Sharia Times

The benefits of Muharram and the closeness of the Prophet to Al Hussain

In a distant age and climate the tragic scene of th death of Hussain will awaken the sympathy of the coldest reader - Edward Gibbon 1911 The benefits of Muharram are too many to mention in this humble message but the 10th of Muharram and the death of Al Hussain cannot be gone without a mention. حسين مني وانا من حسين Hussain is from me and I from Hussain - RasoolAllah sAllahu 'alayhi wa salam This closeness of the Prophet to Al Hussain (his grandson) is indisputable and therefore this memory of what happened cannot be forgotten. We often talk about past events and people as mere history, forgetting that they breathed, talked, ate, laughed and cried just like you and I. The difference is that their lives were encompassed by taqwa and void of worldly yearnings. Al Hussain said that the most merciful person is the one who forgives... Read more →

We have certainly created man IN hardship (90:4)

Sبسم الله الرحمن الرحيم لقد خلقنا الانسان في كبد We have certainly created man IN hardship (90:4) In hardship, not with hardship but in hardship, illustrating that there is no escape from it and in fact it has been ordained to be so. From the moment we are born to the moment we die, we are in difficulty. Allah swt is The Most Merciful.. He is more Merciful to you than your own parents and even yourself so then you might consider that these difficulties that we face at every step in our lives is indeed a mercy. It is a rahma from Allah subhanu wa ta'ala. In the same surah ... ثم كان من الذين امنوا وتواصو بالصبر وتواصوا بالمرحمة And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion (90:17) Compassion and patience... A match made in heaven and... Read more →

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy...

Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin (Muslim).. Words of RasulAllah sAllahu 'alayhi wa salam. Our impatience with everyone and everything around us creates an unbeatable fast pace which we cannot keep up with. The constant stress of running around, doing this and that is drains us physically and spiritually. Our prayers become rushed, we don't take the time to reflect or remember Allah swt. How have we allowed ourselves to become like this? The patience that I'm talking about isn't the patience that you have when faced with a problem or calamity... It is an inner peace that allows you to self reflect, evaluate thus becoming patient with yourself and your connection with Allah swt. واستغينوا بالصبر والصلوة وانها لكبيرة الا على الخاشعين And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed it is difficult except for... Read more →

Pakistan’s Desperate Need for Unity

Risala to Pakistan(Letter No.3 - 07/10/2014) Bismillahi-arrahman-arrraheem After greetings and salutations to Rasool sAllahu ‘alayhi wa wasalam We seek guidance from Allah (swt) to “The straight path”, we pray to Allah (swt) The Creator and Lord of the worlds, Al Hakim. Pakistan needs to unite for the Sake of the Nation The 55 days of peaceful demonstrations in Islamabad has highlighted the desperate need for Pakistan to change quickly, to deliver the badly needed socio-economic progress the 180 million population desperately need. Before commenting on the challenges which Pakistan faces, it is essential to state that Pakistan has largely failed to deliver on the ideals and beliefs of its founders Dr. Ilama Iqbal and The Great Qaid-e-Azam. To date Pakistani political forces have purposefully and tenaciously divided society into Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtoon and Muhajar with some further minor subdivisions, enabling political control to be exercised by a few families for... Read more →

Eid Al-Adha "Feast of the Sacrifice"

Eid al-Adha meaning "Festival of the Sacrifice", also called the Feast of the Sacrifice. It is the second of two religious holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide each year. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of submission to Allah swt (God) command. As Ibrahim was about to sacrifice Ismail, Allah swt intervened and provided Abraham with a lamb to sacrifice instead of Ismail. Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dul-Hijjah (the day after Day of Arafat) and lasts for four days. In the international Gregorian calendar the dates vary every year, falling approximately 11 days earlier each year. Eid al-Adha is the latter of the two Eid holidays, the former being Eid al-Fitr, which is celebrated at the end of Ramadan. Like Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a Sunnah prayer of two rakats followed by a sermon (khutbah).... Read more →

Arafat. A day of Mercy, a day of forgiveness and a day of rebirth

Two thousand miles away something amazing is happening.. Arafat. A day of Mercy, a day of forgiveness and a day of rebirth. It is also a place where Adam and Eve met (Arafat, in Arabic, means 'to acquaint') and it was the place that the Angel Jibreel came down to the Prophet Ibrahim, teaching him the rituals of Hajj. Labayk Allahuma Labayk Labayk la sharika laka labayk Inna al hamda wn n'mata Laka wal mulk Laa sharika lak Here I am in Your service O Allah, here I am Here I am, You have no partner, here I am Verily all praise and blessings are for You, and all sovereignity, You have no partner This is the talbiyah, the words that the pilgrims of Hajj repeat over and over again. The day 'Arafa' comes from the word Arf (fragrance). The mercy of Allah swt descends and covers all of those... Read more →