Beautiful Dua for Heartbreak

We all go through heartbreak at some point in our lives. It is inevitable. Whether it is because we lose a loved one in death, divorce or separation. Or a traumatic experience that happens to us can cause a heavy heart. 

Recite this beautiful dua for heartbreak from the Quran. 

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return. Quran 2-15

Allatheena itha asabat-hum museebatun qaloo inna lillahi wa-inna ilayhi rajiAAoona

الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

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How One Act of Kindness Led Her to Islam

When she was growing up her and her family always went to church come rain and shine. She despised it though because she didn’t believe in anything that was being said. 

When she was 16 she was obsessed with religion and started to watch lots of videos and lectures on YouTube. When she went to college she stopped all of her church-going lifestyle. She went out partying with her friends. 

One night she was so drunk and got separated from her friends. A hijabi girl came over to her and offered her a drink of water. In her drunk state she forgot all of her xenophobic thoughts about Muslims and accepted it gladly. The girl took her back to her room and gave her more water. 

Soon she started to talk to the hijabi girl and was amazed to find out that kindness is a huge part of Islam. The girl eventually gave her a Quran to read and she felt a real connection!

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Prayers and Healing

We, the physicians, have now come to accept a fact known to our patients for centuries: that healing is from God, and we are just an instrument of the Healer.

We give the same medication to two different patients with the same type of medical problem or perform similar operations on two patients otherwise at the same risk and one will survive and the other one doesn’t. It is more than simple luck.

As Socrates put it, “I dress the wound and God heals it.”? This was also acknowledged by Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) as he was quoted in the Qur’an saying: “…and when I am ill, it is He who cures me” (Qur’an 26:80). God Himself attests to it by saying “If God touches thee with an affliction, no one can remove it but He” (Qur’an 6:17).

Prayers and Healing

Healing from the Qur’an

The Qur’an is not a textbook of medicine, rather it contains rules of guidance that if followed will promote good health and healing. This is why the Qur’an calls itself a book of healing.

“O mankind, there has come unto you a direction from your Lord and a healing for the heart and for those who believe in guidance and mercy” (Qur’an 10:57).

“We have sent down in the Qur’an that which is healing and a mercy to those who believe” (Qur’an 17:82)

📚 Read Also: 5 Practical Tips to Find Sweetness of Prayer

Healing from the Qur’an is of Three Types:

a. Legislative effect: This includes faith (iman) in God as not only the Creator but the Sustainer and the Protector. This also includes the medical benefits of obligatory prayers, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage.

b. Health Guidelines: Health-promoting items from the Qur’an and the tradition of the Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) including the use of honey, olives, fruit, lean meat, avoiding excessive eating, and the prohibition of alcohol, pork, homosexuality, sexual promiscuity, and sex during menstruation.

c. The direct healing effect of the Qur’an: Recitation of the Qur’an by the ill or for the ill (ruqya) has shown to have a direct healing effect. This most likely uses the medical benefits of echo.

The echo of sound is such a powerful force that it has been used to blast off mountains. Now the miniaturized version of echo is used in medicine to break kidney stones (lithotripsy), gallstones, and even vegetations in the subendothelial bacterial endocarditis (SBE). Listening to the recitation of the Holy Qur’an has been shown in a study conducted by Dr. Ahmed E. Kadi and his associates to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and to cause smooth muscle relaxation in Muslim Arabs, non-Arab Muslims and even in non-Muslims.? It is postulated that the echo target of? Alif Lam Meem? (the first three words of Surat Al-Baqarah-the 2nd chapter of the Qur’an) is in the heart and that of Ya-seen (chapter 36) is in the pituitary gland of the brain. Thus the Prophet Mohammad always stressed reading the Qur’an (Qur’an-recitation) loudly and not silently by saying, “The comparison between a silent reader and a recitor is like a bottle of perfume when it is closed and when it is opened.”

To Be Continued

This article is from our archive, originally published on an earlier date, and highlighted now for its importance

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Imam Abu Hanifah: The Affluent & Intelligent Scholar

One of the greatest imams of Fiqh and Islamic Scholarship, Imam Abu Hanifah led a marvelous life of piety and knowledge seeking.

📚 Read Also: When a Prophet Is Jailed… How Prophet Yusuf (PBUH) Coped

In this video Sheikh Navid Aziz explores the life of this great imams, recounting beautiful stories about his journey with knowledge, his dealings with average people, his care for students and his encounters with politicians of the time.

– How imam Abu Hanifah started pursuing knowledge?

– How did his partner in business help him in this endeavor?

– Did Abu Hanifah really recite the Qur’an 70 thousand times?

– And why was he jailed by the Caliph at the time?

A very informative and interesting episode, full of inspiration and useful lessons. Do not miss it!

More from Imam Navid Aziz:

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How Prophet Adam Survived Satan’s Deceit

The enmity of Satan to Prophet Adam and his progeny is very ancient, going back to the very time of creating Adam (peace be upon him).

So, Satan deceived our father and enticed him into disobeying Allah for the first time. Adam forgot the command not come close to the forbidden tree; he ate the fruit.

📚 Read Also: From Rabbi to Sheikh (Story)

What did Adam do next?

How did he handle this new experience?

How did he knew about repentance?

And what lessons can be learnt from Satan’s trap and Adam’s repentance to Allah?

Join Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda in this inspiring video about the story of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him).

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Why Don’t You Pray? – A Letter From the Soul

To my dearest lover,

Before anything else, I want you to know how deeply I care for you. You are my life, and I share every bit of joy, every ounce of pain and every shred of fear that you feel.

Your dreams are my hopes, your aspirations are my wishes, and your worries, I’ll willingly carry.

I see you every morning, deep in slumber, completely unaware of the magical things that are surrounding you. I trace your face, and I smell your hair, and I make a silent but earnest prayer, for you.

“Are you there?” I asked.

You roll out of bed, some days more eager than the other, and you start your day.

You read lines upon lines of messages, and emails, and statuses and you consume visuals and audios and I wished, just maybe, maybe, you’ll feel me. I waited for you.

While you dress, while you sip your drink and chew your food, while you think of your to-do list for the day, while you make plans. Plans for lunch, plans with friends, plans for the future.Out the door you went, and that’s STRIKE ONE.

I see a stain forming within me. A black spot.

I have so much faith in you, my dear. I know the brilliant things you are capable of. Your gentle spirit, your kindness, your generosity. But I won’t lie and say that there are some moments when I don’t recognize you. When you curse, when you rage, when you break your promises.

But I will never stop having faith in you.

It’s almost 5 in the late afternoon, and you are surrounded by people. Cups of tea clanking, insignificant chatting, the black stain on me is quickly spreading.

I wanted to embrace you there and then. And whisper to you,”don’t you know you were made with immeasurable potential, my love?

Don’t you remember when Allah Himself, proportioned you and breathed into you from His soul? Why are you here and not taking advantage of this greatness that He has bestowed upon you?”

You laughed along with them, not knowing why or what’s funny and you stopped in the middle of the street to photograph the sunset, but you forgot. You forgot to stop to thank and appreciate the Creator and the Artist of that beautiful Sunset.

As you walked on, the black spot in me is quickly spreading and I began to worry.

But as soon as I start to wonder if you’ll ever acknowledge my presence, if you’ll ever feel my love, I see something in your eyes.

I see your desire to be better. To do the right thing. To feel at peace. And there’s this constant tug of war within you, this pulling and pushing.

You know something is missing, but you are not curious enough to find out what. And if only you put that as your priority, my love. If only you stop being so busy trying to live this life, and remember that there’s a more everlasting one coming right behind you.

Please be curious, my love.

Be curious about Who is the One who alternated the Day and the Night, ever so seamlessly. Be curious about Who is the One who is protecting you from everything and anything, from things that you are not even aware of.

Be curious about Who is the one supplying you the very air that you are breathing, the very Creator of every single one of your muscles and limbs that allows you to move.

Who do you think put you here in this world? Who gave you sight, touch and the ability to think? Who gave you the ability to create? Every single idea that you have and had, who inspired it? Who provided you with the sustenance to live?

Pursue that curiosity, my love. Because you’ve missed so much.

Fajr passed as you dreamed on.

Zuhur disappeared when you chased your to-do lists.

Asr’ got skipped as you hung out with friends.

Maghrib flew by when you were on your phone.

Isha’ was pushed away as you climb to bed, empty.

So when you catch yourself wondering why life hasn’t worked out for you, why you have not felt peace and tranquility for a while, why every day seem to be a constant repetition of purposelessness, and you realize you have all of these questions you’re struggling to find answers to, I only have one for you which I’ve been dying to ask, my love.

“Why don’t you pray?”

* I hope you’ll take the time to find the answer to that question, my love. I hope you’ll find it soon. Because this black stain is engulfing my entire being, and soon I will feel nothing. And with every passing second that you don’t remember Him, I suffer. And eventually, I will stop beating.

Save me,

Your Soul.

This was originally wrote as part of Aida’s Tuesday Love Letters at http://theshawllabel.com/)

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Forgotten Sunnahs – Praying in Shoes

This topic is slightly controversial and that is praying in shoes! There are numerous authentic reports that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to pray with his shoes on. This seems to be a forgotten sunnah!

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) not only prayed with his shoes on but he encouraged his Companions to pray with their shoes on as well. We have to remember that the masjids back then were not like they are today. They didn’t have nice clean carpets like we do now. 

However, we must understand, that we shouldn’t go into our masjids wearing shoes because we should keep them clean. But if we are outside praying, then yes we can pray in our shoes as long as any impurity is removed. 

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Reaction to Surah Al-Mursalat (The Emissaries)

YouTuber Rukia Dagtan listens to Surah Al-Mursalat, the Emissaries, and records her reaction to this Quran verse. She listens to the Arabic recitation with English translation. 

She remarks that the way that the verses are recited is very poetic and this is beautiful. However, it can be difficult for someone, who doesn’t know the Quran to understand the deeper meaning. 

She then goes on to explain how she interprets this verse and what could be the meaning behind it. 

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How to Introduce the Quran to Non-Muslims

How do we speak to non-Muslims about the Quran? How can we introduce the Quran to non-Muslims?

Because, you know, there is a lot of nonsense out there spoken about the Quran. There are a lot of misconceptions, there is a lot of deliberate mischief.

Well, I want say what Muslims believe about the Quran.

I’ve been Muslim now for 14 years or so; and the more I know of the Quran, the more ignorant I realize I am, but the more beautiful I see the Quran to be.

Even recently, I was in London not long ago, and I heard a talk from a Muslim scholar about the Quran; he gave a very beautiful idea which I will share with you.

Like a Building Site

He said: “Imagine a building site, you go to visit a building site; and all you see on the building site are heaps of sand, cement, buckets of water, and bricks here and there; people rushing around and moving about… You would have no idea looking at the building site what the building is going to look like.

The only one on that site who has a vision in his mind of what the building will look like is the architect. He knows what the final building will be like. Well, the Quran is like that.”

When the Quran was revealed, it was revealed over 23 years and it was revealed in this city and in that city maybe. Two parts of the same verse were revealed 20 years apart; and maybe the second part was revealed first and then the first part of the verse was revealed 15 years later.

Anyone looking at all the bits of the Quran that were revealed wouldn’t quite understood what the final thing would look like. Allah alone, the architect of all things, knew what it was going to look like.

Anyone looking at all the bits of the Quran that were revealed wouldn’t quite understood what the final thing would look like. Allah alone, the architect of all things, knew what it was going to look like.

The Compilation of the Quran

And then right at the end, the angel Gabriel revealed to Prophet Muhammad how the order of the Quran would be. So the Quran brought together all the verses revealed in different places over 23 years and put into the order we find them today.

Like that building site, we find one verse was revealed here, one verse was revealed there for a particular reason in answer to a particular situation.

Then when it was all put together, the most extraordinary thing happened, the most miraculous thing happened. We find that there are rhymes within verses, that there are themes and sub-themes within verses that no one could possibly have imagined when they were been revealed at the time.

They were revealed here and there piece by piece; but when it was all put together a whole existed that no one could have imagined. It was like all the parts of the jigsaw were all put together. The architect of it all knew what it will say in the end.

There are scholars who go through the Quran and say how many rhymes appear how many times and how many words appear here… There is an extraordinary symmetry within the Quran that is quite miraculous. Leave all that to one side, it’s all very beautiful.

Unchanged Message

The Quran we look at today, it was revealed 14 hundred years ago. If you look at any Quran from any country from any century of the last 14 hundred years and you will see that it is exactly the same Quran; it is completely without change.

The Quran was revealed orally. And then Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) remembered the verses; and he told other people to learn the verses by heart.

Not one person, but the whole community. He revealed what had been revealed to him and then they all memorized it and then eventually the Quran was put together. It was written down but it’s meant to be listened to, it’s meant to be recited it’s not meant to be a written book. It was revealed for us to hear.

So if you’re not Muslim, a little thing I would encourage you to do is listen to the Quran.

The Quran is the word of Almighty God; it’s not a history text book, it’s not a science manual.

When Muslims read the Quran, they wash their hands; they keep the Quran in a place of honor. It is never put on the floor for example; it’s treated with courtesy. The Quran is not something we take lightly, it’s Allah Almighty speaking to us.

And what is He saying?

The Final Message

Well, as Muslims we believe the Quran is the final message of God Almighty to mankind.

Had He spoken to mankind before?

Yes He had, in many ways through many messages.

But the Quran confirms everything that had gone before it if it was true. It denies or gets rid of anything that goes before it that was false.

So for example, in one of the Gospels chosen by the Christian church to be part of their canonical scripture, or in the four, it tells us that Jesus is the son of God, whereas the Quran tells us that he is not.

So the mistakes made in the past regarding this teaching were corrected by the Quran.

Watch the full talk:

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4 Ways to Boost Your Self-Confidence as a New Muslim

Every fiber of your being knew that you were making the right decision, to embrace the Islamic faith. You recited Shahadah, at the mosque with love for our Creator in your heart and tears of joy for your salvation. You are now a new Muslim.

After repeating those words, “I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah; and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last messenger,” your heart could finally bask in the peace that overtook it.

But what happened next?

If you embraced Islam many years ago, then you know the answer to this question. If you are a new Muslim, you might just be experiencing the side-effects of changing your faith now.

Hold tight to the rope of Allah and exude the self-confidence you need to fortify your faith with a few simple tactics to get started.

Put Your Faith First

One of the best things you can do, as a new Muslim, is put your faith first. You are a student of Islam; you need to take the time necessary to learn all of the basics, such as the prayer, fasting, reciting the Quran and more. In the fast-pace of daily life, you have to “make” the time to learn your faith inside and out.

Think of your new faith as a fragile egg. You wouldn’t toss it roughly from hand to hand, would you? No. Instead, you would handle it gently and with care to avoid cracking it.

Carve out a block of time, each day, to study your faith. Even an hour reading the Quran or listening to a beneficial Islamic lecture can solidify your self-confidence. Join an Islamic class or study circle and put your faith at the forefront in your life.

Turn Negatives into Positives

Your self-confidence as a new Muslim can take a beating when faced with critics of Islam. Whether the criticism is coming from loved ones or strangers on the street, Muslims are often placed under a cloak of scrutiny through no fault of their own.

Negative experiences can have a lasting effect on your faith. It’s vital to turn any negative into a positive right at the onset. Perhaps someone made a rude comment regarding your faith or did something to make you feel unwanted due to your beliefs.

Instead of taking the experience at face value, turn it around by transforming it into a learning experience for your detractor.

Even the most heated disputes can be transformed into a learning experience if you find the silver lining in the situation.

For example, a Muslim student is singled out for wearing the hijab in class. Instead of allowing the criticism to take root and flourish, the student can go to the Dean and request cultural sensitivity training with an emphasis on Islamophobia for her particulate class.

Alternatively, the student can reach out to non-profits who specialize in Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate crimes. Speaking out against negative experiences can also increase self-confidence while also drawing attention to the plight of Muslims.

Celebrate Your Islam!

You’ve tasted the sweetness of the Islamic faith and you’ve only just begun your journey on the path of righteousness. Celebrate your faith on a daily basis by worshiping Allah, without partner; engaging in increased acts of worship that will pull you closer to your Lord.

Take a moment, less than a minute if it’s all you’ve got, to say “Al-Hamdulillah” or “thanks God” for choosing Islam for you as your religion. As Allah Almighty reveals in the Noble Quran:

…This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion… (Quran 5:3)

To be counted amongst the Muslims, is truly something glorious and worthwhile. And to be blessed enough to have the Noble Quran as your guide for life and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as your teacher is a miraculous feat that deserves to be celebrated!

Trust in Your Creator

It’s quite common for new Muslims to face an onslaught of emotions from friends and loved ones; some are positive and some are negative.

Your confidence as a new Muslim can plunge drastically, and fast. It’s important to be proactive when it comes to maintaining your confidence for the sake of your faith and love for Allah.

You became Muslim because you had the conviction and confidence to follow the Path that is Straight. Now you must put all your trust in Allah Almighty to uplift your self-confidence when it begins to decline.

It’s often lonely to be a new Muslim as many family members might cut you off unexpectedly due to their own fears and shortcomings. And it might also be a struggle to find just where it is that you belong in our Ummah, or community of Muslims.

However, no matter the toil, rest assured that your trust is held in confidence by the Lord of this World.

He is the Dispenser of Affairs and knows what is best for you.

(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)

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Old Woman Advises Umar and Makes Him Cry (Story)

“I was there when you used to be called little Umar; days passed by and you were called Umar; and days passed by and you are now called the leader of the faithful.

So, fear Allah when dealing with your subjects and remember that whoever fears death will avoid sins.” 

How did Umar react to these powerful words coming from an old lady?

What was his response to this woman mentioning some embarrassing moments of his life?

In this beautiful story, we see the second Caliph and Leader of Muslims getting schooled by a woman in public, in the street.

Umar’s companion, Al-Jarud, was upset. The advice sounded harsh for him and therefore he tried to stop her. But Umar had a different opinion and reaction.

Join Sister Lobna Mulla as she recounts and comments on this amazing story.

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It Kills You 25 Times Faster Than Cigarette

With coronavirus now plaguing the whole world, killing hundreds and infecting thousands, this video, provided by Newsy, shows us how hookah is equally deadly and can be much more harmful to your body than 25 cigarettes.

Hookah also poses a huge risk of transmitting deadly coronavirus.

Researchers found that hookah — now more popular than cigarettes among teens — is much heavier on tar, smoke, nicotine and carbon monoxide.

Hookah, aka Pneumatic Water Pipe, Narghile, Arghileh, Qalyan, or other names is a single or multi-stemmed instrument for vaporizing and smoking flavored tobacco called shisha. In hookah, the vapor or smoke is passed through a water basin—often glass-based—before inhalation.

Hookah
A new meta-analysis shows that hookah smokers are inhaling a large load of toxicants.

Health risks of smoking hookah include exposure to toxic chemicals that aren’t filtered out by the water. Also, the risk of infectious disease when hookahs are shared.

The waterpipe was either invented in the Mughal or the Safavid Empires. For these areas, it eventually spread to the east into India.

Later on, hookah reached the Middle East during the Ottoman Era from neighboring Safavid Iran.

More recently in the modern ages, hookah has gained popularity in the Americas, Europe, Oceania, Australia, Southeast Asia. Also in South and East Africa largely due to immigrants from the Levant.

This article is from our archive, originally published on an earlier date, and highlighted now for its importance

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Dealing with Depression: A Holistic Approach

Depression is more than just occasionally feeling “blue”. There are life situations that may cause us to feel sadness, sometimes profound, like the death of a loved one (grief). However, if that response stretches over a long time, the person’s response is no longer considered “normal” and a diagnosis of depression might be made.

Major depression is marked by the person’s inability to function. A diagnosis must include five of the following symptoms that occur simultaneously over a two-week period:

  • Fatigue, loss of energy
  • Feeling worthless or feelings of guilt
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Significant change in weight or appetite
  • Depression lasts all day or most of the day
  • Lack of interest or enjoyment in everyday activities
  • Excessive sleep or daily insomnia
  • Suicidal thoughts

Interestingly, I have found that many people who really are depressed are not aware that they are. They have always felt that way, so they do not consider it abnormal. It usually runs in families and because of that and social reasons, many depressed people are never given appropriate care.

There are many causes of depression (many things can alter our brain chemistry) ranging from life stressors, insufficient blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain, altered blood glucose level, fluctuation in hormones, food sensitivity or heavy metal toxicity.

Mainstream Approaches

There are many ways to approach depression. Some approaches are more successful than others and respond to different approaches differs from one person to another. Depression is a multi-facetted disorder that can also be treated from a holistic approach; even new trends in psychology acknowledge this.

At the level of psychiatry, depressive disorders are treated by one or more of three methods: drugs, psychosocial therapy, or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Drugs work by changing the way neurotransmitters work in the brain. Psychosocial therapy consists of interviews between the patient and a trained specialist to find out the causes of a person’s depression. ECT makes use of severe electrical shocks to treat a person’s depression by releasing more neurotransmitters.

In some depression cases such as those involving heavy metal toxicity, food sensitivities, and nutritional deficiencies; psychotherapy, antidepressants and electroshock therapy may not be the most appropriate avenue. In such cases, treatment is directed towards the cause.

Click to read more…

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Funny Questions Muslim Girls Often Get on Hijab

‘Do you sleep with it?’

‘Do you take a shower in it?’

‘Are you forced to wear it?’

‘Do you wear it at home?’

‘Do you feel hot?’

‘Is it waterproof?’

So, which of these funny questions you’ve got?

The Hijab Challenge

For many Muslim girls, wearing a hijab in the west is a challenge .

These are some of the frequently asked questions about hijab Muslim students get asked at school or campus. Sometimes, it’s funny; other times it’s challenging and most of the times it takes patience and understanding to be able to deal with such questions and educate people about Islam and Muslims.

This picture is drawn by members of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) who are also students of their local Catholic School during a club activity. T

he purpose of the MSA is to enlighten non-Muslim students on the behaviors and qualities of what it means to be a Muslim student. 

First published: June 2019

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Racism Can Only Be Cured by Islamic Virtues

I mentioned earlier that I did not think that freedom from racism was a human right.

By this, I meant that I did not believe it to be anyone’s guaranteed right, that is by mere dint of being human, that they not be looked upon with contempt, or not be looked down upon based on the color of their skin or the ethnic genealogy.

What I did not mean, however, was that racism or predatorists’ ethnocentrism were good or morally defensible. In fact, my beliefs are quite the opposite.

But the way to deal with these diseases is not simply through legal prescriptions and sanctions. And we might remind ourselves that law is the primary and premier most favorite mechanism through which human rights advocates routinely operate.

Dealing with Racism

Rather, racism, and such ills, belongs to the province of what MacIntyre and others, including myself, would refer to as the virtues, and what Muslims such as Al Qarafi would have known as Akhlaq.

It is ultimately, in other words, our hidden pre-rational even pre-conscious selves that must be addressed and properly animated, if these defects are to be effectively addressed.

And this, I am afraid, is something the non reflexive rationalism of the human rights discourses simply cannot do, which brings me back oddly to Quran 2: 275.

The virtues (akhlaq) are not simply important as a theoretical alternative to human rights. Their absence is actually the reason that we get so many human rights violations in the first place, while all the lofty declarations, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, remain in all too many instances are like ink on paper.

In his book: “Saviors and Survivors: Darfur Politics and the War on Terror”, Mahmoud Mamdani points to the often feigned or contrived ambiguity between such constructs as official census categories and racism; intervention and invasion; the tragedies in Iraq and Afghanistan on the one hand, and what is going on in Darfur on the other. The latter being commonly accepted as a human rights concern, the former commonly not.

In the end, no amount of the kind of rationalistic jousting promoted by human rights discourses, Western or Islamic, will resolve these ambiguities, rather like the pre-islamic Arabians, each side will continue to point to ontological differences that allegedly sustain its case.

This is to me the ultimate import of Quran 2: 275. For this verse makes it clear that in the end it may be only the virtues and the akhlaq of piety, and it had two enormous commitments to obedience to the commandments of God.

Not any anti logically obvious distinctions that will enable us to see, at least in many cases, the difference between apparent and actual good and evil.

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source https://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/research-studies/racism-can-only-be-cured-by-islamic-virtues/

All You Need to Know About the Islamic Months

They ask thee, (O Muhammad), of new moons. Say: They are fixed seasons for mankind and for the pilgrimage… (Quran 2:189)

The Islamic or Hijri calendar is based on a lunar month of 29 to 30 days, with the day starting at sunset.
The new moon announces the arrival of a new month, but due to differences in the weather (rain and fog, etc.) that may prevent a clear view of the moon, or due to great distances between countries, the start of a new month is neither definite nor conclusive.
Therefore scientists have developed a number of norms to help predict when the first sighting of the crescent moon will be, but there will be small discrepancies between countries when determining the birth of the crescent heralding the month of Ramadan and the first day of the following month, indicating the end of the fast.

The Islamic year consists of twelve months:

1- Muharram
2- Safar
3- Rabi’ Awwal
4- Rabi’ Thani
5- Jumada Awwal
6- Jumada Thani
7- Rajab
8- Sha’ban
9- Ramadan
10- Shawwal
11- Dhul- Qi’dah
12- Dhul- Hijjah.

The most important dates in the Islamic calendar:

1 Muharram (Islamic New Year);
10 Muharram (Day of Ashura’);
27 Rajab (Israa’ and Miraj);
1 Ramadan (first day of the month of fasting);
the last ten days of Ramadan, which include (Laylat Al-Qadr);
1 Shawwal (`Eid Al-Fitr);
8 – 10 Dhul-Hijjah (Hajj);
9 Dhul-Hijjah (Day of `Arafah);
10 Dhul-Hijjah (`Eid Al-Adha).
However, the dates of some of these events, such as that of Laylat Al-Qadr and the Prophet Muhammad’s journey of Isra’ and Mi’raj, have not been conclusively specified, and there has been some uncertainty about the exact date of the event.

Four of the twelve Islamic months are sacred:

Rajab, Muharram, Dhul-Qi’dah, Dhul-Hijjah.
In the pre-Islamic period, raids among the Arab tribes were forbidden and hunting was halted during these months. Islam inherited and approved this practice. Fighting (killing) is prohibited during these sacred months except in self-defense.
Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, its year is 10 or 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. This means that Muslim months fall in different seasons.
For example, Ramadan and Hajj can fall in the summer as well as in the winter. It takes about 33 years for the Islamic dates to rotate through the solar seasons.
The dating of the Islamic years was introduced by the second caliph, `Umar ibn Al-Khattab, in 638 CE (16 AH) in an attempt to circumvent all the various conflicting dating systems used during his time. After consulting his companions, he set the Hijrah—the flight of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from Makkah to Madinah—as the most appropriate reference to the new Islamic era.
The Hijrah, historically speaking, is the central event of early Islam, the turning point in Islamic history that led to the foundation of the first Muslim state.

(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)

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source https://aboutislam.net/reading-islam/understanding-islam/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-islamic-calendar/

Is the Adhan on a Phone the Same as the Adhan in the Masjid?

Many of us have adhan apps on our phones so we know when to pray next. Is the adhan on a phone the same as the adhan in the masjid?

As a general rule, we should only follow the adhan when we hear it live, so when we are in the masjid or near the masjid and we hear it being said.

We shouldn’t follow the adhan on our phones because they are not coming from a live masjid.

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source https://aboutislam.net/multimedia/videos/is-the-adhan-on-a-phone-the-same-as-the-adhan-in-the-masjid/

Two Months Before Ramadan – Prepare Yourself in Rajab

We are two months of less now from the holy month of Ramadan. Rajab proceeds the month of Shaban and after Shaban it is Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan is a month that requires preparation. Preparation begins in advance. The month of Rajab is the month that we should till the hardened soil. The soil of our hearts have become hard so we now need to loosen that soil.

How do we till the harden soil on our hearts? Through istaghurillah. We must start from now to start seeking for forgiveness. May Allah bless our month of Rajab, our month of Shaban so we can arrive for the month of Ramadan!

The post Two Months Before Ramadan – Prepare Yourself in Rajab appeared first on About Islam.



source https://aboutislam.net/multimedia/videos/preparing-ramadan-till-soil-rajab/

This Muslim Charity Does Great Work in the UK

Karimia Institute is a Muslim charity working across the United Kingdom. It has been working to help individuals and families learn life skills and develop moral and spiritual values through education, worship and recreation.

Founded in 1990 with the support of the local community in Nottingham, the charity has been offering a range of services and projects.

It has developed centers for worship, education, training and self-development in various locations around the United Kingdom.

In addition to the religious activities, Karimia Institute also offers counseling and education for children and adults. In addition, it provides services related to marriage, death and more.

Moreover, the charity has also been working with many organizations to help contribute towards improvements in education, health provision, environment, and community cohesion.

Services and activities offered by the Muslim charity include:

– Eight Quran schools that serve over 1200 children daily,

– Six mosques

– A radio station, Radio Dawn 107.6 FM.

Great Achievements

Its outstanding contributions to the British Muslim community has earned Karimia Institute the honor of being named “The Charity of the Year ” by The British Muslim Awards at the ceremony held last month, January 31st.

“We are honored to have our work recognized in this way by the British Muslim Awards. It means so much to us that the work we do so passionately also resonates with others.” The charity said in a statement released on its website.

“We will continue our efforts to continue developing our community and look forward to bringing about positive changes for many years to come.”

The post This Muslim Charity Does Great Work in the UK appeared first on About Islam.



source https://aboutislam.net/family-life/muslims-4-humanity/this-muslim-charity-does-great-work-in-the-uk/

Muslim Youth Find Religious Education in London Faith Hub

Finding a reliable source of religious education might be a challenge to some Muslim youths living in the West.

Yet, British Muslim youths are finding their long-sought target in a new faith community that has been established in London recently.

Founded by three young Muslim men one year ago, Faith offers a community space that facilitates spiritual growth while prioritizing fellowship, openness, accessibility, and relevance.

The spiritual community hub for Muslims offers Qur’an classes as well as tafsir, or Qur’anic exegesis.

With many youth feeling neglected by their mosques, Faith was set up to foster spiritual and social community growth among millennial Muslims beyond the traditional mosque environment.

Faith community co-founders Adel Chowdhury, center, and Imam Shabbir Hassan, right, chat during a break in a session, Jan. 27, 2020, in the group’s new permanent space in London. RNS photo by Aysha Khan

“The reality is that there is a disenfranchised kind of feeling people may have, and because of religious trauma or a bad experience, they don’t feel welcome in the masjid or other Muslim spaces,” co-founder Sheikh Hasib Noor explained, Religion News reported.

“People feel like their voices are not being heard, or that the relevance wasn’t there, or their spiritual needs are not being met. We felt like we could provide that to people with an environment where the social is just as important as the spiritual.”

Fresh Community

Organizers say Faith is particularly aimed at offering a nonjudgmental and welcoming environment for those who may feel uncomfortable at their local mosque.

Faith’s tagline, quoted in countless social media posts alongside emojis of brown-skinned prayer hands, drives the message home: “Come as you are, to faith as it is.”

In that way, co-founders Imam Shabbir Hassan said he hopes to build young British Muslims a bridge back to traditional Islamic spaces.

“We hope we can connect with the masajid that are already out there, and start gently pushing people toward the mosque,” he said.

“Because obviously there’s a disconnect, and we want to bridge that gap. We want to get people to a level where they’re comfortable going to a mosque and continue coming to us.”

📚 Read Also: The Black American Conference: Reclaiming Muslim Youth

Youth-Friendly Mosques?

The Masjid is a place of worship for Muslims but it also serves as a social gathering spot for the community.

During the time of Prophet (PBUH), the Masjid served as a place to workshop, socialize, feed the poor, cure the wounded, and conduct town hall meetings. The Masjid has always served as the central hub for community affairs and this includes the affairs of our youth. 

However, many Muslim youths have been complaining that mosques do not accommodate them, fail to offer programs interesting to them, and give traditional sermons that are no longer related to their age and time.

For interesting advice on how to encourage youth into mosques, check this:

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source https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/europe/muslim-youth-find-religious-education-in-london-faith-hub/