American Muslima Writer -Daring to Work Towards Jannah

Friends are something nearly everyone has to some degree. Some have acquaintances others have social circles they frequent others have deep best friend type relationships.

I've always had my small pack of close intelligent wonderful friends, not too many, not too few. Wherever I go it may take a few months but eventually I manage to make a close friend and then from there find a social circle.

This time around in UAE I found small social circles but couldn't really find that one true person I was absolutely close to. It's been a frustrating and lonely road for me to walk. Sometimes I'd go a week or two without seeing any other sisters or talking to them IN PERSON. Sure I always have my blog and you all out there saved me from madness at times but you know there is nothing like a good face to face.

Just before Ramadan this woman called me having found me on the Homeschooling network I'm in. We chatted and it was nice to talk to someone but I never figured she'd actually meet up with me and we'd get any hanging out time. She's a busy mother of seven kids after all. But I was pleasantly surprised to get her call the next day, and the next, and the next, and you guessed it, the next!

Eventually we did indeed meet up. Our families met and we all hit it off just fine masha'Allah. But I'm not just writing about this experience to say Yay I got a new friend, (well I might sneak one Yay in there....YAY!!!! ) but to let you know that ONE person can drastically change the quality of your life. For better or worse.

My soul is forever searching for the straight path and ways to stay on it and mostly with my social circles I get easily persuaded to their lifestyles. But when asking my new friend about the problems in my life she had not only new answers but Allah allowed THROUGH her for me to FIND answers. Sorry if confusing, let me backtrack.

I got the chance to spend the night at her house one evening. All day I could feel my soul changing, learning, accepting things. That night I still didn't have the answers to my greatest problem but I had hope I'd soon find it, somehow. I couldn't sleep and her house was quiet. I thought about reading Qur'an so I went to her bookcase and browsed the Titles searching for something inspiring. I found a little book, gosh, can't remember the title, but it's about the Love and worship of Allah. I eagerly settled onto her couch and lulled by the AC dripping water like my own personal waterfall I opened the book. Only a few pages in, my world was flipped upside down.

I stayed up all night reading that book cover to cover. I finished it at 3:30am and went to wake my friend for her Sahour since she wanted to continue her fastings before Ramadan and as she prepared things I told her about how this book had effected me. She offered for me to fast with her that day but I was still reluctant.

I had been DREADING Ramadan coming, not for the Fasting but for feeling the guilt of missing prayers during the Holy Ramadan. Then a few of her daughters filed in to eat and start their fasting too. Suddenly I was surrounded by righteous Muslimahs. The tender feeling of being part of the Muslim Ummah over took me and inspired me to fast with them that day. It was wonderful. But even better than spending the day with her family and getting to know them more was the effect they had on my life.

Allah gave me a friend who gave me exactly what I needed, not only a close companion but a way for me to better myself for HIS sake. Instead of giving me quantity, He gave me Quality.

All I can say for that is Alhamdulillah and SubhanAllah.

Thank you Allah for giving me this wonderful friend who never fails to encourage me to better myself for Your Sake.

Thank you my Friend for giving me time in your busy life, may Allah reward you and grant all your du'as.

First up congrats to YASEMIN/LISA from A Journey EASTWARD to Tartary... who just got back from Disneyland and said Shahada again. Alhamdulillah.

Which got me thinking. Everyone has their strength and weaknesses when entering Islam.

Of the 5 Pillars

(Belief/Shahada)

(Prayers)

(Fasting)

(Charity/Zakat)

(Hajj/Pilgramage)

we each have some or one pillar we excel at. Then we have others we really have trouble with.

________________________________

For me, my belief is strong. Alhamdulillah NO swerving or misgivings.

Prayers are the hardest for me. I love praying but have difficulty remembering some of them and making the ones I missed up in a timely manner. This is my personal Jihad I will have all my life to do my prayers ON TIME.

Fasting I thought would be the hardest for me as I love food YUMMY! but it turned out to be the easy for me. I know many others that this is their hardest Pillar and my heart goes out to them.

Charity/Zakat is really what brought me to Islam and is my best Pillar. If I have one dollar I will give you half. If I have half dollar I will give you a quarter. If I have 500 dollars I will give you 450. Alhamdulillah my faith is strong that money is not something we need to hold onto. Allah will send it to you and take it from you but there will always be a flow. Why not do your part and add tot he flow. It feels so good to give to other people too. And those chances when I get in return I feel so blessed.

My friend just left from UAE back to USA and masha'Allah gave me a lot of her stuff and subhanAllah just the things I needed most in my life. Those things I didn't need I have resolved to pass them right along to someone else to feel blessed. I'm currently clearing my house down again to give away to charity. I love the free flow of charity between many people. Always remember, we only have one life, why not spread things around.

Hajj Pillar is one that means a lot to many people and many people can't afford it. I cannot but can't wait to be able to as it's just right next door to me right now in UAE. I look forward to doing this Pillar and look forward to the difficulties I will face. BRING IT ON! I want to touch the Kabba. I want to pray with it in my face. I have the feeling my prayers Pillar will be strengthened with Hajj. Insha'Allah. I know intentions are a strong thing and I believe if you intend something strong enough it will happen eventually or you will be rewarded later for it. My intention for moving to UAE is to save up for Hajj. So far my Hajj fund is at 0..... but it will come. I know it. I'm looking forward to the day my whole family can do it together. I know for some though this will be their biggest Pillar to face. The journey, the walking, the rituals involved...etc. I make du'a for those of you who are struggling with this one.

Sometimes we loose sight of these 5 pillars. We forget their importance or need. We get a little lost. Sometimes returning to them helps to refocus our hearts.

What are your ups and downs in the 5 Pillars?

5 Daily Prayers
Fajr, Thuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Ishaa, *Witr

People in this area are resolving to do their five obligatory prayers daily:

Whether you are missing prayers or have just learned to pray or have just become Muslim and don't know the first thing about Prayers come share your resolutions about Prayer.

People say:

"I want to stop sleeping through Fajr"
"I want to think about Allah during Prayer not my sandwich"
"My Jummah Resolution is to not miss any of the 5 prayers for 40 days straight"
"I don't want to miss even one prayer in a day

What do you have to say?