Knowing the Creator Through His Creation What can we know about Allah Himself? What does His creation tell us about Him? It is He who created for you all that the earth contains; then He turned to the heavens and made them seven skies – and He is the knower of all things. (2:29) Allah…
The Low Down on Repentance How do I erase a bad deed? Will Allah accept my repentance? How do I repent? Is my sin too great to be forgiven? The repentance accepted by Allah is only for those who do wrong in ignorance [or carelessness] and then repent soon after. It is those to whom…
Here Today. Gone Tomorrow. Who can guarantee tomorrow? We have no idea what is around the corner, less still the length of our lifespan. We all know people whose death came out of the blue – not just sudden but at a young age. ‘How is it that you deny Allah, while you were…
What styles are used in the Qur’an to appeal to us? Can we learn how to do dawah from them? At times we are appealed to at an emotional level. At others it is on a rational level. In our own lives, we have ups and downs, experiencing mercurial spiritual levels and from time…
Why should we worship Allah? Allah Almighty does not need our worship. So why worship Him? Do we pray because we know Allah Almighty or do we know Allah Almighty because we pray? ‘O people, worship your Lord who created you and those before you, so that you may become God-fearing’ (2:21) Worship is the…
Hypocrisy – how it originated and what are the signs Hypocrisy is a disease of the heart. Just like heart disease, very often people do not even realise they have it. If they do not seek a cure for it, their disease spreads aggressively and leads to dire consequences personally, as well as for those…
When to do dawah. Knowing who will respond to Islam and who won’t. Are all disbelievers the same? Will their punishment be the same? Who are the ones whose hearts are sealed? Should our dawah be open to all disbelievers or should we focus on those who are more likely to benefit? A disbeliever is…
How to Spot a True Believer What should we be like and how should we behave? What are the characteristics that any two believers, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity will have in common? ‘Who believe in the Unseen, and are steadfast in Salah (prayer), and spend out of what We have provided them;…
The enigmatic letters and what they teach us What do we know about the mystery of the opening letters of Surah Baqarah? Can we ever know their real meaning? Alif. Laam. Meem. (2:1) These letters are the puzzling opening of Surah Baqarah. Though there is some discussion it is generally agreed that the basmallah is…
What can we gain by studying this lengthy surah? What is its significance? And why is it called The Cow? To the novice, beginning their journey of the Qur’an, Surah Al Baqarah can seem somewhat daunting – so lengthy, comprehensive and detailed. Yet, when we look closely at it, it is simultaneously the answer…
What are the key points to bear in mind when reciting Surah Fatiha? The richness of Surah Al Fatiha cannot be over-estimated, as it sets out what we believe (aqeeda) as well as what we need to do (action). Poised delicately between hope and fear, through this surah, we glimpse the vastness of Allah’s…
The Straight Path – the shortest route Is guidance innate, or do we need help to find the straight path? Can we rely on others or do we have to make an effort ourselves to be rightly guided? ‘Take us on the straight path The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your…
How do we seek help from Allah? Can we invoke help from the blessed Prophet (peace be upon him)? You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help. (1:5) Once we have praised Allah Almighty and recognised that He is the source of everything we have, we turn to Him in…
Lord of All the Worlds: We can only find our place in the universe by getting to know who created us All Praise unto Allah, Lord of the worlds The All Merciful, the Very Merciful The Master of the Day of Requital (1:2-4) The Qur’an begins with Praise of Allah Almighty, and then goes…
How to address nobility When we communicate with Allah Almighty, how do we start? How can we express our needs to Him without being rude or gauche? All praise (and thanks) belong to Allah, Lord of all the worlds (1:1) Anyone appearing before majesty would feel inadequate, perhaps speechless unless they had been taught…