Articles

What is the Istikhara prayer?

Author: 
Shaykh Salim Ghisa

If you are unsure about a decision you have to make, there is a specific prayer that you can do to ask for Allah's help in making your decision. This prayer is called Salaat-ul- Istikhara (Prayer of guidance).

Istikhara is Sunnah and should be performed for all permissible acts which are not obligatory i.e. Salaah. Meaning one cannot perform Istikhara to see whether they should pray their Salaah five times a day or not, because Salaah is a direct obligation and an order from Allah. In the same way Istikhara cannot be done to see whether they should do something Haram or not.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

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Emotional, depressed and wearing a hoody
Emotional, depressed and wearing a hoody
Author: 
Imaani Aslam

We will all have moments in our life when we feel a bit down, miserable or in a bit of a mood. It is natural to feel some sort of sadness when we experience disappointments in our everyday life. However, The World Health Organisation estimates that 121 million people worldwide are suffering from ‘Depression’ – the illness. [1]

The difference between feeling a little low and suffering from a depressive illness is that these low feelings can last for weeks or months and seriously interfere with a persons life. There are different types of depressive illnesses; depression in its mildest form can make everything seem a struggle or pointless, but depression in its most severe form can be life-threatening as it can make a person simply give up the will to live.

STOP & SEARCH: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

[i]by Adnan Adrees[/i]

Ever since the PACE Act 1984 (Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984) all officers of the law were given new special powers in the fight against crime. Each officer would don a bright coloured uniform and transform into large beasts called "Zords" to battle the evil minions of the uber-villian known as Crime Lord. In a desperate bid to reduce crime officers could "frisk" the people of Britain in order to weed out the evil minions.

Beat the Bullies

By Imaani Aslam

Chances are you know someone who is being bullied or that even you yourself have at some time in your life been bullied. A recent report revealed a staggering 69% of young people are bullied. In other words, a shocking 2 out of 3 people [1].

So what can be classed as bullying?

Master Chef: Boneless Chicken

What you’ll need:

  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in half
  • 3 teaspoons of ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 3 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 3 teaspoons of ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger root

Idiots Guide to the Qur'an

By Sajid Iqbal

1. What is the Quran?

The Quran is the Muslim holy book, ya’ know like the Bible is to Christianity and the Torah is to Judaism. It was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) through the Angel Gabriel. The Quran is the record of the exact words revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Did you know that the Quran is a 'first-person' revelation, and is the authentic expression of the divine voice of the Almighty? The Quran offers a revelation from the point of view of God Himself.

2. Why was it revealed?

The Quran was sent to the whole of mankind for all times and not just for Muslims. The Quran is an instruction manual for life. If you follow it you will never go wrong. God says in the Quran:

Lethal Weapon: Young, Gifted and DEAD

By Zahid Maqbool

Walking down the street it is no longer enough to speak in rap. The gold rings mean nothing. Nor do the chains. There are two types of people out there. Those that carry and those that are dead. Bang bang.

La pistola. The Ultimate Badge of Honour. It says more than anything else. Who cares about the police? I own the streets and people fear me. And they should. I am the law. Disrespect me at your own peril. Bang bang.

Ain't fasting Bad for ya?

By Saima Iqbal

As the fourth pillar of Islam fasting is mostly observed during the month of Ramadan. Although technically you can fast at various other times of the year too, the month of Ramadan is the most well known for it. Fasting is a means of abstaining from not only food and drink but also putting in more effort in following the teachings of Islam.

As well as the spiritual benefits of fasting, there are also many other benefits that can be gained from fasting.

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