The Patience of Pious Predecessors in Seeking Knowledge Among my books, one which is very dear to me, is Safahat min sabr al-’Ulamaa by one of my late shuyukh Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah[i] which took him more than 20 years to write. He did not set out to write it, but during the course…
We all know that zakat is the third pillar of Islam, after shahada and salah. Though we might think there are more verses on salah in the Quran, there are many more verses on zakat and spending than on salah. The word Zakat itself has been mentioned 32 times. And it is mentioned alongside salah…
There is a very sweet narration by Hudhaifah ibn al-Yaman which gives us beautiful insight into how the Prophet (peace be on him) prayed. We can glimpse the quality of his prayer. Hudhaifah tells us of the occasion he was praying with the Prophet (peace be on him), and we see this prayer unfold through…
The cycle of corruption and correction Why did Allah Almighty send messengers and prophets? In the varied stories of the prophets, we see a pattern throughout time. We see the spread of corruption, and when it reached rampant proportions, people would need guidance to restore the principles of decency. They were in need of…
The month of the Quran is Ramadan. Though the Quran is not exclusive to Ramadan. However we do increase our recitation during this month. Here are some of my reflections on The effect of the Quran on us and why we should make the effort to discover it more. Tranquility Allah Almighty says: الَّذينَ…
In the beginning of Surah Baraqah Allah Almighty says beautifully: This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for the mutaqeen (those have taqwa) (2:2) The word mutaqeen has been repeated many times in the Quran and it does not really have an equivalent word in English, though it has been…
Famously, the Prophet (peace be on him) called ‘Fasting a shield.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) used the word ‘junna’ meaning shield, and then he explained how to practice this: ‘If one of you is fasting, he should neither indulge in obscene language nor raise his voice. If anyone tries to quarrel with him,…
Change is particularly appropriate topic in Ramadan. May Allah make this month a month for change for ourselves, our families and our communities, so we become better. Apart from new year resolutions we have ongoing goals and lists. Another year comes and we renew our list. Some years we manage to achieve part of it,…
Looking at life afresh Now that we have had our normal lifestyle taken away from us, and so many of our favours, they have become apparent to us. We realise what we should be grateful for. There is reason for any test and a wisdom behind it, not just GCSES and A levels which have…
Engaging the heart, the lips and the mind The month of the Quran As we are preparing for Ramadan, we all know that Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, so we delve more into the Qur’an. شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ الشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ…
Time for repair Every year Ramadan comes with a different flavour. Although you are fasting in Ramadan but you can still taste its sweetness. It is a favour from Allah which He never gave to any nation before us. Fasting itself was also prescribed to previous nations, as we know from Surah Al-Baqarah: O you…
Managing the Fear Factor Fear is everywhere. Fear is also a striking feature of two battles in Islamic history – the Battle of Uhud and the Battle of Al Khandaq (the ditch). In the Battle of the Ditch (Battle of Al Ahzab), 10,000 enemy troops surrounded Madinah and were about to attack the believers. Allah…
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Take advantage of five before five: 1-your youth before your old age, 2-your health before your illness, 3-your wealth before your poverty, 4-your free time before your work, 5-and your life before your death….
Once Sha’ban is here, the countdown to Ramadan has truly started. The Prophet (peace be on him) used to fast regularly throughout the year, but it was in the month preceding it, Sha’ban, when he cranked up his efforts and would fast almost the entire month. In a famous hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon…
How to simplify your life and prioritise it – Part III عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ مَا شَبِعَ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُنْذُ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ مِنْ طَعَامِ بُرٍّ ثَلاَثَ لَيَالٍ تِبَاعًا حَتَّى قُبِضَ . ‘A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: Never had the family of Muhammad (ﷺ) eaten to the fill since…