Ramadan & that Time of the Month

"Hmmm. What shall I do? Watch some TV? I can’t really do much so how do I pass my time?"

"Oh no! What am I going to do? Why does this have to happen right now? I was doing so well with my ibadah, It’s just going to mess everything up! Argh!"

What are the above statements referring to? Women on their menses during Ramadan. Alhamdulillah for a lot of women ‘that time of the month’ does not affect their Ibadah. But for some of us, the above thoughts are all too familiar.

The messenger of Allah (swt) said to Aisha (r.a) "Your menstruation is not in your hands."(Sahih Muslim)

It is the will of Allah (swt) and He has commanded us to avoid fasting and praying. If this command is fulfilled with the intention of submitting to Allah (swt) than this is in fact an act of worship. Therefore, by not praying or fasting, we are actually worshipping the Almighty. We need to remember that there is nothing unpleasant about menstruation apart from our attitude towards it.

Mensturation is NOT a punishment. Allah (swt) is not punishing us. However, by complaining about it we are in fact questioning His wisdom. Who are we to complain about something Allah (swt) has ordained for us? Who are we to question him? He is the Lord of the Worlds, the King of all Kings, the Master of the Universe! SubhanaAllah..who are we to complain?

A common misconception is that many of us believe we are prohibited from so many acts of worship during this time and therefore, ask the question what can we do? However, the real question should be what are we forbidden to do?

The few things we are prohibited to do are:

1.       Fasting and Praying

2.       Making Tawaf

N:B There are differences of opinion whether menstruating women can touch the Quran, read the Quran or sit in the masjid. Due to the difference of opinion I do not wish to make any comments regarding these particular acts. Allah (swt) knows best.

Alhamdulillah we have so much more time on our hands to perform many acts of worship a few of which are mentioned below.

1.       The best of deeds:

-          A deed that is most pure in the sight of Allah(swt)

-          A deed that raises our status

-          A deed better than giving gold and silver in charity

DHIKR – Remembering Allah (swt). We must remember this is not a small act but one that can bring us closer to our Lord. SubhanaAllah.

Hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah narrated by Muslim says:“ ‘The mufridoon have gone ahead.’They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, who are the mufridoon?’He said, ‘Those men and women who remember Allaah much.’”

Dhikr can be done all day everyday. So let’s keep our tongues moist with dhikr: SubhanaAllah. Alhamdulillah. Allahu Akbar. Subhan Allahi wa bi-Hamdihi. 

Ummul- Mu’mineen Juwairiyah (r.a)narrates that Allah’s Messenger (sws) went out in the morning whilst she was praying Fajr and returned before the afternoon and found her still seated in the same place. He (sws) asked whether she had been sat there since the time he left her. After she said ‘yes’ the Prophet (sws) said He had recited four words three times. If those words were weighed against all of what you recited this morning, mine would be heavier.

What are these words?

Subhana Allahi wa bi-Hamdihi

Adada Khalqihi

Wa rida-a-nafsihi

Wa zinatah arshihi

Wa midada kalimatihi

Allah is free from imperfection

And I praise Him as many times as the number of His creatures

As much as it pleases Him

As much as the weight of His throne

As much as the ink that may be used in recording the words(for His praise)

2.  Listen to the recitation of the Quran. Read the translation and ponder upon the meanings. There are plenty of Youtube videos we can watch and lectures given by those such as Nouman Ali Khan are so easy to understand. Alhamdulillah. (video inserted below)

3.  Give generously to charity. The Prophet (sws) said: “The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

4.  Feed the fasting people. "Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person, without any reduction in his reward." [At-Tirmidhi, authenticated by Al-Albani (rahimahullaah).]   

5.  Send blessings upon the Prophet (sws). Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you that believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all respect. (33:56)  

SubhanaAllah look at some of the rewards of sending blessings on our beloved prophet Muhammad (sws).

-          We are obeying the command of Allah (swt)

-          Our salaam reaches him. The Messenger of Allah (swt) said: “Allah has angels who go around on earth, conveying to me the salaam of my ummah.” [Sunan Nasaa'i, Saheeh Al-Albani]

-          The Prophet (sws) returns our greeting

-          Allah (swt) raises our rank ten levels

-          Removal of ten bad deeds and adding of ten good deeds to our record Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (swt) saying: “Whoever supplicates Allah to exalt my mention (i.e., send salah), Allah will exalt his mention (i.e., send salah)ten times and remove from him ten sins and raise him ten degrees.” [Muslim]

-          Draws us closer to the Messenger of Allah (swt) on the day of judgement

-          Our duas are suspended between the heavens and the Earth until we send salawat on the prophet (sws). Umar radi Allahu anhu said, “Dua is suspended between heaven and earth and none of it is taken up until you send blessings upon your Prophet (sws).” [At-Tirmidhi, Hasan Al-Albani] 

-          The love for our beloved prophet (sws) will increase. When we love someone we constantly remember them. By sending salwat on the Prophet (sws) we are in constant remembrance of him and we will make dua for him more and more as our love increases In Sha Allah.

There are so many acts of worship we can perform whilst menstruating a few more of which can be found in the previous post. 

Let’s try and get this idea that we are prohibited from worshipping Allah (swt) during this time. Let us not feel angered but view it positively as we have more time on our hands to do so much more. Let us not feel that we are being deprived of the blessings of this month and lastly, let us not allow our spiritual levels to decrease but rather increase tremendously In Sha Allah. 

So next time we reach 'that time of the month' lets do everything we can to make up for not fasting and praying. Increase your Ibadah. Don't be disheartened. 

The Blessed Month of Ramadan

With Ramadan stepping its feet through each and every one of our doorsteps, who better to devote my first post to? 

Alhamdulillah. We've made it to another year to witness this blessed month. Only Allah (swt) knows if we'll make it to the next..this could be our last Ramadan so let's make this the best one yet! 

But before I specifically talk about Ramadan, I just want to dedicate a short section to all those going through hardship. I've noticed over the last few days a lot of my close friends and family are facing certain difficulties in their lives and I just want to remind us all of the verse from the Quran 'God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship' (2:185). So next time we feel depressed and upset because things aren't going our way, just remember life is a test. Allah (swt) is on our side! He loves us 70 times more than a mother loves her own child. Nothing in this world happens except by the decree of Allah (swt). He alone knows what is good for us (perhaps something we dislike) and what is not good for us (perhaps something we like very much). If we have this belief then we can get through every single one of our trials and tribulations. After this belief, we need to learn to accept it and after acceptance we need to be content with whatever Allah (swt) has decreed for us. Can you imagine being content? We’d be the happiest people on this earth. SubhanaAllah. Let’s strive for that contentment! We need to learn to be patient. Our purpose isn't to get a job, to have such and such amount of money, own a sparkling car or live in a huge house. Our purpose is to WORSHIP ALLAH (swt) alone and our destination is JANNAH. Nothing else in this world matters. He has given us countless blessings – many things as well as people whom we take for granted.

One of the gifts Allah (swt) has sent to us is Ramadan. In this blessed month the gates of Jannah are open and the gates of Jahannam are closed. That whisper aka Shaitan is chained. There is a night in this month that is better than 1000 months! The Prophet (sws) tells us to seek this night - so look for it, spend the last ten nights in extra worship.We need to seize this opportunity and do everything we can to get closer to Allah (swt). Let’s not be of those people Jibril (as) mentions to Muhammad (sws) ‘O Muhammad! He who approaches the month of Ramadan, and died without being forgiven, so he entered Hellfire, so let Allah Almighty seclude him away.’  

(Jaabir Ibn Samurah reported by At-Tabaraani) This Ramadan let’s reap the rewards. Let none of us leave Ramadan without having all our previous sins forgiven in sha allah!

Allah (swt) has made it so easy for us to do this.

• Just Fast out of sincerity of faith and hope in gaining the rewards. Do this and all your past sins are forgiven! SubhanaAllah! 

Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "He who observes the fast during Ramadan out of sincerity of faith and in hope of earning merit will have his past sins forgiven him" (Bukhari and Muslim).

• Praying Taraweeh with the imam until he concludes his prayer, Allah (swt) rewards this as if we have been praying the whole night!
• Offering the night prayer in Laylat ul Qadr  ‘ Whoever stood in prayer on the night of Al-Qadr, in faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, he will have all of his previous sins forgiven." [Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

• Charity! The prophet (sws) was not seen to be more generous than in the month of Ramadan. So let’s give! Even if we have very little to give, give whatever we can for the sake of Allah (swt). Help the needy, clothe the poor, feed the poor, give dawaah. Whatever we can - just do it with smile awaiting the rewards.
• Recite the Quran- Try even completing the Quran. The Quran has approximately 600 pages. 30 days in Ramadan where each day consists of 5 prayers. Reading 4 pages before each prayer equals 20 pages a day. 20 times 30 is 600! With a bit of simple math achieve something amazing.
•  Understand the Quran. Read with the translation next to you. There are so many different apps available so let's not find any excuse!
• Reconnect with family members. Forgive, forget and move on. Let’s love those whom Allah (swt) ordered us not to severe ties with.
• Repent  Ask Allah (swt) to forgive us for our sins. Allah (swt) responds to the call of thee caller! No matter how many sins we have committed. He WILL respond. Have firm belief that after seeking forgiveness that he has forgiven us and if we ask for anything He will provide – be it in this life of the hereafter.

Let's not forget to refrain from backbiting, lying, cheating, swearing and all other negativity. If someone insults, angers us or inflicts us with any harm whilst we are fasting, let us not retaliate in any way other than saying: 

اِنَّيْ صَائِمٌ ، اِنِّيْ صَائمٌ

Inni sa'iimu, inni sa'iimu

"I am fasting, I am fasting"
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Fath al-Bari of Al-Asqalani; 4:1-3, Muslim; 2:806

Don’t forget to make sincere dua for all those who are suffering around the world. In Sha Allah all our sins will be forgiven and may this Ramadan bring us all closer to Allah (swt). May He bring ease to those in hardship and may He grant us all Jannah. 

Lastly, I made a list of duas for myself and a lot of people wanted me to send it to them too so I thought I’d include a link and perhaps it may benefit you too.

DUAS.pdf
RamadanDaily.pdf

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The Introduction.

Welcome internet users and blog readers, we 'The Untearable Two' (see what we did there?!), would like to open up our virtual arms and invite you to come and be a part of this small venture of ours.

This blog will be a means for us to talk about the things we love and possibly dislike too. For all our fellow make-up lovers there will certainly be an inappropriate amount of reviews and tutorials, we’ll be sharing recipes and ideas as well as opinions. So please sit back, enjoy and come back every week for a new post on a variety of topics.

Now a little about the writers behind this blog; we are two friends who got to know each other at University. And although we have graduated now and barely see each other in person, we find ourselves still in each other’s lives with our friendship’s going strong. We feel that starting this venture together will help us not only maintain that friendship but better that, because (as they say) good friends are hard to come by. Anyway, we’re sure you’ll be seeing plenty of posts about our experiences together, from the highs to the lows. 

We’ll be posting two or more times a week on Friday and Sunday. We’ll each be writing a post on either of those days. 

For now, we leave you with this short introduction and we look forward to seeing you again.

Thanks for reading and have a good week!

H & Y.