THE TORTOISE& THE HARE

aSALLAMU ALIKUM WA RAG MATULLAH HI WA BARAKATU...

WOW!!!

What a gorgeous day.. alhumdulillah... the sun has come out to play... and we bask in the favours that our Lord has besotwed on us... ALLAH HU AKbar!!!

THE TORTOISE& THE HARE

Once upon a time there was a tortoise and a hare... the hare was forever boasting how he could run faster than anyone else, and always teased the tortoise for its slowness. Then one day, the irate tortoise answered back: "Who do you think you are? There's no denying you're swift, but even you can be beaten!" The hare squealed with laughter...

[blah blah blah... you all no the story of what happened next... so lets fast forward...]

... As the sun started to sink, below the horizon, and the tortoise still gave his all. He had been plodding towards the winning post since morning, and was scarcely a yard from the finish. At that very point, suddenly the hare woke with a jolt from his fitful sleep and gazed around searching for the tortoise... . He could see the tortoise a speck in the distance and in a panic... away he dashed. He leapt and bounded at a great rate, his tongue lolling, and gasping for breath. Just a little more and he'd be first at the finish. But the hare's last leap was just too late, for the tortoise had beaten him to the winning post. The Tortoise had won!!!

The hare was left tired and in disgrace, he slumped down beside the tortoise who was silently smiling at him.

THE END.

This age old tale has entertained and amused many a generation... and has remained a firm favourite with young and old.

why?

well to remind us all... it teaches us humility and respect.

it shows us the danger of Pride and Arrogance... it one thing to believe in your abilities but another to belittle and mock.

But most of all it teaches us the lesson that when the chips are down... we dig in and we fight. Give our all. use what gifts Allah SWt has bestowed upon us as individuals to the best of our ability and to show thanks for it. NOT to be arrogant... and boastful and full of Pride.

Those vices will cripple us not only as indivduals but as a community. And we will rot from the inside out...

In the week i was listening to surah Luqmaan.. and an ayaah stood out fr me.. so i went to read the Tafsir... Bismillah hiragmaniragheem... Allah SWT... tells us in the Quraan {31:18}: " 18. "And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah likes not any arrogant boaster.'' ... the tafir of this ayaah is quite clear as to what is meant... do not turn your face away from people when you speak to them or they speak to you, looking down on them in an arrogant fashion. And do not be boastful, arrogant, proud and stubborn. Do not do that, for which Allah will hate you.'

instead we are encouraged to speak to people with kindness... and if we dont have anything good to say the at the very least meet them with a smile.

Unless of course you want to be humiliated!

I think not.

Think. Ponder .Reflect.

PS: Halaqa tommorow morning after fajr... gates ville masjid

PS2: Qiyaamul layl promgramme 9-15pm... gatesville masjid.

Ps3: happy anniversary to Brother Niyaaz and fatima... time flies...

PsP: thul Qada has arrived... Mubrak!!!

PSP: October 31st 1941 Mount Rushmore is completed

Wii:

XboX:Did You Know, It is impossible to lick your elbow... ok who just tried to lick their elbow..hehehe..lol..:-)

Peace. Love. and the new double breast nandos buger..mmm:-p

One day ... Brother James into work, and both of his ears are all bandaged up. Mr Allen GRay says, "What happened to your ears?"
He says, "Yesterday I was ironing a shirt when the phone rang and shhh! I accidentally answered the iron."
The boss says, "Well, that explains one ear, but what happened to your other ear?"
He says, "Well, jeez, I had to call the doctor!"

DEATH & TAXES...

Asalaamu aliakum wa rag matullah hi wa barakaatu...

Peace & Blessings upon you all... i trust u are well and had a gr8 jumuah thus far...

DEATH& TAXES...

the thing about life is, DEATH.

A grim statemnet if ever their was... i agree. ( THATS why this weeks email is written solely in black). But the truth is usually blunt and to the point.

Not many things are certain to happen... but the DEATH... innevitably we all will taste it. whether its our own Death... whether a loved one... even the death of a Stranger will will touch us... and leave a feeling of "oh my gosh" resonating through our bodies... chill up our spine ... you know what i mean...

the initial reality is a devastating blow... almost paralysing... when the news breaks we are left numb... we mourn the loss of our loved one... we cry becuase that what we do and we reflect on the passing of a life... and we are reminded... that this life, as beautiful as it is... is a mere blink of an eye compared to the next... the question is... what are we doing to prepare for eternity?

So what are we doing to prepare?

As human beings we tend for the most part to look at things in a context... to try and find meaning... Islam offers a context for everything... Afterall its not simply a relligion... but rather a way of LIFE... and its relevance is to be found in everything and everywhere...

bismillah hiragmaanniragheem...

كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَتًا فَأَحْيَـكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

28. How can you disbelieve in Allah seeing that you were dead and He gave you life Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return.)

last week as i cut and pasted the above verse...little did i know that its relevance would jump out at me and not only give a context for me... but it would define the relevance of why i tend to send emails to the people closest to me... people i care for... yes .. i do.. care... for ... u ... i said it. breathe... smile:-)... for last saturday a cousin of mine passed away... and whilst typing my email last week i had absolutely no idea that he would...

and it goes to show that as hard as we ttry to understand certain aspects of life... we simply dont possess the faculties to understand every thing. The unseen .. is the domain of the Almighty... and us being people of faith... we simply give ourselves over to the factthat ... : "HE gave you life... and then He will give you death ... and He will once again give you life ..."

The thing is that through the pain and the uncertainty and the grief.. somehow it is very importatn to remember that Death is something Allah Swt has ordained... and it is part of our Dean ... Allah SWt says in Surah Mulk ... Bimillah hiragmaanir ragheem ...

1. Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion; and He is Able to do all things.) (2. Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving;[ Quraan 29: 1-2] ... i suggest you read the tafsir of these ayaat .. it will put into perspective... what we all should be striving for...

The is nothing that puts life into perspective like Death.

all we can do.. or hope to be able to do when death comes our way... is to be prepared to put our trust in Allah SWT...

by prepared i dont mean for our actual Deaths... but i think you all know what i mean...

we have to do all we can do.. and say what needs to be said.. and strive to do all that we can... and make sincere our intentions... becuase we we just dont know when.

and thats the point.

Nothing in life is certain. Except death... and taxes!!!

so lets prepare for Allah Swt has promised ... "And give glad tidings to those who believe and do righteous good deeds, that for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)... [2:25]"

think. ponder. reflect.

By the way... the verse also gave me more meaning as my cousins wife gave birth... to a healthy baby Boy, UMAR!!!... mAY aLLAH SWT GUIDE AND PROTECT HIM AND may He guide and protect us all, inshallah

a further example of how Allah swt... gives life...

fluit fluit my storie is uit...

PS: halqa tommorow morning habbia masjid after FAjr, inshallah.

ME & MY TOOTHBRUSH

Asalaamualikum wa ragmatullah hi wa barakaatu...

peace:-)

&blessings upon u all...

i trust all is well... and life is good...?

so i leanrt a few impotant lessons inthe last two weeks...

1. its important to breathe... otherwise u gonna die.

2. its impotant to smile... coz you'll get better service at the stores.

3. its important to be humble... coz if things go wrong people will be more understanding .

4. its important to follow through ... coz u more likely to inspire others..

5. its important to be u ... coz people like u.

6. And most important of all... its important to change your tooth brush at least once a year... coz well DENTal DIGEsT says so...heheheh ... and no body likes a smelly mouth:-)

ME&MY TOOTHbrush...

So this week after five years (OK maybe 3years) ok it was a longtime since i changed my toothbrsh... the point being i finally chagnded my toothbrush... i dont no why...

[flashback.}
last week sunday i found myself wondering the aisles of the revamped Pick & pay claremont... and whilst wondering aimlessly... i spotted something out of the corner of my eye... a bright orange& green flourescent coloured toothbrush... it blinded me.. caught my attention. i picked it up and read that not only did it have zig zig bristles whichthey promised would reach 'places never gone beffore"... but as a bonus it had a tongue cleener...SOLD! i mean a freaking tongue cleaner!!! and so i bought it... impulse buy... it just seemed to be the right thing to do...

So in my excitement i coudnt wait to get home...i red lined my TAZZ .. and in a flash i was home... ripped off the packaging and grabbed my new toy {sies... u guys have dirty minds}... and brushed till the sun went away... WOW!!!!

what a diference... it was beutiful... soft, silky, smooth... aah... brushing will never be the same again. i feel like a new man... born again... refreshed... WOW!!!

and as the brush got to work i could feel it going to 'places never gone before' ...i really did... and i felt cleaner... it was like my mouth was dead and now it was reborn...

[ present day]

And then i reminised... about this past Ramadaan... its only been 17days since the month ended... and i think WOW.. what a beautiful month it was... good habits were formed and in some way ... it cleansed me... i felt clean... i felt good... i still do... but somehow it feels different... like the world has all of a sudden changed... and then i recalled one of the advices a learned sheigh shared with us during Ramadaan... we developed good habits in ramadaan... (and we all know what they were).. and in so doing we raised our status with Allah swt... and for us to let go of all that good would just be a shame... human nature is like this... once we progress we dont like/ or rather we wouldnt like to regress thereafter... if we get promoted... it will be a gr8 shame to be demoted... and it would leave a bitter taste in our mouths if we are... like for instance.. once we drive a Toayota TAZZ ' the pinnacle of motring excellence' ... we woudnt want to go back to driving a BMW ... now would we? ..hehehe:-) lol...

(OK... u may swap the eg if u want to?)

Ramadaan cleansed us... and developed within us good habits... we will do well to remember this... and hold onto them... Ramadaan.. as the learned sheigh explained... revived us... spiritually awoke us... took us fom our slumber and revitalised our inhabitions to remind us that WE BELONG to ALLAh swt... and to HIM shall we return...

bismillah hiragmaanniragheem...

كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَتًا فَأَحْيَـكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

28. How can you disbelieve in Allah seeing that you were dead and He gave you life Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return.)

TAFSIR IBN KATHIR: Allah testifies to the fact that He exists and that He is the Creator and the Sustainer Who has full authority over His servants,(You were dead and He gave you life) meaning, He brought them from the state of non-existence to life.

the learned shiegh went on to explain (and i cant rememebr if his explanation relates to the above verses so please indulge me and take the rest of this as an advice)...... that their are two types of people... Spiritually awake... and spiritually dead. Ramadaan has the effect of awakenning the spiritually dead to become alive... so even if u feel as if u are not ISLamically at your best ... post ramadaan... never lose hope inthe mercy of your LORD... for He Guides whomhe wills..and May He Guideus all to HIs path for He is the Most Exalted, oft forgiving. and if u think u are spiritually awake... never ..ever become complacent in your faith...never think you are better than anyone else... because in a flash u caould fall from grace ad become spiritually dead. And that as the learned sheigh explained is how Allah gives life tot he dead. and can take life.

So we have to continually encourage. motivate. inspire... Strive.

Of course u could always just ignore this email... and use a Miswaak!!!

wicky wicky... fluit fluit my storie is uit.

think. ponder. react.

Ps: Since the 1940s, South African golfers have won more golf majors than any other nation, apart from the United States.

Ps2: Halaaqa tommorw morning at Gatesville masjid after fajr... inshallah!

Ps3: Did you know that over 70 percent of vehicles on our busiest routes maintain a following distance of less than 2 seconds in peak traffic hours?

Wii: WE's predicted weather forecast ...

Cape Town

today: 16 °C 25 °C

tommorow: 14 °C 28 °C

PSP: if i have made any mistake..or offended sany body plesae forgive me.. and if i have said anything beneficial then surely it is From Allah SWt... and May He Guide and protect us All.

laugh a little ...

Two little kids ( HAYDER & GHATHIER) are in a hospital, lying on stretchers next to each other outside the operating room.
hayder... leans over and asks, 'What are you in here for?'
Ghathier says, 'I'm in here to get my tonsils out and I am a little nervous.'
Hayder says, 'You've got nothing to worry about. I had that done when I was four. They put you to sleep, and when you wake up they give you lots of Jelly and ice cream. Don't worry, It's a breeze.'
Ghathier then asks, 'What are you here for?'
Hayder says, 'A circumcision.'
'Whoa!' Ghathier replies. 'Good luck buddy. I had that done when I was born. Couldn't walk for a year.'

Peace:-)

love.

and a bowl of strawberries and ice cream...mmp!

PSSSST: http://jumuahmubarak.blogspot.com/

UNDER THE WEATHER

Peace:-)

&BLESSINGSuponUall...

I trust all is well ...

BUT DUE TO ME BEING UNDER THE WEATHER...

THIs weeks regular EMAILing has been postponed to NEXT WEEK , INSHALLAH.

pEACE:-)

LoVE.

AND A CUP OF sIERGOMOE ( eid milk WITH PAstachios mmmh :-p)

but i cannot not give u a lesson for the week...

LESSON FOR THE WEEK....

nonetheless ...

even though im feeling much beta and i am trying to work...

i am still suffering from the lingering effects of the influenza virus...

that has (un)ceremoniuosly {whichever one it is}

intererupted my state of well being this past week... and as i lay in bed on EID DAY i realised that ...

in a flash.... life changes and plans are altered

so its best keep our tongue moist in the rememebreacne of ALlah SWT ...

and busy yourselves with righteous goods deeds...

becuase as the imaam said on EId/ or was it during travie??? ( im ill so forgive my state of forgefulness)... a hadith read " every person will be rasied upon that which he dies upon " and i dont no bout u peple but i certainly dont want to be raised up doing things which are not pleasing to ALLah SWt...

think. ponder . react...

PS: its 3days since ramadaan has ended... what hae we done since?

PS2: and lest we not forget the habits which ramadaan had sowed in our hearts... and lifestyle

Ps3: gave it away...

Wii: QIYAAMUL LAYL programm this saturday 4th October 2008, castletown masjid, wynberg @ 9pm

Xbox: join us for Halaqa tomorow after fajr salaah at Gatesville masjid, inshallah

PSP: i apologise for the lack of colour this week... but black is he new pink!

a picture tells a 1000 WORDS....