Youtube used to allow streaming without any unwanted adverts once upon a time. Those were the good old days. You could listen to an entire surah without being ambushed with an advert about shampoo or a holiday package. Now, you have to sign up to the premium version to get an advert-free experience. As I returned back from Jummah last Friday, I played one of my favourite reciters -Shaykh Abdul Basit on Youtube. The powerful and moving recitation of Shaykh Abdul Basit (Rahimhullah) recorded in  the 1950's was interrupted by unrelated marketing adverts, spoiling the experience. Annoyed by this, I remember saying under my breath, 'Ya rabb I wish these adverts did not ruin the experience of list

These verses speak to us amidst the genocide in Gaza. There is an amazing connection between the opening and closing of this sūrah. In the very first verse, Allah says: 'The command of Allah is at hand, so do not hasten it. Glorified and Exalted is He above what they associate ˹with Him in worship˺!' (Quran 16:1) The opening calls us to refrain from haste and assures us that Allah’s decree is already in motion, and the closing of the surah commands us to bear with patience. The sūrah also contains similar reminders to patience, such as in 16:42 (see reflection here:

. And finally, it ends with a call for the Prophet (peace be upon him)

According to Merriam-Webster, willpower is the capacity to control one's actions, emotions, or impulses. It can also refer to the ability to control one's thoughts.Similarly, according to the great lexicologist Imam Al-Asfahani, he defines it as; 'Al-'Azimah (Determination): It is the resolve of the heart to firmly commit to carrying out a matter: (Al-Mufradat)  Recently, the headlines flooded the social media platforms telling us of a world famous Muslim celebrity, who was escorted off the plane, for what appeared to be a racially motivated incident. Although the situation is somewhat opaque, it was clear that the Muslim, reacted with dignity, respect and complied with what was requested

'Read your record. You ˹alone˺ are sufficient this Day to take account of yourself!' Each one of us in every moment is an author of our own book. Every motion, action, and intention is being written, journaled, recorded, and transcribed.  Imagine for a moment you are now at the scene, standing before Allah, about to receive your records, a book that will contain nano-precise logs more precisely recorded than your phone activity log. And now imagine this being given to you and presented before Allah,  Think back to the moments in which you and I fell short in observing Allah. Maybe it was neglecting our prayers or abusing someone, or a bad habit that we did not care to stop. How woul

After being away for almost a week, my one year old son was super excited to see me. He wanted to be picked up and held, and no matter what other offers were proposed to him to allow me to take my coat off, he would not for a second compromise. SubhanAllah. Alhamdulillah.

With this pleasant feeling and image in mind, I reflected on the verses which I was reading earlier, describing the desperation of the wicked on the day of judgement, and especially the scene which vividly depicts that 'The wicked will wish to ransom themselves from the punishment of that Day by their children,  their spouses, their siblings, their clan that sheltered them, (11-13).  Not only will they be willing to ranso