Race Towards Good Deeds
Dec 13, 2010 11:49 pm | ProductiveMuslim

A neighbour of mine had a knee operation about a month ago, and for a month
I’ve been telling myself to go visit him. Everyday I delayed it till the
next day, and never got around it. Last week, I made the utmost preparation
to go see him and I told myself “No excuses! I have to visit this
brother.” I go pray Maghreb planning to see him after salah and subhanaAllah
– there he was in the mosque before me with the rest of the brothers feeling
better and able to walk.

_May Allah forgive me_

I felt so bad, and couldn’t stop rebuking myself for missing such a huge
reward and opportunity to visit a neighbour, a Muslim brother, in his time
of need. I remembered the Hadeeth Qudsi where Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala)
would say to a person on the Day of Judgement: “O son of Adam I was sick and
you did not visit Me. He would say: O my Lord; how could I visit You and You
are the Lord of the worlds? Thereupon He would say: Didn’t you know that
such and such servant of Mine was sick but you did not visit him and were
you not aware that if you had visited him, you would have found Me by
him?” (Muslim).

_May Allah forgive me_

Sometimes we keep putting off good deeds, and delay performing them but can
any of us guarantee we have tomorrow? I remembered the hadeeth of the
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) which promised great reward for someone
visiting the sick, He (Peace be upon him) said: “There is not a Muslim that
visits another in the morning except that 70,000 angels ask forgiveness for
him until the night, and if he visits him at night then 70,000 angels ask
forgiveness for him until the morning, and he will have earned a garden in
paradise” (At-Tirmidhi).

_May Allah forgive me_

Reflecting deeply on the failure to hasten towards good deeds on this
occasion, I remembered the hadeeth, where the caller of heaven would say to
the person visiting the sick: “You have done well and your walk was good
also, and you have earned a place in paradise” (At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah).
So why do we still not run towards opportunities to do good deeds presented
before us?

_May Allah forgive me_

Brothers and sisters, the most important lesson to take away is that we
should not delay, and hasten towards good deeds.

Allah says in the Quran: “Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your
Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and
of the earth, prepared for the righteous” (Al-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse
#133). We should not forget that our brothers and sisters in Islam have
rights over us, and there should be no excuses to seek those good deeds out.
You might have a busy life, but if you want to know what true productivity
means in Islam, it’s making sure that you do not miss these
“opportunities” and “golden” moments to be with your brother and sister in
their time of need. Ultimately it might be an act which saves you in the
Hereafter. Make time for them and Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) will reward
you, bless you, and make time for you inshaAllah.

I hope that this message to race towards good deeds reaches you and and that
it becomes a mean for Allah to forgive me.

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Increasing Productivity: Lesson No. 2- Noble Company
Dec 10, 2010 11:55 pm | ProductiveMuslim

A few days ago, I participated in a charity fundraiser, the 841 Challenge,
part of a campaign to raise £25,000 for Mercy Mission. The mission was very
simple, to try and cross 8 European countries within 4 days. The time flew,
as did our shuttle, as we managed to get across 8 European countries within
the time set, through great team work, and pretty much keeping the car
running most of the time.

The trip was a great success, not because we successfully completed the
trial, not because we raised thousands of pounds for charity, not because we
planned out the biggest project Mercy Mission will launch in 2011
insha’Allah through this, but because I matured my understanding of the
importance of relationships.

When I went about setting myself a challenge to raise money for the
charitable organisation I live my life with, Mercy Mission, I had a couple
of people who emerged immediately, as people eager to help. And help they
have. From the point of concept to delivery, they have been critical in
ensuring that the objectives have been realised, and insha’Allah this will
be written in their scale of good deeds.

Allah Subhanhu wa Ta’ala says:

_”Cooperate in righteousness and God-consciousness”. [Quran 5:2]_

And to be honest, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has blessed me over the last
ten years to meet the people who apply this verse in their lives, and the
two I have taken the trip with just solidified my already concrete faith in
this.

As we look to get more from our day, time, existence, it is of paramount
importance that we both recognize and actively seek out those relationships
which will allow us to be more productive. Our individual contribution to
humanity will never be optimized without the right company, and therefore,
we need to actively build and mature the nobility of our company.

The brothers I have taken my trip with, have humbled me with their
sincerity, generosity, and commitment to the greater good in the face of
adversity. Their company has been a privilege and even as I write this, I
reflect on how I would not have been able to entertain this challenge if
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) not blessed me with their company. The Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) has said: “Allâh supports His slave as long as
the slave is supportive of his brother.” [Muslim]

And this came through every moment of the trip, both before and during. The
trip had some very difficult times, as I assure you driving through the Alps
in the winter is difficult enough, let alone at night, in freezing
temperatures, with limited visibility. Having a solid co-driver made the
difference.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The believer to the believer is like
a solid building, one part supports the other.” [Bukhari & Muslim]. And he
interlaced his fingers to demonstrate this. I assure you, when sleep was
trying to make us pull up and stop, and potentially compromise the ability
to succeed, it was the team spirit that kept our morale high, and at times
RedBull too (!)

Therefore, the point to consider here is, does the company you keep add
value to your life now and your hereafter? Does the company you keep remind
you of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)? Does the company you keep call you to
good deeds? All these are questions we need to consider, and the some of the
criteria with which we should measure each contact in our phone book
against. If you are with people that are competing for good, you will find
you are inclined to doing a greater amount of good, and vice versa. This is
why we find we are ‘on the religion of our companions’, and thus those
around us can have a profound impact on our lives.

One of the companions (may Allah be pleased with him) famously shared with
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), how in his company his emaan was
so high and his desire for good, however when away from our beloved his
state was different. And ultimately to a lesser degree we as individuals
will all have this, that when we are with noble company, we have a greater
desire to do good and concerted effort to stay away from satanic whisper.
This is natural, but also is something we should use in our favor, and make
our friends from the noble people, and build our productivity with other
people who call to goodness.

Jazak Allah Khair for sharing!

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Race Towards Good Deeds
Dec 13, 2010 11:49 pm | ProductiveMuslim

A neighbour of mine had a knee operation about a month ago, and for a month
I’ve been telling myself to go visit him. Everyday I delayed it till the
next day, and never got around it. Last week, I made the utmost preparation
to go see him and I told myself “No excuses! I have to visit this
brother.” I go pray Maghreb planning to see him after salah and subhanaAllah
– there he was in the mosque before me with the rest of the brothers feeling
better and able to walk.

_May Allah forgive me_

I felt so bad, and couldn’t stop rebuking myself for missing such a huge
reward and opportunity to visit a neighbour, a Muslim brother, in his time
of need. I remembered the Hadeeth Qudsi where Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala)
would say to a person on the Day of Judgement: “O son of Adam I was sick and
you did not visit Me. He would say: O my Lord; how could I visit You and You
are the Lord of the worlds? Thereupon He would say: Didn’t you know that
such and such servant of Mine was sick but you did not visit him and were
you not aware that if you had visited him, you would have found Me by
him?” (Muslim).

_May Allah forgive me_

Sometimes we keep putting off good deeds, and delay performing them but can
any of us guarantee we have tomorrow? I remembered the hadeeth of the
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) which promised great reward for someone
visiting the sick, He (Peace be upon him) said: “There is not a Muslim that
visits another in the morning except that 70,000 angels ask forgiveness for
him until the night, and if he visits him at night then 70,000 angels ask
forgiveness for him until the morning, and he will have earned a garden in
paradise” (At-Tirmidhi).

_May Allah forgive me_

Reflecting deeply on the failure to hasten towards good deeds on this
occasion, I remembered the hadeeth, where the caller of heaven would say to
the person visiting the sick: “You have done well and your walk was good
also, and you have earned a place in paradise” (At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah).
So why do we still not run towards opportunities to do good deeds presented
before us?

_May Allah forgive me_

Brothers and sisters, the most important lesson to take away is that we
should not delay, and hasten towards good deeds.

Allah says in the Quran: “Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your
Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and
of the earth, prepared for the righteous” (Al-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse
#133). We should not forget that our brothers and sisters in Islam have
rights over us, and there should be no excuses to seek those good deeds out.
You might have a busy life, but if you want to know what true productivity
means in Islam, it’s making sure that you do not miss these
“opportunities” and “golden” moments to be with your brother and sister in
their time of need. Ultimately it might be an act which saves you in the
Hereafter. Make time for them and Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) will reward
you, bless you, and make time for you inshaAllah.

I hope that this message to race towards good deeds reaches you and and that
it becomes a mean for Allah to forgive me.

Read more: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ProductiveMuslim/~3/gnyrRBK63eM/
Comments: http://www.productivemuslim.com/race-towards-good-deeds/#comments

You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website: ProductiveMuslim.com

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Interview with Productive Muslim – Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Dec 12, 2010 09:22 pm | ProductiveMuslim

_Alhamdulillah, We had the privilege to speak to Dr. Bilal Philips to get an
insight into productive life._

Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips was born in Jamaica, but grew up in Canada, where
he accepted Islam in 1972. He completed a diploma in Arabic and a B.A. from
the College of Islamic Disciplines (Usool ad-Deen) at the Islamic University
of Madeenah in 1979. At the University of Riyadh, College of Education, he
completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology in 1985, and in the department of
Islamic Studies at the University of Wales, he completed a Ph.D. in Islamic
Theology in 1994.

Abu Ameenah taught Islamic Education and Arabic in private schools in Riyadh
for over ten years and for three years he lectured M.Ed. students in the
Islamic Studies department of Shariff Kabunsuan Islamic University in
Cotobato City, Mindanao, Philippines. Since 1994 he has founded and directed
the Islamic Information Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (which is now
known as Discover Islam) and the Foreign Literature Department of Dar al
Fatah Islamic Press in Sharjah, UAE. Presently, he is a lecturer of Arabic
and Islamic Studies at the American University in Dubai and Ajman University
in Ajman, UAE.

Read more about his [1]Islamic Online University
Links:
1. http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com

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7.

Interview with Productive Muslim – Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Dec 12, 2010 09:22 pm | ProductiveMuslim

_Alhamdulillah, We had the privilege to speak to Dr. Bilal Philips to get an
insight into productive life._

Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips was born in Jamaica, but grew up in Canada, where
he accepted Islam in 1972. He completed a diploma in Arabic and a B.A. from
the College of Islamic Disciplines (Usool ad-Deen) at the Islamic University
of Madeenah in 1979. At the University of Riyadh, College of Education, he
completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology in 1985, and in the department of
Islamic Studies at the University of Wales, he completed a Ph.D. in Islamic
Theology in 1994.

Abu Ameenah taught Islamic Education and Arabic in private schools in Riyadh
for over ten years and for three years he lectured M.Ed. students in the
Islamic Studies department of Shariff Kabunsuan Islamic University in
Cotobato City, Mindanao, Philippines. Since 1994 he has founded and directed
the Islamic Information Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (which is now
known as Discover Islam) and the Foreign Literature Department of Dar al
Fatah Islamic Press in Sharjah, UAE. Presently, he is a lecturer of Arabic
and Islamic Studies at the American University in Dubai and Ajman University
in Ajman, UAE.

Read more about his [1]Islamic Online University
Links:
1. http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com

[EMBED]

_IFRAME:_
[2]
c1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=produmusli-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=9960
953343
Links:
2. http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&nou=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=produmusli-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&asins=9960953343

Read more: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ProductiveMuslim/~3/Ykb7L0x_cNM/
Comments: http://www.productivemuslim.com/interview-with-productive-muslim-dr-abu-ameenah-bilal-philips/#comments

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7.

Increasing Productivity: Lesson No. 2- Noble Company
Dec 10, 2010 11:55 pm | ProductiveMuslim

A few days ago, I participated in a charity fundraiser, the 841 Challenge,
part of a campaign to raise £25,000 for Mercy Mission. The mission was very
simple, to try and cross 8 European countries within 4 days. The time flew,
as did our shuttle, as we managed to get across 8 European countries within
the time set, through great team work, and pretty much keeping the car
running most of the time.

The trip was a great success, not because we successfully completed the
trial, not because we raised thousands of pounds for charity, not because we
planned out the biggest project Mercy Mission will launch in 2011
insha’Allah through this, but because I matured my understanding of the
importance of relationships.

When I went about setting myself a challenge to raise money for the
charitable organisation I live my life with, Mercy Mission, I had a couple
of people who emerged immediately, as people eager to help. And help they
have. From the point of concept to delivery, they have been critical in
ensuring that the objectives have been realised, and insha’Allah this will
be written in their scale of good deeds.

Allah Subhanhu wa Ta’ala says:

_”Cooperate in righteousness and God-consciousness”. [Quran 5:2]_

And to be honest, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) has blessed me over the last
ten years to meet the people who apply this verse in their lives, and the
two I have taken the trip with just solidified my already concrete faith in
this.

As we look to get more from our day, time, existence, it is of paramount
importance that we both recognize and actively seek out those relationships
which will allow us to be more productive. Our individual contribution to
humanity will never be optimized without the right company, and therefore,
we need to actively build and mature the nobility of our company.

The brothers I have taken my trip with, have humbled me with their
sincerity, generosity, and commitment to the greater good in the face of
adversity. Their company has been a privilege and even as I write this, I
reflect on how I would not have been able to entertain this challenge if
Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) not blessed me with their company. The Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) has said: “Allâh supports His slave as long as
the slave is supportive of his brother.” [Muslim]

And this came through every moment of the trip, both before and during. The
trip had some very difficult times, as I assure you driving through the Alps
in the winter is difficult enough, let alone at night, in freezing
temperatures, with limited visibility. Having a solid co-driver made the
difference.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The believer to the believer is like
a solid building, one part supports the other.” [Bukhari & Muslim]. And he
interlaced his fingers to demonstrate this. I assure you, when sleep was
trying to make us pull up and stop, and potentially compromise the ability
to succeed, it was the team spirit that kept our morale high, and at times
RedBull too (!)

Therefore, the point to consider here is, does the company you keep add
value to your life now and your hereafter? Does the company you keep remind
you of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)? Does the company you keep call you to
good deeds? All these are questions we need to consider, and the some of the
criteria with which we should measure each contact in our phone book
against. If you are with people that are competing for good, you will find
you are inclined to doing a greater amount of good, and vice versa. This is
why we find we are ‘on the religion of our companions’, and thus those
around us can have a profound impact on our lives.

One of the companions (may Allah be pleased with him) famously shared with
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), how in his company his emaan was
so high and his desire for good, however when away from our beloved his
state was different. And ultimately to a lesser degree we as individuals
will all have this, that when we are with noble company, we have a greater
desire to do good and concerted effort to stay away from satanic whisper.
This is natural, but also is something we should use in our favor, and make
our friends from the noble people, and build our productivity with other
people who call to goodness.