Justice and the weight of responsibility. Remembering Srebrenica.
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Justice and the weight of responsibility. Remembering Srebrenica.

Upholding justice and responsibility in Islam In Surah an-Nisa, Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَاللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا الْهَوَىٰ أَن تَعْدِلُوا ۚ وَإِن تَلْوُوا أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا “O you who…

Treating daughters-in-law as maids is not Islamic
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Treating daughters-in-law as maids is not Islamic

A daughter-in-law is not a doormat Islam is not just a set of beliefs but a way of life. It is religion in which we are encouraged to help and serve others. However, it is not a religion in which we accept being exploited. Unfortunately, there are cultural practices which oppress daughters-in-law that have no…

How to deal with interference by parents and in-laws within marriage
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How to deal with interference by parents and in-laws within marriage

One of the most painful realities within many Muslim families today, particularly in South Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, is the interference of parents and in-laws in their children’s marriages. Whether it’s choosing a spouse, managing the relationship, or raising grandchildren, this interference often goes beyond well-meaning advice and becomes a cause of long-term damage…

How do you deal with an unjust mother or father in Islam?
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How do you deal with an unjust mother or father in Islam?

If your mother or father is unjust, their injustice does not nullify their rights over you. The rights of parents (both the mother or father) over their child are immense. Allah has commanded the child to treat his parents kindly, even if they are polytheists and urge him to associate partners with Allah. Allah says:…

The Seven Tactics of Oppressors: from the Story of Musa (peace be upon him) and Firaun
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The Seven Tactics of Oppressors: from the Story of Musa (peace be upon him) and Firaun

Throughout history, oppression has followed predictable patterns, and tyrants have repeated the same tactics to silence dissent and maintain their grip on power. The exchange between Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and Firaun depicted in Surat Ash-Shu’ara, offers a blueprint of oppression that we still see being used today. Allah Almighty commanded Musa (peace…

The fall of the tyrant
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The fall of the tyrant

In Surat An-Nur, Allah Almighty reassures us that He never breaks His promises: ‫وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمۡ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَیَسۡتَخۡلِفَنَّهُمۡ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ كَمَا ٱسۡتَخۡلَفَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ وَلَیُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ دِینَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی ٱرۡتَضَىٰ لَهُمۡ وَلَیُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ خَوۡفِهِمۡ أَمۡنࣰاۚ یَعۡبُدُونَنِی لَا یُشۡرِكُونَ بِی شَیۡـࣰٔاۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعۡدَ ذَ ٰ⁠لِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡفَـٰسِقُونَ ﴿ ٥٥ ﴾ Allah…

Those who are expelled from their homes unjustly
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Those who are expelled from their homes unjustly

Allah Almighty mentions about those who are being driven and expelled from their homelands in three surahs – Surat Ale Imran, Surat Hajj and Surat al Hashr. In Surat Ale Imran, He says: ‫ فَٱلَّذِینَ هَاجَرُوا۟ وَأُخۡرِجُوا۟ مِن دِیَـٰرِهِمۡ وَأُوذُوا۟ فِی سَبِیلِی وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ وَقُتِلُوا۟ لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنۡهُمۡ سَیِّـَٔاتِهِمۡ وَلَأُدۡخِلَنَّهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتࣲ تَجۡرِی مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ ثَوَابࣰا مِّنۡ…

Justice is blind. But we should not be blind to justice.
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Justice is blind. But we should not be blind to justice.

كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةࣰ وَ ٰ⁠حِدَةࣰ فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِیِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِینَ وَمُنذِرِینَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ لِیَحۡكُمَ بَیۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِیمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فِیهِۚ وَمَا ٱخۡتَلَفَ فِیهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِینَ أُوتُوهُ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَاۤءَتۡهُمُ ٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتُ بَغۡیَۢا بَیۡنَهُمۡۖ فَهَدَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَا ٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ فِیهِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ بِإِذۡنِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ یَهۡدِی مَن یَشَاۤءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَ ٰ⁠طࣲ مُّسۡتَقِیمٍ All mankind used to be a…

Do not side with falsehood – Tarawih reflections 25
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Do not side with falsehood – Tarawih reflections 25

Hypocrites who side with the disbelievers بَشِّرِ ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقِینَ بِأَنَّ لَهُمۡ عَذَابًا أَلِیمًا    ٱلَّذِینَ یَتَّخِذُونَ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ أَوۡلِیَاۤءَ مِن دُونِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَۚ أَیَبۡتَغُونَ عِندَهُمُ ٱلۡعِزَّةَ فَإِنَّ ٱلۡعِزَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِیعࣰا ‘Give the hypocrites the ‘good’ news that for them there is a painful punishment – those who take the disbelievers for allies instead of the believers. Are they…

Riba – riches or ruin? – Tarawih reflections 12

Riba – riches or ruin? – Tarawih reflections 12

Charity – expect your reward from Allah alone In Surat al Baqarah, Allah talks about infaq – spending, giving for Allah’s sake. When you give in charity, you only expect reward from Allah. Giving for Allah’s sake means you give for free – you don’t give because you are expecting anything back. When you give…

Toothless justice is just an illusion of accountability
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Toothless justice is just an illusion of accountability

Allah Almighty said in Surat al Hadid: لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِ وَأَنزَلۡنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلۡمِیزَانَ لِیَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَأَنزَلۡنَا ٱلۡحَدِیدَ فِیهِ بَأۡسࣱ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِیَعۡلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن یَنصُرُهُۥ وَرُسُلَهُۥ بِٱلۡغَیۡبِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِیٌّ عَزِيزٌ﴿ ٢٥ We have indeed sent Our messengers with clear proofs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance,…

Violence is not the solution to any conflict. Justice is.
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Violence is not the solution to any conflict. Justice is.

Autocratic leaders In Surat al Qasas, Allah Almighty tells us about Firaun, who has appeared in the Quran 70 times as a symbol of tyranny, oppression, and corruption etc. إِنَّ فِرۡعَوۡنَ عَلَا فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهۡلَهَا شِیَعࣰا یَسۡتَضۡعِفُ طَاۤىِٕفَةࣰ مِّنۡهُمۡ یُذَبِّحُ أَبۡنَاۤءَهُمۡ وَیَسۡتَحۡیِۦ نِسَاۤءَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِینَ ٤ Indeed, Pharaoh had become high-handed in…

The punishment for oppression is not very far
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The punishment for oppression is not very far

Abu Mas’ud al Badri’ was a companion who had witnessed Badr, and for this reason he was called Al Badri. في “صحيح مسلم” وغيره عن أبي مسعود البدري – رضِي الله عنه – قال: “كنتُ أضرِب غلامًا لي بالسَّوط، فسمعتُ صوتًا من خلفي: ((اعلم أبا مسعود، اعلم أبا مسعود، اعلم أبا مسعود))، فلم أفهم الصوت…