Praying For Good Kids

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My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of those who submit.  (46:15-20)

I’m currently in Michigan this weekend just after praying Eid in Chicago, as a surprise visit to my in-laws. They live three minutes from MCWS in Canton and I often accompany my father-in-law to the masjid for prayer.

From the verses Shaykh Ali recited this morning in Fajr prayer is this du‘a’ from Surah Al-Ahqaf that is critical for newlyweds, new parents, and just established professionals. Allah is praising the person that worked hard until age 40 to do well for themselves, to their parents, and for their kids by highlighting the kind of du‘a’ they make.

What’s amazing is how they make it a point to pray for righteous kids. Paints this beautiful picture of people that put so much effort into their kids. Continue reading

Thank You for the Qur’an

2013-08-04_quran_blue_ramadan_1434Ramadan.

The days leading up to it, the discussions with family and reminders in Friday khutbahs of its arrival, awaiting the moon-sighting, looking at the time charts to get an idea of sunrise and sunset, setting alarm clocks for super early hours of the night, the feeling going to sleep the first night.

The first wake up, eating suhur until the last minute, the feeling of fasting all day, breaking fast with family and friends, our loved ones waking us up and making sure iftar is on the table, the one day you oversleep and worry how you will last all day, the random times you feel sleepy throughout the day, feeling like a zombie after waking up from a nap while fasting, the amazement at how your body adjusted to physical changes this month. Continue reading