"A plan or two might indeed end as failures, but the person who has no plans is a failure." Yasir Qadhi

How devoted are you to your Salah?

"Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof,

when your own doorstep is unclean." Confucius. 

This quote reminds me to bite my tongue when I have lots of negative stuff to say about others.... I myself am not perfect, so I better work on myself first.

Triple Filter Test: An AWESOME way to stop gossip and backbiting

I found this to be VERY helpful. I think everyone should read this and apply it to their life. Share it with your friends and family also so that they also know this mental process to stop backbiting and gossip. 

           In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?”  

“Hold on a minute,” Socrates replied. “Before telling me anything I’d like you to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”
“Triple filter?”
“That’s right,” Socrates continued. “Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth.  

Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”
“No,” the man said, “actually I just heard about it and..”
“All right,” said Socrates. “So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now let’s try the second filter, the filter of goodness.  

Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?”
“No, on the contrary…”
“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about him, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left: the filter of usefulness.

Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?”
“No not really …”
“Well,” concluded Socrates, “if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?”
With tips like this we will be Improving-our-Muslim-selves. Inshallah
Source: http://loveethedeen.tumblr.com/page/6

An Eye Opener

http://islamic-quotes.tumblr.com/page/2

How to Lose Your Kids by Yahya Adel Ibrahim

Assalamualaikum,

I read this list about how NOT to treat/raise kids and found myself nodding the whole time thinking I know of this happening to me or others. Time to learn from this list so that we do not do it to our kids Inshallah. 

http://www.facebook.com/mobileprotection#!/note.php?note_id=184069844980290

Pt.1: Discipline them in front of other kids. Destroy self-esteem and build resentment towards you. Win Win

Pt.2: Make a decision, Change it, Change back, change to option3 then get angry &yell at them.Let them do it their way.

Pt3: begin smacking them early.Reward their misbehavior with attention yell, scream & argue. Go 2 far &then U APOLOGIZE

Pt4: Focus obsessively on academic progress while neglecting social & spiritual development. Its all ok if you get an A

Pt5:  Give them all they ask for.Pickup after them, don't give them duties / assign them work.U work they Eat,sleep&study

Pt6:  Fear of U supersedes learning from their mistake and developing awe of Allah. Fear U minus Allah => Lie2U &Others

Pt7: If U ask about who/what/when&y they will rebel so just stay quiet& hope for the best..What would the community say

Pt8: Treat Ur children as if they are furniture. Their opinion,feelings&advice is 2ndary. Loving U = Obeying U..quickly

Pt9: Worry about public perceptions more than Allah's Anger.What will they say about us..How can I show my face?

Pt10: Motivate them by reminding them of their failings,mistakes &Ur disappointment.End by comparing them Versus others
 

Pt11: Ignore ratings for movies&games.TV is a a great teacher&babysitter. Y all the fuss about obesity& ADHD linked 2 TV

Pt12: Highlight other families problems &forget to thank Allah 4 ur fortune;U raised them&deserve the credit, right?

Pt13: When Ur boy starts investigating the other sex, look the other way. If UR daughter does, there is hell to pay.

Pt14: push ur cultural practices as if they are the quran..even if they contradict the sunnah.

Pt15: Tell them things & do the opposite, get angry when they correct you & try to teach U. They're kids - TEACH ME??

Found this list funny and disturbing at the same time. Inshallah Allah (swt) will give us guidance so that our parents and even we will know the correct path to show ourselves and children. Ameen
 

When you feel surrounded by problems, read this dua!

        Assalamualaikum, I was just talking with a friend about being surrounded by problems. Literally, every member of my family is dealing with some problem and being the type of person I am, I take that problem on myself as well. She told me of a dua that a person can read when surrounded by difficulties and stress like I feel right now. I wanted to share this dua with others because it may help another person out also. 

          First and foremost, you must have faith that when you turn to Allah (swt) with your problems, he will listen and help you out. Without this faith and belief in Allah, your dua is incomplete I think. 

This is a dua you should say very frequently  and it is suggested to read it early in the morning before other work. This is an excerpt while chatting with my friend, so all credit goes to her. I pray that Allah eliminates all her difficulties and grants her what is best for her. Ameen.

 Read HasbunAllahi Wani'mal wakeel= Allah (alone) is sufficient for us (Qur'an 3:173)

           When Hazrat Ibrahim alihis salaam was thrown into fire by evil man, reading this dua extinguished fire on its own. Allah made the fire cool, safe, and peaceful for Prophet Ibrahim (as). It basically means Allah (swt) is enough for us because He is the only who can help. 

Meaning is: There is no god but Allah who is strong and powerful, he is the owner of everything and every praise is for Him, I ask for mercy and ask for forgiveness, and ask You for the ability to do good and protect me from evil. Do not pass any sin without forgiving, and do not pass any sorrow or necessity because You are most merciful"

           Inshallah reading this dua will benefit others out there. I will be definitely reciting this dua and hope you do also.