Beyond the gloom… the positivity of Islam
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Beyond the gloom… the positivity of Islam

Dystopia and doom This year has had a distinctly dystopian feel. As the past year flashes through my mind, it’s hard not to feel despondent. With the earth feeling like a train hurtling and careering off the edge of a cliff, one wonders what exactly we should be celebrating and what we have to look…

Don’t be happy if you got away with it. The dangers of delayed punishment
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Don’t be happy if you got away with it. The dangers of delayed punishment

One should not feel happy if they did not receive punishment when they did something wrong. It is very serious. Istidraj has been mentioned in the Quran twice – it appears in Surat al Araf and also in Surat al Qalam. What is istidraj? It is to receive blessings, wealth, success, or other worldly pleasures…

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

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

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…

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…

Evil in every society is a fact of life. We have to resist it.
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Evil in every society is a fact of life. We have to resist it.

وَكَذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ جَعَلۡنَا فِی كُلِّ قَرۡیَةٍ أَكَـٰبِرَ مُجۡرِمِیهَا لِیَمۡكُرُوا۟ فِیهَاۖ وَمَا یَمۡكُرُونَ إِلَّا بِأَنفُسِهِمۡ وَمَا یَشۡعُرُونَ And so We have placed in every society the most wicked to plot in it. Yet they plot only against themselves, but they fail to perceive it. [Al-Anʿām, 6:123] ٱسۡتِكۡبَارࣰا فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَكۡرَ ٱلسَّیِّىِٕۚ وَلَا یَحِیقُ ٱلۡمَكۡرُ ٱلسَّیِّئُ إِلَّا بِأَهۡلِهِۦۚ…

Rioters beware
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Rioters beware

As Allah stated in the Quran in Surat Anfal: وَإِذۡ يَمۡكُرُ بِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثۡبِتُوكَ أَوۡ يَقۡتُلُوكَ أَوۡ يُخۡرِجُوكَۚ وَيَمۡكُرُونَ وَيَمۡكُرُ ٱللَّهُۖ وَٱللَّهُ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡمَٰكِرِينَ  And ˹remember, O  Prophet,˺ when the disbelievers conspired to capture, kill, or exile you. They planned, but Allah also planned. And Allah is the best of planners. (8:30) This ayah…

How to respond to a hate march
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How to respond to a hate march

Racism rears its ugly head It is sadly ironic that the marches protesting the killing of innocent civilians in Gaza, which have been ongoing for the last 10 months were dubbed “hate marches” by a certain British politician. Ironic firstly because they were marches of compassion, highlighting the tragic loss of lives, dreams and futures,…

From darkness to light – A message for new Muslims
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From darkness to light – A message for new Muslims

يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ قَدۡ جَآءَكُمۡ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمۡ كَثِيرٗا مِّمَّا كُنتُمۡ تُخۡفُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٖۚ قَدۡ جَآءَكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورٞ وَكِتَٰبٞ مُّبِينٞ يَهۡدِي بِهِ ٱللَّهُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضۡوَٰنَهُۥ سُبُلَ ٱلسَّلَٰمِ وَيُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذۡنِهِۦ وَيَهۡدِيهِمۡ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِي O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear…

Your vote is an Amanah – Ummah of activism
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Your vote is an Amanah – Ummah of activism

Allah Almighty said in Surat Ale Imran, the very beautiful verse about our Ummah, the final Ummah, the Ummah of goodness. He said: كُنتُمۡ خَیۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ تَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَتَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَتُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِۗ وَلَوۡ ءَامَنَ أَهۡلُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَیۡرࣰا لَّهُمۚ مِّنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَأَكۡثَرُهُمُ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقُونَ You are the best ‘Ummah ever raised for mankind….

Are Islam and veganism compatible?
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Are Islam and veganism compatible?

Islam is a religion of moderation, advocating a balanced approach in all aspects of life, including diet. While there’s a growing trend towards veganism, often equated with being humane to animals, Islam does not prohibit the consumption of animals. Instead, it emphasizes moderation and ethical treatment. Islam teaches that we should not overconsume meat, but…