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By Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah Now some people wrongfully allege, without properly grasping the texts nor giving them their due, that the Sunnah is to begin with whomever is to the immediate right of the host based on the hadiths that mention the  virtue of beginning on the right .  Yet that only pertains to when those present are peers with respect to their traits, virtues, or age. In that case the host begins with whomever is to his right. Otherwise, if one of the guests is distinguished from the others, by age for example, then one would begin with him by virtue of that noble trait. Imam Ibn Rushd (i.e. Muhammad bin Ahmad who died in 520 Hijri "the grandfather" of the famous philosopher, Allah have mercy on him) in his rich and magnificent work “ Al-Bayan wa al-Tahsil ” says: "When the guests are the same or similar in stature then beginning from the right is what would be most fitting by way of good character. That is because doing so entails not ...

  بسم الله The proverbially strange similitude of those who were charged to bear the Torah, yet incredibly bore it not, is like the strikingly strange likeness of a donkey laden with great tomes of enlightening wisdom: Vile a similitude indeed is that of a people who cry lies to the very verses of Allah Himself! And Allah guides not the people of the wrongdoers. (The Quran Beheld 62:5) I recently received a question from Pakistan that concerned responding to those who criticize the Sharia as it is implemented there. The questioner described two murder cases. In both cases the perpetrators were from a higher social stratum and the next of kin of the victims forgave the perpetrators who were set free as a result. Media outlets then publicized reports claiming that in both instances the next of kin were threatened by the perpetrators. As a result, secular-minded commentators are claiming that the Sharia provision which places the perpetrator’s fate in the hands of the next of...

By Qays Arthur Illness can be a major test. Sometimes even with the best treatment pain and misery can persist. The following is some general advice from the Sunnah that can help with achieving good health and when dealing with physical pain. This is not meant to replace a visit to the doctor for those who suspect major issues, but the benefits of these tips can't be denied. Firstly , one should try as much as possible to avoid excessiveness in food and drink. By that I mean to avoid eating for “comfort” and/or to relieve stress, and rather eat only when one is hungry and in moderation. This is the Sunnah and many of our books mention that it is the foundation of good health. If one snacks, avoid processed foods (which are often consumed without checking the ingredients) and do so with moderation and gratitude to Allah for his favor, and to gain strength and encouragement to worship. Secondly , it is generally a good idea to ensure that one's diet includes date...

By Qays Arthur The venerable shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah (Allah have mercy on his soul) mentions in his  Decorum in Islam  ( Min Adab al-Islam ) that at times of death and loss it is beneficial to recall the words of Allah Most High: وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٥٥)  ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ (١٥٦)  أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ صَلَوَٲتٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ (١٥٧) “Surely We will try you with something of fear and hunger, and diminution of goods and lives and fruits; yet give thou good tidings unto the patient who, when they are visited by an affliction, say, 'Surely we belong to God, and to Him we return'; upon those rest blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those -- they are the truly guided.” (2:155-157) He then ...

By Qays Arthur Jarir bin 'Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him) said: "I asked the Messenger of God (ﷺ) about the inadvertent glance and he instructed me to avert my gaze." Commenting on this hadith, Imam Al-Nawawi (13th century C.E.) says in his explanation of Sahih Muslim : "The meaning of the 'inadvertent glance' is when a man's gaze falls upon on an unrelated woman, by accident. He does not sin immediately though it becomes necessary for him to immediately avert his gaze. Once that is done sin does not occur. But if he continues looking he thereby sins given what this hadith indicates. This is so because the Prophet (ﷺ) instructed Jarir to avert his gaze in accordance with the command of Allah, Most High, 'Say to the believing men to lower their gazes...' (Quran 24:30) Qadhi Iyadh (11th century C.E.) remarked that the scholars say: 'This is evidence that the woman is not obligated to conceal her face as she goes about her aff...

By Qays Arthur While we may look for advice in the form of directives, concerning what to "do" to "produce" good children, that old adage, "The apple never falls far from the tree." seems to be persistently true. Children are pure human beings, uncomplicated by those things that make adults less genuine and lucid. They are like mirrors and their conduct may tell us a great deal more about ourselves as adults than we may be comfortable with. A man may go to great lengths to assume the appearance of one who lives in comfort, but if he is poor you will know from his children. A woman may assume the manner of a gracious hostess but if she is in fact troubled it will be reflected in her child- in simple, uncomplicated ways. I've come to appreciate that this reflective-ness of the child is very much connected to the way the child learns and to the veracity of that old adage. The simple fact is that there is very little a parent can purposely  say...

By Qays Arthur “Say: Rise and come,  I shall plainly tell you what your Lord has made unlawful to you: That you worship nothing whatsoever with Him; And show parents all kindness; And slay not your children from even direst want, We shall provide for you and for them; Nor draw so much as near to foul deeds, be they open or secret; Nor take any life Allah has made inviolable, save in full justice: —All of that has He enjoined you with, that haply you may show reason.” (The Quran Beheld 6:151) Since last week’s massacre in Orlando the internet and public discourse in general have been awash in all sorts of arguments and discussions, of varying degrees of relevance, about counter terrorism, gun control, increased powers for security agencies, and “Mawzlems” who visit terror “hot spots” (i.e. countries of origin or of religious significance). Within the embattled and increasingly visible Muslim community some seemed more disturbed about the prospect of a “backlash” than any...

By Qays Arthur I Time has passed, its winds bringing debris and sand, its rains having eroded the edifices of what was established before and we the later people must struggle to cling to what remains of a glorious legacy, now barely discernible. The legacy of the days of Men. I write as a humbled slave, bewildered by his own insignificance and utter inability, in face of the mammoth task of simply being a slave in these times. After one year in "The Islamic University of Madina" in al Madina al Munawara, Arabia, it became overwhelmingly obvious to my distress, that "The Methodology of the Pious Fore-bearers" as I had previously conceived it, was sadly void of the slightest iota of spiritual realization. Confused, frustrated and lost I often found myself quite literally wandering the streets of Madina often in the late hours of the night, in some attempt to fill a void within me. A void which had manifest itself with sudden terror, such that it threw me ...