25
Jul 2023
The interconnected meanings of Al-Fattah Al-Fattah is one of Allah Almighty’s names. It has different meanings, but its primary meaning is the Opener, or the One who opens things for you. It also has other meanings which we will look at. For instance, in the only ayah that Al-Fattah has been mentioned in the Quran, Al-Fattah means the Judge: ‘Say our Lord will bring us together, then He will judge between us in truth and He is the Knowing Judge.’ (34:26) When you delve into the Arabic meaning of Al-Fattah, you find......
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21
Jul 2023
Allah’s beautiful name Ar-Razzaaq has been translated in various ways, but they are all connected to rizq, which is provision. So accordingly, you see the translation of Ar-Razzaq as the Total Provider or the Provider or the Sustainer. Also as the One who creates the sustenance for all His creation. And it is one of Allah Almighty’s favours, that He is the One who provides and distributes rizq. In the Quran, there are many verses which talk about the name of Ar-Razzaaq, such as إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ God......
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18
Jun 2023
Ad Dhahir wal Batin, the Evident and the Hidden Know Allah Almighty through the manifestation of His creation Ad Dhahir in Arabic comes from dhahara which means to appear, to be very clear, very obvious, and dhahir i.e. evident. In Arabic dhara means obvious and so this is why Dhuhr prayer is when the sun is in the middle of the sky, it is very obvious, dhaahir, no can dispute it. How is Allah Almighty evident when we cannot see Him? Allah Almighty states in the Quran that He cannot be grasped......
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17
Jun 2023
“He who knows the name of his Lord, forgets his own name” – Imam al Qushayri Imam al Qushayri, one of the greatest scholars in spirituality and in the purification of the heart, ethically and morally in his beautiful book at-Tahbeer mentioned many wisdoms related to the names of Allah Almighty. One of these is that the who knows the name of his Lord, forgets his own name. This is so beautiful and so sweet. It means that if you know Allah Almighty properly, you will forget your name. It means you......
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08
Jun 2023
Allah Almighty is Al Haqq One of Allah Almighty’s names is Al Haqq. When you search in the Quran for this name, this word Al Haqq, there are many verses talking about His name Al Haqq, for instance, huwalaahulladhi laa ilaaha illah hu, So He is Allah Almighty no God but He They all return to Allah Almighty their true master. The word al Haqq in Arabic derives from 3 letters, Ha and double Qaf. Although you write it as two letters, the Qaf has shadda over it. This is why in......
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10
Apr 2023
Don’t sell your deen and your dignity and your akhirah for silly games in the dunya. Don’t do that, even if it’s for money, even if it’s followers. They will not carry this responsibility on your behalf on the Day of Judgement. You will carry the responsibility of your own action and their own actions which they were influenced by you. This is why we need sincerity and ikhlas in our actions which we are doing. And we ask Allah Almighty to make our actions, and our deeds, purely for His sake,......
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27
Mar 2023
The first principle of Islam is monotheism – to know Allah Almighty, His attributes, His beautiful names and so on and to this end we have been getting acquainted with Allah Almighty through His attributes from a chapter in the book, Shajarat al Maarif by Imam Al-Izz bin Abdus Salam. He talks about how we can emulate these names in our lives and daily interactions. It’s a beautiful book (may Allah Almighty have mercy on him). Al Ghani – the Bountiful One of the names is Al Ghani, which has different translations,......
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17
Mar 2023
The first obligation of every human being is to know his Creator. Some people accepted this invitation from Allah Almighty to find out about Him and truly knowing Him can only lead to gratitude towards Him. Allah called them to His message through different prophets and messengers, and a variety of means, yet unfortunately some people decide they are not interested to know Him, and ignore His call. This is a personal choice. No one can force faith on anyone, even one’s closest family members – son, daughter, husband, wife or parent.......
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15
Mar 2023
The major principles of Islam (kulliyaat al Kubra) are the main principles which we cannot live without. The first main principle is to know Allah Almighty, but it is hard to do justice to this topic because Allah Almighty is beyond our comprehension. What we know about Him is from the Quran and what we learnt from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty mentioned in the Quran: فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ You should know there is no God but Allah Almighty. Ibn Raslaan, a Palestinian Shafi’i......
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07
Mar 2023
How did the idea of compiling the major principles come about? Every Monday evening I hold an Arabic class, and at the end students ask questions. One of the questions a student put to me was ‘What are the major principles of Islam?’ There are plenty but I could not count them off the top of my head at that moment. Throughout my life, I heard many of my shuyukh and books mention the major principles of Islam, but I could not think of or find a book on the topic. This......
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03
Feb 2020
Islam is not theoretical, it’s practical. Our obligations are towards Allah Almighty and towards the people with whom we inhabit the world. Our relationships with people begin with our immediate families. Our immediate families are composed of those with whom we are related by blood. There are many verses in the Quran and hadith about the importance of connecting blood ties (maintaining family relationships). This is silat-ar-rahim or silat- al-arhaam. Allah Almighty mentions the womb (rahim) in the opening of Surah Nisa, which is concerned to a great extent with how we......
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15
Jan 2020
Honour and dignity Allah Almighty mentioned in the Quran, We have dignified or honoured the children of Adam. (17:70) This is the only ayah in the Quran which has the word ‘karramna’ (honoured). Allah Almighty has therefore given dignity and honour to the children of Adam, all of them. This honour is a given from Allah Almighty, a gift. This means we have to respect people and dignify people, regardless of their race, colour etc. No one has the right to humiliate another person and there are plenty of narrations, such as......
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14
Jan 2020
The concept of freedom In our old literature, we don’t find the word freedom as a stand-alone topic. It’s a new expression. The word hurriyya (freedom or liberty) is not a word you even find in the Quran. There’s no ayah that talks about ‘hurriyya’. However you will find the concept. Is it one of the main streams in Islam? It is! ‘Hurriyya’ (freedom) is important because Allah Almighty appointed Adam (and by extension us) as His representative on earth. In order to reach that level of responsibility, we have to have......
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14
Jan 2020
The General Principles series This is the third in the series on General Principles of Islam- which every Muslim should know. This series started when one of my students in my Arabic class said, ‘You have mentioned the main principles of Islam many times, but what are they? Where can I read about them?’ I realised at that moment that though they are mentioned frequently, and scholars refer to the general principles of Islam as a given, there is no compilation that I am aware of which lists them, so when I......
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15
Nov 2019
Throughout my studies of Shariah, over 30 years now, we keep referring to the general principles of Islam. The general principles are an expression that is referred to widely by my shuyukh teachers, their teachers and their shuyukh and throughout our literature. One day, in the Monday circle I deliver, I was asked by some of my students to tell them about these main principals. Where are they mentioned? Is there any book which covers this topic? And I realized that though these are mainstream principles in Islam which everyone should know,......
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