The win win deal

The win win deal

In Surat Fatir, Allah Almighty praises those who recite the Book of Allah, reflecting on it and putting its teachings into practice. إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَارَةً لَّن تَبُورَ Those who recite the Book of God, and perform the prayer, and spend of what We have…

Indeed I am near
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Indeed I am near

Allah Almighty said in the Quran: وَإِذا سَأَلَكَ عِبادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذا دَعانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ If My servants ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about Me: I am truly near. I respond to the supplication of the caller, when he calls upon Me. So let them respond ˹with obedience˺…

Peer pressure in this world and the blame game in the hereafter
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Peer pressure in this world and the blame game in the hereafter

In Surat Saba, Allah Almighty talks about oppressors and peer pressure. The verses mention the discussion which takes place in the hereafter between oppressors and evildoers and their followers. وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَن نُّؤْمِنَ بِهَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَلَا بِالَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ۗ وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ…

How to fill your bucket when it’s raining gold

How to fill your bucket when it’s raining gold

Laylatul Qadr is the night of greatness and magnificence. إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ فِى لَيْلَةِ ٱلْقَدْرِ Indeed, ˹it is˺ We ˹Who˺ sent this ˹Quran˺ down on the Night of Glory. (97:1) In Surat Dukhan, Allah Almighty said the Quran was revealed in a  very blessed night: حم ٓ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ ٱلْمُبِينِ By the clear Book! (44:2) إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ…

Choose your fate wisely. Do not risk your akhirah to fit in with the crowd

Choose your fate wisely. Do not risk your akhirah to fit in with the crowd

Allah Almighty talks about the situation of the disbelievers in the hereafter, distraught that they did not follow the Messenger (peace be on him). يَوْمَ تُقَلَّبُ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِى ٱلنَّارِ يَقُولُونَ يَـٰلَيْتَنَآ أَطَعْنَا ٱللَّهَ وَأَطَعْنَا ٱلرَّسُولَا۠ On the Day their faces are ˹constantly˺ flipped in the Fire, they will cry, “Oh! If only we had obeyed…

Have optimism even in the midst of fear

Have optimism even in the midst of fear

وَرَدَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِغَيْظِهِمْ لَمْ يَنَالُوا خَيْرًا ۚ وَكَفَى اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْقِتَالَ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ قَوِيًّا عَزِيزًا God repelled the disbelievers in their rage; they gained no advantage. God thus spared the believers combat. God is Strong and Mighty. (33:25) Surat al-Ahzab is referring to the Battle of al-Ahzab (Battle of the Trench) when…

Those who do not sleep and those who spend
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Those who do not sleep and those who spend

In Surat Sajdah, which the Prophet (peace be on him) used to recite in his Fajr prayer on Fridays, Allah Almighty mentions those who forsake their beds – they win the battle against their duvets and pillows. They stand in night prayers (qiyam al layl), rather than being tempted to sleep all night. These believers…

Monotheism is our natural instinct and unites us, but as an Ummah we are divided
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Monotheism is our natural instinct and unites us, but as an Ummah we are divided

In Surat Ar-Rum, Allah Almighty says: فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ So devote yourself to the religion of monotheism—the natural instinct God has instilled in mankind. There is no altering God’s creation. This is the…

The last ten nights of Ramadan are about heavenly food not earthly food
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The last ten nights of Ramadan are about heavenly food not earthly food

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that: “When the last ten nights of Ramadan arrived, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would tighten his belt, spend the night in worship, and awaken his family. (Bukhari and Muslim) عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ:” كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا دَخَلَ…

Do your best and leave the rest to Allah
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Do your best and leave the rest to Allah

Lessons in tawakkul In Surat al-Ankabout Allah Almighty mentions that those who do good deeds will receive special treatment in the hereafter and attain a special level in Paradise: وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ Those who believe and work righteousness—We will settle…

Mercy is only yours if you accept it

Mercy is only yours if you accept it

In Surat al-Ankabout, Allah Almighty said: وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَلِقَائِهِ أُولَٰئِكَ يَئِسُوا مِن رَّحْمَتِي وَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ Those who disbelieved in God’s signs and His encounter—these have despaired of My mercy. For them is a painful torment. (29:23) It is a common theme that disbelievers especially in the Makkah period deny the hereafter….

The story of Qarun – using what you have to please Allah and living with balance.

The story of Qarun – using what you have to please Allah and living with balance.

There were two types of inhabitant in Egypt at the time of Musa (peace be on him) – the Coptics and Bani Israel, the descendants of Prophet Yaqoob (Israel) peace be on him. Though Qarun was from Musa’s people, Bani Israel, he rebelled against him. Allah had made Qarun the wealthiest man on earth to…

When you have Allah’s protection, you have nothing to fear
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When you have Allah’s protection, you have nothing to fear

Surat Al-Qasas means stories and indeed this surah is full of stories. The story of Prophet Musa (peace be on him) is mentioned the most in the Quran. When you put ‘Musa’ in a Quranic search engine, it comes up around 130 times, far more than any other Prophet. The story highlights the challenges he…

The perfection of creation is a sign of the Creator
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The perfection of creation is a sign of the Creator

In Surat Naml, Allah Almighty says: وَتَرَى ٱلْجِبَالَ تَحْسَبُهَا جَامِدَةً وَهِىَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ ٱلسَّحَابِ ۚ صُنْعَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَتْقَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَفْعَلُونَ And you see the mountains, thinking they are standing still, when in fact they are moving just like the movement of the clouds. Such is the making of God…