A to Z

Social discrimination based on knowledge From the point of rights and law, social classes and individuals in Islam are equal like the teeth of a tomb. The social discrimination of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance (like racial discrimination) has been abolished. Social discrimination in Islam (i.e. privilege in nobility, and not in law) does exist,[...]

Supporting the underprivileged Islam has supported the underprivileged and in many different ways emphatically recommended them to others. In addition to religiously prescribed instances such as obligatory alms, Islam has encouraged other ways of aiding the poor, and the Muslim leaders themselves have been pioneers in this regard.

Spending on the underprivileged Allah the Most High said: “It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West, but righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the prophets, and give away wealth out of love for[...]

The fear of poverty when spending in the way of Allah The Prophet (S) said, ‘Poverty is almost infidelity.’[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 307, no. 4] The Prophet (S) said, ‘O Allah I seek refuge in You from infidelity and poverty.’ A person asked, ‘Are these two equivalent?’ He said, ‘Yes.’[Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 16687]

Sustenance through spending in the way of Allah In Hadith al Qudsi, Allah (swt) says: “Oh! Son of Adam! If Almighty Allah has taken the responsibility of providing your sustenance then why are your efforts directed exclusively towards it? And if all fortunes and misfortunes are from Me, then why are you impatient. So, you[...]

A portion reserved for the deserving Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 262 262. "Those who spend their property in the way of Allah, (and) thereafter, do not follow up what they have spent by reproach and with injury, for them shall be their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they[...]

Honoring the orphans [2:220] On this world and the hereafter. And they ask you concerning the orphans Say: To set right for them (their affairs) is good, and if you become copartners with them, they are your brethren; and Allah knows the mischief-maker and the pacemaker, and if Allah had pleased, He would certainly have[...]

Treating orphans properly {4:2} and give to the orphans their property, and do not substitute worthless (things) for (their) good (ones), and do not devour their property (as an addition) to your own property; this is surely a great crime.

Solving the problem of housing of a Muslim Islamic housing is a mixture of the heavenly and terrestrial factors and elements. Both sides are extremely important, playing their respective roles. They finely complement and add to each other‟s strength and operation. Neglecting either of the two poles in Islamic housing inevitably leads to a serious[...]

Use your wealth to your benefit The divine graces, virtues and transcendental states of the hereafter are all produce of our efforts and works which man has discharged in the world; therefore, the world has a lot of values. Taking this reality into consideration, the question is presented as to why so much reproach and[...]

Observing family ties Islam in commanding doing good to others, especially emphasizes doing good to parents and relatives, and has recommended them before others. Acting against their wishes or not loving them is a grave (mortal) sin. A believer should never annoy or sever his relationship with his parents or other relatives. These actions cause[...]

Parents and relatives The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) said: “Shun displeasing your parents so much that they disclaim you, because the perfume of paradise can be scented from the distance of 1000 years, but four types of people will not smell it: the first is the person disclaimed by his parents; the second is he[...]

Family ties and its impact on life length Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) was asked concerning: “And be careful of (your duty to) Allah by whom you demand one of another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship.”1 He said: “It means the family relationship. Surely Allah the Most High has ordered it to be[...]

Relationship with Allah and family Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) the Commander of the Faithful said: “When people sever family ties, their wealth falls into the hands of the wicked.” He (a.s.) also said: “Surely one of the sins which hastens the coming of death is the severance of family ties.” Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) and Imam[...]

Love of this world It must be noted that the heart, according to its nature and disposition, looks at what it loves and is inclined to that beloved to have it as its qiblah. If an affair distracted the heart from thinking of the beauty of its cherished beloved, no sooner the engagement slackens and[...]

Love of this world when one's heart becomes mixed with the love of this world, with no objective or aim except building it up and developing it, this love will inevitably prevent the heart from being vacant and present in the presence of Allah. This deadly disease and ruinous corruption can be cured by useful[...]

Knowledge is light, but in a black corrupt heart it spreads wide the skirts of darkness and blackness. A knowledge which would draw man closer to God, in a worldly soul brings him far distant from the place of the Almighty. Even the knowledge of divine unity (tawhid), if it is for anything other than[...]

Ostentation Riya’ means to falsely make oneself appear to be virtuous, good natured or a true believer in God before the people for the sake of earning their respect and admiration, or with the purpose of gaining good reputation among them. The hypocrite feigns integrity, uprightness, virtue, honesty and piety without an authentic intention of[...]

Ostentation Remember that hypocrisy in religious faith is the worst kind of hypocrisy; its retribution also is the severest and its bad effects are far greater and more dangerous than those of other forms of hypocrisy. One who is guilty of this sin, if he does not believe genuinely in those ideas which he pretends[...]

Self-conceit In the opinion of the ulama (R)2’ujb is magnification of one’s virtues and good deeds, their overestimation, and satisfaction with them accompanied with a feeling of superiority on their account, while one exonerates and exculpates himself from all failings and faults. But to feel pleasure and delight on performing virtuous deeds accompanied with a[...]

Self-conceit There is no doubt that when anyone performs good deeds, like fasting, night vigils, etc., he feels some kind of joy and pleasure within him. This pleasure and joy, if it is on account of the feeling that God Almighty has conferred on him favor and grace, which caused him to perform such acts[...]

Pride The thirty-third greater sin is Pride; as mentioned in the tradition of Imam al-Ridha (‘a) narrated by Fazl ibn Shazan. Shaykh Ansari has also verified the authenticity of this tradition in Makasib. A similar tradition from Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) is quoted by Amash to have said, “Arrogance and tyranny is a greater sin.”

Pride According to the Holy Qur’an, pride is a sin that will most certainly be severely punished. The Almighty Allah says in Surah az-Zumar: “Is there not in Hell an abode for the proud?” (Surah az-Zumar 39:60). He also says: “It shall be said: Enter the gates of hell to abide therein; so evil is[...]

Envy Hasad or malicious envy is a psychological state in which a person wishes for the deprivation of a blessing, talent, or merit possessed by another person (the mahsud). Islamic ethical teachings shed light on the causes and motives of hasad and its harmful spiritual, moral and social effects, and offer practical solutions for combating[...]

Love of the World What is essential here is to understand the meaning of ‘the disapproved world’ (i.e. ‘the world’ in the sense in which it is necessary for the person seeking the Hereafter to shun it) and the factors that assist man and guide him on the path of salvation. These we shall discuss,[...]

Protecting our private parts And the right of your private part is that you should protect it from everything that is unlawful for you and help it by lowering your eyes - this is certainly the best way to help it. And you should also remember death often, and threaten yourself with God and try[...]

Where does beauty lie? A person's physical appearance plays a big role in both individual and social situations. Regardless of a culture's fashionable apparel, particular types of grooming and dressing are universal and can have a drastic effect on a person's life, such as affecting our self- esteem and giving the people we meet a[...]

Accepting our shortcomings We must accept the reality or truth, as it does not matter whether it is in our interest or against us. We must never imagine the reality to be always in our favor. Everyone should wear a spectacle, which can show him the facts honestly, and he too should view them honestly,[...]

Ignorance is a lack of knowledge and information. The word "ignorant" is an adjective that describes a person in the state of being unaware, or even cognitive dissonance and other cognitive relation, and can describe individuals who are unaware of important information or facts. Ignorance can appear in three different types: factual ignorance (absence of[...]

How to free ourselves from enslavement? The joy that comes with being free from attachment is a “felt” sense that cloaks all of who you are, inside and out. If you choose to look at yourself from the inside, you can gain perspective and agency over how you move through your life.

Think before you speak. Before you say anything, take a moment to think about what you are about to say. Speak the truth in love. It is important to be honest, but it is also important to be kind.

Generosity is such an important virtue in the religion of Islam that the holy Quran says with regard to it: “You will never attain piety until you spend out of what you hold dear, and whatever you may spend of anything, Allah indeed knows it” (3:92).

Praying on time is one of the most important obligations of a Muslim. Prayer, or salah, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and it is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours throughout the day and night. “Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.”

what is true is that there are many questions that are asked about Islam and Muslims. Sometimes we do not know the answer to questions. Sometimes we do know the answer but are unsure of how to word it. Sometimes we just plain give the wrong answer. Sometimes we might give the right answer but[...]

Zakat (or Zakāh) is one of the five pillars of Islam. Zakat is the Arabic word for "Giving to Charity" or "Giving to the Needy". Zakat is a form of almsgiving, often collected by the Muslim Ummah. It is considered in Islam a religious obligation, and by Quranic ranking, is next after prayer (salat) in[...]

Neighbors are held in very high regard in Islam and they have many rights over us that we are religiously obliged to fulfill. Islam is a comprehensive religion and has specifically defined that neighbors are those who live up to forty houses from us in all directions.

Love seems a very hard word to define. A lot of people ask the question “what is love?” and many people have an answer related to emotion. According to psychology, however, thoughts precede our emotions. We feel things related to our thoughts. There may be an element of choice in love then, and it may[...]

People sometimes say that love is comfort, understanding, gentleness, kindness, giving, and so forth. However, I would argue that these are things that come from love but do not define love itself. Love may lead us to these things, or to feel them. Some people say God is love. Yet He created Love and is[...]

Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) said, "A believer is always between two fears. One is the fear of his past sins, (so) he does not know as to how Allah would deal with him. Secondly he fears until the end of his life and does not know the sins that might be committed by him, causing[...]

To stop sinning, you should: turn to Allah, strive to control yourself, reflect upon the stern warning against sinning, bear in mind that Allah is always watching you, and remember death and imagine if death were to come to you while you are sinning.

Drinking alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden, in Islam. As proof of the prohibition, Islamic scholars and Muslim religious authorities typically point to a verse in the Quran, the Muslim holy book, that calls intoxicants “the work of Satan” and tells believers to avoid them.

it is haraam for you to attend parties and other gatherings with them, if you are not able to change the evil action, because then you are helping them to commit sin, or at least you are keeping quiet about it.

The Qur'an explicitly forbids drinking and a reliable hadith forbids even indirect association with alcohol; working from these principles, muftis have no choice but to tell some questioners that they must quit their jobs although they do not have to divorce their spouses or shun family members who drink.

Our relationship with Allah is characterised primarily by three emotions: fear, love and hope. Fear (khawf) is an integral part of īmān. Allah says, “…So do not fear them, but fear Me if you are (true) believers” (3:175). Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā) praises the Prophets: “…They used to race towards the good deeds and invoke[...]

Knowing that the mercy of Allah will prevail over His anger is reason never to lose hope. When we are overcome, we should remember that all is never lost.

A believer lives in a state of anxiety and optimism, (as prescribed by the traditions) He is fearful of Divine punishment and yet hopeful of Divine Mercy. The Holy Quran says: "It is only the Shaitan that causes you to fear from his friends, but do not fear them, and fear Me if you are[...]

The command of trust is worded in such a way that trust is identified as the critical essence of every matter, and individuals are obliged and expected to act honestly in their life. This deep-seated principle of honesty means no activity or aspect of life can escape its reach.

The first step to asking for forgiveness is knowing what to repent from. Scholars differ over what exactly constitutes a major or a minor sin. It is generally accepted that sins that Allah has designated a specific punishment for are considered major sins. Some examples of major sins include associating partners with Allah (shirk), murder,[...]

“Whoever sends blessings upon me once, Allah will send blessings upon him tenfold and erase from him ten bad deeds, and will raise him ten degrees in status.”.

Allah (S.W.T) is giving His word that, He will hear you! is it not enough to believe that, He is always listening to us despite our shortcomings?. We should all pour out our hearts solely to Him, and ask for His help anytime, anywhere, without doubting for a second of being unheard.

Allah commands us to respect and love our parents by respecting them, honoring their opinions, and dealing them with love and gentleness. "Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents," Allah Almighty declares in the Noble Quran [Quran, 4:36].

So, Light essentially is from Allah and He bestows it upon those who actively and practically seek it of Him, not those who are passive, heedless, negligent or occupied and absorbed in the material world. Accordingly, we need to be where Allah wants us to be in order to gain His Light.

“The word dunya encompasses many things but generally means the temporal, earthly world in contrast to the eternal spiritual realm of the hereafter. Literally, the word dunya means ‘closer,’ or ‘lower.’” More colloquially speaking, the dunya is any earthly concern or possession. We human beings admittedly love the dunya.

And there is no problem in loving the dunya. It is after all the means to sustain our lives and continue our worship. It is after all a blessing for us and a means for us to be thankful to our Creator. The problem comes in when we make the dunya become the goal and[...]

“When one of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit down. If the anger leaves him, well and good; otherwise he should lie down.” “Anger comes from the devil, the devil was created of fire, and fire is extinguished only with water; so, when one of you becomes angry, he should perform ablution.”

If you see a mixed-race or mixed-culture couple, do you feel discomfort, look down on them, or feel anger? “Whoever possesses in his heart ‘Asabiyyah (prejudice in any of its forms such as tribalism, racism, or nationalism) even to the extent of a mustard seed, God will raise him on the Day of Resurrection with[...]

Hypocrisy is referred to as a disease of the heart. And many people in our society do not even realize that they display the signs of a hypocrite through their actions. This disease of the soul spreads aggressively if a person does not acknowledge it and seek its cure. Hypocrisy not only results in dire[...]

Muhammad ibn Ya’qub (al-Kulayni) (R) reports from al-Husayn ibn Muhammad, he from Mu’alla ibn Muhammad, from al-Washsha’, from ‘Asim ibn Humayd, he from Abu Hamzah, who narrates on the authority of Yahya ibn ‘Aqil that the latter reported that Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (A) said, “I am apprehensive for you on account of two things: submission[...]

*Why do we think about God and study ways of knowing the Creator of the universe? Love of awareness and becoming familiar with our world is within all of us.

Contemplation (اَلتَّفَكُّر) means to derive a lesson from any given thing or experience and focus on it, so as to gain a depth of understanding. Deliberation (اَلتَّأَمُّل) means to stop and think and to further the investigation by virtue of persisting in contemplation.