A New Muslim: September 2011

Friday, September 30, 2011

Build Conversation with Allah

If you want to talk to ALLAH perform Salah (prayer).
If you want ALLAH to talk to you read the Qur'an.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Wuzu (Wudhu)

Wuzu (Wudhu)

وضوء

el Tahara

Q. What is wuzu ?
A. Wuzu is a special way of washing exposed parts of the person. When one intends to perform wudu for namaz, etc., he should, with clean water,

1) Wash his hands up to the wrists,

2) Gargle thrice and clean the teeth with a muswak or brush or with the fingers.

3) Put water in the nose and clean it with small finger of the left hand.

(use left hands wash dirty parts, nose, feet, pee and poo)

4) Then wash face three times.

(From the hairy part of the forehead to down under the chin, and from the one ear-lobe to the other)

5) Then wash both the hands up to the elbows

6) Observe masah of head and the ears. (use whole parts of hands to clean)

Use fingers (except the fore finger) to masah all hairs from forehead to back

Put forefinger in the hole of ears,

then to the rim of ears,

then use the other fingers(front part of hands)) to masah the back of ears

masah of the nape then come to the front part of neck (with the back of hands)

7) Then wash both the feet up to the ankles.

Q. Are all these things necessary to perform wudu ?
A. There are certain things that are necessary and without them wuzu will not be complete. These are called farz there are other things which may be left out and the wudu will be complete, though it will be naqis (improper, not good). They are called sunnat.

There are certain other things which bring more blessings of god or thawab(reward) but if left out, do not make much difference. These things are called mustahab (recommended as desirable).

Q. How many things are farz in wuzu ?
A. There are four things farz in wuzu;

(1) washing the face from the forehead to the lower portion of the chin and from one ear to the other; (2) washing of both the arms up to the elbows;

(3) doing masah, covering at least quarter of the head;

(4) washing of both the feet up to ankles.

If got no water, the procedure is not wuzu, it is Tayyammum

3 farz

1). Make Nayyat: I am doing Tayyammum

2). Tap your hands with sand 3 times and strike itand touch ur hands on your face

3). Tap your hands on sand and touch/move ur hands on ur hands upto elbows

we can not do tayyammum on those things or substances which melts, turn into ashes and burns on catching fire/burning like metal ( iron, steel, gold, silver, glass, wheat, flour, ashes and wood

Q. How many things are nawaqis (breakers) in wuzu ?
A. Eight things break the wuzu. They are called nawaqis (breakers) of wuzu:

(1) discharging urine or stool, or coming out of anything from the mentioned parts(pee, poo)

(2) discharge of gases (fart)

(3) flowing of blood or pus out of any part of the body;

(4) vomiting in mouthful;

(5) to sleep lying down or by resting the body against something;

(6) to faint due to some illness or by any other reason;

(7) becoming insane or going mad.

(8) laughter in namaz(prayer) also breaks wuzu.
Namaz-E-Fajar = Salat-ul-Fajar

Q. How many things are sunnats in wuzu ?
A. There are 13 things 13 sunnats in wazu

(1) Niyyat of wazu

(2) Say Bismillah before wazu

(3) Wash your hands three times upto ur elbows

(4) Do maswak(clean teeth things) before prayer

(5) Putting water in ur mouth and doing gargling three times

(6) Put water in ur nose three times and use small finger to clean the nose(dont breath while putting water in ur nose during fast)

(7) Khalal of beard: use water to clean beard and mustache (for men)

(8) Doing Khalal (moving fingers) of hands and use left hands wash empty portion of the feet

(9) Cleaning each part thrice except masah

(10) Doing Massah of head once

(11) Doing Massah of ears (if no time, do it with whole hairs)

(12) Doing wazu in succession

(13) Doing Wazu in order

Q. What is mustahab in wuzu ?
A. Five things are mustahab in wudu

(1) to begin with from the right (many learned 'ulamas (theologians) consider this as sunnat. (this may be taken to be their strong opinion)

(2) masah of the nape

(3) doing everything by himself personally without taking others' help;

(4) to face qibla (kabbah)

(5) to do wuzu at clean and elevated place.

Q. How many things are makruh (obnoxious, revalue ) in wuzu ?
A. Four things are makruh in wudu :

(1) Doing wudu at a dirty place;

(2) Cleaning the nose with the right hand;

(3) Talking of worldly affairs while doing wuzu and

(4) Doing wuzu in a way which is against sunnat

Q. How to do wuzu?
A. Sit at a high place. Take clean water in a clean pot. It is better to face qibla. If there is no chance for it, there is no harm. Roll up your sleeves up to your elbows then recite bismillah and wash both the hands up to wrists three times. Then gargle three times and brush your teeth. If you do not have a brush or miswak, rub yur teeth by your fingers. Then put water into your nostrils three times and clean them by your left little finger, then wash your face three times.

Do not splash water on your face with force; but run water on forehead softly and wash from the forehead down to the chin and on the either side of the face up to the ears. Then wash right hand including the elbow three times, then wash the left hand in the same way. Then wet your hands and pass them over the head, ears and the neck. It is called masah. Masah should be done on each part only once. Then wash each foot three times up to the ankle, first the right foot, then the left.

Faraid-i-wudu

Q . What is the minimum that may be called washing ?
A. Pouring so much water on a part that it becomes wet and one or two drops of water do fall. If you use lesser water than this , it will not be called washing in the real sense . For example, if one passes his wet hands on his face or one throws so little water on his face that it remains on the skin and no drop falls down , it will not be said that he has washed his face and wuzu will not be done .

Every parts should be wet

Q. How many times the parts be washed whose washing if farz (compulsory) ?
A. Washing once is farz , washing three times is sunnat (according to sunnah). More than that is not allowed , it is , wasting , and that is mukruh.

Q. Washing of what portion of the face is compulsory ?
A. From the hairy part of the forehead to down under the chin , and from the one ear-lobe to the other.

Q. If some part the washing of which is fard , remains dry, will wudu be all right ?
A. The wuzu will not be complete if a hair-breadth of space is left dry.

Q. If one has six fingers, is it farz to wash the sixth finger ?
A. Yes. It is farz. If there is an overgrowth on any part whose washing is farz, the washing of the overgrowth also becomes farz.

Q. What is meant by doing masah ?
Passing wet hand over a part of the body is called masah.

Q. Is it necessary to wet one's hand afresh for masah of the head or the wetness already existing will suffice?
A. It is better to take fresh water, but if the hand is wet after washing, masah is allowed with it. It is not allowed to do masah with the hand with which masah has already been done. Masah will not be allowed with the hand that was dry, but was moistened by any other part, on which masah had been done or was washed.

Q. If rain drops fall on the bare head and one passes his dry hand over the head and the rain water spreads, will the masah be taken to be done or not ?
A. Then the masah is done.

Q. It is farz to wash inside the eyes in wuzu ?
A. It is not farz to wash inside eyes.

Q. If one, after wuzu, shaves his head or cuts finger-nails, will it be necessary to do fresh masah of the head or wash the finger-nails again?
A. No.

Q. If ones hand is cut off from below the elbow, is it necessary to wash that hand ?
A. Yes, if the elbow or any part below of it remains in the arm, the washing of the elbow and the remaining portion is farz.

Sunnat in wudu (remaining rules)

Q. What is the ruling if one did not do niyat before wuzu ?
A. If one did not do the niyat and he fell into the river or stood in rain and the water passed over all the parts, washing of which is compulsory in wuzu. Wuzu will be done and he can say his namaz. But the person will not get the blessings of wuzu.

Q. How to do niyat for wuzu ?
A. Niyat means to intend to do something. When one begins to do wudu he should have the intention to remove najasat and to become tahir to say namaz. This "intention" is the niyat of wudu.

Q. Is it necessary to say niyat or just thinking of it will be enough ?
A. It is not necessary to say. If one says, that too, will be correct.

Q. If one has wuzu but does anew what shall be his niyat ?
A. The niyat should be that he is doing wuzu over wuzu to enhance the blessing of allah and get more benefits.

Q. In wudu should one say bismillah is full ?
A. Yes reciting bismillah in full or reciting is correct.

Q. How is it to do the miswak and what is the method of doing it ?
A. Miswak is sunnat mu'akkeda. There are great blessings for it. It is also very beneficial. The miswak should be of a bitter taste from neem tree or piloo tree. It should not be more than eight inches long. Miswak should be washed before and after the use. Miswak should be applied, first to the right side of teeth and then to the left and should be done three times, and each time fresh water should be taken.

Q. How is it to gargle ?
A. Gargling is sunnat is wuzu and ghusal, but it should not be done when one is fasting. Water should be put into the mouth by the right hand.

Q. What is the method of putting water into the nose ?
A. The water should be taken into the right hand, placed below the nostrils and be taken in by inhaling. One should not inhale so much that water goes into the head. When one is fasting, he should pass water into the nostrils only by hand and not by inhaling. Passing water into the nose and gargling are sunnat mu'akkeda.

Q. To do khalal of what part of beard is sunnat ?
A. It is sunnat to do khalal in the inner and lower parts of the beard. Washing of hair which grow on the face of fard.

Q. How to do khalal of fingers ?
A. Khalal of fingers means that the fingers of one hand should be put into the fingers of the other hand and then be pulled out together. Khalal of the toes is done by the little finger of the left hand, beginning from the little toe of the right foot and ending with the little toe of the left foot.

Q. How to do masah of the whole head ?
A. Wet both hands and put them on each side of the forehead, below the hairy part. Then push your hands (palm alongwith fingers) up to the nape. Then bring them back to the forehead. Remember that they should have passed over the whole of the head.

Q. Should one take fresh water for masah of the ears ?
A. No. The water for masah of the head will suffice. Masah inside the ears should be done by the first index fingers of both the hands and on the outside by the thumbs.

Mustahibbat-e-wudu , remaining rules

Q. Is it sunnat or mustahab to begin wuzu from the right ?
A. Some 'ulama call it sunnat and some mustahab.

Q. How to do masah on the back of the neck ?
A. Masah on the back of the neck should be done by the back of the fingers of both the hands. Masah on the front of the neck is a bid'at, and is not allowed.

Q. What are the other rules to be observed on wuzu ?
A. There are many other rules to be observed in wudu. To pass the wet tip of the little finger into the ears. To do wudu before the time for namaz. To rub while washing in wuzu. To revolve the ring on the finger. Not to talk of worldly things while doing wuzu. Not to throw water on the face with force. Not to waste water. To recite bismillah when washing each part.

★To recite darud sharif after wuzu:

sallalla hu alai hi walai wassalam (long form)

sallala ho alaihi wassalam (short form)

*darud sharif: I purify myself

*kalmia shahadat: I testify myself

And to recite kalmia(sentence) shahadat and the following du'a.

ash hadu(I testify) allah La(no) ila ha(god) illallah(0ther than God) muhammadur(Muhammad is) rasul(prophet) ullah (of Allah)

To say two rak'at of namaz (tahiyatul wuzu) etc.

i am saying two rakkah of tahiyya(niyyat) tul wazu in the name of allah...

(dont say before fajar and asar)

Nafal: giving more reward
Nawaqid-i-wudu (breakers of ablution) , remaining rules

Q. How much of blood, pus, etc., should flow out of the body to break the wuzu ?
A. Wudu breaks if a little quantity of any nijs (dirty) thing comes out of the body and flows over the part, the washing of which is farz in wuzu or ghusal.

Q. Will wuzu break if blood comes out inside the eye but does not flow out ?
A. Wudu will not break in this case, for it is not farz to wash the inner part of the eye.

Q. If blood comes out of a wound and one rubs it off by cloth or finger, and it comes out again, and again is rubbed and this is done many times, will the wuzu break ?
A. Look at the quantity of blood. If the blood came out in such a quantity that it could have flown had it not been rubbed off, the wuzu breaks, otherwise not.

Q. Does the vomiting break the wuzu ?
A. Yes, if blood, food, water or bile comes out mouthful in vomiting, the wuzu breaks. If only phlegm comes out, wuzu will not break.

Q. If one vomits again and again but a little quantity each time, what is the order for that ?
A. If vomiting happens due to a single nausea and then, if collected, it makes mouthful, wuzu will break. If there is small vomiting by two different nauseas, then don't add up the two vomits. In this case wuzu will not break.

Q. If there is a boil on the body and some of its blood or pus soils the cloth, with such a cloth be tahir or not ?
A. If the quantity of blood or pus is such that it cannot flow but only soils the cloth, and leaves a mark, such a cloth will remain tahir (clean). But it is better to wash the cloth.

Q. If one does not vomit mouthful, is that tahir ?
A. Yes.

Q. If a leech sticks to the body and sucks the blood or a mosquito or flea bits, will the wuzu break ?
A. If the leech sucks the blood and after its removal the wound gives out no blood, the wuzu breaks because the leech has already sucked so much blood that it would have flown had that not been sucked into the stomach of the insect. Wuzu will not break if a mosquito or flea bites, because they suck the blood in a very small quantity which cannot flow.

Q. What kind of sleep does not break the wuzu ?
A. If one sleeps standing or sitting without taking support of anything. If can sleeps in a posture of namaz like sajda or qa'da, wuzu will not break.

Q. Is there any person whose wuzu does not break by sleeping ?
A. Yes, the wudu of ambiya (prophets) (peace be on them) did not break in their sleep. It was their special qualification and superiority.

Q. What is meant by laughter ? Does the laughter break the wuzu of all ?
A. Laughter means laughing so loudly that a person near you can hear it. The following states of laughter break the wuzu:
1. The laughing person should be mature person, laughter of a minor child does not break the wuzu.
2. Laughter while awake. If one goes asleep in namaz and then laughs, this will not break the wuzu.
3. The namaz in which one laughed should have ruku' and sajda. The wuzu will not break in namaz janaza(a prayer for dead person on funeral, in standing position) by laughter, but the prayer will be broken

Q. Does wuzu break by looking at others' satar (private part)?
A. Wuzu does not break by looking at others' on ones own satar, whether consciously or unconsciously.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

14 Pillars of Prayer

9 Conditions of Prayer

Friday, September 9, 2011

悲情的反哺

第三屆新月文學散文獎作品(穆斯林組)

一獎：悲情的反哺（石彥偉）

松花江瘦得厲害，不復是那條波瀾興旺的大江了。
一條原本豐腴的水帶，被瓜割成無數細絲，抽搐在遲暮的河床裡。
赤裸的江沙和衰草愈發貪婪，像一張張猙獰的嘴，吞噬著她的容顏。

許多年來，這是我第一次見她如此羸弱。
當我還是意氣少年的時候，那江水和人一樣，有著一股子剛烈的血氣。
那時我還沒讀過《北方的河》，
但我就像那男主人公一樣，酣暢地與江水卷在了一起。

我曾走過中國的許多江河，發覺它們難有這樣的氣質。
它們太喜歡被人注視，一聲濤響恨不能讓整個頓亞都聽到。
松花江不，她是寂寞的行吟者，
遠離長江黃河的喧囂，棄絕了與海水交合的渴念，
只把自己逼向塞北亙久的風寒和遙遠的孤獨。
她不要任何形式的回賜，凡有劫難，便默默地承領了。

斯水如人。

百餘年前，中東鐵路的軌轍攪動了黑土地的平靜，
一群衣衫襤褸的回回人沿運河兩岸踏上了舉家北遷的長旅。
逃荒務工的他們赤貧如洗，可一旦手頭有了餘綽，便把錢糧散出去周濟更難過的人。
光陰久了，他們和這裡的關東人家嘮起了一樣的土嗑，
裹起了厚厚的棉衣，也喝慣了冰涼的江水，
可就是古怪地不肯動豬肉一口！
漢人們承認，
他們的骨髓裡確有一種烈性的東西燃燒在高鼻深目間；
他們確和常人不一樣。

今年齋月，心事尤其沉重。
說不清為什麼，終不願回鄉去，
或許已對鄉人的眼神發生了惶恐。
我不斷朝他們走近，卻發現彼此的心膜已烙上了翳痕。
近一年來，異鄉的我變易了許多。
冥冥中，我完成了人生的第一次深度思索。
夜深人靜時，我常常端起湯瓶壺走進水房，
在眾人的鼾息中舉行著只有自己才知曉的儀式；
東天尚未微明，我便滿足地起了床，疾步奔向撒拉人的麵館；
對於英文，我是早已喪失了知覺的，
卻偏執地對一種沒有用處的天方流傳的語言燃起了興致，
每每讀起，心頭總有種難述的歡悅。

但故鄉憐憫地斜視著我。
那些平素以血腸為食、高考加分時趨之若鶩的學子，
那些在觥籌交錯間宣講穆斯林習俗的酒客，
那些腰纏孝帶、號啕在墳邊的孝子，
還有那些一邊念著經，一邊瞄著經禮的領袖……
他們或許不曾忘卻源頭，卻早已習慣了歸程的迷失。

黃土高原憤怒了，叫他們野回回。
故鄉先是一怔，旋即就無謂地笑了。
多刺耳的辱駡！
可被罵者甘願領受，未覺廉恥；
罵者則任其放逐，不願意伸手拯救。

但總要有人來拯救。

一個男人站出來了，他高喊「以筆為旗」；
又一個男人站出來了，他寫出《清水裡的刀子》；
如今，我也想跟著站出來。我沒能寫出什麼，
但我跟他們流著一樣的血、一樣的淚。
真主給我們留下了口喚，叫我們懂得反哺。

有良知的生命都應該懂得反哺。
我是這塊土地上走出去的兒子，不能眼睜睜看著她就這樣渴死，
生命的灌溉總要有所接續——
松花江幹了，還有眼淚；淚水幹了，還有骨血。

離鄉的時日近了。

我獨立南岸，在漸猛的江風中，捕獲了前所未有的幻視：
浩浩蕩蕩的大江在放聲高唱，冰淩在你撞我我撞你，旋動著清脆而嘹亮的哢哢聲。
松花江的開江是一次蛻變，
舊生命從沉眠中勃醒，應著充滿血性的呐喊，奔騰著，迎向新生。

我叮囑自己，來年開春時，一定趕回來看看。

Virtues of Salawaat (Durood)

BENEFITS OF SALAAT & SALAAM

*It has come in the hadeeth shareef that when people gather in any gathering and they do not remember Allah Ta'ala nor is durood and salaam sent on His Nabi(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam),on the Day of Qiyamat their gatherings will be a means of regret even though they have entered jannat, due to being deprived of the reward of the remembrance of Allah and durood and salaam.

*It has been reported in the hadeeth shareef that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "Send durood and salaam upon me in abundance on Friday because your durood and salaam is presented before me (especially on the day of Friday)."

*It has been narrated in another hadeeth that whoever sends durood on me on Friday his durood is (especially) and most certainly presented before me.

*It has come in another hadeeth: "Whoever sends salaam to me (especially in a standing position at my Rowdha my soul is returned to me (i.e. I turn my attention to him) until I give the answer to his salaam)."

*In yet another hadeeth it has come that Huzoor Aqdas Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: "On the Day of Qiyamat(resurrection) the person most nearest to me will be the person who conferred most durood upon me."

*It has come in another hadeeth that Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "A miser is he, before whom my name is mentioned and he does not send durood upon me."

*It has come in another hadeeth that Huzoor (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has said: "You should send durood upon me abundantly because this durood is a means of purifying your own self."

*It has come in another hadeeth that Huzoor Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: "May that person be disgraced before whom my mention is made and he does not send durood upon me."

*In one other hadeeth it has come that Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said: "Before whomever my name is mentioned he should send durood upon me because that person who sends durood upon me once, Allah Ta'ala will send ten mercies upon him."
*In another hadeeth Huzoor Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said: "Whoever mentions me should send durood upon me."
*In yet another hadeeth Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has explained the means of how the durood reaches him, that, verily, there are some angels ordered by Allah who roam around the assemblies and gatherings of the earth and around the Muslims, to present the durood of my ummat before me.

*In another hadeeth Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: "Once I met Jibraeel Alayhis Salaam and he gave me glad tidings by saying:'Your Lord says: Whoever sends durood upon you I will descend upon him My Special Mercy And whoever sends salaam upon you, then I will descend upon him My Special Peace. On this I performed a Sajda-e-Shukr (ie. prostration of gratitude) in the Court of Allah`.

*In another hadeeth it has been reported that Hazrat Ubay bin Kaab Radiallahu anhu came in the service of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and said:
"O Rasulullah! I have devoted (made wakf) all my time of zikr and du'aa in sending durood upon you.' Huzoor Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: "Then all your dificulties will be solved, your needs will be fulfilled and your sins will be forgiven... (until the end of the hadeeth)

*It has come in another hadeeth that whoever sends durood upon me once Allah Ta'ala will send ten mercies upon him.

*In yet another hadeeth shareef it has been narrated that one day Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam came;and on the blessed face of Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam the signs of happiness and joy were visible. Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: "Just now Jibraeel Alayhis Salaam came to me and said that your Lord has said: O Mohammad! Will you not be happy with this good news that from your ummat whoever will send durood upon you once I will send ten mercies upon him and from your ummat whoever sends salaam upon you once I will send peace upon him ten times.'

*It has come in another hadeeth shareef that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: 'Whoever sends durood upon me once Allah Taala sends ten mercies upon him, ten of his sins are forgiven, in jannat ten of his stages are raised and ten rewards are written for him.'

*It has come in another hadeeth shareef that the person who sends durood upon Nabi Akram Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam once, Allah and His Angels sends seventy mercies upon him.

* Hazrat Anas Radiallahu anhu says:'That every du'aa is prevented from reaching the Court of Allah until the person making du'aa sends durood upon Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam and upon the family of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (then it reaches the Court of Allah and is accepted).

Symbol in Qur'an (2)

م We must stop here as meanings may change if we will not.

ط It is better to stop here.

ج You can stop or continue. It’s better to stop but if you will continue, no problem in it.

ز You can stop or continue. But it’s better to continue here.

ص It’s better to continue but if person get tired or can’t hold breath, he may stop as well.

ق Its better to continue here.

لا Never stop here.

قف We have to stop here.

سکته A person should stop here without breaking breath (For a while).

وقفه Similar to سکته but people have to stop more than سکته.

صل A person can stop or continue here.

صلے Its better to continue.

Three Dots (...) its up to person to stop at first dot and continue in second or vice versa.

Note:

If more than one symbol is used than that symbol which is at top is considered and if symbols are in line than that one which is at last is considered.

Manzil / Chapter / Surah / Rukus / Ayat

Quran has :

1). Manzil = 7

2). Chapters = 30

3). Surah = 114

4). Rukus = 540

5). Ayats/Verses = 6666

Manzil (Arabic: منزل‎, plural منازل manāzil) is the word for one of seven parts of roughly equal length into which the Qur'an is divided for the purpose of reciting the entire text in one week.

They are:

Al-Fatihah (1) through An-Nisa' (4)
Al-Maida (5) through At-Tawba (9)
Yunus (10) through An-Nahl (16)
Isra' (17) through Al-Furqan (25)
Ash-Shuara' (26) through Ya-Seen (36)
As-Saffat (37) through Al-Hujarat (49)
Qaf (50) through An-Nass (114)

It follows this pattern:

The first 4 chapters
The next 5 chapters
The next 7 chapters
The next 9 chapters
The next 11 chapters
The next 13 chapters
The remaining 65 chapters.

RUKUS OF THE HOLY QURAN

Each Surah is divided into several sections known as Rukus. A Ruku consists of a number of aayats (verse) all of which deal with one topic. There are 540 Rukus in The Quran.

The Rukus of The Holy Quran were not to be found in the time of Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam, nor in the time of the Sahaaba radhiyallahu anhum.

Around the 4th century of the Hijri calendar the Ulema of Bukhara, Russia divided the entire Quran into 540 Rukus for Taraaweeh purposes.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

WHY DO WE READ QURAN

This is a beautiful story

An old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Qur'an. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read the Qur'an just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Qur'an do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Ta ke this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would Leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it's useless!" "So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Qur'an. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be Changed, inside and out. That is the work of Allah in our lives."

If you feel this is worth reading, please forward to your contacts/friends. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) says: "The one who guides to good will be rewarded equally"