Thursday October 25th

Following the Sunnah (Taken from the book of assistance)

-Adhere to the sunnah, outwardly and inwardly.
-Make the sunnah habitual to you so you will get rewarded for the small actions you do every day, like brushing your teeth, etc.

Some sunnahs we can adhere to in our daily life:

1) Begin everything with "bismillah"

2) Always form a good intention:
-When putting on clothes:
-intend to cover what Allah ordered you to cover.
-Put on your right sleeve first, always start with the right. When taking off clothes start with the left.
-Say: "Praised and thanked be Allah, who clothed me in this garment and granted it me without any ability or power on my part"

3) Utter only words of goodness:
- Everything that's forbidden to say is forbidden to listen to.
-Do not interrupt anyone, unless what they are speaking is a sin: backbiting, etc.
-If someone says something you already know, don't tell them you know it and let them continue their speech.
-Don't get into what doesn't concern you.
-Don't swear by Allah too much, only when necessary.
-Don't say anything ugly.
-Think before you speak. If it's good then say it, if not then stay silent.

Hadith: "Everything that the son of Adam says is against him, not for him, except if it be remembering Allah, enjoining good, or forbidding evil."

4) Walking:
-Walk only to something good or necessary.
-Walk humbly, not too fast and not too slow. The Prophet (pbuh) used to walk powerfully, as if going down hill, he walked with a purpose.
-When called, the Prophet (pbuh) would stop but he wouldn't turn around.

5) Sitting:
-Try to sit in the direction of the Qibla
-Make sure your private parts are covered
-Refrain from fidgeting, excessive scratching, or yawning in people's faces.
-If you do yawn, cover your mouth with your left hand.
-Too much laughter kills the heart, try to convert your laughter into smiles.
-Before you get up say:
"Subhanak Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu an la ilaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk"
"Transcendent are you, O Allah, and praised by Your praises, I bear wintess that there is no God but You, I seek Your forgiveness and repent onto you"
-Whoever says so is forgiven anything sin they may have done while sitting.

6) When sleeping:
-Lay down on your right side
-Face the Qibla
-Repent from the sins of your day
-Intend to wakeup for worship
-Say: "In your name of Allah, my Lord, do I rest my side, and in Your name do I raise it, so forgive me my sin. O Allah, protect me from your chastisement on the day when you gather your servants" (3 times)
-Say: "SubhanAllah" (33 times), "Alhamdulillah" (33 times), and "Allahu Akbar" (34 times).
-Make wudu before you go to bed.
-Don't get use to comfortable beds so you don't sleep too much.
-Take a nap during the day (for 20 minutes or so).
-Avoid sleep after fajr, after asr, and before isha.
-When you see a good dream, thank Allah for it.
-When you see a bad dream: Ask Allah for His protection from evil, spit 3 times to your left side, turn over to your other side, and don't speak about it.
-Recite ayat al-kursi

7) Eating and drinking:
-Always begin with "bismillah"
-Conclude with "Alhamdulillah"
-Eat and drink with your right hand
-Wash your hands before and after eating
-Eat small bites
-Chew well
-Don't read for more food before you swallow what's in your mouth
-Eat from the sides of the bowl and not from the middle
-If you drop food, pick it up, clean it and eat it. Don't leave it for the devil.
-Use your index finger, middle finger and thumb
-Lick your fingers when you're done eating
-Eat from what's infront of you
-Don't speak while food is in your mouth.
-If you need to spit or blow your nose do somewhere else, or at least turn your head away from others.
-When you eat at someone's house praise them and make dua for them
-NEVER criticize food, no matter how bad it is
-Don't make food your prime concern
-Hadith: "The worst of my nation are those who eat luxurious food and their bodies grow on it. Their concern lies only in the different kinds of food and clothing, and they speak pretentiously"

-Sayydina Ali said: "The one whose main concern is what enters his belly is as valuable as that which comes out of it"

-Strive to only eat halal food
-Don't over eat
-Don't eat too often, only eat when you are hungry

When drinking...
-Sip water and don't gulp it down
-Always drink while sitting
-Stop to breathe 3 times while drinking
-Don't breathe into the cup
-Don't drink from a cracked cup
-Don't drink water that was uncovered overnight

8) When using the bathroom:
-Wear shoes when you enter the bathroom
-enter with your left foot, and exit with your right foot
-When entering, say: "In the name of Allah. O Allah, I seek Your protection from male and female demons"
-When exiting, say: "I seek Your forgiveness! Praised be Allah who removed harm from me and make me healthy"
-Do not say Allah's name except in your heart
-Do not take anything with you which has Allah's name
-Speak only when necessary
-Clean yourself with your left hand