What is the sandwich generation? Modern society has given rise to the term sandwich generation, describing men and women burdened with a dual duty: supporting their ageing parents while simultaneously raising their children. With people living longer, financial demands rising, and family structures becoming more nuclear, many Muslims today feel the squeeze of being “sandwiched”…
Prophetic mercy in action It has been 1454 years (1500 Hijri years) since our beloved Prophet ﷺ was born – a mercy gifted to this world. As Allah Almighty stated in the Quran in Surat al Anbiya (ayah 107), “We have sent you as a mercy to the worlds” – not just to world of…
Submission lies in not questioning Allah’s wisdom Ibn Abī al-‘Izz al-Ḥanafī (d.792) said: “The foundation of servitude (‘ubūdiyyah) and faith is submission.” Know that the foundation of servitude (‘ubūdiyyah) and faith (īmān) in Allah, His Books, and His Messengers rests upon submission (taslīm) and refraining from asking about the detailed wisdom behind the commands, prohibitions,…
While his character has been described in detail by scholars such as Imam al-Tirmidhi and Qadi Iyad, I will focus on the mercy of the Prophet ﷺ and how we can embody and apply it in our own lives. The reason I’ve chosen the attribute of mercy is because it sums up the mission of…
Islam makes a clear distinction between ḥayḍ (menstrual bleeding) and istiḥāḍah (irregular or non-menstrual bleeding). If the bleeding is istiḥāḍah, even if it is very heavy, the rulings of menstruation do not apply. This means that prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship remain obligatory. Fāṭimah bint Abī Ḥubaysh (may Allah be pleased with her)…
Combining salah in the Hanafi School According to the Hanafi school, combining between prayers is not permitted. Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali opinion on combining Jumu’ah with Asr Salah In the Maliki, Shafi’i, and Hanbali it is allowed to join Dhuhr with Asr, and Maghrib with Isha when travelling or under specific circumstances. By extension, Jumu’ah…
Allah Almighty stated in Surat al-Jumuʿah that His greatest favour to this Ummah was that He sent us the final, perfect Messenger ﷺ with the final, perfect message for humanity. He reminds us not to take this blessing for granted: هُوَ ٱلَّذِی بَعَثَ فِی ٱلۡأُمِّیِّـۧنَ رَسُولࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ یَتۡلُوا۟ عَلَیۡهِمۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ وَیُزَكِّیهِمۡ وَیُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَإِن…
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ : بَيْنَمَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ يُحَدِّثُ الْقَوْمَ، جَاءَهُ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ : مَتَى السَّاعَةُ ؟ فَمَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُحَدِّثُ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ : سَمِعَ مَا قَالَ فَكَرِهَ مَا قَالَ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ : بَلْ لَمْ…
Every Muslim recites the ṣalāt al-Ibrāhīmiyyah in their prayer, sending blessings upon both our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and Prophet Ibrāhīm (ʿpeace be upon him). Why do we mention Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) in our salah? 1. The supplication of Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) Ibrāhīm (peace be upon him) prayed: وَٱجۡعَل لِّی لِسَانَ…
In Surah Āl ʿImrān, Allah Almighty commands: وَأَطِيعُوا ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ “Obey Allah and the Messenger so that you may be shown mercy.” (3:132) This is a direct command – fiʿl al-amr – from Allah. In Arabic, a command denotes obligation. Just as when Allah says, أَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ (“Establish the prayer”), it means the…
In Sūrat al-Aḥzāb, Allah describes in vivid detail the events of the Battle of the Trench, also known as the Siege of the Parties. This took place in the fifth year after Hijrah, when the Prophet ﷺ and the believers faced one of the most severe trials in the early history of Islam. A confederation…
Though it is a common feature of masajid that they separate men and women, it is not a necessity to have a physical barrier between men and women during congregational (jamāʿah) prayer or in the mosque generally. It is important to clarify this point, as not all mosques have the space to create separate men…
The Friday prayer (ṣalat al-Jumuʿah) is an obligation upon Muslim men, as well as an opportunity for huge reward. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, gave us guidance on how to maximize the reward as well remain focused and have khushoo (concentration and tranquilty). Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: “O you who…
Islamic teachings are unequivocal on the matter of sustenance. In Surah al-Aʿrāf, Allah commands: “Do not spread corruption on the earth after it has been set in order” (7:56). Corruption, or fasād, takes many forms, and one of the gravest is denying people the means to survive. Provision is part of the divine balance, and…
Each and every one of us will one day meet with our death. Islam places great emphasis on the preparation for death and our journey to the next life. It is essential as Muslims that we study the spiritual and practical preparations for death to make our attitudes and actions in line with the Quran…