The answer is a full course question. The simple answer is you have to focus on what Allah Almighty will ask you about. Just ask yourself, would Allah ask you about this if you didn’t do it? If no, then don’t make it your priority, make your priority what Allah will ask you about. Your…
Imam Ghazali’s book Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The 40 Principles of the Faith is a summary of his great work, Ihya Ulumuddin which he wrote before he died. In the chapter on the purification of the heart, he breaks down the traits we need to excise from ourselves, and begins by focusing on the…
In Imam Ghazali’s book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The Forty Principles of the Religion, which is a summary of his great work, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, he talks about how to purify the heart by ridding oneself of bad traits. One of these is Sharah at- ta’am which is gluttony. Gluttony Ghazali dwells at length…
Imam Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The Forty Principles of the Religion, which he wrote before his death is a summary of his life’s works and thoughts, and his major work, the lengthy and detailed Ihya Ulum ad-Din. As we go through his work, we have to bear in mind that Imam Ghazali has…
In Imam Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The Forty Principles of the Religion, which is a summary of his great work, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, he talks about how to organise your daily wird. Wird Wird means your daily remembrance of Allah. Wird is the singular of awrad. It may be your daily recitation of…
Following the Sunnah In Imam Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The Forty Principles of the Religion, which is a summary of his great work, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, he has a chapter on Following the Sunnah. He discusses the importance of following the Prophet (peace be on him) and establishing a bondship with him. Not…
We are still reading from the book of Imam Ghazali Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The Forty Principles of the Religion, which is a summary of his great work, Ihya Ulum ad-Din. In his chapter on Following the Sunnah, he talks about the importance of following the Prophet (peace be on him) and establishing…
In Imam Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The Forty Principles of the Religion, the summary of his great work, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, he examines the concept of Following the Sunnah, in chapter 10. The key to happiness is following the Sunnah Itiba as-sunnah as-mifahu as-sa’ada We can write reams and reams on this topic…
In Imam Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The Forty Principles of the Religion, he examines the concept of commanding what is good and reprimanding others from doing what is wrong, amr bil marouf wa al nahil anil munkar. Condition 1: Gentleness vs the whip The one who commands good and forbids evil, is called…
Let there be a group among you who call ˹others˺ to goodness, encourage what is good, and forbid what is evil—it is they who will be successful. (3:104) The believers, both men and women, are guardians of one another. They encourage good and forbid evil, establish prayer and pay alms-tax, and obey Allah and His…
In Imam Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, The Forty Principles of the Religion, he explores how to deal with different people. In this section we will look at how to treat neighbours. Neighbours have extensive rights Ghazali quotes a hadith that the first disputants on the Day of Judgement will be neighbours with a…
Rule 19: Stay away from those who do not benefit your deen Distance yourself from people of ghaflah (heedlessness). People of ghaflah will impact your level of imaan. Their ghaflah will be reflected by you. The heart which is occupied with dunya casts shadows around it. It will blot out the light of your heart….
Rules 16-20 for dealing with people Rule 16: Supporting your brother or sister in their absence In Imam al Ghazali’s Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, the 40 Principles in Religion, he sketches the the 20 rules for dealing with people in chapter 8. The sixteenth rule is to support others even in their absence. The…
In general do not shake hands with the opposite sex The default position is that you should not shake hands with non Mahrams of the opposite sex. Overall, there is no agreed on 100% prohibition, but it is disliked. All the narrations which talk about the prohibition of not shaking hands are weak, though some…
Rule 14: Hurry to fulfil the needs of others The Prophet (peace be on him) said: Intercede with me for one another and be rewarded; for indeed I want to do a thing but put I off so that you may intercede with me and be rewarded. (Abu Dawood) Shafa means to intercede for someone….