03
Jun 2022
Ghazali lived in 5th century Hijri and his book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin, and his life’s works and thoughts. We are looking at the last ten principles (good traits) out of the forty. The first is tawbah. One of the main issues is that persisting in a sin breaks tawbah. Ghazali, known for being the spiritual master, teaches how to diagnose and cure it. He mentioned the rarity of doctors who can cure......
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15
Oct 2019
Main principles in Islam: Tranquility (part 4) Indeed in the remembrance of Allah, hearts find tranquility. (13:28) Engage the heart Tranquility descends on the heart when it’s pure, and to purify it we need to engage it in dhikr (remembrance) of Allah. Not from lip service dhikr. If you are reciting dhikr quickly, you won’t feel anything. Of course you won’t. It will be robotic dhikr. Not the dhikr which brings tranquility. The key to finding tranquility in dhikr is taking the time to focus on it. Until the heart is engaged......
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08
Feb 2019
What Causes Du’as to be Rejected? Check Yourself When people are afflicted naturally they turn to Allah Almighty for relief. Some times that relief is not granted. I am frequently asked: How do I know if I am being tested or punished? The answer to this question lies with you. You need to analyse why an affliction is not being removed, even though you are suffering and praying so much. Could it be that you are displeasing Allah and He is giving you the chance to turn back to Him? In the famous hadith,......
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30
Oct 2018
Essentials of Tawbah How can I know that my repentance has been accepted? What do I need to do to move on after I have made a mistake? What are the features of those closest to Allah Almighty? Al Muhasibi, the founder of the Baghdad School of Islamic philosophy, had a habit of venturing into the desert with his friend Junayd al-Baghdadi where the desolate landscape bore no distractions, and they could reflect on the answers to serious questions. In particular Al Muhasibi was able to utilise this time to focus inwards. His......
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19
Jun 2018
The Low Down on Repentance How do I erase a bad deed? Will Allah accept my repentance? How do I repent? Is my sin too great to be forgiven? The repentance accepted by Allah is only for those who do wrong in ignorance and then repent soon after. It is those to whom Allah will turn in forgiveness, and Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (4:17) Sinning has been part of our existence since our history began. Islam is realistic about the human condition and does not shy away from......
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