مريم

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Race and Ethnicity in Islam

Wallahi, the state of our ummah is in disarray. Yet, Alhamdulillah, there are communities where fikrah is upheld and followed correctly. But this alone is not enough. Wallahi, may Allah punish those who harm His creation simply because He created them. May Allah punish those who believe they possess any form of racial superiority.

To those who think their Arab ethnicity grants them status: beware. On this earth, you may be Arab, but on the Day of Judgment, you will stand as nothing more than a servant of Allah. And Allah, the Most High, has declared:

"O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware." (Quran 49:13)

We must acknowledge the beauty and vastness of the Arabic language, chosen by Allah for a reason, just as the Arabian Peninsula was chosen. But also remember the origin of the chosen people- before the Quran, the Arabs were among the pagans. Their societies today are like any other—some do good, while others indulge in actions detested by Allah. They persist in these wrongs without shame because, as Allah wills, some are guided while others are left in error, unable to perceive it.

It is a great sin—a great sin—to disassociate from your brothers and sisters in Islam because you think your fair skin makes you superior. How deluded must one be to believe that white skin signifies Allah’s noor or that blue or green eyes are signs of His favor? Allah favors the Muslim- the Mumin. Allah favors those who seek to please Him and seek the akhirah.

If this makes no sense to you, it is for one of two reasons:

You have never been inclined to believe you are superior, and you worship Allah as you should.

You do not believe that Allah created us equal.

The only distinctions lie between male and female, believer and disbeliever, and the righteous and the corrupt. Allah told us that we are different- it is by his decree. Never did He say that there is over a race a certain degree in anything. Not iman, not character, nothing.

And Allah says:

"And warn the people of a Day when the punishment will come to them, and those who did wrong will say, 'Our Lord, delay us for a short term; we will answer Your call and follow the messengers.' But it will be said, 'Had you not sworn before that you would not be removed?'" (Quran 14:44)

Allah is the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful. Will we not reason? Will we not reflect on how we treat others? We claim to follow the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, yet fail to uphold justice because of ego and arrogance.

Do we not see the error in how we treat those entrusted to us by Allah—servants, housemaids, those working under us? We yell at them as if they are deaf, overwork them as if they do not tire, and isolate them as if they do not feel. But Allah sees all, hears all and knows all. What do you even understand when you read surah Al-Kahf on Fridays?

Change your ways. Rid yourself of these vile, oppressive habits. Allah is just, and every soul will be recompensed for its deeds. Be a friend of Allah by doing right by His creation. The amanah of this dunya and everything in it is ours to uphold. Treat all of Allah’s creation with dignity, attributing all goodness to Him and recognizing evil as stemming from the nafs and Shaytan.

Allah will question us on the Day of Judgment for what we used to do. That Day is near, though we take it for granted. We live uncaring of how we make life difficult for others, concerned only with easing our own. Fix your ways. Turn back to Allah.

Have adab, akhlaq, and haya—not just toward your boss, king, or president, but toward your gatekeeper, children, spouse, parents, and brother/sisters in Islam. Do not be a hypocrite, selectively treating people well based on their ethnicity. The Arab society has its flaws, as do African, European, and Asian societies. Yet, how beautifully do mixed societies flourish when rooted in justice and equality. When rooted in haqq- when rooted in Ilam.

La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.

[rawanly]

O Allah, make my hidden intentions more pure than my visible actions, and make my visible actions upright.

[realitycheckin]

Random Reminder

For anyone trying something new, know that it’s never easy to begin, especially when you don’t know what the outcome will be. That uncertainty can be heavy. But we need to reframe how we see our efforts.

“Rather than looking for faults, I’ll say Alhamdulillah for Allah making it easy for me to start.”

It is a blessing just to have the ability to try.

So be grateful, and Allah will increase you.

And whatever the outcome, be thankful. Because Allah has already decreed what is best for you, in every success and in every failure. Even if we do not see it yet.

[realitycheckin]

Tahajjud Tangent

When we make duʿā’, it is important to remember that Allah is The Protector and Generous with His protection for the believer. Sometimes we ask our mother for things and she says no out of love, and there is a hadith that reminds us of this in a much greater way.

The Prophet ﷺ saw a mother searching for her child, and when she found him, she held him tightly and began to nurse him. He ﷺ said: “Do you think this woman would throw her child into the Fire?” The companions said no. He ﷺ then said: “Allah is more merciful to His servants than this mother is to her child.” (narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab)

So that love and protection should be remembered when making duʿā’. Allah loves that we ask Him, and Allah loves to give. Protection from what is not good for us is also a form of rizq and love from Allah ﷻ. And still, in His generosity, when He averts a calamity through a duʿā’, He may save it as a gift for us on the Day of Judgment.

So we should ask Allah to provide us with what is good for us, and we should also be specific in our duʿā’. At the same time, patience is a form of ʿibādah, and Allah loves those who are patient.

The Prophet ﷺ also said: “Indeed, your Lord is Modest and Generous; He is shy to turn away His servant empty-handed when he raises his hands to Him.”

We know Allah has wrath, but we must remember that Allah is Al-Wadūd (The Most Loving) and Ar-Raḥīm (The Most Merciful). He is Al-Malik (The King), Al-Karīm (The Generous), and Ar-Raḥmān (The Entirely Merciful).

[realitycheckin]

The only attainment of this dunya that is more valuable than anything is the attainment of the akhirah while you are in this dunya

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“Do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:29)

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Reminder <3

Allah protects us from big losses. What we lose is small compared to what we could have lost.

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Tahajjud Tangent: "The Good for the Good"

There’s a verse in the Qur’an people love to quote: “The impure are for the impure, and the pure are for the pure.” (Surah An-Nur, 24:26) But every time it comes up, people use it to push a point, not to reflect. They shrink it down to who deserves who, as if Allah’s message was only ever about people’s pasts.

But that’s not the whole verse. And that’s not the whole truth.

In fact, Allah tells us over and over in the Qur’an to think, to reflect, to look beneath the surface.

“Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:21) “Will they not reflect upon the Qur’an?” (Surah Muhammad, 47:24)

But instead of thinking, people turn the Qur’an into a slogan for shame. They quote one verse, forget its context, and use it like a stamp, pure with pure, impure with impure, as if that’s all Allah was trying to say.

This verse was revealed after the slander against Aisha (RA), when people spread lies about her honour and accused her of zina without proof. So when Allah said:

“The impure are for the impure, and the pure are for the pure…” it was a defense of her purity, not a rulebook about who gets to marry who. It was about truth over false accusation, about character over gossip.

Yet people skip over all that and reduce it to: "If someone sinned, they can’t be with someone who didn’t." As if repentance doesn’t exist. As if Allah isn’t the One who transforms hearts.

But Allah says clearly:

“And do not come near zina.” (Surah Al-Isra, 17:32) “And they guard their private parts.” (Surah Al-Mu’minun, 23:5) Yes — Allah commands us to protect ourselves, to stay away from zina. But He also says: “Except for those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds — for them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (Surah Al-Furqan, 25:70)

So how can we read all this… and still act like someone’s past defines their worth forever?

The Prophet ﷺ told us the one who repents is like the one who never sinned. And he ﷺ was angry when a Sahabi killed a man during battle who had just said his shahada. He asked:

“Did you open his heart?” Because only Allah knows what’s real inside us. Only Allah sees the sincerity in someone’s return.

So when people say, “She’s not pure enough,” or “He sinned, so he can’t be with someone better,” they forget that purity is not just about the body, it’s about the heart. And in the eyes of Allah, a repenter can be cleaner than the one who never saw their own flaws.

This obsession with the physical… it misses the spiritual. We don’t talk enough about the sins of the heart: arrogance, pride, envy, judgment. Sometimes that’s worse than any outward act. And yet, we give passes to those who “look clean,” while rejecting those who’ve actually been cleaned by Allah.

Plus, it’s a sin in Islam to expose your past. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“All of my ummah will be forgiven except those who sin openly…” So why are we asking people to reveal things they’re supposed to hide for the sake of Allah?

I’m not saying the verse isn’t true. I’m saying it’s deeper than how people use it. It’s not about reducing someone to their mistakes. It’s about justice, truth, and inner purity.

Allah is the One who pairs souls. He knows the stories no one else sees. And He is the One who purifies.

So don’t let people shrink Allah’s mercy into their narrow views. Don’t let them define who is “good enough” for you.

Because the Qur’an is full of signs “for those who reflect.”

ٱلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ

[realitycheckin]

Fajr Reflection/Tahajjud Tangent: Beauty Is Attained Through Salah And Gratitude.

"I want to be beautiful." "I wish I was handsome."

You want to know the secret?? You want to attain beauty? Pray. Salah. Beauty is a reward of Salah.

It's true, Salah beautifies the face with noor from Allah SWT and His angels. But most importantly, Salah beautifies the heart, and a beautiful heart sees no imperfection in the creation of Allah.

They develop tawheed and remember that Al-Ahad created them. That Allah, the One who created all that we find beautiful, created us too. So why believe you are so special that you were made ugly?

Be careful, ya Habibi, not to undermine Allah! Not to call, belittle, and detest what Allah has created. Surely this disease was upon Bani Israel, after Allah allowed them to escape Pharaoh and were given food which they did not prefer. So they grew ungrateful with what Allah created for them, (in its lowered lavishness compared to the food of Egypt), and detested what Allah provided through His mercy and generosity.

Al-Rahman, Al-Kareem, we must not forget. حسبي الله عليك

Yes, we have worldly matters such as aesthetics and colours and all that the eyes see. But eyes which truly see, they see beauty in what most people miss. So ask yourself: why do you see only such sparse beauty, when even a twig in the middle of a field of grass is adorned with the greatest design?

We must remember that our bodies are an amanah. We must take care of them for the sake of Allah, Love them for the sake of Allah, Love what Allah has given us to care for, For truly, we are vessels of goodness to others.

And your smile, no matter the proportions of your face, is Sunnah. And your sadaqah, no matter the proportions of your hand, is counted. And your supplications, no matter the shape of your mouth, are accepted.

And you, to Allah, are beautiful, The one who worships and prays to Him SWT, And does righteous deeds, And spends from what Allah has provided, And speaks good words.

You have attained the most precious beauty: The purification of your heart and deeds, The guidance of your limbs to do only that which is right.

So you wish for beauty? First, pray. And repent. And be grateful.

Surely Allah has given us clear signs, And we are ever ungrateful.

And may Allah rectify for us our hearts and our affairs, And make us of those who attain beauty through pleasing Allah.

[realitycheckin]

Fajr Reflection: Worry of fate

But Allah has already told us our fate:

"And those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until—when they reach it—its gates will be opened and its keepers will say, 'Peace be upon you. You have done well. So enter it, to abide eternally.'" — Surah Az-Zumar (39:73)

To the believers, it will be said: “Peace be upon you.” And they will find the gates of Jannah open for them. How beautiful it is that what we have always known will be said to us. We will be greeted with the salam we wished upon each other, not even knowing the weight of the trials the other had endured. But only that we wished peace on them for the sake of Allah, all the way to Jannah, where peace is eternal, still, and unwavering.

Like the repentance of a man with no sin, in a garden free of harm. Peace is wished for a final time upon those who served Allah and endured patiently.

So how can we stress over the attainment of this world, when this world is but a test?

"Do the people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ and they will not be tested?" — Surah Al-‘Ankabut (29:2)

The fate of the rich man is the same as the fate of the servant. The test of wealth is just as severe as the test of poverty.

Because truly, provision is only from Allah.

"Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength." — Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:58)

When we forget Allah, we forget ourselves. The heart becomes blind to its true purpose.

"And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient." — Surah Al-Hashr (59:19)

We are tested with how we remember Allah amidst distractions, amidst the noise of the dunya. The true test is in maintaining that connection. The real struggle for us lies in remembering Him, remaining faithful in every moment, no matter how the world tries to pull us away.

The struggle is the endurance of the soul to stay connected to Allah, despite the trials, despite the distractions, despite the pressures.

And remember, Allah does not intend hardship for us.

"Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship." — Surah Al-Baqarah (2:185)

So why don’t we focus on our relationship with Him? Why focus on attainment in this dunya, when the true attainment is in the hereafter? Why not focus on His promise to us, the promise of peace?

[anaseshaafi]

يمنع والأسباب كلها ممكنة، ويعطي والأسباب كلها ممتنعة، لا مُعقّب لحكمه ولا راد لفضله، فهو الذي يخلق ما يشاء ويختار.

"He withholds even when all means are possible, and He gives even when all means are impossible. There is no one who can overturn His judgment, nor anyone who can repel His bounty. For He is the One who creates what He wills and chooses."

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Dua

رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْأَبْرَارِ

Rabbana faghfir lana dhunubana warhamna wa tawaffana ma‘a al-abrar.

Our Lord, forgive us our sins, have mercy on us, and let us die among the righteous.

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Dua

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

Rabbana ighfir lana dhunoobana warhamna wa anta khayru ar-raahimeen

Our Lord, forgive us our sins and have mercy on us, and You are the best of the merciful.

وَاهْدِنَا وَاجْبُرْنَا وَارْزُقْنَا التَّقْوَى وَالْعَفْوَ وَالْهُدَى

Wa ahdina wa ajburna wa arzuqna at-taqwa wal-‘afwa wal-huda

Guide us, strengthen us, and grant us piety, forgiveness, and guidance

[heartbeatsallah]

Punishment Of Sins

‎قال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله : والله سبحانه جعل مما يعاقب به الناس على الذنوب: سلب الهدى والعلم النافع.

Ibn Taymiyyah: “And that which Allāh has made as a punishment for the sins of people is: removal of guidance and beneficial knowledge.”

‎● [مجموع ١٤\١٥٢]

[storiesofthesahabah]

Who is ALLAH

The One who rewards you when you do good even though you barely think of Him.The One who forgives you even though you barely ask of Him.The One who eases the pain in your heart when you are hurt or sadden even though His Name comes last to your mind.The One who fills the emptiness you feel when you feel very alone even though He never leaves you alone.The One who guides you in everything you do even though you stray away from His path.The One who provides and gives you the successes in life even though you fail to thank Him for each one of them.He is Allah, the One who has been with you all your life but you fail to recognize each passing day. Indeed, I can give you a list of descriptions about who Allah is but my heart tells me you already know Him and that (just like me) you just need to be reminded.

[deenbot]

[iamayeshaahmed]

Kun, faya kun - Be, and it is.

A reminder that nothing in your life is difficult for Allah. What feels impossible to you is effortless for Him. When doors seem closed, when answers feel delayed, when your heart grows tired from waiting - remember that Allah does not need time, means, or reasons. One command from Him can change your entire reality. What was broken can be restored, what was lost can return, and what you never imagined can arrive. Trust His timing, because when Allah says Kun, it doesn't struggle to happen - it simply is.