In an age where success is often measured by status, wealth and influence, Islam offers a very different vision of greatness. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught that true honour is not found in being served, but being a servant of Allah, the Most High and then serving others. As for being a servant of Allah,…
There are so many things to reflect on in the story of Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him). The first is that his ordeal took place at night, and there is something about the loneliness of the night. People sometimes call it “the dark night of the soul”: that quiet, difficult journey which happens when…
Mental health The growing conversation around trauma, healing, therapy, and where it sits within Islamic practice deserves a nuanced and careful discussion. Across Muslim spaces today, there’s a noticeable rise in both the uptake of secular therapy and a reactionary rejection of it, often due to perceptions that it is unscientific, overly focused on victimhood,…
Let them play and join in Whenever we play with children, we have an opportunity to enter into their world and see the world through their eyes, (where everything is new, exciting and fascinating). Although this looks like play to us adults, it is actually work for them. It has been said by many psychologists…
Mu’awiyah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم مَنْ يُرِدْ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ “To whomever Allah wills goodness, He grants him understanding of the religion. (Bukhari and Muslim) This hadith begins with ‘whomsoever’. Whomsoever: No restriction on colour, race, age, gender, wealth, health and status. It is an open invitation for every individual to participate….
Possessing books As a student of knowledge, we should try own as many books as we need for they are our tools of learning. However, we should not get into the trap of collecting books or creating a library of books without reading them. Every book we buy, it should be read at least once,…
Keep the remembrance of Allah at all times Make Allah your only concern Imam Al-Muhasibi continues. Do not dismiss the remembrance of Allah, keep His Dhikr at all times, be engaged with the remembrance of Allah in all affairs and all concerns. So if you are concerned about something, then be in the remembrance of…
Look after your heart Look after your Dameer (heart) and your intention. Purify your heart, clean it and declutter it. Untie the knots in your heart. Make your heart sound until it becomes pure, soft and free. How do you declutter the heart? Clearing the space in the heart is like clearing space on your…
Take stock of your time and activities Imam Al-Muhasibi wrote a letter to his friend [as usual, it’s framed as on the account of a wise man who wrote to his friend] offering some advice. We have mentioned before that Imam Al-Muhasibi’s close companion is Al-Junayd Al-Baghdadi. He wrote: “I advise you to… What are…
Imam Al-Muhasibi wrote a letter to his friend [as usual, it’s framed as on the account of a wise man who wrote to his friend] offering some advice. We have mentioned before that Imam Al-Muhasibbi’s close companion is Al-Junayd Al-Baghdadi. He wrote: “I advise you to… 1. Eethar: Give preference to Allah first Fix what…
Having the right attitude towards your teacher Trusting the teacher to guide you Once you have selected a teacher, it is incumbent on you to respect, honour and adhere to your teacher. He must not feel proud or arrogant about the knowledge he acquires. Rather, he must display humility in front of his teacher…
Emulating the teacher Being in the presence of the scholar, you can learn directly under him. Do not limit yourself to only studying from his knowledge but get to know him on a personal level; study him also by observing him. Realise his strengths and weaknesses and start imitating the behaviour that made him the…
Finding the right teacher All human behaviour begins with role models, we learn to walk, talk and feed ourselves by watching our families doing those things every day. But we learn more than simple everyday activities from the people who surround us as we grow up. We also learn how to think and behave by…
Reading and Writing – how to elevate yourself Love Reading The first command given to the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) was the command of reading Iqra. Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: Read, in the name of your Lord Who Creates; Created man from a clot. [al-Alaq 86:1-3] The underlining meaning of the…
Acting upon what you know Islam is a practical religion, in which the highest virtue is to combine knowledge with action. When this is achieved a person is worshipping Allah Almighty as He commanded him. In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty has linked belief and actions in numerous places. Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: ‘Those…