We recite this surah every Friday, because it brings the light of guidance. One of the ways it guides us is by showing us the different types of people we come across in daily life. Surat al-Kahf as a Mirror of Society This surah speaks not only of four trials but shows us an array…
Trials in Surat al Kahf Allah says in Surat al-Kahf: أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا مِنْ آيَاتِنَا عَجَبًا “Or did you think that the companions of the cave and the inscription were among Our wondrous signs?” (18:9) إِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا…
Allah begins Surat al-Isra: سُبْحَانَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلٗا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَى ٱلَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَاتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ “Glory be to the One who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We might show him some of…
Human equality in the Qur’an Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ “O mankind, indeed We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble…
In Surat al-ʿAnkabūt, Allah asks whether people think they will not be tested simply because they believe. He says: الۤمۤ Alif, Lam, Meem. أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن یُتۡرَكُوۤا۟ أَن یَقُولُوۤا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا یُفۡتَنُونَ “ Do people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ without being tested ?” وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۖ…
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ : بَيْنَمَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ يُحَدِّثُ الْقَوْمَ، جَاءَهُ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ : مَتَى السَّاعَةُ ؟ فَمَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُحَدِّثُ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ : سَمِعَ مَا قَالَ فَكَرِهَ مَا قَالَ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ : بَلْ لَمْ…
In Surah Āl ʿImrān, Allah Almighty commands: وَأَطِيعُوا ٱللَّهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ “Obey Allah and the Messenger so that you may be shown mercy.” (3:132) This is a direct command – fiʿl al-amr – from Allah. In Arabic, a command denotes obligation. Just as when Allah says, أَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ (“Establish the prayer”), it means the…
In Sūrat al-Aḥzāb, Allah describes in vivid detail the events of the Battle of the Trench, also known as the Siege of the Parties. This took place in the fifth year after Hijrah, when the Prophet ﷺ and the believers faced one of the most severe trials in the early history of Islam. A confederation…
Islamic teachings are unequivocal on the matter of sustenance. In Surah al-Aʿrāf, Allah commands: “Do not spread corruption on the earth after it has been set in order” (7:56). Corruption, or fasād, takes many forms, and one of the gravest is denying people the means to survive. Provision is part of the divine balance, and…
Blame in the Quran 1. Refusal to take responsibility In the Quran, we see that blame is used frequently by disbelievers to avoid taking responsibility. They blame their refusal to believe on the fact that the Messenger (peace be upon him) was human, rather than an angel. وَقَالُواْ مَالِ هَٰذَا ٱلرَّسُولِ يَأۡكُلُ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمۡشِي فِي…
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…
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…
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…