Last week we left off the Story of Nuh (AS).
Nuh (AS) was very disappointed in his people. After centuries of preaching the words of Allah, most people still refused to listen to him.
Finally, Allah SWT told him no others would believe in him. He then commanded Nuh (AS) to build an ark on top of a mountain.
So, Nuh (AS) started building the ark in order to fulfill Allah’s command. He would go down to the flat land and cut a tree and carry the wood to the mountain to build the ark.
No ark like this had ever been made. Whenever Nuh (AS) would run out of wood, Allah SWT would make a new tree appear with wood in exactly the shape he needed along with nails to secure it. It was like completing a huge jigsaw puzzle.
Allah SWT also sent the angels down to help Nuh (AS) build the ark, but Nuh (AS) built it himself.
I want to take a moment here to remind you all something. If Allah SWT had willed He would have just created the ark for Nuh AS without him ever having to put in any effort. Allah SWT also could've made it so the trees would've grown right there on the mountain. But He didn't. While Allah SWT will always help us when we try to follow His commands, we must still put in the effort required to accomplish them. And with that effort there is so much reward, in sha Allah.
Some Jewish sources mention that the ark Nuh (AS) built was more like a huge submarine, with all sides closed. They say it took about 100 years to build and was 900 meters or 2900 feet long, 150m which is about 500 feet wide and 90m or almost 300 feet high.
Most likely because the people back then were very tall!
While Nuh (AS) was building the ark, the chiefs would pass by and make fun of him. They would ask him if he was a carpenter now instead of a prophet and would taunt him about making a ship on top of a mountain rather than down at the shore, but Nuh (AS) kept quiet.
Once the ark was complete Allah SWT told Nuh (AS) to go into the ark with the believers when he saw water coming from the earth.
It is said Nuh (AS) had somewhere between 11-80 followers, and as soon as they saw the water seeping through the earth they all got on the boat.
This is a reminder to us, dear friends, that the majority is not always correct. Just because a lot of people believe in something, or act a certain way, does not mean it's the right thing to do.
Back on the ark, Allah SWT also commanded Nuh (AS) to take pairs of all the animals and birds so that they may continue to live on.
Once all the believers were on the ark, they made a dua that we still say to this day when traveling!
"In the name of Allah, it moves and stops.
Bismillah mujraha wa mursaha.
So Allah SWT guided the ark of Nuh (AS) through the waves and floods, and then Nuh (AS) saw his son. He asked him to join him on the ark, but the son refused. He said he was a mountain climber, he would climb the tallest mountain and he would be safe from the flood.
But Nuh (AS) continued asking him, and the defiant son continued to refuse.
After all, who has ever heard of flooding as high as mountains?
But Allah SWT had made it so the water was gushing out from inside the once dry earth and the angry sky.
As the discussion was going on, a huge wave came and swallowed the boy, and he drowned right in front of his fathers eyes.
We’re not really sure how long the flooding went on, but Allah SWT guided the ark of Nuh (AS), and no one else remained on earth but those on the ark.
Finally, Allah SWT commanded the earth to swallow up its water once more, and the sky to hold its water and the earth once again became habitable.
Then, while the sun shone brightly on the earth, the ark landed on what is thought to be a mountain, a place called Al-Judi.
We don't know where exactly Al-Judi is, some say it’s a mountain in Turkey.
The surviving believers and the animals were finally free to disembark the ship that had protected them during the terrible floods.
The Qur’an mentions that Nuh (AS) preached to his people for 950 years, which means he was more than 950 years old when the great flood occurred.
We don't know anything about his life after he got off the ark except that no disbelievers had remained on earth, and not a single person from all the survivors had any children except Nuh (AS).
So while it is true that every single person on the planet is a descendant of Adam AS, the same can also be said about Nuh (AS).
We are all the children of Adam and Nuh (AS).
Dont forget to give this podcast a listen with the kiddos!
Sidra & Anis
]]>We started a new podcast series, this time for ADULTS.
We'll be talking about all things parenting and raising our kids in this tumultuous time.
Our first episode is with Dr.Afshana Haque, PhD,LMFT. Dr. Haque is a licensed marriage & family counselor from Houston, Texas & has a passion for helping the Muslim community.
Our first episode is named, " Sex, drugs & intergenerational trauma."
We will be discussing stressors of Muslim children in a post covid world, how to navigate different parenting issues & many more.
You can download it on any podcast app! Please show your support!!
Sidra & Anis
]]>
They are literally the best tool to introduce your kids to the language of the Quran early on!
These boards have numbered arrows to help with the proper order & direction of the strokes. The magnetic beads pop up as the pen passes by & the bead can be pushed down with a finger to start over.
This sensory reinforced learning tool encourages hand eye coordination, fine motor skills, letter recognition skills & is the first step to your child being able to write in Arabic!
Dont miss out on this amazing Learning Tool!
Sidra & Anis
]]>As parents, we pass down all sorts of traits to our children, such as hair, eye color, skin tones, etc. But did you know we pass research shows we pass down trauma to our children as well?
Neglect, abuse, poverty, war, colonization & other traumas affect the function & structure of our brain and appear in trauma survivors offspring's.
It is nearly impossible to find Muslim families who do not have a history of major trauma of some sort.
Join us in conversation with Dr.Afshana Haque, LMFT-S, PhD to talk about parenting, trauma & healing, and challenges of raising a post covid generation. This can be done by downloading the first episode of our new podcasts series MyKidsConversations!
What is Intergenerational trauma?
Intergenerational Trauma is the idea that exposure to traumatic events while the brain is still developing affects us so profoundly that future generations are impacted as well.
Symptoms of Intergenerational Trauma
- anxiety
-depression
-low self-esteem
-insomnia
-anger
- self destructive behavior.
Healing from Intergenerational Trauma
Healing from intergenerational trauma takes work, but there's good news: trauma survivors are resilient, and research shows that resiliency is also shown in their future generations. Therapy, open communication, as well as connecting with family & community can help with healing.
May Allah swt allow us and communities to heal and thrive!
JazakumAllahu Khairan for being here!
To help support more projects like this, be sure to check out the website for educational resources!
Sidra & Anis
]]>JazakumAllahu Khairan for being here!
I wanted to talk about our goals a bit so you know exactly what you're supporting while you're looking through the website!
Our oldest son, Ibrahim, has spent the majority of his life in Muslim countries and when we moved back to the west, we realized the challenges of parenting here were very different then the ones we had faced in the East.
As our family continued to grow and we looked for resources - and Alhumdulilah there are some amazing ones out there - we noticed so much work still needed to be done.
With our backgrounds in Madinah, and Anis' passion and experience in education we decided to start MyKidsHQ - a headquarters for all things kids!
Our goal is to provide parents in the west quality Islamic resources from toys, books and games to podcasts, worksheets & videos, to help raise our children to love their beautiful religion.We hope to work with Islamic schools who are already working towards this goal & provide them with resources to help them succeed.
Anis and I have selected products from some of our favorite companies to bring to yall as well as come up with a few products of our own!
Have browsing yall!
May Allah swt make it benefecial!
Sidra & Anis
]]>Welcome to our website!
My name is Sidra Hashmani and I co-founded MyKidsHQ with my husband, best friend and and official business partner Anisul Haque.
Anis has long had a passion for teaching and has been involved in the community since he was about 11 years old! ma sha Allah!
At the age of 23 & 24, after college and 1 baby- Anis and I decided to move to Madinah, Saudi Arabia so he could further his studies.
While in Madinah, Alhumdulilah I also had the opportunity to attend school and study Quran, Arabic, tafseer, aqeeqah, fiqh and much more.
We spent the better part of the last decade between Madinah, Saudi Arabia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Houston, TX, studying and hoping to grow as Muslims.
As our family grew we wanted to instill passion & love of Islam in our children, but the lack of quality resources quickly became an issue!
We are so excited for you all to join us in our journey of providing quality Islamic resources to our beautiful community!
We started off with our "Stories of the Prophets for kids" podcast, and then "MyKidsConversations" for parents where we discuss parenting, culture, religion, community and all things Muslims!
And finally we launched this website to help support all our other projects!
We hope for this to be a way to support many more projects we have in mind!
May Allah SWT make it beneficial and successful!
Check us out on social media @MyKidsHQ
]]>Welcome to another episode of Stories of the Prophets for kids by MyKidsHQ!
Today we will be going over the story of Idrees (AS).
Idrees AS in English is known as Enoch. He was born within the first 5 generations of humanity and within the lifetime of Adam (AS).
We don't know exactly when Idrees AS was born, because well, no one was really around to write this stuff down for us. We know most of this stuff through legends and stories and what we take from the Qur’an and sunnah as well as from Christian & Jewish sources. Ibn Ishaq says Idrees (AS) lived with Adam (AS) for 300 years!
Idrees AS lived in Babylon. He was tall and handsome with a full beard, but had a very calm manner of speaking. When he would walk he would lower his gaze and ponder about Allah SWT and His creations. He would advise people to do good and follow the commands of Allah SWT.
Some historians mention that Idrees AS was the first one who started writing with a pen. Allah SWT sent him scriptures, and he was the first person to write them down!
He always kept Allah SWT in his thoughts no matter what he was doing. Allah SWT honored him by mentioning him in the Qur’an, telling us that he was patient and a man of truth.
This is something I want us all to think about. Allah SWT praised Idrees AS because of his patience showing us how much Allah SWT loves those that are patient.
Sometimes, we really want something and we’re not getting it, whether it’s a trip we want to take, maybe to play with our friends, or anything else during this pandemic, let’s try to remember Prophet Idrees AS anytime we start to feel impatient.
So, Idrees AS tried to teach his people in Babylon right from wrong and to always remember Allah SWT in all their actions. Very few people listened to him but he never gave up.
Idrees AS was so amazing and so pious that Allah SWT told him that he would get rewarded every time someone does a good deed.
When Allah SWT told Idrees AS this, Idrees AS told one of his friends, who was an angel.
At this time Idrees AS was old, and he knew was near the time of death. He asked his angel friend if he could ask the angel of death to delay his death so he could guide more people to do good, and that way get more reward.
The angel agreed and told him to get on his wing and they would ask the angel of death.
Idrees AS went up to the first heaven, and then the second and then the third. Then when they got to the 4th level of heaven they saw the angel of death. Idrees AS asked the angel if his death could be delayed so he would have more time to do good and guide people, the angel of death said that death is ordained by Allah and that he was told to take Idrees AS soul in the 4th heaven. He didnt know how Idrees AS would get all the way to the 4th heaven but Allah SWT made it happen!
Idrees AS agreed, and you know what?
The Prophet Muhammad SAW met Prophet Idrees AS in the 4th heaven during his Isra wal miraaj journey!
JazakumAllahu Khairan for being here for the beautiful story of Idrees AS. Join us next week for the next episode!
To support more projects like this one feel free to browse the website!
Sidra & Anis
]]>This vibrant board book is a must-have!! It is filled with short and simple stories you can easily read through with your baby and toddlers!
The beautiful illustrations keep kids engaged and wanting more!
Check it out!
https://mykidshq.com/products/babys-first-quran-stories-boardbook?_pos=3&_psq=Baby&_ss=e&_v=1.0
Sidra & Anis
MyKidsHQ
]]>Welcome back!
Today, we are going to be talking about how to teach your Muslim children about body safety, based on our conversation with Dr. Afshana Haque, LMFT-A, PhD, during the MyKidsConversation by MyKidsHQ podcast. If you still haven't had a chance to check it out, make sure you download it asap!
Often times, parents have a tough time talking about body safety with their children. It feels awkward & weird and somehow they always seem too young. But you guys, this is important. It's just like protecting them from any other harmful situation. Alot of times, even when we DO talk about safe touching, we tend to brush over it & avoid naming private parts, which confuses children.
Here are some tips to help us all navigate this important topic!
Concept of Awrah & Naming Body Parts.
It's important to teach children the names of all their body parts, including private ones. Explaining to them what part their awrah (concealing nakedness) is. Bath times are great for this & reminding them that these parts should always be covered (with the exception of bathroom usage, or doctors visits with an appropriate adult).
Talk to them
As children get older we have to communicate with them even more! Curiosity in children is normal, so it's important they come to us with their questions rather than turning to friends or the internet! Fight the instinct to shelter kids from these topics & remember these conversations are for their protection & understanding.
Explain Safe Touch
Tell your children the difference between safe touch & unsafe touch - the difference between a hug/kiss from a parent/singling vs. hitting/pushing etc. Most importantly, validate their feelings on a regular basis so they know how to listen to them. Remind them that if they feel uncomfortable in a situation then to leave it immediately & inform an adult.
Take Ownership of their Bodies
Let your child always be in control of who touches/kisses them etc! Model behaviors you want to see in your child by asking them to respect your body and by respecting them and their bodies.
Build a Relationship with them
Bonding with your children directly affects their physical safety. Fostering love & trust with your child helps them know you're always there for them without judgment. They'll talk to you openly if they have questions, and confide in you if anything makes them uncomfortable.
We hope these tips help! If we missed any, please do let us know!
May Allah swt always protect and preserve our children, and may He give them success in this life and the hereafter. Ameen!
Sidra & Anis
]]>
JazakumAllahu Khairan for being here!
We love the stories of the prophets and the seerah, but ever thought about the benefits of studying this topic?
Learning the stories of the prophets gives us and our children real role models to look up to, but it is also an amazing way to remember how the world changed & developed. Where mankind was and where it is now, and who made it all possible.
Growing up I was a total history nut! and now I see it in my oldest son, Ibrahim. Ill be honest...I love indulging this obsession of his and not just because I can relate to it!
I truly believe Allah preserved parts of history because these are lessons are important for us to learn. Afterall, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it! If we can look back at our lives and learn so many lessons, how about the lives of the best mankind chosen by Allah to convey His words?
Some benefits are:
Helps Form Identity
As our children form their identity, its important we give them strong role models that help form their faith & include values that are a part of it. This will help shape their thoughts, characters and perspectives as they get older.
Learn & Caution
Stories of the Prophets were revealed and preserved by Allah to be examples and to learn from. They serve as warnings as well as sources of comfort. It is a beautiful way to teach our children the importance of faith in all aspects and during tests & trials of life.
Exhibit Morality & Spirituality
The Stories of the Prophets are an excellent way to show our children how morality and spirituality can help people and nations succeed or fail. It helps them see the numerous times Allah SWT sent prophets and messengers to remind us to stay on the straight path.
Witness the Laws of Allah (SWT)
Going over the Stories of the Prophets is a natural way of incorporating Islamic law for children. They witness Allahs laws in application & action and witness their benefits in ways they'll remember.
I hope this helps and encourages us all to dive a bit deeper into this topic with our children.
Check out our Stories of the Prophets for kids podcast in sha Allah!
JazakumAllahu Khairan!
Sidra & Anis
]]>Welcome to Stories of the Prophets for kids by MyKidsHQ.
Today, we are going to talk about the story of Prophet Nuh (AS), or in english he is known as the Prophet Noah (Peace be upon him). This is a very exciting story because unlike a few of the other stories we have gone over, this one is mentioned in amazing detail in the Qur’an. That means Allah SWT wanted us to know the entire story and learn from it.
Through Ahaadith of the Prophet (SAWS) we learn that there are 10 generations between the creation of Adam (AS) and the birth of Nuh (AS). It is also said that Nuh AS was sent to the descendants of Qabil, who for many generations had been worshiping idols.
This started because when good people would die, Shaytaan would come to the people and tell them to remember all the great things that person used to do by making a statue of them. People would look at the statues and remember the teachings of the pious, but as generations went on people forgot who these good people were and started to think the statues were meant to be worshiped. They gave their idols names such as Nasr and Wadd, when these were originally the names of good people.
The statues were made by humans like us and made out of stone. These statues couldn't see, hear or think but the people continued to worship them. They believed these idols represented power, beauty, strength and many more that Shaytan persuaded them to assign to each idol.
So they asked the different idols for different things, and thanked them for their blessings. Anytime something good would happen in their lives, they would thank the idol they believed was responsible instead of Allah and credit them for all of their blessings. When something bad would happen, instead of turning to Allah they would turn to the idol and ask them for help.
Allah SWT was very upset by these actions, and sent to them a pious and kind man from amongst them, Prophet Nuh AS. He was intelligent, well spoken and patient and pointed out the mysteries and wonders of life and universe to his people. He reminded them how the night is regularly followed by the day and that these balances were designed by Allah SWT for us.
The night gives us the opportunity to rest and cool down while the day awakens activity and gives us warmth. It keeps plants and animals alive while the moon and stars help us keep track of time, direction and the seasons.
He explained to them that there was only one Allah, and that only He deserved to be worshiped because He alone was responsible for our creation and sustenance.
The people refused to listen to him and were silent and shocked. They started to become angry after Nuh AS continued to preach and told him he was a regular human just like the rest of them.
First they accused Noah of being only human like themselves.
Nuh AS never claimed to be anything but human and told them Allah SWT sent human messengers because the earth was inhabited by humans and that Allah would have sent angels if the earth was inhabited by angels.
The people of Nuh AS were divided into two groups. His words touched the hearts of the poor, oppressed and the weak. The rich and mighty however refused to believe, because they did not want things to change.
The rulers first thought that Nuh AS would eventually give up and his message would disappear on its own, but when they saw that the commoners were interested in his message they started to taunt and attack him.
They even tried to bargain with him saying they couldn’t have the same faith as the poor so they’ll follow Nuh AS if he gets rid of the poor people. Nuh AS stayed gentle but firm in his response that he could not dismiss the believers as they were not his guests but Allah’s.
Nuh (AS) continued pleading to his people to believe in Allah hour after hour, day after day and year after year. He explained to his people and called them to Allah day and night, in secret and openly. He gave them examples, described Allah's signs and illustrated Allah's ability in the formation of His creatures. But whenever he called them to Allah, they ran away from him. Whenever he urged them to ask Allah to forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears and became too proud to listen to the truth.
This continued for 950 years.
Every passing generation advised its succeeding one not to believe in Nuh (AS) and to wage war against him. The parents would teach their children to reject him when they reached adulthood and to keep worshiping the idols.
Nuh (AS) saw the numbers of disbelievers keep increasing while there weren't many more believers but he never complained to Allah.
Then came a day when Allah SWT told Nuh AS that no others would believe. Allah SWT inspired him not to grieve for them at which point Nuh AS made du’a against all those who taunted him and did not believe him after 950 years of patience.
Allah SWT accepted Nuh (AS) dua. Allah SWT then ordered Nuh AS to build an ark with instructions and with the help of angels.
Why do you think Nuh (AS) was told to build an ark by Allah SWT?
To find out what happened next, tune in next week for the second episode of the Story of Nuh (AS).
To help support more projects like this, the blog and the podcast please feel free to check out our products!
JazakumAllahu Khairan for being here!
Sidra & Anis
]]>Checkout the amazing Ramadan kick-off party one of our friends hosted for us!
This is a great way to get our toddlers excited for Ramadan, teach them the basics, and start building their love.
We did crafts, had a Ramadan Story time ( by yours truly! - " Ramadan - The Month of Shukr"), and lots of food!
May Allah SWT preserve the love of this month in our kiddos ( and ours) hearts, may He make them from the righteous and always keep them under His protection!
]]>This month has a way of bringing the child out in me, and still bringing the same level of excitement I felt 20 some odd years ago!
However, now as a parent, I also have the desire to embed that same love & excitement in my children. I believe as parents in the west we have a
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y to make religious obligations meaningful for our children.
The question is how to do this if you're not Pinterest savvy, have limited crafting skills, and find the commercialization of Ramadan overwhelming?
A Simple Conversation
Talk to your children about the upcoming month in an age-appropriate manner.
Mention fasting, praying, masjid activities, and other forms of ibadah in a manner that will build up excitement surrounding Ramadan.
Let them imagine a beloved guest visiting & how to prepare for it.
Make an Action Plan
Involve them in prep, whatever that looks like for you! It can be starting ibadah goals, food prep, décor, or compiling a task list before Ramadan starts.
However you choose to prepare, remember it is the feelings associated that our children will carry & associate with Ramadan.
Pick a Habit
Remind them that the doors of paradise are open this month & shaytan is locked up which makes it a great time to pick a habit to build & focus on together with your kids.
ex: praying one salah a day in jamaa3, or doing 15-20 mins of family Qur'an time.
Involve them in prepping suhoor & ifthar
Encouraging children to help with ifthar is a great way for them to feel involved in this month and get them excited about the idea of fasting! For this to happen you might need to keep ifthar fairly simple while they're still young, but it'll be well worth it in sha Allah!
Encourage Charity & Volunteering
Teaching kids about sadaqah is one of the best ways of teaching generosity at an early age. Ramadan is the perfect time for this since our deeds carry so much more reward, and we should be mindful about we're spending it.
Decision Making
Involve your children in the decision-making process, even if you think they're too young. Present them with options such as a half-day or practice fast, rather than saying no.
This will give them pride in their actions & foster a love for this month.
Plan Ramadan Goals
Encourage kids to set Ramadan goals, and engage with them on why it matters.
Think up fun prizes & rewards for achieving these goals that get them excited for the next Ramadan.
May Allah swt allow us to make the most of this upcoming month & accept from us all.
Allahum Ballighna Ramadan
Sidra & Anis
MyKidsHQ
]]>Below are some tips on how you can help your Muslim children deal with stress as they get older!
Communication:
Surprise, Surprise! Communicating openly & frequently is the number one way to reduce anxiety as our children grow up. Put away the phone, ask specific questions & carve out 1 on 1 time with them.
Du'a
More mental health experts are starting to acknowledge the correlation between higher levels of spirituality & lower level of depressive symptoms.
Remind your growing child that Allah (SWT) promised to listen to us when we ask Him for something. Make dua for them, silently & in front of them. It encourages love and communication.
Help Identify Feelings
Helping our children identify their feelings requires introspection on our parts. We must be able to acknowledge & identify our feelings to help our children name theirs.
Using feeling charts/cards are a great way to help them work through their feelings as they get older.
Teach our Purpose
Feeling a lack of purpose can lead to anxiety & depression.
Remind children of their purpose on earth, and encourage them to build a healthy relationship with Allah. Part of serving Allah is obeying & worshipping Him, which happens after knowing Him.
Organize Activities & Youth Groups.
As children get older & have growing pains to deal with, it is vital we provide them with an outlet to relax. They need a support system that includes us but is not limited to only us. They need to be able to bond with their peers who understand & will help them stay strong through the trials of life.
For more information check out our podcast MyKidsConversations with Dr.Afshana Haque
linktr.ee/MyKidsHQ
May Allah SWT make our children from the pious & safeguard them.
Ameen
MyKidsHQ
Sidra & Anis
]]>
Sheeth (AS) would remind the people of good during the life of Adam (AS), so before Adam (AS) passed away he told Sheeth (AS) that he would be his predecessor, which means he would take over leading the people after his death.
There were certain times in the day that Allah SWT had told Adam AS to worship Him, and Adam AS taught those times to Sheeth AS before he passed away. So Sheeth AS would pray at specific times, even though Salah hadn't been commanded for everyone else!
He was also given some scrolls, and actually, the Qur’an doesn't mention Sheeth AS by name, but we do know about him through ahadith of the Prophet SAW. There is a weak hadith from the Prophet SAW mentioning that Sheeth AS was sent 50 scrolls, which would make him the first messenger on earth!
Scholars say a messenger is a prophet that was given a new law, or sometimes a book from Allah to convey to their people.
A Prophet is someone who was sent by Allah but was not necessarily given a new law or book, but to remind the people of the message and laws that were sent before.
Adam AS gave Sheeth AS lots of advice about Allah and life. He reminded him to always remember Allah in all his actions and to marry someone pious so that they could raise children who would obey Allah's commands.
This is a reminder that we should always surround ourselves with people who do good, because who we spend most of our time with helps shape who we become. If we have good friends and spouses we will also remain good in sha Allah.
Qabil was having a tough time getting along with everyone else, so he decided to take his wife and children and go away to the flat lands and valleys, while Adam AS and Sheeth AS stayed in the mountains.
After Qabil’s tribe left, Allah SWT told Sheeth AS to not mix with the people of Qabil. Shaytan was still trying to cause problems and lead people astray. He decided to go to the people of Qabil, appearing as someone from Sheeth AS’s tribe asking them for a job. They thought he left Sheeth AS’s tribe and wanted to join theirs so they agreed.
Then, Shaytan started making sounds they had never heard before and bringing the people together.
It was the sound of music. It is said by some that they would put aside Saturday evenings, playing music and partying and would forget Allah SWT.
This doesn't mean going to a party, or seeing our friends is wrong. The lesson from this story is that we have to be careful of how we act when we go places, and remember to behave appropriately and act in a manner that is pleasing to Allah.
Shaythan then came to the young people from Sheeth AS’s tribe and started putting doubts in their minds on why they weren't allowed to mingle with Qabil’s tribe. They decided to go and see Qabil’s tribe one night, and started secretly watching the parties.
Then, they were spotted! So these youth from Sheeth AS’s tribe joined the party and also stopped being aware of Allah SWT.
After that party they went back to their own tribe and started telling more and more people about what they considered the advancement of Qabils tribe!
There is a lesson here that not everything that looks fun is appropriate or good for us, but remember my friends when we do something wrong and we immediately realize and ask Allah swt for forgiveness, He forgives us so quick because He is just that merciful!
After that, Sheith AS passed away and although we don't know exactly where he is buried, a lot of scholars say he was buried next to his mother and father, Adam and Hawaa (AS).
]]>
Adam and Hawwaa lived in peace, and stayed away from the tree Allah had warned them about. However, Shaytan was waiting to exploit human weakness.
Adam and Hawwaa knew they were forbidden to eat from the tree, but humans are forgetful and Shaytan is cunning. He exploited Adams' humanity and whispered to him day after day. He told him that the fruit of the tree would make him and Hawwaa immortal or that they would become angels.
Shaytan's persistence made it so Adam (AS) and Hawwaa became consumed with thoughts of the tree. They thought about their own desires and gave in to the whispering of Shaytan and forgot about Allahs warning. They finally ate the fruit of the forbidden tree.
As soon as they ate from the tree Allah SWT called out to them, and He asked them “ Did I not forbid you and warn you about eating from this tree?”
They both realized immediately of the grave mistake they had made, and asked Allah SWT for forgiveness. They repented from their actions by saying, “ Our Lord we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be amongst the losers.” ( Surah Al A’raaf 7:23)
Allah SWT accepted their dua, and forgave them because of their sincerity.
Then, Adam and Hawwaa both left paradise and descended down to earth. Allah SWT told them that the earth would be their domain, and where they would live and die.
Scholars differ on where they landed, some say that Adam AS landed in Sri Lanka and Hawwaa landed in Jeddah, but they landed on separate parts of the planet on a Friday. They searched for each other, and finally after 40 days of being separated they finally saw each other on top of the hill, Jabl Ar-Rahmah right outside of Makkah. This is the same hill that we go to at hajj on the day of Arafah and where the Prophet SAW gave his farewell sermon!
Once Adam and Hawwaa reunited Allah SWT made Adam AS the first prophet on earth!
Adam AS knew that life on earth would not be easy! He would have to struggle and protect himself and his family from all the different creatures on earth while also safeguarding them from the whispers of shaytan.
As time passed Adam AS and Hawwaa learned to grow food, protect themselves and raise children that would change and improve the earth. When Adam and Hawwaa would have children each time they would have sets of twins - a boy and a girl, from two of these sets were Qabil and his sister, and Habil and his sister.
Habil, raised livestock, was intelligent, obedient, handsome and always tried to submit to the will of Allah SWT. His brother, Qabil, who grew crops, on the other hand was selfish and arrogant.
When the time came for these sons of Adam AS to marry, as per the tradition of those days one set of twins would marry from another set, so they could populate the earth. Habil was to marry Qabil's sister, and Qabil was to marry Habil's sister.
Qabil was very jealous of his brother Habil and decided he did not want to marry Habil's sister, He ended up disobeying his father, Adam AS and Allah swt.
In Surah Ma’idah Allah tells us that He commanded both Habil and Qabil to offer sacrifices, and whoever offers the best sacrifice would be given Allah's favor. Habil gave his best livestock for the sake of Allah, but Qabil was ungrateful to Allah and gave his worst crops.
Allah SWT accepted Habil's sacrifice which made Qabil very angry, and threatened to hurt his brother.
Prophet Muhammad SAW told us how Qabil, in a state of anger and hatred, hit his brother over the head and killed him.
This was the first death and the first criminal act committed on earth by man. Because no one had ever died on earth before, Qabil didn't know what to do with his brother's body. That's when Allah SWT sent two crows, fighting each other. One finally ended up killing the other one, and then the living crow dug the ground with its beak and claws and dug a hole, he put the dead body of the crow in the hole and covered it with sand. Seeing this, Qabil realized the dead body should be buried into the ground, and so he buried his brother.
Allah SWT inspired Qabil to do this, and to this day we give respect to all those that pass away by giving them a dignified burial and making dua for them.
Adam AS was devastated, he had lost two sons, one to death and the other to Shaythan.
At this point, Adam AS was already a prophet and he started advising his children and grandchildren to stay on the path of Allah, and told them about his own experiences with Shaytan. He also told them how Shaytan tempted Qabil to act in anger, proving that he was the enemy of mankind.
After Habils death, Allah SWT granted Adam AS another son, Sheeth (AS). He was born as a gift to Adam AS, and it is said that he was the most beautiful and honorable of Adam (AS) children.
Years and years passed and Adam AS grew old, and his children spread out across earth. He always continued to pray for his children and take care of the earth. He knew he was getting older and he called Sheeth (AS) to him, and advised him about time, and how to use it and how to worship Allah SWT. He also advised him to hold the foundation of God consciousness,or TAQWA, which means to always remember Allah SWT in all actions. When we remember Allah SWT, it pushes us to do good, make the right decisions, and treat people fairly.
All of mankind are the children of Adam AS. In one narration Prophet Muhammad SAW told us that Allah SWT showed Adam AS his descendants and he saw a beautiful light in Dawud AS and loved him, but noticed he wasn’t going to live long so he asked Allah SWT to give Dawud AS 40 years from his life. Allah SWT granted this request of Adams and sealed it.
Adam AS’ lifespan was supposed to be 1000 years, but at 960 years the angel of death came to him. Adam AS was surprised and said he was still supposed to have another 40 years!
The angel reminded him that he had given 40 years of his life to Dawud AS, but Adam AS denied it.
Many years later Prophet Muhammad SAW said, Adam denied so the children of Adam deny, Adam forgot and his children forget; Adam made mistakes and his children make mistakes.” (At-Tirmidhi)
Adam AS didn’t lie, he had simply forgotten, so Allah SWT forgave him and Adam AS passed away.
The angels descended and washed the body of Adam AS and then dug a grave and buried the father of mankind.
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Allah created 2 things to start with : He created his throne and he created water. He placed His throne above the water ( Al-Tirmidhi).
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A long, LONG time ago, there was nothing and no one except Allah.
Allah created 2 things to start with : He created his throne and he created water. He placed His throne above the water ( Al-Tirmidhi).
And then He created The Pen to write down everything that was going to happen in the universe.
The Prophet (PBUH) said in a Hadith (Abu Dawud) that Allah told the pen to write. The pen asked what it should write about. Allah told it to write down the decree of everything that will ever happen until the last hour. In another Hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) also said that Allah ordained the measure of creation 50,000 years before He created the Heavens and the Earth (Sahih Muslim).
Along with the Pen He created the Preserved Tablet. This tablet has recorded in it everything that has ever happened, is happening right now and will happen in the future.
Many many years after these creations came to exist Allah then created the heavens and the earth. Allah tells us in the Qur’an that He created the heavens & the earth in just 6 days and that they were joined together in one piece, and then He parted them, creating living things with water.
Scientists much later have realized that up to 60% of the human body is made up of water.
Allah also tells us in the Qur’an that He sent down water from the heavens, and water became how life was created and sustained on earth. Allah also talks about the winds and the clouds which were created to help build the earth's ecosystem, by Allah’s will.
In Surah Yunus Allah SWT says He made the sun and moon and made their cycles to help us keep track of time.
Then came the creation of the angels, the jinns and finally humans.
Allah created the angels from light and they cannot disobey Him, and have specific roles. For example: Did you know we have two angels on our shoulders at all times recording our deeds? The most beloved angel Jibraeel, would come down to the Prophet SAW with wahy, bringing down the words of Allah SWT to him.
And then He created Jinns from smokeless fire, and similar to human there are Muslim and non Muslim Jinns.
Allah SWT told us in the Qur’an how Iblees, a Jinn, misguided many Muslims and led them astray - but that story is yet to come!
After Allah SWT created Jinns, He finally created humans.
We all know the first person Allah ever created was Adam (AS). He sent the angels down to Earth and asked them to collect soil and clay from all over the world. The soils were brown, black, white & red. It was soft and moldable but also hard and grainy and it came from everywhere including fertile valleys and dry deserts, from mountains and plains and everything in between. He created Adam (AS) from a diverse collection of soil to represent the diversity that would exist amongst Adam AS’s children.
After Allah SWT molded Adam AS, He left his soul-less body to dry and it became what is known in the Qur’an as sounding clay.
Allah SWT honored Adam AS as the first human to be created in many many ways.
Allah blew Adam’s soul into the empty body after Allah molded the body Himself. And finally, He ordered the angels to bow down to His creation.
We learn from some of the commentaries of the Qur’an that as Adam AS’s body trembled into life, he sneezed and said Alhumdulilah and Allah SWT responded saying Yarhamuk Allah, just like when we sneeze we say Alhumdulilah, and the person who hears the sneeze should respond Yarhamuk Allah.
Adam AS was then told to say Assalamu Alaikum to a group of angels sitting near him, to which they responded, ‘ and also upon you be Gods, peace, mercy & blessings.’
From that day onwards this became the greeting of all those that believe and submit to Allah SWT.
Allah SWT made Adam AS and his descendants, which are us, caretakers on Earth. He gave Adam AS the ability to identify and know the names of everything, and taught him language, speech and communication. He also put in Adam AS a thirst for knowledge and gave him the ability to make choices, reason and identify objects and their purpose. We also know through a hadith that Adam AS was also very very tall. He was about 40m tall, which is 130 Feet!
After Allah SWT blew Adam's soul into his body and taught Adam the names of everything, Adam AS then showed the angels that he knew all of these names and the angels were so surprised and glorified Allah because the angels knew it was Allah who knows everything and teaches us everything. Allah then commanded the angels to bow down to Adam. Iblees, although he was a jinn, up until that point was ranked amongst the angels from his service and obedience to Allah and was commanded to bow down to Adam AS as well along with the angels.
All the angels bowed down to Adam, but Iblees refused. He felt he was superior to Adam AS because he was made of fire and Adam AS, a human, was made of clay.
This was the first act of disobedience towards Allah SWT and the first sin committed by any of His creations.
Allah SWT punished Iblees or Shaytan by expelling him out of Jannah. Shaytan, ever so arrogant, accepted this punishment but asked Allah SWT to give him eternal life until the Day of Judgement. He told Allah SWT he would misguide humankind from all directions and convince as many of them to leave the straight path. He would invite them to cause mayhem on earth, commit forbidden acts and influence them to be ungrateful to Allah SWT.
Allah SWT told Shaytan to leave with his followers and that He knew Shaytan would not be able to misguide all those who truly had faith in Allah SWT.
Shaytan was then removed from the ranks of the angels and became Allahs and our biggest enemy.
Before we continue with this story friends, I want to take a minute to remind you all that Shaytan believes in Allah, but he is the enemy of Allah because he disobeyed Him and he was arrogant about it. He refused to ask for forgiveness, but instead made a bad deed worse.
There are going to be many many times in our lives when we are going to be faced with the choice of obeying Allah, or going the way of disobedience and even arrogance. We have to make sure we learn a lesson from Iblees’ mistakes and not fall for his trap.
Many Islamic scholars say that after Allah SWT expelled Iblees, Adam AS fell asleep. Then Allah SWT took Adams left rib and made flesh grow in its place. And then He created Eve, or Hawaa from Adam AS rib. Adam AS then woke up and saw Hawaa AS next to him.
After that, Adam AS was married to Hawaa and they were both given a place in Jannah to live and roam freely except for one tree….
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