Sleep

The pattern of waking during the day when it is light and sleeping at night when it is dark is a natural part of human life. Only recently have scientists begun to understand the alternating cycle of sleep and waking, and how it is related to daylight and darkness.

A key factor in how human sleep is regulated is exposure to light or to darkness. Exposure to light stimulates a nerve pathway from the retina in the eye to an area in the brain called the hypothala-mus. There, a special center called the supra-chiasmatic nucleus (SCN) initiates signals to other parts of the brain that control hormones, body temperature and other functions that play a role in making us feel sleepy or wide awake.

Taken from : http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleep


"for, were they not aware that it is We who had made the night for them, so that they might rest therein, and the day, to make [them] see? In this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who will believe! "
~ An Naml 27:86

IT IS GOD who has made the night for you, so that you might rest therein, and the day, to make [you] see. Behold, God is indeed limitless in His bounty unto man - but most men are ungrateful.
~ Ghafir 40:61

In time We shall make them fully understand Our messages [through what they perceive] in the utmost horizons [of the universe] and within themselves, so that it will become clear unto them that this [revelation] is indeed the truth. [Still,] is it not enough [for them to know] that thy Sustainer is witness unto everything?
~ Fussilat 41:53

Translations of the Qur'an by Muhammad Asad

Productive Muslim's Seminar

Last Sunday, was quite a fruitful day for me. For many Sundays already, it was just quite plain or just an activity or two, other than reading. but last Sunday I was out of the house from morning till night, doing fruitful stuff. One of them is attending a Productivity Seminar brought to us by Productive Muslim.

It is by far the most engaging seminar I've ever attended (as far as I can remember), masyaa Allah. What I like most about it, is the fact that it is talking about what seem to be a normal topic like 'productivity' - I mean, nothing Islamic - however, in this talk, it talks about achieving Productivity from a Muslim's perspective, where we have our Qur'an and Sunnah to guide us in life. This is what I've always been craving for. I've always questioned, WHY we need to read the westerner's self help books on this and that, when we can find so much example and sayings from our own Prophet (PBUH).

Other times, when it's an Islamic talk - it's really Islamic, as in the speaker doesn't leave much room on how we can apply it in our daily lives, living in these crazy world. Or, sometimes, I feel like we're too shy to portray Islam as a perfect way of living - or we don't even have confidence in it - that we have to solely refer to non-muslim westerner's books. I'm not saying they are totally wrong or useless, of course some books are really useful - but what I'm saying is, have we looked in our own backyard yet?

Here is a seminar and a speaker who is confident in his Deen, masyaa Allah, and it is clear from the way he shares with us about how our Deen can help us become better people, and more productive. Quoting sources from the Qur'an and Hadith, he gives examples and encouragement on how to achieve it. Confident is he, that he is not afraid to do something different such as, taking a cat nap and asking the attendees to do the same - and really did it. After all, power naps are helpful in a whole day lecture.

Taking power naps and how to sleep was part of the topics discussed.

I want to share with you this site, which was recommended by the speaker Mohammed Faris, helping you plan your sleep. When to sleep or when to wake up. Check it out. http://sleepyti.me/ My son and I tried it - and it works, masyaa Allah.

The next time you hear of this talk coming to your town, try not to miss it!

May Allah SWT reward the speaker and the people behind this seminar for their effort.

"Do Not Despair" - Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Ash-Shinqitee

A good and timely reminder for me.

Conversations of the trees

We cannot hear the trees calling each to each, as T.S. Elliot claimed to hear the mermaids. But the air is abuzz with their conversations nonetheless, conducted in vaporous chemistry, and the ground too, via the bush telegraph of their roots.
~ Colin Tudge. Page 359, The Secret Life of Trees.

Such a beautiful thought. The conversations of the trees. This is non-fiction. This reminds me of the following verse, and I wonder if that is what the first ayat is also referring to.

The Qur'an is indeed miraculous, and Allah SWT is the Reality.


By the winds that scatter broadcast;
And those that lift and bear away heavy weights;
And those that flow with ease and gentleness;
And those that distribute and apportion by Command
Verily that which ye are promised is true;
And verily Judgment and Justice must come to pass.
Az-Zariyat 51:1-6
Translation of the Qur'an by Yusuf Ali

Charity to those in need (and what if..)

Have you ever wanted to give sadaqah (charity) to someone who asked or just to someone you don't know too well, and you wonder, if the person really deserves the sadaqah?

Because we should try to give our sadaqah to those who are really in need, and preferably to those who believe in Allah and the Last Day.

So in the end, we either end up not giving sadaqah at all, or we become troubled by trying to find the background, and then still end up not giving. Is it that difficult to give out sadaqah?

I am glad to have come across this hadith. (I don't know what the status of this hadith is yet. It's not from Sahih Bukhari, it's from Riyad-us-Saliheen that I saw online. I understand that not all hadith in the latter book is authentic. I hope this one is - I'll need to find out from someone learned.)

What this tells me, or reminds me is that of course, we will not be able to always know if a person is really in need, or if the person will end up using our money for something bad - but as long as we have done our due caution, and then we give out our sadaqah out of sincerity - for the sake of Allah SWT alone - to help, then insyaa Allah, our sadaqah is good.

So, let's not hold back and give sadaqah freely to those in need (to the best of our knowledge at the point).

Abu Hurairah (R.A) said : The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said : 'A man (from amongst the people before you) said : 'Indeed! I will give in charity." So he took his Sadaqah out and placed it in a thief's hand. In the morning the people were talking and saying,"Sadaqah was given to a thief last night."

The man said : 'O Allah! Praise be to You, I have given Sadaqah to a thief. Indeed, I will give in charity!'. So he took his Sadaqah out and he placed it in a prostitute's hand. In the morning the people were talking and saying 'Sadaqah was given to a prostitute last night.'

On hearing this, the man said, "Praise be to You, O Allah! I gave Sadaqah to a prostitute. Indeed, I will give in charity!". So he took his Sadaqah out and placed it in a rich man's hand. In the morning, the people were talking and saying 'Sadaqah was given to a rich man last night."

The man said: O Allah! Praise be to You (for helping me) give charity to a thief, a prostitute and a rich man'.

Then he had a dream in which he was told that this Sadaqah to the thief might result in his refraining from his theft, his Sadaqah to the prostitute might help her abstain from her immorality, and his Sadaqah to the rich man might help him pay heed and spend from what Allah had bestowed upon him.

Hadith #1865, Al Bukhari from the book Riyad-us-Saliheen