Clarifying Light

May Allāh ʿAzza wa Jall make us people of sincere obedience, humility, and tawakkul.

Ṣalāt al-Kusūf is a Sunnah prayer and the relied-upon Ḥanafī position is that it is Sunnah Muʾakkadah, although some ʿUlamāʾ held that it is wājib. Performing it in congregation is mustaḥabb, but it is also permissible to perform it individually. [Ḥanafī Fiqh]

‎There is a profound difference between how a believer and a disbeliever view today’s solar eclipse. ‎A non-believer may put on ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses and think, “What a remarkable natural phenomenon,” explaining it solely through the forces of nature. ‎A Muslim, however, sees the eclipse as a sign from Allāh and responds by praying Ṣalāh al-Kusūf, remembering Allāh and following the guidance of the noble Prophet ﷺ. ‎But why is it a sign of Allāh’s existence and omnipotence? ‎Because although the Sun is roughly 400 times larger than the Moon and roughly 400 times farther from the Earth, they appear almost exactly the same size in the sky, allowing the Moon to completely cover the Sun during a total eclipse. ‎This extraordinary relationship between the Sun’s and Moon’s sizes, distances, and movements is a powerful sign of Allāh’s existence, wisdom, and omnipotence. ‎And the sun and the moon follow a precise calculation. ‎[Sūrah al-Raḥmān, 55:5]

If the eyes are under control, the whole body is under control. But if the eyes are not under control, then nothing else is truly under control. This is why the Holy Prophet ﷺ commanded us to lower our gaze.

A son goes out and eats shawarma because his mother has cooked vegetables at home that day. Yet the moment she finds out that he wants something else, she simply says: Just tell me what you want to eat, and I will make it for you. She will not be able to sleep without giving him what he wants. This is the beauty of a mother’s love, unconditional, and deeply special. A mother’s love truly is something extraordinary, a love that gives without expecting anything in return.

All the guidance we have in Islām, what is Ḥalāl and Ḥarām, how to honor parents, care for neighbors, and forgive others, reaches us through Rasūl Allāh ﷺ. If Allāh has granted us Īmān, it is by means of him. For this reason, many Muslims express joy and increase their Ṣalawāt in this blessed month, the month in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sent as a mercy to mankind.

May Allāh Taʿālā grant relief and assistance to our oppressed brothers and sisters in Kashmir. We respectfully ask the scholars of the Indian Subcontinent who have remained silent on this matter: why has there been no expression of concern or support? May justice and peace prevail. #FreeKashmir

Dear brother and sister, what is to be feared is when Allāh Subḥānahu wa Taʿālā is angry even though all people praise you.

The one who understands the value of his words will speak little. The tongue is like a wild beast; if it is left uncontrolled, it will eventually turn against its owner and cause harm.

The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ also said: I guarantee a house on the outskirts of Paradise for the one who gives up arguing, even if he is in the right… [Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 4800] True strength is not always found in having the final word. That is irritating and very bad character. Sometimes the greatest victory is to leave an argument for the sake of Allāh, protect your dignity, and choose peace over pride.

The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: Whoever believes in Allāh and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent. [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6136, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 47] Those who choose silence are the ones who truly succeed. Whenever you have an ikhtilāf (disagreement) with someone and it turns into an argument, remember that every response you give often invites another response in return. If you provide two answers, the other person may come with four counterarguments. If you respond with eight points, they may respond with sixteen. What is the cure for this endless cycle? The cure is silence. When you remain silent while the other person continues to argue and produces response after response, they will eventually realise that their own words are exposing them and that they are only making themselves look unreasonable.