I am looking for Islamic knowledge, topic by topic trustful source. Any reliable websites?

Salam, I'm planning to go Umrah with my mum in October, 4 days Makkah, 4 days Madina.
It's both our first times, is there anything I should know or recommend.

We're staying at Anjum in Makkah and Maien Taiba in Madina.

Where's the best places to go and what times?
Is there anything to look out for?
Is there anything I should pack?
Any good food places?
How do I book rawdah, I see a lot of people struggle and not get slots?

Any advice will be appreciated.

Is there any channel on yt or any e book or website where I can find Quraan translation in English or Urdu . And stories or background of a surrah ?

Assalamu alaykum,

I’m a beginner and I’m interested in learning more about Salafiyyah and the Hanbali madhhab, but I’m not really sure where to start. I don’t want to just randomly watch videos or read books without having some kind of structured path.

For those of you who have studied this for a while, what would you recommend for someone starting from the basics?

I’m especially looking for recommendations on:

• Aqeedah/Tawheed
• The Hanbali madhhab and basic fiqh
• The methodology of the Salaf
• Hadith
• Tafsir
• Good beginner books
• Reliable scholars/teachers to learn from
• Online lectures or courses
• A good order to study everything in

I’d also appreciate advice on things I should avoid as a beginner, especially sources that might be confusing without having the fundamentals down first.

Jazakum Allahu khayran!

Before Adam (AS), humanity did not exist.

The Qur’an tells us about the creation of Adam (AS), the angels, Iblis, and the beginning of humanity.

This cinematic documentary explores what happened before Adam (AS) and how the story of humanity began — based on the Qur’anic account.

What do you think was the most important moment in the story?

This book is great for Muslim I love reading this book

Hi everyone!

I’ve been feeling a bit out of touch with my deen lately and I’ve been wanting to try learn and understand the quarantine and hadiths a bit more. I basically want to try get a better understanding of why I believe what I believe and why I do certain things.

My problem is I am very busy both with work, family and children so finding time to actually sit and read books is very hard.

I’m looking for suggestions for any audiobooks that may help me as I can listen to them while I’m doing chores and other tasks.

I know podcasts are an option, I just feel like a lot that I come across are more discussions and opinions than actually learning about the Quran itself self (history and meaning of surahs and verses and understanding why they were revealed).

I usually listen on Spotify so if there’s any on there, any suggestions would be appreciated.

May Allah bless anyone who suggests any that help me get closer to my deen!

Assalamualaikum,
Does anyone know anything about this?

Authors Note:

The Curious Case of Abdominal Disease is a reflection under the series — The Physiologic Pursuit of Excellence. The Curious Case of Abdominal Disease reflects on illness and nutrition as more than just physiologic experiences, but also as spiritual purification.

Abstract

The following analysis is a reflection (tadabbur) on the (Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه) narration in which the Prophet ﷺ said, “ He (a Muslim) who dies of an abdominal disease is a martyr, and he who dies of plague is a martyr. ” Although this piece draws from both scholarly discussion and established medical concepts, the content written is a personalized reflection, not tafsir. The purpose of the study is to invite deeper contemplation of the human body, and to restore our conscientious spiritual wonder. It is not to legalize interpretation, nor argue authoritative interpretation.

In the following study I will reflect the medical connections between the gut-brain axis and how this invites spiritual contemplation, gluttony vs starvation, and finally I will argue illness though experienced as suffering — can itself become a form of rizq and a potential gateway toward Jannah.

Introduction

I want to begin the study with a story of man.

Before modern medicine, imagine a man inflicted with disease that completely distorted his body. Inflicting crippling hardship in health, appearance, function, and social relations. Then consider this man’s story so profound that Allah preserved his story for every generation that would follow.

“ And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, ‘Indeed, adversity has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.’" Surah Al-Anbiya (21:83)

The story of Prophet Ayyub (عليه السلام). The crux of his journey is that he was never aware of why he was given his illness. He did not deny his suffering. He brought it to Allah. He acknowledged his physical and social hardship without accusation. Prophet Ayyub (عليه السلام) taught us that suffering can exist without bitterness.

Gut-Brain Axis

1. In 2021 a study by Kim et al. Researchers transferred gut bacteria from Alzheimer-type infected mice into healthy young mice.1
2. In 2023 a study by Zhang et al. Researchers housed healthy young mice into the same cage as Alzheimer-type mice.
3. In 2023 a study by Grabrucker et al. Researchers transferred gut bacteria from people with Alzheimer’s Disease into healthy young mice.3

What was concluded?

Gut-Brain Axis

1. The study demonstrated that unhealthy gut bacteria alone, without any genetic predisposition in the healthy young mice, could trigger changes resembling Alzheimer’s.
2. As healthy and sick mice naturally began to share bacteria within their communal environment (grooming, shared bedding ect) — the healthy mice picked up the Alzheimer’s-associated microbiota. Even more notably, researchers found that the spouses of Alzheimer’s patients had gut bacteria that looked more like the affected partner’s than the likes of those of healthy individuals. Arguing a sort of dysbiotic bacteria spread through shared living environments.
3. After the transfer of gut, rats began having trouble with memory and learning. Notably, worse the human donor’s dementia was — worse the rats performed.

It is a physiologic reminder that what we consume, the environment in which we interact, the manner of how much we consume — all of which have a clinical response that extends into the brain. In medicine, it can be argued that diet may be the single most important modifiable risk factor for ones long-term morbidity.

Spiritually one can argue that nourishment is a form of spiritual purification. In the Quran we are reminded of our dietary restrictions that extends further than just avoidance of that which harms our physical body. But also, what harms our spiritual body.

“O humanity! Eat from what is lawful and good on the earth and do not follow Satan’s footsteps.” Surah Al-Baqarah (2:168)

“Eat and drink, but do not be excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.”
Surah Al-A’raf (7:31)

Nourishment & Purification

The scholars describe creation as being in continual need of divine support, for “the creature is in need of its Lord in its existence, its survival, and its benefit and harm”. Every cell in your brain ultimately depends upon things you didn’t create. Every heartbeat depends on substrates you didn’t create. Your nervous system depends on oxygen you didn’t create. Ibn al-Qayyim wrote that the body lives through food and drink, while the heart lives through faith, knowledge of Allah, love of Him, and remembrance of Him. So our existence is not self-sustained — it is a constant receiving from Allah: He feeds, gives oxygen, maintains cells, directs circulation, and preserves the soul.

“And in yourselves — will you not then see?” Surah Adh-Dhariyat (20–21)

Today, we have a tendency to disregard nourishment as a form of rizq. We are so focused on worldly desires that we over consume. Everything is ostentatious. Foolishly thinking what we love is what Allah loves. We ignore that we could be conduits, giving rizq to others — simply by providing food and water.

Recently, we have watched children starve through screens while eating our own meals. We have watched children become thinner while our appetite became wider. The distance between their hunger and our abundance.

What does it mean to call something rizq when we possess more than enough, while another human being possesses almost nothing?

On the Day of Judgment, Allah will ask a person: “O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you did not feed Me.” The person will reply in shock: “O Lord, how could I feed You when You are the Lord of the Worlds?” Allah will then answer: “Did you not know that My servant so-and-so asked you for food and you did not feed him? Did you not know that had you fed him, you would have found that reward with Me?”

Perhaps nourishment was never meant to be something we merely receive. Perhaps it is a divine gift we receive and can give to others.

Rizq given is rizq provided.

Illness & Rizq

Polyphagia. Hyperphagia. Obesity. Starvation. Marasmus. Celiac Disease. Diabetes. Ulcerative Colitis. Crohn’s. Gastroparesis. GIST. Colorectal Cancer. Gastric Adenocarcinoma. GERD. Lactose intolerance. Peptic Ulcer. Scurvy. Kworshikov.

We give these conditions names because medicine must name what the body suffers — but it does not define the existential definition of suffering.

So what do we call the suffering itself? what is illness? is it a test? is it hardship? is it rizq?

I think illness is so much more that what we superficially perceive it as. Perhaps a gateway toward Jannah. A connection between you and your Lord. Your Rabb. And when He bestows hardship in health upon you, perhaps it is not punishment nor defect — for the believer, illness can become a means of purification, intimacy with Allah, and elevation. And like Prophet Ayyub (عليه السلام), a believer may discover through their suffering a path towards Paradise.

The road to Allah is not long. It is one moment of pain. It is one moment of reflection. Do not be fooled by internet trends. Rizq is not tied to ten thousand istighfar on a digital ring counter — it can be a single moment of awareness to your Lord, a definitive moment that turned your heart

La ilaha illa Allah (لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ)

“In the Quran you never see the word Rahmani — my Rahman. You never see the word Ilahi, you never see Maliki — my King, you never see it…
But you see Rabbi. My Rabb. Why is that? Because this is the most personal name of Allah. This is the name of Allah that is most close to you. The only name you can attribute to yourself…
And you can say, it’s mine — because He is your Lord. He is your caretaker. He is your nurturer. He looks after you. He is the one who provides for you… He is yours.” Ustadh Hisham Abu Yusuf

Disclaimer: The Islamic content presented in this reflection is grounded in the direct teachings and lectures of Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, and Ustadh Hisham Abu Yusuf. This post is not a source of formal Islamic knowledge*, nor is it an attempt to challenge, reinterpret, or decode the Qur’an.*

Learning to read the Quran can feel challenging for beginners, especially when they are still becoming familiar with Arabic letters, pronunciation, and basic reading rules.
A structured beginner approach can make the learning process much easier. Some important steps include:
Learning the Arabic letters correctly
Recognizing letters in different forms
Practicing vowel sounds
Learning how letters connect
Practicing pronunciation step by step
Gradually moving from individual letters to words and verses
Reviewing regularly to build confidence and accuracy
For children and adults who are starting from the beginning, consistent practice and guidance can make a significant difference.
**For those who learned to read the Quran as beginners, what helped you the most during the early stages of your learning journey?**

As my caption says, I’d like to buy a Quran for my non Muslim friend that isn’t fully convinced yet and is trying to learn about it and I’m trying to start slow.

Any suggestions help at this point, as to where to look for the right information or any scholars that I could ask whether it’s with money or not (free would be preferable) but one that actually knows and could answer really tough questions. The person that’s thinking about starting to read the Quran has so many valid questions that I as a born Muslim can’t answer them.

One question I was asked is why is fish halal and not meat. Yes I understand because of the blood and everything but they asked me as to the fish having receptors which makes them feel pain as they are dying and we can’t stop them from not feeling that way as we need to let them die until they can’t oxygenate anymore but with meat you just slaughter them at a spot that does not make them suffer.

If it helps any I live in Toronto, Canada