The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Charity is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun rises.” He was then asked: “From what do we give charity every day?” The Prophet answered: “The doors of goodness are many…enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing harm from the road, listening to the deaf, leading the blind, guiding one to the object of his need, hurrying with the strength of one’s legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help, and supporting the feeble with the strength of one’s arms–all of these are charity prescribed for you.” He also said: “Your smile for your brother is charity.” – Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3, Number 98
Doesn’t get much easier than that.
Just because you are fasting doesn’t mean that smiling will kill you. Wake everyone up with a smile. Serve iftar with a smile. And please please please spread the cheer, please please please spare us your grumpy facebook status updates and tweets. Smile at the kids. Smile at the sales counter lady even if she was slow. Just smile at everyone, smiles are contagious and they are a sunnah.
What happened today with my patience challenge?
If you are curious, I was quite patient, I could have been more patient, but then again it is an ongoing process.
I turn on some music (Omar Faruk Tekbilek – One Truth Album), take out the coldest Diet Pepsi in the fridge and close my eyes and am amazingly moved to a different place in the world. My own world, where I don’t change diapers, where I still have a high rolling career and where the breeze is fresh and the sun shines softly and you can hear the waves in the background.
We were out last night with friends and suddenly it got all windy and dusty. I know from experience with these sandstorms it has to get worse before it gets better. Well this morning it really has gotten worse. Here are some lovely photos from around the blog sphere.
Being the resourceful person that I am, I have several stay at home options:
