Trust Allah’s plan and have a good opinion of Him

Trust Allah’s plan and have a good opinion of Him

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say, three days before his death: ‎وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ بِثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ يَقُولُ:  «لَا يَمُوتَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَّا وَهُوَ يُحْسِنُ الظَّنَّ بِاللَّه». رَوَاهُ مُسلم ‘None of you should die except…

The 6 aims of the Quran

The 6 aims of the Quran

In Surat al Isra, Allah Almighty says: ‫إِنَّ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ یَهۡدِی لِلَّتِی هِیَ أَقۡوَمُ وَیُبَشِّرُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ ٱلَّذِینَ یَعۡمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمۡ أَجۡراً كَبِیراً. وَأَنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ أَعۡتَدۡنَا لَهُمۡ عَذَابًا ألِيماً Indeed, this Quran guides to what is most upright and gives glad tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that for them…

Should you cut short a sunnah prayer to join a congregational prayer?

Should you cut short a sunnah prayer to join a congregational prayer?

If one is praying a Sunnah or Nafl prayer other than Fajr, it is generally advised to end the prayer and join the Fard Salah, as the congregational prayer holds greater importance.

This understanding is based on the principle that congregational prayer has a higher priority, and missing the Fard prayer with the congregation should be avoided if possible.

Is it permissible to use your photo as a profile picture on social media?

Is it permissible to use your photo as a profile picture on social media?

In today’s world, social media is unavoidable and there is an abundance of images that are posted and circulated. Permissibility and decency Firstly, from an Islamic perspective, there is generally no issue with using a personal photo on social media, provided it meets the requirements of decency and modesty. Both men and women are encouraged…

Democracy vs Dictatorship
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Democracy vs Dictatorship

When is a democracy a dictatorship? The Quran is filled with ayahs that tell us to be just. Allah says: ‫كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَ ٰ⁠حِدَةࣰ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِیِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِینَ وَمُنذِرِینَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِیَحۡكُمَ بَیۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِیمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فِیهِۚ Mankind used to be one community, then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings…

Defining Nasr: 12 ingredients for victory from the Quran
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Defining Nasr: 12 ingredients for victory from the Quran

In Arabic, the word nasr (نصر) appears 33 times in the Quran. What does it mean? Nasr is commonly understood as “victory”. However, when you turn to the linguist, Ibn Faris (395 H), in “Mu’jam maqayees Al-Lughah” whose dictionary is a key reference in Arabic, the root word nasara (نصر) means ‘bringing or facilitating goodness….

Recharging the Ummah – from weakness and despair to resilience and hope
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Recharging the Ummah – from weakness and despair to resilience and hope

In Surat al-Imran, Allah Almighty says: ‫وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحۡزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلۡأَعۡلَوۡنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِینَ Don’t be weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will prevail if you are true believers. (3:129) ‫إِن یَمۡسَسۡكُمۡ قَرۡحࣱ فَقَدۡ مَسَّ ٱلۡقَوۡمَ قَرۡحࣱ مِّثۡلُهُۥۚ وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡأَیَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَیۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَلِیَعۡلَمَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَیَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمۡ شُهَدَاۤءَۗ وَٱللَّهُ…

Major principles of Islam: Obedience and its limits
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Major principles of Islam: Obedience and its limits

Today my focus is obedience.  Obedience is ta’a in Arabic. In Islam, we have the concept of obedience to Allah Almighty, obedience to His messenger, and obedience to those who are in charge, as Allah Almighty stated in the Quran in many verses. For instance, Allah Almighty says in Surat al Imran: ‘Say “Obey Allah…

Those who are expelled from their homes unjustly
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Those who are expelled from their homes unjustly

Allah Almighty mentions about those who are being driven and expelled from their homelands in three surahs – Surat Ale Imran, Surat Hajj and Surat al Hashr. In Surat Ale Imran, He says: ‫ فَٱلَّذِینَ هَاجَرُوا۟ وَأُخۡرِجُوا۟ مِن دِیَـٰرِهِمۡ وَأُوذُوا۟ فِی سَبِیلِی وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ وَقُتِلُوا۟ لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنۡهُمۡ سَیِّـَٔاتِهِمۡ وَلَأُدۡخِلَنَّهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتࣲ تَجۡرِی مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ ثَوَابࣰا مِّنۡ…

Can Muslims inherit from non-Muslims?
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Can Muslims inherit from non-Muslims?

Are Muslims allowed to inherit from their non-Muslim relatives? The European Fatwa Council issued a statement saying: Muslims are allowed to inherit from their non-Muslim relatives and accept bequests. There is no contradiction between this Fatwa and the Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Muslim is not allowed to inherit from…

When will the help of Allah come? Endurance, tests and the path to victory.
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When will the help of Allah come? Endurance, tests and the path to victory.

In Surat al Baqarah, Allah Almighty says: أَمۡ حَسِبۡتُمۡ أَن تَدۡخُلُوا۟ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا یَأۡتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِینَ خَلَوۡا۟ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۖ مَّسَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَأۡسَاۤءُ وَٱلضَّرَّاۤءُ وَزُلۡزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصۡرُ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَاۤ إِنَّ نَصۡرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِیبࣱ Do you think that you will enter Paradise while you have not yet been visited by (difficult) circumstances…

Justice is blind. But we should not be blind to justice.
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Justice is blind. But we should not be blind to justice.

كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةࣰ وَ ٰ⁠حِدَةࣰ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِیِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِینَ وَمُنذِرِینَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِیَحۡكُمَ بَیۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِیمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فِیهِۚ وَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفَ فِیهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوهُ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتُ بَغۡیَۢا بَیۡنَهُمۡۖ فَهَدَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فِیهِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ بِإِذۡنِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ یَهۡدِی مَن یَشَاۤءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَ ٰ⁠طࣲ مُّسۡتَقِیمٍ All mankind used to be a…