#Trust Allah the way He should be trusted

[aireenruhee]

اللہ کا امر کب غالب ہوگا؟

اللّہ اپنے منصوبوں میں کسی قسم کی مداخلت کو پسند نہیں کرتا۔ وہ اپنے اہداف تک بہت خاموش اور غیر محسوس طریقے سے پہنچتا ہے۔

یوسف علیہ السلام کو بادشاہی کا خواب دکھایا۔ والد کو بھی پتہ چل گیا۔

والد موجودہ نبی ہے تو بیٹا مستقبل کا نبی ہے ! مگر دونوں کو ہوا نہیں لگنے دی کہ یہ ہوگا کیسے؟

خواب خوشی کا تھا، لیکن اللہ کی حکمت دیکھیے کہ چکر غم کا چلا دیا۔

ہے نا عجیب بات!

یوسف چند کلومیٹر کے فاصلے پر کنوئیں میں پڑے ہیں، والد کو خوشبو نہیں آنے دی۔

اگر خوشبو آ گئی تو آخر کو باپ ہے، رہ نہیں سکے گا، جا کر بیٹے کو نکلوا لے گا۔ جبکہ بادشاہی کے لئے سفر اسی کنوئیں سے شروع ہونا ہے، اللہ کے منصوبے میں لکھا یہی گیا تھا۔

اگر یعقوب کو سمجھا دوں گا تو بھی اخلاقی طور پہ اچھا نہیں لگے گا کہ ایک باپ اپنے بیٹے کو بادشاہ بنانے کے لئے اسے کنوئیں میں ڈال کر درخت کے پیچھے سے جھانک جھانک کے دیکھ رہا ہے کہ قافلے والوں نے اٹھایا بھی ہے کہ نہیں!

لہذا سارا نظم اپنے ہاتھ میں رکھا ہوا ہے۔

اب اگر یوسف علیہ السلام کے بھائیوں کو پتہ ہوتا کہ اس کنوئیں میں گرنا اصل میں بادشاہ بننا ہے اور وہ یوسف کی حسد میں مخالفت کر کے اصل میں اسے بادشاہ بنانے میں اللہ کی طرف سے استعمال ہو رہے ہیں تو وہ یوسف کو کنوئیں میں گرانے کے بجائے ایک دوسرے کی منتیں کرتے کہ مجھے دھکا دے دو۔

یوسف علیہ السلام جب عزیز مصر کے گھر پہنچے تو نعمتوں بھرے ماحول سے اٹھا کر جیل میں ڈال دیا کہ

"ان مع العسرِ یسراً " کہ یقینا" ہر مشکل کے ساتھ آسانی ہے۔

اب جیل کے ساتھیوں کے خوابوں کی تعبیر بتائی تو بچ جانے والے سے کہا کہ اگر ممکن ہو تو میرے بارے میں ذکر کردینا بادشاہ کے دربار میں۔

مگر مناسب وقت تک یوسف کو جیل میں رکھنے کے اللہ کے منصوبے کے تحت شیطان نے اسے بھلا دیا۔

یوں شیطان بھی اللہ کے اس منصوبے کو نہ سمجھ سکا اور اللہ کے منصوبے میں بطورِ آلہ کار استعمال ہوگیا۔

غور کیجیے کہ اگر اس وقت یوسف علیہ السلام کا ذکر بادشاہ کے سامنے ہو جاتا تو یوسف علیہ السلام سوالی ہوتے اور رب تعالٰی کو یہ بالکل پسند نہیں تھا کہ یوسف سوالی بن کر اور درخواست کرتے ہوئے بادشاہ کے سامنے آئیں۔

اللہ کے منصوبے میں تو بادشاہ کو سوالی بن کر یوسف کے پاس آنا تھا نا!

و مکرو و مکر اللہ واللہ خیر الماکرین

اور وہ منصوبہ بناتے ہیں اور اللہ اپنا منصوبہ بناتا ہے۔ اور اللہ سب سے بہترین منصوبہ ساز ہے۔

کیسے؟ ذرا دیکھتے ہیں۔۔۔

اور پھر ہوا کیا؟

عزیز مصر کو خواب دکھا کر سوالی بنادیا، معلوم ہوا کہ ایک قیدی ہے جو خوابوں کی تعبیر کیا ہی درست بتاتا ہے۔

بادشاہ نے کہا کہ میں تو اس قیدی سے ملنا چاہتا ہوں اور اب یوسف علیہ السلام پوری عزت کے ساتھ بادشاہ کے دربار میں بلائے گئے۔

عزیز مصر کے خواب کی تعبیر بتائی تو بادشاہ ششدر رہ گیا، بات دل کو لگی اور اللہ نے باشاہ کے اوپر یوسف علیہ السلام کی عقل و دانش کا سکہ بٹھا دیا۔

بادشاہ نے رہائی کا حکم دیا تو فرمایا میں اس طرح سے اپنے اوپر ایک ناکردہ جرم کا داغ لیے باہر نہیں آؤں گا کیونکہ مجھ پر عورتوں والا ایک مقدمہ ہے۔ جب تک اس معاملے میں میری بے گناہی ثابت نہ ہو جائے، مجھے آزادی نہیں چاہیے۔

اب ان خواتین کو بلوایا گیا، سب آگئیں اور سب نے یوسف علیہ السلام کی پاکدامنی کی گواہی دے دی، یہاں تک کہ مدعیہ خاتون نے بھی جھوٹ کا اعتراف کر کے کہہ دیا کہ :

قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُنَّ إِذْ رَٰوَدتُّنَّ يُوسُفَ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ قُلْنَ حَـٰشَ لِلَّهِ مَا عَلِمْنَا عَلَيْهِ مِن سُوٓءٍۢ ۚ قَالَتِ ٱمْرَأَتُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ حَصْحَصَ ٱلْحَقُّ أَنَا۠ رَٰوَدتُّهُۥ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ۔ (سورہ یوسف - 51)

"بادشاہ نے عورتوں سے پوچھا کہ بھلا اس وقت کیا ہوا تھا جب تم نے یوسف کو اپنی طرف مائل کرنا چاہا۔ سب بول اٹھیں کہ پاکی اللہ ہی کے لیے ہے اور ہم نے اس میں کوئی برائی نہیں دیکھی۔ عزیز کی عورت نے کہا اب سچی بات تو ظاہر ہو ہی گئی ہے۔ (اصل یہ ہے کہ) میں نے اس کو اپنی طرف مائل کرنا چاہا تھا اور بےشک وہ سچے ہیں۔"

وہی قحط کا خواب جو بادشاہ کو یوسف کے پاس لایا تھا، وہی قحط ہانک کر یوسف علیہ السلام کے بھائیوں کو بھی بادشاہ کے دربار میں لے آیا۔

اب اللہ نے یہ دکھا دیا کہ یہ وہی بے بس معصوم بچہ ہے جسے تم نے حسد کی وجہ سے کنوئیں میں ڈال دیا تھا اور آج تمہارے حسد نے اسے بادشاہ بنادیا ہے۔

اب یوسف علیہ السلام نے فرمایا پہلے بھی تم میرا کرتہ لے کر والد صاحب کے پاس گئے تھے لیکن تم لوگوں نے جھوٹ گھڑا تھا، جس کی وجہ سے ان کی بینائی چلی گئی کیونکہ وہ اسی کرتے کو سونگھ سونگھ کر مجھے یاد کرکے رویا کرتے تھے۔

فرمایا کہ اچھا اب یہ کرتہ لے کر جاؤ، یہ ان کی وہ کھوئی ہوئی بینائی واپس لے آئے گا۔

اب یوسف نہیں یوسف علیہ السلام کا کرتا مصر سے چلا ھے تو

کنعان کے صحرا یوسف کی خوشبو سے مہک اٹھے ھیں۔

ادھر یعقوب علیہ السلام چیخ پڑے ھیں :

وَلَمَّا فَصَلَتِ الۡعِيۡرُ قَالَ اَبُوۡهُمۡ اِنِّىۡ لَاَجِدُ رِيۡحَ يُوۡسُفَ‌ لَوۡلَاۤ اَنۡ تُفَـنِّدُوۡنِ‏ ﴿۹۴﴾

اور جب قافلہ (مصر سے) روانہ ہوا تو ان کے والد کہنے لگے کہ اگر تم مجھ کو یہ نہ کہو کہ (بوڑھا) سٹھیا گیا ہے تو مجھے تو یوسف کی خوشبو آ رہی ہے۔

سبحان اللہ!

جب رب نہیں چاہتا تھا تو چند کلومیٹر دور کے کنوئیں سے خبر نہیں آنے دی۔

اور جب رب نے بیٹے کی خوشبو کو حکم کیا ہے تو مصر سے کنعان تک خوشبو سفر کر گئی ہے۔

وَاللّـٰهُ غَالِبٌ عَلٰٓى اَمْرِهٖ وَلٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ۔

اور اللہ کا امر غالب ہوکر ہی رہتا ہے لیکن اکثر لوگ یہ بات نہیں جانتے۔

تو یاد رکھیے!

دنیا میں جب آپ کوئی حالات دیکھتے ہیں، آپ کے ساتھ کسی نے چالاکیاں کی ہیں، کوئی آپ سے حسد کرتا ہے، کوئی آپ کو ناکام کرنے کی کوشش کرتا ہے، کوئی آپ کو حالات کے کنوئیں میں دھکا دے کر گراتا ہے۔۔۔

تو یہ ساری چالیں، حسد اور ظلم شاید اللہ کے آپ کے لیے خیر کے منصوبے کو ہی کامیاب بنانے کی کوئی اپنی چال ہوتی ہے جس سے آپ اور آپ کے حاسدین بے خبر ہوتے ہیں۔

انہیں وہ کرنے دیں جو وہ کرتے ہیں۔ آپ اللہ سبحانہ و تعالٰی سے خیر مانگیں اور اپنا کام کرتے جائیں۔

اسی طرح ہم قوم کے اور امت کے بہت سے حالات دیکھتے ہیں اور کڑھتے ہیں کہ یہ کیا ہورہا ہے، کوئی کچھ کر کیوں نہیں رہا، ہم ظلم کی اس چکی میں کیوں پس رہے ہیں، آخر یہ کب ختم ہوگا، وغیرہ وغیرہ۔۔۔۔

تو کڑھنے سے اور سوچتے رہنے سے کچھ نہیں ہوگا۔

آپ کے اور میرے کرنے کا کام کیا ہے؟

1۔ اللہ نے جو عقل عطا فرمائی ہے، اس کا درست استعمال کرنا سیکھیں۔ اپنے آپ کو عقلی، روحانی اور جذباتی اعتبار سے مضبوط کریں۔

2۔ اپنا وقت فضول مباحث اور شر کا جواب شر سے دینے میں ضائع کرنے کے بجائے، اپنے آپ کو اس امت کا ایک بہترین اثاثہ بنانے پر لگائیں۔

3۔ اپنے میدان میں دنیا کے ٹاپ 5 فیصد لوگوں میں شامل ہونے کی طرف پیش قدمی کریں۔

4۔ ڈھیلی ڈھالی عامیانہ زندگی گزارنا اور ہر وقت کا رونا دھونا بند کریں کہ ہائے ہائے! لٹ گئے، برباد ہوگئے، اب کیا ��وگا! یہ مسلمانوں کا طریقہ نہیں ہے۔

5۔ آپ ایک عام انسان نہیں ہیں۔ اپنے آپ کو "میں تو عام آدمی ہوں" کہنا بند کردیں۔ آپ اگر امتی ہیں حضور اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلّم کے تو یقین کیجیے کہ آپ بہت خاص ہیں، آپ عام انسان نہیں ہیں۔

6۔ اپنے علم اور صلاحیتوں کو بڑھائیں۔ ایک تھکی ہوئی اور وقت اور توانائی کو ضائع کرنے والی زندگی نہ گزاریں۔ یوسف علیہ السلام کی طرح سوچنے سمجھنے والی اور بھرپور زندگی گزارنے کا عزم کیجیے۔

اور یاد رکھیے!

اس دنیا کے ہر معاملے پر اللہ تعالٰی کا اختیار ہی کامل ہے۔ لہٰذا کوئی کچھ بھی کرلے، بالآخر اللہ کا ہی امر غالب ہوکر رہے گا۔

تو پھر یوسف علیہ السلام کی طرح فوکس ہوجائیے اور آگے بڑھتے چلے جائیے۔

یمین الدین احمد

یکم مارچ 2024ء

کراچی، پاکستان۔

[ghurrba]

When you realise a dua you made is being answered and you feel the electricity of goosebumps from being in awe that Allah responded to your request and happiness that Allah is facilitating it and then a tinge of sadness for ever almost losing hope or showing impatience and thinking how Merciful and Kind is He to bestow upon me His blessings while I have had times I haven't thought of Him in the way He deserves. 💔

Nasiha to myself first and then to you all: humble yourselves to the Almighty, trust in His plans and believe with complete certainty that the way everything is going right now is exactly how it should be because The All Wise is in control of it all and He will lead you to the fate that is khayr for you, so stay truthful and be mindful of Him.

[deentalks]

🌷Reminder to myself.

We all go through tough moments in our lives . Moments that break us apart , moments that feel the hardest . Moments that feel like they will never go away . And we often end up questioning ourselves , is it the punishment for our sins or is it the test of our faith ? So first of all , to know if it is a test or a punishment , then observe , if whatever you are going through is either taking you away from Allah SWT or towards Allah SWT . If you feel like you are going towards Allah SWT , then know it is a test from Allah SWT and vice versa . These tests from Allah SWT are the biggest signs of his love for you . When Allah loves his servant , He tests them so that his servant should go through sabr . But the question is why He wants us to go through sabr ? Out of many benefits , one of the major benefits is that when you are patient , Allah is closer to you than you think and you know what patience brings with itself , it brings uncountable amounts of blessings and gifts from Allah SWT , not only in this world but even in the hereafter . So yes , we can say , if Allah wants to give you more than what you ask for , then he makes you go through sabr so that in result he can give you an immeasurable amount of happiness that you will even forget what you have gone through . So don't lose hope if your situation is tough , or if it is getting tougher . The tougher it gets , the bigger the gift . Allah knows you are trying your hardest to stay patient . Allah knows it's getting hard for you . Allah knows your late - night tears , your broken heart . He has seen you every time you have cried and asked for help . And trust me , Allah's help is near !

Allah will help you in ways you have never imagined . Allah will heal your heart in miraculous ways . Just keep holding on to that tiny bit of hope . Just don't lose hope . Allah is with you , and trust me , He loves you more than anyone can ever love you . And very soon Allah will give you so much that you will be satisfied !

[julaibib]

Salam brother. Can you tell me how to raise my self esteem without falling into egoism? Most of the advice about self confidence talk about boosting one's ego but I'm afraid I will fall into egocentrism. How to find balance? What's the islamic way to build self confidence?

Developing Muslim psychology instead of western psychology is very important to have self-esteem. Muslim psychology constitutes postulates of being optimistic, being grateful, don’t being materialistic, showing patience and gratitude (Sabar Wa Shukar), and above all, omitting the habit of comparing yourself with others. The comparison may lead to Jealousy which is forbidden by Allah. Be grateful at times of happiness and be patient at times of hardships. If you don’t have an optimistic approach towards life, you will become easy prey to shaitan. Build these habits with time and you will see your self-esteem and self-confidence growing.

Developing positive habits and involving yourself in performing virtues will increase your self-esteem. Remember that sins decrease self-esteem. The more you do sins, you will ultimate feel low, you won't see yourself speaking or expressing yourself properly, your mindfulness will get affected. Hence, develop a habit of helping others, develop a habit of complimenting others, develop a habit of speaking the truth. Spread positivity and positivity will reflect back to you.

Having good company is one of the most important aspects of having self-esteem. If your company is bad, you are spending your day with people who don’t talk about the good in life, who are always being funny and never discuss Allah, who tease you and others just out of the fun. All of this will affect your self-confidence in the long run. It is wisely said, If a person sits with another person who is wearing perfume, then ultimately the smell of perfume will start coming out of him too. If a person sits in a coal mine, he will blacken himself and his clothes as well.

Some of the things which we think will increase the Muslim’s self-confidence are:

Putting his trust in his Lord, depending upon Him and seeking support and help from Him. The Muslim cannot do without his Lord, may He be Exalted. As we mentioned above, self-confidence is an acquired characteristic, and the Muslim needs help and support from his Lord. The more he puts his trust in his Lord, the greater his self-confidence will grow and reach the highest level.

When Musa (peace be upon him) and his people fled from Pharaoh and his troops, and the two sides saw one another, we see the trust that Musa had in his Lord. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Musa said: ‘We are sure to be overtaken.’ [Musa] said: ‘Nay, verily, with me is my Lord. He will guide me.’” [Ash-Shu`ara’ 26:61-62] 

Finding out what his strong points are and increasing them; what he does well and developing it; and what his weak points are and trying to deal with them. 

In order to develop self-confidence it is essential to look with gratitude at what Allah has given you of skills and characteristics, so that this will motivate you to strengthen your self-confidence. With regard to your weak points, you have to try to deal with them and develop them so that they reach the same level as your other, good skills and characteristics. 

It is very important for the Muslim who is seeking ways of increasing his self-confidence not to repeat negative words, such as saying that he has no self-confidence or that he will never succeed at work. 

The Muslim has to set specific goals for his life and check on the outcome time after time, because the person who is self-confident will make sure that his goal is achieved on the basis of good planning and with the help of his Lord.

The Muslim should seek righteous companions, because that will give him a motive to succeed and encourage him to make greater efforts. The righteous companions will not overlook their friend’s weak points; rather they will guide him to follow the better path. Thus good companions are one of the factors of success for the confident Muslim.

He should not be distracted by previous difficult experiences and past failures, because that will spoil his efforts and make him look down on the success he has achieved. This is not something that the Muslim wants for himself.

[invitetoislam92]

Learning Surah Yusuf can literally change your life!

Surah Yusuf is one of the most heartwarming and wisdom-packed stories in the Qur'an.

Here are 23 BEAUTIFUL and LIFE CHANGING lessons that you can learn from it.--->

1) Patience is Gold:

Yusuf (Peace be upon him) faced so many trials, but he stayed patient. Sometimes, life throws curveballs, but patience always shines through. 🌟

2) Jealousy Ruins the Heart:

The jealousy of Yusuf’s brothers led them to do some pretty awful things. Let’s remember to cleanse our hearts and be happy for others.

3) Trust Allah’s Plan:

Even when things seem tough, trust that Allah has a greater plan for you, just like He did for Yusuf (Peace be upon him).

4) Forgiveness is Strength:

Yusuf (Peace be upon him) forgave his brothers despite everything they did. Holding onto grudges? Let them go. Forgiveness is the real strength.

5) Stand Firm in Your Faith:

Even when tempted, Yusuf (Peace be upon him)stood firm. Remember, your faith is your anchor in every storm.

6) Honor and Dignity Above All:

Yusuf (Peace be upon him) was thrown into prison because he chose dignity over sin. Let’s keep our heads high and honor intact, no matter what.

7) Allah is Always Watching:

Whether in the well, the palace, or the prison, Allah was always with Yusuf (Peace be upon him). And He’s always with you too. 💖

8) Hope in Allah:

Yusuf never lost hope, even when things seemed impossible. Keep your hope alive—better days are coming!

9) Respect and Love Your Parents:

Yusuf’s reunion with his father, Yaqub (Peace be upon him), is a reminder of the deep bond between parents and children. Show them love and respect every single day. 🌸

10) Be Grateful in Every Situation:

Yusuf ( Peace be upon him)was grateful even in prison. Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

11) Knowledge is a Blessing:

Yusuf ( Peace be upon him)was gifted with the ability to interpret dreams. Let’s seek knowledge in all its forms—it’s truly a blessing.

12) Humility in Success:

Even when Yusuf ( Peace be upon him) became powerful, he remained humble. Success should never change our character.

13) Truth Will Always Prevail:

The lies against Yusuf eventually came to light. Remember, the truth always finds its way.

14) Kindness to All, Even Enemies:

Yusuf (Peace be upon him) was kind to his brothers, despite their betrayal. Let’s show kindness, even to those who’ve wronged us.

15) Endurance Leads to Victory:

Yusuf ( Peace be upon him) endured years of hardship, but in the end, he was victorious. Keep pushing through—your victory is on its way.

16) Modesty is a Treasure:

Yusuf’s modesty protected him from sin. In a world full of temptations, modesty is your treasure.

17) Sincerity in Worship: Yusuf ( Peace be upon him) remained sincere in his worship, no matter where he was. Let’s keep our intentions pure and our worship sincere.

18) Divine Wisdom in Delay:

Yusuf’s release from prison was delayed, but it was for a greater good. Sometimes, delays in life are just divine wisdom at play.

19) Every Hardship Has an End:

Yusuf’s hardships eventually ended, leading to peace and prosperity. Hang in there—every storm runs out of rain. 🌦️

20) Turn to Allah in Times of Distress:

Yaqub (AS) turned to Allah when he was heartbroken. When you’re in distress, pour your heart out to Allah. He’s always listening.

21) Good Manners Win Hearts:

Yusuf’s good manners won the hearts of everyone, even in prison. Manners truly make the person.

22) Faith in the Unseen:

Yusuf believed in his dreams even when he couldn’t see the outcome. Faith in the unseen is the core of our belief.

23) Everything is in Allah’s Control:

From the well to the throne, everything Yusuf went through was part of Allah’s perfect plan. Trust that He’s in control of your life too.

Try to read and learn Surah Yusuf.

Surah Yusuf is one of the most heartwarming and wisdom-packed stories in the Qur'an.

Let’s strive to implement these lessons in our daily lives.

And Allah knows best.

#IslamicWisdom #SurahYusuf #QuranicLessons #DailyInspiration #IslamicReminders #FaithAndPatience #IslamicMotivation #IslamicQuotes #QuranReflection #SpiritualGrowth #IslamicGuidance #MuslimCommunity #QuranAndSunnah #IslamicLearning #IslamicPosts #DeenOverDunya #ThreadsIslam

[werefadingfaster]

If you make a dua to Allah, don’t lose hope or think he won’t answer it, just because two months have passed, or three, or even more.

The biggest blessings are given when they’re delayed, when Allah has tested your sabr. You’ll also come to realise that Allah gave you more than you asked for, and in a way better than you would have imagined.

As long as a Muslim lives, it’s vital for him to have optimism and hope. As long as he is able to make dua, he should ask Allah for whatever he wishes with full trust that Allah will answer him. A person should realise that Allah gave him the ability to make that specific dua in the first place.

[wrappedinamysteryy]

I cannot deal with rude, harsh or blunt people. I am a staunch believer of "it's not what you say it's how you say it, where and when you say it".

When I was learning Islam this became my favourite hadith and still is to this day.

📚❝Verily, Allah is gentle, and He loves gentleness.❞

[Sahih Muslim]

People who cannot read the room, people who use power play to intimidate someone, people who cannot give excuses for how someone's reacting, people who "say it like it is" are not my kind of people.

That's just low emotional intelligence. After you hit a certain age unless it's occasional outburst, the way you talk and the words you use to express yourself should be soft and kind.

If you don't trust me, trust Quran and Sunnah. People may keep quiet in this world but they will rob you of your every single good deed on the day of judgement about how you made them feel and the hurt you caused them.

▪️ Oppression through words.

▪️ Oppression through actions.

▪️ Oppression through powerplay and groupism.

▪️ Oppression through arrogance over the knowledge you have.

▪️ Oppression through the positions you hold in an organization or at home.

Unless you take account of yourself daily, it's so easy to become an oppressor and to become someone who is controlled by their ego and arrogance.

When life or those around you aren't humbling you, learn to humble yourself, because if you don't, it might cost you, your Jannah.

📚❝Verily, the servant may speak a single word for which he plummets into the Hellfire farther than the distance between East and West.❞

[Sahih Muslim]

Learning to read social cues and responding with empathy is a sign of maturity and wisdom. Never become complacent and never stop striving for greater gentleness, compassion, and self-awareness in your interactions with others.

These are noble virtues that I believe we would all do well to embody, both for the sake of our relationships and our spiritual well-being.

🤲 Ya Allah make me kind, gentle, self aware and humble - ameen.

From Shamsiya Noorul Quloob

[b-lessings]

Salaam, how does one stay positive and hopeful even looking around at the stage of the world

Wa alaykum assalam dear,

Faith Faith Faith!

The only thing that can save you is to hold on to Allah's rope.

I know everything around us looks horrifying, it looks like we're at the final stage, and the only thing left is for the antichrist to appear - We seek refuge in Allah from that - but listen, there is a Hadith by which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ encourages the believers to never stop doing good deeds and working even in the final seconds of life "If the Final Hour comes while you have a shoot of a plant in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it."

I honestly don't know what to tell you besides holding on to your faith and to your Quran + strengthening your relationship with Allah swt.

The Quran is filled with verses of reassurance that might help you calm your anxieties and feel better about what's going on around us, I can't mention all of them but here are the ones that are coming to mind rn as I am thinking of your ask:

From Surat Al Baqarah (2)

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ١٥٥

We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure

ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۭ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ ١٥٦

who say, when struck by a disaster, “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will ˹all˺ return.”

----------

From Surat Al Ankaboot (29):

أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ٢

Do people think once they say, “We believe,” that they will be left without being put to the test?

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ٣

We certainly tested those before them. And ˹in this way˺ Allah will clearly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are liars.

----------

From Surat aTawba (9):

إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍۢ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ٤٠

˹It does not matter˺ if you ˹believers˺ do not support him, for Allah did in fact support him when the disbelievers drove him out ˹of Mecca˺ and he was only one of two. While they both were in the cave, he reassured his companion,1 “Do not worry; Allah is certainly with us.” So Allah sent down His serenity upon the Prophet, supported him with forces you ˹believers˺ did not see, and made the word of the disbelievers lowest, while the Word of Allah is supreme. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

---------

And my favorites from Surat Ta Ha (20):

قَالَ لَا تَخَافَآ ۖ إِنَّنِى مَعَكُمَآ أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَىٰ ٤٦

Allah reassured ˹them˺, “Have no fear! I am with you, hearing and seeing.

Tbh the whole surah, because there is a common theme in Surat Ta Ha which is " Do not fear ", and in general, it is very calming, Alhamdullillah.

Anyways, pray your five, try to make lots of shirk and tasbih, try to do good by yourself and by people, and rely on Allah in everything you do, because, as Allah swt says in Surat Talaq (65):

وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًۭا ٢

And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them,

وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمْرِهِۦ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدْرًۭا ٣

and provide for them from sources they could never imagine. And whoever puts their trust in Allah, then He ˹alone˺ is sufficient for them. Certainly Allah achieves His Will. Allah has already set a destiny for everything.

[thehiddenukht]

I think part of growing up is realising that life won’t always go the way you want and that’s okay. Because ‘unfortunately ‘ life isn’t supposed to be perfect, that’s how dunya works. And for our own sake we should get used to it somehow. If something doesn’t work then let it be, Allah knows best why that didn’t happen. Reminds me of how in Islam we are taught about being grateful in all situations — how amazing to just say Alhamdullilah regardless and just move on. I know it sounds easier said than done but trust me it’s not easy at all! But asking ‘why’ just brings disappointments and sadness which will drain our energy and make us feel more miserable. So for our own sake we should leave it to Allah and not burden our souls more. Alhamdullilah that Allah is the All-Controller and the All-Knowing. May Allah ﷻ make everything easier for all of us, answer our du'as, guide us towards that which pleases Him, and may He bless us with what is good for us. Aameen

[revert-and-queer]

i have a very strange relationship with rules and "shoulds" in religion.

as im finding my way in islam, i am being very careful about what i internalize and what i do not. i've learned over the years of looking at religion how i avoid getting hurt by it, but by no means is it perfect. i've learned not to accept any human interpretation that does not serve me well. i will use it as a guide, of course, but in the end i disregard what doesn't suit me.

on one hand, i sometimes fear i am "selfish" for this or like i am bending religion to suit me. on the other hand... so what. allah knows my heart, knows my intentions. i trust that if he is there like i hope he is and like i feel he is, he is the perfect judge and the most merciful.

when i was agnostic and a friend told me she was converting to christianity, i told her to view it in the long run as a source of comfort. to toss aside anything that hurts her. i am trying to apply the same logic here.

if right now, due to my trauma and due to my mental illnesses, i can not do certain things, allah knows and understands. he knows i am doing my best. if i can't make salah every day, if the best i can do is duaa, he knows that i am trying to reach out in the best way i can. allah does not burden anyone with more than what they are capable of.

if my memory issues cause me to forget things, to only recall in hindsight i should say "bismillah", he knows it is not out of malice. instead, i praise him whenever i remember. i thank him for my blessings, for my cats, my partner, the beauty of nature. he comes to my mind naturally in moments of joy and beauty. isn't that wonderful? isn't it wonderful to see your creator in all that is good?

i heard someone say once it is more important to focus on doing things right than not doing things wrong, and i think a healthy relationship with religion needs that. no one can perfectly follow the rules and doctrine of any faith. as a muslim, i strive towards these things, but i am human and flawed. rather than freezing over what i can't do, rather than hiding in shame because i couldn't do this or that perfectly, i bring him what i can. i show him my efforts and what i can do, i do as much as i am able. inshallah that is enough.

[isleofdarkness]

What are the sixes (Riah, Claudine, Mal, Jay, Evie, and Carlos) biggest fears?

What are their smallest fears?

-birb

Ooh, good one

Riah- two worst fears. The larger of the two is his power hurting or killing someone who doesn't deserve to be killed. The second one is anything happening to Hadie, intersecting with the first in that Riah is terrified he might accidentally hurt or kill Hadie. His most minor used to be his biggest fear, that his birth parents would come and take him away from Hades and Persephone. He used to have wake-up-screaming nightmares a severe panic attacks over this but, after Hades and Persephone spent a decade promising they would never let that happen, it's faded into the background. It's come back now that he's far away from his parents and they wouldn't know if his birth parents came for him, but it's a minor anxiety that he only thinks about when he's really spiraling. He recognizes that this one is irrational.

Jay- he also has two worst fears, one ever-changing and one staying the same since he was a child. The changing one always has to do with his father- what if his father does xyz? It was, up until his brief talk with Lydia, "What if my father finds out I sell myself?" Now it's "What is my father going to do to punish me?" Jafar has also threatened to hurt Evie or Carlos in the past to punish Jay, but now there's also Riah and Claudine and Jafar could definitely kill them, they don't have the same backing that Evie and Carlos have, not that Jafar knows. The permanent fear is "What if someone cuts off my hands?" It's a common punishment for thieves on the Isle and Jay is terrified of that happening to him. What would Jafar do to him if he couldn't steal? Death would be the best outcome and Allah, that's depressing. His most minor fear is Ace or Mischa Rasputin dying. They both mean a great deal to him but they're also both extremely hard to kill and unlikely to die anytime soon, so he's not too worried about that.

Mal- her worst fear is her mother hurting the people she cares about. It's happened before time and time again, but that doesn't mean Mal's desensitized to it. Her most minor fear, which should say a lot about the weight she has on her shoulders, is that her mother or someone else will kill her. And this point, it's barely a worry and almost a "Kill me, make my day" thing. The only thing she wouldn't like about being killed is the hell it'll send her section of the Isle into and the chaos it'll throw the politics of the Isle into.

Evie- her worst fear is her mother deciding to disregard her "marriage" to Ace and the fact that it "owns" her and her mother will sell her to someone else. Someone who isn't a gay CSA survivor, who would be all too happy to buy a sex slave. Her most minor fear? Probably Sykes trying to kill Agony again. It's always a possibility, but Want kind of eviscerated him for four hours the last time he tried, so he's probably unlikely to try again. Probably.

Carlos- his worst fear is always his mother. Her being within a mile of him is his greatest fear. His most minor fear, which should tell you a lot about how intense his other fears are, is his fear of dogs. Lydia (dog) can stay because if she's not a threat to Riah then she's probably not a threat to him (also he has several knives and Jay also has several knives,) at least for now, but she's on thin fucking ice.

Claudine- her worst fear is that Hades lied to her about "Oh, Jesus and Jehova? Yeah, they're both fine. Having Jesus around really got Jireh to chill out and the only people Jesus has a problem with are capitalists and totalitarians. Trust me, those two aren't gonna damn you to "Hell," which is, by the way, entirely controlled by me, who is not gonna send you to eternal damnation, for just existing as a human being." She worries he's lying about the two being forgiving and that, when she stands before them for her judgement, they'll be disgusted and cast her into Hell for all eternity. That's her biggest fear. Her most minor fear is her father will die, because she'll be relieved and that would be horrible of her. It'll make her an even more sinful monster for not honoring him. But he's currently immortal so this isn't high on her list of things that need worried about.

[uma1ra]

Dua for Dhul Hijjah: First 10 Days

Many of us fail to grasp the immense significance of the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, despite the fact that our Beloved Prophet (ﷺ) described them as the greatest ten days of the entire year (yes, even greater than the days of Ramadan)!

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” (Bukhari) That’s why we’re sharing some of the most important Dhul Hijjah duas for these exceptional days.

One of the simple and powerful Sunnahs of this month, especially during the first ten days isto be in a constant state of dhikr, especially to recite takbeer (Allahu Akbar), tahmeed (Alhamdulillah), tahlīl (Lā ilāha illā allah), and tasbeeh (SubhanAllah) - Try to recite these as often as possible at home, heading into work, while in the Mosque and even while you’re just walking down the street - give thanks and praise to Allah (SWT) during this special time and reap the countless blessings He has to offer us.

Dua for Fasting in Dhul Hijjah

Fasting during the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah – the greatest days of the year – will increase the barakah in your life and can even raise your Dhul Hijjah prayers directly to Allah (SWT).

We know from the tradition narrated by Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said among those whose prayers are accepted by God are “...the fasting person until they breaks their fast.’” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

During the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, and especially on the Day of Arafat, fasting brings even more abundant blessings. The Prophet (ﷺ) even said: “Fasting the day of Arafah erases the sins of two years: the previous year and the coming one.” (Muslim)

Given the unique blessings found in these days, our duas are even more important at this time. When you break your fast after sunset, be sure to recite the following dua for acceptance this month:

اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ امنْتُ وَعَليْكَ تَوَكّلتُ وَ عَلى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ

Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika aamantu wa alayka tawakkaltu wa ala rizq-ika-aftartu

“O Allah! I fasted for You and I believe in You and I put my trust in You and I break my fast with Your sustenance.”

Dua for the Day of Arafat

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٍ

Laa ilaaha ill-allaahu, waḥdahu laa shareeka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamdu, wa huwa ‛alaa kulli shay’in qadeer

None has the right to be worshiped except Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs sovereignty and all praise and He is over all things omnipotent.

At-Tirmidhi 5:504

——————————

The Messenger (ﷺ) said: “The most excellent dua is the dua on the Day of Arafah, and the best of what I and the prophets before me have said, is ‘There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner.” [Muwatta Malik]

This particular dhikr, or way of remembering Allah, ‘There is no god but Allah’ is commonly known as the Tahlil (meaning rejoicing or jubilation). When you make dua during Dhul Hijjah, and especially on the Day of Arafah, face the Qiblah and raise your hands in complete submission, ask Allah for all that you desire from Him, ask sincerely for His forgiveness and call out to Him. Be sure to repeat this dhikr frequently:

لا إلَهَ إلا اللَّهُ

Lā ilāha illā allah

“There is no god but Allah.”

Dua for the 9th-13th of Dhul Hijjah

It is wajib (compulsory) for every adult Muslim to recite Takbeeraat-e-Tahreeq after fardh salah from the 9th-13th Dhul Hijjah. Men are advised to recite this Dhul Hijjah dua audibly, whilst women should recite this silently. The full dua for the Takbeeraat-e-Tahreeq is as follows:

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ وَاَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْد

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laa ilaaha illallahu Wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Wa lillahil Hamd.

“Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest. There is no deity besides Allah and Allah is the greatest. Allah is the greatest and all praises are for Allah only.”

This is a great prayer to read with your family after each prayer and be sure to get the kids to join in too!

[i-cant-sing]

Dr snow. I need your advice as the most important internet person to me (also I feel like you’re good with relationships because you write good fanfics). What would you do if your partner thought o you as an awful partner and kept criticizing you for stuff you couldn’t do (it’s a haram relationship I couldn’t hang out with him all the time or go over to his house) pls and thank you , but also this person loves you and really takes care of you. (Thank u if you read this dr snow)

Look, nothing good ever comes out of a haram relationship. Nothing. If he was serious, he'd send his parents to yours and yall can get to know each other then and get married.

Even if you were not a Muslim, I think its pretty clear that u shouldn't be with someone who doesn't respect your boundaries. And these boundaries, these limitations that were set by Allah, they're there for a reason.

I think you should immediately end this relationship, because trust me- girls do a lot of stupid shit when they're in "love" which is actually just infatuation. You may be surrounded by people who are in such relationships and the fear of being single forever is what's holding you back, but what if this guy is not meant for you? What if Allah has actually written a better s/o for you and how betrayed will that s/o feel when he realises you were committed to someone else????

The very thought that made you doubt this relationship is a sign from Allah. He wants you to leave haram. Your ask could've never reached me, I could've chosen to not reply, but this message was meant for you to be seen, read and APPLIED.

Don't you think that the very thought of questioning this relationship is Allah's way of telling you to leave because He knows that of u continue on this path, it will lead to something more disastrous and terrible??? Maybe that guy is just a disgusting douche who might use your secrets against you one day?

Even when you think you're alone with this guy, you never really are. You may think or he may tell u that "Oh we can do this and this, no one will know. Don't worry" but Allah's watching. And so is everything in your surrounding. The things you consider non living, the walls made of stones, the trees, everything is made by Allah and on the Day of Judgement, these very things will be there to testify against you.

So... end this haram relationship. What is meant for you, will come to you.

[asma-al-husna]

Allah calls Himself Al-Haadi— The Guide— on two occasions in the Quran. He is the one who gives perfect guidance. Al-Haadi is the one by whom His believers are guided and by whose general guidance all creatures are guided to what is beneficial for them!

The One who guides, The Guide of the right path

Al-Haadi comes from the root haa-daal-yaa which points to two main meanings. The first main meaning is to guide aright or to lead the right way. The second main meaning is to show with kindness the proper way and to guide in the right path until reaching the goal.

This root appears 316 times in the Quran in twelve derived forms.  Examples of these forms are al-hudaa (the guidance), yahdee (guide), hadiyyatin (gift), al-hadyi (sacrificial animal), and al-muhtadeen (the guided ones).

Linguistically, hadaa is the verb which means to guide, and hidaayah doesn’t just mean guidance; it also refers to guiding in a gentle and kind way. Referring to Allah ‘azza wa jall, He is the only true guide by whom the creatures are guided. Al-Haadi created signs in the universe to guide us, such as the stars and the moon, as well as the spiritual guidance of hearts to the truth and the physical guidance of the senses we use to detect harm.

Al-Haadi Himself says: And indeed is Allah the Guide of those who have believed to a straight path [Quran, 22:54] … And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a guide and a helper. [Quran, 25:31]

Four types of guidance

Scholars divide the guidance of Allah ‘azza wa jall into four different types. The first is hidaayat-al-a’mmah  or general guidance, which is in place for the whole creation including plants, minerals, animals, etcetera;  all are guided by Al-Haadi in the best manner for them.  An example are the bees and how they work, the migrating of birds, the suckling of a newborn, the working of the senses. He said, Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it]. [Quran, 20:50]

The second type is described as hidaayat-al-Jinn-wal-Ins; it is guidance for the jinn and mankind defining the paths of good and evil, through the prophets and messengers sent by Allah ‘azza wa jall. And indeed, [O Muhammad], you guide to a straight path. [Quran, 42:52]

The third type of hidaayah is by tawfeeq (ability) and inspiration (or ilham). An example is when you are guided through a hardship and you display strong trust and belief in Al-Haadi: No disaster strikes except by permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah– He will guide his heart . . . [Quran, 64:11] Then there are those incidents when you end up at the right place, hearing something you just needed to hear or meeting someone just at the right moment, all as forms of guidance of Allah.

And the forth type is guidance to success in the Hereafter for the righteous believers: And We will have removed whatever is within their breasts of resentment, [while] flowing beneath them are rivers. And they will say, Praise to Allah, who has guided us to this. [Quran 7:43]

How Can You Live by This Name?

1. Keep asking for guidance.
If you seek the truth sincerely, Al-Haadi will guide you to it. As a believer, you say, a minimum of seventeen times a day when you pray:  ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem– guide us on the straight path. Why, while you are already guided to Islam, should you keep asking for guidance? Because there are different levels of guidance for you to attain to be truly guided and because you are in need of continuous hidaayah; realize no one is safe from misguidance.

2. Feel it when you say ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem.
These are levels of true guidance: guidance of knowledge to know the truth, the capacity to be guided, to desire to be guided, to act upon it, and to remain steadfast in it. For all obstructions that impede guidance to be removed and to be granted sight of your ultimate goal along the path. For you to be aware of your own desperate need for guidance from Allah ‘azza wa jall over any other necessities and to make you see the misguided paths [ summarized from Ibn al Qayyim al Jawziyyah] So next time you say ‘Guide us on the straight path’, say it with feelings, sincerely asking to attain all levels of guidance from Allah.

3. Seek guidance from Al-Haadi in each matter.
Whenever you feel lost, stuck or when you have to make a decision, turn to Allah ‘azza wa jall before turning to others. Asking for guidance, you can use this beautiful name, e.g. by starting your invocation with Yaa Haadi. Whatever guidance someone or something might give you, know that it truly comes from Al-Haadi. A means to seek hidaayah is to pray the sunnah istakhaarah prayer.

4. Be thankful and do good to increase your guidance.
In Paradise you will say: . . . and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us. [Quran, 7:43] Reflect how hidaayah (guidance) is the best hadiyyah (gift) you can ever get, so thank Allah ‘azza wa jall for it each day. Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful. [Quran, 76:3]

Another benefit of thanking Him for guidance is that He will give you more: . . . If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]. [Quran, 14:7] Also, your good deeds are directly linked to your guidance, so the more good deeds you do, the more Al-Haadi will increase your guidance: And Allah increases those who were guided, in guidance, and the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for recourse. [Quran, 19:76]

5. Invite others to the right path.
Invite others to the straight path, first and foremost by showing  exemplary behaviour yourself.  However, know that true guidance is from Al-Haadi. This should increase you in your confidence in calling others to Islam, as you know that the results are not dependant on your da’wah or speech but are in the hands of Al-Haadi; so don’t get disheartened or arrogant:  Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills . . . [Quran, 28:56]

Ask Al-Haadi.
A beautiful supplication the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to beg Al-Haadi with was:
يَامُقَلِّبَالْقُلُوبِثَبِّتْقَلْبِىعَلَىدِينِكَ – Yaa muqalib al quloob, thabbit qalbee ‘alaa deenik, which means: O Turner of the hearts, turn my heart towards your deen. [At-Tirmidhee]

O Allah, Al-Haadi, we know that You are the ultimate Guide. Guide us on the straight path and make us of those who keep asking sincerely for your guidance in every matter. Inspire us to be aware and thankful for Your Guidance and aware of those who desire it. Aid us in inviting others to Islam and bless us with the ultimate guidance we need to enter Your Paradise, ameen!

[filenetaylor]

40 Years Old; Moved; Threats; Death of Dragoneer; About Filene, Me

[cw: Child Trafficking, Sex Crimes, Genocide, Nakba, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes, Security, Panopticon, Child Abuse, Commercialized Control, Systemic Violence, Healthcare Violence, Systemic oppression, Death, Grief, Coercive Control, Stochastic Violence]

Bismillah, in the name of Allah'; If you're a minor, you need to ask an adult you trust to read this post instead.

Look no further than the death announcement of the person known as Dragoneer, and you'll find folk promptly celebrating due to one small scandal of virtue or another. None of this compares to the people Preyfar (aka Dragoneer) stood up to, folk who insulate and stop conversations about the Israeli Defense Force's Nakba continuing in Palestine, about the invasion and threats on Ukraine (Feb 4th) which threaten the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant to cause another Chernobyl Disaster as well as the people of Ukraine themselves. He fought those who will turn education about human and reproductive rights into sex crimes. People (like a former president) who have said "Jeffrey Epstein" is a good guy despite being at the center of an international child sex trafficking ring that coerced people in positions of power to becoming his assets and clients. And Dragoneer? He was a kind-hearted, jovial artist (to those who knew him) who was allowed to take over Alkora's FurAffinity project in 2007, as Alkora was already being targeted for scandal. Dragoneer worked internationally as a contractor prior to IMVU's purchase, and in the last ten years, he has fought to keep FurAffinity together despite his own impoverishment.

Dragoneer tried many ways to keep the site going. After FurAffinity was blocked from being paid by the major payment processors, after he changed the content permissions to be ethically and virtuously clean with regards to content and these payment authorizers' tightening rules, and after temporarily allowing IMVU to be in possession of the site's legal entity before Dragoneer purchased it anew, he was without health insurance in Virginia. Virginia, for those of you not aware, has regularly sued people on the USA-funded poverty healthcare option, Medicaid, under claims of bills that should not have been paid. Even though I was familiar with Dragoneer on a first-name basis as he was a long-term acquaintance and friend of mine, Twitter's purchase and gutting by Elon Musk left his reach and visibility erased. I had no idea Dragoneer, my friend, was suffering from a life threatening condition for months, and was repeatedly being failed and deferred by healthcare providers he saw. Of course he would be, when you know doctors also need to be paid by a healthcare system founded on austerity and punitive lawsuits against needy peoples. (This is compared to the President Donald administration getting paid to forcibly sterilize undocumented refugees and migrants. I don't have the link about my Medicaid claim right now.)

And so, Dragoneer died last night. I had found out at 4am, because my complex household needs means I was up at 1:30am. (You'd think merely 'being awake' can make praying the Salaat easier, but it doesn't even as a Queer, Trans, and 2022-recently Islamic Muslim.) I am so beside myself with grief, as I am aware my own father needs 24/7 healthcare and care work but can't afford it. He is the same age as the DoorDasher who humbly needed my help to provide our needed groceries (like toilet paper) that we 'financed' on the exploitative APR credit cards we need to get by. Even if my dad has pushed Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer back to its smallest this year, he still needs help to recover his memory. In my house, we are 24/7. So when followers show up with tags like "im_1nside_your_house", or when I am subject to a "Miscreant In the Middle" attack while at the laundromat, I am as ready as I can be on hours of sleep and gratitude from constant prayers.

He didn't need to die. My dad doesn't need to be nickle-and-dimed for healthcare. And people don't need to go broke paying for health insurance for themselves, their dogs, or the life of their land. If you're as angry about this farcical austerity--treating currency bills like they're invaluable and limited-edition collector's items only fit to be horded ala the Panama Papers--then I pray fellow furries like me and Dragoneer can still do something about it.

In his last tweets on TwXtter, you can still see Dragoneer fighting fascists. I'm no expert on fascism, so let me try to summarize it by the line: "Might makes right." This 'might' being people or organizations employing technology (ala "Djinn," "Egregores," or in this case, just corporate bodies and the 'thoughtforms' employees have) exploiting these massive systems of power to create a lie into reality by the fact their power enables it to happen. Why else can some of the most far-right Israelis feel like they're protecting their homeland, when it only exists in the dwindling darkness of ignorance a Hebrew-only state (no Yiddish allowed) birthed in children? This kind of dark enlightenment is still poisoning us today, even as it is one JD Vance advocates for.

And, today, someone from a popular UNDERTALE world record holder's Discord community found one of the other places I am also combating this international system of exploitation: VANtics. If you think I'm against lies being used to control children, which I am, look to your own television, or your YouTube Kids app. Therein, besides Elsagate and the USA's weak attempts to stop this via KOSA, you will find a surreal INTERNATIONAL normality. This normality has existed since before USAian Cigarette Marketing invented marketing: paid commercial advertisements.

VANtics is my hope to reveal that, not only do non-consentual airing of commercial publications exploit the children who might see them, they exploit the children cast within them. You can see Nickelodeon-network scandals regarding content that unnecessarily and unhealthily pushed child actors to pose for scenes that graphically held on their bodily features that were unnecessary to the plot. Am I using more words than a 14 year old might understand? No, as I was a very clever 14 year old who could not dispel the images, their realism, and the intimacy in their performances in these ads. Who could be OK participating like this in an ad for a large audience? Why would this piece of art be made to be aired when I would see it, to plausibly and intentionally shape my thoughts for a lifetime? It's called "Image Marketing" and executives are as aware of this as the Exxon executives were aware of the problems of climate change.

I had no idea this crossover would happen hours after Dragoneer's passing, and continue to expose the internet-wide exploration, presence, and communities I'm a part of. My act of boldly or humbly living my life as a visible trans* person since 2014 has required me to have faith in higher powers, all the way up to a single unifying Creator: as I've survived multiple attacks completely outside of this SansIsSleeping art project. These attacks aren't merely physical violence, but legal, social, economic, and bureaucratic. The fact I am here today is not just because of my faith in One transcendental Creator (Tahwid) keeping all of this order on Earth quietly operating despite chaos. It's because of people like my spouse. It's because of my children who lead and inspire me. It's because of the community members I've met who wonder why commodity fetishism is a normal and accepted marketing tactic for children. It's because of old friends who still continue to commune with me, and other friends who don't hesitate to help with money, or networking, or other aid. It's because of people like Mari who is also facing a similar healthcare and financial crisis like Dragoneer did. It's because of people like atax1a , aka Alex, who inspire me and teach me by xer own dictionary-like addressing of all the space xe hold. This is just like the Bo Burnham special "Inside," tackling this same topic (and the Outtakes which are great): my inside is outside now, and we're entering a world where "Everybody Knows." This even reminds me of the coercive/puppeteering blackmail-like control that I found suggested by lyrics within a music video composed by Toby Fox but I am soon courageous enough to finally witness. This is much like SnowGrave for me, which I had put off for months out of fear I would, again, be haunted ala the Genocide/Ecocidal ending of UNDERTALE. Does "No Mercy" even cut such a story of increasingly consolidated power choices?

I'm in my final days of work on the architecture of Slumberer Sentinels. I don't know if I will have a complete platform architecture drawn out before I begin, but this is another one of this era's "clarion call" attempts. Just like Tim Berners-Lee believes in a decentralized web rescuing us from this terrorism-technology panopticon, I believe a universal networked system state that Slumberer Sentinels can provide open-source would be an open book all of you can read and teach me from, as the next generation and current generation of experts.

Yes, I'm weird. But I understand consent enough now to refuse power being proof of consent. Perhaps might can create the lie of what is right, but informed/FRIES consent is mightier. Like my welcome new Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz says: it's weird to have this power and say these wrong, revisionist things about living beings. It's beyond weird, it's wrong to claim ability to divine who at our scale deserves to die and live. That's not our job, we need enough of us fools and all living beings alive long enough to learn an unforgettable lesson. We are already living in a time of Genocide, of Nakba.

What are YOU doing?

You're reading this? Thank you. Preyfar, may Ar Rahman Ar Raheem, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful be pleased, and peace be upon you.

Filene "Natalie" Taylor B August 7th, 2024

(v1: got most of the links in there, not all of them, such as a talk Cory Doctorow referred to where "AI" is actually considered Organizations, and their growing authoritarian control is the problem. I think the talk is like, "How did we mess up this bad?" or something)

[kinfriday]

Savagery

It’s hard to know how to feel as I’ve been going through the history of the Viking age peoples.  

On one hand they were profoundly inclusive, traveling the world, inviting other cultures to trade, and even including some of them. People with Persian DNA have been found in graves, along with rings with Allah inscribed upon them.  

What’s more we have written firsthand accounts, some of the only surviving, of Viking funerary rites from traders, and many historians now believe that the ancient Silk Road had its western terminus in Scandanavia. 

While gender roles seemed to have been strictly enforced, women still had the ability to own property, or serve as warriors. There even seems to be evidence, though it would be easy to read too much into it, that the Vikings were comfortable with a type of non-human identity in some.  

In a vacuum all of this sounds amazing. Here we have a warrior culture, that also traded and welcomed others and had at least some degree of respect for women as they ventured across the world.  

Truly, they must be a model of 9th century progressive values and ideals.  

Not so fast...  

While, to a degree welcoming, worldly, and inclusive, our spiritual ancestors were also, at the very same time, terrible people. A bulk of the slave trading in Europe came from the Viking World. Rape, and the murder of children was an acceptable war tactic, and virtually anything could be done to a person one owned, even up to murder, with little to no consequence.  

Human sacrifice to the Gods was common and means of justice were shockingly brutal.  

None of this existed in a vacuum. The Christian kingdoms of this era were at least as bad, and in some ways worse, as were the Romans. You aren’t going to find a human society that is without its horrors, and if you read the legends, even the Gods do reprehensible things.  

As I’ve grown in my knowledge of the legends, I find it interesting that, from my perspective, Ragnarök was a preventable tragedy. Loki’s three monstrous children are bound, but the why is at best hazy, and with Fenrir it’s an outrage.  

The Gods feared the great wolf, but nothing that survives ever indicates he was a threat. Perhaps we should trust the wisdom of Woden here, perhaps he had some foresight, but all we have from the legends is fear, and it is his binding that sets up the great cascade of events that culminate in the death of the Gods themselves.  

I wonder if one of the reasons Loki went after Baldr, was a result of Woden binding Loki’s son unjustly.  

One might be surprised to see such sentiment from me, but the Gods call me to be honest, and the one thing they never claim to be in all the legends is perfect, nor do they claim to be unchangeable.  

As said, they even face death, which is an ultimate form of change, perhaps the most necessary kind.  

I say this because I realize I am not so different from the ancestors. While many might see my actions as progressive, or even virtuous as a vegan, as someone that strives to go fair trade with her clothing, chocolate and bananas etc. Striving isn’t good enough, is it?  

I’m writing this on a computer that was built with conflict minerals, it’s unavoidable. Most likely some ten year old child working his fingers to the bone mined the cobalt for my fancy electronics.  

Migrants denied any pathway to legal or easy immigration into this country are exploited to grow my food. Some of my clothing was most likely made in sweatshops.  

We like to think that we’ve come far as a society, and we have. We now keep our slave labor, our exploitation of others firmly out of sight while we pat ourselves on the back for wearing hemp and shopping at Whole Foods, judging those that came before us with a type of virtuous horror.  

And it’s not fair to them, and it won’t be fair to us when, five or ten generations down, they look at us as brutal savages either.  

I don’t think anything can make many of the actions of our ancestors right, or understandable, but I think to honor them properly we must look at them with honesty and as lessons of what not to do, how not to be, as much as how to be.  

I see this with the Gods too, and the chronicling of their savagery and past mistakes recorded in the mythology. Woden is not the same God that he was a thousand years ago, he has grown and changed. I am deeply convinced of this. What’s more, the culture that interpreted, or misinterpreted his actions is now gone, and we’re left with our, in some ways, more progressive time where we can forge new relationships with these High Ones.  

Nothing is static, nothing will ever be perfect, but in every era, every time, there were at least a handful, some known, some unknown, that bucked the trend, that sought to be better than the world they were raised in and went beyond what they were given.  

There were people who freed their slaves, fought for justice, or never kept another human being because it just felt wrong. There were noble warriors who never harmed a child or violated a woman in a village.  

They may have been few, they may have done their good deeds under a cloak of eternal anonymity, but we have the same choice.  

I can’t stop it all, but I can stop some. I can’t keep myself from benefiting 100% in the privileged position I exist in, but I can use that privilege to shout from the rooftops and intervene for those that have none.  

We are our deeds, in totality. Much is made of being a warrior in many modern heathen paths. Well, I feel my war is within, and against every systemic cruelty that exists in the world.  

It may be my Jörmungandr, it may be the end of me, but as long as I’m working to do better, and be better, than I feel I am honoring the Ancestors and the Gods.