A simple formula for success vs refusing to believe

A simple formula for success vs refusing to believe

Surat al-A’raf mentions the stories of six prophets: Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, Shuayb, and lastly Musa (peace be upon them), whose story is the longest. In fact, the story of Musa (peace be upon him) is the longest in the Quran, and is repeated in many surahs. In verse 96, Allah says:   وَلَوۡ أَنَّ أَهۡلَ ٱلۡقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُواْ وَٱتَّقَوۡاْ لَفَتَحۡنَا  عَلَيۡهِم بَرَكَٰتٖ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَٰكِن  كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ…

Don’t be arrogant about your blessings from Allah
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Don’t be arrogant about your blessings from Allah

Surat Al-A’raf recounts the stories of five prophets: Nuh, Hud, Salih, Lut, and Shuayb (peace be upon them all). As a Makkan surah, it offers consolation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), reassuring him that he was not alone in facing rejection, hostility and ridicule. Every prophet before him endured similar opposition from their…

Al Araf- between heaven and hell

Al Araf- between heaven and hell

In Surah Al-A’raf, Allah presents us with two contrasting scenes—the people of Jannah (Paradise) and the people of Hellfire.  قَالَ ٱدۡخُلُواْ فِيٓ أُمَمٖ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلِكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ فِي ٱلنَّارِۖ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَتۡ أُمَّةٞ لَّعَنَتۡ أُخۡتَهَاۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ٱدَّارَكُواْ فِيهَا جَمِيعٗا قَالَتۡ أُخۡرَىٰهُمۡ لِأُولَىٰهُمۡ رَبَّنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَضَلُّونَا فَـَٔاتِهِمۡ عَذَابٗا ضِعۡفٗا مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِۖ قَالَ لِكُلّٖ…

Don’t let your ego get in the way of obeying Allah
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Don’t let your ego get in the way of obeying Allah

Surat al-A’raf is a Makki surah, which is untypically lengthy, with 206 verses. It opens with the story of Iblis and Adam – a story that Allah has repeated many times in the Quran.  Don’t put your ego first  Allah commands the angels and Iblis to prostrate; the angels obey, but Iblis refuses, thinking he…

Tricks of the devils from man and jinn to deceive people from Surat al Anam
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Tricks of the devils from man and jinn to deceive people from Surat al Anam

The beauty and timelessness of the Quran is evident in Surat al Anam, when Allah says: وَذَرُوا۟ ظَـٰهِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَبَاطِنَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْسِبُونَ ٱلْإِثْمَ سَيُجْزَوْنَ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَقْتَرِفُونَ ١٢٠ Shun all sin—open and secret. Indeed, those who commit sin will be punished for what they earn. (6:120) Throughout all generations and nations, the path…

Seek forgiveness before you sleep

Seek forgiveness before you sleep

Seek forgiveness from Allah in the morning and evening  ۞وَعِندَهُۥ مَفَاتِحُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ لَا يَعۡلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَۚ  وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِۚ وَمَا تَسۡقُطُ  مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعۡلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٖ  فِي ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا رَطۡبٖ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مُّبِينٖ With Him are the keys of the Unseen. No one knows them but He. He knows what is in the land and the sea. No leaf ever falls but that He knows about it, and there is no grain in the dark…

Ways to delete sins and elevate your rank
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Ways to delete sins and elevate your rank

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: عن أبي هريرة رضي الله تعالى عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ‏:‏ ‏”‏الصلوات الخمس،والجمعة إلى الجمعة، ورمضان إلى رمضان، مكفراتٌ ما بينهن إذا اجتُنبت الكبائر‏”‏. ‏(‏‏(‏رواه مسلم‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏ The five daily prayers, from…

Major Transformations in the Ummah: Lessons from the Seerah
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Major Transformations in the Ummah: Lessons from the Seerah

Throughout history, the Ummah has faced trials that have tested its resilience, patience, and faith. Allah reminds us in Surat al-Baqarah: أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ ٱلْبَأْسَآءُ وَٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ ٢١٤ “Do…

Major Principles in Islam: Haya (modesty)
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Major Principles in Islam: Haya (modesty)

What is haya? One of the main principles of Islam is al-haya.  Al-haya is an Arabic term, which has three different translations in English.  One is shyness, and we refer to someone shy as hayee. This is one translation.  The other translation is modesty, depending on the context, as the translation of the word depends…

Shaban – the forgotten month
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Shaban – the forgotten month

How closely the Companions observed the Prophet (peace be upon him) Usama bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: عن أُسَامَة بْن زَيْدٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، لَمْ أَرَكَ تَصُومُ شَهْرًا مِنَ الشُّهُورِ مَا تَصُومُ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ! قَالَ :”‏ ذَلِكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ، بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ وَرَمَضَانَ، وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ تُرْفَعُ فِيهِ الأَعْمَالُ…

The focal point of the Ummah

The focal point of the Ummah

سَیَقُولُ ٱلسُّفَهَاۤءُ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَا وَلَّىٰهُمۡ عَن قِبۡلَتِهِمُ ٱلَّتِی كَانُوا۟ عَلَیۡهَاۚ قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقُ وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبُۚ یَهۡدِی مَن یَشَاۤءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَ ٰ⁠طࣲ مُستَقِيم The foolish among the people will ask, “Why did they turn away from the direction of prayer they used to face?” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “The east and west belong ˹only˺ to Allah. He guides…