks his drink he praises Allah for it”. Sahih Muslim

Here is a video regarding these steps:

Muslimah Life Coaching – Goals Made Simple

Are you a Muslimah (female Muslim) that is struggling to achieve the goals you set? You may want to consider a Life Coach!

A Life Coach is someone who helps you to stay focused, and on track, in the direction of your goals. If you are looking for motivation and a sense of direction contact me and we can work together in helping you achieve your goals, in sha Allah!

Do you want to:

*Improve your health

*Lose weight and get fit

*Have a great marriage

*Clear away debts

*Raise your income

*Improve your relationship with your children and/or family members

*Grow your business

*Stop sinning

*Be more modest

*Start a halal work from home business

*Observe proper hijab with confidence

*Feel at peace, content and happy

*Gain confidence and clarity

*Memorize the Quran

*Manage your anger/mood

*Improve your Salah

*Improve your relationship with food

*Follow the sunnah

Whatever the goal I can help you work towards achieving it, in sha Allah!

You will be working with a Muslimah as well so that you can be, in sha Allah, comfortable and relaxed while committed to your goals.

I can assist you in forming a plan of action towards your goals as well as deciding what you actually want to do, have, be and achieve in your life.

Do you want to put a stop, in sha Allah, to the cycle of setting a goal and not achieving it (or perhaps not even making progress towards it) then a Life Coach may be your perfect option!

If you are interested then please submit the form, by clicking here, and I will get back to you soon, in sha Allah. I can, in sha Allah, find the best method to work within your budget and personal needs. We can work via Skype text chat, Skype voice chat, email sessions, facebook text chat, etc. Whatever you are most comfortable with. Let me know and I can, in sha Allah, accommodate you.

If you want to learn more then feel free to click here to learn more!

Jazak Allah Khayr (May Allah reward you with goodness)!

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: 

Hiring a Life Coach does NOT guarantee that you will achieve the goals you set. I am merely here to help you “tie your camel” (1) and take purposeful action towards the goals that you have. Allah is the one who allows us to receive what we want or prevents us from it. We should, in conjunction with “tying our camels” (1) also make sincere dua to Allah for Him to make us attain the things/goals we desire to have/achieve, in sha Allah.

 

(1) Anas ibn Malik reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah, or should I leave her untied and trust in Allah?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Tie her and trust in Allah.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2517

Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani

[The above hadith seems to be signifying the importance that we should ask Allah for help but we should also do the things necessary to achieve our goals.]

 

10 Amazing Benefits of Salah (Prayer) and Wudu

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Very few people may realize that the proper form of praying and wudu actually have many various health and mental benefits.

1. Science Daily reported from Birmingham University that, “proper movements in Muslim prayer ritual can reduce lower back pain.” Also, “the complex physical movements of the ritual can reduce lower back pain if performed regularly and properly.” We must remember to pray properly as hypocrites pray improperly. “If he does not go through the postures of standing, bowing and prostration calmly then his prayer is like a hen pecking all the seeds spread on the ground.” (The Signs of the Hypocrites : Al Huda Publications)

2. Also, Independent.co.uk reported that, “the kneeling posture, known as sujood, apparently increases the elasticity of joints.” Furthermore, “prayer can eliminate physical stress and anxiety, while there is also research that indicates prayer rituals can be considered an effective clinical treatment of neuro-muskuloskeletal dysfunction.” The paper this research has been based on was titled, “An ergonomic study of body moons during Muslim prayer using digital human Modeling.” This paper was published in the, “International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering.”

3. Also, what is interesting is that 12 Rakah are said to be equal to 30 minutes of light exercise! (University of Malaya Medical Centre – Cardiology Consultant Specialist Prof Dr Wan Azman Wan Ahmad)

4. Also, in the article [Kamran G. Physical Benefits of (Salah) prayer – Strengthen the faith & fitness. J Nov Physiother Rehabil. 2018; 2: 043-053. DOI: 10.29328/journal.jnpr.1001020] there are many mentions of the healing benefits of Salah. “Each position involves the movement of different parts of the human body in ways that some muscles contract isometrically (same length) and some contract in approximation or isotonically (same tension). The prayer movements would enhance flexibility and general muscular fitness. This results in moderate physical exercise particularly to the large muscle group and encourage health and well-being. Besides being an excellent form of exercise, physical activity breaks the monotony of chores.”

5. Furthermore, “Salah involves continuous gentle muscle contraction and relaxation with perfect harmony and balance. It involves different types of stretching and isometric contraction exercises. These gentle & simple exercises are suitable for all ages & conditions.”

6. “There is an even distribution of weight through both feet throughout the practice of Qayyam posture. This will ease the balance of the body and lower back brought into a neutral position whilst activating the core muscles at the same me. This position aids to straighten the back and improves posture.” Ruk’u, “strengthens the back, extends the spine and increases the flexibility of hips and hamstrings. It relieve the stiffness at spine, neck, and back and help to improves posture as well as balance and co-ordination.” Tasshahhud, “prevents restricted joint range which is most commonly seen in patients with degenerative knee problems.” Sujood, “allows abdominal muscles contraction to be activated and prevents flabbiness.” “This posture combined with other exercises opens
the lower lumbar facet joints may help to reduce the lower back pain and sciatica can be used to treat spinal stenosis and other degenerative disc diseases.”

7. “Al- Gazal (2006) and Ayad (2008) stated that prostration is the only position in which the head is in a position lower than the heart and therefore, receives increased blood supply to the brain, stimulates the brain’s frontal cortex. This reduces the chances of brain hemorrhage and headache, helps to reduces high blood pressure.” “This surge in blood supply also has a positive effect on memory, concentration, psyche and other cognitive abilities. A study investigated the alpha brain activity during prostration has reported increased amplitude in the parietal and occipital regions suggestive of parasympathec elevation, thus indicating a state of relaxation (Doufesh,2012).”

8. Another amazing thing regarding the health aspects of Islamic prayer is the phenomenon known as “grounding”. This link to prayer is something that was brought to my attention from thedeenshow.com on their video titled, “Amazing Benefits of Prostration in Islam and new science on “Earthing”.” On that videos page it mentions, “people are exposed daily to many different problems. They may also be exposed to many electrostatic charges from the atmosphere. These charges … affect the central nervous systems (CNS) supersaturating it. One has to rid themselves of these extra charges, otherwise, they will have headaches, neck aches, muscle spasms, etc. The best way to get rid of these extra electrostatic charges is by dissipating them and discharging
them from the body. In as much as an electrical appliance is in need of grounding (earthing) by the use of an electric cord, a human being has to “earth” him/herself to the ground as well. By putting, his/her forehead on the ground, because the thinking capacity of the brain is in the forelobe and the topmost portion of the brain, one dissipates the extra electrostatic charges from the brain and the central nervous system to the ground. Therefore, one will receive [peace] of mind and soul. By doing prayer five times a day, with each prayer having several prostrations in it, a person will undoubtedly feel more peace, happiness, and relaxation. This type of approach does not cost money and does not have any side effects. It is very natural. This is the best method for allowing a person to continue to live in peace, harmony, obedience, and happiness for the rest of his/her life.” It is truly amazing that this healing mechanism of grounding/earthing is prescribed to us not only 5 times a day within our prayers but multiple mes during each sujood.

Here is the video mentioned:

9. As far as wudu goes, it is beneficial to increase the circulation in many different parts of your body. It also helps to keep your body clean and refreshed.

10. It has also been said that washing the ears and nose can help prevent them from accumulating harmful bacteria that can make you sick.

Our Creator truly designed us in the best of ways and shows us the perfect way to live!

Here is a video with more information on this amazing subject.

The 3 Super Habits of the Successful

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The secret to success in this life, as well as the next, is to follow what the one who created us tells us to do.

“My success is only by Allah.” Quran 11:88

Allah designed us and therefore knows exactly what is best for us.

“And for those who fear Allah, He will make their path easy.” Quran 65:4

If we take a look at some of, what many would consider to be, the most successful people in the world today we see many striking similarities that can be related back to the Quran and the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Patience, in the pursuit of your goals, is something that almost everyone, who has ever achieved anything, had to implement into their lives.

“Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.” Quran 39:10

Also, waking up early (as well as going to sleep early) is the habit of many who are considered to be successful.

“Sleep is the best meditation.” — Dalai Lama

“Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” — Thomas Dekker

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” — Benjamin Franklin

Celebrities, and many financially successful people, such as Apple CEO Tim Cook, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, and Richard Branson are all reported to wake up around 4-5am. These are considered to be the most productive hours of the day.

Sakhr ibn al-Ghamidi reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Allah, bless my nation in their early morning.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1212

We should strive to begin our most productive and important tasks during these early morning hours. Praying Tahajjud is a great way to start.

”The Dua made at tahajjud is like an arrow that does not miss its target.” — Imaam Ash Shafi (ra)

Combine your daily practice of praying Tahajjud (prior to fajr) with dua [the dua should correlate with your goals in this life and the next] and you will be ready to tackle the day, in sha Allah. You will also have taken a very important, and powerful, step towards achieving your goals, in sha Allah.

It is also very important to go to bed early. Ideally, you should go to sleep directly after aisha prayer so that it can, in sha Allah, match your bodies seasonal/circadian rhythm. Allah designed us perfectly so we should follow what we are commanded to do for the benefit of ourselves and others.

Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would not sleep before evening prayer and he would not stay up after it.

Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 702

Some examples of famous individuals who go to bed early: Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), Jack Dorsey (co-founder of Twitter), and Jeff Bezos (founder and CEO of Amazon).

Gratitude is another habit of the successful (both in this life and the next). We should strive to make feeling gratitude to Allah a daily practice.

“If ye are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you.” Quran 14:7

Many successful people know that if they want more they first must be thankful for what they already have.

“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” Charles Dickens

“If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.” Frank A. Clark

“If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily.” Gerald Good

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” Epictetus

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey

“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” Henri Frederic Amiel

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” Willie Nelson

“It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment.” Naomi Williams

“In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

In summary, if you want to be successful (both in this life and the next) be sure to feel gratitude to Allah (and do actions that match up with what He wills for us to do), go to bed early (ideally right after Aisha prayer), and wake up early and pray Tahajjud (while making dua for your goals and working towards them as well).

Wishing for you to find your way to the successful path both in this life and the next!

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Photo by Marcin Jozwiak on Pexels.com

 

 

The 5 Love Languages + Marriage Advice

 

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Today we will be discussing “The 5 Love Languages” by the Christian author Gary Chapman. We will also be discussing some major points from Dr. John Gottman’s work.

Both of these authors shared influential knowledge that made a major impact in the current state of marriages. The 5 Love Languages is considered, by many, to be one of the most straightforward and helpful approaches to marriage improvement. Dr. John Gottman studied what makes good marriages tick, and what the warning signs of a failing marriage are, so that we can better avoid falling into those problems.

The 5 Love Languages basically states that we each have our own primary “love languages” in which we prefer. If your spouse or family member neglects this then it can lead to you feeling unloved despite their efforts. They are just communicating in a different “language”.

The 5 love languages are:

1. Words of Affirmation – Compliments, kind words, mentioning things you appreciate, etc.
2. Acts of Service – Doing things the other person would appreciate such as filling the car tank with gas, mowing the lawn, doing the dishes, etc.
3. Receiving Gifts – These individuals may not to be greedy but may associate feelings of happiness with getting gifts. This may stem from childhood and how their parents may have shown their love. It isn’t the gift itself, generally, but the positive feeling associated with being thought of that is appreciated.
4. Quality Time – Going out together, seeing new things, cooking together, etc.
5. Physical Touch – Getting a massage from your spouse, kisses, caresses, etc.

The amazing thing is that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh – Peace and blessings be upon him), and his companions, already taught us these things. If we follow the Quran and Sunnah, as it is meant to be followed, we can work towards achieving an ideal life in this life and the next.

Here are some examples:

1. Words of Affirmation – There are many examples of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) speaking kind words to and about his wives. We should follow his example. The Prophet  said that value of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) among women was the same value of tharīd (bread soaked in soup) compared to other foods. (Muslim) This was considered a compliment and praise due to the fact that this food was considered one of the best. The Prophet  was once asked by ‘Amr b. al-‘Āṣ, “O Messenger of Allāh, who do you love most?” The Messenger of Allāh  replied “‘Ā’ishah.” He was not afraid to speak out about his love for his wife. We should also do the same for our spouse.
2. Acts of Service –  Ibn ‘Abbās would always brush his hair and make sure his appearance is pleasing before entering his home, he would say, “Just as I would like my wife to beautiful for me, I like to look beautiful for her.” (Tirmidhi) We should do our best to beautify ourselves for our spouses (men and women alike) and look our best when we see them. This can help increase the love and attraction for each other. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) reported: “When the messenger of Allāh  was in the mosque he put his head in to my place and I combed his hair.” (Muslim) This one also doubles as physical touch and quality time! The Prophet  was described by his wife that ‘he was in the service of his family’ (Bukhāri). He would help his family with sewing clothes, repairing items, sweeping, etc.
3. Receiving Gifts – Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Give each other gifts and you will love each other.” For many this is the ultimate way to show affection. It truly can work to calm a touch situation, with a family member/spouse, and increase love between you as well. This may be one of the most effective methods.
4. Quality Time – Giving your undivided attention is truly an important aspect, of a quality marriage, that many of us may be neglecting. This was also mentioned by Dr. John Gottman as “turning towards”. When our spouse/family members speak we should not only stop what we are currently doing but we should physically turn our bodies towards them and pay full attention. Based on my research the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would do just this! He would turn his body to completely face the person speaking and would make eye contact. This is a beautiful habit and shows our undivided attention and love for others. We should do our best to acquire this noble attribute. He also waited his turn to speak and listened fully. Once, he was talking to Utba b. Rabia. He said, “O Abul-Walid! Speak! I am listening to you.” When Utba finished his speech and stopped, he asked, “O Abul-Walid! Have you finished speaking?” When he said, “Yes”, the Prophet started to speak by saying, “Then, listen to me now!” It is also recommended as a good quality to spend quality and fun time with your spouse. He  said, “Every game a person plays is futile except for archery, training one’s horse and playing with one’s wife.”  (Tirmidhi, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad)
5. Physical Touch – ‘Ā’ishah narrates that the Messenger of Allāh  would kiss one of his wives and then leave for prayer without performing wuḍū’. He would show his love to his wives and take care of them. In a ḥadīth, the Messenger of Allāh  said, “Not one of you should fall upon his wife like an animal, but let there first be a messenger between you.” “And what is that messenger?” they asked, and he replied: “Kisses and words.”  (Daylami) It is so important to be kind in every way. It’s beautiful to learn the ideal way to handle every aspect of life.

Some examples are sourced from this link.

So if we decide to follow the Prophet (pbuh), and his sunnah, properly we can benefit not only in the hereafter but now in this life. Islam is the ideal way of life and it can only lead us towards goodness in this life and the next.

Photo by picjumbo.com on Pexels.com

 

An Interesting Similarity

In the above image you can see what a muslim looks like when they are praying to the one who created all of us.

The one who created Islam, Judaism, and Christianity also formed the method of prayer that we all share similarities in.

It is interesting to note that many Jewish people still pray in the same way.

Here is an image of a Jewish man praying in the traditional form that was followed in the first century:

Credit for the image

Also, here is a diagram of what the prayers look like in traditional Judaism:

This is from the book, “To Pray as a Jew” by Hayim Halevy Donin.

Prayer in Islam has movements nearly identical to these:

Credit for the image

This comes as no surprise due to the fact that the same lord who sent Moses, Jesus, Noah, and Muhammad (peace be with them ALL) sent guidance to all of these groups.

Jesus also worshiped the one who created him by, “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed” (Matthew 26:39)

Here are more examples of messengers, and other pious people, prostrating to the ONE Creator (Allah).

“And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.” – Old Testament (Tanakh) (Exodus 34:8)

Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them (Numbers 20:6)

When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. (Matthew 17:6)

Unfortunately, many religious texts were altered and humans have interfered with the perfect words of our Creator. As a result, many have stopped worshiping our Creator as He deserves. The Quran has been protected by Allah to remain pure and unchanged.

“[Quran 15:9] Absolutely, we have revealed the reminder, and, absolutely, we will preserve it.”