The irresistible pull towards tahajjud is by the permission of Allah , but it is a part of our lives for as long as we actively strive for it. The floodgates of Allah’s 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 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 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?

“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 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 , 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 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 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 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 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 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 story where Allah asks him why he came to the Mount with such haste ahead of his people. Prophet Musa 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 , 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.

“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 , “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 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 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(link is external)

– Show Up As You Are: Overcoming Ramadan Guilt For The Last 10 Nights(link is external)

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

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10(link is external), Episode 11(link is external), Episode 12, (link is external)Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, (link is external)Episode 16, (link is external)Episode 17, Episode 18(link is external)

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(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

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.

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(link is external)

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

 

The post Renowned Scholar Abu-Ishaq Hegazy Passes Away(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10(link is external), Episode 11(link is external), Episode 12, (link is external)Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, (link is external)Episode 16, (link is external)Episode 17(link is external)

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(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

Aliyah Umm Raiyaan and Zainab bint Younus talk about Aliyah’s book “The Power of Du’a(link is external),” 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(link is external)

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

My husband came home from work just as my baby had finished taking his fourth poop of the day. Instead of handing the baby over with poopy diaper and all as I usually do, a thought popped into my head. I’m going to change this diaper because I want the good deeds. The moment when I called dibs on the poopy diaper with as much enthusiasm as I would to pray another sunnah prayer, read an additional page of Quran, or add an extra 10% to a donation, is when I realized I’m winning all Ramadan long as a stay-at-home mom. To all the other caregivers out there–embrace what you do and you are winning, too!

Acknowledge Yourself and See the Mountain of Work that You Do

Being a caregiver to a dependent is exhausting, monotonous, and challenging. Our days are long and filled with the stress of taking care of a person who needs help to survive. Our duties seem small and meaningless far too often, even though every act we perform helps keep someone alive. We don’t get a badge or a paycheck and there is often no one else around to see how much time and energy we devote to caregiving. Somehow, the tedium numbs us and we forget the importance of what we do day in and day out. 

Yet, we can see the good in a simple deed when someone else does it. Many of us know of the hadith (link is external)about a prostitute who fills her shoe with water and offers it to a thirsty dog. We think, “Wow! Such a simple deed and so much reward for a person who did so much evil!” But why can’t I see that I’m doing the same when I offer my son a drink of water after playing in the park on a hot day? The Prophet Muhammad had to point out the value of these easily overlooked acts to us. He told us(link is external) to see the value in the sahabah who was told to stay at home and take care of his parents instead of going off to battle for jihad, and that (link is external)giving money to family is the most important form of charity. I want to challenge myself to see the work that I do through someone else’s eyes.

I was forced to see my own efforts when I met up with a nice aunty recently. She saw my baby for the first time in over a month and turned to me and said, “Wow, he is so much bigger now, I can’t believe it. You’ve done a good job, Meena.” 

I was a little confused and laughed it off. I’m not the one who has learned to sit up, what is she talking about? But when I thought about her perplexing comment hours later–yes! I have done a good job–I have. I have been the one breastfeeding, keeping him clean, teaching him independent sleep skills, and giving him tummy time. I deserve so much credit and I’m glad someone saw how the small, easily ignored acts of care and service I do for my baby every single day have grown into a huge mountain that is impossible to miss.

The mountain of care is what I’m using to imagine all of the care I provide. I’m hiking up a mountain of my own making. With each step I take, the mountain gets taller and taller. At the end of every day, I reach a summit. Before I set up my base camp for the night, I turn around and admire the view. Alhamdulillah! That beautiful view represents all of the work I have done and all of the good deeds I’m raking in. It seems like I’ve reached the top of the mountain, but I know there is more mountain waiting for me to build and climb when I wake up in the morning. I’ll start another day and the mountain of care I provide will continue to grow with each step I take. This is my Everest, baby! And the best part? Allah holds the tape measure.  

Welcoming Caregiving with Open Arms this Month

I realized that I’m getting a pretty sweet deal if I play the game right this Ramadan, and instead of fighting it or begrudgingly accepting it as I’ve done for the past six years I’ve been a mom, I’m embracing it for the first time with positivity and optimism. This to me is the game changer this year that I’m hoping will make my Ramadan feel sacred and special because I’m a SAHM, and not in spite of it. 

The day after the poopy diaper incident,  I was standing like a deer in headlights wondering what I should do with my free time during the baby’s first nap of the day. It was still the first few days of Ramadan and I was panicking. It’s Ramadan–quick! Do something good! But as I looked around the house searching for my Quran, I saw the mess that the baby had made during his snack. I debated with myself, clean up the high chair or go read Quran? I knew that if I didn’t clean up, the next meal would turn into a disaster and I would be stressed out. With the baby not eating properly during his next wake window and the stress potentially snowballing out of control and ruining the rest of my day, it was then that it hit me! 

Meena, you dummy, cleaning up the high chair is a good deed.

Suddenly, I found myself holding the tray and smiling as I contemplated starting one of the most odious care tasks I do. It was a feeling I had never really felt before. Gripping the tray with both hands, I slowly turned my head from left to right, looking around at the other messes in my home.

Hang on–hang on a minute. You’re telling me that I can earn tons of good deeds just for cleaning my house and taking care of my family? I experienced a peculiar sense of glee swooping around in my stomach, thinking I had certainly gone mad because cleaning and taking care of others are not tasks I particularly enjoy, especially all day and night. I saw a vision of myself, like a prophecy, smiling in my immaculately tidy home, holding my happy baby in my arms, my older son playing peacefully with his non-choking hazard Legos at my feet, and dinner ready in the oven. I sensed the same satisfaction I feel when I pray a solid 20 at the masjid and there’s a moving witr dua to end the night. Girl, you really hit the jackpot this Ramadan. 

This delusional vision, I’m the first to admit that perfection is nigh impossible,  was an epiphany I’m rejoicing in because it has unlocked two secrets I have both long known and fought. The first is: taking care of others with acts of simple service that uphold a human’s dignity is heavy in my scale of good deeds. The second is: there is nothing better or more important that I should be doing right now as a SAHM than doing an okay job trying to take care of my family. All I need is to pair a good intention with the things I am already doing for my baby and family and I’m winning. I’m going to stop resisting my daily reality and letting the FOMO of life before kids eat away at my sanity. I’m going to embrace my time as a SAHM knowing full well that I am doing work that God loves all day long.

This isn’t to say that I shouldn’t have spiritual goals related to other forms of worship that are emphasized in Ramadan, such as engaging with the Quran, fasting, offering extra prayers, and spending more time in supplication. It’s just putting into perspective that there is no way that my current responsibilities allow me to dedicate as much time as I could in the past.

But guess what? God sees my small actions relative to my SAHM phase of life and He loves my caregiving work even more during Ramadan. And even better? If I look at my daily work as an opportunity for endless good deeds, the optimism makes the load easier to bear and more fulfilling to carry.   

Caregivers – Take the W with Me this Ramadan

Of course, I have told myself similar messages of how rewarding caregiving is in the past, but they’ve been harder to digest and accept. I often get the most disgruntled and frustrated during SAHM days when I feel as if my caregiving duties are interfering with something else I want or need to do. There were moments during previous Ramadans when I felt being “stuck with the kids” was stealing my Ramadan from me(link is external). In past Ramadans, important messages like this were what I needed to survive the month of Ramadan as a mom. 

 

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But maybe this year, I won’t feel that way as often, or perhaps not even at all. Maybe this equally-as-important message resonates more with me this year.

 

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It seems as if I have leveled up if I’m calling dibs on poopy diapers and smiling as I wash baby food from the high chair. Honestly, it could be a reflection of how I’ve worked hard to keep a manageable load on my plate more than anything else. 

I hope and pray that I can keep this optimism alive throughout Ramadan and beyond to make the burdens of caring for children easier to carry. And I hope and pray that you can see your mountain of caregiving duties for what it truly is this Ramadan, too, and maybe even embrace it as a W this year.

 

Related:

– Parents In Ramadan: Pivot To Another Worship(link is external)

– Ramadan With A Newborn: Life Seasons, Ibaadah, And Intentionality(link is external)

The post I Call Dibs On The Poopy Diapers This Ramadan(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10(link is external), Episode 11(link is external), Episode 12, (link is external)Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, (link is external)Episode 16(link is external)

Transcript

Sūrah Al-Anbiyāʾ (21): 10

لَقَدْ أَنزلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَابًا فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ أَفَلا تَعْقِلُونَ

“Without a doubt, We have sent down a book/revelation to all of you that mentions you and your greatness – if only you understand!”

Allāh gives humanity a direct and bold “offer”. The offer is that: if you believe, obey, and truly understand and internalize the message of Allāh conveyed through The Qurʾān and teachings of Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, you will have your dhikr (ذكر) honor, greatness, and legacy stamped into history. A similar āyah alludes to the same point:

Sūrah Al-Zukhruf (43): 43-44

فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ (٤٣)

وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْأَلُونَ (٤٤)

“My Prophet! Hold on tightly to what has been revealed to you (The Qurʾān). You are, without a doubt, on the correct path. It, The Qurʾān, mentions you and your greatness, O Prophet Muḥammad, as well as the status and rank of your people. Soon you will all be asked about this.”

So how and where is ones greatness and legacy in The Qurʾān? For ones legacy and greatness to be mentioned in The Qurʾān, they must believe in it, and submit to Allāh’s commands that come within it. Thus, Allāh says in Sūrah Al-Anbiyāʾ, “We have sent down a book to you,” and it doesn’t make sense to have a book honor you if you don’t believe in that book. Second is the context of the āyāt of Sūrah Al-Zukhruf, “Hold on tightly to The Qurʾān… (and thus it will) mention you and your greatness.”

It is through Islām, and obedience to Allāh that we achieve this rank. And the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ alludes to this when speaking to the leaders of Quraysh, saying, “هَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُعْطِيَّ كلِمَةً إِنْ أَنْتُمْ تَكَلَّمْتُمْ بِهَا مَلَكْتُمْ بِهَا العَرَبَ، ودَانَتْ لَكُمْ بِهَا العَجَمُ؟” or “أُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ كلِمَةً وَاحِدَةً تَدِينُ لَهُمْ بِهَا العَرَبُ، وتُؤَدِّي إلَيْهِمُ العَجَمُ الجِزْيَةَ” both of which mean, “If you all give me one statement, not only will all of Arabia will be under your control, but also non-Arab lands!” To which the enemy of Islam, Abū Jahl, responded, “نَعَمْ وأَبِيكَ، وعَشْرَ كَلِمَاتٍ” or “إِنَّ هَذِهِ لَكَلِمَةٌ مُرْبِحَةٌ، لَنُعْطيَنَّكَهَا وَعَشرًا مَعَهَا” both of which mean, “One statement? That will be a very profitable statement! We’ll give you 10 more statements on top of that!” And the Prophet Muḥammad then said that the one statement he’s asking for is, “تَقُوُلونَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وتَخْلَعُونَ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِهِ – Say: ‘Nothing is worthy of worship except The One True God Allāh’ and don’t worship anything but Allāh.”

Through this it is clear that by being Muslim, one will get honor, rank, and status. Let us all reflect on 7th century Arabia. Would the world have ever known the names of Hāshim, ʿAbd Al-Muṭṭalib, Abū Ṭālib, Abū Lahab, Abū Jahal if it wasn’t for Islam? Would history books mention Quraysh, Yathrib, Aws, and Khazraj? Would the world know the greatness of Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, or ʿAli? Would anyone respect the great women who were Khadījah, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthūm, Fāṭimah, or ʿĀʾishah? The greats among the Arabs have been forever remembered as the greatest human beings on earth (after the Prophets) due to their Islam. And even the worst of the Arabs still have their names mentioned by proxy!

If you want to leave the greatest legacy, it is by being the best Muslim. This greatness only comes from Allāh: “وَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ – True respect, greatness, and authority is with Allāh, the Messenger, and the believers” and He ﷻ also says, “مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّةَ فَلِلَّهِ الْعِزَّةُ جَمِيعًا – Whoever wants true respect, greatness, and authority: know that all respect, greatness, and authority is with and from Allāh!” Allāh ﷻ also says, “إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ – The most noble and honorable people in the sight of Allāh are those who have the most taqwā.” Taqwā is a quality that focuses on an individual being both aware of Allāh, and afraid of His anger and punishment. Taqwā comes from wiqāyah (وقاية) indicating shielding and protection; thus one protects themselves from Allāh’s anger and punishment, and the “shield” that is used is one’s obedience of Allāh, and one’s abandoning of sins.

If you want to leave the greatest legacy and have respect, be the best Muslim!

Note that other scholars consider the use of the word dhikr (ذكر) to mean a reminder, a wake up call, a warning, among other meanings. The leading exegete, Al-Imām Abū Jaʿfar Ibn Jarīr Al-Ṭabarī (raḥimahu Allāh – may God show him compassion), prefers the meaning of sharaf (شرف): greatness, legacy, and status. Granted, he and others focus on the aspect that it is a mention of the greatness of the ʿarabs and Quraysh, but we have expanded that meaning to be a more meaningful and cohesive meaning above.

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Your Legacy! | Sh Mudassir Mayet(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10(link is external), Episode 11(link is external), Episode 12, (link is external)Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15(link is external)

Transcript

The following is perhaps one of the most powerful statements ever made before a tyrant:

Ṭā Hā (20): 72-73

قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَى مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا (٧٢) إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَايَانَا وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى (٧٣)

“(The magicians of Egypt who just became Muslim after witnessing a miracle of God (Allāh) at the hands of Moses (Mūsā) said, ‘We will never prefer you, O Pharaoh, over all the clear signs of God that have come to us, let alone The One True God Allāh Himself! So go ahead and do whatever you want to us! Anything and everything you can do – like torturing us – is limited to this worldly life! We have wholeheartedly believed in our Lord and Master and hope that He will forgive us for our mistakes and everything you, O Pharaoh, forced us to learn and perform in terms of magic. — Allāh and His compensation is far greater and everlasting than anything you could possibly do!’”

Allāh tells us this story a few times in The Qurʾān. Sūrah Ṭā Hā contains one of the more detailed accounts of this story. A summary of the backstory is as follows.

Prophet Moses (Mūsā [ع] ʿalayh al-salām – may God honor and preserve his legacy) has been preaching to Pharaoh (Firʿawn) for a while. At some point, Pharaoh tries to make a power play in hopes to publicly humiliate Prophet Moses (ع). Pharaoh has convinced himself that the miracles of Prophet Mūsā (ع), like his staff turning into a real living serpent, are just magic. So Pharaoh wants to set up a public “magic showdown” where the best magicians of Egypt and the surrounding lands can hopefully out perform Prophet Moses (ع). A date and time are set.

Prophet Mūsā (ع) and the magicians arrive. After a little bit of back and forth, the magicians are the first to make a move. They have rope and staffs that they throw onto the floor, and through the use of their magic, the staffs and ropes appear to be moving.

Prophet Mūsā (ع) is a little worried, but Allāh ﷻ reassures him, “لا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الأَعْلَى – Do not worry or be afraid. You are the victor.” So Prophet Moses (ع) throws his staff, and of course, it becomes a real living snake. Not only that, but it goes and swallows all of the ropes and staffs previously thrown by the magicians.

The second the magicians see that, they know what Prophet Mūsā (ع) just did was not magic. That staff, that snake, that literal swallowing of objects from an animal that was a literal staff a few seconds ago — that is not magic! Instantly they fall into sajdah, prostrating their faces onto the floor. They exclaim, “آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَى – We believe in the Lord and Master of Aaron (Hārūn) and Moses (Mūsā)!”

Just imagine the anger and frustration Pharaoh is experiencing. His entire plan backfired into the exact opposite outcome. Instead of Prophet Mūsā (ع) being humiliated, he came out as the unquestioned hero! But Pharaoh is a man of the most extreme propaganda. In that moment he tries to flip the script – “Did I give you permission to accept him as a prophet? Ohhh… He (Moses) is the one that taught all of you magic in the first place! You all have been scheming this against me the entire time! — Guess what? I am going to mutilate and crucify all of you! I will chop off your opposing limbs and hang your corpses on tree trunks! Then and only then will you all finally realize who is more powerful and severe in executing continuous punishment!”

At that, the magicians say what Allāh quoted in the Qurʾān, “We will never prefer you, O Pharaoh, over all the clear signs of God that have come to us, let alone The One True God Allāh Himself! So go ahead and do whatever you want to us! Anything and everything you can do – like torturing us – is limited to this worldly life! We have wholeheartedly believed in our Lord and Master and hope that He will forgive us for our mistakes and everything you, O Pharaoh, forced us to learn and perform in terms of magic. — Allāh and His compensation is far greater and everlasting than anything you could possibly do!”

These magicians saw the truth as truth. As the phrase goes, “game recognize game” and they knew that what they did was magic, but what was done at the hands of Prophet Mūsā (ع) was something that could only be done by the divine intervention of The One True God. Thus they instantly believed.

And their belief was so strong and firmly rooted, even though they just accepted Mūsā and Hārūn (ع) as prophets moments ago, they knew that Pharaoh is a human who can only hurt them in this world. Pharaoh’s worst torture techniques will be painful, yes, but once they die, Pharaoh cannot do a single thing to them. Rather, it is Allāh who has full and everlasting control, power, and authority in this life and the next. So when Allāh ﷻ chooses to forgive and reward, that is far better and everlasting than any possible material luxury Pharaoh could ever bribe them with. And Allāh ﷻ’s punishment against those who reject Him is more severe and everlasting than 100 years of receiving the worst torture exacted by Pharaoh.

If we are obedient to Allāh ﷻ, no one can harm us in the hereafter. They may be able to hurt us verbally and physically – in very painful ways – in this world. But it will end when I die. As for the reward from Allāh for my patience and submission to Him – it is forever and ever. As for the punishment from Allāh against those who reject and oppress, it will forever and ever.

Sometimes people will really hurt you in this world. The pain will be unbearable. But if your relationship with Allāh ﷻ is strong, you will be escorted into God’s Paradise in there hereafter, while your disbelieving oppressor will be dragged and thrown face first into the fire of Hell. — Keep your faith strong, O Believer! And let Allāh handle your situation!

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: You Can Only Hurt Me in This World | Sh Mudassir Mayet(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10(link is external), Episode 11(link is external), Episode 12, (link is external)Episode 13, Episode 14(link is external)

Transcript

 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Hereafter | Sh Mudassir Mayet(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

It begins with a whisper: a message slides into your consciousness with the practiced ease of a skilled assassin. “Have you heard about…” The words hang in the air, and in that suspended moment, a profound power dynamic unfolds. Make no mistake: this is not merely gossip; it’s the redistribution of social capital through character assassination. What masquerades as “just sharing information” reveals itself as a weapon wielded in the silent warfare of reputation. 

Like those who now gather around tables before dawn, carefully choosing what will sustain them through the long hours of fasting ahead, we too should be mindful of what fills our social spaces. But unlike the careful consideration given to what nourishes the body during these sacred days of Ramadan, we rarely scrutinize what passes our lips when it concerns others’ reputations. The irony is stark: we meticulously avoid a drop of water touching our tongues from fajr to maghrib, yet let torrents of destructive speech flow freely when speaking of others.

Precision-Guided Missiles

Let us strip away the comfortable illusions: words are instruments of power. When deployed against the defenseless, they become tools of oppression as real as any physical constraint. “Words are arrows,” warned Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, but this metaphor sanitizes their true nature. Words are precision-guided missiles that destroy not merely reputations but entire lives: careers demolished, family bonds severed, mental health shattered beyond recognition. Behind closed doors, victims of our careless speech collapse under psychological torture, their very sense of self disintegrating as community after community turns against them.

And you, yes you, become complicit with each passive nod, each failure to demand evidence, each cowardly silence that prioritizes your social comfort over another’s dignity. The Qur’an confronts this moral abdication with surgical precision:

“Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of themselves and say: ‘This is obvious falsehood’?” [Surah An-Nur: 24:12]

“Words are arrows,” warned Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib [PC: Possessed Photography (unsplash)]

This isn’t gentle guidance; it’s a damning indictment of our collective moral failure.

Imagine standing before your Creator, every instance where you participated in this systemic oppression laid bare: the whispered accusations you amplified, the context you deliberately omitted, the times you cloaked character assassination as “just asking questions.” The angels who recorded your every utterance stand as witnesses, their eternal ledgers containing words you yourself have forgotten speaking. These vigilant scribes who never sleep, never forget, and never fail to capture every syllable now present the complete record of your speech. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ didn’t merely suggest discretion; he recognized that the tongue serves as the primary instrument of injustice. Your defense that you were “just passing along information” will collapse under the weight of its own moral bankruptcy.

Of Sacred Speech And Cowardly Silence

We’ve all experienced that moment when someone leans close, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper: “Did you hear what they did?” In that moment, a moral test presents itself. Your response, whether eager reception or principled rejection, reveals not just your character but your relationship to power itself. Will you participate in the destruction of another’s reputation for the fleeting currency of insider status? And have you considered the chilling reality that tomorrow, the same machinery of social destruction could turn against you with equal efficiency?

The pious predecessors understood what we conveniently forget: that words create reality. Imam Malik ibn Anas would bathe, apply perfume, and don his finest clothes before narrating hadith in Medina. The renowned scholar Muhammad ibn Sirin was known to perform ritual ablution before transmitting even verified information, a physical acknowledgment of speech’s sacred power. The hadith compiler Imam al-Bukhari would pray two rakʿahs of prayer before recording any prophetic tradition. This wasn’t mere symbolism but a profound recognition that words reshape the social landscape, determining who is embraced and who is exiled. If these towering figures approached confirmed knowledge with such reverence, our casual transmission of unverified claims represents not just carelessness but a form of violence.

Examine the mechanics of how truth erodes: a hesitant “I think maybe…” transforms into “I heard definitely…” and finally calcifies as “Everyone knows…“ This isn’t accidental; it’s a deliberate alchemy that transmutes suspicion into social consensus without the inconvenience of evidence. In our digital age, this process accelerates exponentially, creating parallel realities where the accused stands convicted without trial, defense, or appeal.

Consider the devastating scandal that engulfed Aisha , Mother of Believers. For weeks, she suffered in agonizing isolation as rumors consumed her reputation. Her body wasted away until she had no tears left, describing her pain as beyond any physical suffering she had endured, a soul-deep wound inflicted not by enemies but by those she considered family. The power dynamics were unmistakable: accusations flowed from those seeking to undermine the Prophet’s ﷺ mission by attacking his household, while others amplified these claims to secure their own social position.

The divine warning thunders through centuries:

“Those who love to see immorality spread among the believers will have a painful punishment in this life and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know.” [Surah An-Nur; 24:19]

This isn’t merely cautioning against gossip; it’s exposing our psychological attraction to others’ moral failures, a perverse comfort we find in their downfall that allows us to feel superior while doing nothing to improve ourselves or our communities.

Yet make no mistake: absolute silence in the face of genuine injustice represents not piety but moral cowardice. When actual harm occurs and you remain mute, your silence doesn’t preserve peace; it preserves oppression. One day, those who suffered while you knew and did nothing might rightfully name you as complicit: “You witnessed the truth yet chose your comfort over our protection.” The false binary between harmful speech and unconditional silence serves those in power by neutralizing legitimate criticism under the guise of spiritual discretion.

The Strength Of Moral Discernment

Between reckless accusation and cowardly silence, lies a third path: principled, evidence-based intervention that prioritizes justice over comfort. The Prophet ﷺ advised(link is external) leaving “what doesn’t concern you,” but this wasn’t permission for apathy. Rather, it demands discernment, the wisdom to distinguish between idle curiosity about others’ affairs and moral responsibility to confront genuine harm. The question isn’t whether to speak or remain silent, but whether your words serve truth or merely your own social interests.

The Prophet ﷺ advised leaving “what doesn’t concern you.” [PC: Dendy Darma Satyazi (unsplash)]

Try this unflinching exercise: When negative information reaches you about someone, close your eyes and visualize them not as an abstract character in a story but as a fully human being. See the dark circles under their eyes from sleepless nights spent wondering who still believes in them. Feel the cold sweat of anxiety as they enter rooms, calculating who has heard what version of their alleged transgressions. Now reverse the roles completely: place yourself as the subject of the same accusations, feeling decades-long relationships disintegrate over claims you cannot effectively disprove. Would you spread such information without certainty? This exercise strips away pretense and confronts you with the moral weight of your speech.

In our networked world, this ethical challenge has gained unprecedented urgency. A rumor that once traveled through neighborhoods now races across continents instantaneously, preserved eternally in digital amber. Each thoughtless share, each “just letting you know” message, each public innuendo fuels a machine of destruction that operates with ruthless efficiency while maintaining plausible deniability for all participants. “I was just sharing what I heard” becomes the modern equivalent of “I was just following orders,” a moral abdication disguised as neutral information sharing.

Those with genuine spiritual maturity instinctively recoil from unverified claims, not from naivety but from acute awareness that our words actively create the communities we inhabit. They recognize that the momentary social currency gained from sharing scandalous news pales against the permanent moral debt incurred by participating in another’s destruction. They live with the constant awareness of the angels at their shoulders, recording each word in an unfading ledger, capturing not just what was said but the intention behind it. Their restraint isn’t weakness but profound strength, the discipline to resist the intoxicating power that comes from controlling others’ reputations.

If you’ve already participated in this system of reputational violence, the path to redemption remains open but demands more than private regret. True repentance requires public repair: seek those you’ve misled and correct yourself without excuses or deflection. Then speak well of those you’ve wronged, not merely to clear your conscience but to begin restoring what your words destroyed. Anything less transforms apology into performance, concerned more with reclaiming your moral standing than repairing the damage you’ve caused.

A person refined by these principles develops not just a reputation but a moral authority that eclipses superficial influence. When they speak, people listen, not because they wield institutional power but because they’ve demonstrated the courage to value truth over convenience, principle over popularity. Their restraint testifies to inner discipline, and their interventions carry the weight of discernment rather than impulse.

“Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent,” declared(link is external) the Prophet ﷺ with unflinching clarity. This isn’t gentle advice but a fundamental standard that separates superficial faith from authentic conviction. When questionable information about another reaches you, this principle demands not passive acceptance of whatever narrative benefits you, but active interrogation of both the claims and your own motives in receiving them.

In every word, in every silence, your moral compass reveals itself. Each time you pass along unverified information, you aren’t merely sharing news; you’re actively participating in systems of power that destroy lives while maintaining the fiction of your own neutrality. And know with certainty that angels are recording every word, every whisper, every innuendo.. these tireless scribes who never sleep, never tire, and never miss even the subtlest inference in your speech. The Qur’an reminds us:

“Not a word does he utter but there is a vigilant Guardian.” [Surah Qaf; 50:18]

Choose wisely, for in the economy of justice, nothing is forgotten, nothing is without consequence, and no one escapes accountability for the worlds their words create.

 

Related:

– The Top 5 Misconceptions of Backbiting and How To Respond To Them(link is external)

– The Muslim’s Stance Toward Ethical Crises and Scandals [A Summarized Paper](link is external)

 

The post Time To Take Stock Of The Weight Of Our Words: A Moral Indictment Of Our Complicity(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10(link is external), Episode 11(link is external), Episode 12, (link is external)Episode 13(link is external)

Transcript

We start by mentioning Allah, praising Him, thanking Him, and asking Him to bless and honor our beloved Prophet and Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.  

 As we start our 14th session, we are looking at the 14th juz of the Qur’an, which covers surah 15, surah al-Hijr, and surah 16, surah al-Nahl. Towards the end of surah al-Nahl, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala spends a number of verses, reminding us to be people who keep our promises. If I made a promise, if I entered into a contract, I should wholeheartedly stick to that. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, He says in verse 91, 

وَأَوْفُوا۟ بِعَهْدِ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا عَـٰهَدتُّمْ وَلَا تَنقُضُوا۟ ٱلْأَيْمَـٰنَ بَعْدَ تَوْكِيدِهَا وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ ٩١ 

Honour Allah’s covenant when you make a pledge, and do not break your oaths after confirming them, having made Allah your guarantor. Surely Allah knows all you do. (Quran 16:91) 

 Meaning, fulfill the promises you have made to Allah when you made them. This could refer to any promise that we have made to Allah. By me being a human being and a Muslim, I have engaged in a contract with Allah. Oh Allah, I will believe in You. I will worship You and You alone. I will pray five times a day. if I have the wealth, I will give zakaah. If I’m physically able, I will fast. If I have the wealth and ability, I will perform hajj. I’ll be good to my parents. I’ll be good to my spouse. I’ll be good to my kids. I’ll take care of the poor, the weak, and the orphans. I will not be angry, oppressive, tyrannical, arrogant, greedy, hateful, nor envious. Rather, I will be kind, soft, caring, generous, forgiving, and all of these good qualities.  

 And Allah continues to say again that do not break or violate these promises or oaths that you have made. If you say, I swear to God I will do such and such, that is a yameen (oath). Also, anything that when we contractually obligate ourselves with one another. For example, if I have signed a contract, I will give you this money tomorrow at 3pm, then neither should I come late, jip you in the amount, nor should you give me any less than we agreed to. 

 And before we get into the details, there’s a caveat that always comes up, that this is to the best of our human ability. Maybe, there’s just a major thunderstorm, and there’s absolutely no way I could get there at 3 PM. Like, even if I left at 3 PM, I would not have been able to make it. Right? These are things that hopefully Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, our God, will overlook. And us, as human beings with each other, should also overlook if it’s a legitimate reason. If you’re five minutes away from me and were supposed to meet me at 4 PM but I think to myself that I was supposed to be there at 3PM, but I can get there at 7PM. That is breaking and violating this promise and trust which I have engaged in with you.  

 Allah says that He has made you know a contractual obligant in that party. That you are a party to that contract. You have a responsible part in that contract. Allah knows everything that you do. And then Allah gives us an example. Allah paints beautiful examples and parables within the Qur’an to help us understand the importance of the things that He’s teaching us. He says, 

وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّتِى نَقَضَتْ غَزْلَهَا مِنۢ بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ أَنكَـٰثًۭا تَتَّخِذُونَ أَيْمَـٰنَكُمْ دَخَلًۢا بَيْنَكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ أُمَّةٌ هِىَ أَرْبَىٰ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ ۚ إِنَّمَا يَبْلُوكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ ۚ وَلَيُبَيِّنَنَّ لَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ مَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ ٩٢ 

Do not be like the woman who foolishly unravels her yarn after it is firmly spun, by taking your oaths as a means of deceiving one another in favor of a stronger group. Surely Allah tests you through this. And on the Day of Judgment He will certainly make your differences clear to you. (Quran 16:92) 

 That people, when you have made a promise, oath, or entered into a contract, don’t be like this particular woman who was known in Mecca. She would tear and rip apart her spun yarn. Maybe, she sewed or knit some kind of a fabric. After she was done, she would just tear it apart. This was a known woman in Mecca, that would do that. Or maybe this is a hypothetical example of a fable. There was a woman that would do such a thing. Again, you can imagine that she’s knitting a quilt or a shirt. Then, as it’s done or as it’s about to be done, she thinks, “Nope. Never mind. Start over. I don’t want it.” Allah is saying, ‘don’t do that.’ When you have made a promise, engaged in a contract, or committed yourself, stick to it. When you have said, shook hands, signed the paper, you have agreed to something, stick to it. 

Don’t rip your hand out and rip the paper-in our metaphorical terms or literal terms, like that woman who would go and rip her fabric or cloth after having sewed and stitched it together. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is very clear about these things. And Allah says that if you do that, it’s like you’re just falling and slipping out. You’re making a huge mistake. Don’t do this to yourself. You’re hurting yourself. You’re harming yourself. You’re violating your own self. You are going to taste, وَتَذُوقُ السُّوءَ بِمَا صَلَتُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ You’re going to taste the consequences of what you have done. 

وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ And you have a very harsh, severe punishment.

Obviously, these ayahs are kind of intermixed with telling the believers, “Don’t violate your promise and trust to Allah.” But within it is also the scenario for people. For example, a husband by the contract of nikkah, is supposed to take care of his wife and children by giving them food, shelter, housing, and whatever else it is they need for their function. He says, “No, I’m not going to feed you. No, I’m not going to clothe you. No, I’m not going to give you shelter. Go pay for your own medical bills. I’m not going to do any of that.” That person is violating both the contract which they made to Allah by entering into this marriage contract and to his wife and children.  

And again, as we said before, this is to one’s ability. Somebody may have lost their hands, so they cannot work anymore. That is a separate scenario. We’re talking about someone who has the wealth or has the ability. Yet, he says, “Handle it yourself. Not my problem. It is your problem.” This includes any other kind of situation. When we see people who are in positions of leadership and authority who are supposed to protect people, yet they go and hurt and harm people. They are supposed to ensure public safety, yet they spy on people and hurt innocent people. They have made a promise of civil service. Yet, they go and violate that. Whether be it students to their teachers of, I will participate. I will attend class on time. You know, I will be respectful. I will complete my assignments. And they can violate that. Or it can be teachers or any boss or employer who has a responsibility, “I will look after you. I will help you. I will teach you. I will educate you. I will support you”. And then, they fail to do that out of negligence not because he cannot do it. He thinks, “I’m trying my best, but I can’t due to laziness, out of negligence, not caring.” This is breaking a promise. And this is something extremely, extremely, extremely terrible. 

So much so that the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم (May God bless and honor him) said, آية المنافق ثلاث that from amongst the many qualities of a hypocrite, of someone who says one thing but believes another thing, are three. And one of them that he mentions is إِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَ When he makes a promise, he breaks it. And then, وَإِذَا اؤتُمِنَ خَانَ when he’s trusted with something, he betrays it. For example, if you trust me to help you, you go ahead, and they break that trust. 

Oh people! أَوْفُوا بِالْعُهُود Go and fulfill your promises, trusts, and covenants that you have made with Allah. If someone rightfully expects something from you, give it to them and fulfill it to the best of your ability, lest Allah hold you and I accountable. And when we are people of honesty, trustworthiness, and fulfilling our promises and contracts, then this is the title that people gave the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم , al-Amin, “the trustworthy”.  

May Allah make us trustworthy and people that others can rely on. 

O Allah! You are so perfect. We end by praising You and thanking You. There is nothing worthy of our worship or devotion except for You. We seek Your forgiveness. And we turn to You in repentance. We end by asking You to bless and honor our beloved Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم . 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Promises | Sh Mudassir Mayet(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

Irtiza Hasan and Zainab bint Younus share a (belated) Ramadan Mubarak with the MuslimMatters family, sharing their own traditions and reflections on how to spend this Ramadan. And, how do we avoid fundraising fatigue and donation rotations?

Between work and school, family and taraweeh, juggling iftar dawats and squeezing in personal worship… how have you all been managing this Ramadan? What Ramadan scheduling hacks do you utilize?

Related:

The MuslimMatters Ramadan Podcast Playlist 2025(link is external)

The post [Podcast] A Belated Ramadan Mubarak!(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10(link is external), Episode 11, Episode 12(link is external)

Transcript

We begin by praising Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. We thank Him, We acknowledge that He is the only one worthy and deserving of all praise and thanks, and we ask Him to shower His most complete and abundant blessings and protection upon His noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, upon his noble family, upon his shining companions, and upon all of those that follow them until the end of time. We ask Allah to include us from among them. We ask Allah to teach us what will benefit us, to guide us through what He has taught us, and to increase us in knowledge and accepted actions. 

 In our 13th session, we are looking at the 13th Juz of the Qur’an, which contains the end of Surah Yusuf (Chapter 12), the entirety of Surah Ar-Ra’d (Chapter 13), and the entirety of Surah Ibrahim (Chapter 14). At the beginning of Surah Ibrahim and at the end of Surah Ibrahim, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala touches on a very important quality: the mindset and action of a believer. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala says on the tongue of Prophet Musa Alayhi Salam, on the tongue of Prophet Moses. May God bless him and honor his legacy. 

Remember when your Lord had proclaimed and given the announcement: 

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ  

And ˹remember˺ when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe.’” (Quran 14:7) 

 Meaning, Allah is saying, “If you are grateful to me, if you show appreciation, if you give thanks, then I will increase you; I will surely, absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, increase you. And if you are ungrateful, then know that without a doubt my punishment is extremely painful.

Very beautifully, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala says, “If you are grateful”, which is a generic statement. Allah doesn’t mention for what or to who. And then, on top of that, He says, “For sure, I will absolutely’; He makes it a very definitive statement, “I will increase you, I will give you more. But then Allah warns: If you are ungrateful, then know that my punishment is very severe. Allah doesn’t say, ‘I will punish you Allah says that know that my punishment is very severe may very well come.  

 At the end of Surah Ibrahim, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala again makes a very important, beautiful point pertaining to gratitude. Allah He says before even mentioning gratitude, that He, Allah, has already given you everything that you’ve asked Him for, whatever you asked Him, He’s given it.   

There may be some things that I you haven’t gotten. Allah, in His own wisdom, knows when and why to give and not to give. Maybe it’s due to our own deficiencies, because it’s bad for us, or maybe because there’s something better He’s trying to save for us. 

 But from the generic method, the fact that we are alive, we’re breathing, we have, we can see, we can hear-this, that we’re Muslim-He’s given us more than we can imagine. And then He continues: 

وَءَاتَىٰكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَآ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ لَظَلُومٌۭ كَفَّارٌۭ  

If you tried to count Allah’s blessings, you would never be able to number them. (Quran 14:34) 

And then He continues. If you were to try and count, enumerate, list the blessings of Allah, the favors and gifts of Allah, you would never be able to count them. You would never be able to enumerate them. You would never be able to quantify or account for them both in terms of quantity and complexity. 

If I were to think that I can feel from my hands and each, I have eyes that can see, and I can see so many colors and things, I can smell so many things, I can taste so many things, if I was to count how many things I can do, I wouldn’t be able to, let alone be grateful for the complexity for a single follicle of hair that I have on any part of my body. Those follicles came from cells that were grown and developed, which came from the sperm and egg cell that were from my parents. Then, where did those cells come from? Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala created them from my parents, and where did my parents come from. Each one of them came from their own two parents and it goes on. I would have to go back to the creation of prophet Adam, our forefather. Adam alayhi salam (may Allah honor and preserve his legacy.

This is to be grateful for just a single follicle of hair.  

Then Allah comments, that humans are extremely oppressive. They are extremely ungrateful and or disobedient. It is very beautiful that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala mentions and highlights gratitude in the surah that He names after or that is given the name of Ibrahim because Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala He speaks elsewhere about Ibrahim alayhi salam, that if prophet Abraham, may God honor and preserve his legacy, he was grateful, he was appreciative for the blessings of Allah. He was grateful for the blessings that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala had given him.  

This could mean either for some blessings or even the smallest of blessings that Ibrahim alayhi salam was able to come close to fulfilling real gratitude for even one, two, or three blessings. That isn’t to belittle his status though. That is to elevate his status; that you and I, if we were to be grateful for that one follicle of hair, we wouldn’t actually be able to be grateful for it. 

 And Allah is saying in the meaning of, He was grateful for some blessings. That yes, Ibrahim was actually grateful for some of those blessings. Or you can understand to be that he was grateful for the smallest of blessings, the tiniest of blessings. For example, this includes being grateful for the coolness of water on a warm day, the touch of a loved one, all these little things. Just say thank you, Allah, not when I get a million dollars or just when life’s good. But being grateful for those small, tiny, little things. And how great and powerful and amazing of a statement is the phrase that the Qur’an literally begins with Alhamdulillah: complete gratitude and compliments belong to Allah, the biggest thank you, the most beautiful praise belongs to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, who is our Lord, our Master, our Creator.  

 This is a time for us to always think and reflect: am I grateful and appreciative of the blessings Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has given me? Do I thank Allah? Do I appreciate Allah? How do I respond to these gifts from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala? Am I thankful? And from one perspective, not that we should be selfish, but if I want to be selfish, it’s only going to come and benefit me. If I’m grateful, Allah will give me more. If I’m grateful, Allah will reward me. If I’m grateful, I will get an eternity in paradise, let alone what I will get in this life from Allah.  

 There’s a story that’s mentioned that a shaykh, a teacher, was teaching one of his students. There are a handful of adhkar, remembrances of Allah, like subhanallah (Oh Allah! You are so perfect); alhamdulillah (thank you, Allah); Allahu akbar (Allah you are far greater and more supreme).   

And the student went through this spiritual exercise remembering Allah, doing this series of litanies and praises. And after he thinks, “I’m the same. Nothing really has changed. I don’t find anything different.” The shaykh, the teacher, responded, “You should be grateful that you are able to have a habit and a routine of remembering and mentioning Allah.” Meaning, if I’m grateful for Allah I’m a Muslim, I may not be the best Muslim, not that I should be okay with that, but I should try and be better, but Allah, thank you that at least right now.  

 I say la ilaha illallah, like I’m not someone who is on the brink of saying la ilaha illallah or hates la ilaha illallah. Rather Allah, I say it right now. That’s such a huge blessing that it can save me from an eternity in the fire of hell.  

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Gratitude | Sh Mudassir Mayet(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

Reading Time

• Summary Transcript: ~5 minutes
• Full Transcript: ~34 minutes

Learning Objectives

• Understand the concept of taqwa (consciousness of Allah) and its significance in private and public acts of worship.
• Learn how to structure daily worship routines using morning and evening adhkar (litanies) as recommended by Islamic scholars.
• Explore the transformative power of aligning intentions with Allah’s pleasure, turning daily responsibilities into acts of worship.
• Memorize key supplications like Sayyidul Istighfar and morning and evening adhkar to incorporate into daily practice.
• Recognize the importance of repentance (tawbah) in cleansing the heart and seeking Allah’s forgiveness.
• Analyze the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) teachings on prioritizing Allah’s approval over societal expectations.
• Appreciate the diversity of acts of worship and the need to balance them to avoid spiritual fatigue.
• Reflect on the practical examples of taqwa demonstrated by the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions in their public and private lives.
• Apply the principles of taqwa to real-life scenarios, including managing responsibilities like caregiving and household duties.
• Embrace a mindset of gratitude, contentment, and patience in the face of life’s challenges, inspired by the lives of previous generations.

Class Summary Understanding Taqwa: A Lifelong Shield

Taqwa—a constant awareness of Allah—is the foundation of a successful life in both this world and the hereafter. It’s not limited to worship in public spaces but is deeply rooted in private moments when no one else is watching. As the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught, “Fear Allah wherever you are.” True taqwa requires aligning your actions, intentions, and behaviors with the recognition that Allah sees all.

Daily Worship: Structuring Your Time

Imam Ibn Qudamah, in Muqtasir Minhaj Al-Qasidin, outlines practical ways to incorporate worship into your daily life:

• Morning Litanies (Adhkar): Between fajr and sunrise, engage in dhikr like “Alhamdulillahi alladhi ahyana ba’dama amatana wa ilayhi nushur” (All praise is due to Allah, who gave us life after causing us to die).
• Evening Dhikr: Similar to the morning, these litanies include praising Allah’s sovereignty and seeking His protection.
• Diverse Acts of Worship: Avoid monotony by balancing Quran recitation, salah, dhikr, and other forms of remembrance throughout the day and night.

The key is consistency. Even small acts, done regularly, hold immense spiritual value.

Repentance and Accountability

No one is free from mistakes, but tawbah (repentance) offers a powerful way to return to Allah. Acknowledging one’s sins and seeking forgiveness with sincerity cleanses the heart. The Sayyidul Istighfar (Master Supplication for Forgiveness) is an excellent daily practice:

“O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no deity but You. You created me, and I am Your servant. I uphold Your covenant as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from the evil I have committed. I admit Your blessings upon me, and I admit my sins. So forgive me, for no one forgives sins except You.”

Balancing Worship with Responsibilities

Not everyone has the luxury of uninterrupted worship time, especially caregivers, parents, or those with demanding jobs. However, daily tasks can become acts of worship when done with the intention to please Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) reassured a woman who felt men had more opportunities for reward, saying that managing her home with sincerity would earn her the same blessings.

Prioritizing Allah’s Pleasure

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught: “Whoever seeks to please Allah, even if it displeases people, Allah will make those people pleased with him.” Striving for Allah’s approval above all brings harmony and fulfillment. On the other hand, seeking people’s approval at the expense of Allah’s displeasure leads to spiritual and social discord.

Key Takeaways for Everyday Life

1. Start Each Day with Dhikr: Incorporate structured litanies to begin and end your day in Allah’s remembrance.
2. Diversify Worship: Avoid fatigue by alternating between Quran recitation, salah, and other forms of ibadah.
3. Transform Responsibilities into Worship: Align your intentions with Allah’s pleasure to earn spiritual rewards for daily tasks.
4. Seek Forgiveness Regularly: Embrace the power of repentance and keep your heart connected to Allah.
5. Focus on Allah’s Approval: Prioritize Allah’s pleasure, trusting that it will lead to peace and success in all areas of life.

Taqwa is a lifelong journey that combines worship, repentance, and good character. By living consciously in Allah’s presence, every moment can become an opportunity for spiritual growth. May Allah guide us to remain steadfast in our pursuit of His pleasure. Ameen.

Full Transcript

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Alhamdulillah rabbil alameen. Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wa barakatuhu wa nabiyyin wa muhammadin wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam tasliman kathira. Thumma amma ba’ad.

We welcome you back to a Ta’aseel class in which we discuss the book of Imam Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy on him, Muqtasir Minhaj Al-Qasidin, and the book of Imam Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, Jamil Ulum Al-Hikam. In the first book, we are talking about the adab and the etiquette of many of our acts of worship (ibadat) and the secrets of worship. For example, we have discussed the essence of salah, the Qur’an, the etiquette of reciting it, beautifying our voice with it, and the meanings involved.

The Next Level of Worship: Remembrance of Allah

Now, Imam Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy on him, moves us to the next level. The second best form of dhikr after the Qur’an is the remembrance of Allah (dhikrullah). The author explains how to arrange the adhkar and organize our day into different timings, engaging in acts of obedience (ta’a) and the remembrance of Allah.

The author says: “Set acts of worship for different parts of the day and their virtue. Know that when one knows Allah, believes in His promise, and realizes how short life is, it is binding that he leaves all negligence in this short lifespan of his.”

Living with Urgency: The Preciousness of Time

Imam Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy on him, begins by establishing a premise. He says: If you recognize who Allah is, if you truly believe in His promise of another life with reward or punishment, and if you understand how short life is compared to eternity, then you will realize the urgency of utilizing every single breath. Not every minute—every breath—because once it is gone, it never comes back. Therefore, if you have these realizations, you will not waste any opportunities in this short lifespan.

Diversifying Worship: A Cure for Spiritual Fatigue

He continues by advising us to focus on different types of worship to prevent our souls from becoming weary. Allah tells us in Surah Al-Insan, “And mention the name of your Lord in prayer, morning and evening. And during the night prostrate to Him and exalt Him for a long part of the night.” This verse reminds us to diversify our acts of worship throughout the day and night, keeping our souls engaged and refreshed.

Human nature is such that we quickly become bored when doing the same thing repeatedly. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, would alternate between teaching hadith and other lighter activities, like sharing anecdotes and poetry, to refresh the hearts of his students. He explained: “These hearts get sour and tired; they need moments of recreation.”

Back then, they didn’t have distractions like social media. Their entertainment came from wise words and poetry. Similarly, Ibn Qudamah advises us to diversify our worship. Divide your time so that you engage in different acts of worship during the day and night, whether in the morning, evening, or night.

The Blessing of Day and Night: Opportunities for Worship

Ibn Qudamah quotes Surah Al-Furqan: “It is He who has made the night and the day in succession for whoever desires to remember or desires gratitude.” Alternating day and night allows people with different schedules to dedicate themselves to worship at suitable times. For example, those who miss nighttime prayers can compensate with extra morning worship.

Practical Suggestions: Daily and Nightly Worship

The author then discusses a structured approach to worship, presenting seven litanies (awrad) for the day and six for the night. He emphasizes the importance of creating a daily schedule for worship rather than waiting for “extra time,” which may never come. We must actively make time for worship by structuring our days.

Morning Worship: A New Beginning Every Day

The first wird of the day is between true dawn (fajr) and sunrise. The author explains that this time is noble, as Allah swears by it in Surah At-Takwir: “And by the dawn when it breathes.” This time symbolizes the fresh breath of a new day. Imagine waking up each morning with the attitude that it is a fresh new beginning—a new chance to live meaningfully. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would leap out of bed without hesitation, fully embracing the new day as an opportunity to worship Allah.

Ibn Qudamah provides several morning supplications, starting with: “Alhamdulillahi alladhi ahyana ba’dama amatana wa ilayhi nushur” (All praise is due to Allah, who has given us life after causing us to die, and to Him is our return.) This du’a acknowledges our belonging to Allah, who gives life and causes death. It reminds us of our ultimate return to Him.

Evening Worship: Reflecting on the Day

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also recited the following morning dhikr: “Asbahna wa asbahal mulku lillah” (We have entered the morning, and the sovereignty belongs to Allah). This supplication reflects gratitude for another day and submission to Allah’s sovereignty.

Another recommended dhikr is: “Bismillah, alladhi la yadurru ma’asmihi shay’un fi al-ardi wa la fi al-sama’, wa huwa al-sami’ul al-‘alim” (In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in the heavens can harm, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing). Starting your day with this affirmation invokes Allah’s protection over you.

Further supplications include: “Raditubillahi rabban, wa bil-islami deenan, wa bi-Muhammadin sallallahu alayhi wa sallam nabiyyan wa rasulan” (I am content with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion, and Muhammad as my Prophet and Messenger). This expresses contentment and trust in Allah’s wisdom, no matter the circumstances of your day.

Repentance: Cleansing the Heart

Ibn Qudamah also mentions a powerful du’a for repentance known as Sayyidul Istighfar: “Allahumma anta rabbi, la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ‘ala ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu, a’udhu bika min sharri ma sanatu, abu’u laka bini’matika alayya, wa abu’u laka bidhanbi, faghfir li, fa-innahu la yaghfiru al-dhunuba illa anta.” This comprehensive supplication acknowledges Allah’s lordship, admits one’s sins, and seeks forgiveness.

Responsibilities as Worship: Transforming Everyday Tasks

Not everyone has the luxury of uninterrupted worship time, especially caregivers, parents, or those with demanding jobs. However, daily tasks can become acts of worship when done with the intention to please Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) reassured a woman who felt men had more opportunities for reward, saying that managing her home with sincerity would earn her the same blessings.

Prioritizing Allah’s Pleasure: A Timeless Principle

The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught: “Whoever seeks to please Allah, even if it displeases people, Allah will make those people pleased with him.” Striving for Allah’s approval above all brings harmony and fulfillment. On the other hand, seeking people’s approval at the expense of Allah’s displeasure leads to spiritual and social discord.

Conclusion: Practical Takeaways for a Life of Taqwa

The lesson concludes with a reminder to implement these teachings daily, whether through structured acts of worship or fulfilling our responsibilities with sincerity and devotion. Taqwa is a lifelong journey that combines worship, repentance, and good character. By living consciously in Allah’s presence, every moment can become an opportunity for spiritual growth.

May Allah enable us to implement these teachings and make every moment of our lives meaningful in His service. Ameen.

Summary: Key Lessons on Taqwa and Worship

1. Taqwa as the Core of Faith:
   Taqwa is living with the awareness that Allah sees everything you do, in public and in private. It requires aligning every action, intention, and thought with His pleasure.
2. Structuring Daily Worship:
   Dividing the day into segments for different forms of worship, such as morning and evening adhkar, helps maintain consistency and spiritual vitality.
3. The Importance of Private Worship:
   Acts of devotion done in private, away from the eyes of others, are the truest expressions of sincerity and commitment to Allah.
4. Balancing Responsibilities and Worship:
   Fulfilling duties like caregiving, household management, or work can be acts of worship if done with the intention to please Allah.
5. The Power of Repentance:
   Regular tawbah cleanses the heart, strengthens faith, and draws us closer to Allah, helping us overcome the negative effects of sins.
6. Prioritizing Allah’s Approval:
   Seeking Allah’s pleasure over people’s approval ensures success in this world and the next, bringing harmony and fulfillment to life.

Reflection: How Will You Incorporate Taqwa Today?

The essence of taqwa is not just in grand acts of worship but in how you approach every moment of your life. Whether through structured prayers, consistent remembrance of Allah, or intentional living, every action can bring you closer to Him. As Imam Ibn Qudamah emphasized, our lives are short and our breaths numbered. Use each one meaningfully.

Start your day with this du’a:
“Alhamdulillahi alladhi ahyana ba’dama amatana wa ilayhi nushur.”
(All praise is due to Allah, who gave us life after causing us to die, and to Him is our return.)

Let these teachings guide your actions, transform your routines into worship, and deepen your connection with Allah. May your journey of taqwa lead to everlasting success.

Ameen.

Q&A

• What is the definition of taqwa?
  • Taqwa is the consciousness of Allah, maintaining awareness of His presence at all times, in both private and public settings.
• Why is private worship more significant than public worship?
  • Private worship reflects sincerity and true mindfulness of Allah because it is performed without seeking validation from others.
• What did Ibn Qudamah suggest about structuring acts of worship?
  • He suggested dividing the day into segments for different acts of worship, such as morning litanies (adhkar) after fajr and evening adhkar before sleeping.
• What are examples of morning adhkar recommended by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
  • “Alhamdulillahi alladhi ahyana ba’dama amatana wa ilayhi nushur”
  • “Asbahna wa asbahal mulku lillah”
  • “Bismillah, alladhi la yadurru ma’asmihi shay’un fi al-ardi wa la fi al-sama’, wa huwa al-sami’ul al-‘alim.”
• What is Sayyidul Istighfar and why is it significant?
  • It is the “Master Supplication for Forgiveness,” acknowledging Allah’s blessings, admitting sins, and seeking forgiveness. It is a comprehensive du’a for daily repentance.
• How can daily responsibilities become acts of worship?
  • By aligning intentions with Allah’s pleasure, tasks like caregiving, working, or managing a household are transformed into acts of worship.
• What did the Prophet (peace be upon him) teach about seeking Allah’s approval over people’s approval?
  • “Whoever seeks to please Allah, even if it displeases people, Allah will make those people pleased with him.”
• Why is it important to diversify acts of worship?
  • To prevent fatigue and maintain spiritual freshness, alternating between Quran recitation, prayer, dhikr, and other worship acts is beneficial.
• What happens when sins are committed in private?
  • Even private sins leave a mark, impacting behavior and relationships. Repentance is essential to cleanse the heart and reconnect with Allah.
• How did the Prophet reassure women about their opportunities for reward?
  • He explained that taking care of their household responsibilities with sincerity is equivalent to the rewards of men’s public acts of worship like congregational prayers or jihad.

The post Study Classical Texts the Traditional Way | Session 29(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10(link is external), Episode 11(link is external)

Transcript

We begin by praising Allah SWT. We thank Him, We acknowledge that He is the only one worthy and deserving of all praise and thanks, and we ask Him to shower His most complete and abundant blessings and protection upon His noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, upon his noble family, upon his shining companions, and upon all of those that follow them until the end of time. We ask Allah to include us from among them. We ask Allah to teach us what will benefit us, to guide us through what He has taught us, and to increase us in knowledge and accepted actions 

 Today’s episode is on a verse found in the twelfth juz’ of the Qur’an in Surah Hud, which is the eleventh chapter of the Qur’an, verse number 114. It is narrated that during the life of the Prophet ﷺ there was a companion from the Ansar, the natives of Al-Madinah who came to the Prophet ﷺ with a confession. He said, “Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I went to the outskirts of Madinah with a woman and I messed around with her. I was intimate with her and I did everything with her short of zina, intercourse. So decree for me and judge for me whatever you will. He is basically asking for a punishment, compensation, or something that will expiate this wrongdoing of his.  

 Umar (radiallahu anhu) was present with the Prophet ﷺ when this companion came and told him that he was going to die. Umar (radiallahu anhu) commented, “ لَقَدْ سَتَرَكَ اللَّهُ لَوْ سَتَرْتَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِكَ” Meaning, Allah has shielded you. He covered you. He concealed this sin from the eyes of others. You did this in the outskirts. No one knew about it. Allah allowed this sin of yours to be private, so why are you exposing yourself? Why are you making this public when Allah has blessed you by concealing this act from others? لَوْ سَتَرْتَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِكَ If only you would have done this act, you would conceal yourself just as Allah has concealed you.  

 The Prophet ﷺ upon hearing this confession, initially did not respond. He ﷺ didn’t say anything. And so the man left the company of the Prophet ﷺ. But shortly thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ asked another person to bring him back. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had just received new revelation from Allah the Almighty 

وَأَقِنِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَي النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَا السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرًا لِلذَّاكِرِينَ

Establish prayer at both ends of the day and the early part of the night; Surely good deeds remove bad deeds. This is a reminder for those Who remembers.

This is Surah Hud verse number 114 which we find in the 12th juz’ah of the Quran. 

Someone who was present in that gathering stood up and said, “Is that for him specifically?” After the Prophet ﷺ finished receiving the revelation and he ﷺ  recited it to the companions, he stood up and he said, ‘Is that for that guy only? The guy who came and told you his confession. Is that for him specifically? Does it only apply to him solely?’ And the Prophet ﷺ responded, “No. Rather this is for all of humanity.” Anybody and everybody can take advantage of this opportunity.  

So we learn many things from this story. Firstly, we see just a glimpse of the humanity of the companions رضي الله عنهم May Allah be pleased with them. Yes, they are the greatest generation. Yes, loving, honoring, and respecting them is part and parcel of our faith. And yes, Allah has testified to being pleased with them in the Quran. But they were human beings. They made mistakes too. But what made them so special and far better than other generations is what they did after that mistake: how they followed up, how they grew, how they became better because of that. This companion was so worried about his sin that he rushed to the Prophet ﷺ to see what could be done. What punishment can I be given in this life, so that I don’t have to deal with it in the hereafter? He wanted to be held accountable for his sin.  

 And then we have the comment from Umar رضي الله عنه which teaches us another very important principle. Sins are meant to be kept private. We do not want to be individuals who are spreading and exposing the misdeeds of others or even the misdeeds of our own selves. If Allah has concealed a mistake of ours, we should not go and undo that concealment by publicizing it to others. We also learned that the Prophet ﷺ was not one to make, say, or do things in a heat of passion or instantly after a rush of emotion. He ﷺ was calm and deliberate. It’s possible that this man’s actions made him ﷺ feel disappointed. But he ﷺ didn’t do anything immediately. He ﷺ didn’t instantly react. He ﷺ just simply did not respond. He ﷺ was calm and waited. He ﷺ did not act in the heat of that initial emotion  

 That صدمة الأولى, first shock of emotion, upon hearing this information. Shortly thereafter, after this companion gave his confession, and the Prophet ﷺ did not say anything. Allah revealed one of the most hopeful verses in the entire Qur’an: 

 

وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ طَرَفَىِ ٱلنَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلْحَسَنَـٰتِ يُذْهِبْنَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّٰكِرِينَ ١١٤ 

Establish prayer ˹O Prophet˺ at both ends of the day and in the early part of the night.1 Surely good deeds wipe out evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful. (Qur’an 11:114) 

 Meaning, establish prayer at the two ends of the day: Fajr and Dhuhr being one end, Asr in Maghrib being the other end, and during the early part of the night, Isha prayer. Surely good deeds erase, remove, and completely get rid of bad deeds. The best of good deeds, of course, are in the five daily prayers, which this verse opens with. The Prophet ﷺ once asked the companions, “Have you considered that if there was a river by the door of your home in which you take a bath in every single day, five times a day, would there be any dirt or filth left on you?” 

 The companions responded, “No, there would be no dirt or filth left on this person”. So, the Prophet ﷺ highlighted that this is the analogy for the five daily prayers. Allah uses them to erase and remove bad deeds. Every single day we are presented with this opportunity to spiritually purify and cleanse ourselves.  

The Prophet ﷺ also said, mirroring the message of this verse, “ اتبع سيئة الحسنة تمحوها Follow up a bad deed with a good deed”. The good deed will erase the bad one. Whenever we find ourselves in the aftermath of a mistake, our immediate response should be, “Let me erase this by doing something good.” Immediately, we should find ourselves rush to donating some amount of money, praying a voluntary prayer, and or reading and reflecting on the Qur’an. 

 We are all going to make mistakes, every single day. That is our nature as human beings. But we can be the best of sinners as the Prophet ﷺ  termed it. This is by demonstrating to Allah that we want that second chance. We want to come back. An incredibly powerful way to manifest that desire Is by doing good deeds. First and foremost, let’s start with the five daily prayers. And then, we can do other additional voluntary good deeds as well.  

 The Prophet ﷺ promised that the law of this universe is that good deeds erase bad deeds. This applies to all of humanity. Allah has established this principle in the Qur’an. And the Prophet ﷺ has established that this applies to everyone, you and me included. 

 So let us take the opportunity, and train ourselves. Get into the mindset: When I do something bad, I’m going to follow it up. And again, of course, this is in the aftermath of a mistake. We shouldn’t go into a sin saying, “Let me just do this, and then I’ll do something good after.” That’s not the case here. What’s being said is when we accidentally find ourselves in a position where we did something we didn’t want to do, what we weren’t supposed to do, and now we’re trying to pick up the pieces afterwards, part of demonstrating that we really are sorry and we really do want to make up for it is by rushing immediately to good deeds. That will erase the bad ones. Let us train ourselves, get in that mindset, and focus on good deeds and rushing to those good deeds in the aftermath of a mistake, so that Allah can shower us with that generosity of gifting us a second chance. Every single time we slip, we ask Allah to help us apply this verse into our daily lives. We ask Allah to help us reflect deeply and consciously on the Qur’an.  

 We ask Allah to strengthen our relationship with the Qur’an and to help us continue making the most of this Ramadan, ameen.  

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ. سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ. نَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ نَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ. وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى خَيْرِ خَلْقِكَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ. السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ.  

 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Good Deeds Erase Bad Deeds | Shaykha Ayesha Hussain(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9,(link is external) Episode 10

Transcript

We begin by praising Allah Subh’anaHu Wa Ta-A’la, acknowledge that He is the only one worthy and deserving of all praise and thanks, and we ask Him to shower His most complete and abundant blessings and protection upon His noble Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, upon his noble family, upon His shining companions, and upon all of those that follow them until the end of time. And we ask Allah to include us from among them. We ask Allah to teach us what will benefit us, to benefit us through what He has taught us, and to increase us in knowledge and accepted actions. Ameen.  

 Today’s episode will be on a short passage from the 11th juz’ Of the Qur’an. Surah At-Tawbah is the 9th chapter chronologically that we find in the Qur’an. It starts in the 10th juz’ and extends well into the 11th. And a significant portion of this chapter deals with the Battle of Tabuk. This is a battle that took place in the 9th year after the migration of the Prophet ﷺ from Mecca to Al-Madinah. This was the last battle that the Prophet ﷺ himself participated in. And the books of Sirah call this a battle, a ghazwa. But, there was actually no fighting or warfare that took place in it. The Prophet ﷺ and the companions went out to meet the enemy, the Banu Asfar, which was to eventually become the Byzantine Empire. But they did not actually encounter them on the battlefield. And so, despite this battle not actually resulting in a battle, this incident is still so rich and replete with stories and events for us to learn from. Surah At-Tawbah is a long surah, and because much of it deals with the Battle of Tabuk. We learned that this was an incredibly significant event in the life of the Prophet ﷺ. 

 The Battle of Tabuk is particularly known for its expose of the munafiqoon, the hypocrites. And Surah At-Tawbah makes this expose abundantly clear. In just one of many passages, which is the passage that we will be looking at today. From verses 94 to 96, Allah describes three characteristics of the hypocrites. Number one, they make flimsy excuses to get out of acts of worship. Number two, they hate accountability and try to avoid it as much as possible. And number three, they lie in order to please others and get themselves out of trouble. Allah says,  

  يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْكُمْ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ  

“When you return to them (to Medina,) O Prophet and companions. they make excuses to you.” (Quran 9:94). 

 So, the Battle of Tabuk was mandatory on every able-bodied male who had the means to go. It was a battle that was anticipated to be extremely difficult and burdensome. The journey was long; the weather was at its most extreme; the crops were about to be harvested; and the enemy was extremely formidable. And yet, everyone who had the means to go had to go. And the companions did not hesitate in the face of how difficult this battle was to be. They jumped at the opportunity and did whatever they could to prepare the army.  

 But the hypocrites, on the other hand, they had no passion or zeal to seize this amazing opportunity to earn reward and Jannah. So, a hefty number of them of the hypocrites simply did not go. They blatantly and outrightly disobeyed Allah and his Messenger. So after the battle was over, when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the companions came back, the hypocrites scrambled to try and come up with whatever excuses they can for why they did not go. They rushed to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam with the most flimsy and pathetic of excuses for why they did not attend and did not fulfill this command.  

 For us, what we can learn from this is that making excuses in order to justify to ourselves not engaging in a particular act of worship or obedience is the characteristic of the worst of mankind, the hypocrites. These are people who are promised the worst of punishments in the hereafter. If we ever find ourselves presented with an opportunity to get closer to Allah and then we come up with an excuse, even if that excuse is presented to no one other than our own brain and our own psyche, and we come up with that excuse just so that we can feel justified and not engaging in that act of worship. 

 We really must think about what we’re doing, what we are engaging in. For example, I had a really long day at work today so I’m not going to go to the masjid tonight. Or,  money is really tight this month so I’m not going to donate to this person who needs help. Or, I have a million and one things to do so I’m not going to visit this community member who is sick. Whatever it is, whatever example you can think of and notice, perhaps in your own life, if the thought or chance to do something good is presented to us and we choose not to do it – simply choosing not to do it is one thing, but then justifying and making an excuse for not doing it is a whole other hypocritical (nifaq) trait that we all want to avoid.  

 And this is not to say that there are not totally valid, justifiable reasons for not doing certain acts of worship. Of course, there are. Maybe it really was a long day at work and you just cannot bring yourself to pray in congregation that night. It happens to everybody, even the best of us. We just want to make sure that we are using our life circumstances as springboards into being creative with our good deeds instead of excuses for not doing those good deeds. So maybe, for example, I’m committing myself to attending the masjid three times a week, no matter what, which allows me plenty of time to take a break when I need it, when I do have that long, hard day at work. 

 Or money is tight this month. So, I’m going to give something small that will still help this person without compromising. My ability to take care of my responsibilities. Or maybe I am justifiably very busy this weekend. So I’m going to make adjustments during my week so I can visit that sick community member at that time. We can see how making an excuse, which is what the hypocrites did, is so different than just making things work, which is what a sincere believer would do. An excuse just cuts off the opportunity to get good deeds. This is my excuse. This is why I’m not going to do that good deed. Whereas being creative and making things work allows us to create a valid way of doing that good deed, while at the same time validating our completely justifiable circumstances but still demonstrating to Allah that we are sincere in our desire to get closer to Him. 

 In the next verse, Allah says,  

سَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ لَكُمْ إِذَا انْقَلَبَتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لِتُعْرِضُوا عَنْهُمْ  

When you return, they will swear to you by Allah so that you may leave them alone. (Quran 94:9)  

This is the second quality. When you return to them, O Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, they swear by Allah asking you to leave them alone. The hypocrites knew that what they did is wrong, but they don’t want to be bothered about it. They don’t want to acknowledge and take responsibility for their actions. They don’t want to make up for and compensate for their disobedience. 

 Rather, they just want to be left alone. Don’t bother me. Don’t ask me. I don’t want to engage in the fact that I did something wrong. They hate accountability. They hate being told that what they did was bad. They hate being told this is how to make it right. They just want to make their flimsy excuse and then move on as if nothing ever happened. The book is closed. They want to move on to a next chapter. This, again, is a quality of the hypocrites that we want to try our best to stay far away from.  

 Everybody does bad things, sincere and insincere people alike. But what makes a person sincere is their full acknowledgement of their wrongdoing and their desire to make things better and their passion to make things right.  

 When it comes to our mistakes and the things that we might do that are not correct, we want to strike a balance. We do not want to dwell on our sins so intensely that it causes us to spiral into despair. But at the same time, we also do not want to ignore and block out our bad behaviors either. We want to strike that middle course of taking full responsibility for whatever wrong it was that we did, not blaming others, not playing the victim card, not justifying. No, Ya Allah, I take full responsibility and acknowledge that I did something wrong. But at the same time, I am going to use this opportunity, this mistake, this sin, this bad deed as an opportunity to grow. 

 I’m going to reflect on the circumstances that made me behave in this way, and I’m going to do whatever I can to try my best to not to do it again. We can see that a sincere person uses their mistakes as an opportunity to get better, to grow, whereas an insincere person just can’t be bothered about their wrongdoing. Lastly, in this passage, Allah says, يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِي تَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ They swear by Allah so that you will be pleased with them. The hypocrites had no concept of the sanctity of Allah’s name and swearing by it. They took his divine name and swore up and down by their lies. They were lying through their teeth and they were fully aware and conscious and they knew it. But still, they were taking Allah’s name and swearing by it. And they did engage in all of this blasphemy just to avoid getting in trouble in this world. They were willing to do something so terrible, which is lie and then swear to Allah by that lie, just to avoid dealing with any worldly consequences. Telling the truth is not always an easy thing to do. Sometimes it can result in very unideal situations for us in this world. For example, if a child takes a cookie from the cookie jar and the parent asks who took it, it can be very tempting to lie. 

 Right. I don’t know. The little brother took it. The dog ate it, whatever. It’s tempting to lie because it will get us out of trouble and dealing with any consequences in this world. Saying things like ‘I’m the one who did it,’ but I’m going to tell my parents someone else did it, people do that so that they don’t get in trouble. And this is obviously a silly example, and children are not held accountable for their actions. But it helps us illustrate how sometimes people are willing to do what is wrong. A wrong that may impact them eternally just to gain some temporary benefit. This type of mindset demonstrates a complete indifference and lack of care in regard to the permanence of the hereafter, and the utter delusion regarding the extremely temporary nature of this life. 

 It simply does not make any sense for a person to compromise something eternal for the sake of something temporary. And this is exactly what the hypocrites did. Furthermore, this quality totally flips who is most worthy of being pleased. It also does not make sense to please a human being at the cost of displeasing Allah. We must avoid this characteristic at all costs. It is a key defining quality of the hypocrites to completely neglect the hereafter and to completely neglect Allah just so that they can gain some benefit in this life and gain some favor with people of this world. Honesty is the best policy, even if it leads to strange looks, uncomfortable conversations, or even adverse worldly consequences. 

 We cannot be people that are willing to disobey Allah just to please others. We cannot be people that are willing to gain a temporary benefit or avoid a temporary consequence at the expense of compromising our eternal abode in the hereafter.  

 To conclude, Juz 11 Surah At-Tawbah verses 94 to 96, Allah describes three characteristics of the hypocrites. Number one, they make flimsy excuses to get out of acts of worship. Number two, they hate and avoid accountability. And number three, they lie to please others and get themselves out of trouble. These are qualities that we should all familiarize ourselves with so that we can do our best to rid ourselves of these tendencies and avoid them at all costs in future circumstances.  

 We ask Allah to help us to do so. We ask Allah to help us engage with the Quran, learn from the Quran, and make this Ramadan a truly transformative opportunity to allow us to deepen our relationship with the Quran and grow in ways that we have not before. Ameen.  

 

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ. سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ. نَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ نَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ. وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى خَيْرِ خَلْقِكَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ. السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. 

The post IOK Ramadan 2025: Qualities of Hypocrites | Shaykha Ayesha Hussain(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

A non-profit organization geared at helping the growing Latino Muslim community is fundraising for the foundation of a mosque in the Chicago area. The Ojala Foundation, which describes its mission as “bringing Islam to the Midwest’s 6 Million Latinos,” has set up a fundraiser to set up a mosque and community centre to service the needs of the Latino Muslim community as well as provide support and outreach to their wider communities.

Founded in 2018, the Ojala Foundation focuses on outreach and social services along with Islamic outreach (dawa) to the wider community. Already actively involved in social work, the foundation is aiming to set up a mosque and community centre in Berwyn, Illinois. Imam Christopher Abdulkareem Pavcilek explains that the center will aim to build on and amplify the work that the Foundation has been doing for years: “We envision our Islamic Center as serving the entire community, both Muslim and non-Muslim because we are from the community and it only makes sense that we would share our faith with our friends and family in the area.”

“The amount of people finding a home with our community only leads us to believe that this Center will be the first of many because the need is just that great and our communities are thirsty for the positive change, structure and self discipline that Islam provides,” says Pavcilek. The mosque will particularly focus on services for Latino Muslims, who make up over a quarter of a million people in the United States. To date, he says, there has not been a specific focus on this community, leading to “the feeling that we need to give up a piece of our beautiful and vibrant culture in order to become a part of the greater Muslim community.”

Pavcilek feels that such projects can not only provide services for Latino Muslims but also, with Allah’s Guidance, strengthen the outreach of Islam within their ethnic community, which forms about a third of Chicago’s population. “Having our own center would allow anyone and everyone to come and see for themselves what Islam is all about from people that are literally just like them, from the same neighborhoods and of the same culture.  It is a huge game changer and has led to many entire families embracing Islam over time with some having 3-4 generations of Latino Muslim family members after just a few years.”

The imam also emphasizes the project’s attempt at social work. “We are extremely confident that not only will our center be a place for all people to come to but will be one of the few if not the first to have active outreach programs for at-risk youth and those struggling with substance and abuse and mental illness; and I want to be clear, we are not just talking about Latinos here, I am absolutely talking about the Muslim community as well because there is a problem and nobody wants to address it.” The organization has experience in such services as support for homeless people and supplies for schoolchildren. Addressing substance abuse and mental illness will, Pavcilek hopes, serve an even more important role: “We absolutely believe that our Center will be saving lives by Allah’s Decree.”

You can support the project here: https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/to_open_the_first_latino_islamic_center_in_chicago?src=1820283(link is external)

 – by Ibrahim Moiz for MuslimMatters

 

Related:

– The Fast and the ¡Fiesta!: How Latino Muslims Celebrate Ramadan(link is external)

– 25 Things Latino Muslims Want You To Know(link is external)

The post Fundraising Begins For Construction Of First Latino Mosque And Community Center In The Midwest(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

Reading Time

• Summary Transcript: ~4 minutes
• Full Transcript: ~37 minutes

Learning Objectives

• Understand the significance of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) as a spiritual practice and its role in bringing tranquility and divine mercy.
• Recognize the hierarchy of dhikr, with Qur’anic recitation being the most virtuous form.
• Explore the benefits of both individual and collective dhikr, and how they strengthen personal and communal spirituality.
• Learn the etiquettes and optimal times for making du’a (supplication) to enhance its effectiveness.
• Appreciate du’a as an expression of servitude and dependency on Allah, while understanding how sincerity and presence of heart contribute to its acceptance.
• Define taqwa (God-consciousness) and examine its practical application in daily life, including fulfilling obligations, avoiding prohibitions, and engaging in recommended acts.
• Analyze the analogy of taqwa as walking on a thorny path, emphasizing vigilance in avoiding sin.
• Reflect on the three principles of a fulfilling life: maintaining taqwa, rectifying mistakes with good deeds, and treating others with good character.
• Identify how integrating dhikr, du’a, and taqwa into daily life strengthens one’s relationship with Allah and improves moral conduct.
• Develop a personal understanding of how these practices create a comprehensive roadmap for spiritual growth and success in this life and the Hereafter.

Class Summary

Living a life rooted in spirituality and faith requires constant connection with Allah through acts like dhikr (remembrance of Allah), du’a (supplication), and taqwa (God-consciousness). These practices, emphasized in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, offer a roadmap for personal and spiritual growth. Let’s explore their significance and how they shape our relationship with Allah and His creation.

The Virtue of Dhikr: Remembering Allah Why Dhikr Matters

Dhikr is one of the most virtuous acts of worship. It connects us with Allah, bringing tranquility and peace to our hearts. As the Qur’an says: “Remember Me, and I will remember you” (Qur’an 2:152). Among all forms of dhikr, reciting the Qur’an holds the highest position, followed by verbal remembrance and reflecting on Allah’s greatness.

Individual and Collective Dhikr

Dhikr can be practiced individually or in gatherings. Individual dhikr strengthens personal spirituality, while collective gatherings provide support and remind us of Allah’s mercy. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that when people gather to remember Allah, angels surround them, mercy descends, and Allah mentions them in a better gathering.

The Dangers of Neglect

Gatherings without the mention of Allah or salawat (blessings) upon the Prophet are a missed opportunity. The Prophet warned that such gatherings would be regretted on the Day of Judgment, emphasizing the importance of incorporating Allah’s remembrance into every aspect of life.

The Power of Du’a: Supplicating to Allah Du’a as Servitude

Du’a reflects our dependence on Allah and is a direct plea for His help. Unlike people, who may grow tired of constant requests, Allah loves when we ask Him. Supplication during specific times—like the last third of the night or between the adhan and iqamah—is especially powerful.

Etiquettes of Du’a

For a du’a to be effective, sincerity and presence of heart are essential. Facing the qibla, raising one’s hands, and beginning with praise for Allah and blessings upon the Prophet are recommended etiquettes. Whispering your du’a rather than making it loudly ensures a personal connection with Allah.

Taqwa: The Foundation of a Virtuous Life What is Taqwa?

Taqwa, often translated as God-consciousness, is the awareness of Allah that protects us from sin. It is like walking a path full of thorns—carefully avoiding every prick. Talq ibn Habib defined it as, “Acting in obedience to Allah, upon a light from Allah, hoping for His reward, and avoiding disobedience to Allah, fearing His punishment.”

How to Practice Taqwa

1. Fulfill Obligations: Perform daily prayers and other mandatory acts of worship.
2. Avoid Prohibitions: Stay away from what Allah has forbidden.
3. Engage in Recommended Acts: Strive for excellence in devotion by going beyond the obligatory.
4. Refrain from Disliked Actions: Even avoid actions that are not explicitly forbidden but are discouraged.

A Roadmap for Life: The Three Principles

In a powerful hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offered three principles as a roadmap for a fulfilling life:

1. Be Conscious of Allah Wherever You Are: Maintain taqwa in all situations, public or private.
2. Follow a Bad Deed with a Good Deed: Mistakes are inevitable; rectify them with repentance and good actions.
3. Treat People with Good Character: Preserve your dignity and ensure your actions do not harm others.

Conclusion: A Path to Spiritual Growth

Dhikr, du’a, and taqwa provide a comprehensive framework for personal and spiritual growth. They connect us with Allah, guide us in fulfilling our obligations, and improve our interactions with others. By integrating these practices into daily life, we align ourselves with divine guidance and work towards a life of balance and success.

May Allah grant us the ability to remember Him, call upon Him sincerely, and live with taqwa in our hearts. Ameen.

Full Transcript

Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen, wa salatu wa salamu ala nabiyyina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma’een. I welcome you back to the Ta’seel classes, in which we study the book of Imam Ibn Qudamah, rahimahullah ta’ala, Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Qasidin, and the book of Imam Ibn Rajab, rahimahullah ta’ala, Jami’ al-‘Ulum wa al-Hikam. Tonight, in sha Allah, as we continue, we will build upon what Imam Ibn Qudamah summarized previously about the topic of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). He explained that the best form of dhikr is the Qur’an, the word of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Tonight, we will begin the second part of this discussion.

The Excellence of Dhikr

Dhikr as a Form of Worship Imam Ibn Qudamah, rahimahullah, writes about invocations and supplications. He begins with section one, on the excellence of remembrance. He says, “Know that after the recitation of the Qur’an, there is no other worship performed with the tongue as virtuous as remembering Allah Most High and raising one’s needs to Him through pure invocations. The excellence of dhikr is testified to by the word of Allah: ‘Remember Me, and I will remember you.’”

Verses Emphasizing Remembrance He also refers to the verse: “Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, or lying down on their sides.” Imam Ibn Qudamah explains that the best form of verbal dhikr is the recitation of the Qur’an. Second to that is remembering Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala in all forms of dhikr. He elaborates on what it means to remember Allah and cites verses where Allah emphasizes remembering Him in different states of life. He explains that the second form of dhikr after the recitation of the Qur’an is having consciousness of Allah in all your affairs and aspects of life.

Dhikr and Taqwa Connection Who among us can truly maintain a constant form of dhikr? This is a challenge for everyone. Imam Ibn Qudamah highlights the relationship between dhikr and taqwa (God-consciousness). Allah loves for us to remember Him, and this remembrance has numerous virtues. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, described the virtue of dhikr, explaining that when people gather to remember Allah, the angels encompass them, mercy covers them, tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.

Individual and Collective Dhikr The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam differentiated between two types of dhikr: individual remembrance and collective remembrance in gatherings. Individual dhikr is vital for personal spirituality, but collective gatherings help reinforce faith and provide support for those who may feel weak in their personal devotion.

Benefits of Attending Gatherings of Knowledge Attending halaqas (gatherings of knowledge) provides an opportunity to escape the distractions of the world and focus on spiritual growth. These gatherings bring tranquility and peace, which are blessings from Allah. The mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala envelops these gatherings, and they are mentioned in a better gathering—the gathering of angels in the heavens. Allah, in a manner that suits His Majesty, mentions those who remember Him.

Warnings Against Neglecting Dhikr There are also warnings about gatherings where Allah is not mentioned. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that gatherings devoid of Allah’s remembrance or sending blessings upon the Prophet will be regretted on the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate dhikr and salawat (sending blessings upon the Prophet) into our conversations. Even casual mentions of Allah or His Messenger can bring barakah (blessings) into our discussions.

The Virtue of Du’a (Supplication)

Significance of Du’a The discussion transitions to the excellence of supplication (du’a). Abu Huraira narrates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, “There is nothing more noble before Allah than supplication.” Supplication is a form of dhikr where one raises their personal needs to Allah. While dhikr primarily involves praising Allah, du’a is a direct plea for one’s needs. Both forms of remembrance reflect a deep connection with Allah. Asking Allah for one’s needs is not only permissible but encouraged. Unlike people, who may grow tired of constant requests, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala becomes angry when we do not ask Him.

Du’a as Servitude Du’a is the ultimate manifestation of servitude to Allah. It reflects our dependence on Him, even if we are wealthy or self-sufficient in worldly terms. True servitude acknowledges that we cannot live or succeed without Allah’s blessings and guidance. Du’a also has etiquettes, such as choosing special times for supplication, like the last third of the night, between the adhan and iqamah, and after obligatory prayers. These are moments when du’a is more likely to be accepted.

The Role of the Heart in Worship Imam Ibn Qudamah, rahimahullah, also explains the significance of having one’s heart present during acts of worship. A moment of genuine connection with Allah, even if brief, can be more valuable than performing an act of worship mechanically. When the heart is inclined towards devotion, one should seize the moment and make du’a.

Physical and Spiritual Etiquettes In addition to the right timing, there are physical etiquettes of du’a, such as facing the qibla, raising one’s hands, and starting with praise for Allah and sending blessings upon the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The du’a should be sincere and not overly focused on poetic or rhymed prose, as that can distract from the essence of the supplication.

Inner Conduct for Du’a Inner conduct also plays a fundamental role in the acceptance of du’a. This includes repentance, fixing one’s wrongs, and ensuring that the heart is free of arrogance or insincerity. Without genuine remorse or a commitment to change, du’a loses its spiritual depth.

The Hadith of Three Principles: A Roadmap for Life

The Three Core Principles The next section of the discussion transitions to the teachings of Imam Ibn Rajab in his commentary on the hadith: “Be conscious of Allah wherever you are. Follow up a wrong action with a good action, which will erase it. And treat people with good character.” This hadith provides a roadmap for life, offering three core principles: taqwa (God-consciousness), repentance and rectification, and good character. Each principle serves as a guide for personal and interpersonal conduct.

Taqwa as the Foundation The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam emphasized the universality of taqwa. It applies in both private and public settings. Mistakes are inevitable, but the hadith reminds us that repentance and good deeds can erase sins. Additionally, treating people with kindness and respect ensures that our mistakes do not harm others.

The Comprehensive Meaning of Taqwa

Definitions and Analogy of Taqwa Mu’adh ibn Jabal said that on the Day of Judgment, a call will be made: “Where are the people of taqwa?” They will be brought near to Allah, the Most Merciful, and He will not conceal Himself from them. When asked, “Who are the people of taqwa?” he replied, “They are those who protect themselves from associating partners with Allah, from worshipping idols, and who make their worship sincere for Allah alone.”

Talq ibn Habib, one of the scholars, provided a concise yet profound definition of taqwa. He said, “Taqwa is that you act in obedience to Allah, upon a light from Allah, hoping for a reward from Allah. And that you give up all disobedience to Allah, upon a light from Allah, fearing the punishment of Allah.” This definition combines knowledge, action, and an ever-present hope and fear of Allah’s judgment.

Abu Huraira explained taqwa through a powerful analogy. He was once asked, “What is taqwa?” He responded, “Have you ever walked on a path covered with thorns?” The questioner answered, “Yes.” Abu Huraira then said, “What did you do?” The man replied, “I avoided the thorns or stepped carefully to avoid being pricked.” Abu Huraira concluded, “That is taqwa.” This analogy illustrates that taqwa requires vigilance and careful consideration of one’s actions, always being mindful of potential pitfalls and sins.

The Source of Taqwa Knowledge is essential for taqwa. A person cannot fear Allah or avoid His displeasure without understanding what pleases and displeases Him. This requires both knowledge of the shari’ah (Islamic law) and a personal relationship with Allah through reflection, prayer, and devotion.

Practical Applications of Taqwa

What Taqwa Entails Imam Ibn Qudamah emphasized that taqwa involves:

1. Fulfilling obligations: Performing acts of worship and adhering to Allah’s commands.
2. Avoiding prohibitions: Staying away from what Allah has forbidden, no matter how tempting or convenient.
3. Engaging in recommended acts: Going beyond the obligatory and striving for excellence in devotion.
4. Avoiding disliked actions: Steering clear of even those acts that are not explicitly forbidden but are discouraged. This is considered the highest level of taqwa, as it demonstrates a proactive effort to stay as far as possible from Allah’s displeasure.

Taqwa in the Qur’an The Qur’an frequently highlights the traits of the people of taqwa. In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah describes them as those who:

• Believe in the unseen,
• Establish prayer,
• Spend from what Allah has provided them,
• Believe in what was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad and previous messengers, and
• Are certain about the Hereafter.

Taqwa and Good Character

Complementing Worship with Morals The third principle in the roadmap for life—treating people with good character—complements taqwa. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam repeatedly emphasized the importance of good manners, describing them as one of the heaviest deeds on the scale on the Day of Judgment.

Conclusion: A Life of Taqwa

In conclusion, taqwa is a comprehensive concept that encompasses both external actions and internal states. It is about fulfilling one’s obligations to Allah and His creation, avoiding sin, and striving for excellence in worship and character. Taqwa is the foundation of a life lived in accordance with divine guidance, and it is the ultimate goal of the believer.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala grant us true taqwa in our hearts and actions. May He make us among those who listen to beneficial words and follow the best of them. Wallahu ta’ala a’lam.

Q&A

1. What is the most virtuous form of dhikr?
   • The recitation of the Qur’an.
2. What did the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) say about gatherings of dhikr?
   • Angels surround them, mercy descends, tranquility envelops the participants, and Allah mentions them in a better gathering.
3. Why is it important to incorporate dhikr into gatherings?
   • Gatherings without Allah’s mention will be regretted on the Day of Judgment.

4. What makes du’a the ultimate manifestation of servitude?
   • It reflects complete dependence on Allah, acknowledging that we cannot live or succeed without His help.
5. What are the etiquettes of making du’a?
   • Face the qibla, raise your hands, begin with praise for Allah and blessings upon the Prophet, and ensure sincerity and presence of heart.
6. When are the best times to make du’a?
   • The last third of the night, between the adhan and iqamah, and after obligatory prayers.

7. How did Talq ibn Habib define taqwa?
   • Acting in obedience to Allah, upon a light from Allah, hoping for His reward, and avoiding disobedience to Allah, fearing His punishment.
8. What analogy did Abu Huraira use to describe taqwa?
   • Walking on a path full of thorns, carefully avoiding every prick.
9. What are the four components of taqwa?
   • Fulfill obligations, avoid prohibitions, engage in recommended acts, and refrain from disliked actions.

10. What are the three principles of the hadith that offer a roadmap for life?
    • Be conscious of Allah wherever you are.
    • Follow a bad deed with a good deed to erase it.
    • Treat people with good character.
11. Why is it important to treat people with good character?
    • To ensure that personal mistakes do not harm others and to maintain dignity and respect in relationships.

12. How does integrating dhikr, du’a, and taqwa into daily life benefit a believer?
    • It connects them with Allah, guides them in fulfilling obligations, and improves their interactions with others, aligning them with divine guidance.

The post Study Classical Texts the Traditional Way | Session 28(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

Who Do You Turn to First?

A few years ago, my husband and son attended a Muslim father-son camping trip. Within the first few hours of setting up camp, one of the younger boys, about 11 years old, disappeared. 

As the hours passed and the sun began its descent, the optimism of the fathers’ search group faltered. What started as a hopeful reassurance – “he couldn’t have wandered that far; we’ll find him”  – soon gave way to rising panic. Worst-case scenarios flooded the young boy’s father’s mind. He and a few of the other camp dads trekked deeper into the forest, silently but desperately praying for guidance. They flagged every hiker they passed, showing them pictures of the boy in hopes of a clue. Every hiker studied the image with concern, but shook their heads regretfully, promising to keep an eye out. 

After four long hours, the young boy suddenly stepped back into camp, looking a bit worse for wear, but otherwise unharmed. The fathers at the campsite immediately radioed the search group with the good news.

Emotional reunions followed, along with an urgent need to understand what had happened. To an attentive group of fathers and sons, the young boy – an avid nature lover – explained his disappearance. He had wandered off wanting to explore the lush surroundings, lost in his imagination, until he realized that he had lost his way. As the sky darkened, he grew afraid.

At that moment, he was inspired to repeat the dhikr, “Ya Khayrul Nasireen,” (Oh Best of Helpers). He said it over and over again until a small group of chirping birds suddenly appeared above him. The birds remained circling overhead, as if waiting for him to follow them. The boy, uncertain but hopeful, took their lead. Eventually, the birds led the boy to a stream, which led him back to the main trail, which then led him back to the camp.

When I heard this story from the boy and his father after camp, I couldn’t forget it. To me, it was an undeniable manifestation of the Quranic verse:

“Those to whom hypocrites said, “Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.” But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, “Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.” [Surah ‘Ali-‘Imran: 3;173]

What Do We Turn to First?

As human beings, we crave connection. And what we connect to – habitually, instinctively – shapes the journey of our well-being. Habit or environment conditions some of us turn to machines for distraction or comfort, trained by the rhythms of modern life to seek solace in the familiar glow of the screen. Others, shaped by social and emotional reinforcement, turn to human relationships, leaning on community or companionship to navigate life’s difficulties. 

“What we cultivate as our first instinct in times of uncertainty, determines the presence of inner peace and depth of our contentment.” [PC: Visual Karsa (unsplash)]

Yet some of us are guided to turn to Allah first, trained through spiritual practice, remembrance (dhikr), and reliance (tawakkul) to anchor ourselves in the One who never falters, never abandons, and never fails to respond. 

Each response has its place, but what we cultivate as our first instinct in times of uncertainty, joy, or hardship determines the presence of inner peace and the depth of our resilience.

The quick comfort of machines depletes just as quickly, leaving one in greater need than before. The gift of social support helps tremendously, but not everyone has the privilege of a strong community or the presence of trusted companions. So, as a chaplain serving in a community setting, my goal remains clear: to (re)connect and redirect the careseeker to Allah first.

An immense honor exists in being entrusted with someone’s most vulnerable moments, in having them choose to share their burden with you when they could have turned elsewhere. The responsibility humbles me every time, yet also reminds me of my own limitations as a human being.

It took me years of training to let go of the instinct to fix people’s problems—an urge that, at first, felt like a necessary part of chaplaincy care. I only overcame this when I renewed, with deep certainty, the belief that only Allah is the One who fixes and heals. In that realization, I found immense relief — a liberation from a burden that was never mine to carry. With that freedom, my focus became clear: to help careseekers turn to Allah at the first sign of difficulty, not just for immediate relief, but to strengthen their connection with Him in a way that endures beyond the moment of crisis, ensuring that every hardship becomes a step closer to Him rather than a reason to turn away.

A careseeker once approached me, distressed over uncertainty in a friendship. She felt that her two friends were hiding something from her, and she longed for clear answers to help her decide whether to continue the friendship. She had exhausted all human avenues, asking common friends for insight, but no clarity came. She expressed feeling stuck, confused, and unsure how to move forward. 

After a conversation, I asked if she had heard of the du’a asking Allah for guidance through the manifestation of truth and falsehood. She vaguely remembered it but could not recall the exact wording. I sent it to her and encouraged her to say it whenever she felt stuck or lost: “O Allah! Show us the truth as truth, and inspire us to follow it. Show us falsehood as falsehood, and inspire us to abstain from it.” 

The very next day, she sent me a message: “Subhanallah how powerful du’a is.” 

She had discovered the truth – not through confrontation, not through pushing for answers, but through a series of internal nudges guiding her toward clarity. Rather than feel defeated at the discovery, she was occupied by the awe of the swift conclusion. Because while the resolution of a worldly problem brings short-term relief, what benefits us most in the long term—far beyond this life—is a deepened trust in and good opinion of Allah that carries us through the next crisis, and the next.

Ramadan: An Annual Training in Turning to Allah

Du’a (supplication) works. Dhikr (remembrance of God) works. Tawakul (trust in God’s Plan) works. Sabr (patience) works.

Turn to Allah at the first sign of difficulty. Pick up the Quran for comfort and guidance, and let Allah speak to you. 

Notably, the first Ramadan congregational prayer across the world begins with Surat al-Fatiha, wherein we recite,

“You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help” [1:5],

followed by the first words of Surat Al Baqarah:

“Alif. Lam. Meem. This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful of Allah” [2:1-2] 

Ramadan is called “the month of the Quran(link is external)” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 2;185] as a gentle reminder that this blessed month remains more than a month of fasting – it is an annual training in centering the Quran in our lives. 

Fasting empties and purifies us during the day, preparing us to receive divine guidance at night. Just as our bodies crave sustenance by sunset, our souls crave the nourishment of the Quran. Fasting is a means, not the end goal of Ramadan. 

A person who has spent their life cultivating nearness to Allah does not wait until their final moments to seek Him—He has always been their companion. When Rabia al-Adawiyya (Iraqi Sufi poet and influential religious figure at the time) was on her deathbed, someone asked if she was happy to finally return to her Lord. She replied, “Oh fools, who do you think I’ve been spending my life with?” Such is the state of one whose connection to Allah is unbroken—who turns to Him first, in every moment, until meeting Him is not a departure, but a reunion.

One of the most profound habits we can cultivate is turning to Allah at the very first sign of difficulty. Ramadan serves as a reset button, a month-long exercise in seeking Him first – before distractions, before people, before comfort food. What if, instead of replaying our worries in our minds, we opened the Qur’an and let Allah speak to us? Many of us, when we were younger, had the simple faith to flip open the Qur’an at any page, searching for an answer—and somehow, the words we read always felt relevant. We didn’t overthink it; we just trusted that Allah would guide us. As we grew older, we may have lost that childlike certainty, but the reality remains: Allah is always speaking; we just have to be willing to listen.

The sooner we make it our instinct to seek Him, the more natural it becomes to walk through life—and beyond it—with an unshaken sense of trust, knowing He has always been there.

 

Related:

– Signs Of Allah Everywhere We Turn – An Invitation To Reflect(link is external)

– A Ramadan Quran Journal: A MuslimMatters Series – [Juz 28] Complaining Only To Allah(link is external)

 

The post Before You Seek Answers, Seek Him First: A Muslim Chaplain’s Ramadan Reflection(link is external) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org(link is external).

This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge(link is external)‘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(link is external), Episode 2(link is external), Episode 3(link is external), Episode 4,(link is external) Episode 5,(link is external) Episode 6,(link is external) Episode 7(link is external), Episode 8, Episode 9(link is external)

Transcript

Tawakkul is such a beautiful thing. We know it. We’ve heard about it. We know what the translation of it is to depend on Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, to rely on Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. And I’m sure we’ve listened to many lectures about it. We’ve asked the questions how can I build my tawakkul on Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and we should. Here, I want to add an element of tawakkul that I think a lot of people miss, but it’s an important part of tawakkul. Tawakkul isn’t simply putting your trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala for the sake of getting an outcome; as you pursue an outcome. 

 Tawakkul also includes trusting Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala when things are uncertain; when you enter the unknown; you get out of your comfort zone; you enter in a situation where you are vulnerable; you’re fragile. But, you have to enter that situation. A huge part of tawakkul is trusting that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will bring about the good, despite the uncertainty and the vulnerability and all the possible negative outcomes. And a beautiful example of that is in Surah Al-An’am when Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says وَإِن جَنَحُوا لِلسَّلْمِ فَأَجْنَحْ لَهَا وَتَوَكّل عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ وَإِن يُرِيدُوا أَن يَخْدَعُكَ إِنَّهَا حَسْبَكَ اللّهُ.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says, ‘If they lean towards peace, then lean towards peace, accept that, and put your trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. And if they seek to betray you, meaning this whole peace treaty is a ruse to get you in a vulnerable position so that they can take advantage of you, backstab you, whatever it may be. 

 If they’re planning to do that then حَسْبُكَ اللّهُ. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is enough for you. He has assisted you before. He will assist you again. What is Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala teaching us and teaching the Prophet ﷺ in this regard? What He is teaching us is the following, dear brothers and sisters: a believer makes decisions based on what Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and His Messenger ﷺ guide them to do. Now sometimes the decision is clear. Sometimes it’s very unclear. But the point here is a believer is somebody who’s driven by the hidayah, the guidance from the Quran and the Sunnah. And they are not people who hold themselves back, who hold themselves behind because of the potential uncertainties, the potential negatives that can come about as a result of making that decision. 

 The believers at this point are probably at the upper hand if Quraysh is the one coming out and asking for peace. It’s probably because Quraysh is realizing, “we’re being outplayed here; we’re being outmatched their economy is surpassing ours; their military capacity is surpassing ours; we should probably enter in the peace treaty to recollect ourselves.” So the fact that they’re the ones who are initiating this probably shows that they are they have the underhand so the Prophet ﷺ could have said “No, we’re going to continue and you’re probably just setting us up. You’re using this as cover, whatever it may be. And that’s a very valid concern that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, as the verse mentions  validates وَإِن يُرِيدُوا أَن يَخْدَعُونَكَ. 

 If they are looking to betray you, it’s very possible. But when peace is offered and that peace is reasonable. So don’t make this a general ruling here. But in general, when peace is offered, and that peace is reasonable, and in the interest of the believers, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala teaches the Prophet ﷺ go ahead and accept that and don’t let your uncertainties, the suspicions, cause you to make another decision. Don’t let the unknown dictate your decisions. Rather, let the known dictate it. And then when it comes to the unknown, you put your trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. In other words, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala created a where there will always be uncertainties always. You responsibility isn’t to make the uncertain certain; it’s not to make decisions only when and until everything is clear and green. 

 There will always be an amount of ambiguity, amount of uncertainty. And that’s by design because tawakkul is a huge part of iman; it’s a huge part of our experience with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and developing our relationship with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, and so it needs to be there. And so when we step out of our comfort zone, when we make a decision. Or we have to make a decision where there’s a lot of unknowns. Now what we do is we make the decision and then we put in our trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is going to take care of me, as He has taken care of me before.

This is what He tells the Prophet, right وَإِن يُرِيدُ أَن يَخْدَعُكَ فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ اللَّهُ  or in another verse وَإِن يُرِيدُ أَن يَخْدَعُكَ فَقَدْ خَانُ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ مِنْ قَبْلٍ .

Basically in another verse Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is saying that they’ve done this before and Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala protected you before. He gave you victory before. He’s going to take care of you in the future. How does this apply to our daily lives? Marriage is one that comes to mind. When you get married, there’s only so much you can do to know whether or not this marriage is going to work. There really is only so much you can do to know if this person is a suitable spouse for you; a lot of it is unknown. 

 Even if the person seems to be like an upright individual, what are the dynamics between you two? There’s always going to be an amount of uncertainty going into a marriage. You’ll never have a situation where 100% I know for sure this is going to work; this is fantastic. Someone who’s speaking that way is either inexperienced or being a little bit too excited. But that’s okay because as this verse is teaching us: you get married and then you put your trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, that He is going to help you make this Work. You want to start a business. There’s a lot of uncertainties there. You do your homework, your due diligence. Then when you do that, there’s still going to be uncertainties – what if this doesn’t work, what if my customers don’t come in, what if a natural disaster happens, all of these what if’s. 

 Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is telling you, don’t think that way, make a decision if this seems to work on paper, make that decision, put your trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala that He’s going to help you make this work, and the list goes on. So, my dear brothers and sisters, in this beautiful month of Ramadan, it is a month of building your relationship with Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, a believer. The one who has tawakkul in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is a believer who’s definitely ahead in their Iman. But tawakkul in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala isn’t when things are clear and certain. Rather, it is when things are unclear and uncertain. Believers are meant to make decisions based on their principles, not by laying out all of the variables and making sure everything is in order. Yes, we do due diligence, but a huge amount of our life is simply putting our trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala -that as He has helped me before, He will help me as I go in the future. I won’t be driven by my emotions and my uncertainties. Rather, I’ll be driven by the principles of Quran and Sunnah. And we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to make us among those who have their full trust in Him and dependence in Him and depend on Him.  

 Allahumma ameen wa sallallahu ala nabiyina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahabi ajma’in. 

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