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Public Praying, Fiscal Finances, and Work Worries
As a junior in highschool, how can I help my parents who have been stuck in financial crises? (Apart from getting a job and lending them money)? It is commendable of you to see the needs in your family and have the desire to help them out. The greatest gift that you can give your parents is to stay in school and study hard: when parents see their children succeeding academically, it reduces their personal stress and provides them hope that their children will be financially stable in their respective future lives. In the here and now, you can help your parents by, first, focusing on "needs" instead of "wants" - meaning, let your parents provide you what you need, and keep a wish list of things you want for a later time, when your family is no longer in a financial crisis. Second, put your trust in Allah and make plenty of du'a1, knowing with full certainty that Allah will always take care of you and your family. One of Allah's names is "Ar-Razzaq" which means "The Provider of Sustenance," and you can call upon Allah by this name by saying "Ya Razzaq, Ar-Zaqna," meaning “O Provider, Provide for Us". This can be a difficult time, seeing your family in distress, so the final piece of advice is to remain hopeful and helpful. By keeping a
positive demeanor and helping with chores around the house, or helping your siblings with school work, you will set an example for the family to follow - love is free.
DISCLAIMER Just Ask is not endorsed by a specific scholar, but is rather a compilation of several scholarly sources. For issues or concerns of a serious matter, consult a scholar or counselling professional.
Whenever talking to another human being, it is important to use the best of language and this includes having a pleasant tone. Remember, it is the character of a Muslim that allows others to see the spirit of Islam. What do I do if my school doesn’t offer any place to pray? I feel awkward praying in public in front of people.
I go to work where interaction with the opposite sex is unavoidable. Everyone is super friendly, and I don’t know how to place boundaries so that I can maintain a distance without being rude. Any tips? Interacting with and working alongside the opposite gender is part of life in many societies and cultures around the world - whether it be at school, at work, or at the mall. In the time of the Prophet (PBUH)2, women did, in fact, interact with males, and this is evident from the plethora of prophetic narrations reported through Aisha (RA). The etiquette of interaction for a Muslim is one of respect; this means that interactions between genders need to be tempered with a professional stance. The conversations should be diplomatic in nature, rather then social. Yes, you can still ask about the weather and family – however, further conversations should be kept to the work at hand.
Canada is a beautiful country that takes care of its citizens, and one such proof is our Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. The Charter protects 13 basic rights for all human beings, one of which is Creed (or Faith). According to the Creed Policy, all human beings are entitled to accommodation for prayer. This means that your school must allow you a private space for prayer whether it is a classroom, the library or an office. Your school may have a policy that states that supervision of students is a priority and so it is the duty of the administration to provide that supervision. As such, you do not need to pray in public.
Supplication or prayer Peace be upon him
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Muhammad Bilal Huda Fighting Fighting Poverty Poverty at at its its Roots Roots MUNIBA MUNIBA AMIN, AMIN, 18 18
H
ow common is it to see a young person open up a charity organization? We have all certainly heard of adults founding humanitarian institutions, but how many of us have heard of teenagers and youth giving up their spare time to help the poor and needy? Muhammad Bilal Huda, a 20 year old living in Karachi, is an inspiration to many. He is the founder of the organization Cater Centre, a youth initiative that aims
He aims to motivate and empower youth his age and encourage them to make meaningful differences in their communities. to counter poverty at its root. He believes that poverty is the root issue behind so many other problems in his country of Pakistan, and so his organization works towards assisting individuals in breaking out of the cycle of poverty. Some of Cater Centre’s recent projects include a campaign to provide rickshaws to unemployed individuals to allow them to work, and an Iftaar drive to provide food to those in need during Ramadan. Bilal
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believes that these efforts will foster a sense of empowerment in the poor, who are unfortunately often marginalized. The organization started off with an initial donor base that consisted of Bilal’s family, relatives and friends. But over time, with his determination to help, his team managed to attract foreign donors, mainly from Canada, Australia and Netherlands. With his empathetic nature towards the less fortunate, Bilal advocates for increasing the awareness for the plight of the poor, and continues to emphasize the principle that each individual has a direct responsibility to give back to their society. He aims to motivate and empower youth his age and encourage them to make meaningful differences in their communities. Now it is our turn to follow in his footsteps to achieve something that will make the world a better place for everyone to live in, inshAllah! InshAllah = If Allah wills
Let’s be the best again What if you and I become the reason for someone being driven away from Islam instead of drawing closer?
AAIZA KHALID, 17
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magine: you have been chosen by the school principal as the best student in the school, and with this special status, you have also been given certain extra responsibilities. Instead of feeling honoured, you act in a way that proves that you are not in fact worthy of that status, behaving irrationally and completely neglecting your responsibilities. Seems like pretty awful behaviour, right? The sad reality is, this is exactly how Muslims behave nowadays, especially on social media. Allah (SWT) says:
“You [Muslims] are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” [3:110]
To say ‘I am a respectful Muslim’ is easy but to actually put it into practice is quite challenging. On social media, we often come across posts with hateful comments about us or our communities. Instead of replying politely, we tend to respond in a way which proves that we are even worse than them. Especially at a time when Muslims are labelled by such undeserving names, all of us have a responsibility to show the world that we are much better than what we have been labelled as. Instead of swearing and bursting out on others, we need to revive Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)’s manners. Even in hard times when he would get angry, he (PBUH) would stay calm, because he had so much
self-control and patience. You might think replying to that one comment rudely is okay because that person deserves it, however, you do not know what long-term effect one comment may have. Imagine if a new convert, or someone interested in Islam reads your comment — they would instantly think that Muslims are no different from those against us. What if you and I become the reason for someone being driven away from Islam instead of drawing closer? So next time you see a hateful comment, take some time to stop and think. If the individual commenting genuinely perceives Islam negatively, address their misconception in a respectful and dignified manner to exemplify the beautiful nature that Islam instills in us. But if the individual just wants to stir up trouble, then just keep scrolling through your newsfeed and pretend as if nothing happened. Some people do not deserve your attention, especially if they are not willing to have a civilized discussion. We have been chosen for one task: to first strengthen our own belief, and then bring people towards goodness as well as motivate others to stay away from evil actions. Once we truly follow these three guidelines, only then can we achieve the status of being the ‘best nation’ that Allah (SWT) describes in the Holy Quran. SWT: Subhanahu Wata’la PBUH: Peace Be Upon Him
W O R K S C I T E D “Al-Qur'an al-Kareem” Surah Ali 'Imran [3:110], quran.com/3/110. Accessed 24 Aug. 2017.
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LIFESTYLE
A
Pomodoro
a Day
Keeps the
Procrastination
Away
| SAAD MATEEN,17
There are 24 hours in one day. 1,440 minutes. 86,400 seconds. This feels like a lot of time, yet, at the end of the day, we always end up asking ourselves:
“Where did the time go? Why do I always feel like I do not have enough time?�
I
f these are questions that you find yourself asking, then you are not alone. Many students struggle with time management and staying focused. Introducing the Pomodoro Technique, a handy method of staying disciplined and increasing your productivity. The Pomodoro Technique involves working in short defined blocks of time, or pomodoros, while taking small breaks to help you remain motivated and productive. The Pomodoro Technique can be broken up into six steps:
1 Spend the first 10 minutes of your morning planning your Did you know? The Pomodoro Technique was created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. The technique is named after a tomato shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo used to manage his time.
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day. Determine the tasks most important to you and break them down into specific actions. This helps you understand what tasks you must get done and how you will accomplish those tasks.
2 Once you know what to
do, it is now time to focus and remove all distractions. You should avoid all social media by turning off your phone and any other electronics. It can take a significant amount of time to get back in flow once you are distracted.
3 Now that you are focused, set your timer and start working. A typical pomodoro session is 25 minutes. It is important that you stay concentrated to the one task that you are trying to accomplish during this time. 4 After a 25 minute session, take a 5 minute break. Now you
can turn your phone back on. Take some time to move away from your work, relax, and then come back with a refreshed perspective. It is important to take breaks so you do not get drained.
5 After you are done with the first pomodoro session, repeat this
process to get a significant amount of work accomplished. One round of pomodoros is made up of four sessions. By completing a full round, you get more work done and maintain a sense of discipline.
6 Take a long break after completing one round (four
pomodoros). This break should be between 15 and 30 minutes. Make sure to rejuvenate yourself: grab something to eat, take a walk, and relax. Then continue with your next pomodoro round to keep the ball rolling.
By following these techniques, you can increase your efficiency and work smarter. See if you can use the Pomodoro Technique to elevate your productivity today!
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Not all that
g l i t t e rs
Gold is
Soc ia l M e d ia ’s S e lec t iv e S to ry t e ll in g
When everyone’s lives are constantly on social media, the stories will necessarily become distorted... MY VOICE | ISSUE2VOL5 2017 | 12
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You Are Than Your
W
AREEJ HASHMI, 19 Limit your social media accounts
a great source of fitnah these devices are amazing and our way forward to a better
have to keep up with, the less your FOMO acts up, the less you feel tempted to constantly be on your phone.
When you are with people you know (family, friends, classmates, etc.), make up your mind that you will not use your cell phone unless you absolutely need to or unless there is an emergency (and no, boredom does not constitute an emergency.)
have concluded that although people are a lot more
to convince you to get rid of your cellphones – these
interaction, improve your relationships, and improve your interpersonal skills.
a humble attempt to lay some basic guidelines on how to maintain a balanced lifestyle when it comes to cell phone
Keep your phone nearby, but not within easy reach, especially when you are going to bed
constantly checking your phone, especially before bed, will allow you to get a decent amount of sleep, and will stop you from constantly needing your phone to be somewhere on your person.
With these three simple pieces of advice, you will be able to maintain a healthy life, in-person and online, inshaAllah. bonus tip for the bravest amongst you: Get a watch.
Fitnah: Trial, test FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out, an illness that teenagers are particularly vulnerable to experiencing 3 InshaAllah: God Willing 1 2
was to say that these methods have been tried and tested
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