Imagine that you’re working on a 1,000 piece puzzle with a child — a young boy. You know it’s too complex for him to do on his own, but you’re helping him through it and every once in a while, he even finds a piece that fits without your assistance. But as you spend more and more time with him, slowly crafting together that puzzle, you can’t help but become frustrated; the boy keeps seeing some random piece that he likes,... Read more
There’s an ongoing discussion about what hijab is, what it means to women, and whether it oppresses or liberates them. This debate is a totally separate issue from the real-life, everyday struggles that Muslim women go through when choosing to cover or expose their bodies. Women generally face two separate kinds of pressures on a regular basis. The first is that, in order to be feminine, you must reveal your body and look, dress, and act a certain way. For... Read more
There’s a well-known hadith in Sahih Bukhari about three men who got trapped in a cave while traveling, and got out after each of them made du’a to Allah and told Him about a deed they had done only for His sake. This hadith is often used in reminders about sincerity and the permissibility of making du’a to Allah in this fashion, which are both very important topics. However, we need to look at it from another angle as well,... Read more
“And among mankind are those who take other than Allah as equals [to Him]. They love them as they [should only] love Allah. But those who truly believe are more intense in their love for Allah…” (2:165) We all give our hearts to something in this life, whether it’s a person, or our goals, reputation, possessions, appearance, wealth, or just about anything else. We strive to calm the turbulence of our hearts through it. Our love or desire for it... Read more
“Do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trials] have not yet come to you as came to those who passed before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, ‘When is the help of Allah coming?’ Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” [Qur’an 2:214] Sometimes you hit rock bottom in life, and it seems as though the sun will never shine on you again.... Read more
These are the first words that came up in a Google search starting with “my parents.” The fact that it’s the most common search result shows that it’s not just people with extreme circumstances who are thinking this way. Somewhere along the journey to becoming adults, we forget that to our parents, it seems like yesterday when they were watching us move in an ultrasound; or marveling at how we were finally strong enough to physically lift our own heads... Read more
In the movie The Truman Show, they show the story of a boy who’s raised in a massive TV set. He grows up to become a man that’s been watched on the big screen his whole life but didn’t know it. He’s living in a virtual bubble, which is obviously tiny compared to the “outside world,” but to him, it’s everything. And there are hardships in his life, and happy moments like when he hangs out with his best friend... Read more
The Prophet (saws) said, “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler along a path” [Sahih Bukhari]. Although though people might enjoy themselves while traveling, they don’t forget about where they’re going. If you’re on a road trip with your friends and you’re having an awesome time together, you’re not just going to be like, “Let’s forget about all the cool restaurants, five-star hotels, and tourist attractions that we were going to check out, and... Read more
There have been these Facebook movies going around lately, where they show you a flashback of your time since you joined it. Take a moment to imagine your “Duniya movie.” You’re about to stand before your Creator, and you’re watching your time in this world flash before your eyes. Imagine the first moments of your life that you can remember… your best memories, and biggest accomplishments… how you influenced others in both good and bad ways… your friends, and how... Read more
We all take pride in the character and life of our beloved Prophet (saws), and the fact that we believe in the perfect Message he preached for 23 years. But is that enough? Is it enough to just say that we believe? Should that really make us feel accomplished as Muslims? The Prophet (saws) went from being called “as-Sadiq” (the Truthful) and “al-Amin” (the Trustworthy), to being called a madman, fortune teller, and lying poet by the people who knew... Read more
Mostly Muslim
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In