What is the Istikhara prayer?

Author: 
Shaykh Salim Ghisa

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

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

Don't Worry, Be Happy

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

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

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

STOP & SEARCH: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

[i]by Adnan Adrees[/i]

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

Issue 9 Fun Page: Not Just A Pretty Face?

Let’s find out shall we! Answer these simple Brain teasers:

Brain Teaser the First

Three women each have two daughters. They are having lunch at a restaurant. There are only seven chairs in the restaurant. All the women are seated.

Question: How is this possible?

Brain Teaser the Second

Suppose 6 monkeys take 6 minutes to eat 6 bananas.

  1. How many minutes would it take 3 monkeys to eat 3 bananas?
  2. How many monkeys would it take to eat 54 bananas in 54 minutes?

Brain Teaser the Third

Tech Guide: Phone-O-Rama

By Naheem Zafar

Where were you when you read about the iphone being announced? I will hazard a guess: On the internet. Or reading the paper. Or talking to a geek "mate" of yours. (Well that does just about cover the options doesn't it?)

Apparently, the iphone is not the only phone to be launched this year. Shock horror!

So in this tech guide I will have a quick look at some pretenders to the throne. They will all be high end "Smart phones". So let's see what we have here:

Nokia N93i BLACK

The cons first: It's a Nokia. Next!

10 Things Islam Can Offer You

By Alveena Salim

Why would anyone in the 21st Century willingly practise Islam? I mean, ain't it a backwards, sexist, violent, and out-dated religion? Ain't it the religion that’s always on the news? And why the hell is Islam the fastest growing religion in the world? What does it offer anyway?

The Revival presents you ten things that Islam can offer you if you follow the teachings of Islam:

1. Direction

Purpose of Fasting

Author: 
Shaykh Salim Ghisa

Question

The purpose of fasting in Ramadan is to achieve Taqwa, i.e. to become God-fearing and pious etc. But I fast year in, year out and see no change… especially when Ramadan is over! So what can I do to help become and remain a God-fearing and pious person?

Answer

By Shaykh Salim Ghisa

In the name of Allah the Most Beneficent and Merciful.

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala says:

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious." (Al-Baqarah, 2:183)

Fasting has many benefits and grades. People believe that just by staying hungry and thirsty from dawn ‘til dusk it will make them a pious person.

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