14
Jul 2023
The tasbih, tahmeed, tahleel and takbir We are familiar with the phrases Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu akbar, wa la illaha illallah. We recite them in our Salah and after the Salah and before we sleep. It does not matter which order you say them. There are many narrations which show how much the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasised repeating them. He confirmed that the four phrases – the tasbih, tahmeed, tahleel, and takbir – are the most beloved words to Allah after the Quran. Why are they significant? The reason is that......
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11
Jan 2022
Firstly there is a difference between a bathroom and a toilet. Some bathrooms do not have a toilet in them. Here it is acceptable to say bismillah before you do your wudu. With regards to bathrooms which have a toilet in them, or a toilet, one simply has to think about what sort of space that it. It is a place where on relieves oneself and contains filth. Therefore it is not an appropriate place to do dhikr. Moreover, we have been taught to seek refuge before entering the toilet, because the......
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28
Jun 2021
Sometimes we engage in dhikr but the heart is not connected to the tongue. Should we stop? The first point is to continue doing dhikr, as otherwise the shaytan will come and hunt you and put you off doing dhikr because you are not focused. He will put you off doing dhikr altogether. Second, try your best to think about what you are saying. As the mind keeps trying to wander off, bring your focus back to the dhikr of Allah Almighty. Rather than rattling it off by your tongue robotically, allow......
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31
Mar 2020
Dhikr for every morning and evening 1. Ayat ul Kursi Allah! There is no god but He – the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor Sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as he permits? He knows what (appears to His creatures As) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He wills. His throne doth extend over the heavens and on earth, and He feels no......
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22
Dec 2019
And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind. He will say, ‘My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was seeing?’ will say, ‘Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.’ And thus do We recompense he who transgressed and did not believe in the signs of his Lord. And the punishment of the Hereafter is more severe and......
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14
Oct 2019
Main principles in Islam: Know Allah (part 3) What does it mean to know Allah, love Allah, and call on Allah? What does remembering Him entail? Obligation to know Allah Knowing Allah is an obligation for every human. We know this but we need to dig deeper for it to impact our lives. In his poem, Ibn Rislan (may Allah have mercy on him), the Palestinian Shafi scholar who passed away 844 Hijri, said the first obligation on every human being is to know Allah the Almighty with certainty (istiqān). Istiqān comes......
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17
Aug 2019
Realising the mundane is extraordinary In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, are signs for people of understanding. (3:190) Those who remember God while standing, and sitting, and on their sides; and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord, You did not create this in vain, glory to You, so protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (3:191) The neglected form of worship – Observation and awe To ponder on the creation of Allah......
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23
Jul 2019
Sabr – An Active State Many people think that sabr is a passive state. Of waiting patiently. Sabr is more than this. Sabr is an active state. Sabr is a quality that grows with practice. ‘O you who believe, be patient, compete with each other in patience.’ (3:200). To get out of bed and pray fajr requires sabr – you have to fight your pillow and mattress and duvet in order to get up and pray. You also need sabr to refrain from what is haram. This is why Allah has given a special......
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11
Feb 2019
How to Increase the Chances of Your Du’a Being Answered Thereupon, Zakariyya prayed to his Lord. He said: ‘O my Lord, grant me from Your own (power) a goodly progeny. Verily, You are the One who listens to the prayer.’ So then, when he stood praying in the place of worship, the angels called out to him saying: ‘Allah gives you the good news of Yahya who shall come to confirm a word of Allah and shall be a chief, chaste, a prophet and one of the righteous.’ (3:38-39) Upon seeing Maryam......
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18
Jan 2019
The Recipe for Success and Unity ‘O you who believe when you meet your enemy forces, take the firm stand against them and remember Allah Almighty much so that you may be successful and do not dispute with one another, lest you will achieve failure and your power will depart from you and be patient, indeed Allah Almighty is with those who are patient.’ (8:45) In Surah Anfal, Allah Almighty is confirming the importance of thabat or steadfastness, of being firm in your positions. Although, Surah Anfal is referring to the battlefield......
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09
Dec 2018
The Benefits of Dhikr Simple dhikr is a powerful tool. Light on the tongue but heavy on the scales. My servant continues to draw near to Me with optional works so that I will love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant......
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07
Dec 2018
The Importance of Connecting with Allah The Benefits of Dhikr ‘We dye ourselves with the colouring of Allah! For who is better in colouring than Allah? We are to worship none but Him.’ (2:138) Allah Almighty has endowed us with fitrah so that we may recognise the Truth. The truth is like a dye, which soaks deep into fabric leaving a permanent stain. In this ayah, Allah Almighty talks about ‘sibghah’: a dye. Imaan comes to us like the dye that changes the colour of cloth; it changes the very fabric of......
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