Salam. Stay Blessed and Informed. Learn Islam from the Quran and Sunnah
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Witnesses Against Man
Witnesses Against Man Syed Sharfuddin Have you ever wondered why Allah will have many witnesses on every man at the time of his accountability on the Day of Judgement. In his commentary of verse 54 of Sura Al Kahaf, Imam Qurtubi quotes a Hadith which describes the argumentative nature of man even when he is…
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The High Council of Angels
The High Council of Angels Syed Sharfuddin When a man dies people ask what has he left in his estate, but the angels ask what has he brought with him for the hereafter. [Reported in Al Baihaqi in Shab Al Eimaan]. Just like the high council of nations in this world which meets in New…
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Comparing Prophets Yahya and Isa
Comparing Prophets Yahya and Isa Syed Sharfuddin In Surah Maryam there are two almost identical verses about Prophet Yahya and Prophet Isa. The only difference in their wording is that in verse 19 Allah sends Salam on the birth of Yahya whereas in Verse 33 Isa sends Salam on his own miraculous birth which is…
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Why Man is such a Foodie
Why Man is Such a Foodie Syed Sharfuddin As we all know dietary restrictions have become a part of our daily life. I am not particularly singling out religious beliefs which forbid the consumption of certain foods such as alcohol and un-halal products. Generally, dietary compulsions kick in often due to bad eating habits, metabolic…
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Widows Fire
Syed Sharfuddin Last Wednesday on 21 August 2024 while driving to the local recycling centre in Merton, I accidentally tuned into BBC Radio 4 programme ‘Women’s Hour’ where women who had suddenly lost their husbands to death were discussing a strange side effect of bereavement. It was an inexplicable desire for sexual gratification resulting in…
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An Encounter with An Ahmadi
Syed Sharfuddin This last Friday instead of taking the car to the mosque for praying Jumma Namaz I took the local bus. After I got the seat and took out my folded head cap from my bag, the gentleman sitting next to me saw it and greeted me with Assalamoalaikum. After exchange of Salams, he…
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Allah sustains man and feeds him from a source he never imagined.
Syed Sharfuddin Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, may God have mercy on him, was in Mecca during the Hajj season when on one day he saw a man from Khorasan calling out and saying: “O community of pilgrims, O people of Mecca, from the front and back, I lost a bag containing one thousand dinars. Whoever returns…
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Allocation in Paradise
Syed Sharfuddin Paradise is mentioned in the Quran by many names. It is called Jannah, Jannah al Firdous, Jannat al Moalla, Jannaat un Naeem, Jannaat ul Alfafa, Jannat Mukramoon, Jannat wa Nahr and Jannat wa Üyün. A detailed description of Jannah is given in Surah Rahman and Surah Al Tür. We learn from the holy…
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Worth of a Mosquito
Worth of a Mosquito Syed Sharfuddin إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بهذا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيرًا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلَّا الْفَاسِقِينَ “Allah does not mind giving an…
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A survey of ancient and contemporary schools, sects, movements and cults within and outside Islam.
The existence of various religious schools and denominations is not unique to Islam but is also present in other Abrahamic religions. Indeed, the greater the acceptability of a religion by the people, the more difference of opinion it is likely to have among its followers. It is also natural that an older religion will have…
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Similarities between Prophet Musa and Prophet Muhammad
Similarities between Prophet Musa and Prophet Mohammad Syed Sharfuddin “We have sent a messenger to you to be your witness, just as We sent a messenger to Pharaoh” [Al-Quran: Surah Al-Muzammil 73:15] “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren like thee (Moses), and I will put my words…
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Qualities of Man: A Combination of Goodness and Evil
Qualities of Man: A Combination of Goodness and EvilSyed Sharfuddin In the holy Quran Allah has described the character of man, both good and bad with clear examples. The picture of man that emerges from this description is one that is black and white, punctuated with goodness and ungratefulness, and worthy of being a true…
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Dajjal, the False Messiah
Dajjal, the False Messiah Syed Sharfuddin Introduction In Islamic eschatology Dajjal is known as the false Messiah. Christians call him the anti-Christ. The Jews believe in the appearance of an evil king of the last generation preceding salvation. The followers of the three Abrahamic faiths also believe in the coming of the final hour and…
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Explaining Dajjal’s Time on Earth
Explaining Dajjal’s Time on Earth Syed Sharfuddin In the Islamic eschatology it is believed that Dajjal’s rule of extraordinary tribulations and tests for the believers which will take place as a clear sign of the end of time with last forty days before he is killed by prophet Isa with the support of the Mahdi.…
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Was Prophet Yusuf a King or a Governor
Was Prophet Yusuf a King or a Governor Syed Sharfuddin There is a verse in Surah Yusuf (Chapter 12) in the holy Quran in which prophet Yusuf Alaihey Salam (AS) recounts the blessings of Allah on him and asks to be re-joined with his forefathers who were among the righteous persons for whom Allah has…
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A spider’s home is the weakest of all homes
Syed Sharfuddin Spiders belong to a species of insects who live both in the wild and with humans in their homes and workplaces. What makes them distinct from other eight-legged creepy crawlies is their silky geometrical webs which have fascinated us for generations, as something extraordinary and awe inspiring. Few insects resemble spiders in their…
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Nabi and Rasul: Similarities and Differences
Syed Sharfuddin The words Nabi and Rasul have been used in the holy Quran interchangeably (2:213-214). In essence, they both mean the same thing, i.e., a Nabi or Rasul is a pious person chosen by Allah to receive divine guidance and commandments by Allah’s Will and convey these to his people during his lifetime. Only…
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The Tablighi Jamaat: A Movement for God
By Syed Sharfuddin The ideology of Tablighi Jamaat (TJ), the largest Islamic revivalist movement of our times is best described by Sadruddin Ansari’s introduction of the six points of Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Khandahlawi, the founder of TJ as follows: “We all know that this world is mortal. Everyone who is born here is destined to…
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Destiny and Free Choice
Syed Sharfuddin The philosophical debate about destiny and choice has enchanted many people, including the believers. There is a view that if the outcome of every action is already predetermined and is in the knowledge of the Creator, then where is the freedom of choice for human being to act on his own and be…
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Evolution and Relevance of Fatwa in Islam
Syed Sharfuddin Fatwa in Islam means a legal opinion given by a Muslim scholar on a matter of concern or interest to Muslims, both individually or collectively, at a set time, situation, location or circumstances. In Islam the institution of fatwa has had a significant impact on the interpretation of Sharia law which governs the…
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Thoughts on the Validity of a Second Hijrah
Syed Sharfuddin There are three types of emigration (Hijrah). One form of emigration results from persecution of a person or group on grounds of faith and endangers its life, property and values which are different from those of the dissenting population. The persecuted individual or group may or may not share the ethnic or tribal…
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The Concept of Ruh in Islam
Ruh is energy, which can activate human body and deactivate it without any apparent source that can be observed or measured through a physical instrument. Imam Abu Abdullah Al-Qurtubi said Ruh may have a form, but we do not know it. It enters human corpus through divine breath. “Then He [Allah] moulded him [man]; He…
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Why is Islam Uncompromising on Apostasy
Syed Sharfuddin Critics of Islam often put Muslims on the defensive by pointing out that Islam is the most intolerant religion among all other faiths on the question of apostasy. They point out that its uncompromising attitude on punishment by death has no place in the civilised world where freedom of religion is a fundamental…
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Our Journey through a ten dimensional Universe: an Islamic perspective
Syed Sharfuddin The string theory of universe states that there are at least ten dimensions that enable a complete view of the cosmos. Humans can see an object in only three dimensions. For example, a one-dimension object is a line. It has only length. To see this, you need to be standing very close to…
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The End of Time
The End of Time Syed Sharfuddin In Surah Muhammad in the holy Quran, Allah says: “are (nonbelievers) waiting for the Last Hour to take them by surprise? Yet, some of its signs have already appeared. When the Last Hour befalls them, will it not be too late for them to submit?” [47:18]. In Surah Al-Ahzab,…
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Keep the Quran but abandon Hadith: A new salvo against Islam
Syed Sharfuddin There is a gentle but mischievous campaign going on in some young Muslim internet chat rooms that they should focus on the Quran as the source of Muslim faith but reject hadith (sayings of the holy Prophet) because these were collected several centuries after the demise of the Prophet, peace be upon him…
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Blowing of Wind: A Sign from Allah
Syed Sharfuddin Every year before the start of summer, strong winds blow over the mountains and plains of southern Turkey that faces the Mediterranean. It is the sea which links Turkey to the land of past prophets and their nations who lived in Egypt and adjoining lands all the way to the Red Sea on…
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Bound in Mortgage
Syed Sharfuddin In the holy Quran a very interesting word appears twice which has become a part of our everyday living. This word is ‘raheen’ meaning collateral. These are the two verses where the word ‘raheen’ has been used: وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَانٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَا أَلَتْنَاهُم مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَيْءٍ كُلُّ امْرِئٍ…
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The Parable of Sinners
Syed Sharfuddin In Surah Al-Qalam, Chapter 68, Allah mentions two types of people: those who accept the faith and those who deny it. In verse 68:35 the faithful are called Muslimeen and the sinners Mujrimeen. The subsequent verses challenge the sinners. They are asked if Allah has sworn a covenant with them that on the…
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Prophets, Angels, Jinns and Women mentioned in the Quran
Syed Sharfuddin Prophets and messengersIn the holy Quran prophets are of two kinds: human beings such as Nuh and angels such as Jibreel. The former are human and live among their nations. The latter are angels and do not live among people. At another level, they are also bearers of the divine scriptures such as…
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A Model Salat for All
Introduction There was a time in the history of Islam when there used to be several congregational prayers (salat with jamaat) organised in the Haram at the time of the annual Hajj. Ibn Jubair, a nobleman from Muslim Andalusia, wrote in his memoirs that he saw the Hanafi praying their slalat on one side of…
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An Essay on Jinns
Humans occupy the middle ground between angels and jinns. Their constituent material, clay has the flexibility to withstand extreme variations in temperature. When it is too hot, it becomes molten lava and acquires the characteristics of fire. When it is too cold it freezes and wears a layer of ice, which is reminiscent of celestial…
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Allah’s Instructions to Muslims: A Guidance for Mankind: Comparing Surah Al Isra and Al Hujarat.
Syed Sharfuddin The holy Quran is a beautiful tapestry of repeating parables, divine guidance, biblical warnings, and holy commandments, assertions and prohibitions which, if understood and acted in letter and spirit with full sincerity and faith, can make a Muslim a complete human being serving Allah and following His prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him,…
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Limits of Knowledge: Lesson from Surah Al-Kahaf
Syed Sharfuddin Every Friday millions of Muslims recite Surah Al-Kahf, as recommended in Ahadith as an anti dote to the fitna of Dajjal’s coming, as well as for blessing and guidance in this world and for reaping the reward of reading the holy Quran in the hereafter. There are many messages in the parables mentioned…
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Wahi and Waswasa: Explaining two important meanings in the holy Quran
By Syed Sharfuddin Wahi The root word وحى and its derivatives اوحى and اوحينا have been used in the holy Quran in a number of verses. The word wahi has various meanings. It is used as a sign, a signal, an inspiration, an awakening or a biblical commandment from the Lord Almighty. Allah Tabarak wa…
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The power of imagination: A biblical perspective
By Syed Sharfuddin When we read the translation and tafseer of Surah Waqea we come to know that the lucky dwellers of Paradise will remember events of their earthly life and recall their past episodes, conversations and feelings in their heavenly discourse with each other in a manner of surprise or reference for a new…
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The Sole Purpose of Human Life is to Worship Allah
Syed Sharfuddin As we are moving deeper into the cyber age, it is becoming harder to manage our daily commitments and keep up with family and social obligations. When we read in our religious texts that the sole purpose of life is to worship Allah we wonder who will pay our mortgages and put food…
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Peygambers as Shepherds for their Flock
Syed Sharfuddin Allah Subhanuhu wa Taala sent peygambers (prophets) to different communities of people in different epochs so that no community could say on the day of Judgement they did not receive divine Guidance to be accountable for their deeds. This stopped with the coming of prophet Muhammad, may Allah preserve him and protect him,…
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President’s Trump is right about using a Very Powerful Light to eradicate the new Coronavirus
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Friday prayers and the pandemic of coronavirus: The Pakistan Context
By Syed Sharfuddin* Today, 17 April 2020 millions of Pakistani Muslims observed the first Friday after the collective decision taken by Darul Uloom Karachi on 14 April 2020 that mosques will remain open for the younger and able bodied Muslims to perform five time congregational prayers, as well as Friday prayers all over the country.…
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کرونا وائرس کی حقیقت اور دابہ الارض
السلام علیکم ھم سب کو چاھیے کہ ھنسی مذاق چھوڑ کر غور کریں کہ یہ سب کیا ھو رھا ھے اور کیوں ھو رھا ھے۔ اللہ تعالی سے معافی طلب کرنے کا وقت ھے اور اپنے اعمال پر نظرثانی کی ضرورت ھے۔ یہ مقالہ اسی سلسلہ کی ایک ادنی کاوش ھے۔ وقت نکال کر ضرور…
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COVID-19, the Talking Creature of Earth and Sign of the End of Time
By Syed Sharfuddin وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الْقَوْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَخْرَجْنَا لَهُمْ دَابَّةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ كَانُوا بِآَيَاتِنَا لَا يُوقِنُونَ Bismillah Al Rahman Al Raheem. “Wa iz waqa’ al qawlu a’layhim a’kh rajna lahum, dabbatan min-al-ardi tukallimu hum an nasa, ka’nu bey aya’tina, la yu qenoon”. (27:82) Translation: “And when the promise will be fulfilled, We…
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Lessons from COVID-19
By Syed Sharfuddin The pandemic of COVID-19 has shaken humanity and created a global crisis of an unprecedented nature ever known to man in peacetime. However, alongside a justifiable fear, this extraordinary historical event has presented us with a unique opportunity for serious introspection, rather than hysteria and emotional response. In the holy Qur’an, we…
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