(20:78) NPCs [EP 64]

When telling the story of Ashura, our attention is often drawn to the main characters within the narrative, be it Prophet Musa (as) and Pharaoh, or Imam Hussein (ra) and Yazid. But little is ever said about what the NPCs in the story – the Non-Playable Characters. Across various mediums, whether it’s a film, a story, or a game, NPCs serve as the underlying foundation upon which the narrative unfolds. Think of the enemies encountered on the way to confronting the ultimate boss in a game, or the soldiers in the background of a great battle in a movie; they play an essential role in crafting the narrative landscape, but individually fade into obscurity within the overarching plot of the story.

(80:31) A few careless words

Ibn Kathir mentions in his Tafsir:

“Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (ra) was asked about the meaning of this verse. He replied:

`What sky would shade me and what earth would carry me if I said about the Book of Allah that which I did not have knowledge of.’ ”

Many of us are quick to interpret the words of Allah ﷻ with little study or knowledge, particularly when asked a question.

(89:27-30) Home

My uncle Adnan has finally returned home. As a Syrian refugee, his life was filled with challenges and hardships, forced to move from country to country as none would truly welcome him as their own. But through it all, he remained grateful, patient, and strong, never complaining about his plight, and always seeing the blessings in what he had.

Syria: Before & After

These are pictures of Allepo, Syria before and after current events. Harrowing. Really puts life in perspective. What’s worse is imagining what has happened to all the people that once walked these streets. Then, try imagine it happening in the UK… …the shops, homes and malls all gone …uncomfortable right? I never could have imagined…

The Soliloquy of the Full Moon

A sign of the maturation of a society is the development of its own literature, culture and art. This has been the case for every place Islam reached since its inception. The style and form of ‘our Islam’ varies immensely between China, North Africa, the Middle East etc; all adopting the customs of the local…

Nostalgic Beauty

“Nostalgia is powerful. Instil good memories in your children of their religion, and they will forever look back at it and their faith with fondness. Just look at the Star Wars effect!” “People who have never seen beauty can’t give it” [Paraphrased, Sh. Idriss Watts​] An awesome talk by Sh. Idriss yesterday, providing much food…

The Path of Misguidance

Extremism like ISIS has had many forms in history. The original incarnation began at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) when a man named Dhu Al-Khuwaysirah accused the Messenger of God of being unjust directly in His presence! This is the tradition of these people who feign religiosity whilst going against everything our religion teaches. They claim they know more than the one God sent to teach us!

The Night of Power

It is well known that no one knows for certain when Laylat Al-Qadr (the night of power) falls. The prophet ﷺ had once come to inform us about its precise timing, but when he saw two Muslims quarrelling, the knowledge was withheld from us. عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِيُخْبِرَنَا بِلَيْلَةِ…

Salawaat in Prayer

Imam Sha’rani writes: “Another example is the statement of Abu Hanifa and Malik that the Salawat upon the Prophet (alayhi salat wa salam) in the final Tashahud is a Sunnah (stressed recommendation), while al-Shafi’i and Ahmad (in one of his positions narrated from him) state that it is an obligation (Fard); so the first espouse…

Fes #2: Love at First Sight

It​’​s rare that hype meets expectations. Having read a dozen books on Fes and the Maghrib before coming, I knew I had set my expectations high and was bracing myself for disappointment. My experience in Egypt had taught me that today​’​s reality is far from the nostalgic past we read of before. The chaos of…