The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned the ummah against one of the most dangerous threats to their deeds. قال رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وسلم: “إنَّ أخْوَفَ ما أخافُ عليكم الشِّركُ الأصْغَرُ، قالوا: وما الشِّركُ الأصْغَرُ يا رسولَ اللهِ؟ قال: الرِّياءُ؛ يقولُ اللهُ عزَّ وجلَّ لهم يومَ القِيامةِ إذا جُزِيَ الناسُ بأعمالِهم: اذْهَبوا إلى…
Throughout history, oppression has followed predictable patterns, and tyrants have repeated the same tactics to silence dissent and maintain their grip on power. The exchange between Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and Firaun depicted in Surat Ash-Shu’ara, offers a blueprint of oppression that we still see being used today. Allah Almighty commanded Musa (peace…
What did the Prophet (peace be upon him) fear the most for his Ummah? Imran bin Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: روى البزار والطبراني في المعجم الكبير عن عمران بن حصين رضي الله عنهما قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم…
In Surat Nur, Allah Almighty stated: فِی بُیُوتٍ أَذِنَ ٱللَّهُ أَن تُرۡفَعَ وَیُذۡكَرَ فِیهَا ٱسۡمُهُۥ یُسَبِّحُ لَهُۥ فِیهَا بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡـَٔاصَالِ (Such light shines) in houses which Allah has permitted to be raised up and in which His name is remembered. Highly exalting Him therein, mornings and before sunset, (24:36) رِجَالࣱ لَّا تُلۡهِیهِمۡ تِجَـٰرَةࣱ وَلَا…
One of the principles that is important in Islam: the concept of “satr,” which is concealing faults and mistakes. This concept applies in two directions: personal and private mistakes, and the mistakes or sins of others. Satr – concealing faults Concealing faults is one of the main principles in Islam. Islam encourages us to conceal…
A young boy said to me after my Eid Khutbah: “You are the best Imam!” I don’t think this is the case, however at Eid Al-Adha one year, I led the prayer and delivered my usual short Khutbah – about 5 minutes at the Muslim World League at Goodge Street in central London. After I…
In the verses of fasting in Surat al-Baqarah, Allah says that He wants ease for us, not hardship, and that we should complete the prescribed days and glorify Him for guiding us — and that we may be grateful. وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ“…and so that you complete the prescribed period,…
After all Yusuf (peace be on him)’s trials, he was finally released from prison when the king saw a dream that no one around him could interpret it. Someone who had been in prison with Yusuf (peace be on him) remembered that he could interpret dreams, and went to ask him about it. Yusuf (peace…
The Quran is filled with stories of prophets and messengers who faced immense challenges from their people. Each nation had its own test. Take, for example, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). His people reacted with hostility and violence when he challenged their worship of idols. After he destroyed the idols to demonstrate their futility,…
1. Allah’s favours can be a test too In Surah Yusuf, we see that Yusuf (peace be on him)’s beauty was a test for him. Not only with his brothers, but also with the wife of al-Aziz, who would not have come near him if he was not beautiful. His beauty was a blessing from…
Surah Yusuf is the longest story in the Quran that is all told in one continuous stream. There are other long and detailed stories in the Quran, such as the story of Prophet Musa (peace be on him), but it is split up into many pieces in different surahs. The dangers of hasad One of…
Surah Hud contains the stories of several prophets, including Shuayb (peace be upon him). He said to his people: إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا ٱلْإِصْلَـٰحَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ I want nothing but to set things right as far as I can. My ability to do anything comes from none but Allah. [11:88] There…
In Surat Hud, Allah Almighty mentions different stories from different prophets and messengers, including Nuh, Hud, Salih and Ibrahim (peace be upon them). After the story of Nuh, Allah says to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): تِلۡكَ مِنۡ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ نُوحِيهَآ إِلَيۡكَۖ مَا كُنتَ تَعۡلَمُهَآ أَنتَ وَلَا قَوۡمُكَ مِن قَبۡلِ هَٰذَاۖ فَٱصۡبِرۡۖ إِنَّ ٱلۡعَٰقِبَةَ…
Surah Hud is a Makki surah, revealed during a time when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the early believers were facing intense pressure and rejection. The Quraysh, who prided themselves on their eloquence and mastery of the Arabic language, began questioning the very foundation of the message: Was this Quran truly divine,…
There are two important ayahs at the end of Surah Yunus. The first ayah is: قُلِ ٱنظُرُوا۟ مَاذَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَا تُغْنِى ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتُ وَٱلنُّذُرُ عَن قَوْمٍۢ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ Say, “Look at what is there in the heavens and the earth.” But, signs and warnings do not suffice a people who do not believe….