ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًۭا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًۭا Wealth and children are the embellishment of the worldly life, and the everlasting virtues are better with your Lord, both in rewards and in creating good hopes. [18:46] The Quran was revealed to change our mindsets Allah’s revelation is intended…
Surat al-Kahf is one of most well-known and frequently recited surahs in the Quran. The sunnah is to recite it between sunset (Maghrib) on Thursday and sunset on Friday, and the first 10 ayahs also give you protection from Dajjal. Whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Friday, a light will shine for him between this Friday…
Surat al Isra was revealed in Makkah and therefore its features are distinct from Madani revelations. Makki revelations are typically about belief, prophethood, the Unseen, resurrection and accountability. From ayah 90 to 97, we see the disbelievers are telling the Prophet that they would not believe unless a long list of their demands was met….
Allah Almighty stated in the Quran that we should be careful what we utter. وَقُل لِّعِبَادِى يَقُولُوا۟ ٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ كَانَ لِلْإِنسَـٰنِ عَدُوًّۭا مُّبِينًۭا Tell My servants that they should speak that which is best. Surely, Satan creates discord among them. Indeed, Satan is an open enemy…
Reciprocal reading of the Quran Ten days of Ramadan have flown by and we have two thirds ahead of us. God knows who will witness the rest of Ramadan and who won’t. There are no guarantees that any of us will be here. عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما: (كانَ رَسولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه…
مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ ٱلْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُۥ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُۥ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَىٰهَا مَذْمُومًۭا مَّدْحُورًۭا Whoever desires this fleeting world ˹alone˺, We hasten in it whatever We please to whoever We will; then We destine them for Hell, where they will burn, condemned and rejected. [17:18] In this ayah Allah uses word…
۞ يَوْمَ تَأْتِى كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ تُجَـٰدِلُ عَن نَّفْسِهَا وَتُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ مَّا عَمِلَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ ˹Consider˺ the Day ˹when˺ every soul will come pleading for itself, and each will be paid in full for what it did, and none will be wronged. [16:111] This ayah is Allah opening a window for us…
A heart that understands وَٱللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُم مِّنۢ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْـًۭٔا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْأَبْصَـٰرَ وَٱلْأَفْـِٔدَةَ ۙ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ Allah has brought you forth from your mothers’ wombs when you knew nothing, and He made for you ears, eyes and hearts, so that you may be grateful. [16:78] We are powerless compared to Allah…
وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا۟ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ ۖ وَلَأَجْرُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ Those who have migrated for the sake of Allah after they were oppressed, We shall give them a good place in the world, and of course, the reward of the Hereafter is much greater, if…
What have you given to Islam? إِنَّا كَفَيْنَـٰكَ ٱلْمُسْتَهْزِءِينَ Surely, We are sufficient for you against those who mock, [15:95] At the end of Surat al-Hijr, Allah reminds us of the tests which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ went through when facing the Quraysh. Scholars of tafsir talk about five people who were the main enemies…
The story of Adam and Iblis is mentioned often in the Quran, sometimes by a brief reference, and other times taking up a whole page. In Surat al-Hijr, Allah talks about Shaytan’s promise to lead people astray and make evil appear attractive to them, which is a challenge that we face everyday. Humans can make…
Allah sometimes gives us metaphors and examples in the Quran to make us think, and a special one of these appears in Surat Ibrahim: أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا كَلِمَةًۭ طَيِّبَةًۭ كَشَجَرَةٍۢ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌۭ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ. تُؤْتِىٓ أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍۭ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا ۗ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ. وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ…
How to escape darkness and choose the light Surat Ibrahim opens with the verse: الٓر ۚ كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ ٱلنَّاسَ مِنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ Alif, Lam, Ra. This is a book We have sent down to you, so that you may deliver the people, with the will of…
Who are people understanding? Allah says in the Quran: أَفَمَن يَعْلَمُ أَنَّمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ٱلْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمَىٰٓ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ Now, can the one who knows that whatever has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be equal to one who is blind? Only the people of…
We are fortunate to witness Ramadan again. It feels like yesterday we were last here; the days run very quickly. May Allah enable us to recognise His favours by being grateful to Him and by Him not taking them away. Lessons from Surah Yusuf There are many lessons to learn from Surah Yusuf –…