Articles

After seeing our brothers and sisters praying Salat-ul-Istisqa (prayer for rain) in the Bay area this past weekend, and the subsequent rainfall, let us remember the story of the man who once interrupted the Prophet's khutbah, asking for rain:

We do not have to have an array of powers to save the world but we should take an opportunity to evaluate our humanistic ideals. What can we do in our everyday lives to contribute? We can remember that those who are merciful through showing compassion to those on earth, such as humans, animals, and even inanimate objects are shown mercy from their Creator. Either we take advantage of opportunities for good or we neglect them.

All unhappiness and stagnation result from a feeling that you are at the mercy of the world and the people in it. But what a joy it is, what a major shift to strength and power, when you recognize you are at the mercy of God and his Strength & Power.

Moutasem Atiya on Waraqa ibn Nawfal and the Messenger of Godﷺ, and what we can learn from Waraqa's response to his call.

If Islam is to take off and thrive–not merely survive–in America then Muslims here will need to be imbued with the power to legitimize themselves and their environments around them. This may result in differing cultural norms for Muslims in America that may, at the surface level, look different when compared to other parts of the Ummah.

Prayer upon the Prophet ﷺ is a ladder and means of [spiritual] ascent to arrive unto Allah. That is because sending prayers upon him ﷺ frequently engenders the Prophet’s love, and the Prophet’s love engenders Allah’s love, and Allah’s love for the servant attracts the servant to the Divine Presence—with or without an intermediary.

Every year Muslims need to go through the usual battle about celebrating the Prophet's birthday. Two sides that claim love of the Prophet explaining why the other group is wrong. Sometimes there’s civility, but too often one will not let go until the other taps out in submission. The problem with the Mawlid is...

Can the Prophet ﷺ be overpraised? Is commemorating his birth appropriate or not? Shaykh Mokhtar Maghraoui answers these questions.

There is no doubt that, as of late, many Muslim women have decided to remove their head-scarves, despite a consensus among scholars that hijab is required. Oftentimes, when modesty as a virtue is discussed within our communities, the discussion almost always exclusively surrounds the modesty of Muslim women. Personally, I feel that when discussing modesty (both character (inward) as well of clothing (outward)), a greater focus needs to be put on men as contributors to the decline of modesty within the community. Although there are many factors that play into Muslim women’s decisions to remove their head-scarves, that is not part of this particular discussion. It is my belief that many of the causes in the decline of modesty are based mainly upon the lack of modesty amongst Muslim males (and the double standards they tend to enjoy). Through reviving Prophetic chivalry and masculine modesty within themselves, Muslim men can more effectively contribute to sustaining modesty within the Muslim community.

As we begin the calendar year of 2014, many of us will reflect on the previous year and contemplate ways to enrich our lives. Among the most common resolutions made around this time are those directly related to self-improvement such as weight loss, exercise and healthier eating, knowledge seeking, career and academic success, and spiritual renewal. While these are all noteworthy goals to work towards, one of the areas of improvement that is often neglected is reconnecting with our family and ensuring that we spend both the quantity and quality of time required to foster a healthy family life.

It was New Year's Day. Sami woke up, excited to see what 2014 had in store for him. He washed his face and brushed his teeth. Head? Check. Nose? Check. Ears? Check. So far, the new year had not brought him anything new. Sami ate breakfast, and looked at a book that he hoped to complete soon. It was about The Wright Brothers and their first flight. Sami loved flying, so his Mom had brought him the book from the library last week.

The past decade or so has seen a growth of interest in the Muslim ‘cultural imperative.’ What will American Muslim culture look like? And what determines its validity? What makes a culture what it is?