THERE IS A story that Allah ﷻ mentions in surah al Araf that is worth revisiting again and again. He ﷻ describes a village by the sea at the time of Bani Isra’il. Like most villages by the sea, the people’s livelihood was dependent upon the bounties from the sea. Allah ﷻ wanted to test … Continue reading The Good, the Bad and Those Who Remain Silent
I TOOK MY elderly parents to the airport last night. They were not excited about the long trip ahead. I understood how they felt. Travelling long distances by road, rail, sea, and air has been made so easy with modern transport and mass tourism, that we may forget what a blessing it is and all … Continue reading The Traveller’s Plea: An Opportunity for Spiritual Connection
WHAT CAN WE learn from the fires ravaging Los Angeles? The arrogance of man It is easy for man to become arrogant about his position. He can send a man to the moon and create atom bombs that can vaporise other men in an instance. Yet despite all his material progress he stands unable to … Continue reading Reflections from the Los Angeles Fires
THE BRITISH ARE known for moaning about the weather. Certainly, in the last few days, Britain has been seized by intense cold causing all manner of disruptions But for the Believer, even the intense heat of summer or the fierce cold of winter is but a reminder about the akhirah. The Messenger ﷺ said: “In … Continue reading Cold Weather: Reminders About the Akhirah
ALLAH SAYS IN the oft quoted verse: لَآ إِكْرَاهَ فِى ٱلدِّينِ ۖ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ ٱلرُّشْدُ مِنَ ٱلْغَىِّ Let there be no compulsion in deen, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood. (al-Baqarah 256) The obvious understanding of this is that we cannot force anyone to become a Muslim. The truth is clearly the truth … Continue reading ‘Let There be no Compulsion in Deen’: Individual and Ummatic Perspectives
UP AND DOWN the country, every single day there are charity fundraising events for our ummah in Gaza. Funds to buy the basics to live; food, milk, clothing, and shelter. This is a noble cause. But, if I were at one of these gatherings, I would want to say a few words. ‘My brothers and … Continue reading Charity vs Liberation: Changing the Solution for Gaza
THE STORY OF Musa (as) appears as scattered scenes throughout the Qur’an so it might not be clear where it starts and where it ends. It is easy to think that the story ends with Pharoah’s fall, a fitting end for a man considered to be the worst of all tyrants. But we forget that … Continue reading Beyond the Fall of Tyrants: A Lesson From the Story of Musa (as)
THE MESSENGER ﷺ SAID: ‘The most beloved of places to Allah are the masajid, and the most hated of places to Allah are the markets.’ (Muslim) Why would the marketplaces be the worst of places? It is not too difficult to work out. Buying and selling is a necessary part of life but in the … Continue reading When the Marketplace Becomes a Way of Life
IF YOU ARE not inviting others to your thoughts and way of life, they will invite you to theirs. You might not think so but that is the reality of life. There is no neutral position. The New Year’s Eve celebration is a good example. Whilst some may use it to reflect on the year … Continue reading An Identity Crisis: Muslims and New Year’s Celebrations
SOMEONE ONCE TOLD me that if you are going to ask Allah for your rizq, then don’t ask for little. Ask for immense wealth, so much that you never have to worry about money again. After all, Allah is ar-Razzaq, the Provider, and He gives without limit. To support this idea, he quoted the words … Continue reading Overcoming the Scarcity Mentality and Fear of Missing Out with Dua
Living For Islam 