Surah al Asr Brief illustrated Explanation-Nouman Ali Khan

Blind child doesn't want to see again

Tafseer of Surah Maryam - Day 1: Introduction

"Racing to Allah" - Muslema Purmul

Time Management - Shaykh Muhammad al-Shareef

FBI Infiltrator Who Spied on Muslims Reveals Techniques

I would love to meet this child's mother!

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: All from Allah - Maryam Amirebrahimi

Jewels of Jannah: Asiya (R) by Yasmin Mogahed

Powerful Sister: Amal Ahmed Albaz

Women in Islam: Interview with Dr. Ingrid Mattson

Would you bathe in dioxin or chlorine?

First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah by Sheikh Yasir Qadhi

Post-Ramadan Do's: Episode #1

Oh no, I missed my suhoor!

Assalamu ’alaikum,

Here are 5 quick tips if you’ve missed your Suhoor (pre-dawn Ramadan meal) and want to stay productive:

1. Don’t panic: Nothing like panicking yourself if you missed Suhoor; calm down, go pray Fajr, read some Quran, you’ll be fine!

2. Don’t think about it too much: Again, don’t stress your mind and constantly remind yourself during the day that you missed Suhoor and that you only had one meal last night..etc Just having this thought in your mind is enough to drain your energy and give you an excuse for being unproductive.

3. Get on with your day: An athlete once said “There’s nothing more powerful than a made up mind”. Make up your mind to be productive, talk to yourself like an athlete, and get on with your day!

4. Nap if you need to: If you feel super hungry, then take short naps/breaks to help yourself pull through the day.
Keep yourself busy: Ever had one of those Ramadan days that went by so quickly! Chances are you spent that day either super busy or doing something you really enjoyed. Try to do the same here and you won’t feel that you even missed Suhoor at all inshaAllah.

5. Finally and most importantly, make dua to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) to help you during the day. Remember the verse “You Alone We Worship, and You Alone We Seek Help From” (Al-Fatiha). If we’re fasting for him then let’s ask Him to help us with our fasting and perform it correctly whether we miss suhoor or not.

For more on this, read our ‘10 Step Suhoor Routine’ http://bit.ly/10-Suhoor on www.productiveramadan.com

(Oh btw, Master Your Sleep article series is out on the website, check it out here http://bit.ly/sleep-part1 and http://bit.ly/sleep-part2 )

Yours sincerely,
Abu Productive

ps. oh and please don’t miss Suhoor again! Set 5 alarms next time! ;)

Raising Honest Children

Addicted Music Lovers Must Watch!!!

As Parents, We Are Swimming Against The Current

We are living in a strange time of rat races, struggling to keep up with others around us. This race is not only limited to our wealth, status, or any other type of materialism, but also includes the way we carry out many of our daily roles in life, especially as parents. The way we raise our children and the values/goals we set for them has become a matter of competition. The definition of a good parent, in our world, revolves around how comfortably our children are raised, how much money we are able to collect and spend on them, the amount of good, fresh food that is provided daily, and what “type” of secular education we are able to provide for them. The more we are able to provide of these worldly things, the better we are perceived as fulfilling parents.

Read more...

Pearls from Surah Yusuf

It amazes me how Yusuf (peace be upon him) was so grateful to God and forgiving of his brothers even as he suffered all kinds of indignities:

Watch this

18 Tips to Stop Cyberbullying

1. Keep the computer in a common area of the home. Do not allow it in your children's bedrooms. Monitor their online usage.

2. Learn how various social networking websites work. Become familiar with Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Ask your children if they will show you their profile pages.

3. Talk regularly and specifically with your children about online issues. Let them know they can come to you for help if anything is inappropriate, upsetting, or dangerous.
Read more...

Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood

Being at Peace with Yourself: Psychological Approach towards Acceptance and Serenity

Imagine what your reaction would be if you saw your Muslim brother or sister verbally and physically abusing another Muslim that was feeling very depressed for making a mistake? What if you heard them yelling, “ YOU STUPID IDIOT…..can’t you do anything right? Then punching him and saying, “YOU’RE ALWAYS MESSING UP!” As he tries to catch his breath, he kicks him and says , “You are so WORTHLESS!” Your heart would be overflowing with sympathy for the one oppressed and with absolute rage at the oppressor. The natural response would be to protect the oppressed, help him up and tend to his wounds. You would comfort him by explaining that we all make mistakes and we can always change. As your nurturing slowly takes effect, your anger would be directed at the cruel, heartless person standing before you. That person could be yourself.
Read more...

Dear Sister Khadeejah, I don't have time

Living the Advice of Surat Al-Asr – Part 1

The Brain Beneath the Face Veil

7 Ways to Deal with the Negative People in your Life

Let the Negativity Pass

Whatever you do, do not argue with a negative person. Arguing only adds fuel to the fire. A negative person will feed off any negativity that will strengthen his mood or attitude. I have noticed when my children are in a crabby mood, it is best to avoid trying to convince them to analyze and adjust their attitude. As soon as I take the approach of being in opposition with them, they seize the opportunity to prove to me that life stinks...
Read more

Jealous people getting you down? Watch this:

Top 10 Tips from ProductiveMuslim.com

What's the Point?

"Motivation For Change" By Zohra Sarwari

How to Communicate with Diplomacy and Tact

Dale Carnegie Training Engaging Ideas Newsletter: How to Communicate with Diplomacy and Tact

Four Tips for Giving a Stellar Speech

The Queen’s Speech: Four Tips for Giving a Stellar Speech

Alya Nuri - 10-year-old Muslim Girl Speaks Out Against Bullying, Cigarettes, Drugs, and Alcohol

God Answers Prayers: Tahrir Square: Moments before Mubarak Resigned

Today Egypt is Free!

Ingrid Mattson on the Uprising in Egypt

On March 7, 1965, six hundred peaceful civil rights protesters were brutally attacked by police in Selma, Alabama. In the following weeks, Americans of all faiths came to Selma to rally in support of the human rights and dignity of African-Americans. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of American Judaism's great theologians said, "When I marched in Selma, my feet were praying." Read more.

3 Powerful Tips for Overcoming Fear

Some of the common fears we experience:

• Fear of failure
• Fear of being rejected
• Fear of not meeting our own expectations

When we realize that we’re being excessively fearful, what should we do? Here are 3 choices:

3 Powerful Tips for Overcoming Fear

Six Ways to Refuel Your Energy Every Day

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Are you burning the candle at both ends?

Six Ways to Refuel Your Energy Every Day

Tony Robbins on Motivation in a Slump

Ten Best Days-Sheikh Yasir Qadhi

Nothing teaches success like success

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Do you want to be a successful wife, mother, or business woman? Here are some women who have followed our role model, our mother Khadija (may God be pleased with her) - one of the most successful women who ever lived:

http://tinyurl.com/2a8r594

50 Things You Need to Know About Marital Relationships

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Yes, you can have a happy, successful marriage:

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/relationships/50-things-you-need-to-know-about-marital-relationships

Eid Mubarak! (Happy Eid)

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Eid sermon by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf:

They want to burn, but do we learn?

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Do we?

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/politics/thoughts-on-burn-a-quran-day

Success is only 5 minutes away!

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Make it to this event, inshAllaah. You will realize that success is only 5 minutes away, insha-Allah. So if you are not afraid to be successful, make it to the LIVE webinar on Sunday, May 2, 2010 insh-Allah!. Sign up here:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/855061323

Cyberbullying: How to Protect your Kids

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

This video is a real eye-opener. (This site is also a great resource for pre-screening movies and other forms of entertainment for our kids):

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying-tips

Free Online Arabic Classes Taught By a Great Instructor

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Can you learn Arabic for free in the comfort of your own home, at your own pace, and from an instructor who is easy to follow? Yes you can:

http://www.lqtoronto.com

Haiti Earthquake Appeal

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Here is a message from Sheikh Yasir Qadhi about supporting those in Haiti:

"Salaam Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh

The recent earthquake in Haiti has had devastating effects on life and property, and has affected the lives of millions of people. The death toll is rising steadily, and numbers appear to increase exponentially. It is at times like these that some people renew their faith in God, while others are tested in their faith.

The pictures and videos of the destruction in Haiti melt our hearts and stir our souls: we pray that Allah makes their affairs easy for them, and blesses them with His choicest blessings. But we must do more than mere prayer. We are required at all times, and especially at times like these, to show our mercy and generosity, in the name of the God that we believe in, for the sake of the religion that we stand for, and following the example of the Prophet that is the 'Prophet of Mercy'. I strongly encourage all Muslims, and especially our students at AlMaghrib Institute, to do what they can at this time of crisis.

Islamic Relief has taken the bold initiative of collecting a million dollars for relief work in Haiti. They are one of the most reputable charity and relief organizations in the world, and I have worked with them on numerous occasions as they spread mercy across the globe. Let us join hands with them and help out in this effort as well!

Wa salaam

Yasir Qadhi
Dean of Academic Affairs,
AlMaghrib Institute"


Here is Islamic Relief's:

Haiti Earthquake Appeal Page

Don't Be a Procrastinator, Use the Taskinator

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

I know. The title is corny, but it rhymes, and you'll remember it right? It's like one of those commercials that makes no sense, but is so weird that you remember it. Anyway, to increase your productivity and "islamize" your to-do list, you can download your free copy of the Taskinator from productivemuslim.com:

http://www.productivemuslim.com/the-taskinator

Journey's End: Preparing for Resurrection

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Free webinar conducted by Muhammad Alshareef on how to ensure that every day brings you closer to Allah's (God's) paradise:

Register here:

http://www.timetravelmaster.com

Can a 9-year-old Muslim Girl Make a Difference?

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

I said it before and I'll say it again. The aql (intellect) doesn't fall far from the tree. Our dear sister Zohra Sarwari's 9-year-old daughter Alya Nuri is on a mission to help the youth understand why smoking, alcohol, and drugs are bad for them. She has already written 3 books about the subject. Watch  this video and be amazed:

Six Things You Can Do To Increase Your Faith During Finals

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Some things to think about as we prepare for our final final on the day of judgement:

http://tinyurl.com/yd8db5v

The 7 Foods Experts Won't Eat

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

And the good news is, we can get healthy, affordable alternatives to these unhealthy foods from places such as Trader Joe's or Target:

http://tinyurl.com/ybaqlrs

Top Ten Forms of Halal (Permissible) Entertainment

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Yes, we can be religious and still have fun:

http://tinyurl.com/y8whhzl

Happy Jummuah (Friday)!

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Nouman Ali Khan's practical parenting lessons based on the legacy of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham - peace be upon him).

Why Don't People Know the Truth about Muslim Women?

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Maybe it's because they're not hearing from us. 

Sisters, are you interested in improving your writing skills? Do you want to learn how to write and pitch op-eds to national newspapers? The OpEd Project can help:

http://www.theopedproject.org

Happy Jummuah (Friday)!

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Yes, dua (supplication to God) is powerful:

http://tinyurl.com/ylql2rx

4 Ways to Reduce Back Pain

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Less pain, more ibadah (worship), insha-Allah (God-willing):

13 Steps for Memorizing the Qur’an

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Some practical steps that helped Sheikh Yasir Qadhi memorize the Qur’an during his teenage years:

http://tinyurl.com/yfn2qpx

The 3 Types of Knowledge

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Great advice on knowledge of Allah (God), self, and others from productivemuslim.com:

Five Mistakes to Avoid when Sacrificing an Animal for Eid

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Eid mubarak (Happy Eid).

A Message from our dear sister Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA):

http://tinyurl.com/425652

Saving the Ship of Humanity

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Alhamdulillah (Praise God). I'm soooooo excited about the Reviving The Islamic Spirit (RIS) convention this year: December 25-27, 2009 in Toronto, Canada. I went to RIS last year for the first time and I loved it. The speakers were amazing, the audience was attentive. There was such positive energy in the air. May God bless the brothers and sisters who organized this convention. The speakers include Aisha Adawiya, Tayyibah Taylor, Zainab Alwan, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Yusuf Islam, Tariq Ramadan, and many more. There will also be a comedy performance by Allah Made me Funny. For more info, please visit: http://www.revivingtheislamicspirit.com

Ten Careers That Make Employers Look For You

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Insha-Allah (God willing), with the right skill set, you won't go looking for a job, jobs will come looking for you:

http://tinyurl.com/425652

Here's some other information that you can take to the bank:

For those looking for technology work:

http://tinyurl.com/yjtxskn

Newest professions, growing salaries:

http://tinyurl.com/ydwh9pv

Ten hot home office jobs:

http://tinyurl.com/4k5j4

Happy Jummuah (Friday)!

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

An Ideal Family Unit: 7 Habits for Successfully Raising Muslim Children. A series of 7 videos by Bilal Philips:

Imagine that Today is Your Last Day

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

What would you do differently if you knew that today would be your last day? Watch our dear sister Zohra Sarwari advise us on what we might want to do:

Happy Jummuah (Friday)!

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

I love to listen to the Qur'an on the way to work/taking my daughter to school in the morning. Alhamdulillah (Praise God), it gives me strength and focus throughout the day. Here is some commentary on Surah al-Kahf (The Cave), just one of the beautiful chapters in the Qur'an:

http://www.suhaibwebb.com/blog/audio-lectures/#kahf-tafsir

Mama, I'm Waiting for You in Jannah (Heaven)

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

I remind myself before I remind anyone else to always show gratitude to God in times of joy and pain. In this special edition of Muhammad Alshareef 2.0, AlMaghrib Institute presents: "Mama, I'm Waiting for You in Jannah" on October 25, 2009 at 6:45 PM EST:

http://www.ilminar.com

Happy Jummuah (Friday)!

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Subhanallah (Glory be to God). I miss Ramadan already. Watch Yasir Qadhi talk about everlasting Ramadan:

http://www.halaltube.com/yasir-qadhi-everlasting-ramadan

10 Tips to Help You Keep Those Ramadan Habits

As-Salaamu alaikum (Peace be with you),

Keeping Ramadan spirits alive:

http://soundvision.com/Info/eid/alive.asp