Most of us know this Surah by heart. It was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) at time when he had not received any revelation for six months. He was in a very disturbed state of mind, feeling negative and depressed and believing that Allah was displeased with him, had forgotten him...
Don’t we have similar feelings in our lives? Times when our level of imaan is low, our khushoo in salah wavers and we feel a drop in our connection with Allah?* We feel like our duas are not being answered, our salah is not having a positive impact on our hearts, and worst of all the feeling that we’re horrible human beings, that Allah doesn’t love us or doesn’t care about us anymore.
Surah Ad-Duha was revealed to the Prophet (sallalahu aleihi wa sallam) to relieve him of these negative feelings and to give him hope, positivity, and the assurance that Allah is with him no matter what.
So what does this surah say?
Wad duhaa— By the morning brightness
This is the first thing you need to hear when you’re depressed: Wake up, look at the sunshine! Everything in life is not doom and gloom– you just have to look up!
Wal laili iza sajaa— And [by] the night when it covers with darkness,
A reminder to us that the night is meant to cover and give us comfort and rest. Generally when we’re depressed, we tend to get into a very bad sleep pattern by staying up at night and sleeping all day, thereby worsening our state of mind. This aayah reminds us to use the night as a comfort to ease our distress.
Ma wad da’aka rabbuka wa ma qalaa -Your Lord has not taken leave of you, [O Muhammad], nor has He detested [you].
This is a very powerful verse from Allah telling us that He doesn’t hate us and hasn’t forgotten us– reminding the depressed person that He is always by his or her side!
Walal-aakhiratu khairul laka minal-oola— And the Hereafter is better for you than the first [life].
Many times when we’re depressed we think: Is this all my life is going to be? Is it never going to get better? This aayah serves as a perfect answer to those questions, reminding us that life in this world is temporary and that Aakhira is certainly a better, more permanent place for us than this world could ever be. This makes us look forward to attaining our place in Jannah and helps us look at any problems in our lives as temporary tests of our faith from Allah.
Wa la sawfa y’uteeka rabbuka fatarda— And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied. A promise from Allah that very soon he will give us a massive reward (Jannah) and we will be happy! Subhanallah! Isn’t this the best thing to hear when you’re depressed and fed up with this worldly life and the problems you’re facing?
Alam ya jidka yateeman fa aawaa – Did He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge?
Now many of us may think: how would this aayah about orphans relate to the majority of us? Think about it– weren’t there many times in your life when you were sick or lonely and felt like you had nobody who cared about you? Who was the only one by your side at that time? Allah! It was He who took care of you and guided you out of that stage in life.
Wa wa jadaka daal lan fahada— And He found you lost and guided [you].
How many of us, despite being born Muslims or even reverts after some turbulent events, have found ourselves misguided and straying away from Islam in the past? It was Allah who gave us that hidaya and brought us back to the straight path and to Him and made us practicing Muslims. Alhamdulillah!
Wa wa jadaka ‘aa-ilan fa aghnaa— And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient.
Many of us have probably gone through many periods in our lives when we have been short of money and wealth. Now when we look back we realize that it was only Allah who gave us that rizq in some form and got us through those tough financial times. When a person is depressed, giving him or her examples of how Allah has helped them in the past will strengthen their conviction and belief in the promises Allah makes in this surah for their future.
Fa am mal yateema fala taqhar — So as for the orphan, do not oppress [him].
Depressed people are mostly consumed with their situation and feel that nobody could possibly be in a worse situation. This aayah reminds us to look at people who are in far worse situations than ourselves when we’re feeling hopeless and depressed— Look at the orphans, who have no family or loved ones and nobody to care for them. We have families and parents who love us, a roof over our heads and food on the table and we still think we’re in a bad situation? Subhanallah!
Wa am mas saa-ila fala tanhar— And as for the petitioner, do not repel [him].
Another example is of the beggar – to once again remind us of the many material blessings that Allah has given us that we take for granted – food, clothing and shelter. How many of us have ever gone to sleep hungry? How many of us don’t have clothes to wear? Or don’t have a home to go to? These examples of the orphan and the beggar are ones we should constantly remind ourselves of to be thankful for the numerous blessings Allah has given us, get over our depression and feel connected to Allah again, out of gratitude.
Wa amma bi ne’mati rabbika fahad dith – But as for the favor of your Lord, report [it].
This final aayah is about maintaining that renewed faith and bond with Allah – by pondering, glorifying and talking about the blessings of Allah! Either in terms of halaqas, discussions with family and friends or even da’wah! Dhikr, reading quran and listening to lectures are also great ways to keep the remembrance of Allah close to your heart!
So the next time you feel disconnected, disheartened or depressed with your level of Imaan and your connection with Allah – read Surah Ad Duha and ponder over its meanings – in-sha'-Allah it will restore your faith and increase your belief in the greatness of Allah.
The Quranic style and narrative
The narrative aspect of Qur'an style remains one of the most creative and innovative of the Holy Book, one which has profoundly influenced and enriched the Arabic language. Whatever narrative style the language had in pre-Islamic times were relatively crude and primitive. Even though the narrative parts of the Qur'an were clearly put to the service of the main theme of the Book, i.e., religion, the narrative was so highly developed and integrated that it became a work of art in itself. The Qur'an is remarkably innovative with respect to its method of presentation, which involves four different techniques. One common technique is that if beginning a story with a short summery, followed by the details from beginning to end, as in sura 18 (al-Kahf). The second technique is that of beginning a story by presenting the conclusion first, then the lesson to be derived from it, and then the story from beginning to end, as in the story of Moses in sura 28 (al-Qasas). The third technique presents the story directly without introduction, as in that of Mary following the birth of Jesus in sura 19 (Maryam), and the story of King Solomon and the ants in sura 27 (al-Naml). The fourth, and perhaps most innovative, technique is that of presenting the story through dramatization. This technique gives only a brief introduction signalling the beginning of the scene, followed by a dramatization of the story with a dialogue among the various characters, as in the story of Abraham and Ismail in Surah 2.
What is Halloween?
Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of All Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween,All Hallows' Eve,or All Saints' Eve,is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day.
The popularity of Halloween is growing exponentially. Americans spend over $5 billion dollars annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday.
History behind Halloween
The origin of the festival is disputed, and there are both pagan and Christian practices that have evolved into what Halloween is like today. Some believe it originates from the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain, meaning 'Summer's End which celebrated the end of harvest season.
Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of All Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween,All Hallows' Eve,or All Saints' Eve,is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day.
The popularity of Halloween is growing exponentially. Americans spend over $5 billion dollars annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday.
History behind Halloween
The origin of the festival is disputed, and there are both pagan and Christian practices that have evolved into what Halloween is like today. Some believe it originates from the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain, meaning 'Summer's End which celebrated the end of harvest season.
HALLOWEEN COMES TO AMERICA
Celebration of Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the rigid Protestant belief systems there. Halloween was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups as well as the American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included “play parties,” public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other’s fortunes, dance and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
Youm-e-Aarfah, 9 Zilhajj, The day of fasting
The Hajj takes place from the 8th to the 12th of Zul-Hijjah which is the last month of the Hijri calendar. The Islamic or Hijri Calendar is a lunar calendar based on moon sightings.
Hajj is a holy pilgrimage to Mecca that is obligatory for all Muslims who can afford to go. The 3rd chapter of the Quran, Surah Ale-Imran makes Hajj mandatory. During this pilgrimage, Muslims try to get closer to God. The Hajj is performed in the last month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul-Hijjah. All Muslims who can afford to go on the Hajj are required to do so at least once in their life. The purpose includes worshiping God and interact with Muslims who congregate for the Hajj from all around the world (Quran, 2:26-27).
Importance and fazilat of fast on the day of Arfa
Sohail bin Saad (Razi-Allah-Ta’ala unho) has narrated the saying of Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi Wa’Sallam) that if someone fasts on Arfa day (Youm-e-Arfa) 9th Zilhaj, then Allah (Subhana Wa’Ta’ala) because of the greatness of that day will forgive his/her sins of 2 years, previous year and next year.
Make wise decisions
Its not only in Pakistan or South Asia, its everywhere. When you do things which you never wanted to, you end up hurting either your own self, your integrity or people related to you. Charles, Prince of Wales wanted to marry Camilla (right) but he didn't. Why? Because he was the future 'king' of 16 countries of the world and had to marry someone elite/noble/wealthy and affluent just like The Royal Family of Britain. He listened his mother, HM Queen Elizabeth II and ended up marrying Lady Diana (left) and it was known as the 'wedding of the millennium' by media critics stating that it was witnessed by over more than 1.8 billion people. What happened? Problems. Problems. Lack of mental connection and love. They divorced. Diana died. He went to his 'old school' love back and now Camilla is his wife. Who suffered? Diana did and yes it did hurt the integrity of Charles but he is still there with the first woman he always loved.
Moral: Make wise decisions.
Pakistan among least innovative countries of the world.
No wonder. The problem is with us and our educational institutes. We don't teach children to be innovative, unique, creative and develop ideas and make new things. We just teach them to be that 'sacrificial goat' in society so they can get into a nice college/university so later on they can boast about it or score some nice rishtas. Since I am studying engineering, I'll give one example from my own department. There were very few people who actually wondered why the hell studying 'momentum' was important. 95% of the students were like, chalo yaar course main hai, pass honay ke liye formula yaad karlete hain. And last thing, you think 'innovatively' and 'creatively' when you have nothing to worry about, when your mind is fresh - then you create and think about new things.
Who moved my cheese
Celebration of Halloween was extremely limited in colonial New England because of the rigid Protestant belief systems there. Halloween was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups as well as the American Indians meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included “play parties,” public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other’s fortunes, dance and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
Youm-e-Aarfah, 9 Zilhajj, The day of fasting
The Hajj takes place from the 8th to the 12th of Zul-Hijjah which is the last month of the Hijri calendar. The Islamic or Hijri Calendar is a lunar calendar based on moon sightings.
Hajj is a holy pilgrimage to Mecca that is obligatory for all Muslims who can afford to go. The 3rd chapter of the Quran, Surah Ale-Imran makes Hajj mandatory. During this pilgrimage, Muslims try to get closer to God. The Hajj is performed in the last month of the Islamic calendar, Dhul-Hijjah. All Muslims who can afford to go on the Hajj are required to do so at least once in their life. The purpose includes worshiping God and interact with Muslims who congregate for the Hajj from all around the world (Quran, 2:26-27).
Importance and fazilat of fast on the day of Arfa
Sohail bin Saad (Razi-Allah-Ta’ala unho) has narrated the saying of Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihi Wa’Sallam) that if someone fasts on Arfa day (Youm-e-Arfa) 9th Zilhaj, then Allah (Subhana Wa’Ta’ala) because of the greatness of that day will forgive his/her sins of 2 years, previous year and next year.
Make wise decisions
Its not only in Pakistan or South Asia, its everywhere. When you do things which you never wanted to, you end up hurting either your own self, your integrity or people related to you. Charles, Prince of Wales wanted to marry Camilla (right) but he didn't. Why? Because he was the future 'king' of 16 countries of the world and had to marry someone elite/noble/wealthy and affluent just like The Royal Family of Britain. He listened his mother, HM Queen Elizabeth II and ended up marrying Lady Diana (left) and it was known as the 'wedding of the millennium' by media critics stating that it was witnessed by over more than 1.8 billion people. What happened? Problems. Problems. Lack of mental connection and love. They divorced. Diana died. He went to his 'old school' love back and now Camilla is his wife. Who suffered? Diana did and yes it did hurt the integrity of Charles but he is still there with the first woman he always loved.
Moral: Make wise decisions.
Pakistan among least innovative countries of the world.
Its an amazing way to deal with the change in your work by Dr.Spencer Johnon.
Its basically a business book. Published in 1998. It was the best selling book according to New York Times. It is story of four characters. Two are mice named sniff and Scurry and two are like human hem and Haw.'Cheese' is a metaphor for what you want to have in life - whether it's a good job, a loving relationship, money, a possession, good health, or spiritual peace of mind. And 'The Maze' is where you look for what you want - the organization you work in, or the family or community you live in.
Sniff
Who sniffs out change early,
Scurry
Who scurries into action, or
Hem
Who denies and resists change as he fears
it will lead to something worse, or
Haw
Who learns to adapt in time when he sees
changing can lead to something better!
We resist changing because we are afraid of changes. I can cope with any kind of change which comes in life. blind alleys of life.
Some Important Quotes from The Book
The more important your cheese is to you is , the more you want to hold to it. If you do not change, you can become extinct.
Better late than never.
Smell the cheese often, so you may know when it is getting old.
Movement in a new direction, helps you in finding new cheese.
Imagining yourself, enjoying new cheese, leads you to it.
The quicker you let go of old Cheese, the sooner you will find new cheese.
It is safer to search in the maze than to remain in chesseless station.
Old believes do not lead you to new cheese.
Noticing small changes early helps you to adopt the bigger one. That are coming.
The biggest inhibitor to change lies within yourself.
World's best liberaries
Importance of Libraries
The importance of libraries can be well explained by this saying “Without libraries I wouldn’t be a Writer today.” The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history. So we did research on Top three libraries in the world. Here it goes
1. Library of Congress, Washington D.C.
The library of Congress is the research library in United States founded in April 24,1800. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. By 1990, the Library of Congress became the world’s largest library. The Library's "collections are universal, not limited by subject, format, or national boundary, and include research materials from all parts of the world and in more than 450 languages. he holdings of the library are impressive and varied, and include over 32 million books, more than 61 million manuscripts, a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, a perfect vellum copy of the Gutenberg Bible (one of only four in the world), over 1 million newspapers from the last three centuries, over 5 million maps, 6 million pieces of sheet music, and more than 14 millions photos and prints. Today's Library of Congress is an unparalleled world resource. The collection of more than 158 million items includes more than 36 million cataloged books and other print materials in 460 languages; more than 69 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world's largest collection of legal materials, films, maps, sheet music and sound recordings.
2: National Library of China, Beijing, China
National Library of China is situated in West of Beijing in China was founded in 1909. With a collection of over 31.1 million items,[1] it is the largest library in Asia and one of the largest in the world. It holds the largest collections of Chinese literature and historical documents in the world. The National Library of China (NLC) is a comprehensive research library and a national repository of publications, with the functions of the collecting, processing, storage, research, utilization and dissemination of knowledge information. NLC is also a national center of bibliographical records, a national center of digital libraries and a center of R&D in library science, researching and applying modern technologies and playing a leading role in standardization, digitization and networkization in the library community in China.
3: George Peabody Library in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
The Peabody Library was funded by the the philanthropist George Peabody. Peabody built the library as a gift to the citizens of Baltimore for their kindness and hospitality.Designed by 19th-century architect Edmund Lind, Peabody is known for its interior that has a soaring atrium. The five stories of cast-iron balconies are filled to the brim with books, and the skylight roof showers the library in natural light. The main collection reflects broad interests of the 19th century, in keeping with Peabody's desire for it to be "well-furnished in every department of knowledge and of the most approved literature. The library's 300,000 volume collection is particularly strong in religion, British art, architecture, topography and history; American history, biography, and literature; Romance languages and literature; history of science; and geography, exploration and travel.
Eid-ul-Adha, Mehndi Designs
Eid ul Adha is near and everyone is searching for beautiful mehndi designs, Here I collected some for all of you.
The Fruit of Silence is Prayer.
The Fruit of Prayer is Faith.
The Fruit of Faith is Love.
The Fruit of love is service.
The fruit of service is peace.
Just read these lines by One of the most inspired face of humanity, Mother Teresa, commonly known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
Mother Teresa is undoubtedly one of the greatest human beings and Christians witnessed in our time. She was born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje in former Yogoslavia and went to India as a missionary nun in 1929 and lived all her life in Calcutta, a congested city full of slums. Only at her death in 1997 did many Indians come to know that she was a European, because she lived a life of Indians better than Indians themselves.
Yesterday Pop Frances declared other Teresa of Calcutta, a saint. This news has been circulating on the internet since yesterday. So, I wanted to read her religious views, that was quite surprising for me.
One of the most famous words are
"I am told God lives in me — and yet the reality of darkness and coldness and emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul.”
Her letters revealed that, except for one short period, Teresa had been afflicted with a deep sense of God’s absence for the last half-century of her life. Such was her unflagging dedication to the work she’d undertaken for God that most of the world was completely unsuspecting of her spiritual darkness.
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