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Assalamu alaykum,Today, I am going to share with you a few verses from the Qur’an that set out the purpose of the Shari‘ah, or the law Allah has given us to guide the individual and the collective. I will make the case, which will be controversial, that the Shari‘ah is orientated towards humanitarian goals rather than political goals and its laws aim to create just soci...

Assalamu alaykum,You will recall that in the last blog I shared my reflections on Sural Al-Ma‘ūn and the insight it gives us into the conduct of those who engage in performative piety but are unable to offer small kindnesses to those most in need. Today, I want to take the message of that Surah and link this to the idea of charity in the Qur’an.When it comes to charity,...

Assalamu alaykumDuring Ramadan, a change in routine brings a moment’s pause. In that moment, if we choose to consciously re-orientate ourselves, we realise that we are stuck in a hamster wheel, chasing after material goods and financial security. These are not bad pursuits per se, but if they become the be-all and end-all of our existence - which they often do in this modernity we...

Assalamu alaukum,In the last blog, I made the case that the Qur’an addresses human beings as complex and multi-dimensional beings who need guidance in the realm of the spiritual, the political, the social and the creative. I would urge you to read that blog to understand the continuity of my reasoning, but I will give a brief summary now.In the last blog, I noted that Allah &ndas...

Assalamu alaykumToday, I will discuss a powerful and empowering verse in the Qur’an that has played a critical role in my connection with Allah and my sense of self as a worthy believer. For far too long, us Muslim women have endured what I consider to be an insulting and demeaning set of interpretations about women. We have internalised these messages over centuries and many of us...