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Interview with a Productive Muslimah: Hafidha Iffath Hassan (Part 2)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 ProductiveMuslimah.com and Rayhaana Omar were greatly inspired with Mrs.Iffath Hasan. She has not only memorized Quran, but also teaches the Quran to young girls, masha Allah! Continuted from Part 1
1. As a Qur'aan teacher, how do you feel the challenges of past and present students differ?
MashaAllah I have come across those students who are still very eager and anxious to memorize, there are definitely more temptations to do all sorts of things with the modern technology and waste their time, but this same technology when used for good is helping the students to achieve their goal with much ease. My students benefit a lot through listening to different Huffadh with their IPods, mp3 players etc.
2. What advise or learning resources would you offer/recommend to those currently memorizing Qur'aan?
My advise is first and foremost we turn to Allah for help, and do it for His pleasure with utmost Ikhlas, and then we need to commit ourselves just the way we commit for all the other things that we want to achieve in our lives and also make the most of all the resources that are available on an individual basis.
3. What advise would you present to those who have completed memorization of Qur'aan?
As we know this is a unique thing in itself, we need to make a life long commitment to review a portion of the Qur'aan regularly every single day----------that portion should be one seventh of the Quraan, I call it 'a seven day cycle', no matter where we are this shouldn't get disturbed, and besides that we should be able to recite a juz or so in our daily salats. These two things have really helped me and I do emphasize on these when I am asked for advice.
4. what are the different ways that can be used to motivate our sisters to memorize the Qur'an?
First we need to fall in love with our Creator.. This can be achieved through realizing all the blessings He has bestowed on us, the greatest of which is Imaan -- the key to Jannah. He didn't just create us, He also gave us a beautiful manual through which we are guided and we can lead a safe, secure, and peaceful life in this world of corruption and confusion. When Allah's love becomes intense, it will be expressed through our connection with His Book. We will never have enough of it. We will recite it with love and reverence for this best possible gift for mankind, then we will also learn to focus on understanding it, we will then live our lives in accordance with its teachings.
When we are constantly living with the Qur'an in our daily lives we have made a very strong connection with our Lord. We also know that this is the only book when we read one word of it there are ten hasanat for every letter, how is it then, that we will not want to recite it more and more, when this happens the next stage will follow -- we will have an urge to at least memorize some of it, that will inshaAllah lead us to memorizing all of it. We will do it because we want to and not because we have to. My advice to those who want to memorize but feel that they don't have the time, is to get started even if it is just two lines a day and be consistent with it. Allah will give them the barakah and they will be amazed on how much they are able to achieve just through being consistent with whatever little they are able to memorize. The key is doing with sincerity and consistency. Being on wudu (the believer's weapon against Satan) all the time is a tremendous blessing -- through this we have a special connection with Allah Most High, and we are not an easy target for Satan; and also we are able to reach out for the Qur'an whenever we have any free time -- this will inshaAllah speed up the process of memorization.
5. Please tell me more on your published work on 'Qur'anic language made easy'?
Alhamdulillah I was able to learn the Arabic language with the basic grammar to understand the Qur'an around the same time when I was memorizing the Qur'an. Later on I started teaching, I didn't have a text, I was teaching from the notes which I took from my teachers. Some of my students at the end of their course insisted that I should get my notes published so that others can also benefit from it. Alhamdulillah I hear MashaAllah more and more people are using it now. It is basically written for non Arabic speaking students. Those who want to learn the basic grammar on their own who are fluent with their recitation of the Qur'aan, this book inshaAllah will be a good start.
6. What makes one a Productive Muslimah? (traits/ character)
A productive muslimah is one who takes pride in being a muslimah, she is focused on preaching Islam through her own practice. She loves Allah, her focus in life is Allah's pleasure, and she loves to do things that bring her closer to her Creator and Sustainer. Her main concern is her success in the Akhirah (Hereafter), thus she makes the most of this world as a means to achieve that success.
Her Imaan is reflected through her outward which is complete submission to Sharia (Divine law). She lives a simple life taking care of her needs and not going after her wants. She has a heart free of love for this world, free of love of leadership, free of bad opinions about others, free of grudges, malice, rancor, greed, envy and all other evil traits. Her tongue is not engaged in haraam or vain talk, she thinks before she speaks, she controls her anger. She is a humble person, her goal is to be a better person every day of her life; she doesn't hesitate to admit when she is wrong and is quick in correcting her wrongs/faults when she sees them. She is neither stingy nor a spendthrift, but she loves to spend generously for those things which will bring her closer to her Creator.
Her heart is clean and pure, filled with love and reverence for her Creator; love, compassion, kindness, and forgiveness for the creation. She is full of gratitude for every single blessing, especially for the spiritual blessings, and she is always striving to progress spiritually. She has complete trust and reliance in Allah, when she goes through difficult/disliked situation she knows there is good in it for her -- both in this world and the next. She loves to be in the company of Saliheen (righteous slaves of Allah). She strives to keep her promises and commitments. She is soft spoken but firm in her words and works. She always strives to be a part of solution and not a part of problem. She shows beautiful patience during difficult times, for she realizes things could have been worse, and that these are tests from Allah Who can be called upon and He will answer the duas, and she also has the certainty that 'with every difficulty there is relief' (94: 6). She is a living proof of what a muslimah should be, and all this with the utmost sincerity to please her Almighty Lord.
7. Final words of advise to ProductiveMuslimah fans.
My advice to myself and to everyone is to rejoice in being a Muslim/Muslimah, that we be a true Muslim in deeds not just in words -- as we know the literal meaning of Muslim is 'one who submits to Allah's will and His commands.' We shouldn't take things for granted, We should take everything with gratitude, for Allah promises us increase for the things that we show gratitude for. We also need to reflect upon the meaning of gratitude which is to use Allah's blessings (which include our time, health, sight, hearing, speech, all the latest technology and all other countless blessings) only for the things He is pleased with. Our gratitude should be even more for the spiritual favors, the best way to show gratitude for them is to know that these are gifts from Allah Most High for which we have no words to express our thanks. We need to be focused on our goal which is our Akhirah, to achieve our goal we need to be in the company of those who have achieved this focus or are working for it -- as we know that the company one keeps has the greatest impact on a person's life.
Guest Post: Productivity around the PC
Sunday, March 7, 2010 These are some very small tips dedicated to those of us who spend long hours with computers as a part of our daily work. The intention is to incorporate amal while working with a PC.
- Begin with Bismillah – Say Bismillah before you press the power button on your machine. Insha Allah your work will turn out well.
- Capitalise on the start-up time – A very common procedure is to head into office, switch on the computer and then go to the coffee machine while the computer readies itself for you. Instead of heading for the coffee, why not flip through a booklet on Islam which you keep on your desk? I happen to have a booklet containing one hundred hadith on my desk. So sometimes while my computer starts up and loads the basic programs (about five minutes) I am able to learn one hadith by heart. It’s not possible everyday because there may be colleagues who drop by to say ‘Good morning’ and see how you’re doing, but when it is possible it certainly is worth trying. Do the same while closing for the day or revise what you learned in the morning.
Added bonus: keeping Islamic material on your desk is a subtle way of performing da’wah, as you never know who might be interested in reading what you’ve got!
- Use the desktop wallpaper or sticky note software to learn things by heart – Repetition is the key to remembering. So for instance, if there’s a dua that you want to memorize, use any of those free post-it software applications to help you. Simply copy and paste the dua into a post-it and let it float on your desktop. Every time you minimize your windows to see the desktop, you will see the post-it and read what’s written on it. So Insha Allah you will learn it quickly. You can do this with hadith, dua, or even ayahs of the Quran.
If you enjoy creating your own desktop wallpaper you could do the same thing there. That way you don’t need special post-it note software.
Why don’t I recommend using the tangible kind of post-its? Those will accumulate and you or whoever cleans your office might end up throwing them in the bin. This isn’t the best way to dispose of papers containing the words of Allah.
- Zikr during waiting time – Got thirty seconds to wait while a web page loads, some files copy to your hard drive, or while a system responds? Instead of twiddling your thumbs you could close your eyes and do some quick zikr or recite some salawath. That way you earn reward and at the same time give your eyes a short break. We’ve all read about giving our eyes frequent breaks while using a computer, right? It doesn’t have to be loud recitation – do it in your heart.
So Insha Allah the next time you’re waiting for something to happen on your computer, sit back, shut your eyes and whisper ‘Subhanallah!’. Call it a spiritually uplifting break.
Insha Allah do try these and let us know how they work for you. What other tips do you have to share regarding this topic?
Interview with a Productive Muslimah: Hafidha Iffath Hassan (Part 1)
Monday, February 22, 2010 ProductiveMuslimah.com and Rayhaana Omar were greatly inspired with Mrs.Iffath Hasan. She has not only memorized Quran, but also teaches the Quran to young girls, masha Allah! We requested her to answer some questions, hoping to inspire other sisters with your journey of hifdh, insha Allah.
Update: PART 2
I memorized the Qur'an at the age of 37. Generally with difficult situations in our lives we happen to connect with Almighty Allah, so this was one of those situations I was going through, and I really wanted Allah to answer my prayer, I used to wake up for Tahajjud and make my heartfelt duas, with the barakah of Tahajjud Allah granted me my wish, then I said to myself 'how can I stop making Tahajjud through which Allah granted me my wish', and Alhamdulillah I was able to continue my Tahajjud. After a couple of months I felt that night after night I was only reciting the same few long surahs that I knew, I felt I should memorize 3 to 4 juz for some variety in my tahajjud, and that is how it all got started. Allah Almighty says in His holy book; "It may be that you dislike something that is good for you, and it may be that you like something that is bad for you. God knows and you do not know" (2: 216). In my case the disliked situation became a source two of the greatest blessings---------tahajjud and hifdh.
I have a friend who is a Hafidhah, I always used to admire her, but I had never thought of ever memorizing it myself. Then when I got started she was there to help me and give me ideas and tips on how to follow the process of memorization. Allah Almighty has promised His special help especially in the matters of deen. "As for those who struggle for Our sake, We will guide them in Our ways. For God is with those who do good" (29: 69).
6. How long did it take for you to complete memorization?
It took me one year to memorize the first ten juz, until then I had not thought of memorizing the whole Qur'an. At that point I said to myself 'Allah has made it so easy for me how can I stop now.' I was alhamdulillah able to continue with more enthusiasm and was able to complete the hifdh in two years.
7. What were the challenges that you faced during memorization?
I had to fulfill my responsibilities as a wife and a mother of two, and run the household smoothly. I had to make the most of my time when I was by myself. People do ask me about how many hours I used to spend during the day for memorization. During the morning hours I had a few hours to myself but even in between I used to make the most of what ever time I got. And the second challenge was 'my migraine headaches' which used to be quite frequent in those days, which again became another blessing for me, because I really valued my time and tried to make the most of it when I was not sick, because I knew once I get sick there is nothing I can do (i.e. I can't memorize). I am sure Allah gave barakah in my time.
8. What / who motivates you daily?
My motivation every single day comes to me through the realization of the great gift Allah has blessed me with. Every single day I weep, because I am out of words to express my gratitude for the best possible gift I am blessed with after Iman. With this realization it becomes easy to do my review every single day, because I know I can't afford to lose it. And besides that I love doing it, in fact I look forward to doing it everyday as soon as I possibly can.
9. Let's talk favorites- Please share with us: -your favorite verse of Qur'aan? -your favorite surah?-your best memory from the days of memorizing Qur'aan?
My favorite verses are many, and one of them is: 'Those who believe and whose hearts are satisfied by remembrance of God. Oh, it is by remembrance of God that hearts are satisfied!' (13: 28).
My favorite surah is surah al Ikhlas.
My best memories from the days of memorizing Qur'an are two, one is when after quietly doing it on my own without my husband knowing about it for a year, I told him after I had memorized ten juz, he was really happy for me, and second is in my second year I was able to persuade my son to start memorizing, he was in eleventh grade at that time, we were both doing it together, and mashaAllah later on when he was in college he was able to complete his hifdh as well. And also my parents I was able to make them soooo happy through this.
To be continued..Part 2
Spot Screaming Salma Stressing
Saturday, February 20, 2010 Source: Heba Alshareef's blog: Iamsheba.com
Try saying that five times fast 
The other day, a sister I’ll call Salma (just because it sounds good in a tongue twister) came to meet me, practically in tears. “The stress,” she cried, “will completely ruin my entire life! I am a failure as a mom, I am a failure at work. I get no support from my husband. You’d think he’d at least be sympathetic to my situation, but I know that he’s thinking that I’m a failure as a wife too!”
And in those few sentences, Salma effortlessly demonstrated for our dear readers precisely what’s wrong with her thinking patterns in relation to her stress.
Stress happens when something comes up that we aren’t sure that we’ll have what it takes to handle. A sticky situation at work, a toddler who refuses to eat her vegetables, and what seems to be a never-ending balancing act between roles are ’some things’ that most women can relate to. Salma has good company.
We’ve discussed “don’t believe everything you think!” before and how it’s not enough to just replace negative thoughts with positive ones, so today let’s take it a step further by applying the lesson to stressful thinking patterns.
Indeed, we can change how stress gets to us and takes away our ability to focus on what matters and on what can move us forward so as not to succumb to despair and self-loathing.
The first step is to recognize what ’stress thought’ trap we’re falling into.
*****
Doomsday Thoughts
When Salma screamed that her ‘life was ruined,’ it may have been an exaggeration or an expression that she mindlessly brought out for effect, but the fact remains that there are those who do think in such ‘extreme outcome’ ways – and that is not a stress reducing way to think.
She needs to ask the question: is my life really ruined?
Have you ever had a doomsday thought? As a reference point, if it happens again, what question will you ask?
Quality Assurance or Bust Thoughts
This one is about us placing unrealistic standards of what we suppose we should be in order to measure up to whatever we want to measure up to. So, for Salma, she had the notion that unless she could get her toddler to eat 5 servings of vegetables everyday, she would be a failure of a mother.
Of course when you put it to her that way, she’d laugh. And that’s good, because it means that she’s realizing that she can question her definition of what ‘quality assurance’ means, and thus her ability to measure up. And honestly, where would you find a toddler who eats all his vegetables everyday?
When you are able to loosen up on yourself within the context of your thoughts in this way, you’re able to loosen the hold that the stress has on you.
Ingrate Thoughts
In this kind of thought process, we focus on the negative side of a stressful situation and disregard any positives. I spoke to Salma and after asking some simple questions learned that in fact she had a mother who lovingly looked after her son while she was at work and her husband was known to take him out for some ‘daddy and me time’ most weekends. When she began to count her blessings, she could clearly begin to see that looking at the glass half full was a way better place to be in when it comes to stressful thinking.
‘Little Miss Know it All” Thoughts
Logo Competition Winner is....
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 
Just like the trunk is the main foundation of a tree, a ProductiveMuslimah is the foundation of results and changes brought about in the society. She is the "main branch" or the 'foundation' of "productivity"! "Working in exchange for a change" the change here indicates a 'change' in the society. she works in exchange for a universal change
Sr. Haadia, Congratulations!
It was a close competition, and ProductiveMuslimah would like congratulate all the contestants. Each one was unique and simply brilliant.. May Allah (SWT) reward you all with the best, ameen.