A R C H I V E S
Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| New Year Resolutions |
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| faith |
| 01/07/04 at 23:10:18 |
| [slm] I know its controversial to say Happy New Year in this City, but really, to me, its no biggie, its like someone said, wishing someone a good day, for 366 days. Its also good, because, you can have new year resolutions, to migrate yourself from the bad things you've been doing for previous years, towards doing good things this year. But please, I dont wish to start this thread with "oh no, don't imitate the non-muslims, sister blah blah blah..." Let me say that I wish this thread to stay POSITIVE, looking towards the things we could do better to improve ourselves as muslim individuals and the muslim community this year and beyond .... If I may, I got these resolutions from an email, and want to share with you... Worthy New Year Resolutions 1. Will join a Halaqa - an Islamic study group gain knowledge for personal improvement and service to community strengthen brotherhood and work with others make sacrifices to attend and share with others re-charge spiritual batteries after week of studies, cure weak lazy Iman learn leadership, critical thinking and public speaking skills fall in love with the Quran and engage in Allah's remembrance 2. Will not let myself be bored or sit idle Not waste hours (face the Ka'aba not the Cube!) Will find work to do and take initiative myself without anyone asking Boredom is a disease, sign of poor life management, lack of direction or purpose, life is too exciting for you to be bored! "One who helps someone in his need, Allah helps him in his work, and one who removes any worry or trouble of any Muslim, Allah, in return, removes anyone of his worries on the Day of Judgment" Lost time is lost ajar (reward)! 3. Will get to know my neighbours and give them a gift on Eid. Do you know who they are? What is their name? What do they do? Do they need you? Can you approach them? What have u ever shared with them? Kindness towards neighbours is actually a duty in Islam. The Qur'an says, in Sura'tul Nisa, Ayat 36, "Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good - to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near [relatives], neighbors who are strangers [non-relatives], the companion by your side, the wayfarer and what your right hands possess. For Allah loves not the arrogant, the boastful." Amr-bin-Shuaib reported from his father who [reported] from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah said, "Do you know what the duties of a neighbor are? Help him if he seeks your help; give him safety if he seeks your safety; give him [a] loan if he seeks your loan, give him relief if he is needy; nurse him if he falls ill; follow his bier if he dies; cheer him if he meets any good; sympathize with him if any calamity befalls him; raise not your building higher so as to obstruct his air without his permission; harass him not; give [to] him when you purchase fruit; if you do not, take it secretly; and let not your children take it out to excite thereby the anger of his children" (Maulana Karim, pp. 253-4). Ibn Mas'ud reported that a man asked the Holy Prophet, "Oh, Messenger of Allah! How can I know when I do good and when I do bad?" The Holy Prophet said, "When you hear your neighbors say you have done good, you have done good. And when you hear them say you have done bad, you have done bad" (Maulana Karim, pp. 249-250). 4. Will find a poor, needy, unemployed, sick, orphan, lonely Muslim in my community and befriend him or her. This is the sign of a true Muslim, selfless altruistic love and concern for others, remembering those who are oft-forgotten, caring for the uncared, speaking for the voiceless… Do you know a poor Muslim in your building, your area? Do you know who to give Zakat, Qurbani too even? It's not that they don't exist, we just don't make an effort to find out such Muslims and families Abu Hurairah (RA) relates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said, "A man set out to visit a brother in the neighbouring town. Allah deputed an angel (for his protection) on his way. When the man met the angel en route, the latter asked him, 'Where are you going?' He answered, 'I want to visit my brother who lives in this town.' The angel asked, 'Are you going to take some valuable thing to him?' The man answered, 'No. I have no desire except to visit him, because I love him for the sake of Allah only.' The angel said to him, 'I am a messenger from Allah sent to tell you that Allah loves you as you love your brother for His sake.'" Remember Allah in Surah al-Maoon says the person who does not ENCOURAGE the feeding of the poor or does not do the SMALL ACTS of kindness has belied the Deen, is untruthful/insincere in it, and then Allah curses the one's who pray to be seen as their Salah is useless if it done to just show outward Islam whereas the inside, the heart, is empty and sealed from mercy and goodness! 5. Will not eat (out) alone, will always share my food Make every meal a time for gathering and sharing Learn to share from your food, you will see the effect it has on you Have family dinners, don't just wake into your home and eat while watching TV and checking mail, get together with parents and siblings and have a proper meal This is where families meet and discuss their days and lives, be part of it, and start this tradition if it does not exist anymore in your home! 6. Will give gifts to 5 people I don't know for no reason and expecting nothing in return That's one person who won't forget you next Eid or ever for that matter! The Prophet used to give to his Sahabah from everything he received 7. Will give up an addiction could be internet, pornography, games, cigarettes, parties, music 8. Will do something for the environment. It never ceases to amaze me how, even though Allah calls Muslims the "best of peoples, evolved for mankind" (Holy Qur'an, Sura Ali Imran, 3:110) and has appointed humans as his "agents, inheritors of the earth" (Sura Al An'am, 6:165), we are often very negligent when it comes to caring for this Earth that is our home and that of our children and their children as well. Allah commands us to be mindful of the resources that He has placed at our disposal - He forbade the unnecessary cutting down of trees, and He emphasizes the need for cleanliness (which would extend to our environment and, thus, make polluting the earth abominable). Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also reminded us of the importance of cleanliness when he said, "Cleanliness is half of faith." We are ordered to make ablution before prayer, and also to make sure that our places of prayer are free of contamination and filth. Since the entire world (except restrooms, graveyards and other forbidden areas) is a potential place of prayer for us as Muslims, it follows that we should be mindful of preserving it in a state of cleanliness. As Allah's vicegerents, surely, we should be foremost in efforts to protect our environment - in any manner that we might possibly do so. Peace :-) |
| Re: New Year Resolutions |
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| bhaloo |
| 01/08/04 at 09:04:36 |
| [slm] I think many people made Ramadan Resolutions, the questions is how are we all doing since that time? ??? |
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