Summary Of The Concept of Education in Islam by Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas

This article provides a short summary of the key concepts on Islamic education as espousedby Islamic philosopher Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas. I do recommend reading the full article, “The Concept of Education in Islam,” as it provides adifferent way of looking at education that we are use to and shows the richness of approachthat Islam […]

Islamic governance delivers justice

In today’s complex world, where misunderstandings and tensions can quickly escalate, understanding our rich historical legacy of justice and harmony is crucial for Muslim families. Recent events, such as the riots in Amsterdam, underscore the importance of historical knowledge and nuanced understanding.  Recent riots in Amsterdam have been accompanied by attempts to promote a narrative […]

UK Riots – what can parents learn?

The recent UK riots serve as a crucial learning opportunity for Muslim parents concerned about the influences their children face in today’s society. These events, driven by complex socio-economic factors, highlight the importance of fostering resilience, critical thinking, and strong moral foundations in young people. The riots underscore the power of social dynamics and peer […]

Learning politics from the Seerah

Studying the Seerah is the best way to learn about the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as it is full of lessons and examples of inspiration which influence our lives to this day.  The Seerah is full of events which cover: The youth should be encouraged to study the Seerah from an early […]

Proposed Legislation on Single-Sex Toilets

New legislation under proposal by the government looks set to enforce single-sex toilets in new buildings reversing a trend of gender-neutral toilets that have been seen implemented in commercial as well as educational buildings including Buxton Primary School in Leytonstone.  Whilst this proposed legislation is a cynical ploy by the government to appeal to the […]

Who will defend Palestine?

The ongoing war in Gaza is approaching 5 months and we have all witnessed the atrocities carried out by the Zionists and these atrocities have led to the killing of innocent lives including children.  The recent weeks have clearly demonstrated that the Zionists can carry out killing with impunity with the so-called international community turning a blind eye; the war has also shown the double standards and hypocrisy of the West […]

Countdown to Ramadan, Cultivating Spirituality and Traditions at Home

Preparing for Ramadan is an opportunity to instil a sense of excitement and spirituality within the family, especially during the month of Sha’ban. It is essential to involve children in this preparation so that they understand the significance of this holy month. Spiritual Preparation: The month of Sha’ban serves as a prelude to Ramadan. The […]

‘Sides Not Solutions’: Zionist Propaganda in UK Schools

DIVING INTO THE complexities of societal issues, ‘Sides, Not Solutions’ challenges conventional perspectives and prompts a deeper examination of the multifaceted nature of contemporary problems. https://www.ebb-magazine.com/essays/sides-not-solutions The article critiques the UK’s ‘Prevent Duty,’ expressing concerns about its application and mandatory teacher training, focusing on the disproportionate impact on Muslims. It cites instances of biased referrals, […]

Palestine in UK schools: A listening hour

ARE YOU A teacher or parent facing pushback or silencing for raising the war in Gaza at school? Are you uncertain about how to introduce the topic into the classroom, or perhaps struggling to manage students’ conflicting views? Is your school failing to address issues of Islamophobia and antisemitism as a result? In this session, […]

University Professor David Miller, dismissed for his anti-Zionist views, prevails in discrimination case. 

HIS LAWYERS SAY the judgement establishes for the first time that anti-Zionist beliefs are protected in the workplace. David’s win should encourage us all. But Gaza is the story here, not David and not the pursuit of certain privileges. Confronting Zionism is what led to David’s situation, and that’s precisely what annoys them.  Quoting David […]

Wisdom

HAVE YOU EVER noticed in the Qur’an that the name al-Hakim (the All-Wise) is paired with either al-Alim (All-Knowing) or al-Aziz (All-Mighty)? Why is wisdom linked with knowledge and might? It points to something that most parents will have experienced. Parents exert might/power over their children. We also have more knowledge than our children. But […]

Jannah isn’t impossible

WE WOULD NORMALLY expect to read this ayah as: ‘But those who believe and do good deeds are the people of the Garden and there they will remain.’  But there comes an unexpected addition interjected within it: ‘and we do not burden any soul more than it can bear.’ It comes after belief and good […]

The best nikah is the easiest

WEDDING SEASON IS in full swing. We have invitations every week and even two in one day.  Out of the many weddings that I have been to over the years, what I have always found is that the best of them have been the simplest. There is a certain genuineness and sincerity to be found […]

Finer things

MY SON, LIKE many young boys his age, has a thing about cars, especially the fast and expensive type. I tend to downplay this as much as possible as I do not want him to have excessive love for the things of the dunya. It’s from early childhood that the likes and dislikes, the inclinations […]

Rocking the boat

‘SHOULD WE BE rocking the boat?’ my son asked me the other day. ‘Why would we want to do that?’ I asked. ‘People say that we live here in Britain as a minority. We enjoy the benefits of living here. We have our masajid to pray in. We can wear hijab if we want to. […]

The illusion of freedom

‘COULD I GO at 100mph?’ I asked my son as we drove up the M1 motorway.  ‘I suppose you could but then you’d get in trouble with the law.’ ‘But am I not free?’ So started a conversation exploring the idea of freedom. An idea that forms the basis of this society and one that […]

On the French abaya ban

MY DAUGHTER RETURNED to school this week after the summer holidays. She goes to a Muslim faith school; as such, her school uniform is a khimar (headscarf) and jilbab (loose-fitting, non-transparent, full-length outer garment). As we went to school, I was reminded of the difficult situation of Muslim girls across France who on the same […]

Sunset

I RECENTLY CAME across this photo taken from space by astronaut Alexander Gerst. On the right is night, on the left is day and in between is the sunset. Subhan Allah! No matter the angle that we see a sunset, this everyday phenomenon remains truly magnificent.  Day turns to night turns to day. They shorten and lengthen […]

Spoken about but not spoken to

ISN’T IT STRANGE that the more free a society claims it is, the more closed it tends to be! Take an incident that my wife recalls. She had started a postgraduate teacher training course and her first placement was at a large primary school in a rural area just outside of London. Here the population […]

It’s not a competition

I SEE A lot of babies and their parents through my work. A common complaint is the overly competitive friend. There always seems to be someone who wants you to know that their child never cries, sleeps through the night, never vomits, or has a nappy leak and does everything weeks earlier than your child! […]

Peas in a pod

I OFTEN LOVINGLY refer to my children as peas. To which my daughter refers to me as a pod. Why? Because I protect my peas. As parents, we all strive to protect our children. It starts even before the birth of the child. We ask how to protect the unborn baby in the womb. What […]

Having mercy

HAVE YOU NOTICED in the opening of the Book that Allah ﷻ mentions His Mercy- ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim four times before His accounting? بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَالرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِمَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ‘In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds. The […]

For what crime were they killed?

THERE ARE AYAT in the Qur’an whose meaning takes relevance and whose weight becomes known after certain events occur. Take these ayat in surah at-Takwir وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ بِأَىِّ ذَنۢبٍ قُتِلَتْ And when the girls buried alive are asked. For what crime were they killed? (at-Takwir 8-9) Previously we perhaps could have seen these in […]

Fatherhood: Teaching Proof of Allah to Children

Importance of children Being a father of 4 young children, all l0 yrs and younger, I understand that at this age they are like sponges in that they will absorb everything they see and hear. I normally do the school runs particularly in the mornings, before I come into work. During this time and annoyingly […]

I place you in Allah’s trust

THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS are over. 6 weeks have passed by in the blink of an eye. My daughter returns to school today.  It’s another milestone moment- the first day of secondary school.  Schooling in the West has become increasingly difficult for Muslims and there certainly will be new challenges. I often wonder if I will […]

Hearts without bitterness

JANNAH IS NOT a place of any resentment, bitterness, or jealousy. Indeed, one cannot enjoy its bliss with such feelings buried deep in the heart. You cannot be in Jannah with your believing brothers and have memories that surface of some words or actions they did to you (knowingly or unknowingly) making you resent them. […]

Building our Islam together

‘O ISMAEL! ALLAH has given me an order,’ said Ibrahim (as). ‘Do what your Lord has ordered you to do,’ Ismael (as) replied. ‘Will you help me?’ ‘I will help you.’ ‘Allah has ordered me to build a house here,’ pointing to a hill. So, they set the foundations of the House (the Ka’bah). Ismael […]

Dua and action

DUA WITHOUT ACTION? Or action without dua? Or something else? These were all questions that arose when we talked about making sure that we always try to do our best in any given situation. Living in a world detached from the Divine, we can easily find ourselves rushing to action, confident in our own abilities […]

Dependence and independence

‘HE CRIES A lot doesn’t he,’ my 11-year-old daughter commented about her little brother. There was a pattern to his cries and we were trying to work out what all the different sounds meant. Babies cry due to hunger, needing a nappy change, trapped wind in the upper or lower tummy, feeling cold or hot, […]

A boat in the storm

IN THE STORY of Nuh (as) there is one scene that Allah describes that resonates with me again and again. It is the scene where Nuh and the few who followed him are in the Ark. The water had risen and the waves are crashing around them thunderously. Danger everywhere. The only safety was on […]

Eid Mubarak

EID MUBARAK TO our readers across the world. We pray that Allah accepts our good deeds, sacrifice, and Hajj in these ten best days. The rites of Hajj are an annual reminder of Ibrahim’s (as) lifelong sincerity, sacrifice, and tawakkul in Allah and a symbol of the unity of this ummah.  Ibrahim (as) built the […]

Beautiful Remembrance

THESE ARE THE day of Dhul Hijjah, the best of days. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says, ‘Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,’ one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.’ (Bukhari) So on our journeys to school and back we recited this […]

Baby hands-a sign for the people

‘LOOK AT HIS tiny fingers,’ the children cried out in wonderment comparing their fingers to the new baby’s. It is amazing. The human hand is a masterpiece of complex engineering. It is incredibly strong- a trained mountain climber can put his entire body weight through a single finger. And yet it is incredibly manoeuvrable- each […]

Breakfast together

MY DAUGHTER, MAY Allah bless her, remains observant of those around her. She could see the great anguish that we are going through with what is happening in Palestine over the last month. So to lighten our mood she decided to make the whole family breakfast one morning. She was earnest about it and started […]

Allah is sufficient for us

MY WIFE ASKED me late last night why I was so quiet and lost in thought all day. I was worried about what was unfolding in Ghazza. The killing of over 7000 hasn’t been enough as the Occupiers intensified their bombing and possibly began their ground assault. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘The parable of the […]

Another year

I WAS BORN 49 years ago. My mother, a medical student at the time, recalls that she was really unwell with typhoid. Her professors weren’t sure if either of us would make it. We did. My father recalls that he went for jumuah and on his return he met his son for the first time. […]

Fear and insincerity

PHAROAH HAD FALLEN and Musa (as) led his people across the desert in search of a new beginning. They came to Jerusalem which Allah intended at that time for Bani Isra’il to take back. Musa said: ‘O my people! Enter the Holy Land which Allah has destined for you. And do not turn back or […]

I WANT Q

‘I WANT Q,’ my daughter excitedly said over dinner. ‘What’s that?’ ‘It’s the acronym for the things that make salah valid,’ she replied. We all looked puzzled, giving her the cue to continue and explain. ‘So I is intention. W is wudhu. A is awrah that needs to be covered. N is the najasah that […]

Being blessed

HOW DO I feel 6 months in? In two words. Truly blessed. All praise to Allah who has let us experience 6 months of pure joy. It seems just like yesterday that we learned that we were expecting.  I would remember the words of the Prophet ﷺ when he said: ‘There are three prayers that will undoubtedly be […]

Allah is tayyib and accepts only what is tayyib

I ASKED THE children about what they thought of the hadith where the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘O people! Indeed Allah is tayyib and He does not accept but what is tayyib…’ (Muslim) ‘Could it mean that Allah only accepts what is purely for Him?’ my daughter said.  ‘Perhaps it means that every step of what […]

Autumn reminders

THE HONKING OF geese as they fly in V formation and head south for the winter remains one of the fondest memories from my childhood. It is an early sign that autumn is finally here. Autumn is my favourite season. The days are more balanced than the overly long days of summer and the short […]

Changing behaviours by changing thoughts

HOW DO WE get our children to do what they should be doing? It could be through external forces. Fear. Coercion. Guilt. Bribery. Following the crowd. Conformity. All of which are negative or passive. Or it could be something internal. Like believing in an idea. Love. A positive, proactive drive. Our behaviours are shaped by […]

To sin in public

TO SIN IN public is not the same as to sin in private. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘All of my ummah will be forgiven except those who sin openly. It is a part of sinning openly when a man does something at night, then the following morning when Allah has concealed his sin, […]

Why is Palestine so important?

WHY IS AL-AQSA and what surrounds it so important? It can be appreciated by the first khutba given in al-Aqsa by Al-Qadi Muhiy ad-Deen ibn Az-Zaki following its liberation by Salahuddin after 88 years of occupation. He said: “It is the home of your father Ibrahim (as), the place of ascent (Mi’raj) of your Prophet […]

The meaning of success

‘SUCCESS: THE FACT of getting or achieving wealth, respect, or fame,’ is one of the first things you will see if you do a Google search for success. Do the same in a Qur’an search, and you will get something very different. The 40 or so ayat that mention success cover the following themes. Being […]

The greatest gift

LEAVING A CHILD orphaned is one of the great fears that most parents have. It stems from the inherent desire to protect one’s children. Death is a given. But when children are older and standing on their own two feet, we feel that we have fulfilled our responsibility to them and the thought of passing […]

Justice isn’t complicated

A MAN CAME came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: ‘Messenger of Allah, what do you think of a man who comes to me to take my possessions?’ He ﷺ said: ‘Don’t surrender your possessions to him.’ The man asked: ‘If he fights me?’ He ﷺ remarked: ‘Then fight (with him).’ The man […]

Why protest?

MANY WILL BE attending (if not already) demonstrations across the world in support of our ummah in Palestine and against the Zionist entity’s aggression. Like any action that we take, it is important to understand why we are protesting. In essence, it is a form of public expression or declaration of objection, disapproval, or dissent […]

When one plus one isn’t two

‘WHEN DOES ONE plus one not equal to two?’ I asked the children. After a puzzled look, I explained: ‘When you believe in the Unseen.’ Right at the beginning of surah Baqarah Allah describes the believers. They believe in the Unseen. It is easy to reduce this to just some academic view of what the […]

What is wrong with you?

‘YOU KEEP SAYING that the armies need to move to save the people and that the current political institutes and the UN etc won’t be able to solve this,’ my son stated. ‘I do say that. And I say that because our source of guidance is Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. It is inconceivable that […]

More than tribalism

IT IS NOT about getting to positions of power and influence that are important. It is about what you do when you get there that is important. It is a strange system that we live under. We have seen how people had to free themselves from enslavement, struggle to get civil rights, women had to […]

The call to guidance

THE CALL TO guidance can come from many places. As parents, we are responsible for building the deen in our children, but we need to be open to the fact that they may call us to the truth at some point. Likewise, for younger people, there is often great zeal and desire to save loved […]

Jealousy destroys

THE STORIES OF the Quran are there for us to take a lesson. Like reflections in the mirror, insights into human nature are given which should make us pause and take measure of ourselves. One such subtle insight is found in the story of the two sons of Adam (as) that Allah relates. ۞ وَٱتْلُ […]

The Day of Catastrophe

‘SO WHY CAN’T they all live in peace?’ our 9-year-old daughter asked the other day. We had been talking about the current situation in Palestine and reflected on our own visit to Jerusalem a few years ago where we saw first-hand the daily oppression our brothers and sisters are facing. It is ironic that the […]

The first smile

HE HAS RECOGNISED our voices and our smell for weeks. He now recognises our faces easily. And at 6 weeks he has started to smile. The first proper gummy smiles of absolute delight because he’s really pleased to see us! Sure, we saw a few quick smiles here and there and in his sleep in […]

Not too hot and not too cold

AS THE WEATHER warms up, we must be more careful about the baby overheating. Babies need help to keep at a comfortable temperature. As adults, our bodies keep a steady temperature. When we are cold, we shiver and move to warm up. When we are hot, we sweat to cool down. Small babies are unable […]

Lessons from an egg and spoon race

SCHOOL SPORTS DAY isn’t complete without the egg and spoon race. Watching children compete (my own and others) over the years, I’ve made an interesting observation. Those who look back to see where others are, don’t do well in the race. Unsurprisingly, you can’t move forward if you are looking backward. Whilst focusing on others […]

Intellectual conviction alone is not enough

‘WHY DO YOU think people continue to do the wrong thing even when they are shown the truth of a matter?’ I asked the children. With Dhul Hijjah approaching, we were looking at the life of Ibrahim (as) and the incident where he broke all the idols in the temple leaving the axe with the […]

So surely with hardship comes ease

MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, colleagues at work, and even my patients ask me how I’m finding fatherhood for a third time. ‘ I’ve forgotten what it’s like to sleep,’ I say to them! We had forgotten what it is like in these early weeks with the baby needing constant attention. The feeds every hour and a […]

Wealth and children are a trial for you

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was delivering a khutbah when Hasan and Husayn came wearing red shirts, walking and tripping. He descended from the minbar, picked them both up, and placed them in his lap. He ﷺ said: ‘Allah spoke the truth when He said: إِنَّمَآ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥٓ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ Indeed, […]

The new moon of Dhul Hijjah

THE GOVERNOR OF Makkah delivered a speech and said: ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took a pledge from us that we should perform the rites of Hajj after sighting the moon. If we do not sight it and two reliable persons bear witness, we should perform the rites of hajj on the basis of their […]

To eat or not to eat?

MY WIFE TOLD me she once went through a vegetarian phase. It seemed to be a fad that a lot of adolescents went through at the time. This is a recurrent theme, especially now as there is a lot of talk about moving to a plant-based diet to save the planet, our health and not […]

In every race there are winners and learners

STATE SCHOOLS ARE different from private schools. Take Sports Day. I recall at my daughter’s previous state school Sports Day, I was surprised to find that the children no longer competed against each other. Each child participated in set activities. Each child received the same ‘Participated in Sports day’ certificate at the end of the […]

The dangers of overburdening

PLAYING WITH LEGO is great fun. Stepping on Lego is not! So after many painful experiences, we have a rule that the children need to tidy up straight away after playing. To make things easier they use a foldable play mat which allows all the pieces to be gathered quickly and poured back into their […]

The New Year 1445 AH

WE HAVE ENTERED the sacred month of Muharram and with it a new Islamic year, 1445 AH. We do not celebrate the new Hijri year like we see other nations do with fireworks or drunken parties or grand melas or resolutions we don’t intend to keep. But in a world dominated by the secular framework, […]

Salah Motivations

SOME SAY THAT the repeated mention of establishing the prayer in the Qur’an is an indication of its importance. Whilst salah is undoubtedly important, I find that explanation falls short. For instance, the obligation of fasting is only mentioned once in the Quran in surah Baqarah. Does this mean that it is less of an […]

You are an intelligent person: A story from the stories of Islam

AT-TUFAYL IBN AMR, a man of great virtue and intellect, was chief of his people, the tribe of Daws. He narrates his story about his visit to Makkah, unaware of the battle between truth and falsehood intensifying there. ‘I approached Makkah. As soon as the Quraysh leaders saw me, they came up to me, gave […]

To lose a child

I NEVER CEASE to be amazed by the power of our iman. Of how it gives light in the darkest moments, and strength in our moments of weakness. I wrote the following three years ago in light of a family loss. But the same can be applied today at what we are witnessing in Palestine. The same […]

Will there ever be Peace

‘SO WHY CAN’T they all live in peace?’ my daughter asked 2 years ago when the last major eruption of violence occurred in Palestine. As the current horror unfolds, we reminded ourselves of that discussion and our visit to Jerusalem 6 years ago when we witnessed first-hand the daily oppression that the Palestinians face. When […]

The real heroes

My wife gathered the children the other night to watch a video that she had come across of Amy Goodman from Democracy Now interviewing Dr Hammam Alloh, a nephrologist at al-Shifaa Hospital in Gaza on 31st October. She asked: ‘The Israeli military has dropped thousands of pamphlets warning people where you are in northern Gaza […]