How excellence transforms your relationship with Allah and everyone around you

How excellence transforms your relationship with Allah and everyone around you

In Surat As- Sajdah, Allah is talking about ihsan (perfection and excellence). If you search for the word ihsan in the Quran, you find many verses on this topic. Allah Almighty is teaching us through His attributes and actions how to deliver excellence and perfection. ‫ٱلَّذِیۤ أَحۡسَنَ كُلَّ شَیۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥۖ وَبَدَأَ خَلۡقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ مِن طِینࣲ…

What makes people argumentative?

What makes people argumentative?

The one who argues vs the one who submits his face to Allah Allah Almighty says in Surah Luqman: أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُۥ ظَـٰهِرَةًۭ وَبَاطِنَةًۭ ۗ وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَـٰدِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍۢ وَلَا هُدًۭى وَلَا كِتَـٰبٍۢ مُّنِيرٍۢ “Do you not see that…

When holding on to faith is like a burning coal
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When holding on to faith is like a burning coal

The Prophet ﷺ said: يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ الصَّابِرُ فِيهِمْ عَلَى دِينِهِ كَالْقَابِضِ عَلَى الْجَمْرِ “A time will come when the one who patiently bears the pain and trials of staying true to his religion will be like someone grasping a piece of burning coal.” (Tirmidhi) We are familiar with this hadith, which the Prophet…

The Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ will remain upright until the end of time: Explaining istiqama.

The Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ will remain upright until the end of time: Explaining istiqama.

In the famous hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: قال رسول الله ﷺ: مَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ به خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ في الدِّينِ، وإنَّما أنا قاسِمٌ واللَّهُ يُعْطِي، ولَنْ يَزالَ أمْرُ هذِه الأُمَّةِ مُسْتَقِيمًا حتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ، أوْ: حتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ. When Allah intends good for someone, He gives him understanding of the religion. I am only…

Reviving the prophetic way in our life and society
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Reviving the prophetic way in our life and society

The Prophet ﷺ wrote a letter to Heraclius, the Byzantine Empreror who reigned from 610-641 CE, known to the Arabs as Qaysar (Caesar). It was the period following the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, between the sixth and eighth year after the Muslims had migrated to Madinah. Around this time, the Prophet ﷺ sent letters to the…

Huwa ‘Alayya Hayyin – It is easy for Me

Huwa ‘Alayya Hayyin – It is easy for Me

  The impossible In Surat Maryam, Allah Almighty talks about Zakariya and his request for a child. In the first story, Allah Almighty highlights the status of Zakariya and describes his supplication. He said: قال رب انى يكون لي غلام وكانت امرأتي عاقرا وقد بلغت من الكبر عتيا He said, “My Lord, how can I…

The gateway to victory may not look like it

The gateway to victory may not look like it

When the Muslims were besieged in Madinah by a confederation of tribes, their faith was tested to its limits. The Qur’an describes that terrifying moment: إِذْ جَاءُوكُم مِّن فَوْقِكُمْ وَمِنْ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ وَإِذْ زَاغَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ وَبَلَغَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ الظُّنُونَا “When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when…

Surat al Kahf: An exposition of 4 trials and the intoxication of power
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Surat al Kahf: An exposition of 4 trials and the intoxication of power

Trials in Surat al Kahf Allah says in Surat al-Kahf: أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا مِنْ آيَاتِنَا عَجَبًا “Or did you think that the companions of the cave and the inscription were among Our wondrous signs?” (18:9) إِذْ أَوَى الْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى الْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا…

Falsehood may appear strong but it is fragile
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Falsehood may appear strong but it is fragile

Allah begins Surat al-Isra: سُبْحَانَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلٗا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَى ٱلَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَاتِنَآ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ “Glory be to the One who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We might show him some of…

Racism is never the answer to any problem
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Racism is never the answer to any problem

Human equality in the Qur’an Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ “O mankind, indeed We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble…

A call for unity in a time of rising unrest
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A call for unity in a time of rising unrest

In Surat al-ʿAnkabūt, Allah asks whether people think they will not be tested simply because they believe. He says: الۤمۤ Alif, Lam, Meem. ‫أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن یُتۡرَكُوۤا۟ أَن یَقُولُوۤا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا یُفۡتَنُونَ “ Do people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ without being tested ?” ‫وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۖ…

The chicks, the camel and the tree. Examples of prophetic mercy
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The chicks, the camel and the tree. Examples of prophetic mercy

Prophetic mercy in action It has been 1454 years (1500 Hijri years) since our beloved Prophet ﷺ was born – a mercy gifted to this world. As Allah Almighty stated in the Quran in Surat al Anbiya (ayah 107), “We have sent you as a mercy to the worlds” – not just to world of…

Like a father – the Prophet ﷺ
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Like a father – the Prophet ﷺ

Allah Almighty stated in Surat al-Jumuʿah that His greatest favour to this Ummah was that He sent us the final, perfect Messenger ﷺ with the final, perfect message for humanity. He reminds us not to take this blessing for granted: هُوَ ٱلَّذِی بَعَثَ فِی ٱلۡأُمِّیِّـۧنَ رَسُولࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ یَتۡلُوا۟ عَلَیۡهِمۡ ءَایَـٰتِهِۦ وَیُزَكِّیهِمۡ وَیُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَإِن…

When is the Hour? When amanah is lost
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When is the Hour? When amanah is lost

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ : بَيْنَمَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ يُحَدِّثُ الْقَوْمَ، جَاءَهُ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ : مَتَى السَّاعَةُ ؟ فَمَضَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُحَدِّثُ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ : سَمِعَ مَا قَالَ فَكَرِهَ مَا قَالَ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ : بَلْ لَمْ…