The Seven Tactics of Oppressors: from the Story of Musa (peace be upon him) and Firaun
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The Seven Tactics of Oppressors: from the Story of Musa (peace be upon him) and Firaun

Throughout history, oppression has followed predictable patterns, and tyrants have repeated the same tactics to silence dissent and maintain their grip on power. The exchange between Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and Firaun depicted in Surat Ash-Shu’ara, offers a blueprint of oppression that we still see being used today. Allah Almighty commanded Musa (peace…

The qualities of the righteous and the qualities of the corrupt
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The qualities of the righteous and the qualities of the corrupt

In Surat Nur, Allah Almighty stated: ‫فِی بُیُوتٍ أَذِنَ ٱللَّهُ أَن تُرۡفَعَ وَیُذۡكَرَ فِیهَا ٱسۡمُهُۥ یُسَبِّحُ لَهُۥ فِیهَا بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡـَٔاصَالِ ‬ (Such light shines) in houses which Allah has permitted to be raised up and in which His name is remembered. Highly exalting Him therein, mornings and before sunset, (24:36) ‫رِجَالࣱ لَّا تُلۡهِیهِمۡ تِجَـٰرَةࣱ وَلَا…

The Quran is a cure
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The Quran is a cure

Surat Yunus contains some extremely beautiful verses: يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَآءٌۭ لِّمَا فِى ٱلصُّدُورِ وَهُدًۭى وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قُلْ بِفَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِۦ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا۟ هُوَ خَيْرٌۭ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ O men, there has come to you an advice from your Lord, and a cure for the ailments of your hearts, and guidance and…

When Allah is on your side, no one can defeat you

When Allah is on your side, no one can defeat you

Surat Anfal is a Madani surah and therefore very different from the Makki surahs which precede it. While Makki surahs are concerned with embedding the concept of tawheed and imaan in the minds of their audience, the Madani surahs contain rulings and details on how to building the community. Surah Anfal is particularly focused on…

Tricks of the devils from man and jinn to deceive people from Surat al Anam
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Tricks of the devils from man and jinn to deceive people from Surat al Anam

The beauty and timelessness of the Quran is evident in Surat al Anam, when Allah says: وَذَرُوا۟ ظَـٰهِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَبَاطِنَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْسِبُونَ ٱلْإِثْمَ سَيُجْزَوْنَ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَقْتَرِفُونَ ١٢٠ Shun all sin—open and secret. Indeed, those who commit sin will be punished for what they earn. (6:120) Throughout all generations and nations, the path…

Be with Allah. Victory is destined.
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Be with Allah. Victory is destined.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: عن عبد الله بن عباس رضي الله تعالى عنهما قال كنت رديف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: يا غلام أو يا بني ألا أعلمك كلمات ينفعك الله بهن، قلت: بلى، فقال احفظ الله يحفظك، احفظ الله تجده…

The fall of the tyrant
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The fall of the tyrant

In Surat An-Nur, Allah Almighty reassures us that He never breaks His promises: ‫وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمۡ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَیَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّهُمۡ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَمَا ٱسۡتَخۡلَفَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ وَلَیُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ دِینَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی ٱرۡتَضَىٰ لَهُمۡ وَلَیُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِهِمۡ أَمۡنࣰاۚ یَعۡبُدُونَنِی لَا یُشۡرِكُونَ بِی شَیۡـࣰٔاۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقُونَ ﴿ ٥٥ ﴾ Allah…

Dua of need in our troubled times
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Dua of need in our troubled times

مناجاة إلهِي، لَقَد طَغَى الظُّلمُ وَالقَتلُ وَالتَّشْرِيدُ، وَاشْتَدَّتِ الظُّلماتُ، وَكثُرَ الطُّغَاةُ وَالموبِقَاتُ، وَازْدَادَتِ الفُرْقَةُ وَالخِلَافَاتُ.إلهِي، انقَطَعَ الرَّجَاءُ إِلَّا مِنْكَ، وَسُدَّتِ الطُّرُقُ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، أَنتَ الغَنِيُّ وَنَحْنُ الفُقَرَاءُ إِلَيْكَ، لَيْسَ لَنَا رَبٌّ سِوَاكَ نَدْعُوهُ، وَلَا إِلَٰهَ غَيْرُكَ نَرْجُوهُ، اَرْفَعْ عَنِ الأُمَّةِ الهَرْجَ وَالضَّيْمَ، وَالقَهْرَ وَالذُّلَّ، وَالظُّلْمَ وَالمَهَانَةَ الَّتِي نَحْنُ فِيهَا، اجْمَعْ قُلُوبَنَا عَلَيْكَ، وَوَحِّدْ صُفُوفَنَا، وَطَهِّرْهَا…

The disappearance of barakah – Signs of the Day of Judgement

The disappearance of barakah – Signs of the Day of Judgement

One of the signs of the Day of Judgement is that time will pass quickly, knowledge will be lifted and there will be a great deal of fitan (trials and tribulations). In the narration, reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), he narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, عن أبي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ…

Assisted dying: the Islamic view
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Assisted dying: the Islamic view

The impermissibility of suicide In the Quran, Allah tells us of the sacredness of human life and the inviolability of the soul. It is a core principle. Allah has explicitly forbidden taking life unjustly, and suicide is considered impermissible in all major religions. Indeed, the unlawful taking of any life is a major sin. Allah…

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…