How to make this year better than the last
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Moving Up The Ladder – How to Make This Year Better than The Last

To Reflect on the Past and Plan for the Future Check your Balance The wise person is the one who calls himself to account and prepares himself for the hereafter. The foolish person is the one who is following his whims and desires and only has hopes in Allah. (Tirmidhi) Closure and New Beginnings As…

How to act on your New Year Resolution
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Are YOU Ready for a New Year?

How to Act on Your New Year Resolution New Beginnings and Affecting Change ‘Oh you who believe! Fear Allah and behave with taqwa. Let every soul consider what it has prepared for tomorrow. Allah is surely aware of everything you do.’ (59:18) New Year’s Resolutions Most resolutions blow away with the wind. There’s nothing wrong…

Muharram and Ashura
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Muharram: The Floodgates of Fitnah and the Echoes of Karbala

Muharram: When did floodgates of fitnah open and how do we deal with Karbala? Why is our Ummah constantly suffering? Hudhaifa Ibn Al Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) was the collector of all the narrations from the Prophet (peace be on him) regarding fitnah – if anyone wants to know the details of fitnah…

muharram, migrant, hijra
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Muharram: Migrants Escaping Oppression but Spreading Goodness

Hijra: How Migrants Escaping Oppression Can Be a Source of Goodness   As every New Hijri Year begins, we reflect on the Prophet’s (peace be on him) migration from Makkah to Madinah. What the reason for it? Persecution. Injustice. Disregard for human rights. Freedom of Expression The Prophet (peace be on him) was asking for…

Muharram: How to Gain the Reward of a Muhajir without Emigrating
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Muharram: How to Gain the Reward of a Muhajir without Emigrating

Muharram Reflections on the Hijra (Migration)   The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said on the day of the Conquest of Mecca: There is no Hijra (migration) after conquering Makkah but (only) jihad (striving in the way of Allah) and niyyah (sincere intention) [have great reward]; when you are asked to set…

Hajj reflections 9 - Madinah
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Hajj Reflections 8 – Madinah: Lessons from the Seerah

Allah’s Special Plan Lessons from the Seerah The benefits of reciting darood When travelling to Madinah, as the Prophet (peace be on him) did, we do not experience hardship as he did, but we can utilise that time for dhikr.  One of the best types of dhikr is to say salaam upon him. Ubayy bin Ka’b…

the heart of hajj
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Hajj Reflections 7 – The Heart of Hajj

The Essence of the Day of Arafah Increasing Khushu and attaining tranquility To achieve full focus (khushu) and sincerity (ikhlas) and block out thoughts of our daily affairs during salah is a generally struggle,. This is precisely why we start our prayer with takbirat-ul-ihram, to focus our minds on what we are saying, doing and reciting in our prayer, to grasp the…

knowing your direction
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Hajj Reflections 5 – the sacrifice of Ismail and sacrificing your will to Allah’s

Yawm At Tarwiyah On the 8th of Dhul Hijja when Hajjis go to Mina, it is known as the Yawm At Tarwiyah. This name originates from: 1. The process of filling bottles with water to take to Mina. Therefore, when someone is thirsty and then drinks until they are full they are Irtawa i.e. full. 2….

Hajj Reflections 3 – Ikhlas and Taqwa
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Hajj Reflections 3 – Ikhlas and Taqwa

Makkah Al Mukarramah: The time and the place Allah Almighty described the Ka’ba: ‘The first house established for mankind is the one at Bakka; blessed, and guidance for all people. (3:96) The majesty of Makkah and sweetness of Madinah Bakka is the old name for Makkah. The root word for Bakkah means to break something….