And I've only been driving fast...

Hadrat Ali (rah) used to say that the Messenger of Allah advised haste in five areas.

1) Establishing prayers before they expire.
2) Seeking repentance before death.
3) Completing the funeral rites of the deceased.
4) Discharging any debts upon you.
5) Marrying your sons and daughters upon finding a suitable match.

Oh Allah, enlighten my heart!

A man came to Hadrat Hasan Basri (radiullahu 'anhu) and said, “Hadrat, I do not know what is the matter with us. It seems that our hearts are asleep.” Hadrat Hasan Basri (radiullahu 'anhu) asked what was the matter. The man replied, “Our hearts are not affected when you recite the Holy Quran and Hadith to us.” Hadrat Hasan Basri (radiullahu 'anhu) said to him, “If reading of the Holy Quran and Hadith do not affect your hearts, do not say that your hearts are asleep. Instead say that your hearts are dead. Even a sleeping person awakes when shaken awake. If someone sleeping does not awaken when shaken, he is not asleep but dead.” - Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad (db)

The Prophet (sallahu alyahi wa salam) said:

الظلم ظلمات يوم القيامة

Oppression will be darkness on the Day of Judgment (Bukhari).

This place is about to get much brighter...

National Poetry Month...

Your hope in my heart is the rarest treasure
Your Name on my tongue is the sweetest word
My choicest hours
Are the hours I spend with You --
O Allah, I can't live in this world
Without remembering You--
How can I endure the next world
Without seeing Your face?
I am a stranger in Your country
And lonely among Your worshipers:
This is the substance of my complaint.

- Rabi'a Basri

Army of one

Last night I went on a long excursion to Appleton, WI. The ride took around 4 hours, and some coffee. The point of my trip was to see a poet I really enjoy and have posted his poems on here before: Billy Collins. He read numerous poems including a wonderful selection of hilarious haikus. Below are the pictures I took there.

Billy Collins explaining his poems.

He had the audience cracking up.

I was surprised to see no statue of Jesus (as) in there. Only the really nice organ.

Outside view of the church.

There he is signing books. I got two books signed on behalf of my school. The picture quality is bad because I was shaking after meeting him. Not because he's so great or anything, but only because I'm a spaaz.

Lastly some deer I saw by the edge of the road.

She's looking at me.