Haybah: A Forgotten Facet of Manhood Part III (Istighna)

One aspect of hayba is istighna, or independence. Refusing to put your hand out in front of others even when times are tough is a sign of Islamic masculinity. While this aspect of masculinity is still present i...

Abou Ben Adhem. A poem by Leigh Hunt

Ibrahim ibn Adham was one of the early ascetics in Islamic history. According to legend, he gave up his throne in order to live a life of a simple worshiper. Whether or not that's historically accurate, Ibrahim...

Lessons in Fatherhood from Ibrahim alayhis salaam

When the Prophet ﷺ was blessed with a baby boy in Madinah, he had to make the decision that every new parent must make--choosing a name. Out of all the names that he could have chosen, the Prophet ﷺ chose a nam...

Islamic Etiquette of being a Guest

A few months ago, we had an article on how to be a good host. There’s also the flipside to that, however. How can you be a good guest? While Islamically, there is a strong emphasis on being a good host, that do...

Islam and a Culture of Victimhood

Donald Trump’s election to president of the US has galvanized social media. Most importantly, it has brought to the forefront a certain mentality that has been insidiously finding a home in the collective Musli...

How to Explain Shari’ah

This is a modified version of a post I wrote about two years ago on the subreddit “AskReddit”. It’s based on a presentation I gave at my local masjid about Shari’ah. At the time that I gave this presentation, a...

How to Host a Guest

If there’s one thing that Muslims are known for around the world, it’s our hospitality. While other aspects of our respective cultures may have begun to wither away, Muslims continue to proudly uphold the legac...

Imam al-Layth’s letter to Imam Mālik

For the context of this letter, please refer to this post. --- In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Form al-Layth b. Sa`d to Mālik b. Anas. I salute you with peace and praise Allah besides wh...