My friend took me to a mosque next to the mausoleum, where the floors were covered by carpets, and around its Mihrab there were some Qur'anic verses, engraved in beautiful calligraphy. I noticed a few turbaned youngsters sitting near the Mihrab studying, and each one of them had a book in his hand.I was impressed by the scene, since I had never seen Shaykhs aged between thirteen and sixteen, and what made them look so cute was their costumes. My ...
It is obligatory to pay Zakat on the following things:
Barley
Raisins
Silver
Cow
As an obligatory precaution, upon the wealth in business
On the basis of obligatory precaution, Zakat should be paid on Sult, which is a soft, grain like wheat with the property of barley and on ‘alas, which is like wheat, and is the food of the people of San’a (Yemen).
If a person remains the owner of cow, sheep, camel, gold and silver for 11 months, ...
Islamic intellectual culture suffers from a philosophy deficit. While there are a few philosophical thinkers in the Muslim World today none of them enjoys the rock star status that many pedestrian preachers and YouTube stalwarts enjoy. What this tells us is that people are beginning to value knowledge but are unable to distinguish between preaching and thinking.What we need today are critical thinkers who force Muslims to think and not feel-good ...
The literal meaning of zakat In defining zakat, it is said to have both the meaning of cleansing and nurturing. If zakat's definition is taken from the root Arabic word, tazkiya meaning cleansing, the sense of zakat becomes attached to property, i.e. cleansing one's property from God's share of the work and others' past efforts, or primary materials and investment. Zakat in practice From the perspective that the rights of every manufacturer and ...
Question: A two-level bridge has been built recently around the Holy Ka'abah. Is it permissible for an able-bodied or a disabled pilgrim to perform tawaf on those bridges, of free choice or out of necessity? What is the Islamic law about offering tawaf prayer there?
Answer: As for the first level of the bridge, performing tawaf on it would be valid even in the state of free choice. Of course, when it comes to obligatory tawaf, one must, as a ...
Below you will find the excerpt from Day of Judgement by Moulana Sayyid Saeed Athtar Rizvi, 1978. (Moulana's source is Bihar-ul-Anwar, Vol. III). The hadith is a conversation between Holy Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.W. and the great Salman-e-Farsi R.A. Make sure to take mental notes on how many of these signs we have now seen in the world; some to such an extent that we take them for granted these days. Abdullah bin Abbas said that after completing ...
How to Feel the Joy of Worship?
It has been a while that I did not like to say my prayers. I find a lot of excuses in order not to say my prayers. For example, I tell myself that I will say my prayers after I watch a movie. But after that, I study or I find other things to do, just because I do not want to say my prayers. I do not know why this has happened to me. Why can't I enjoy saying my prayers?
I used let go of everything just to say my ...
Imam ‘Ali Naqi (as) narrates that Prophet Musa (as) asked Allah, "O Allah! What is the reward for one whose eyes shed tears with Your fear?" The reply was, "O Musa (as)! I shall save his face from the heat of the Hellfire and prevent him from the hardship of the Hereafter!"The Prophet of Islam (S) said, "One whose eyes water with the fear of Allah, in return for every drop of his tears Allah will give him a palace in the Heaven. The palace ...
The Principles of Jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh)Introduction The subject under consideration here is the 'ilm, or knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence, usul ul fiqh. The two studies of jurisprudence and its principles are interconnected. They are interconnected in the same way, as will become clear, as the two studies of logic and philosophy are interconnected. The study of the principles is tantamount to a preparation to the study of ...
To gain Allah’s special blessings, the mystic servant should prepare the necessary grounds for it by:
1. Avoiding the accompaniment of people with a weak faith who do not try to strengthen their belief and accompanying the favorite servants and divine scholars instead.
2. Avoiding eating doubtful meals, let alone unlawful meals, in parties and feasts of people with unlawful wealth.
3. Purifying the soul ...
The Two Illustrious Angels and Body Limbs
The recording of human deeds by the two writer angels as well as the limbs’ being witness for human behavior are facts mentioned in the Holy Qur’¡n and the traditions.
وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ. كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ. يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ.
And most surely there are keepers over you. Honorable records, they know ...
The Kind Embrace
None of the prophets (s.a), the Imams (a.s), and favorite servants expected Allah to treat them with chastisement; the Almighty Who has called Himself in the Holy Qur’¡n as the Most Merciful of the merciful, the Forgiver, the Generous, the Lover, the Holy, the Fine, and the Relenting.
The chastisement of the Hereafter is not related to the believers at all. It is the bitter fruit of denying the truth and enmity with Allah. ...
Josef and Zulaykh¡
Some scholars have quoted that as Zulaykh¡[1] misused her power and accused Josef to adultery, in order to acquit herself, Josef was imprisoned. But out of her intense affection toward Josef, Zulaykh¡ wished to hear his voice and weeping. So she ordered one of her servants to wipe Josef. Seeing Josef’s divine and enlightened face, the servant could not obey the order. He thus put a thick piece of cloth on Josef and then ...
وَكُنِ اللّهُمَّ بِعِزَّتِكَ لي في كُلِّ الاَْحْوالِ رَؤوفاً وَعَلَيَّ في جَميعِ الاُْمُورِ عَطُوفاً
And by Your Might, O Allah! Be kind to me in all states and be gracious to me in all affairs!
No one in the world can describe Allah’s kindness, however knowledgeable he or she may be. But His kindness can be understood from pondering in Qur’¡nic verses ...
ا إِلَهَ إِلاّ أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ
There is no deity but You! Glory be to You, and Yours is the Praise!
The phrase 'There is no deity but You' is termed Tahlil, 'Glory be to You' is labeled Tasb¢¦, and 'Praise is Yours' is called Tahmid.
If someone utters Tahlil while he believes in it sincerely and wholeheartedly, removing any other deity from his thought and life, he is a real monotheist. ...
اللَّهُمَّ وَأَسْألُكَ سُؤَالَ مَنِ اشْتَدَّتْ فَاقَتُهُ
O Allah! I ask You with the asking of one whose indigence in extreme.
Allah; the True Owner
When reading this part of the supplication, the supplicant should observe two facts, based on the Qur’¡nic verses and the traditions. The first fact is that there is no Owner and no Absolute Sufficient, except Allah. The second one is that the ...
O Allah! Great is Your Kingdom.
Allah's Kingdom is essential and real. Other sovereignties are conventional and temporary, but Allah's is permanent, unlimited, and endless. His Kingdom embraces hidden and apparent beings, as well as the apparent and hidden aspects of them. There is no kingdom but His Kingdom. All others are in need and have nothing of their own.
Allah's Argument and Proof is great and no one can compete with it. Wisdom, ...
Paradise
One of the realities that is with Allah is Paradise, for which the believers and good doers are enthusiastic. The Merciful Allah has invited all His servants to this permanent site. He has stated belief, piety, good deed, and observing lawful and unlawful deeds for reaching it.
وَسَارِعُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ ...
Imam Sadiq (a.s) said:
مَنْ حَسَّنَ بِرَّهُ أهْلَ بَيْتِهِ زِيدَ فِي رِزْقِهِ.
One who serves his family nicely his sustenance would be expanded.[1]
حُسْنُ الخُلُقِ يَزِيدُ فِي الرِّزْقِ.
Affability increases sustenance.[2]
Attempt in getting lawful sustenance is considered an important Islamic worship. The Messenger of Allah (s.a) states:
مَنْ أكَلَ ...
