WHEN WE TRULY know him ﷺ, we cannot help but love him ﷺ. And when we love him ﷺ, the desire to be like himﷺ fills our hearts. لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example—for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often.” (Al-Ahzab 21) But … Continue reading The Messenger of Allah ﷺ: The Man, The Message, The Mission
IBN BATTUTA, THE early Muslim traveller, once said: ‘He who lives, sees. He who travels, sees more.’ When I was growing up, travel was rare. The only journeys most of us took were the occasional trips to visit relatives back home. But things have changed. Our generation, now settled in the West, has more disposable … Continue reading From Selfies to Soulfulness: Rethinking Muslim Travel
STORYTELLING REMAINS ONE of the most powerful ways to convey a concept or lesson. Interestingly, while the Qur’an provides many verses outlining the rules of marriage, it includes very few stories that demonstrate marriage through the lives of the Prophets. One notable exception, however, is found in the story of Musa (as), and it holds … Continue reading The Story of Musa (as) and Marriage: Timeless Lessons
SOME MUSLIMS, WHEN they see all the problems and chaos in the world today, say things like: “These are signs of the end of time. Only the Mahdi and Isa (as) can fix this.” But this fatalistic way of thinking is unIslamic and unbecoming of a Muslim. Yes, we believe in the Mahdi and the … Continue reading Don’t Wait—Act: Islam Demands Effort, Not Excuses
HAVE YOU HEARD of the man who entered Paradise without ever praying a single rakat of salah? He was a Black Abyssinian slave, tending sheep for his master. One day, he noticed the people of Khaybar preparing for war. He asked those around him: “What are you intending to do?” They replied: “We are going … Continue reading Rising to the Challenge of Our Time: Lessons From a Shepherd Who Entered Jannah
UMAR AL KHATTAB (ra) was a great judge of character and chose the best leaders during his Khilafah. He was thus very surprised when the people of Homs (now in Syria) came to him with four complaints about their governor, Sa’id ibn Amr, whom he had appointed. Sa’id was recalled from Homs to explain himself … Continue reading The Collective Obligation: We Are All Accountable for Gaza
HUNDREDS OF CIVILIANS in Gaza have been martyred overnight as the Shayateen break the ceasefire and go on a killing spree with the full knowledge and support of their allies. Despite a ceasefire, aid and electricity to Gaza were cut off, and the West Bank was under attack. This current escalation of violence was just … Continue reading When Will the Armies Move? The Duty to Defend Palestine
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
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
Living For Islam 