Keeping momentum after Ramadan Ramadan, as you know, is a very special month in our Islamic calendar. It comes once every year, but at different times and in different weather, as it moves through the seasons. Each time it returns, it gives us a new experience and a new taste of how to live Ramadan…
How sincerity leads to a happy ever after In Surat al-Ma’idah, Allah states: إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous. [5:27] In this ayah, Allah is talking about the acceptance of deeds and the fact that He only accepts the deeds of the righteous – the muttaqeen. Ramadan has come…
Abdullah ibn Sarjis (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said O Allah, I seek refuge in You from decline after prosperity (al-hawr ba’d al kawr) and I seek refuge in your from the supplication of the oppressed. (Muslim) Scholars commented on this very special dua, which literally means…
How do we prepare for the last ten nights of Ramadan, and what is unique about these nights? Our guidance, of course, is the Prophet ﷺ. To understand how he approached these nights, we turn to our mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who had access to him in a private capacity and…
Many people worry about visiting the dentist during Ramadan. With water sprays, rinsing, and possible bleeding, it is natural to ask: Will this break my fast? The simple answer is: yes, you can have dental treatment while fasting, as long as you do not swallow anything. Does dental treatment break the fast? Dental procedures such…
Allah says in Surat al Baqarah: یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَیۡكُمُ ٱلصِّیَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿ ١٨٣ ﴾ O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may practice taqwa. (Al-Baqarah, 2:183) Fasting was made an obligation…
Refreshing the Soul in Ramadan Striving Any achievement requires hard work. It needs sacrifices and it needs commitment. But we live in a world of instant and constant self-gratification. So, we have to strive to reach our potential, we have to strive against the pulls in a world of social media, surplus food, constant stream…
The Prophet ﷺ said: قال رسولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : «بُنِيَ الإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ: شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ، وَحَجِّ الْبَيْتِ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ». “The religion of Islam is built on five: the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and…
Islam is a faith and way of life that combines belief and practice. Muslims hold to the Six Articles of Iman (Faith) and live by the Five Pillars of Islam. The beliefs are called the Six Articles of Iman (Faith). The actions are called the Five Pillars of Islam. This guide is designed to be…
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ لَهُ يُضَاعَفُ، الْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا إِلَى سبع مئة ضِعْفٍ، قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: إِلَّا الصَّوْمَ فَإِنَّهُ لِي وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ، يَدَعُ…
Ramadan is a month that returns every year. Only the fortunate among us are those who witness Ramadan, and more fortunate still are those who truly benefit from it. How people receive Ramadan Some people receive Ramadan as if it is just another month. Others long for it, welcoming it with passion, commitment, sincerity, and…
Preparing for Ramadan is one circle in a bigger chain of preparation. In reality, every day we prepare for tomorrow, and tomorrow is the hereafter. So whether it is Sha’ban, or Ramadan, or any other season, it is all part of a continuous journey of preparation. Let’s look at some narrations about how the Prophet…
In the verses of fasting in Surat al-Baqarah, Allah says that He wants ease for us, not hardship, and that we should complete the prescribed days and glorify Him for guiding us — and that we may be grateful. وَلِتُكْمِلُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ“…and so that you complete the prescribed period,…
This year Ramadan has fallen in spring. The shoots are peeping out of the ground and the blossoms are unfurling on the trees. In his poem Rising Five, Norman Nicholson said: Around him in the field, the cells of springBubbled and doubled; buds unbuttoned; shootAnd stem shook out the creases from their frills,And every tree…
Heavenly Food Blessed are the ones who seize the opportunity of Ramadan. They improve themselves and they become closer to Allah. The ayahs of fasting were revealed in the 2nd year after Hijra in Madinah when it became an obligation to fast for the whole month of Ramadan. It is our chance to rejuvenate and…