Upholding justice and responsibility in Islam In Surah an-Nisa, Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَاللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا الْهَوَىٰ أَن تَعْدِلُوا ۚ وَإِن تَلْوُوا أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا “O you who…
A daughter-in-law is not a doormat Islam is not just a set of beliefs but a way of life. It is religion in which we are encouraged to help and serve others. However, it is not a religion in which we accept being exploited. Unfortunately, there are cultural practices which oppress daughters-in-law that have no…
One of the most painful realities within many Muslim families today, particularly in South Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, is the interference of parents and in-laws in their children’s marriages. Whether it’s choosing a spouse, managing the relationship, or raising grandchildren, this interference often goes beyond well-meaning advice and becomes a cause of long-term damage…
If your mother or father is unjust, their injustice does not nullify their rights over you. The rights of parents (both the mother or father) over their child are immense. Allah has commanded the child to treat his parents kindly, even if they are polytheists and urge him to associate partners with Allah. Allah says:…
The Prophet ﷺ warned his ummah of times that would come when clarity would fade, and truth would be mixed with falsehood. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (may Allah be pleased with him) used to ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ not about good, but about evil, fearing it might reach him. He said, “O Messenger of…
What is mahr? Mahr is the obligation that the groom gives to the bride at the time of marriage. It is a sum of money or other property, which becomes payable by the husband to the wife as part of the marriage contact (nikkah). It is commanded in the Qur’an: “And give the women [upon…
The Prophet ﷺ warned us of a trait that lies at the heart of hypocrisy: “There are three signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays the trust.” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim) Betrayal (khiyana) is not a small sin….
The Tragedy of Karbala The very sad event that took place in the month of Muharram is the martyrdom of Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him). It is a long and tragic history, but I will do my best to summarise what happened. My sources are based primarily on authentic Sunni narrations. While…
Can Tahajjud be combined with ‘Isha? Is it permissible to combine Tahajjud with the ‘Isha prayer, particularly in the summer when the window between ‘Isha and Fajr is short? The short answer is: no, Tahajjud cannot be prayed immediately after ‘Isha and still be considered true Tahajjud. This is because Tahajjud is defined as voluntary…
Is abortion permissible in Islam? Islamic law upholds two paramount concerns in the matter of abortion: the sanctity of foetal life and the preservation of the mother’s life. The Qur’ān explicitly prohibits unjust killing: وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الِتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ “And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right.”…
According to the majority of scholars: It is not permissible for a Zakat institution to take ownership of the Zakat for itself. The Zakat remains the property of the payer until it is delivered to one of the eight eligible categories mentioned in the verse: “Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the…
In Surat At-Tawbah, Allah states: وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُهَـٰجِرِینَ وَٱلۡأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِینَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحۡسَـٰنࣲ رَّضِیَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنۡهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتࣲ تَجۡرِی تَحۡتَهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِینَ فِیهَاۤ أَبَدࣰاۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِیمُ “And the pioneers—the first of the Muhājirīn and the Anṣār—and those who followed them with excellence: Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased…
Muharram and the beginning of the Islamic Year Reflecting on the sacred month In the Islamic calendar, there are four months that are considered sacred (ash-hur ḥurum). As Allah says in the Qur’an: إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ… مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ…
The stories of A’ad and Thamud are two of the major stories in Arabic history, and they are repeated many times throughout the Quran, particularly in the Makki surahs. Allah used them as an example and a warning to the people of Makkah, that they would be punished if they spread corruption in their society….
Foundations of halal earning: contracts in Islamic transactions On the subject of halal earning (al-kasb al-halal), we started by exploring one of the earliest works on the topic, written by Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, a prominent student of Imam Abu Hanifah. He was a mujtahid in his own right and wrote a short yet…