TheRamadhanBaby #20 – Love and Peace

Infuse love into your every word, thought, action.

Never stop working towards peace.

Love Allah by worshipping Him to the best of your ability. Doing what He Loves, loving for His sake Only, giving to His Cause ( Q2:165,177)

Love the Prophet by following his beautiful example.

Love the companions and the pious predecessors by emulating their good deeds and character.

Love your parents by striving to alway make the happy.

Love your siblings, cousins and other relatives including in-laws by being gentle towards them.

“None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”

(Sahih Bukhari and Muslim)

Love your spouses in mercy and tranquility. (Q30:21)

Love your children for they are the coolness of your eyes, your future and your legacy.

Love one another. (Q10:62)

Love your neighbours by guarding their property and being kind and courteous. (Sahih Muslim)

Love your friends by being there for them.

Love strangers by being concerned and helping, by sending funds, materials , messages and prayers to those affected by war, famine, disease and disaster around the world. By respecting them irrespective of your differences.(Q49:13)

Be a mediator. 

Support peaceful causes. 

Create safe spaces and not scary ones. 

Because love and peace go together, there is no development and progress without these two.

Remember, our Lord is Al-Wadud (The Loving), As-Salam (The Source of Peace).

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TheRamadhanBaby #27 FAMILY

Many have been blessed to have spent the past few weeks getting closer to their family.The different communal activities have created bonds that are less expressed outside Ramadhan.

But the question is will they last? In Islam, the family is the bedrock of society and it is neccesary to preserve this institution. How else will continuity of the species be ensured?

It is for this reason that severing the ties of kinship is considered a great sin. Family is so important. In addition to providing support, it is also a loving environment wherein the individual can attain self actualization

We have been enjoined to honour our parents( Q17 :23). Children are to be loved and cared for. Wives are to be catered for and loved. Husbands are to be supported and respected.Other members of the extended family are to be valued. This includes in-laws too.

Regular visits among families encourages love to grow in them. If they are distant, however, regular calls and messages will be a good way to keep in touch.
Today the norm is abandoning of old parents in brazen gestures of ingratitude. Children are neglected and thus exposed to various danger many of which hinder their development.Extended family members are not even reckoned with.Inlaws? Don’t even think about it.

The Prophet used to visit Khadija’s relatives and continued even after her death He encouraged us to show mercy to the children and all his children loved him. Fatima would come to her father and he would honour her. She would tell him her troubles and he will say soothing word to make her feel better. Her children Hasan and Husayn will play with him. These are scenarios that should be commonplace in contemporary Muslim households.

Changing the world starts at the family level.

20 Facts to a Score

FACT  18
I love my family.

There is so much and nothing to say about them. I can not write enough about my family in this post. On the other hand, why I love them is simple enough, I don’t have to explain.

My family has always been a sturdy pillar of support. My siblings and parents have always believed in me. Much of what I am today is through their encouragement and gentle nudges. 

Not one of  them gets tired of nursing me when I’m sick. Sharing joys and sorrows, we have been through ups and downs together. Being candid is a second skin. What matters is the correction and not whether you like it.

Everyone  is treated on a basis of equality, fairness andjustice. I joke sometimes that my family has a lot to teach the world about democracy.

When I come home I am welcomed with smiles. It might take a while to realize  something untoward in the offing. We pull through thick and thin by sticking together. My family is the greatest gift in the world to me.

What we hold dear is our faith in God.