Keeping Track of Yourself Are we accountable for others’ mistakes? What have we earned? And what have we got to pass on? That was a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what…
What Prevents Us from Submitting? And who would be averse to the religion of Abraham except one who makes a fool of himself. And We had chosen him in this world, and indeed he, in the Hereafter, will be among the righteous. (2:130) The Core of Deen brought by all Prophets is the Same. Allah…
Lessons from Ibrahim (peace be on him) And [remember] when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place of] security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer. And We charged Abraham and Ishmael, [saying], ‘Purify My House for those who perform Tawaf…
What are the rulings about Alcohol in Islam? It is unthinkable for governments today to ban alcohol. The US tried it in the 1920s but found prohibition created a new wave of problems than those it was to eradicate. Often there is confusion surrounding the ayahs concerning alcohol in the Qur’an – is it haram,…
The Challenges that Face the Truth This knowledge will be carried by the trustworthy from each generation. They will expel from it the corruption of those who go beyond boundaries. The lies of the falsifiers and the interpretation of the ignorant. (Bayhaqi) In this sound hadith, the Prophet (peace be on him) is both…
Mawlid – Loving the Prophet (peace be on him) The birthday of the Prophet (peace be on him) manages to excite passionate opinions every year. It is something of a contentious topic. However there is no need for locking horns over this issue, as it can be viewed very simply. What did the Prophet…
Spending Wisely – Avoid the Mania Black Friday – Shopping Mania I have no problem with shopping per se. Islam has no problem with shopping, but do we really buy what we need? Or are we sucked into a frenzy of hastiness which is condemned many times in the Qur’an and in the sunnah of…
Healing the Diseases of the Heart What causes a heart to become hard? What are the consequences of a hard heart? And what are the remedies to soften the heart, revive it and bring it back to life? Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are…
Islamic Principle of Equality not Favouritism Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you love Allah, then follow me [Muhammad], then Allah will love you and forgive your sins. And Allah is All Forgiving and All Merciful.’ (3:31) Turning a blind eye to the crimes of people in the community due to their connections or status is easily…
When Differences Shatter the Community With Muslims always at odds with each other… With clashing points of view and clashing egos… What does the Qur’an tell us about differences amongst us? There are many verses talking about differences, one of these is surah Yunus, Allah Almighty says: Mankind were but one community (i.e. on one…
Why Speed is of the Essence The simple formula to jump the queue when you are wishing for goodness in your life, but keep finding obstacles. You will never attain birr (righteousness) until you spend from what you love. Whatever you spend, Allah is fully aware of it. (3:92) Bukhari and Muslim narrated the story…
Standing Together Against Oppression On the authority of Abu Najeeh al-Irbaad ibn Saariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger (peace be on him) delivered an admonition that made our hearts fearful and our eyes tearful. We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, it is as if it were a farewell admonition, so…
Essentials of Tawbah How can I know that my repentance has been accepted? What do I need to do to move on after I have made a mistake? What are the features of those closest to Allah Almighty? Al Muhasibi, the founder of the Baghdad School of Islamic philosophy, had a habit of venturing into…
Whether it is a child or a politician, the importance of honesty and integrity is the bedrock of a productive and successful society. When honesty is lacking from our leaders and absent in society, we risk failure in every sphere of life. A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands the Muslims are…
Being an Ummah with a Backbone The propensity to sin can be controlled by some, but not others who feed this tendency, and unchecked are able to unleash its rampant and malignant spread. A common question we ask ourselves is why do people behave like this? The modern answer is ‘because I can.’ Why did…