700 Rewards

Alhamdulillah, my last post brings many feedback. Jazakumullah khairan for the support and excitement 😆 and for the people who said I was inspiring, I think I need to explain how I get the idea and who inspires me to do this 🙂

In Indonesia, there is a man called Ustadh Yusuf Mansur. He is concentrating in sadaqah and building “Tahfidh House” (house for learning Qur’an). I would also point out that his work pays so much in such short years, he started to learn about sadaqah in 1998. And now his tahfidh houses reached over 3000 houses and keep counting!! Wallahy, you should read about his life if there is any available in English.

I heard about him a lot, and I followed his story until now. Some people think that he is too extreme. Let me give an example of the people he had helped. There was this man really in need of money for medication, he has no money, and so he came to this Ustadh for solution. You know what he would say? “Give your motorbike for sadaqah”. Or if a man wants his hotel business to expand, he would say ,”Give one of your hotel for sadaqah”. And wallahy, I know many many people who prove this method. If you want something so so so so bad, and no money to get it, give sadaqah!

This Ustadh is practicing two verses from al-Baqarah :

261. The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.

262. Those who spend their wealth in the Cause of Allah, and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

Literally, in the verse 261, Allah had promised that every sadaqah will be rewarded 700 times! And who keeps their promises better than Allah?!

It’s just amazing. Of course now his knowledge is more than he had before. But can you imagine, this is an international movement! He started it just because he learned few verses and he has so much faith in it, by the help of Allah, he brings changes and solutions for this ummah! Don’t look at his shortcomings, may Allah increase him in knowledge, and forgive all the mistakes he is done, bless him with long blessed life. Aameen!!

That’s why I put faith on it too, it is the promise of Allah! Allah always keeps His promises! I experienced this miracle few times, I couldn’t mention it here, I’m afraid it will cancel my rewards. 🙂

Okay, that’s the man who inspires me to do it.

And last but not least, how to be sincere? I can’t tell you how, I don’t even know that I was sincere or I was not. But look at the verse 262, don’t remind the people and don’t hurt others with your generosity. I think it helps, also by holding our tongue everytime we are tempted to mention the amount of our sadaqah in the intention for motivating people. If they are not motivated by Allah’s Rewards, they will not be motivated by your words too. That’s for sure.

Hope it clears everything.

Life is Simple

Living early marriage life is really challenging. Of course, this has a lot to do with us comparing ‘carefree’ single life with ‘full of responsibility’ marriage life. I’m not saying that being single is being irresponsible, but you all know what I mean 🙂

The most challenging issue that I am having is living in a rented house. Not just random rented house, but this particular house that we are renting. It only has one bedroom, a small bedroom, VERY small bedroom, okay, it explains everything, right? 🙂 But alhamdulillah we still can live in a house with a bedroom. I have a friend who rent a room after marriage, no kitchen, no everything, just one plain room. I also found out that there is no more place available to rent around my husband’s workplace. This house is only 2 minutes away, so that’s why he insisted to live here because I am pregnant, and it’s very easy for him to come home among his office hours to look after me. Sweet, isn’t?

So, two months ago, there was a house for sale. We were so interested. So we counted, and there is no way we can afford the house without taking a loan from a bank. Yes, the only option was taking a mortgage that will last for 15 years. We have sharia bank here, as the solution to stay away from riba. But it gets me thinking, riba or not, do we really want to be in debt for the next 15 years of our lives? How many couples have you known being so unhappy on their early years because of debt? Me, personally, know A LOT!! So, we decided not to take it. I was a bit sad, but I kept it for myself.

I want the house and as usual, I have to get what I want. That specific house, is still near my husband’s office, and it is placed in the town center. The house is not built yet, so the design is changeable. We couldn’t afford it but it is relatively cheap for an offer like that. So, what to do?

Allah is Rich. So I asked Allah for the house. I know that if Allah wants the house to be ours He will send us solutions from doors we never expected. Also, I calculate the amount of sadaqah I have to make to be able to buy the house. The sadaqah we make will be rewarded 700 times. So, just divide the cost of  the house to 700 to be the smallest amount of sadaqah you make. Simple isn’t?

And finally, alhamdulillah, Allah give me the house 🙂 We modified the design, and we paid the down payment. The rest inshaAllah will be paid after the house is 100% ready, probably on November or December. And on January my rent is over so it feels like destiny, subhanAllah.

Life is simple, right? 😉

My Life in Fast Forward

Assalaamu’alaikum warahmatullah wabarakaatuhu…

SubhanAllah I miss writing on my blog!! Alhamdulillah, my statistic and followers are growing in numbers eventhough I can’t understand why it happens… So, I guess it’s just fair to tell all of you what happened while I was gone 😀

So, remember my few last posts were about me wanted to get married? And finally I am!! My marriage is arranged, we know each other since we were kids (since we were cousins) so it is pretty easy to adjust. The nikah was on December 9th, and the wedding was on 11th. It was nerve wrecking, I was so stressed and nervous, but alhamdulillah it went pretty smoothly.

After nikah I move out to my husband’s on January to a city called Jambi. It’s 12 hours drive from my hometown, and the house is a rent. InshaAllah until December (or sooner, I hope) we will be moving to our house that is on the building process (this ‘house’ issue will get a post on its own, inshaAllah).

And plus!! I am 4 months pregnant!! Alhamdulillah!!
See, it’s like my life is dragged on fast farward. It feels like few minutes ago I was so stressed for being unmarried and still trying my best to hold on my principles. But Allah has been toooooooo kind!!

Please make du’aa for me. And yes, I am officially back!!

Mini Skirts, Our Rights!

An Egyptian friend of mine, told me this,

“Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, so before the plane landed I was hoping to see hijab all over the place, I was in shocked when this first thing I saw was girls with mini skirts wherever the eyes can see.”

I admit, I wasn’t always a hijabi like this. My hijab also transformed in several styles along with my understanding of this beautiful Deen, Alhamdulillah. With that, Alhamdulillah also, I came to realize more and more the ‘whys’. I am now 100% sure that hijab is only sent down to protect us, woman, because Allah loves us all. Allah wants us to be free from being the object of sexual exploitation.

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About few weeks ago, the country was shocked about the terminology used by the media “rape season” in Jakarta. It was a scary thing to hear but it was the truth. The statistics of rape cases increases so fast in the last few months. The victims were kidnapped from the public transport, and they were taken to some place and they were abused. The last case that I heard was very sadistic, this woman, was raped by 4 men, that was brutal. I couldn’t even imagine if it happens to me, my sister, my mother, or my female relatives. 😥

And then the city made a new regulation “No Mini Skirts”, in public transport.  In my point of view, it is part of solution. Sadly, few days ago, a feminist group then made a demonstration defending their rights on wearing mini-skirts. I laughed and also wanted to cry at the same time. What is happening  to these woman? Why don’t they see the whole problems? Before you started to think that I am being judgmental  or I have this racism against mini-skirts, please read the entire post.

Yes, wearing everything you want is your personal issue, nobody needs to interfere with that. So does for that girl who was raped by 4 men at a time. Imagine you are living her shoes. The men can possibly be caught, be jailed for years… So what? She is still raped. Okay, lets add up the punishment, let’s give the 4 men, death penalty. So what? She was still raped!

I am not blaming anyone but the rapists. But it was very careless for any women who only wear skirts a little wider than her underwear. Let’s not get to the ‘inviting’ clothes issue, this post might get longer than it should. Yes, men need to control their minds, they need to control their desire. Yes, I agree with that. Even when the country give death penalty to the rapists, I agree with that, too. But when you are the victim, the punishment to men who raped you makes no difference. You experienced the trauma, you experienced the abuse, you experienced the pain, you suffered. Nothing can change that.

If only she travels with someone, if only she cover herself better, if only she brought pepper spray, so many “if onlies”… All meaningless “if only” when you were the victim.

When you want your house to be safe, you will have enough security system. If you are robbed when your doors unlocked, you are helping the robbers to be able to access your treasure easier.  Yes, the robbers might get caught, but you still lost your belongings. You will still suffer!

So, feminists, I’m not saying that you don’t have any right to choose what you wear. Don’t get defensive. Nobody wants anything but your safety. When bad things happened to YOU, no one else suffers more than YOU, ALONE! Think about it. Don’t get emotional.  No one can forbid you to wear mini skirts, but are you sure it is safe for YOU to wear it EVERYWHERE?!

Cover yourself well, take care of yourself better. FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY!!
Much Love! ♥!

 

Nine Eleven

Today is 9/11 Ten Years Anniversary. The news are broadcasting about it. New pages on FB appears to remind people about the sad event. FB statuses were about it, the ones who care and the ones who don’t.

For me, as a person who listened to the massacre in Palestine over and over, and lately following the news about drought in Somalia, a long time ago accident doesn’t really move me. I remember how shocked I was 10 years ago and how the analysis of so called smart people on both sides overtaken me, and confusing me. Probably because I don’t have a loved one gone by the accident, probably because it didn’t happen in my country… I can list more ‘probablies’, but the point is, I cared … but now it’s done so it’s done.

I love all my friends on Facebook, specially the ones that I keep for years, no matter what their religious ideals are, political views are, I respect their sadness, specially since I don’t know if the event hit them personally. I just think this 9/11 issue is over-commercialized and seriously there are more important issues to deal with even in that particular country itself, United States.

But with the so called accomplishment their government done by killing the Osama guy. People really needed to be reminded about how awful it was and hay, they got the man who did it and guess what, the election is coming up so let’s re-fresh their memories about the accomplishments we had done, exploit their sadness, and let them forget more important issues happening in the country. I am a skeptic at times…

So, Alhamdulillah, a Facebook page gave me a relieving post on another view of 9/11. Shaikh Navaid Aziz page posted this,

“But if they repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, then they are your brothers in religion; and We detail the verses for a people who know.” 9:11

Now I can go continue my day having another perspective about the words, nine eleven. Alhamdulillah! Yay for Shaikh Navaid Aziz!