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At The Close Of Ramadan, Reflecting On This Sojourn Of Restraint And Spiritual Self-Help

29 March, 2025 - 09:08

A man once asked Abu Hurairah raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him), “What is taqwa?” He asked, “Have you taken a path with thorns?” When the man said yes, he asked, “So what did you do?” The man replied, “When I saw a thorn, I moved away, orcrossed over it, or avoided it.” Abu Hurairah raḍyAllāhu 'anhu (may Allāh be pleased with him) replied, “That is Taqwa.”1

Self control and restraint when no one is watching is at the core of taqwa. A quick look at contemporary culture and discourse shows self-restraint to be a highly sought-after trait. The admiration of the discipline of athletes, particularly Muslim ones (Khabib and co.), the glorification of the “hustle” of entrepreneurs and business giants, the lineup of motivational speakers and entire sections of bookstores dedicated to self-help, all exemplify the existent urge to attain mastery over oneself in one aspect of life or another. Even with the current age pushing the boundaries of freedom and self-expression further, the need to limit oneself from falling into vanity persists. While people seek various means to attain it, Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) has blessed us with a month that embodies restraint and purifies us from all vices, as He has stated,

O you who have believed, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you (so) that you may attain Taqwa.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 2;183]

The beauty of the month of Ramadan is that it provides both a generic and personal path towards restraint and piety; it shows people their potential and lays down a blueprint to follow to achieve greater control over the self. Pivoting back to the aforementioned motivational gurus and self-help literature, the fundamental flaw of both is that their content is either too generic to offer unique insights or too specific to feasibly map onto every person who seeks them for guidance.

The beauty of Ramadan lies in the fact that trends accompanying it (such as increase in voluntary prayers, supplications and forbearance, and eschewing of vices such as vain and foul speech) provide a substantive generic benefit to ones engaging in them in the form of multiplied rewards, while also revealing to each individual the areas they can very realistically improve themselves in.

restraint and worship

“The beauty of the month of Ramadan is that it provides both a generic and personal path towards restraint and piety.” [PC: Moslem Danesh (unsplash)]

To elucidate using a personal anecdote: every day, I would walk from my office to my residence, a journey of little over 20 minutes, while doing nothing. During Ramadan, with the aim of finishing the Quran during the month, I would read it during the walk and would finish nearly half a juz’ during it. Hence, over 20 minutes from my day that could be infused with worship were not being utilised and were brought to my attention. This “method” can very easily be mapped onto each person’s day and experience to find areas to improve in, whether it be time being under-utilised or areas of behaviour to be worked on.

The virtue of this restraint is magnified to the highest degree as the honing of the self undertaken during Ramadan is done for the ultimate cause, the very purpose of creation: to worship and submit to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and seek His pleasure. It directs towards the attaining of an extremely worthy trait in the path of the noblest of aims; one disciplines themselves not for material gains but for an achievement described as fawzan adheema, a great victory. Orienting willpower towards the true purpose of our existence also aids in setting priorities straight, since attaining rewards in the Hereafter often comes with shedding worldly desires and gains. It reiterates the importance of the next life and the insignificance of this one, and purifies the soul by giving spiritual accomplishment priority over its material counterpart. In a culture geared towards extracting maximum material benefit out of things, a month emphasising the spiritual becomes an obstacle that puts one at a worldly disadvantage. Commitment to observe Ramadan then serves as a reminder to shed one’s hawa in pursuit of rewards that may not immediately bear fruit; to rise above the need for instant gratification for – as the Quran describes – a more fruitful and lasting transaction that will never perish.2

Finally, as the training weights of Ramadan come off, the celebration that is Eid ul-Fitr does not lift the restrictions to make way for excess and extravagance, but exhorts towards sacrifice and praising Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) with zakat al-fitr and reciting of the takbir; it further emphasizes on being mindful of the ultimate purpose, even in celebration. Ramadan is an exercise in restraint, the ultimate self-help guide for the loftiest goal. The path to eternal doom in the Hereafter is littered with desires, and it is through perfecting khair az-zaad, the best provision for the journey of life that one safeguards oneself from that fate. The month of Ramadan provides the perfect conditions for stitching the garment that will shield one from the allure of desires, the garment of Taqwa – that is best.3

 

Related:

Before You Seek Answers, Seek Him First: A Muslim Chaplain’s Ramadan Reflection

Why We Fast: The Theological Danger Of Awkward Apologetics

 

1    Ad-Durr al-Mansur2    Surah Faatir, 35:293    Surah A’raaf, 7:26

The post At The Close Of Ramadan, Reflecting On This Sojourn Of Restraint And Spiritual Self-Help appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: Giving Preference to Others | Sh Zaid Khan

29 March, 2025 - 06:34

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20, Episode 21, Episode 24, Episode 25, Episode 26, Episode 27

Transcript

All thanks and praise are due to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and may His peace and blessings be upon His last and final Messenger ﷺ, his family, his companions, and those who follow them until the end of times.  

In this episode, I want to talk about Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala highlighting the selflessness of the Ansar, the residents of Madinah. In Surah Al-Hashar, verses number 7, 8, and 9. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala talks about the authority He had given the Prophet ﷺ to distribute the spoils of war among the Muhajireen, those who had migrated from Makkah to Madinah. This was primarily so that they would be lifted to a state of independence because they had sacrificed everything for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala when they had immigrated to Madinah. Yet, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, while talking about the sacrifices of the Muhajireen and how they did so for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, highlights the Ansar and how selfless they were in giving preference to their Muhajireen brethren. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says: 

وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلْإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةًۭ مِّمَّآ أُوتُوا۟ وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌۭ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ ٩ 

As for those who had settled in the city and ˹embraced˺ the faith before ˹the arrival of˺ the emigrants, they love whoever immigrates to them, never having a desire in their hearts for whatever ˹of the gains˺ is given to the emigrants. They give ˹the emigrants˺ preference over themselves even though they may be in need. And whoever is saved from the selfishness of their own souls, it is they who are ˹truly˺ successful. (Quran 59:9) 

Meaning, the ones who were already residing in Madinah and had accepted Islam before the Prophet ﷺ and the sahabah had immigrated to Madinah, they love their Muhajireen brethren and they don’t want what their muhajireen brethren are given by Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. They don’t covet that. They prefer them over themselves even if they are in need themselves. 

 In other words, the Ansar are selfless to the point that, even if they are in need, they recognize the greater need of their Muhajireen brethren. And this is an instructive moment for us. When it comes to a selfless, healthy functioning society, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds us that the way it will be functioning in a healthy manner is if every person not only gives their due rights to each other, but also prefers others to themselves. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds us in verse 7 of Surah Al-Hashr that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, had given authority to the Prophet ﷺ to distribute wealth as he saw fit so that the wealth would not accumulate within only a certain group of people. This is so that the wealth would be spread within the community. 

 One of the benefits of sadaqah is that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has given us the mechanism that allows us to give and prevents hoarding among ourselves. In other words, this idea of accumulation that we constantly try to earn, gather, and have as much as possible for ourselves and less for others, this is worked against by a person giving away and by a person preferring others to themselves. When a person can put somebody else’s needs in front of themselves, that’s when a person gets the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.  

 This is something that we all do naturally throughout our lives. Parents sacrifice for their children. The elder siblings might sacrifice for their younger siblings and so on and so forth. However, it’s very easy to prefer others to yourself when you have a connection with them, when you have blood ties with them, when they owe you a favor, when you have a relationship with them, or when you can benefit from them by you sacrificing for them. It’s very easy to do.  

 However, when a person has no connection with someone else, and the only thing that might bind them together are the bonds of Iman, that’s when a person is truly tested. This accumulated wealth that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has given you and me, how much of it are we willing to sacrifice it for others? These are people who, we don’t know, who we may never meet, and who can absolutely be of no benefit to us, perhaps other than their du’as. We’re not going to get anything from them other than their du’as. But are we willing to sacrifice what we might achieve in terms of comfort for the sake of others? Because if we do so, we are following the example of the Ansar. We are following the example of the people who preferred others even though they were in need. And Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala highlighted them in the Qur’an.  

 May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala guide, bless, protect us, and give us the ability to be selfless in everything that we have, so that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala can have mercy upon us on the Day of Judgment. 

والله أعلم وبالله التوفيق  

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Giving Preference to Others | Sh Zaid Khan appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: Which Group Are We In? | Sh Zaid Khan

28 March, 2025 - 04:26

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20, Episode 21, Episode 24, Episode 25, Episode 26

Transcript

In this episode, I wanted to briefly reflect on the three groups that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentions in Surah Al-Waqihah. In Surah Al-Waqihah, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala divides humanity into three groups. On the Day of Judgment, there will be only three groups to be a part of. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala talks about the people of the right. He says the people of the right. 

فَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ مَآ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ ٨ 

The people of the right, how ˹blessed˺ will they be; (Quran 56:8). 

In other words, what else can be said about the people of the right? This is a designation for the people who will be granted entry into Jannah. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala make us from amongst them. They are called the “people of the right”. According to the majority of the scholars, these people will receive their book of deeds in their right hand. Other narrations mention that, perhaps, they were created from the right side of Adam عليه السلام. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala knows best.  

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says that the second group are the people of the left. 

وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ مَآ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ ٩ 

The people of the left, how ˹miserable˺ will they be; (Quran 56:9) 

As for the people of the left, what can be said about the people of the left? And these are the people who will receive their book of deeds in their left hand. According to some narrations, perhaps they were created from the left side of Adam عليه السلام. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala protect us from being amongst them. These are the people of the hellfire.  

And Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentions a third group: 

وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ١٠ 

And the foremost ˹in faith˺ will be the foremost ˹in Paradise˺. (Quran 56:10) 

These are the forerunners. What could be said about the forerunners? These are the people who Allah calls أُولَٰئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ. These are the people who are close to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.  

So, I wanted to reflect on these three groups, but highlighting the fact that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has given us more opportunity to be part of the people of Jannah. 

If you think about the three groups, two of them are part of the people of Jannah and one group is for the fire. In other words, there doesn’t need to be a forerunner group for the people of the fire because if a person is part of the people of the left, then they are already doomed for eternity. There is no reason for them to have another group or subgroup within that.  

But Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has given us ample opportunity to be part of the people of Jannah, the people of the right. The people who will receive their book of deeds in their right hand-are going to be the majority of the people of Jannah. These can range from any person, at any time, at any place, part of any ummah, of any prophet, from the time of Adam عليه السلام until the last person, until the Day of Judgment, and at any level of good deeds. A person can become part of this very, very special group of people.  

But even within this group of people, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala highlights the muqarrabun (الْمُقَرَّبُونَ), the sabiqun (ٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ), the ones who are the forerunners. And who are these individuals? The commentators say that these are the prophets, the true conviction believers, the martyrs, and the ones who are truthful, the siddiqeen. And Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala calls them as sabiqun because they always went beyond what was obligated. They went beyond what was expected them from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. And they were always at the forefront of going towards Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. They competed with each other in getting closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.  

We find this within the stories of the companions رضي الله تعالى عنهم, whereby they would compete with each other in trying to do as much good as possible. And this speaks to the mindset that we are supposed to ideally have, within our communities. We should create a culture of virtue, a culture where people are encouraged to do good, are encouraged to improve themselves, and grow closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala calls these people muqarrabun. They will be close to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala on the day of judgment. So, the question that we have to ask ourselves is, what group will I be in on the Day of Judgment? 

Of course, Allah knows best. But, taking a step back, analyzing our actions, our purpose and direction and trajectory of life, where do we see ourselves headed? Which group are we likely to be a part of? Of course, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala can have mercy upon us, absolutely forgive us of our sins, and make us part of the people of the right, the people of Jannah. But, what group, what are we doing in order to earn that mercy from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala? That if we want to petition for the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala on the day of judgment, what am I and you doing in order to build a case that we can present to Allah that, “Oh Allah, I am in need and in deserving of your mercy. That I wish to be the people of Jannah. And I did as much as possible in order to be from the people of Jannah. That I wish to be the people of Jannah. And I did as much as possible in order to be from the people of Jannah.” 

So, in this Ramadan, every Ramadan, and of course, every day, we are supposed to constantly think back: what group am I working towards? Which group do I want to be a part of on the Day of Judgment? May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala make us from amongst the people of Jannah, allow us to do the deeds that will get us to Jannah, allow us to do the deeds that will attract the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala upon us on the day of judgment. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala guide, bless, and protect us all.  

والله أعلم وبالله التوفيق  

 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Which Group Are We In? | Sh Zaid Khan appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The Last Nights Of Ramadan in Gaza: Starvation, Supplication, And Survival

28 March, 2025 - 03:56

As the sun rises over Gaza, it does not bring warmth—it casts light upon a broken land, where minarets have crumbled and streets are paved with dust and blood. The call to Fajr is no longer carried by the towering speakers of grand mosques, but by a lone muezzin who stands atop a pile of rubble, his voice trembling yet unwavering. This is Ramadan in Gaza.

Where the world celebrates the holy month with abundant feasts and tranquil prayers, the people of Gaza endure hunger, not by choice, but by siege. They fast, not knowing whether they will see another sunset. They pray amidst ruins, their whispers of supplication rising alongside the smoke of burning homes.

The Fast of the Starving, the Feast of the Forgetful

Ramadan is meant to teach patience, gratitude, and sacrifice. But sacrifice here is not voluntary—it is imposed. A mother prepares iftar for her children, knowing that tonight’s meal might be their last. A father stands in line for a bag of flour, his pride shattered but his faith intact. A young boy, too hungry to sleep, clutches the Qur’an—not for study, but for solace.

There is no excess here. No tables overflowing with delicacies. No debates over which dessert to serve. The people of Gaza break their fast with what little remains: a crust of bread, a sip of water—if they are fortunate.

Meanwhile, in cities untouched by war, some deliberately turn away from fasting, citing inconvenience. In palaces of comfort, where food is wasted and air-conditioned mosques stand half-empty, the essence of Ramadan is fading.

The poor man in Gaza, with nothing but hunger and faith, stands richer before Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) than the wealthy who abandon devotion in the name of modernity.

The Last Days of Ramadan: Where Is the Muslim Ummah? Ramadan in Gaza

Safe drinking water: a luxury. [PC: Emad el Byed (unsplash)]

As the last days of Ramadan unfold, Muslims worldwide rush to complete their recitations of the Qur’an, give their Zakat, and seek Laylatul Qadr—a night that is “better than a thousand months.” Yet, for Gaza, every night has felt like Qadr—not in blessings, but in trials.

Where are the voices that should be raised in protest? Where are the hands that should be extended in charity? While we seek Allah’s subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) Mercy in these final nights, have we shown mercy to those who need it the most?

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, “The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people.” [Hadith, Al-Mu’jam Al-Awsat]

What have we done for the people of Gaza in this blessed month? Have we merely watched their suffering through our screens and moved on, or have we translated our faith into action?

A Call to the Muslim World

Gaza’s Ramadan is a mirror held before the entire Muslim world, forcing us to ask: What has comfort done to our faith? Have we become so accustomed to ease that we no longer recognize the meaning of sacrifice? Have we forgotten that fasting is not just about abstaining from food, but also about standing in solidarity with those who have nothing? As we gather for our final suhoor and iftar, we must remember that in Gaza, there is no guarantee of another meal—or another breath.

To the scholars, the intellectuals, the policymakers: this is no longer just about geopolitics. This is about humanity. This is about faith in its rawest, most powerful form. It is about a people who have lost everything yet still whisper Alhamdulillah. If there is any lesson to be drawn from Gaza this Ramadan, it is this: The strongest faith is not found in grand mosques or elaborate rituals, but in the heart of the starving man who still lifts his hands in prayer.

Before the Moon of Eid Rises, Let Us Act

As we enter the final days of Ramadan—days of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation—we must ask ourselves: Where is our mercy? Where is our action? We seek Laylatul Qadr, the night better than a thousand months, but will we ignore the cries of those who have lived a thousand nights of suffering?

Ramadan is not just about personal piety—it is about ummah, about unity, and about standing for justice. If our fasting does not move us to act, if our prayers do not translate into action, then we must ask: Have we truly fasted at all? Gaza does not need our tears—it needs our voices, our efforts, and our unwavering demand for justice. Before the moon of Eid rises, let us ensure that our brothers and sisters in Gaza are not forgotten.

 

Related:

We Are Not Numbers x MuslimMatters – Ramadan While Under Attack In Gaza

Podcast: Gaza’s Strength, Our Weakness | Shaykha Zaynab Ansari

The post The Last Nights Of Ramadan in Gaza: Starvation, Supplication, And Survival appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

As Light As Birdsong: A Ramadan Story

27 March, 2025 - 09:02

A bitter, angry man encounters the object of his resentment at a Ramadan iftar, and is forced into a profound realization.

Familiar Sights

On my way to iftar, driving through the streets of the lower middle class Los Angeles barrio where I’d been raised, my eyes roamed over the familiar sights that I had missed for so long: the low-slung buildings and palm trees, mini-malls and donut shops, taquerias and churches. SubhanAllah, there was the little plaza where I’d learned to skateboard. That spot over there had been the heladería where Mamá used to take me, except it wasn’t an ice cream shop anymore, they’d torn it down and built a gourmet grocery store.

East Los AngelesThere was the alley behind the community center where a group of Salvadoran toughs had robbed me and beaten me until I couldn’t walk. I fought back, and hurt a few of them, but they put me in the hospital. Except that now the community center was gone, replaced with pastel-colored condos, complete with a white lady in yoga pants walking her poodle. In fact, there were a lot more white people around than there used to be. My barrio was gentrifying.

I hadn’t ever wanted or expected to move back to the States, but my father had just celebrated his 75th birthday, and was no longer steady on his feet. My brothers and sisters were all busy or had moved away and didn’t want to return. I had a thriving career in London, not to mention a wife, but I loved my father, and I couldn’t leave him by himself. So here I was.

My wife Osaka had remained behind. She was a scientist working for a company that developed capture and harvesting solutions to remove microplastics from the environment. Her job was indispensable, and she was not willing to leave at this time. It was okay, we would work something out, inshaAllah. I loved her and she loved me. We’d been through hard times and had always overcome, by the will of Allah. We would figure it out.

Hard Times in London

I left this city fifteen years ago after a disastrous marriage engagement and breakup that had left me feeling like roadkill. Yasmin, the woman I was engaged to, broke up with me the day before the wedding, leaving me scrambling to inform the invitees and vendors, and with costs that could not be refunded. More than that, she left me deeply embarrassed, angry and humiliated.

So I did the only thing I could think of: sublet my apartment, said goodbye to my dad, put most of my personal belongings in his garage, packed a bag and flew across the sea to the UK, a location I picked with no forethought. I was a skilled photographer and was confident I could find work. For the first few years I lived in a dingy basement studio and survived on potatoes, beans and frozen fish fingers, as the Brits called them. I lived near a Sainsbury’s – a posh shop – and sometimes the more expensive food got remaindered, and I would treat myself to a whole guinea fowl for £2.50.

At the same time I agonized over the failure of my relationship with Yasmin. I knew that I had done everything I could. But still I was deeply depressed. In fact I felt like someone had reached inside me with a giant spoon and hollowed me out. I also harbored an intense hatred for Danya Nilson, the quack therapist Yasmin used to see, who I was convinced had turned her against me. I fantasized about what I would say to Nilson if I ever saw her again. How I would scald her with my words, then walk away. Or maybe I would snub her entirely, showing her how little I thought of her.

So I plunged myself into my work. I roamed London, taking candid photos of its inhabitants, exploring my new city through a camera lens. I was given a show in a gallery. I published selected photos in the newspapers and magazines. Eventually I worked my way up through the journalism ranks to become the senior photography editor at the Guardian, one of the best newspapers in the world.

Dodged An Artillery Shell

Along the way I met Osaka, a Japanese convert to Islam who became my wife. She was a tender, loving, kind woman – nothing like the negative-minded creature who’d dumped me – and yes, I was aware that I’d dodged not just a bullet but an artillery shell, and that everything had worked out for the best, alhamdulillah. I was truly grateful to Allah for pulling me out of the quicksand, even when I hadn’t known I was drowning.

Within a handful of years, Yasmin had faded to a sad memory, while I forgot Danya Nilson entirely. Life in London was good. My father came out to visit two or three times a year, and I took him around to the local masjids, Piccadilly Square, and a cruise on the Themes. Two Latinos exploring the most cosmopolitan city in the world. You couldn’t find decent Latin American cuisine in London if your life depended on it. but my father learned to love fish and chips.

There came a point when my father could not travel comfortably anymore, and now he had difficulty walking. So here I was, back in this sprawling city at the western edge of the world.

Converts’ Iftar

I’d been invited to this converts’ iftar at Masjid Al-Mu’mineen, the masjid that my father had co-founded and that I had practically grown up in. I was not actually a convert, as my Colombian father and Mexican mother had already been Muslim for ten years when I was born. But being Latino made me automatically a convert in some people’s eyes, plus I imagined a lot of people here still remembered me. I was excited to see my friends from the past. It would be strange, like meeting a group of friendly ghosts. If they asked me about the past – the breakup and all that – it would be fine, I would dismiss it with a word or two.

I wasn’t worried about running into Yasmin. Her life had gone from frying pan to fire, from what I’d heard. She’d moved away from L.A. and ended up cleaning houses in Alabama, apparently. One rumor said Yasmin had spent time in prison for bank fraud. It didn’t matter to me, I’d made my peace with it.

Los Angels palm trees at sunsetI parked down the street from the masjid and walked toward it, carrying a tray of apple empanadas. I’d tried to convince my father to come to the iftar, but he had only recently begun relying on a cane to walk, and it embarrassed him, though he would not admit it. Typical Latino machismo.

I saw an African-American woman also walking toward the masjid, carrying three paper shopping bags. She was in her 60s and seemed familiar. As I watched, the handle on one bag tore, and strawberries spilled onto the sidewalk. I hurried to her, greeting her with the salam. Balancing my tray of empanadas on one hand, I picked up the strawberries, then cradled the bag in one arm.

“Amir Domínguez!” the woman exclaimed. “ Is that you?”

“Yes, Auntie Sarah.” She had been one of my mom’s friends when I was a kid.

“As I live and breathe. MashaAllah, mashaAllah. Are you here visiting your dad?”

“I’ve moved back, actually.”

“Allah bless you. Your dad’s a stubborn one, he’ll never admit he needs help.”

I chuckled. “I know it.”

“Is your wife here too? What’s her name again?”

“Osaka. No, not yet. We’re… figuring it out.”

We were almost at the door of the masjid when a woman’s voice called out, “As-salamu alaykum!” I looked over my shoulder – and felt my blood run cold. There was no mistaking that tall, thin form, those sharp Scandinavian features, and the trademark black turban that she wore piled on her head. It was Danya Nilson.

Fifteen Years Ago

My relationship with Yasmin was going downhill, and I knew it. In the beginning it had been so sweet and beautiful that when it turned sour, I couldn’t let go. I say “relationship,” but we were both practicing Muslims, so this consisted of me going shopping with her occasionally, accompanying her to events at the masjid, taking her and her son to the park, and so on. She told me she loved me, and she made me feel like I was king of the world. Most importantly, she prayed, she spoke the name of Allah often, and her voice was gentle and soothing.

Except when it wasn’t. I knew she was the product of a broken home, and I knew she had issues, but I did not care. Yasmin was smart and beautiful – very desirable – and I was blind. We were engaged to be married, and I was sure that once we were actually married, and I could hold her in my arms and soothe her fears and occasional fits of anger, all would be well. But the moments of sweetness and kindness became fewer and farther in between and were replaced with anger and sarcasm. She began expressing doubts about our future, and about me in particular. She shouted at me sometimes and ignored me at other times.

I noticed a pattern. Yasmin had a mentor, a Swedish immigrant named Danya Nilson, who was well known in the community as a self-proclaimed life coach and therapist. Nilson’s advice came from palm reading and “aura reading,” which involved holding one’s head in her hands and humming. Her therapies, from what Yasmin told me, included intense aromatherapy and sensory deprivation, for which she had an actual metal tank in her home. None of these therapies were cheap.

Yasmin believed in all of this completely. She probably spent a third of her monthly salary on Danya’s therapies. She wanted me to visit Danya with her and to go through the therapies as well. I refused. I didn’t put down Danya or her work. The palm reading was nonsense, but I wasn’t qualified to judge the validity of the other “therapies.” But I made it clear that it was not my cup of tea.

After that, I noticed that every time Yasmin visited Danya, her attitude took a turn for the worse. She invariably came back with odd criticisms of me that she had never expressed before:

“I’m concerned that your mother dying when you were young may have damaged your respect for femininity.”

Or, “You undoubtedly have PTSD from your rough childhood. How will that affect my son?”

Or, “Your patriarchal desire to possess me is concerning. I’m not an object for you to control.”

I couldn’t understand why my intelligent, loving fiance would let herself be brainwashed. I went to a few of the community elders and made inquiries. One, an African-American brother who had co-founded Al-Mu’mineen with my father, told me that Danya Nilson was well known for splitting couples apart. She herself had been married and divorced five times, and was now in a lesbian relationship.

The most damning assessment came from Auntie Sarah: “Danya is a fraud who preys on vulnerable women. She has your fiance under her thumb. Unless you submit to her as well, she will never allow Yasmin to marry you. She will poison her against you.”

I wish I had listened, but I spent another three months trying to fly a plane that had already lost its wings. I’m not proud of it.

I went to see Danya Nilson myself once. I told her that I was dedicated to Yasmin’s happiness, and that I wanted to get my relationship back on track. She asked me to be treated by her, and I said no. At that, Danya shook her head. “You men,” she sneered. “Darling, a woman’s sexual energy is more powerful than anything. It comes from mother earth, and amplifies the power of the earth’s core. The only thing men want is to control it. If you can’t do that, you try to destroy it. Well I won’t let you do that.”

I threw up my hands and walked away.

Two days before the wedding, Yasmin gave me an ultimatum: Be treated by Danya Nilson, or else. I refused, and told her not to worry, that once we were married all would be well. The next day she broke it off, and we never spoke again.

An Old Hate

When Danya Nilson called out her salam to me in front of the masjid, all the old hatred and resentment rushed back like cement into a mold, rooting me in place. All the old negativity and bitterness that I had forgotten, I now tasted in my mouth like acid. This woman had ruined my life, poisoned the woman I loved, and caused me years of heartache.

I stopped walking, paralyzed. What would I do? Would I cut her down verbally, as I had vowed in the past? Would I ignore her? I didn’t know what to do.

I had not wanted this. I had forgotten about this woman. It had not occurred to me that she might still be part of the community, and might even be here at Masjid Al-Mu’mineen. I did not need all this anger and resentment. I didn’t want it back. Yet, I realized now, I must have been carrying it all along, like a man with an unseen blood clot flowing through his veins, and he only finds out when it causes a stroke. I had never truly forgotten or forgiven.

Auntie Sarah took my arm and pulled me forward. “Don’t worry about her,” she said.

“As-salamu alaykum!” Danya called out, louder. Feeling like I had a golf ball in my throat, I did not reply, and I noticed that Sarah did not either. I dragged my feet.

“As-salamu alaykum!” It was a shout this time. Had she recognized me? Did she know I was ignoring her? Or was she simply indignant that some Muslim was ignoring her salam?

Which was something I could not continue to do. I had grown up attending Masjid Al-Mu’mineen Islamic school. I knew my religion, and I knew Allah’s instruction in the Quran, in Surat An-Nisaa:

“And when you are greeted, respond with a better greeting or at least similarly. Surely Allah is a ˹vigilant˺ Reckoner of all things.”

Returning the salam was an obligation. So I turned and replied, “Wa alaykum as-salam.”

I Know You

“Darling,” Nilson said. “Could you help me carry some things inside?”

“Let me set down the stuff I’m carrying,” I replied woodenly, “and I’ll be right back.”

I went into the masjid, which was already crowded, set down my empanadas and Auntie Sarah’s strawberries, and went back out. Standing beside the open trunk of her car, Danya Nilson indicated an ice chest. “Can you carry this?”

Standing this close to her, I saw that she had aged terribly. Yes, fifteen years had passed, and she must be about sixty or, but she seemed older. Her face was deeply lined, and while she had always been slender, now she seemed thin to the point of being frail.

She studied my face, then said, “I know you from somewhere.”

So she didn’t even remember me. I’d spent days and nights nursing my hate for her, and she didn’t know me. I lifted the ice chest, which was heavy, and lugged it inside.

When I set the ice chest down, Nilson touched my shoulder. “You’re Amir Domínguez.”

I simply looked at her. “Did you need anything else?”

She shook her head expressionlessly. “No, darling. Jazak Allah khayr.”

Oranges Like Candy

The seating and dining tables had been set up in the backyard. After fifteen years in London, eating outdoors seemed strange. But this was Los Angeles, where oranges grew like candy, and sunglasses were as important an accessory as shoes.

I looked around and saw many people I knew. I sat at a table with a group of brothers, some of whom were excited to see me, and some youth I did not know. We talked about fasting, the cost of real estate, and politics, but I was mostly silent. I was noticing something inside me: I felt lighter.

Part of me was chiding myself: Why had I replied to Danya Nilson’s salam, and why had I helped her? I had planned for years how I would spurn and humiliate her. Or at least tell her off to her face. Let her know how much pain she’d caused me. Yet when I’d had my chance, I had helped her carry an ice chest! What was the matter with me? Why was I such a wimp?

Another part of me, however, felt lighter, and not just a little, but a lot, as if I’d been carrying two heavy boulders on my back for years, and had just set one of them down.

Quartered orangesPlates of dates and quartered oranges were set on the tables. I made dua’, praying for my late mother, may Allah have mercy on her, as well as for my father’s health, my marriage, and the suffering brothers and sisters of the Ummah.

The adhan was called, and I helped myself to an orange piece, which was shockingly delicious. SubhanAllah. I ate another, and another, until I had eaten the equivalent of two oranges.

A Disturbing Sight

After salat I got two plates of food, one for me and one to take home to my dad. There was bottled water to drink, but I never drank out of plastic bottles. Microplastics from bottled water were being recognized as a major source of illness. I saw that Danya Nilson’s ice chest contained glass juice bottles. But I didn’t want anything from her.

I sat with the brothers. With the advent of nightfall the air had cooled. I had forgotten this about L.A., how the breeze could sweep in off the ocean at night and chill you like a popsicle. I had on a warm jacket – no self-respecting Londoner would go anywhere without an overcoat – but looking around, I saw something that disturbed me.

Danya Nilson sat at a table in the women’s area, alone. There were five or six tables for sisters, and all of them were nearly full, but Danya was alone. She wore no jacket, and she was visibly shivering with cold.

I felt my mouth go dry. I didn’t understand this. I knew that Nilson had at least five grown children, three of them girls. Where were they? And why was no one sitting with her? A sickly old woman in a gathering of at least thirty women, yet no one attended to her. Maybe people didn’t like her – after all, I myself hated her, right? But what about human decency?

I took my plate, went to Danya’s table and put my coat over her shoulders. Her head swiveled in surprise, and when she saw me her eyes went wide.

I sat down across from her at the table. We ate in silence for a few minutes.

An Awkward Conversation

“I heard you moved to Europe,” she said finally.

“The U.K.”

“Are you married?”

I debated with myself how to answer. I didn’t want to be rude, but I also didn’t want to give her too much information. In the end I simply said, “Yes.”

“Alhamdulillah, that’s good.” She smiled. “I’m glad for you.”

“Brother Amir,” she said after another minute. “Could you be a darling and fetch me one of those organic juice bottles I brought? And one for yourself too.”

I didn’t much care for the word fetch, but I did so. The juice was very good. Uncomfortable with the silence, I asked about her children. She told me frankly that her eldest son had been killed in a shooting. Another son was in prison. One daughter had become a pediatrician and lived in San Francisco. Another daughter had left Islam and become a Wiccan priestess, of all things. The youngest daughter still lived at home and was doing a Masters at UCLA.

We did not talk about Yasmin at all.

Light as Birdsong

Another sister finally appeared and sat beside Nilson and began to chat with her. Feeling tremendously relieved, I left Nilson with my coat and excused myself, taking the plate of food I’d made for my dad, and another plate of desserts I scooped up for both of us.

Sitting in my car, I found my hands shaking. Even my breath was ragged. I felt so light, as light as birdsong, as light as the wind through the trees, as light as moonbeams. I felt as if I would float away. It shocked me.

There was a story I’d heard many years ago, and I remembered it now:

The Man From Paradise

In the blessed days of Madinah, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once sat with his companions when he made a striking statement:

“A man from the people of Paradise will now enter.”

All eyes turned to the entrance of the mosque. A man from the Ansar appeared, his beard still wet from ablution, his sandals in his left hand. He looked ordinary, not someone known for exceptional acts of worship. Yet, the Prophet ﷺ had just testified to his place in Paradise.

The following day, at a similar gathering, the Prophet ﷺ made the same declaration:

“A man from the people of Paradise will now enter.”

Once again, it was the same man.

And again, on the third day:

“A man from the people of Paradise will now enter.”

And again, the same man.

Among those who had witnessed this repeated testimony was Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, a companion known for his devotion and pursuit of knowledge. He was intrigued, even restless. What was it about this man that earned him such a lofty station—Paradise, confirmed by the Prophet himself—while others, who fasted and prayed long into the night, were never singled out in such a way? Determined to find out, Abdullah approached the man after the gathering.

“I had a disagreement with my father,” he said, “and I swore not to return home for three nights. Would you allow me to stay with you during that time?”

The man agreed, and Abdullah became his quiet guest.

For three days and nights, Abdullah observed everything. He watched the man pray. He joined him for meals. He stayed awake to see if the man rose in the night for extra prayers, or spent long hours in remembrance. But nothing stood out. The man prayed the obligatory prayers, performed no exceptional fasts, and spoke little. His life was simple, sincere, and seemingly unremarkable.

Finally, Abdullah revealed the real reason for his visit. He told the man about the Prophet’s repeated testimony, and confessed his own curiosity.

“I have seen nothing extraordinary in your deeds,” he admitted. “So what is it? What is the secret that earned you the Prophet’s praise and the promise of Paradise?”

The man thought for a moment. Then he said,

“What you have seen is all there is. But there is one thing I do every night: Before I sleep, I forgive anyone who has wronged me. I cleanse my heart of hatred, envy, and resentment. I do not bear ill will toward any Muslim. I ask Allah to purify my heart before I rest.”

Abdullah ibn Amr smiled. “That,” he said, “is what we (the rest of us) cannot do.”

This is Ramadan

Full moon over Los Angeles

I had known this story for much of my life, but suddenly it hit home in a way it never had. In that moment, sitting there in the car, I understood why this practice of nightly forgiveness had made that man one of the people of Jannah. Hatred and resentment are the enemies of iman. The two are opposites, they cannot both thrive in the same soul.

Yet true forgiveness is so hard. We hold onto our grudges like secret treasures. As if letting them go would cost us something. When the reality was the opposite.

I did not imagine that Nilson was now my friend. It wasn’t about that. I had set down something intolerably heavy. I’d been cleansed of a poison that had settled in the tissues of my body like arsenic.

This is what Ramadan is, I thought. I had experienced many Ramadans, some better than others, but never before had I felt what I did at this moment, that by simply talking to an old woman and putting my coat around her shoulders, I was living Ramadan in the realest way, maybe for the first time in my life.

This is what Ramadan is. Not hunger and thirst, not eating suhur and iftar at a certain time, praying at night, and so on. Yes, those things were important, but if I couldn’t purify my soul, then what was I doing? If I couldn’t change, then what was my ibadah for?

I rubbed my face. I imagined that this experience might seem small and silly to someone else. But I felt shaken. I felt I’d had a moment of huda, of profound guidance.

Someone knocked on my window, startling me. It was Nilson.

“Darling,” she said. “You forgot your jacket.”

I rolled down the window and took it, thanking her, and she walked away. I started the car and pulled out with the window open. The cold Pacific breeze whipped my hair, waking me up. The streetlights had come on, and the moon was low and full in the eastern sky.

THE END

 

Reader comments and constructive criticism are important to me, so please comment!

See the Story Index for Wael Abdelgawad’s other stories on this website.

Wael Abdelgawad’s novels – including Pieces of a Dream, The Repeaters and Zaid Karim Private Investigator – are available in ebook and print form on his author page at Amazon.com.

Related:

My Best Ramadan – Four Stories Of Ramadans Past

A Hassan’s Tale Story: No Strings On Me

The post As Light As Birdsong: A Ramadan Story appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: How to Build a Community | Sh Zaid Khan

26 March, 2025 - 11:12

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20, Episode 21, Episode 24, Episode 25

Transcript

In this episode, I will be going over some of the verses of Surah Hujarat, surah number 49. It’s a very beautiful and instructive surah, in which Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala lays out key principles for community building. A lot of social interactions are governed by these principles that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has given to us in this surah, and of course throughout the entire Quran. And these principles are supposed to serve as the foundation of how we build a community.  

 We, as human beings, are social creatures. We live with other people. We live with our families. We live with neighbors. We live in a community and a society. We have certain rights and responsibilities towards each other. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala tells us very specifically what a person has to do to ensure that their relationship with the people around them is sound. This particular surah was revealed in Madinah where the Prophet ﷺ and the Sahaba رضي الله تعالى عنهم were talking about the relationship between the people around them, who were building a new community. And this community was to be the model for all communities that were to come until the end of time.  

 Throughout this surah, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentions seemingly very small things, which can become very big problems within the functioning of a healthy community. For instance, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentions that when a person is presented with a piece of news, then they should verify it. They shouldn’t just take it as is because false information and misinformation can go around very easily and can often lead to devastating circumstances.  

 Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala also instructs the Prophet ﷺ to be someone who resolves conflicts because conflicts cannot be allowed to fester within a community. This is because the believers are ultimately brothers for each other. So when the Prophet ﷺ was presented with a conflict between two parties, the Prophet ﷺ was to be the neutral mediator to ensure that the aggrieved party felt heard, and their concerns were addressed. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala also mentions that we shouldn’t call each other with names that are degrading and demeaning because it shows a sense of arrogance that a person might have towards someone else. 

 Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala also tells us not to backbite, not to spy on each other, nor to have uncharitable assumptions that are sinful. This is because sinful assumptions oftentimes lead to actions such as backbiting, which is one of the slow-acting poisons of a community. It can dissolve the bonds of trust that take so long to build. And the result is that nobody knows who to trust. In Surah Al-Hujuraat ayah 13, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentions the following:  

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ ١٣ 

“O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (Quran 49:13) 

 That, oh people, we have created you from a man and a woman; and we have placed you in tribes and groups so that you can recognize within each other the greatness of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala because you are the creations of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Allah gives us a very simple standard by which He will judge all of creation on the Day of Judgment, which is: إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ (Quran 49:13). Meaning, the most honorable among you are those who are the most conscious of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. This is a very instructive lesson for us when we think about community formation and community building. 

We, as human beings, have, of course, divided ourselves based on our languages, ethnicities, races and genders, based on social classes, based on our accolades and achievements, based on our money, based on our personalities, and our socio-economics. We have many ways that we have division. But Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds us that ultimately all of that will be for nothing because this is all temporary. The only thing that will allow you to exceed someone else is if you are closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. And this very simple principle allows equal footing and equal grounding for every individual. No one is superior to anyone else, other than how much effort they put in their personal relationship with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. 

In a world where we are divided in so many different ways, either consciously or subconsciously, having a very simple principle like that doesn’t make a distinction between how long a person has worshipped Allah; how long a person was Muslim; or where a person is in the world, or what their background is, or what their gender might be, or anything that we might use to think of ourselves as better than others. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says that all of you will be judged on this one standard. That is the standard all of us should be aspiring towards so that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has mercy upon us on the day of judgment.  

May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala guide, bless and protect us all and give us the ability to build a community that is healthy, functioning, spiritually uplifting, and creates equal opportunity for all of us for us to connect with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.  

والله أعلم وبالله التوفيق 

 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: How to Build a Community | Sh Zaid Khan appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Fasting As An Entry Into A Transcendent Cosmic Realm

25 March, 2025 - 20:29
Questioning The Modern Condition Through Fasting

In a world fragmented by postmodern uncertainty and angst, where does one find substance and meaning beyond fleeting subjectivity? Even before that, let us start with a recognition that there is indeed a crisis of meaning in the modern world and that its root causes are spiritual. And, as neo-liberal consumer culture commodifies existence, the immediate question that strucks one’s conscience is: has the human self lost its metaphysical grounding? Kierkegaard’s (Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, and social critic) argument further augments this assertion when he says that the most dangerous thing in this world is to “loose oneself.” In the absence of critical consciousness, the Muslim subject finds itself operating in spaces that are not of its own making and under the illusion that it is free.

In his book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman explores the same question—how modern identity has shifted from a stable, community-rooted self to a fluid, ‘expressive individualism’—a term that Charles Taylor coined—that prioritizes immediate material realities over external truths. He argues how the rise of this modern self-expressive human subjectivity was predicated on fundamental changes in how the self is understood. And, as the end product of this modern project, he asserts, lies the following progression:

“The self must first be psychologized; psychology must then be sexualized; and sex must be politicized.”

Also, in his luminous essay, ‘No Activity Without Truth’, Frithjof Schuon further complicates this question:

“That which is lacking in the present world is a profound knowledge of the nature of things; the fundamental truths are always there, but they do not impose themselves because they cannot impose themselves on those unwilling to listen.”

Those truths, so often derided in the modern world, can be found in tradition—and by this term we mean something very different from the jaundiced senses it has accumulated in the modern mentality (‘the blind observance of inherited customs’, and the like).

Quranic Paradigm fasting and quran

“The Qur’anic paradigm of selfhood is not one of perpetual reinvention based on psychological impulses but of disciplined refinement through divine remembrance” [PC: Masjid Pogung Dalangan (unsplash)]

In contrast to this prelude, we analyze how the Qur’an foregrounds a critical ontological paradigm—one that situates human subjectivity within the orbit of divine sovereignty. The enactment of sacred law and submission to a transcendent metaphysical order constitute a counter-hegemonic force against the neoliberal ethos of neo-liberalism and expressive individualism. Within this framework, fasting is not a mere ascetic discipline but a radical ontological rupture—a recalibration of the self that dismantles the regime of desire and the fictive constructs of modern identity. Against the imperative of self-authorship, fasting inaugurates an antinomian freedom: a negation of corporeal appetites that paradoxically affirms the primacy of divine transcendence. The Qur’anic paradigm of selfhood is not one of perpetual reinvention based on psychological impulses but of disciplined refinement through divine remembrance.

This process of purification aligns with Ibn Arabi’s view of the self as a divine mirror, reflecting God’s attributes through continual self-realization. For Ibn Arabi, the true self is not shaped by psychological impulses or societal constructs but is a direct reflection of the Divine. Fasting, in this context, serves as a means of purifying the heart (tazkiyah) and removing the veils that obscure the Divine Light, aligning the self with its ultimate source. As the Qur’an states:

“Is he who was dead, and We gave him life and set for him a light whereby he walks among people, like him whose similitude is in darkness, whence he cannot emerge?” [Surah Al-An‘am; 6:122]

Thus, fasting emerges as an ascetic technology of the self—one that not only purifies but also functions as a metaphysical conduit to transcendence. Through an ontological attunement to the divine attributes, the self undergoes a process of de-subjectification, severing its entanglement with the epistemic crises of modern skepticism. In this reconfiguration, fasting reorients human interiority toward the eternal luminosity of the Divine, reinstating a metaphysical anchoring that subverts the atomized self of late modernity and reconstitutes subjectivity within the horizon of the sacred.

The Pursuit of Spiritual Purity and the Ideal Model

In one’s journey of faith, the search for spiritual purification and transcendence is a constant endeavor. But have you ever considered an exemplary model that surpasses human limitations? Let us reflect upon a luminous, cosmic paradigm that transcends worldly dimensions and offers guidance through its radiant presence.

This model is none other than the realm of the angels—beings created from pure light, free from sin, devoid of base desires, and unburdened by human needs such as food, drink, or reproduction. They exist in perpetual obedience to the Divine, as Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) states:

“And they say, ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.” Exalted is He! Rather, they are [but] honored servants.”

“They do not precede Him in speech, and they act only by His command.” [Surah Al-Anbiya’; 21:26-27]

The deeper we delve into the concept of faith in angels, the more we find ourselves immersed in a realm of spiritual beauty that manifests the grandeur of the Creator and instills within our souls a profound sense of belief in the unseen.

The Connection Between Humans and Angels

One may wonder: is it possible to attain such a level of spiritual purity? How can a human being compare to the angels? While angels are unique entities of the unseen realm, and Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) creates what He wills beyond human comprehension, there exists an intrinsic relationship between humankind and the angelic order—one that traces back to the very creation of Adam 'alayhi'l-salām (peace be upon him). When Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, it was a recognition of the noble essence imbued within the human soul—an essence capable of love and devotion to the Divine. As the Qur’an states:

“When your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I am creating a human being from clay.”

“So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My Spirit, then fall down in prostration to him.”

“So the angels all prostrated together.” [Surah Sad 38:71-73]

Fasting: A Divine Invitation to Spiritual Elevation fasting

“Through fasting, the soul ascends, joining the celestial ranks of the luminous angelic beings.” [PC: Abdullah Arif (unsplash)]

Have you recognized how deeply Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) loves you? He has granted you an opportunity to taste this state of spiritual purity, not as an abstract concept, but as a lived experience. This opportunity unfolds over an entire month—wherein you abstain from food, drink, and desires from dawn until sunset, liberating yourself from the constraints of the body. This profound meaning is reflected in the divine hadith:

“Every act of the son of Adam is for him, except for fasting—it is for Me, and I alone shall reward it. He abandons his food, drink, and desires for My sake.” [Sahih al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Through fasting, the soul ascends, joining the celestial ranks of the luminous angelic beings. However, a fundamental distinction remains: while angels are created in a state of inherent obedience, you consciously choose this spiritual discipline through struggle and devotion. This conscious elevation is a manifestation of divine honor, as Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) declares:

“And We have certainly honored the children of Adam, and carried them on land and sea, and provided them with good things, and preferred them over much of what We have created, with clear preference.” [Surah Al-Isra’ 17:70]

Thus, fasting is not merely an act of abstinence but a transformative ascent, elevating the human condition beyond its earthly limitations.

 The Parallels Between Angelic Existence and Fasting

Angels are entirely devoted to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), detached from worldly distractions, and engaged in ceaseless worship. They do not deviate from divine command, as the Qur’an describes:

“O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded. [Surah Al-Tahrim; 66:6]

In a similar manner, fasting begins with the renunciation of food, drink, and desires, but it extends far beyond these physical abstentions. Over the course of a month, the believer undergoes an internal transformation, distancing themselves from sinful inclinations and training the soul in swift obedience to divine commands. The discipline of fasting cultivates a state of heightened spiritual awareness, where the soul detaches itself from all distractions except for the remembrance of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He).

This process mirrors the angelic state, for they are not merely free from physical sustenance but from all forms of disobedience and negligence. Thus, fasting is a passage from the visible realm (ʿĀlam al-Shahāda) to the unseen world (ʿĀlam al-Ghayb), bridging the gap between what is known and what lies beyond perception. It allows the believer to witness its external manifestations while simultaneously embarking on a metaphysical journey into the unseen, achieving a radical transformation in their spiritual consciousness.

Fasting as a Response to the Crisis of Modern Subjectivity

In an age where modern subjectivity is fractured by hyper-individualism and material excess, fasting emerges as a radical act of resistance—a return to a higher order that transcends the crisis of hyper-sensory immediacy. The human self, lost in the abyss of consumerism and nihilism, finds renewal in the discipline of fasting, reclaiming a sense of purpose beyond fleeting desires.

For Ibn Arabi, the self is in perpetual unveiling, a mirror reflecting divine attributes, yet veiled by the distractions of the lower world. Fasting, then, is not merely abstinence but an ontological purification, a stripping away of illusion to reveal the self’s primordial connection to the Divine. By mirroring the angelic order, fasting reminds us that true freedom is not in indulgence but in surrender, for as Ibn Arabi states, “When the soul is purified, it perceives with the light of God.” It is in this conscious transcendence that the believer reorients existence, bridging the seen and unseen, rekindling faith.

Let me conclude with some beautiful lines from Rumi to which I have returned many times on my own faltering journey:

“Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again, come, come.”

 

Related:

Why We Fast: The Theological Danger Of Awkward Apologetics

The Ramadan Of The Early Muslims I Sh Suleiman Hani

The post Fasting As An Entry Into A Transcendent Cosmic Realm appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: Why Not? | Sh Zaid Khan

25 March, 2025 - 11:05

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20, Episode 21, Episode 24

Transcript

In this episode, I wanted to reflect on a verse from Surah Ash-Shura, verse number 27, where Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala presents us with a hypothetical scenario and the consequences of that hypothetical scenario, had He allowed it to happen. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says:  

۞ وَلَوْ بَسَطَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِۦ لَبَغَوْا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍۢ مَّا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِعِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرٌۢ بَصِيرٌۭ ٢٧ 

Had Allah given abundant provisions to ˹all˺ His servants, they would have certainly transgressed throughout the land. But He sends down whatever He wills in perfect measure. He is truly All-Aware, All-Seeing of His servants. (Quran 42:27) 

 Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says that had Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala given in abundance to all of His servants, then they would have transgressed on the earth. But Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala sends down or gives in proportion to what He wills. And indeed, Allah is all-aware and all-seeing of His servants. This particular verse reminds us of the outcomes of our du’as. We believe Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is all-seeing, all-hearing, and all-knowing of our du’as. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala accepts all of our du’as, hears all of our du’as, and knows what we will ask for before we even think of asking for it. Yet, when a person makes du’a, they obviously do not see the outcome of their du’a as they wished for it, all the time.  

 So how are we supposed to believe or expect from Allah when it comes to the acceptance of our du’as? Well, we have one of three outcomes. Number one, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala gives you exactly what you had wished for, what you had asked for. It might be soon. It might be later, but you get exactly what you asked for. And if you think about it, this is going to be perhaps the smallest category of outcomes simply because if Allah had granted every person exactly what they wish for, even though He has the power to do so, then this world would be in chaos. So, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala does not give us always exactly what we ask for. This leads to the second outcome of all of our du’a’s.  

 The second outcome of all of our du’a’s is that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, instead of giving us exactly what we ask for, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala gives us something else in return. It might be something that we never expected. It might be something that we never considered. It might be something that we never thought about and we never thought it would be better for us. But, Allah, in His wisdom and knowledge and mercy, knows that it is better for us. So instead of what we ask for, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala gives us something better. And we believe in this. In lieu of our du’as being given in any other form, Allah could also remove a trial or a difficulty from our life. We don’t know what challenges may be placed in our lives and what challenges may have been removed because of our du’as. We might not have known about that challenge, or we might not have asked Allah to remove that challenge from our life. Yet, in lieu of granting us exactly what we wished or giving us something else in return, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, in His wisdom and mercy, removes a harmful difficulty from our life.  

 Outcome number three is where a person’s du’a is kept in reserve in the hereafter. Meaning, they are able to ask Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala for anything that they wish in the hereafter and Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will grant their du’a in the hereafter. And Allah reminds us through this ayah why it is exactly like this that everything that we ask for is not granted to us in this world, even though it is very difficult to accept at times. Because we, in our finite perspective, think we know what is best for us and we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala for a particular outcome; we work towards a particular goal; and ultimately, we see that all our efforts have been for nothing. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has not granted it to us exactly what we wanted. 

 And a person can feel very despondent. A person might feel that their du’a was not accepted. That’s why they weren’t granted this particular blessing, which they truly wanted. But Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says that if He had given everything that his servants had asked for, if the world was literally open to us and the treasures of the world were accessible to every person, then which one of us would turn to Allah in a time when there was no du’a in the hereafter? When there was no need to? Which one of us would turn to Allah when we seemingly had everything that we needed at our feet? Would you and I turn to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala if we didn’t have anything to ask for? 

 Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala’s wisdom in holding back some of the things is for our own benefit. It’s for our own good because Allah knows that perhaps, if He were to grant us this blessing, it would take us further away from Allah. It might cause a difficulty that we would be unable to overcome. We don’t know. But, we trust in the judgment of Allah. We trust in the knowledge of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. And we trust in the fact that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has absolutely given us something better in return. Or that we will absolutely get that outcome. Either in this world or in the next.  

 May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala guide, bless and protect us all, accept all of our du’as, give us the best outcomes of all of those du’as, and give us the ability to accept the outcomes of all the du’as, whether we know it or not. May Allah guide, bless and protect us all.  

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Why Not? | Sh Zaid Khan appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

When Calm Descends As Dhikr Ends – A Ramadan Poem

24 March, 2025 - 19:58

“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.” [Surah Ar-Ra’d: 13;28]

 

 

My piercing gaze of blood-burst boiling eyes

Has rent the seven curtains of the sky;

My burning chest is fanned by anguished sighs,

But lips are sealed from ever asking why;

   For one who’s spent a life in racing grief,

   Your name is where he’s fled to seek relief

 

Your name’s the rain that gentle drips on earth –

That gasps like desert traveler gripped by thirst;

Like the desperate pleas of a mother giving birth,

When child comes, will turn to sudden mirth!

   Your name’s the flame that pulses in the cold,

   The only place to place the weight I hold

 

O, friend who’s walked with me on every road!

Friend when I’ve been forced from all abodes!

Friend who’s held me when the grief that snowed

Has melted into gushing tears that flowed!

   You’re this journey’s only constant friend –

   You’re the beginning, you’re the only end

 

Your name is heard in whispers of the breeze,

In songs of larks, in buzz of busy bees,

In conversations between the rustling leaves

That dance upon the gentle sway of trees;

   Your name is heard on hearts in steady beat –

   That accept their loss but won’t accept defeat

 

Your name’s proclaimed like thunderous battle cry,

Or secret love that’s whispered in a sigh;

It sweetens grief like sugar mixed with chai,

Gives life its color like a vibrant dye!

   Your name is life that flourishes in spring

   As winter melts with all the warmth it brings

 

Your name is echoes heard in silent halls;

Your name is drops that rage as waterfalls;

Your name is mortar turning bricks to walls;

Your name is storm-struck mountain standing tall;

   Your name is balm upon my cracking lips,

   The taste of home that comes in frequent sips

 

Come, hold me as my mind’s in trembling shake,

Grasp me in this world in constant quake;

Come, be my cool as I’m burning at the stake,

Or gather shards of heart in constant break;

   Come press your hand against this restless chest

   And bring my bursting heart to long-awaited rest

 

Related:

Looking To Allah To Save Me: A Ramadan Poem

The Definition of Fasting – A Ramadan Poem

The post When Calm Descends As Dhikr Ends – A Ramadan Poem appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: Allah is Sufficient | Sh Zaid Khan

24 March, 2025 - 11:00

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20, Episode 21, Episode 24

Transcript

All thanks and praise are due to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, and may His peace and blessings be upon His last and final Messenger ﷺ, his family, his companions, and those who follow Him until the end of times.   

 In this episode, I wanted to reflect on two verses from Surah Az-Zumar, verses 36 and 37 where Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds us that He alone is sufficient for the believers and that the help of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is sufficient for us to overcome any difficulty, to prevent anything from happening to us and from being destroyed. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds us, in verse number 36,  

أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُۥ ۖ وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍۢ ٣٦ 

Is Allah not sufficient for His servant? Yet they threaten you with other ˹powerless˺ gods besides Him! Whoever Allah leaves to stray will be left with no guide. (Quran 39:36) 

Meaning, is Allah not sufficient for His servant? And the disbelievers make you fear, or they threaten you with the power of that which they worship other than Allah. And in our context, it might not necessarily be idols, but the people who have power and influence make us fear with their power and influence. That they have the capacity to destroy us, to harm us at will and there’s nothing we can do about it. 

But Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds us, is Allah not sufficient for his servant? Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds us that Allah is sufficient for us even though they make us fear. True power is Allah’s and true protection lies only with Allah. And whomever Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has let go to be a stray (وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا), then there is no one that can bring them back (فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍۢ). There is no one that can guide them. 

Elsewhere in the Quran, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says that if a person is going astray, it is with the knowledge of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala because nothing escapes the knowledge of Allah. But this is implied as Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala allows a person to make their own choices because of their arrogance, stubbornness and disbelief in Him. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala ultimately lets them go to face the consequences. And whoever is on that path, then there is no one that can bring them back to the right path (فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍۢ) because the only One that can guide is Allah. 

In verse 37, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says that Whomever He guides, there is no one that can lead them astray. 

وَمَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن مُّضِلٍّ ۗ أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِعَزِيزٍۢ ذِى ٱنتِقَامٍۢ ٣٧ 

And whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray. Is Allah not Almighty, capable of punishment? (Quran 39:37) 

 Because Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is the focal point that we have to focus on, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has put us on this path and He is the one that keeps us on this path. Then His guides one. If Allah does not will it, then that can take us off this path. And Allah reminds us, as a way of comforting us, is Allah not the one who is mighty (أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِعَزِيزٍ ذِنْدِقًا)? Is Allah not the one who is capable of taking revenge? Is He not the One capable of exacting punishment from the disbelievers and oppressors on the Day of Judgment? 

 Within the last year, we have seen so many atrocities. Hundreds of pictures and videos are coming out of Gaza. We have seen poverty and displacement in Sudan. We have seen constant bombing in Yemen. And we have seen atrocities happening throughout the Muslim world in the last two decades.  

At times, it feels like we are very helpless. It feels like we don’t have any capacity to defend ourselves, influence or control, and that we are simply at the mercy of Allah Almighty. We are at the mercy of people who are willing to harm us for any reason whatsoever. We are at the mercy of those who have no faith. We are at the mercy of those who have no compassion. We are at the mercy of those who are helped by others, who also have no compassion. Our lives, as believers, and as people who think differently, are devalued. And our personhood is dehumanized to the point where, when we have thousands and hundreds of thousands of losses and there is no one that blinks an eye. Or if the people do blink an eye, those that are in capacity, power, and control, do nothing to change the course. It is disheartening at times. And it is very natural to feel disheartened because as human beings, Allah has given us that capacity to feel a multitude of emotions. Yet, our over-the-top, overpowering emotion should always be hope. 

 Is Allah not sufficient for His servant? (أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُۥ ۖ)? Just like how the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Sahaba رضي الله تعالى عنهم had firm faith on Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and how in the battle of Badr, which happened during the month of Ramadan, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala allowed a small group of believers who were not well-equipped nor fully armed, to face an army who was willing to do them harm, who were fully equipped and intent on wiping out the believers. 

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala granted the believers victory (أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُۥ ۖ). It is a reminder for you and I that Allah is sufficient for us. There is no one that we need if we have the help of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. In order to receive the help of Allah, we have to constantly turn back to Allah.  

 May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala guide us and protect us, give us knowledge that benefits us, give us the ability to always turn back to Him, to always ask for His help, and to always be convinced of the fact that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is sufficient for us and we have no need for anyone else. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala bless us all.  

 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Allah is Sufficient | Sh Zaid Khan appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: Soul Food | Sh Furhan Zubairi

21 March, 2025 - 19:26

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20

Transcript

All thanks and praise are due to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. May His peace and blessings be upon His last and final messenger ﷺ, his family, His companions, and those who follow them until the end of times. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala accept all the worship we have done so far during this blessed month.  

 The most important days of the year, the most important nights of the year are now upon us. One of these nights could be Laylatul Qadr. One of these nights could possibly be the night of power, the night of magnificence, the night of decree, the night of power. This night is more virtuous and better than a thousand months. 

 And if we catch this night, if we spend this night in worship, then all of our previous sins will be forgiven. May Allah make all of us among those who are able to benefit from the blessings, the rewards, and virtues of Laylatul Qadr. As you know, the human body is not simply a composition of bones, cells, flesh, and organs. We are not just a physical body. Rather, as human beings, we are composed of the physical body as well as the soul. And the soul is what truly gives life to the physical body.  

 All of us know that in order for the physical body to be healthy, we have to take care of it. It requires nourishment. It requires food, drink, nutrients. We have to take care of our health. We have to be careful about our diet. Just like the physical body requires care, the soul also requires care. It also requires nourishment. And there are certain things we can do to nourish the soul. And at the beginning of the 21st juz, in verse number 45, Allah mentions three specific acts that we can consider to be nourishment for the soul. We can classify it as soul food. Allah very beautifully instructs the Prophet ﷺ and by extension, all of us, saying, 

ٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ ٤٥ 

Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, ˹genuine˺ prayer should deter ˹one˺ from indecency and wickedness. The remembrance of Allah is ˹an˺ even greater ˹deterrent˺. And Allah ˹fully˺ knows what you ˹all˺ do. (Quran 29:45) 

Meaning, recite what has been revealed to you from the book and establish prayer. Surely prayer stops a person from indecency and evil. And the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows everything you do. In this verse, Allah is speaking directly to the Prophet ﷺ. He’s giving him very specific, particular instructions. And although this verse is directed to the Prophet ﷺ, by extension, it’s directed to each and every single one of us. Allah instructs the Prophet ﷺ to engage in three specific acts of worship: تِلَاوَةُ الْقُرْآن reciting the Qur’an, establishing prayer, إِقَامَةُ الصَّنَاةِ is r. And the third, ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ is remembering Allah. 

أُتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَامِ Recite what has been revealed to you from the book. Reciting the Qur’an is one of the most virtuous and one of the most beneficial activities we can engage in. The Qur’an is a balm for our souls. It is a polish for our hearts. It’s one of the most beneficial activities we can engage in, because when we recite the Quran, we are spending time in the company of the divine speech of Allah. And the benefits of reciting the Quran are too numerous to be counted.  

There are several ahadith of the Prophet ﷺ that speak about the virtues, the rewards and benefits of reciting the Quran. The Prophet ﷺ told us: 

 مَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُ حَسَنًا وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا وَلَا أَقُولُ أَلِفْنَا مِمْحَرْفٌ وَلَكِنْ أَلِفٌ حَرْفٌ وَنَامٌ حَرْفٌ وَمِمٌ حَرْفٌ  

Whoever recites a letter from the book of Allah, gets a reward. And that reward is automatically multiplied by 10. And I’m not saying that Alif, Laam, Meem is one single letter. Alif is a letter. Laam is a letter. Meem is a letter. Every single letter of the Qur’an we recite, we are receiving unimaginable reward. Unimaginable blessings from Allah .  

The Prophet ﷺ said, 

 إِقْرَأُوا الْقُرْآنَ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِي شَفِيعًا لِأَصْحَابِهِ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ  

“Recite the Qur’an because it will come as an intercessor on behalf of its companion on the Day of Judgment.” (Mishkat al-Masabih 2120). 

When we recite the Qur’an, it increases our Iman. It strengthens our relationship with Allah. Allah describes the believer saying, 

إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُهُۥ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـٰنًۭا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ٢ 

“The ˹true˺ believers are only those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, whose faith increases when His revelations are recited to them, and who put their trust in their Lord.” (Quran 8:2). 

Meaning, when His verses are recited to them, it increases their faith. Our hearts become rusted. When we engage in sins and disobedience, there are spots and rust that is covering the heart. And the Prophet was asked, “What is the polish of the heart? How do we remove that rust? He ﷺ said,  

كَثْرَةُ ذِكْرِ الْمَوْتِ وَتِلَاوَةِ الْقُرْآنِ 

‘Frequently remembering death and reciting the Qur’an.’” (Mishkat al-Masabih 2168). 

The Prophet ﷺ had a regular, daily portion of the Qur’an that he would recite. The Sahabah had a portion of the Quran that they would recite daily. Similarly, all of us should have a portion of the Quran that we recite daily.  

I believe it’s time to elevate the standard of our community. At a bare minimum, all of us should aspire to reciting one juz’ a day. All of us should aspire to hit that goal. If we can do more, alhamdulillah. But all of us should be trying to reach that bare minimum goal. That I am going to recite one juz’ of the Quran every single day. So that every month, I’m going through an entire cycle of the Quran. That is something very doable. If you are fluent, if you’re proficient in your Qur’anic recitation, it can take you perhaps 20-30 minutes to recite an entire juz’. That is not a long period of time. Only 20-30 minutes of your day. For those of us who aren’t there yet, no problem. Still recite those 20-30 minutes however much you can in those 20-30 minutes. But work towards that goal that I am going to practice so much. I am going to work on my recitation, so that I can reach this goal of reciting one juz’ a day. And the amount of barakah, the amount of blessings that it’s going to bring into our lives, cannot be described. Obviously reciting it for the sake of reward is something that’s good; it’s commendable. But the main purpose of reciting is then to understand.  

The second act, وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ, is establish prayer. This means praying properly, correctly, fulfilling all of the shurut (conditions), arkān (integrals), wajibat (mandatory acts), sunan (recommended practices), adab (etiquettes). Pray properly and correctly. Praying consistently, regularly, five times a day, every single day, establishing prayer.  

And the scholars mention that when it comes to establishing prayer, there’s actually two components: the external component (an outward component) and an internal component. The outward component of establishing prayer is praying properly, correctly, following the example of the Prophet ﷺ. The form of prayer itself. Following all the rules and regulations of salah to make sure that it’s being performed properly and correctly. As the Prophet ﷺ said,   

صَلُّوا كَمَا رَأَيْتُمُونِي أُصَلِّي  

“Pray as you have seen me praying.” (Mishkat al-Masabih 683). 

So, the form of prayer is important. That’s part of iqamat as-salaah. That’s part of establishing prayer. And that is why it is a personal obligation upon all of us to learn the fiqh of salah. All of us should be well-versed in the rules and regulations related to prayer. What makes my prayer valid? What makes my prayer invalid? What are the pre-conditions for the validity of prayer? What are the arkans (integrals) of salah? What are the wajibat (mandatory actions) of prayer? What are the sunan (the recommended practices) of prayer? What are the adab (etiquettes) of prayer? That is something all of us should learn. And that’s part of establishing salah.  

The second part is the internal aspect. The inward aspect. And that is praying with ikhlas (sincerity), ihsan (excellence), khushu’ (mindfulness and concentration). Make the prayer meaningful. When I’m praying, I’m not just going through motions. I’m not just performing a physical act. Rather, I am performing an act of worship that has deep, profound meaning. And when I’m praying, I’m praying with sincerity. And I’m praying with mindfulness and concentration. I’m praying with humility. I recognize that I’m standing in the presence of my Lord and Creator. And because of that, I am going to pray with ihsan. And the Prophet ﷺ described ihsan as the following: 

 

أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ 

“It’s to worship Allah as if you can see Him. And if you can’t see Him, know that He sees you.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 50). 

So pray with that mindset and that attitude. And if I pray with that mindset and attitude, then I am going to be calm and collected in prayer. And I am going to be mindful. I’m going to be focused. I’m going to have humility and concentration. And that is how prayer becomes meaningful and impactful in my life. And that is how prayer becomes enjoyable. I will taste the sweetness of salah.  

And then Allah mentions one of the benefits of prayer, “ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرَ Truly prayer prevents and stops indecency and evil.” الفَحْشَاء is indecency, indecent speech, indecent behavior. مُنْكَر is evil, anything that the Sharia considers to be evil, unlawful, reprehensible, disliked. That is a natural consequence of iqamat as-sana. That is the result of establishing prayer. That it’s going to help me stay away from sin. It’s going to keep me away from disobeying Allah. It’s going to help me control my tongue. It’s going to help me control my eyes. It’s going to help me control my thoughts. I’m going to have a heightened state of God consciousness. And our teachers would say that if you are praying regularly, yet you are still involved in some sin, then check your prayer. There has to be something missing in your prayer. Perhaps there’s some shortcoming, some deficiency. 

The third thing is that the remembrance of Allah is greater وَلَا ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ. One of the understandings of this ayah is that remembering Allah is an even stronger deterrent from sinning. Engage in dhikrullah frequently.  

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ذِكْرًۭا كَثِيرًۭا ٤١ 

O believers! Always remember Allah often. (Quran 33:41) 

That, O you who believe, remember Allah abundantly. Remember Allah frequently. Remembering Allah includes reciting certain phrases and expressions of praise and gratitude. It can include all of the daily supplications: waking up in the morning, entering the restroom, exiting the restroom, looking in the mirror, putting on your clothes, before eating, after eating, exiting the home, traveling, returning home, entering the masjid, and exiting the masjid. That’s all dhikrullah. And the main purpose of these practices, is to constantly be mindful of Allah. 

And if we’re constantly mindful of Allah, then we’re definitely going to be staying away from indecency, evil, and sin. Allah knows everything you do. So in this verse, Allah has mentioned three very significant, important, and beneficial acts of worship that all of us need to make part of our routine, especially during these last ten nights of Ramadan: tilawatul Qur’an (reciting the Quran), iqamatul Salah (establishing prayer), dhikrullah (remembering Allah). And this is not only in these last ten nights, but in every day of our lives.  

We ask Allah to give us the tawfiq, the ability, to implement the guidance of this verse. May Allah make us among those who recite the Quran regularly, consistently, daily. May Allah make us among those who truly establish prayer, both externally and internally. And may Allah make us among those who remember Him frequently.  

وصل اللهم على نبيينا ومولانا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم 

 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Soul Food | Sh Furhan Zubairi appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

I’tikaaf, Ramadan Nights, And Children’s Safety: A Call For Vigilance And Protection

20 March, 2025 - 20:16

Masjids in Ramadan do a good job of accommodating space and food, but it’s also time for them to take measures to prevent abuse. 

Ramadan brings many special joys for children, one of which being the opportunity to stay late nights, or overnight at the masjid. The special challenge for parents though, is ensuring the safety of our children as we spend hours longer in closely packed public spaces with unfamiliar people in the masjid.

We cannot be naïve and assume that child sexual abuse could never happen in a masjid or in the month of Ramadan. Recently, in Kuala Lumpur a man snuck into the woman’s prayer area and grabbed a girl, allegedly assaulting her while other women were praying. Last year in Pakistan, a 13-year-old boy was in i’tikaaf during Ramadan, when a man allegedly raped him. The overnight environment and the extended, unsupervised contact between adults and children create a risk for abuse. It is essential that we recognize this possibility before the tragedy of abuse has already occurred.

Whether your children are staying for i’tikaaf, attending an overnight program, or just being present in the masjid during taraweeh prayers, there are things that every parent needs to be mindful of.

For Ramadan and the Masjid in General

 – Stay Visible: For younger children, the preference should be to stay within visual range of a parent at all times unless they have express permission. When permission is given, provide a bracket of time for the children to return as well. For example, you may allow your child to head to the restroom or kitchen area on their own, but let them know that if they aren’t back in ten minutes, you will come and check on them.

If children are to go outside to play, make sure it is only in areas where other children and adults are and where security or volunteers are keeping an eye on them 

 – Stay Together:  It’s natural for kids to wander or go to the back of the masjid, and it may not be realistic to keep them in view while also doing salat. However, parents should be strict to ensure their children stay within their respective side of the masjid, or if they do go play it must not be alone. During taraweeh and qiyam, many adults are not performing salaat and are also outside, and frankly, older kids or even peers can be perpetrators of abuse. 

Stay Aware: Long rakats, parental distractions, and the opportunity for repeated contact over the nights of Ramadan can give the ill-intentioned an opportunity for horrendous actions. Both parents and children need to be aware that these actions can come from either adults or other children and young adults. As always, children must be told to tell their parents if anything uncomfortable is happening. 

For I’tikaaf i'tikaaf

“If a child is attending i’tikaaf, he or she should only be accompanied by direct relatives of their same gender.” [PC: Hung Li (unsplash)]

Itikaaf is a sunnah and one of the special acts of worship in Ramadan. It offers a transformative experience where one can focus purely on worship, spending ten days inside the masjid. While i’tikaaf is a beneficial practice for both children and adults, we must be aware of the potential risks, particularly when it comes to the safety of our young ones.

Itikaaf is open to everyone, and masajid at this time have more people than usual, with individuals staying together all night. People socialize during i’tikaf, and strangers may start ad-hoc halaqas for the youth and get to know them. While we shouldn’t assume the worst in their intentions, the fact is that in this environment, a predator can find someone more receptive to their advances, start sleeping next to them, and begin inappropriate behavior.

Masjids would do well to post guidelines and require a certain distance between bedding areas. Additionally, if there are classrooms, office rooms, or similar areas in the masjid, staff should ensure they are locked. If a masjid opens itself for i’tikaaf it must also take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of those coming for i’tikaaf. 

I’tikaaf Safety for Children

If a child is attending i’tikaaf, he or she should only be accompanied by direct relatives of their same gender. Even if there are other trusted adults whom the parents know well, a child’s only companions for i’tikaaf should be immediate family. This helps establish clear boundaries for the child, reinforcing an understanding of what is appropriate in terms of closeness, and it makes clear who the child’s protectors are. Masjids should also stipulate this. This will be very impactful in preventing abuse.

I’tikaaf Safety for Unaccompanied Teens i'tikaaf

“Masjids that permit young teenagers to participate in itikaaf should keep a watchful eye on them.” [PC: Aldin Nasrun (unsplash)]

For young adolescents, parents should carefully assess whether their child is ready to attend i’tikaaf without other trusted and responsible friends or community members. Although this age group may seem ready, the reality is that they often aren’t.

If your child is more impressionable or lacks assertiveness, then they can be targeted for entrapment attempts or harassment. Parents should remind them of the possibility of inappropriate behavior even in the masjid during Ramadan. Masjids that permit young teenagers to participate in i’tikaaf should keep a watchful eye on them. Two teenagers should never be allowed to share a tent, as this could create a situation where inappropriate behavior goes unnoticed. 

Peers, or those slightly senior, can influence juveniles to engage in illicit actions, or even sexually abuse them. They can be the ones to introduce pornography and test one’s openness to homosexual acts. Frequency of contact, late night hours or sleeping over, and lack of supervision make even i’tikaaf a possibility for these actions, and we cannot be naive about this!

I’tikaaf for Women & Families

Some masjids allow all-night stays for families or i’tikaaf for women as well. The same safety measures should apply with additional security measures. Even if women are not staying the night, extended night-time hours in the masjid warrant extra precaution and protection. We have to take security seriously, especially for women and children. If a masjid does allow for children or unaccompanied women to do i’tikaaf it must also take appropriate security measures.  The women’s prayer areas should be clearly designated and separated from the men’s areas to maintain privacy and ensure a secure environment.

By implementing these precautions and maintaining vigilance, we can ensure that i’tikaaf remains a spiritually enriching and safe experience for everyone involved.

 

Related:

From The Playbook Of A Child Predator: What Muslim Parents Need To Know

Safeguarding Children In Today’s World: An Islamic Perspective On Child Sexual Abuse Prevention And Protection

 

 

The post I’tikaaf, Ramadan Nights, And Children’s Safety: A Call For Vigilance And Protection appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: Asking for Evil | Sh Mudassir Mayet

20 March, 2025 - 11:03

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19

Transcript

Al-Naml (27): 46 

قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ لِمَ تَسْتَعْجِلُونَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ الْحَسَنَةِ
لَوْلا تَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ 

Prophet Ṣāliḥ addressed his people saying, ‘My people! Why are you asking for harm and punishment instead of forgiveness and goodness? If you were to ask Allāh for forgiveness, you might be shown kindness.’” 

 Prophet Ṣāliḥ (ع) wants to help and guide his people. He encourages them to worship Allāh alone and ask for His forgiveness in hopes of reward and Paradise. He warns them about rejecting Allāh’s Oneness and being engrossed in sin and oppression lest they be punished in Hell. Yet, upon hearing this, those who were too arrogant to believe started to mock Prophet Ṣāliḥ (ع).

They say ridiculous things similar to what other disbelieving nations have said, “قَالُوا اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ – They said, ‘If this message and claim of yours is true, go ahead and rain down rocks upon us from the sky, or just straight up bring us a painful punishment!

And similar statements were said to the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. Allāh says, “يَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ الْحَسَنَةِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمُ الْمَثُلاتُ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ – My Prophet! They ask you to bring punishment against them instead of goodness and forgiveness – even though people before them were swallowed up into the earth! But, no doubt, your Master is extremely forgiving of people despite their evil and oppression, but He’s also extremely severe in punishment.

Allāh mentions three times in The Qurʾān that the disbelievers asked the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ to hasten to coming of punishment, “يَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ – They ask you, O Prophet, to hasten the coming of punishment.” The ignorance and arrogance of such a request does not need to be discussed here. 

We probably do not find ourselves asking Allāh to rain down punishment upon us. However, many humans do constantly ask to hurt things or comment about their potential ruin. Many of us say things like, “dang it”, “damn this”, “eff this”, “screw you” and so on. In reality, these are actually subtle “prayers”, or wishing for the harm or destruction of something or someone. We say these out of anger, and/or when things do not go as planned, and/or when we do not like a certain thing or person. This is not the way of a believer. And we should not ask Allāh, or make comments to have things be damned. Especially when it comes to human beings, and even more so our own selves or loved ones. People, in their frustration, may say something against their own self! 

 This does not mean that we cannot ask Allāh to exact his justice on the tyrannical oppressors. That is justified, and reflects us putting our trust in Allāh. Rather, we should refrain from constantly praying against ourselves and our surroundings. A beautiful way to alter our mindset, and actually come out better, is to simply pray for the goodness in whatever it is we are not pleased with. If I failed to meet my own personal goal, instead of damning myself, let me ask Allāh to help me and make me better. Instead of cursing at the dishwasher because it is causing problems, let me ask Allāh to fix it or help me replace it. The same applies to my loved ones and all the items we use everyday. They will not always be perfect, but I can pray Allāh keeps them and us running long and healthy, and replace the items when the time comes. 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Asking for Evil | Sh Mudassir Mayet appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Cover Queen: A Ramadan Short Story

19 March, 2025 - 22:44

A waitress in a small town diner encounters a Muslim family that rekindles her connection to faith and Ramadan.

Late Afternoon At The Diner

Amina swept her gaze across the diner, reviewing her tables. Who was waiting to order, waiting for food, needing more water or coffee, waiting for the check… She took all of this in at a glance, and mentally mapped her order of operations.

Every seat in the diner was taken, with a line winding out the door. It was late evening, about a half hour before sunset. The dinner rush was on, plus there was a Baptist tent revival a few miles down the road, right out there in the baking pan of the Arizona desert, and apparently it had just gotten out because everywhere Amina looked she saw families dressed in their Sunday best, even though this was a Tuesday night. The men sported off-the-rack suits with cowboy hats, and the women wore dresses that showed a lot of skin. Crosses hung around sunburnt necks.

A woman eating a salad and gesturing animatedly with a fork had dropped her cloth napkin onto the floor. Cloth napkins were a vanity for a diner, but Jug, the owner, liked to call the place a “diner plus.” You could get a burger and fries, but you could also get a gourmet tuna melt with albacore and chopped artichoke hearts, or a chocolate shake with hazelnut syrup. Hey, Amina wasn’t complaining. The prices were higher than most diners, which meant her tips were higher too.

Without a pause, and without spilling a drop of water from the four glasses she carried on a tray, she bent down and picked up the napkin, took a fresh and neatly folded napkin from a pocket in her apron, and replaced it on the woman’s lap – without the woman ever knowing. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t her table. Excellence in the job was what it was all about. Seeing it all, doing it all without breaking a sweat. She was a star performer, and this was her stage.

Cover Queen

“You showin’ off, Ninja,” one of the busboys whispered to her as he passed. Some of the staff called her that, or sometimes they called her Cover Queen. Cover was restaurant lingo for each person who sat in your section. They called her that because she could handle more covers at once than any other server, and could do it with ease.

The busboy who’d called her Ninja was a young Honduran immigrant – legal, of course, as were all the staff at Jug’s. He was smart and handsome, but he’d never be a server, and thus would never make the big money. At Jug’s, as at most rural Arizona restaurants, white faces worked the front, while brown faces worked the back of the house, either cooking or washing, regardless of legal status.

Amina herself was a child of Turkish immigrants, but she was fair-skinned and blonde, and therefore was white as far as Jug was concerned. It was racist and illegal, and yes of course it bothered her. The back staff were colleagues and friends. But this was Arizona; and not the liberal Arizona of Tempe or Roosevelt Row in Phoenix, but northwestern Arizona, high desert, politically red as blood. Folks drove trucks with Confederate flags on the windows and rifles mounted on racks. Amina could complain about discrimination and be out of a job, or she could keep her mouth shut and work.

Lights Camera Action

“Seventeen up,” Jorge called through the pass. She barely heard him over the noise of the diner: people talking, silverware clattering, plates and glasses being set down and taken away, a baby crying, two children fighting over a crayon, a woman at thirteen laughing uproariously, and 50’s music piped in over the sound system.

None of it phased Amina. She’d been a server for ten years, and was good at it. In fact, she was the best. And why not? She had nothing else. Her home life was non-existent. Her father had died when she was nineteen. At that time they had lived in Patterson, New Jersey, which had a thriving Turkish community. Her mother decided they should return to Turkey, but Amina had never lived in Turkey and refused to go. So her mother went and left her behind. Amina dropped out of college and worked odd jobs until she met the son of an Arizona rancher, a college student. They fell in love, and when he graduated he took her back to Arizona. But his parents rejected her, and the boy cut her off. And here she had remained, alone, with no one who loved her except her dog Kebob, until he passed away from kidney disease.

So yeah, she might come to work sad or depressed, but once she put on the apron and clocked in, it was lights – camera – action. The outside world faded away. The stars moved above and the earth below, but her feet glided. She read her tables like a standup comic feeling the mood of the audience. This couple were on a date and it wasn’t going well, so Amina would make a few timely jokes to put them at ease. This guy wanted to be alone with his thoughts, so she kept the water filled and coffee coming and didn’t intrude. These young men were boisterous and flirty, so she treated them with a combination of firm motherliness and easy charm.

It was theater, and she was the star. She kept it real, though. She couldn’t stand servers who acted pretentious and fake. But yeah, it was theatrical. Make a witty comment and exit stage left. As long as she didn’t have to do it more than four days a week. That would be too much.

A Wager

A woman with a beehive hairdo, white teeth, and a pearl necklace waved her over. Part of a group of six – a six top, in restaurant parlance. Definitely tent revivalists. Amina had checked out one of these evangelical revivals once, out of curiosity. People clapping, shouting, and fainting. It had seemed bizarre to her, but she supposed it wasn’t any stranger than the dervishes of her parents’ Turkish homeland, spinning in circles with their heads tilted to the side. People did the most ridiculous things in the name of God.

“Darlin’,” the beehive lady said in a heavy drawl. “Is our food comin’ soon? We prayed our hearts out and we’re famished.”

“Very soon,” Amina stated confidently.

“You sure y’all got our order right? You didn’t write down a blame thing!”

It was true, Amina had taken their entire order verbally, without a notepad.

“I’ll tell you what,” Amina said. “How about a fun little wager?”

“I like the sound of that!” said the woman’s husband, a heavily tanned gentleman with tobacco-stained teeth. “What are we wagering for?”

“A twenty-five percent tip for me,” Amina said. “If your entire order comes in just like you asked. If there’s a single thing wrong, no tip.”

“Nah,” the man waved this off. “Gettin’ it right is what you’re supposed to do anyway.”

Amina nodded. “Alright, how about this. You see that long window over there?” She pointed to the pass window between the kitchen and front house. “Your table is number nine. I’ll bet you that in the next twenty seconds, a man will call through that window and say, ‘Nine up!’ And your food will be ready.”

The tanned man snapped his fingers. “It’s a deal, chica!”

The children began counting dramatically. “One Mississippi, two Mississippi…” They were on eighteen, and the tanned man was sitting back triumphantly, when Jorge called out, “Nine up!”

Amina snapped her fingers and grinned. “I’ll take card or cash, chico.” Exit stage left to the sound of laughter and applause.

An Unexpected Sight

Jug's Diner at nightThe hostess, Julissa, motioned to her. “Five-top in the back booth. Interesting group.” This was a reference to the number of guests seated at the table. A two-top table had two people, a four-top table had four, and so on. It was shorthand for the hostess to alert the server when a table in their section had been sat with new guests.

Amina headed to the back booth, saw who was seated there – and stumbled over her own feet, nearly falling. The family at the booth were Muslims. Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of the other servers stop to stare. Amina never stumbled. Pausing to wipe her hands on her apron, Amina frowned, then approached the table.

The family consisted of a couple and three kids. They were white people with Caucasian features, but definitely Muslim. The mother wore a hijab, and the father wore a traditional Turkish shirt with side slits and a mandarin collar, much like Amina’s own father had worn on special occasions. The father had his hands raised in silent prayer, while the mother was fingering prayer beads as she studied the menu. The eldest girl had a copy of the Quran on the table and was reciting it in a low, sing-song voice. The younger two boys wrestled over a toy car.

Glancing around, Amina saw that this family was attracting a lot of looks. And they were not friendly looks. People around here didn’t like outsiders, immigrants, or Muslims. Three strikes, this family was out, and they didn’t even seem to know they were at bat.

“Hi, can I get you something to drink to start?”

The father glanced at her nametag. “Amina,” he said. “I am Abbas. This is my wife Nura. We are fasting. We cannot eat or drink until sunset. Could we order and then you bring the food and water just before sunset? Is that possible?”

That was a new one. “With the water, certainly. As far as the food, I’ll do my best. I can make sure you at least have bread on butter on the table. Is this, umm, Ramadan?”

A Difficult Question

The mother, Nura, smiled. “Yes, that’s right. “You have a Muslim name, are you Muslim?”

“I.. uhhh…” Amina had never been asked this before. “My parents were, sort of. They were Turkish immigrants. As for me, I’m just… nothing, I guess.” Her parents had been 99% non-practicing Muslims. They may have prayed a few times at special occasions, like at funerals, but had never taught Amina to do so, and had never fasted.

Abbas smiled. “We are neighbors in a way,” the father said. “We are Kosovars. ”

“So this fast that you do,” Amina asked, mostly out of politeness but tinged with curiosity. “What’s it really all about? What’s the point?”

“Sacrifice,” Nura replied. “Nothing meaningful comes without it Whether Allah’s subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) Grace and Guidance, or even significant accomplishment in this world. It all comes down to sacrifice.”

Amina found herself sliding into a self-reflective stupor. This answer hit closer to home than she’d been ready for. She had often asked herself if she was mired in place in this job and in her life in general, and what it would take to get move forward. In her heart, she’d known it would take a great effort of some kind.

Interpreting Amina’s silence as a desire to hear more, Nura went on: “If I were to lose my Islam I’d lose everything. I hold on to it like a candle in the darkness. It’s a gift of truth that’s been carried down through generations of your own family, Amina. The candle may have gone out in your family’s transition to the USA, but it’s never too late for you to re-light it. Ramadan might be exactly what you need. It teaches so many lessons.”

Coming out of her fugue, Amina smiled. “I have to get to my other tables, but…” She hesitated. “Can I now give you a bit of advice? As – well – let’s say, as a fellow Muslim?”

Abbas tipped his head. “Of course.”

Amina lowered her voice. “People around her are not friendly to immigrants and Muslims. You need to be a little more discreet.”

He smiled kindly. “We’re not worried about that.”

Amina lifted her hands as if to say something, then dropped them. “Let me know if you need anything.” Then she walked away.

Dust to Dust

Checking her tables, she saw that a well-dressed young black couple had been seated at a table adjoining that of the beehive lady’s group. She went to greet the black couple, but before she could get to them, beehive lady flagged her down.

“Darlin’, could you seat them somewhere else?” Beehive gestured to the black couple.

Amina raised her eyebrows. “Why? Is there a problem?”

“No problem, we’re just not comfortable. We feel people should stick with their own kind.”

Amina was shocked, but not terribly surprised, unfortunately. Such attitudes were not uncommon in these parts. She was about to make an excuse, such as telling the woman that the restaurant was full and the African-American couple would stay where they were, when she found Abbas standing at her side.

“Madam,” the Muslim man said. “You are Christian, are you not?”

“That’s right,” the woman affirmed. “Saved by the blood. But that don’t mean that -”

“And the Lord God,” Abbas intoned, “formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis chapter two, verse seven.”

“Amen…” Beehive said uncertainly.

“Think about that,” Abbas continued. “Dust. What you would brush from your coat -” he made a brushing motion on his chest – “or clean from your shoe. That’s what we’re made of. All of us.”

“See here now,” Beehive’s husband began, but Abbas cut him off.

“Look out there.” Abbas swept his arm toward the windows. “Desert and dust, as far as you can see. How much of that dust comes from the remains of the millions of human beings who have lived on this earth before us? Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Yet when you look out there, do you see Caucasian dust? Native American dust? African-American dust? Do you begin to see how ridiculous it is to think that one race is superior to another? Shame on you! We all come from Adam, and Adam came from dust.”

An Uproar and a Letter

An uproar ensued. Some patrons applauded Abbas’s speech. Someone said, “Amen!” and someone else, “Hear hear!” while someone else barked, “Terrorist!” Beehive and her husband spewed a torrent of insults at Abbas and Amina. Jug intervened, and Beehive and her group were told to leave – not because they were racists, but because of the bad language. A few other guests left as well in protest, but most seemed pleased and entertained. The African-American couple shook Abbas’s hand. Throughout it, Amina found herself grinning. This was one of the cooler things she’d witnessed. Ah, the life of a server.

Abbas and his family broke their fast and ate, and Nura gave her a hug as they left. A few minutes later, Amina glanced out the window and saw the family praying in the parking lot, prostrating right on the asphalt. People gawked, but no one bothered them. When they finished they got into a slightly battered, older-model Subaru, and drove west.

At the end of the night, after closing, Amina was doing her side work – rolling silverware for tomorrow, sweeping her section, refilling salt and pepper shakers – when Julissa approached. “I almost forgot! That Muzlim family left you this.” An envelope. Amina tucked it away and started refilling the salad dressing bottles.

In her car, Amina opened the envelope. There was a hundred dollar bill, and a note. The note read:

“Sister Amina, please accept this tip for your gracious service. It was wonderful to meet such a charming and brilliant woman. There is much more to you than meets the eye. Please remember: Never give up on Allah, for He will not give up on you. He created you with love and deliberate intention. You have a glorious purpose in this world. And if there is anything you find lacking, any deep question you have, any persistent sadness or pain, remember that this is Ramadan, a holy month. Open yourself to Allah and ask.”

It was signed, “Nura Obeidullah.” After the signature, there was a postscript with a phone number and the words, “Call me anytime.”

Amina read the letter over twice. The hundred dollars was an incredibly generous gesture, especially since the Muslim family had not seemed wealthy. Her hands shook slightly as she put the letter away, though she wasn’t sure why.

More Than Meets the Eye

At home, she opened the door and paused. Coming home was always a disconcerting and slightly sad moment. Her beloved dog, Kebob, had passed away a month ago. For years he had run to her when she opened the door. Now, nothing greeted her but the hum of the refrigerator.

She looked around. There, by the kitchen counter, was where she had kept Kebob’s food and water bowls. Over there, on the sofa, had been his dog bed. There, on a hook by the door, his leash had hung. Amina had removed all of these things after his passing, thinking it would be easier not to have reminders. But actually it was worse.

Dust to dust, Abbas had said. At the time she had found those words inspiring, but now they stirred forlorn echoes inside her. She kicked off her shoes, sat on the sofa, and read Nura’s letter again. “Never give up on Allah… any persistent sadness or pain… this is Ramadan…”

Amina had never given much thought to religion. But that Muslim family had been so courageous. Never give up on Allah, she thought. Had she given up? Not only on God, but on everything? She was so proud of her ability to read her tables, and memorize orders. She was the Cover Queen. But what was that, really, in the end? What was she achieving? There is much more to you than meets the eye, the letter had said. Could she be more? Could she do more?

I Think I Am

The next day Amina outdid herself by taking an order on a seven top, including appetizers, meals, drinks, and all, and memorizing it. A while later, during a lull, Julissa motioned to her. They often took their breaks together. Amina nodded, and a few minutes later the two of them were seated on plastic chairs out back, with a sweeping view of the desert before them.

Julissa took out a BLT that Jorge had made her, a bottle of Evian, and a vape. “Aren’t you eating?” she asked.

“I’m, uhh.. I’m fasting, actually.” This was a decision that Amina had made last night, after reading over the letter several times. She had a feeling about the family from yesterday, that they had been sent to her for a reason. She didn’t imagine that fasting would magically solve her problems, but if it was true that Ramadan was a sacred and blessed month, then maybe this could be a new beginning for her. Nura had written that there was much more to Amina than met the eye. Maybe she could discover what that was.

“What? Why?”

“For Ramadan. It’s a holy month.”

“Isn’t that a Muzlim thing?”

Amina nodded. “Mm-hm.”

“Wait. You’re Muzlim?”

“I’m not sure. But I think I am.”

“Oh. Well, that’s cool.” Julissa took a hit off the vape and offered it to Amina.

“I can’t do that, either.”

“Seriously?”

Amina shrugged. “They say nothing good comes without sacrifice.”

“Well, you know what.” Julissa put away the vape and packed up the sandwich. “I’m fasting too, then.”

Amina laughed. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to support you.”

Amina rubbed Julissa’s back. “Okay. Thanks.”

Coyote

Julissa went back inside, but Amina remained, looking out over the desert. It was hot outside, but there were scattered clouds in the sky. The clouds moved quickly, and their shadows sailed across the desert floor like battleships speeding to war. There was no hint of rain, but in the desert it could come as quickly as death.

She thought about the Muslim family. Where were they going? They’d headed west on the road. Out to California? Maybe she too should go to Los Angeles, or San Francisco. See the Golden Gate Bridge and the Pacific Ocean.

Coyote in the desertIn the distance, amid the tall saguaro cacti, Amina saw a coyote. She placed her fingers in her mouth and whistled, for no particular reason, and the coyote stopped and turned to regard her, ears alert. Its image wavered in the heat. With its reddish coat, it was nearly invisible.

Amina envied the coyote. Its reality was fundamental. Find food, water, shelter. Life was distilled to its most basic components. No worries about who to love or where to live. Was it possible the coyote had a religion? If so, then she imagined it must be a pure belief in Allah, without a shred of doubt.

She snorted at her own foolishness. She was a waitress, not a philosopher. But if what she’d seen from the Muslim family was representative of Islam, then that was something she could stand with. She thought of Abbas speaking up for truth in a crowded room full of people who regarded him with suspicion. And Nura’s inspiring letter. These were the actions of good people. Oh Allah, she thought. I ask you for guidance. Nothing more.

Julissa stuck her head out the door. “You got four-tops on nine and ten. Jug says to tell the Cover Queen to get her royal self in gear.”

Amina stood, and entered stage right. Lights, camera, action.

THE END

 

Reader comments and constructive criticism are important to me, so please comment!

See the Story Index for Wael Abdelgawad’s other stories on this website.

Wael Abdelgawad’s novels – including Pieces of a Dream, The Repeaters and Zaid Karim Private Investigator – are available in ebook and print form on his author page at Amazon.com.

Related:

A Wish And A Cosmic Bird: A Play

Uber Tales #8 – The Ramadan (In Colombia) Edition

 

The post Cover Queen: A Ramadan Short Story appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Indian Muslim Leader Mustafa Rifai Passes Away

19 March, 2025 - 14:30

The Indian Muslim community lost a distinguished leader in late February 2025 with the demise of Mustafa Rifai, an active and much-loved Muslim preacher and activist. Over a fifty-year career in both education and social work, he left a strong legacy in the often-embattled lives of Indian Muslims, the world’s biggest religious minority.

SONY DSC

Syed Mustafa Rifai Jilani Nadvi grew up and studied in the southern subcontinent, completing his primary school in Bengal and then studying at the prestigious Baqiyath Salihath Seminary in Vellore. He came from a family that claimed descent from the renowned Islamic scholar Abdul-Qadir Gilani, after whom the Qadri Sufi order is named. In addition to his education and social work, Rifai was an advocate of tasawwuf as a means of spiritual enrichment on the established practices of Prophet Muhammad, may Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) give him blessings and peace.

Mustafa Rifai studied with a number of renowned scholars including Ali Hassani Nadwi of the prestigious Nadwatul-Uloom Seminary, as well as Mohammad Rabai and Zakaria Kandhlawi. In 1973 he co-founded the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board led by Rabay, which advocated for the promotion and defense of Islamic law in the personal lives of Indian Muslims. This has been a particularly hard-pressed issue in recent years with the increased incitement against Muslims by far-right and even many liberal circles in India.

A longstanding yet humble and approachable pillar of the Indian Muslim community, Mustafa Rifai passed away in February 2025 and was buried in Bengaluru. His life was another chapter in the rich history of Muslim leaders, preachers, and educators in the Indian subcontinent.

Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Rajioun

 – by Ibrahim Moiz

 

Related: 

Renowned Scholar Abu-Ishaq Hegazy Passes Away

Studying Islam Overseas: Nadwatul ‘Ulama in India | The Motherland – Prelude

The post Indian Muslim Leader Mustafa Rifai Passes Away appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

How An Instagram Reel Kickstarted My Tahajjud Habit – Open The Floodgates Of Allah’s Mercy Before The Last 10 Nights Of Ramadan

19 March, 2025 - 11:43

The irresistible pull towards tahajjud is by the permission of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), but it is a part of our lives for as long as we actively strive for it. The floodgates of Allah’s subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) Mercy are hidden in the last third of the night for those who seek it. 

Tahajjud, or the night prayer, is often related to quick fixes and miraculous events. Forums and reels abound with success stories after praying tahajjud. People eagerly probing, “did it work?”, perhaps affirming the scale of the miracles for themselves before embarking on less sleep than desired. Allah’s subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) Words are promises that should always suffice us, but the exchange of affirmations is an endearing way to gain comfort. A personified miracle in someone else’s life can feel incredibly reassuring that Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) is in fact the Hearing and Responsive. But eventually, that feeling must journey to our own conviction of what is possible for ourselves to be of value. To believe in the unseen workings of our prayer and supplication is part of our test on earth. 

I must admit, it was not a verse of the Quran or a hadith that alerted me to the blessedness of tahajjud prayer. It was one of those reels with a night-sky ambiance and slow reverb background nasheed that caught my attention. I had been freshly hit with a calamity in the winter of 2022 and desperately searching for a way to release my pent-up fears. I was going through something else at an unprecedented level – religious inadequacy. A sin was replaying in my mind and feelings of hypocrisy, regret, and self-loathing made a perfect nest in my heart. 

Years later, I become emotional at the thought of being led to tahajjud. Every move, every interaction, every reaction, was leading to that night when I prayed tahajjud for the first time. The room was scarcely lit, save a crack of light from the corridor. I was alone with my thoughts in a way that differed from the daytime or even the early part of the nighttime, there was something extra spirited about pre-dawn. Every sajdah gripped my heart. I felt an overwhelming sensation of being lifted from within, and I am convinced to this day that I failed to make the one supplication that I had arranged for that night. I just kept repeating “Please forgive me”. I kept coming back, wanting to reinforce that connection. My faith had been shattered, and tahajjud was erecting new pillars. No later than a week, I realized that striving to be consistent seemed non-negotiable; when you find a rare beauty after a long and arduous journey, how can you turn back and abandon it?

tahajjud dua

“The irresistible pull towards tahajjud is by the permission of Allah [swt], but it is a part of our lives for as long as we actively strive for it.” [PC: Jon Tyson (unsplash)]

Imagine what can be achieved by the version of yourself who converses with Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) before anyone else upon waking up. What inner battles can be conquered when rushed mornings are replaced with stillness, built in by the blessed gap between the last third of the night and the break of dawn? How many people can say they get to witness the literal switch from night to day as a regular part of their routine? Are you not curious about who you would be as a vigilant observer of tahajjud? How enticing that there is hidden potential, a version of yourself that you have yet to discover, that can only be unlocked with tahajjud. 

The night prayer held a special station with the Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), the Companions, and the Revivers (Mujadidin) in the centuries after Prophethood. What made this prayer spiritually irresistible at night is deeply experiential. Even the full extent of the reward is a mystery. We know that habitual worship for Allah’s subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) Sake is a spring well for both hidden and recognizable blessings, and what we are privy to in this world is just a small allotment (including those “tahajjud miracles”) of what awaits in the Hereafter. The reward is fully concealed as if to say, that the fruits of tahajjud can only be appreciated in another realm of existence. In Surah Al-Sajdah, Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) promises a concealed reward for those who perform good deeds:

“They arise from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend.” [32;16]

 

 

“And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.” [32;17]

I often sway between experiencing the spiritual and tangible benefits of tahajjud. The best way that I can describe its imprint on my life is the ability to walk lightly upon the earth, this effect lasting for as long as I prayed it. Problems and grief are lifted from the heart, a sweet departure from the captivity of this fleeting world. The events of the day that seemed so heavy before shrunk to their rightful value. That is because closeness to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) fills a bigger space in the heart, and the heart is a vessel with a finite capacity. We could unwittingly allow multiple masters to compete for that precious space as our desires fluctuate, but the heart that is true to its Master will be completely sufficed and guard itself from any other. Tahajjud creates a refined clarity towards situations that the most acclaimed self-help books cannot tap into, each prayer cultivating a stronger inner voice that understands its covenant towards Allah and does not want to teeter off the right path once it has been firmly guided. 

I recall my corporate job, when murmurings of budget cuts grew as the fiscal year was closing and jobs were at risk. I had every reason to panic as the newest and outsourced staff. Earlier that year, I had taken on new financial responsibilities based on my position. But I was somehow able to compartmentalize the situation, the dramatized version swirling in the office and the version that I would create for myself. My attitude probably felt overly nonchalant to my colleagues, but I explicitly remember thinking, “I had not slacked off in the slightest, now when is that quarterly report due again?” on my way to the prayer room for noon prayer. I elongated my prayers more, kept my head cool, and fixated on my deliverables. It became evident that giving very little consideration to the layoff threats – on account of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) being the true Bestower of material wealth – made me stand out as an employee. My contract had not only been extended but changed altogether; I was on track to become permanent on the team and a 20 percent bonus was on the horizon. I had been on a daily tahajjud streak that month and the month before. It was certain that repetitive nightly prayers had subtly transformed my mindset towards everyday situations and moments of ease that I had not prayed came in abundance. 

Conquering impossible situations and experiencing the aura of nighttime are starting points. But if you stick around, the most rewarding dimension of tahajjud cannot be seen but felt. Tahajjud is pleasing to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) and may that be enough for aching souls that have wandered, who feel unseen in the world, and who long to prepare for a pleasing return to their Creator. In those initial moments when the eyelids feel heavy and the body feels glued to the bed, I am moved by the part in Prophet Musa’s 'alayhi'l-salām (peace be upon him) story where Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) asks him why he came to the Mount with such haste ahead of his people. Prophet Musa 'alayhi'l-salām (peace be upon him) gave the most endearing response:

He said, “They are close upon my tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased.” [Surah Taha; 20;84]

Building a Tahajjud Habit

There is no better time to begin a tahajjud ritual than the last 10 nights of Ramadan. 

Beyond the month of Ramadan, establishing consistency upon tahajjud is an honorable way to please Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), have a disciplined morning, and develop a strong and sound heart. My journey has taught me several tried-and-true steps for making tahajjud a mainstay habit in life.

building a tahajjud habit

“There is no better time to build a tahajjud habit than during the last 10 nights of Ramadan.” [PC: Austin Chan (unsplash)]

Set a clear intention

Affix a strong intention to your tahajjud journey. Is it spiritual discipline you desire? Do you have a mountain of worries and want to fill the restlessness with worship? Do you have someone in your life who could use the unfailing arrow of a tahajjud dua’? Do you want nothing other than to say to Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), “I was here. I got up for no other reason than to be recognized by You”?

Your intention will be your close companion on this journey. One of my teachers taught me this core principle for consistency: If the intention weakens or ceases to move you, renew the intention instead of ceasing the practice. Perhaps the supplication that once excited you is no longer in your heart or has become half-hearted and needs to be revived with more powerful words. If tahajjud begins to feel like an impossibility in your life, my advice is to tap into the most hopeful part of yourself and revive a heartfelt dua that has been sitting in your heart.

Construct a pre-tahajjud ritual

Setting your alarm and sleeping at a decent hour is just the start of habit-stacking for tahajjud. I made the mistake of slipping into an “it happens if it happens” mindset and had to course-correct in other ways when sleeping early did not suffice. 

Waking up for tahajjud, like any other habit, thrives with planning and attempting many steps until you find a personal rhythm. What do you need to add, change, or omit from your bedtime routine to make it possible? For omissions, think about shunning devices, avoiding caffeine several hours before bed, and eliminating a late-night habit. Then, add a beneficial habit before habit. I recommend picking up a sunnah habit to anchor you in worship and add barakah to your sleep. I personally found that sleeping in a state of purity (i.e. fresh wudu) helped me to wake up with mysterious energy even if I had slept a mere 3 hours.

Conceal your habit

Tahajjud is a sincerity builder, you are in a position where no one is truly around to witness the prayer. If you share the household with others, you are likely doing your best to avoid disturbing their sleep. Guard that sincerity by keeping it to yourself as best as you can. There is a way to share your habit with others with motivational intent, but even in that situation, it could be encouraged without sharing the exact details of your consistency or praising yourself. Just as with material bounties, good deeds are best kept private. A keepsake between you and Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) that will be waiting for you in your book of deeds with sincerity intact. 

Consistency, not perfectionism 

For those who experience its gems for even one night, the desire to pray tahajjud daily can become a fixation. A missed night can feel heartbreaking, which demonstrates a close attachment to this incredible deed. However, when it comes to voluntary deeds, there is nothing Shaytan wants more than for you to develop all-or-nothing thinking towards them, and ultimately abandon them when you fall short. 

Consistency may not mean every single day, but that someday you return to it. In this way, the constant return is what makes it consistent. It is inherently beneficial to strive for a daily habit; meanwhile, where there is submission, there is worship. When you miss a prayer, take solace that the intention earned you the deed and take the opportunity to revive the intention with this affirmation: “I am imperfect but here I try again. I did not leave it altogether”. That is a demonstration of consistency, free from the shackles of perfectionism.

 In what is left of Ramadan and nearing the last ten nights, may Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He) attach our hearts to tahajjud prayer through which we grow to love Him and connect to His Mercy. When this blessed month leaves us, may He grant us the wisdom to use our days as a passageway to stand before Him at night, and our nights as a burst of spiritual energy that lingers in the day.

 

Related:

A Tahajjud Journey To Inspire Your Own: A Ramadan Goal That’s Not As Hard As It Seems

Show Up As You Are: Overcoming Ramadan Guilt For The Last 10 Nights

The post How An Instagram Reel Kickstarted My Tahajjud Habit – Open The Floodgates Of Allah’s Mercy Before The Last 10 Nights Of Ramadan appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: Allah Is Perfectly Incomparable | Sh Mudassir Mayet

19 March, 2025 - 11:00

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18

Transcript

Al-Shuʿarāʾ (26): 96-102 

قَالُوا وَهُمْ فِيهَا يَخْتَصِمُونَ (٩٦) تَاللَّهِ إِنْ كُنَّا لَفِي ضَلالٍ مُبِينٍ (٩٧) إِذْ نُسَوِّيكُمْ بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (٩٨) وَمَا أَضَلَّنَا إِلا الْمُجْرِمُونَ (٩٩) فَمَا لَنَا مِنْ شَافِعِينَ (١٠٠) وَلا صَدِيقٍ حَمِيمٍ (١٠١) فَلَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (١٠٢) 

As the people of Hell argue and debate with one another, a group says, ‘We swear to God! We were truly lost and astray for having compared and equated all of you (false gods) to The Master of Humanity (Allāh). It was all the evil people and criminals who led us astray and misguided us. Today, we have no one to help us or speak up for us, no do we have any close friends who will defend us… If only we had another chance… We would be believers…’” 

 Allāh describes this seen from Hell. People are arguing with the people they took as false gods. People are blaming each other claiming that someone other than themselves misguided them. But one statement of theirs is the ultimate key to their disbelief and eternal failure. “نُسَوِّيكُمْ بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ – We compared you and considered you equal to The Master of Humanity.” This defines shirk – paganism, associating partners with Allāh – in the simplest yet most comprehensive way. They viewed other things, be it people or objects, to be comparable to Allāh. 

In the past, people would rightly praise the pious people who have left this. As the generations passed, people would continue to honor them. But over time, people would initiate questionable practices to show their veneration. And soon enough, people started to worship them, hoping that their worship of this pious person will bring them closer to Allāh. Sometimes they would make paintings and statues of those people. Sometimes they associated great powers to nature or animals. In the past, and especially today, people equate great power and an intrinsic ability to bring benefit or deter harm to material things.

People chase money and will do anything to get it. Some will idolize celebrities. Others are on the brink of bowing their heads before all star athletes. Others would spare nothing to ensure the success of their political campaign, and view it as the single ultimate goal. Some think education and degrees are the only things that matter for one’s success.

People worship, idolize, and sacrifice everything for these things. They will sell their souls to get an MD. They will take the lives of others to get a selfie with so and so. They will stop at nothing to earn fame and power. They are ready to wholeheartedly submit everything they have for these things. This kind of sacrifice is only for Allāh, or for His Sake. Or they think money and degrees are able to change one’s fate – again comparing material things to Allāh. 

Allāh says that “إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ – Allāh will not forgive the paganism of those who knowingly died on it, but, out of His kindness, can forgive anything and everything else for whomever He chooses.” Never view anything as similar, let alone equal, to Allāh. As Allāh says at the end of Sūrah Al-Ikhlāṣ, “وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ – No one and nothing has ever or will ever be comparable to Allāh.” He says in Sūrah Al-Shūrā, “لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ – Nothing is even like the likeness of Allāh.” He says in Sūrah Al-Rūm “لَهُ الْمَثَلُ الأعْلَى – Only the most perfect examples are suitable for Him.” meaning that even what seems to be a comparison is made, it is still nothing like the perfection, greatness, supremacy, and divinity of Allāh. 

May Allāh allow us to believe in Him and worship Him as He deserves. Āmīn. 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Allah Is Perfectly Incomparable | Sh Mudassir Mayet appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Renowned Scholar Abu-Ishaq Hegazy Passes Away

19 March, 2025 - 09:49

The famous Salafi scholar Abu-Ishaq Hegazy of Huwain has passed away in Qatar after a decades-long career in Islamic studies and proselytization. Abu-Ishaq’s major impact both at home and abroad had stirred the unease of Egypt’s military regime, and he spent the last years of his life in Qatar whose state mosque held his funeral yesterday.

Abu-Ishaq

PC: Theislamicinformation.com

Abu-Ishaq Hegazy Mohamed Youssef Sharif Huwainy came from a farming family in Huwain, a village in the Kafrel-Sheikh countryside of the Nile Delta. Having learned the Spanish language he briefly studied in Spain before returning home. In the mid-1970s he was influenced by the prominent scholars Abdel-Hamid Kishk and the Albanian Muhammad Nasiruddin to study hadith, to which he would devote his years. Abu-Ishaq was not an actual patronymic nickname; he adopted it as his name in respect for the Sahabi Saad b. Abi Waqqas and the scholar Ibrahim b. Musa Shatibi, both of whom had the patronymic Abu Ishaq. Abu-Ishaq adopted Nasiruddin’s Salafi school of Sunni Islam in his studies. He studied under Naguib Mutiey and Sabiq Tihami, and later moved to the Arabian Peninsula where he studied under Abdullah Qaud and the Saudi mufti Abdul-Aziz Baz. He also met his role model Nasiruddin, who showed great appreciation for his work.

Like much of his generation, Abu-Ishaq was involved in public proselytization and was not shy in commenting on public affairs: he was a staunch proponent of a public role for Islam and of support for Palestine. When added to a dictatorship in Cairo and a securitized international atmosphere in the twenty-first century, this made him a prime target of considerable misinformation by anti-Islamic outlets, which have freely and frequently twisted his words in league with Arab rivals. Abu-Ishaq’s widespread popularity prompted Cairo to crack down on his work after a military coup in the mid-2010s. Like other sociopolitically active preachers, Abu-Ishaq relocated to Qatar where he passed away. His village at home mourned him while the Qatari state mosque in Doha held his funeral. The smear campaign against Abu-Ishaq as a “khariji” or extremist by both his local rivals, as well as by anti-Islamic media abroad was belied by the considerable regard for his works by Muslims well beyond his Salafi school.

by Ibrahim Moiz

 

Related:

Renowned Muhaddith And Scholar Shaykh Umar Bin Hassan Fallatah Passes Away

Shaykha Munira bint Hamdi Qubaisi [1933-2022]: Pioneering Mujaddida, Learned Scholar, And Beloved Mentor – An Obituary

 

The post Renowned Scholar Abu-Ishaq Hegazy Passes Away appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

IOK Ramadan 2025: Allah Knows What He’s Doing| Sh Mudassir Mayet

18 March, 2025 - 19:45

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Ramadan Reflections. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Episode 1, Episode 2Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17

Transcript

Al-Muʾminūm (23): 71 

وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ 

If the truth (revelation/reality) the whims, desires, and beliefs of the disbelievers, the skies and earth and everything in between would be ruined.” 

If The Truth, referring to either (a) Allāh, (b) The Qurʾān, (c) Al-Islām, or maybe even (d) reality were to follow, obey, and listen to the whims, desires, and beliefs (ahwāʾ) of the people who reject Allāh, The Qurʾān, and the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, meaning the disbelievers, more specifically the pagans of Arabia, then the universe as we know it would not function, it would entirely collapse and fail (fasadat). 

Classically, this has been understood as follows: if the religion was according to whims of the disbelievers who want to worship false gods and continue in their evil and oppression, then there would be nothing but chaos, corruption, and havoc. This is in line with the āyah from Sūrah Al-Anbiyāʾ (21:22) “لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَةٌ إِلا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا – If there was another god aside from Allāh or beside Allāh, then the skies and the earth would fall into destruction and ruin.” The reality of that is obvious to all who think and reflect. 

But if we extend the meaning of this āyah to more than just the concept of paganism, and include people’s own concocted versions of truth and justice, the world again would fall into chaos as ruin. 

  1. If Allāh were to give us rules pertaining to men and women, young and old, rich and poor the way humans want, society would be upside down. Allāh ﷻ is The All Knower, and Infinitely Wise: He knows best how to create a universe, creation, creatures, and how to balance in their age, gender, and resources. Allāh also knows how to be the most kind when giving respective guidelines for each category. 
  1. We see extremes of people who do not think the poor, the homeless, immigrants, or people with physical or mental issues are deserving of our physical and financial help. And on the opposite side, there are people who think people’s wealth should be capped, the rich should be – God bless you – eaten, and other ideas. Yet again, Allāh knows how to create humans and what is best for them to be commanded to do in terms of earning permissible wealth and spending it on their own selves, families, those in need, and beneficial programs. 
  1. There are people who think that a single accusation of any crime warrants the death penalty without evidence, whereas others want everyone to be free without any laws. Both of these would destroy society. Allāh ﷻ’s guidance to deal with personal and communal sins is best. 

There are many examples. Remind yourself to know that Allāh ﷻ’s perfect wisdom in creation is no less than His perfect wisdom in His commands. How can someone claim that the creator of the universe, the one who designed and created such an intricate human – from its eyes, ears, heart, and ability to reproduce – did a great job with the biology, but – aʿudhu bi Allāh, may God save us from claiming the following – teach us anything less than perfect in terms of how the human being, man or woman, should act (be it marriage, prayer, fasting, or any other guidance, regardless of whether it is the same for men and women or different). 

 If the world and laws were as we want it, the world would be in ruin. Much of the world is in ruin. It’s only the grace of God and His kindness that His religion and universal decree keeps everything whole. He is The Eternal, Perfect Maintainer, All Knower, and Infinitely Wise (Al-Ḥayy Al-Qayyūm Al-ʿAlīm Al-Ḥakīm)! 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Allah Knows What He’s Doing| Sh Mudassir Mayet appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

[Podcast] The Power of Du’a: A Game Changer

18 March, 2025 - 12:00

Aliyah Umm Raiyaan and Zainab bint Younus talk about Aliyah’s book “The Power of Du’a,” developing a personal relationship with Allah, and how du’a can literally change your life. From career to marriage to profound spiritual healing, du’a is the secret weapon of every believer… and Ramadan is the time to take the most advantage of it!

Related:

Podcast: Ramadan Reflections: 30 Days of Healing | Aliyah Umm Raiyaan

The post [Podcast] The Power of Du’a: A Game Changer appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

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