Lesson I: You will be tried, so prepare for it:

One of the central themes of Sura Ankabut is that of fatana, or trials.

In Ayat 2 and 3, Allah says:

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

[29:2] Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, We believe, and not be tried?

وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

[29:3] And certainly We tried those before them, so Allah will certainly know those who are true and He will certainly know the liars.

1) What is fitna?

Fitna is derived from the verb fatana, which amongst other things, means to prove.

Fitna also means “to melt gold in order to separate its impure parts” and since the real essence of man is recognized in difficulties and calamities from the false mottoes, such trials and tests are called fitna.

In faith, everyone can profess strong belief but it is only in terms of trial that...

In this module, we explore the challenges faced by modern-day parents and discuss ways to address those challenges.

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Parenting in the Light of Quran and Sunnah part 3 from Marzia Hassan on Vimeo.

An overarching theme of Chapter 31, Suratul Luqman is wisdom. In Aya 2, Allah swt says:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الم

[31:1] Alif Lam Mim.

تِلْكَ آيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْحَكِيمِ

[31:2] These are verses of the Book of Wisdom

Wisdom means knowledge combined with insight, perception, the ability to decipher appropriate action and the will to follow through on that action. Wisdom is also related to adl, it guides towards putting all things in their proper place, giving everything it’s proper due.

Allah certifies that the Quran is a book of wisdom. The infinite wisdom of this book, which has been revealed by the All Wise, has the power to change the destiny of man and raise him to the status of being a vice gerent of the Almighty.

A wise man is not only a man versed in knowledge, but one carrying out in practical conduct ('amal) the right course in life to the utmost of his power. A wise man is he who recognizes the wisdom in acting upon that which comes from the Ultimate Intell...

The Islamic Parenting Contract
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Parenting in light of Quran and Sunnah part 2 from Marzia Hassan on Vimeo.

It seems that every few years, there is a new and improved theory about raising children. As parents, we follow these theories at our peril because they become outdated as quickly as they become fashionable.

The age old wisdom of the Quran, on the other hand, can provide us with a steady and reliable compass in our parenting decisions. The divine guidance of the Quran provides us with a map for parenting in modern times which will ensure that our children succeed in this world and the hereafter.

The Quran is known as Kitabul Hakeem, the Book of Wisdom. In Chapter 31 of the Holy Quran, Allah says: And certainly we gave wisdom to Luqman, sayings: Be grateful to Allah. And whoever is grateful, he is only grateful for his own soul and whoever is ungrateful, then surely Allah is Self-sufficient, Praised. 31:12

What qualities did Hazrat Luqman possess that Allah swt granted him wisdom? Let us look at the excerpt below from Hayat al Qulub (http://www.al-islam.org/hayat-al-qulub-vol-1-allamah-muhammad-baqir-al-majlisi/account-luqman-and-his-words-wisdom) and see how many qualities are mentioned in this hadith.

After reading the excerpt below, let us reflect on qualities that are important to develop wisdom for ourselves.

What are one or two things that we can start doing to develop wisdom?
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It is recorded in reliable sources that Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq said, “I swear by Allah and say that Allah did not give wisdom owing to his lineage, wealth, family ...

A significant distinction that enables conscious action is focusing on process rather than outcome. Keeping our sights on what we can do is empowering.

On the other hand, when our eye is on the outcome, we can become discouraged and lose our will to take action. Many causes and projects are so huge that it is extremely difficult to see the benefit of doing anything about it. Protesting terrorism, oppression injustice, global warming all come to mind as examples.

 This principle is highlighted in the Quran in several places when Allah swt reminds the prophets that their mission and job is to deliver the message. They are not held responsible for the impact of the message or how many people pay heed. In fact, there are many instances when Allah swt highlights the fact how few people paid heed to the message in the lives of His messengers.

 On a smaller scale, becoming overly attached to people’s approval of our words and actions can greatly hinder us in taking action, even when we fee...

O People !

Indeed the blessed month of Allah has approached you laden with His Mercy, blessings and forgiveness.

Reflection: These are the energies that are abundant in this month, ours for the taking. The invitation is for all - not just those who are the most observant - it is addressed to mankind as a whole

It is a month which with Allah is the best of months.  Its days are the best of days, its nights, the best of nights, and its hours are the best of hours.

Reflection: Sometimes we ask ourselves what is the problem if we carried on with our normal lives, or spend the long days entertaining ourselves so that the time of fasting is easier. This statement, and the rest of the sermon answers this question. We can think of it in this way: if there was a sale at our favorite store, which was buy 1, get 70 free, there would be no problem in spending our time searching for something we did not need at another store. There would, however, be a major opportunity cost to doing so. It is ...

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