Personal Reflection @ End of Year

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Found this useful, especially as this talks about Goal-Setting while trying to reflect on one’s strength and weaknesses. Good one for Personal Reflection.

Reflecting on a unique Qur’anic Phrase

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

While reading Surah al Kahf, it is amazing to stop at the phrase مِن لَّدُنَّا and مِن لَّدُنك

Why? The meaning gets richer and more eloquent here!

Everything is bestowed by Allah swt. But when it is mentioned with the Words من لّدن the connotation becomes special and specific.

Story of a Qur’anic word: Of sins and tail!

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبي is a popular du’aa. It means ‘O Allah! Forgive me my sins.’

ذَنْب is the Arabic word for Sin. It also “refers to both acts of indecency and self-harm”. 

The deeper meaning of this word is highlighted by Br. Asim Khan in his book, ‘The Kingdom of God’, which is a Tafseer on Surah al Mulk:

When You Don’t Take Care!

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

It has happened to me and you may have experienced this as well.

In the real world, your family and well-wishers tell you to take care. They remind you that your body has a right over you. That you need to take care of it. In social media, friends etc. wish you well saying, ‘Take good care of yourself’.

Growing up and the Gratitude Culture

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Being Thankful is your reason for existence! 

Gratitude is a Muslim’s raison d’etre.

Indeed, it is the announcement of the Creator of all humans!

Illumination from the Centre Spread!

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Surah al Kahf is in the Centre of the Qur’an’s pages. In Journalism and Mass Media, we are taught the importance of the Centre Spread.

The Centre Page contains important news, illustrations, editorial, feature posts and lead articles. When we read this Surah every Friday, we are reminded of the gist of Islam so we refresh our knowledge concerning the significant aspects of our day to day living.

What DEEN and DAYN Tell Us

 🌴بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين 🌴

🍃والصلاة والسلام على أشرف المرسلين سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين. 🍃

DEBT is something we to owe to someone.

Dignified humans repay what they owe to others, and good Muslims wish to die without having any debt left behind them.

Double Yaqeen!

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

There are two certainties in this ayah. Subhanallaah.

Surah Al-Kahf: The Two Conversing Companions and the Trial of Affluence

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

This post is reblogged, courtesy Sadaf’s Space. Baarakallaahu Feekum.

Allah has narrated parables and bygone incidents in Surah Al Kahf in order to drive home poignant lessons upon those who deeply reflect upon them.

Mercy, Health and a Food for Thought

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Did you know that the Absence of health is the absence of your Lord’s mercy?

Let’s take a minute or so to ponder over this beautiful ayah:

Qur’an is never meant to cause distress of any kind!

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Qur’an is the Book of Allah. It is the Maker’s Instruction Manual.

He sent this beautiful Book for man’s guidance on earth. As a source of Mercy, as a source of  Light, as a Source of Blessings.

It is meant for human welfare. And never meant, in the least, to put people in distress!

“Glory be to the One who gives even when He takes”

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Sharing some beautiful words of wisdom from Ustadha Yasmin Mogahed.

Parable of the Spider’s Web

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Qur’anic parables are rich in meaning and connotation. They are a means of providing insightful guidance to man. This article speaks of one such parable, and the author throws light from scientific perspective to help readers unravel the mysteries hidden in Qur’anic parables. Please read on…

Redirecting and Reinforcing ‘If’al Ma Tu’mar’ to Oneself

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Reflecting on an ayah is an ibadah of a highest kind.

Today as the world celebrates Eid al Adhaa, I would like to discuss on an ayah that celebrates and commemorates the act and the spirit of sacrificing for the cause of Allah.

Reading the story is one thing. Drawing inspiration is another. 

4 Promises of Allah, and our Response

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Allah’s Promises are Unbreakable indeed. The conditional promises make us think/recall the ‘Cause and Effect’ way of functioning in the world.

Actually, in this there is a beautiful message indeed:
These Unbreakable Promises of Allah will come into effect only when the Believer takes the First Step.

‘If You Remember Me, I’ll Remember You’.

‘If You’re Grateful unto Me, I’ll Give You More’.

‘If You call upon Me, I’ll Respond to You’.

‘I’ll Not Punish You, If You have the habit of sincerely seeking forgiveness from Me’.

Also, the Qur’anic beauty of Communication Skill is very well noticed here. And this too is a source of inspiration for us.

* Placing Second Person first, followed by the First Person draws the attention of the reader/listener.

* Putting conditional clause in order to get things done is a persuasive and powerful way of effectively communicating things.

* Promising Rewards by way of Assertive Communication is another way.

* Showing/Following ‘Asbaab’ (Means) to achieve a Targetted Goal (End) is yet another way.

Subhanallah. If we think more deeply, more hidden pearls will come to limelight, InshaaAllah.

Teachers can well display this image, inShaaAllah, in their classrooms and tell the students to come up with their creative ideas, gently reminding them to think critically too.

Sal-lal-laahu-ala-Muhammad, Sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-sallam

Baarakallaahu Feekum.

Knowledge and Personality Development

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Imam al-Sha’bi was a scholar known for his deep ‘ilm and having a vast coverage over various fields of knowledge.

In the book ‘Uluww al-Himmah by Shaykh Muhammad Isma’il al-Muqaddam, it states that Imam al-Sha’bi was once asked, ‘How did you attain all this knowledge?’ And this was his reply. Pay close attention to it: 

Living the Five Morals

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

Beautifully described in the Qur’an, these are the essential qualities a Muslim is expected to adopt in his/her practical life.

Take Time to Appreciate Islam!

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

While teaching a lesson on ‘Appreciating the Gifts of Allah’ to Grade 5 students, I asked them:

Tell me some gifts that Allah has given you in your life.

Many students said: Parents, water, money, friends, family, knowledge, eyes, brain etc. etc.

One boy simply said, ‘ISLAM, Sir! Islam is a Gift from Allah’. 

Surah al Kahf presents Two Types of Hearts

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

In Surah al Kahf, Allah subhanahu wa Ta’aala mentions two groups of people with two contrasting attitudes emerging from two types of hearts. Subhanallaah. 

Taaghuut. What is Taaghuut?

بسم الله والصلاة ةالسلام على رسول الله

Qur’anic words are more complex, richer and eloquent. They convey myriad of meanings.

Translators find it difficult to convey their precise interpretation. Taaghuut is one such word.

The best approach would be to retain such a word without translating it, and let the Qur’anic Arabic speak for itself. 

“The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide”.

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

When things get worse, it only means that they are gonna be better.

Islamic history is witness to the fact that whenever Muslims touched their lowest ebb, there had always been a turning of the tide.

These are the days of distress for the global Muslim Ummah. The Muslims the world over, especially those in the Americas are passing through their trying and testing times.

Hope and Faith are important at this crucial juncture. If you lose hope, you lose faith. If you lose faith, you lose everything!

Let’s recall and remember that many a time in history, Allah subhanahu wa Ta’aala brought victory to the Muslim Ummah even when the odds were seemingly against them.

In this post, let me recall some colourful snapshots from the album of Islamic history so we cheer up and fill our hearts with hope, inshaaAllah. 

Peace First. Peace Last.

بسم الله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله

What do you think of a Community whose Calendar Year Starts and Ends with a Sacred Month?

What do you understand about a month being Sacred?

You think Muslims are terrorists and their religion promotes terrorism? How misguided!

Today let me hurl or dash the truth against falsehood. And woe to you for what you utter!! 

Aashoora and Ten Sparkling Gems That Normally Go Unnoticed!

‘Aashoora comes, ‘Aashoora goes. Some observe fast, many don’t.

Some know the reason why they fast on the 10th of Muharram, some hardly know it. 

The Duaa of Arafah is the Essence of Islam

PS: This is a repost.

Hajj is Tawheed, pure and simple. Tawheed is Islam, great and splendid.

The Hadeeth often quoted on the occasion of Arafah is in fact the sum and substance of what Islam is all about.

Let us read this hadeeth first, Inshaa’Allah:

The Timeless Message of Hajj

Hope this article serves as a timely reminder of the timelessness of Hajj, InshaaAllah.

Islamic terms are powerfully loaded with meanings and connotations. Translating them in English is like belittling their importance and import.

Hajj, when translated as ‘pilgrimage’ dilutes the very spirit of this great Islamic practice. Pilgrimage means ‘a journey of devotion’ which Hajj does include but then goes beyond it.