coping with calamities
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Coping with calamities

Calamities afflict everyone When we read the Quran we see the word calamity musibah   المصيبة has been repeated ten times and test, bala‘ البلاء has been mentioned 25 times.  Allah Almighty tells us in this hadith that He will afflict His believing servants, and He afflicts His non-believing servants. The tests come in different ways,…

On losing a child: an Islamic perspective
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On losing a child: an Islamic perspective

The loss of a child is a deeply sorrowful and painful experience for parents and the community. Islam recognises that this is a time of immense grief and therefore, provides clear guidance on how to cope with this tragic event. Find patience and acceptance The death of a child is seen as a test and…

Allah’s test does not end until we understand what we need to improve and fix it
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Allah’s test does not end until we understand what we need to improve and fix it

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏ “‏ ما يزال البلاء بالمؤمن والمؤمنة في نفسه وولده ة وماله حتى يلقى الله تعالى وما عليه خطيئة‏”‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن صحيح‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)…

Is it obligatory (wajib) to reply to salam?
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Is it obligatory (wajib) to reply to salam?

Salam means “Peace”, Assalamualaikum means “Peace be upon you.” And Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh means “Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings.” One of the first speeches given by the Prophet (peace be on him) when he arrived in Madinah urged people to say salam – it is the gateway to all interactions and…

What can we do to benefit the deceased?
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What can we do to benefit the deceased?

What will reach the deceased in their graves? As per the well-known hadith, when someone dies three things continue to benefit them in their grave. These are charity given on their behalf, beneficial knowledge and the duas of their righteous children. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:   “When the son of Adam dies,…

The circle of righteousness
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The circle of righteousness

In Surat al Ahqaf, Allah Almighty describes a circle of righteousness. It creates the blueprint of how to set your priorities straight and maintain righteousness within your family and society. وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ ….. قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي…

What dua can I make for righteous children?
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What dua can I make for righteous children?

Duas to have righteous children وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ  Wazakariyyā idh nādā rabbahu rabbi lā tadharnī fardan wa-anta khayru-l-wārithīn And (remember) Zakariyya when he called his Lord, ‘My Lord, do not leave me alone and You are the best of inheritors.’  (21:89) فَقُلْتُ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ غَفَّارًا…

The Islamic Social Code – building a harmonious community
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The Islamic Social Code – building a harmonious community

Surat al-Hujarat is a Madani Surah full of rulings about the social code for a community, setting out boundaries and etiquettes for how to deal with other people in a way that pleases Allah. It has more rulings than it has ayahs – it has only 18 ayahs. Avoid much suspicion One of the most…

Can playing with children be an act of worship?
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Can playing with children be an act of worship?

Let them play and join in Whenever we play with children, we have an opportunity to enter into their world and see the world through their eyes, (where everything is new, exciting and fascinating). Although this looks like play to us adults, it is actually work for them. It has been said by many psychologists…

earthquake
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Time for compassion, not conspiracy theories

Nu’man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: عن النُّعْمَان بْن بَشِيرٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ كَمَثَلِ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى عُضْوًا تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ جَسَدِهِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى ‏”‏‏.‏ متفق عليه. “The believers in their…

Responding to attacks on Islam with wisdom
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Responding to attacks on Islam with wisdom

The Quran is protected Allah Almighty promised to protect the Quran. He stated this in the Quran: إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ Surely We revealed the Message, and We will surely preserve it. [15:9] In another verse, Allah Almighty described that though disbelievers wish to eradicate Islam and knowledge of Allah, they will…

what dua can you recite on the birth of a new baby
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What dua can you make for a newborn baby?

  رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا “Our Lord, grant us delight in our spouses and our children, and make us a good example for the righteous.” [25:74] Sayyiduna Hasan al-Basri (Allah be pleased with him) advised a man to supplicate with the following words when congratulating new parents: بَارَكَ…

What to do when you see a defect in someone
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What to do when you see a defect in someone

Anas bin Malik narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said:  Tuba (which is a tree in paradise) will be for he who is too occupied with his own defects to mention the defects of other people’[Al-Bazzar[i]] The Prophet (peace be upon him) here again is addressing the social context and etiquettes, which we…