The Low Down on Repentance How do I erase a bad deed? Will Allah accept my repentance? How do I repent? Is my sin too great to be forgiven? The repentance accepted by Allah is only for those who do wrong in ignorance [or carelessness] and then repent soon after. It is those to whom…
Here Today. Gone Tomorrow. Who can guarantee tomorrow? We have no idea what is around the corner, less still the length of our lifespan. We all know people whose death came out of the blue – not just sudden but at a young age. ‘How is it that you deny Allah, while you were…
The Message of Love Allah the Almighty mentioned in surah Shu’ara: And indeed, the Qur’an is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down Upon your heart, [O Muhammad] – that you may be of the warners (26:192-4) In this very verse there are many lessons, but my…
The Greatest Gift is to understand the Deen The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) mentioned one of the greatest virtues of knowledge as recorded by Imam Bukhari, he said: ‘Whomsoever Allah wishes good for, He gives him understanding in Deen (religion)’ [Bukhari] The person who finds Deen understands the basic principles of this…
What styles are used in the Qur’an to appeal to us? Can we learn how to do dawah from them? At times we are appealed to at an emotional level. At others it is on a rational level. In our own lives, we have ups and downs, experiencing mercurial spiritual levels and from time…
Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an: ‘It is He who created for you all that is on the earth.’[i] And in another verse He says: ‘It is He who made the earth manageable for you.’[ii] And in another verse Allah the Almighty says: ‘For God’s favours to them during their summer and winter…
Why should we worship Allah? Allah Almighty does not need our worship. So why worship Him? Do we pray because we know Allah Almighty or do we know Allah Almighty because we pray? ‘O people, worship your Lord who created you and those before you, so that you may become God-fearing’ (2:21) Worship is the…
Our Responsibility to Look after the Earth In Surah al-A’raf Allah Almighty said, ‘Do not corrupt the Earth… Indeed Allah Almighty’s mercy is close to those who are doing good.’ (7:56) And in Surah al-Hud, He says, ‘He is the one who brought you from the Earth and made you to dwell in it. So,…
Two Types of Hypocrite Beware, it is, in fact, they who spread disorder, but they do not appreciate. (12) And when it is said to them, ‘Believe as people have believed,’ they say, ‘Shall we believe as the fools have believed?’ Beware, it is, in fact, they who are the fools, but they do not…
Hypocrisy – how it originated and what are the signs Hypocrisy is a disease of the heart. Just like heart disease, very often people do not even realise they have it. If they do not seek a cure for it, their disease spreads aggressively and leads to dire consequences personally, as well as for those…
How can you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him? Love As we cannot physical see Allah Almighty we can feel His presence strongly in the heart. The realisation of Allah’s presence, by His knowledge and mercy, is so great that the person feels he is witnessing Allah Almighty in front of him. The…
What have we been entrusted with? And why we should maintain trust Allah the Almighty says in the Qur’an when he was describing the believers in Surah Mu’minun, ‘And those who are faithful to their trust and pledges.’ (23:8) In Surah Anfal, He says, ‘Believe. Do not betray Allah Almighty or His Messenger and your…
When to do dawah. Knowing who will respond to Islam and who won’t. Are all disbelievers the same? Will their punishment be the same? Who are the ones whose hearts are sealed? Should our dawah be open to all disbelievers or should we focus on those who are more likely to benefit? A disbeliever is…
How to Spot a True Believer What should we be like and how should we behave? What are the characteristics that any two believers, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity will have in common? ‘Who believe in the Unseen, and are steadfast in Salah (prayer), and spend out of what We have provided them;…
Attaining excellence with the right foundation From the hadith Jibreel found in the collection of Imam Bukhari, we can ascertain the basics of our religion. The religion of Islam in a simplistic view can be separated into three categories. Firstly, Imaan – the belief in Allah, His Angels, His divine books, His Prophet’s (peace be…