AlMaghrib Journals

5 Ways to Bring Barakah to Your Life

AlMaghrib — Fri, 06 Nov 2026 20:37:12 GMT

“All praise is to Allah. We praise him, we seek His help, His forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and of our actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him. Whomsoever Allah leads astray, none can guide him.

I testify there is no God but Allah alone, without any partners, and that Muhammad, ﷺ, is His servant and messenger.”

Welcome to the Friday Khutbah! A series on the AlMaghrib Journal based on sermons delivered by our esteemed instructors! We hope you find it beneficial!

Allah ﷻ says in His noble Book:

تَبارَكَ الَّذي بِيَدِهِ المُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَديرٌ
“Blessed is He in whose hand is the dominion, and He is over all things competent.”
(Surah Al-Mulk 67:1)

Allah is ‘tabarak’; He is blessed, and He is the source of all barakah. This raises fundamental questions that every believer should contemplate:

What exactly are blessings? How can we live a blessed life? How do we increase the blessings in our lives?

The answer lies in understanding that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is the one who makes places blessed, people blessed, and actions blessed. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is the ultimate source of barakah, which scholars define as “ziyadatul khair” – increased good or multiplication of benefit.

To understand barakah practically, imagine accomplishing double your normal productivity in the same timeframe. When you reflect on a day and realize you achieved far more than usual in your typical 12, 14, or 24 hours, you recognize that this day had barakah in it. This is the essence of divine blessing – the miraculous multiplication of benefit and good.

Blessed Places: Sanctuaries of Divine Grace

Allah has designated certain places as inherently blessed. The greatest of these is Makkah, about which Allah says:

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنّاسِ لَلَّذي بِبَكَّةَ مُبارَكًا وَهُدىً لِّلْعالَمينَ
“Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Makkah – blessed and a guidance for the worlds.”
(Surah Aal-‘Imran 3:96)

Jerusalem (Al-Quds) also holds special blessed status.

In Surah Al-Isra, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala describes not only Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa as blessed – may Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala liberate it – but extends this blessing to all its surrounding areas.

سُبْحانَ الَّذي أَسْرى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ المَسْجِدِ الحَرامِ إِلَى المَسْجِدِ الأَقْصا الَّذي بارَكْنا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آياتِنا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّميعُ البَصيرُ

“Exalted is He who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.”

(Surah Al-Isra 17:1)

The entire region of Al-Sham is blessed, as we learn from the authentic hadith of Rasulullah ﷺ.

Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, also enjoys blessed status through prophetic supplication. The Prophet ﷺ explained that just as Ibrahim made dua for Mecca and declared it a sanctuary (haram), he too was making Medina a sanctuary and supplicating that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala place twice the amount of barakah in Medina as exists in Mecca.

The manifestation of these places’ blessedness becomes evident in the multiplication of prayer rewards: in Mecca, prayers are rewarded 100,000 times; in Medina, 1,000 times; and in Al-Quds, 250 times the normal reward.

Blessed People: The Prophets and Their Legacy

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala makes certain people blessed, and foremost among them are the Prophets. Jesus (Isa) alayhi as-salam said, as recorded in the Quran:

وَجَعَلَني مُبارَكًا أَيْنَ ما كُنتُ وَأَوْصاني بِالصَّلاةِ وَالزَّكاةِ ما دُمْتُ حَيًّا

“And He has made me blessed wherever I am, and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive.”

(Surah Maryam 19:31)

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the most blessed of all creation.

The evidence of the Prophet’s ﷺ personal barakah is demonstrated in numerous ways. During his final illness, Aisha would recite the protective verses (ma’udatayn) that the Prophet ﷺ used for protection and healing, reading them into his own hands and wiping them over his body specifically because of the blessedness inherent in his person.

The Companions understood this blessing so profoundly that they would collect anything from the Prophet ﷺ – whether it was a hair, his blessed sweat, or even his saliva – before it could touch the ground, preserving these items because of their inherent barakah.

Recognizing Barakah in Our Lives

Barakah belongs to what scholars call “al ghayb al nisbi” – the relative unseen. This means we cannot directly observe or measure barakah like a tangible quantity. You don’t look at someone and say they possess a specific amount of barakah, nor can you quantify it numerically.

Instead, we recognize barakah through its effects and manifestations. After spending money, we might reflect and say, “SubhanAllah, this money had tremendous barakah in it.” After completing a productive day, we recognize, “This day had much barakah.” After utilizing time effectively, we acknowledge, “This time had great barakah.”

Consider the great scholars of Islam as examples of blessed lives. Imam Shafi, with his immense knowledge and lasting legacy, passed away at approximately 50-54 years old. Imam An-Nawi, whose works continue to benefit the ummah centuries later, died in his late thirties. Imam Al-Bukhari, compiler of the most authentic hadith collection after the Quran, passed away at 56 years old. These great names left knowledge that has endured for centuries – clear evidence of the incredible barakah Allah placed in their limited time on earth.

Practical Ways to Seek Barakah

1. Cultivating Taqwa (God-Consciousness)

The foundation for attracting barakah is developing taqwa of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Allah says in the Quran:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ القُرى آمَنوا وَاتَّقَوا لَفَتَحْنا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكاتٍ مِّنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرْضِ وَلـكِن كَذَّبوا فَأَخَذْناهُم بِما كانوا يَكْسِبونَ
“And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied, so We seized them for what they used to earn.”
(Surah Al-A‘raf 7:96)

Anyone seeking blessed time and blessed sustenance (rizq) must examine their relationship with Allah and their level of taqwa. The absence of taqwa has the opposite effect – it removes barakah from our transactions and provisions. Without taqwa, one becomes like the companion of the two gardens mentioned in Surah Al-Kahf, who despite his immense wealth, lacked faith in Allah. When his believing companion advised him:

وَلَوْلا إِذْ دَخَلْتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلتَ ما شاءَ اللَّهُ لا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِاللَّهِ

“And why did you not, when you entered your garden, say, ‘What Allah wills [has occurred]; there is no power except in Allah’?”

(Surah Al-Kahf 18:39)

His refusal ultimately led to the destruction of his blessed provisions.

2. Honesty in Transactions

The Prophet ﷺ, in a hadith recorded in both Bukhari and Muslim, taught about barakah in business dealings. He explained that when two people are engaged in buying and selling, both parties have the option to withdraw from the transaction as long as they remain together.

Crucially, the Prophet ﷺ said that if both parties are honest in their transaction – meaning if there’s a defect in the product, the seller informs the buyer; if there’s something the buyer should know, it’s disclosed; if the buyer seeks specific features that the product lacks, the seller clarifies this rather than allowing false assumptions – then Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will bless their transaction.

Conversely, if they remain silent about defects or allow misunderstandings to persist – letting the buyer discover problems only after returning home while the seller has moved on – then Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will remove the barakah from that transaction. Even though the seller may have money in their pocket, that money will lack barakah.

3. Constant Remembrance of Allah

The remembrance of Allah (dhikr) serves as a perpetual source of barakah. Rasulullah ﷺ taught that when a person enters their house while remembering Allah and mentions Allah’s name when eating, Shaitaan will declare, “I have no place to stay tonight and no food.” The removal of Shaitaan’s presence naturally brings about barakah in our homes and sustenance.

4. Unity and Togetherness

There is inherent barakah in unity and gathering together, particularly during meals. A Companion named Wahshi once complained to Rasulullah ﷺ that despite eating, he and his household never felt satisfied. The Prophet ﷺ inquired whether they ate separately, and when they confirmed this, he advised them to gather when eating and mention Allah’s name. This simple act of unity, combined with dhikr, would bring Allah’s blessing to their food.

5. Establishing Justice

One of the most profound ways to seek barakah is through justice. A powerful hadith narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah illustrates this principle. When the Companions returned from Abyssinia, Rasulullah ﷺ asked them about the most remarkable thing they witnessed there.

They related an incident where an elderly nun was walking while carrying a water vessel on her head. A man came from behind and pushed her down, breaking the vessel. The nun looked at her aggressor and said, “O traitor, you will know on the Day of Judgment when Allah establishes His throne and people’s hands and feet speak about what they used to do – you will come to know about this affair between me and you very soon.”

Upon hearing this, Rasulullah ﷺ confirmed her words, saying “She spoke the truth, she spoke the truth.” Then he asked a penetrating question: “How can Allah sanctify (yuqaddis) a nation where the weak cannot secure their rights from the strong?”

The word “al-Muqaddas” or “al-Quddus” carries the meaning of being a source of barakah, which is why “al-Ard al-Muqaddasa” refers not just to the Holy Land, but to the blessed land. This teaches us that divine blessing is intrinsically connected to justice and the protection of the vulnerable.

The Path Forward

If we desire our families to be blessed, our communities to flourish with divine favor, and our countries to prosper under Allah’s grace, we must be deeply concerned with securing the rights of those who are weaker than us. Justice is not merely a social ideal – it is a prerequisite for divine blessing.

The lesson is clear: societies that fail to protect their vulnerable members cannot expect to receive Allah’s barakah. Those that establish justice, ensure the rights of the weak against the strong, and create systems of fairness and protection will find themselves recipients of divine blessings that multiply their efforts and sanctify their endeavors.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala grant us understanding of His religion and make us among those who hear the speech and follow the best of it. May He grant us Jannah and protect us from the Fire through our righteous actions and speech.

وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ وَبَارَكَ عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ

6 Etiquettes of Seeking Knowledge

AlMaghrib — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 10:38:22 GMT

This article was based on a khutbah delivered by Shaykh Ammar AlShukry.

Welcome to the Friday Khutbah! A series on the AlMaghrib Journal based on sermons delivered by our esteemed instructors! We hope you find it beneficial!

All praise is due to Allah, who is magnificent in His essence, perfect in His attributes, undeniable in His presence. All praise is due to Allah, who has the most magnificent names, a praise that is forever for Him, a praise that eternally remains. May He send peace and blessings in their most perfect fashion.

May He send greetings and salutations that are complete and everlasting upon the best of His creation, Muhammad ﷺ. May He perfect his rank and elevation, for he taught us what we did not know. And he gave, and he gave, and he gave, because he loved us so.

Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’an:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ

O you who believe, fear Allah as He deserves to be feared and do not die except in a state of Islam. (Surah Al Imran, 3:102)

And Allah ﷻ says:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا

O mankind, fear your Lord who created you from a single soul and produced from that soul its mate, and made from their combination many men and women. So fear Allah whom you ask each other by and by the ties of kinship, verily Allah is ever watchful over you. (Surah An-Nisa, 4:1)

And Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا ﴿٧٠﴾ يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا ﴿٧١﴾

O you who believe, fear Allah and say that which is correct. He will correct for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, then they are indeed victorious. (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:70-71)

To proceed, we have come and spent or intended to spend a number of our days for the purpose of seeking knowledge. And the Prophet ﷺ said:

Whoever traverses a path to knowledge, Allah ﷻ facilitates for them a path to Paradise. (Narrated by Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه, Sahih Muslim)

And so we begin by asking Allah ﷻ that the journeys that we take for knowledge, near and far, to make them a path to Paradise for us. اللهم آمين

In this khutbah we will explore the etiquettes of knowledge, the important etiquettes that we should always place in front of us. And in sha Allah, we will mention six quick points to remember and to remind others of.

1. Sincerity

The first is sincerity, the most important quality before doing any action, because the Prophet ﷺ says:

إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى

Actions are by their intentions, and everyone shall have what they intended. (Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه, Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

And so if a person is seeking knowledge, why should they be seeking knowledge in the first place? Imam Malik رحمه الله says:

تَعَلَّمْتُ الْعِلْمَ لِنَفْسِي وَهَكَذَا كَانَ النَّاسُ

I learned knowledge for myself, to remove ignorance from myself.

I was once sitting with a Shaykh when a person said to him, “Shaykh, I want to be a person who lectures all over the country. What do I do to be like you?” And the Shaykh said to him, “Well, I did not go and study Islam to lecture all over the country. That was not my goal. My goal was I wanted to learn how to worship Allah ﷻ correctly. I wanted to benefit myself. Not to have a name anywhere, not to be famous, not to be followed. That wasn’t my goal.”

And so make your intention for seeking knowledge that you benefit, learning how to worship Allah ﷻ correctly, and be wary of intentions that deviate you from that path. Because we learned in the great hadith of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the first three people whom the Fire will be kindled with on the Day of Judgment are people who had deviated intentions. And of them was a person who learned knowledge and taught it, but they did it because they wanted people to call them a scholar. And it was said, they got what they wanted. (Narrated by Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه, Sahih Muslim)

Because Allah ﷻ says:

مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَاجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَاءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ

Whoever wants this world, We will give them what We want to give them of this world. (Surah Al-Isra, 17:18)

They’ll get some of it. Not what they want, but what We want to give them. And then they’ll have the Hellfire as a punishment.

And so make your intention crystal clear as best as you can, and always work on that intention, because intentions are shifty, and they change, and they alter.

2. Implementation

Sometimes you’ll attend a khutbah and say, “You know what, this khutbah wasn’t really beneficial. Everything the khatib said, I knew already.”

Have you ever had that feeling before?

You might be sitting there while the khatib is narrating a hadith, thinking to yourself, “I actually heard this hadith before this khatib was even born.”

But that’s not the question that you should be asking. The question should not be, “Do I know this already?” It should be, “Do I do this?” If you alter the question that you’re asking as you’re engaging with knowledge, then you benefit from every reminder, no matter how basic, and every khutbah, no matter how repetitive. Because we always fall short of doing the things that we know we should be doing.

Something as basic as, you should be good to your neighbor. And then we ask ourselves the question, am I good to my neighbor? If my neighbor was surveyed right now, would I get a 10 out of 10? Would I get a 7? Would I get a 5? Do neighbors get excited when they find out that a Muslim has moved next door to them? Because they know how greatly our Prophet ﷺ commanded us to look after the neighbor.

It isn’t about what we know. We all know the hadith about the neighbor. We all know the hadith about taking care of your parents. But do we do these things? Do we implement them?

Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه said:

Knowledge calls out to action. If the action arrives, the knowledge stays. And if the action does not follow, then the knowledge disappears. (Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Iqtida’ al-‘Ilm al-‘Amal)

When a person is sincere, it leads to implementation. I’m seeking knowledge for the purpose of implementing, not for intellectual curiosity.

If you learn a new du’a and then you start to say it, then of course you’re going to remember it. But if you learn a dhikr or a du’a and never implement it, the knowledge doesn’t stay.

3. Teaching

The third is teaching. Teaching is incredible when it comes to your own journey of knowledge. That’s why one of the things that we should be committed to, when we’re attending a conference like this and going back to our towns and our places, is that we teach what we learn.

How does teaching benefit you? As Shaykh Yaser Birjas mentions, it’s the zakah of knowledge, the tax of knowledge. But it also, crucially, will showcase the holes that you have. A person will ask, “What about this?” And you’ll say, “I never thought of that. I have no idea.” “I didn’t realize that I had a gap in the information that I have, so let me go and fill this hole. Let me go back to my notes. Let me research this further.”

We who are teachers also all know that when you teach, it forces you to prepare even more than you would have otherwise when you were passively learning.

4. Du’a

The fourth is du’a, and this is crucial. I’ve heard this question my entire life, and I’m sure you’ve heard it as well: Where is the best place to go and learn? Where is the best program? What’s the best book? What’s the best teacher? Where’s the best country to go to?

Shaykh named Muhammad al-Mukhtar al-Shinqiti حفظه الله. When he was asked where the best place to go and study is, he said: take all of the programs, all of the books, and all of the teachers, and cast them to the side, and make your preoccupation that you ask Allah ﷻ for knowledge. Because if Allah ﷻ decrees for you to have knowledge, then He will guide you to the best programs and the best teachers and the best books. And if Allah ﷻ doesn’t will for you to have knowledge, then you could be in the greatest bastions of learning on earth and still come out ignorant.

That is something that we’ve all witnessed. You might have gone to the same university program as a friend of yours. You benefited, but that friend did not. Your degree means something, but this classmate or that person- you wouldn’t trust the ink that their paper is written on. Not because they didn’t have the same opportunity, or weren’t exposed to the same people in the same places, but because Allah ﷻ didn’t give them that tawfiq.

So it’s not just about the program, and it’s not just about the teacher, and it’s not just about the places. It is that you ask Allah ﷻ to grant you knowledge. And as you know, the only thing that we were told in the Qur’an to ask Allah ﷻ for more of is knowledge:

وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

Say, my Lord, increase me in knowledge. (Surah Ta-Ha, 20:114)

May Allah ﷻ make us of those who have a great share of knowledge. اللهم آمين

5. Taqwa

The last two, crucially, are taqwa, having taqwa of Allah, which is what the masters of knowledge would advise each other of.

Imagine the brilliance of a young al-Shafi’i, who has a photographic memory and memorizes the collection, the life’s work of Imam Malik, before he ever meets him. He travels from Makkah to Madinah and meets this man whom the entire world considered to be the scholar of Madinah. They used to say:

مِنْ زِينَةِ الدُّنْيَا أَنْ يَقُولَ الرَّجُلُ: حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ

It is one of the greatest adornments of the world that a person says, “Malik narrated to me.”

That was like graduating from the best universities on earth. And so this man, who has the entire world coming to him, meets and sees the brilliance of this young man, Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi’i. He advises him, saying:

إِنِّي أَرَى اللَّهَ قَدْ أَلْقَى عَلَى قَلْبِكَ نُورًا، فَلَا تُطْفِئْهُ بِظُلْمَةِ الْمَعْصِيَةِ

I see that Allah ﷻ has cast light upon your heart, so do not extinguish that light with sins. (Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Jawab al-Kafi)

You’ve got something special, so do not extinguish that light with sins. That was the advice he had for him.

And it’s not just Imam Malik who told that to al-Shafi’i. Al-Shafi’i famously complains to his teacher, Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah, about his memory. His memory was so incredible that he notices any deviation in it. And he recorded his teacher’s advice in couplets:

شَكَوْتُ إِلَى وَكِيعٍ سُوءَ حِفْظِي ۞ فَأَرْشَدَنِي إِلَى تَرْكِ الْمَعَاصِي وَأَخْبَرَنِي بِأَنَّ الْعِلْمَ نُورٌ ۞ وَنُورُ اللَّهِ لَا يُهْدَى لِعَاصِي

I complained to Waki’ about my memory, and leaving sins is what he guided me to address. And he told me that this knowledge is light, and the light of Allah is not given to those who transgress. (Diwan al-Shafi’i)

And Allah ﷻ says:

وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللَّهُ

Have taqwa of Allah, and Allah ﷻ will teach you. (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:282)

And so we recognize that there is a spiritual element to this knowledge. It is not simply memorizing a lot of things, but it is a light that Allah ﷻ casts into our hearts.

6. Patience

The final is patience. There has to be endurance. There has to be resilience in this journey. There are ups and downs. There’s dedication that is required, there’s discipline that is required. There’s nobody who achieves anything worth achieving except that it requires patience, dedication, and discipline.

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله says that no one has ever acquired anything good, neither a prophet nor anybody less than them, except with sabr, except with patience.

And Imam al-Shafi’i رحمه الله says:

أَخِي لَنْ تَنَالَ الْعِلْمَ إِلَّا بِسِتَّةٍ ۞ سَأُنْبِيكَ عَنْ تَفْصِيلِهَا بِبَيَانِ ذَكَاءٌ وَحِرْصٌ وَاجْتِهَادٌ وَبُلْغَةٌ ۞ وَصُحْبَةُ أُسْتَاذٍ وَطُولُ زَمَانِ

My brother, you will never achieve knowledge except with six things that I summarize for you in this rhyme: intelligence, striving, commitment, and means, a teacher, and a long span of time. (Diwan al-Shafi’i)

We ask Allah ﷻ to allow us to hear this speech and follow the best of it.

وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ وَبَارَكَ عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ

Is Halloween Haram or Harmless Fun?

AlMaghrib — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 11:21:01 GMT

This article is based on an interview with Shaykh Dr Waleed Basyouni

For most people who celebrate it today, Halloween has nothing to do with religion. Ask a child what it means, and the answer is simple: costumes and candy.

So is it a harmless bit of fun, or something a Muslim family should stay away from?

Honestly, it is not one of the easy ones.

It is not a clear-cut haram the way celebrating a theological event like the crucifixion would be, and it is not clear-cut allowed either.

Getting to an answer means looking at where Halloween came from, what it looks like today, and how to handle it in real life, at work, at school, and at the front door.

Where Halloween Came From

Halloween has pagan roots. That is undeniable.

Celtic peoples marked the end of summer around the 31st of October as the point where light gave way to darkness. On that night, they believed the barrier between the living and the world of spirits became blurry, and souls came to visit. Fires and frightening images were used to keep bad spirits away while good spirits were welcomed home.

When Christianity spread, the Church moved its celebration of All Saints’ Day, and with it All Hallows’ Eve, to these dates to replace the pagan practices. Absorbing local customs and giving them a Christian label happened often.

This is exactly the kind of blurring the Shari’ah guards against. A man once vowed to sacrifice camels at a place called Buwanah, and before allowing it, the Prophet ﷺ asked whether an idol had been worshipped there or whether one of their festivals had been held there (Sunan Abi Dawud, narrated by Thabit ibn al-Dahhak رضي الله عنه). Islamic rituals are kept distinct from the rituals of other faiths so that the two never mix.

Does a Change in Culture Change the Ruling?

If a practice had religious meaning centuries ago but almost nobody connects it to that meaning today, does the old ruling still apply? It depends.

Where the Shari’ah has given a specific ruling, that ruling remains even when culture moves on. The name Fir’awn became a symbol of injustice in the Shari’ah, so a Muslim cannot name a football team after him, even though nobody worships Pharaoh anymore. The Prophet ﷺ instructed the Companions to walk briskly in tawaf so the idolaters watching would see their strength (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, narrated by Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما). No idolaters watch today, yet the practice remains, because it became part of the Sunnah itself.

Where there is no specific text, though, a practice whose religious link has been completely cut off cannot be prohibited for its history alone. Prayer beads have been traced back to Buddhist monks. The brand Nike is named after the Greek deity, and the name Denise comes from another Greek idol. Nobody makes those connections today, and declaring these things haram on that basis goes too far.

Why Halloween Still Falls Short

So is Halloween’s link fully cut off? Not entirely. Small groups still observe it as a pagan rite, and how significant that is can differ from one country to another.

But even if every religious connection is set aside, Halloween can be judged by what it contains. Any non-religious practice of non-Muslims is judged on its content: if it is permissible, it is permissible, and if it is harmful, it is harmful. Look at what Halloween carries: demons, witches and monsters celebrated as something cool, violence and gore made into fun, and children going door to door asking strangers for food, with the threat of a ‘trick’ or prank attached to it.

Imagine Muslim families dressing their children on Eid in fake blood, with knives and severed hands. The world would call it barbaric. For Halloween, the same scene is considered harmless. That double standard is something to consider, and it is not a healthy scene for children.

Halloween also touches on the unseen: spirits returning, demons roaming, fire to keep them away. Muslims believe in the unseen, and that belief is not something to dress up as or turn into entertainment.

For these reasons, Muslims should not celebrate Halloween, even with an innocent costume like a firefighter or a butterfly. It sends mixed messages, especially to children.

Keeping It in Proportion

At the same time, Halloween should not be treated like kufr or shirk. It is not in the same category as celebrating the crucifixion or worshipping an idol. If it is haram, it falls among the minor sins, and minor sins are expiated by wudu and salah. The Prophet ﷺ said the five daily prayers wipe out what comes between them, as long as major sins are avoided (Sahih Muslim, narrated by Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه).

That does not make minor sins insignificant. But a community that speaks about everything as if it were major loses the ability to weigh harms and benefits, and families need that ability when living in the real world.

Practical Guidance

At work or school. If a manager announces a Halloween dress-up day, a Muslim does not need to take part. The same goes for students at school.

Pumpkin season. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin patches, and seasonal foods carry no problem at all. Carving a scary jack-o’-lantern to display outside is a different matter, because that is imitating the celebration.

With children. A child’s attachment to Halloween is emotional, not theological. Telling an elementary school student that Halloween is pagan means very little to them. What they hear is that Islam means no fun and no candy. Children also are not held accountable, since the pen is lifted from the child until they reach maturity (Sunan Abi Dawud, narrated by Aisha رضي الله عنها). Parents can explain gently and make their own call, choosing their battles wisely.

The better approach is to meet that need for fun throughout the year. Make Eid special. Create family days, even costume days, as long as the costumes follow Shar’i guidelines. Families living in countries where Halloween is everywhere need to do this even more, so that when the 31st comes, their children do not feel deprived.

At the front door. There is no need to turn off every light and keep the house silent in fear. Living normally is enough. If children knock, simply tell them there is no candy.

Handing out pamphlets about Islam instead of candy is the worst option. Children came for a treat, not a lecture, and it pushes people away from the religion. Allah says, “So remind, if the reminder should benefit” (Al-A’la, 87:9). Advice is given when it will be effective, and that moment is not one of them.

Buying candy specifically to hand out to trick-or-treaters is a form of participating in the celebration. But if there is already candy in the house and a child is at the door, giving them some of it is fine, the same as giving to anyone who asks, and for anyone who wants Halloween candy: buy it after the season. It is cheaper.

And Allah knows best.

For more detail on the topic, watch the original discussion with Shaykh Waleed here

Lessons in Loneliness from The Quran

AlMaghrib — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 16:22:40 GMT

This article was extracted from Ustadha Sarah Sultan’s course on handling mental health struggles from grief to anxiety, loneliness, and more. It’s called Grounded, and it’s available as free or ‘pay what you can’. You can access the course here

There is a particular kind of loneliness that comes with trying to live by faith.

It shows up at the office party where the drinks are flowing, at the restaurant where half the menu is a question mark, and at the family wedding that looks nothing like what a believer hopes a wedding will be.

Going with the flow would be so much easier. But going with the flow is not necessarily the right thing.

The Many and the Few

Look at how Allah describes most people in the Quran:

وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“But most of the people do not know.” [Quran, 7:187]

وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ

“But most of the people do not show gratitude.” [Quran, 2:243]

وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

“But most of the people do not believe.” [Quran, 13:1]

Now look at how He describes the few:

وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ

“And few of My servants are grateful.” [Quran, 34:13]

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange as it began, so glad tidings to the strangers” (narrated by Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه, Sahih Muslim).

So being a stranger is not such a bad thing after all.

It means being counted among the few. Holding on to an unpopular belief is okay, as long as it is the right path, the one most pleasing to Allah.

It isn’t easy. But it is one of the tests.

The Tests a Person Chooses

Many of life’s tests arrive without warning. Allah sends a struggle, and a person has to persevere through it and, hopefully, come out stronger on the other side. But there is another kind of test, where a person does have a choice: the tests of worship.

Will I pray? Will I fast and feel the hunger of Ramadan? Will I endure the exhaustion of Hajj? Every act of faith requires patience and perseverance.

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا ۝ إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا

“Indeed, We created humans from a drop of mixed fluids in order to test them, so We made them hearing and seeing. We already showed them the Way, whether they choose to be grateful or ungrateful.” [Quran, 76:2-3]

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى الْأَرْضِ زِينَةً لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا

“We have indeed made whatever is on earth as an adornment for it, in order to test which of them is best in deeds.” [Quran, 18:7]

Will a person get distracted by the lights, the luxuries, and the many temptations of this life, or strive to be among the best in deeds? That takes patience and resilience: the ability to please Allah in times of ease and hardship, and the ability to stand firm and obey Him even when His command runs against personal desire.

For many Muslims, these tests look very ordinary. A child prays at an amusement park beside a parent, wondering the whole time who is watching. An employee finds a way to skip the work social because alcohol will be there.

A diner passes on the menu item whose halal status is still debated. Someone stays away from the wedding of a person they love because of what will happen there.

That last one is the hardest. When the people living differently are the people a person loves most, it stops being a simple line between Muslims and everyone else.

The differences show up within families and within friend groups, and that makes the loneliness even deeper.

“Indeed, I Am of the Muslims”

What can make this journey easier? Allah says:

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِّمَّن دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

“And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah, engages in righteous behavior, and says, ‘Indeed, I am of the Muslims.'” [Quran, 41:33]

This verse draws a strong connection between proclaiming a Muslim identity and living it out through worship and good deeds. A person’s actions, thoughts, and emotions are all interconnected, and all of them shape who that person becomes.

In psychology, identity is described as the way a person brings together their drives, abilities, personality traits, beliefs, and history into one consistent image of themselves. A stable identity requires deliberate choices, especially about values.

So many parts of a person’s identity change over a lifetime. Someone will always be a son or daughter to their parents, but they may also become a husband or wife, a mother or father, a student, and then an engineer or a doctor. Each of these roles can shift and look different at different stages of life.

Having one foundational identity that doesn’t change is very powerful, both for an adult’s development and for a child’s: I am a Muslim. This is who I am at my core. It gives stability and continuity through every other change.

It also makes possible something called self-integrity: acting in ways that align with one’s values and with who one believes oneself to be. Picture a flight where an announcement comes over the speaker: “Is there a doctor on board? Someone needs help.” The doctor gets up. Helping is part of who they are, and in that moment, it is their role.

Calling oneself a good student isn’t about self-praise. It is about wanting to deserve that description by choosing the actions that lead there. Being an ʿabd, a servant of Allah, is a privilege, and owning that identity means choosing the actions that lead toward truly living it. Saying “Indeed, I am of the Muslims” works as an affirmation. It renews the intention, today, to act in a way that aligns with the person one is striving to be.

Ibrahim عليه السلام shows what this looks like:

إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ ۖ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ۝ وَوَصَّىٰ بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ

“When his Lord ordered him, ‘Submit,’ he responded, ‘I submit to the Lord of all worlds.’ This was the advice of Ibrahim, as well as Yaqub, to his children, saying, ‘Indeed, Allah has chosen for you this faith; so do not die except in a state of full submission.'” [Quran, 2:131-132]

He submitted right away. At the core of a Muslim’s identity is submission: the knowledge that whatever Allah prescribes, even when it isn’t easy, is where a person is meant to be and what is good for them, because Allah knows best. Surrendering completely to Allah and obeying Him is how a strong Islamic identity is built.

Asiya عليها السلام: Conviction in the House of a Tyrant

What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do for your faith? For some, it was putting on hijab. For others, it was starting to pray, or fasting. Have you ever faced criticism for trying to get closer to Allah? Have you had to give things up to practice Islam, even when it meant going against family, friends, or a spouse? And have you ever met someone who clearly knew who they were and never let anyone shake that, no matter how much criticism came their way?

People like that are admired for the strength of their character. And there may be no greater example of a solid Islamic identity than Asiya عليها السلام.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Many men reached perfection, but none among the women reached perfection except Maryam, the daughter of ʿImran, and Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh” (narrated by Abu Musa al-Ashʿari رضي الله عنه, Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

Asiya lived in ancient Egypt under one of the most oppressive rulers in history, and she wasn’t simply one of his subjects. She was his wife. She had wealth and status, and she came to believe in the one true God while married to a man who claimed to be god himself. She lived through the slaughter of the baby boys of Bani Isra’il, carried out on her husband’s orders.

Then one day, in the middle of all that, a gift floated by: a baby in the water near the palace.

She turned to her husband and said:

وَقَالَتِ امْرَأَتُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍ لِّي وَلَكَ ۖ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ عَسَىٰ أَن يَنفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

“And the wife of Pharaoh said, ‘[He will be] a comfort of the eye for me and for you. Do not kill him; perhaps he may benefit us, or we may adopt him as a son.’ And they perceived not.” [Quran, 28:9]

She raised Musa عليه السلام in her home, and she came to believe in the message of the one God with her whole heart. She could feel it deep in her soul that this was the truth.

One of the most powerful lessons from her life is this: the people a person is surrounded by do not determine who that person is. Married to perhaps the worst man in history, she became one of the best women in history, and believers still speak of her strength thousands of years later. She did not let her circumstances define her.

At the same time, if she had been able to, she would almost certainly have surrounded herself with people who believed as she did. Community is powerful. It builds resilience, protection, support, and goodness. Asiya didn’t have that privilege. Many believers today do.

A Look at the People Closest to You

Here is a simple exercise.

Take a piece of paper, fold it in half, and think of the two friends you spend the most time with. Write their names at the top of the two columns.
Under each name, write four good qualities that person has and three not-so-great ones, the things they struggle with.
Look at both lists. Circle every quality, good or not so good, that you also see in yourself.

Most people end up circling quite a few. Human beings become a product of the people they spend time with; that is simply how the brain works. The more time invested in something, the more it shapes how a person thinks and acts, and watching others leads to copying them. Research has found that college students whose friends study more tend to earn higher grades, even when that friend is an assigned roommate rather than someone they chose. Coworkers, too, leave their mark, even though no one picks them.

The Prophet ﷺ said, “The believer is a mirror to his brother” (narrated by Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه, Sunan Abi Dawud).

So think about the person you spend the most time with. Do you want to be just like them? Because they are your mirror.

He ﷺ also compared a good companion to a perfume seller and a bad companion to a blacksmith. From the perfume seller, a person will either be given some perfume, buy some, or at least leave smelling something pleasant. From the blacksmith, they will either get their clothes burned or walk away with an unpleasant smell (narrated by Abu Musa al-Ashʿari رضي الله عنه, Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

Friends leave their scent behind, good or bad, small or huge.

Sometimes mere presence is enough. Studies have found that teenage boys drive more riskily when another teen is in the car, whether that passenger is urging them on or saying nothing at all.

And the influence runs both ways. The question is also: am I the perfume seller or the blacksmith? The goal is to leave people with something good to take with them, like a free perfume sample.

The Hairdresser Who Said “Bismillah”

After embracing faith in Allah, Asiya had to keep it hidden for a while. She knew what would happen if her husband found out. But as she watched in horror the punishments and public executions he carried out against anyone who refused to worship him, her faith only grew stronger. His violence and threats did not turn her away from Allah. They did the opposite.

It is reported that someone else in that household also had a great impact: the woman who combed the hair of Pharaoh’s daughter. One day the comb slipped from her hand, and as it dropped, she said, “Bismillah.”

Pause on that for a moment. When most people drop something, bump into something, or roll a tire onto the curb, what comes out? “Oops,” if they’re lucky. Some people have far more colorful language. This woman had trained her tongue so thoroughly that Bismillah came out on its own, in front of someone who posed a real threat to her. If she could do that, what is anyone’s excuse for not having the remembrance of Allah so constantly on their tongue that it comes out automatically?

Pharaoh’s daughter asked, “Do you mean my father?” The woman answered, “No. My Lord and the Lord of your father is Allah.” The daughter threatened to tell him, and she did. Pharaoh summoned the woman and asked, “Do you have a Lord other than me?” She answered, “Yes. My Lord and your Lord is Allah.”

Pharaoh had a pit dug and copper melted into it, and he ordered that she and her children be thrown in. One by one, in front of her, her children were thrown in, until only her nursing infant remained in her arms. She hesitated. Then Allah sent a miracle: her baby spoke. “O Mother, go ahead, for the punishment of this world is easier than the punishment of the hereafter.” With hope and trust in Allah, she went forward.

The Prophet ﷺ said that on the night of his Night Journey, he smelled a beautiful fragrance and asked Jibril عليه السلام what it was. Jibril told him it was the fragrance of the hairdresser of Pharaoh’s daughter and her children (narrated by Ibn ʿAbbas رضي الله عنهما, Musnad Ahmad).

“Build for Me a House With You”

According to reports, Asiya witnessed all of this and finally decided she would no longer stay silent about the injustice. She revealed her belief to Pharaoh.

Worshiping Allah is a person’s purpose, and that still doesn’t make it easy. This was terrifying for Asiya. Standing for the truth won’t always be easy in the moment. So how does a believer handle the discomfort of holding different values from the people around them, especially as a minority?

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ رَءُوفٌ بِالْعِبَادِ ۝ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

“And there are those who would dedicate their lives to Allah’s pleasure. And Allah is Ever Gracious to His servants. O believers, enter into Islam wholeheartedly and do not follow Satan’s footsteps. Surely he is your sworn enemy.” [Quran, 2:207-208]

A person who dedicates their life to Allah’s pleasure is choosing Allah, and in the same choice, they are choosing themselves. Worship lets a person put their purpose first, and stay true to who they really are. It is not a favor to Allah. It is a favor to oneself, even when it doesn’t feel that way. Asiya was very likely afraid when she went to confront her husband. Feelings come and go. The reward of Allah is permanent.

It is reported that once Asiya confronted Pharaoh, he began torturing her to force her to renounce her faith. His servants dragged her into the desert and tormented her in front of his daughters, who laughed at her. She had no supporter, no food or water, and no shelter from the sun. His cruelty knew no bounds, and he had plenty of practice. Yet no matter how they tried to hurt, demean, and degrade her, Asiya refused to give up her faith. While her own husband tortured her, she turned to Allah:

رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

“My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds, and save me from the wrongdoing people.” [Quran, 66:11]

Allah answered her. In place of the companionship of the worst man on earth, He gave her nearness to Him and a home in Jannah. According to the reports, she looked up after making this dua and saw her house in Paradise, and angels were sent to shade her, and she laughed. Pharaoh was so furious that all his torture had failed to break her that he ordered a huge boulder pushed down onto her from a mountaintop. But Allah took her soul before it reached her, sparing her that torment.

Asiya owned her faith, her heart, and her mind. Her identity as a worshiper of Allah was so solid that it stayed unshakable even in those circumstances, and she was willing to sacrifice whatever it took. Which raises a simple question: what small sacrifice am I hesitating to make?

Faith like hers still exists today. Many people who embrace Islam face fierce opposition from their own families, sometimes intensifying when they begin to wear hijab, with backlash and even bullying from the people closest to them. And many stay firm through all of it. It is a lonely journey. Those who have families that support and encourage them when they want to get closer to Allah may not realize how powerful that gift is, because not everyone has it. May Allah bless those who embraced Islam even when their families, friends, and society turned away from them, reward them tremendously, and grant them ease on their journey.

Asiya navigated a situation where she was alone and lonely, living in the home of a man who oppressed her and opposed everything she valued. She could do it because she understood that her self-worth came from only one relationship: her relationship with Allah. That is the goal for every believer, to let self-worth rest on being a servant of Allah, rather than on people’s opinions, judgments, and perceptions.

Picturing Your Best Possible Self

One practical way to start moving toward the person you want to become, rather than staying stuck in an identity that feels unstable, is an exercise called the Best Possible Self. Picturing your best possible self opens the door to change. It helps a person learn about themselves, rearrange their priorities, and see the obstacles that might be keeping them from taking back control of their life. Research has found that writing a description of your best possible self for a short time each day, over a few days in a row, brings an immediate lift in mood and a greater sense of well-being in the weeks that follow. It can be especially helpful when feeling down on yourself.

Find a comfortable seat, relax, and close your eyes (as long as you aren’t driving).

Imagine the future. Picture yourself after everything has gone as well as it possibly could. You’ve worked hard and accomplished your life goals. This is your full potential realized. Think of the biggest duas you have been asking Allah for, and imagine all of them answered. It may feel strange at first. Let yourself picture it anyway.
Notice the details. Who is there with you? What is different about this future you? Is there something different in the way you carry yourself, or in the way you interact with others? What is your faith like? What does your connection with Allah look like? What are you struggling with today that is no longer a struggle for your future self?
Trace the path. How did you get there? What did you need to do to achieve all of this?
Notice the feelings. Stay with the image for a few moments. What do you feel as you picture yourself this way?
Turn it into a dua. Ask Allah to pave the way for you to reach the good you imagined. Ask Him to let the changes you seek bring you closer to Him, to help you choose the actions most pleasing to Him, and to make them a source of richness in this life and the hereafter.

Never Neglected

Living by faith will sometimes mean standing apart: from the majority, from coworkers, and at times from the people a person loves most. That loneliness is real. But Hajar alone in a barren valley and Asiya alone in a tyrant’s palace both show where strength comes from. It comes from knowing, at the core, I am of the Muslims, from taking one step and then another even when nothing seems to be happening, and from resting one’s worth on a single relationship that never fails. Allah never neglects His people.

Ustadha Sarah’s course on navigating emotional struggles is available for mental health awareness month as free or ‘pay what you can’, to remove all barriers for you. You can get access to the full course here.

Dealing with Anxiety

AlMaghrib — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:36:02 GMT

Some experiences make the heart pound and the palms sweat.

A hard conversation, a big exam, a phone call that goes unanswered for too long. The discomfort can feel so intense that the only thought left is how to make it stop.

A lot of Muslims feel guilty about anxiety on top of the anxiety itself. There is a common assumption that if someone truly trusted Allah, they wouldn’t feel this way at all. Sometimes anxiety can show up as a lack of trust in Allah. But in general, anxiety is something every person experiences at different points in life. It is an emotion Allah created human beings with, and it is normal.

The real question is what a person does with it.

A Companion Overwhelmed by Worry

It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ once entered the masjid and found a man from the Ansar, Abu Umama رضي الله عنه, sitting there. It wasn’t time for prayer. It was an odd time for anyone to be sitting in the masjid, and the Prophet ﷺ noticed. He could probably see it on his face. So he asked him, “O Abu Umama, why do I see you sitting in the masjid when it is not time for prayer?”

Abu Umama answered honestly: he was overwhelmed by worries and by debts.

Look at how the Prophet ﷺ responded. He didn’t say, “Come on, you’re a believer, there’s no space for anxiety in this faith.” He didn’t dismiss him at all. He acknowledged what Abu Umama was going through, and then he gave him something practical to do: “Shall I not teach you words which, if you say them, Allah will remove your worry and settle your debt?” Then he taught him to say, morning and evening:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and sadness. I seek refuge in You from inability and laziness. I seek refuge in You from cowardice and stinginess. And I seek refuge in You from being overwhelmed by debt and from the oppression of men.” (Narrated by Abu Saʿid al-Khudri رضي الله عنه, Sunan Abi Dawud)

Abu Umama said that he did this, and Allah removed his worry and settled his debt.

What started as one man’s anxiety became a gift, for him and for every Muslim who has said these words since. Sometimes the biggest struggles yield the most amazing gifts, and seeing them that way makes them easier to bear.

The Prophet ﷺ himself, the most beloved and most perfect of human beings, would often seek refuge in Allah from worry and grief (narrated by Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه, Sahih al-Bukhari). And it is interesting that the two are paired together. Grief looks to the past: regrets, sadness, things that already happened. Anxiety looks to the future: everything a person is afraid might happen. If one of the righteous companions struggled this deeply, and the Prophet ﷺ regularly asked Allah for protection from it, then no one is above a struggle with anxiety.

Everyday Worry and Clinical Anxiety

Anxiety is incredibly common. During the COVID pandemic, anxiety rates shot up. Everybody was anxious, and people who had finished therapy found themselves back in it. Around a third of adults still report struggling with intense anxiety, and young people were hit especially hard.

So how can someone tell the difference between ordinary worry and something more serious?

The average person spends about an hour a day on some kind of worry. “I forgot the sour cream for the tacos tonight, when am I going to get to the grocery store?” “I’m running late for my meeting.” Small, normal, daily anxiety.

A person with clinical anxiety might spend around five hours a day worrying, and the worry looks different. They ruminate. Their thoughts go around and around in a spiral. They replay a conversation with a friend: “Why did I say that? Was she offended? Maybe that’s why she hasn’t answered my text.” They jump to the worst-case scenario: “He’s not picking up the phone. What if he got into a car accident? How would I even live as a widow?”

Some describe anxiety as an endless loop of negative thoughts. Others feel it physically, as an uncomfortable feeling in the gut. At its core, anxiety is an intense feeling of discomfort, and almost all of it is tied to some kind of fear: fear that someone won’t come home, or fear of walking into a meeting late with everyone already seated and feeling embarrassed.

False Refuges

That discomfort is hard to tolerate, so the natural reaction is to get rid of it. The moment the butterflies start and the heartbeat speeds up, the mind goes straight to “How do I make this feeling stop?”

But what you resist persists. When a person constantly tries to escape an uncomfortable feeling, it comes back in different ways, and often in worse ways.

The things people reach for in those moments can be called false refuges: anything that provides temporary relief from discomfort. Every person wants to feel safe, protected, and loved, so it makes sense that they would grab whatever offers that feeling quickly. A false refuge gives a temporary sense of comfort and security, and avoiding the problem feels so much safer. But the longer someone lives inside that refuge, the more problems they find there, and the more suffering it causes.

False refuges are everywhere:

Doom scrolling. Scroll, scroll, scroll, anything to stay distracted.
Netflix binges, or getting lost in a book to avoid what needs facing.
Productive procrastination. Cleaning the entire room the night before a final. The room is clean, which is nice, but there is now less time to study, and the studying still has to happen.
Reaching for the phone the second it gets uncomfortable. Waiting alone at a restaurant for a friend to arrive feels awkward, so out comes the phone.
People pleasing. Saying yes to everything to avoid the discomfort of someone being unhappy. It leads to burnout and resentment.
Avoiding dua. Some people stop asking Allah for something because they are afraid of being disappointed.

Picture a wife who texts her husband: “When you get home, let’s finish that conversation from last time. I know it got heated, but I really want to resolve it.” He replies, “Sure.” Then he stays late at work, finding more and more to do. When he finally gets home, they never have the conversation. Instead, they fight about the fact that he avoided it. That is a false refuge: temporary relief that causes more pain in the end.

And modern life is built for false refuges. So much of what people have access to every day exists to help them avoid feeling uncomfortable.

The Refuge That Cost Everything

The Islamic tradition shows false refuges too, and one of the most painful examples is the death of Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ.

As Abu Talib lay dying, the Prophet ﷺ was at his side, and so were Abu Jahl and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayyah, two men deeply tied to Quraysh and completely unwilling to leave their tribal loyalties. The Prophet ﷺ pleaded with his uncle: “My uncle, just say la ilaha illa Allah, a word I can use to testify for you before Allah.” Just say it. Please, just say it.

The other two turned to Abu Talib and played on his pride: “Will you abandon the religion of Abd al-Muttalib?” Would he really turn his back on his father, his tribe, his forefathers? The Prophet ﷺ kept asking, and they kept repeating their question, until Abu Talib gave his final answer. He would stay on the religion of Abd al-Muttalib. He never said la ilaha illa Allah (narrated by al-Musayyab ibn Hazn رضي الله عنه, Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).

This was an immense loss for the Prophet ﷺ. Abu Talib had protected and supported him for years and had a very special place in his heart. Anyone who has embraced Islam while their family hasn’t knows how painful this kind of loss is. When a beloved relative passes away without ever saying the shahada, it is a double loss: they are lost in this life and in the next.

But look at what held Abu Talib back. He was so uncomfortable with the thought of people looking down on him that, even on his deathbed, even if some part of him felt Islam was true, he was willing to risk the entire hereafter for a false refuge: his standing in the eyes of people who, in the end, didn’t matter.

How often do people make decisions the same way, based on discomfort and on “What will they say?” It is a familiar theme in Muslim communities: “You can’t do that, people will talk.” But what about doing it, or not doing it, for the sake of Allah? Doesn’t He have more right to be feared? Taking refuge in other people’s opinions is a false refuge that will always backfire. And throughout the stories of disbelief in the Islamic tradition, the same pattern shows up again and again: people turning to false refuges to manage their fears.

One Small Step Away

So how does a person identify their own false refuges and start breaking down the walls that keep them from real peace and safety?

Two questions are a good place to start:

What have I been avoiding because it’s uncomfortable?

What is one small thing I can do today that I wasn’t willing to do yesterday?

The step can be small. It might be reading a page of Quran even though fatigue won out yesterday. It might be putting the phone down, turning off Netflix, and facing whatever has been pushed aside. It might be finally answering the email that has been sitting there for two weeks, the one that will start with “Sorry for the delay.” (And how good does it feel once that’s off the plate?) It might even be reaching out to someone from a falling-out years ago, the person who comes to mind at night and makes you cringe.

Just one small change, slowly stepping away from a false refuge, can be a very powerful step in the right direction.

True Refuge

If there are false refuges, what is the true one?

Think of Yaqub عليه السلام. After losing Yusuf, and later Binyamin, he did not run from his grief. He took it to Allah, and he held on to hope that his sons would return:

قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“He said, ‘I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.'” [Quran, 12:86]

The true refuge is with Allah: hope in Him and tawakkul, trust in Him. Just as the stories of disbelief are full of false refuges, the stories of the prophets and the righteous show people who managed their fear and anxiety through worship and connection with Allah.

Anxiety brings up fear and discomfort that a person naturally wants to avoid. Trust in Allah makes it possible to face that discomfort without running to a false refuge. It allows a person to face their reality instead of escaping it.

This changes how self-care looks. Many people think of self-care as buying some chocolate and taking a bubble bath. But real self-care is creating a life you don’t need to escape from. What can change in a person’s life so they don’t feel the need to run away from it? A huge part of that answer is attachment to Allah, trust in Allah, and a real understanding of who Allah is.

Facing reality is also part of what it means to be Muslim, a person who submits to Allah. It is a test of submission to accept circumstances that are uncomfortable or unwanted, and to accept the things that can’t be changed. That acceptance frees up energy. Instead of spending it fighting a reality that won’t change, a person can channel it toward what they can actually do.

Allah is As-Salam [Quran, 59:23]. He is the source of peace, safety, wholeness, and well-being. When things feel like they are falling apart, when the discomfort feels too much to face, the best thing a person can do is turn to the One who makes them whole. That is the true refuge.

Turning Hope Into a Plan: The Hope Map

Hope in Allah is not passive. It can be paired with a clear plan, and one simple tool for that is a hope map. All it takes is a piece of paper.

Fold it. Turn the paper sideways and fold it into three equal sections.
Goal (right section). Write one goal. It can be about personal life, relationships with people, or a relationship with Allah.
Pathways (left section). Write at least three different ways to reach that goal. Personal strengths are a good place to look.
Obstacles (middle section). For each pathway, write at least one thing that could get in the way. Research shows people are more likely to succeed when they plan for possible obstacles ahead of time, because then the obstacles don’t send them into a negative spiral.
Motivation (around the border). All around the edges, write what will keep you encouraged along the way. Include what you want to ask Allah for, and which of His names and attributes show that this goal is possible with His help. Alongside personal effort, the map draws on Allah’s capability to give strength and keep a person going.

Here is what that can look like.

Goal: Read more Quran. Pathways might include setting aside 15 minutes every morning, not opening social media until a page has been read, or not going to sleep until a page is done. Another very helpful approach is to attach it to something already done every day. A daily bus or train ride to school is a perfect example: the routine is already there, so pair it with Quran. Reading while waiting for a class to start, or changing the phone background to a reminder to read an ayah first, can help too. Obstacles? Missing one day, then pushing it off to tomorrow, then losing the habit. Procrastination. Being too tired, or too busy with exams. Very specifically: the phone dies, and there’s no habit of reading from a physical mushaf. That one has a simple answer, which is why multiple pathways matter. Keep a physical mushaf on hand too. For motivation, turn to dua: ask Allah to increase motivation, to help make the Quran a priority, to make you among those who memorize it, and to let it intercede on your behalf on the Day of Judgment. Call on Him as Al-Wahhab, the Giver of Gifts: give me the gift of a relationship with the Quran.

Goal: Stop leaving schoolwork to the last minute. Pathways will look different depending on personality, and that’s a good thing. Some people will set up a workspace they actually enjoy being in, not a dark corner they dread. Others will bring positivity into the routine by studying with friends or building in rewards. Others will make a comprehensive list of every assignment and prioritize it by due date. A time limit on social media can cut down on the distraction behind so much procrastination. Obstacles might be something unexpected coming up and making it hard to get back on track, study friends not being available, or thoughts like “I’m so tired, I’ll just take a break today” and “This is so boring, I can’t deal with it.” The point is to decide in advance what to do when that happens. For motivation, ask Allah to make the work easy, to put barakah in your time, to help you do what’s needed in the best way, to grant success, and to make this knowledge a source of benefit in this life and the next.

A hope map does two things. It makes a goal clear, and it keeps the goal from feeling heavy and draining. Planning for obstacles means a hard day isn’t the end of the road, and the border around the page is a reminder that no one works toward a goal on their own strength alone.

The Way Forward

Feeling anxious does not mean a person’s faith has failed them. It means they are human, the same as a companion who sat in the masjid overwhelmed by his worries. The Prophet ﷺ met that worry with compassion and a practical tool, and the same path is open to every believer: notice the false refuges, take one small step away from them, return to Allah as the true refuge, and build a hopeful plan for the road ahead.

Ustadha Sarah Sultan has an entire course on handling mental health struggles from grief to anxiety, loneliness, and more. It’s called Grounded, and it’s available as free or ‘pay what you can’. If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate emotional difficulty, access the course here

Is Seasonal Depression Tied to Low Eman?

AlMaghrib — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:10:20 GMT

This article is based on part of a podcast discussion between Shaykh Ammar AlShukry and Ustadha Sarah Sultan. You can listen to the full discussion here.

Some sensitive topics discussed in this piece may be triggering to some readers. Discretion is advised.

“I pray all of my salah, I read Quran, I give sadaqah, I make dua constantly. So why do I still feel so hollow inside? Am I a bad Muslim?”

Mental health is still one of those conversations the community often feels too ashamed to have, and that silence comes with a heavy assumption: if someone is struggling emotionally, the problem must be their faith.

“Maybe her eman is low.”

“He’s being ungrateful to Allah.”

The reality is very different.

The World Health Organization estimates that around 5% of adults worldwide live with depression. That is roughly 1 in 20 people, and Muslims are not exempt from that statistic.

And for many people, fall and winter are the times of year when it starts to show up.

What is Seasonal Depression?

Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder as it is called in more clinical language, is when a person experiences a serious dip in their mood at the same time every year.

The first signs tend to be physical; with seasonal depression, there is typically an increase in appetite and an increase in wanting to sleep. Alongside that comes a consistent low mood.

From there, it starts to affect everything else.

A person might feel a sense of sadness a lot of the time without being able to explain why, and their thought process starts to drift into negative territory. Their energy is low, so their relationships take a hit. They just don’t have it in them to show up for people the way they normally would. Over time, their ability to function in everyday life can be affected as well.

Chemically, seasonal depression usually stems from a lack of sunlight.

That is why it tends to hit in the fall and winter, as the days get shorter. But it depends on where a person lives. In a place like Houston, where the summer heat keeps families stuck indoors for months, some people might actually experience it in the summer. The season can be different depending on the place.

The Season That Speeds Everything Up

Shorter days are only part of the picture. Something people rarely talk about is how much the pace of life changes when fall arrives, especially for mothers.

The slow, relaxed rhythm of summer is suddenly gone. The kids are back in school. There are lunches to pack every night, everything to get ready for the next morning, and after-school activities to drive to.

Life shifts into go, go, go mode, and that can have a really big impact on mental health.

Some cultures have found a healthier way to approach long winters. In Denmark, the concept of hygge is all about embracing the good that winter can bring: community, warm blankets, a cup of tea by the fire. It gives people something to look forward to during those months. That kind of mental reframe can be so helpful, and it is something American culture has not embraced very well. Instead of slowing down and coming together in the colder months, the pace gets turned up, and the result is more isolation.

The Islamic tradition offers its own beautiful reframe. Winter has long been seen as a season of worship. The days are short, so a family can build a culture of fasting together. The nights are long, so there is time for qiyam al-layl. Winter can become something to look forward to rather than something to get through.

Misconception: “They’re Just Being Soft”

Picture someone who moves to a city with long, dark winters. Every year, around the same time, their energy drops and their mood sinks. And the people around them say, “Come on, you’re just being soft.”

That reaction comes from a very common misconception: that through sheer willpower, a person should be able to power through the symptoms and get themselves to feel better.

But depression is not the same as a simple low mood day. There is a real chemical component in the brain, and that is not something that can just be changed through willpower.

Understanding this matters for the person who is struggling, because they may already be blaming themselves. And it matters for everyone around them who might be tempted to tell them to just try harder.

How to Recognize It in Someone You Love

A lot of people can’t put into words what they’re feeling, let alone name it. So how can family and friends tell when something more is going on?

With any kind of symptom, the key is to understand the pattern. What is happening at the root of it? Where is it coming from?

With seasonal depression, the pattern is the clearest sign. It hits at around the same time every single year, and the same symptoms show up: changes in appetite, changes in sleep, a shift in mood, and lower energy.

Recognizing that pattern changes how people respond. It builds empathy, because it becomes clear that this is not a choice. The person is not deciding to give up on their responsibilities or stay in bed all day. Seeing how they function during the rest of the year makes it obvious that this is not characteristic of them.

It is also important to know how serious it can get.

In severe cases, seasonal depression can lead to depressive thoughts that reach the point of suicidal thoughts. That is a sign to be especially aware of and cautious about, and it is a clear signal that professional help is needed, because that is not something a person can just overcome through willpower.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please reach out to a local crisis line or emergency services right away. In the US, you can call or text 988.

Practical Steps for the Darker Months

A few steps that can help:

Ask a doctor about vitamin D. Since seasonal depression is tied to a lack of sunlight, a lot of doctors recommend a vitamin D supplement.
Wake up early. Rising early allows the body’s circadian rhythm to regulate to the sun’s schedule.
Get out in the sunlight as much as possible. Whatever amount of sunlight is available, take it. Anyone working from home can try to work in the sun during daylight hours.
Reframe the season. Build in things to look forward to during the colder months, whether that’s cozy, low-pressure gatherings with friends or a renewed focus on fasting and night prayer as a family.
Get professional help when it gets serious. When the symptoms deepen, a licensed professional can provide support that willpower alone cannot.

Faith and Help Go Together

So, back to the question at the start: is depression a sign of weak eman?

Being tested is a guarantee in every person’s life. Allah says:

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits” (Quran, 2:155)

Accepting that a test comes from Allah is one thing. The real question is what a person does with that test.

Will they still look at it through the lens of Allah’s wisdom? Will they find something to be grateful for? What strength is being built through this that they never would have gained otherwise? And ultimately, is this test bringing them closer to Allah or further away from Him?

One of the steps that can bring a person closer is professional help when it’s needed. A simple way to know when that point has come is when daily functioning is affected over a long period.

If someone is having trouble keeping up with their job, going to class, or taking care of their family, and it keeps happening, professional help could be really beneficial. Everybody has days where they’re down. Some days, it’s hard to even get out of bed, and that’s okay. But when there are a lot of those days, that is the signal.

Getting help can even become an act of worship. When a person is not functioning at full capacity, they are usually not functioning at full capacity spiritually either. If they seek that help for the sake of Allah, with the intention that it will help them be more consistent in their salah and draw closer to Him, then that can be an act of worship too, inshallah.

Struggling with depression does not mean a person has failed in their faith. Taking the means Allah has provided, whether that is sunlight, community, or a counselor, can be part of how they hold on to it.

Understanding Hardship Through Surah Balad

AlMaghrib — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:33:35 GMT

This article is based on a khutbah delivered by Shaykh Ammar AlShukry. You can watch the original sermon here.

In Surah al-Balad, Allah makes a number of oaths:

He swears by the sacred city of Makkah and by Adam and his descendants, and we know that every oath in the Quran has a purpose, that is to affirm the truth of a statement.

Which is why the verse that follows these oaths is so profound:

“We have certainly created man into hardship.”

[Quran, 90:4]

All of us spend our lives searching for ways to avoid hardship, stress, pain, anxiety, and all forms of difficulty, but the reality of life is this: hardship is built into it.

Hardship at Every Stage of Life

If you ask a child whether their life is problem-free, they will say no.

School brings bullies, homework, and conflicts. As children, we think that becoming adults will solve our problems, but adulthood brings its own challenges.

The single person thinks marriage will solve their problems, only to discover it doubles them. Children arrive, and the challenges multiply.

Imam al-Qurtubi, in his tafsir, talks about the journey of human struggle: from the first hardship of cutting the umbilical cord, to early life, education, the busyness of marriage, the burden of building a home, raising children, enduring the decline of health, and even after death, when we experience the constriction of the grave, the questioning by the angels, resurrection, and standing before Allah.

This continues until a person reaches their eternal home: either Paradise or Hell.

By understanding this truth, your perspective will completely shift. When we understand that hardship is part and parcel to the test of life, we stop being disillusioned by our hardships and stop envying others whose lives seem perfect on social media. Every human being, no matter what they display, is living with some form of struggle.

Complaints About Giving and Allah’s Response

Allah continues in Surah al-Balad:

“Does he think that no one has power over him?

He says, ‘I have spent a great deal of wealth.’”

[Quran, 90:5-6]

This verse was revealed about a hypocrite who committed a sin and was instructed by the Prophet ﷺ to pay an expiation.

Frustrated, the man complained that since entering Islam, his money was constantly being spent on charity and expiation.

Some of us today feel “squeezed” by all the masjid and charity fundraisers we see every Ramadan. Yet Allah reminds us of the blessings we could never repay if we were to buy them:

“Did We not make for him two eyes?

And a tongue and two lips?”

[Quran, 90:8-9]

Our eyes work tirelessly from morning until night without fatigue. Our tongues and lips are instruments of communication that never tire. Above all, Allah has guided us — something we could never have attained without Him.

The Path to Paradise

Allah then says:

“And We showed him the two paths.

But he has not attempted the steep path.”

[Quran, 90:10-11]

What is this steep or challenging path that Allah refers to?

It is to undertake great acts of virtue: freeing a slave, or feeding people in a time of extreme hardship.

Think back to the early days of the pandemic, when even toilet paper felt scarce.

Giving in such moments, when fear of shortage grips people, is one of the most difficult acts, but it is in those times that these acts mean the most.

But above all of them, Allah mentions:

“‘…and to be one of those who believe and urge one another to steadfastness and compassion.”

[Quran, 90:17]

Hardship is where your eman is truly put to the test, whether you will rise above the obstacles before you, or buckle under the pressure.

This Life Is a Test

This dunya was never meant to be problem-free. Do not let life’s struggles overwhelm you, because they are part of its design.

Everyone is tested, whether their test is visible or hidden.

Paradise is the place without problems, and this life is the journey to get there.

May Allah grant us Jannah and all that leads to it in word and deed, and protect us from the Hellfire and all that leads to it in word and deed. May He grant us taqwa and purify us. May He have mercy on our parents, forgive our deceased, heal our sick, and grant victory to the Muslims.

Can’t Sleep? Read This Dua…

AlMaghrib — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 19:20:13 GMT

How many times have you woken up at night because of a sound, pain, or even a bad dream?

It feels disturbing, right?

But what if that moment of restlessness could become one of the greatest opportunities of your life?

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that when you wake up during the night, you can have all your sins forgiven, your supplications accepted, and even your night prayer guaranteed by Allah.

Yes, while you are half asleep! Let’s explore how.

The Prophet’s ﷺ Words

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Whoever awakens at night and says:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

Then says: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي (Allahumma ighfir li – O Allah, forgive me), he will be forgiven. And if he makes dua, his dua will be answered. If he then makes wudu and prays, his prayer will be accepted.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)

Three promises in one hadith:

Forgiveness of sins.
Guaranteed acceptance of dua.
Guaranteed acceptance of salah if you pray after wudu.

You have an incredible opportunity for massive reward here, so be sure to dedicate these 10 statements to memory!

The Ten Statements to Recite

When you wake up in the night, recite these powerful words:

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
La ilaha illallah
There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.
وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ
Wahdahu la sharika lah
He is alone, without any partner.
لَهُ الْمُلْكُ
Lahul-mulk
To Him belongs all sovereignty.
وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ
Walahul-hamd
To Him belongs all praise.
وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Wahuwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir
He is capable of all things.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ
Subhānallah
Glory be to Allah, free from all imperfection.
وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
Alhamdulillah
All praise is due to Allah.
وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
Wa la ilaha illallah
There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.
وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Wallahu akbar
Allah is the Greatest.
وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
There is no power nor might except through Allah.

After completing these ten statements, raise your hands and say:

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Allahumma ighfir li
O Allah, forgive me.

And in sha Allah, your sins are forgiven.

Go Even Further

Want more? Add any dua you like right after, Allah guarantees acceptance.
Want even more? Make wudu, pray two rak‘ah, and that salah is for sure accepted.

Next time you wake up in the middle of the night, remember these ten statements, because forgiveness, answered dua, and accepted salah may all be waiting for you.

Great Muslim Leaders Do This

AlMaghrib — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 05:45:44 GMT

This is the story of a boy who dreamt of becoming a warrior for Islam… but Allah & His Messenger ﷺ had greater plans.

Young Zayd ibn Thabit was not yet 13 when he approached the Prophet ﷺ and courageously dedicated himself to the Muslim army.

He was disappointed when the Prophet ﷺ turned his offer down, patting his shoulder with tenderness.

Zayd was still too young to fight, but the Prophet ﷺ was not going to let that stop Zayd from pursuing greatness in other ways.

He ﷺ recognized that Zayd had a unique quality: A strong mind that needed to be nurtured. So he ﷺ encouraged Zayd to learn to read and write, not just Arabic, but other languages such a Hebrew as well.

Zayd ibn Thabit became the personal scribe of the Prophet ﷺ , of the few honored with such a task, and above all, he was among the companions who memorized the entire Quran, and little did Zayd know how all these years of education would come into play.

Years later, after our beloved ﷺ returned to his Lord, and many of the Hufadh of the companions had been martyred in the way of Allah, Abu Bakr (R.A), the first successor of the Messenger ﷺ had a great mission on his hand: compiling the entire Quran into one physical manuscript, so as to preserve it for the Ummah.

Who did Abu Bakr choose to oversee this tremendous task? None other than Zayd ibn Thabit (R.A). All because the Prophet ﷺ recognized his talents, and chose to nurture them.

This is one of the great qualities of prophetic leadership; putting the right people in the right places.

Throughout the seerah, we consistently find that the Prophet ﷺ recognized and nurtured talent, never letting a person’s gifts go to waste.

Bilal (R.A) was gifted with a beautiful voice, so the Prophet ﷺ made him the Mu’adhin of Madinah.

Khalid (R.A) proved his miltary prowess, so the Prophet ﷺ kept him on the frontlines of the Ummah.

Hassaan bin Thabit had a way with words, so the Prophet ﷺ made him the poet of the Ummah.

The Prophet ﷺ never overlooked his companions, each of them had their place and purpose, because this ummah is not a nation of ‘nobodies’.

One of the greatest things you can do that will make your fellow Muslim feel valued and appreciated is to recognize their talents and motivate them to use those gifts in a halal way that benefits the ummah; physically, intellectually, creatively, financially.

Each of us has a role to play, so what will yours be?

Why we send salam upon the Prophet ﷺ

AlMaghrib — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:42:18 GMT

I testify there is no God but Allah alone, without any partners, and that Muhammad, ﷺ, is His servant and messenger.”

Welcome to the Friday Khutbah! A series on the AlMaghrib Journal based on sermons delivered by our esteemed instructors! We hope you find it beneficial!

The Prophet ﷺ is the one through whom Allah granted us the greatest blessing we experience: the blessing of Islam. We remember the Prophet ﷺ because we love him. A person cannot help but constantly remember the one that they love.

Allah Himself mentions the Prophet ﷺ and praises him continuously, along with the angels. Allah says:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

“Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, send blessings upon him and greet him with peace.” (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:56)

What is Allah’s salah upon the Prophet? Ibn Abbas explained that the angels invoke blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ. Ibn Kathir stated that Allah’s salah upon Rasulullah ﷺ is His praise of the Prophet in the highest company (في الملاء الأعلى).

Allah invites the believers to send their salah upon Rasulullah ﷺ so that the inhabitants of the earth can praise the Prophet in harmony with the inhabitants of the heavens. When sending salah upon the Prophet ﷺ, we join the symphony of the hosts of the heavens as they invoke salah upon him.

Allah says:

وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرَىٰ تَنفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:55)

Five Virtues of Sending Salah Upon the Prophet ﷺ

1. It Is Highly Recommended on Friday

Rasulullah ﷺ said in the hadith of Aus ibn Aus:

إِنَّ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَيَّامِكُمْ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فَأَكْثِرُوا عَلَيَّ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ صَلَاتَكُمْ مَعْرُوضَةٌ عَلَيَّ

“The best of your days is Friday, so send a lot of salah upon me on that day, for your salah is presented to me.” (Abu Dawood)

The Companions asked, “Ya Rasulullah, how will it be presented to you when you have passed away?” The Prophet ﷺ replied:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ حَرَّمَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ أَجْسَادَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ

“Allah has prohibited the earth from consuming the flesh of prophets.”

The Prophet ﷺ did not define what “a lot” means, leaving it to each individual. For some, a hundred might be a lot; for others, it could be very little. Some might find 500 a lot, while others consider it little. Everyone is responsible for whatever they are capable of doing, striving to send abundant salah upon the Prophet ﷺ on Friday.

2. It Removes Burdens, Erases Sins, and Solves Problems

Ubayy ibn Ka’ab narrated:

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أُكْثِرُ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيْكَ فَكَمْ أَجْعَلُ لَكَ مِنْ صَلَاتِي

“O Messenger of Allah, I send a lot of salah upon you in my dua. How much of my dua should I dedicate to sending salah upon you?”

The Prophet ﷺ responded, “Whatever you wish.” Ubayy then asked about dedicating a quarter, a third, half, and then two-thirds of his dua to sending salah upon the Prophet, and each time the Prophet replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase, it is better for you.”

Finally, Ubayy asked, “Should I make all of my dua sending salah upon you?” The Prophet ﷺ said:

إِذًا تُكْفَى هَمَّكَ وَيُغْفَرْ لَكَ ذَنْبُكَ

“If you do that, your worry will be relieved and your sin will be forgiven.” (At-Tirmidhi)

What is the relationship between sending salah upon the Prophet ﷺ and having problems resolved? The answer lies in another hadith. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As narrated that Rasulullah ﷺ said:

مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ صَلَاةً صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا عَشْرًا

“Whoever sends one salah upon me, Allah sends ten upon them.” (Muslim)

When Allah cascades ten blessings upon a person for every one salah they send upon the Prophet ﷺ, what problem can exist in the presence of Allah’s peace and blessings being multiplied? Allah’s salah is so great and benevolent that when multiplied, nothing can stand in its way.

3. It Brings You Close to the Prophet ﷺ

In a hadith narrated by Ibn Mas’ud, Rasulullah ﷺ said:

أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ عَلَيَّ صَلَاةً

“The people most deserving of proximity to me on the Day of Judgment are those who send the most salah upon me.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Those who send the most salah upon the Prophet ﷺ are not only closest to him on the Day of Judgment but also closest to him in this world. Shaykh Muhammad Hassan, the Egyptian scholar, mentioned meeting a sixteen-year-old girl who had seen the Prophet ﷺ in her dreams numerous times. When asked how often she sent salah upon the Prophet, she replied, “Every day, no less than 10,000 times.”

He also mentioned meeting an elderly woman in a poor Egyptian village who did not stop sending salah upon the Prophet ﷺ, her every breath invoking blessings upon Rasulullah. When he offered to bring doctors for her ailment, she declined, saying, “I know my ailment and I know the cure. My ailment is that for the past three nights, I did not see the Prophet ﷺ in a dream.” She was so accustomed to seeing Rasulullah ﷺ in her dreams through her abundant salah that when she didn’t see him for three days, she became distressed.

4. It Is His Right Upon Us

When someone does something for you, Rasulullah ﷺ taught that if you can repay them, you should. If you cannot, at least invoke a prayer for them, saying “Jazakallahu khayran.” If that person has passed away, the least you can do is invoke Allah’s mercy for them.

One scholar of Islam said:

قَبِيحٌ بِكُمْ أَنْ تَنْقُلُوا عَنَّا وَلَا تَتَرَحَّمُوا عَلَيْنَا

“It is very ugly of you that you narrate from us our knowledge and do not invoke mercy upon us.”

People read the books of Imam al-Bukhari and benefit from Imam an-Nawawi without saying “rahimahullah” (may Allah have mercy on him). Imagine someone constantly talking about their parents without ever invoking Allah’s mercy upon them. It’s the smallest gesture, yet so meaningful.

If you understand this, then you can see how serious it is when a person mentions the name of Rasulullah ﷺ and doesn’t move their tongue to say “sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.” The Prophet ﷺ criticized such an individual, saying:

رَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ مَنْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ وَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيَّ

“May the nose of that person be in dust who I am mentioned in their presence and they don’t send salah upon me.”

In another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said:

الْبَخِيلُ مَنْ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيَّ

“The stingy person is the one who I am mentioned in their presence and they don’t send salah upon me.” (At-Tirmidhi)

5. It Is an Etiquette of Dua

When raising hands to Allah, believers want their dua to be accepted. There are etiquettes that make dua more likely to be accepted. At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood narrated that the Prophet ﷺ heard a man making dua without praising Allah or sending salah upon the Prophet ﷺ. Rasulullah ﷺ said:

عَجِلَ هَذَا

“This person rushed. They were hasty.”

The Prophet then taught:

“If a person makes dua, let them begin by praising Allah and sending salah upon the Prophet ﷺ, and then let them make whatever dua they wish.”

How to Send Salah Upon the Prophet ﷺ

The simple way is to say “Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad” or “sallallahu alayhi wa sallam” when hearing his name. However, when the Companions asked how to send salah upon him, the Prophet ﷺ taught them the complete version recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim:

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

“O Allah, send Your salah upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your salah upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent Your blessings upon the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious.”

Remember that invoking salah upon the Prophet ﷺ:

Removes stress and worry
Forgives sins
Places a person close to the Prophet ﷺ in this life and the next
Is most recommended on Friday

We ask Allah to accept our actions and guide us to the best of actions and speech.

وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ وَبَارَكَ عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ

The Dangers of Gossip & Rumours

AlMaghrib — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:34:01 GMT

I testify there is no God but Allah alone, without any partners, and that Muhammad, ﷺ, is His servant and messenger.”

Welcome to the Friday Khutbah! A series on the AlMaghrib Journal based on sermons delivered by our esteemed instructors! We hope you find it beneficial!

Two years ago, in a small town in the UK, there was a tragic case involving the murder of some girls attending a dance class, a story which sent shockwaves throughout the country.

Immediately, a rumour began that the murderer was an asylum seeker with an Arabic-sounding name, and the entire country erupted.

It caused widespread protests throughout the country. Masajid were attacked, police cars were overturned, a library was burned down.

It created a security crisis in the country. By the time the dust settled, it turned out that it was not a refugee at all. It wasn’t an asylum seeker. It was a person who was born in the United Kingdom who was not of Arab ethnicity at all.

But yet, by the time that news became verified, the harm had already been done, and this is not the only instance we have seen in recent times.

We are all aware of the story of beheaded babies on October 7th that never ended up being true.

We are aware of wars started over supposed weapons of mass destruction that turned out to be phantoms.

Time and again, we see the importance and the harm that comes when news is spread unverified.

Wars can be launched. People can be killed. Misinformation can spread.

Allah gives us a principle, which is to verify before we amplify.

The Quranic Principle of Verification

Allah says:

“يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَأٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا أَن تُصِيبُوا قَوْمًا بِجَهَالَةٍ فَتُصْبِحُوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ نَادِمِينَ”

“O you who believe, if a transgressor comes to you with news, verify it, lest you harm others out of ignorance and become regretful.”

[Quran 49:6]

Spreading unverified information can lead to regret in this life and accountability in the Hereafter.

Those we harm with our words will have the right to seek justice on the Day of Judgment. This is not limited to major tragedies; misinformation at any scale can be destructive.

The Social Media Challenge

In our times, social media amplifies both truth and falsehood at lightning speed. A single accusation or story can destroy reputations in hours.

There was a case where a Muslim influencer accused a restaurant of Islamophobia. Thousands of people, without verifying the claim, bombarded the restaurant’s Google ratings, causing its score to plummet from 4.9 to 3.5 overnight.

Later, witnesses confirmed that the influencer’s version of events was false, and in fact, it was the customers who had behaved disrespectfully. Yet, by then, the damage to the business was already done.

This is what happens when we fail to verify before we amplify. Attacking the reputation of a business based on false claims is an act of shahadat zur, bearing false witness, which the Prophet ﷺ described as one of the gravest sins.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Shall I not inform you of the greatest of major sins? … To join partners in worship with Allah: to be undutiful to one’s parents…”

He ﷺ then sat up from his reclining position before saying:

“…And I warn you against bearing false witness.”

The Companions said that he ﷺ repeated the last warning until they thought he would never stop.

[Sahih al-Bukhari]

The Culture of “Breaking News”

In today’s news cycle, everything is labeled as “breaking,” and there is immense pressure to share information immediately. However, the Quran advises believers to pause, reflect, and verify before spreading news. Allah says about those who receive news related to security or fear:

“إِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ الْأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُوْلِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ”

“When there comes to them news of public security or fear, they spread it. But if they had referred it back to the Messenger or those in authority, those among them able to draw correct conclusions would have understood it.” [Quran 4:83]

A story from the time of the Prophet ﷺ illustrates this beautifully.

A rumor spread that the Prophet had divorced his wives, causing widespread panic. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) went directly to the Prophet to confirm the truth, rather than speculating.

This act of going directly to the source is a timeless lesson for us all.

Practical Steps to Verify Information

How can we practically implement this principle of verification?

1. Pause Before Sharing: Ask yourself, is this information truly important or relevant? The Prophet ﷺ forbade idle talk and taught:

“From the excellence of a person’s Islam is to leave what does not concern him.”

[Sunan al-Tirmidhi]

2. Go Back to the Source: Whenever possible, confirm the truth with the people involved or trusted authorities.

3. Cross-Reference: In an age of fake news, cross-check information with multiple credible sources before spreading it. A quick search can reveal whether a report is trustworthy.

4. Consider Timing: Breaking news is rarely the full story. Waiting allows the truth to emerge and prevents spreading half-truths.

In a time of deception and information overload, our responsibility as Muslims is to be sources of calm and clarity, not chaos and fear.

We ask Allah to make us people of truth, who extinguish the fires of fitnah (discord) rather than fanning them.

وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ وَبَارَكَ عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ

Back to School Duas For Your Kids

AlMaghrib — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:00:41 GMT

Summer is almost over, and that morning rush is on its way back.

Getting your kids to wake up, brush their teeth, dress, and then trying to beat the traffic just to get to school on time is a mission!

But with all that chaos comes a golden opportunity for you to bring an incredibly powerful sunnah to your child’s daily routine: the morning and evening adhkar.

Allah commands us:

“And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech – in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless.”
(Quran, 7:205)

We have countless dua and adhkar from the Quran and Sunnah for all situations, and the Prophet ﷺ placed great emphasis on seizing the morning and evening to seek Allah’s barakah and protection.

So as sunrise gets later, and sunset gets earlier, now is the time to instill this sunnah into your children.

Here are just a few adhkar to teach your children to recite before school.

The 3 Quls:

A great starting point is to work with what they know.

Chances are, your children are already familiar with the last 3 chapters of the Quran, and these verses carry such immense protection and blessing.

Surah al Ikhlas:

قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ أَحَدٌ ، اَللّٰهُ الصَّمَدُ ، لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

“Say [O Prophet] ‘He is Allah, The One. Allah, The Self-reliant. He begets not, nor was he begotten, and there is nothing like Him.'”

Surah al Falaq:

قُلْ أَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ.

“Say [O Prophet] ‘I seek refuge in The Lord of Daybreak, from the evil of whatever He has created, and from the evil of the night when it grows dark, and from the evil of those [witches] blowing onto knots, and from the evil of an envier when they envy.”

Surah al Nas:

قُلْ أَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ، مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ، إِلٰهِ النَّاسِ ، مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ ، اَلَّذِيْ يُوَسْوِسُ فِيْ صُدُوْرِ النَّاسِ ، مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ.

“Say [O Prophet] ‘I seek refuge in The Lord of mankind, The King of mankind, The God of mankind, from the evil, lurking whisperer, who whispers into the hearts of mankind. Of jinn and mankind.'”

The method:

Recite each of these surahs 3 times, blow or dry spit into your hands, and wipe your hands over yourself from head to toe.

Benefits:

Surah al Falaq and Nas (called the mu’awwidatayn) are powerful chapters that serve as ruqya and protection from black magic and the evil eye.

Additionally, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Recite, ‘He is Allah, the One,’ (Surah al Ikhlas) and the two chapters of refuge, every evening and morning three times. They will be enough for you against everything.” [Tirmidhi]

Gain The Best of The Day

أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ ، فَتْحَهُ وَنَصْرَهُ وَنُوْرَهُ وَبَرَكَتَهُ وَهُدَاهُ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا فِيْهِ وَشَرِّ مَا بَعْدَهُ.

“We have reached the morning, and at this very time unto Allah belongs all sovereignty, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, I ask You for the good of this day, its triumphs, its victories, its light, its blessings, and its guidance. And I take refuge in You from the evil of this day and the evil that follows it.” [Abu Dawud]

Benefits:

The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his companions to recite this in the mornings and in the evenings [Sahih Muslim]. It is a reminder that success can only come from Allah, and is a means of seeking His blessing before major and minor events of the day.

Protection From Major or Sudden Harm:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الَّذِيْ لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيْعُ الْعَلِيْمُ.

‘In the name of Allah with whose Name nothing is harmed on earth nor in the heavens, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing’

The method:

Recite 3 times

Benefits:

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Any slave of Allah who says [the above] in the morning of every day and in the evening of every night three times shall be safe from the reach of anything evil or harmful.” [Tirmidhi]

The Best Repentance:

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّيْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، خَلَقْتَنِيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ، وَأَنَا عَلَىٰ عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ ، أَبُوْءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوْءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِيْ ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ.

“O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You.”

Benefit:

The Prophet ﷺ said regarding this dua that, “…Whoever says it during the day with firm belief in it and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise…” [Sahih al Bukhari]

These are just a few of the powerful morning adhkar from the Sunnah, but they are a great starting point for our children! You can recite them together after fajr, at breakfast, or on the way to school. Just be sure to make dua & dhikr a daily routine, because these are essential habits that will bring barakah to your child’s life.

A Match Made in Madinah: ‘Ali and Fatima (R.A)

AlMaghrib — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 11:40:04 GMT

Have you ever come across a couple that seemed as though they were made for each other?

Like everything about her complements everything about him?

If ever there was a marriage you could describe that way, it would be between two of the most beloved people to our Prophet ﷺ :

Fatima, his youngest daughter, the key to his heart, and the leader of the women of paradise…

And ‘Ali, the first boy to embrace Islam, the warrior, the Harun of this Ummah.

What makes their love story truly beautiful is not their status in Islam, or any glamour, but in its simplicity, and in how they worked to make their love last.

The Awkward Proposal

It was not long after the Battle of Badr when Fatima رضي الله عنها began to receive proposals.

First came Abu Bakr, then Umar, and to each of them the Prophet ﷺ said no, indicating he had someone in mind for her.

Who could it have been? How special must this suitor for the Prophet’s daughter be that he would turn away his most senior companions?

This was Fatima after all, the closest of all the Prophet’s ﷺ children to him. She resembled him the most in her appearance and her character. She was with him in the most difficult episodes in his life, caring for her father after the loss of Khadijah.

If ever she entered upon a gathering where her father was present, he ﷺ would insist that she take his seat.

‘Ali رضي الله عنه could not have imagined that he would be a worthy prospect, especially as the most senior companions had been refused.

You see, at that time, ‘Ali was incredibly poor, with nothing but an old iron shield to his name.

As a young bachelor, only around 23 years old, ‘Ali was immersed in Jihad, and had little concern for business or wealth at that time.

The idea of the two marrying seemed to be on everyone’s minds but his, but after some encouragement from his relatives, ‘Ali finally mustered the confidence to go to the house of the Prophet ﷺ and ask that daunting question… yet when he arrived, that confidence quickly vanished, and ‘Ali fell silent.

The Messenger ﷺ put him out of his misery: “Perhaps you have come to ask for Fatima’s hand?”

All ʿAli could manage was a nod, and the Prophet ﷺ smiled, asking what ‘Ali had to offer as a dowry… and therein lay ‘Ali’s predicament.

“I own nothing, O Messenger of Allah, except for this shield of mine.” ‘Ali said, so the Prophet told him to sell the shield, and that would suffice for the dowry.

A Simple Wedding

When ‘Ali رضي الله عنه went to the marketplace, he ran into ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan who enquired about the shield. ‘Ali told him that it was not worth more than 4 dirhams, but ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه, knowing the reason for ‘Ali’s business in the marketplace, smiled, and offered him 400 dirhams instead. Elated, ‘Ali agreed to the sale, upon which ‘Uthman handed back the shield, saying it was a wedding gift.

Part of the dowry would buy perfume for the bride, whilst the rest was used to buy household items.

The wedding preparations began, and the Sahaba eagerly jumped at the opportunity to get involved.

A’isha and Umm Salama رضي الله عنها helped to prepare the home for the newlyweds, whilst others went out to purchase items for the house.

The walimah itself was simple, with a meal of only dates, barley, and water, and yet it was one of the happiest days in Madinah, as two of the most beloved people to the Messenger ﷺ began a new life together, and what an incredible life it would be.

Struggles and Smiles

The newlyweds moved into a hut so small it held only a single straw mattress that served as a bed at night, a couch by day, and a feeding‑trough for their animals in the afternoon.

ʿAli found work where he could, which typically involved carrying timber and water until his back ached, while Fatima would work diligently at home, grinding barley until blisters split her palms.

Like all couples, they had their fair share of rough patches, too.

On one occasion, the Prophet ﷺ went to visit his daughter, and when seeing that she was visibly upset, asked, “Where is your uncle’s son?” (meaning ‘Ali). Fatima explained that the two had an argument, after which ‘Ali left to go to the masjid. The Prophet ﷺ later found ‘Ali there, asleep and covered in dirt.

One might imagine that ‘Ali was in for a serious scolding from his father-in-law, but instead, the Prophet ﷺ gently patted the dirt off of ‘Ali’s cloak, jokingly saying, “wake up O Abu Turab (father of dust),” diffusing the situation before sending him home to his wife.

Despite their troubles and struggles, their simple palm tree home would be filled with even more love and laughter.

One morning as ‘Ali found Fatima brushing her teeth, he began reciting poetry to her, teasing at her siwak (tooth stick):

“You have seized her mouth, O branch of the Arak

Were you not afraid that I would see you?

Had you been a warrior, I would have slain you

No one has been able to defeat me, O siwak, except you.”

These candid verses became a classic of Arabic romance poetry, and are just a small glimpse into the passion and affection between these noble spouses.

Entering Parenthood

It was not long after their marriage that their family quickly grew, with the arrival of their first son just a year later.

ʿAli, being the bold and brave mujahid, named him “Harb”, meaning “war”, whereas the Prophet renamed him to Hasan, meaning goodness, and declared, “O Allah, love him and love those who love him.”

The next year, they welcomed their second son, and again, ‘Ali decided to name him “Harb”, but the Prophet once again said, “rather his name is Husayn (Little Hasan).”

‘Ali persisted with the birth of his third son, who the Prophet ﷺ would once again rename Muhsin (Doer of Good).

Whilst many of us know of the first two sons, Muhsin would sadly pass away in his infancy.

Their daughters, Zaynab and Umm Kulthum completed the family unit and would fill the household of the Prophet ﷺ with delight for years to come.

The stories demonstrating the Prophet’s affection for his grandchildren are too many to enumerate, especially with Hasan and Husayn.

The Whispers of Parting

Ten years into the marriage, fever consumed the Prophet, and he ﷺ knew that his final days on this earth were upon him.

As his family surrounded him, he ﷺ called for Fatima to draw closer, whispering something into her ear that caused her to cry intensely.

The Prophet ﷺ called her a second time, whispering into her ear again, but this time causing her to laugh.

It was not until after his passing that Fatima would reveal what he ﷺ had said to her that caused her sadness and her laughter.

The first piece of news was that he would soon die, and the second was that she would be the first of his household to join him.

Sure enough, not six months had passed before Fatima رضي الله عنها would depart from this world.

ʿAlī washed and shrouded her body, weeping intensely, before leading her janaza.

It is said that he would visit her grave after her burial, composing for her a raw and grief-stricken elegy.

He would later say that neither battle nor civil strife hurt him like the twin blows of losing the Messenger and the Radiant One within six short months.

May Allah join us with them.

Dealing with Rejection: Barira and Mugith (R.A)

AlMaghrib — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:04:30 GMT

Have you ever felt the pain of unrequited love?

When affection only goes one way, and never the other.

It can sting, but there are lessons in it for those who are mindful.

There’s a short but powerful story from the Sahaba that illustrates exactly this, and it starts with a slave woman named Barira (R.A), who bargained for her freedom from her master.

She was given the opportunity for mukataba, a negotiation where slaves can emancipate themselves for a given price over a certain period of time.

For Barira, that price was 9 silver coins, and with the help of our mother A’isha (R.A), and a lot of back and forth, she was eventually freed.

On top of that, she was granted the wala’, guardianship, of A’isha, and so the two became very close.

Now, in her years of enslavement, Barira wasn’t alone. She had a husband named Mugith, and he was madly in love with her. The kind of love you only hear about in old arab poetry.

The problem was, those feelings were not mutual, and so as soon as she was freed, Barira asked for a divorce, as is the right of a freed slave if their spouse is still not emancipated.

This shattered Mugith’s heart, so much so that it became known throughout the town, but he was determined to not let things end.

So, over the course of her 3 month ‘iddah, Mugith could be seen in the streets behind Barira, weeping, pleading to her to take him back.

This even caught the attention of the Prophet ﷺ himself, as he was sitting with his uncle Al Abbas (R.A) he remarked:

“O `Abbas ! are you not astonished at the love of Mughith for Barira and the hatred of Barira for Mughith?”

Out of compassion and sympathy for Mugith, the Prophet ﷺ went to Barira in the hopes of reconciling between the two.

When he ﷺ asked her to reconsider the annulment and take Mugith back, Barira asked:

“O Messenger of Allah, is this a command?”

The Prophet ﷺ said, “No, rather I am only interceding on his behalf.” To which Barira answered, “I have no need of him.”[Sahih al Bukhari]

So the marriage was annulled, and the two eventually married elsewhere.

Now, many might read this story as a tragedy, and for Mugith, maybe it was for a time.

But for Barira it wasn’t.

The truth is that marriage is not solely about love, for some it’s a matter of practicality, and for many in those times, it was a means for survival and protection.

This story teaches us that reciprocated love is not guaranteed, even in marriage, and that is a test many may face in life.

At the same time, this story demonstrates that divorce is not a failure, despite the stigma around it, sometimes it can be a blessing, and even a necessity.

It also shows us the importance of mediation and reconciling between couples when you know their marriage is on shaky ground, but also acknowledging that sometimes marriage is simply not meant to be.

May Allah be pleased with both Barira and Mugith, and grant all those longing for love and stability happy and fulfilling marriages.

Love Endures: Zaynab bint Muhammad (R.A)

AlMaghrib — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:28:00 GMT

The Battle of Badr had just ended, and the Muslims were gathering the spoils of their victory.

One by one, the prisoners from the Quraysh were brought forth to the Prophet ﷺ to be ransomed for their freedom, and among them was a man who presented Allah’s Messenger with something that evoked memories of joy and pain.

It was a necklace, one that belonged to his dear wife Khadijah (R.A).

How did it end up here at the plains of Badr, and who was this man who presented it to the Messenger?

To really complete this scene, we must go back to a time many years before the prophetic mission in Makkah.

A Noble Wedding Gift

The Prophet ﷺ had married his daughter Ruqayyah to her cousin ‘Utbah bin Abi Lahab, his daughter Umm Kulthum to her cousin ‘Utaybah bin Abi Lahab, and his daughter Zaynab to a man named Abul-’Aas ibn al-Rabi’ from the tribe of Banu Abd Manaf of Banu Abd Shams.

When the Prophet ﷺ was given revelation and began preaching in the city, the Quraysh sought to humiliate his family by separating his daughters from their husbands.

Ruqayyah’s marriage to ‘Utbah had not yet been consummated, so he divorced her after Quraysh had requested his father to order him to do so, and sent her back to her father. ‘Utaybah did the same with Umm Kulthum.

As for Abul-’Aas, they said, “Divorce the daughter of Muhammad, and we will marry you to any woman from Quraysh you wish.” Although he was a polytheist at the time, he refused, saying, “Even if you married me to all the daughters of Quraysh, I would not divorce her.”

The Prophet ﷺ migrated to Madinah, and the years passed by.

After the Battle of Badr, the prisoners were brought before him, and begrudgingly, Abul-’Aas was amongst them.

The ransom for the prisoners was arranged, and each prisoner had their relatives from Mecca send money or valuables on their behalf.

When the ransom for Abul-’Aas came, it had been sent by Zaynab (R.A) with her brother-in-law, Abdullah bin al-Rabi’. It included money and the necklace that her mother Khadijah had given her as a gift to wear on the day she married Abul-’Aas.

When the ransom of Abul-’Aas was presented, and the necklace was shown to him, the memory of Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was present with it.

As the Prophet ﷺ looked at the necklace in front of him, he saw the scene of Khadijah adorning her daughter on her wedding day.

It was as if this necklace spoke on behalf of Khadijah; and Zaynab, who sent that necklace on her husband’s behalf, understood this. It sent a clear message of the extent of her love and compassion for her husband.

The Prophet ﷺ was deeply moved, but he had to remain just, and so before making a decision, he turned to his companions, saying, “If you see fit to return her necklace, then do so…”

They said, “Yes, we will do it, O Messenger of Allah…” The necklace was returned to Abul-’Aas bin al-Rabi’, and they agreed to settle for the money alone as his ransom.

However, the Prophet ﷺ stipulated that in return, he must send Zaynab back to him.

The Test of Distance

Abul-’Aas returned to Makkah and prepared his beloved wife to send her back to her father, fulfilling the promise he had made to him.

As Zaynab prepared to leave, she was visited by the most prominent grieving woman in Mecca after Badr, Hind bint ‘Utbah.

Hind had lost her father, ‘Utbah bin al-Rabi’ah, her brother, Shaybah ibn ‘Utbah, and her son, Handhalah bin Abu Sufyan, who had all been killed in the Battle of Badr.

She said, “O daughter of Muhammad, what happens between men does not need to come between us women. I know you are going to your father, so if you have any need, ask me; ask whatever you wish, and do not ask anyone else!”

Zaynab recounted this, saying, “I believe that if I had asked her for anything, she would have given it to me,” meaning that she believed she was sincere.

Zaynab joined her father and stayed with him in Medina for six years.

Despite him having yet to embrace Islam, Zaynab was still deeply in love with Abul-’Aas, and remained a committed wife despite their distance, knowing that he was an honorable and sincere man, and hoping that he would embrace the truth.

A Joyous Reunion

Zaynab’s trust proved to be true as, eventually, Abul-’Aas embraced Islam and migrated to Madinah five months before the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.

The Prophet ﷺ returned Zaynab to him, and he continued to mention the loyalty of Abul-Aas, both the first and the second times he remained loyal to Zaynab.

The first instance was when Quraysh urged him to divorce Zaynab and he refused, considering her equal to all the women of Quraysh put together. The second was when he gave and fulfilled his promise to send Zaynab back to him after Badr.

The Prophet ﷺ would praise Abul-’Aas amongst the other companions, mentioning him as his son-in-law from Banu ‘Abd Shams, saying: “Whenever he spoke to me, he spoke the truth, and whenever he promised me, he fulfilled his promise.” [Sahih al Bukhari]

What great loyalty to the memory of Khadijah.

Just seeing the necklace brought back such a strong and emotional memory that it was as if she were present, interceding before him.

And how beautiful and honorable was the journey of Abul-’Aas and Zaynab? One that allowed for Abul-’Aas to accept Islam in his own time, whilst preserving the dignity of Zaynab (R.A) and protecting her.

May Allah be pleased with them, reunite them in the hereafter, and allow us to join them and the Prophet ﷺ .

Tested by Love: The Life of Atika bint Zayd (R.A)

AlMaghrib — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:38:39 GMT

Her name was Atika, the daughter of Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl. She was known for her immense piety, her masterful poetry, and for her incredible beauty.

His name was ‘Abdullah, the son of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq رضي الله عنه. He was known to be dashing, brave, a devout worshipper, and a courageous warrior in the path of Allah.

The two of them married, and their love became the talk of the city.

It was the kind of romance that you’d think only existed in fiction: they were young, passionate, and completely captivated by one another.

It was a match made in Madinah, they seemed perfect for each other… that was until one fateful day, when Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه ordered his son to divorce his wife.

When love becomes blinding

You might think that these two were perfect for one another, as did many, and Abu Bakr did not see any fault in Atika رضي الله عنها . He knew of her immaculate character and virtue, but it was what he saw in his son that troubled him.

He saw that ‘Abdullah رضي الله عنه was so enamored with his wife, that their love was affecting his relationship with Allah.

His attendance at the masjid was weaker, as was his presence on the battlefield, and whilst we might not find these so alarming, we are not Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.

There is a reason why he was above and beyond us, because he held himself and his family to a higher standard in their Deen.

So, ‘Abdullah followed his father’s advice, and despite the emotional weight of it all, he divorced Atika. This decision, however, took a major toll on both of them.

It’s said ‘Abdullah could be seen around Madinah reciting melancholic verses, lamenting their lost love.

Having seen the grief it had caused his son, Abu Bakr gave his blessing once again, and the two remarried, paying heed to their relationship with Allah above all.

‘Abdullah returned to the battlefield again, taking part in the battle of Ta’if, where he would thereafter reach martyrdom, returning to his Lord.

Atika was struck with grief, dedicating poetry to her departed husband:

“May my eyes never stop weeping for you,

May my skin never be perfumed again, except by dust.”

Her story does not end there, however.

Love would continue to test Atika, but the mark of her excellence is how she continued to endure.

Daring to love again

One might think that being tested with divorce, remarriage, and ultimately being widowed, Atika رضي الله عنها might have been put off the prospect of marriage altogether, and she was ready to resign herself to a life alone after her ‘ida (mourning period), but the sincere advice from the other companions encouraged her to move forward.

‘Umar ibn al Khattab, Atika’s cousin, advised her, “Do not make haram for yourself what Allah has made halal.”

This gave Atika the resolve to love again, and she would eventually marry Zayd ibn al Khattab, the brother of ‘Umar رضي الله عنه.

Not much is known about the details of their marriage, for Zayd too would reach martyrdom soon after at the battle of Yamamah.

Now widowed twice, Atika’s test of love was bearing down on her, yet she remained patient, and for that, Allah blessed her with a period of peace and clemency.

The Wife of the Caliph

Yes, soon after Atika would marry none other than ‘Umar ibn al Khattab, the second Caliph, the man who the devil himself fled from, and about whom the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Were there to be a prophet after me, it would have been ‘Umar” [Jami’ al Tirmidhi]

Their wedding was an occasion of great joy, visited by many of the senior companions, including A’isha رضي الله عنها , the mother of the believers, and Atika’s sister-in-law once upon a time.

A’isha could not help but tease the blushing bride, reminding her of the lines of poetry she lamented ‘Abdullah with, changing the words to:

“May my eyes find peace after you,

May my skin be perfumed once more.”

Her marriage to ‘Umar brought years of much-needed happiness after the pain she endured, and the two found kindred spirits in one another; both deeply devout and known for their character and austerity.

But as time passed, their marriage too would end in tragedy, as ‘Umar would eventually be martyred whilst leading Salah in the masjid.

The Widow of Martyrs

By this point, a sentiment grew among the people of Madinah:

“If a man wishes to be martyred, let him marry Atika bint Zayd.”

This was not to tease or belittle her, or to spread false superstition, but it was a mark of honor to be the widow of a martyr, and it was for that reason that the most respected companions sought her hand in marriage.

This time it was Zubayr ibn Awwam who, like ‘Umar, was from the famous 10 promised paradise.

But like ‘Umar, and Zayd, and ‘Abdullah before, Zubayr’s destiny was to return to his Lord a martyr at the battle of al Jammal, one of the major tragedies of that event.

It is said that Atika would marry once more, to the beloved grandson of the Prophet ﷺ: Al Husayn.

This time, however, she would not live to see her husband’s martyrdom, as Atika would pass away years before the tragedy of Karbala.

Lessons From The Life of Atika

There are many powerful gems to take away from the saga of Atika. Both in her personal struggles but also in the culture around her.

When we look to the Sahaba, we find a community that did not stigmatise remarriage, and in fact honored their widows and divorcees.

The fact that she had been married before did not deter the greatest of the companions from pursuing her hand, because they were a people who valued piety above all else.

That alone should inspire us collectively today, especially in the face of the marital crises we see in many communities.

But there is something even greater we find in this story, and that is the character of Atika herself.

One might read about her life through a tragic lens, but the story of Atika is one of resilience and hope.

It takes tremendous courage to love after facing intense grief and loss, and shows the tawakkul she had in Allah. Never do we find her asking, “Why me?”

Grief never led to doubt in Allah’s plan for her, and despite the pain and trauma that comes with such harrowing loss, she continued to seek love, trusting in Allah all the while.

For those who have been troubled and tested in the pursuit of love, whether it be rejection, divorce, or even loss, let the example of Atika bint Zayd رضي الله عنها serve as a source of inspiration.

How to Name a Child in Islam: Principles and Etiquette

AlMaghrib — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:33:13 GMT

The matter of naming a newborn child is of great importance in the Sharī‘ah, due to the huge effect it has on the psychology of the child and societal ties. Because of this it is not surprising that the scholars paid a lot of attention to this matter and wrote about its rulings and manners in detail.

One of these scholars is Ibn al-Qayyim who wrote about it in his book Tuḥfat’l-Mawdūd bi Aḥkāmil Mawlūd. He wrote a 37-page chapter in this book called ‘Regarding the Matter of Naming and Its Rulings’. Another is Dr. Bakr Abu Zayd who authored a book with the title Tasmiyat’l-Mawlūd in which he wrote on the subject in detail.

It is mandatory for the Muslim parent to put effort into naming his or her child with a beautiful and good name.

Here are some of the key principles to keep in mind.

The Foundational Principle

Of the important principles in this chapter is that the general rule regarding all names is that they are mubāḥ (allowed) unless there is evidence which indicates that its ruling changes to mustaḥabb (recommended), ḥarām (prohibited), or makrūh (disliked).

Part One: Choosing a Good Name

It is mandatory for both parents to take the following matters into account when choosing a name:

1. The name should be beautiful and good

Avoid names with negative or ugly connotations.

The meaning should be positive in three respects:

Positive in the Sharīʿah sense. Examples of this could be the names Mujāhid, Mubārak, Makkah, etc. Another example could be naming after an eminent Muslim; it was found that the companions used to name their children with the names of the martyrs of the battle of Uḥud. Some of the senior companions like Sa’Īd bin Abi Waqqās and al-Zubayr bin al-‘Awwām named their children Mus‘ab after Mus‘ab bin ‘Umayr.
Positive in a linguistic sense. For example: like Sa’Īd (happy), Nabīl (noble), and Sīrīn (Persian name meaning something which is full).
Positive by the customs of the people. For example: like Hend, Samar, and Layth. It was narrated by al-Ḥākim in his Mustadrak that when ‘Ali named his children Ḥarb (meaning war), that the Prophet changed it to al-Ḥasan, then al-Ḥussayn, then Muḥsin. And in the Sunan of Abu Dāwūd it is mentioned that the most hated of names to Allāh are “Ḥarb” (meaning war) and “Murrah” (meaning bitter).

2. Choose from names recommended in the Sharīʿah

Another way of choosing a good name is to choose a name which has been recommended in the texts of the Sharī‘ah like:

‘Abdullāh and ‘AbdulRaḥmān

ابْنِ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهما قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ” إِنَّ أَحَبَّ أَسْمَائِكُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ.” (رواه مسلم)

Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Surely the most beloved of your names to Allāh is ‘Abdullāh and ‘AbdulRaḥmān.” (Muslim)

عن جابر رضي الله عنه قال: “ولد لرجل منا غلام فسماه القاسم، فقلنا: لا نكنيك أبا القاسم ولا كرامة، فأخبر النبي ﷺ فقال: سم ابنك عبد الرحمن.”

It was narrated by Jābir who said: “A man from amongst us had a son and named him “al-Qāsim”. We said: ‘We will not give you the nickname Abu’l-Qāsim nor will we honor you in that way.’ The Prophet was informed and said: ‘Name your son ‘AbdulRaḥmān.’” (Bukhāri and Muslim)

As soon as the child understands and is old enough to realize, he will hear this name and it will be embedded in his heart that he is ‘Abdullāh, the slave of Allāh, and that Allāh is his Master, and that his Master is Al-Raḥmān Al-Raḥīm, and it will be easy to raise him upon this.

Al-Hārith and Hammām

عن أبي وهب الجشمي قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ” أحب الأسماء إلى الله عبد الله وعبد الرحمن، وأصدقها حارث وهمام، وأقبحها حرب ومرة ” رواه أبو داود و النسائي و الترمذي.

It was narrated by Abu Wahb al-Jushamiyy who said: “The Messenger of Allāh said (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam): ‘The most beloved of names to Allāh are ‘Abdullāh (meaning the slave of Allāh) and ‘AbdulRaḥmān (meaning the slave of the Most Merciful), and the most truthful of them are Ḥārith (meaning farmer/worker) and Hammām (meaning hard-working/enthusiastic/ambitious), and the most ugly of them are Ḥarb (meaning war) and Murrah (meaning bitter).” (Abu Dāwūd, al-Nasā’i, and al-Tirmidhi)

Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said in his book Majmū‘ Al-Fatāwa: “And his saying that Ḥārith and Hammām are the most truthful of names is because every human being is Hammām and Ḥārith. The Ḥārith is the one who works and earns. The Hammām is the one who has a lot of ambition, and this (ambition) is the beginning of intending to do anything.”

The names of the Prophets

The encouragement to name children after the Prophets is found in the following narration of Abu Wahb al-Jushamiyy which is attributed to the Prophet:

” تسموا بأسماء الأنبياء، وأحب الأسماء إلى الله عبد الله وعبد الرحمن، وأصدقها حارث وهمام، وأقبحها حرب ومرة” (رواه أبو داود والنسائي والبخاري في الأدب المفرد) و قد ضعف بعض أهل العلم هذه الرواية ومنهم الشيخ الألباني.

“Name (your children) with the names of the Prophets. And the most beloved of names to Allāh are Abdullāh and AbdulRaḥmān, and the most truthful of names are Ḥārith and Hammām, and the most ugly of them are Ḥarb and Murrah.” (Abu Dāwūd, al-Nasā’i, and al-Bukhāri in Al-Adab’l-Mufrad)

This narration was considered weak by some of the scholars including Shaykh al-Albāni. However, the principle mentioned is confirmed and correct. Imām al-Bukhāri titled one of the chapters in his collection of authentic narrations: “The Chapter of the One Who Names With the Names of the Prophets.” Anas also said that the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) kissed Ibrāhīm, meaning his son. The sunnah of the Prophet in terms of his actions is evidence that it is allowed according to the Sharī‘ah to name children with the names of the Prophets.

It was narrated in Saḥiḥ Muslim and others that Anas bin Mālik said:

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “ولد لي الليلة غلام فسميته باسم أبي إبراهيم”.

The Messenger of Allāh said: “A child of mine was born tonight, and I named him with the name of my father Ibrāhīm.”

Also found in Ṣaḥiḥ Muslim is the narration of ‘Alqamah bin Wā’il bin Shu‘bah who said:

“لما قدمت نجران سألوني فقالوا إنكم تقرؤون ‘يا أخت هارون’ وموسى قبل عيسى بكذا وكذا فلما قدمت على رسول الله سألته عن ذلك فقال إنهم كانوا يسمون بأنبيائهم والصالحين قبلهم.”

“When I went to Najrān they asked me saying: ‘You all recite ‘Oh sister of Hārūn’, and Moses came before Jesus by such and such (number of years).’ So, when I came to the Messenger of Allāh I asked him about this, and he said: ‘They used to name after their Prophets and the righteous people who came before them.’”

In another narration in Ṣaḥiḥ Bukhāri:

عن أبي موسى قال: “ولد لي غلام، فأتيت به النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – فسمَّاه إبراهيم! فحنَّكه بتمرة، ودعا له بالبركة، ودفعه إليَّ.”

It was narrated by Abu Mūsa that he said: “A son of mine was born so I brought him to the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and he named him Ibrāhīm! He did his taḥnīk with a date (by chewing it and rubbing some of the juice in the mouth of the child), prayed for him to have barakah, and gave him back to me.”

It was also narrated by al-Bukhāri in Al-Adab’l-Mufrad in the narration of Yūsuf bin ‘Abdullāh who said:

” سماني النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – يوسف ” (قال الحافظ في الفتح: ” الحديث وسنده صحيح وأخرجه الترمذي في الشمائل “)

“The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) named me Yūsuf.” (Al-Ḥāfidh in Al-Fatḥ said that this narration and its chain of narrators is authentic and it is narrated by al-Tirmidhi in Al-Shamā’il)

Another evidence of this is the narration found in al-Bukhāri from Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh al-Anṣāri and Anas bin Mālik:

عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري و أنس بن مالك أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “سموا باسمي .”

That the Prophet said: “Name with my name.”

It was also narrated authentically (according to al-Ḥāfidh in Al-Fatḥ of Ibn Abi Shaybah):

عن سعيد بن المسيب قال : “أحب الأسماء إليه أسماء الأنبياء.”

It was narrated by Sa’Īd bin al-Musayyib who said: “The most beloved of names to him are the names of the Prophets.”

There is no doubt that naming children after the Prophets is a beautiful concept because it connects the child to the best role model possible, considering the Prophets were the leaders of all human beings and the best of them.

The allowance of naming children with the names of the Prophets is so accepted that it is almost considered a matter of consensus between the scholars. However, some of the Ḥanafi and others consider it to be mustaḥabb (recommended), while there is also one opinion that it is makrūh (disliked).

Names indicating servitude to Allāh (e.g. ‘Abdullāh, ‘AbdulRaḥmān)

All of the scholars are in agreement that the best of these names are ‘Abdullāh and ‘AbdulRaḥmān, but other names that have the same general meaning of being a slave of Allāh and use different names of Allāh, are considered to also be praiseworthy because of the similarity to these two names.

Note: There is a narration which states: “The most beloved of names to Allāh are ‘Ābid and Ḥammid”, but this narration is weak. Al-Albāni said about this narration: “It has no basis.” (From Al-Silsilat’l-Dha‘īfah)

The names of the righteous, especially the Companions

It is encouraged to name after the righteous slaves of Allāh, specifically the companions of the Prophet, in the hopes of emulating them and having a high status (in the sight of Allāh).

Of the evidence of this is what was narrated by Imām Muslim on the authority of the Prophet that:

“أنهم كانوا يُسمُّون بأسماء أنبيائهم والصالحين من قبلهم.”

“They used to name with the names of their Prophets and the righteous who came before them.”

Even though this came from the Sharī‘ah of those who came before us, there is nothing in our Sharī‘ah which prohibits or contradicts this concept.

Ibn Ḥajar said in Al-Fatḥ: “And it is said that Talḥa said to al-Zubayr: ‘The names of my sons are the names of the prophets and the names of your sons are the names of the martyrs (he had named them after the martyrs of Badr.’ So he said: ‘I have hope that my sons will become martyrs but you don’t have any hope of your children becoming Prophets.’ He was indicating by saying this that what he had done was better than what Talḥa did.”

Part Two: Names That Are Prohibited or Disliked

The ruling of naming with names which are prohibited by the Sharī‘ah is either makrūh (disliked) or ḥarām; the majority of this section however will cover names which are makrūh and should be avoided, even if not ḥarām.

Category 1: Names belonging only to Allāh

It is ḥarām to give the creation a name whose meaning may only be attributed to Allāh. This takes several forms:

(a) A name that is exclusively one of Allāh’s names or attributes.

For example: “Allāh”, “Al-Raḥmān” (The Most Merciful), “Al-Quddūs” (The Most Sacred/Holy), “Al-Ṣamad” (The Eternal Refuge), “Rabb’l-‘ālamīn” (The Lord of the worlds), “Rabb’l-nās” (The Lord of the people), “Al-Razzāq” (The Provider), “Al-Bāri” (The Producer) etc.

This is the statement of the majority of the Māliki, Shāfi‘i, and Ḥanbali jurists, and their opinion is based on very clear evidence. The evidence they use is the verse where Allāh says:

“Do you know any one worthy of His name?” (Maryam: 65)

The meaning of this verse according to al-Qurṭubi in his tafsīr Al-Jāmi‘ is: “There is no one similar to Him who deserves the equivalent to His name Al-Raḥmān.”

It was narrated in Bukhāri and Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who said:

عن النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قال: «إن أَخْنَعَ اسم عند الله رجل تسمى ملك الأملاك، لا مالك إلا الله». وفي رواية مسلم: «أَغْيَظُ رجل على الله يوم القيامة، وأخبثه وأَغْيَظُه عليه، رجل كان يسمى ملك الأملاك، لا مَلِكَ إلا الله». قال سفيان: «مثل شَاهَانْ شَاهْ»، وقال أحمد بن حنبل: سألت أبا عمرو عن أَخْنَع؟ فقال: «أَوْضَع».

The most despicable name in the sight of Allāh is a man who names himself “the king of kings”; there is no owner except for Allāh. And in another narration in Muslim: “The most wretched person in the sight of Allāh on the Day of Resurrection, and the worst person and the one who is a target of His wrath, is the person who is called Mālik al-Amlāk (the King of Kings), for there is no king but Allāh.” Sufyān said: “This is like (the name) Shāhan Shāh.” And Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal said: “I asked ‘Abu ‘Amr about the meaning of the word “akhna’” and he said: ‘the most despicable’.”

It was also narrated by Abu Dāwūd from Shurayḥ from his father:

“أنه لما وفد إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مع قومه سمعهم يكنونه بأبي الحكم فدعاه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: ” إن الله هو الحكم وإليه الحكم فلم تكنى أبا الحكم فقال إن قومي إذا اختلفوا في شيء أتوني فحكمت بينهم فرضي كلا الفريقين فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما أحسن هذا فما لك من الولد قال لي شريح ومسلم وعبد الله قال فمن أكبرهم قلت شريح قال فأنت أبو شريح.”

“That when he came to the Messenger of Allāh and he heard them calling him by the nickname of Abu’l-Ḥakam, the Messenger of Allāh called him and said to him: ‘Allāh is Al-Ḥakam (the Judge) and judgment is His. Why are you known as Abu Al-Ḥakam?’ He said: ‘If my people differ concerning something, they come to me, and I pass judgment among them, and both sides accept it.’ He said: ‘This is excellent! Do you have any children?’ He said: ‘I have Shurayḥ.’ He said: ‘Then you are Abu Shurayḥ’, and he supplicated for him and his son.”

There is no doubt that naming a child with names similar to these is a form of disbelieving in the names and characteristics of Allāh. Allāh says:

And to Allāh belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. (al-A‘rāf: 180)

As for the opinion of some of the Ḥanafi who have allowed giving any of the names of Allāh to a creation, this is a rejected.

(b) A name of the form “slave of ___” where what follows is not a confirmed name of Allāh.

Examples of this are: ‘AbdulQadīm (the slave of the ancient), ‘Abdul’Ab (the slave of the father), ‘AbdulBāqi (the slave of the eternal), ‘Abdul‘Āl” (the slave of the elevated), ‘AbdulMaqsūd (the slave of the one who is sought), etc.

This is also considered a form of disbelieving in the names of Allāh and Allāh says:

And to Allāh belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His name. (al-A‘rāf: 180)

It was narrated by Ibn Abu Ḥātim from Mubashir bin ‘Ubayd Al-Qurashi who said: “Al-A‘mash said that the word يُلْحِدُونَ in this verse is from the word اللَّحْد (to disbelieve/renounce faith).” He said: “And I asked him about the explanation of it and he said: ‘They enter into them what is not from it’ (meaning they include names which are not names of Allāh in His names).”

Examples of this are to name a child ‘AbdulḤussayn” (the slave of Al-Ḥussayn), ‘Abdulnabi (the slave of the Prophet), ‘Abdulka‘bah (the slave of the Ka‘bah), ‘Abdulmasīḥ” (the slave of the anointed one [Jesus]) etc.

The opinion of the majority of the Ḥanafi, Shāfi‘i, and Ḥanbali scholars, as well as the most correct opinion of the Māliki scholars, is that this is not allowed.

The evidence of this is that the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) changed every name of a companion who had a name which indicated being a slave of other than Allāh. He changed the name ‘Abdulḥajar (slave of the stone) to ‘Abdullāh as is found in the narration of Hāni bin Shurayḥ when he came to the Prophet. (narrated by Al-Bukhāri in Al-Adab’l-Mufrad)

There is no doubt that these names are a type of shirk (associating partners with Allāh) in terms of wording because being a slave should be to Allāh alone.

This makes it clear that the opinion of some of the Ḥanafi and Shāfi‘i scholars which have allowed this or have stated that it is simply makrūh (disliked) (instead of ḥarām) if the intention is only to use the name (without actually believing it) and out of seeking honor through this association to the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and the righteous, is very weak.

As for their claim that the concept of being a slave has many indications, this is accurate. However, the statement of the Prophet “Wretched is the slave of the dinār” (Bukhāri) for example, is not the same as naming someone ‘AbdulRasūl (slave of the Messenger) or ‘AbdulḤussayn” (the slave of al-Ḥussayn). This is because in the second situation these phrases are being used to name a person, and in the first situation in the statement of the Prophet this phrase is being used as a description and as a form of supplicating against that type of person.

As for their claim that it is a way of associating oneself to someone else out of love and following them, but not out of worship, we can accept this claim with extreme caution and dislike if the phrase is being used as a description of someone (for example: To describe someone as being a servant of the Prophet), but not as the person’s actual name which he is known by and endowed with.

The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to close any doors that could possibly lead to shirk and excessiveness, including matters that are much less significant than what we have been discussing.

It was narrated in al-Bukhāri by ‘Umar bin al-Khaṭṭāb who said:

سمعت النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يقول: (لا تُطْروني كما أَطْرت النصارى ابنَ مريم؛ إنما أنا عبده، فقولوا: عبد الله ورسوله).

I heard the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying: “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising the son of Mary; I am nothing but His slave, so say: ‘The slave of Allāh and His messenger’.”

It was also narrated in the Sunan of Abu Dāwūd from ‘Abdullāh bin al-Shikhīr who said:

عن عبد الله بن الشخير -رضي الله عنه- قال: “انطلقت في وفد بني عامر إلى رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فقلنا: أنت سيدنا. فقال السيد الله -تبارك وتعالى-. قلنا: وأَفْضَلُنَا فَضْلًا وأَعْظَمُنْا طَوْلًا. فقال: قولوا بقولكم أو بعض قولكم، ولا يَسْتَجْرِيَنَّكُمُ الشيطان”.

I went with a deputation of Banu ‘Āmir to the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and we said: “You are our master (sayyid)”. To this he replied: “The Master is Allāh, the Blessed and Exalted”. Then we said: “And the one of us most endowed with excellence and superiority”. To this he replied: “Say what you have to say, or part of what you have to say, and do not let the devil make you his agents.”

It was also narrated by Imām Aḥmad in his Musnad on the authority of Anas bin Mālik that:

عن أنس بن مالك – رضي الله عنه – أن رجلا قال: ” يا محمد، يا سيدنا، وابن سيدنا، وخيرنا وابن خيرنا، فقال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -: “أيها الناس عليكم بتقواكم ولا يستهوينكم الشيطان، أنا محمد بن عبد الله، عبد الله ورسوله والله ما أحب أن ترفعوني فوق منزلتي التي أنزلني الله “.

“A man said: ‘Oh Muḥammad, oh our master, and the son of our master, and the best of us, and the son of the best of us.’ So the Messenger of Allāh said: ‘Oh people, you must be mindful of Allāh, and do not let the devil draw you all towards him. I am Muḥammad the son of ‘Abdullāh, the slave of Allāh and His messenger, and I swear by Allāh that I do not like for you all to raise me above the level that has been given to me by Allāh.”

As for their using the statement of the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam): “I am the son of ‘AbdulMuṭṭalib (the slave of Muṭṭalib)” as an evidence for their allowance of this, this cannot be used as evidence because this phrase is informing us of the name of his grandfather. What we are discussing is naming which one has power over and the ability to change, not names which came before us. This is why the Prophet changed the names of the companions but not the names of their fathers and grandfathers. So, when the Prophet said “I am the son of ‘AbdulMuṭṭalib” he was simply relaying information and not establishing a rule.

Some scholars get into more detail regarding this matter and say that it is permissible to name someone the slave of something if it is something that no one would ever imagine to actually indicate the worship of that thing. Examples of this could be ‘Abdulkhayr (the slave of goodness), ‘Abdulsunnah (the slave of the sunnah), or Abdul‘ilm” (the slave of knowledge). This is because the aspect of shirk is removed in these types of phrases. This is how we can understand some of the disturbing statements which are narrated on this topic, in which evidence is manipulated to allow naming with names which indicate slavery to other than Allāh.

The root of this catastrophe is really the lack of the true understanding of the meaning of tawḥīd, shirk, and the fact that the Sharī‘ah is preventative of all types of harm and closes any doors which could lead to it. The Messenger said: “Beware of going to extremes in religious matters, because going to extremes is what destroyed those who came before you.”

Category 2: Names that praise the person

One evidence of this is a narration found in the Ṣaḥīḥayn on the authority of Abu Hurayrah who said: “That Zaynab’s name used to be Barrah (meaning obedient/righteous) and it was said: ‘She is praising herself.’ So the Prophet renamed her Zaynab.”

In his book Zād’l-Ma‘ād, Ibn al-Qayyim explains the reasoning for the prohibition of names which indicate praise of the person by saying: “…And another issue is that the one who carries this name may believe that he/she is in fact that way, and this would be considered praising and magnification of oneself and a form of raising himself/herself above others. This is what the Prophet was prohibiting when it came to the name Barrah and he said: “Do not praise yourselves; Allāh knows best who amongst you are the obedient/righteous people.” Based on this, it would be disliked to name a child al-Taqiyy (the God Conscious), al-Muttaqi, al-Mutī‘ (the obedient one), al-Rādhi (the content one), al-Muḥsin (the person who practices iḥsān), al-Mukhlis (the sincere one), al-Munīb (the repentant one), al-Rashīd (the rightly guided), or al-Sadīd (the one who has hit his target).

For the same reason, it is also disliked to name someone with a name in which there is a word connected to the words dīn and Islam which would serve as a form of praise for the person who carries that name. Examples of this would be Nūr’l-dīn (the light of the religion), Dhiyā’l-dīn (the light of the religion), Ṣayf’l-Islam, and Nūr’l-Islam (the light of Islam). To assign these types of names to a person is such a huge claim that it is very close to lying. For this reason, some scholars have actually stated that it is ḥarām, while most have stated that it is makrūh (disliked), because it is incorrect to assign the meaning of these names to human beings.

This is why Imām Al-Nawwawi hated the fact that he was nicknamed Muḥyi’l-dīn (the reviver of the religion), and why Shaykh’l Islam Ibn Taymiyyah used to also hate that he was nicknamed Taqiyy’l-dīn and used to say: “However my people have given me that nickname and it became well-known.”

What is most correct is that there is a difference between naming a person these names and using them as a nickname or description of a person who deserves that nickname, like the phrases Nāṣir’l-dīn” (the one who gives victory to the religion) and Ḥujjat’l-Islam (the proof of Islam), etc. Using these phrases as a nickname or description would be permissible.

Ibn Taymiyyah indicated that the using of such titles was introduced to Muslims by non-Arabs, after the time of the best generations (the companions and tābi‘īn).

Category 3: Names it would be improper to negate

There are many narrations which serve as evidence for this:

It was narrated in Muslim by Samurah bin Jundub who said:

عَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدُبٍ ، قَالَ : “قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ” لَا تُسَمِّيَنَّ غُلَامَكَ يَسَارًا ، وَلَا رَبَاحًا ، وَلَا نَجِيحًا ، وَلَا أَفْلَحَ ” ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقُولُ : أَثَمَّ هُوَ ؟ فَيَقُولُ : ” لَا”.

The Messenger (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do not name your son Yaṣār (prosperity) or Rabāḥ (gain) or Najīḥa (correct/successful) or Aflaḥ (successful) because you will say: ‘Is he there?’ and he will say: ‘No’.”

The scholars have agreed that the ruling of this is that it is makrūh (disliked).

Abu al-Walīd al-Bāji the Māliki scholar said: “The prohibition narrated by Samurah bin Jundub is a prohibition which indicates that this is makrūh (disliked) (rather than ḥarām). This is why the Prophet allowed the name Ḥuzn (sadness) because the man wanted to keep his name and was content with it and hated to change it. If this was ḥarām the Prophet would not have allowed it. This was also the reason he allowed the names Ḥarb and Murrah and didn’t order them to change their names even though he disliked these names. And Allāh knows best.” (From the book Al-Muntaqa Sharḥ Al-Muwatta’)

Al-Nawawi said in his explanation of Muslim: “It is disliked but not ḥarām.”

Ibn al-Qayyim said in his book Zād al-Ma‘ād: “As for the prohibition of naming a boy Yaṣār, Aflaḥ, Najīḥ, and Rabāḥ, this is due to another reason which is indicated in the narration when the Prophet said: “And you would say: ‘Is he there?’ and it would be said: ‘No’.” And Allāh knows best regarding whether this addition is a completion of the narration which is attributed to the Prophet, or an addition from the companion who narrated it. Regardless, these names could cause superstition and pessimism which is disliked by people. For example if you say to a man: “Is Yaṣār (prosperity) with you? Or Rabāḥ (gain)? Or Aflaḥ (success)?” and then he responds “No”, this may cause both you and him to consider it to be a bad omen. And for he who is superstitious, it is often that his superstition will actually befall him (as a punishment from Allāh because of their negative assumption of Allāh).

It is of the wisdom of Allāh our Law-Giver, Who is both Kind and Merciful to his ummah, that He prevents them from that which will cause them to hear or experience negative things, and turns them instead towards names which will be effective in accomplishing the goal (of naming), without causing any harm. And this is better. It is also important to add that a person could actually end up being the opposite of his name. For example, a person named Yaṣār (prosperity) could end up being financially strained, and Najīḥ (correct/successful) could end up being unsuccessful, and Rabāḥ could end up being a loser. This could also set up expectations of this person which he is not able to meet, and this in turn could cause him to be blamed and cursed by other people because of that.

What is most correct is that in the end, the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did not actually prohibit these names. This is based on the following narration in Muslim:

أن جابراً قال: أراد النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام أن ينهى أن يسمى بيعلى وبركة وأفلح ونافع ويسار وبنحو ذلك ثم رأيته سكت بعد عنها فلم يقل شيئاً، ثم قبض صلى الله عليه وسلم ولم ينه عن ذلك ثم أراد عمر بن الخطاب أن ينهى عن ذلك ثم تركه”.

That Jābir said: “The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) wanted to prohibit naming with the names Ya‘la, Barakah, Aflaḥ, Nāfi‘ (beneficial), Yaṣār, and other names similar to these. Then I saw him remain silent regarding this matter after that and he didn’t say anything about it. Then the Prophet passed away without prohibiting this. Then ‘Umar bin al-Khaṭṭāb wanted to prohibit this but then left the matter alone.”

It was also narrated by al-Bukhāri in his book Al-Adab’l Mufrad that the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“إن عشت نهيت أمتي إن شاء الله أن يسمي أحدهم بركة ، ونافعاً ، وأفلح ـ ولا أدري قال: “رافع” أم لا؟ ـ يقال: هاهنا بركة؟ فيقال : ليس ها هنا ” !! فقُبض النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ولم ينه عن ذلك.” (وصححه الألباني في “صحيح الأدب المفرد)

“If I live (long enough) I will prohibit my nation, if Allāh wills, from naming anyone Barakah, or Nāfi‘, or Aflaḥ [and I don’t know if he said Rāfi‘ or not]. For it will be said: ‘He is not here!’” Then the Prophet passed away without prohibiting it. (Deemed authentic by al-Albāni in Al-Adab’l-Mufrad)

Al-Mubārakfūri said in his book Tuḥfat’l-Ahwathi which is an explanation of al-Tirmidhi: “The Prophet stayed silent after that out of mercy for his nation, because of the hardship and difficulty it would cause, especially considering that most people are not able to differentiate between good and bad names. So, the prohibition which we find negated in the narration of Jābir was the prohibition which indicated taḥrīm (that its ruling is that it is ḥarām), and the prohibition which was established and confirmed in the narration of Samurah indicates tanzīh (that it’s ruling is that it is makrūh (disliked) and should be avoided).

Category 4: Names with an ugly or blameworthy meaning

For the name to have an ugly/negative meaning according to the Sharī‘ah.

This includes:

Names of the devils, or of people known for disbelief, evil, or oppression (e.g. Fir‘awn, Hamān, Qārūn, Hitler, al-Jahm).

The Ḥanbali opinion is that naming with the names of tyrants is makrūh (disliked). Ibn al-Qayyim said regarding disliked names in his book Tuḥfat’l-Ahwathi: “And of them are the names of the Pharaohs and tyrants like Fir‘awn, Qārūn, Hamān, and al-Walīd”. (This was also mentioned in Kashāf Al-Qinā‘ by al-Bahūti the Ḥanbali scholar)

In the Shāfi‘i and Ḥanbali texts we also find that it is disliked to name with the names of devils like Khinzib, Walhān, and al-Ajda‘.

(This is mentioned in the book Mughni Al-Muḥtāj by al-Shirbīni the Shāfi‘i scholar, and in the footnotes of the book Kanz Al-Rāghibīn fi Fiqh Al-Shāfi‘iyyah by Aḥmad ‘Umayrah and Aḥmad al-Qalyūbi, and in the book Kashāf Al-Qinā‘ by al-Bahūti the Ḥanbali scholar)

Names indicating something ḥarām or sinful, e.g. ‘Āṣiyah (disobedient) or Ghāwiyah (seductress).

The evidence of this is what was narrated by Muslim in Kitāb Al-Adab in the “Chapter of the Recommendation to Change a Name to Something Good”:

عن عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنه “أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم غير اسم عاصية، وقال: أنتِ جميلة”

It was narrated by ‘Abdullāh bin ‘Umar: “The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) changed the name of ‘Āṣiyah (disobedient) and said: ‘You are Jamīlah (beautiful)’.”

(Note: this narration is regarding the name عاصية with an “ع” which is different from the name of the wife of pharaoh آسية with an “ا”)

This principle was written about by the Ḥanbalis in the books Al-Rawdh’l-Murbi’ and Kashāf Al-Qinā‘ by al-Bahūti, and by the Shāfi‘s as is found in the book Mughni Al-Muḥtāj by al-Shirbini

Category 5: Names involving prohibited imitation

For the name to be similar to the type of imitation which is prohibited. This is of two types:

To give a name which is specifically for men to a woman or vice versa. This is prohibited because it is a form of imitation which is ḥarām.
To name with the names of the disbelievers and sinful people out of wanting to imitate them and out of loyalty to them. An example of this is someone who names his child after a non-Muslim singer or actor out of love and loyalty to them. Like someone who names their child Bush, Diana, Madonna, etc.

Disliked: names with a negative connotation in language or custom

This matter is made clear by the following narrations:

روى أبو داود عَنْ أَبِي وَهْبٍ الْجُشَمِيِّ ، وَكَانَتْ لَهُ صُحْبَةٌ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : ( تَسَمَّوْا بِأَسْمَاءِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ ، وَأَحَبُّ الأَسْمَاءِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ ، وَأَصْدَقُهَا حَارِثٌ وَهَمَّامٌ ، وَأَقْبَحُهَا حَرْبٌ وَمُرَّةُ )

It was narrated by Abu Dāwūd from Abu Wahb al-Jushamiyy, a companion, who said: “The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Name with the names of the Prophets, and the most beloved names to Allāh are ‘Abdullāh and ‘AbdulRaḥmān, and the most truthful of them are Ḥārith and Hammām, and the most ugly of them are Ḥarb and Murrah.”

عن علي بن أبي طالب – رضي الله عنه – ، قال : لما ولدت فاطمة الحسن جاء النبي – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم – فقال : ” أروني ابني ما سميتموه ؟ ” قال : قلت : سميته حربا ، قال : ” بل هو حسن ” ، فلما ولدت الحسين جاء رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم – فقال : ” أروني ابني ما سميتموه ؟ ” قال : قلت : سميته حربا ، فقال : ” بل هو حسين ” ، ثم لما ولدت الثالث جاء رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم – قال : ” أروني ابني ما سميتموه ؟ ” قلت : سميته حربا ، قال : ” بل هو محسن ” ، ثم قال : ” إنما سميتهم باسم ولد هارون شبر وشبير ومشبر ” .رواه الحاكم و قال: هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد ولم يخرجاه .

It was narrated by ‘Ali bin Abu Ṭālib who said: “When Fatima gave birth to al-Ḥasan, the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) came and said: ‘Show me my son, what have you named him?’ He said: ‘I said: ‘I have named him Ḥarb (war).’ So he said ‘Rather he is Ḥasan (good)’. Then when Fatima gave birth to al-Ḥussayn, the Prophet came and said: ‘Show me my son, what have you named him?’ He said: ‘I said: ‘I have named him Ḥarb (war).’ So he said ‘Rather he is Ḥussayn’. Then when she gave birth to the third, the Prophet came and said: ‘Show me my son, what have you named him?’ He said: ‘I said: ‘I have named him Ḥarb (war).’ So he said ‘Rather he is Muḥsin’. Then he said: You have named them with the names of the children of Hārūn, Shibr, Shubayr, and Mushbir. (Narrated by al-Ḥākim who said: this is a narration with an authentic chain)

وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: “جاءت عجوز إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو عندي, فقال لها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من أنتِ؟ قالت: أنا جَثَّامَةُ الْمُزَنِيَّة، فقال: بل أنت حسانة المزنية” رواه الحاكم وصححه الألباني.

And it was narrated by ‘Ā’ishah who said: “An old woman came to the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) while he was with me. So, the Messenger of Allāh said: ‘Who are you?’ She said: ‘I am Jathāmah (lazy, unintelligent) al-Muzaniyyah.’ He said: ‘Rather you are Ḥassānah (very good and beautiful) al-Muzaniyyah.’” (Narrated by al-Ḥākam and deemed authentic by al-Albāni)

Jathāmah is a name which is heavy on the tongue and includes multiple meanings which are all negative including: stupidity, laziness, and nightmares.

This principle was mentioned by the Ḥanbalis as is found in Al-Rawdh’l-Murbi‘, Kashāf Al-Qinā‘ by al-Bahūti, and by the Shāfi‘is like in Mughni Al-Muḥtāj by al-Shirbini.

The Sunnah of Giving Children Nicknames (Kunya)

Beneficial Note: It is from the Sunnah to give children nicknames.

It was narrated by Anas bin Mālik who said:

عن أنس بن مالك قال: “[إن] كان النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – ليخالطنا، حتى يقول لأخ لي صغير: يا أبا عُمَير، ما فعل النُّغَير؟” (رواه البخاري في الأدب المفرد)

The Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to intermingle with us so much that he said to a younger brother of mine: “Oh Abu ‘Umayr, what happened to al-Nughayr (a bird he used to play with)?” (Narrated by al-Bukhāri in Al-Adab’l-Mufrad)

It was also narrated by Um Khālid bint Khālid bin Sa’Īd who said:

و عن أم خالد بنت خالد بن سعيد، قالت: ” أتي النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – بثياب فيها خميصة سوداء صغيرة، فقال: ائتوني بأم خالد، فأُتِيَ بها تُحمَلُ، فأخَذَ الخميصة بيده فألبَسها، قال: أبْلِي وأخلِقِي، ثم أبلي وأخلقي، وكان فيها علم أخضر أو أصفر، فقال: يا أم خالد هذا سَنَاهْ – وهي بالحبشية حسنة – قالت: فذهبتُ ألعب بخاتم النبوة، فزَبَرَني أبي، فقال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -: دعْها.” (رواه البخاري)

The Prophet was given some clothing amongst which was a small black shirt. He said: “Bring me Umm Khālid.” So she was carried to him and he took the shirt with his hand and put it on her. He said: “May you live so long that your dress will wear out and you will mend it many times”, and then again said: “May you live so long that your dress will wear out and you will mend it many times”. On the khamisa (specific type of garment) there were some green or yellow designs. (The Prophet saw these designs) and said, “Oh Um Khālid! This is Sanah.” (Sanah is an Ethiopian word meaning beautiful). She said: “So I started to play with the seal of Prophethood and my father admonished me.” Then the Messenger of Allāh said: “Let her.” (Bukhāri)

Note: It is also permissible for a person to be given a kunya (nickname) with other than the names of his children.

Examples of a kunya given without a corresponding child of that name:

The nickname Abu Bakr was given even though he didn’t have a child named Bakr.
The nickname Abu Ḥafs was given to ‘Ūmar bin Al-Khaṭṭab even though he didn’t have a child named Ḥafs.
The nickname Abu Hurayrah was given even though he didn’t have a child named Hurayrah.
The nickname Abu Tharr was given even though he didn’t have a child named Tharr.
The nickname Um ‘Abdullāh was given to ‘Ā’ishah even though she didn’t have a child named ‘Abdullāh.

May Allah grant you righteous children exemplifying beautiful names.

The Sunnah of being neighborly

AlMaghrib — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:07:27 GMT

I testify there is no God but Allah alone, without any partners, and that Muhammad, ﷺ, is His servant and messenger.”

Welcome to the Friday Khutbah! A series on the AlMaghrib Journal based on sermons delivered by our esteemed instructors! We hope you find it beneficial!

After the death of the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said to Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه, “Let us go visit Um Ayman, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to visit her.”

Um Ayman رضي الله عنها, whose name was Baraka, was the blessed nurse of the Prophet ﷺ. He loved her dearly and would regularly visit her. When Abu Bakr and Umar came to see her, she began to cry.

They asked her, “Why are you crying? What is with Allah is better for His Messenger ﷺ.”

She replied, “I know that what is with Allah is better, but I am weeping because the revelation has stopped. There will be no more Quran being revealed, no more revelation.”

And so she cried, and they cried with her.

Consider this: Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه at that time was the khalifa of the Muslims, the busiest man in the world. Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه was his right-hand man. Yet they recognized the immense value and virtue of spending time with this elderly woman.

As our society becomes increasingly isolated and individuals grow more disconnected, it is crucial that we constantly remind each other of the importance of visiting one another. What creates community, what builds family, what fosters the love that Allah loves so much is connection and visitation.

These acts of connection are among the most important elements in constructing a healthy social fabric.

Allah’s Love for Those Who Visit Each Other

Allah ﷻ says in a Hadith Qudsi, as reported by the Prophet ﷺ:

وَجَبَتْ مَحَبَّتِي لِلْمُتَحَابِّينَ فِيَّ، وَالْمُتَزَاوِرِينَ فِيَّ

“My love has been prescribed for those who love each other for My sake, and My love has been written for those who visit each other for My sake.”

(Reported by Imam Malik in al-Muwatta)

When someone travels to any part of the city or beyond it with no intention other than visiting their brother or sister for the sake of Allah, it is something that earns Allah’s love.

The Angel on the Road

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrated a profound story in a hadith reported by Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:

A man set out to visit a brother of his in another town. Allah sent an angel to wait for him on the road. When the man approached, the angel asked, “Where are you going?”

He replied, “I am going to visit a brother of mine in this town.”

The angel asked, “Do you have some favor that you want to secure from him or repay to him?”

He said, “No, except that I love him for the sake of Allah.”

The angel then said, “I am a messenger from Allah to you, informing you that Allah loves you as you have loved your brother for His sake.”

(Reported by Muslim)

This hadith demonstrates the tremendous reward of undertaking a journey purely to visit someone for Allah’s sake.

Responding to Invitations

Just as Allah loves when we come to the masjid, He also loves when we go to the houses of our brothers and sisters. The Prophet ﷺ said:

حَقُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ خَمْسٌ

“The rights of a Muslim upon another Muslim are five.”

(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Among these five rights is ijabat al-da’wah, responding to their invitation. While many scholars say this specifically refers to wedding invitations (da’wat al-walimah), the statement is general and encompasses all invitations.

The Prophet ﷺ exemplified this beautifully. It is reported that if he was invited to eat the shoulder of a lamb (considered the most succulent meal) or the foot (the most humble meal), he would respond. Whether invited to a five-star meal or the simplest gathering, the Prophet ﷺ would accept his companions’ invitations.

Throughout the sirah, we see the Prophet ﷺ repeatedly visiting his companions and responding to their invitations.

The Unique Value of Home Visits

A person might ask: “Do I need to host people in my house? I see my friends all the time at restaurants and cafes.”

While meeting at restaurants is good, there is a level of vulnerability that comes with hosting someone in your home and a level of generosity unique to home hospitality.

As one person once observed, “When I meet my friend at a cafe, I’m able to leave them at that cafe.” This is one reason we host less frequently in our homes. Most people today host less than their parents’ generation did.

Guests can certainly present challenges. They might overstay their welcome, venture into areas of the house better left private, or witness family dynamics we’d prefer to keep hidden. This is precisely why Islam places such emphasis on the etiquettes of being a guest.

However, when we visit someone at their house, we gain access to a level of connection and understanding otherwise impossible to achieve. There are layers of their life we can access that ten years of meeting at the masjid or restaurants would never reveal.

When visiting someone’s home, we can meet their family members, gain insight into their challenges, and develop a much deeper understanding of who they are as a person.

The Etiquettes of Being a Guest

Because guests can present difficulties for hosts, Islam established comprehensive etiquette:

Sit exactly where the host directs you to sit
Be attentive to not overstay your welcome
Be as light a presence as possible
Don’t look around the house without the host’s permission
Recognize and respect the vulnerability of the host

The Right to Decline Visitors

Some people avoid extending invitations because they fear being overburdened by guests. Others hesitate to visit for fear of inconveniencing someone.

Islam provides a beautiful solution to this dilemma. Allah ﷻ says in Surah al-Nur:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ارْجِعُوا فَارْجِعُوا ۖ هُوَ أَزْكَىٰ لَكُمْ

“And when it is said to you, ‘Go back,’ then go back; that is purer for you.”

(Surah al-Nur, 24:28)

This verse teaches that if someone calls and says, “I’m in the neighborhood, are you available?” and the response is, “I’m sorry, I’m really busy right now,” there should be no offense taken. Allah says this response is pure for both parties.

The beautiful balance Islam creates happens when both sides fulfill their responsibilities: one makes themselves available to visit, while the other feels comfortable, honestly saying when it’s not a good time.

Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه used to visit people, hoping they would tell him it wasn’t the right time, because Allah says, هُوَ أَزْكَىٰ لَكُمْ (“It is purer for you”).

Instead of teaching our children to lie and say “Tell them I’m not home,” we should normalize honest communication. When everyone does what they’re supposed to do, the beautiful balance Islam created naturally emerges.

Why Invitations Sometimes Stop

When asked why we don’t gather as much as we used to, some say, “I’m not invited. I don’t get invited to things.”

Consider this: when your brother or sister invites you and you decline the first time, the second time, and the third time, saying “I’m busy,” what will they naturally do? They’ll stop inviting you.

Constant rejections may create a lack of opportunity. This is why we should be aware of and respectful toward invitations when they come. We should communicate our appreciation and, if unable to accept, try our best to fulfill the invitation at another time.

Who Deserves Our Visits Most?

Obviously, family members have rights over us, as do those we love for the sake of Allah. But the Prophet ﷺ placed tremendous reward in visiting the sick and elderly.

When noticing that certain acts of worship have become absent in society, one should resolve to perform those acts. Visiting the elderly and the sick, thinking about those who haven’t been seen at the masjid for weeks, this person who’s always at Jumu’ah but was absent this week—these are the people who deserve our attention.

One regular attendee of the masjid shared that when he was absent from one Jumu’ah, several brothers called to check on him. He said, “It made me so happy.”

Bringing Happiness to a Muslim

Visiting one another brings happiness. It is a cause of joy and connection.

The companions often asked the Prophet ﷺ:

أَيُّ الْأَعْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ؟

“What action is most beloved to Allah?”

On one occasion, he simply replied:

سُرُورٌ تُدْخِلُهُ عَلَى مُسْلِمٍ

“Happiness that you bring to a Muslim.”

(Reported by al-Tabarani)

Let us recognize the virtue of this blessed action. When visiting others, it shouldn’t be merely because someone is cool, enjoyable to be around, or because we need something from them. Rather, let us make the intention that we are visiting this person for the sake of Allah. That is something Allah ﷻ loves.

وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ وَبَارَكَ عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ

4 Lessons in Rizq from The Sahaba

AlMaghrib — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:57:44 GMT

Muslims have the wrong idea about wealth. So many of us believe that more wealth = less piety, That focusing on the Akhira means ignoring this Dunya… but that could not be further from the truth.

Islam does not demand us to renounce the dunya and not seek our share of it. A true Muslim works with his hands whilst putting his trust in Allah.

Many of the Sahaba of our Prophet ﷺ were wealthy individuals, and by looking into their lives, you can learn some incredible lessons on rizq.

Here are 4 powerful stories from the lives of the Sahaba and what they can teach us about rizq.

1. AbdurRahman ibn Awf

He was from the Muhajireen, he was a veteran of countless battles alongside the Prophet ﷺ , he was from the famous 10 promised Paradise, and he was among the wealthiest of the Sahaba, both before and after the Hijra.

But there was a time where AbdurRahman ibn Awf had nothing to his name.

When he left Makkah for Madinah after 13 long years of persecution, he was forced to abandon all his fortunes, and arrive in the budding new city with nothing but the clothes on his back.

The Prophet ﷺ had assigned pairings between the Muhajirun of Makkah and the Ansar (helpers) in Madinah to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood between the Muslims.

AbdurRahman (R.A) was linked with the Ansari companion Sa’ad ibn ar-Rabi’ah, an affluent and generous figure in Madinah.

Sa’ad was committed to supporting his new brother with half of everything he had, to the extent that he said:

“My brother! Among the people of Madinah I have the most wealth. I have two orchards and I

have two wives. See which of the two orchards you like and I shall vacate it for you and which

of my two wives is pleasing to you and I will divorce her for you.”

AbdurRahman was taken aback by Sa’ad’s generosity, but politely declined, saying:

“May Allah bless you in your family and your wealth. But instead, can you please direct me to the marketplace?”

AbdurRahman (R.A) began working in the market, studying the local mercantile practices, and began trading with what little he could earn, growing and accumulating his wealth.

By the time the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah, he found AbdurRahman dressed in fine clothing, perfumed, and newly wed.

All in just several months of hard work!

And his fortunes continued, until he was once again one of the wealthiest companions in Madinah.

It was said that at a point he had a caravan of camels so large that whenever they returned from a journey, the people believed the city was being invaded!

The lesson in his story:

While there is no shame in taking help from others, there is barakah in being independent and assertive.

2. Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqas

There is no rizq like an accepted Du’a, and one companion of the Prophet ﷺ known to be blessed abundantly in his supplication was Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqas (R.A)

Another great companion from the 10 promised paradise, he was one for who the ayat of the Quran regarding goodness to parents were revealed.

He is the one about whom the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Let my parents be sacrificed for you!”

However big or small, the people noticed how frequently Sa’ad’s supplications were answered almost immediately.

On one occasion during the khilafa of ‘Ali (R.A), it is said that a man in Iraq was cursing the Khalifah, and when Sa’ad (R.A) heard of this, he warned the man to stop.

When he refused to heed the warning, Sa’ad prayed two rak’at of Salah and made Du’a cursing that man, after which a beast entered the city and trampled on him.

Needless to say, being on the bad side of Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqas was not a place you wanted to be!

But what made his Du’a so special?

Many scholars will note that one outstanding quality of Sa’ad (R.A) was incredibly strict in what he consumed.

“I do not put anything in my mouth except that I know where it came from; I purchased it, and I

know its source.”

It is said this level of stringency upon seeking only that which is halal and tayyib aided his Du’a.

As Abu Hurayra (R.A) reported, the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Allah is pure and accepts only that which is pure. And verily Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He has commanded the Messengers. So the Almighty has said: ‘O Messengers! Eat of the tayyibat (pure things), and perform righteous deeds’ and Allah has said: ‘O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you’.”

Then he ﷺ mentioned a man who, having journeyed far, is dishevelled and dusty, and who spreads out his hands to the sky saying, “O Lord! O Lord!” while his food is haram, his drink is haram, his clothing is haram, and he has been nourished with haram, so how can he be answered?

[Sahih Muslim]

The lesson in his story:

If you want barakah in your rizq and for your du’a to be accepted, be cautious with how you earn your wealth and how you spend it.

3. ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan

The third Khalifa in Islam.

A son-in-law of the Prophet ﷺ .

A man known for his devotion the Qur’an and immense modesty, to the extent that even the angels were shy in his presence!

Some may not be aware, however, that Uthman (R.A) was also among the wealthy elite of the Arabs before and after accepting Islam.

He was also known for his incredible philanthropy throughout his life, and his contribution is being witnessed to this day!

During the time of the Prophet ﷺ , there was a severe drought affecting the city of Madinah.

Water was already a scarce resource in the harsh climate, and at a time where it was needed most, one of the only sources available in the city was a well owned by a Jewish man who would sell the water at an extortionate price.

Uthman (R.A) purchased that well for around 20,000 dirhams, and made it a waqf (public charitable trust) so that the water would be free for the whole community to benefit from.

That well, known as Bir Rumah, would be used not only for day-to-day purposes like drinking and cleaning, but also watering entire fields of crops for local farmers.

Over time, the area around the well developed into a plantation which became a lifeline for the Muslim economy in Madinah, and the wealth generated from its crops would be reinvested in the community for generations to come.

Believe it or not, that waqf established from a single well is still active to this day!

The wealth generated from the waqf of Uthman (R.A) goes into an account under his name, which is overseen by the Saudi Ministry of Endowments, and continues to be used to support charitable projects.

The lesson in his story:

When you give for the sake of Allah, it will continue to grow, and the benefit will always return to you, whether you see it or not.

4. Abu Bakr as-Sidiq

The best of men to walk this earth after the prophets of Allah.

The closest companion to the Messenger ﷺ.

The man who will accompany him ﷺ through the gates of Paradise…

And another wealthy and successful merchant in his time.

Countless stories can be recounted to illustrate the many virtues of Abu Bakr (R.A), but here is one demonstrating his attitude to wealth:

In an authentic narration in Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Umar ibn al-Khattab (R.A) mentions the Prophet ﷺ ordering the companions to give in charity.

Umar narrates:

“I said to myself that today I will outdo Abu Bakr, if ever there were a day to outdo him.”

So he brought half of all his wealth to the Prophet ﷺ

And when he ﷺ asked, “What have you left for your family?”

Umar responded: “The same amount.”

Then, Abu Bakr (R.A) arrived, bringing his entire wealth as charity.

When the Prophet ﷺ asked him: “O Abu Bakr, what have you left for your family?”

Abu Bakr responded: “Allah and His messenger.”

It was then that Umar (R.A) said: “By Allah, I will never do better than Abu Bakr.”

Now, did Abu Bakr put his family into poverty by doing this? No, he (R.A) was known for working diligently in the marketplace.

In fact, in another instance, shortly after becoming the first Khalifa, Abu Bakr was seen going to the market to work on his business, and it was Umar who would urge him to give his full attention to his new role.

Earning back his wealth was not a concern.

But this story shows just what that wealth actually meant to him.

He did not fear poverty, he did not have any deep attachment to that wealth.

He was ready to give it up for the sake of Islam, and had full trust in Allah.

That is what our attitude to wealth should be, as Ibn al-Qayyim famously said:

“When there is money in your hand but not in your heart, it cannot harm you; even if it is alot, and when it is in your heart, it will harm you even if there is none in your hands.”

[Madarij as-Salikin]

The lesson in his story:

Keep wealth in your hands, but never let it enter your heart

A Muslim Parent’s Guide to Summer

AlMaghrib — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:33:32 GMT

Summer holidays can feel like a gift and a challenge all at once. The same days that promise lazy mornings and family memories can also slide into boredom, screen time, and that low hum of guilt that we are not doing enough.

But the summer break is one of the richest opportunities we have as parents.

With a little intention, these weeks can become a time when our children grow closer to Allah ﷻ, build their bodies and character, and carry memories they will hold onto for life.

Here is how to make this summer special for your family, without burning yourself out in the process.

Take Advantage of the Sunnah Games

When it comes to connecting our kids to the Prophet ﷺ, we think of stories and lectures, rather than action.

But every storyteller knows the all-important rule, “show, don’t tell.”

Sports are a practical way of making the seerah tangible to our kids.

We often think of worship as something that happens on a prayer mat. But our deen honours the body too, and the summer is the perfect season to revive a set of activities the early Muslims took seriously.

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه famously wrote to his governors instructing them: “Teach your children swimming, archery, and horsemanship.” [Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq].

The spirit behind it is firmly rooted in the Sunnah, and the Prophet ﷺ encouraged these very activities in authentic narrations.

Here are a few you can build your summer around:

Swimming: A skill ‘Umar رضي الله عنه singled out, and a perfect summer activity. Beyond the fun, it builds confidence, strength, and a life-saving ability. Frame it for your children as something our tradition actively encourages, not just a way to cool off.

Archery: The Prophet ﷺ placed real emphasis on this. He once passed a group competing in archery and said, “Shoot, sons of Isma’il, for your father was an archer.” [Sahih al-Bukhari].

He also said, repeating it three times, that “strength is in archery” [Sahih Muslim]. Many areas have beginner archery sessions over the summer, and few activities make a child feel the link between themselves and the Sahaba quite like holding a bow.

Racing and running: ‘Aishah رضي الله عنها reported that she raced the Prophet ﷺ on foot and won. Years later, he raced her again and won, and said, “This is for that race.” [Sunan Abi Dawud]. A footrace in the park is free, it is Sunnah, and it is a memory your children will keep.

Horse riding: This one might not always be accessible, but if a local stable offers a taster session, this is a great way to connect directly to the practice of the Prophet ﷺ, who raced horses himself [Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim].

Show your children that being active, strong, and capable is part of who we are as Muslims.

Bring ‘Ibadah Into the Mix

Without the rhythm of school and work, worship can either fade into the background or, with a little planning, become the gentle backbone of the day.

The goal is to weave small, repeatable acts of worship into your child’s natural routine.

Make the morning and evening adhkar a family habit.

Allah ﷻ commands us to remember Him “in the mornings and the evenings” [Quran 7:205].

Summer mornings are calmer, with no rush out the door, which makes this the ideal time to start. You do not need to do everything at once.

Begin with the three Quls (Surah al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, and al-Nas), recited three times each, blowing into the hands and wiping over the body.

The Prophet ﷺ said these “will be enough for you against everything.”

Once that becomes second nature, add one more, such as:

Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma’asmihi shay’un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama’, wa Huwas-Sami’ul-‘Alim

“In the name of Allah with whose Name nothing is harmed on earth nor in the heavens, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing” (recited three times).

The Prophet ﷺ told us that whoever says the above in the morning and evening, “shall be safe from the reach of anything evil or harmful” [Tirmidhi].

Race towards goodness.

The Sahaba would compete in their deeds, whether it was in sadaqah or on the battlefield.

Likewise, a bit of health competition is a simple way to encourage ‘ibadah in your home.

Who is going to wake up for fajr first? Who is going to send the most salawat on the Prophet ﷺ this Jumu’ah? Who is going to make it to the first row in the masjid?

The aim is to make ‘ibadah something they are excited about, rather than making it feel like a chore.

Build Quran into the day. With more time on your hands, set a small, achievable daily goal together, even a few lines. Let go of the pressure of perfection. As the Prophet ﷺ taught, the most beloved deeds to Allah are those done consistently, even if small. A little every day beats an ambitious plan that collapses by week two.

Turn Jumu’ah into a weekly highlight. Without the school timetable, Fridays can become a proper family event. Teach the children to bathe, dress in their best, and apply a nice fragrance, just as the Prophet ﷺ described. Make coming early to the masjid something they look forward to, and tell them about the reward that grows the earlier you arrive. Reading Surah al-Kahf together on Friday is a lovely habit to start over the summer.

For the Parents: Surviving the Summer Without Drowning

Let us be honest. Long days with children at home are wonderful, and they are exhausting. The guilt of not doing enough, the frustration that boils over, the feeling of being pulled in ten directions: every parent knows it. So here are a few parting words:

Focus on the present. Many parents carry a quiet guilt about what they did not do yesterday or should have done better. But the Prophet ﷺ taught us not to say “if only I had done such and such,” because that word “if” opens a door for shaytan. Instead, ask: what can I do now? Every single moment is a fresh chance to turn back to Allah and to start again. You have not missed your window. It is right in front of you.

Aim for consistency rather than perfection. That all-or-nothing thinking (“if I cannot do the whole plan, why bother?”) is what leaves us stuck. Allah loves consistency, not perfection. Even a partial effort counts. Something is always better than nothing.

Be intentional, and worship through your ordinary tasks. Not every path to closeness with Allah looks the same. The endless cooking, tidying, and driving of summer can themselves become worship when you attach intention and dhikr to them. The Prophet ﷺ said, “do not belittle any good deed, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face.” Smiling at your child, preparing their meal, taking a deep breath instead of snapping: all of it can be ‘ibadah when done for the sake of Allah.

On anger: see yourself from the outside. Frustration is inevitable when everyone is home all day. Shaykh Yahya Ibrahim offers a powerful exercise: picture the small child looking up at you, and picture how you appear to them in that moment of anger, towering and shouting. Ask yourself, if someone filmed you right now, would you be proud for it to be shown at your workplace or your masjid? Children read our faces and body language far more than our words, so guard how you carry yourself.

Choose your battles, and step away from the heat. Not every issue needs to be settled on the spot. When things get heated, break the moment. Take a walk, go to the masjid, pray, and come back to deal with it once you have cooled down. Never try to solve a problem in the heat of anger.

Keep the relationship wholesome. Anas رضي الله عنه, who served the Prophet ﷺ as a young boy, said the Prophet ﷺ never once spoke harshly to him or scolded him for what he did or did not do. No hand was softer, and no words were kinder. That is the standard we reach toward: correcting our children while keeping the relationship gentle and positive.