"Don't Judge Me"

When someone tries to give you advice, you lash out, "Don't judge me!". When you feel guilty about something, you tell others not to judge you because everyone makes mistakes- which is true, but...

In Islam there is the concept of enjoining good and forbidding evil. If you find a brother or sister struggling or doing something that they shouldn't really be doing, it is your duty as a Muslim to go out of your way and advise him or her in the best way.

On the authority of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree (ra) who said:I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say, “Whoso- ever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.”

Now, obviously, it is not our duty to "judge" anyone because this is Allah swt's duty. But advice and judgment are completely different terms. Sound advice should in fact help you get ready for Allah's judgement, which is the most concerning.  We shouldn't look down upon people who point out our flaws and become sad because of it. Rather, we should appreciate the fact that someone cares about our well-being so much so that they feel the need to help us out. 

There is much wisdom behind advice. We need to keep each other on track because we are all humans, and inevitably, we will all make mistakes. We need to help each other in pointing out our mistakes and supporting one another. Otherwise, we would not be able to better ourselves as an ummah. Moreover, we humans are weak, so we need to be there for one another as brothers and sisters.
Our society is one in which people think they can get away with whatever they want without the fear of being held accountable for it. However, Islam, which should be a priority over societal norms, does not preach this.  In the Quran, Allah swt says, "Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned." (Quran 21:35) We should keep in mind that judgment day is a reality, and we should fear it much more than we fear others knowing about our sin. 

Now there is a certain way of going about giving advice as well! While it is our duty to enjoin good and forbid evil, some people drive others away from practicing because of their bad manners and harsh words. If you really are interested in the betterment of yourself and others, then you need to take into consideration other people's circumstances, their emotions, and even their personality. Some people are very sensitive, while others might be stronger. You really need to be careful about your demeanor when trying to give naseeha. It is also important to renew your intentions so as not to fall into sin rather than get rewarded for your efforts.

At the end of the day, even if you try your best to advise in the most appropriate and kind manner, some people will hate and oppose you for it. Just remember that your only obligation is to remind, and then Allah swt will do the rest. Allah says in the Quran, "You have no duty except delivering the message." [Quran 42:48] It is not in your position to change the hearts of people; you can only remind. Therefore, you should never feel discouraged, even if you find people ignoring what you say. Remember that for people to change, it usually is a very slow process. Sometimes you might think that you had no influence whatsoever on an individual, when in reality your words may have affected the person so immensely.
In conclusion, as believers, we need to embrace other people's advice as well as not be afraid of giving advice to others.
And Allah swt knows best :) May He make us among those who enjoin good and forbid evil in the best of ways. Ameen. 

Music...

A very common trend among us teenagers in general, is listening to music. Even practicing Muslims often get unconsciously caught up into this issue and take it very lightly. Before you start claiming that there is a difference of opinion on the permissibility of music among scholars, let's evaluate the facts. Let us logically assess the matter rather than Islamically.
The truth is, and I don't think anyone could disagree with me, the music industry is filthy. If you look at the lyrics of most songs today, no one can argue against the fact that most of it is dirty and not-so-innocent. Whether we always realize it or not, most of the time we sit there listening to artists who are either talking about the opposite gender or some sort of other inappropriate discussion. And although we may or may not feel affected negatively by this, we definitely are unconsciously. Not only do these filthy images pollute our minds, but they also give us false ideas about love and intimacy. 

You can think of it this way: Us Muslims are supposed to say bismillah before starting anything, correct? Do you know of anyone who says bismillah before plugging in the earphones and listening to music? Of course not! That is because we know for a fact that it would not be appropriate to say that you are listening to the filth in the name of Allah. 

If you do currently listen to music, I will ask you to start small and start today. No one expects you to stop listening to music immediately and drop the habit cold-turkey; however, if you are able to, then alhamdulillah, that is great! If not, then just like every long-term habit you wish to make or break, take baby steps towards your ultimate goal. For example, switch to nasheed, very preferably ones without music (I don't see the point in listening to nasheeds if they have music in them anyway). There are loads of nasheed artists out there! Alhamdulillah! You might also like poetry or spoken word; the opportunities are endless, really. Inshallah I will post some substitutions to music in the near future. Ultimately, your best choice would be the Quran :) Subhanallah it really does rest the soul like no other!

We must remember that music and Quran cannot be combined together in one heart, it just does not work...so be wise in which one you choose over the other! 

Who Are Our Role Models?

Seriously?! The other day I was hanging out with some old friends, and somehow we started talking about famous people and celebrities. One of my friends started talking so passionately about these Muslim youtubers that basically go around pranking people and such. I have to admit that they are quite funny at times and sometimes they do post good things, but a lot of it is a waste of people's already running out time. Now the problem isn't that they're making the videos, the problem is the effect on their viewers. Many of the thousands of people subscribed to their channels get addicted to watching their more-often-than-not pointless videos.

Back to this girl I was talking about- so she found these guys so extremely amazing that she is now officially obsessed with them. And you probably know how a lot of girls are: If they like someone or something, they just have to see them everywhere. Her phone's background was pictures of them and her photo gallery was full of pictures of these boys. What's even worse is that she kept insisting on the fact that all three of them are her husbands. Ahhh, how romantic.

First of all, I am very sorry to say that they are not and will never be your husbands! I know, I know, reality can be cruel. Secondly, eww, just eww. How would you feel if another girl idolized your own brother? Would you accept that this random girl who knows virtually nothing about your brother except for what he posts on his channel, has pictures of you brother all over her room and on her phone, and on her laptop...?! No? Then why do you allow yourself to do the same exact thing to another person's brother? It just doesn't make sense! Just because you like a certain characteristic about a person or like their videos, that does not make them perfect all of a sudden. How do you know how, let's say these guys treat their mothers, huh?

So anyway, this girl goes on to tell me that she cried her eyes out when she couldn't go meet them when they traveled to where she lives. Before I could say anything, another friend of mine jumps in and sympathizes with the girl, telling her that she went through the same tragedy when she missed a One Direction concert. I honestly didn't know what to tell them; I just stared at them bewilderingly, and all I could come up with was a, "really?"

I just don't understand. Why would anyone get so caught up in the lives of another person when they have their own lives to deal with?

Both of these girls are Muslims, and this is the reality of what so many of our teens are being pulled into. Why are we choosing to follow in the footsteps of people who will never benefit our akhirah? Will these people really bring you closer to Allah? Is it just because "everybody else is doing it"? Well, why not be unique and stand up for what your religion tells you rather than follow falsehood and deception? Would you rather have Allah swt by your side, or a bunch of helpless people?

Indeed there is no fear upon the awliya of Allah, nor shall they grieve; those who believe and used to fear Allah much. For them are glad tidings in this life and the Hereafter…" [Soorah Yunus (10): 62]

These are really important questions we should all ask ourselves.

I understand that, as human beings, we always seem to need a role model or someone to look up to for guidance, motivation, or inspiration. As Muslims, alhamdulillah, the prophets peace be upon them all and the sahaba ra have provided us with an endless source of role models and examples. And instead of embracing these resources and showing gratitude towards Allah, we neglect our own heroes, and instead blindly follow these celebrities into their darkness? Some of us know every single detail about the One Direction band, but close to nothing about Abu Bakr or Aisha ra. We have enough time and all the proper sources to search all about celebrities' lives, yet seem to always find an excuse when it comes to becoming familiar with the prophet we claim to love and follow?!

All I can say is, what a shame...
May Allah swt make us all amongst those who follow in the footsteps of the prophets and may He help us in finding real, righteous role models and may He keep us away from all that is evil and all that will lead us astray. Ameen!