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Recently, a new service called Ilm Finder was opened.  The website (www.ilmfinder.com) provides an easy, efficient way to search for all of your Islamic Information needs.  Go use their search engines to discover something knew about your deen.  Perhaps you want to know about good manners??  Maybe you want to find out more about the rights of your neighbors?  You may even want to learn about respecting your parents?

Whatever it is you want to learn — this is the site to go to.  I recommend looking at the “What and Why?” page so you know what their site is all about.

Ilm Finder

(Photo: Matthew Fang)

Note: This post is slightly longer. The 5 tips and a few Hadith are in the second half.

Let’s start with a clear order from Allah (swt):

قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا فُرُوجَهُمْ ذَلِكَ أَزْكَى لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allâh is All-Aware of what they do. (An-Nur 24:30)

This is something that we should be doing on a daily basis anyway. But, we are human and we forget. Sometimes, we don’t forget but our emaan is just too weak and we forget this aspect of our deen. So that is why I wanted to post this reminder. Keep reading for tips on how to do it and two Hadith to motive you

Lowering your gaze is something you can do virtually everywhere you go. So I wanted to provide a few quick tips.

5 Ways to Help You Lower Your Gaze

1. Change the wallpaper of your cell phone. Write a reminder to lower your gaze on a sheet of paper, take a picture of it, and set it as the wallpaper for your phone. Now every time you open your phone you will be reminded
2. Focus on your shoes. You can follow your feet with each step you take, count the steps, or even try to remember the different places those particular pair of shoes have taken you before.
3. Make du’a. This is one of the best times to make du’a. Why? Because you are intentionally, and consciously, lowering your gaze and struggling for the sake of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is Aware both when you are looking up and when you are looking down.
4. Read Qur’an. One way to look down is by simply looking down into the palm of your hands where you can be holding a pocket Mushaf. You’d be surprised how much reading you can get done like this.
5. Plan your day. Our lives can get pretty messy and chaotic. A lot of us have to cut out time to make our plan and organize our time. So instead of looking around. you can lower your gaze and use this time to plan what you will do once you get to work, home, or school.

These are just some quick ideas that will, Insha’Allah, help you. But there are many different strategies that each of us use. I encourage you to leave comments and share the things you do to help you lower your gaze.

As usual, we want to make sure that we always, always, always turn back to the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (saw). Did the Prophet Muhammed (saw) talk about lowering our gaze? Of course! We know this deen is complete in every sense. So, let’s take a look at two Hadith of our belove Prophet (saw).

The First Hadith:

Jareer ibn ‘Abdullaah said: “I asked the Messenger of Allaah (saw) about an accidental glance at a woman. He commanded me to turn my gaze away.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said: This is a saheeh hasan hadeeth. See al-Sunan, 2700)

The Second Hadith:

The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said: “O Ali, do not follow a glance with another, for you will be forgiven for the first, but not for the second.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2701; see Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7953)

In closing, I wanted to make a few recommendations.  I pulled these two Hadith out this answer to a question on Islam QA.  So I would recommend you take a look at the whole text.  The second recommendation is to pick one particular lecture given on the issue of modesty:  Sheikh Safi Khan’s Selected Khutba Series: Volume 8.

I know, you’re at a site called Deed of the Day.  So yes, this is something you should do today.  At the same time, however, this is also one of those deeds that Allah (swt) and His Prophet (saw) have told us we need to do everyday.

(Photo: buntalshoot)

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ

Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), (Al-’Alaq 96:1)

The first command ever revealed was to “Read!”  1400+ years laters, here on this blog, and at this moment – you are being asked to continue the same command upon which the rest of this religion of Islam came.

And from the very first Ayah in this Surah Al-Alaq, we are reminded of our Lord and that it is He who created everything.

We previously had a post about praising and thanking Allah (swt).  All those blessings that you were, and are, grateful for all came from Allah (swt).  He created you, everything you know, and other things that are beyond the capacity of the human mind.

The Qur’an is the word of Allah (swt) and we ought to pay more attention to it.

Start today. Pick Up The Qur’an and Read

(Photo: the twinkling of an eye)

Too often do we forget the blessings and bounties that Allah (swt) has blessed us with out of His Mercy. It is true that we will never be able to count all the blessing; let alone be thankful enough for them. But, does that mean that we shouldn’t be grateful? Of course not!

So take a few moments before you thank Allah (swt) to think about why you are doing this. What are you thanking Allah (swt) for? Which blessing? Is it your eyes? Ears? Legs?

Thank Allah (swt) that you are a Muslim.

If you are reading this, then thank Allah (swt) that you are literate, have access to a computer, have the knowledge to use it, and the body parts to implement what you know.

There are too many things that Allah (swt) deserves praise and thanks for. So take a moment, right now, and think of something personal. Then, from the bottom of your heart praise and thank your Lord, Allah (swt) – The Most Merciful.

(Photo: Andrew Coulter Enright)

There was no one to credit it to, so I can’t give credit. However, if anyone ever finds out who wrote this–please let me know so I can credit them. In the meantime, I don’t think that the author would mind all that much if we spread these beautiful tips and reminders. Following the Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) is the way to go–read up on these 23 reminders and tips. And now, the list:

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Beautiful One Liners

1 Give Allah what’s right — not what’s left.
2 Man’s way leads to a hopeless end — Allah’s way leads to an endless hope.
3 Lot of prostrating will keep you in good standing.
4 He who prostrates before Allah can stand before anyone.
5 In the sentence of life, the Shaitan may be a comma–but never let him be the period.
6 Don’t put a question mark where Allah puts a period.7 Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the Masjid for a face-lift.
8 When praying, don’t give Allah instructions — just report for duty.
9 Don’t wait for six strong men to take you to Masjid.
10 We don’t change Allah’s message — His message changes us.
11 The Masjid is prayer-conditioned.
12 When Allah ordains, He sustains.

13 Plan ahead — It wasn’t raining when Prophet Nuh built the ark.
14 Most people want to serve Allah, but only in an advisory position.
15 Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Quran.
16 Exercise daily — walk with the Lord.
17 Never give Shaitan a ride — he will always want to drive.
18 Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
19 Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
20 He who angers you controls you.
21 Worry is the ‘darkroom’ in which ‘negatives’ can develop.
22 Give Shaitan an inch & he’ll be a ruler.

23 Allah doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

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If you found these tips useful then thank Allah (swt). I encourage you to post a comment adding your own tips and reminders. This is likely to be a more popular post because of search engine results – so the comments you write will, Insha’Allah, be read by those who visit.

]]> http://www.deedoftheday.com/2008/04/15/23-reminders-and-tips-on-how-to-be-become-a-better-muslim/feed/ 1 http://www.deedoftheday.com/2008/02/20/let-your-anger-go-and-forgive-someone/ http://www.deedoftheday.com/2008/02/20/let-your-anger-go-and-forgive-someone/#comments Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:00:59 +0000 Karim Baz http://deedoftheday.wordpress.com/?p=50

Just let it go. What is it? Well, the definition is actually quite simple in this case. It = a time that someone has wronged you. Find it — and let it go. Whoever this person is, make du’a for them and forgive them. I mean sincerely forgive them.

You could start off by giving that person a nice As’salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatu accompanied with a smile. You could buy that person a small gift–maybe a piece of chocolate or some Mango-Peace Snapple.  And don’t forget that before any of that, make du’a to Allah (swt) to place in your heart a sincere love for this person instead of anger or dislike.

In case that’s not enough though–here is the most important reason .It is the Prophet (saw) who gave us the only reason we actually need:

“Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind.” (Bukhari)

Entering Jannah and staying away from the Hell-Fire cannot be done without Allah’s (swt) Mercy and His Forgiving and Pardoning of our sins. It simply cannot.

We walk around with more baggage on our shoulders than necessary. For just a moment, think back to the last time someone upset you. It doesn’t have to be something major.

Perhaps you were at Friday Prayer and someone walked over your shoulder to go in front of you. Maybe you had brought a lunch for yourself and someone else kept asking to take from it. Whatever it is, each of us has something different that upsets us.

Do this for the sake of Allah (swt) and you will see what Allah (swt) will do for you.

(Photo: clspeace)

We all know our own personal weaknesses. One of mine (which others who are college students may share) is procrastinating when it comes to writing a paper. So, Insha’Allah, my rock to climb today will be to sit down, put everything aside, and start writing.

Easier said than done, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t challenge ourselves. With the help of Allah (swt) we will overcome whatever challenge we pick to face today. Your challenge may be something very easy for someone else. On the other hand, something that another person is struggling with may be a piece of cake for you. Either way, what matters is that you find something that is challenging for you.

If you are having trouble finding an idea, why not look through the past Deeds on this site? Just click on any post to the right under “Recent Posts” or go back to the first post and work your way back to today.

(Photo: -Gep-)

You know that one of the authentic Sunnahs of the Prophet (saw) was that he would pray Witr prayer every night. Before anything else, you can follow this link to learn more about Witr prayer. The opening paragraph on the link I just placed is:

“Witr prayer is one of the greatest acts of worship that draw one closer to Allaah. Some of the scholars – the Hanafis – even thought that it is one of the obligatory prayers, but the correct view is that it is one of the confirmed Sunnahs (Sunnah mu’akkadah) which the Muslim should observe regularly and not neglect.”

However, it is even more important to share with you one of the many Hadith related to praying Witr:

“Once a person asked Allah’s Apostle about the night prayer. Allah’s Apostle replied, “The night prayer is offered as two Rakat followed by two Rakat and so on and if anyone is afraid of the approaching dawn (Fajr prayer) he should pray one Raka and this will be a Witr for all the Rakat which he has prayed before.” Nafi’ told that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar used to say Taslim between (the first) two Rakat and (the third) odd one in the Witr prayer, when he wanted to attend to a certain matter (during that interval between the Rakat).”

So, all in all–it is best to pray Witr as often as possible. Of course, praying every night would be the best way to go. But if you find that difficult then try for just tonight to pray that one extra Rakah before you go to sleep tonight. Just one.

I wanted to thank a friend of mine, Ahmed *****, for giving me this idea. We were talking on the phone and he mentioned that this was one of the things the Prophet (saw) would never leave. So Jazakumullahu Khayran Katheeran and may Allah (swt) grant you the highest place in Jannah without being reckoned.

(Photo: Viewoftheworld)

Doing something good for yourself can also add to your scale of Hasanat (good deeds). And so, this beautiful Sunday day is the perfect opportunity for us to do something we hate – - – Cleaning and Organizing Our Rooms. Ahhh!!!

It’s likely your room is not as bad as the one pictured here. So thank Allah (swt) for that. If it is, then another quality of a believing man or woman is that they are patient. So be patient until you have it cleaned.

Try to avoid putting more cloth on the bed, plates on the desk, or paper on the floor at least until today is over.