For those of us living in the West, qadar (divine will or destiny) is a difficult topic to grapple with. The Western world is based on the idea that we make our…

In our minds, we live most of our lives in the future.   But thinking too much about the future is like buying furniture for a house that has not…

A verse in the Quran talks about the mother of Moses (peace be upon him). This verse is very close to my heart for many reasons. And most important of which is…

It was the heat of battle. After defeat at Badr, the Quraysh had come out against the Muslims with their strongest cavalry. Some Muslim archers disobeyed the Prophet (peace be upon…

“The caravan departs, and the traveler enters into a foreign land. He becomes separated from the habits and customs associated with his homeland.  This allows him to ponder carefully over…

Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem. I begin with the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This is a phrase that we say every day, several times per day. However sometimes we forget…

Man may think that the relationship between him and his Lord is similar to that between children and their parents; that they need them when young and dispense with them when grown…

Having the opportunity to make Hajj, for a Muslim, is the dream of a lifetime, but what does one aspire for or towards after Hajj?   Do we merely return to…

Editor’s Note: In this article, the author shares her reflections on the sacred journey in diary style, depicting the magnificent scenes of Hajj with all the hardships, peace, and serenity…

Two subjects associated with the dramatic commencement of Hajj are ihram and talbiyah, further enhanced by the concepts of sincere intention (niyyah) and mawaqit (fixed times and places for the beginning of Hajj). Ihram is making…