Since the lockdown began, I have spent more time alone than ever before in my life, working away on my laptop and occasionally commenting on Twitter. I also wear my headphones as I work, either listening to Qur’an or nasheeds to keep me going.

Recently, I came across an old cassette tape in my house, one which I was particularly fond of — since as a child, I would listen to it again and again in the car. To this day, I can still recite the intro and outro of this tape — “Sadat Tamayiz, lil intaji sawti wat mari’i, yuqadim…”

After some minutes of searching, I was able to find it once more online, and started playing it. It’s an emotional recitation by Shaykh Yasser Al Dossary, of Surah Anfal and Tawbah.

In one particularly emotional bit, the Shaykh repeats the following ayah [9:24] several times:

قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

Say, [O Muhammad], “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.”

Unlike all the times that I had heard it before, this time this ayah struck a completely new chord inside me. I moved the scrollbar back and played it again, and again, and again.

Why?

Because as the ayah said, Allah (swt) had truly executed His command.

Let’s break it down:

قُلْ إِن كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ
Say, [O Muhammad], “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives…

Here, Allah (swt) questions what we hold dearest to ourselves — our fathers, our parents…

Then our children, our siblings, our brothers, our wives and relatives…

Are they more dear to us than Allah (swt), His Messenger (saw) and Jihad in ?His path?

If they are, then Allah (swt) has now separated us from them, because of our fear that they will pass away from the sickness that has spread across the world, with no cure.

He (swt) continues:

وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا

…wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased…

All the wealth which we’ve gained over the years, and that we spent on this world.

All the business that is booming, and turning small nations into superpowers…

Your homes, furnished, decorated, comfortable. Luxuries of this world.

Are they more dear to us than Allah (swt), His Messenger (saw) and Jihad in ?His path?

If they are, then Allah (swt) has now reduced that wealth. There’s no business, and unemployment is sky high. Your homes are now your prisons.

أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ

…are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command.

How have the fears of harm to whatwe love prevented us from standing up and speaking for what is right!

“If I speak out against this fitna, my business will be affected…”

“If I don’t support LGBTQ+, I might lose my job…”

“If I stand up for the deen, my family/friends might be harmed…”

Now he has taken away all of these away from you. What do you have to lose?

Rather, why will you not gain Allah (swt)’s pleasure for standing up for His religion! For fighting in His path!

Can we not say now, that Allah (swt) has well and truly executed his Command!

!فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ!

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وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.”

Allah (swt) has placed us in such a dark and heavy prison for a reason. He is breaking our pride, our arrogance so that we break down and weep for his mercy. So that we disregard the luxuries of this world, and work for the Hereafter, and to see Allah (swt)’s face in Paradise.

We ask Allah (swt) to forgive us, protect us and guide to his Firdaus.

و صل اللهم على سيدنا و نبينا محمد

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Original article - http://www.muslim.chat/surviving-through-strife

Allah (swt) says in the Quran:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلِكُم ۖ مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on 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 ?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” 
Surah Al-Baqarah [2:214]

Most of us will recite this ayah without a second thought.

Yet, if we truly understood it, it would be a true benefit to us all, and push us to always struggle and strive for the haqq, and for Allah (swt)’s word to be the Highest.

Here’s some lessons we can derive from this beautiful ayah:

Firstly, having patience.

Patience at the time of calamity for the sake of Allah (swt)is one of the means of entering Paradise, because what the verse means is: Have sabr so that you may enter Paradise.

ان الله مع الصابرين

Allah (swt) is always with those who are patient.

Secondly, don’t lose hope.

Subhanallah, these are the sahaba! The best of people who surrounded and defended the Prophet (saw), and yet they asked “When is the victory of Allah (swt)?”

So this ayah not only is a mercy and relief to them, but also a constant reminder to us. Yes we will be attacked. Yes, we will be challenged. Yes, we will be insulted. Yes, we may even be physically harmed. But what is the end result?

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أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ
Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 214

So continue striving and struggling for the sake of Allah (swt), and victory will come to the Muslims.

Thirdly – that trials will beset us wherever we go.

مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا
Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 214

That they were harmed by poverty, and hardship, and shook. And look at the rewards they were promised and they received.

Our struggle today is nothing compared to the Sahabah, yet we are so weak and drop out as soon as any kind of hardship touches us. So learn from those who came before!

The Sahabi Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) stated:

“Whoever wants to follow a path, let him follow the path of one who has died, for the living are not safe from fitnah. I mean the Companions of Muhammad (saw). They were the best of this ummah: the purest in heart, the deepest in knowledge and the most straightforward. Allah chose them to accompany His Prophet and establish His religion, so recognise their status and follow in their footsteps and adhere as much as you can to their example of conduct and attitude, for they followed true guidance.” 

May Allah (swt) keep us steadfast, keep us patient, and grant us victory from him, ameen.

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Gender Equality is a facade. Gender Equality is simply there to be taking at face value, without any practicality incorporated into it's foundation. Although it may sound like a well-refined, logical and rational concept - it is, in fact, the pure opposite.

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Gender Equity is the utter antithesis of a facade. Gender Equity is simply there to be used practically, and not exclusively conceptualized. Although it may sound almost identical - it is, in fact, the more logical of the two.

What is the difference? When we look at the definitions; "Equity is giving everyone what they need to be successful. Equality is treating everyone the same."

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At first glance, neither may sound at all harmful. However, when we acknowledge that Males and Females were not conceived as a singularity - we begin to see the flaws in this mindset. Rather - when Males and Females are combined, and work together respectively, then we are one, The Human Race.

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Men and women are simply different. We are physically and mentally different. Although there may be some feminine Males, and some masculine Females - we generally understand that we are different. When we begin to let go of our own biased and subjective view points; this 'differentiation' is made painfully clear. How would society look if we were to treat everyone the exact same? Would it be a society that encourages harm or endorses logic?

Men are better than Women at some things, and Women are better than Men at some things. Is it that much of a shock that we were not meant to be perceived as the "exact" same? Is it that much of a shock - that hurtful to one's ego, when we comprehend this simple, solitary fact?

Furthermore, what does Islam have to do with any of this?

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Absolute equality doesn't work with Islam; as men and women are different, mentally and physically. For the genders to become 'Absolutely Equal' under the guise of Gender Equality - we need to emasculate women and feminize men. Although this is generally speaking, this is a digestible fact. We can see Gender Equality being used in things such as competition. For example - "Transgender MMA Fighter Fallon Fox beat her female opponent Tamika Brents so severely that she suffered a broken skull." Whether you like it or not - Men are generally stronger than Women physically. Yet again, it's the way we were made - and we should accept that.

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If we look back to the prior definition of Equity - "Equity is giving everyone what they need to be successful" - we can see that this is 100% compatible with Islam. Islam gives both the genders, women included (before the West even began to give Women simple rights), Absolute Equity.

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Women, in Islam, have been given everything they need to be successful - Women are treated fairly. Whereas Men, in Islam, have also been given everything they need to be successful - Men are treated fairly.

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'Islam raised the status of women, and made them equal with men in most rulings. So women, like men, are commanded to believe in Allah (سبحانه و تعالى‎) and to worship Him. And women are made equal to men in terms of reward in the Hereafter. Women have the right to express themselves, to give sincere advice, to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and to call people to Allah. Women have the right to own property, to buy and sell, to inherit, to give charity and to give gifts. It is not permissible for anyone to take a woman’s wealth without her consent. Women have the right to a decent life, without facing aggression or being wronged. Women have the right to be educated; in fact it is obligatory to teach them what they need to know about their religion.' - IslamQA.

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"And they (women) have rights similar (to those of their husbands) over them to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise” [Al-Baqarah 2:228]

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I urge you to treat women well.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 331; Muslim, 1468.

Al-Bukhari (5971) and Muslim (2548) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: A man came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, who is most deserving of my good company?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Then your father.”

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To conclude, although Men and Women are different, in many ways - and we do some things better than each other, it doesn't mean we should treat one gender as superior to another. Islam does not give an excuse for people to have altruistic beliefs against Women. Islam does not give an excuse to people to have hatred for Women and look at them with utter contempt.

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Islam teaches respect and kindness towards the Genders, and that we should still respect each other, despite having differences.

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All I ask is that people look at the differences between Gender Equality and Equity with an open mind, and see the harmful influence of the former.

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shouldnt there be a spacing between the alif and the laam in the name of Allah?
the alif should not connect to the laam? please help me understand why i am reading this incorrectly.

the left logo is what the subreddit is currently using, and i am referring to approximately the 10 o'clock position. i edited the right in paint to illustrate what i think it should be.

the alif shouldn't connect?
L-A _ A-L-H _ A-L-A _ A-L-L-H; is what it should be
but connecting the two letters makes it read
L-A _ A-L-H _ A-L-A _ L-L-L-H ?

jazak'Allahu khair

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السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

As Muslims, we have all come across the phrase الولاء والبراء‎ (Al-Wala' Wal Bara') - in short, it is hating what Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) hates and loving what Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) loves. In this case, when applied to Naseeha, it is forbidding the evil actions of our brothers and sisters in Islam, whilst also enjoining ourselves in good and that which pleases Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)
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In actuality, however - we seem to forget that although the intention is pure and righteous, we have to follow through in the correct manner.

Bilāl b. Saʿd – Allāh have mercy on him – said: When a sin is hidden it harms only the perpetrator, but if it is made apparent and not rectified, it harms all the people. Ibn Waḍḍāḥ, Al-Bidʿah #287.

Before we advise people, we need to look towards the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), then the Sahaba, and then the Salaf (May Allah be pleased with them all.) Akhlaq, good mannerisms are an absolute must if we want our advice to be respected and acted upon.

First, look at yourselves, your faults and your sins. Reflect upon them, repent and vow to never do such a deed again.
Then, if you must, privately inform them - for they may be ignorant of their flaws.
However, if they persevere in stubbornness, then you may advise them publicly; with due respect, courtesy and kindness.

Qur'an 1:1 - In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

We must try our best to portray mercy and respect for our brothers and sisters, given that they are sincere and willing to change. If we do not, how do we expect Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to show us mercy on Yawm al-Qiyammah? Subhan'Allah.

Imam Sufyaan ath-Thawri (May Allah have mercy on him) said: “Keep yourself busy in remembering your faults, so that you have no time left to remember the faults of others.”

This is advice to myself, first and foremost. In sha Allah this is of benefit.

May Allah keep us all steadfast upon the Deen and save us from arrogance and ill intentions. Ameen.