How long is iddah for widows? Do older women need to observe iddah?
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...
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Why is the Day of Arafah the most important day of the year?
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...
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Are forced marriages allowed in Islam?
Forced marriages are haram in Islam. Shariah From a legal point of view the Islamic marriage contract requires 4 conditions to be fulfilled to be valid. The very first of these is the consent...
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Why you should fast on the Day of Arafah
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...
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Is it permissible to trim your nails and cut your hair if you intend to do a sacrifice (qurbani) on Eid?
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...
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Who was Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him)?
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,...
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Why is alcohol prohibited in Islam? (part 2)
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...
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Why do we send salah and salam on the Prophet (peace be on him)?
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...
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Where does it say that alcohol is prohibited in the Quran (part 1)
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...
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What is destiny?
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?...
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What is the concept of intercession (shafa’ah) in Islam
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...
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Unpicking the concept of wasilah – can you visit shrines or ask people to pray for you?
O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek waseela the means to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed. (5:35) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا...
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How does Allah reward the sick and why should we make the most of our health
Uqbah bin ‘Amir said that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: Each day, every deed has to be recorded and sealed. When a believer becomes ill, the angels...
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Where are the brains? And where are the women? To carry the knowledge
Carry the knowledge We need to deliver knowledge in a prophetic manner. Make it relevant. We often lack this element when delivering Islamic knowledge. There is a deep disconnect between the knowledge in our...
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What are the limits of interaction between boys and girls?
Desire is normal The instinct which Allah Almighty created in us makes it very easy for us to be tempted by the opposite sex. This is our nature and how we function and what...
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