Blogs for New Muslims – Islamic Education Blogs

I see it in my children, when the beginning of Ramadan starts.

 

The food stash, otherwise known as hoarding.

 

During the day, they see something that they want to eat, and then they take a little.  Then they hide it for themselves for later, when they break their fast.

 

Typical. Natural, even. Encouraging yourself to keep going, so you can have that tasty treat you saved for yourself.

 

Chances are the treat is not a healthy, nutritious thing. It’s junk. But our eyes want it, and our stomachs agree, at least at first.

 

During Ramadan, however, you have precious few meals, and those have to last. They have to be good, and wholesome, and beneficial.

 

God gave you food and drink that was meant to nourish you.

 

Here are some other things that fasting can teach you. May God bless you with learning these things as you fast this month:

 

Shunning Waste

 

You don’t really appreciate the taste of water until you’ve tasted water after a whole day. That water-date combination can feel like the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten, when you’ve been fasting.

 

One time all I had to break my fast was a bit of watered-down pop left over in a paper cup. What I probably would have thrown away any other time, I cherished and made sure to sip every drop!

 

So to waste food in a month when we are not eating most of the time should really turn our stomachs. Leftovers are great for the early morning meal, and extra food at dinner can be brought to a neighbor to share with!

 

Clean your plate when you are finished eating. In a report from the Messenger, he commanded the licking of fingers and the cleaning of the dish, saying, “You do not know in which portion the blessing lies.”

 

Ramadan fasting teaches us about avoiding waste. We get a better understanding of how real hunger feels, and can appreciate what the truly poor go through on a daily basis. It makes us treasure the food we have.

 

Sharing the Good

 

You know the saying ‘sharing means caring’? Ramadan can bring about a sincere care for our fellow humans through sharing food.

 

We might not know it, but a neighbor of ours could go hungry each month. Perhaps someone in our neighborhood could use some food. We share with our neighbors, and perhaps invite them to eat with us, out of care for our fellow human beings.

 

Feeling the pain of hunger  makes us want to try to make sure that the pangs of hunger we feel are not felt by anyone. We donate money and food to those less fortunate because of that feeling.

 

We are blessed with more than enough, and Ramadan motivates us to share what we have with others. Invite others to eat with you, too:

 

‘O Messenger of God, we eat but are not satiated.’ The Messenger of God said: ‘Perhaps you eat separately?’ They replied that they did. He said: ‘Eat your food together and say Bismillah before you start, that will bring blessings into your food.”

 

Quality vs Quantity

 

As the month progresses and we are more and more aware of our bodies and what they need, we see ourselves making better and better food choices.

 

We follow the advice of others.  But we also get to know what foods are going to help us with our fasting: healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and plain old water.

 

Our bodies have such a small amount of time each night to absorb those nutrients in our food, so we choose better things to eat. It helps us with our fasting, and it helps us be strong after we break our fast, so that we can stand and offer more devotions in the night.

 

Self-Restraint

 

It’s a funny mental exercise that we have to do daily when we fast.  We have to program ourselves that over-eating will NOT help us the next day, as if we were camels filling up on water before a desert trek.

 

That food and drink make us slow, and sluggish and bad-tempered.

 

As the month progresses we realize that that a full belly is not our friend.  If we stretch our stomachs’ capacity in one night, the next day becomes so much more difficult to fast!

 

When we choose smaller, more valuable meals, then we continue to train our body and have mercy on our digestive systems. We have mercy on ourselves by training our body, giving it nourishing food, and letting our digestive system have a break.

 

We learn to hold ourselves back from what’s in front of us. We learn to think ahead, and plan out how best to conduct ourselves. We learn that holding ourselves back from things is rewarding, and this translates to other things in our lives that may cause us problems in the long run.

 

Eyes and Stomach the Exact Same Size

 

Ever heard the phrase, “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach”? That can happen at the beginning of Ramadan.

 

At first, we have a misunderstanding that the more we eat in the evening and early morning, the better we will handle fasting. In reality, it’s just the opposite.

 

We think about our dinner all day long, and perhaps prepare or go out and get a lot of food. Then when it’s time to break our fast, we stuff ourselves.

 

Or at least we try.

 

As the month progresses, we get to know our capacity, and we hold ourselves back from a huge plate at either meal.  We eat what is enough for us, in accordance with the report:

 

“No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.” Messenger Muhammad.

 

May God bless us with being able to experience these great lessons that fasting can teach us, to strengthen and train our bodies, and to make the most out of every day, and every meal.

When everything falls apart around us and we are alone, we beg God for support and help. If things are going great, we praise and thank God.

Trusting in God is mentioned many times in the Quran and the traditions of the Messenger Muhammad. It is a very important aspect of faith and it brings us such a great sense of peace and security.

But what does it mean to have trust (tawakkul) in God?

We have trust in God when our hearts depend on God for bringing us good things and protecting us from bad things.

Who better to trust than God?

Here are 4 Steps new Muslims can take to begin this journey of trust in God:

 

1.Knowing Our God

 

The more we study about God, the more comfortable we should feel with His Lordship over us. We can feel happy and safe knowing that God has all our affairs in order.

God’s beautiful names are full of benefit for us as new Muslims. When we learn about God, our hearts will be satisfied and happy.

The One Who Guides, God is the only one that can bring our families and friends to Islam. No matter the influences around us, our own hearts would not have come to Islam except that God guided us.

The One Who Elevates, God brings up the status of those who truly believe in Him. He will honor us when we remember Him.

 

2.Knowing Our Place

 

When we are backed up against a wall and a threat is coming close, we wish we had someone bigger or stronger around to help us.

Who is greater than God?

It’s not just when we’re in trouble that we need God’s help. Every breath we take is a gift from God. God is always protecting us, and guiding us towards good things.

Our position below God as slaves reminds us that we can’t do a thing unless He has allowed us to do it. We trust in the plan of God, because He is the Most Just, and Most Wise.

In the first chapter of Quran, we read “It is you alone we worship, and it is you alone we ask for help.” (1:5)

 

3.Knowing Our Provision

 

The One Who Provides, God controls and measures exactly what we are going to get, and when. When we realize this, we can stop worrying about money, food, and bills.

Our whole lives, God has been giving us what we needed. That will continue until we reach our final days.

Messenger Muhammad told us, “A soul will never die until it’s reached its time and it has taken in all its provision. So be proper about working for it and do not let a restriction of provision make you do crimes to get it..”

Since we know that God has already written all the goods in this life we will get, we can relax and trust in God for our provision.

We can work towards our goals and know that tricking people or lying to get provision won’t bring anything except what God had already written for us.

 

4. Knowing our Return

 

Everything in this life is temporary. We can only bring our good deeds with us when we die. Then we will be brought back to God, for judgement.

Our trust in God has to extend past just this life. We hope that God gives us Paradise, forgives our sins, and helps us enter the garden.

When we think about going back to God, we trust that God will accept our good deeds and hope for Paradise in the next life.

Our reward for the tests of this life, showing reliance on God, could be waiting for us.

We could be part of the chosen group that gets to spend the rest of existence in Paradise.

What are some of the biggest hassles of life? A lot of people complain about being tired. Not having enough time to enjoy life. Some people wish they had better relationships with others. And others just want it all.

In the next life, we can have it all, and more than we ever dreamed.

Because God made us for Paradise, human beings are naturally attracted to having whatever we want, whenever we want it. Paradise is full of delights, and pleasures that contrast the hardships of this world.

When we consider some of life’s most common drawbacks, we see that God has placed in the Quran descriptions of their opposites.

Here is a list of the things that Paradise holds for us, God willing.

No Poverty

We’ll never experience being poor in Paradise. To be poor means that resources have run out, or are limited. Paradise is limitless.

The food, drink, and fun of Paradise is never-ending. It is eternal, just as we are.

“Dishes and goblets of gold will be passed around them with all that their souls desire and their eyes delight in.” (43:71)

“They will have gardens of lasting bliss graced with flowing streams..” (18: 31)

No Bad Weather

Whether you are a fan of the hot or the cold weather, there are harsh extremes that no one likes in this life. A beautiful, sunny day can get really hot with no shade.

A nice, cool day can become really miserable when a harsh wind blows. In Paradise, the weather is always pleasant. No harsh heat or cold.

“They will sit on couches, feeling neither scorching heat nor biting cold.” (76:13)

 

No death nor sickness

Death is an unfortunate part of life on this earth. The sickness and death of others causes pain that lasts a while, and after death, the pain of missing them. In Paradise there is neither sickness, nor death.
Messenger Muhammad told us, “(The people in Paradise) will never fall ill, blow their noses or spit.” And he also told us that a call will be made, addressing the people of Paradise:

“Indeed may you be healthy and never be sick again
May you live and never die again,
May you be young and never grow feeble again,
May you enjoy, and never feel sorrow and regret again.”

Sickness and pain in this life can help us get forgiveness for our sins, and serve as a reminder to be grateful for healthy times, or for the sickness to not be worse than it is.

But in the next life, we are forgiven, and the tests of sickness and death have gone with all other earthly discomforts.

 

No hunger

 

Even if we’ve always had plenty of food, it is very sad to see that others go hungry. And if we ourselves have been hungry, then we know how bad it feels.

No one should go hungry on this earth, if people are responsible and share the earth’s resources.

There is no greed nor injustice in Paradise. The provision of God in Paradise is limitless and overflowing.

“Here is a picture of the Garden that those mindful of God have been promised: flowing streams and perpetual food and shade. This is the reward that awaits those who are mindful of God…” (13:35)

“This is what you are promised for the Day of Reckoning: Our provision for you will never end.” (38: 53-54)

No fading beauty

As we age we see the changes that bring us farther away from our youth and the beauty we used to enjoy. But in Paradise, everyone is the same age.

Not only do we never decline, we actually increase in beauty and attractiveness!

In a motivating narration from the Messenger Muhammad, we learn the transformation that happens every week in Paradise:

“In Paradise there is a market in which (the inhabitants of Paradise) will come to every Friday. The North wind will blow and scatter fragrances on their faces and on their clothes. This will add to their beauty and their attractiveness. They will then go back to their families after having an added luster to their beauty and their attractiveness. Their families will say to them, ‘By God you have been increased in beauty and loveliness after leaving us,’ and they will say, ‘By God you too have increased in beauty and attractiveness after us.'”

 

No people problems

Even if we don’t want to, we have to interact with other people. Sometimes that’s pleasant and other times, it’s not.

We endure insults and harm from others, and sometimes we hurt others. Fights break out. Everyone feels bad, even long afterwards. Words can hurt longer than bruises.

But God has told us that no harmful words are spoken in Paradise.

“They will hear no idle or sinful talk there, only clean and wholesome speech.” (56:25-26)

In Paradise there are no hurt feelings, and any bad feelings we had, we forget.

“We shall have removed all ill feeling from their hearts; streams will flow at their feet…” (7:43)

Messenger Muhammad told us that instead, of wasting time talking badly, people will be praising God:

“There will be no hatred or resentment among them, their hearts will be as one, and they will glorify God, morning and evening.”

 

Just nothing like it

We can see that Paradise is a beautiful reward for bearing the harms and discomforts of this life. Our hope is that learning about Paradise will motivate us to work harder for it.

All these delights are wonderful, but what is greater than that? We don’t even know. And we can’t imagine.

“No soul knows what joy is kept hidden in store for them, as a reward for what they have done.” (32:17)

When tests come, we try to do our best. We keep our faith strong, and ask God to make the tests easy. Yet how can we tell if we’re passing?

All it takes is a look inside, when things get rough outside.

 

Here are 5 ways we can tell we’re winning:

 

Gratefulness

What happens when things don’t go our way?  Do we complain and think the worst? Or do we think to ourselves, “Why us?”.

 

If we look to what happened before the test, we can be grateful.  We can appreciate the time of good before the time of bad.

Or look to those who have it worse off than us. Messenger Muhammad said, “Look at those who are beneath you and do not look at those who are above you, for it is more suitable that you should not consider as less the blessing of God.”

 

Maybe this present test is the worst thing we’ve ever been through, but it’s nothing to somebody else. We should get to know the hardships of others, so we can be grateful.

 

When we are grateful for the test, we realize

• It could be worse
• It’s nothing compared to what other people have to go through
• The good things we still have are there, and we appreciate them more

 

Acceptance

We can tell if a test is a punishment by how we react to it.

 

If we’re freaking out and impatient, that’s a sign that we are not passing.  So, the opposite of that, acceptance, is what we show when we’re making progress.

Part of what can help us accept our test is that the Messenger of God told us, “Great reward comes with great trials. When God loves a people, He tests them, and whoever accepts it attains His pleasure, but whoever shows discontent with it incurs His wrath.”

 

So when God sends a test our way, we accept it as a test. We have a chance to get closer to God, to show Him that we are strong.

We accept the test, and we continue doing good things.  The test might make it harder for us, but with more work is more reward.

Humility

It’s amazing that just a slight change of our condition can totally throw off our day.  Like a hangnail, or a paper cut.

 

How fragile we are!  We’re top of the food chain, yet some small pain will cause us big problems.

And how sensitive we are. Our egos can be hurt so easily. Sometimes a test from God can be an chance to grow in humility.

 

The Messenger of God explained to us that God has tested the Prophets more than anyone else.  Then, the next best, and the next best people.

The more difficult the test, the higher in status we are. The Messenger continued to say that we are tested in accordance to our level of faith.

 

And tests and trials will continue to fall on us, purifying us our whole lives.

 

Asking Forgiveness

When you think about it, there isn’t a person living that is sinless.  Even the best people make mistakes and sin.

 

So we consider the tests of life, and realize that God is purifying us through them.  We admit we have sins to erase.

When tests come, we can take the chance to ask God to forgive us.

 

Messenger Muhammad told us, “Nothing befalls a believer, a (prick of a) thorn or more than that, but God will raise him one degree in status thereby, or erase a bad deed.”

 

If we think to ask God to forgive us when we are in a test, then that’s a sign that we’re dealing with it well.

The tests of life are good for us.  Even if all we see in the test is a chance to have our sins erased.

Reflecting

‘Why me?’ is a common way to react when bad things happen. It’s a knee-jerk reaction, coming from pure defence.

 

We need to relax.  If we take a moment and reflect on the test, we might be able to see some good in it.  

Perhaps there’s a lesson in the test.  Even if it’s just a lesson on how not to be.

 

In the end, God has allowed something to happen to you. And He is the One Who plans everything for the best.

We praise and thank God for everything that happens, including the things we think are bad.

 

God does not allow any injustice to take place.  That means, eventually, justice will come. It’s not for us to force it to come, but for us to trust that God will sort things out.

 

In this life, or the next. And then, there’s this:

 

Messenger Muhammad said, “If a certain status has previously been decreed by God for a person, and he does not attain it by his deeds, God afflicts him in his body or wealth or children.”

 

Think about the test.  Consider that God is lifting you up, bringing you closer to Him through it. So rather than ‘Why Me?’, we might start to say, ‘God chose me.’

 

Through our tests we always think the best of God.  We focus on Him, and His greatness and perfection. Whatever comes from God is good in the end, and will help us succeed in this life and the next.

God sends us tests to strengthen us. We can’t let life make us tired and want to give up. Here are some examples from the lives of new Muslims that can help us pass the tests.

Troubles with Friends

 

Just because we’ve become Muslim doesn’t mean that we have changed…much. Then why do our friends treat us differently?

Is it just us, or are so many more things awkward now that we’ve accepted Islam? Our friends who used to be chill are now uncomfortable.  They are restless, and don’t seem to know how to be normal around us anymore.

 

A lot of these reactions to our conversions can be from fear.  Fear is usually caused by not knowing. So to solve this problem, we can educate our friends.

We can be brave and cut through the awkwardness.  We can explain to them what things are still the same, and what things are going to change.

 

When we take a stand on what we believe, our true friends can see our sincerity, how much Islam means to us.

Real friends will support us and try to understand.  If some friends don’t, then we pray for their guidance.  

 

If our circle of friends becomes smaller, then perhaps that is a way that it becomes stronger. Just like us.

 

Conflicts with Family

 

Nothing is more strong or more important to keep strong than family ties.

And nothing can be harder.

 

Some people in our families believe that we are in some kind of phase, and will ‘snap out of it’ eventually.

And that’s ok.  They are entitled to believe what they like.  We must make sure they know we are still members of the family.  And we are Muslims.

 

And those two things don’t oppose each other.

 

Maybe some of our family members are open for discussion. Maybe all they need is just to clarify a few points, so they can understand the little changes they will see from us in future.

It’s respectful and wise to explain things to our families.  But it is important to understand that they may continue to think what they want, regardless of what we tell them.

 

All we do is offer the info. Then, we know we’ve done our part.

How many Messengers of God had their families make trouble for them? Lots.

 

So we do what they did: pray for them.  Guidance comes from God alone.

 

Issues with Change

 

In our excitement after accepting Islam, we might want to make big changes, to reflect how different we feel inside.

But sometimes our circumstances just won’t allow for that.

 

Our work, our school, our living situation…they can slow down the changes we want to make.

As long as we are making progress, then we can expect the help of God. That may come as a change in our situations, or can also come as as peace in our hearts.

 

Change brings with it adjustment, and discomfort. But also strength.

 

Take things slow.  When we take things slow, we can lessen the growing pains on ourselves and those around us.

We can feel at peace, knowing we’re moving forward.

 

Distress with Judgement

 

As new Muslims, we have big challenges.  We are raised a certain way, with certain habits…and then one day, we make a change.

And those around us, who have been beside us, want to pull away.

 

But we’re still the same.  We haven’t become a different person altogether!  Yet we are judged.

 

Our friends and family want to analyse us, put us under a microscope: “Why are you doing this?”

“Are you just being a rebel?”  “Are you mentally ill?” “You’re just doing this to spite me.”

 

They may put together complicated theories tied to forgotten events, real and imagined.

 

But we have a simple answer: it’s the truth.

 

But only God can make them see that. Until they actually become Muslims themselves, those around us will just not get it.

So we move forward, and the distance of others can make us want to get closer to God.  We study His Names, learn more about Him and about our relationship with Him.

And we don’t feel alone. God gives us strength when all we have is Him.

When we think about starting to study of Islam, it’s like planning to climb a mountain.

We look up, and hope to get there. It’s that first step that’s the hardest of all.

Here are 7 steps to help you get going on the path of knowledge.

Time to Yourself

We all have different things to do each day. If we think about our days, we can probably find time to sit and study.

When we consider how much time we waste on things like social media and TV, all we need to do is cut back on those a little. Then we’ll find that time we can put aside.

We can use this time to read something.  Listen to a short lesson.

Even if it’s just 5 minutes, this can become a regular routine.

 

Put Aside Distractions

Now that we’ve got our time set aside, we have to put away our phones, or the other things that distract us. We have to concentrate, and really focus on what we are studying.

If you disagreed with me about the previous point, then your time is really precious. That’s all the more reason to make the most of that time.

We’ll get more out of a focused five minutes than a whole hour of divided attention on a lesson.

Get your mind ready to learn, and open your heart to the guidance of God. Then you can make a study plan.

 

Bite-Sized Pieces

Just like that mountain is not climbed by jumping forward, we take our study in small steps.  Baby steps.

It’s so much better to focus and apply on small lessons. If we overload ourselves, we may not catch everything.  And we might get overwhelmed, and leave study altogether.

Breaking up a topic into small parts makes study easy. We focus on just one lesson at a time, and think about it until we have study time again.

 

Study, Break, Repeat

Even though we’ve broken up our topic into smaller chunks, it is all new.  

We are new to Islam, so we won’t have a frame of reference to go off of. It will take time to really sink in.

So we take breaks. Just like that mountain climb, breaks are necessary…healthy, even.

Our brains need the break to process what we learn, and our hearts need space to open up to the knowledge and wisdom.

This isn’t just any topic, it’s our way of life.

Then, we come back to it and repeat the lesson.

Repetition is a huge key to really learning and understanding anything. If lessons aren’t repeated on a regular basis, they may slip from our minds.

 

Slow and Steady

If we race up part of the mountain, and then stop for a week, it will be just that much harder to start going again.

It’s the same with studying Islam. We can burn ourselves out. And if we take a really long break, we might not get back to it.

We start out slow, and we keep slowly going through our lessons.  Remember “The Tortoise and the Hare”?

Slow and steady wins.

Learn at a steady, slow pace, so that it becomes a daily practice.

Practice means repetition+consistency.

And we know consistency is good, because the Messenger told us God loves it.

The Messenger of God said, “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.”

 

Lifetime of Learning

Let’s say we make it to the top of the mountain. Then we see many other mountaintops that are much higher.

While that might get us down, we could accept is as a challenge.

No matter how much we’ve studied a lot about Islam, there’s always more to learn.

Many great scholars died, wishing they could have studied just a bit more.

The thing is, we’ll never know everything about Islam. The journey is supposed to take our whole lives.

That’s the point: that climb. The reward is in the climb. The goal is to keep going.

 

Never give up

Sometimes when you have done all you can, and you’re exhausted, you want to just sit still.

It’s just too hard sometimes to keep going. The test seems like too much.

But what is the purpose of a test? To exhaust us and defeat us?

Nope, a test is there to qualify people to get to the next level.

Are you ready for the next level? To get closer to God?

When our knowledge helps us come close to God, we’ve already won.  And the more we learn, the more we understand Him.

The more we build a link with God, the easier the tests will be.

At the top of the mountain the sky is clearer and the path behind you well worth the climb.

Islam has pillars of actions, and the beliefs in the heart.  The action pillars are the Testimony of Faith, Prescribed Ritual Devotion, Charity, Fasting, and the Pilgrimage to Mecca.  Not everybody gets to do all five pillars of Islam during their lives.

 

The pillars of belief are not affected by how much money you have, or your level of health like the pillars of Islam.  They are beliefs in the heart. Every Muslim has to have them.

 

Here are some of the Pillars of Faith, and how we as new Muslims can live them each day:

 

We believe in God

 

It’s not just the obvious: God exists. We call on God alone, and believe that nothing can help us, but Him. He is the only one that gives us what we need, and keeps us safe.  Believing in Him and hoping for His help when we pray to Him is one way to demonstrate our faith in Him.

 

We believe that only He can truly describe Himself.  He taught His beautiful Names, and His actions.  We are showing our faith in God by calling on Him using these names.

 

He is absolutely perfect. He’s not like anything that He created, because He always existed. He looks after and maintains everything He made with perfection and justice.  Nothing will come to us except what God has planned for us to have.

 

We learn about God from reading the Quran, and from understanding the traditions of Messenger Muhammad.  If we spend just a little time each day learning something new about God, we are living this pillar of faith.

 

We believe in God’s Angels

 

We only believe what is true about angels, and we get our information about them from the Quran and Prophetic traditions.

 

We have guardian angels, and angels that write down every single deed, good and bad, that we do.  And when our lives are over, we will be tested in the graves by angels.  Angels spend their whole lives serving God by doing errands.

 

Some angels have specific jobs, such as Gabriel, who brings revelation from God, and Malik, who is the gatekeeper of Hellfire.  They are not, contrary to some traditions, the daughters of God, or the pure souls of good people who have died on earth.

 

They are an entirely different creation of God, not male or female.  They are made from light and have wings.  Sometimes, as we read in the Quran, angels have taken the form of humans, because God has a special message to send to earth.

 

We do ourselves a service by remembering the writing angels in particular. Their job is to write down everything we do and say. Even when we don’t think anyone is listening or seeing what is happening, the angels are recording.

 

We believe in God’s Messengers

 

Notice the plural? Messengers. God sent a lot of Messengers throughout time. He wanted people to come back to worshipping Him and fix their lives. It happened to every nation on earth.

 

The Quran mentions only 25 by name, and we believe in all of them.  Not only that, but we repeat their prayers, and take lessons from their lives, too.  If we didn’t, God would not have placed their stories in the Quran and in the sayings of Messenger Muhammad!

 

They brought us lessons from God on how to worship Him.  They never said to worship them. They always directed people to worship God alone.

 

This is especially important for us as new Muslims.  We haven’t left belief in the Messenger of our people, we’re only continuing belief in them.  Muhammad is the last in a long chain of Messengers of God.

 

We hold all the Messengers, including Jesus, Moses, David, Solomon and John the Baptist with the greatest respect and honor. They are all our Messengers, too.  Their lives’ work is finalized by Muhammad, the last of all the Messengers. He called them his brothers.

 

We Believe in His Books

 

And the Messengers brought messages, the revealed books. Just like our belief in the Messengers, we believe in all the books that God sent.

 

We only know of the ones that are mentioned in the Quran, but there were many more.  Each time God wanted to communicate to the people on earth, He sent a book. Jesus got the Gospel, Moses got the Torah, and Muhammad got the Quran.

 

While we believe that God sent all these books, the final word is the Quran.  It is the only revealed book that God preserved to this day from being changed or corrupted at all.  The messages inside it are universal and timeless, and the Quran confirms what is in the previous books.

 

Whatever truth you found in the book of revelation you might have known before Islam will be confirmed by the Quran. You may continue your faith in God’s messages as New Muslims.

 

We Believe in The Last Day

 

Remember how I mentioned the angels that write down everything? The Last Day is when all those books of deeds are going to be weighed.  Whichever book, the good or the bad deeds, is heavier will decide our home after this life.

 

It’s really critical to the human being to believe that they will one day be held accountable. People will just not behave unless they think someone’s aware of what they’re doing.  Security cameras, and even just the presence of others, deters many crimes worldwide.

 

It gives us hope that even if no one seems to be keeping track of the good we do, it’s going to be taken up on Judgement Day.

 

The Day of Judgement is when God will sort out the people of the earth.  We don’t know when this day will come. Not even Messenger Muhammad knew.

 

The great lesson in believing in this day, is to focus on what we are preparing for it.

 

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While for one reason or the other we might not make it to the Pilgrimage, or ever have enough money to give the regular Charity, we can hold all these beliefs in our hearts.

 

May God bless us with firm belief, and allows us to learn more so our hearts can become stronger with each day.

We want to get close to God.  Yet we don’t know much about our new way of life.  We want to move forward, but sometimes we take steps back.

Everybody makes mistakes. New Muslims are not the only ones.

But a  lot of our mistakes have to do with a lack of knowledge.  That makes sense, because we are new to Islam. We have a lot to learn.

So to get things started on the right foot, let’s learn four tips to avoid steps back:

Don’t stop yearning for learning

 

We can get discouraged by the journey to learning Islam.

Sometimes converts to Islam can get frustrated.  We think that because it’s hard sometimes, that God is holding us back somehow. That we’re just not cut out for learning about Islam.

Sure, it’s difficult sometimes. But we don’t think for a second that He will not help us. Remember what God says:

“Do people think they will be left alone after saying ‘We believe’ without being put to the test?” (29: 2)

The way to relax and keep going is to trust that God will help us learn. The tests in life are there to make us better.

He’s got all the knowledge, and He won’t hold back any from us when we are learning sincerely to get close to Him.

Free to Be You and Me

Have you ever tried to learn something really quickly? You stuff the info in your brain for a class, or a job interview, but what happens?

In a short while, we lose that knowledge.  When you don’t take time to really absorb it,  it slips  away.

We don’t want our practice of Islam to be like that.

When we make a change inside, a change will happen outside, too.  People will be able to tell a change for the better in us.

As we learn more about Islam, the physical acts like offering ritual devotion and altering our lifestyle come naturally.

We don’t need to force ourselves to make changes that we are not ready for.  The changes in our lifestyle, our diet, our dress: these should all be done step-by-step.

There is nothing that says we must lose ourselves, when we find Islam.

We have to be kind to ourselves, and give ourselves time to grow.

 

 

The Blame Game

We don’t give ourselves enough credit. Not only do we think we have to be awesome at Islam, but our progress seems so slow!

Remember that even the Quran, the last book from God for all time,  was revealed over a period of 23 years.  God revealed it in stages, in steps, and the early Muslims implemented it as it came down.

So there isn’t any reason why you need to be the perfect Muslim right now.

We’ll go back to the first point. Perfection is for God. He always knows the struggle we go through, and will help us learn.

“God does not burden any soul with more than it can bear..” (2:286)

God knows better than us, what our limits are.  We do not. The religion is easy. Do not try to make it difficult.

You know how people say, “I am a practicing Muslim”? It’s practice. It’s not professionalism, because every Muslim is practicing. We are all learning and trying to get better.

May God bless you with the ability to know God better, trust that He will allow you to learn.  May God bless your heart with sincerity and motivation, and balance so that you can make consistent progress towards your learning goals.

 

Did you know that angels didn’t talk only to Messengers?  Angels came, bringing messages from God to other people, too. Here are 3 stories for new Muslims about special women who met angels.

Sarah, Wife of Abraham

Being the wife of a Messenger, you’d think meeting angels would happen every day. God brought three to Sarah’s doorstep, with a very special message.

Two Lone Believers

 

Sarah and Abraham were the only believers in God on the face of the earth.

 

Imagine.  Nobody worships God except your husband, and you.

 

She went on travels with her husband around Arabia.  Sarah helped Abraham spread the message of Islam.  She met all kinds of people, but she never guessed she’d meet angels.

Three Great Guests

 

After many years of preaching and travelling, Abraham and Sarah got old.  Sarah had given up on having children, at her age.  So it was just the two of them, living together, travelling, and teaching about God.

 

One day Sarah was in her home with her husband, when Abraham rushed in and said they had guests.  Abraham and Sarah prepared a roasted calf with all the trimmings.  They served it to the three men.

 

The guests didn’t touch it.

 

This was a problem.

 

Abraham asked them why they weren’t eating. It made him worried, and scared.

 

Sarah said to him, “What great guests. We are serving them our very best food, and they’re not even going to eat it.”

 

Then, the men told them, “Angels don’t eat food.”

 

Right away, Abraham and Sarah relaxed. Until the angels told them the next thing.

 

One Amazing Message

 

The angels told them that they would be having a baby!  Not only that, but he would be a Messenger like his father. His name would be Isaac.

 

Sarah slapped herself in the face out of shock.  She argued that she was a very old woman now. And her husband was older than her!

 

They told her God does what He likes. Sarah was so happy to finally be a mother.  Later, she gave birth and raised Isaac, the Messenger of God.

 

Mary, daughter of Imran

God chose Mary out of all the women of the world.  He sent her an angel, but the angel scared her. She protected herself by telling an angel to fear God!

Blessed Childhood

 

Her mother made a prayer to God for her before Mary was born. She promised God that Mary would serve the temple, and when she was little, that’s where she went.

 

Mary’s uncle Messenger Zakariya looked after her.  He visited her and always found ripe, out-of-season fruits to eat. She explained to him that it was all from God.

 

She spent a lot of her time in prayer, in a private place just for her. She really loved to remember God, and did not like anything to disturb her, especially strange men.

Unwelcome Visitor

 

So when a young, handsome man showed up, she was scared. She asked God to protect her from him. She told him, ‘Fear God!’

 

He revealed that he was an angel from God.  He told her she would be pregnant soon with a baby named Jesus. She would be the mother of the next Messenger of God.

 

He blew into her sleeve the soul of Jesus, and Mary became pregnant. She raised him, and became the most respected mother of all time.

 

Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid

We’ve read about two mothers of Messengers who met angels. While Khadeejah didn’t actually meet an angel, she did get a very special message from him, from God.

A Peaceful Marriage

 

Lady Khadeejah was married to Messenger Muhammad for 20 years.

 

She still did her best to look after her household and her children.  They raised their four daughters with mercy, kindness and wisdom.

A Frequent Flier

 

She was preparing a plate of food for her husband, Messenger Muhammad one day when a very special visitor came to her house.

 

The Angel Gabriel visited the Messenger in her home. But he came with a special message for Khadeejah.

A Precious Greeting

 

The Archangel Gabriel conveyed a greeting to Khadeejah, from God!

 

The angel told Muhammad:

 

“O Messenger of God, this is Khadeejah coming to you with a dish of meat soup, some food, and some drink. When she reaches you, then greet her with peace on behalf of her Lord and myself, and give her good news of a palace in Paradise made of reeds, where there will be no noise or tiredness.”

 

Other ladies were given just one message, but Khadeejah got two:

1. God greeted her with Peace
2. She was guaranteed to go to Paradise

 

God sent angels to these three great women of Islam. When we reflect on their lives, we can see why. May God have mercy on them.



When hard times come along, hope is what will pull us out of the test. Here are 5 types of difficulties in which the Muslim can find hope.

1. Poverty

When you’re poor, life seems to constrict and close up. Your options are limited. Just because your money is low, does not mean God has abandoned you. It’s really important to remember that it’s all a test from God.

“God gives abundantly to whoever He will, and sparingly to whoever He will….”(13:26)

This truth is expressed in more than 10 times in the Quran, about God’s power over material goods in this life. You do not control your provision. What you have, and when you have it, is in the hands of God.

Others may have more than you, and others may have less. These things change. It’s all in the care of God, and God never does anyone any injustice.

 

2. Loneliness

Imagine that you’ve got a large home, a loving spouse and many beautiful children. Imagine also that you enjoy a healthy, strong body, and are blessed in every way.

Then imagine it all being taken away. What would you miss the most?

The Messenger Job missed his wife the most. God tested him by taking away his children, his wealth, and his strength and health, and he worshiped God even more. But when his wife left, too, he cried to God:

“…‘Suffering has truly afflicted me, but you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.’” (21:83)

People need other people. It’s human nature. God knows that, and He will send someone for companionship exactly at the point when they are best for you. And what happened to Prophet Job?

“We answered him, removed his suffering, and restored his family to him, along with more like them, as an act of grace from Us and a reminder for all who serve Us.” (21:84)

 

3. Health

Nothing reminds us about the blessing of good health than when we are sick. Some illnesses we recover from, and others affect our daily lives.

When we are tested with a change in our health, we are weak, and unable to do things as we like. It is a great reminder about how God controls things.

“If God touches you with affliction, no one can remove it except Him, and if He touches you with good, He has power over all things.” (6:17)

We seek out cures for our sicknesses, and take remedies that will help us feel better, but we do not rely on these medicines to cure us on their own. When we are sick we are reminded that God is managing all of our affairs, even our own bodies.

If our illness is due to some neglect on our part, we should remember that our bodies are on a loan from God. We must try to be careful and look after ourselves better to avoid illness.

“There are two of God’s favours that are forgotten by many people; health and free time.” -Messenger Muhammad

God is in control, and will never give you more than your body can handle.

We pray to God alone for relief.

 

4. Fear

Fear has a lot to do with being alone. For some people, merely the thought of being all alone is frightening. For the rest of us, we at least like to have a team. You want to know someone has your back.

During a really tense moment in the life of Messenger Muhammad, he was hiding in a cave from tribesmen looking for him. His companion in the cave was Abu Bakr, who expressed concern when the tribesmen drew close.

The Messenger of God turned to him and asked him, “Oh Abu Bakr! What do you think about two, when God is their third?”

God would not abandon you. And He supports the believers. When you have the support of God, no one can knock you down.

When you are alone and afraid, you can find hope in your fear by remembering God has promised that in Paradise, there is no fear.

“Those who believe, do good deeds, keep up the prayer, and pay the prescribed alms will have their reward with their Lord: no fear for them, nor will they grieve.” (2:277)

 

 

5. No Time

Time slips past so quickly. There doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. When life is a blur, recall that God is in control of the passage of time.

Prophet Muhammad also told his followers, “Do not curse time, for God is the one who crafted time.”

When you lose track of time, it may be due to you wasting time on something instead of important stuff. When this happens, remember that we will be asked on the Day of Resurrection about how we spent our time.

“Humankind will remain standing on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about four things: his life and how he spent it, his youth and how he used it up, his property and how he acquired and managed it and his knowledge and how he utilized it.” -Messenger Muhammad

The tests of life are there to purify us and bring us closer to God. That is why we must look at every test as an opportunity to grow, and learn.