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Assalamuaikum and hello! You can call me Elisya or 'El'!

My facilitator is Sr. Iman Nurina and I'm in Usrah Group 07!

My contact number is 01131354599 or you can also email me at elisyazarir@gmail.com for any inquiries.

I live in Seremban Selatan, Negeri Sembilan and it took me around 3 hours to get to where I'm now, enrolling in CFS, to study AED. Growing with two elder sisters in tow, life taught me that nagging doesn't just runs in the family, its a woman's instinct in action. However, that isn't a bad thing. At this point, living in the dorms always makes me miss my mother's voice and absence makes the heart grow fonder.

I'm grateful that I was given the chance to grow up in a loving family and I pray for them to be healthy and well everyday. On top of that, having a little brother also taught me that boys are just as unpredictable as they get and you don't get tv time when he's already holding the remote.

Finally, my hobby is reading manga, drawing, watching anime and playing Genshin. That's all from me, I hope we all get along together!

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Week 5 retains to the submission of the poster guided by Sr. Iman. Most of the students decided to take this title because we just learned it and the memory is still fresh in our mind. Hence, why miss the opportunity? 

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Usrah Task 2 - Poster (Group) - Ihsan and Eschatology (Title)

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Usrah Task 2 - Poster (Group) - Ihsan and Eschatology (Title)

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My group and I decided to choose "Ihsan and Eschatology" as our topic for our roleplay. This poster illustrates mainly about stories of Prophets that we can take as a lesson in life to help us steer our path without falling into the abyss.

I think this topic would resonate really well with the people who reads or heard about it because it is a very important knowledge for a Muslim. Furthermore, my team and I did our share of work so that everyone is involved and be able to learn even more about this topic moving forward.

Hence, I hope that this poster highlights the important points and make the audience understand the meaning behind its words.

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An infographic is a visual representation of information, data, or knowledge designed to present complex information quickly and clearly.

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- Knowledge being sought is knowledge of the Ultimate Truth that benefits the seeker in the Hereafter -

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Sr. Iman started the Usrah with Al-Fatihah to smoothen the process and talked about Adab in seeking knowledge and what should and shouldn't be done.

The lesson was fairly simple in order to help people get use to the Usrah session that will be conducted every Friday, hence why the first session was a simple introduction to get to know each other better and set a good impression.

Applying CSR

CSR or 'Corporate Social Responsibility' is in many ways consistent with an Islamic view of society. To summarize various articles and studies about this topic, it it proven that when CSR is applied, it impacted the society positively, which in turn impacts positively on staff members and the general public. CSR does not mean just taking part in charitable activities and events, it means holding the responsibility to develop the society by envisioning future plans for socio-economic justice and be conscious about their responsibility for the welfare of society around them. Which means paying zakat and doing good deeds to benefit those around them, which in turn gives them happiness in doing good deeds for Allah and earning Pahala along the way. In a nutshell, CSR should be applied so that both individuals and organizations are guided in the development of a moral self that distinguishes between right and wrong and never loses sight of its responsibilities towards Allah and mankind. Based of the word 'Rahmatan Lil Alamin'

Next, Sr. Iman explained the concept of 'Adab' mentioning the Wh questions related to Adab like what, why, how are we able to practice Adab in daily life?

In retrospect, this topic is very concerning because there have been a rise of cases where the students disrespect the lecturers for unknown and unexplainable reasons. Hence why, Adab, was explained as an etiquette that needs to be practiced by students and anyone who wish to seek knowledge so that the knowledge passed down to them can be received well and hopefully help them in their future aspirations to make the world a better place.

The purpose of learning: to become a human or to become a commodity?

Human commodity is a term used in cases of human organ trade, paid surrogacy (also known as commodification of the womb) and human trafficking. According to Gøsta Esping-Andersen, people are commodified or 'turned into objects' when selling their labor on the market to an employer. Above all, I believe that education is a must-have and a privilege that not everyone get when you consider other countries that struggle to even go through a day thus we should appreciate it and be more mindful of our conducts. If the reason we learned just to sell ourselves short, I believe that all the hard work we had put into would be worthless and waste of time. Plus, by seeking more knowledge, we gain more insight about the consequences of the decisions that we negate in life, hence why I believe that learning makes you a better human.

Learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be.

Sr. Iman then invited us to play Gartic Phone based on this topic to help us understand better on what Adab is. The end session was very amusing after everyone handed in their drawings and their opinions, I'm pretty sure everyone had fun and I think we grew more comfortable with each other at least a little bit.

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Quran is a book - made up of words which contain truth and guidance for every human being, and Muslims believe that these are words revealed directly by God, in the Arabic language, to the last of His prophets and messengers, Prophet Muhammad SAW

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Week 1 (Part 2): Al-Quran as the Book of Guidance

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Week 1 (Part 2): Al-Quran as the Book of Guidance

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- The Next Topic Commenced Right After-

What are the differences between the al-Quran and the previous books (Injeel, Suhuf, Zaboor and Tawrah)?

Based off of two webpages that I had viewed for further explanation on this topic, it is said that;

1. Al-Quran has never been distorted

- The order of the verses are spotless and substantial with its wording full of limpidity and sublimity that contains integrity and power in its meanings. Its words are accurate and fluent befitting a style that is glamourous and marvelous. Whereas, other revealed books did not have this eloquence miracle.

- This proves to be factual when you consider how the previous books have been tampered with by humans for various reasons like seeking wealth or power. However, al-Quran is different because it could never be tempered since even Allah has promised to protect it (Based of Al-Hijr verse 9)

It is certainly We Who have revealed the Reminder, and it is certainly We Who will preserve it.

2. The Last Divine Book

- No Holy Book shall be revealed after the Qur'an

3. Universal

- Qur'an is a universal book addressing to all humankind and jinns, past and future generations. The other books address only to that period and the people for whom they were revealed.

The hierarchical orders of;

Learn about the signs of creators in the Quran

Learn about the arguments about the oneness of God

Learn about the stories of the prophet

Learn about the Seerah

The best way to learn from Quran:

- Reliable translations and social media channels of English, Arabic scholars to be compared with local scholars.

- Best reliable apps

Why is Al-Quran important: To find the position of oneself as a creation of Allah with responsibilities

To me, I believe that Al-Quran has become a guidance for us as Muslims; so as to not stray from the right path. Al-Quran is a blessing given by Allah to us with Rasulullah as our medium. The al-Quran in itself contains mysterious elements and theories that even scientists had just came up with which shows how amazing Al-Quran and how mighty Allah is. Our duty as Muslims had been explained in the Al-Quran time and time again, to not stray from the right path, to always believe in Qada' and Qadar, believe in the pillars of Islam, believe in the Hereafter and the incoming of the Judgement day, to always repent for our sins no matter how big or small as they are all recorded in the book of deeds that shall be revealed on the day of Judgement. The existence of angels and banishment of Jinn plus the stories of Prophets.

All this in one book, something that I believe could not be replicated by any novelists. Al-Quran teaches us and warn us to not fall victims to human deceptions that tempt us and even instigated us or provoke us with insults about Allah. In Surah Al-Hijr verse 1-8, it is mentioned,

The day will come when the disbelievers will certainly wish they had submitted to Allah. (verse 2)

So let them eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by 'false' hope, for they will soon know. (verse 3)

We have never destroyed a society without a destined term. (verse 4)

They say, "O you to whom the Reminded is revealed! You must be insane!" (Verse 5)

"Why do you not bring us the angels, if what you say is true?" (verse 7)

We do not send angels down except for a just cause, and then, 'the end of' the disbelievers will not be delayed. (verse 8)

Therefore, we must trust in Allah, we must believe that he is the sole creator, there should be no doubt settling in our hearts, we must await for the day we get to see Him eagerly and in fear. Consequently, we will be able to execute the responsibilities on us to strive to become better Muslims.

"Open the Al-Quran at least once a day, even if you're busy, remind yourself to do so, take some time to recite a few lines of the verses rather than not doing it at all."

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The Usrah starts with the recitation of Al-Fatihah. However, the Usrah was delayed for a few minutes as we wait patiently in the studio room at Jurjani after recording our attendances with signatures.

-- Hadith Jibril --
It was narrated on the authority of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet (peace be upon him), rested his knee against his thighs, and said, "O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah, pay the Zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House, if you are able to do so."

The man said, "You have spoken truly." We were astonished at his questioning him (the Messenger) and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, "Inform me about iman."

He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, "It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in qadar (fate), both in its good and in its evil aspects." He said, "You have spoken truly."

Then he (the man) said, "Inform me about Ihsan." He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, "It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet (know that) He sees you."

He said, "Inform me about the Hour." He (the Messenger of Allah) said, "About that, the one questioned knows no more than the questioner." So he said, "Well, inform me about the signs thereof." He said, "They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings." Thereupon the man went of. I waited a while, and then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, "O Umar, do you know who that questioner was?" I replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, "That was Jibril (the Angel Gabriel). He came to teach you your religion."

Significances Of The Hadith
- The Hadith of Jibril (Gabriel) is a great Hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad explained faith (Iman), Islam and excellence (Ihsan). H ealso mentioned signs of the Hour and its indications.

- This Hadith provides comprehensive insights into the core aspects of faith, worship and the unseen.

- Jibril as teaching for the religion

- Jibril as a teacher because he asked about matters that the companions heard the answers to. So, the aspect of teaching was added to it because he came as a questioner to teach others, not to learn himself.

- He was knowledgeable in that regard and that's why he would say, "You have spoken the truth.", after the Prophet Muhammad clarified the matters for which he was responsible.

Awareness
- It is very important for du'aat (Islamic workers) to be aware of their surroundings and to recognize what's going on around them so they can act appropriately. Umar (ra) noticed that a well-kept individual with clean clothes, whom he didn't know, entered the Masjid with no trace of travel on him. Umar (ra) was conscious; he could sense that this man was not an ordinary man, nor a man from 'around town'.

The Big Three: Islam, Iman And Ihsan
- Scholars consider Islam, Iman and Ihsan the three stages in the path towards Allah SWT. The first path is your force yourself and bring yourself to do those actions which you know that Allah wants you to do.

- The second level is Iman where you are not only doing those actions but you are strengthening your relationship with Allah SWT and you're beginning to taste the sweetness of your relationship with Allah.

- The third level is the level of Ihsan, which is to worship Allah as if you see Him, an even if you cannot see Him just know that He sees you.

Bounty Of Allah
In the end, all of this is from the blessings of Allah SWT. Allah SWT gives us so much and rather than being humble and grateful in front of Allah, we are arrogant and think that it is all from us. Righteousness, putting full effort and trying one's best will all eventually lead to success and wealth. However, at the end of the day, we still have to acknowledge that no matter how much effort we put in, our wealth and success will always be in the hands and bounty of Allah.

Hence, being successful and having wealth should give us more reasons to increase our humility and increase our gratitude towards our Lord because as easy as he could give us all these privileges, its even easier for him to take it away. Consequently, we shouldn't boast about our wealth nor do we act as if we are better than everyone else because everyone have different capabilities and are suited for different tasks and different paths in life.

This hadith struck a chord in me, it reminded me once again how little I am and how scary the day of Judgement will be when everything will be annihilated. I fear for the loss of my love ones that day but I reassure myself that we will meet again in the Hereafter when all of us are safely place in Paradise. Insya-Allah.

I truly enjoyed this topic and I can't wait for the continuation on the next session. SO, do stay tuned!

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- Define the basic identity of Muslims -- their faith, belief and practices -- and bind together a worldwide community of believers into a fellowship  of shared values and concerns. 

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Week 2 (Part 2): The Five Pillars of Islam 

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Week 2 (Part 2): The Five Pillars of Islam 

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- The Next Topic Commences -
This topic is very close to the heart so I hope that you would find it interesting too!

The Five Pillars of Islam;

1. Declaration of Faith - Shahadah

- Shahada is the belief that there is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God is central to Islam. The testimony of faith is said with conviction;

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُوْلُ اللهِ

"There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah) and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God."

2. Obligatory Prayer - Salat/Prayer

- Muslims pray facing Mecca five times a day; at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and after dark. Prayer includes a recitation of the opening chapter of the Quran and is sometimes performed on a small rug or mat used expressly for this purpose. Muslims can pray individually at any location or together in a mosque where a leader in prayer guide the congregation. In prayer a person feels happiness, peace and comfort in that God is pleased with him or her. The Prophet Muhammad said;

"Bilal called the people to prayer. Let us be comforted by it."

Bilal was one of Muhammad's companions who was in charge of calling the people to prayers. Men gather in the mosque for the noon day prayer on Friday while the women are welcome, but not obliged to participate. After the prayer, a sermon focuses on a passage from the Quran, followed by the prayers by the Imam in a discussion of a particular religious topic.

3. Compulsory Giving - Zakat

- In accordance with Islamic Law, Muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to community members in need. Many rulers and wealthy Muslims built Mosques, drinking fountains, Hospitals, Schools and other institutions as a religious duty and to secure the blessings associated with the charity.

All things belong to God and wealth is therefore held by human beings and trust the original meaning of the word zakat is both purification and growth. Giving Zakat means giving a specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of needy people. The percentage due on gold, silver and cash funds that have reached the amount of about 85 grams of gold and held in possession for one lunar year is two and a half percent.

Our possessions are purified by setting aside a small portion for those in need, and like the pruning of plants, this cuts back balances and encourages new growth

4. Fasting in the month of Ramadan

- During the daylight hours of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, all healthy adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink.

Through this temporary deprivation, they renew their awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided, including the Quran, which was first revealed during this month during Ramadan. they share the hunger and thirst of the needy as a reminder of a religious duty to help those less fortunate.

2. Pilgrimage to Mecca - Hajj

- The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, is an obligation once in a lifetime for tose who are physically and financially able to perform it. About 2 million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe.

Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj is performed in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Male pilgrims wear special simple clothes which strip away any distinctions of class and culture so that they stand equal before God. The rights of the Hajj include circling the Kaaba seven times and going seven times between the Hillocks of Safa and Marwa as Hagar did during her search for water.

Then the pilgrims stand together in Arafa and ask God for what they wish and for his forgiveness in what is often thought of as preview of the day of Judgement. The end of the Hajj is marked by a festival, Eid Al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers. This and Eild Al-Fitr, a feast day commemorating the end of Ramadan are the two annual festivals of the Muslim calendar

The five pillars are the core beliefs and practices of Islam and the framework of a Muslim's life.

The Importance Of Pillars Of Islam;

1. To strengthen bond between us and Allah

2. To strengthen bond between us and others

3. To refine souls and keep away from major sins

4. To make us the real servants of Allah

From what I have learnt, I can safely concluded that this is the prime or the core students around secondary school have already learn in Islamic classes hence why this topic is no stranger to me. However, we tend to forget or neglect the fact that Islam is about knowledge that we dedicate to Allah SWT. So there is no 'stop' in our journey of seeking knowledge, hence why the same topic could be divulged again in the future because this topic is something very close to our hearts.

I am very satisfied with today's Usrah and just thought how wonderful it is if I could also set foot in Makkah. Maybe one day, I will. However, until then, I'm hoping to fix my ways and become a better Muslim so as to not feel ashamed of myself and be able to strive forward in the comfort of Allah's presence.

I hope you have fun with today's Usrah because I did and I hope that you will never stop reminding yourself of Islam because we'll never know when we will slip and fall without guidance.

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Week 3: Al-Fatihah (The Verses' Meanings and a Quick Summarization)

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Week 3: Al-Fatihah (The Verses' Meanings and a Quick Summarization)

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Sr. Iman started the Usrah with a recitation of Al-Fatihah and confirming the attendance of the students for the Usrah session.

Hello, and welcome! Today's topic is very, very interesting because it is something we do at the beginning of every Usrah! That's right, today's topic is about Al-Fatihah.

I'm so excited and I hope that you are too! Sr. Iman explained to us in Malay and I'm not exactly fluent in translating from Malay to English with the same meaning, that's a mistake on my part.

Hence, why I decided to use another summary explanation of Al-Fatihah which is in English in its place. I did check the wordings and the meanings but found it similar to what I have learnt however, if by chance, some of the meanings are misplaced or wrong, do tell!

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ ، الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ، مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ، إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ ، اِهْدِنَا

الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ ، صِرَاطَ الَّذِيْنَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ

The pronunciation of the du'a' ;

Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Alḥamdu-lillāhi Rabbi-l-ʿālamīn, ar-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm, Māliki yawmi-d-dīn, iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn, ihdina-ṣ-Ṣirāṭa-l-Mustaqīm, ṣirāṭa-lladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim ghayri-l-maghḍūbi ʿālayhim wa la-ḍ-ḍāllīn.

In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. All praises and thanks are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. The All-Merciful, The Very Merciful, Owner of the Day of Judgement. You Alone we worship, You Alone we ask for help. Guide us on the Straight Path, the path of those whom You have favored, not of those who incur (Your) anger nor of those who have gone astray (1:1-7)

Surah Al-Fatihah was revealed in Makkah. In keeping with the other Makkah surahs, it focuses on the three fundamental principles:

1. Establishing the Oneness of Allah (ʿazza wa jall)

2. Establishing Prophethood

3. Belief in Hereafter

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ – All praises and thanks are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ : Endless, infinite and inherent praise belongs to Allah Alone. Alḥamdulillāh is an expression encompassing both:

1. Gratitude for what Allah has blessed us with; iman, life and health.

2. Praise

- Allah is worthy of every possible praise on account of His very existence. His Mercy, beauty, generosity and all of His other Noble Attributes and Names.

رَبِّ : The Owner, The Master, The Nurturer, The One who nourishes and sustains the whole of creation. It is He who regulates their affairs and grants them endless blessings. He is their sole Creator and Provider. He is their Protector and Caretaker.

الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ : The All-Merciful, The Very Merciful.

- Allah sustains us, be He does not do so because He needs us; rather, He sustains us out of His mercy, His Lordship is characterized by mercy and justice and not oppression. Even His punishment arises from pure justice.

What is the difference between al-Rahman and al-Rahim?

Both the words of this verse - al-Rahman and al-Rahim - originate from the word 'rahmah'. Rahmah can be understood as mercy, compassion and tenderness.

Al-Rahman is a Name which encompasses the mercy Allah shows to all of His creation. It can also mean, 'the one who is extremely merciful' whereas al-Rahim is the one who is permanently merciful. Together, these Names describe Allah as extremely merciful, all the time.

مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ : The Owner of the Day of Judgement.

The previous verse established the supreme and unending mercy of Allah. However, if it is taken for granted, we may become complacent. Excessive hope in His mercy could lead us to neglect His rights and those of His creation. Because of this, the next verse reminds us that Allah is the Owner of the Day of Judgement.

What is the day of Judgement?

Allah answers;

وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّيْنِ ثُمَّ مَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّيْنِ يَوْمَ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ

لِّنَفْسٍ شَيْـٔا ۖ وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمئذٍ لِلّٰهِ

"What will explain to you what the Day of Judgement is? Again, what will explain to you what the Day of Judgement is? The Day when no soul will have the power to do anything for another. On that day, command will belong to Allah." - Al-Infitar (verse 17-19)

The Day of Judgement is the Day when all souls will have to account for their actions and will be held responsible for everything they did in the world. This topic has been explained and I'm sure that Muslims are not foreign to this topic hence why I only explain this part briefly. However, you may read more about it if it interests you. The next part was explained briefly on how your sins will be judge based off of the book of deeds that has been written. This book will then be revealed and you will be judged by Allah. May we all set foot into paradise.

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ : You Alone we worship, You Alone we ask for help.

نَعْبُدُ is derived from 'ibadah', a comprehensive term for every action and utterance that Allah loves and is pleased with.

Every human has a void in his heart. Some try to fill this with the worship of money, others with the worship of power. Others worship fame, pleasure, beauty, knowledge, people, nature and even animals! All these objects of worship are delusions that leave its adherents unfulfilled. To be truly free, happy, and at peace, the heart’s void can only be filled with the worship of Allah (ʿazza wa jall). We must connect to Him, be in awe of Him, remember Him, and we must love Him above everyone and everything, including our desires.

Worship comprises of:

1. Utmost humility and submission

2. Utmost love

For our worship to be accepted by Allah, it must be sincere and only for Allah's sake and is in accordance with the teachings of the Messenger of Allah.

وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ : You Alone we ask for help

- Asking Allah makes us humble and submissive before Him. By asking Allah, we are acknowledging our dependence upon Him and our need for Him. We are certain that He will grant us good and remove harm from us. We are placing our complete trust in Him.

- The word 'iyyaka' has been repeated in this verse. This repetition emphasizes that both worship and asking for help should be reserved for Allah alone. Therefore, I worship Only You, Allah. Moreover, this verse is also a reminder that we should not allow our actions to become tarnished by showing off (riyā’) or seeking fame (sumʿah). Instead, we should ensure our actions are purely for His sake Alone.

اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ – Guide us on the Straight Path.

اِهْدِنَا [Guide us]: O Allah, define the right path for us, explain it to us, direct us to it and grant us the tawfīq (ability) to follow it. O Allah, we are weak and we need You to show and guide us to Your path.

الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ (On the Straight Path): The Straight Path is the way of Allah, the path of truth, the path of His beloved Messenger and the path to paradise.

صِرَاطَ الَّذِيْنَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ – The path of those upon whom you have bestowed favors. Those upon whom neither is there anger nor are they astray.

Regarding guidance, people can be divided into three categories:

(أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ) - The blessed

"Whoever obys Allah and the Messenger will be with those whom Allah has blessed: the Prophets and the Siddiqin, the martyrs and the righteous. What excellent company such people are!" - Al-Nisa (Verse 69)

(غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ) - Those who incurred anger

The second group defined by the above phrase are those who had knowledge budt did not act upon it. Instead, they deliberately rejected the truth and invented their own falsehood. There is a danger that we may end up belittling the truth. We may become intolerant of it and begin thinking that other sources of guidance fabricated by humans are superior. To prevent this, we ask Allah in this du'a' to protect us from such transgression, to safeguard us from sliding into error and to keep us firm on the Straight Path.

(وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ) - The misguided

The third group consists of those who lacked the knowledge and henceveered off the Straight Path.

The Messenger of Allah said, "The Jews are those who incurred anger and the Christians are the misguided ones."

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- If you believe in one Rasul but not the rest, you are counted as 'kafir'. For example, if you believe in all Rasul but not Rasulullah, you are equivalent to a kafir because you do not wholly believe in all of the Rasul. -

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20th September 2024, today's Usrah is initiated with the usual Al-Fatihah and a headcount for the students. Today's topic is really, really interesting to hear so I hope that you would be too.

The key points were;

1. Allah sent messengers to worship Allah alone.

2. Allah's messengers were truthful - guides to the right path

3. Final Prophet, Rasulullah SAW

- Necessities Of The Messengers -

1. Guiding humanity from worship of created beings

2. Clarifying to humanity the purpose of creation

3. Establishing proof against humanity; (As proof on the day of judgement so that HIS creation could not give the excuse of not knowing Islam)

4. Showing humanity the right path

5. Uncovering the unseen world; Heaven, hell and al-Barzakh

6. Providing human beings practical example; we follow the way of the Rasulullah (as a role model) to lead a righteous life free from manipulation and able to tell the right and wrong since humans are more easily influenced to follow another human.

"- It is said that Rasulullah was sent to guide both humans and jinn. And he was given the blessings no prophet before him was given."

The next point was; Application in Daily Life

Gratitude

- Rasulullah offers his thanks for the blessings he received from Allah.

Sr. Iman said, "Everyone has their own ups and down, Allah knows the best for us so we must believe in him."

Equality

- Talks about how we shouldn't differentiate from racism by labelling people as white and black and looking down on other people. As an example, Bilal was talked about. (See end note for information about Bilal bin Rabah)

Repentance

- All Rasul and Nabi are free from sin but Rasulullah would always repent to guide us to do the same.

Tolerance

Simplicity

Moderation

- Even though Rasulullah is rich, he lives in simplicity and does not opt for a high-class life where he flaunts his wealth, this shows that we should not be chasing over the riches in life because it is momentary and Islam does not burden us with the need to greed over money to be a good Muslim.

- Belief In The Hereafter - (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 2)

1. Life will come to an end, everything will be annihilated (Qiyamah)

2. People will be brought to life after death

3. The entire record of deeds will be presented

- Effects Of Believing In The Hereafter -

The people who are given the chance to see Allah, they forgot all about the great things in paradise.

All who do good deeds are given the finest rewards and more.

People who believed in Allah are afraid of sinning because we know that all our deeds will be paid in full on the day of judgement.

- Belief In The Qada' And Qadar -(4 Components)

1. Knowledge

- Mankind must believe with total certainty that Allah knows everything; what would happen, what is happening now, what had happened before and what will happen in the future.

2. Writing

- What had already been decided for us resided in the book al-Lawh al-Mahfuz.

3. Will

- Allah wills what exist in heaven and on earth, nothing can exist without HIS will. Based of surah Yasin ( kun fayakun - If Allah wills for it, then it will happen) hence why we should believe in Allah's mightiness because everything that happens is with reason.

4. Creation

- Everything is a creation of Allah, Allah is the sole creator.

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- Hadis Jibril - "Ihsan is that you worship God as if you see Him, if you do not see Him then He sees you" [Riwayat Muslim (8)]

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Week 5: Ihsan and Eschatology (The Hereafter)

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Week 5: Ihsan and Eschatology (The Hereafter)

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The Usrah started with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah.

Today's topic is about how the word 'Ihsan' is repeated 211 times in Al-Quran based of al-Mu'jam al-Mufahras li Alfaz al-Quran (Muhammad Fu'ad Abdul Baqi)

It is stated in al-Quran that there are 3 criterion al-Muhsin (the people who have quality Ihsan);

1. Giving goodness, benefit or do good to the people around them

2. Giving goodness, benefit or do good to the people around them as much as they can

3. They do 1 and 2 because of Allah SWT and not for the sake of being praised

First example - The story of Prophet Nuh A.S.

In this story, it was explained that the prophet fulfill the criteria as someone with a good quality of Ihsan when he interpreted his dream of a tsunami hence why he built a big ship so that everyone could survive the flood. I believe that this story shows how devoted Prophet Nuh is to Allah by using his knowledge to save as many people as he could even though most of them don't believe him nor wish to follow Islam at first. This shows that even with a bad company, we must do good to them because we do good not for the sake of their acknowledgement or praise nor to boost our ego, it is fulfilling our responsibilities and doing everything for Allah SWT.

Next, is the story of Prophet Ibrahim A.S. as the second example

Prophet Ibrahim destroying community worshiped idol when people were away for a festival , he destroyed all the idols except the biggest one . This act showed his devotion to Allah alone and his desire to guide his people to the truth . The Ihsan in this story is seen Prophet Ibrahim sincerity, bravery, and commitment to perfect worship of Allah, refusing to compromise his faith even when others disagreed.

On top of that, the last example is the story of Prophet Yusuf A.S.

When Prophet Yusuf was thrown in jail because of a misunderstanding initiated by the king's wife, he met two servants who were also in jail with him. Both of them came up to him and consult him about the meaning of their dreams, they trust his knowledge because they knew that he uses his blessing to decipher people’s dreams for the good of the public. They then praised his knowledge in front of the king, Pharoah, who was desperately searching an answer for his foreboding dreams; Pharoah dreams of seven fat cows, devoured by seven starving cows. In the second, seven ripe, healthy sheaves of wheat are devoured by seven shriveled, dry ones. Prophet Yusuf correctly interprets the dream;

“Immediately ahead are seven years of great abundance in all the land of Egypt. After them will come seven years of famine and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. As the land is ravaged by famine, no trace of the abundance will be left in the land…And let Pharoah take steps to appoint overseers over the land, and organize by taking a fifth part of the land’s produce in the seven years of plenty. Let all the food of those good years that are coming be gathered and let the grain be collected under Pharoah’s authority as food to be stored in cities. Let that food be a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish in the famine.”

As a reward, the king hailed Prophet Yusuf as the Prime Minister of Egypt and he was then able to spread Islam more easily.

In a nutshell, the importance and the correlation between a good quality Ihsan and the belief in The Hereafter is that people would do good deeds and earn Pahala which is their ticket to heaven. The deeds they have done in life is important because it will decide their habitant in the Hereafter. It is also stated that without embracing Islam first, you will not be able to hold full belief in it (hence why they are cases where people believe in one prophet but not all or if they only believe in the existence of angels but refused to conduct daily prayers) and thus you would not be able to harness a good quality Ihsan.

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Adab in the context of behavior, refers to prescribed Islamic etiquette

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The Usrah starts with the usual recitation of Al-Fatihah. We decided to play a game at the end because the sessions was short and Sr. Iman wanted to make it fun. Stay tune to know what game it was!

Today's topic is what shaped and how people view someone's outer appearance or personality all the while comparing them with what's inside. Moreover, this topic is very close to me since its about how we treat our parents.

What is Adab?

- It derives from the root word أ د ب - to refine, to educate, to discipline.

- It denotes a habit, an etiquette, a manner of conduct, a custom, refinement, good breeding, good manners, social graces, decorum etc.

- Adab refers to good manners, morals and appropriate actions derived from the teachings and instructions of Islam.

"A person's adab is a sign of his happiness and success. The lack of adab is a sign of his misery and ruin. The goodness of the dunya and ākhirah is drawn by the likes of adab, and the deprivation of their goodness is drawn by the lack of adab."

[مدارج السالكين ٣٦٨/٢]

Imam Ibnul Qayyim RH explained that the essence of manners in Islam is practicing good morals. Therefore, manners become a reflection and perfection in a person's habits from words to actions.

Akhlaq (morality) and Adab (manners) are two frequently used terms to denote ethics.

Akhlaq is moral philosophy, while Adab is the actual practices.

Adab "addresses what is the proper, or improper, behavior of man, while the first (Akhlaq) addresses why such actions are proper or otherwise (Hashi, 2011, p.1220)"...

Adab vs Akhlaq

1. Adab

- Outward behavior that people show

2. Akhlaq

- The qualities that reside in the heart

Adab With PARENTS
- Conveys deep respect and intense love for one's father.

Prophet example;

Ibrahim A.S refrained from using any derogatory word such as infidel or sinner that could hurt his father's feelings. Prophet Ibrahim made a mention of the Prophetic knowledge that was granted to him.

Furthermore, he refrained from belittling his father or boasting about his knowledge and wisdom. Instead, he humbly urged his father to consider the knowledge bestowed upon him and follow the path of guidance.

Ibrahim A.S continued to advise his father against following the footsteps of Satan. He emphasized that whoever worships other than Allah worships the devil and urged his father to not obey Satan, who is severely disobedient to Allah.

The father did not pay attention to his son's words and advices. He chose to call Ibrahim A.S by his name, and not only threatened to stone him to death but also asked him to leave his house.

How does Ibrahim A.S respond to his father's threat?

Allah answered his prayer and granted him with a better family which consisted of Prophets and pious people after he had left his father's family.

I feel both sad and happy about Prophet Ibrahim. First, it must have been saddening and painful when your parent constantly pushes you away when you try to give them advice. Secondly, I'm happy that he's now rightfully where he belongs. I hope that Islam would never stop being spread and more people embrace it because if the knew how disillusioned they were from all the Satan's trickery, I wonder how the devout believers of those religions would respond?

Additionally, now I will be talking about the game we played at the end of our sessions briefly! The game is called 'Picit-picit killer' although I just translate it to 'Pinching-pinching killer'. Basically, you need to always be aware of your hands. If someone grips your arms 5 times from the left, you must pass on 4 grips to the right. However, the rule is to make sure no one notices your hand movements if you are the killer, so don't do it deliberately lest you want to get caught so soon. There's three roles in the gam; The Killer (can only kill the innocents), The Detective (has to pinpoint who the killer is) and the Innocents (will die if they are passed one grip, however they too, can ask if another is the killer). Have fun trying the game out!!

Also, we did play another game after that. However, I'll keep it in mind until my next entry!

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From the first day I attended Usrah, I was genuinely shocked that we had a session that reminds us of how Mighty Allah SWT is, his blessings and reminiscence of Prophet Muhammad SAW as our guide. The Usrah gave me a new light, it taught me how to become better; as a Muslim, a servant of Allah, as a child to my family and as a human.

It fills me with more knowledge every week, refreshing the things I already know and making a bookmark in topics I have just discovered. I have learnt a lot from my Facilitator, Sr. Iman, and the rest of the sisters. I have started to pray even earlier now and I'm genuinely happy with this improvement, it's a blessing in disguise. I know its shameful to say it but I believe that change is better than nothing at all.

Other than that, I believe in the fate that Allah has laid out for me, I wish to forget whatever grief or regrets that i had before I came here and be more open-minded about my situation. I wish to understand and not object. I wish to obey and not the opposite. Thus, I implore you humbly Allah SWT, please guide me towards the right direction, I ask for your salvation. Amin.

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- Opinions Are Taken Likewise Reflections Are conducted -

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- Opinions Are Taken Likewise Reflections Are conducted -

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First and foremost, I'm glad to be able to participate in this Usrah sessions with my fellow sisters and Naqibah. However, it does guilted me whenever I could not remember my fellow classmates names and vice versa. That is shame on my part and I will try my best to learn more because I'm not good at memorizing names but I'm willing to make an effort.

Another point is that, I don't think there's anything else that can be improved or changed based on the sessions we have had till now. Sr. Iman has taught us a lot of things and always liven the atmosphere up with jokes or games and the other sisters including me have actively participated in her activities. It's not an overestimation to say that I enjoyed the sessions.

However, I'm still fairly new to this but that doesn't mean I object if someone voices their opposite opinions of this. Afterall, life taught me that every opinion matters in shaping the world. Hence, why Prophet Muhammad would often held gatherings to discuss about political decisions with his trusted comrades and aides.