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Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim As-Salamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu Who else is religiously-inclined, but has been born into a less-than-religious family? Those of us who have been face a unique set of challenges which our brothers and sisters blessed with virtuous families do not. At the same time, our experiences differ from, but can certainly find inspiration in, those of reverts. InshaAllah we will all pass such Divine tests with patience and wisdom. Does anyone, at any stage of life, currently have a similar experience? Inshallah we can all benefit from knowing the experiences of brothers and sisters who were born in less-than-religious families. Wa salam

A quick search of thread topics yielded the following results: 529 threads on Mutah 334 threads on Ahlul Bayt (عليه السلام) 56 threads on Patience 46 Threads on Akhlaq 17 threads on Piety And only 11 threads on Discipline! It certainly serves as a reminder for us to examine our priorities from time to time.

I feel I'm not ambitious enough about financial growth. I just don't get winded up about it. Even though I need to get settled ASAP, pronto to turn my 3 year old nikkah into a marriage (rukhsati). But even apart from the marriage pre and post expenses. I want to get settled. I just fear the entire job/gig/work searching process and just can't get myself to do it. I see people starting with whatever comes their way and eventually landing some good job. And I just sit and wait for something 'perfect' and 'optimal' to come my way.... . Please suggest some al-Islam pdf content or personal advice for me to get excited about getting financially ambitious and eventually settled.... . I say financially ambitious because otherwise I like to study, keep myself up to date, keep my deen in place...

salam alaykum! When i was a child I got abused by my father. He used to abuse my mother and siblings too. sometimes he would just leave me and my family for a long time, like a half year. He would go to our homeland, iraq. After some time we decided to move there. We lived there a year and then moved back. Time passed, he changed. He's not abusing me anymore. Not long time ago my brother started to abuse me. One time he even wanted too kill my mother, i know its crazy. He was out of he's mind. My mom did forgive him. But now we moved back to iraq. I really don't want to live here but i want a change. I used to pray but not all the time, its on and off. I was in a really dark place. No one was there for me not even my mother. Whenever I would tell her in tears that I'm feeling sad and she'd say "you are so unthankful go away". But after the years passed i started to sin. I lost my faith. I believed in Allah SWT of course but I wasn't really righteous or so. I've been suffering a lot. But after all this time I started to pray. I've become more righteous. But the thing is my mother, she always says something or does something to push me away. I'm so tired. I'm really trying to be good with her. I admit i'm not the perfect child. i have my mistakes. but It feels like she doesn't even love me, seriously. I feel very unloved in my family. Its not like i've been the devil or so hahah. I'm understanding to my parents, i don't get them upset, i don't get angry at them unlike my brother. He has never been understanding he has just been a huge pain in the ass but still they love him more. I'm not jealous i just want to know why? have i done something to make them hate me? whenever i ask them they say that they love me even more than my brother. I know its a lie, I'm not a fool. I'm just tired not having anyone by my side. and now when i've moved to iraq it just made things worse. I really want to move back. I'm just so tired, I'm exhausted. Seriously i wouldn't mind if someone would kill me and that makes me sick, because i should be grateful for breathing. I'm really trying to have patience. When i didn't pray i was really depressed and i felt empty but now I pray but still i feel exhausted but not depressed. Not like before. What should i do? can i even do anything? Is Allah trying to test my patience?

https://youtu.be/c_WQc386Ur0

The Wife of Imam Khomeini Imam Khomeini's wife, Khanum Khadija Thaqafi, was from a very religious family. She was born in Tehran in 1913. Her late father, Ayatollah Mirza Mohammad Thaqafi, was one of the great scholars of his time and was a student of the grand Ayatullah Hae'rri Yazdi. Imam Khomeini's wife was very intelligent, and showed great interest in pursuing her studies. Imam Khomeini taught her Arabic. She was also very good at poetry. They had eight children: three sons and five daughters. Three of their children died during their childhood. Imam Khomeini's children helped their father to achieve his goals. The Imam's wife brought her children up very well. She made sure that the children respected their father and provided an environment which allowed her children and the Imam to excel in every aspect. In return, Imam Khomeini himself insisted that his children respect their mother and made sure the children looked up to her. Thus the children had their utmost respect for both their parents and made sure that they served their parents well. Apart from respecting his wife, Imam Khomeini also loved his wife very much and always expressed his affection towards her. Their love for one another was admired by friends and family. The Imam's wife was a real and sincere religious woman. She would never lie and talk bad of anyone. She always liked to do good deeds and helped people in whatever way she could. She was a very wise and patient woman and endured many difficulties. That is why Imam Khomeini respected her a lot. At home, Khanum Khadija provided a peaceful and stress-free environment for Imam Khomeini when the movements against the Pahlavi regime began in 1962. When Imam Khomeini was arrested and sentenced to death in 1963, his wife showed great tolerance and their home became a place where many concerned people visited. The Imam's wife portrayed strength which in turn gave strength to the people. After Imam Khomeini was released from prison and was detained in the Qeytariah area of Tehran, a new period of patience and struggle began. Khanum Khadija moved to Tehran to be with her husband, who was under house arrest. This was a huge boost to the Imam's morale. When the Imam was freed and went back to Qum, large crowds of people and scholars came to visit him. Respecting all the imam's guests, treating them in an honourable way, and making sure they were all served with tea, was a difficult job but was managed perfectly by the Imam's wife. The events which took place in 1964, like Imam Khomeini's famous speech regarding capitulation, the sudden attack on the Imam's house during the night, the Imam and Hajj Agha Mustafa's arrest and deportation, and having no news of the Imam, could have only been endured by a truly patient and courageous woman such as Khanum Khadija. Khanum Khadija accompanied her husband when he was taken to Iraq. She left behind her family and her children to be near her husband. She felt very lonely and missed home but never mentioned it to the Imam. She bore everything patiently. In Najaf, Khanum Khadija had a great relationship with the wives of scholars such as the wives of Ayatollah Khui and Shaheed al-Sadr. Thus the scholars of Najaf were very impressed by both the Imam and his wife. Agha Mustafa's martyrdom while they were in exile, was a very bitter and sorrowful experience for the Imam and his wife. When the revolution was finally over, Khanum Khadija's sorrow increased, as her son was not there to witness this great success. After the revolution, Imam Khomeini's wife provided a calm and suitable environment for the people interested in visiting Imam Khomeini at his home. She cooked simple food for the Imam who was given strict orders from the doctor to abstain from having certain ingredients. Khanum Khadija knew that she wasn't only a host to family and friends, therefore she received anyone who wanted to see Imam Khomeini and his family at their home. Her hospitality was famous among people in Qum, Najaf and Tehran. After 60 years of marriage, Imam Khomeini passed away. She bore all the difficulties patiently. The loss of her son was indeed a tragedy, but later she also lost ten more members of her family, such as her son-in-law, mother, father, sister and brother. During the later years of her life, Khanum Khadija still managed her time and chose when the family should travel, when to receive guests and when to visit family and friends. The last seven months of her life, were difficult as she was very sick. However she never complained or showed that she was in pain. Finally in 2007 she passed away and was buried near the Imam. https://www.facebook.com/enlightening.inspirations telegram.me/enlightening.inspiration

In Islamic teachings we find a relationship between fasting and patience. Although apart from all Islamic texts, one can guess such a relationship (because avoiding eating and drinking and other invalidating cases of fasting need patience) yet this issue is clarified in some narrations. As an interpretation of the Almighty God’s statement “Seek help from patience and prayer” [Holy Quran, 2:153] quoted from Imam Sadiq (A.S) what is meant by patience is fasting. (Mir’atul Uqool, v.16, p.201) Yes brothers and sisters! When something hard occurred for you, one way is that you must get help from fasting to solve problems.

This is a true story about the benefit of Ziarayt Ashura and asking Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì and Ahlulbayt (as) for help. The story is about marriage. This is how it starts: Safa is a 22 years old muslim girl living in the west. She recently graduated from University and was completing her internship at a pharmacy located in a Jewish community. She was a young girl with lots of love for ahlulbayt and Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì. She was constantly in self jihad while exposed to the corruption of the world and the materialistic nature of life. The amount of corruption she was seeing at work made her think that marriage was necessary for her protection from any evil. She has never thought of marriage before. She doesn't socialise with the opposite gender. She was having a hard time at work. She would listen to dua Jabrail every morning while driving to work and ask Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì to protect her. She was getting marriage proposals every now and then but her parents reject the proposals and don't speak to her about marriage. Safa was shy to tell her parents that she now wants to get married and they should ask her opinion before refusing a marriage proposal. She was used to asking for her needs from Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì. She made dua to Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì asking him to help her in getting married. "Ya Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì, please help me get married. I feel I need a life partner". After few weeks Safa repeated the dua but this time adding "Ya Allah I don't think I can wait, please I want to get married. If I get engaged now and then break up with the guy, I would not complain. I feel I really need a partner in my life this period of time". Subhanalla in a few days, Safa's parents were approaching her and telling her about marriage proposals and they were asking her opinion! In the month of October, she got 5 marriage proposals and she was confused. Didn't know what to choose. Her parents were happy with the last proposal. He was from a good family, religious and well mannered. His family came from the same village as her parents back in their home country. The parents have arranged for Safa to speak with Ahmad to get to know each other. She couldn't speak to him face to face because he worked in mining in a rural area. He was living miles away from the city that she lived in. Safa wanted to know more about him. They would speak every day over the phone and after few weeks, Safa felt that she was becoming more attached to him. She thanked Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì for the blessing of having someone new in her life. He made her forget her misery at work. Ahmad's parents arranged for him to travel to the city so that he meets Safa and they read the fatiha. Safa still has not decided whether she will go ahead with it. Saying yes to marrying Ahmad means that she will have to live in a rural area where there is little civilisation and she would have to give up her friends and family and career. Although Ahmad's only interest would be talking about his work, PHD and his wealth, Safa loved him. She found him confident while others found him arrogant and rude. She found him busy while others were saying he is a negligent person. A few times he would break her heart and she would call onto Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì please don't let anyone break a heart that contains love for the ahlulbayt (as).... It has now been 4 weeks that they have been talking to each other but he was too busy to come and finalise the engagement... She was feeling heartbroken. Interestingly, Ahmad sent his sister in law who lives in Melbourne to go and ask for Safa’s hand on his behalf. The sister in law visits Safa's house and asks for Safa’s hand in marriage for her own brother! When Ahmad found out he was furious and he said he is coming to Melbourne as soon as he gets the chance. One day, something strange happened. Safa dreamt that she received an email from Ahmad. In the email, he apologised and he will try his best to come to the city as soon as he can. He spoke about how her parents were very educated and he appreciated their co-operation. Safa was very surprised when at night, while talking to Ahmad, he sent her a text message with the same words and sentences that she read in her dream! Not a single word was changed! Subhanalla. Safa and Ahmad continued to talk on the phone and plan their future together. Safa reached a stage were she would be devastated if she doesn't hear from Ahmad for a few hours. She thanked Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì for sending her a partner that she dearly loved and cared about. Safa was finding it strange that she would have dreams about Ahmad texting or emailing her things and these dreams were becoming reality every time. For instance, she dreamt of a text from him and that same day, she received the exact same text she saw in the dream!..... After weeks of waiting, Ahmad messages her: Prince Ahmad is coming, I suggest u take time off work... Safa was so excited to meet him. She couldn't sleep from excitement. Ahmad arrived. He was only staying in the city for 3 days. He called her to arrange appointment with her parents. She told him their availability but she was very offended when he said he was busy and he prefers to come on the weekend. "My dad is at work on Saturday" Safa told him. "Okies, well this is my availability, I will leave it with you guys" Ahmad replied. Safa was furious at how rude and arrogant he was. If he finished his PHD, her parents were specialist doctors! Why is he so snobby! Safa met Ahmad. She loved him. She was very afraid to lose him.They went out for lunch to discuss living arrangements: Ahmad: "I will get you a house in the closest city to the mine I work at and once a week during my days off I will come and visit you". Safa: " So I will move out of my city and live in a foreign city with no family and no friends? And then you will only come to visit me?" Ahmad: "Yeh we will miss each other more that way" Safa: "Even if I say yes, my parents wont accept it. They will be worried if something happened and there is no one there with me eg fire, sickness... " Ahmad: "Okies when you get kids, you wouldn't be living alone. You will be busy with the kids. Maybe your parents will accept me coming to visit you on my days off?" Safa knew he was being unreasonable and selfish but she couldn't help love him so much. Safa had a strange dream. She dreamt that she was in her room studying for her pharmacy exam. Her mobile rings. She reads the text. It was from Ahmad; saying for the past few months, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He loved her and couldn't live without her. Safa sighed and deleted his message. "Whatever!" she thought to herself. Few minutes later, her studying is again disturbed. Her phone rings and it is Ahmad's sister in law. She was begging Safa to go back to Ahmad because he cant live without her. Safa listened to the sister in law and didnt say anything. The dream then shows Ahmad's dad speaking to her dad. He told her dad that Ahmad is very sorry and he regrets everything he has done. Ahmad's father asked Safa's father if it is possible for Safa to marry Ahmad. Her dad said "No". Ahmad's father kept beggining Safa's father but every time her dad will reply: "No". Finally as Ahmad's father was insisting, Safa's father said it was all up to Safa. Ahmad was back in the mine and his mum was calling every day to ask for an answer. His mum spoke to people to call Safa's parents and convince them to say yes. One of the ladies whom Ahmad's mother asked to speak to Safa's mum was a lady that practises black magic in secret (Ahmad's mum did not know). She had one daughter that she wanted to marry away. Safa's dad said he doesn't want to talk about marriage till the 10th of Muharam was over. The 10th of Muharam was only 4 days away. The parents told Safa to think about it and give them an answer when she is ready. Safa was in a dilemma. If a day passes without her hearing Ahmad's voice, she will die. Yet if Ahmad tells her to pack her bags and leave her family and friends behind, she would be reluctant and depressed. On the 10th of Muharram Safa didn't speak to Ahmad. Speaking to him makes her euphoric due to her uncontrollable love for him. Out of respect for Imam Hussein (as) she switched off her phone and didn't speak to him. She went out to a park and read dua jawshan Kabir and dua jabrael (as) and asked Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì to help her make the right decision. She knew that even if it was the right thing to reject Ahmad's proposal she would never have the heart to do it. She can't say no to him. She loved him more than anyone. She had a dream that night that she was in a large beautfiul meadow and she was surrounded by light. She was smiling and dancing and looking at the light in the meadow. It was such a tranquil soul touching dream. When Safa woke up, she heard her mum speaking on the phone to Ahmad's mum. Safa really missed having that relationship with Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì were you think of Him ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì all day. You speak to him. He is your God, family, friend and everything. Since she met Ahmad, her whole life was becoming Ahmad. She wanted to go back to being the old her. WHAT!? She heard her mum say to Ahmad's mum that it was all over?! She finds out that Ahmad's mum was very rude on the phone and she screamed at her mum. She was offended that Safa's father didn't give an answer because he was waiting for the 10th of Muharam. She found it too much for her son to handle the wait. She didn't think that Safa's family had to wait a few months before prince Ahmad came to the city to propose. Hypocrisy. Safa's mum was saying that once that lady became an intermediate between her and Ahma's mum, there were problems and misunderstandings between the two families. Safa didn't comprehend that it was all over. She called Ahmad to understand what happened. Ahmad told her that people were breaking away the relationship and he spoke to his mum about not talking to such people or having them as intermediates. Ahmad: "Safa I have been thinking about our marriage. It doesn't seem right. I can't do it. I can't expect you to sacrifice everything for me. I have this strange feeling. I dunno a feeling I can't describe. I don't think it will work out. Safa you are a girl that ticked all my boxes but there is no naseeb... He said it with such a cold tone that Safa was wondering whether he was human. Whether he had any emotions at all. She was hurt. Hurt very badly. In a few minutes her grandmother who still doesn't know what happened, sent her a chain text about being thankful for Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì putting people in your life. 'Some of these people leave you and are a lesson for you while the good ones stay for you and are a blessing for you'. Subhanalla. Safa was in so much pain that no word can describe it. She would have preferred someone to chop her into pieces than have this heart ache and emotional pain. She stayed in her room staring at the walls. She thanked Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì and thought to herself: Me and my family put respect for imam hussein (as) and I asked him to look after my marriage. What happened now is best for me. Hamdulla. Every now and then Safa would pick up her mobile to message Ahmad and then she would remember that its over. She cried herself to sleep every night. In fact she did not sleep for many nights. She would replay their memories together. She would remember his very painful words: "There is no naseeb" and feel her heart weep blood. There was no life for her without Ahmad. Every time Safa would walk in the streets and see a couple, she would say with a tear rolling down “Ya Allah, please keep them together and don’t let anyone taste the pain I am tasting”. Now that it was over between Safa and Ahmad, Ahmad’s sister in law came again and again to ask for Safa’s hand for her brother! Her parent's thought she was doing very well. Little did they know that she was able to hide her pain very well. Her mum told her that while she was thinking about Safa and Ahmad, this strange lebanese lady came to her in the shopping centre and started telling her about her daughter: "My daughter got engaged and was very happy. He was good guy from our village. All of a sudden he calls and says he doesn't want to get married. But Subhanalla my daughter had a proposal later from a guy from different village but her treats her like a queen. He bought her houses and looks after her. Hamdulla, never think that someone from your own people will be better". Safa has not been having dreams for a while but then she dreamt that her uncle who has not spoken to her in years messaged her on viber. She was astonished when her uncle did message her that very same day with the same text message she dreamt about. Safa was now thinking: If my dreams are coming true, does it mean that the dream about Ahmad and his father begging me to marry Ahmad is going to become reality? She was very hopeful that it will happen and she will see Ahmad again. For the next few months, she would see ayat from the Holy quran as she closes her eyes and this would help calm her tortured soul and allow her to sleep. She read about the importance of astighfar and she decided to do astighfar every time she thought of Ahmad. She knows she ought to do astighfar because Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì has chosen what is best for her. He ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì saved her from living in the desert with a person she knows won’t make a good husband or father figure. Her life would have been hell living with this man alone in the desert. Hamdulla she got saved yet her heart was still pumping with love for Ahmad. Her parents took her and her friends on a holiday for a few days. Yet, all Safa can hear is Ahmad. All she can see is Ahmad. She didn't feel alive anymore. She had a big hole in her heart that nothing will repair. The only way she stayed alive is via worshipping. She would pray and read dua and Quran and then burst crying and ask Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì to help her. She found a website speaking about something she never heard of it. It was about Hadith Qudsi. She read these beautiful ahadith and they comforted her and made her try to back away from life and forget Ahmad. In the hotel, she would wake up before Fajar and sit in her balcony facing the beach and contemplate on life. She read Dua Jawshan kabir and Dua Jabraeil (as) and asked Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì for the rank and love He ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì has for Imam Ali (as) to ease her pain. She went to sleep hoping to have a dream that will comfort her. After Fajar she dreamt that she was walking and an underground staircase appeared for her. She looked at it and out of curiosity she went down some steps till she saw a door at the end of the Staircase. On the door was a picture of Imam Ali (as) and the door was half open. She had a rush of excitement thinking that Imam Ali (as) was very close by! She wanted to run down the stairs and go meet the Imam. It was very dark though and she couldn’t see what was behind the door. She started to look at the stairs that she was walking on. She noticed that every step had writing in Arabic. Each step has a verse from Dua Kumail. As she read the verse, she would move down one step. This continued until she was half way down the stairs leading to the door. Her mum woke her up and Safa couldn’t continue her dream. It was 2am and she was trying to sleep. She was having memories. Memories of her various jobs and the corruption she faced at each place. Memories of her Muslim boss accusing her with no justice. Bad memories were flying from all directions and attacking her brain. The most painful of all- memories of Ahmad and how he walked out of her life… It was the first time that she started screaming as if to take out all these memories out of her life. She was also crying helplessly ‘Ya Allah help me’. She was in too much pain. She remembered the tranquillity she gets when she does astighfar and she started doing it till she slept. She had a dream that she was in a large hall in a castle- looks like Hogwarts and there were strange looking creatures much taller than her dressed in black and others in white. She was looking at them with curiosity. All of a sudden someone dressed in black approaches her and puts his hand on her and spins her as If she was a ball. She begins to have painful memories of Ahmad and starts crying and screaming her soul out. The creature will not go and let her be. She heard a voice tell her to do astghfar so that she is safe. She recites astighfar and BANG the black dressed creature runs away and leaves her alone. Memories of Ahmad then fade. Then there was a change in scenery and Safa sees herself in the dream trembling and looking at floor not daring to look up. She was trembling so much out of fear and respect. She felt she was facing Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì. Subhanalla. When she woke up she could not believe it. The answer to her misery is astighfar. How kind is her Lord that he does not leave his servants suffering. How kind and merciful is the creator such that he gives us a key to take us out of misery. How great is Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì that he comforts us and shows us His ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì concern and love? Now that it has been a few weeks, Safa’s mum was talking to her about marriage. Safa has a new proposal. Although she explained to her mum she does not trust men and would rather not marry, her mum insisted that she gives this man a chance. This marriage did not work out. It was now February 2013- 2 months after she broke off with Ahmad. She decided that she wants to get married in order to forget Ahmad and seal her wounded heart. She would pray to Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì every day to send her a good husband who will love her more than she loves him. A husband that Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì chooses for her. Someone who will make her happy in this life and hereafter. She was feeling empty and feeling she needs someone. Her brother was getting married in September this year and she hoped that she would find Mr. Right before then. She did not want to attend her brother’s wedding with a pained heart. She wrote a letter to Imam Mahdi (as) and asked him to look after her marriage and her desire to get married was growing stronger day after day. She was in self Jihad, protecting her soul and telling herself to be patient. She would sometimes cry from how strong the urges to get married were getting. Yet, she knew she will never upset her Lord ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì and commit a major sin. She will preserve till the end. She knew that if Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì made girlfriend/ boyfriend relationships haram and he created human kind weak with lusts and desires, then he would no doubt help us in getting married so that we don’t fall into haram. Every day she would read dua and ask Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì to help her in getting married. Safa has had few proposals over the past few months but every time it didn't work out. She was beginning to feel hopeless. Maybe it’s me? But for the past few months every time she was feeling hopeless, Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì would give her a dream that foreshadows marriage. She once dreamt she had very unique earrings no one had. Another time she dreamt she was drinking cup of water which means marriage and fertility. Another time she dreamt of her husband dressed in white making tasbih. She also dreamt about a lady giving her beads and telling her to make a masbaha and Safe completed a beautiful masbaha that had the exact 34 beads….. She read on the internet about reading Ziayarat Sayda Zainab (as), praying two rakat and asking for ones needs. In the dua the reader needs to say: “Ya Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì for the love between Imam Hussein and sayda Zainab that moment they said farewell please answer my wishes”. Safa was in tears when she got to this phrase and she did not dare read that verse because to her nothing in the world is comparable to that moment Imam Hussein (as) farewelled Sayda Zainab (as). Her wish is so trivial and unworthy of that moment whatsoever. She went to sleep. In the dream she saw herself in front of this beautiful hazra in a mosque and it was very peaceful. The view in the dream was changing from being close shot to long shot and Safa saw that the beautiful green grass in the mosque yard was growing so fast! When she woke up, she goggled mosques and went through the images. She found a photo of the mosque/ hazra she was at. It was the hazra of Sayda Zainab (as)! Subhanalla. The grass also represents marriage according to dream interpretation. She had another promising proposal that did not work out. Safa wanted to know why all these marriage proposals aren’t working out. She visited Sayd Fatima Zahra (as) and asked her to intercede with Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì to show her why. She dreamt that she was in the sky on the cloud standing next to her father and mother. This young man was standing on the other side speaking to her father. “Uncle, I want to marry….”. Safa was surpised: “Who is this young man asking for my hand?”. The man then contined his sentence: “But Uncle I can not marry your daughter Safa because she is sayda nasah al sabireen (the leader of the ladies of patience”. When Safa heard this in the dream her soul trembled and she woke up…. Subahanalla could she have reached such a rank? Subhanalla It was 2 months away from September and Safa had hope that Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì will find her Mr.Right before he brother’s wedding. She decided to read Ziarayt Ashura for 40 days and ask for her needs. She would ask Imam Hussein (as) every day after Ziarayt Ashura to help her marry someone whom Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì and He (as) will choose for her. She was very hopeful that in 40 days she will be engaged. This calmed her impatient soul down and calmed her lusts and desires. One day she was driving with her friend in the afternoon and she receives an email. It was from Ahmad. “Okies, why is he sending me a picture of the moon that he took with his new camera? GET AWAY AHMAD!” Safa thought to herself and she deleted his email. She heard from her sister that Ahmad called her brother few days ago and told him he is in Sydney and he wants to catch up. It is very strange because Ahmad and her brother were never friends. Her brother told Ahmad that he can not make it because he is busy. He clearly did not want to see Ahmad after everything. 2 days later, Safa gets a text message from Ahmad saying hello and asking how she is. He also told her to come to the lectures in this new mosque. Safa was angry and not interested replying to him. “What the hell does he think he is doing? Showing up 8 months later messaging me and trying to enter my life again. No way! I won’t put myself through that pain anymore.” She told her mum about what is happening. Safa’s mum told Safa how she had a dream that a Sayed entered her bedroom. Was interesting. Her sister in law also had a dream that her and Safa were wearing a white wedding dress together. Safa did not want Ahmad back. He caused her enormous pain. She will never want to see his face yet alone live with him. Ahmad was having people intervening and speaking to Safa’s family in order for them to come back to each other. Subahnalla how Allah's mercy is so great that he hears the cry of the oppressed. In few days time, Safa’s dad asks her for her pharmacies address. She found that request strange but she replied to him while she was at work with the address. In a day or so, her parents told her she has a proposal. It was from a young man who came and saw her in the pharmacy. She spoke to him and sold him a product! Safa remembered this Iraqi lady coming with her son asking what the difference between panadol and nurofen. The truth is that she did not feel compatible with that man from the perspective of physical appearance. He was triple her size, very dark skinned and was shy and quiet. Nevertheless, she decided to give him a go. He was coming over with his family tomorrow afternoon. This was the day she would meet the dude. She was sitting with his mum and sister and they were very nice ladies. They were getting along with her mum and sisters. Safa’s brother knocks on the door and tells her to come to the men’s lounge room because the guy requested to speak to her. She was so shy but she has been through this many times. She walked already knowing how he looks like. She was taken back for a few minutes! This guy was a different one. He was tall, body built and very fair. He started talking and was very confident. They spent hours talking and getting to know each other. Safa asked her dad what he thinks about the guy named kazim and his family and her dad said they seemed like very good and religious people. As soon as Kazim’s dad entered the lounge room and met her dad he said: “This is the son of Fatima Al Zahra (as) asking for your daughter’s hands in marriage”. Kazim was a Sayed- from the progeny of Imam Kazim (as). The parents gave permission for Kazim to speak to Safa over the phone or internet. They spoke to each other every day and they would discuss topics such as religious, social and cultural. Kazim would give Safa a link to a website and then they would speak on the phone and discuss its contents. They even read and discussed topics about Conflict in marriage. Safa found herself compatible with kazim’s thoughts and he was a very sensitive, loving and caring person. Although Safa and her parents have not given a final answer, Kazim’s mum took her shopping and bought her an engagement ring and a white dress. Safa has been going shopping for the past few months looking for a dress for her brother’s wedding. She found a JOVANI one she loved. But she felt it was too expensive. She ended up buying another one for her brother’s wedding. When she went shopping with Kazim’s mum, Kazim’s mum took her to few dress shops because kazim wanted to buy Safa a white dress for the engagement. No shop would have her size in a white dress because the shops only carry few sizes because designer dresses need to be ordered 6 weeks before an event. Subahanalla they step into a shop and it had a white dress in her size. It was not any dress. It was the dress she loved and wanted to get for her brother’s wedding! She bought that dress and thanked Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì for making her happy and giving her way more than she deserves. kazim and his sister were already planning the engagement! He told her on the phone that they have planned for the engagement on Sunday the 11th of August. Safa looked on the calendar and gasped!!! Sunday 11th of August would be day 40 of her Ziayart Ashura!!!!!!!! Subahanalla Did she really need to think about this marriage proposal? Her parent’s were not happy because everything was happening quick and they have not thought about it properly. Safa told her parents about Ziarayt Ashura and how it was clear this was Mr. Right. She convinced her parents to say yes but the engagement was postponed 2 weeks till her parents had enough time to ask about the guy and inform the relatives. Subhanalla now that Safa has been with Kazim for few months, she thanks Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì everyday for such a wonderful husband. Talking about him and how they complete each other would take hundreds of pages. But Subhanalla she ffound it amazing that Kazim was telling her how he went through many marriage proposals and they all didn't work out. He saw a dream of Imam Mahdi (as) telling him that he will choose a girl for him. Subahanalla Also, his grandmother who passed away is a very pious lady. In hospital when she was in her death bed, she dreamt of Aba Fazal ab Abas coming and curing her. When she woke up, she was healthy. She would visit kazim in his dreams and tell him her advise about the girls he was proposing too. She told him not to marry every time he proposed to a girl. She told him to wait for the honest girl. Subhanalla how patience pays off and Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì is the one who is the best planner. He is most compassionate and merciful. Hamdulla Allahma Sali ala Muhammad wa al muhamad.

Salaam Brothers... Brothers I Am of Age 16 and suffering from high pain and sadness WS and trying yo do Save (Patience) but feeling Difficulties Shaitan is coming on my mind every moment a giving pain and getting headache so I request you to help me by posting different hadiths and sayings This is the Second Biggest pain of My Life.. Thanks To All... May Allah swt gives Knowledge, patience, etc to all Momins Aamin...

Salam Alikum everyone, I was wondering whether there is any good islamic books/ lectures that will help in positive thinking. Whenever I face a trial (employment problems or breaking up with fiancé) I go into depression. I know everything happens for a reason and its for the best. Not only do I know it but I have seen it with my own eyes and experienced it numerous times. After the hardship I have always got something much better than what I had. I keep the management of my affairs with Allah (swt) and it gives me peace of mind. Yet, I can not stop thinking about what happened and feeling upset and depressed. I know that what comes in the future will be better than what I lost inshalla but I continue to be heart broken. Maybe because I am a very impulsive person and too emotional. I always have a negative state of mind and freak out. Is it lack of faith? I have has so many trials that taught me patience and yet I still get unbearably emotional and negative. How do I become patient in the sense that anything I face will not affect me? Being quiet about it and not complaining is not called patience right?

QUR'AN: and give good news to the patient ones who, when a misfortunate befalls them, say: "Surely we are Allah's and to Him we shall surely return." Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those are the followers of the right course: The patient ones are mentioned in these verses so that Allah may give them good news to begin with, and then may teach them the way of good patience, and thirdly, may explain to them why patience is essential it is because Allah owns the man and fourthly, may declare what is its overall recompense, that is, blessing, mercy and being guided aright. Allah first told His Prophet to give them good news; but did not disclose what was that good news about. This was to show the greatness of the subject matter it is from Allah, therefore, it must be about something specially good, great and beautiful. Moreover, it is something which Allah, Himself has guaranteed. Thereafter, He said that the patient ones are those who say these words when misfortune befalls them. "al-Musibah" (translated here as misfortune) is any happening that occurs to a man; but it is always used for a distressing happening. "Who... say: 'Surely we are Allah's...'": The word "say" as used here does not mean mere utterance of the sentence without keeping its meaning in mind. Even understanding its meaning is not sufficient, unless one penetrates to the depth of its reality. And that is that man is owned by Allah in real ownership and that he is surely to return to Allah his Master. If this feeling takes deep root in his heart, the man will observe the highest degree of patience; sorrow, fear and anguish will be totally eradicated, and the rust of heedlessness will be removed from the heart. How? Man and all his faculties, actions and other concomitants of existence, are there because of Allah He is his Creator and Originator. Man exists because of Allah, and is dependent on Him in all his affairs and conditions. He does not have any existence, or continuity independent of Allah. The Master has the right to manage His slave's affairs in any way He likes; the slave has authority whatsoever in his own affairs, because he has has no authority no independence at all. Allah, owns him; He is the real Owner of man's existence, faculties and actions. Then Allah allowed man to ascribe his "self" to himself as a property is ascribed to its owner. That is why it is said that "man has existence." In the same way, He permitted him to ascribe his faculties and actions to himself. Accordingly, it is said that "man has faculties like hearing and sight", or "he does some actions like: walking, speaking, eating and hearing." Without the Divine permission neither man nor anything else could own any such ascription or attribution, because nothing exists without the Divine permission, or independent of Allah's will. Allah has also informed us that ultimately all things will revert to their original status the state before Allah allowed them to be attributed to one or the other creature and then no ownership will remain there except that of Allah, as He says: To whom belongs the kingdom this day? To Allah the One, the Subduer (of all) (40:16). It shows that man together with all that "belongs" to him or is with him is to return to Allah. In short, there is a "real" ownership; it is reserved for Allah nobody be he a man or something else shares it with Him. And there is an "apparent" ownership, for example, man "owns" his own "self " as well as his children and properties etc. But the real ownership is of Allah, and man owns them in form and appearance only and that also because Allah has allowed such attribution. Thus, when man remembers the reality of Divine ownership, and then looks at his own "self", he knows that he is wholly and totally owned by Allah, Then, he realizes that his "apparent" ownership of his "self" as well as of his children and properties, etc. will soon cease to exist, will become null and void; it will return to his Lord. Then, he will understand that ultimately he owns nothing, either in reality or in appearance. In this background, there is no reason why he should grieve if he is afflicted with some misfortune. One may be affected only by something which one owns feeling happiness when it is found or sorrow if it is lost But when he believes that he owns nothing, he shall not be affected by finding it or losing it. How can he be afflicted by any loss when he believes that Allah is the real Owner of everything and He may manage His property in any way He likes?

(bismillah) (salam) Here's a very short post to replenish our patience. http://unveilingthelight.blogspot.ca/ Enjoy :) (salam)

Salams everyone, I promised to share this story. Being a final year uni student, I am obliged to arrange my own internship position after graduation. For 6 months I have been going in person to every single pharmacy in every single suburb and asking for an internship. Yup, you can imagine the frustration! It was during this time were I realised that racism was a big issue here and the hijab isnt very welcome everywhere. I always told myself not to despair, although I couldnt help feeling depressed and the only thing on my mind was internship. To the extent that I was emotionally blinded. Even when my relative passed away, I did not feel the sorrow I would have felt if i was emotionally alive. It wasnt till one day where I get a phone call from someone called Ali that my depression went away. He was my first boss and the worst one i worked with. Subhanalla, he had a long beard, wore the muslim dress and never worked on friday. Yet, he stripped his employees of their rights. He went to hajj knowing that he underpaid me for my shift! He paid everyone cheap and made 150% use of them. He makes his staff work like a robot non-stop for such a cheap price. The only reason I put up with him is because he offered me an internship once I finish university. I hated his stingeness and manipulative nature as well as lack of courtesy. One day I was very upset from him and on the way back home to vent my anger I started writing SMS on my iphone. I never meant to send it to him. I was simultaneously listening to dua kumail and made duaa for Allah (swt) to help me. All of a sudden, I look at the iphone screen to realise that I sent my boss the SMS rather than deleting it!!! I pretty much told him how his job sucks and that I quit! OMG i went insane and did not know what to do. A few minutes ago I had an internship and a job and now I had nothing. I was back to being unemployed :( I lost my sanity and the only thing that kept me going was salatul layl and duaa to our 12th imam. Every day after salatul layl I will make duaa that I want my job back. To extent that this is the only thing I wanted in life. Reason being I have been job hunting every day since I quit, going from place to place and being rejected by everyone. I kept crying to get that job back. I then had a dream that my boss was talking to me and hiring me back. Subhanlla, I did not want to go to my friends engagement the following day but I forced myself. At 9pm that day (7 days after the incident of quitting) I get a phone call from Ali and he negotiates everything and pretty much hires me back!!!! Although I had an internship, it was a dodgy one and I knew that I will be trained to be a [Edited Out]py pharmacist if i stayed with him.. not to mention that he was still taking advantage of me. I found a part time job in another pharmacy and I took it with the hope that they offer me an internship. He was an egyptian christian who refused to pay me anything less than average and was extremely fair and generous person. I always had in mind that I will do my internship with him. We got along very well and I was favoured compared to all other staff. Towards the end of teh year,i directly asked him whether I have an internship he told me that he wont be able to offer me internship position for next year 2012 but he can offer me an assistant position! I was shocked! Yet unlike last time, i remained calm and remembered the quranic verse about saying ina lilah wa ana ilahi rajoun whenever something strikes. I kept saying it and that calmed me down further. In the next following month, internship positions were posted and everyone was applying. I got around 9 interviews but did not get any offer. One day I felt down. MAybe its not racism but I am not competent enough. Then subhanalla i recieve an email from an employer telling me that I made it to the top 3 candidates and that unfortunately he is no longer able to hire anyone but I performed exceptionally well. That put my self esteem up again. All my friends were recieving offers and I felt that I was punished for pushing working with Ali so much. I should have left my employment to Allah (swt) instead of begging and crying to get job back with Ali. Now i was stuck with Ali and its worst job on earth. Everytime somone gets a job from my collegues, I feel happy for them but start hitting depression. It wasnt till one day i realised that me spending my life thinking of internship wil not help and that at the end of the day, it was up to Allah ÓÈÍÇäå æÊÚÇáì. i tried really hard to stop thinking about it and to try and enjoy life again. I kept telling myself that Allah (swt) knows which job is best for me. Days passed and i was waiting for phone calls. Weeks passed and by now there were no more internship advertisements. the end of the year came and my collegues were already starting their internship. Ali was no longer interested in hiring me and he went overseas. At this stage, it no longer mattered to me whether i had a job or no. I will just stay home and keep myself busy with volunteer work at islamic centres etc i convinced myself. One day, I sincerely asked Allah (swt) after prayer to give me an internship. I knew that Allah (swt) will give me the rewards for the 8 months of trials and patience. Unexpectedly, I get an SMS as I was driving to the airport from a girl that used to go to my university. I probably spoke to her once in my life and was only superficial talk like: hi, bye... She asked me if i wanted an internship. How did she get my mobile? At the airport I also unexpectedly bumped into my friend who was boarding the plane in few min and she told me about a girl who called her and asked her specifically for my mobile! Subhanala how she was able to get my mobile before the girl boarded the plane and she contacted me and arranged everything. The job that i have now= I have never dreamt of getting! That girl who called me did not even remember the day were I bumped and spoke to her at uni! How did she remember me? How did she know my name? How did she know how to reach me? Allah Aeliam... Subhanalla al karim. The end :P