BASHAR

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free 🇵🇸🇵🇸

[Ibrahim @ibroraheem]

Driving in Nigeria will quickly cure you of the lie that our only problem in this country is bad leaders. Just stand at any junction for ten minutes and watch.

People beating red lights, taking one-way with full confidence, forming four crooked lanes on a two-lane road, and almost wiping out pedestrians just to enter front.

If you stop for red light, the person behind you will blow horn until your head wants to burst.

If you leave small space in front for safety, somebody will force their front bumper inside and look at you like you are the one doing nonsense.
In this country, basic decency and following rules is branded as weakness and being mumu, while lawlessness is praised as being sharp and street-smart.

The annoying truth is that road madness is just a tiny sample of our everyday lifestyle.

Look at our daily life:
• The trader placing hand under the mudu of garri to cheat customer.
• The mechanic taking money for original tokunbo parts and buying substandard fake.
• The hospital worker hiding patient file until they see small tip.
• The utility staff collecting illegal fee to reconnect bypassed light.
• The fuel attendant hoarding fuel in the afternoon to sell black market at night.
• The corporate manager demanding 10% kickback before signing ordinary vendor invoice.
Then on Friday and Sunday, we pack mosques and churches to pray fervently against corrupt leaders, completely blind to the irony of our own daily wickedness.

See the most annoying part: what happens when person finally gets caught.
Zero remorse. Nobody will ever agree they did rubbish.

The moment law enforcement catches somebody doing one-way, the excuses start immediately.

First is the victim card:
"Ah oga, na only me you see? Wetin I do? Why you no catch that other car?"

If that fails, they bring the poverty excuse:
"Na ordinary poor man una dey catch. The politicians stealing billions are roaming free, but you are here disturbing somebody hustling for daily bread."

If they hold small post, it turns to threats:
"Do you know who I am? You are victimizing me. This is witch-hunt."

To make it worse, ordinary bystanders who are supposed to support order will join the offender to harass the officer:
"Oga leave am now, him dey hustle!"

We actively fight to protect lawlessness. Yet the exact same Nigerian will land in London, Texas, or Kigali and instantly become the most law-abiding citizen on earth, waiting patiently on queue and obeying every single sign because they know consequence exists there.

We do wrong with full chest, but the minute consequence lands, we hide behind oppression and bad government to excuse our own lack of discipline.

The bitter reality is that the only difference between the politician looting public money and the citizen cheating his neighbor is access to the treasury.

Give that driver doing one-way a police siren today, you think he will respect human life?
Put that corrupt artisan inside government procurement office, you think he will not clear the budget?

Our politicians did not fall from the sky. They are our brothers, uncles, and neighbors.
They are just regular Nigerians with bigger budgets.

[عمر فاروق🇸🇦 @faruqfromdeep]

https://t.co/O66YGmNUGq

[عمر فاروق🇸🇦 @faruqfromdeep]

https://t.co/4SIO0TkXWD

[HARBSART🇳🇬🇵🇸 @harbsart]

The majority of scholars agree that the entire body of a woman is awrah, except for her face and palms.
But when these parts which are ordinarily not considered awrah are adorned, they must be covered and concealed.
Your henna is an adornment to your hands, therefore, its pictures or videos should not be displayed on social media.

The Prophet said:
لا يؤمن أحدكم حتى يكون هواه تبعًا لما جئت به
None of you truly believes until his desires are in accordance with what I have brought.

Your submission to what Allah and His Messenger have commanded should take precedence over social media trends.

May Allah rectify us all.

[A.Y.O @YusufAsunmogejo]

Tomorrow is Monday, and with it comes the start of the ten most important days of the year. It is a bit strange how we all prepare for weeks before Ramadan, yet these days often arrive without much notice. The Prophet (peace be upon him) made the value of this time very clear.

ما من أيام العمل الصالح فيها أحب إلى الله من هذه الأيام
There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.

This means that a small action done on a Tuesday morning in Dhul Hijjah could carry more weight than the same action done in the middle of Ramadan. It is a major opportunity to catch up on any spiritual drifting you have done over the last few months.

To make the most of this, look at fasting as much as you can, especially on the ninth day, which is the Day of Arafah. That single day can wipe away the sins of the year before and the year after. If you cannot fast every day, try to increase your dhikr.

The Prophet told us to say Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar frequently during this time. You can also look at giving charity, no matter how small the amount, and making sure your five daily prayers are done on time with a bit more heart.

If you are planning to offer a sacrifice, remember that the sunnah is to avoid cutting your hair or nails from the moment the month starts until the sacrifice is finished. This is a way of joining the pilgrims in spirit.

The main thing to avoid is allowing these days pass like any other week. Avoid falling into the trap of being busy with things that do not matter.

Also, be careful with your tongue. It is a time for mercy, so do not spoil your rewards by engaging in backbiting or arguing over small things. These days are a gift meant to help us reset our focus before the year ends.

Allah knows best.

[A.Y.O @YusufAsunmogejo]

That crying is the sound of a growing ummah. And it is a test of our own concentration. Instead of getting annoyed, we should be offering a smile or a bit of help to the mother who is likely more stressed than anyone else in the room.

Your "not compulsory" argument is technically true, however, it is often used to exclude women. Just because you don't have to be there doesn't mean you shouldn't be allowed to be there.

A mosque that is perfectly quiet is a mosque that is dying out. We should be grateful for the noise because it means there is a next generation coming up behind us.

[himé @__imaani3]

Prefer relatives over others in charity. You'd be killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Maintaining the ties of kinship and sadaqah.

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

One of the most frightening punishments is when Allāh no longer corrects you. When sins don't sting. When your heart stops trembling at reminders.

When wrong feels normal. When advice sounds annoying. When prayers feel like a burden, not a lifeline.

[Ibukun Amosu 🇳🇬🇬🇭 @amosuibk]

I interviewed some candidates this morning. This particular candidate, I can barely hear her because her network was breaking…but I tried to pick the keywords from our conversations so I moved her to the next stage. She has an impressive profile btw.

One other candidate was outside when it was time for the interview and her background was noisy…I think she was at the roadside with car horns. I had to reschedule for a later hour.

To my oga HRs & recruiters in Nigeria, you live in this very country so I demand empathy from you if you ever find yourself in this situation (the network case here). The best thing you can do is to reschedule the interview for a later time or date.

Power and the internet are the two biggest challenges candidates face during virtual interviews. We can't blame them when we all experience the same thing at one point in time. Just because you are having good internet or power during the interview, it may be because of a location difference.

The international employers most of the time disqualify talents here based on these already, let's not add to that.

Let's have some empathy.

Thank you.

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

Ibn al-Jawzi said:

“Know that if people are impressed with you, in reality, they are impressed with the beauty of Allah’s covering of your sins.”

How grateful are we that Allah places a veil over us, one that allows only Him to see our sins.

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

Guard your obligations as you would guard your life, for by Allah, your life itself is shorter than you think. Fear Allah and do not be lax with the days you owe. Fear Allah, for the affair is severe and the standing is great.

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

On judgement day, our own version of “Epstein files” shall be exposed, every single crime and sin we’ve committed, every dirty thing, every skeleton in our closet shall be exposed for the whole world to see.

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

Everyone will see us for who we truly were, except for the mercy of Almighty Allah (swt).

May Almighty Allah (swt) be merciful upon us and forgive our sins, those we commit publicly and those committed privately.

May we never be disgraced in this life and the next.

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

“Why am I posting this picture?”

“Why do I need to show people I’m reading Qur’ān?”

“Why do I need to show people I’m memorizing mutūn?”

“Why do I need to show people I’m giving charity to the poor and needy?”

“Why? Why? Why?”

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

Question yourself and hold yourself accountable before you are held accountable.

May Allāh purify our intentions, accept our deeds, and protect us from riyā.

[ابن خليل @ibnkhleel]

Ya Allah, do not make us among the losers in Ramadan, and make us among those who attain Your mercy, then Your forgiveness, and then freedom from the punishment of the grave and hellfire. Amin 🤲

[Muize | 👞🤝 @mr_muize]

Allah test us differently.

Stay between Sabr and Sabr.

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

“Don’t feel secure because your outward deeds look righteous. A servant may be ruined while people praise him, and another may be saved while people blame him. What matters is what Allah knows of your heart.”

Sufyan al-Thawri

[MUSTAPHA @angry_ustaaz]

Some people lived for 50 years in this life and died. They have been in the grave for 500 years till date, still waiting for judgement day. Their time in the grave has outlived the time spent in dunia, and the real journey has not even started yet. Is there anything in this life worth sacrificing the hereafter for? How prepared are we for this long journey? When the time is so short.

Be wise! Before it’s too late.

[Mayowa Sheikhspeare @CoveredInWords]

You don’t have to vocalize every thought. And when you share your opinions, do so respectfully and calmly.

Not every person needs to hear how you feel or what’s on your mind.