A Story of Prophet Yunus

I remembered once when I was pregnant. One of my sister in-law introduce me to this verse; as she said this was a du'a of prophet Yunus when he was in a belly of a whale:

"La Ila Ha Illa Anta, Subha Naka Inni Kuntu Minodzo Limiin..."



This is a story I would like to bring to you today, a story of Prophet Yunus p.b.u.h...

Have you ever felt as though things are just too much for you, that you are in a situation you see no way of getting out of? Do you look at problems in our world today and wonder how they can ever be solved? All this, and more, is the story of Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him). The mission of Prophet Yunus is a timeless story that tells us there is a way out, if only we have faith.

Almighty Allah called Yunus to preach to the people of Nineveh. Nineveh was a great city, the capital of Assyria, and it had become a very wicked place. Yunus went to the people there and told them to give up their bad ways and to turn, instead, to Allah. But they wouldn't listen to him and so Yunus left them.

Having left the city behind, Yunus boards a ship. He has had enough and he sets sail far away from the scene of his failure. Once at sea, though, a storm grows up and the crew are terrified. These pagan sailors feel that the gods of the sea must be displeased with them, so they draw lots to throw one man overboard to calm the storm. They draw the lot indicating that Yunus should be thrown overboard. This happens not once but three times, and the terrified crew throw him overboard thinking that in doing so they will be protecting themselves and their ship.

Once in the water, something extraordinary happens. Allah sends a great fish, some describe it as a whale, to swallow Yunus whole. Once in its belly, Yunus descends to the bottom of the sea, filled with total despair. How can he possibly survive this disaster? What way out of his situation could there possibly be? He is engulfed by darkness: the darkness of the creature's stomach; the darkness of the deep; and, worst of all, the darkness of despair. Even though he was a religious man, called upon to be a prophet, he experiences doubt, and it is when he is in the depths of despair that things change for him. In the noble Qur'an, we read that Yunus "cried through the darkness." He realized that Almighty Allah, not he, was in control of things. He cries out, "there is no god but You," and asks for help. In asking for help, his prayer is heard.



Ibn Kathir has a moving commentary on this part of Yunus's story. He says that once Yunus admits that there is no god but Allah and that only Allah can save him, something wonderful happens. First, the whale begins to sing the praises of Allah, then all the little fish around it, then all the creatures of the sea, each in its own way, until there is a great chorus of praise. The whale swims up to the surface and ejects Yunus onto the shore. Just as Allah had used it to save Yunus from the storm and from drowning in the sea, so He also uses it to bring Yunus safely to land again.

And there is more. Yunus is feeling sick and sore as he lies on the sand in the scorching heat, still not knowing what will become of him. Allah takes even more care of him and causes a plant to grow up over him and to cover Yunus with its shade. Once he has recovered from his ordeal and his skin has stopped smarting from the acids in the creature's stomach, he decides to return to Nineveh, his travels over, to see what has become of the city and its people. When he arrives there, to his great surprise, he sees that the city and its people have not been destroyed, but have all turned to Allah. His message had got through to them. Perhaps when they saw the terrible storm as it grew up in the distance, they saw in it an image of what would happen to them if they did not repent. Who knows why they turned back to Allah, but they did. Yunus, then, after all his adventures, is finally content that his mission has been accomplished.

There is so much that the story of Yunus can teach us. First of all, read it yourself in the noble Qur'an. You will find it in the following verses: 4:163, 6:86, 10:98, 21:87, 37:139-148, and 68:48-50. Ponder over the meaning of the words and listen to what they say to you. Yunus's story is timeless. It is for the whole world and it is for each one of us.


[No soul knows what comfort is kept hidden for them, as a reward for their deeds.](As-Sajdah 32:17)

Allah uses all things to work out His plan. In the story of Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him), He not only uses Yunus, but He uses the sailors and the whale and the plant, to do His will. So we should never presume to know the will of Allah, nor to make decisions on His behalf.

If you have ever felt as though you are in the belly of the whale, surrounded by darkness and with no way out, do what Prophet Yunus did. [He cried through the darkness](Al-Anbiyaa' 21:87) and admitted that there is no god but Allah and that only Allah can rescue.

Never give up. Trust in Allah. He can use us and all situations to do great things beyond our wildest imagination. It is by Allah's will that we are Muslim. Just as [his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous,] (Al-Qalam 68:50) so we, too, like Prophet Yunus can respond to the call of Almighty Allah and make a difference in our world.

COUPLE??

There are lots of love stories ,which has been great legend to us.. Romeo and Juliet perhaps is one of it….what are the stance of Islam for LOVE?

There is a difference between love and romance. Romance, if not checked, may mean wasting time, effort and dignity. Islam teaches us to be truthful and realistic. Besides, the concept of love in Islam is very unique, when a Muslim loves something or somebody, it must be for the sake of Allah; the same applies to hatred. Islam teaches us that marriage is the finest, purest and permissible relationship that should exist between a male and female; it should be the goal that they both have in mind. There is no room in Islam for illicit affairs or the Western vogue-word of boyfriend and girlfriend. All those stories of media and movies are not helpful to make a person comply with the teachings of Islam. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, says: "Three qualities, if found in a person, will help him have perfect faith: Having Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, as the most beloved ones, loving a person only for the sake of Allah and hating getting back to Kufr (disbelief) the way one hates to be thrown into fire." That means love is a fruit of piety. Love without piety is mischief.

There is no concept of courtship in Islam as it is practiced in the West. There is no dating or living in de facto relationship or trying each other out before committing to each other. There is to be no physical relationship whatsoever before marriage. The romantic notions that occupy the mind of young people often have proven in most cases to be unrealistic and harmful to those involved. We only have to look at the alarming divorce rate in the West to understand this point. To give an example, the couple know each other for years, are intimate, live together and so on. Yet somehow this does not guarantee the success of the future marriage. Romance and love simply do not result in an everlasting bond between two people.
In most cases, romance and love die out very quickly when couple find themselves with the real world. The unrealistic expectation that young people have is what often contributes to the failure of their relationship.

The West makes fun of the Islamic way of marriage, in particular arranged marriage. Yet, the irony is that statistically arranged marriages prove to be more successful and lasting than romantic types of courtship. This is because people are blinded by the physical attraction and thus do not choose the compatible partner. Love blinds people to the extent of overlooking potential problems in the relationship. There is an Arabic proverb that says: "Love is blind, it makes zucchini turn into okra". Arranged marriages, on the other hand, are based not on physical attraction or romantic notions, but rather on critical evaluation of the compatibility of the couple. That is why such marriage often proves successful.

From an Islamic perspective, in choosing a partner, the most important factor that should be taken into consideration is Taqwa (piety and consciousness of Allah). The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, recommended the suitors to see each other before going through with marriage procedures. That is very important because it is unreasonable for two people to be thrown into marriage and be expected to have a successful marital life, full of love and affection, when they know nothing of each other. The couple are permitted to look at each other.

This ruling does not contradict the Qur'anic verse that says, “…believing men and women should lower their gaze” (An-Nur: 30). The couple, however, are not permitted to be alone in a closed room or go out together alone. As the Hadith says: "When a man and a woman are together alone, the Shaytan (Satan) makes their third." One of the conditions of a valid marriage is the consent of the couple. Marriage by definition is a voluntary union of two people. The choice of a partner by a Muslim virgin girl is subject to the approval of the father or guardian. This is to safeguard her welfare and interests. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The widow and the divorced woman shall not be married until she has consented to that and the virgin shall not be married until her consent is sought." The Prophet did nullify the marriage of a girl who complained to him that her father had married her against her wishes.

Though love is something nice, and it is recommended for a man to marry a woman whom he loves, because the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “There is nothing better for two who love each other than marriage.” (Sahih Al-Jami`, 5200) However, this love should not be overwhelming and cause a person to forget other characteristics which he should look for in the person he wants to marry. The most important characteristic is religious commitment. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, says: “A woman may be married for four things: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty and her commitment to religion. Choose the one who is religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust [i.e., may you prosper]!” (Agreed-upon Hadith).

Now, let’s assume that you are the subject of the hypothesis you draw in your question: On what basis would you like to choose your partner? Wouldn’t you look to her commitment to Islam – does she pray regularly, for example? Does she adhere to the Islamic Hijab prescribed by Shari'ah?

If the lady you want to marry is religious, of good manners, and obeys Allah and His Messenger, and both of you want to please Allah in this world in order to earn reward in the Hereafter, then you have made a perfect choice, and we ask Allah to fulfill your hopes and bring you together in a good way. If she is not, then you should reconsider your choice. May Allah help you to do what He loves and what pleases Him!

Widaad and Wafa'

Widaad Ibtisam = 28 months

She may be able to control her actions, but not always her emotions. At this age, she's still prone to a fair amount of pushing, shoving, yelling, and tantrums. And as parents, we never set our standards too high. Let her explore and learn from her own experience, in fact that will be a good teacher for her. With the company of her lil sis, Wafa' she has high sensitivity of being a "big sis". Behaving like she knows which food is hot, and giving instructions to her adik when lunch time is good sign for us. Even though sometimes she means 'hot' to cold drinks! However,we can't expect perfect behaviour from her all the time, and tantrums are her way of showing you when she's so frustrated or upset she can't think straight any more.





Amal Wafa' = 14 months

This little toddler is mastering new skills left and right these days, from waving bye-bye to drinking from a cup. But one thing she probably hasn't got to grips with yet is adult table manners. That's OK :) it's too early for her to understand or manage this kind of politeness. She is now yet to learn the "woman's handy manners". Very keen of "tidying up" rooms, kitchens and bookshelves....%!@##(&$^#^%&^$.....It's ok dear...go and learn!! have fun as one day you'll be good in the real tidying up the whole home with your TATAK ( that's how she called her kakak ).

Anger Management

This article has nothing to do with anyone, it's just a gentle reminder to me myself, and also to all of us....sharing is caring...I LOVE YOU ALL....

Some people may have control on their emotions. But to some people, they easily fail to do so..
The Prophet PBUH once said “ Hold your anger, and you’ll be in Heaven”

When a person is in a state of anger or rage he or she can unleash behavior which can be very aggressive or violent. Acting in a state of anger is similar to acting in a state of intoxication. In both cases, people do not know what they are doing and, as a result, may hurt themselves as well as others. Then, when the anger or intoxication subsides, remorse over those actions will almost certainly ensue.

Sheikh Hasan Al-Basri said that one of the signs of believers is that anger does not prevail over them.

The Prophet once asked his Companions, "Whom among you do you consider a strong man?" They replied, “The one who can defeat so-and-so in a wrestling contest.” He said, “That is not so; a strong man is the one who can control himself when he is angry" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

USEFUL TIPS FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVES:

There is no way to totally eliminate anger from one's self, for it is a natural human emotion and is bound to be one's reaction to certain situations that we all face in life. Anger can be controlled, however, and to achieve this, a Muslim has to observe the following tips:

1.Change the position of your body. For example, if you are standing, sit down; and if you are sitting, lie down.

2. Make ablution and offer two rak`ahs

3. Remember the rewards and virtues of patience, mercy, and forgiveness.

Anger, if left uncontrolled or unmanaged, can be a costly weed. It is detrimental to one’s health and relationships with others…friends, family and working environments. In fact, it may cause a great loss in this world and even a greater loss in the hereafter. Therefore, this weed must be kept under one’s control in order to allow the healthy plant of righteousness, piety, and obedience to grow.

Izinkan aku Bahagia

‎"Kita (isteri) sbg bidadari suami..menyenangkan suami, bukan menyukarkan keadaan, merajuk manja bkn merajuk sampai suami pening kepala..bahkan berapa lama sangat masa "meminjam" suami yg ALLAH berikan utk kita???" - Izinkan Aku Bahagia, Anis Bil. 159-

It was indeed a very touching story my friend asked me to read...Credit to Tq, ..thanks yea!!

And because of the sentence, I was so called to ask hubby during last night tazkirah with him.

Azah : Abg, esok kalau kat syurga...Azah jadi bidadari abg ke?

Hubby: InsyaAllah..kalau Azah taat perintah suami, Allah dan rasul....

Azah : Tapi ,kenapa dalam quran..."lelaki dikelilingi bidari-bidadari syurga?"

Hubby: Btul lah..quran dah ckp..btul la....

Azah: Siapa lagi nak kelilingi abg? ..(muka tak aci)

Hubby:Bidadari -bidadari syurga (sambil tersenyum panjang sampai ke pipi)

Azah : Habes Azah....takder sape keliling?

Hubby : Ada hadith nabi tau azah...seurat janggut, seorang bidadari di syurga nanti..(tersenyum lagi)

Azah : Wah...banyaknya...patutla ramai orang suka simpan janggut kan...tapi, Azah camne?

Hubby : Azah ada bidadara syurga (sambil tersengih)

Azah : :( [Dah masam muka]

Hubby: Dalam syurga nanti, dah tak ade dah, perasaan jeles2, dengki2..Allah dah hilangkan semua tu..lepas je kita di bangkitkan nanti....dah tak ade kematian seterusnya....ayat al quran kata.."Maka beruntunglah untuk orang yang beriman kepada Allah dan percaya pada hari akhirat."

Azah: Tapi, abg ada banyak bidadari nanti...mesti abg ....dah sayang azah sikit kan....nak pulak kalau depa cantek...

Hubby :Azah nak tau..dalam surat As-Saffaat..Allah kata..bidadari syurga tu ..umpama telur yang terletak di syurga..maksudnya ..tak terusik....mata, hati dan fikiran kita pun tak boleh bayangkan macammana...

Azah : Habes Azah??

Hubby : Dalam surah yang sama..Allah kata...kalau orang tu tak ikut perintah Allah..nanti...dalam syurga..dia kata "aku dulu ada seorang teman di dunia..."dan dia pun pergi meninjau mana perginya temannya tu...tengok2...dia jumpa di neraka...hidangan di neraka...buah zaqqum, air yg panas mendidih....surah ni banyak ceritakan perihal di syuga dan neraka...

Azah : Azah nak cari abg nanti..abg cari azah tak?

Hubby : :)InsyaAllah...buat la ibadah macam kita nak mati esok, pulon btul2.....tapi, jangan lupa jaga hubungan sesama manusia di sini....Allah nampak aje ape azah buat tau....


And..the discussion goes on and on and on....end up to be a very mysterious one for me. No one knows how beautiful the world thereafter....and I pray , that we, could meet again in the eternal life...Ameeen...

Apple of My Heart:)

Introducing you......Widaad Ibtisam!!





It seem as if my lil toddler is constantly breaking the rules and I am constantly saying "no"..












Ops...Don't take this as a deliberate sign of mischief, it's just normal toddler behaviour. She needs to assert her independence. We can ease frustrating moments by explaining the reasoning behind your rules...yahh..parenting...is just a theraphy for us to become a very very very...patient person...

Yea people.....this is another cute gurl....Give a big applause for Amal Wafa'











She is not yet taken her first unsteady steps.Soon, probably... so me , hubby and of course our bibik are always keeping our eye-camera close by. We are giving her full discretion to mobile her self...or even let her feel the pain of felling down, as children will learn better that way.And for her , as she takes charge of her own mobility, she'll be better able to satisfy her curiosity about the world around her. Now that she's getting better at using her hands, her "ladies expertise" ---->> tendency of tidying up the house is her interest. So we have this rule:1) don't ever fold cloth in front of her or you'll end up doing nothing .2) Don't ever open up the closet unattended....she will soon start pulling out everything to try on!!:)

Ops...CLEANING IN PROGRESS

MasyaAllah.....it has been sooooooo long....that I left my blog unattended. Dah bersawang....I am cleaning it up ladies and gentleman...it's going to be on soon!!!!

So, what's up?

I miss a lot of things to be written here. There are too much to uncover here...New bibik, new home, babies development, study, bla bla bla...

I think it has been almost 3 months..if Im not mistaken..

So, as a new startup..writing about my family and myself is not really an important agenda here...

Nothing is more meaningful rather than to penetrate an assessment of myself.

What have been achieved and what is not yet accomplish in my life. As a 27 year-old mommy, wife, employer and employee..where am I standing to confront my Creator..Am I balancing my obligation in world and the hereafter…

Since I am still healthy, that’s it. Still can stand straight up and am capable to go anywhere. Gifted to think wisely and control my emotion (though sometimes I lost the proficiency of it). Since then, it is a prudent decision to evaluate myself. Discover myself at the lowest level so that to ponder from every angle for an optimal defensive process.

Juggling, babbling, insane??? No, I’m not.

At this moment, I really want to go deeply into myself, to know myself better, to specify my weakness for a corrective action and specify my strength so I may unleashe my confident for future.

There will be one moment that you feel so lost,that you are so alone, all you is see is night, and darkness all around, you feel so helpless, you can’t see which way to go.

How, only to Allah we may seek forgiveness; find the truth as He will always be by our side. As part of the lyrics in Maher Zain song : Don’t despair and never loose hope,Cause Allah is always by your side.. InsyaAllah..

I am now humbly seeking my friends’ forgiveness, in case of any. I may harm you, unintentionally. I am sorry if I had taken your right, if I had sipped your drink, your food and had hurt your soul.

For me, my offenses, felonies towards the only Creator, Allah, me myself can ask forgiveness from Allah directly, but to people, you guys ..it seems to be very easy but it’s not. It’s is like a tight knot that may take some times to be loosen.yeah..

Now that we share the same bright sun,the same round moon. Why don’t we share the same love, why not. Life is shorter than most have thought.