Articles & Blog
Writings on jurisprudence, thought, and da'wah
461 articles — page 8 of 20
461 articles — page 8 of 20
Concepts of Faith
86 articlesA study of the major concepts of faith between their meaning in language and revelation and their application in life.
The Pharaoh Within Every Person: Tyranny and Imagined Self-Sufficiency
The Shaykh contemplates the secret of the Qur'an's repeated mention of Pharaoh and Musa, seeing it as a representation of the conscience of tyranny and the conscience of remembrance within every person. He pauses at "So he gathered and called out" and "Are you a more difficult creation?", and warns that none of us should act the Pharaoh in any setting.
The Calls of Faith: ‹If you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels›
The call "If you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels" in Surat Al Imran and its position among the cautionary calls. The significance of "if," "turn you back," and "heels," the loss of society's balance when hands are separated, and the independence of method and source.
The Call on Ribā in Sūrat Āl ʿImrān
The call "Do not consume usury, doubled and multiplied" in Al Imran, linked to the calls on obedience and intimate associates and to the calls of al-Baqara on provision and earning. It explains the difference between earning (kasb) and profiteering (takassub), the meaning of "consuming," why "doubled and multiplied," success and prosperity, and "that you may receive mercy."
Sūrat al-Qāriʿah and What Makes the Scales Heavy
A Fajr khatira on Surat al-Qari'a and its position after al-'Adiyat, the image of people as scattered moths, what makes the scales heavy, and how the comfort zone in this world becomes an abyss.
‹We Have Certainly Honored the Children of Adam›: Honor, Carrying, and Provision
A pause at the verse of al-Isra: why "the children of Adam" and not "people," and how carrying them over land and sea is a guarantee of movement and provision. Striving is not to obtain provision but so that a person may feel his humanity and worth, and all provision is an honoring from Allah.
Wealth Between Allah's Abundant Gift and Our Hoarding: In Our Hands or in Our Hearts?
A khatira on the two words of abundance and piling up, money as a boat to cross the world, and the question of whether wealth sits in the hands or in the heart.
Calls of Faith in the Qur'an 13: Introduction to Sūrat Āl ʿImrān and Its Link to Sūrat al-Baqara
An introduction to Surat Al Imran after the completion of al-Baqara: why the two come like two clouds, how Al Imran completes the building of the ummah through the reference point of tawhid and the unity of the ummah, and the room for difference that lies between the two limits of Islam.
The Final Calls of Faith in Sūrat al-Baqara: The Prohibition of Usury and the Writing Down of Debt
The close of the calls to the believers in Surat al-Baqara with the verse of debt: linking the verse to those before it; then that the prohibition of usury made opening the door of debt necessary; the three doors of money for the wealthy (zakat, charity, and debt); the term, the writing, and granting respite to one in hardship; and its ending with "and Allah teaches you."
Calls of Faith in the Qur'an 9: Spending from the Good Things You Have Earned
A survey of the calls "O you who believe" in al-Baqara up to the ninth call, on spending. A comparison between "Eat from the good things We have provided you" and "Spend from the good things you have earned," the meaning of "nafaq," and the differing natures of souls in giving.
Calls of Faith in the Qur'an 7: ‹Spend from What We Have Provided for You›
A khatira on the seventh call, "Spend from what We have provided you," and its place in the order of the calls in al-Baqara, and its connection to the verse on the preference of the messengers, Ayat al-Kursi, and the stories of Ibrahim. It concludes that the servant gives up the notion of ownership, and that what he gave is more beneficial to him than what he kept.
Calls of Faith in the Qur'an 5: Fasting Is Prescribed for You, and Training the Soul in Voluntary Abstention
The fifth of the calls to the believers: "Fasting has been prescribed for you" is read as a link in the chain of reference, patience, the lawfulness of foods, and retribution, then voluntary abstention as training in taqwa. The khatira ends by saying that what counts is what one gives, not what one gets, and that fasting is training in contentment with Allah's apportioning and gratitude to Him.
The Calls of Faith 4: Retaliation as a Safety Valve in the Fabric of the Calls
The fourth call in al-Baqara: linking the verse of retribution to the calls before it and to the places where "it has been prescribed for you" appears (fasting and the bequest), the difference between retribution and vengeance, and the exaltation of human blood as the structure of Allah.
The Calls of Faith 2: The Authority of the Sharīʿah, Then Seeking Help through Patience and Prayer
A reflection on the types of Qur'anic address (the human being, the people, the children of Adam, those who believe), and the reason for placing "Do not say ra'ina" first and then "Seek help through patience and prayer," linked to the life of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and the bequeathing of religion.
From the Opening of Sūrat al-Baqarah: Guidance and Belief in the Unseen
The Qur'an guides the mind, the heart and conduct. Belief in the unseen is the foundation on which the rest of religion is built; the verses on the hypocrites show how others look at the believers.
Purifying the Soul, Your Role in Shaping It, and What Comes after Ramadan
In Surat al-Shams and Surat al-Layl: the axis of purifying the self. The human being has origins, formation, and outcomes; the Qur'an abolishes the argument "we found our fathers"; and worship came to deal with me, myself. Success (falah) is not the same as achievement, and what follows Ramadan is a continuation, not a conclusion.
Verifying News and the Rooms of Society
From Surat al-Hujurat: the method of verifying news by analyzing the data and then asking the party concerned, who is described as ignorant, and why "and know that among you is the Messenger of Allah" came amid the verses on disagreement, and the ethics that preserve the rooms of society.
Abandoning the Qur'an: A Pause at Sūrat al-Furqān
A pause at the words of Allah "And those who do not expect to meet Us said," and an explanation that their religion is driven by devils and worldly minds. Then the Prophet's complaint, "They have taken this Qur'an as something abandoned," and a supplication to return to the Qur'an and act by it.
The Ḥawāmīm 6: Sūrat Ghāfir and Sūrat Fuṣṣilat
Khatira [the Hawameem] 6: Surat Ghafir and Surat Fussilat
The Ḥawāmīm 5: Moses, the Book and the Outcome in Ghāfir and Fuṣṣilat
Khatira [the Hawameem] 5: Moses, the Book, and the outcome in Ghafir and Fussilat
The Brotherhood We Seek in the Qur'an
The khatira pictures the settling of accounts between close friends on the Day of Resurrection, and that taqwa in the verse relates to sincere brotherhood. It shows the effect of righteous companionship and how the gaps of difference between people are filled by the remembrance of Allah.
The Presence of Angels in Our Lives
The khatira addresses the angels' seeking forgiveness for those on earth in Surat al-Shura and Ghafir as mercy from Allah to humankind. It sets out the educational dimensions of belief in angels: watchfulness, protection, and bearing witness to the truth.
Sūrat al-Nūr: A Sūra Built Like a House
Surat al-Nur was built like a house in which not a single letter can be dispensed with, and it revolves around protecting the honor of Muslims. The khatira ends by linking this to the houses of Allah, which a person enters burdened with the dust of the outside and leaves purified.
Reflections from Sūrat Yūsuf
A reflection on Surat Yusuf: why the Qur'anic stories are almost devoid of luxury, the patience of Ya'qub and Yusuf, brotherhood in faith, and that hardship is part of the human being's mission. It ends by saying that pain passes with two rak'as in the depth of the night and a supplication at the hour before dawn.
The Horizons of Allah's Power: What Is Asked of Us After We Hear the Verses?
A reflection on the verses of al-An'am about the splitting of grain and date-stone and Allah's creation: two truths, and no excuse on the Day of Resurrection. Then three requirements: glorifying Allah upon seeing creation, preserving blessing (turning off the lights), and uprightness learned from the order of the universe.