HIDDEN AMONGST THE stern ayat of fasting in surah al-Baqarah, we find a most beautiful ayah. To enjoy its beauty, we need to understand the words used. وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ‘And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning … Continue reading Only a Dua Away: An Invitation Not to be Missed
ALLAH INDICATES WHAT He wants us to achieve through fasting? He says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ‘O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become al-Muttaqun.’ (al-Baqarah 183) So fasting should … Continue reading Islam as a Complete Way of Life: The Role of Fasting and Taqwa
THERE IS ONLY one direct mention of Ramadhan in the Qur’an. شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ It was in the month of Ramadhan that the Qur’an was revealed as guidance for mankind, clear messages giving guidance and distinguishing between right and wrong. (al-Baqarah 185) Ramadhan is the month … Continue reading Restoring Hudan Lin-Nas: Our Responsibility to the Qur’an
MOST OF US don’t know what happened on this day 101 years ago on the 3rd of March 1924. Its significance is profound, yet it has been carefully erased from our collective memory. We do not know what we lost that day. We do not realise how many of our current issues stem from what … Continue reading The Lost Shield of the Ummah: 101 Years of Struggle and Hope
IT IS NOT about how far you get through the Qur’an. It is about how far the Qur’an gets through you! Of course, we should recite it. With ten rewards for each letter recited from the Qur’an, who wouldn’t? And even more so in Ramadhan when the reward is multiplied further. Of course, we should … Continue reading Reflecting on the Qur’an: A Journey Beyond Recitation and Memorisation
AS WE WELCOME Ramadhan, the sighting of the new moon reminds us of our shared journey as worshippers seeking Allah’s pleasure this month. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘There has come to you Ramadhan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it, the gates of the … Continue reading Ramadhan Mubarak 1446AH
WILL WE EVER all start fasting and have Eid on the same days? Here in Britain, Ramadhan remains an annual reminder of our disunity as we find different communities starting and finishing on different days. Across the world we find countries that are literally next to each other beginning and ending on different days. Of … Continue reading One Moon, One Ummah: Reimagining Ramadhan Unity
WITH RAMADHAN FAST approaching in a week, what advice can I offer? Focus on quality, not quantity. I went through a phase where I spent time planning each minute of each day of Ramadhan hoping to earn Allah’s endless rewards. While I accomplished many tasks, I felt unchanged by the end of the month. The … Continue reading A Journey of Progress: Transforming Ramadhan
UMAR (ra), AMIRUL MUMINEEN, and his servant Aslam travelled far into the outskirts of Madinah one night. From a distance, they saw a fire. Umar said: ‘I believe the darkness of the night and the cold have compelled some horsemen to stop there. Let us go and see.’ They hurried along and found a woman … Continue reading Shifting Expectations of Leadership: From Treachery to Accountability
RETURNING FROM MY local supermarket I was struck by the huge stock of flowers, chocolates and cards ready for Valentine’s Day. A thought crossed my mind. In the age of materialism, even the expression of love can be corrupted and commercialised. We are flooded with ideas of how to be romantic in the run-up to … Continue reading The Romantic Muslim: Love in the Age of Materialism
Living For Islam 