What is Fitnah and What can I do to Protect Myself from It? We hear the word all the time. But what is the definition of fitnah, what fitnahs are we not aware of? And what did Allah the Almighty give us to save us from it? Once Umar bin Khattab asked a question: ‘Who…
The Fool Proof Way to Achieve Failure Obey God and His Messenger. Do not quarrel with each other lest you fail or lose honour. Exercise patience; God is with those who have patience. (8:56) Fool Proof Way to Weaken the Ummah We have all read this ayah, and memorised this ayah but unfortunately we have…
Gluing the Ummah Back Together Allah the Almighty mentions in Surah Al Imran one of the fundamental verses in the Qur’an concerning the unity of the ummah: And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favour of Allah upon you – when you were enemies…
What is the Best Way to Cope with Family Politics? Indeed in Yusuf and his brothers, there are lessons for men of understanding’ (12:111) Extreme Sibling Rivalry The main focus of the story of Yusuf (peace be on him) and his brothers is the conflict between them. Allah the Almighty says in this story there are many…
Allah’s Special Plan Lessons from the Seerah The benefits of reciting darood When travelling to Madinah, as the Prophet (peace be on him) did, we do not experience hardship as he did, but we can utilise that time for dhikr. One of the best types of dhikr is to say salaam upon him. Ubayy bin Ka’b…
Fake News The REAL danger of compromising your akhirah by indiscriminately hitting the forward button… Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an, ‘Oh People of the Book! Why do you mix truth with falsehood and conceal the truth while you know?’ (3:71) And in another verse, Allah says, ‘And there are a group of people from the People of…
The Essence of the Day of Arafah Increasing Khushu and attaining tranquility To achieve full focus (khushu) and sincerity (ikhlas) and block out thoughts of our daily affairs during salah is a generally struggle,. This is precisely why we start our prayer with takbirat-ul-ihram, to focus our minds on what we are saying, doing and reciting in our prayer, to grasp the…
Investing in our Children this Summer ‘Truly they were young men who believed in their Lord and we increased them in guidance And We made their hearts firm and strong with the light of faith in Allah) and bestowed upon them patience…’ (18:13-14) We are all longing for change… to make our life better, our…
Yawm At Tarwiyah On the 8th of Dhul Hijja when Hajjis go to Mina, it is known as the Yawm At Tarwiyah. This name originates from: 1. The process of filling bottles with water to take to Mina. Therefore, when someone is thirsty and then drinks until they are full they are Irtawa i.e. full. 2….
Optimism vs Pessimism It has been narrated that the Prophet (peace be on him) used to love optimism and hated pessimism. He himself was always optimistic and encouraging. The Prophet’s (peace be on him) Optimism We can see the positivity of the Prophet (peace be on him) reflected clearly in his sunnah on so many…
Makkah Al Mukarramah: The time and the place Allah Almighty described the Ka’ba: ‘The first house established for mankind is the one at Bakka; blessed, and guidance for all people. (3:96) The majesty of Makkah and sweetness of Madinah Bakka is the old name for Makkah. The root word for Bakkah means to break something….
The Importance of Being Open Minded Islam is far greater than any school, any imam, any sect and any opinion. It is the Divine Revelation to perfect human character and conduct to spread peace and justice. ‘It is not advisable for the believers to march out altogether. Of every division that marches out, let a group…
Makkah Al Mukarramah: Spirit and Fruits of Hajj Why is Hajj a pillar? Hajj is full of blessings. When you dig deep down it is full of fruits and sweetness despite the challenges which you face; it is a gift from Him Almighty. Hajj is about unity and also a way of elevating you: 1….
‘The strong believer is more beloved to Allah than the weak believer. And in both there is goodness’ (Muslim) What does ‘strong’ believer mean? Is it muscles and brawn? Is it intellect? Or is it Imaan? If it is Imaan does that exclude physical strength? The strong believer is not the one with greater…
What Makes One Deed Acceptable to Allah but Not Another? ‘And say: Work; so Allah will see your work and (so will) His Messenger and the believers; and you shall be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did.’ (9:105) Allah Almighty…