#Alhamdulillah I'm muslim

[sabrgirl]

if there’s anything this year has taught me, it’s been the art of letting go. there are so many things, people, ideas, thoughts and feelings that i’ve let go of this year—more than i ever have in my life. some by choice, some by leaving me with no choice. but i’ve learnt that it’s okay to stop hanging on, it’s okay to stop clinging for dear life and just… fall through the air. and surrender to Allah's Will and let Him guide you. sometimes the landing is so beautiful. sometimes you’re afraid you’ll fall and crash if you let go. but actually. actually :) you’ll find something so much softer and comfortable than the spiky, rocky edges you were scratching yourself and pricking yourself with by trying to hold on. i’ve learnt that sometimes you might be falling for a while trying to find this landing and you’ll keep falling and falling and falling to what seems like no end.

but alhamdulillah, i’ve learnt to what it means to embody sabr and tawakkul. it doesn’t mean you’ll be fine all the time. sometimes it means pulling your hairs out, crying, screaming, sobbing and sobbing in salah, going silent, not wanting to talk to anyone, pulling yourself to get out of bed and get on with your day, pulling yourself out of bed to pray tahajjud and fajr when all you want to do is sleep for 15 hours, trying hard to focus your mind on what’s at hand rather than overthinking about the future, reading Qur'an and the pages get all blurry from your tears, pretending to be happy when you’re not, lashing out at the ones you love and then feeling guilty afterwards and doing istighfar, trying to be extra kind to the people around you so that they don’t feel the pain you’re feeling, or simply just existing, living your life and having absolutely no idea what's going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and all you can do is just focus on what's happening right now. it means that through this all, you still believe that Allah will make it okay, that He still loves you and will forgive you, that there is a reward that is waiting for you, that you can keep turning to Him over and over and trust that He will make it okay. and He will.

and still, you’ll hang in there, you’ll still push, you’ll still get through it. because you’re strong. because you're being guided by Allah. and you'll already have let go now so there’s no going back. but when you find this fluffy landing, you’ll realise it was all worth it. and you’ll not only have found it, you’ll have grown in the process, become a better person and best of all, you'll have gotten closer to Allah (SWT).

and you’ll discover that this beautiful landing, this soft, cloudy landing that you didn’t expect to land on after falling at such great speed was peace, all along. the peace you were looking for that you finally found. and sometimes you’ll be pushed towards the edge again and this whole cycle will continue— and continue, it will. because what you thought was finally the ground was just another tall mountain with fluff at the top but spiky edges all around again. but the beauty in letting go and surrendering to Allah is that you’ll find peace again and again and again. 

may we all find peace in 2024 and grow closer to Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ . may He forgive us for all our sins, increase us in knowledge, guide us on the right path and give us strength to overcome any difficulty/temptation/hardship. may He be with the people of Palestine and may 2024 be the year they are finally free. may He always be pleased with us and let us have a great year. Allahumma Ameen.

happy new year to you all. you’re all such beautiful people who deserve the very best. you have overcome so much this year, gone through so much this year, silently, publicly, and grown a lot. please give yourself credit for it and thank Allah. be kind to yourselves.

♡

[autumnfuzz]

Islamphobes can dish it but can't take it.

Replied to an Islamphobic person who was spreading misinformation about Islam but instead of answering they said their religion was better. Asked what their religion was. Didn't answer me. Instead said they studied Islam for a long time yet has no basic knowledge about Islam. Called them out, got blocked. I don't understand these people. They like to spread misinformation about Islam without doing any research. They'd take culture as a religion like what's culture got to do with religion? Each specific region has same culture despite having different religion. Culture can be toxic even in Muslim community, no one is refuting that. But why are you spreading lies about the religion itself? These people really think they can say anything and nobody would refute them with proof. Kafirs are so annoying. But their lies always disappeares in front of truth.

[dashingwishes]

I am at an age where I am finally happy with the way I look I wouldn’t want to change anything on my face and body. Sure it’s hard sometimes but it’s all good now✨

[willsilvertongue]

that football match broke me but i couldn’t be more grateful to morocco for everything they’ve done. genuinely feeling a real sense of peace right now

[tamamita]

Hey Sal! I was wondering if you'd mind sharing your opinion on non-Muslims using phrases like "Inshallah" and "Alhamdulillah"?

For context, I'm white and ex-Catholic. One of my best friends growing up was Muslim — she and her family immigrated to my town as refugees from Afghanistan in the early 00s. They always encouraged me to learn and participate in their family gatherings, and "Inshallah" and "Alhamdulillah" became a normal part of my own lexicon. It cemented further during college, as I had classes on Middle East history where my professor started each class with call and response salaams, and encouraged us to learn and use basic Arabic together in class. So, I tend to use these phrases in day to day conversations the way I would other non English phrases, such as "c'est la vie" or "un poco".

However, I realized that while salaams may be welcomed for non-Muslims to use, phrases like "Inshallah" and "Alhamdulillah" may feel inappropriate or appropriative coming from myself with no other context. Would it be better for non-Muslims like myself to refrain from using phrases like these? Or am I overthinking this?

Love and appreciate you and all you do to have open dialogues to educate your followers :) Thank you!

[zzzx009]

What is your religion may I ask 🤔

I'm curious af

I'm Muslim alhamdulillah💖

[bintturaab]

The last time I came for Umrah was 11 years ago, and being back in Makkah and Madinah is so emotional on so many levels.

Back in 2012, I remember ardently praying to Allah to let my parents accept my change as a Muslim, to let me wear the niqab, among many other things. Returning here for the 2nd Umrah of my life as a niqabi now, chokes my heart with so much emotion subhanAllah. Sometimes when I look at myself in the mirror, I can't believe that I actually get to go out like this, because of the years and years of fighting and struggling I've had to do for it. But alhamdulillah the end result always feels so sweet ♡

The last time when I was here, I made so much dua for my people, for my beloved companions, none of whom are with me anymore. None of them. The ones who still are here, the way they've become, it doesn't really count. Now I'm making dua for a whole different set of people, whose existence I didn't even know about the last time around. I love them all, but thinking back to the ones I started my journey with, it makes me feel some type of way that I cannot name. Somehow I'm back to square one, but having lived a few lifetimes in between.

I remember how 11 years ago, being able to visit the House of Allah and beseeching Him there with a heart full of conviction, literally changed my life when I returned, for the better. All the hardships, which were honestly so much worse than anything I have now, all went away alhamdulillah. It was nothing short of miraculous.

When I return this time, I hope my life transforms for the better once more, bi idhnillah. Somewhere between these years, I've lost all hope in this dunya. My heart is a different type of broken than it was before. But there's no way we could ever lose hope in Allah, when He is the source of all hope, عز وجل

{وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ اللَّه رَوُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ} ♡

[apollos-olives]

Quick and odd arabic question: are expressions like "inshallah", "alhamdulilah", and so on, specific to Muslims? I know some are only used by Muslims yes but I'm wondering about these which mention God- sorry if I'm not making sense lol

nope they're not just for muslims! they're for anyone who speaks arabic. just like how anyone, even atheists, can say "oh my god", anyone can say "mashallah" or "alhamdulillah" or whatever else :) they're just polite gestures to god in a different language 🤷‍♂️ muslims use them a lot mostly, just bc we believe we get rewarded for saying things liks that, but ofc many christians and jews and honestly almost everyone who uses arabic uses words like "inshallah" and stuff like that. it's just a different language to say stuff, it's not super strictly allowed for only muslims. as long as you understand what they mean, anyone can use them! do you want something good to happen? say "inshallah"! want to compliment someone? say "mashallah"! want to express happiness and gratitude? say "alhamdulillah"! they're all for everyone to say :)

[qweenofurheart]

Are you a muslim by any chance? I love how you write Logan as a muslim <3

hello! i'm not a muslim, but i find Islam beautiful and i respect it a lot, so i hope to learn more about it and portray it correctly with Logan's character :) thank you for the question! Alhamdulillah :)

[downfalldestiny]

I'm proud to be Muslim Alhamdulillah 🤲🕌 !.

[revert-and-queer]

Hi. I was raised Catholic and have been agnostic or atheist for most of my life due to both trauma and a lack of faith. I have tried going back to it and to other Christian denominations and never felt part of it. I studied modern pagan movements and found them interesting but didn't believe what they said. Judaism is beautiful, no doubt, but I didn't connect with their practice and interpretations.

I have been researching Islam, and since I've started looking into it I have believed in God for the first time in years without feeling afraid. I have been reading the Quran and studying different parts of the religion, and it speaks to me in a way nothing else has. I feel like I have finally found something that resonates with me, a way I can connect with God. I'm finally praying again.

I am hesitant to convert just yet, though. I want to learn as much as I can. Furthermore, it would be logistically very difficult for me to do any of the important practices of Islam like Salah as I live in a Catholic home. I'm nervous at the idea of making that commitment to Him and then potentially backing out if my trauma starts acting up again. I don't want to make a promise to Him I cannot keep. I understand He is forgiving, but I would rather not upset Him either way.

My last major concern is being a system, and worrying that not everyone will cooperate or even want this at all. Am I able/allowed to have that faith if other parts of me reject it? What does that say about my devotion to God?

Is there anyone who has been in a similar position to me and can offer some words of guidance? I'm doing lots of reading and research already, but the emotional and spiritual aspect is very new ground.

Also, am I allowed to use phrases like "inshallah" or "alhamdulillah" and refer to God as Allah if I'm not properly Muslim yet? I don't like, say them out loud, but just in my head. I just don't want to cause offense.

Sorry if this post is in any way disrespectful or bothersome. I'm just trying to reach out for what support I can. Thank you for reading this.

[skopostheorie]

Translations of things Muslims say that aren't actually translations

Most people translate what these things mean literally which is nice but you also gotta know the EQUIVALENTS otherwise it sounds weird.

Insha Allah: hopefully

Ma sha Allah: Congrats/how amazing!

Alhamdulillah: I'm going well thanks

Wallahi: I promise

Subhanallah: see Ma sha Allah

Allahu Akbar: you just walked into a prayer by accident

[writerfarzanatutul]

Interview of a real Niqabi ( Is Niqab an oppression?) part 4

Interviewer: Why did you embrace this Niqab?

- Afraha: 

When I began to take my religion more seriously, I delved into the reasons behind Muslim women covering themselves. There are varying opinions among different madhabs; some suggest covering the face, while others say that it's not mandatory. Of course, Allah SWT (Subhanahu wa ta'ala means glorified and exalted) knows best. Alhamdulillah, my journey with hijab and abaya wasn't too challenging, although I didn't wear a headscarf until 2021. Astagfirullah, within a month or less, I transitioned to wearing the niqab.Now, why did I choose to wear the niqab?I came across a topic about awrah that resonated with me. It highlighted how Allah SWT has created women beautifully, and a significant portion of our beauty lies in our faces. The idea made sense to me, and I believed that by wearing the niqab, I wouldn't be sinful. After all, I was covering my entire body, and adding a piece of cloth to my face wouldn't be a big deal. I saw it as an opportunity to earn more good deeds.

Note:

Assalamu alaykum [Peace be with you],

I'm reaching out to connect with Muslimah who have recently chosen to embrace Niqab or have embarked on a personal journey to strengthen their faith.

I'm working on a project to share inspiring stories of women who have transformed their lives for the sake of Allah (SWT) [Subhanahu wa ta'ala - Exalted is He]. These stories can serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration for others on their own faith journeys.

If you've recently adopted Niqab or have a story about strengthening your faith, I'd be honored to interview you. Our conversation could be featured in [mention the platform where you'll share the stories, e.g., a website, podcast, etc.].

Together, by sharing these experiences, we can uplift and inspire the Ummah [Muslim community], InshaAllah [God willing].

Please feel free to send me a private message if you're interested in participating.

JazakAllahu Khairan [May Allah reward you with goodness],

Farzana Tutul )

[mchiti]

I've never understood why people get so mad at Salah for the tree posting but this year they are even madder? 😟

They are mad because he's the biggest Muslim and Arab footballer and they can't stand him being not as religious-driven as others. Sure he fasts and everything but he does seem a bit detached from the usual Muslim footballing sphere - no Alhamdulillah hashtag and whatnot. The tree thing, after years, is obviously a statement at this point - on the fact that he wants to establish himself as a footballer for all the people and has an international borderless aurea around him. Which you know what, it's absolute fine to have in my opinion and it's not even a criticism. I don't care what people do in their homes. And I'd rather have him as the biggest Muslim star - a serious, mature, family driven person - than footballers who preach Alhamdulillah and all while they are involved in r*pe and abuse cases or cheat many times or are homophobic and just horrible people in general. Also wishing someone merry christmas is labelled as haram via them. I'd never have a christmas tree in my house but I do wish merry christmas to people who celebrate becase it's called respect, so I guess I'm in haram jail today, wish me luck.

As for this year, it's because he used his platform to talk about Palestine with a christmas tree post - it's the combo that got people mad. It makes very much sense to me in my opinion, because there's not really much to celebrate regardless of which holiday and which religion we are talking about. If Eid was tomorrow I would say the same. I know he said "war" and no "genocide" so people got mad about this too, but to be fair I think it sounds fine to me, he mentioned Gaza clearly. There's an important line between war and genocide, I get the difference, but I'm not going to hold a poorly worded caption against someone who is not clearly standing for isra*l here. He could've done more in general but it's whatevs, I stopped demanding shit from footballers. They are mad at him for not being the perfect muslim in their books, a lot of them don't even give a shit about Palestine...in tune with many Arab politicians after all.

[tamamita]

Any advice for a trans woman who was raised secular and is now feeling called to Islam?

Alhamdulillah! I'm so happy to hear about that! I would love to help you out as much as possible, but my knowledge of trans women in Muslim spaces is very limited, and so if there are any Trans Muslimahs around here, I would love for you to help our sister get around and feel welcome to Islam

[sabrgirl]

Salam alaikum sabrgirl. I just read your substack post about your chronic illness and fasting and Fajr and it resonated so so deeply with me because I am in a very similar situation, even down to the symptoms you mentioned. Jazakillah khair for being vulnerable and sharing this because it has helped me immensely, and I'm sure others as well. Even the ayah you included which led you to conclude that it would be sinful to fast when sick...I have been feeling so guilty about not fasting and people around me have (maybe unintentionally) made me feel guilty by mentioning other sick people they know who are fasting. I also haven't been waking up for Fajr every day (I have to skip some days) due to the effects of waking up early on my health but I really want to for the rest of Ramadan and your words about how you did it and how it became easier for me gave me a lot of encouragement. May Allah reward you, and grant us both 3aafiyah and shifaa and make our illness a means of expiation and attaining the great reward for patience

wa alaikum salam wa rahmatullah! ♡

jazakallah khair for reading my post and for sending me this message !! 🥹 i honestly never knew the post would resonate with and touch so many people. it makes my heart full knowing that i can make people feel less alone with my words, and the responses also makes me feel less alone too. i grew up reading so much and having people's writing resonate with me, so it makes me so overjoyed now that my writing does the same for others :') alhamdulillah !!!

i understand about feeling guilty. at the beginning of this ramadan, when i was at uni in class or in the library, and there was a muslim nearby, i'd hide my water bottle in my bag or eat secretly, hoping that they wouldn't see and think i'm a bad muslim. it's quite silly now that i think back to it, i quickly told myself that fasting isn't for other people or for show. even if i was able to fast, it would only be for Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ's sake. some people who are sick can tolerate fasting, other people can't. not everyone is the same. so, it's easier said than done, but don't listen to other people saying xyz. you know your condition, not them. they're not you. and Allah knows your intentions, condition and heart. and yes, the ayah does conclude that it would be a sin for someone to force themselves to fast if they are unable to, because they are being disobedient. Allah doesn't want you to punish yourself and self harm, which is a sin. if you know you can't fast, your fidya is an expiation, it's a substitute for the fast, He says. you're feeding the poor, just like how fasting is to remember the poor.

may Allah make it easier for you to wake up, Ameen! Allahumma ameen to your kind dua's. keep going, you've got this! you're doing really well. try your very best, no matter what that looks like and Allah will reward you for striving for his sake ♡ sending love.