Category: Articles and Blog Posts

  • Sha’ban and Bid’ah: Islam Isn’t Sorcery

    Al-Shatibi, the author of a two-volume book entitled al-I’tisam الاعتصام (Holding Fast), has been hailed by many as the best book ever written on the subject of bid’ah: “unsanctioned innovation in religious matters”. In this work, al-Shatibi gives the following definition for bid’ah: البدعة طريقة مخترعة في الدين تضاهي الشرعية يقصد بالسلوك عليها ما يقصد… Continue reading

  • Sha’ban – The Month of Branching Out and Connecting

    One of the linguistic meanings of Sha’ban is “to branch out” and “connect” because it’s the month which literally connects with Ramadan. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا تَقَرَّبَ عَبْدِي مِنِّي شِبْرًا تَقَرَّبْتُ مِنْهُ ذِرَاعًا وَإِذَا تَقَرَّبَ مِنِّي ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ مِنْهُ بَاعًا – أَوْ بُوعًا –… Continue reading

  • Whose ‘Abd Do You Want To Be?

    Ask yourself, “Whose ‘abd1 do you want to be?” You are not created for this world. This world is created for you. You were created for God. #SeenFollowsTheUnseen — Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (@UmarFAbdAllah) April 26, 2017 It’s not that Allah doesn’t get upset if you commit a sin: It’s that Allah is more upset that… Continue reading