Should you only drink while sitting down?
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be please with him) said the Prophet (peace be on him) said: None of you should drink while standing’ (Muslim) This hadith though clear in its meaning has to be...
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Can you say ‘salam’ to non-Muslims?
Common misconceptions – How to greet non Muslims There is common opinion that you should not greet non-Muslims with the salam. Or that you should only reply to them with ‘walaikum’ not ‘walaikum asalam’....
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Al Ghazali’s 20 rules for dealing with people 1-6
‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amr reported: I met the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said to me: “O ‘Uqbah, reconcile with whoever cuts you off, give to whoever deprives you,...
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Allah loves those who are easy going and make life easy for others
You get what you give عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله تعالى عنها قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاشْقُقْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ...
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Why don’t Muslims eat pork?
In all the Abrahamic faiths it is documented that pork is forbidden. Certain groups within the Jewish and Christian faiths have chosen to drop this food rule, saying that it is no longer necessary....
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Should I stop making dhikr if my heart is not engaged?
Sometimes we engage in dhikr but the heart is not connected to the tongue. Should we stop? The first point is to continue doing dhikr, as otherwise the shaytan will come and hunt you...
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The dog, the horse and the king. Lessons from Al Ghazali on how to behave.
Religion is a journey to Allah Ghazali defines religion (deen) as travelling to Allah. Hence Arabs have a saying as safaru yusfiru an akhlaq ar rijaal – travel (safar) reveals and exposes people’s character....
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Work smarter, not harder. How to get easy pickings
Cold booty- Al-ghanimatul baridah وَعَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: « الْغَنِيمَةُ الْبَارِدَةُ: الصَّوْمُ فِي الشِّتَاءِ » . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ. حديث مرسل. ‘Amir b. Mas’ud reported God’s...
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How to be a gracious guest (and avoid being hit on the head with a hot pan)
What to avoid as a guest In Imam Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The 40 Principles of the Religion, he has a chapter on kesab, (earning) and on doubtful earnings. In this he...
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Drugs, gangs and social media. Be vigilant of child exploitation
Allah Almighty entrusted us with His amanah (trusts). In Surat al Ahzab, He described the amanah, which He offered to the heavens, earth and mountains to carry, but the only being which agreed...
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Defend your narrative
In Surat al Baqarah, Allah Almighty said: And when they meet those who believe, they say: “We believe,” but when they are alone with their Shayatin (devils – polytheists, hypocrites, etc.), they say: “Truly,...
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Palestine – the Islamic perspective
What are the virtues for us of Bait al Maqdis (Jerusalem) Surat al Isra in the Quran is named after the journey which the Prophet (peace be on him) took from Makkah to Jerusalem...
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What are the pillars of salah?
Salah has pillars (arkan) which are essential components. If any of these are missing, then the salah must be repeated. Salah also has obligatory components (wajib parts), however if these are missed, they can...
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Supporting and comforting others is the prophetic way
The dua and formula for when you are troubled The Dua for 7 The Prophet (peace be on him) used to make this dua: اللّهُـمَّ اغْفِـرْ لي ، وَارْحَمْـني ، وَاهْدِنـي ، وَاجْبُرْنـي ،...
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What do I need to know about qurbani?
The words Qurbani and Udhiya Qubani means sacrifice, something which is offered to Allah, in order to come close to Him, from the word qurb (closeness). In the Middle East it is known as...
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