"Surely, the true religion in Allah's sight is Islam" (3:19)
Taqwa is one of those unique words in the Arabic language that cannot simply be translated into a word or two in English. As a result, many translators struggle to bring out the real meaning of the word taqwa. What is Taqwa in Islam? Literally, taqwa means to protect and could be that one protects himself from the Wrath of Allah by protecting himself from indulging in things that Allah forbids. In the Shariah, taqwa as used in the Quran
Read more“Good character is the crown of a believer — it beautifies faith more than gold adorns a king.”
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A honest and truthful girl. One night, as per his usual practise, Hadrat Sayyiduna ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – was walking around Madina Shareef with his slave. In fact, it was his habit to walk around the streets and pathways of Madina Shareef during the night with the intention of looking after the people in the blessed city and also to see that no harm came to them. As he walked along, at a certain stage, he felt
Read moreYou can’t see your reflection in boiling water. Similarly, you can’t see the truths in your life in a state of anger.
Read moreLiving in a world full of temptations and desires, it can be very easy for us to lose track and fall for its glamour. There comes a time when we can no longer ourselves control our inner self, rather we turn our attention to Shuyookh (spiritual leaders) who have mastered this field and received guidance from their pious Ulama (scholars). This chain goes back all the way to Rasulullah (S.A.W). They work on helping us purify our hearts and spiritual
Read moreWe look after our gadgets and phones, putting a case and screen protector on to stop it getting damaged and dirty. Why then do we not take the necessary steps to protect our hearts, from sins, misdeeds and bad character? قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا He who purifies the soul, he is successful. [Surah al Shams 91:9]
Read moreWe should not downgrade what we have, simply to follow what others are doing. Some people have a habit of adjusting their way of dressing, speaking, thinking, walking etc only because of what they have watched on the television or seen others do. If we are already on a higher level then we should not let go of the gift we have & we should believe firmly in ourselves & the virtue we have been blessed with. If we imitate
Read moreIn the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. “How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked. “Fifty cents,” replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. “Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired. By now more
Read moreNasiruddin was the slave of a king, and very fond of hunting. One day he came across a very pretty baby deer and picked it up and rode away. The mother deer saw Nasiruddin take her baby and followed him anxiously. Nasiruddin, pleased with the baby dear, was thinking about presenting it to his children to play with. After a time, he chanced to look back and saw the mother deer following him, her expression full of grief. He noticed
Read moreWhen visiting the homes of family members, relatives, friends or others we must never be a burden upon them. Visiting unannounced, at awkward times, sitting too long, asking too many questions, speaking too loudly, allowing our children to run a mock if they are with us etc is all unethical. We should also be considerate of those we visit by not allowing them to prepare snacks or meals for us when they are busy, sickly or in a rush to
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