I asked...

I asked Allah why I wasn't rich.
He showed me a man with the wealth of a thousand kings,
Who was lonely, and had no one to share it with.

I asked Allah why I wasn't beautiful.
He showed me a woman more beautiful than any other,
Who was ugly because of her vanity?

I asked Allah why He'd allowed me to become old.
He showed me a boy of 16, who lay dead at the scene of a car accident.

I asked Allah why I didn't have a bigger house.
He showed me a family of six,
who had just been evicted from their tiny shack,
And were forced, to live on the street.

I asked Allah why I had to work.
He showed me a man, who couldn't find a decent job,
Because he'd never learned to read.

I asked Allah why I wasn't more popular.
He showed me a socialite with a thousand friends,
Who all left the moment the money and parties were no longer there.

I asked Allah why I wasn't smarter.
He showed me a natural born genius,
Serving life in prison for making ill use of his knowledge.

I asked Allah why He put up with a thankless sinner like me.
He showed me THE QURA'AN.

I knew then how much He loved me and the entire Ummah of Nabi (saw).

Remember us in your Dua'as

Jummah...

Southern Africa Programme

Muslims find Islamic ways to be fashionable

Muslims find Islamic ways to be fashionable

Models strutted down runways in winter in wide-leg pants, bulky jackets, long cardigans and the ever-so controversial keffiyah-like scarves, sometimes wrapped around their heads or trailing off their shoulders. Months later, spring and summer fashions have held on to stylized neck scarves and looser clothing, fitting into the lifestyle of modest women looking for a fashionably-refined appearance.

Muslim women vary in how they dress, depending on liberal or conservative mindsets, geographic location, family, age – the list goes on.

But there’s no holding back or even altering looks to fit into a more modest outfit when you can walk into a mosque or wedding wearing a long, flowing Marciano maxi dress under a Marc Jacobs knee-length coat topped with a Chloe head scarf.

If your budget permits, of course. If not, trends always hit more affordable stores even before models can step off the runway.

Moniza Bhaghani, owner of Hidaaya Books and Clothing in Diamond Bar, Calif., sells the Rebirth of Chic brand of inexpensive Western clothing with a Muslim twist. She offers long skirts and tops, scarves of different materials from cotton to shiny metallics, and tunics that younger people like to wear with jeans. Bhaghani said she noticed the latest blouses have shorter, puffy sleeves, so she took the style and made it more Muslim-friendly by adding long sleeves and a higher collar.

“Sometimes it’s hard to find the right Islamic-type blouse in North America to sell in the store, so it has to be ordered overseas,” Bhaghani, a Muslim convert who is half Latina, said. She also tries to incorporate local fabrics and designs, though, to keep it Western-themed.

“I talk to customers about what they would like and keep in mind that things have to be a length in which women can pray.”

Bhaghani added that she likes to provide traditional Arab embroidery and bead styles because they are so similar to Latin styles, bringing the cultures together.

When she has items in her store shipped from overseas, Bhaghani will tell manufacturers beforehand about American trends to fit with the changes.

“Sometimes colors used overseas are not in fashion here, so I send them a palette using magazines and tell them to find the closest match,” she said.

She added that she keeps prices reasonably low, with scarves starting under $7 but that still have the same material and quality of high-end department stores selling the same items for double because of a designer name.

“With the economy the way it is, I have to keep it affordable,” she said, adding that many college-aged women come to her store and she wants to make sure they can shop there easily.

For a little more money, one can find Muslim-friendly clothes in department stores and boutiques as well. A noteworthy southern California blog called Hijabulous by blogger Aellaboudy holds hundreds of posted pictures from stores, boutiques and designers offering Islamic-friendly fashions. The blogger posts her favorites, which this season include long-sleeve thermal and cotton tees from Jaloux in Victoria Gardens Mall, scarves and sweaters from H&M, tops from Express and Zara, and even an Ed Hardy scarf that could be used as a silky hijab.

For college students Narmeen and Abeer Minhas of Binghamton, New York, who both wear hijab, staying fashion forward while maintaining their Muslim appearance in society is not only important but also fun.

“I kind of think it adds to the fun when you are more limited in your options,” 20-year-old Abeer Minhas said. “For example, if I see a top that I absolutely love but is a little too revealing for me, its fun to see how you can add layers to make your own personal fashion statement even more effective.”

The two sisters recently traveled to the Middle East and found the clothing trends there very influential.

“Anyone from the Middle East has a distinct style in which they take western fashions and adapt them toward their Islamic interests,” Abeer Minhas said. “I absolutely love how you can be modest and fashionable at the same time. When we traveled to Turkey, my sister and I were just awestruck at how beautiful the clothes were and how they covered every inch of your body.”

Dental student Narmeen Minhas, 22, pointed out that western companies in Muslim countries make more “modest” clothing to coincide with their local customers’ needs. In Dubai, for example, the summer wear at trendy retailer Mango, though usually tiny tanks and short shorts, included long shirts, dresses and skirts in summer-friendly materials.

Narmeen Minhas added that she loves dresses, so she uses them in layering.

“I bought some really cute dresses - knee length, sleeveless - that I’m going to wear under jeans and a white long shirt and boots,” she said. “I think that you can adapt any style to be modest and trendy.”

Muslims have noticed the need for providing people like the Minhas sisters with hijab-friendly choices, some opening stores like Bhaghani’s to accommodate the growing fashion market.

Terry Cormier opened Al-Farah two years ago in Anaheim, Calif., after running a high-volume Muslim wear Web site of the same name.

“We had a Web site before then, and people kept showing up at our house thinking it was the store, so we just decided to open a store,” Cormier said.

Al-Farah manufactures its own clothing, getting it shipped from overseas, from countries like Egypt, Syria, Turkey and Jordan, Cormier said. She added that what is ordered depends on what the customers are looking for. In winter, for example, she said young women asked for pant suits and button-up dress shirts.

“Modern stuff for younger sisters is in good demand,” she said, pointing out that she receives a lot of business from the 30 and under crowd. “They want an American style with an Islamic identity.”

American and western looks in general have also adopted Middle Eastern traditional wear recently, from the keffiyahs sold at stores like Urban Outfitters to dresses and shoes using beading and large stones as accents, often found on Egyptian and South Asian clothing.

Screen print T-shirts at trendy boutiques have lately used images of Asian and Middle Eastern women, and brands have started using recent political turmoil and messages of peace in their clothing.

Young fashionistas, Muslim and non-Muslim, have incorporated such styles into their wardrobes, but fashion for some more conservative Muslim women takes on a completely different meaning.

An article in The New York Post last year reported on Muslim women wearing fashionable clothing underneath their long, flowing robes, with sometimes the only thing the public eye could see would be flashy stilettos, a wink of bright jewelry or a brightly-colored headscarf on top, often embossed with designer names.

The Minhas sisters do not wear the jilbab over their clothing, but they do appreciate how women in Muslim countries and here who bide by such coverage choices still manage to add their own flair.

“My basic point is I aspire to dress like Arab and Turkish hijabis,” Abeer Minhas said.

Videos of Dubai street style show young women in cute tops with matching head scarves, blinged out with jewelry, designer shades, high heels and big bags. The men look right out of New York, in distressed jeans, v-neck shirts and wool pea coats.

Muslim American men don’t look or dress any different from others, according to Las Vegas resident Zeeshan Malik.

“Those with a fashion sense dress like any other common person with style,” Malik, 22, said. “My cousins and I look at GQ and we wear whatever we like in the new trends.”

Malik said some subtle differences for more conservative men would be looser clothing, not really latching on to the recent tight, skinny-jean fad or extra tight muscle shirts.

He also said Muslim men often personalize their style with their facial hair, growing thin beards or goatees. “We like our beards – that’s one of our styles, and then we have our receding hairlines which we hate,” he joked.

For Narmeen Minhas, being Muslim adds another important dimension to how she dresses.

“I also think that hijabis should look nice, i.e., I coordinate matching scarves with my clothes, because we stand out as “Muslim,” and I think it’s important to defeat the rumors that Muslim women are suppressed and unhappy.”

It may be a simplified way of fixing a much more serious image problem in society today, but if Muslims can acclimate themselves into any society and show this physically, maybe they will be more approachable and open up communication to educate the masses on the real Islam. That’s all the Minhas sisters ask for, especially when wearing their religion on their sleeves, or in some cases, on their heads.

http://www.infocusnews.net/content/view/34432/135/

Awarness Programme

Free Learn Quraan & Tajweed Workshop

Have you always wanted to perfect your recitation of Qur’aan but have never had the opportunity or the time?

Do you want to gain a better understanding of what Allah Ta’aala says in the Qur’aan?

Would you like to find out what Allah Ta’ala advises you to do in order to solve your problems?

If so, then the Fountain Of Wisdom presents you with a perfect opportunity

***A simple 3 hr workshop that introduces you to the Book of Allah, its history, relevance, virtues, and impact on your life as a Muslim***

Please read and forward the attached advert to all interested individuals. The workshop is aimed at enhancing everyone’s understanding of the Qur’aan. Aspects that will be addressed include:

- Tajweed (Get practical experience with the pronunciation of Arabic letters)

- Tafseer of common Surahs. Learn the meanings of the Surahs you commonly hear and read. Learn about their relevance to your everyday life.

- Lessons from Qur’aan. Listen to the advices Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Qur’aan, tackling everyday problems such as depression, stress, marital problems, illness, education, upbringing of children and a whole host of other important issues.

***There is no cost involved***

A Touching Story...received from my Dad

ﺒﺴمﺍﷲﺍﻠﺭﺤﻤﻥﺍﻠﺭﺤﻴم

ﺍﻠﺴﻼمﻋﻠﻴﻜمﻭﺭﺤﻤﺔﺍﷲﻭﺒﺭﻜﺎﺘﻪ

Dearest Daughter

The following story was sent to me by my dad…it is a tad bit long, but the lesson learnt makes it worth the read. . .

The Daffodil Principle

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Ummi, you must come and see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Boston. Going and coming took most of a day - and I honestly did not have a free day until the following week.

"I will come next Tuesday," I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call. Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove the length of Route 91, continued on I-215, and finally turned onto Route 18 and began to drive up the mountain highway. The tops of the mountains were sheathed in clouds, and I had gone only a few miles when the road was completely covered with a wet, gray blanket of fog. I slowed to a crawl, my heart pounding. The road becomes narrow and winding toward the top of the mountain.

As I executed the hazardous turns at a snail's pace, I was praying to reach the turnoff at Blue Jay that would signify I had arrived. When I finally walked into Romaana’h’s house, I hugged and greeted my grandchildren I said, "Forget the daffodils, Romaana’h! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these darling children that I want to see bad enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly, "We drive in this all the time, Ummi."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears - and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"I was hoping you'd take me over to the garage to pick up my car. The mechanic just called, and they've finished repairing the engine," she answered.

"How far will we have to drive?" I asked cautiously.

"Just a few blocks," Romaana’h said cheerfully.

So we buckled up the children and went out to my car. "I'll drive," Romaana’h offered. "I'm used to this." We got into the car, and she began driving.

In a few minutes I was aware that we were back on the Rim-of-the-World Road heading over the top of the mountain. "Where are we going?" I exclaimed, distressed to be back on the mountain road in the fog. "This isn't the way to the garage!"

"We're going to my garage the long way," Romaana’h smiled, "by way of the daffodils."

" Romaana’h, I said sternly, trying to sound as if I was still the mother and in charge of the situation, "please turn around. There is nothing in the world that I want to see enough to drive on this road in this weather."

"It's all right, Ummi," She replied with a knowing grin. "I know what I'm doing. I promise, you will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

And so my sweet, darling daughter who had never given me a minute of difficulty in her whole life was suddenly in charge - and she was kidnapping me! I couldn't believe it. Like it or not, I was on the way to see some ridiculous daffodils - driving through the thick, gray silence of the mist-wrapped mountaintop at what I thought was risk to life and limb. I muttered all the way. After about twenty minutes we turned onto a small gravel road that branched down into an oak-filled hollow on the side of the mountain. The fog had lifted a little, but the sky was lowering, gray and heavy with clouds. We parked in a small parking lot adjoining a little stone church. From our vantage point at the top of the mountain we could see beyond us, in the mist, the crests of the San Bernardino range like the dark, humped backs of a herd of elephants. Far below us the fog-shrouded valleys, hills, and flatlands stretched away to the desert.

On the far side of the Maasjid I saw a pine-needle-covered path, with towering evergreens and manzanita bushes and an inconspicuous, lettered sign "Daffodil Garden."

We each took a child's hand, and I followed Romaana’h down the path as it wound through the trees. The mountain sloped away from the side of the path in irregular dips, folds, and valleys, like a deeply creased skirt. Live oaks, mountain laurel, shrubs, and bushes clustered in the folds, and in the gray, drizzling air, the green foliage looked dark and monochromatic. I shivered. Then we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight, unexpectedly and completely splendid. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it down over the mountain peak and slopes where it had run into every crevice and over every rise. Even in the mist-filled air, the mountainside was radiant, clothed in massive drifts and waterfalls of daffodils. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron, and butter yellow.

Each different-colored variety (I learned later that there were more than thirty-five varieties of daffodils in the vast display) was planted as a group so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue.

In the center of this incredible and dazzling display of gold, a great cascade of purple grape hyacinth flowed down like a waterfall of blossoms framed in its own rock-lined basin, weaving through the brilliant daffodils. A charming path wound throughout the garden. There were several resting stations, paved with stone and furnished with wooden benches and great tubs of coral and carmine tulips. As though this were not magnificent enough, Mother Nature had to add her own grace note - above the daffodils, a bevy of western bluebirds flitted and darted, flashing their brilliance. These charming little birds are the color of sapphires with breasts of magenta red. As they dance in the air, their colors are truly like jewels above the blowing, glowing daffodils. The effect was spectacular.

It did not matter that the sun was not shining. The brilliance of the daffodils was like the glow of the brightest sunlit day. Words, wonderful as they are, simply cannot describe the incredible beauty of that flower-bedecked mountain top. Five acres of flowers! (This too I discovered later when some of my questions were answered.) "But who has done this?" I asked Romaana’h. I was overflowing with gratitude that she brought me - even against my will. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"Who?" I asked again, almost speechless with wonder, "And how, and why, and when?"

"It's just one woman," Romaana’h answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Romaana’h n pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory.

We walked up to the house, my mind buzzing with questions. On the patio we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking" was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman, two hands, two feet, and very little brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1998."

There it was. The Daffodil Principle. . . For me that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than thirty-five years before, had begun - one bulb at a time - to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top. One bulb at a time…There was no other way to do it. One bulb at a time. No shortcuts - simply loving the slow process of planting. Loving the work as it unfolded. Loving an achievement that grew so slowly and that bloomed for only three weeks of each year. Still, just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, had changed the world. This unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.

The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principle of celebration: learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time - often just one baby-step at a time - learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.

" Romaana’h," I said that morning on the top of the mountain as we left the haven of daffodils, our minds and hearts still bathed and bemused by the splendors we had seen, "it's as though that remarkable woman has needle-pointed the earth! Decorated it. Just think of it, she planted every single bulb for more than thirty years. One bulb at a time! And that's the only way this garden could be created. Every individual bulb had to be planted. There was no way of short-circuiting that process. Five acres of blooms. That magnificent cascade of hyacinth! All, just one bulb at a time."

The thought of it filled my mind. I was suddenly overwhelmed with the implications of what I had seen. "It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Romaana’h. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years. Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My wise daughter put the car into gear and summed up the message of the day in her direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said with the same knowing smile she had worn for most of the morning. Oh, such profound wisdom!

It is pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson a celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use tomorrow?"

While this may seem rather odd coming from me, with nothing at all to do with Islam, I thought it apt to remind us of a valuable life lesson: That no matter what the goal/task at hand, or how great it may be, the important thing is to: (i) decide on the best action plan then (ii) take consistent action towards it, (iii) tweaking/adapting your plan along the way and life’s path.

Your goal may be as simple as to learn to recite the Qura’an or improve your Tajweed, or it may be as lofty as to constantly strive to improve yourself and draw closer to Allah (swt). You may be aspiring to study hifs (yet not even know the Arabic alphabet!), or to do tafseer of the Glorious Qura’an, or raise your children and live your life for Allah (swt) and according to Allah (swt’s) Deen . . . No matter what you long for, the principles remain the same . . . consistent effort will bring rewards . . . No, more likely than not, your dreams will not be realized over night. . . Yes, you will encounter challenges, storms that will threaten and even kill some of your daffodils, but what is important is NOT to focus on the negatives! Be grateful for the experience and remember that even if just one of your daffodils survives, if you’ve only learnt 1 new Dua’a, 1 new Surah for the day, or recited just one page of the Glorious Qura’an for the day, you’re that much richer for it! May the Almighty reward you abundantly for it

Tomorrow is another day, rich in possibility. If you remember to rise in the morning with gratitude to Allah (swt) in your heart and a positive attitude, you’ll find the strength to plant the next daffodil by doing what needs to be done. . . At the end of each new day, you’ll yet again be that much richer! Given time, our daily efforts will become habits which we’ll follow through on without much effort . . . So don’t let the sheer size/complexity of your goals/dreams rob you of your dream or hold you back nor discourage you. No matter how daunting or even unattainable they may seem, I’m sure there’s just 1 step (even if it’s just finding more info) that you can do right now. Find that step and DO IT! Then the next, and the next, and the next. . .

I make Dua’a that Allah (swt) guides and blesses us each and every day. May we learn and remember the value of the moment, and appreciate and invest it wisely. . . May we strive for Allah (swt) pleasure and closeness, beg of Allah (swt)’s mercy and forgiveness and remember Allah (swt) always with love and gratitude. Inshallah Aameen!

Jummah Mubarak! May we strive each day to plant our own special “daffodils” for the Aakirah!

With lots of love & my very best Dua’a always

Fi amaanillah - I leave you in the protection of Allah Ta’ala

Wasalaamu Alaykum Wa Raghmatullaahi Wa Barakaatu

Public Debate in KZN

Jummah Mubarak

The meaning of " Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilahi Raaji'oon"

Yeah, sure we say this statement when someone passes away. Some of us may say this sentence when they lose something, suffer a setback or harm. But...........do you know what it means?

Sure, everyone know that it obviously means 'To Allaah we belong and to Him is our return.'
But that's not what I am talking about.
I mean ....do you REALLY, TRULY understand these words and their implications in a Muslim's life?
It means ...whatever we have is not really ours. It belongs to Allah.

Take a look around you; everything you see, all that you have and all that there is....in you, on you, around you....belongs to Allah, alone.
It is Allah Who has given you all the property and goods you possess, and that He is the true Owner of them all.

So the cars that you own, the houses that you live in, the businesses you possess all truly belong to Allah

The kids that He blessed you with, the health that He gave you, the time that He has allowed you are all Allah's property.
Even the bodies we live in and the life that we have belongs to Allah alone.


"And to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth...." (Surah Aal-Imraan:180)
"The kingdom of the heavens and the earth and everything in them belongs to Allah. He has power over all things." (Surah al-Ma'ida: 120)
'Say: 'To Allah belongs the East and the West...' (Surah al-Baqarah:142)

Now, since everything belongs to Allah, then we have to include even our souls in that list..
The very souls that we think of as our "self"; our "nafs"; our "being" -- whatever you want to call it -- that very thing that distinguishes you from the rest of the world, belongs to Allah. It's not YOURS.

In fact, YOU are not YOURS.
You belong to Allah.

And this is the essence of the concept of slavery to Allah in Islam.

And since He is the true Possessor of everything, and everything is His property, He allots what He wills to whomever He wills...and then He takes it away. After all, it was Allah’s to begin with.
So He may give you something and then take it back after a while..

He will bless you with a precious child that you love dearly...and then He may take it away.
He will grant you money, honour and status.....and then He may take it away.
He will give you youth, vitality and health and then surely He will take it away.
In fact everything you have will only be with you for a very short while.
And then the Owner will claim His Right.
So when Allah does reclaim what was rightfully His, WHY MOURN OUR LOSSES?

Just like a friend who lends you his book. And then after a few days, he wants it back and you give it back to him...no regrets.....no sorrow....no questions asked.
Similarly, if Allah takes back some of His blessings upon you for some reason....so be it.
Say Alhamdulillah.

Don't grieve.

Be patient.

Submit to the will of Allah, being pleased with His decision for you. For surely He will only do what is best for you.

Just think.....The Owner came and took it back.
Remember....that you're not the real owner.....you were NEVER the real owner to begin with. You only had everything because it was Allah who gave it to you in the first place. If He didn't give it to you, you wouldn't have had it in any way...in fact, you couldn't have had it.
Remember....man enters into this world empty handed...and leaves it empty handed.
Remember....that everything we have, all the blessings we enjoy, are gifts from Almighty Allah....gifts that we enjoy for a limited period until He takes them away whenever He deems fit.

They are a trust from Allah...a loan to you...to see how you respond to these gifts from Allah and how you use them....in the obedience of the Almighty, thanking Him and worshipping Him......OR.........to the disobedience to the One Who gave then to you in the first place.

Take note of the words of the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) on the=2 0occasion of the death of his son, Ibraahim:

'Our eyes are filled with tears, our hearts with grief, but we say nothing with our lips except that which pleases Allah.... Verily, to Allah we belong, and to Him we return.' (Bukhaari)

And we all know the famous incidence about the companion Abu Talha and his wife when one of the sons died and Abu Talha was not at home. She washed and shrouded him and when Abu Talha came home and asked about his son, she said,
'The child is quiet and I hope he is in peace....' (Bukhaari)

Subhaan Allah....such patience!
And such Imaan in the statement "Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi Raaji'oon"!

She truly understood its meaning and the affect it should have on her life as a Muslimah, submitting to him and being pleased with whatever He has decreed for her.

She knew that whatever she has, is not truly hers. Rather, it is Allah’s....and He took back whatever He owns at its appointed time. It is because of this Imaan so strong, this understanding, that the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) made Dua'a for them and Allah blessed them immensely.

"'They (i.e. Abu Talha and his wife) had nine sons and all of them became recites’ of the Qura'an (by heart)." (Bukhaari)

"Be sure we will test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives, but give glad tidings to those who are steadfast, who say when afflicted with calamity: 'To Allah we belong and to him is our return.' They are those on who (descend) blessings from Allah and mercy and they are the once that receive guidance." (al-Baqarah: 155)

Trust in Allah (SWT) with all your heart and HE will never fail you because HE is Most Merciful and the Bestower of Needs, Aameen!

The Uniqueness of Rasoolullah

THE UNIQUENESS OF RASOOLULLAH

Our Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is the best and most unique creation of Allah Ta’ala. There is none like him and there never will be. No one except Allah Ta’ala knows the true status of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). There are numerous qualities of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) that are exclusive to him and make him unique and superior to the rest of creation. Insha Allah below a few of these unique qualities will be listed and it is sure to

increase our love and respect for our Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam).

• His sacred body never cast a shadow, whether in sunlight, moonlight or candlelight.

• He was always outstanding in height when he sat or walked even amongst the tallest people in a crowd.

• His Shahaadah finger was the same length as his middle finger.

• Sleep never broke his wudhu.

• When he smiled, rays of light beamed from his teeth.

• If he stepped on a rock, it melted to comfort his footsteps.

• Stones and trees greeted him saying, “Assalaatu Wassalaamu Alaika Ya Rasoolullah” when he passed them along his path.

• Angels and clouds shaded him when he walked in sunshine.

• His brilliant face glowed at night and outshone the radiance of the full moon.

• The moon moved according to the direction of his fingers when he played in his cradle as a child.

• He could see behind him as he could see ahead of him.

• He could see in darkness as he could see in light.

• His perspiration always had a strong fragrance similar to Kastori Musk, which is rare and is rated as the most fragrant and most expensive Attar in the world.

• He is the only creation of Allah Ta’ala that saw Almighty Allah with his physical eyes.

• The first thing that Allah Ta’ala created was his Noor and hence he is the first creation of Almighty Allah.

• He will be the first person to be raised on the Day of Judgment.

• He will be the first person to knock on the door of Jannat to be opened.

• He will be the first person to cross the Pul Siraat (The Bridge that lies above Jahannam leading to Jannat).

• He will be the first person to enter Jannat followed immediately by his beloved daughter Hazrat Sayyidah Fatima Zahra (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha).

• The huge crowd that will assemble at the Pul Siraat to cross the bridge will be ordered to shut their eyes because the beloved daughter of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), Sayyidah Fatima (Radiallahu Ta’ala Anha) will be crossing the bridge into Jannat.

• He will be the first person to be granted the power of intercession on the Day of Judgment.

• He will hold the flag of ‘Liwaa’ul Hamd’ in his hand on the Day of Qiyaamah under which all Prophets will assemble.

• He will be the first person to make Sajdah to Allah Ta’ala and to see his Lord on the Day of Qiyaamah.

• He will make Shafa’at (intercede) for the children (minors) of the Mushrikeen.

• He never yawned.

• A fly never sat on his body or clothes.

• A lice or mosquito never bit or harmed him.

• He is aware of the names of every person who will enter Jannat and all those who will be sentenced to the Fire of Hell.

• His knowledge when compared to the knowledge of Allah is of no comparison similar to a drop weighed against the ocean, and the knowledge of the entire creation is of no comparison when compared to his knowledge.

• He is the first Mu’min (believer) who declared the Tawheed of Allah.

• He will be the only distributor of Divinely Blessed water at the Fountain of Kauthar on the Day of Qiyaamah.

• He was created as the ultimate mercy for the entire universe.

• No Ummahs of the past Prophets accumulated the Sunnahs of their respected Prophets as the Sahaabah of his Ummah did for him.

• A Shaitaan is born with every human and the Shaitaan born with Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) brought Imaan on him and became a Muslim.

• Allah Ta’ala communicated with him in every form of Wahi.

• Allah Ta’ala never addressed him in the Holy Qur’an by his personal name. He always addressed him by his beautiful titles.

• He is the only Prophet that was given the knowledge of Dajjaal and his activities.

• His chaste wives and daughters are the highest ranked amongst all the women of the world.

• The sand of his sacred city is Shifa for sickness.

• He is the only person from whom the Angel of Death sought permission to remove the soul.

• He is the only Prophet to have travelled on the Buraaq.

• He will be the only person to be blessed on the Day of Qiyaamah with the Buraaq as a mode of transport and be accompanied by 70 000 Angels of Mercy.

• It was made permissible for Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and his Ummah to speak while fasting, while it was Haraam for previous Ummahs to talk in a state of fast.

• The Ummah of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was ordered to give 2.5% as Zakaat annually while the previous Ummahs had to give 25% in Zakaat.

• The greeting of “Assalaamu Alaikum” is exclusive to this Ummah and not anyone else.

• If the past Ummahs committed sins Allah Ta’ala sent Azaab (punishment) on them in this world but due to the presence of “Rahmatallil Aalameen” amongst us, we are saved from this humiliation.

• Many followers of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) will be sent to Jannat without questioning on the Day of Judgment.

• There are 120 sectors in Jannat and 80 will be occupied by this Ummah and the remaining 40 by all the other Ummahs.

[Quoted from Al Khasa’isul Sughra written by Hazrat Imam Jalaaluddin Suyuti Rahmatullah Alaih]

This is just a drop in the ocean of the uniqueness of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) on which volumes can be written. Furthermore, it is due to his status and uniqueness that even his Ummah has been blessed by Allah Ta’ala with much exclusivity. May Allah Ta’ala grant us utmost love and respect for the highest and most beautiful of creation, our Beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), Aameen.