Content Soul

December, 2015

• 17 December

  Value of the Teacher

  ‘Those who don’t have a teacher appreciate the value of a teacher.’ (Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq)
• 10 December

  Heart to Heart

  Knowledge in Islām is not just from mouth to ear or from books, but knowledge in Islām is predominantly from heart to heart.’ (Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq)
• 7 December

  A Mechanical Performance

  A routine, mechanical performance of salah in reality is not sufficient although it may fulfil the obligation. We also need to consider social etiquettes, and fulfilling the rights of the creation as well as the creator. We can get obsessed with halal and haram but we forget about the essence of worship, the core spirituality. [This short excerpt is based …
• 7 December

  Ihsaan

  In the famous hadeeth of Jibril عليه السلام narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضى الله عنه (Hadeeth 47, Abridged Saheeh al-Bukhari), Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.says ‘Ihsaan is that you worship Allah as though you see Him. Then, if you do not see Him then indeed He sees you’. This sentence of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. can be understood …
• 7 December

  Nafsun Mutma’innah

  We are not humans because of the physical body but rather due to the soul. We need to focus on the soul on its entire journey from its origin till the final destination that Allah has designated it. By focussing on the soul and fulfilling its requirements, Allah will make us amongst those who are successful as they have purified …
• 3 December

  Polluted Faith

  ‘There are many who purify their clothes yet pollute their faith!’ – The companion Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (رضى الله عنه). — Tweet by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq @sh_riyadhulhaq November 3 2015

July, 2015

• 2 July

  Ramadan Reflections 2

  1. If, even in the blessed and sanitised atmosphere of Ramadan, we do not reform our character and conduct then we must ask ourselves: ‘When?’ 2. Fasting in Ramadan with constant awareness and mindfulness is the easiest and most effective course for anger management and self discipline. 3. Ramadan was the chosen month of divine revelation, and it remains a …

June, 2015

• 25 June

  Ramadan Reflections 1

  1. Fasting curbs our animalistic indulgence and carnality, and enables us to break free of the shackles of bestiality and soar to spirituality. 2. The Islamic purpose of fasting is to create taqwa: the soul’s own immune system, which develops resistance to spiritual diseases and sin. 3. Fasting curbs the cravings of the lower self, for when the body is …

May, 2015

• 21 May

  Am I responsible?

  Imam Nasa’i and others relates a ḥadīth where it is mentioned that Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم led Fajr salah. He was reciting the Holy Qur’an and experienced some difficulties in the recitation. After salah he turned to the congregation and said to ‘Oh people! Make good your wudhu. Some of you do not complete your wudhu and because of that …

February, 2015

• 14 February

  Pride and Arrogance – Spiritual Gathering February 2015

   

January, 2015

• 22 January

  Brief Sojourn on Earth

  Some deny the existence of the spirit but Islam tells us that it is really only the spirit that lives in man and makes us who we are. The spirit is more important than our mind or body. We are not our body or mind rather the spirit as it is our spirit that existed before we came into this …
• 8 January

  A Deadly Disease

  Arrogance is such a severe disease of the heart because an arrogant person is not merely objecting to Allah’s division and distribution in His creation, as with envy, but is actually challenging Allāh in His greatness. We learn from the ḥadīth that greatness, grandness and pride are the garments of Allāh سبحانه وتعالى and whoever wishes to claim them is …
• 1 January

  Objecting to Allah’s Division and Distribution

  ‏In a ḥadīth, related by Abū Dawūd, Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم says “Beware of envy for envy consumes up good deeds just as fire consumes up and devours wood or dry grass.” On one hand we work hard to earn the reward of Allāh by praying, fasting and doing other good deeds, but on other hand we harbour …

December, 2014

• 25 December

  Create provisions of Taqwa

  We are so obsessed with physical health and fitness with no regard for our spiritual health, yet anything can happen. A poet says: Oh son of Adam Prepare for death Create provisions of Taqwa For indeed you do not know When the night falls with its complete darkness Whether you will survive until the morning There are many young men …

July, 2014

• 23 July

  Abstention

  Fasting in Arabic originally means abstention, therefore we should not only abstain from food and drink but from anything that displeases Allāh سبحانه وتعالى. Thus the fast of speech will mean abstention from all foul, offensive and sinful speech which is ḥarām (forbidden). Otherwise, if a person remains hungry and thirsty while continuing to do sinful acts, he/she would not …

December, 2013

• 19 December

  Show the Initiative in Good

  Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Holy Qurān, وَلَا تَسْتَوِي الْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا السَّيِّئَةُ ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ Nor can good and evil be equal. Repel thou evil with that which is goodly then behold he between whom and thee there was enmity, will be as though he was a warm friend. [al …

November, 2013

• 28 November

  Self-Reflection

  Allah سبحانه وتعالى says of Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم in the Holy Qurān, فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ So let man look – from what is he created. [at Tariq 85/5] This verse reminds us that we should focus on ourselves. When man thinks about his lowly origin, it will lead to humility. Many of the teachings of Allah and …
• 21 November

  Spiritual Training

  Just as martial arts is physical training, tazkiyah is spiritual training. Martial arts instructors train and discipline their students in order that they may defend themselves. Tazkiyah under the guidance of a spiritual guide is training in order that we may defend our imaan (faith) . However, many of us who adopt the path of tazkiyah make the mistake of …

January, 2013

• 18 January

  The Environment

  وَالْعَصْرِ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ By time Indeed man is in a great and constant state of loss [Surah al Asr 103:1-2] We learn from the Qur’an and hadeeth that man is in a constant state of spiritual decline. You do not have to do anything wrong to be in decline. This is because even if you do not commit …

December, 2012

• 13 December

  Fickle in Friendship

  People never forget any wrong done to them by others and any good done to them is easily forgotten. However a believer should overlook any wrong done to him and engrave in his heart and mind any good done to him no matter how small. Unfortunately, nowadays the tables are turned and people are fickle in friendship and loyalty, and …