Plant the seeds of success in this world But what grows is only in Allah’s control.

You are only responsible for planting that seed plant the seeds of success in this world But what grows is only in Allah’s control. 

Source of the article : http://islamicrays.tumblr.com/post/183650815262/the-messenger-of-allah-peace-and-blessings-be

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “If the Hour were established upon one of you while he has in his hand a sapling, then let him plant it.”

The world can be a scary, dark place sometimes. You might feel like people are out to get you because of who you are, or that people willfully misunderstand you because of the tone of your skin, your features, or what you wear on your head.

You will be afraid sometimes. In these moments of fear and doubt, you’ll wonder if it’s worth it to keep going. You’ll wonder if it’s worth it to dream, to plan, to capitalize on your potential. You’ll wonder if bending yourself toward the light is a futile endeavour.

And then a day will come and you’ll find yourself holding seeds of promise in your palms and wondering – should I plant these? Is there any point?

Plant them. Gently place them on the earth, cover them with the soil they need to grow, water them, and let the sun tug at them until they crack open and shoot out of the ground to reach toward the sky.

Plant them, even if the darkness tells you “there’s no hope, they’ll never grow.”

When you’ve planted your seeds, you might become impatient. You might visit the patch of earth daily, sprinkling it with water and waiting. But try as you may, you can’t coax the little seed to crack open and grow. You are not in control.

When we plant the seeds of success in this world, we always want to see the fruit of our labour right away. But what grows is only in Allah’s control. When He says, “Be,” then it is.

You are only responsible for planting that seed: a good word, a smile, a dollar in the donation box, a helping hand to someone in need. Plant them, liberally. Make it your life’s goal to be the farmer of good deeds.

But instead of standing around and waiting for them to grow, walk forward and keep planting. When you’re leaving a trail of planted good deeds, don’t look back expecting payment in return for what you’ve done.

You will only fully understand what your seeds have grown into on the day when you’re standing in front of your Lord, reading your book of deeds.

I pray that day, we will all be owners of groves that extend far beyond what the eye can see.

Asma Hussein

How I Turned a Facebook Group Into a Thriving Startup

Source : https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/328476

Michael Kiel

GUEST WRITER

Founder and Captain, Boat Planet

February 19, 2019 7 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

This past summer, Facebook announced that it was removing more than 5,000 ad-targeting settings from its platform in response to accusations that those options enabled discriminatory behavior by advertisers. While that may have been beneficial to users, it makes it much harder for businesses to reach the right audiences with their ads.

In addition, Facebook posts don’t have the organic reach they once did. In fact, according to research from Social@Ogilvy, Facebook business pages with more than 500,000 fans see an organic reach of just 2 percent. As Facebook continues to change the algorithm behind its news feed to make the platform more about connecting people and less about displaying posts from businesses, you're going to find it harder -- and more expensive -- to reach your audience with Facebook ads.

And yet you have to try: While some brands may use these changes as an excuse to start advertising elsewhere, what you must keep in mind is that Facebook is still the third most popular website in the world, trailing only Google and YouTube. So, if you’re an entrepreneur, that means your customers are very likely using Facebook. And if you want to attract their attention, you need to be hanging out where they are.

What’s the solution, then, for businesses looking to build their brand on social media without draining their bank account? Answer: Create a Facebook group. Just the way I did.

Finding your audience

After I sold my internet marketing agency almost two years ago, I recognized the opportunity I finally had to pursue a startup in an industry I’d always been passionate about. What I didn’t know was what problem I wanted to solve. So I set out to create a Facebook group for boat owners who love boating at the No. 1 recreational lake in the country, Lake of the Ozarks (LOTO). 

Both the purpose and name of the group would be simple: It would be a community where like-minded boaters could ask questions, share tips, show off their boats and find help if needed. I named the group LOTO Boaters.

I started by inviting several of my boating friends. Soon, the group grew to include a couple of hundred members, most of whom I recognized from seeing them out on the water.

But then something crazy happened. The power of Facebook groups lies in the ability of every member of the group to invite friends they think would also enjoy it. Once we had a couple of hundred members, it didn’t take long to reach a couple of thousand. Within a year, the group had 25,000 passionate boaters, marine professionals and local experts.

Then a pattern emerged: After a few months, I noticed a recurring discussion being posted several times a day. Boaters were asking for recommendations on whom to trust to work on their boats, docks and boat lifts. Most boaters know that maintaining and upgrading a boat is a time-consuming and often expensive process. If they’re paying good money for these services, they want to be able to trust the professionals doing the work.

I also realized that these professionals were just like any other entrepreneur. They were looking to gain customers’ trust and earn their business. Advertising platforms for marine professionals were pretty limited -- most businesses relied on local magazines, radio ads or billboards to showcase their services.

Bingo! I had discovered a problem in the boating industry. I then set out to fix it by building a means for connecting boaters with trusted marine professionals; and Boat Planet was born. If you’re an entrepreneur looking to build your own online community on Facebook, keep these tips in mind:

1. Provide value. (Seriously.)

This piece of advice gets thrown around a lot these days, but it’s especially applicable here. The fastest way to grow an online community is to provide valuable information to group members. The Vitamin Shoppe is an example of a brand that’s doing a great job of this. The company has started half a dozen or so groups around niche topics related to the health and wellness industry, and it uses these groups to serve tailored content to its audience.

Related: How to Drill Down Into Your Buyer Personas to Create Hyper-Targeted Content

Hopefully, you have some sort of expertise in the industry you are passionate about. Be ready to help new members looking for wisdom or advice. If they ask questions in the group, jump in and answer them -- or at least point them to a resource that can help. Don’t try to sell here. The goal is to become a trusted source in your industry where people go to find information and answers to their questions.

2. Give more than you take.

Facebook is already full of ads, which is why people are spending less time on the platform in the first place. In fact, the average amount of time users spend on the site is 35 minutes per day, down from 40 minutes three years ago, according to Sprout Social.

An easy way to turn off group members is to promote your company relentlessly. Remember, you want to provide value to your members, and throwing disruptive ads in their face is not the way to do that.

Related: Four Ways To Give Your Customers Value

Similarly, be ready to dedicate significant time to your group. It’s very time-consuming to moderate a Facebook group of tens of thousands of people, and it’s especially difficult if you’re trying to launch a startup at the same time. Make sure you have a trusted team of moderators so you can focus on the big picture without getting bogged down with the details.

3. Seek feedback and build relationships.

Ask group members what they think about your idea before you spend your life savings developing it. You can do this by posting questions asking whether your idea would solve a problem or meet a need. If your group isn’t excited about your idea, chances are good that others will be similarly apathetic.

At the same time, build relationships with your group members. I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to meet local business leaders and fellow boaters as a direct result of my group, and that's helped grow the Facebook group as well as my business. When you get to know your customer base and regularly receive their feedback, you'll find it easier to discover how you could better meet their needs and solve their problems.

Social media can help entrepreneurs take their startups to the next level, but traditional social media marketing tactics can be expensive and futile. Sometimes, the best way to see results is to get creative in the way you reach your customers by taking advantage of Facebook groups.

Not only can you grow your business without the high costs, you can also reach your ideal audience and provide more value than ever before.

la ilaha il la'llah--- "There is no Allah but Allah”

 la ilaha il la'llah--- "There is no Allah but Allah”

la ilaha il la'llah (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah), and Muhammadur rasul Allah (Muhammad is the messenger of Allah)

One must always believe that the true and ultimate power is Allah (swt) alone. He controls as He wills. Thus trust must be put in Him and not in the means that He created (Emaan..Faith)

Someone asked Hassan Al Basri: "What is the secret of your piety?"

He replied, "I have understood 4 things:

1. My rizq can't be taken by anyone, so my heart is contended.

2. No one can do my good deeds, so I started doing them myself.

3. Allah Ta'ala is watching me, so I felt shame in doing wrong.(Taqwa..fear of Allah)

4. Death is waiting for me, so I started to prepare for my meeting with Allah Ta'ala. "

Allah knows best. May Allah guide us all.

One must always believe that the true and ultimate protector is Allah (swt) alone.

Our Hardwork,  Ruqyah and medications are means that He created and He controls as He wills. Thus trust must be put in Him and not in the means that He created. Allah (swt) commands His Messenger (saw): So seek refuge with Allah (only); verily, it is He who is all-Hearer, all-Seer. (Al Ghafir 40:56).

But, dont think that you don’t need modern medicine. Definitely, use all the means at your disposal. And after doing everything possible put  your trust in Allah.

Perform the Ruqyah, also Utilize the benefits of modern medicine.And put your trust in Allah that He will give you the best outcome.

What is Ruqyah?
The meaning most relevant to us when asking the question what is Ruqyah, is that Ruqyah is when a person recites part of the Qur’an such as Al-Fatihah or makes supplication using words transmitted from the authentic Hadith of the Prophet (saw) Ref. Fath-ul-Majid]
There are some important conditions that must be satisfied in a ruqyah to make it permissible. They were summarized by Ibn Hajar (AR):

"There is a consensus among the ‘ulama that Ruqyah are permissible when they satisfy three conditions:

1 – To be with Allah’s words or His names and attributes
2 – To be in Arabic or of an intelligible meaning
3 – And to believe that they do not have effect by themselves but by Allah (swt)." Fath ul Bari 10/240

In what follows, we discuss each of these conditions:

1. Must Be with Allah’s Words, Names, or Attributes
As we will see below, all forms of Ruqyah reported in the Sunnah satisfy this condition. They either consist of specific portions of the Qur’an, such as al-Fatiha or Ayat ul-Kursiy, or contain a praise of Allah (swt) and an invocation of His help and protection.

2. Must Be with Clearly Understood Words This is an important condition that must be satisfied in order to eliminate any magic factors from the ruqyah.

3. Believing That the True Benefit Is from Allah (swt)

Excessive arguing and disputing

When the intent to correct someone goes too far and is overtaken by the desire to be right, one walks into the realm of argumentation and dispute. That in turn is a weakness of faith. The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No people will go astray after having being guided except that they become argumentative.” (Reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, 5/252; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5633).

Arguing with no proof and for no good reason leads one far away from the straight path, and most people enter into futile arguments without knowledge or guidance or reference to the Qur'an. Futile arguments should be avoided as the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I guarantee a house in the outskirts of Paradise to the one who forsakes argument even when he is in the right.” (Reported by Abu Dawood, 5/150; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1464).

Where arguments happen, calm yourself down first. Then try to come to common terms. Then try to tackle what it was that led to the argument slowly and carefully and try to unrest and each other's point of view. Except that everyone has a different opinion and outlook in life. Try to compromise. Listen to what the others say and try to accept what they say without any further conflict. Agree to disagree. Move on!

The Pervasive Effects of Humility

Source : https://hadithoftheday.com/the-pervasive-effects-of-humility/

By LOBNA MULLA 

“A spoonful of humility a day, keeps the ego away.”  Well, it’s not the original saying, but it sends a clear message.  Truly realizing the benefits of being humble can assist us in achieving success not only in this life, but also in the hereafter.

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, to be humble is to not be proud, arrogant, or assertive.  In Arabic, tawaada (humility) literally means to lower one’s self or to submit.  Taking these definitions together and adding the characteristic of humility as relayed in Qur’anic verses and Prophetic examples, we begin to have a richer understanding of its importance and practical applications.

Three Degrees of Humility

Humility can be understood in relation to three important entities:

1) Humility before Allah – Exalted is He.

2) Humility in relation to the deen (religion).

3) Humility with Allah’s creation.

When analyzed in terms of these relations, we can begin to implement the characteristic of humility in all aspects of our lives: in our worship, in our understanding and attitude towards our deen, and in our interactions with Allah’s creation (such as people, animals and the earth).

Humility with Allah – Exalted is He

When we are humble in front of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), we understand that He is our Creator, the One who supplies all of our sustenance with no might or effort from His creation.  It is only when we submit ourselves to the Might and Glory of Allah that we are able to understand how to be humble.  This cyclical process helps us to perpetuate the feeling of humility.

Ponder for a moment the blessings in your life: family, guidance from Allah, wealth, talents, health, etc.  If one is disillusioned by his own personal efforts made towards attaining any of his blessings, how can he attain humility before Allah? Take for example one who is wealthy.  He may attribute his hard work in school, his long hours at the start of his business, and his proficient networking skills to his success.  Yet, he forgot that Allah (swt) gave him the opportunity to attend a good school, facilitated for him the ability to study, gave his family patience while he was busy with his business, and finally bestowed him with the gift of persuasive communication.

And what if that same businessman refused to give zakat (alms tax) because he felt that others should work as hard as he did so that they wouldn’t need zakat? Regardless of our level of wealth, we must remember the saying of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as narrated by Abu Hurairah: “Wealth does not decrease due to charity, and Allah increases His slave in honor when he forgives others.  And no one humbles himself before Allah but Allah will raise him in status.”

This act of humility in front of our Creator necessitates our complete submission to Him.  To follow His commandments and avoid His prohibitions requires us to understand our lower position of weakness and helplessness in relation to our Lord.

Humility in Relation to the Deen

Fully appreciating and understanding our deen (way of life), obliges us to be humble.  When we come across a commandment of Allah, Qur’anic verse, or valid saying of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that we do not understand, we should be conscientious of our reactions.  Let us replace thoughts of, “Well, that doesn’t make sense,” with “I wonder what this means.”  We are encouraged  to question so as to understand our religion, not to negate every aspect of our deen that does not align with our whims.  We should also be wary of those who come up with their own interpretation of the Qur’an with no reference to its context or without any scholarly research to say, “This is what this ayah (verse) means to me.”  To do so would be to follow the zaygh (perversion in our heart), as mentioned in the following ayat:

He is the One Who has revealed to you the Book. Some of its verses are decisive – they are the foundation of the Book – while others are allegorical. Those whose hearts are infected with perversion follow the allegorical part to mislead others and to give it their own interpretation, seeking for its hidden meanings, but no one knows its hidden meanings except Allah. Those who are well grounded in knowledge say: “We believe in it; it is all from our Lord.” None will take heed except the people of understanding.(Qur’an 3:7)

Remember what Moses said to his people: “O my people! Why do you vex me while you know that I am the apostle of Allah sent to you?” Then when they adopted perverseness, Allah let their hearts be perverted. Allah does not guide those who are transgressors.” (Qur’an 61:5)

Humility in understanding the deen compels us to see a gap in our understanding when we approach a matter we are not “comfortable” with, as opposed to a fault in the way of life as Allah (swt) has prescribed for us.

Humility with Allah’s Creation

Applying the principle of humility with Allah’s creation would have profound effects on the way the world operated if we all adopted this characteristic.  Imagine if we did not judge others, we felt compassion towards humanity, and we helped all of those around us (our parents, spouses, children, community, etc).  We could achieve these admirable feats if we were to contemplate and exhibit humility.  Not only would we treat others with respect, but we would also treat animals kindly and give them their due rights whether they are a work animal, a stray, or a pet.  Furthermore, if we humbled ourself and understood that this world does not belong to us, then we would be more conscientious about water conservation, recycling, and pollution reduction efforts.

Unfortunately, the tendency to develop the very opposite characteristic, arrogance, occurs for many reasons.  Perhaps we are more beautiful, intelligent, or have some position of power or authority, for example.  If we were to reflect on the first type of humility with Allah (swt), we would remember that these gifts are only possible by the Mercy of The Creator.  Imagine one who has studied Islam and has received many certifications and degrees in the field.  When she sees others, does she look down on them since they do not possess the same level of knowledge in that area? Or does she instead, look to her own faults and sees others for the qualities they possess that are greater than hers?  Allah tells us to take the second course of action:

And do not turn your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah does not like any arrogant boaster.(Qur’an 31:18)

We are also reminded in the Qur’an that what Allah cares for most, above social status, power, beauty, or wealth, is taqwa (God-consciousness):

Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. (Qur’an 49:13)

We should reflect on our inner thoughts and align them with teachings of humility in Islam so that we may be successful in the eyes of Allah (swt). May Allah make us humble and may He be pleased with us.  Ameen.

Original source: http://www.suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/character/the-pervasive-effects-of-humility/

taqwa - al-Muttaqun

Make an effort to read the definition of *Taqwa* that follows... so we can judge for ourselves where we stand. Apparently all the promises of success are for those who possess taqwa - al-Muttaqun.

ان للمتقین مفازا۔ ۔ ۔ (سورة النبا)

*Taqwa* is not only in our manners..

*Taqwa* is not about looking islamic...

*Taqwa* is not about sporting a beard or wearing a Hijab...

*Taqwa* is not merely appearance...

*BUT*

*Taqwa* is when you miss a single prayer, you feel uneasy the whole day...

*Taqwa* is when you speak a lie , your instinct feels bad...

*Taqwa* is the guilt that follows when you hurt someone knowingly or unknowingly...

*Taqwa* is the shame and regret that follows a sin you did knowing fully well about it's stand in the sight of *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل*

*Taqwa* is when you cannot sleep the whole night after disobeying or disrespecting your parents...

*Taqwa* is to cry in the depths of night fearing none but the One above the Arsh.

*Taqwa* is the fear that refrains us from sinning even when we are alone and nobody is looking...

*Taqwa* is the guts and the will to please *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل*, even when the whole world is hell bent on displeasing Him...

*Taqwa* is to wear that beard and Hijab for the sole reason of pleasing Our Rabb and to keep it as per sunnah....

*Taqwa* is to stay happy and smiling even after knowing this world is a prison for believers...

*Taqwa* is the good manners and character that loving and fearing *ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل* brings in us...

*Taqwa* is the struggle to better yourself according to Islam with each passing day...

*Taqwa* is not only about rising in deen, it is more about falling but again rising up and never letting go...

*Taqwa IS ALL ABOUT WHAT LIES IN THE HEART*

التقوی ھھنا۔ ۔ ۔

And the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ و سلم pointed to his chest.

If this heart is filled with true *Taqwa,* then actions automatically follow...And the sweetness of these actions is so much better.

*May ﷲ͜عَزَّوَجَــــل make us of the al-mutaqeen.*

̶ آمـــــين يَارَبَّ الْعَــــالَمِينْ

TRUE SCHOLAR

Source of the article  https://news360.com/article/485554704

https://muslimvillage.com/2019/01/21/120698/12-signs-true-scholar/

Jan 21, 2019 | Filed under: Featured, Islam, Spirituality, What is Islam? | Posted By MV Media

By: Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhalawi (translated by M. Tayyab Bakhsh Badayuni with editing by Ismaeel Nakhuda)

Source: Deoband.org

Hatim al-Asam (may Allah have mercy on him) was a renowned saint and favourite pupil of Shaqiq al-Balkhi (may Allah have mercy on him). Once the shaykh asked him, “Hatim, how long have you been here in my company?” He replied, “Thirty-three years.” The shaykhsaid, “What did you learn during these years from me?” Hatim (may Allah have mercy on him) replied, “I have learnt eight issues.” At this, Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) out of sheer disappointment recited, “We are surely Allah’s and we shall surely return unto him.”

He said regretfully, “You learnt only eight lessons during these long years of association with me? I have wasted all my life in associating with you.” Hatim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “I have learnt only eight lessons — I cannot lie to you”. The shaykh said, “Tell me, what are those eight lessons?” Hatim (may Allah have mercy on him) answered:

1] “I have found that everybody loves someone or something (wife, children, property, friends, etc.), but I know that as soon as he is laid in the grave, the loved-ones part company with him. Consequently, I have cultivated love for good deeds so that when I do pass into the grave my loved ones accompany me and after death I am not alone.” Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “You have done well.”

2] “I have read in the Holy Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘Whereas for the one who feared to stand before his Lord, and restrained his self from the (evil) desire, Paradise will be the abode.’ (Al-Nazi’at: 40-41)

“I know that whatever Allah Most High says is true. Therefore, I have restrained myself from worldly desires until I became steadfast in devotion to Him.

3] “I saw in the world that those things which are dearest and precious to men are preserved with great care and protected with diligence.

“Then I read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘What is with you shall perish and what is with Allah shall last.’ (Al-Nahl: 96)

“Accordingly, whenever I came by something which was of great value to me, or which I prized above other things, I consigned it to the custody of Allah (spent it for the cause of Allah Most High), so that it should be preserved forever.

4] “I have observed that (for honour and glory) some men turn to wealth, some to nobility of parentage and others to other things of pride. That is, they take pride in wealth, high parentage etc., and assert their superiority over others.

“But I have read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘Surely the noblest of you, in Allah’s sight, is the one who is most pious of you.’(Al-Hujarat: 13)

“I have therefore cultivated piety in myself, so that I should become the noblest of men in the sight of Allah Most High.

5] “I have noticed that people upbraid others, revile them or find fault with them. This is all out of jealousy in that one is jealous of the other.

“Then, I read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘We have allocated among them their livelihood in the worldly life, and have raised some of them over others in ranks, so that some of them may put some others to work.’ (Al-Zukhruf: 32) (That is, if all men were alike and equal in rank, no one would work for others or serve anybody and, consequently, there would be disorder and chaos in the affairs of the world.)

“Therefore, I have restrained myself from jealousy and ceased to concern myself with other people’s affairs. I know for certain that the distribution of livelihood is entirely in the hands of Allah Most High and He grants as much as He pleases to whomsoever He likes. I therefore ceased to harbour enmity against anyone, realising that a man’s personal effort has little to do with his prosperity or adversity. It has rather been foreordained by Allah Most High Who is the Sovereign Lord of the worlds. So, I do not feel angry with anyone.

6] “I have observed that nearly everyone in this world is hostile to someone or the other. Having paid attention, I noticed that Allah Most High says in the Qur’an: ‘Surely Satan is an enemy for you. So, take him as an enemy. He only invites his group (to falsehood) so that they become inmates of the blazing fire.’ (Al-Fatir: 6)

“So, I have directed all my hostilities against Satan alone and I try to keep away from him by all possible means. Since Allah Most High has commanded us to treat him as an enemy, I bear no enmity against anyone save Satan.

7] “I have observed that all people are struggling hard to seek livelihood, so much so that they disgrace or abase themselves before others and adopt unlawful means for procuring their daily bread.

“But I have read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘There is no creature on earth whose sustenance is not undertaken by Allah.’(Hud: 6)

“Considering that I am also one of the creatures that move on earth whose sustenance depends upon Allah Most High, I occupied myself with paying what I owe to Allah Most High and ceased to worry about what Allah Most High has taken the responsibility to provide.

8] “I have observed that all men have faith upon and put their trust in things which have themselves been created by Allah Most High.Some have faith in their estates or businesses, others in their own craftsmanship, and there are still others who trust their health and strength. In short, all people have put their trust in things that are created like themselves.

“I have read in the Qur’an that Allah Most High says: ‘And whoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him.’ (Al-Talaq: 3)

“I have, therefore, put my trust and faith in Him alone.”

Shaqiq (may Allah have mercy on him) thereupon said, “Hatim, may Allah bless you with tawfiq(divine aid for performance for good deeds). I have seen the teachings of the Torah, the Injil, the Zabur and the Holy Qur’an, and I believe that these eight moral lessons form a gist of all that is really good and beneficial for man. Therefore, anyone acting upon these precepts will be deemed to have practised the learning contained in all of the four scriptures revealed by Allah Most High.”

Such learning can only be attained by those ‘ulama who are really concerned about the hereafter (‘ulama al-akhirah). These truths lie too deep for those (so-called) ‘ulama who are ambitious for material wealth and who hanker after worldly honour and recognition.