Over the past few days, we have explored how our relationship with Allah serves as the foundation for true wellbeing. We’ve reflected on how connecting with Him provides us with meaning, stability, and inner peace, even in the face of life’s challenges.

Now, we turn to the practices for wellbeing from the Quran. So let us explore Quranic practices that cultivate wellbeing—not just in moments of worship, but in the way we think, act, and engage with the world around us.

Today, lets reflect on one of the most fundamental lessons the Quran teaches about wellbeing, which is that change begins within. We often wait for circumstances to improve, for people to change, or for life to become easier. But true growth starts when we stop waiting and take charge of what is within our control.

In verse 11 of Chapter 13 of the Holy Quran, Sura Ar Ra’d, Allah [swt] says:

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ

Surely Allah does not change the condition of a ...

Note: Today’s reflection has been adapted from the introduction to the book Calling on the Merciful which contains excerpts from various duas taught to us by the Beloveds of Allah [swt].

There is a beautiful command and invitation in verse 60 of Sura Ghafir which is followed by a promise of Allah [swt]

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ

[40:60] And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you;

The All Merciful knows that despite our perceptions of our own power, strength and resources, we are truly and utterly in need from Him. He knows that no matter where we go, and upon which doors we knock, calling on Him is the answer to all that afflicts and concerns us. Allah is well aware of how empty our hearts feel despite being surrounded by people and things. We long for connection with, and attachment to, that which will not fail us. We long to be connected to the Source from whence we came.

Allah reminds us in the Quran that the elixir for the emptiness we feel inside i...

In verse 11 of Sura Taghabun, Allah [swt] says:

وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

[64:11] … and whoever believes in Allah, He guides aright his heart; and Allah is Cognizant of all things.

Because human beings have such limited knowledge and no ability to see into the future, we cannot ever be sure of the soundness of our decisions or the impact of these on our lives. Life is full of crossroads and difficult decisions.

In the modern world especially, we are overwhelmed with choices and so much confusion. Many of us are struggling with purpose, direction and recognizing what is the right thing to do. Because of the tyranny of unending choices, we may find it hard to settle on one course of action.

We may turn to self-help books, mentors, or online influencers to ease our struggles but everyone has a different view and we may get even more confused.

In a world where moral values are constantly shifting, anchoring oneself in faith provides a se...

As we continue to deepen our relationship with the Divine, let us briefly explore some promises that Allah [swt] makes in the Quran to those who seek Him out.

In verse 3 of Sura Talaq, Allah says: 

وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ 

[65:3] whoever trusts [has tawakkul] in Allah, He is sufficient for him 

Tawakkul means "to put trust in" or "to rely". Scholars explain that "Tawakkul means entrusting all the matters to the Master and relying upon His trusteeship."

"Tawakkul upon God means the severance by the servant of all hopes and expectations from the creatures (and attaching them to God). 

In Islam, Tawakkul is two step process, a balance between action and faith.

In other words, for any situation, we need to take action, do our best with given the resources we have been granted and then have faith and leave the outcome to Allah [swt]. 

We take care of the process, of doing what is within our circle of control and then leave the outcome to Him, recognizing that...

As we continue to deepen our relationship with the Divine, let us briefly explore some promises that Allah [swt] makes in the Quran to those who seek Him out.

In verse 3 of Sura Talaq, Allah says: 

وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ 

[65:3] whoever trusts [has tawakkul] in Allah, He is sufficient for him 

Tawakkul means "to put trust in" or "to rely". Scholars explain that "Tawakkul means entrusting all the matters to the Master and relying upon His trusteeship."

"Tawakkul upon God means the severance by the servant of all hopes and expectations from the creatures (and attaching them to God). 

In Islam, Tawakkul is two step process, a balance between action and faith.

In other words, for any situation, we need to take action, do our best with given the resources we have been granted and then have faith and leave the outcome to Allah [swt]. 

We take care of the process, of doing what is within our circle of control and then leave the outcome to Him, recognizing that...

As we continue our exploration of developing a deep connection with Allah, today we focus on the second key aspect: Khashyah  خشية of Allah

In verse 23 of Sura Zummar, Allah [swt] says:

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاء وَمَن يُضْلِلْ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ

 [Shakir 39:23] Allah has revealed the best announcement, a book conformable in its various parts, repeating, whereat do shudder the skins of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and their hearts become pliant to the remembrance of Allah; this is Allah's guidance, He guides with it whom He pleases; and (as for) him whom Allah makes err, there is no guide for him.

 The word used in this verse is Khasiya/ Although often translated as "fear" in English, Khashiya and fear are quite different.

 Understanding Awe (Khashyah...

In our journey toward fostering well-being, we must recognize and nourish our innate need for connection with the Divine. Over the next three days, we will explore three key aspects of developing a meaningful connection and relationship with Allah:

1. Love of Allah
2. Awe of Allah
3. Submission to Allah

Today, we begin with Love of Allah—the foundation upon which a sincere and fulfilling relationship with Him is built.

Beginning with Love

 Love is a powerful force—it attracts us, draws us closer, and deepens our connections. When we love someone, we naturally want to know more about them, to spend time with them, and to seek their pleasure. Our journey toward Allah begins with love because it is the strongest motivator for devotion, worship, and obedience. Love transforms our connection with Him from a set of obligations into a personal, reciprocal and soul fulfilling relationship.

Allah’s Love for Us

One of the most beautiful reassurances in the Quran is that Allah loves His creati...

Human beings are always searching for peace and happiness. We may try to find it in material success, in relationships, in personal achievements, in curated experiences or in self-care. We spend a lot of time in our days moving away from pain and moving towards pleasure or satisfaction [do reflect on this – at any given moment in the day, your actions are motivated by one of these two things – moving away from pain or moving towards satisfaction].

 The truth is that we are living in an imperfect world and with imperfect fellow humans [!] and there is always plenty to disrupt our search for inner peace and satisfaction.  

 The Quran points to a simple and profound way that we can find what we are seeking:  

الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُو

[13:28] Those who believe and whose hearts are set at rest by the remembrance of Allah; now surely by Allah's remembrance are the hearts set at rest.

 The itminan of the qalb t...

To understand what brings us well-being, peace, and happiness, we must first understand human nature as created by Allah. Only then can we grasp what we need to cultivate well-being.

In Sura Rum, Chapter 30, verse 30 of the Holy Quran, Allah says:

فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
(Surah Ar-Rum 30:30)

"So direct your face toward the religion, being devout and inclining to truth (hanif), the natural disposition (fitrah) upon which Allah has created all people. There is no altering the creation of God; that is the upright religion, but most people do not know."

Two key words in this verse require deeper reflection:

1. Hanif– Refers to one who turns away from misguidance and inclines toward the belief in the Oneness of God (tawḥīd).
2. Fitrah– The innate nature upon which human beings are created. This is the divine "operating system"
...

Ramadan Kareem to you and your families.

Welcome to another season of Daily Wisdom from the Quran. This year's theme is "The Quranic Guide to Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Wellbeing" which we will explore from a verse a day from the Quran.

Before we dive into the topic, it might be useful to define what we mean by wellbeing.

In modern psychology and secular frameworks, wellbeing is often described as a "state of positive mental and emotional health", where individuals feel satisfied, function effectively, and experience a sense of fulfillment.

The Islamic perspective, on the other hand, extends the definition beyond mental and emotional health to include "spiritual alignment, moral integrity, and connection with Allah".

The Secular Definition of Wellbeing:
In secular psychology, wellbeing is typically understood through two major lenses:
1. Hedonic Wellbeing which is the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain, focusing on life satisfaction and positive emotions.
2. Eudaimonic Wellbeing wh...