Haleh Banani

11/14/2025

It’s been five years since I lost my mom, Allah yarhamha.

She was my best friend, my mentor, and my role model.

The one I shed tears with spiritually, and the one I had the most fun with.

Losing her was one of the most painful experiences of my life.

But I choose to lean into GRATITUDE.

Why am I grateful when I’ve lost my mom?

I’m grateful for her presence in my life.

I’m grateful for her beautiful example and exceptional character.

I’m grateful that she instilled etiquette, compassion, mindfulness and the love of Allah in me.

I’m grateful for her optimism and playfulness, which brought laughter into our home.

I’m grateful for her beautiful heart, which expanded with each person she poured into.

I'm grateful for the importance she placed on ṣilat al-raḥim (bonds of kinship). She would gather the family and unite hearts with generosity and excitement.

I’m grateful for her love of learning, which became the remedy to the empty nest. She never felt bored or sad because she was too busy taking painting, calligraphy, swimming, and chess in order to play more skillfully with her grandkids.

I’m grateful for her elegance, style, poise, and self-confidence, which taught me the importance of self-respect.

I’m grateful for watching her pray with such deep concentration, which showed in her ability to cope with the loss of mobility and the loss of speech due to her illness. She always continued to smile and be a beacon of positivity despite her pain, difficulty, and disability.

I’m grateful that she was saved from suffering even more.

If you’ve ever benefited from my posts, courses, or videos, please take a moment and write a dua for my mom, Rafieh.

The beautiful flowers and gift are from my family and friend which truly brightened my day alhamdulillah.

11/13/2025

When someone mistreats you, don’t let their behavior dictate yours.

You’re not here to react. You’re here to respond with dignity, grounded in who you are - not what they did.

11/11/2025

If you ever feel underappreciated or overworked, whether as a parent, at home, or in your job remember that Allah sees your effort.

It’s natural to wish that the people around us would notice and acknowledge what we do. But when we depend on others for appreciation, we set ourselves up for disappointment.

That's why it's so important to renew your intention each and every time you're about to help a person in need. Do it purely for Allah, not to seek validation or recognition.

This keeps you focused on doing the act with sincerity and not expecting anything in return.

It truly brings you genuine happiness and prevents tension in your relationships.

11/09/2025

I know that it can be challenging when people mistreat you.

It's easy to want to react, give a piece of your mind or get revenge, but your behavior shouldn't be based on the treatment of others.

There needs to be a standard which you live by according to your character not other people's behavior.

Would you ever willingly jump in sewage water?

Gross, of course not!

Well, the behavior of those people who yell, slander, show hatred, cheat, lie, steal and show animosity is analogous to sewage water which you would never want to jump into regardless how many people are swimming in it.

Simply don't see it as an option to respond in the same way others are behaving because then you would be jumping into that disgusting sewage water.

Maintain your respect, know that Allah is watching, your behavior is being recorded and only react in a way that is pleasing to Allah.

It's not about winning or losing with others.

It's about Acing the tests with Allah. That's all that matters.

When someone acts inappropriately, protect yourself, set boundaries and make sure your rights are not trampled over, but don't engage in the drama.

Keep your poise and make dua knowing that Allah will reward you for your good character.

Don't ever blame your behavior on someone else. It's your responsibility to self-regulate and make sure you remain calm despite the chaos.

If you want to hold yourself up to a higher standard write: STANDARD and share what you're going to do to ensure you never lower your standard in your behavior.

11/08/2025

When we hear diseases of the heart we automatically think of pride, jealousy and envy.

One disease of the heart that many people may not focus on is love of the world (hub el dunya).

The love of the world can be a hard one for many, myself included. There is a deep affinity for beautiful things and it takes a lot of mindfulness not to cave in to our desires.

Simply getting everything we want is definitely categorized as loving this world.

The way I like to think about it is seeing your nafs (ego) as a toddler. If you give a toddler everything it wants it will get spoiled. You need to restrict and limit yourself in order to teach self-discipline.

Many adults lack restraint. As soon as they see someone else owning certain items, their ego has a tantrum until they get those same items.

This is not just childish, it falls into being sinful. How much are we going to consume? When will it be enough?

I'm working on myself and know this is an area I want to improve on.

The first step is awareness. Then it's taking baby steps to limit the expenditures.

It really makes a difference who your friends are and what they focus on.

If they are constantly splurging, it feels normal and it will make you want to have more and more.

If you have friends who prioritize training their nafs over spending, you will be more inspired to correct yourself.

Let's make the intention to be more mindful of our spending and think twice before we make our next purchase.

Let's ask ourselves:

Do I really need this?
How could this money go for something more useful?
How will I account for this with Allah?

I pray that Allah helps us be more mindful to overcome this disease.

If you're ready to be more mindful write MINDFUL and what you will do.

11/07/2025

It's been a while since I've shared regularly on these platforms. I took a very intentional time for self-growth.

I wanted to take time for introspection and do genuine muhasba (evaluation) of myself and make improvements.

During this time I wanted to focus inward, do spiritual renewal and center myself.

It's so crucial to refuel the soul in a meaningful way. Too many times we only touch the surface of self-care by simply doing surface level things, but to go in depth means nourishing your heart with Islamic knowledge and purifying the heart. It may not be as trendy as going to the spa, but the results will make you glow from the inside out.

I decided to share my journey of self-reflection and improvement with you all. If you're interested simply write reflections.

I pray that Allah keeps our intentions sincere in everything that we do and allows us to refine our character in a way that will be pleasing to him.

11/06/2025

Psychological perspective on this historical victory. Zohran Mamdani didn't just become the first Muslim mayor in New York, he created a powerful movement that made the impossible possible mashallah tabarakAllah.

How did he do it and how can we incorporate these traits in our own lives?

1. He is an authentic and genuine person who is being completely himself mashallah. In a society filled with people pretending to be something they are not, it's refreshing to see his sincerity. The more you are yourself, the more comfortable people will be with you.

2. He is honest and stands up for what he believes in without fearing repercussions. People are drawn to those who are courageous and don't shy away from speaking the truth. Show strength in expressing your views and don't just try to fit in to by saying what everyone else says.

3. He has a servant leadership mentality wanting to make a difference, not just seeking power. He also shows compassion to all people, not just the rich and famous. His ability to connect with people from all walks of life makes him relatable. Add value wherever you are and you'll be cherished.

4. He listens to people and validates their concerns. Most people listen to respond, they don't listen to understand. Try listening to your loved ones and validate them.

5. He's a visionary and has a strong plan for the city of NY! Most people are busy copying others. There are very few people who have the creativity and courage to do something original. Don't imitate others- have a vision for your life that is unique and have substance.

I've never been so excited for a politician to win and it's not just for the things I mentioned above, but he's also my dear friend Baria's son-in-law and I had the pleasure and honor of being at his kitbal ketab. May Allah bless him and his lovely wife Rama.

09/30/2025

Br. Marwan who was taken by ICE needs our help‼️Please take 2 minutes of your time to sign this petition.

He is such a kind hearted and giving individual mashallah. He has worked tirelessly for the youth of our community and he's always ready for service.

Everyone knows him as Amo (uncle) and everyone loves him mashallah!

He truly exemplifies servant leadership in the way he works behind the scenes, never seeking attention or recognition. He's been a great role model for my boys. His son is one of my son's best friends and we cherish our friendship.

Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?

09/05/2025

The White Days are a gift that come every month… 3 days that can renew your body, clear your mind, and soften your heart.

This Rabiʿ al-Awwal, they fall on September 6–8 (13th–15th).

Fasting these days is a Sunnah that carries blessings far beyond what we can imagine - a simple act that multiplies in reward and brings serenity to the soul.

Don’t miss the chance to reset and realign. Just 3 days… yet a lifetime of benefit. 💜

06/26/2025

🌙 𝟏𝟒𝟒𝟕 𝐇𝐢𝐣𝐫𝐢 • A sacred reset 🌙
As the new Islamic year begins, take a moment to pause… reflect… and realign. What do you want your intentions to be this year—not just your goals?

Let this be the year of niyyah anchored in tawakkul, choices guided by taqwa, and relationships rooted in rahmah.

06/06/2025

Eid Mubarak- May Allah accept all your good deeds and shower you with mercy.

06/05/2025

A dua from the heart...

Ya Allah give us the ability to truly know you, trust you and surrender to your plans.

Ya Allah give us baseerah- not just vision but the ability to distinguish between right and wrong.

Ya Allah give us the wisdom to know how to navigate life's challenges.

Ya Allah increase our sincerity in all our actions. Make us be driven to only please you in all matters.

Ya Allah help us to work on ourselves with diligence and make our characters impeccable.

Ya Allah cleanse our hearts from riya, jealousy, animosity and suspicion.

Ya Allah help us to regulate our emotions with such mindfulness that we choose our words and actions carefully without any regrets.

Ya Allah fill our hearts with certainty, optimism and Husnel Dan of you ya Allah.

Ya Allah help us to see the best in others, assume the best and bring out the best.

Ya Allah let our existence be of benefit to mankind. Use us in your service ya Allah.

Ya Allah forgive us for our shortcoming, our laziness, ingratitude, heedlessness, arrogance and all remnant of the diseases of the hearts.

Ya Allah give us the opportunity to make Tauba and an ending that will have all the signs of a righteous life.

Ya Allah surround us with your auliya - people who have purified their hearts and will be a source of goodness.

Ya Allah remove all evil people from our lives and protect us from their harm.

Ya Allah guide those who are lost, confused or seeking answers.

Ya Allah cure everyone from mental health disorders, remove the depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders.

Ya Allah allow us to be so aware and grateful of the many blessings you've given us that we have no time to compare ourselves to others.

Ya Allah help us to understand the Quran the way the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) understood it and applied it.

Ya Allah let our private lives inside our homes with our families be much more impressive than our public image.

Ya Allah guide all our children, let them have strong Islamic identities and practice the deen with steadfastness.

Ya Allah provide righteous spouses for our children who will be a source of peace and a path to Jannah.

Ya Allah bless all the marriages - remove tension and bickering and replace it with gentleness and understanding.

Ya Allah ease the difficulties of every single person in this world, remove despair, remove hopelessness and fill their hearts with hope and light.

Ya Allah give us a generous heart and allow us to help those in need.

Ya Allah increase our love for you and the prophet (peace and blessings upon).

Ya Allah unite our hearts dispite our differences.

Ya Allah don't let anyone sleep hungry, broken hearted or in despair.

Ya Allah help us to be a source of light for our families and our community.

Ya Allah bring peace for every person who is struggling and protect them from harm.

Ya Allah let our measure of success be in the way we treat our spouses, children and parents.

Ya Allah cure all those who are sick and suffer from chronic pain.

Ya Allah grant us Jannah without reckoning.

Write Ameen 🌹