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
WHAT IS THE gift that our Messenger ﷺ said is better and most comprehensive? It is sabr. Commonly translated as patience, its complete meaning, like many Arabic words, becomes lost in translation. The word patience comes from the Latin patientem, meaning ‘suffering’. As such sabr would suggest accepting hardship without taking action or believing … Continue reading Exploring Sabr: More than Just Patience
US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has said that Gaza should come under US control and that it should be rebuilt as the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’ whilst its people are permanently relocated to neighbouring countries. His words are both very ignorant and very arrogant. He is ignorant because he does not understand Islam and the … Continue reading Trump’s Plan for Gaza: Ignorant, Arrogant and Why it Will Fail
‘IF YOU WANT to know where your heart is, see where your mind goes when it wanders.’ These profound words attributed to Ali ibn Talib (ra) inspire us to delve deep into our nafs as we approach Ramadhan. What lies deep within our hearts—the fervent love, the intense hate, and the burning desires—naturally preoccupies the … Continue reading Exploring the Heart: What Your Mind Wanders To
