Knowing Allah
Purification of the heart
Justice
Truthfulness
How to keep motivated
Muslim identity
Self-development
Self-audit
Start another act of worship as soon as you have completed one And to complete the number of days and to glorify God for what He has guided you and may you be guided by Him. So that you might be grateful. (2:185) Allah Almighty commanded His servants to thank Him for His favours for…
Allah Almighty said: ‘And do not crave what Allah has given some of you over others.’ [4:32] In this ayah of Surat an-Nisa, Allah is addressing the very common disease of hasad, envy. For example, if someone is not happy with the division of inheritance that was laid out earlier in the surah, this stems…
Righteousness is not in turning your faces towards the East or the West. Rather, the righteous are those who believe in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Books, and the prophets; who give wealth, despite (their) love for it, to relatives, orphans, the poor, travellers, those who ask (for help), and for freeing captives;…
We are lucky to be witnessing Ramadan and to be able to pray in a mosque where we have a roof above our heads. The people of Gaza have no place to pray; food to eat; water to drink. Inshallah Allah will give them relief soon. We are starting with Surat al-Baqarah. Of course, this…
Allah Almighty said in Surat al Hadid: لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡمِیزَانَ لِیَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَأَنزَلۡنَا ٱلۡحَدِیدَ فِیهِ بَأۡسࣱ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِیَعۡلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن یَنصُرُهُۥ وَرُسُلَهُۥ بِٱلۡغَیۡبِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِیٌّ عَزِيزٌ﴿ ٢٥ We have indeed sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance,…
Autocratic leaders In Surat al Qasas, Allah Almighty tells us about Firaun, who has appeared in the Quran 70 times as a symbol of tyranny, oppression, and corruption etc. إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ عَلَا فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهۡلَهَا شِیَعࣰا یَسۡتَضۡعِفُ طَاۤىِٕفَةࣰ مِّنۡهُمۡ یُذَبِّحُ أَبۡنَاۤءَهُمۡ وَیَسۡتَحۡیِۦ نِسَاۤءَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِینَ ٤ Indeed, Pharaoh had become high-handed in…
How did the idea of compiling the major principles come about? Every Monday evening I hold an Arabic class, and at the end students ask questions. One of the questions a student put to me was ‘What are the major principles of Islam?’ There are plenty but I could not count them off the top…
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: عن عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : مَنْ تَعَاظَمَ في نَفْسِهِ، واخْتَال في مِشْيَتِهِ، لَقيَ اللهَ وهُوَ عليهِ غَضْبَانُ. ‘Whoever exalts himself and walks proudly, Allah will be…
The most beloved thing to Allah is being truthful and fighting for His sake Abdullah bin Salam said: عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلاَمٍ، رضي الله تعالى عنه قَالَ قَعَدْنَا نَفَرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَذَاكَرْنَا فَقُلْنَا: لَوْ نَعْلَمُ أَىَّ الأَعْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ لَعَمِلْنَاهُ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى : ( سبَّحَ لِلَّهِ…
Allah Almighty mentions in the Quran in different surahs, and on different occasions the continuous fight between truth and falsehood, since Adam was sent down to earth. There has been a battle between shaytan and his followers and Adam and his offspring, which will continue till the Day of Judgement. Every Friday, we read Surat…
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘There are three signs of a hypocrite; when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he betrays his trust.’ [Bukhari and Muslim] In another narration as well, in…
The changeable nature of hearts Shahr bin Hawshab said: I said to Umm Salamah: O Mother of the Believers! What was the supplication that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said most frequently when he was with you? She said: The supplication he said most frequently was: يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى…
Anas (may Allah be please with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: By Him in whose hand is my soul, a servant of Allah does not believe perfectly till he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. This is a very important and well-known hadith. What the Prophet (peace…
Allah Almighty says, God commands justice, and goodness, and generosity towards relatives. And He forbids immorality, and injustice, and oppression. He advises you, so that you may take heed. An-Nahl:90 This particular verse, Abdullah bin Mas’ud said, is the most comprehensive in the Quran. It contains three commands and three prohibitions- justice (adl), goodness (ihsan)…
In the opening verses of Surat al Qasas, Allah Almighty says: We recite to you from the story of Moses and Pharaoh—in truth—for people who believe. Pharaoh exalted himself in the land,and divided its people into factions. He persecuted a group of them, slaughtering their sons, while sparing their daughters. He was one of the…