07
Jul 2020
Possessing books As a student of knowledge, we should try own as many books as we need for they are our tools of learning. However, we should not get into the trap of collecting books or creating a library of books without reading them. Every book we buy, it should be read at least once, then re-read again with the purposes of furthering understanding or for research and reference. Books are for self-development, Not for shelf-development. So what books should we have in our personal library? Here is a list of recommended......
Read More
03
May 2020
There is a very sweet narration by Hudhaifah ibn al-Yaman which gives us beautiful insight into how the Prophet (peace be on him) prayed. We can glimpse the quality of his prayer. Hudhaifah tells us of the occasion he was praying with the Prophet (peace be on him), and we see this prayer unfold through his eyes, how he expected the Prophet (peace be on him) to stop after 100 verses of Surah Baqarah. But he continued reciting, which is 286 ayahs, to his surprise, he then began reciting Surah Nisa and......
Read More
01
May 2020
The month of the Quran is Ramadan. Though the Quran is not exclusive to Ramadan. However we do increase our recitation during this month. Here are some of my reflections on The effect of the Quran on us and why we should make the effort to discover it more. Tranquility Allah Almighty says: الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَتَطمَئِنُّ قُلوبُهُم بِذِكرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلا بِذِكرِ اللَّهِ تَطمَئِنُّ القُلوبُ Those who believe, and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of God. Surely, it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find comfort. (13:28)......
Read More
09
Aug 2018
Do you have to Practice What You Preach? And be steadfast in Salah (prayer), and pay Zakah, and bow down with those who bow down. (43) Do you enjoin righteousness upon others while you ignore your own selves, although you keep reciting the Book? Have you then no sense? (2:44) Allah Almighty is pointing out the hypocrisy of preaching one thing, while personally doing another. At the time of this revelation, there were some rabbis who would instruct their followers to do one thing, but themselves would do another. Allah Almighty is......
Read More
08
Aug 2018
How to Escape the Clutches of the Nafs Seek help through patience and prayer. It is indeed exacting, but not for those who are humble in their hearts, (45) Who bear in mind that they are to meet their Lord, and that to Him they are to return. (2:45-46) What prevents us from caving into our baser cravings? The relentless pull of our nafs is tough to keep in check. Just as the irrepressible urge of a smoker to pick up a cigarette makes him feel trapped, repeating a behaviour that he......
Read More
03
Aug 2018
The Courage to Recognise the Truth ‘O Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favour which I bestowed upon you, and fulfil your covenant with Me and I shall fulfil My covenant with you and fear none but Me. (40) And believe in what I reveal, confirming the revelation which is with you, and be not the first to reject faith therein, nor sell My Signs for a small price: and fear Me, and Me alone. (41) And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what......
Read More
02
Aug 2018
How to Keep Knowledge Safe Moving Away from Student Mentality We all know that from experience that sitting in a classroom as a student is not the same as being in the class as the teacher. The difference is in the preparation. If you were the teacher, you would have prepared the subject matter, what topics to address and the amount of time you allocate to each. You would have also extended your research into other relevant areas to the topic at hand and prepared for potential questions that the student may ask.......
Read More
30
Jul 2018
What is the Best Way to Cope with Family Politics? Indeed in Yusuf and his brothers, there are lessons for men of understanding’ (12:111) Extreme Sibling Rivalry The main focus of the story of Yusuf (peace be on him) and his brothers is the conflict between them. Allah the Almighty says in this story there are many lessons for those who are seeking them, and if we reflect on the main focus we see plainly the bitterness of the fighting amongst siblings within the very same family, with the same blood. Though it is......
Read More
01
Jul 2018
Action vs Laziness ‘And say: Work; so Allah will see your work and (so will) His Messenger and the believers; and you shall be brought back to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, then He will inform you of what you did.’ (9:105) Picking the Right Actions There are no less than three hundred and sixty verses in the Qur’an which talk about action (a’mal) and amongst these verses are mentioned good deeds, actions related to the akhirah, righteousness, taqwa (obedience), as well as actions related to the dunya, like......
Read More
16
Jun 2018
Here Today. Gone Tomorrow. Who can guarantee tomorrow? We have no idea what is around the corner, less still the length of our lifespan. We all know people whose death came out of the blue – not just sudden but at a young age. ‘How is it that you deny Allah, while you were lifeless and He gave you life; then He will make you die, and then He will make you live again, and then to Him you will be returned?’ (2:28) We may not know how many days we......
Read More
11
Jun 2018
What styles are used in the Qur’an to appeal to us? Can we learn how to do dawah from them? At times we are appealed to at an emotional level. At others it is on a rational level. In our own lives, we have ups and downs, experiencing mercurial spiritual levels and from time to time we need a bit of boost (or more!) to get us back on track. The Qur’an therefore delivers Allah Almighty’s message through an assortment of verses offering comfort, promising reward, threatening punishment, strengthening belief, establishing......
Read More
15
Mar 2018
The Essence of the Entire Quran How the perfect beginning reflects the perfection of its Creator In the Name of Allah, the Most Kind, the Most Merciful. Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds The All Merciful, the Very Merciful The Master of the Day of Judgement. You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help. Guide us in the straight path The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your grace, not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of those who have......
Read More