LAST SATURDAY, MY wife and I were driving through Stamford Hill, the heart of London’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. It was the Sabbath. Everywhere we looked, men in shtreimels, those distinctive round fur hats, walked alongside children on their way to synagogue. Women in traditional dress chatted on the pavements. It was a vivid scene, a … Continue reading What Judaism Really Says About Zionism
SHOULD MUSLIMS ACCEPT honours like knighthoods from the British Government? No. Such titles raise profound questions about loyalty, integrity, and the true source of honour. The majority of Muslims in Britain trace their heritage to the Indian Subcontinent, lands that once endured the weight of British colonial rule. We, of all people, should remember what … Continue reading The Price of Honour: Why Integrity Matters More Than Recognition
The Myth of Equality The American Declaration of Independence begins with words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” Yet by the Civil War, nearly four million Black people remained enslaved—denied every right the Declaration proclaimed. Even after the 13th Amendment ended slavery in 1865, legal freedom did not … Continue reading Islam is Not a Civil Rights Movement
AUTUMN IS HERE, and honestly, it’s my favourite season. There’s something about it that just speaks to the soul. The cool air. The golden light. The crunch of leaves under your feet. But beyond the beauty, it’s also a time when the signs of Allah ﷻ feel especially near. Have you ever stopped to think … Continue reading Not Even a Leaf Falls…
I DON’T OFTEN travel by train. I did today, and this is what I saw and felt. I looked down the carriage…and all I saw — faces. Not faces facing faces,but faces facing glass.Heads bowed like worship,but it’s not prayer.Just… scrolling.Endless.Mindless. Some smiling.Some… blank.Some looking like they just reada message that broke thema little. And … Continue reading The Screens Between Us
THE RECENT TOP RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture went to Appleby Blue Almshouse in South London. This was designed for elderly people to reduce loneliness. In modern Britain, loneliness among the elderly is a growing social concern, not just a matter of emotional discomfort, but a complex issue with real consequences for health, well-being, and … Continue reading Elderly Loneliness in Britain: Causes, Consequences, and a Contrast with the Islamic Way of Life
AS A KEEN photographer, I’ve come to see shadows as both a playful element that can be used in a composition and, often, a frustrating interference to avoid. Recently, I was reminded of a saying attributed to either Ibn al-Qayyim or Al-Fayrozabadi: ‘The dunya is like a shadow. If you try to catch it, you … Continue reading Chasing Shadows: A Reflection on the Dunya
YOU WOULD THINK that peace is a universal concept and that the Nobel Peace Prize is a symbol of this. It is meant to recognise individuals and organisations that have made exceptional efforts to promote peace, resolve conflicts and advance human rights. But over the years, I began to notice a pattern. The prize seemed … Continue reading Peace, Politics, and Power: Reassessing the Nobel Peace Prize Through a Muslim Lens
ON MY RECENT travels, a young man asked a thought-provoking question: “Are we suffering on Earth because Adam and Hawa disobeyed Allah and ate from the forbidden tree? Shouldn’t they face the consequences instead of us?” The question may seem logical at first, but it comes from a common misunderstanding, more related to Christian ideas … Continue reading Are We Suffering for Adam and Hawa’s Mistake? A Misunderstood Question
HOW MANY LIVES were lost? How much destruction did we witness? In the face of such immense pain and devastation, I hear many asking a question: Was it worth it? And what, if anything, was truly gained? The answer depends entirely on how we define success. For those who view this world as the only … Continue reading Was It Worth It? A Reflection on Sacrifice, Struggle, and the Meaning of Success
Living For Islam 