Part 3- Christianity Vs. Islam.

This is the long waited for Part 3-- where a sister asked us why we were so sure Islam and not Christianity is right. Click on this link to go to part 2 ...

(And here's Part 1: How do we know that there is a God?)

Islam Versus Christianity

First of all, how are Islam and Christianity different?

Because Islam and Christianity come from the same source (God), they share many of the same morals. Both religions preach the sacredness of human life, stress the importance of loving for others what we love for ourselves, emphasize helping the vulnerable in society, forbid injustice, and so on….However, morals and values aside, Christianity and Islam are very different in terms of creed.

Islam is the most monotheistic religion- the essence of Islam is the belief that there is One Creator, who is Unique….He is One in His Attributes, His Names, and His right to be worshipped. There is nothing like Him and He did not beget nor was He begotten. Instead, God has always existed and will always exist- independent of us. Muslims believe God has never been a part of his creation and that the purpose of this life is for us to voluntarily submit to Him wholeheartedly. This life, then, is a test- to see who put God’s Commands above their desires. Every moment is an opportunity for people to become more God- conscious.
It should be noted that Islam is not a new religion or something founded by Prophet Mohamed. We believe it is the same message that every prophet called to, including Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joseph, Jesus, Mohammed, etc (May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon all of them) Every single one of these messengers preached the Oneness of God and the concept of submitting to Him.

What about Christianity? 

To understand Christianity, one has to understand the concept of original sin. Christians believe that when Adam and Eve sinned, humans became tainted. Thus, God came down himself, in the form of Jesus, and was crucified in order to atone for “our sins”. To Christians, God is One but He has 3 aspects: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Each one of these differs in terms of their roles but all are united as God.

Does that make sense to you? How could 1 be 3? Or 3 be 1?

In all honesty, the concept of the trinity, the fundamental part of Christian belief, is baffling- even to many Christians, themselves. How can God be Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Ghost all at once? Most like to shrug it off by claiming that God is beyond human understanding.

But perhaps, what's even more strange, is that the Bible, itself, does not mention the concept of the trinity clearly. Surely, if the trinity is the most fundamental part of the religion, it should be mentioned clearly for anyone to understand….Think about it this way: as a Holy book, the Bible was sent for everyone to understand- women, men, young children…the layman, scholar, professional….wouldn’t God, knowing how we differ in terms of mental abilities, have taken that into account when explaining the essence of Christianity? And yet, there are no clear verses in the Bible- instead, we are somehow supposed to understand/ interpret the trinity from vague verses….it almost becomes like a riddle. Personally, I find this surprising- especially since one of the verses in the Bible, itself, clearly states that “God is not the Author of Confusion”.

Secondly, Jesus says many things that mark a clear distinction between him and God. Yes, we're talking about the Bible! 

“Why do you call me good: No one is good but One, that is, God.” (Matthew 19:17, Mark 10-18, and Luke 18:19)
“My Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28)
“I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things.” (John 8:28)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, the son can do nothing of himself …” (John 5:19)
“But now I go away to Him who sent me …” (John 16:5)
“Jesus answered them and said, ‘My doctrine is not mine, but His who sent me.’” (John 7:16)
“For I have not spoken on my own authority; but the Father who sent me gave me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.” (John 12:49)[1]
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” (Luke 4:8)
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent me …” (John 4:34)
“I can of myself do nothing … I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.” (John 5:30)
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.” (John 6:38)

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son but only the Father. (Matthew 24: 36)

(As a Muslim, the above verse reminds me this verse in the Quran, 7:187: "They ask thee about the (final) Hour - when will be its appointed time? Say: 'The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (alone): none but He can reveal as to when it will occur….7:187)  

“My doctrine is not mine, but His who sent me.” (John 7:16)

“I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.” (John 20:17)

Think about it.

I mean, seriously ask yourself these questions (taken from: Here)

 If Jesus was GOD, then why in John 8:28 Jesus said "I do nothing of myself"? Can't GOD do anything he wills?

If Jesus was GOD, then why in John 14:28 Jesus said "My Father (GOD) is greater than I"?

If Jesus was GOD, then why in John 5:32 Jesus told his followers that they have never seen GOD at anytime nor ever heard his voice?

If Jesus was GOD, then why did he pray to his GOD in Luke 5:16?

If Jesus was GOD, then why in Matthew 26:39 Jesus fell on his face and prayed to his GOD?

What do all these verses sound like? Do they sound like someone calling others to worship him? Or someone calling others to worship God alone?

Don’t they sound like the Qur’an version of Jesus? Don't they sound like the words of a a prophet of God?

In fact,the people around Jesus called him that- a prophet:

“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11), and

“A great prophet has risen up among us …” (Luke 7:16).

The disciples recognized Jesus as “a prophet mighty in deed …” (Luke 24:19. Also see Matthew 14:5, 21:46, and John 6:14).

If these statements were inaccurate, why didn’t Jesus correct them? Why didn’t he define his divinity if, that is, he truly was divine? When the woman at the well stated, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet’” (John 4:19), why didn’t he thank her for her lowly impression, but explain to her that he was god? (Taken from: http://www.leveltruth.com/articles.html)

Third of all, Jesus is not the only ‘son’ of God mentioned in the Bible. There are other prophets called “Sons”. Why are these prophets, then, not considered God? Could it be that the word “son” has a different meaning than “offspring”? And if so, doesn’t that mean that Jesus could actually be equal to David….

In Matthew 5:9 Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Later in Matthew 5:45, Jesus prescribed to his followers the attainment of noble attributes, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” Not exclusively his Father, but their Father …


In fact, not only are prophets called sons but ‘normal people’ as well! Again, this indicates that the word “son” was never meant to be taken literally.

Deuteronomy 14:1, “Ye are the children of the Lord your God.”
Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD…”

Perhaps equally important if not more important, why do some translations of the Bible translate “Son” as “servant”? Let’s go to a Bible site together and see the translation of this verse: http://bible.cc/acts/3-13.htm (Mind you- this is a Christian website that shows different authentic translations of the Bible…so it’s a pretty good source)

American King James Version
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus ; whom you delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Vs:
New International Version (©1984)
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus . You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.

You see? One translated it as “Son” and the other as ‘servant”. (In fact, the majority of the translations translated it as “servant”)

Don’t you think there’s a very big difference? And don’t you think that the servant translation is completely in line with Islamic thinking? This is what we believe..

The reality is that “Son” was never meant to be taken literally.

Moreover, why would God suddenly change his religion dramatically? I mean….what did the people before Jesus believe? For example, Moses's people? And why was that enough to save them? Why would God suddenly decide that this wasn’t enough to save people? Hear O Israel the LORD our God is one LORD. Doesn't the Old Testament clearly say that?  Why did God’s message change?

Finally, why would God need to atone for our sins? Or punish someone else for our sins? How, then, is God just?  Isn't God more powerful than a 'sin'? Isn't He the most Forgiving?

Before I go, though, I do want to address two things that I often hear:

1- If Islam is right, why are all terrorists Muslims? As we pointed out before, Islam is actually a very peaceful religion. We don’t judge a car by its driver- similarly, we cannot judge a religion by the people who follow it….

2- Why, then, does Christianity have the highest number of followers? The truth is, the reason so many people remain Christian is because people often just follow what their parents’ and families’ embrace. Very few people take the time to really think about their religion, themselves, or to question what it teaches them. When you think about it, when it comes to Christianity, how many people have actually read the entire Bible? Unfortunately, most Christians have only read a few passages- and therefore, are unaware of the contradictions that exist. Secondly, Christianity offers a “feel good” solution without really requiring work. Instead of adhering to commands, it only requires that you believe that a sacrifice was already made for you.


Well, this is a very quick reply- but I urge you to check these websites which do a much more thorough analysis (I also got many of the verses and questions from there).

http://www.leveltruth.com/articles.html

http://www.islamreligion.com/category/68/

http://media.isnet.org/off/Islam/JesusSay/

Also, you might want to see the youtube video called "How the Bible Led Me to Islam".


:)

P.S. Sorry for taking so long. :)

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Cutting One's Self.

I really don't know how to say this, but I need help. I was hurt so many times in life to the point that I stopped caring about life. I didn't care if I lived or died. I didn't see any point in my existence. during this time, I started to cut myself to cope with all my problems. It seemed like the only way I could control my life. Then, alhamdullah, alhamdullah, I met these wonderful sisters who introduced me back to the real Islam and not just culture. I couldn't believe it. I started reading more Quran and learning about the Prophets and everything. I found that Islam is something so beautiful. I realized my purpose in life and I learned that trials were blessings in disguise. But I still sometimes cut myself. How do I stop?

Sister

Dear My Precious Sister ,

My dear sister. How my heart aches for you. Sister, I believe that you have been through so much. I'm so glad you found those sisters- actually to be more precise that Allah sent those sisters for you to help bring you back to Him. May Allah bless these sisters and you.

As for your question, my darling sister. I want to ask you something.

1. Why exactly do you cut yourself


2. and why do you want to stop?

You see, sister, this has to come from YOU. I could tell you a million times that you are someone special...but you have to believe it. Do you believe that, sis?

Do you realize how special you are? There is only one you in this whole universe. And Allah chose you to be on His path. And He wants you to be in jannah.

Do you realize that you have something special to contribute to this world?

Do you know how gold is made? It has to go through fire, right?

Well, inside of you is something so special-- a treasure- more valuable than gold. All of those trials were like the 'fire' you had to go through. Now, it's time to let the gold shine.

Now it is time for YOU to be who you want to be.

That's why you have to have answers ready to those questions.

You see, at the end of the day, I am not with you when you are with that knife/ scissors/whatever. You are by yourself with it, so I want you to prepare yourself for when you are alone. I don't want you to ever cave into that hopelessness....I want you to be ready by having your own answers prepared.

And I want you to remember that your past is exactly that- the past.

It will affect you so long as you give it power to do so. Those who hurt you will continue to hurt you when you give them that power and control of your life. By cutting yourself, you are still allowing these people to dictate your life for you. That is why the second step, after answering these questions, is to accept your past. Let it go. And embrace the future.

And you have to respect and value yourself. Let me ask you a question. If you saw someone attacking your little sister with a knife, for example, would you let that happen? I doubt you would, right. So what gives you the right to hurt yourself? Show that same love to yourself.

I know. You're going to tell me, "that's what I'm asking you". How do I do that?

Think of safer alternatives!

1. Have some really soothing Qur’an recitations ready on your laptop for whenever you are starting to feel down- your favorite recitors, etc. Try to do some dua and dhikr.

2. Paint. Draw. Write. Blog. Release your inner tension. Sing along to some favorite nasheeds out loud. As one website said, take a warm bath.

3. Get help. Talk to a friend about your problem and make an agreement that when you 'call her', she will come over/ chat with you/ talk to you on the phone. You can also seek help from a therapist. They are also much more qualified with these kinds of things. Remember, there is no shame in seeking help.

I got you some other ideas from this website: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/self_injury.htm

What to do when you feel like cutting yourself or self-harming

Finding an alternative to self-injury goes hand-in-hand with why you self-injure in the first place. The following are reasons you may self-harm and things to do instead of hurting yourself.

§  Deal with anger. Try running, dancing fast, screaming, punching a pillow, throwing something, or ripping something apart.

§  Cope with emotional numbness. Squeeze ice cubes, hold a package of frozen food, take a very cold shower, or chew something with a very strong taste, like chili peppers, raw ginger root, or a grapefruit peel.

§  Calm yourself. Take a bubble bath, do deep breathing, write in a journal, draw, or practice yoga.

§  See “blood.” You can draw a red ink line where you would usually cut yourself, in addition to the other suggestions above.

Learning new ways to cope with stress and emotional pain

For long-term recovery, you will need to learn how to recognize your feelings and manage them without self-injury.

§  Recognize your feelings. As emotions wash over you, begin to identify them. Understanding your feelings can put you in better control of them.

§  Express your emotions. You may be used to holding your feelings in. Now is the time to find a friend, a diary, or try exercising in order to get your emotions out and prevent self-injury.

§  Challenge and change your thinking. Ask yourself why you are feeling a certain way, and try thinking positively. Visualize yourself feeling happier and more relaxed.

§  Change behaviors. You can try distracting yourself from self-injury with the alternative methods listed in the previous section. Learn what works for you, and begin making healthier behaviors part of your everyday life.

 May Allah make things easier for you!! Remember that we are always here for you. If you are in pain, so are we. The believers are one body. We love you.

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How Embarrassing....Lo0oL.

Results of the poll are in :)

So, y'all, share your most embarrassing stories. It could be something you did/ your little bro did/ your adorable kid did....whatever :) Anything at all!

I'm expecting at least 16 replies since 16 people voted for this. You guys better share your stories!

Remember, we've got the anonymous option here, hehe. 


And we're not laughing at you. We're laughing with you :P 


Heheheheheh.....

(Emoticons from here) 

I'll be sharing the first one....Check the comments :P

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99th post. Dear Sister...

p

Five Reasons Why Allah Uses Problems

I'm not sure who wrote this but I got it in my e-mail. I edited it a bit :)

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how Allah wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways Allah wants to use the problems in your life:

1. Allah uses problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways." Ask yourself- have you become obsessed with the dunya? Have you forgotten the aakhirah? Remember, this life is not our only life. Out of His Mercy, Allah subnaoo Wa' Tala sometimes gives us problems to remind us of that.

2 Allah uses problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags...if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested your faith with a problem. What do problems reveal about you? "When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience."

Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? (Surat Al Ankabut, 2)

3. Allah uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove.... But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something... health, money, a relationship. .. by losing it. "It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws."

4. Allah uses problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered. "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good..".

5. Allah uses problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity. "We can rejoice when we run into problems...they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady."

Remember, also that in Islam problems and trials if borne with patience can be used to erase your sins and elevate your ranks. In a narration, the Prophet said that:  A servant continues to be tested until he walks the Earth without a single sin on him.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)


“A human being is tested so that he may come to know the reality of himself and others. Life is consists of constant testing; testing with what is bad, or testing with what is good. However, what is best for the believer may be found in what he hates, and what is bad for him may be found in what he likes. The true believer is the one who loves that which Allah has chosen for him. So, if He tests him with something that he loves, he thanks Him, and if He tests him with that which he hates, he is patient and thanks Him in this case, as well.  And Allah – the Glorified – gives the believer in accordance with what will lead to his happiness in either this World or the next. So, if it is better for him to have something, Allah gives it to him. If it is better for him not to have something, Allah prevents him from having that thing, just as one who is sick is prevented from too much food or water. Therefore, it is upon a person to completely submit to Allah – the Glorified – in regards to what He has chosen for him, and to be pleased with what Allah has given him, and to understand that if Allah prevents him from something, then it is because Allah wishes to save him from being tested with that thing.”

(This quote from: here)

Here's the point:

Allah is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it.

But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.

Lots of love,

the little aunties

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Da Best Intentions...

Dear Aunties,
I love your blog. Thank you so much for all that you do.

Well, I'm in a sticky situation. I read what you wrote about "There's this guy", but my situation is a little different. I'm a 17 year old girl, who loves her deen and learning about it, but happens to be in a relationship with a guy with the clear INTENTION to get married. We are serious about our relationship. We've tried to end it several times but it just hurts way too much. My aunt was aware that I was talking to a guy but I told her that we ended it...we did, but now we're back together. My question is, how do I deal with my parents when it comes out in the open as I know that the truth always comes out? What should I do? I've tried to lose contact with him and he always cooperates, but it just doesn't work and it hurts both of us too much. I'll take any advice I can get from you guys.
And I'm sorry if I made no sense :s

Dearest Confused Sister,

wa'alykum as salam wa rahmatullah wa barkatoo!

First of all, mashaAllah, that you love your religion and are trying to learn more about it. May Allah strengthen your imaan and make you among His Knowledgeable Slaves. May He help you and all us, inshaAllah, to really put into practice the knowledge that we learn. Ameen. :D

Now, onto your question….Before we start to look at it, I want to ask you something a little random. What do you think about Robin Hood? Honestly, I never read the book (and of course, I didn’t watch the movie) but from the little that I’ve gathered, Robin Hood was this noble guy who used to steal from the rich to give to the poor. Sounds like super noble, right?

Unless….wait.

Imagine if I went to your house and stole your personal jewels and decided to give them to the poor people. Would that be a great thing or what?


Umm, not really.

And that’s the thing. Islamically, Robin Hood wouldn’t have been considered noble. He would have been considered a ‘theif’. You know why? Because in Islam, the ends DO NOT justify the means. In Islam, only pure, halal means can be used to attain something noble.

So what do you think I’m trying to get at? I know you two “lovebirds” have this noble goal of getting married and setting up a nice, religious family together….but in the meantime, what are you actually doing together?


Islam clearly forbids relationships outside of marriage. As much as you love each other, Islam makes it clear dating isn’t allowed. I want you to ask yourself- with all sincerity, what are you to each other? Since it’s pretty obvious your father isn’t in the picture, then doesn’t that mean that you are pretty much his girlfriend? Is that really who you want to be?

The truth is, sis, you don’t need to be worried about your parents finding out as much as you need to be worried about what Allah thinks. Every time, you two giggle together or talk without a mahrem being present, Allah is watching you. And shouldn’t that matter?

So, sis, you need to be honest with yourself. If you don’t believe your father would allow you to do nikah (only sign the marriage contract, not move in) right now, then, you need to end your relationship.

I know that you said that you tried before and that it hurt too much. No one said it was going to be easy. In fact, I’m saying it right now- voluntarily ending a relationship for the sake of Allah is tough. But, you can do it…think about the tests the Sahaba had to go through…Think about how Bilal used to be taken in the hot desert sand, thrown on his back, and how a gigantic stone was placed on him so that the skin of has back literally melted and yet, he kept saying “Ahad-Ahad”. Or how about Sumaya, the first martyr in Islam? Or Al Khansa, who lost her four sons in one battle ?

But if you sincerely want to make Allah happy and you ask Him to help you, then, you can do it. In your sujood, make dua that Allah make it easier for you.

The most important thing, though, is never give yourself an excuse to sin. Never say you can’t stop doing a sin. If you do that, then, what you’re actually saying is that Allah’s Command doesn’t apply to you/ or that Allah overburdened you. And you know that’s not true.

I know this might not have been the advice that you wanted…but you know what, sister. This could actually be a sign. You sent this question in and this is the answer you got. This could be one of Allah’s ways of reminding you that you need to turn back to him. Remember: these rules are here for a reason. There is some One who is more Merciful to you than your own mother….Allah. And He put high standards for us Muslims…no guy gets to romantically talk to you, without showing clear signs of his commitment by talking to your father/ wali.

And finally, here’s what I have to say to you:

Think about how Zaynab (the Prophet’s daughter) had to leave her husband because he wouldn’t embrace Islam….Don’t you think Zaynab had to struggle with her emotions? I mean they had been married for a number of years and they even had a child. And they were a very close couple. But Zaynab (Radi Allah anha) knew that this world is nothing without Allah’s Ridaa or Pleasure and so she left her partner.

And you know what? Allah didn’t let their beautiful love story just end there.

He reunited them... maybe because Zaynab put Him above anyone else, He rewarded her.

If you do this for Allah, miracles can happen. They can. Maybe not right now, but in a little bit of time….

Lots of love,

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Mama Mia! Time to get dirty...and clean...

asalamoalikum
I know its important to be good daughter in islam but its hard! Im lazy- i dont mean to be! my mother works hard every day and i keep promising myself that i will help my mother . She goes thru so many pressure bc she works all day long!!! Now she has high blood pressure. she cooks, cleans, washes the clothes. she does everything! I feel guilty and beg forvgiveness from Allah. I admit i dont help my mother with chores bt i have homework to do. And then everyone wants a break rite? so i just go online for a while. but my life is like realy busy! how can i make my mother happy? My mother hates me now. I dont blame her. im almost 16 & idk how to cook, sew, clean. D: my life iz a mess! where do i start ?!??!? helpp!

BTWS i am soo happy that i came across ur blog! its like the best thing thats happened to mee!
-worst daughter in history

Dear Sister,

First of all! I don’t think you’re a horrible person or that your mother completely hates you, sweetie. She maybe just feels underappreciated and resents the fact that she has to do everything for everyone all the time. Let’s face it. That is a lot of work. She wants to feel like she has a little support from you guys, that’s all.

And I know that you said that you want to help her but your day already feels done by the time you come home from school and finish your homework….. and all you want is some time for yourself. I know how that feels. I do!

But, let’s stop for a moment and let’s think about our Prophet sallah Allahoo alyhee wa salam. Can you imagine how busy he was? I mean, he was literally responsible for spreading the deen of Allah to everyone…..and yet, he found the time to help out a bit in the house and let his wives know that he understood how much work they did. If he could do that, and he literally had the weight of the whole Ummah on his shoulders, then you can do it, too! You just need a little time management and planning and you can turn this all around =) Because remember, as tired as you are- you said it yourself….Your mom is equally tired. And let’s be honest…she needs a little help, especially, if she is like my mother and she’s getting a little older. It’s time for her to start getting royal treatment and to feel like she has raised some strong, capable women.

So, I want you to just think about the different chores that need to be done around the house. There are those chores that need to be done each day (washing the dishes, doing the laundry, taking out the trash, cooking lunch and dinner, etc) and then, those that are done once or twice a week (cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, vacuuming, dusting, etc- depending on your family’s views on cleanliness, hehe). And then there are the chores that need to be done every couple of weeks (cleaning the windows- washing the fridge- washing the carpet and curtains, etc). Now can you appreciate how much work your mother has been doing? Not to mention keeping everyone well fed, too, right? Ma’shaAllah.

So, then, what can you do, then?


Well, here are a few aunty suggestions.

Start with the Simple Things:

Make a little checklist for yourself with simple things you can do daily, such as:

-Do your own bed each day-
-Wash your own dinner plates
-Put your own dirty clothes in the hamper
-Take responsibility for folding and arranging your laundry
-Iron your own clothes

If you and your siblings leave things all around the house, try and get a little more organized. Put things back where they belong instead of waiting until everything is one gigantic mess. That will definitely help both you and your mom. If you need to get like some ‘little drawers’ to organize everything, do it!

Since you don’t have that much time on your hands, you want every moment to really count. Ask your mom what are her least favorite things to do around the house are and agree to help her get those done. (Of course, it would even be more fantastic if you decided you’d do them, yourself.)

Try to get up an hour earlier during the WEEKEND and dedicate that to making sure the house is nice and neat.

See if you can get everyone else involved in your family (too) to start helping out more. If you have younger sisters/ brothers, you can even make it fun…who doesn’t like water and bubbles, after all?

One thing I want to caution you about is getting all hyped up and cleaning the entire house in one day and then just totally losing any interest. That’s not really going to help your mom. Instead, your mom needs your commitment – so instead of going all clean maniac on her, try to focus on making sure you help out a LITTLE each day. Remember the list in point 1.

InshaAllah, all of this is going to put a big smile on your mom’s face. Remind yourself that the more you do it, the faster you’ll get at it, and the less time it will take.

And remind yourself that this can all count as worship. Yup. Just don’t forget to make your intention sincerely to Allah that you want to help your mother. When you do that, inshaAllah, you’ll be getting lots of ajr, inshaAllah.

Oh and sister, don’t be too hard on yourself. I’m not a great cook (in fact, my brother describes my food as either really weird/ just disgusting) and I don’t know how to sew…But you know what? It’s never too late!

A great way to learn how to cook is to hang out a bit with your mom in the kitchen. Just watch what your mom does and don’t be afraid to ask her questions. In fact, this is a great opportunity for you guys to have some daughter-mom time and I’m sure your mom will feel flattered. And then, don’t just stop there- ask your grandma/ aunt/ neighbor/ friend…anytime somebody makes something just delicious, ask away.

Of course, you can always get some cooking books/ sign up for a cooking newsletter. Or how about watching some cooking TV shows?

The same goes for sewing…if your mom knows how, ask her to help you get started. And check online for youtube tutorials…

You can do this, sister. I believe in you.

Looking forward to hearing from our readers about any cooking/ cleaning tips they may know that can help out.

P.S. How about letting ‘online’ come to you while you clean? Nah, I haven’t gone bonkers—I mean, do you like to listen to lectures and stuff? You could listen to them while you clean. The 2 in 1 method :)

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A Gift To You My Dear Sisters... (:

Dearest sisters, 

We love to have you ask us questions. We love that you can trust us to give you advice.

 We love to have you smile. 

We love you for the sake of Allah.

And we want you to smile - we care.

Sometimes it's all too easy to forget that Allah loves us more than we can imagine.

It's all too easy to forget how forgiving He is. And how much He cares. He is, after all, the best of planners and He will always plan for us the best things, inshaAllah.

I put together this little video just so that you can somehow understand that Allah loves us so much, and He is always listening to our Dua.

Please think about these words carefully:

Do not lose hope in your dua.

Don't worry - just pray.

When the world pushes you to your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray. (:

Keep hoping. Keep praying. Keep Smiling. Keep Shining. InshaAllah.

Lots of love, 

The Little Aunties (:

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