We have not sent to you, but as a mercy to the worlds. (21:107) In this oft-repeated ayah, Allah Almighty informs us that He sent the Prophet (peace be on him) as a rahmatan lilalameen – a mercy to all humanity. In the hadith, the Prophet (peace be on him) himself said he was…
Prepare for Tomorrow Optimism is what we need for a New Year! Optimism The Prophet (peace be on him) was an optimist by nature. He inspired optimism in others, despite all the difficulties and challenges he faced. We should learn from the master, and emulate his character (peace be on him). Optimism is contagious just…
The Qualities Allah Almighty Loves In Bukhari’s book Adab al Mufrad (A Perfect Code of Manners and Morality), which is different from his Sahih, he narrates a particular hadith from an occasion when historians say a delegation from Bahrain, around the year 8 or 10 AH, came to visit the Prophet (peace be on…
To Reflect on the Past and Plan for the Future Check your Balance The wise person is the one who calls himself to account and prepares himself for the hereafter. The foolish person is the one who is following his whims and desires and only has hopes in Allah. (Tirmidhi) Closure and New Beginnings As…
Moving from Faith to Action What is faith? How do you define it? What does it comprise? And what are its fruits? Imaan has been painstakingly examined by scholars who identified its component parts. Yet imaan cannot simply reside in the heart, its reality is only evident when it is translated into action. As always,…
Know your Self Worth Where do you stand with Allah Almighty? What is your self-worth? Wrongly estimating our own value could have severe repercussions. How then do we ensure that we have a better on handle on where we stand with Allah Almighty? We may weigh little in Allah Almighty ’s eyes, but think we are…
Getting our Priorities Right In the pursuit of goodness it is easy to become side-tracked by worthwhile acts, which may deceptively be shifting your focus from more important acts. How valuable is growing a beard when you are not acquiring your earnings in a halal way? Or praying in the front row when you are treating your…
Opposing Oppression ‘Oh My servants I have prohibited oppression for myself and made it prohibited amongst you, so do not oppress one another’ (Bukhari) There are countless verses in the Qur’an on oppression and around 97 verses alone on oppressors. Human Weakness By contrast, there is a word which is mentioned three times in just…
The Pillars of the Islamic Civilisation What were the Achievements of the Islamic Civilisation built on? Whenever anyone asks what Islamic Civilisation is, the first thing which comes to our mind is usually our scientific achievements, of which we are rightfully proud Alhamdulilah. However, I would like to look deeper and focus on the…
Being Properly Prepared As most of us do not feel prepared for the akhirah, what tips are there to help us focus? Though most people think that ‘This day I have perfected for you your religion’ (5:3) is the last ayah to be revealed, they do not realise that that was only a fragment, a…
How to Act on Your New Year Resolution New Beginnings and Affecting 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) New Year’s Resolutions Most resolutions blow away with the wind. There’s nothing wrong…
Telling the Truth O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are true (in word and deed). (9:119) Say, ‘Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path – a religion of values – the way of Abraham, inclining toward truth. And he was not among those who associated others with…
Open the Curtains and Let Light of Allah in Your Heart The Light of Allah, when we receive it, has a profound effect on our hearts and on our life. What are the means with which we can seek it and what blocks it? Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The…
Apathy is Not a Choice for the Muslim Ummah So often we believe it is enough to take care of our individual responsibilities and that what is happening at a social or political level is not our concern. However the dangers of this attitude are revealed in the hadith of the boat: The example of…
The Challenges that Face the Truth This knowledge will be carried by the trustworthy from each generation. They will expel from it the corruption of those who go beyond boundaries. The lies of the falsifiers and the interpretation of the ignorant. (Bayhaqi) In this sound hadith, the Prophet (peace be on him) is both…