In Surah Al-A’raf, Allah presents us with two contrasting scenes—the people of Jannah (Paradise) and the people of Hellfire. قَالَ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِيٓ أُمَمٖ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ فِي ٱلنَّارِۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتۡ أُمَّةٞ لَّعَنَتۡ أُخۡتَهَاۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱدَّارَكُواْ فِيهَا جَمِيعٗا قَالَتۡ أُخۡرَىٰهُمۡ لِأُولَىٰهُمۡ رَبَّنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَضَلُّونَا فَـَٔاتِهِمۡ عَذَابٗا ضِعۡفٗا مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِۖ قَالَ لِكُلّٖ…
Surat al-A’raf is a Makki surah, which is untypically lengthy, with 206 verses. It opens with the story of Iblis and Adam – a story that Allah has repeated many times in the Quran. Don’t put your ego first Allah commands the angels and Iblis to prostrate; the angels obey, but Iblis refuses, thinking he…
Surat al-An’am is a Makkan surah, and it is one of the exceptions to the general principle that most Makkan surahs tend not to be very long. Remember that this was a time of transformation for the community, from Jahiliyya (pre-Islamic ignorance) to Islam. It is difficult for a community to develop new discipline, and…
A woman who has had a miscarriage falls into one of two cases: 1. The first is if the foetus was fully formed or its creation was clearly visible, such as its hands, feet, or other features. In this case, the woman is considered in the post-partum period (nifas). This is the opinion of the…
The beauty and timelessness of the Quran is evident in Surat al Anam, when Allah says: وَذَرُوا۟ ظَـٰهِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَبَاطِنَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْسِبُونَ ٱلْإِثْمَ سَيُجْزَوْنَ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَقْتَرِفُونَ ١٢٠ Shun all sin—open and secret. Indeed, those who commit sin will be punished for what they earn. (6:120) Throughout all generations and nations, the path…
Seek forgiveness from Allah in the morning and evening ۞وَعِندَهُۥ مَفَاتِحُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ لَا يَعۡلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَۚ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِۚ وَمَا تَسۡقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعۡلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٖ فِي ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا رَطۡبٖ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مُّبِينٖ With Him are the keys of the Unseen. No one knows them but He. He knows what is in the land and the sea. No leaf ever falls but that He knows about it, and there is no grain in the dark…
Have hope in Allah’s justice Many of the verses in Surat al-An’am are about the challenges faced by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), which are not that different from what we are facing in our communities today: people twisting and changing reality, and pronouncing truth as falsehood and falsehood as truth. In these…
Heavenly Food Blessed are the ones who seize the opportunity of Ramadan. They improve themselves and they become closer to Allah. The ayahs of fasting were revealed in the 2nd year after Hijra in Madinah when it became an obligation to fast for the whole month of Ramadan. It is our chance to rejuvenate and…
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: عن أبي هريرة رضي الله تعالى عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: : ”الصلوات الخمس،والجمعة إلى الجمعة، ورمضان إلى رمضان، مكفراتٌ ما بينهن إذا اجتُنبت الكبائر”. ((رواه مسلم)). The five daily prayers, from…
There are different opinions on this depending on the different schools of thought. The opinions are as follows: Hanafi School: Blood that flows out of the body and spreads (i.e., beyond the wound site) nullifies wudu. Maliki & Shafi’i Schools: Blood does not break wudu, regardless of the amount, unless it comes out from the…
Umrah consists of four key rituals: Entering Ihram: Before reaching the Miqat, change into Ihram garments, perform two rak‘ahs of salah, and make the intention (niyyah) as you approach the Miqat. Begin reciting the Talbiyah frequently. Tawaf al-Umrah: Perform seven circuits around the Ka‘bah, followed by two rak‘ahs of salah, preferably near Maqam Ibrahim, but…
Throughout history, the Ummah has faced trials that have tested its resilience, patience, and faith. Allah reminds us in Surat al-Baqarah: أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ ٢١٤ “Do…
What is haya? One of the main principles of Islam is al-haya. Al-haya is an Arabic term, which has three different translations in English. One is shyness, and we refer to someone shy as hayee. This is one translation. The other translation is modesty, depending on the context, as the translation of the word depends…
How closely the Companions observed the Prophet (peace be upon him) Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: عن أُسَامَة بْن زَيْدٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، لَمْ أَرَكَ تَصُومُ شَهْرًا مِنَ الشُّهُورِ مَا تَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ! قَالَ :” ذَلِكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ، بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ وَرَمَضَانَ، وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ تُرْفَعُ فِيهِ الأَعْمَالُ…
Becoming young women The concept of beauty in Islam is so different to what we see around us. The famous boxer, Muhammad Ali, was quoted in a book written by his daughter, Hana Ali called, More Than A Hero: Muhammad Ali’s Life Lessons Through His Daughter’s Eyes. This was his advice to his daughter: An…