Hajj – the spiritual journey of a life-time
Hajj is not only a physical journey to Makkah, but a journey of the heart. It is a reminder of sacrifice, submission, equality, forgiveness and the believer’s return to Allah Almighty.
A History of the Pillar of Hajj
Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam, and it has a very special status. The main difference between Hajj and the other four pillars is that Hajj is only obligatory once in a lifetime. That is it. The other pillars are continuous or repeated. The shahadah is something we carry throughout our lives. We…
Is my salah valid if I was facing the wrong direction?
Facing the qiblah is an essential condition of a valid salah. It is a requirement mentioned clearly in the Quran. Allah says: فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ “So turn your face towards al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you are, turn your faces towards it.” (Surat al-Baqarah 2:144) This command…
How do you perform wudu with a cast or bandage?
Performing wudu with a bandage or cast If you have an injury on a body part that must normally be washed in wudu, then the ruling depends on what will cause harm. Washing, wiping with wet hands or tayammum over the body part The first option is washing the area if the cast or bandage…
How to perform Eid Salah
Eid salah is performed twice a year at Eid al-Fitr (after completing the month of Ramadan) and at Eid al-Adha (after Hajj) as a way of expressing gratitude to Allah for enabling us to worship Him. The majority of scholars consider Eid salah to be highly emphasised (Sunnah Mu’akkadah), while others (such as the Hanafi…
Sujud Ash-Shukr
Definition of sujud ash-shukr – the prostration of gratitude The definition of sujud ash-shukr is a single prostration performed out of gratitude to Allah for a favour received or for the removal of harm. It is connected to shukr, thankfulness to Allah, either because He granted you something pleasing or because He protected you from…
How taqwa opens the gates of Jannah
Allah says in Surat al Baqarah: یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَیۡكُمُ ٱلصِّیَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿ ١٨٣ ﴾ O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may practice taqwa. (Al-Baqarah, 2:183) Fasting was made an obligation…
Slipping out of the shadows
Refreshing the Soul in Ramadan Striving Any achievement requires hard work. It needs sacrifices and it needs commitment. But we live in a world of instant and constant self-gratification. So, we have to strive to reach our potential, we have to strive against the pulls in a world of social media, surplus food, constant stream…
How to calculate zakat
A simple guide to working out your zakat Checklist identify the date you first reached nisab (your zakat start date) one lunar year later, total your zakatable assets (cash, gold/silver, shares as applicable, business inventory as applicable) subtract immediate debts that are actually due (and apply your chosen view on longer-term debts consistently) if you…
Ramadan – protection and hidden act of worship
The Prophet ﷺ said: قال رسولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : «بُنِيَ الإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ، وَحَجِّ الْبَيْتِ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ». “The religion of Islam is built on five: the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and…
A Simple Guide to Islam: Beliefs and Practice
Islam is a faith and way of life that combines belief and practice. Muslims hold to the Six Articles of Iman (Faith) and live by the Five Pillars of Islam. The beliefs are called the Six Articles of Iman (Faith). The actions are called the Five Pillars of Islam. This guide is designed to be…
The inner meanings of Hajj and Umrah
Many people wonder why we perform the rituals of Hajj in the way that we do. We know that they were prescribed by the Prophet ﷺ, and that our worship is to follow what he taught us, exactly as he taught it. At the same time, scholars throughout Islamic history have reflected on the deeper…
How to perform Umrah
Guide on performing Umrah Umrah is a highly rewarded act of worship performed by entering the state of ihram, completing tawaf around the Kaʿbah, praying two rakʿahs, performing saʿi between Safa and Marwah, and finally trimming or shaving the hair. This guide is written to be practical, simple to follow, and based on mainstream Sunni…
Islamic rulings on praying with heavy bleeding
Islam makes a clear distinction between ḥayḍ (menstrual bleeding) and istiḥāḍah (irregular or non-menstrual bleeding). If the bleeding is istiḥāḍah, even if it is very heavy, the rulings of menstruation do not apply. This means that prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship remain obligatory. Fāṭimah bint Abī Ḥubaysh (may Allah be pleased with her)…
Can you combine Jumuah with Asr when travelling?
Combining salah in the Hanafi School According to the Hanafi school, combining between prayers is not permitted. Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali opinion on combining Jumu’ah with Asr Salah In the Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali it is allowed to join Dhuhr with Asr, and Maghrib with Isha when travelling or under specific circumstances. By extension, Jumu’ah…