Eid Khutbah: Be true to yourself, be true to Allah…

By Essam Mahgoub
“Say what you mean, mean what you say. Be absolutely sincere to Allah, and you won’t be deceiving yourself. Allah loves those who are truthful and sincere. Being true to yourself and being true to Allah simply means that you have no delusions, no devious agendas. Your heart should be pure and transparent. Having a “Qalb Saleem (a pure, sound heart) is the only way to ensure Allah’s good pleasure. The Quran warns us of a Day when neither wealth nor sons will avail us, except those who come to Allah with a sound heart.” (Quran 26:89) …

Those whom Allah loves, will be tested with hardship

By Essam Mahgoub
“”Every Prophet, every Messenger of Allah was tested with extreme hardship. Allah did this to set up role models, inspiring examples of patience, endurance, and complete reliance on Allah swt. When we are faced with trials and tribulations, we ought to accept it as a test from Allah. If we follow the Prophetic examples, Allah will reward us from His limitless Bounty, in this life and the eternal life to come.”

Srebrenica: Remember the past to protect the future

By Dr Husni Hammuda
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The cold-blooded murder of 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys by Serb nationalists in 1995 has become known as the Srebrenica Genocide. Dr Husni reminds us of the lessons to be learned. The rising far-right nationalism and Islamophobia in Europe today suggests that many have not yet taken the lessons of history…”

Hajj, The Inward Spiral

By Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad (Tim Winter)

“Labbaik! Here I am, (at your service) O Allah!” is the heartfelt chanting of the Hajj. It is a logical echo of that original Shahada, (bearing witness) of that moment before time and space, when Allah called forth the souls of every human being that ever was and ever will be, to testify concerning themselves.  “Alastu bi Rabbikum?” (Am I not your Lord?), asked Allah. We all replied in one thunderous voice: “Bala shahidna!” (Yes we bear witness! lest we say on the Day of Awakening, that we were not mindful of this!)”

Hajj: An Inward Journey

By Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad (Tim Winter)
“Muslims, privileged heirs of the purest monotheism, are honoured to bow towards the Ancient House five times in every day. The House thus becomes a great vortex of prayer. If one were to view this earth from above, with a light visible in the heart of every Muslim at prayer, one would see an endless series of luminous ripples and waves moving around the globe. As the people of the West are increasingly honoured by the presence of Islam, formerly dark regions are now filling up with points of light, as the absolute call of ‘No god but God’ is heard triumphantly in the spiritual ruins of materialistic cities. Five times a day and more, the Qibla draws our attention away from what matters so much less. ‘Allahu Akbar’, God is Greater, means: turn towards the symbol of His unknowable, unfathomable, majestic Unity and Beauty…”

Modern Challenges to the spirit of Hajj

By Aslam Abdullah
“When the Prophet performed his only Hajj, the only provision that he had with him was worth of no more than four dirham as narrated in several books of ahadith.
Hajj was meant to teach the pilgrims endurance and perseverance for higher causes, yet it has been turned into an exercise in convenience. Hajj was meant to express the utmost humility in the presence of the rest of humanity by declaring that “Here I am, Here I am, I will not make anyone Allah’s partner. Allah is the one who is in control of everything and He alone is the one who is the source of all blessings and praise.” Yet, today, Hajj, for many has become, a badge, a symbol of spiritual pride…”

A short khutbah on the Hajj

By Arshad Gamiet
“Hajj is an outward journey tracing the spiritual history of Islam. It is also the inward journey each and every one of us must undertake, to find our own centre, in the Kaaba of our heart. What desires, what emotions and passions are still circling, making tawaaf around our spiritual heart? Thespiritual heart, the qalb is the locus of our personality. This is our real driving force. Let’s make sure that it is surrounded by loving thoughts of Remembrance of our most Beloved, Allah…”