There are times when we feel down. There were times when the prophets were scared and distressed and felt sorrow. Throughout the Quran there are ayahs of consolation and hope. Acknowledge your situation In Surat al Anbiya, we are taught through the example of Prophet Ayyub (peace be on him) to acknowledge our situation: And…
Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that one day Allah’s Messenger (peace be on him) came from Al-‘Aliyah: a high place in Madinah. He passed by the mosque of Banu Mu’awiyah, went in and observed two rak’ahs there and we also observed prayer along with him (peace be upon him)…
Can you hold a Khatam al Quran or recite the Quran for the deceased Widespread practice The practice of holding khatams is so widespread in the community. Probably more than 80 percent of people do this. Is it permissible? In a nutshell, in our time, the entire ummah, barring a small minority, say that it…
Praying the salatul janaza (janaza prayer) Praying the janazah (funeral) prayer is prescribed for both men and women, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever attends the janazah until he offers the prayer will have one qirat (of reward), and whoever attends until (the deceased) is buried will have…
How long is the mourning period in Islam Mourning lasts for three days for everyone except the widow. The widow has to mourn four months and ten days, as stipulated in the Quran: And those of you who die and leave wives behind them, they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four…
The Day of Arafah is the most important day of the year. 1. The completion of the revelation It has many virtues and one of these is that it was the day on which the revelation was completed. the first thing is that this is the day on which the revelation was completed. Laylatul Qadr…
Forced marriages are haram in Islam. In Islamic law, it is strictly prohibited (haram) for a father or mother to compel their son or daughter to marry someone against their will. A marriage brought about through coercion is considered religiously invalid, particularly in the case of a daughter. The right to choose a spouse is…
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are the best ten days of the year and the month of Hajj. The Prophet (peace be on him) highly recommended that we should fast during the first 9 days. The 9th day is the Day of Arafah, and the Prophet (peace be on him) said: There is…
Is it permissible to trim your nails and cut your hair if you intend to do a sacrifice (qurbani) on Eid? When a person enters a state of ihram for Hajj, they are not allowed to trim their hair or clip their nails since these are among the things prohibited while in ihram. This includes…
The Inspiring Companions Series It was narrated from Abdullah bin Abi Talha, from his father, that: The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) came one day with a cheerful expression on his face, and we said: ‘We see you looking cheerful’. He said: ‘The Angel Jibril came to me and said: ‘O Muhammad, your…
Alcohol clouds the brain Allah Almighty called alcohol Khamr (intoxicant) in Surat un-Maidah from ‘cover’. Khimar means head cover*. Therefore khamra is something which covers, clouds and befuddles the brain. When someone is intoxicated they cannot think clearly, their mind is fogged. They can’t function properly. Allah Almighty’s prohibition is clear: O you who have believed,…
It was narrated from Abdullah bin Abi Talha, from his father, that: The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) came one day with a cheerful expression on his face, and we said: ‘We see you looking cheerful’. He said: ‘The Angel Jibril came to me and said: ‘O Muhammad, your Lord says: ‘Will it…
The prohibition of alcohol was introduced gradually. It happened in stages. This is gradualism. As Islam was revealed over 23 years, the dos and dont’s were not delivered in a single complete package as we have now. Rather, a process of transforming hearts, minds and social practices took place as the verses were revealed bit…
Confusion about destiny People have been confused by this topic from the time of the companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) till today. What is destiny? How much control do we have? Can it be changed? What is the role of dua? Believe in destiny Al Walid bin ubadah bin al Samit came…
A good starting point for the concept of intercession is an occasion when the Prophet (peace be on him) disappeared, and his companions were extremely worried what had become of him, and whether they had been replaced by some other set of companions. Ubada bin As-Samit narrated that One day the Companions did not find the…