Fasting, which is a pillar of Islam, cannot be underrated. It is an obligation for all Muslim adults who are sane and well. Once you have made the intention to fast, breaking a fast is not a light matter. Not fasting In Ramadan without a valid excuse is punishable. Breaking a fast deliberately without a…
Allah Almighty said: ‘And do not crave what Allah has given some of you over others.’ [4:32] In this ayah of Surat an-Nisa, Allah is addressing the very common disease of hasad, envy. For example, if someone is not happy with the division of inheritance that was laid out earlier in the surah, this stems…
Surat an-Nisa is a Madani surah, like almost all of the long surahs. Allah has dedicated this surah to women because during Jahiliyya times – and even today – the unfair treatment of women persists. This is a very rich surah, addressing many different kinds of relationships: between a husband and wife, between a man…
Allah Almighty says in Surat Ale Imran, وَسَارِعُوۤا۟ إِلَىٰ مَغۡفِرَةࣲ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرۡضُهَا ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ أُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡمُتَّقِینَ Rush towards your Lord’s forgiveness and towards Paradise, which is as wide as the Heavens and the Earth, prepared for those who are Al-muttaqeen (mindful of Allah). [Ale-ʿImran, 3:133] Allah is calling us all to hasten towards…
Half of Surat Ale Imran is about the People of the Book, mainly the Christians. A delegation of about 70 people from Najran in Yemen came and stayed at the mosque and discussed many things with the Prophet (peace be upon him), especially about the nature of Eesa (peace be upon him). The last pages…
Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saying, ‘No Salat (prayer) is to be offered after the morning prayer (Fajr) until the sun rises, or after the afternoon prayer (Asr) until the sun sets.’ [Bukhari] ‘There is no Salat (prayer) after the Fajr (morning)…
Following the victory at Badr, in which the Muslims defeated the Quraysh with a resounding victory on 17th Ramadan, the Quraysh wanted revenge. They had lost 70 fighters and 70 were injured, so they returned to fight them at Uhud the next year, with 3000 men. The Muslims began with 1000 men, but 300 abandoned…
The concept that someone in difficulty is helped by others pooling their money is rewarding; this is why we have the takaful insurance – the cooperation insurance. It’s a good thing. Thus the concept of insurance is not a bad thing, but the there are two elements which make conventional insurance haram: i) the ambiguity…
There are several methods for calculating the time of Fajr prayer, based on different astronomical calculations and interpretations. Common methods include: Fixed Time: This method relies on using a fixed time before sunrise to determine the beginning of Fajr. It could be based on a fixed duration before sunrise, such as one hour or one…
In order for something to be called a sunnah mu’akkadah, an emphasised sunnah, it has to be something the Prophet (peace be upon him) did regularly and did not leave without an excuse. This is the definition of mu’akkadah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed the tarawih 3 nights in a row but on…
The 2 rakahs sunnah which precede Fajr hold a very high status. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The two Rak’ahs (Sunnah) of Fajr are better than this world and all it contains.” (Sahih Muslim) According to the Hanafi school, the two rakahs sunnah before the 2 fard rakahs of Fajr prayer are…
Performing Duha prayer is highly rewarding. You can pray 2, 4, 6 or 8 rakahs. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “In the morning, charity is due on every joint of the body of everyone of you. Every utterance of Allah’s glorification is an act of charity, every utterance of praise of Him…
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it…
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit down until he has prayed two rak‘ahs.” (Bukhari and Muslim) The sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was therefore to greet the mosque by praying 2 rakahs before sitting down. What…
‘Race with one another towards forgiveness from your Lord and towards a paradise which is as wide as the heavens and the earth. It has been prepared for those mindful of Allah.’ [3:133] In this ayah of Surat Ale ‘Imran, Allah uses the word saari’ – meaning to race or rush. Allah is opening this…