A few years back, I read an article about the Prophet (ﷺ) and his mission on the editorial page of a leading newspaper, written by a prominent Islamophobic “intellectual”. The article made no pretense of scholarship, it was simply a regurgitation of the vilest slanders against the Prophet (ﷺ), which had been given pride of…...
EVER wonder how many of us offer our prayers perfunctorily, or even incorrectly, barely understanding what we say? Ever notice how many of us aren’t interested in picking up and reading the Qur’an in our moments of solitude and despair to gain solace and comfort from it, simply because “we don’t understand it.” Ever wonder…...
We truly appreciate the value of something when we are deprived of it – either temporarily or irrevocably. Owing to a recent accident, I was compelled to say my prayers while sitting down, and like many others who are unable to bow down due to physical disabilities or old age, I realized the value of…...
Brave is the person who ventures to give advice to others these days – no matter how well-meaning – despite the looming fear of instantly being labeled “self-righteous” and “holier-than-thou.” “Self-righteous” is a contemptuous pejorative commonly used nowadays, designed to silence the most dogged of do-gooders, and in the words of religious blogger and public…...
Have you ever wanted to memorize the Qur’an but felt you couldn’t because of various reasons – not knowing the Arabic language, lack of time and resources, being busy with studies, work, marriage and children, a minor speech impediment that made it difficult to pronounce the words correctly? This book is written by someone who…...
LOOKING at the surfeit of food on our sufras, it never ceases to appall me how much time, energy, expense and effort is spent in preparing, consuming, serving and clearing up elaborate meals in the name of “maintaining Ramadan traditions.” It’s no secret that harried housewives and working women have resorted to outsourcing traditional Ramadan fare, and…...
Ramadan is the month of conquests, when Muslims have been blessed with numerous historic victories: there was the Battle of Badr (Ramadan 17, 3 AH), when a miniscule, ill-equipped Muslim force defeated a 1000-strong contingent of Arabia’s haughtiest warriors; there was the Conquest of Makkah (Ramadan 20/22, 8 AH), when the Muslims peacefully took charge…...
BEYOND the glitz and glamour of the grand malls and superhighways, the multi-cuisine restaurants and cosmopolitan communities, there’s another side to Saudi Arabia that not many people talk about: the sleepy small towns and villages, where life goes from one day to another at an unhurried, graceful pace, untouched by the bigger-better-faster, more fevered tempo…...
Imagine that you were witness to a gory hit-and-run accident: from your vantage point you can actually see the helpless, wounded victims, hear their groans of pain and their cries for help. What would you do? If you were a doctor or health-care worker, you would attempt to rescue, resuscitate and revive the victims. If…...
Whenever I’m asked to recommend a good read to someone, I’m often stuck for choices after the classics. There are not many contemporary books that can be read without reservations, and which give one good value for the time invested in reading them. However, this is one book that I would recommend with equal enthusiasm…...