Our reflection for today is from Sura Teen [Chapter 95 of the Quran] where Allah [swt] says: 

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ 

[95:4] truly We created man in the most beautiful stature,

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ 

[95:5] then We cast him to the lowest of the low,

Scholars explain that these verses refer to the human condition which originated as the most exalted creation AND it can also fall to the lowest of the low when human beings fail to live in accordance with their true nature, the fitrah, upon which Allah [swt] created them. 

The word that the Quran uses here, Taqwīm [translated as stature], is a verbal noun from the verb qawwama, which means “to raise, shape, form, or arrange.” Scholars explain that Taqwim is used to indicate “something that has become what it truly ought to be by achieving harmony and balance” in other words Ahsanu Taqwim [the best or most beautiful stature] implies the beautiful stature that can be achieved when the potent...

Like many of you, I have been watching the news of the world unfold with a heavy heart and a confused brain.

We are witnessing levels of cruelty, dehumanization, and moral numbness that leave many of us asking the same painful questions:
How can human beings do this? How can they justify it? How can they live with themselves? Where is their conscience?

When our minds and intellects cannot come up with any answers, it is time to turn to Divine Wisdom to make sense of it all.

The Quran reminds us that such moral collapse does not happen overnight. It is rarely the result of a single decision or a sudden loss of humanity. Rather, evil acts in this form are the outcome of a gradual process, a slow silencing of the inner voice that tries to stop human beings until acts that once felt unthinkable begin to feel permissible.

This is why I chose this theme for Ramadan. To try and understand how humans can sink so low and more importantly to remind ourselves to take Divine Guidance seriously ...

As we approach the end of Ramadan, it’s natural to reflect on the spiritual journey we’ve experienced during this blessed month. We began this month with reflections on building a deeper connection with Allah and how this can improve all aspects of our wellbeing.

Now as the blessed month draws to a close, let us revisit the verse from Sura Baqara related to Ramadan where Allah tells us about the sanctity of Ramadan, the revelation of the Quran and the injunction to fast and how He desires ease for us.

Today, let us focus on the last section of the verse which says: 

وَلِتُكْمِلُواْ الْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُواْ اللّهَ عَلَى مَا هَدَاكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

[Shakir 2:185] and (He desires) that you should complete the number and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you and that you may give thanks.

After completing the days of fasting, on Eid day we are meant to

1. exalt the greatness of Allah for the guidance and
2. give thanks

The phrase Allahu ...

In Surah Ibrahim (14:34), after telling us how He has created the Sun and the Moon and the night and the day to be subservient to us, Allah reminds us

وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعْمَتَ اللّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَا

[14:34] and if you count Allah's favors, you will not be able to number them

Why can we not enumerate His blessings? The more we reflect upon the creation of the universe and upon our creation, the more we recognize our inability to thank Him.

Therefore, the most thankful of Your creatures is he who is conscious of his inability to thank You, says Imam Zainul Abedin [as] in Sahifa Sajjadiya.

And our amazing Lord is such that He recognizes our inability to thank Him as gratitude!

Why We Cannot Count Allah’s Blessings

Scholars explain why we are unable to count the blessings of Allah:

1. The Blessings Are Everywhere: The blessings are so all-pervasive that many of them become background noise to our lives. For example, we may overlook the sunshine that brightens our days, the rain that
...

In Surah Qasas (28:77), Allah tells us to use what He has granted us to build our Hereafter while balancing our responsibilities in this world. He goes on to say:

وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ

[28:77] . . . and do good (to others) as Allah has done good to you

 This verse was addressed to the wealthy and powerful Qarun (known as Korah in the Bible) who is a figure mentioned in the Quran as a wealthy, arrogant, and corrupt individual from the time of Prophet Musa (as). His story appears in Surah Al-Qasas (28:76-82), where he is depicted as someone who was granted immense wealth by Allah but became prideful and boastful about it.

Qarun was a man of great wealth and status, who believed that his success was purely a result of his own efforts and intellect. He was blinded by pride and failed to recognize that his prosperity was, in fact, a blessing from Allah. He hoarded his wealth, spending it recklessly to indulge his own desires, while turning a blind eye to the needs of...

During Ramadan, when our hearts are open and our consciences heightened, let us remind ourselves of the importance of Nafs ul Lawama as mentioned in the Qur'an:

وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ

[75:2] Nay! I swear by the self-accusing soul.

Now we know that whenever Allah [swt] chooses to swear by something, it is not because He needs to convince us of his veracity. Rather, it is an invitation for mankind to take the object of the oath very seriously and to reflect upon its importance in our lives.

So what is this Nafs ul Lawama that Allah [swt] is swearing by?

Allah has placed within our soul a capacity for self-censorship. The Qur’an swears by the Nafs ul Lawama to emphasize its crucial role in guiding us toward self-improvement and spiritual awakening.

The soul that accuses us, points out our shortcomings, and creates a sense of guilt when we are veering off the straight path. It is an internal compass that is programmed to guide us towards His pleasure. In modern time...

Despite our best intentions, things can get heated when we are in the midst of a conflict. The other can say things in a way that triggers us and potentially make us lose our emotional balance. When someone lashes out at us—whether in anger, disrespect, or frustration—our instinctive response is often to mirror their behavior. We may raise our voice, respond with sarcasm, or shut down emotionally.

Let us see what the Quran advises in Sura Fussilat, verse 34:

ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ

[41:34] Repel (evil) with what is best, when lo! he between whom and you was enmity would be as if he were a warm friend.

This verse from the Quran challenges us to rise above reactive behavior and instead respond from our own set of values. Instead of retaliating when provoked, we are encouraged to pause, stay grounded in our principles, and choose a response that aligns with our moral and spiritual compass.

The Trap of ...

Today’s reflection on verse 8 from Sura Ma’ida concerns our relationships with everyone, not just with those whom we love and are close to. In fact, it is very important guidance in dealing with those who we are in conflict with or don’t care for.

While asking the believers to be "bearers of witness for justice", Allah [swt] says:

وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلاَّ تَعْدِلُواْ اعْدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ

[5:8] O you who believe! . . . and let not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably; act equitably, that is nearer to piety, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is Aware of what you do.

It is much easier to be fair to those we love, but the real test of justice and equity is whether we can uphold fairness even with those we dislike or disagree with. The Quran calls us to rise above personal biases and make fairness a guiding principle in all interactions.

Justice Requires P...

Many of us love a good laugh. I know I do. In this age of division and polarization, the problem is that there is a lot of content out there which attempts to make us laugh is at the cost of other people. While sometimes mocking and laughing at others is considered to be "just harmless fun" the verse below reminds us that Allah considers this a very serious matter.

In Sura Al-Hujarat, which is full of advice on social relationships, Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا يَسْخَرْ قَومٌ مِّن قَوْمٍ عَسَى أَن يَكُونُوا خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَلَا نِسَاء مِّن نِّسَاء عَسَى أَن يَكُنَّ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُنَّ

"O you who believe! Let not one people deride another; it may be that they are better than they. Nor let women deride other women; it may be that they are better than they." [Surah Al-Hujurat 49:11]

This verse advises the believers from engaging in expressing contempt for, ridiculing, teasing or laughing at others in a scornful manner. It is interesting that although "people" inclu...

Continuing with looking at the Quran for guidance on relationship wellbeing, in verse 12 of Chapter 49, Sura Hujarat, Allah [swt] addresses the believers and gives us another key:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اجْتَنِبُوا كَثِيراً مِّنَ الظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ الظَّنِّ إِثْمٌ

"O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion. Indeed, some suspicions are sins." [Surah Al-Hujurat 49:12]

Human minds are meaning-making machines. Every moment of every day, we are interpreting what we see, hear, and experience and trying to make sense of it. We do this by filling in the gaps in our knowledge and making assumptions. The problem is that many of our assumptions are negative and often incorrect. [there is good reason for this which we will not go into here]

This Quranic verse serves as a powerful reminder to be cautious with our thoughts and interpretations—especially about others. Negative assumptions can lead to unfounded suspicion, misunderstandings, and broken relationships.

The trap of negative ...