Women
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Social code and etiquette
Forced marriages are haram in Islam. In Islamic law, it is strictly prohibited (haram) for a father or mother to compel their son or daughter to marry someone against their will. A marriage brought about through coercion is considered religiously invalid, particularly in the case of a daughter. The right to choose a spouse is…
Allah Almighty says; We never sent any messenger except in the language of his people, to make things clear for them. God leads astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. He is the Mighty, the Wise. Ibrahim:4 Clarity of the message and communication What has been sent has to be clear in order…
Had your Lord willed, all the people on earth would have believed in Him, without exception. So will you compel people to become believers? Yunus: 99 The ayah is asking: Are you going to force people to be believers? Allah Almighty has given the choice to people to believe or not, as in Surah Baqarah:…
How to deal with sinners Whether it is your family or friends or a public figure, every now and then, they make mistakes. Unfortunately as a community, we have many shortcomings, and one of these is that we don’t know how to handle people’s misdemeanours and mistakes, or ill judged statements, from an Islamic point…
Being good to your neighbour. Even if he is bad to you. Being good to someone who is good to you is easy. Being good to someone who is not good to you, is hard. This is why being good to your neighbour is a sign of imaan. Allah Almighty says in Surah Fussilat: The…
Islam came to liberate women from the abusive and oppressive mentality which had existed towards in the Arab community for centuries. Islam gave woman the freedom to express herself and to be independent, financially and socially. She could get an education, she could do business, and she had a voice. It is culture which perpetuates…
Desire is normal The instinct which Allah Almighty created in us makes it very easy for us to be tempted by the opposite sex. This is our nature and how we function and what makes us balanced and human. If we did not feel desire, it is not normal and we would need help to…
A commonly misunderstood and misinterpreted concept is whether men are superior to women. For a long time, men have enjoyed feeling that they are better than women and feeling that they are in the position of masters. Superiority? In the Quran, Allah Almighty says men have a degree (daraja) over women – which gives men…
Argumentation (jaadila) We send the messengers only as deliverers of good news and warners. Those who disbelieve argue with false argument, in order to defeat the truth thereby. They take My Verses, and the warnings, for a joke. (18:56) When we read the Quran, we come across the words jaadila, ujaadila, jadal and mujadiloon, which…
Islam is not theoretical, it’s practical. Our obligations are towards Allah Almighty and towards the people with whom we inhabit the world. Our relationships with people begin with our immediate families. Our immediate families are composed of those with whom we are related by blood. There are many verses in the Quran and hadith about…
Goodness extends to all mankind Allah Almighty commanded us to be good to each other throughout the Quran and specifically in Surah Nisa, when he said: Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbour, the neighbour farther away, the companion at your…
Being good to your parents Being kind to your parents wa bil walidayni ihsana has been repeated many times in the Quran. Allah Almighty mentioned five verses about parents, including these in which being good to parents is the very next command after worshiping Allah Himself- the two commands are said within the same breath:…
Allah Almighty says in Surah Duha: ‘Of the favours of your Lord, proclaim them.’ (93:11) This means to show what Allah has given to you, not hide it away. This does not mean Allah Almighty wants us to show off but to show our appreciation and gratitude for what He bestowed on us. Allah Almighty…
Catch it. Bin it. Kill it. Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged. And ever is Allah Hearing and Knowing. (4:148) This ayah is one of the main Quranic ayahs on social discipline and how to deal with gossip and rumours. There are five main principles…
Allah Almighty Almighty mentioned in numerous verses in the Quran that we are tested. In one of these verses He said: We have created death and life to test which of you is best in his conduct. (67:2) The challenging nature of life Without doubt our tests, tribulations and calamities from Allah Almighty are…