Debt
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The dangers of getting into debt

Debt is sometimes unavoidable. Situations arise that mean finances are no longer balancing – people borrow because of illness, loss of income, family responsibilities etc. However, the Prophet ﷺ repeatedly warned us not to take debt lightly. Debt can turn financial security into anxiety, place pressure on a person’s character, and remains an obligation even…

Don’t wait for the big ticket. Be the big ticket.
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Don’t wait for the big ticket. Be the big ticket.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ advised Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) to follow seven commands, and through him taught the Ummah. عن أبي ذَرٍّ الغِفاريِّ رضي الله عنه، قال: أمرَني خليلي ﷺ بسبع: ١-(أمرَني بحبِّ المساكينِ والدُّنوِّ منهُم. ٢-وأمرَني أن أنظرَ إلى مَن هو دُوني ولا أنظرَ إلى مَن هو فوقي. ٣-وأمرَني…

Wearing trousers above the ankles and the dangers of worship becoming mixed with pride
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Wearing trousers above the ankles and the dangers of worship becoming mixed with pride

The question of whether a man should wear his trousers above or below his ankles often leads to strong opinions. There are authentic hadiths warning men about letting their clothes fall below the ankles. But there is also a deeper lesson behind these hadiths: arrogance. At the time of the Prophet ﷺ, wealthy and powerful…

Don’t compartmentalise your faith

Don’t compartmentalise your faith

Imaan is beyond five pillars Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: لَا يَسْتَقِيمُ الْإِيمَانُ إِلَّا بِالْقَوْلِ، وَلَا يَسْتَقِيمُ الْإِيمَانُ وَالْقَوْلُ إِلَّا بِالْعَمَلِ، وَلَا يَسْتَقِيمُ الْإِيمَانُ وَالْقَوْلُ وَالْعَمَلُ إِلَّا بِنِيَّةٍ مُوَافِقَةٍ لِلسُّنَّةِ “A servant’s faith will not be upright until his heart is sound, and…

Lessons from the Seerah 2 – what was Arabia like pre-Islam?

Lessons from the Seerah 2 – what was Arabia like pre-Islam?

It is a great honour to talk about the Prophet ﷺ and to learn from his seerah – his life and biography. Previously, we looked at why we study the seerah – what is the benefit and what is the connection between the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Qur’an and our own reality. Though…

life support
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Is it permissible to switch off a ventilator in Islam?

Being told that a loved one’s ventilator may be switched off is tough and daunting. No one envies the person who has to make such a decision, yet with the medical technology now available, it is a situation that many families find themselves facing. The Islamic ruling depends on why the ventilator is being withdrawn…

public spending
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Poverty leads to envy and unrest. Spending on the poor is a public duty

Seven prophetic instructions for a believer عن أبي ذَرٍّ الغِفاريِّ رضي الله عنه، قال: أمرَني خليلي ﷺ بسبع: ١-(أمرَني بحبِّ المساكينِ والدُّنوِّ منهُم. ٢-وأمرَني أن أنظرَ إلى مَن هو دُوني ولا أنظرَ إلى مَن هو فوقي. ٣-وأمرَني أن أصِلَ الرَّحِمَ وإن أدبَرَتْ. ٤-وأمرَني ألا أسألَ أحدًا شيئًا. ٥-وأمرَني أن أقولَ الحقَّ وإن كان مُرًّا. ٦-وأمرَني…

funeral
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Can zakat be used to pay funeral expenses?

In general, zakat should not be used to pay a deceased person’s burial expenses directly, even if the deceased was zakat-eligible during their lifetime. The main reason is that most scholars stipulate that zakat must involve transferring ownership (tamlik) to a living recipient who is one of the eight categories mentioned in Surah al-Tawbah (9:60)….