Ta'leef Collective

Salam Sisters :)

 One of my closest teachers and mentors in Islam sent me a link to this really cool website called Ta'leef Collective and it's basically an independant orginization that works to "provide the space, content and companionship necessary for a healthy understanding, embracement and realization of Islam". They help people who are looking into Islam and wishing to convert, as well as young Muslims who find it hard to practice Islam, practice and learn about Islam. They are "a collective of teachers, volunteers, and peers who understand firsthand the challenge of living as Muslims in the west and they strive to provide the necessary means to facilitate that reality."

So please check out their website at this link:  Ta'leef Collective Website :) We hope you like it and you find it helpful.

Salam

Short Story Give-away!

Salam Dear Sisters :)

MYGA is super excited to announce our first ever give-away contest :) We want YOU to be a part of it for a chance to WIN awesome prizes! All you have to do is send in one of your own short stories to muslimyouthgirls@live.com along with your name, age, and an address that you would like your prize mailed to - (confidential formalities below).

The story should somehow be linked to Islam and it will be judged on overall quality and creativity - so be unique, fresh, funny or dramatic - were open to anything and everything :) There will be first, second and third place prizes of hijabs, accessories, and Islamic books. Winners of the contest, aside from their cool gifts, will have their story and name published on the MYGA blog. Runner up's will also have their stories published on the blog.

All information sent to MYGA will be held confidential unless otherwise stated by the sender. Names of winners will be published along with their stories unless they don't want their name up, in which case we'll place it as anonymous, however, we will need names for contest entries. The contest is open to Muslim girls of all ages and locations. So send this link to your friends even if they are not followers :)

Deadline ends May 30th.

Over Spending

Many Muslim youth around Canada and around the world have trouble dealing with the temptation of overspending. In a hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “Allah has prohibited three things: gossip, much questioning and wasting money.”

Overspending can lead to bankruptcy or debt and eventually you will not have enough money to meet your needs. We must recognize the difference between “need” and “want”. Ask yourself, do I really need this or do I simply want it? We should ask ourselves this question every time we attempt to spend money. If we are honest with ourselves, we can make a wise choice and follow through.

Here are four easy steps that will help to decrease overspending:

1) When shopping is necessary, make a list of the things you need to buy.

2) Don’t spend time in a place where it is easy to spend money. If we spend a lot of time at certain places such as malls, cafes and movie theaters, we may be drawn to spend more money. Instead of spending your free time at these places try and go to the park or visit your friends.

3) Give yourself strict income limits. If you have problems controlling your spending, try to create and stick to a weekly budget. Any extra money can be saved in your personal bank account.

4) Avoid impulse buying. If you see something that you would like to buy, try waiting a day before actually buying it. If you really want it, you will come back. This also gives you the chance to find other things that may be better in quality or price.

Keep in mind that spending money in and of itself is not bad, in fact, spending money can be good if we spend wisely. The Prophet commended money when he said, “It is very good that a righteous man has righteous money.” Instead of spending money on useless things, you can spend money on good things such as charity, buying gifts for parents or siblings or using it towards your education and personal development.

Next time you are out shopping with your friends and about to purchase something, stop and think: Is this something I really need?

Written by MAC Youth London's High School Sisters' Youth Group (SYG) 

As seen in: MY Voice Online Magazine

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