In his well-known book, Al-Hikam (Words of Wisdom), sheikh Ahmad Ibn `Ataa’illah As-Sakandari says: “He knew that people will mostly not come voluntarily to Him, so He mandated obedience, and thus led them to Him in the chains of obligation. The Lord wonders about people, driven into heaven through chains.” This means that Allah the Almighty, Glory …

It was reported by Ibn `Umar that Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “O people, seek repentance from Allah. Verily, I seek repentance from Him a hundred times a day.” (Muslim) The term tawbah (Arabic for ‘repentance‘) is an Arabic Quranic term which means “a retreat” or “a return”. Examining the Quran …

What follows is based on a true story… There was an affluent father who used to keep his family fed and clothed decently, if not splendidly. After a while, things changed and he became in straitened circumstances. Unable to afford food for his family as he used to, the month of Ramadan came. His social …

Many people interpret the wisdom behind fasting as follows: When the rich suffer from hunger and thirst, they feel the agony of the poor and, thus, they rush to spend on them in charity. In the same vein, when the poor see the rich as suffering from hunger and thirst during their fast, they comfort …

I`jaz al-Quran as a term is translated into English in various ways. Some translators render it as “inimitable ellipticism”, while others use “miraculous elegance”, and still others use “grandiose cadence” or “emotive and evocative force”. As a professional translator and teacher of translation, I prefer to use the English equivalent “inimitability of the Quran” due …

Every surah of the Qur’an has its own theme as well as objectives. Every time I read surat Al-Fajr, certain meanings come into my mind and fill my heart. Foremost among these is the perception that one of the main objectives of the surah for a true Muslim is to attain the “tranquil soul” which …