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The New Year

Having just completed the year 2014, the ‘New Year’ is seen and heard all around us. However, the question remains as to what should be a Muslim’s take on these events.

Upon the passing of a year, the common trend is to celebrate; people have birthday parties, wedding anniversaries etc. However, in certain spheres this is not the case; take the example of a businessman who at the end of the (financial) year will first take stock of the past year. He will meticulously go through the accounts of the past year taking into account every single penny. He will check to see if he made a profit, and if so then how can he make more in the coming year. He will check his expenses: where did he spend his money? Can he make further savings? All of this is done so that he can make the coming year more profitable than the one that has passed. Read more

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Istikhārah-Its Method and Some Misconceptions

Istikhārah means to turn to Allāh ta‘ālā and seek goodness from Him. This is because Allāh ta‘ālā knows what we do not know. As Allāh ta‘ālā is fully aware of the end result and consequence of every matter and we merely speculate, we should ask Allāh ta‘ālā to guide us towards goodness in our endeavours or tasks that we are about to embark on. It should be understood that istikhārah is simply a du‘ā like any other du‘ā. However, it has more chance of acceptance in the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā as it has been specifically taught by Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam to his Ummah. It is a prayer offered to Allāh ta‘ālā before embarking on a particular course of action or choosing from a number of options, asking Him to guide us towards goodness and the correct and better choice, and to save us from that course of action or choice if goodness lies elsewhere. Read more

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A Simple Format for ‘ibadah on Auspicious nights

A Simple Format for ‘ibadah on Auspicious nights

Our Beloved Nabi (sallallahu’alaihiwasallam) has mentioned:
“Indeed your Lord has reserved certain special moments in time (in which he emits abundant/special mercy)
Be sure to avail yourselves for these opportunities.” (Majma’uz Zawaaid)
We are usually aware of the significant occasions that present themselves each year. The crucial thing is how do we “avail ourselves” and maximise our benefit from these blessed nights?
Here under is a suggested format for “What to do on Blessed nights?” Read more

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The Prophet’s Marriage to Aisha

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat - Oman (carpet)

The Prophet’s Marriage to Aisha
By: Mawlana Muhammad Hashim

Unfamiliarity with the life of the Prophet of Islam, his character and teachings and his native culture and the social conditions prevalent during his life can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. A common area of misunderstanding is the subject of the Prophet’s marriages, especially his marriage to Aisha.
At the time of her marriage, Aisha was six, and at the age of nine she started living with the Prophet. Unfamiliarity with this course of events can be resolved to some degree by studying the relevant aspects of the lives of the lives of the Prophet and Aisha, and by learning a bit about cultural norms of the time. Read more

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The Prophet’s Marriage to Aisha

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat - Oman (carpet)

The Prophet’s Marriage to Aisha
By: Mawlana Muhammad Hashim

Unfamiliarity with the life of the Prophet of Islam, his character and teachings and his native culture and the social conditions prevalent during his life can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. A common area of misunderstanding is the subject of the Prophet’s marriages, especially his marriage to Aisha.
At the time of her marriage, Aisha was six, and at the age of nine she started living with the Prophet. Unfamiliarity with this course of events can be resolved to some degree by studying the relevant aspects of the lives of the lives of the Prophet and Aisha, and by learning a bit about cultural norms of the time. Read more

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Store being open at Jumuah time

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Question:

AssalamuAlikum,

One brother who has a food business is asking:
“Should he close his business during Jumuah or can he leave his wife or a non- muslim to sell the lunch time food – while he attends Jumuah?”
He attends Jumuah but will receive the income from the sales during the Jumuah period.
The issue is in the part of the ayah: وَذَرُواْ ٱلۡبَيۡعَ. One Mufti deems the income earned during Jumuah to be tainted.
What is the preferred opinion of the Hanafi madhhab?Is this the position even if he is the OWNER of the business?
Sorry to be-labour the point

Answer: Read more

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The cleanliness of the Masajid

By (Mufti) Abraar Alli

The religion of Islam being a natural way of life is promotes many simple, yet essential values to our existence. Islam lays a lot of importance to respect, etiquettes and moral conduct which can be found throughout the Quran and Sunnah.
An example of this is found where Allah Ta’ala has honoured and revered the Masajid, This entails that everyone else also follows in this order. Allah Ta’ala associates the respect shown to the symbols of Islam (here the Masjid) with the grand quality of Taqwa:
وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ Read more

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For Effective Da’wah in the West

This is a transcription of a speech delivered in Dewsbury, UK in 1982 at the opening of the Dewsury Markaz. By Shaykh Abul Hasan ‘Ali an-Nadwi (R.H)

I am filled with happiness by your reception. I would be most ungrateful if I do not respect your wishes and share my inner feelings. If I desire I could shower you with praises, for Almighty Allah has bestowed me with an abundance of vocabulary, but I would not be fulfilling the right of friendship. Read more

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Worker bee or Queen Bee?

The House Wife, a Stay at Home Mom… A Taboo Topic?
By: Mufti Abraar Alli

What kind of bee are you? Ever pondered over the remarkable role of bees and how Allah Ta’ala creates honey from the union of the queen and worker bees? Well we should ponder, if we haven’t!! The job spec of the queen bee and the worker bee is uniquely defined, each creature has a different objective. We won’t try to change the nature and responsibilities of wild untamed bees, then why would we try to change that of the cultivated forms of existence, i.e. we, the humans? Read more

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