13
May 2022
Asthe community is reeling from the shock, disbelief, disgust and sadness at the killing of veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, at whose funeral innocent mourners were also viciously attacked and beaten, we turn to the Quran for guidance on how to bear such painful wounds, when the old scars are still fresh. It is very clear from the Quran that the carriers of the truth will always be attacked and indeed Shireen’s life was the price she paid for daring to report the truth. Her horrific death was the means by which......
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08
Apr 2022
Might is not everything needed in a fight In Surat al-Hajj there are many verses to reflect on, including the verse in which the oppressed are given permission by Allah to fight back: أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَـٰتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا۟ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ Permission ˹to fight back˺ is ˹hereby˺ granted to those being fought, for they have been wronged. And Allah is truly Most Capable of helping them ˹prevail˺. (22:39) The importance of timing This verse was revealed in Madinah. In Makkah the situation had been different, as the Muslims were......
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26
Mar 2022
قال الله تعالى: (وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنْصَرُونَ). سورة هود:١١٣. And do not incline towards those who do wrong, or the Fire should touch you; and you will have no protectors besides God, and you will not be helped. (Holy Quran, Surat Hud, 11:113) The Quran was revealed at a time of oppression This verse is from Surat Hud, a chapter of the Quran which was revealed in Makkah with the possible exception of a few verses. However this verse......
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21
May 2021
The time for acceptance of dua is between the adhan and iqama, after salah, and in the last third of the night, so preferably make this dua during those blessed times. We ask Allah to accept our supplications. Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen. Was Salaatu Was Salaam ala Rasulillah. Begin with istighfar: استغفر الله Astaghfirullah x 100 I seek forgiveness from Allah سُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَ بِحَمْدِهِ Subhana allaahi wa bihamdihi x 100 Far is Allah from imperfection and all praise is for Him. لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ،......
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14
May 2021
The strong believer Allah Almighty wants us to be strong. عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “ المؤمن القوي خير وأحب إلى الله من المؤمن الضعيف وفي كل خير. احرص على ما ينفعك، واستعن بالله وَلاَ تَعْجِزْ. وإن أصابك شيء فلا تقل: لو أني فعلت كان كذا وكذا، ولكن قل: قدر الله، وما شاء فعل؛ فإن لو تفتح عمل الشيطان” (( رواه مسلم)). Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said: “A......
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11
May 2021
Allah will reward the truthful and punish the hypocrites Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow , and among them is he who awaits . And they did not alter by any alteration – (33:23) That Allah may reward the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites if He wills or accept their repentance. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful. (33:24) These two verses talk about truthfulness and fulfilling......
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11
Dec 2020
The limits of leadership There are plenty of verses in the Quran about leadership and the importance of the leader in the community. At the same time, we also have plenty of narrations in the sunnah which define the responsibilities and boundaries of leaders. Leadership is not a blank cheque to do what you want In the hadith, A’isha reported that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: O God, cause distress to him who has any charge over my people and causes them distress, and be gentle to him who has......
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10
Aug 2020
Allah Almighty says, God commands justice, and goodness, and generosity towards relatives. And He forbids immorality, and injustice, and oppression. He advises you, so that you may take heed. An-Nahl:90 This particular verse, Abdullah bin Mas’ud said, is the most comprehensive in the Quran. It contains three commands and three prohibitions- justice (adl), goodness (ihsan) and generosity to relatives (eta dhil Qurba). It forbids immorality (fahsha’), evil (munkar) and oppression (baghi). Justice is one of the most important principles in Islam. It’s a universal principle and among the seven categories who will......
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03
Jun 2020
As the Black England footballers are subjected to disgusting racial abuse in the wake of England’s Euros 2020 defeat, we are reminded again of the continuing systemic racism in our countries, which led to the protests in the US and around the world, following the tragic death of George Floyd just a year ago. Fundamentally, the issue is about the lack of respect, honour and dignity which is being shown by one set of people towards another, when Allah told us that every single life deserves it. He Himself honoured mankind. Not......
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03
Jan 2020
The Prophet (peace be on him) said: مَنْ كَانَتْ عِنْدَهُ مَظْلِمَةٌ لِأَخِيهِ فَلْيَتَحَلَّلْهُ مِنْهَا ؛ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ ثَمَّ دِينَارٌ وَلَا دِرْهَمٌ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ لِأَخِيهِ مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٌ أُخِذَ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَخِيهِ فَطُرِحَتْ عَلَيْهِ “. البخاري. “Whoever has wronged his brother, should ask for his pardon (before his death), as (in the Hereafter) there will be neither a Dinar nor a Dirham. (He should secure pardon in this life) before some of his good deeds are taken and paid to his brother, or, if he has done......
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28
Dec 2019
The right to life and religion ۞ وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا ‘We have honored the Children of Adam, and carried them on land and sea, and provided them with good things, and greatly favoured them over many of those We created.’ (17:70) In another verse Allah Almighty says: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ O people! We created you from a male......
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23
Aug 2019
Be One Ummah in the Face of Adversity A Muslim is a Muslim’s brother. He does not wrong him, or let him down, or hand him over to his enemies, or despise him. (Muslim) Stick to principles Going back to basics, sticking to our principles makes our ummah a special ummah. Unfortunately, with all the challenges our ummah faces, we have lost our principles. The Prophet (peace be on him) confirmed the importance of the unity of the ummah on an individual, community and national level. The Muslim is the brother......
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27
Jul 2019
Don’t side with liars In an authentic hadith, Khabbab bin Al-Aratt reported: I was sitting next to the door of the Prophet (peace be on him) and when he came out he said ‘Listen to me’ and we replied, ‘We are listening, ya Rasul Allah’ and he said ‘There will be, after me, leaders who will lie to you, and commit oppression among you. Whosoever believes their lies or helps them in their oppression he is none of me and I am not of him and he will not come near my......
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24
Jun 2019
Tyrants vs the Truth The power of the weak and the weakness of the powerful Have you not considered the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord because Allah had given him kingship? When Abraham said, ‘My Lord is the one who gives life and causes death,’ he said, ‘I give life and cause death.’ Abraham said, ‘Indeed, Allah brings up the sun from the east, so bring it up from the west.’ So the disbeliever was overwhelmed , and Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (2:58) And......
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14
Jun 2019
…even when it does not appeal to us When what is good for us is bitter Allah the Almighty created us, and He wrote our destiny before He created us in a book which will never change. Yet He gave us choices. Without doubt, after He sent the messengers and the prophets to clarify the guidance He sent from the falsehood, we were left with the choice of what to follow. Often we have to make the choice between what is right and what we ourselves prefer. And we choose what we......
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