30
Sep 2018
What do I need to know about Rizq? We spend our lives chasing our rizq. Trying to make ends meet, to increase our wealth and spending it. What do we need to keep in mind? The Prophet (peace be on him) said, ‘Oh people, nothing makes you closer to Allah Almighty, and closer to jannah and further from hell than what I have commanded you to do. And there’s nothing that makes you close to hell and further from jannah than what I have forbade you to do. (Bayhaqqi) The Messenger of......
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23
Sep 2018
Muharram: When did floodgates of fitnah open and how do we deal with Karbala? Why is our Ummah constantly suffering? Hudhaifa Ibn Al Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) was the collector of all the narrations from the Prophet (peace be on him) regarding fitnah – if anyone wants to know the details of fitnah in our Ummah, he was the expert on it. Fitan is the plural of fitnah, which can describe civil strife, chaos, and sedition within a community or nation, leading to a breakdown of social order. It can......
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22
Sep 2018
Muharram: Commonly asked Questions Hijra did not take place in Muharram People always connect Hijra with Muharram, but in fact the Prophet (peace be on him) made his Hijra towards the end of Safar and arrived in Madinah in around 12th of Rabbi al Awwal. Why do we commemorate Hijra in Muharram? In Omar’s time (may Allah be pleased with him) he needed a calendar for documents and correspondence so he decided with the companions that they would start the new Islamic calendar from Hijrah, after they considered other options, for example......
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22
Sep 2018
Hijra: How Migrants Escaping Oppression Can Be a Source of Goodness As every New Hijri Year begins, we reflect on the Prophet’s (peace be on him) migration from Makkah to Madinah. What the reason for it? Persecution. Injustice. Disregard for human rights. Freedom of Expression The Prophet (peace be on him) was asking for his space for the freedom of expression to deliver his message as Allah Almighty had instructed him. Unfortunately the Quraysh could not tolerate this and did everything they could to prevent him. After the revelation, the Prophet......
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22
Sep 2018
Muharram: Never Give Up Allah’s Messenger (peace be on him) was inspired divinely at the age of forty. Then he stayed in Makkah for thirteen years, and then was ordered to migrate, and he migrated to Madinah and stayed there for ten years and then died. (Bukhari) 1. Try your Best and Exert Yourself For 13 years the Prophet (peace be on him) exhausted his efforts and explored all possible means to deliver the message of Islam in Makkah. After a decade of opposition, this intensified exponentially after the death of his......
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22
Sep 2018
Muharram Reflections on the Hijra (Migration) The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said on the day of the Conquest of Mecca: There is no Hijra (migration) after conquering Makkah but (only) jihad (striving in the way of Allah) and niyyah (sincere intention) ; when you are asked to set out (on an expedition undertaken for the cause of Islam) you should (readily) do so. (Muslim) Hijra was an obligation for believers until the conquest of Makkah. After the conquest, the dust had settled, Islam had spread......
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17
Sep 2018
The Importance of Justice in Islam Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. (16:90) This comprehensive ayah recited at the end of every Friday Khutbah contains the foremost principle of justice in Islam. Al Adal, the concept of justice is so fundamental it is also one of Allah’s names is ‘al Adal’, the All-Just. It is the main principle not only of Islam but is a universal principle, which came down......
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11
Sep 2018
New Beginnings and Effecting Change ‘Oh you who believe! Fear Allah and behave with taqwa. Let every soul consider what it has prepared for tomorrow. Allah is surely aware of everything you do.’ (59:18) Allah Almighty out of His mercy made the last months of the year special months, and the first month of the year a special month. So Muharram – the beginning of our Islamic Year, begins with a shahr haram (sacred month). The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to encourage his companions to increase their good deeds in......
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08
Sep 2018
Sequence of Revelation What were the first five Surahs revealed? What is their Significance? The very first exposure to Islam by the community in Makkah was through the following verses: Iqra ayahs 1-5 Surah Alaq (96) Part of Surah Al Qalam (68) Surah Al Muzzammil (73) Surah Al Muddaththir (74) Surah Fatiha (1) Iqra – The Command to Learn Sacred Knowledge The first word revealed is a symbol of knowledge. It is not only knowledge, but compulsory knowledge. Why? Because Iqra itself is fi’al amr (command form). It’s not saying ‘you may......
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06
Sep 2018
Resisting the Urge for Revenge Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (3:31) What does it mean to ‘follow’ the Prophet (peace be on him)? It means translating our love for the Prophet (peace be upon him) into action by emulating his character and mirroring his actions. Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) described the Prophet (peace be upon him) as the personification of Qur’an: ‘Kana khuluqul Qur’an’. He was a mirror reflecting it, embodying its......
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05
Sep 2018
The Significance of the Heart And indeed, the Qur’an is the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down Upon your heart, – that you may be of the warners (26:192-194) Allah Almighty mentions here that this revelation has been brought down by the Angel Jibreel on the Prophet’s (peace be on him) heart, superimposing the Qur’an on the heart. He mentions this again in Surah Baqarah: (Muhammad), tell the people, whoever is an enemy to Gabriel who has delivered the Book to your......
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05
Sep 2018
Why We Have to Speak Out And (remember) when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, then he fulfilled them: He said: ‘Surely I am going to make you an Imam for men.’ (Ibrahim) said: ‘And of my offspring?’ He said: ‘My covenant will not include the unjust.’ (2:124). In this particular ayah there are four important lessons: Leadership Trials, tests and challenges The importance of justice How to achieve justice We all know that the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was amongst ulu l’ azam (the five resolute prophets) and......
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02
Sep 2018
Spreading LOVE when there is HATE. What can we do when we feel helpless watching disasters unfold all over the world? What should our response be? Can we afford to sit back and watch or is there anything we can do? ‘O you who believe, be patient and compete in patience, and protect your frontiers, that you may achieve success.’ (3:200) At a time of indiscriminate and savage brutality against innocent civilians in many parts of the world without justification, when our ummah faces so many challenges and atrocities, our plight seems......
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01
Sep 2018
Why doesn’t Happiness Last? Have you noticed that no feeling lasts. Our moods are fluctuating constantly and moments of happiness evaporate into thin air. Why is happiness so transient? And why does life often feel like a struggle? And We certainly sent Musa with Our signs, , ‘Bring out your people from darknesses into the light and remind them of the days of Allah.’ Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful. (14:5) When Allah Almighty says in Surah Ibrahim ‘Remind them about the days of Allah Almighty’ what does......
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30
Aug 2018
When, even after that, your hearts were hardened, as if they were rocks, or still worse in hardness. For surely among the rocks there are some from which rivers gush forth, and there are others that crack open and water flows from them, and there are still others that fall down in fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do. (2:74) An argumentative nature is indicative of a deeper psychological problem – a hardened heart. Our hearts are the source of our actions. Imaan emanates from the......
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