Why nations fall

Why nations fall

Allah says in Surat al Isra: وَإِذَاۤ أَرَدۡنَاۤ أَن نُّهۡلِكَ قَرۡیَةً أَمَرۡنَا مُتۡرَفِیهَا فَفَسَقُوا۟ فِیهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَیۡهَا ٱلۡقَوۡلُ فَدَمَّرۡنَـٰهَا تَدۡمِیرࣰا “When We decide to destroy a town, We command those corrupted by wealth [to do good], but they persist in their disobedience; Our sentence is passed, and We destroy them utterly.” (Surat al Isra, 17:16)…

When silence becomes complicity – levels of dhulm
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When silence becomes complicity – levels of dhulm

The limits set by Allah Allah Almighty has not left us without guidance. He did not leave us to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong according to changing moods, pressure, or convenience. He laid down obligations, set boundaries, prohibited what is harmful, and out of His mercy remained silent on certain matters. The…

If you don’t stop the fire, do not be surprised when it reaches you
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If you don’t stop the fire, do not be surprised when it reaches you

The duty of the Ummah is to prevent harm Allah stated in Surat Ale Imran, ‫كُنتُمۡ خَیۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ تَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَتَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَتُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِۗ You have been the best community that was ever brought forth for mankind: you command to what is fair and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah….

Appointing the wrong people to positions of power accelerates the signs of the Day of Judgement

Appointing the wrong people to positions of power accelerates the signs of the Day of Judgement

The loss of amanah is one of the signs of the Hour عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ : بَيْنَمَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ يُحَدِّثُ الْقَوْمَ، جَاءَهُ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ : مَتَى السَّاعَةُ ؟ فَمَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُحَدِّثُ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ : سَمِعَ مَا قَالَ فَكَرِهَ مَا قَالَ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ…

Have your good deeds been accepted?

Have your good deeds been accepted?

How sincerity leads to a happy ever after In Surat al-Ma’idah, Allah states:  إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous. [5:27] In this ayah, Allah is talking about the acceptance of deeds and the fact that He only accepts the deeds of the righteous – the muttaqeen. Ramadan has come…

Do not turn back to your old ways after Ramadan
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Do not turn back to your old ways after Ramadan

Abdullah ibn Sarjis (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said O Allah, I seek refuge in You from decline after prosperity (al-hawr ba’d al kawr) and I seek refuge in your from the supplication of the oppressed. (Muslim) Scholars commented on this very special dua, which literally means…

Prophets were human like you
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Prophets were human like you

Why didn’t Allah send angels as prophets? وَقَالُوا۟ مَالِ هَـٰذَا ٱلرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشِى فِى ٱلْأَسْوَاقِ ۙ لَوْلَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌۭ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُۥ نَذِيرًا They also say, ‘What sort of messenger is this? He eats food and walks about in the marketplaces! Why has no angel been sent down to help him with his warnings?…

Remember Allah during your business

Remember Allah during your business

فِى بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ ٱللَّهُ أَن تُرۡفَعَ وَيُذۡڪَرَ فِيہَا ٱسۡمُهُ ۥ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ۥ فِيہَا بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡأَصَالِ (٣٦) رِجَالٌ۬ لَّا تُلۡهِيہِمۡ تِجَـٰرَةٌ۬ وَلَا بَيۡعٌ عَن ذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَإِيتَآءِ ٱلزَّكَوٰةِ‌ۙ يَخَافُونَ يَوۡمً۬ا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ وَٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرُ (٣٧) [God has full knowledge of everything] shining out in houses of worship. God has ordained that they be…

Don’t Spread Rumours

Don’t Spread Rumours

Surat an-Nur Surat an-Nur is named after the famous ayah: ٱللَّهُ نُورُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِۦ كَمِشْكَوٰةٍۢ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ ٱلْمِصْبَاحُ فِى زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ ٱلزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌۭ دُرِّىٌّۭ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍۢ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍۢ زَيْتُونَةٍۢ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍۢ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍۢ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىٓءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌۭ ۚ نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍۢ ۗ يَهْدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ…

Resurrection is Real

Resurrection is Real

Don’t follow the crowd One of the major themes of Makkan revelation is pushing back against cultural norms of the Quraysh that contradicted Islam, such as idol-worship. We are told repeatedly in the Quran of people who denied revelation by saying, ‘We have not heard of this religion among our forefathers,’ or similar. Allah reminds them…

The gift of rain

The gift of rain

In Surat Muminoon, Allah Almighty says: وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۢ بِقَدَرٍۢ فَأَسْكَنَّـٰهُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابٍۭ بِهِۦ لَقَـٰدِرُونَ And We sent down water from the sky in due measure, then We lodged it in the earth, and of course, We are able to take it away. [23:18] We don’t notice our blessings This…

People who attack the truth

People who attack the truth

Last night we talked about the mukhbiteen, the people of humility who are given good news of Paradise from Allah. Later in Surat al-Hajj Allah goes on to talk about the people who are the opposite. وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍۢ تَعْرِفُ فِى وُجُوهِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلْمُنكَرَ ۖ يَكَادُونَ يَسْطُونَ بِٱلَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا ۗ…

Windows to the Unseen

Windows to the Unseen

At the end of Surat al-Anbiya, Allah talks about the people of Jannah. إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقَتۡ لَهُم مِّنَّا ٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰٓ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَنۡہَا مُبۡعَدُونَ (١٠١) لَا يَسۡمَعُونَ حَسِيسَهَا‌ۖ وَهُمۡ فِى مَا ٱشۡتَهَتۡ أَنفُسُهُمۡ خَـٰلِدُونَ (١٠٢) لَا يَحۡزُنُهُمُ ٱلۡفَزَعُ ٱلۡأَڪۡبَرُ وَتَتَلَقَّٮٰهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَةُ هَـٰذَا يَوۡمُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى ڪُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ (١٠٣) But those for whom We have decreed Paradise will be…