02
Jun 2023
Uncover the spiritual essence of Hajj and take a journey within. Embark on a transformative pilgrimage with Shaykh Haytham Tamim as he explores the hidden meanings behind the time, place, and rituals of Hajj. With profound wisdom and clarity, Shaykh Haytham unveils the spiritual treasures – from the tawaf around the Ka’abah to the poignant standing on the plains of Arafat, he guides you to see how each moment on your journey connects you to the divine. Shaykh Haytham as always imbues his vast knowledge of Islamic teachings with simplicity and clarity.......
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05
Jul 2022
Imam Ghazali who was a great theologian and usuli has written brilliantly about usul al fiqh, says 99% of rulings come with ‘ila’ – the explanation of the wisdom behind them, but there is 1% where we do not have the explanation. One of these is why we perform 7 tawaf. Allah Almighty did not tell us. We can surmise the possible reasons, but we do not have a way to confirm this. Similarly when we pray, it is prescriptive (tawkifi) so we do not know why Allah selected 2 rakahs for......
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17
Jul 2021
Allah Almighty mentioned in the Quran that Hajj is ‘a well-known month’, ashurhum malumaat: “Remember Allah (God) during the well-known days.” (2:197) There are three months which are considered holy, because they are months of hajj. It used to take 1-2 months to travel to reach Makkah, therefore hajjis had to leave for hajj long before hajj, whereas locals would start during the month of Dhul Hijjah. The months of hajj are Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah, and Muharram, which were made holy, to enable hajjis to reach Makkah and travel there and......
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01
Aug 2020
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 the revelation was completed. the first thing is that this is the day on which the revelation was completed. Laylatul Qadr – the most blessed night of the year was when the first revelation descended and the day of Arafah was when the revelation was completed. Hence we have the most blessed day and the most blessed night......
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13
Aug 2019
How trust and love can lead to great things During the preparation for the Battle of the Ditch (when Madinah was surrounded) one big rock could not be moved when digging the ditch. The Prophet (peace be on him) just stroked it once and it sparked, he then said ‘Allahu Akbar, I can see the castles of Shaam.’ The companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were shocked that in the midst of the fear of more than 10,000 enemies approaching to wipe out the Muslims in their homes, he remained......
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13
Aug 2019
How the event of Hudaibiyah changed history The Prophet (peace be on him) had names for things such as his swords, shields and camel. The Prophet (peace be on him) rode a camel called ‘Al-Qaswa’ during Umrah, which was a very fast and reliable camel. Not all camels can be used for travel – only about 1% can be used for travel and the rest are not that useful. Ibn Umar reported Allah’s Messenger (peace be on him) as saying: You would find people like one hundred camels and you would not......
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06
Aug 2019
The Day of Gathering Stopping (wuquf) at Arafah is a crucial part of Hajj. Hajj is not accepted if this part was missed. It is one of the 3 pillars or fards of Hajj. The pillars are: Ihram, Wuquf at Arafah and tawaf al-Ifada. If any of these are missed, or there is a mistake in them, it is impossible to rectify it and the Hajj is not accepted. There are an additional 6 wajibs (obligations) in Hajj. however, can be rectified if a mistake is made in them. The Prophet (peace be on him) went from Mina to......
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05
Aug 2019
Transformation Hajj is not a tick box exercise. Allah Almighty uses Hajj as training for us to change our bad habits. It’s not about ticking off tawaf and sa’ee and standing in Arafat. These are not the end but the means to the end. Hajj is about personal transformation. For this reason the Prophet (peace be on him) said ‘The reward for accepted Hajj is nothing but Jannah’. (Musnad Ahmad) Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever performs Hajj for Allah’s pleasure and does not have sexual relations......
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02
Aug 2019
Spiritual dimension of Ihram (over the dimension of desires) Hajj is a special journey to al-akhirah (the life Hereafter) just as salah is a journey to heavens. When performing Hajj it is as though you are going to al-akhirah and you never know if you will return from Hajj. You might as well not say to friends and family that you are going to Hajj, but instead inform them that you may be going to Allah Almighty. This is one of the wisdoms for seeking forgiveness before your journey in case you don’t return. The significance of ihram Ihram is like a......
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02
Sep 2018
30
Jul 2018
Allah’s Special Plan Lessons from the Seerah The benefits of reciting darood When travelling to Madinah, as the Prophet (peace be on him) did, we do not experience hardship as he did, but we can utilise that time for dhikr. One of the best types of dhikr is to say salaam upon him. Ubayy bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (peace be on you), I frequently invoke Allah to elevate your rank. How much of my supplications should I devote to you?’ He said,......
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27
Jul 2018
The Essence of the Day of Arafah Increasing Khushu and attaining tranquility To achieve full focus (khushu) and sincerity (ikhlas) and block out thoughts of our daily affairs during salah is a generally struggle,. This is precisely why we start our prayer with takbirat-ul-ihram, to focus our minds on what we are saying, doing and reciting in our prayer, to grasp the meanings of the verses that we are reciting. Khushu in worship is required. Allah Almighty tells us: ‘And stand up in your prayer with submissiveness.’ (2:238) In the beginning of Surah al Muminun, Allah Almighty praises those that are......
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24
Jul 2018
Yawm At Tarwiyah On the 8th of Dhul Hijja when Hajjis go to Mina, it is known as the Yawm At Tarwiyah. This name originates from: 1. The process of filling bottles with water to take to Mina. Therefore, when someone is thirsty and then drinks until they are full they are Irtawa i.e. full. 2. The day Ibrahim (peace be on him) saw a vision (Surah As Saffat) from Allah Almighty in which he was asked to sacrifice his son Ismail (peace be on him). Then, when he was old enough to......
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21
Jul 2018
Makkah Al Mukarramah: The time and the place Allah Almighty described the Ka’ba: ‘The first house established for mankind is the one at Bakka; blessed, and guidance for all people. (3:96) The majesty of Makkah and sweetness of Madinah Bakka is the old name for Makkah. The root word for Bakkah means to break something. Makkah was called Bakkah because it broke the necks of oppressors and transgressors. For instance, Abraha wanted to destroy the Ka’ba (Surah Al Fil) and instead Allah Almighty broke him. Madinah, by contrast, is sweet and relaxing. Makkah......
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18
Jul 2018
Makkah Al Mukarramah: Spirit and Fruits of Hajj Why is Hajj a pillar? Hajj is full of blessings. When you dig deep down it is full of fruits and sweetness despite the challenges which you face; it is a gift from Him Almighty. Hajj is about unity and also a way of elevating you: 1. Unity In Hajj, you experience different colours, languages, hopes and wishes. 2. Elevation When you enter the state of ihram it connects you to the Hereafter and disconnects you from the dunya. This is the place to......
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