Live In Deen

Growing up, I always valued modesty . My parents raised me to respect myself, and how I dress is certainly a big part of that. But in my mind, to be covered was something people did for others, especially for men. I’ve often been self-conscious about how people view my appearance, but I have slowly grown to remind myself that my brain and my heart are what they should care about. And part of my inspiration for that came from the most unlikely place—my Muslim friends who wear the hijab. The word “hijab” conjures up different images and feelings for just about any person who hears it. Religion, bold fashion statements, politics, mystery, oppression—a hijab is not simply a headscarf. Part of that is due to lack of exposure. For me, brought up in the Catholic faith in the Midwest, I had very little knowledge or understanding about Islam. I always thought of the hijab as a means to cover up a woman’s beauty and individuality. Learning about Muslims As a Middle E...

It is an exhilarating experience to step into the Islamic faith! Your journey to Islam  as a new Muslim was most assuredly paved with many questions and, perhaps even, inspirational people you met along the way. The moment you took your shahadah , or ‘declaration of faith’, you undoubtedly experienced a combination of joy and relief that was the culmination of much soul-searching. Once someone embraces Islam, however, he or she can face many obstacles in re-entering their previous life as a new Muslim. This is especially true in the workplace. It can be very daunting to anticipate your return to work, especially if you are a woman and your headscarf easily identifies your new faith. However, nothing should come in the way of your new life as a Muslim. With diligence and trust in God Almighty, you can overcome some of the most common problems many Muslims face in the workplace. Fasting in the Workplace as a New Muslim Fasting is a prescription for success in this life and th...

As human beings, each of us has an inherent tendency to deviate from the straight path to do stupid things, awkward things. Not a day passes when a person can be certain that “today I have made no mistakes.” At times we are oblivious of the fact that we are doing wrong; and at times we consciously and deliberately do things we know we ought not to. These wrongs may cause agony to others or even bring physical pain and suffering to them. Allah’s Forgiveness As rational beings endowed with the freedom of choice, we are responsible for our actions and are answerable before Allah (God) the Almighty. For this reason, we are constantly in need of Allah’s forgiveness . Allah tells us in the Quran, which Muslims believe is the word of God, that He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful. Allah has a number of names that imply different aspect of His Forgiving nature. He is called Al-Ghafur (the Most Forgiving) and Al-Afuww (the One Who heals and restores our honor). He is also called A...

This lecture by Dr. Jasser Audah about Maqasid ash-Shariah, or Shariah Objectives, is very rich and eye opening. You can find below some excerpts from the lecture. However, we highly recommend watching the lecture. It discusses important questions about Shariah, the Maqasid approach, and how it can renew our understanding of Islam and enable us to find solutions for contemporary challenges. Shariah and the Muslim identity Is Shariah All About Outward Acts? by Shariah Editor Every Ummah, every community, has an identity. At the core of every identity there are ideas. The idea that is at the core of the Muslim identity is the Shariah . It is not possible to live the Shariah in today’s world without understanding Maqasid Ash-Shariah, i.e. the objectives, the purposes, the ends and the principles of the Shariah. So this is an address for those who are interested in living an authentic Islamic life, yet a contemporary life that deals with the contemporary issues. Shariah...

“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another” (Al-Hujurat 49: 13). 9 Hadiths on How to Deal With Non-Muslims in Your Life by Dr. Ali Al-Halawani Islam aims at establishing strong relations among people who were all created by Allah. “Knowing one another” in this verse implies integration, cooperation, and co-existence. Practically speaking, each of us has something either to give to or to require from others so that everyone gets their needs fulfilled and desires met one way or another. If you have a blood relationship with another, this makes getting to know and care for them even more significant. And if they’re in a vulnerable state or if they’re minors, their rights on you become stronger.  1. The significance of doing good to relatives The Qur’an places doing good to our relatives right after worshipping Allah and doing good to parents. The Qur’an says: { Worship Allah and associat...

A genre of medical writing intended as an alternative to the exclusively Greek-based medical systems derived from Galen was called  at-tibb an-nabawi  or “ Prophetic Medicine .” The authors were clerics, rather than physicians, who advocated traditional medicine as mentioned in the Qur’an and as practiced during the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It concerned the medical ideas assimilated from Hellenistic society, thereby producing a guide to medical therapy acceptable to the religious. Therapy consisted of diet and simple medications (particularly honey), bloodletting and cauterization, but no surgery. Topics covered included fevers, leprosy, plague, poisonous bites, protection from night-flying insects, protection against the evil eye, rules for coitus eruptus, theories of embryology, proper conduct of physicians, and treatment of minor illnesses such as headaches, nosebleeds, cough, and colic. It was prohibited to drink wine or use soporific drugs as med...

Religion and science are two of the most important governing aspects of the world. Science aims to understand the natural world, its existence, and its workings, whereas religion deals with the spiritual , and ascribes the existence and the workings of the natural world to a higher being, a deity, or a God. According to surveys , nine-in-ten Americans believe in a higher power. Previous Pew Research Center studies have shown that the share of Americans who believe in God with absolute certainty has declined in recent years, while the share of those saying they have doubts about God’s existence – or that they do not believe in God at all – has grown. The discrepancy between the two communities is the result of the arrogance brought about by some researchers. Those who pursue science and labor to find answers to questions believe their research and discoveries render them superior, and that everything can be explained through science. Islam doesn’t separate the two sides of scienc...

February 1st marks World Hijab Day. Every year World Hijab Day Organization asks women from all different faiths and backgrounds to wear hijab for the day in solidarity with Muslim women. Empowered in Hijab The motto for World Hijab Day 2020 is “Unity in Diversity” and their theme is #EmpoweredInHijab. The overall mission of WHD is to “create a more peaceful world where global citizens respect each other.” They particularly focus on “fighting bigotry, discrimination and prejudice against Muslim women.” Hijab And Inferiority Complex: Setting Myself Free by Nichola Taylor But why is this so important? In today’s world, there are many misconceptions about the hijab . Many believe Muslim women are forced to wear it, others believe women shouldn’t wear it at the first place. Some countries have even gone far by banning hijab. And amidst this, hijabi Muslim women are always at the forefront of Islamophobic attacks. Many may not understand why Muslim women choose to wear hij...

Moses said to him, “May I follow you on [the condition] that you teach me from what you have been taught of sound judgement? (Quran  18:66 ) Lesson 1: Thank Allah for the Knowledge you Have Before we start with a selection of the verses  from the story of Moses and Al-Khidr , look at the crucial lesson the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us: Once Prophet Musa stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked: “Who is the most learned man amongst the people?” He said: “I am the most learned.” Allah admonished Moses as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So Allah inspired to him, “At the junction of the two seas there is a slave of mine who is more learned than you.” Musa said: “O my Lord! How can I meet him?”  (Al-Bukhari) There is no one who knows everything. Allah gives certain knowledge to whoever He wills. Moses didn’t link his knowledge to Allah. All the knowledge that we have is from Allah and we need to thank Him. Tip:...

What is the Islamic stance on Reincarnation? Do Muslims believe in this? The simple answer is no. In Islam we believe that we will be recreated for the Day of Judgement. We will stand before Allah and we will answer for all of our deeds in this life. If we have done good deeds in this life, then we will go to Paradise inshAllah and if we have done evil, we will go to Hell. Dr. Shabir Ally discusses. The post What is the Islamic Stance on Reincarnation? appeared first on About Islam . source https://aboutislam.net/multimedia/videos/what-is-the-islamic-stance-on-reincarnation/

Is an empty prayer better than no prayer? Is this statement correct? The answer is yes it is. Sometimes it feels like when we pray we are just going through the motions. We are not connected at all spiritually to the prayer or to Allah. It feels we are not spiritually growing through our prayers. When that happens to us we feel what is the point in praying? This is Shaytan who is encouraging us to cut off our connection with Allah. However, as long as we have that connection we will find our way back to Allah. The post Is an Empty Prayer Better than No Prayer? appeared first on About Islam . source https://aboutislam.net/multimedia/videos/empty-prayer-better-no-prayer/

People commit sin everyday, Allah says I will forgive them every single day and every single night for as long as they seek that forgiveness. So don’t lose hope in the mercy of Allah. One of the traps of the devil is he makes you become haunted by your past where people suffer OCD as a result; they’re depressed, they cannot eat, they cannot drink because of something they did when they were twenty years old. Seek His Forgiveness Perhaps you may have lost your virginity. Many young girls actually message me saying I unfortunately committed this and did that and now I don’t know what to do. Don’t become depressed, forgiveness is for you too. Allah will forgive you Subhan Allah! Allah will definitely open your doors . His doors are definitely open. It does not mean you are doomed… all you need is to just seek the forgiveness of Allah Almighty, remember this. You need to seek the forgiveness of Allah. You’re living in conditions that are trying, that are very testing , there is a lot...

This is for women who successfully made great efforts in breaking stereotypes and the glass ceiling against all odds. Who are your hijab-wearing role models? This is a question we posed to our readers for the occasion of the World Hijab Day And below are their choices – Successful 6 women topping their list of favorite role models 1 – Yasmin Mogahed With degrees in psychology and journalism, Mogahed is well-skilled at delving into the deep issues afflicting individuals in our communities. She is also an instructor and youth worker. Mogahed’s books and speaking engagements are greatly enjoyed by American Muslims and those across the globe. Here is Mogahed sharing her hijab story : 2 – Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir Perhaps she is best known for being denied her hijab , Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir is an award-winning basketball player who played for University of Indiana. However, she was denied playing professionally in Europe due to the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) ban of head...