New Pastures

Salaams to all.

I pray all my readers have been keeping well Insha-Allah.

Please click the following link to my new address for further updates and posts for Awakening Art:

www.awakeningart.wordpress.com

May the blessings of Allah be with you all and see you over onto the new site shortly.

Umm Aisha

Eid Mubarak

Bismillah

Black Bismillah in Thuluth style script on silver background.
Acrylic on paper.


Salaams to all.

I pray you all had a very joyous Eid.
Good food, exciting gifts, great company and powerful prayer, what more can you ask for.

Umm Aisha

Time Flies

Allah / Mohammad
Acrylic on Canvas

Salaams to all.

My last post was during the last few days of Ramadan which now seems like a lifetime away. I pray you all had a wonderful Eid Insha-Allah.

Time is travelling far quicker than its actual speed I feel. Are we making the most of our time?

Recent events of family members falling ill makes you realise that we crave for so much from this world, yet our end is somewhere we have prepared so little for. Our holidays are planned and prepared for with endless lists. Weeks of preparation if not months. Yet our final destination is barely given a thought.

We have to live life to the full, without forgetting Allah swa or His prophet’s sunnah.

May Allah swa guide us all on the righteous path. Aameen

Peace and salaams to all

Umm Aisha

Ramadan and Patience

ALLAH / MOHAMMAD
Medium: Acrylic on Paper

Salaams to all.

As the last 10 days of Ramadan creep up, I shall not be posting much and Insha-Allah practising what I have been preaching so far. In the meantime, I had to post this following message from hafihz.com as it is a great reminder for us all.

Remember me in your prayers.

Peace and salaams to all.

Umm Aisha

Ramadan and patience… inseparable.

You wake up in the early hours, despite the heaviness, and almost force yourself to eat at times, no matter what the food, no matter how zero the appetite is. Patience in sahur.
You sleep back, and minutes later have to wake up to begin normal routine. Patience in a nap which never seems enough.
You chase the train, bus. Your sahur’s energy potential, is gone in just that dash. Patience in time.
You go through lunch time with Zuhur, and catching up with the Quran or a tazkirah. Even perhaps a youtube video. Patience in spending time which had been used for eating.
You look at the clock. Almost time to go home, but not yet. Yet you’re alittle tired. Patience in fairness.
You sit at the table. You hear the Azan. You eat what’s near, slowly. Patience in breaking fast.
No sooner you journey for terawih. Patience in routine.
You come back home, try catch up with other stuffs. Patience in prioritization.

Patience. Remember the reward, and keep your eyes on the prize.

Uplifting Our Moral Character

Al-Aleem (The All-Knowing)

Acrylic piece on Canvas

Inscription below reads "...not a leaf falls without him knowing..."

Excepts of an Essay by Marwa Afifi

During the sacred month of Ramadan, believers strive to purify body and soul and increase their taqwa, god-consciousness. This purification of body and soul harmonizes between the inner and outer spheres of an individual.
Muslims aim to improve their body by reducing food intake and maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Over indulgence in food is discouraged and eating enough to silence the pain of hunger is encouraged. Muslims should be active, tending to all their commitments and never falling short of any duty.
On a moral level, believers strive to attain the most virtuous characteristics and apply them to their daily situations. They try to show compassion and mercy to others, exercise patience, and control their anger. In essence, Muslims are trying to improve their moral character and cultivate good habits.
Morality is perfected on three levels: individual, communal, cosmic. On an individual level, a Muslim strives to adopt honesty, justness and compassion with him or herself. Being honest is important as it separates truth from falsehood and gives the Muslim a clear direction and or focus in life.
On a communal level, a Muslim strives to positively interact with other members of society, treating them with kindness and sincerity. A positive contribution should also be made to benefit the general public.
On the cosmic level, encompassing the earth, the heavens, and the Almighty Creator, the Muslim attempts to increase his God-consciousness and his or her understanding that he or she is accountable for every action. This creates a love/fear relationship which drives a Muslim to obey Allah, through love of Allah, and never to invoke Allah's wrath, for fear of Allah.

...

As we undertake the physical and spiritual responsibilities of fasting, we should reflect on the words of our beloved Prophet, sala Allahu alahi wa sallam. He referred to Ramadan as a blessed month in which Allah has made fasting obligatory on those who are able; whosoever denies himself of the benefits of that month denies himself many virtues.

Salaams to you all.

The full essay can be read on http://www.ramadan.co.uk/

Ramadan is fast slipping away. This month is a time of reflection and evaluation. It is already the 16th fast and we need to evaluate what we have gained from this month so far. How have we changed as individuals. How have we watered the seeds of eemaan in our selves or our offspring.

How have we nurtured our souls and enlightened our hearts and minds. The next couple of weeks will soon go in a flash and we do not want to look back and think I should have done more.

Lets use our time wisely and collect as many rewards as we can for a fuller life in the Aakhirat.

May Allah SWA guide our souls on the righteous path giving us increased Taqwa and eemaan and may He accept all our prayers Insha-Allah. Ameen

Peace and salaams to all

'Till the next time

Umm Aisha

Three Companions

"BISMILLAH"

Acrylic on paper
Bismillah in Kufic script with the surround written with repeated Allah.

Salaams to all.

Just a quick note taken from the website:

Ahmed's World of Islam - Online

http://www.ahmed2004uk.blogspot.com/

Three Companions

In this world you have three companions:one is faithful, the others are treacherous.The latter are friends and possessions;

The faithful one is excellence in deeds.

Your wealth won't come with you out of your palace;your friend will come, but only as far as the grave.

When the day of doom comes to meet you,your friend will say, "I've come this far, but no farther.I will stand a while at your grave.

"Your deeds alone are faithful: make them your refuge,for they alone will accompany you into the depths of the tomb.

Mathnawi of Maulana Jalal al-Din al-Rumi

May Allah accept whatever we offer in the month of Ramadhan, and may he make us from those whose duas are accepted. Aameen.

Peace and salaams to all

Umm Aisha

Ramadan Kareem

Door Of Mercy

Acrylic on paper.
The top inscription reads, "O Allah, open the doors of your mercy."
The inscription in the box at the bottom reads, "O Allah, I ask you from your favour."


Salaams and Ramadan Mubarak to you all.

Where does the time go? It feels like only yesterday when the last Ramadan came and went.


The summer holidays have flown by. When I was young, the holidays used to feel so long, it felt like they lasted for months, not weeks.


There is no barakah in time anymore and I feel we must grab every seconds worth of opportunity and make the most of this beautiful blessed month before it flashes by before our eyes leaving us thinking "what did I gain from this month?".





Some Important things to recite DAILY in Ramadan. (Taken from AL-ISLAAH PUBLICATIONS of South Africa)


Hazrat Salmaan(radhiyallahu anhu) reports, in a lengthy hadith that Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has said that: ""This is a month, the first of which brings Allah's mercy, the middle of which brings His forgiveness and the last of which brings emancipation from the fire of Jahannam. Whosoever lessens the burden of his servants (bonds-men) in this month, Allah will forgive him and free him from the fire of Jahannam. And in this month four things you should continue to perform in great number, two of which shall be to please your Lord, while the other two shall be those without which you cannot do. Those which shall be to please your Lord, are that you should in great quantity bear witness that there is no deity to worship except Allah (i.e. recite the Kalimah Tayyibah: Laa llaaha illallaah) and make much Istighfaar; beg Allah's forgiveness with Astagirfirul-laah)." And as for those without which you cannot do without, you should beg of Allah, entrance into Jannah and ask refuge in Him from Jahannam. And whoever gave a person who fasted water to drink, Allah shall grant that giver to drink from My fountain, such a drink where after that person shall never again feel thirsty until he enters Jannah." (Ibn Khuzaimah in his Saheeh.)


1. Read "La illaha illallah" abundantly
According to a hadith Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: "Continue to renew your imaan." The Sahaaba(radhiyallahu anhum) asked: "O Prophet of Allah, how do we renew our Imaan?" He replied: " Recite excessively "La illaha illallah" In another hadith, it is mentioned that a person who reads this precious kalimah 100 times daily, will have a face that will have a lustre(light) of the brightness of the 14th moon on the Day of Qiyaamah. Hence, it would be highly meritorious to increase our recitation of this kalimah especially in this auspicious month of Ramadan, at least 100 times daily.

2. Be constant in seeking Allah's forgiveness
According to one Hadith, Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said: "Repent(as much as possible) to Allah as I repent to Him a hundred times daily.(Hisne Haseen). In another Hadith, Rasullullah(sallallahu alaiyhi wasallam) said that." Every man is a sinner, but the best of sinners are those who repent and seek forgiveness." This is a month of forgiveness, so one should take the opportunity of increasing our Istighfaar. "Astaghfirullah"(I seek Allah's forgiveness) could be read at least 100 times daily.

3. Ask for Jannah & Seek refuge from Jahannam
Frequently make duaa for entry in Jannah and seek refuge from Jahannam. It would be beneficial to read the following duaa, as often as possible, daily in Ramadhaan.
" Allahumma innie as-alukal jannatal firdousa wa-a'oozu-bika mi-nan-naar."
O Allah I seek Jannatul Firdous and I seek refuge from the Fire(of Jahannam)



May Allah SWA open the doors of Rahmet and shower His blessings upon us.
May He grant all our prayers and forgive our sins, enabling us to enter Jannah and saving us from the fire of hell Insha-Allah. Aameen.


Remember me in your prayers in this glorious month of awakening.
Salaams and peace to all.
Umm Aisha