Articles

We are studying this language, selected by Allaah to be the means of communication of His final message, together as a family. We get to go home and practice together. We get to share insights from what we’ve learned and we get to do this with people and families from across the world that are all dedicated to internal change and emulation of the prophetic legacy in action and in speech.

The inevitability of the end of times, just like death, should not be a source of grief for Muslims. As we should know the signs of the coming of Imam al-Mahdi, it is also important for us to strive to be those of faith and justice so that if we live to see his appearance, he will recognize us to be among his followers.

The question is not whether God exists. The real question to ask is whether our worship will be directed towards God or towards idols of our own making.

Imagine growing up in a society where, throughout your childhood, the people you found most interesting, exciting, down-to-earth, and real (even if fictional), were almost never Muslim. When young people observe that there is no room for someone like them in the stories they love best, they begin to disassociate themselves from that marginalized identity.

The patience to bear difficulty is directly linked to maintaining an optimistic sense of hope for the future. But, what happens in those moments when we feel that hope is gone?

There is a different sort of love between people, that is often eclipsed by our talk and focus on romance. This is a quieter love, less exhilarating, but perhaps one of the best ingredients for a healthy and sound life — that is, love of one’s sister or brother in faith — the love between good friends, righteous companions, and those with whom we share this journey towards God. This is a meaningful and powerful relationship, the proof of which can be seen in how often it was talked about by our beloved Prophet ﷺ and his own deep and beautiful relationship with his companions.

Muslims in America need to visit West Africa. The roots of Islam in America come from those who were walked in the hot sun in chains over Benin, the Ivory Coast and Togo to Elmina Slave Castle and brought to America. My trip to Ghana coincided with Black History Month, carrying extra meaning for myself, considering the struggle that African Americans continue to endure in reclaiming our heritage, a heritage that was robbed from us.

I'll always be indebted to Imam Shafi — may God sanctify his soul — as the visit to him opened my heart to a way to love and remember the Prophet ﷺ.

What does it mean to champion women’s rights and identify oneself as a feminist? Though it appears simple and easy to answer, this question is anything but that. This is especially so for a practicing believer.

We reside in a time in which meanings are losing value. There are terms within movements that can cause us confusion about our deen and even how we see ourselves.

Many Prophetic statements paint an undoubtedly unpleasant picture of the future. But is this something that should be revelled in? Or is it perhaps instead a twisted way of abdicating ourselves out of the responsibility and challenge of carving out a dignified existence even in the midst of hardship?

With the new year, my resolution is simple — be present. Whether at work, with my spouse and kids, or most importantly, with God and His Messenger ﷺ, I intend to focus on being present. Here are a few ideas for the new year to increase our presence.