short read
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Islam, Freedom, Modernity: Mastery of the Self v. Slavery to the Self
Believer must realise that, at root, there’s a parting of ways between Islam and the liberal monoculture when it comes to what human beings fundamentally are, what it is possible for them to be or become, and what it means to be liberated or free. Islam teaches that the human person is imbued with a Continue reading
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Adab’s Golden Rule & Its Minimum Rule
SHAYKH ‘ABD AL-QADIR AL-JILANI’S “golden rule” is the height we must aspire to in how to be sincerely devoted to God, intending only His good pleasure without others sharing in our worship of Him; and how to be of sincere service to people: كُنْ مَعَ الْحَقِّ بِلا خَلْقٍ وَ مَعَ الْخَلْقِ بِلا نَفْس ‘Be with Continue reading
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Passing the Buck: De-Normalise the Culture of Self-Promotion!
Possibly one of the most spiritually damaging traits – particularly for scholars, shaykhs, preachers and teachers – is the culture of self promotion and of not passing matters on to those more learned or more spiritually rooted. That such a tendency has now been normalised does not speak to our sophistication, nor to our savviness, but to Continue reading
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Spiritual Discourses: Shaykh Jaleel Ahmad Akhoon [1]
Long time readers of The Humble I may have seen Shaykh Jaleel Ahmad Akhoon’s name crop up now and again. I first wrote about the Shaykh, hafizahullah, after my first travel, and therefore my first real suhbah or spiritual companionship, with him back in 2013. The piece, a sort of travelogue, was called: You Have Continue reading
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Al-Baqarah (vv.1-5): Pigeonholing People in Terms of Faith
THIS IS THE CHAPTER which mentions the incident of the Israelites and the baqarah, or cow (v.67) designated for sacrificial offering, whereby God tested their sincerity of faith. It is the longest surah of the Holy Qur’an, with very little discussed in the Qur’an not finding some mention or another in it. Revealed in Madinah, Continue reading
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The Isti‘adhah: Seeking Protection in God from Satan
THE HOLY QUR’AN MANDATES that: When you recite the Qur’an seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Devil. [Q.16:98] Hence Muslims will commence their recitation of the Qur’an with the words of isti‘adhah, or “seeking protection”: أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Devil. Due to the above verse, Continue reading
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Do We Muslims Have the Right to Not Pray, Fast or Wear Hijab?
Q. Does a Muslim have a right to choose whether to pray, fast, financially maintain family, or wear hijab? ♦ A. A Muslim may indeed decide not to pray. But do they have a “right” to choose not to pray? Well, not really. A Muslim man may decide not to maintain his family and dependents. Continue reading
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Friday Reminder for Thoughtful Hearts: 2
WE READ IN THE Qur’an: And when the [Friday] prayer is ended, then disperse in the land and seek of Allah’s favour, and remember Allah much, that you may succeed. [Q.62:10] The shari‘ah combines between establishing Allah’s rights; like prayer, fasting and dhikr, and between securing benefits to oneself; such as the need to earn a living. Continue reading
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Friday Reminder for Thoughtful Hearts: 1
THE QUR’AN says: Whoever does righteousness, be they male or female, and has faith, We will cause them to live a goodly life. [Q.16:97] The ‘goodly life,’ explained by the great sages and scholars of Islam to mean a life of inner contentment and happiness, is profoundly tied to doing righteous deeds, and doing them well. Continue reading
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There’s More to Salam Than Meets the Eye
AMONG THE LOFTY STANDARDS of conduct we Muslims are taught in the Holy Qur’an is the following: إِذَا حُيِّيتُمْ بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا When you are greeted with a greeting, return it with a better greeting or [at least] its equal. Surely God takes account of Continue reading