[ishfaqahmed]

In the name of Allah. Life is difficult, but if you have a touch of faith, you will experience its beauty. It makes it all worth it. You can truly experience this depth among the poor. A poor person is naked with their emotions. However, one must be careful not to get carried away. To talk a bit about myself: I feel like I am conducting a class in dim, gentle light, guiding a group of mature students at the tertiary level, Alhamdulillah. I hope you will keep me in your prayers so that I may do well in my impending examinations.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. If the whole world were to come together to benefit you, they could not benefit you with anything except what Allah سبحانه وتعالى has already decreed for you. And if they were all to gather together and conspire to harm you, they could not harm you with anything except what Allah has already decreed against you. "The pens have been lifted, and the pages have dried." This is yaqeen—certainty.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah.

.. Allah asks: ‘What has deluded you concerning your Generous Lord?’ Some of the mufassirun said that the answer is embedded within the question itself: His generosity (karam) is what deludes people. Allah is generous. People commit sins, yet He does not immediately destroy them. People often ask, ‘Why are oppressors allowed to do all these things? Why do they commit evil and nothing seems to happen to them? Why do those who spread corruption continue to live with strength and energy?’ Some people sleep only a few hours each night, yet they carry on with their corruption and wrongdoing. They seem healthy and unaffected. Meanwhile, a righteous and gentle soul—someone serving humanity and striving to do good—may be afflicted with cancer or some other serious illness. Then people ask, ‘What is going on here?’ But if Allah loves a person, He may test them. Trials can be a sign of divine concern and purification. On the other hand, never being tested at all is not necessarily a good sign. The fact that many evil people appear to live without hardship can itself be a reminder of this reality. Another lesson is that if Allah grants respite to such people, then who are we to be impatient? Should this not teach us greater hilm—patience, forbearance, and self-restraint? Look at the generosity of the Prophet ﷺ. People ask, ‘Why doesn’t Allah stop someone before they commit evil? Why doesn’t He prevent every wrongdoing from occurring?’ But if Allah prevented every evil action and never allowed people to exercise their free will, then what would be the meaning of free will itself?Furthermore, Allah does not react as human beings react. His actions are not driven by emotion. This teaches us to embody noble character—to be less reactive, more forbearing, more cautious, calmer, and more understanding. We want Allah to forgive us. We want Him to overlook our mistakes and grant us excuses. Yet often we do not want Him to forgive anyone else. That is not fairness.

Shaykh Hamza

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. One of the travelers to Mecca was once asked, after returning from his journey, “What was the strangest thing you saw there?” He replied, “I saw an old man clinging to the Kaaba, asking Allah for worldly gains. That was the strangest thing I witnessed—an old man holding onto the Kaaba, asking for dunya.” He then said, “Later, I went to the marketplace and saw a young man busy with his trade, yet constantly remembering Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.” SubhanAllah. When the heart is truly connected to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, it remembers Him wherever it is and whatever it is doing.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. We have an obligation to be hopeful, just as we have an obligation to be joyful. One of my father's teachers used to say that we have a duty to be happy because part of the reason the world is so miserable is that there are so many unhappy people in it. Why contribute to that misery? It is as if we fail to truly feel the Fadl (grace) of Allah.

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. I have 100 now, and I gave him 32. He is unhappy, but what can I do? I am not a prophet, astaghfirullah. This is my limit, alhamdulillah. On another note, this lady—astaghfirullah—considers the Kaaba to be God, which I feel is a form of shirk (polytheism). Apart from this belief, she is actually quite good in her speech, mashaAllah. May Allah (SWT) protect us and grant us refuge in Him from disbelief, poverty, bid'ah (innovation in religion), and showing off. May Allah (SWT) grant us a deep understanding of religion. Ameen.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. If you look at traditional Muslim culture, its true hallmark is beauty. As a Westerner of mostly Irish descent, I genuinely believe—not out of tribal loyalty, but out of objective appreciation—that it has produced the most beautiful architecture in the world. The English author Diana Darke would agree. In fact, she wrote an entire book arguing that much of what we find beautiful in Western architecture actually originates from Muslim culture. As an Englishwoman, she has no personal bias or 'horse in the race'; she is simply following the history.

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah.

"A true believer (Mu'min) does not curse others, nor do they search for faults in people. They never use foul language or speak words that are harmful and noxious. This is the standard of character taught by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)."

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah.

The Concept of the Shepherd and the Guardian

The model of Raqi’ (or Ra’at) in Arabic can mean a shepherd or a guardian. Interestingly, it mirrors the exact same concept found in the Latin word pastor, which also means shepherd. In Western traditions, this idea of "pastorship" centers on helping, guiding, and protecting those who are vulnerable. The most vulnerable among us are often young people. They are highly susceptible to false ideas and external dangers, largely because youth is a time when passion runs high. A shepherd’s main duty is to watch out for wolves and other predators that prey on the weak or the isolated. In a community, it is always the isolated individual whom the "wolf" targets first—which is why there is a timeless wisdom in the advice to stay in good company. Ultimately, however, the most dangerous predator is not outside of us; the worst type of wolf is the one that potentially resides within the heart of every human being. That inner struggle is something we all too easily forget.

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. The Arabs say, “لسان الحال أبلغ من لسان المقال” — the tongue of one’s condition is far more eloquent than the tongue of speech. In other words, there is a form of commanding good and enjoining right that is not merely spoken, but embodied.When the Prophet ﷺ was described by his wife, and she was asked about his ethical character, she replied: “كان خلقه القرآن” — his character was the Qur’an. In other words, he was the embodiment of the Word.If a person does not embody the word, then the word itself becomes hollow. This is part of the crisis within our Muslim community today: we often fail to embody the lofty principles that Allah ﷻ has given us. As a result, when people look at us, they do not see individuals possessing moral capital.And when they see us morally bankrupt, the Arabs say: “فاقد الشيء لا يعطي” — one who does not possess something cannot give it.

Shaykh Hamza.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. People are stewards. We’re passing through this world; none of us truly “takes” anything with us. In our tradition, the wisest people are often the most detached—those who don’t cling to what is temporary. The Qur’an highlights this ethic: it asks, “What do you spend?”—and then clarifies that what matters is what is extra, what you do not need. In other words, it draws a clear line between needs and wants. Those distinctions became especially real to me through living with Bedouin people. They need very little. For seven years, I lived with them and learned how little a person can get by with. I had only a handful of books and a couple of garments for what I wore. I didn’t feel deprived—because I truly didn’t need much.

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. Any heart that drinks these temptations in becomes affected by them. The Prophet ﷺ used the passive form here — known in Arabic as Mabni Lil-Majhool — indicating that the heart passively absorbs these fitan. If the Sahaba understood it correctly, this subtle linguistic choice carried deep meaning. The Prophet ﷺ then said that a black dot appears on the heart. This refers to a spiritual and metaphysical reality. If someone physically opened the heart, they would not literally see a black dot, but in the unseen spiritual realm, such a mark appears. He then said: “And any heart that rejects them, a white dot will emerge in the heart.”This signifies the beginning of spiritual growth and purity. The black dot represents the beginning of darkness and demonic corruption, while the white dot represents the beginning of spiritual light and righteousness. Then the Prophet ﷺ said: “Until the hearts become of only two kinds.” Meaning that over time, hearts gradually divide into two categories: hearts illuminated by faith and resistance to fitnah, and hearts darkened by continuously accepting and absorbing it.

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. That war may seem appealing from a distance, but once someone is actually in it, they realize that war is hell. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said, “لا تتمنوا لقاء العدو” — “Do not wish to meet the enemy.” This narration is found in Sahih al-Bukhari. A believer should not desire war or violence, because wanting to kill others is a sickness of the heart. However, the Prophet ﷺ also taught that if a person is forced into battle, then “فاثبتوا” — remain firm and courageous. Islam does not encourage aggression or bloodshed; rather, it teaches restraint, justice, and bravery only when necessary.

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. Fitnah has many meanings in Islam depending on the context. It can mean persecution, oppression, civil war, confusion, temptation, or trials that test people’s faith. That is why the Qur’an says fitnah can be “worse than killing,” meaning that severe persecution and corruption of faith can harm society deeply. Because of its importance, many scholars of Hadith created chapters called Bab al-Fitnah (“The Chapter of Trials and Tribulations”). In these chapters, they collected sayings of the Prophet ﷺ about the difficult trials that would appear before the end of time. One famous hadith says that the Hour will not come until fitan (trials) are presented to people’s hearts like a woven mat, strand by strand, vertically and horizontally. This means trials and confusion will spread everywhere and repeatedly affect people. Every person’s heart will either accept these fitan or reject them, and this will shape their character and faith. The main lesson is that fitnah is not just war or violence; it includes confusion, temptation, social disorder, and spiritual tests that slowly influence people and society.

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

The Arabic word “fitna” is highly significant and multi-dimensional. One of its important meanings refers to something that deeply attracts, tempts, or draws people in. In other words, fitna carries a certain magnetic appeal that pulls individuals toward it. In Arab culture, the name “Fatina” is sometimes used, referring to a person—especially a woman—who captivates or influences others through charm and attraction. This illustrates that fitna is not merely associated with chaos or trial; rather, it also involves a profound connection with attraction, emotion, and psychological influence. One aspect of human nature is that people are often naturally drawn toward fitna. For example, there are many Muslims who may remain relatively inactive in their daily lives—they might simply attend the mosque and live ordinarily. However, when a social or religious fitna emerges, they suddenly become highly active. Through discussions, debates, phone calls, and various reactions, they become deeply engaged in it. This happens because fitna contains a kind of excitement and emotional intensity that strongly captures human attention.

Collected.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. One of the quickest ways people begin to awaken to the possibility of God is through confronting profound pain and suffering. Such experiences often open the human heart in ways comfort and ease cannot. There is a tradition of our Prophet ﷺ which teaches that Allah is with the brokenhearted. Often, it is through the breaking of the heart that the light of Allah enters it. From this perspective, suffering possesses a redemptive quality. Rather than being meaningless, it can become a powerful catalyst for spiritual transformation, inner growth, and meaningful change.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.

[ishfaqahmed]

In the Name of Allah. And this is what you find when people go to concerts: they become very agitated and feel compelled to move. They may not know why, but they cannot stop moving because the music is affecting them. There are effects that sounds can have—some are described as demonic, and others as angelic. Because of this, the ulama have often expressed concern about the harmful effects of certain kinds of sound, understanding that such influences can be used to distract people from the right path. At the same time, there are also beautiful and uplifting forms of sound. For example, in the hadith about Dawood (alayhi salam), he was given a beautiful voice and recited the Psalms in a melodious way. His recitation was musical in quality, yet it was pure and uplifting in nature.

Hamza Yusuf