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Reflections on Knowledge


21
Feb 2023
Can playing with children be an act of worship?

Let them play and join in Whenever we play with children, we have an opportunity to enter into their world and see the world through their eyes, (where everything is new, exciting and fascinating). Although this looks like play to us adults, it is actually work for them. It has been said by many psychologists and educationalists: “Play is the work of childhood.” “Play is the work of the child.” “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play......

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08
Feb 2022
Whomsoever Allah wishes good for...

Mu’awiyah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم مَنْ يُرِدْ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُفَقِّهْهُ فِي الدِّينِ “To whomever Allah wills goodness, He grants him understanding of the religion. (Bukhari and Muslim) This hadith begins with ‘whomsoever’. Whomsoever: No restriction on colour, race, age, gender, wealth, health and status. It is an open invitation for every individual to participate. The invitation says if you want to have ‘goodness in this temporal world and the everlasting Hereafter then seek the understanding of your Deen’. This shows the virtues and benefits of knowledge which are from the signs......

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07
Jul 2020
Must have books in our home library

Possessing books As a student of knowledge, we should try own as many books as we need for they are our tools of learning. However, we should not get into the trap of collecting books or creating a library of books without reading them. Every book we buy, it should be read at least once, then re-read again with the purposes of furthering understanding or for research and reference. Books are for self-development, Not for shelf-development. So what books should we have in our personal library? Here is a list of recommended......

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28
Jun 2020
A letter to my friend. Part 4: Knowing Allah

Keep the remembrance of Allah at all times Make Allah your only concern Imam Al-Muhasibi continues. Do not dismiss the remembrance of Allah, keep His Dhikr at all times, be engaged with the remembrance of Allah in all affairs and all concerns. So if you are concerned about something, then be in the remembrance of Allah. If you are confused between two things in what to do or in what to choose, be in the remembrance of Allah. Do your part and rely on Allah. You are preparing for an exam, do......

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28
Jun 2020
A letter to my friend. Part 3: De-clutter your heart

Look after your heart Look after your Dameer (heart) and your intention. Purify your heart, clean it and declutter it. Untie the knots in your heart. Make your heart sound until it becomes pure, soft and free. How do you declutter the heart? Clearing the space in the heart is like clearing space on your hard drive. What do you do when the hard drive of your phone or laptop is filling up? You start sifting through, you store it elsewhere or you delete and create the space.  Similarly, our heart is......

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28
Jun 2020
A letter to my friend. Part 2: Taking stock of time and activities

Take stock of your time and activities Imam Al-Muhasibi wrote a letter to his friend offering some advice. We have mentioned before that Imam Al-Muhasibi’s close companion is Al-Junayd Al-Baghdadi. He wrote: “I advise you to… What are you involved in O my brother, you have to look after your days and the night, the mornings and the evenings. Check all of the things that you are doing and involved in and what you plan......

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28
Jun 2020
A letter to my friend. Part 1: The 7 traits of the successful believer

Imam Al-Muhasibi wrote a letter to his friend offering some advice. We have mentioned before that Imam Al-Muhasibbi’s close companion is Al-Junayd Al-Baghdadi. He wrote: “I advise you to… 1.    Eethar: Give preference to Allah first Fix what is between you and Allah, in other words, fix your relationship with Allah. Do you know what it means to fix your relationship with Allah? It means you shouldn’t do anything that displeases Allah. Put what Allah......

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13
Jun 2019
having the right attitude towards your teacher

Having the right attitude towards your teacher   Trusting the teacher to guide you Once you have selected a teacher, it is incumbent on you to respect, honour and adhere to your teacher.  He must not feel proud or arrogant about the knowledge he acquires. Rather, he must display humility in front of his teacher and grant him full control to direct and supervise him in all matters. He should submit himself willingly in the same way that a sick person, that is ignorant about medicine, submits himself to a concerned and......

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13
Jun 2019
Learning through imitating

Emulating the teacher Being in the presence of the scholar, you can learn directly under him. Do not limit yourself to only studying from his knowledge but get to know him on a personal level; study him also by observing him. Realise his strengths and weaknesses and start imitating the behaviour that made him the success he is today. Pay attention on how he developed his knowledge, his skills and abilities to reach his goal. What schooling he went through, the books he read, who he was taught under and how many......

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13
Jun 2019
finding the right teacher

Finding the right teacher All human behaviour begins with role models, we learn to walk, talk and feed ourselves by watching our families doing those things every day. But we learn more than simple everyday activities from the people who surround us as we grow up. We also learn how to think and behave by watching them. Whether you realise or not, you have been a student of behaviour all your life. As an infant, your eager mind quickly grasped everything that was going on around you. You watched and later imitated......

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15
May 2019
Iqra! A Nation of Readers

Reading and Writing – how to elevate yourself Love Reading The first command given to the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) was the command of reading Iqra. Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: Read, in the name of your Lord Who Creates; Created man from a clot.  The underlining meaning of the verse is to seek knowledge, the knowledge that will lead you to discover your Lord, which will lead you to discover yourself and your purpose. Therefore the Ummah of Muhammad is the Ummah of Iqra, to read,......

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15
May 2019
To believe is to act

Acting upon what you know Islam is a practical religion, in which the highest virtue is to combine knowledge with action. When this is achieved a person is worshipping Allah Almighty as He commanded him. In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty has linked belief and actions in numerous places.  Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an: ‘Those who believe and do righteous deeds.’ . ‘O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you.’ ‘O you who believe! Celebrate the praises of Allah and do this often.’ ‘O you who......

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24
Jan 2019
how do i know who is the best teacher for me?

Identifying the Right Teacher Different Types of Teacher There are many different types of scholars in our midst today. Some scholars are strict and literal in their understanding, some liberal and reforming, some practical and balanced, some politically minded, some spiritually orientated, some self taught (desktop scholar), some well-known and others not so well-known. The big question is who to choose as your teacher and guide. There is a well known narration from the Prophet (peace be on him) who said: ‘The upright in every generation will carry this knowledge, rejecting the......

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18
Jan 2019
dedication and commitment in the pursuit of knowledge

Dedication and Commitment Knowledge is not something you will attain with ease or being passive by sitting and relaxing, rather it is attained by being active in seeking it from the sources, making sacrifice in your efforts and time. The Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said:  ’Surely knowledge is only attained by seeking it.’ Umar Ibn al-Khataab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘I dislike seeing any of you idle, with no action for this life or the Hereafter.’ Do not wrong yourself by wasting hours of your life......

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08
Jan 2019
why not to rush the pursuit of knowledge

Not Trying to Attain the Impossible If you feel frustrated in pursuing knowledge, it is worth thinking again, as knowledge is not something we can acquire overnight. It is a consistent approach that brings the seeds of knowledge to bloom.  Slow and Steady One must apply gentleness and proceed in a slow and calm manner in his search for knowledge. This is since the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: ‘Verily, Allah loves gentleness in every affair.’  And ‘Gentleness does not enter something except that it beautifies it.’ Seeking knowledge......

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