Light is something that is mentioned when obeying Allah many times. When we disobey Allah, darkness prevails. May Allah make us all people of light!
-aboutislam.net
Islam
Friday, 10 April 2026
Thursday, 9 April 2026
7 Are Safe on the Day of Judgment – Are You One of Them?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Seven are (the persons) whom Allah will give protection with His Shade* on the Day when there will be no shade except His Shade (i.e., on the Day of Resurrection), and they are:
A just ruler; a youth who grew up with the worship of Allah; a person whose heart is attached to the mosque; two persons who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah; a man whom a beautiful and high ranking woman seduces (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this offer by saying): ‘I fear Allah’; a person who gives a charity and conceals it (to such an extent) that the left hand might not know what the right has given; and a person who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes well up. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
1. A Just Ruler
The concept of Justice in Islam is very important and it is something which the Muslim—the ruler and the ruled—must apply in all matters without exception.
Justice means to give each the right he deserves: Muslim or non-Muslim, relative or stranger, friend or enemy. Allah says:
[…] do not let hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness […] (5:8)
Unfortunately, even if we admit this in theory, we quickly forget it in practice. So we find that when we speak about our friends and loved ones, we praise them beyond reason and when we speak about those whom we hold difference with, we can find no good in them and we capitalize on their bad points.
This is far removed from the justice which Allah loves and gives great reward for, as mentioned in the following hadith:
The doers of justice will be on thrones of light at Allah’s Right Hand – and both of Allah’s Hands are Right Hands. (Muslim)
They are those who were just in their ruling, with their families and in all that over which they were given authority.
2. A Youth who Grew up in the Worship of Allah
In another interesting hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he says:
Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth before you become old, and your health before you fall sick, and your richness before you become poor, and your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death. (Ahmad)
Shaykh Yaser Birjas states in one of his (sermons):
“Youthfulness is a time when a person is the most energetic, when he lays out the foundations for his future, and when he plans his life.
So the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to take advantage of this time before the time comes when you do not have that enthusiasm, when you do not have that zeal, or that outlook.
The enthusiasm and energy that you have been blessed with will never again be given to you after this age. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to seize the moment and take advantage of it.
A person should exercise this energy for the sake of Allah by procuring knowledge of Allah, obtaining halal (lawful) sustenance and worshiping Allah through acts that he might not be able to do later on in life.”
Moreover, this young age is a time when desires are more, and the will to disobey Allah is more. The mind is rebellious and the temptations of the shaytan (Satan) are at its maximum. The one who does his part in restraining himself/herself and obeys Allah surely deserves the shade under the throne of Allah.
3. A Man whose Heart is Attached to the Mosques
Numerous hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) say that praying in the mosque has 27 times more reward than praying in homes (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Also the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
He does not take a step [towards the mosque] except that because of it, he is raised by one rank and one sin is removed from him. Then when he prays, the Angels do not cease supplicating for him [for] as long as he remains at his place of Prayer [saying]: O Allah send blessings upon him, O Allah have mercy upon him… (Al-Bukhari)
It must be emphasized here however, that all the hadiths encouraging the men to be attached to the mosques are not intended to lead one to the conclusion that Islam is a religion which should be confined to the mosques, as many people imagine.
Nonetheless, the mosque should be at the heart of the Muslim community, and the role of those in authority of the mosques is vital here.
They are the ones mainly responsible for making the mosque a welcome refuge for the Muslims, rather than an arena for politics and power struggles as many seem to have become these days.
4. Two men who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for that and parting upon that
Having mutual love for the sake of Allah is one of the great doors leading to the good of the Hereafter and a cause of tasting the sweetness of faith in this world.
Loving one another for Allah’s sake means one loves another only because of his deen (religion). So it does not matter what the person looks like, what he wears, how rich or poor he is, where he comes from, or what the color of his skin is-perhaps you dislike everything about him, but you love him for his iman: this is loving for Allah’s sake.
“Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent says:
“Those who have mutual love for the sake of My Glory will have pillars of light and will be envied by the Prophets and martyrs.” (Al-Tirmidhi and Ahmad
5. A man who is tempted by a woman of beauty and position but he says, “I fear Allah”
The same is for the woman tempted by a man and she says, “I fear Allah.”
This world is full of temptations which lead to burning in the Fire and amongst them is that which comes from women.
Many a man has led his soul into destruction on account of the lure of a woman, which is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that the most important provision which we need to protect ourselves from this and all other temptations in life is the fear (khawf) of Allah.
This fact is alluded to in the following Quranic verse:
And as for him who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, then indeed Paradise will be [his] refuge. (79:40)
6. A man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity
This part of the hadith shows two very important qualities that should be the hallmark of every Muslim. First is charity. We should give charity so much that even we forget the amount of charity we have given. Have you ever wondered that the ones who give charity never become poor? Even if they give millions in charity?
The second point emphasized is the fact that the one who gives charity should give it in secret. The early generations of the Muslims used to give charity so secretly that even their wife didn’t know.
Riya’, showing off in worship, is the hidden shirk (associating partners with Allah), destroying all blessings of a good deed, and making it null and void, as it is done to show off to the people and not for the sake of Allah.
The best way to keep ourselves in check is to do all sunnah and nafl (voluntary) acts of worship in secret and away from the eyes of the people.
7. A man who remembered Allah in private and shed tears
Another amazing reminder from the Quran comes to my mind every time I listen to this part of this verse:
Has not the time come for those who believe that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? […] (57:16)
When was the last time we cried for the sake of Allah? When was the last time that we turned our faces to Allah in secret, and our eyes overflowed with tears remembering every sin that we committed day and night? Did we ever cry thinking of the immense Mercy of Allah, and all the blessings He has bestowed upon us?
This hadith mentions crying in secret, as it is commonplace to cry publicly when the Imam makes du’a. The fear of showing-off remains even here, and hence the one who cries in secret will be given shade under the Throne of Allah, on a day when there will be no shade but Allah’s shade.
If you contemplate the seven whom Allah will shade with the shade of His Throne when there is no shade but His, you will find that they deserved that shade because of their opposition to their inner desires.
Allah is the One to be petitioned to grant us protection from our desires, which are inclined to evil, and that He makes our desires in accordance with what He loves and what is acceptable to Him. He has power over all things, and He is most worthy of answering our petition.
May Allah indeed enable us to be among those whom He shades under His Throne on a day when there is no shade but His shade!
Source: Suhaib Webb
Wednesday, 8 April 2026
Ayat An-Noor – The Verse of Light
Stunning, heart-touching verse of the Quran! Listening to the verse of light will make you feel so much comfort…Try it!
- aboutislam.net
Tuesday, 7 April 2026
Qur’an Recitation: Lightning Sparks for Your Brain
Throughout history, many civilizations have made significant progress in the world of science and various other fields through the proper employment of their brains.
However, the Islamic civilization surpassed them in achieving superbly remarkable progress using both materialism and idealism.
A non-Muslim professor, in a 4th year undergraduate class on the history of science, once said, “If it wasn’t for their political problems and constant fighting between each other, the Muslims would have been on the moon by the 1400’s”.
Did Muslims excel at science because they harbored what others lacked? Searching inside the Islamic civilization’s educational system will lead you to the Holy Qur’an. The education system of the ancient Islamic civilization was centered on the memorization, recitation and comprehension of the Holy Qur’an.
So, how does reading the Book of Allah have such an everlasting impact on the functioning of the most complex organ of the human body?
The answer lies in the various components of the brain that are stimulated and activated when the verses from the Qur’an are being recited.
The process of reading the Holy Qur’an is analogous to an athlete in training for a marathon. When in preparation for a marathon, an athlete prepares by running long distances, consuming a healthy diet, eventually developing endurance, and habituating the muscles.
Likewise, memorization of the Holy Qur’an has the same effect on the brain of an individual. The continuous recital of the verses with the proper elocution (Tajweed) leads to the activation of certain areas of the brain which ease the act of comprehension, processing and retention under all capacities.
Brain Activity
There isn’t only a spiritual reality to the memorization and the recitation of the Qur’an, but rather a materialistic reality which takes shape in the brain.
The main parts of the brain which are activated from the recitation of the Holy Qur’an are the three lobes of the Cerebral Cortex; the Frontal Lobe, the Parietal Lobe, and the Temporal Lobe.
The Cerebral Cortex is the largest part of the human brain, associated with higher brain function such as thought and action.
The act of listening to the Qur’an and pronouncing it accurately during memorization leads to the stimulation of the Temporal Lobes, which contains the Hippocampus which is the memory center of the brain.
The activation of this region on a consistent basis through the memorization of the Qur’an, which was done on a daily routine until over 6,000 of the Qur’anic Ayahs were memorized, leads to increased memory retention.
Likewise, the left and the right parietal lobes, which process reading, writing, speech, logic visuospatial relationships and understanding of the facial expression, are also consistently stimulated leading to improved logic and mathematical skills and stronger visuospatial skills; and this can explain the success of the Muslim civilization in astronomy and mathematics.
The Muslim civilization was home to the world’s top polymaths such as Al-Kindi, and Al-Khwarizmi.
As listening to the Holy Qur’an is equivalent to listening to music, recent studies indicate that this leads to the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter—a chemical released by neurons (nerve cells) to send signals to other nerve cells.
Dopamine plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior. This also leads to pain reduction and helps individuals recover from stroke or other injuries.
It also aids in the betterment of cognitive skills as well as improving endurance and dementia symptoms.
The education system of the Muslims did serve as a cornerstone in the rise of the civilization. Having the education centered on understanding Holy Qur’an not only uplifted their spirituality, but also improved their mental capabilities, enabling success in the fields of science, technology, medicine, astronomy, mathematics and many more.
Careful surveillance of education worldwide shows that hardly any education system around the world follows a similar structure.
In order to reach full potentials as Muslims and in order to relive the legacy of the early Islamic civilization, an education system which is traditional and technological simultaneously in accordance with today’s day and time can aid in achieving great heights.
Learning is both a process and an outcome, and the best way to succeed is to follow in the footsteps of those who have left an unprecedented mark.
References:
- The Islamic Post | Online Edition. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2016, from http://www.islamicpostonline.com/health/2013/06/18/brain_research_quranic_memorization_key_muslim_scientific_discoveries-545/
- This Is Your Brain On Music. (2014). Retrieved May 16, 2016, from http://www.medicaldaily.com/your-brain-music-how-our-brains-process-melodies-pull-our-heartstrings-271007
Monday, 6 April 2026
Is Wearing Pants below the Ankles Haram?
Scholars agree that wearing a loose robe dropping down below the ankles with the intention of pride is wholly forbidden. However, they disagree on whether to do so would be haram or not if done with no such intention in one’s mind.
The reason for the above disagreement is the two sets of traditions, which seem to be contradictory; therefore, they have taken different approaches to resolving the conflict:
One set of traditions clearly states that whoever drops the clothes out of pride, Allah will not look at him. We also read that Abu Bakr said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), ‘but my clothes drop down unintentionally’; whence he replied, “You are not doing it out of pride.”
There is another report from Abd Allah b. Mas’ud (another prominent companion of the Prophet, peace be upon him) said that his clothes would hang below the ankle; when someone pointed it out to him, he said he had a slender leg.
Another set of traditions states that the clothes should not go lower than one’s ankles; if they do, they will be in the fire.
According to most scholars, the first set of traditions provides the rationale for the prohibition: the rationale being the motive of arrogance, vainglory, and false pride.
We can very well relate to this as we see royalty in many cultures dragging their clothes on the ground. Therefore, it is understandable that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would condemn such a lifestyle. So, he wants Muslims to stay clear of such flamboyancy and vainglory: Condemnation of pride is a recurring theme in the Quran and hadith.
Thus, the prohibition of isbaal is associated with ostentation and pride. Therefore, it cannot be generalized to include those who wear their pants, as long as the pants do not touch the ground. We know that the Prophet (peace be upon him) allowed women to drop their clothes an inch or two below their ankles–if they took care to avoid sweeping the floor with them.
A second group, which consists of a minority, generalizes the prohibition; because of the strict word used, they say that anything below the ankle is forbidden without sweeping the floor.
That is the view of most scholars belonging to the four schools; as Imam Ash-Shawkani has stated, the wisdom of prohibition was spelled out in the traditions; therefore, it particularizes the general.
That seems to be a plausible view.
Having said this, I should point out that, as believers, we should shun the habit of wearing pants or robes touching the ground.
In conclusion, you need not worry about wearing pants below your knees while riding a motorbike as long as you do not do so out of ostentation.”
Almighty Allah knows best.
- aboutislam.net
Sunday, 5 April 2026
Can People of Other Faiths Enter Mosques?
Our Mosques Should Be Open
In fact, our mosques should be open to people of all faiths or none.
Our Friday prayers, for example, could be attended by anyone.
If non-Muslims are looking to attend such a service, it might be a good idea to call ahead and find out, because policies at various mosques may be individuated and different one from another.
But in general, my advice to Muslims is to opening mosques so that non-Muslims can visit.
Ilyas Ally: The converse of that is: are Muslims allowed to attend synagogues, churches, and other places of worship?
Can Muslims Enter Churches & Synagogues?
Dr. Shabir Ally: Now, here the traditional scholarship would have said, no, because they might be thinking: OK, you go to another place of worship, maybe you are influenced to some other belief that is contrary to your own.
Maybe you start worshiping a god other than the One True God, the universal creator of the heavens and the earth.
So, you should refrain from all of these things. Now, they might say that an exception is made for the person who is a preacher of the religion.
So, he might go into another place of worship in order to guide the people towards the right path.
Nowadays, of course, the communities are interlinked. People are connected with each other. Families are, you know, have intermarriage, there are intermarriages between religions, and so on.
So, to keep all of these connections, sometimes it becomes necessary to attend another place of worship for maybe there is a wedding ceremony taking place, or some other event.
Or perhaps a Muslim is just accompanying a non-Muslim friend or relative to their place of worship and wants to associate with that community in some way.
So, the scholars would make some distinction between those who are established in religion and those who are not.
So, those who are well established in the religion, they would say, OK, there’s no danger. You’re going there: you already know your own faith, and there’s no danger in going into another place of worship.
And, so long as you do not worship another god or acknowledge a belief that is contrary to your own, then you’re fine.
Attending Funerals
Ilyas Ally: How about attending the funeral of a non-Muslim friend or relative?
Dr. Shabir Ally: The answer to this can be controversial. So, let me just clarify that there is a passage in the Quran, in the ninth chapter, that people will cite as indicating that Muslims cannot attend such funerals.
But I would say that this is in reference to those hypocrites in Medina who were clearly out to assassinate the Prophet (peace be upon him), to demolish the Islamic faith, and so on.
But in general, now, we’re not dealing with such persons, that we’re dealing with the average individual who is friendly towards Muslims. Muslims are friendly towards them. They would attend the funeral, and naturally Muslims would reciprocate by attending their funerals as well.
And Allah knows best.
- aboutislam.net
Saturday, 4 April 2026
What is Your Highest Purpose in Life?
Our religion has a higher purpose than just avoiding Hellfire and attaining Jannah.
These rules of halaal and haraam are not empty rules; they serve a higher purpose.
“We’re not just here to obey Allah and save our skins,” said Sheikh Faraz Rabbani. “There is a higher purpose to religion.”
But what could be a higher purpose than avoiding Hellfire and attaining Jannah?
The reason we were created is to seek nearness to Allah, right here, right now, and for all eternity.
Ihsan: Awareness of Allah’s Constant Watchfulness
This idea is not new. It was mentioned in the hadith Jibreel by Prophet Muhammad.
“What is ihsan?” Angel Jibreel asked Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
“That you worship Allah as though you are looking at Him…” He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied.
Brothers and sisters: if we are not at that level, if we are not worshiping God as if He were in front of us, we are missing out on our highest purpose in this life.
We must strive to make ihsan a living, breathing art. We must live, submit, and pray with total consciousness of Allah.
What is this life? Who determines the Ultimate Reality? Who is more real? Us or God? Our reality is a dependent reality. We are only in existence because Allah created us.
We should not settle for empty rules and robot-like prayers, checking them off our to-do list.
Unless and until we are living in a near-constant state of awareness of God’s unwavering watchfulness of us, we are not living to our full potential.
That is the purpose of the religion. That’s what we should strive for. That is the driving reward we should seek beyond the pearls and virgins and riches of Jannah.
Ihsan through Self-Awareness and Time Management
Allah says:
We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this Quran is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things? (Quran 41:53)
Allah makes Himself truly known to us only when we are known to ourselves. He presents signs of Himself both within us and around us.
Spirituality, then, requires self-awareness and this requires higher time-management.
This is the ultimate wisdom behind Surat al-Asr:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful: Time is witness that, surely, mankind suffers loss, except for those of faith, who do good, and become a model of truthful living, and together practice patience and constancy (Al-Asr, Translated by Kabir Helminski).
Rather than trying to fit prayer into our lives as an afterthought, we must schedule our lives around the prayers.
If we have any hope of meeting our goals, we must actively plan, and we must be vigilant of ourselves in ensuring we keep to those plans.
True Love for Allah
How can we claim to love Allah when we don’t think of Him, don’t draw near to Him, and don’t strive to seek that level of nearness that we can feel Him always beholding us?
Watchfulness, or muraqabah, means to watch over your inner states and actions, knowing very well that Allah always sees you.
Imam Al-Ghazali said:
“The reality of watchfulness is awareness of the One who is Watchful–Allah–and then directing one’s concern to Him.”
Through that, you’re watchful over your actions because of your awareness that God is watching you.
This reality, that God is always, always watching, should not create fear, but should create gratitude, hope and love, and it should translate into actions.
The Steps Toward Inner-Awareness and Ihsan
The first step toward developing ihsan is in being careful and conscious of Allah so you don’t disobey Him, and making sure you obey Him.
Then, because you know that Allah is watching, you strive to avoid whatever displeases Him, and you strive to please Him.
Finally, and this could take a lifetime: you constantly strive to remain conscious of Allah and strive to avoid heedlessness of Him.
Constant consciousness of Allah is a gift and a reward for self-awareness and dedicated self-watchfulness.
Consider the consequences of your thoughts. Thoughts become intentions and intentions become actions.
Ask yourself, “If I implemented this thought, would it preserve and promote guidance with gratitude for the sake of God?”
If not, abandon the thought. This will prevent the intention from forming in your heart, which will prevent you from acting on it.
However, be real. You must cultivate this awareness of God in a sustainable way. Don’t let yourself get out of hand.
Excess is from Shaitan
Excessiveness is not sustainable.
It is easy to feel like if I have excelled in this or that, this means that I must always excel in this or that.
Or, we can easily assume that success in one area this means that I must always excel in everything.
This can lead us to avoid excelling in anything for fear that we would then be expected by God to excel in all things!
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few. (Sunan Ibn Majah 4240)
If an action is not sustainable, it is against the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.
When it comes to attaining the ultimate nearness to Allah, the constant awareness of His watchful gaze, remember: consistency is the key.
- aboutislam.net
About Kaighla Um Dayo
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