Women
Youth
Marriage and relationships
Culture/customs misconceptions
Navigating challenges
Coping with calamities
Suicide
Death
Social code and etiquette
How well do you really know yourself? You have lived with yourself for as long as you remember. You have memories, hopes and fears, and worries. You have moments of joy and moments of despair. You know all these very well. You see yourself in the mirror everyday. However, the time we spend looking at…
When religion becomes a tool for ego, control, and self-glorification Religion is meant to soften the heart. It should humble the soul and draw a person closer to Allah Almighty. True spirituality increases sincerity, mercy, self-awareness. It instills khawf (a deep awareness of standing before Allah). The more a person truly knows Allah, the more…
When someone is close to death, it is a difficult time for their loved ones – in addition to feeling the pain of losing someone dear to them, they may be uncertain about what to do practically. It is natural that one wishes to do everything they can to ease their passing, and ensure that…
When a person has been missing for a long time, it is natural for people to begin wondering whether they have passed away. Yet, in Islamic law, Salatul Janazah can only be performed if there is certainty. Therefore, as long as the death of the missing person has not been established, Janazah prayer cannot be…
The limits set by Allah Allah Almighty has not left us without guidance. He did not leave us to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong according to changing moods, pressure, or convenience. He laid down obligations, set boundaries, prohibited what is harmful, and out of His mercy remained silent on certain matters. The…
Emotional balance in marriage Balance is also needed in the emotional life of marriage. If there is one thing we see repeatedly, it is that extremes do not help. Extremes, whether difficulty regulating emotions or emotional distance, can both be challenging. Some people are overwhelmed by emotion and cannot regulate themselves well. Others become so…
Keeping momentum after Ramadan Ramadan, as you know, is a very special month in our Islamic calendar. It comes once every year, but at different times and in different weather, as it moves through the seasons. Each time it returns, it gives us a new experience and a new taste of how to live Ramadan…
When we speak about the treatment of women, sometimes people feel uncomfortable raising these issues, not because there is anything embarrassing in the Qur’an or the Sunnah, but because what we see in some homes and communities is not always the Islam of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. It is often culture. Of course, there…
Burying a foetus in Islam The loss of a foetus is one of the most painful experiences a family can go through. The rulings on how to bury the foetus differ according to the stage of pregnancy and whether the baby showed signs of life after delivery. The basis for the 120-day distinction A key…
At our Utrujj Iftar, we had a full house, not just full of guests but also full of the mercy of Allah, full of happiness, full of love. Alhamdulillah, as Pakistani, Bengali, Lebanese, Iraqi, Palestinian, French, German guests sat side by side, with all their different languages, different cultures, different histories, they were united by…
The general principle of prompt burial The starting principle in Islamic law is that the deceased should be buried without unnecessary delay. The Prophet ﷺ said: «أَسْرِعُوا بِالْجَنَازَةِ» “Hasten with the funeral.” (Agreed upon) This hadith establishes that burial should not be postponed without need. The scholars understood from this that delaying burial for emotional…
Why would someone born in London, who had lived her entire life in London, and who had very few close friends in a headscarf choose to wear a headscarf (hijab)? Let me start by asking: When is a piece of cloth not just a piece of cloth? When it is a superhero cape. This is…
Tarbiya (التربية) means nurturing and developing a person step by step. It is training the heart, mind, and behaviour. It is not only passing on information. It is building a human being: their iman, character, habits, and connection to Allah. One of the most powerful methods of tarbiya in Islam is encouragement. It is a…
Surat al-Kahf is a key surah with many lessons. It is the sunnah to recite it every Friday. We have reflected on different aspects of this surah on many occasions, but our focus here is on young people. The very first story in Surah al-Kahf is the story of young people, who retreated into the…
Islam, certainty, and finding peace in faith Some Muslims today describe a feeling of anxiety around religious practice. This can show itself as constant self-doubt, repeated checking of rulings, fear that worship is invalid, or a feeling of being mentally trapped by religion. Religious practice seems heavy and exhausting. Yet this experience is not…