Podcasts about Quraysh

Why do some hearts surrender to the truth while others resist it, even when they recognise it?In this episode of Quran Conversations, we are joined by Ustadh Fahd Yasin. Ustadh Fahd Yasin has been studying Quranic/Classical Arabic for the past decade. He has received ijazas (certifications) in Tajwid and grammar, and he is certified in Quranic Arabic linguistics. His current interests are in Quranic Analysis, Arabic Grammar, Rhetoric, Tazkiyah, and Tafsir. He has been a Quranic Arabic instructor at Fawakih Institute for the past 5 years. Ustadh Fahd Yasin is passionate about spreading Quranic linguistics to all of his students and everyone he meets! He wishes for everyone to experience the Light of the Quran and taste of the Quran's Secrets, Nuances, and Linguistic Subtleties.Dalia Mogahed and Ustadh Fahd Yasin reflect on Surah TaHa, ayah 105, exploring the destruction of the mountains on the Day of Judgment and the deeper meanings hidden within the Qur'an's precise language.What begins as a linguistic discussion unfolds into something far more personal: a reflection on certainty, ego, accountability, and the condition of the human heart. Why did the Qur'an choose mountains as its symbol? Why did the Quraysh feel so threatened by the Qur'an? And what separates the people who surrender to truth from those who fight against it?This episode explores how the Qur'an challenges the very things we rely on for stability and security, reminding us that even the mountains will one day disappear like dust.In this episode, you will learn:

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.grounded.dayWhere we left offLast week we paused at ayah 25, in the middle of a sustained portrait of al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīra — the father of Sayyidunā Khālid ibn al-Walīd, and one of the leading poets of Quraysh.For all his hostility, al-Walīd could not stay away from the Qur'an. In the dark of the night he would slip out of his house and stand quietly outside the…

The Messenger ﷺ (S4) The Messenger ﷺ always ensured justice was served. A man from Yemen came and sold his camel to Abu Jahl, Abu Jahl kept putting off the payment. The Yemeni asked the Quraysh leaders to help but they ignored him. When one of them saw the Messenger ﷺ they told the Yemeni man to go ask him (ﷺ) to help him. As he went to ask, the leaders began to laugh. The Messenger ﷺ then dealt with the situation. The people of Makkah feared Abu Jahl, but the Messenger ﷺ did not. He ﷺ always went out of his way to aid the people.

Before the swords clashed at Badr, three men stepped forward to face three of Quraysh's champions in a duel that would open one of the most pivotal battles in Islamic history. Hamza, Ali, and Ubaydah ibn al-Harith stood against Shaybah, Utbah, and Al-Walid; and the encounter ended with both swift victory and painful sacrifice. Ubaydah ibn al-Harith fell that day, bleeding severely, yet spent his final moments reciting poetry in defence of the Prophet ﷺ. The episode also covers the Prophet ﷺ spending the battle in his tent, raising his hands to Allah to the point where his garment fell from his shoulders, and Abu Bakr's emotional response beside him. Allah's answer came; angels descending, fear placed in the hearts of Quraysh, and victory granted to a small group of believers who had placed their complete trust in Allah. The episode closes with a powerful reminder that victory always belongs to those who hold firm to their faith, no matter how impossible the odds may look. Timestamps: 0:00 - Precap 1:32 - Introduction 2:35 - Prophet Muhammad's supplication before battle 4:34 - One of the greatest ways of getting closer to Allah 5:00 - Umayr ibn Wahm's assessment of the muslims 7:46 - Hakim ibn Hizam's advice to Quraysh 8:28 - Utbah ibn Rabi'ah's leadership and wisdom 9:08 - The issue of the murdered man 12:02 - Abu Jahl's incitement to war 14:42 - The battle begins with a duel 15:06 - The three combatants from Quraysh 15:31 - The three combatants from the ansar 15:55 - Umm Haritha's family and the virtue of Badr participants 17:37 - The muslim reply to Quraysh's challenge 18:18 - Hamza, Ali, and Ubaydah vs. Quraysh leaders 20:00 - Ubaydah's injury/death and Abu Talib's words 22:12 - Quranic verse on the combatants 23:26 - Permissibility of dueling in Islam 24:49 - Virtue of Hamza, Ali, and Ubaydah 27:07 - Ibn al-Qayyim's analysis of names 30:26 - The first martyr of Badr: his mother and his place in paradise 35:00 - Abu Jahl's invocation and its consequence 36:47 - Prophet Muhammad's earnest supplication 38:04 - Abu Bakr's comfort to the Prophet 39:30 - The power of supplication (istighatha) 40:20 - The importance of ya hayyu ya qayyum 41:00 - Allah's promise of aid with angels 42:47 - The promise of victory for the righteous 43:22 - Trials and tests for believers 47:02 - Strength and defeat come from the heart 48:33 - Angels participating in the battle of Badr For Scheduling updates for Ustadh AbdulRahman's Duroos in the masjid: https://t.me/DXBduroos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abdu... Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/AMA... Telegram: https://t.me/+c87I9vy6kqkxOWZk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rahmaniyyahofficial WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0... X (Formerly Twitter): https://x.com/UstAbdulrahman #abdulrahmanhassan #AlMadrasatuArRahmaniyyah #AMAR

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.grounded.dayThe Structure of This SurahBefore we go forward, it helps to see the shape of what we have been reading.Surah Al-A'raf is a Makki surah. Its primary audience was the Quraysh of Makkah. Its central argument is historical: look at the nations before you. Contrast this with Surah Al-An'am — also Makki, also addressing the Quraysh — but that surah makes its…

The Messenger ﷺ (S3) The Messenger ﷺ was given the strength of 40 men, each man being a man of Paradise. A man of Paradise has the strength of 100 men of this world, thus the Messenger ﷺ had the strength of 4,000 men. Ruqana رضي الله عنه was the previous undefeated wrestling champion of the Quraysh. The Messenger ﷺ beat him رضي الله عنه and invited him to Islam. The Archangels (a.s) were frequently seen around the Messenger ﷺ. Once whilst the Messenger ﷺ was praying he ﷺ smiled. The Companions رضي الله عنهم noticed and enquired. The Messenger ﷺ said that Mikaeel (a.s) smiled at him and he ﷺ smiled back.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S55) - Final session Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه was now in his 90s, he fell ill and passed away from this illness. At ~94 years old, in ~32 A.H, during Uthmaan's رضي الله عنه caliphate, Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه passed away. (There is a difference regarding the exact year, the range is from 30-34 A.H. The strongest view is 32 A.H). Thus passed away the cousin and father in law of the Messenger ﷺ, the father of Umm Habeebah, Yazeed and Muawiya رضي الله عنهم, the one promised Paradise twice upon the loss of his sight, the shaykh and sayed of the Quraysh, the one who saw many miracles, the brave preacher on the plain of Yarmook, the blessed companion of the Messenger ﷺ: Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه. Uthmaan رضي الله عنه performed his رضي الله عنه Janazah and Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه was buried in the blessed graveyard of al-Baqee.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S50) Some of the chiefs of the Quraysh رضي الله عنهم came to see Umar رضي الله عنه. Umar رضي الله عنه spoke to Suhayb, Bilal and Ammar Ibn Yasir رضي الله عنهم first (they were the elite companions and Badris رضي الله عنهم). One of the chiefs رضي الله عنه said: “He [رضي الله عنه] has chose these slaves over us?”. Suhayl Ibn Amr رضي الله عنه then said: “They are Badris, we can never catch them up. The only thing we can do now is Jihad”. Suhayl رضي الله عنه then left to Shaam for Jihad and never returned. He رضي الله عنه was martyred by the plague of Amwaas. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه took these words to his blessed heart. He رضي الله عنه then made preparations for Jihad as well.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S49) During the Era of the Khilaafur Raashideen رضي الله عنهم: The Messenger ﷺ passed away ~11 A.H. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه was ~73 years old. He رضي الله عنه resided in Madinah, even though he used to be the chief of the Quraysh. Such was his رضي الله عنه love for the Messenger ﷺ. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه thought that the successor of the Messenger ﷺ should be from a prominent Quraysh tribe. He رضي الله عنه speaks to Ali and Abaas رضي الله عنهم. All the Companions رضي الله عنهم knew that the most worthy to succeed amongst them was Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه. They رضي الله عنهم pledged to him رضي الله عنه. Abu Sufyaan and his sons Yazeed and Muawiya رضي الله عنهم were loyal to Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه. They fought at the battle of Yarmook.

We praise Allah for allowing us to complete another month of Ramadan and to celebrate the day of Eid together.Today is a day of celebration. Today we are happy. Today we are joyous.But if you look into the global geopolitical events at the moment, it is hard for us to be joyous. It is hard for us to celebrate. Palestinians are still being killed daily, still facing genocide. The Middle East is burning. Iran is under illegal attack by the US and Israel. And now we see yet another part of the region falling into war.It is hard for us to be joyous, because the Prophet ﷺ said: if you don't care about this Ummah, you are not from among us.So how are we to celebrate?The Boulder in the DarknessTo understand celebration in a time of conflict — when the future looks bleak and it's easy to fall into despair — I want to take you back 1,442 years.The Muslims in the nascent city of Madinah, having migrated there only five years earlier, were now under attack by all of Arabia. The largest army the Arabs had ever assembled. The Quraysh from the south. The Ghatafan from the north. The Jews of Khaybar joining the coalition.The Prophet ﷺ consulted his companions, and Sayyidina Salman al-Farisi suggested a strategy the Persians would use when outnumbered: dig a trench so the enemy cannot breach through.The Prophet ﷺ accepted the idea and commanded the companions to dig at the most vulnerable point of Madinah. He joined them in the digging. It was winter. It was cold. Food was scarce. They were hungry. They were exhausted. Yet they had to keep digging — for survival.In the darkness of that trench, they struck a boulder they couldn't break through. They called the Prophet ﷺ. He came — dusty like everyone else, hungry like all of them. He took the shovel and struck the boulder. A third of it crumbled. A spark flew. He said: Allahu Akbar — I saw the palaces of Yemen. Yemen is given to my Ummah.He struck again. Another third crumbled. Another spark. Allahu Akbar — I saw the keys of Rome given to the Ummah.He struck a final time. The boulder shattered completely. Allahu Akbar — I saw the Sassanid Empire given to the Ummah.In times of darkness — when it is easiest to fall into desperation and give up hope — the Prophet ﷺ inspired the Muslims. He told them there is a bright future for the Ummah. All we need to do is work hard and persevere in the path of Allah ﷻ.And here is what's remarkable: the Prophet ﷺ passed away before any of it came true. Yemen had not yet been given. The Sassanid Empire had not yet fallen. Half the Byzantine Empire had not yet come under Muslim rule.But the companions did not despair. They did not give up because it hadn't happened yet. They understood that when Allah promises something — lā yukhliful mī'ād — He never breaks His promises. All we need to do is fulfil our part.The Tried and Tested RecipeWhat is our part? Allah tells us in Surah Āl 'Imrān. The secret behind the victory of the Ummah — regardless of number, regardless of material strength — is two things: ṣabr and taqwā.If you have ṣabr and you have taqwā, Allah will send down thousands of angels to help you.And in the month of Ramadan, we trained exactly that.Ṣabr by day. And ṣabr here is not passive patience. It is not sitting quietly and doing nothing. In Arabic, ṣabr carries the meaning of steadfastness, perseverance — staying on the path regardless of how difficult it is, doing the right thing no matter how challenging.We did that in Ramadan. Allah told us no water, despite 40-degree heat. And this Ramadan, we saw those 40-degree days. We said no to water. We held the course until Maghrib. At 3:30 in the morning, we dragged ourselves up for suhoor, prayed tahajjud, prayed Fajr despite the weight of sleep. That is ṣabr.Taqwā by night. This is our direct line to Allah ﷻ — where the heart connects to Him in prayer, in tarāwīḥ, in Qur'an, in tahajjud, in adhkār, in du'ā.These two — ṣabr and taqwā — are a tried and tested recipe for 1,400 years. When the Ummah returns to them, Allah grants victory.Look at the history. The greatest victories came in Ramadan. Badr — 313 against 1,000 — in Ramadan. The Conquest of Makkah, the Prophet's greatest political victory — Ramadan. Qādisiyyah, the fall of the Sassanid Empire — Ramadan. The fall of Iskandariyyah at the hands of 'Amr ibn al-'Āṣ — Ramadan.Victory after victory. Because Ramadan produces the two ingredients Allah asked for.Celebrate. It's an Act of Worship.Islam is a religion that celebrates our fiṭrah. Allah who created us understands our wants, our likes, our nature. He knows we like to eat good food. He knows we like to dress well. He knows we like to be with our families and friends.So He legislated a day where dressing nicely is rewarded. Eating good food is rewarded. Sharing laughter with loved ones — within the boundaries of the Sharī'ah — is rewarded.What kind of religion is this? Everything we love, Allah rewards us for it.The Prophet ﷺ said that one of the most beloved deeds to Allah is to bring happiness to the heart of a believer. When we share happiness, when we cause others to be happy, when we create joy in the community — Allah loves to see that.And there is no better place to start than with the children. Especially the ones who fasted this year — in the heat, in public schools where their friends had cold drinks and ice cream at recess. They had ṣabr. They held on to their religion. They stood steadfast without wavering.Today is the day we celebrate them. We put joy in their hearts, smiles on their faces. Spoil them a little. Allah will reward you for it.The Work AheadToday we celebrate our graduation from Ramadan. We stand shoulder to shoulder and declare: Allahu Akbar. God is greater than our worries. Greater than our troubles. Greater than all the problems the Ummah faces.When we make du'ā, we say: Yā Allah, our problems are big — but You are Allahu Akbar.The Ummah needs ṣabr. And ṣabr is not passively waiting for miracles, not sitting around hoping angels appear. It is hard work. What do we need to do to strengthen the Ummah? What planning, what skill sets, what community building needs to happen? Let's do it together.And at night, we maintain the line — prayer, Qur'an, du'ā, that personal direct relationship with Allah ﷻ. Taqwā.We ask Allah to accept all our deeds in Ramadan. To grant us ṣabr and taqwā. To make us the people of change who bring glory back to the Ummah. To grant relief to our brothers and sisters who are oppressed everywhere — in Palestine, in Iran, in Lebanon, in Syria, in Yemen, in Sudan, and in every place.اللهم آمينEid Mubarak.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit groundeddaily.substack.com/subscribe

Tonight is the 29th night of Ramadan. The last taraweeh. The last night of the year.Make full use of it. The best du'a for Laylatul Qadr is Allahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul afwa fa'fu anni ya Kareem — O Allah, You are the Pardoner, You love to pardon, so pardon me. Keep returning to it tonight, and especially at suhoor time. Allah mentions in the Quran a special rank for those who make istighfar in the early hours before dawn: wa bil ashari hum yastaghfirun. Some of our scholars would dedicate that time between the sunnah of Fajr and the salah itself entirely to istighfar — a hundred times, quietly, consistently. Do that tonight.And in your du'a, ask Allah not to make this our last Ramadan. Ask Him to grant us another.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.A few reminders: tomorrow night — Thursday, the eve of Eid — is our potluck iftar at Qaswa House. Doors open at 6pm, iftar around 6:35. Bring a plate to share. The kids will have games and activities, weather permitting. Friday is Eid prayer at MacDougall Park in Como — takbir at 8, prayer at 8:30.And this tafseer series continues. We will pick up Surah Al-A'raf every Thursday night at Qaswa — Maghrib together, some dhikr, tafseer, then Isha and dinner. 7pm. Starting this coming Thursday. If you want to follow the surah through to the end, come join us.Hadramaut, Nusantara, and the People of 'AdWe began the story of Prophet Hud last night. He was sent to the people of 'Ad — a civilisation that lived in Hadramaut, Yemen, not far from the city of Tarim.Hadramaut holds a special place in the hearts of Malay Muslims. It is the origin of the Hadrami scholars and traders who brought Islam to the Nusantara — the vast Indonesian archipelago. They came not with armies but with akhlaq. They traded honestly. They treated people beautifully. And when people asked why — why are your manners like this, why are you so trustworthy — they would explain: because I follow the teaching of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. That is how Indonesia became the largest Muslim country in the world without a single Arab army ever setting foot on its soil.Thousands of years before any of that, 'Ad was there. A people of extraordinary power. Allah says to them in this surah: We increased you in your creation — strength, stature, capacity. They built civilisations. The Quraysh of Makkah knew about them. They took pride in them as ancestors. And so when Allah tells their story in the Quran, He is speaking directly to the Quraysh: this is who you are proud of. Look what happened to them when they rejected their Prophet.The Message Never Changed — Only the DetailsProphet Hud stood before his people and said: O my people, worship Allah. You have no god other than Him.The same words as Prophet Nuh. The same words as every prophet before and after. From Adam to Muhammad ﷺ, the core of the message has never changed: La ilaha illallah. Tawheed. Worship only Allah.But the details of the Sharia — how that worship is expressed, what the laws look like, the specifics of punishment and obligation — those have changed across time. And that is not God changing His mind. That is God being perfectly calibrated to the people He is speaking to.Every generation is different. The laws of previous nations were stricter, harsher. The tawbah for shirk in the Sharia of Musa, for instance, required death — the only atonement for major sins was the taking of life. Christianity inherited this concept and built the doctrine of atonement around it: the idea that someone must die for sin to be absorbed. Our belief is different — no one carries another's sin, and Allah does not need anyone to die on His behalf in order to forgive. He is Al-Afuww. He simply pardons. Islam came with the lightest sharia of all the prophetic traditions: even shirk, the gravest of sins, requires only sincere tawbah and the shahada.Why lighter? Because humans have become softer over time. That is simply true. My mother cycled ten kilometres to school each morning without complaint. My father hunted birds with a slingshot as a child, cooked them himself, and came home with his stomach half full before his parents knew anything about it. Today, children cry when they watch someone slaughter a chicken.People change. Allah knows this. The Sharia adapts. But the tawheed does not move.Some things remain constant from Adam to Yawmul Qiyamah: worship Allah alone, honour your parents, maintain good character, care for the orphan and the poor, speak kindly to people. The details of how — the minimum of zakat, the specific forms — may be calibrated to time and place. The principles themselves are eternal.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Why Hud Said Something Different From NuhHere is something small but worth paying attention to.When Prophet Nuh called his people, he said: I fear for you the punishment of a great day. He had to tell them what was coming — because they had never seen collective divine punishment before. Nuh's people were the first community to be destroyed. There was no precedent. The warning had to be explicit.But when Prophet Hud called his people, he said something different: Do you not have taqwa? He did not need to spell out what the punishment looked like. Because the people of ‘Ad still remembered. The great flood was not ancient history to them — it was recent memory, passed down through their ancestors. The story was fresh. All Hud had to do was point to what they already knew: don't you remember what happened? Are you not afraid?This is the Quran being precise in a way that rewards attention. The surface looks similar — a prophet calling his people to Tawheed, the elite rejecting him. But the language shifts in exactly the way historical context demands. And when you notice those shifts, as Professor Sayyid Naqib Al-Attas — who passed away just days ago, may Allah grant him the highest Jannah, one of the greatest Muslim thinkers of our age — always said: the Quran is not a book for lazy people. It rewards those who think, who ponder, who are willing to ask why.Al-Attas spent his life arguing that after colonisation and the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate, Muslims should not paste Islamic varnish over Western philosophical frameworks. He said the answer had to come from within the tradition itself. His work gave birth to institutions like IIUM — the International Islamic University Malaysia — and ISTAC. His book Islam and Secularism remains essential reading for anyone serious about Islamic education and worldview. We lost a giant.Al-Mala' — Then and NowAs with Nuh, the first to reject Prophet Hud were al-mala' — the rich and powerful elite. But there is a subtle and important difference. In the story of Nuh, the Quran simply says al-mala' min qawmihi — the chiefs of his people rejected him. In the story of Hud, it says al-mala' alladhina kafaru min qawmihi — the chiefs who disbelieved from his people.Why the extra qualification? Because not all the chiefs of 'Ad rejected Hud. Some of them believed. The memory of the flood was still close enough that some of the powerful had held on to their fear of Allah. So Allah was precise: it was specifically the disbelieving chiefs who called Hud a fool and a liar — not all of them.The pattern of al-mala' rejecting the truth is a constant across every prophet's story in the Quran. It repeats so often it cannot be coincidence — Allah is drawing our attention to a structural reality of power. The elite benefit from the existing order. A prophet comes and says the order is unjust, that the weak deserve protection, that no one is above accountability. The elite's wealth and status depend on that order remaining intact. So they fight back.And the masses, generally, follow whoever is loudest and most visible.The Prophet ﷺ said that every prophet before prophethood worked as a shepherd. Including him ﷺ. Because you learn people management from managing sheep — you learn how to lead those who follow instinct and momentum, who drift toward whoever is in front of them.We think we have escaped this. We are in 2026. We have the internet. We have access to every idea in human history. Surely we are not sheep.And then you walk into a supermarket. Milk and bread — the things almost everyone needs — are placed at the furthest possible corner. You have to walk past everything else to reach them. The placement is not accidental. It is psychologically engineered to make you spend. Children love McDonald's not because of the food but because that golden arch has been placed in their visual field since before they could speak, associated with happiness, associated with play. We did not choose to love it. We were led there.The top influencer on Instagram earns more than the CEO of Instagram. The top creator on YouTube earns more than the CEO of YouTube. We have simply replaced the ancient al-mala' with a new one — one that reaches us through screens instead of town squares, but shapes our choices just as effectively.This is why La ilaha illallah is not just a statement of theology. It is a declaration of independence. I submit to Allah alone. My thinking is shaped by what Allah has revealed. My standard for acceptance and rejection is not whatever the powerful say, not whatever is trending, not whatever algorithm is currently deciding what I see. It is La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur Rasulullah ﷺ.That is the only real freedom.Prophet Hud RespondsThe disbelieving chiefs called Hud a fool and a liar. He responded with quiet dignity: O my people, there is no foolishness in me. I am a messenger from Rabbil Alameen — the Lord of the universe.Every prophet, before prophethood, was known for their intelligence and their beautiful character. The people of 'Ad knew Hud. He was from among them — akhahum Huda, their brother. The accusation of foolishness was not sincere. They knew he was not stupid. They knew he was not lying. They rejected because they did not want what he was calling them toward.We will continue the story of Prophet Hud next Thursday at Qaswa insha'Allah.A Final Word Before EidTwenty-nine nights. Alhamdulillah.Whatever we managed this Ramadan — however much or little — we ask Allah to accept it. We ask Him to forgive us for the nights we wasted and to count among our good deeds the nights we tried. We ask Him not to make this our last Ramadan. We ask Him to let us meet the next one with stronger roots, deeper iman, and better character than we had when this one began.Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum. May Allah accept from all of us.Thanks for reading Grounded! This post is public so feel free to share it.The tafseer of Surah Al-A'raf continues at Qaswa every Thursday night, 7pm. A paid subscription includes the Surah Al-A'raf Study Guide and Workbook. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit groundeddaily.substack.com/subscribe

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (42) Khalid's رضي الله عنه division رضي الله عنهم was attacked by a group of the Quraysh who didn't want to go down without a fight. Khalid رضي الله عنه acted in defence. With the conquest of Makkah, the Ka'ba was now cleansed of the idols surrounding her. The Messenger ﷺ pointed at the idols with his blessed staff and they fell. The Messenger ﷺ then went inside the Ka'ba with some companions رضي الله عنهم and prayed. The Messenger ﷺ forgives the Quraysh. He ﷺ recited Surah Yusuf (a.s): Verse 92. He ﷺ said the same words as his brother Yusuf (a.s), when he (a.s) forgave his brothers. The Messenger ﷺ told Bilal رضي الله عنه to climb the Ka'ba and give the Azaan

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S41) Whilst entering the city on the evening of the Conquest of Makkah, Sa'ad Ibn Ubadah رضي الله عنه said: “Today is a day of slaughter!”. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه related these words to the Messenger ﷺ. He ﷺ said: “No, today is a day of mercy”. When Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه saw all these faces he didn't recognise (رضي الله عنهم), he رضي الله عنه said to the Messenger ﷺ: “O Messenger (ﷺ) of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وتَعَالَى), you have preferred these people over your own?”. The Messenger ﷺ replied: “This is the result of your people's actions. These people [رضي الله عنهم] believed in me when you all called me a liar. They supported me when you expelled me”. Thus the peaceful conquest of Makkah took place. The Quraysh went into the safe zones. The Messenger ﷺ entered Makkah with humility, showing no pride nor boasting.

The Last Ten Nights Are HereBefore diving into the final ayah of Surah Al-Muzzammil, a timely reminder — tonight is the 23rd night of Ramadan. The last ten nights are upon us, and the Prophet ﷺ told us to hunt for Laylatul Qadr in these nights, especially the odd ones. Tonight is one of them.So what should fill these nights? Extra raka'at. Extra Quran. Extra dhikr. And the best du'a for this occasion comes to us through Sayyidatuna Aisha (رضي الله عنها), who asked the Prophet ﷺ: if I encounter the Night of Al-Qadr, what should I say? He replied: “Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa'fu ‘anni” — “O Allah, You are the Most Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.”Now, there's an important distinction here between ‘afw and ghafar. When we say astaghfirullah and ask for Allah's forgiveness (ghafar), the record of the sin remains — but the punishment is cancelled. The deed is still in the books on the Day of Mahshar, but Allah will not punish us for it.Al-'Afw is something else entirely. It is when the record is expunged altogether. Wiped clean. As if the sin never happened. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever fasts sincerely and prays during the nights of Ramadan — and catches Laylatul Qadr — will have all their past sins forgiven. They exit Ramadan like the day they were born. No record of sins whatsoever.It's just a few nights. Sleep a little less. Yes, there will be tiredness — that's okay. This is our training. Don't miss a night that is greater than a thousand months, greater than 83 years of worship.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Where We Left Off — The Arc of Surah Al-MuzzammilThe surah opened with a command: stand up at night, pray, and recite the Quran. Why? Because the day is full of heavy tasks — spreading truth, standing for justice, enduring hardship — and the strength to carry all of that comes from the spiritual work done at night. Reading about Jannah motivates. Reading about Jahannam sobers. The connection to Allah realigns everything.Then came the warning through the story of Fir'aun — richer, stronger, more powerful than the Quraysh, yet destroyed in an instant when he rejected Prophet Musa. Then the terrifying imagery of Yawmul Qiyamah: skies torn apart, children's hair turning white from sheer terror. And finally, the choice: believe and take the prophetic path, or reject and face the consequences. Every choice carries a consequence.Now the surah circles back to where it began — Qiyamul Layl — but this time with something remarkable: mercy.Allah Knows Our WeaknessThe original command was demanding. Stand up most of the night — two-thirds, or at least half, or at the very minimum a third. The Prophet ﷺ did this every single night, without exception, even while travelling, even during battle. But Allah knew that the rest of the ummah would struggle.Allah says: “Indeed, your Lord knows that you stand less than two-thirds of the night, sometimes half, sometimes even less than a third — and so do a group of those with you.”Allah is the One who measured the length of night and day. Some seasons, the nights are long and Qiyamul Layl is easier — in Perth during winter, Maghrib comes in at 5:15 and Fajr isn't until around six. Plenty of time to sleep and still wake up. But in the peak of summer, when Fajr is at 3:30? That's a different story. Allah knows all of this.And so He says: “He has forgiven you.” Qiyamul Layl is fard upon the Prophet ﷺ, but for the rest of us, Allah has already shown mercy and lifted that strict obligation.But Don't Abandon It AltogetherHere's the key — just because the full obligation has been eased doesn't mean doing nothing is an option. Allah says: “So read what is easy for you from the Quran.” Stand up for even two raka'at. Read whatever surahs have been memorised. Carve out even a small portion of the night for spiritual work.This is a fundamental principle in Islam: what cannot be accomplished entirely should not be abandoned in totality. Islam doesn't teach perfectionism — it's not 100% or nothing. It teaches consistent effort. The Prophet ﷺ said that the most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are consistent, even if they are small. Two raka'at every single night outweighs a marathon session once a month.And this, by the way, is one of the great purposes behind memorising the Quran — so that those surahs can be recited in prayer. Al-Kahf, Al-Mulk, Al-Baqarah — they come alive when recited standing before Allah at night.The Three Excuses Allah AcceptsThen Allah provides specific concessions. First: those who are sick. Illness isn't a choice — when rest is needed for recovery, Allah says it's okay.But then come two more categories that are remarkable, because they are things people can choose — and Allah still grants them as valid reasons for doing less Qiyamul Layl.The first: those who travel the earth seeking Allah's bounty — meaning those who are out working, doing business, building economic stability. The second: those who fight in the path of Allah, defending the religion and the community.These two are placed in equal standing. Working hard to earn a living is given the same weight as defending the faith. That is extraordinary. It tells us something profound about how Islam views economic productivity — not as a worldly distraction, but as an act valued by Allah Himself.The Prophet ﷺ said the best rizq is what a person earns from their own effort, and he pointed to Prophet Dawud (عليه السلام) as the example — a prophet, a king, and yet also a blacksmith who worked with iron and ate from the labour of his own hands.Ibn Umar expressed this beautifully. He said the best deaths he could wish for were two: martyrdom in the path of Allah, and dying on a business journey — on his camel, with his trade goods, on his way to earn a living. Because this ayah puts them side by side.Islam Wants Muslims to Be Wealthy — But With PurposeThe encouragement to work hard and build wealth doesn't come without direction. Islam doesn't say: get rich so you can buy the fanciest car, then a fancy island, and once you run out of things to buy on earth, spend a trillion dollars trying to conquer Mars.Islam says: be rich, but that's not the end goal. The ummah becomes strong when Muslims have economic power and an akhirah mindset. With wealth, the community can build schools, support students in critical fields, fund long-term projects. This is Sadaqatul Jariyah — continuously flowing charity that keeps giving long after the initial contribution.There's a telling hadith in Imam Al-Nawawi's Forty Collection that captures this tension perfectly. The poor companions once came to the Prophet ﷺ and complained: “Ya Rasulullah, the rich have taken all the extra reward! They pray like we pray, they fast like we fast — but they can give charity from their surplus wealth, and we can't.” The Prophet ﷺ reassured them that dhikr — saying SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar — is also charity. The poor companions went away happy. But a few days later? The rich started doing dhikr too. Now they had both. The poor came back and said: what about us now?The point isn't to vilify poverty. The Prophet ﷺ went on to explain that there is charity in every good act — helping someone onto their ride, carrying someone's load. But wealth opens doors that nothing else can. Zakat, the pillar of Islam, is only payable by those who have wealth. And the framing matters: it's not that the wealthy have to pay zakat — they get to pay zakat. Without wealth, that entire pillar of Islam is inaccessible. And hajj is the same.The story of Sayyidina Uthman (رضي الله عنه) at the Battle of Tabuk drives this home. He donated so generously — horses, camels, wealth — that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Nothing Uthman does after this will harm him.” Guaranteed paradise. And Uthman wasn't living in poverty. He had luxuries. But look at the scale of what his wealth allowed him to do for the ummah.At the same time, Islam doesn't expect anyone to give 100% away. The best charity, the Prophet ﷺ said, is what is spent on family — on spouses, on children. The balance is always there: spend on yourself, on your family, and on the ummah for the sake of the akhirah.The Beautiful LoanEven with all these concessions, Allah says: still, read what is easy from the Quran. Establish your salah. Pay your zakat. Don't let the extras overshadow the foundations — a hundred raka'at of Qiyamul Layl mean nothing if Fajr is missed. Generous charity donations mean nothing if zakat is neglected. The obligatory always comes first.Then comes a stunning phrase: “And give Allah a beautiful loan (qard hasan).”A qard hasan is a loan with no deadline for repayment and no interest. Every good deed — every act of worship, every charity, every kindness — is a loan to Allah. And here's the beauty of it: Allah doesn't need our loan. He owns everything in the heavens and the earth and everything in between and beyond. He could simply say: “That's Mine, I gave it to you, give it back.”But in His mercy, Allah understands human nature. He understands that people are wired to think in terms of profit and return on investment. So He frames it as a transaction: give Me a loan, and I will surely repay you — multiplied many times over. In human transactions, demanding extra on a qard is riba. But with Allah, He is the One promising to multiply the return. It's the ultimate ROI.And what can a person invest with? Two things: wealth or skills. Both require Muslims to be hardworking.It's All For UsAllah then makes something clear: whatever is sent forth for the akhirah, it's essentially for our own benefit. Allah doesn't need our investment. Every command He gives is for our sake, not His.And there's a profound observation embedded here. As humanity lives more and more comfortably — materially, physically — mental health continues to decline. The richer the country, the higher the rates of depression and anxiety. Why? Because life without purpose erodes the soul. When everything is easy and comfortable, humans lose their sense of direction.Islam solves this by providing a purpose so enormous that no amount of wealth or comfort can make it irrelevant: getting to Jannah. How do we get there? That question structures every day, every decision, every effort. It keeps life purposeful no matter the circumstances. And when the community works together with that shared purpose, everyone rises.Ending with IstighfarThe surah closes with a command to seek Allah's forgiveness. Wastaghfirullah — make istighfar. There are two dimensions to this.First, the timing. The pre-dawn hours — suhoor time — are the best time for istighfar. Allah praises those who seek forgiveness in the early morning. For those already awake for Qiyamul Layl, this flows naturally.Second, there's a subtler reason. Sometimes, in the middle of worship and good deeds, something dangerous creeps into the heart. A feeling of: “I woke up for Qiyamul Layl. I read Surah Al-Kahf in one raka'ah and Surah Al-Mulk in the next. I'm amazing.” Or after giving a large charity: “I'm so generous. Look at what I gave.”This is kibr — arrogance — and it's one of Shaitan's favourite tricks. When he can't stop someone from doing good deeds, he tries to spoil the deed through the intention. So the surah ends with the antidote: astaghfirullah. Centre yourself. Realign the intention. “Ya Allah, if there was any misalignment in my heart, I seek Your forgiveness.”Indeed, Allah is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful.The Complete Message of Surah Al-MuzzammilAnd with that, Surah Al-Muzzammil comes to a close. Its message is beautifully complete: stay up at night, even a little. Pray. Read Quran. Let that spiritual recharge fuel everything in the day — the work, the earning, the serving of the ummah. Islam is a religion of balance: worship at night, work hard in the day. And in between, give everything its right. The body has a right — rest, nutrition, exercise. Family has a right — time and attention. And Allah has a right — acts of worship.Fulfil all those rights. That's the straight path.Your Action Steps This Week* Make the du'a of Laylatul Qadr every night. Memorise “Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa'fu ‘anni”and repeat it abundantly in the remaining nights of Ramadan. Understand the difference — this isn't just asking for forgiveness, it's asking for a complete clean slate.* Do something every night, even if it's small. If two raka'at is all that's manageable, pray two raka'at. If one page of Quran is what's realistic, read one page. Don't let the inability to do everything become an excuse to do nothing.* Reframe how work fits into worship. This ayah places earning a livelihood alongside fighting in the path of Allah. Approach work this week with the conscious intention that economic productivity is an act Allah values — and use what is earned to benefit family and community.* Audit the foundations before the extras. Before adding more nawafil, make sure the obligatory salah and zakat are fully in order. The extras don't compensate for gaps in the foundations.* End every night with istighfar. After Qiyamul Layl, after du'a, after any act of worship — close with astaghfirullah. Let it be the safeguard against arrogance creeping into the heart through the very deeds meant to bring closeness to Allah.May Allah grant us the strength to apply the lessons from Surah Al-Muzzammil — to pray at night, recite the Quran, and work hard in the day for the benefit of the ummah. May Allah allow us to enter Jannah with the Prophet ﷺ and with the Sahaba.Next week, inshaAllah, we begin Suratul Muddaththir. Don't forget — tonight is the 23rd night. Qiyamul Layl. Stay up extra. Make lots of du'a.Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.Thanks for reading Grounded! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit groundeddaily.substack.com/subscribe

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S36) Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه defends Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه at this point still wasn't a Muslim but Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said: “He [رضي الله عنه] is a shaykh and a sayed”. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه returned to Makkah. The Quraysh said to him that you've been played. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه said to them: “What would you have done?”. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه was a noble leader. Although the mess wasn't his he still tried to fix it.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S37) The Conquest of Makkah: On the 10th of Ramadan ~7 A.H the conquest of Makkah took place. The Messenger ﷺ supplicated and the Quraysh didn't know he ﷺ was coming to Makkah even when he ﷺ was close. ~10,000 Companions رضي الله عنهم left with the Messenger ﷺ. En route Makkah, Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه had a dream and the Messenger ﷺ told him رضي الله عنه the meaning. The Muslims set up camp ~16 KM away from Makkah. Abaas رضي الله عنه went to the Muslim camp.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comThe Last Ten Begin TomorrowTonight is the 19th night of Ramadan. The last ten start tomorrow.The Prophet ﷺ told us that whoever misses the good of Laylatul Qadr has been denied all good for the entire year — because that person looked at a night worth more than a thousand months and said: I'm fine, I don't need it.One thousand months is 83 years. One night of ibadah — one raka'ah, one dollar given in charity, one dua made sincerely — on that night is worth doing that same act every single day for over 83 years without a break and more.And we're in Australia. Our odd nights might be someone else's even nights. Our even nights might be someone else's odd. So cast the net wide. All ten nights. If you've had an unfinished TV series to get through — tonight is your last chance. From tomorrow, for ten nights, we give everything.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The Wrongdoers IdentifiedWe left off last night with a mu'adzin in Jahannam announcing: the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers. Tonight Allah defines who these wrongdoers are.They are those who block people from the path of Allah — who not only refuse to walk it themselves, but actively work to prevent others from finding it. This was the Quraysh in real time. Abu Jahl would hire musicians to play loudly across the street whenever the Prophet ﷺ was reciting Quran or giving da'wah, so that the sound of music would drown out the revelation. Abu Lahab would greet every caravan arriving in Makkah and warn them: don't listen to my nephew — he's mad.The result? Many of the Quraysh never actually heard the Quran. Not because they rejected it, but because their leaders made sure it never reached them. This is why Islam insists we are not sheep. We do not follow our leaders blindly. Every statement, every ruling, every claim — we measure it against the Quran and the Sunnah.The same ayah mentions those who bend the path — those who speak about Allah without knowledge, declaring halal and haram on their own authority. The root of this, Allah tells us, is disbelief in the akhirah: wa hum bil akhirati kafiroon.This is the key insight. The Quraysh had no fundamental problem believing in Allah as the ultimate creator. Their problem was with the akhirah. Because believing in akhirah has consequences — it means you can no longer cheat, oppress, or abuse without accountability. In Makkah, the rich and powerful could do whatever they wanted. Islam came and said: there is a day coming where none of that will protect you.This is why throughout the Quran, iman billah and iman bil akhirah are paired together. You could, technically, believe in Allah without believing in the akhirah — the Quraysh did exactly that. But belief in Allah without belief in akhirah will not reshape who you are. It is the akhirah that governs behaviour. It is accountability that changes people.And this is what keeps the believer sane when they watch the world. Schools bombed. Entire populations under siege. The powerful openly declaring that international law does not apply to them — that might is right again. Where is the justice? The akhirah is where. Every oppressor will stand before Allah. No title, no army, no wealth will help them. This is not a coping mechanism — it is a theological certainty that the Quran repeats again and again.The HeightsBetween Jannah and Jahannam, Allah says, there is a hijab — a barrier. And rising above that barrier, there is the A'raf: a height, an elevated terrain, from which both destinations can be seen.On the A'raf, standing on this high ground, is a group of people. They can look across and see the people of Jannah. They can look the other way and see the people of fire. And they know — from signs visible to them — who belongs to which side.Who are the people of A'raf? They are those whose good and bad deeds are exactly equal. The scales balanced perfectly. They are neither in Jannah nor in Jahannam. They are suspended — waiting.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comAfter BadrThe battle is over. The Muslims are victorious. Fourteen Muslims were martyred. Seventy Quraysh were killed, including Abu Jahl — the man who had led the persecution of the believers for over a decade.And then the Prophet ﷺ did something that tells you everything about his character. He instructed the Muslims to dig graves and bury the Quraysh dead. These were men who had tortured and killed companions. Men who had tried to kill the Prophet ﷺ himself. Men who had driven the Muslims from their homes, confiscated their property, starved them, humiliated them.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Bury them.No mutilation. No revenge. No public display of contempt. The body is the body — even the body of an enemy is to be respected.Only one man was not buried in the conventional way: Umayyah ibn Khalaf — the master who had tortured Bilal RA, dragging him into the desert sun and placing a boulder on his chest. When the companions tried to lift Umayyah's body, his skin disintegrated. They could not move him. Rocks and stones were placed over him where he lay — just as he had placed a rock on the chest of Bilal in the desert. The Arabs say: what you give, you get back.The Prophet ﷺ then walked to the grave of Abu Jahl and asked him a question — the same question the people of Jannah will ask the people of Jahannam, which we reach tonight in the surah. Did you find what Allah promised you to be true?The companions asked: Ya Rasulullah, can the dead hear us? He said: they can hear you as clearly as you hear me — but they cannot respond. When we visit the graves of our loved ones, when we make dua and say our salams, they hear us.Iman and Amal — They Cannot Be SeparatedAllah now turns to the people of Jannah: those who believe and do good deeds.Islam does not offer salvation through faith alone. Iman and amal salih must come together — and they are inseparable by nature. True iman will always manifest as good deeds. And truly sincere good deeds can only come from a heart that has iman. Without iman, the deeds may look the same from the outside — but the intention is elsewhere. You are doing it to be praised, to be seen, to be known. The action and the heart become disconnected.A sincere heart shows. It shows in what a person does when no one is watching. Publicly and privately, the same. That is the mark of iman.And those who say my heart is good while their actions tell a different story — Islam does not accept this. A good heart is not invisible. It is expressed.

Seerah 01-07: The Public Call of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at Mount Safa: Lessons from Early Islamic Da'wah and the Warning to the Quraysh | Qur'an and Authentic Sunnah Insights | ZAD Academy Audio | Blogpost by Zayd HajiAssalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,I am Zayd Haji, a student at ZAD Academy. In this lesson from ZAD Academy, we study a significant moment in the early history of Islam when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ publicly announced his message to the people of Makkah. After several years of secretly calling people to Islam, the Prophet ﷺ was commanded by Allah to openly warn his people and begin the public stage of da'wah.This event marked a turning point in the mission of the Prophet ﷺ and demonstrated his courage, sincerity, and commitment to delivering the message of Islam.After years of private preaching, Allah commanded the Prophet ﷺ to warn his closest relatives and the people of Makkah. Allah says in the Qur'an:“And warn your closest kindred.” (Qur'an 26:214 – Quran.com)This command signaled the beginning of the public proclamation of Islam. The Prophet ﷺ understood that, just as earlier prophets faced rejection from their people, he too would encounter opposition and resistance.To deliver the message publicly, the Prophet ﷺ climbed Mount Safa and called out to the tribes of Quraysh. The people gathered because they trusted him and knew him as an honest and truthful person.Narrated Ibn `Abbas: When the Verse: --'And warn your tribe of near-kindred, was revealed, the Prophet (ﷺ) ascended the Safa (mountain) and started calling, "O Bani Fihr! O Bani `Adi!" addressing various tribes of Quraish till they were assembled. Those who could not come themselves, sent their messengers to see what was there. Abu Lahab and other people from Quraish came and the Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "Suppose I told you that there is an (enemy) cavalry in the valley intending to attack you, would you believe me?" They said, "Yes, for we have not found you telling anything other than the truth." He then said, "I am a warner to you in face of a terrific punishment." Abu Lahab said (to the Prophet) "May your hands perish all this day. Is it for this purpose you have gathered us?" Then it was revealed: "Perish the hands of Abu Lahab (one of the Prophet's uncles), and perish he! His wealth and his children will not profit him...." (111.1-5)Sahih al-Bukhari 4770https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4770During this address, the Prophet ﷺ emphasized that every individual is responsible for their own faith and actions. He addressed his relatives and even his daughter Fatimah with a powerful reminder that no one can rely solely on family ties for salvation.Narrated Abu Huraira: When Allah revealed the Verse: "Warn your nearest kinsmen," Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) got up and said, "O people of Quraish (or said similar words)! Buy (i.e. save) yourselves (from the Hellfire) as I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment; O Bani `Abd Manaf! I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment, O Safiya, the Aunt of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment; O Fatima bint Muhammad! Ask me anything from my wealth, but I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment."Sahih al-Bukhari 2753https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2753While many of the Quraysh were surprised by the message, the most hostile response came from the Prophet's uncle Abu Lahab. He rejected the message and insulted the Prophet ﷺ.In response to his hostility, Allah revealed a chapter in the Qur'an condemning Abu Lahab:“May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he.” (Qur'an 111:1 – Quran.com)This revelation confirmed the truth of the Prophet's mission and exposed the opposition of those who rejected the message of Islam.The public call of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at Mount Safa represents a pivotal moment in Islamic history. It illustrates the courage of the Prophet ﷺ in delivering Allah's message despite the risk of rejection and persecution.

Tonight is the night of Badr.On this night, 1,443 years ago, 313 Muslim men camped on the plains of Badr — underprepared, outnumbered more than three to one — on the eve of a battle that would determine whether Islam survived or was extinguished.There is no tafseer of Surah Al-A'raf tonight. Tonight belongs to Badr.How They Got ThereThe Muslims left Madinah on the 12th of Ramadan. The mission was straightforward: intercept Abu Sufyan's caravan returning from Syria — the largest trading caravan the Quraysh had ever assembled, loaded with profits from goods financed largely by wealth confiscated from the Muslims at the time of Hijrah. Not a battle. An interception.But Abu Sufyan's scouts were sharp. One of the Bedouin trackers found camel droppings along the route, opened them, and recognised the date pits inside as coming from the farms of Madinah. The Muslims were tracking them. Abu Sufyan immediately rerouted and sent the fastest rider in his group back to Makkah — the rider sliced the nose of his camel and smeared the blood on himself to arrive with maximum drama, ensuring the message landed with urgency.Abu Jahl raised 1,300 men. Not to protect the caravan — the caravan had already escaped. This was about something else now. We are going to crush Islam and the Muslims once and for all.By the time 300 of that army turned back — satisfied that their property was safe — 1,000 Quraysh warriors were marching toward Badr with that single purpose.The Muslims, meanwhile, had 313 men. Two horses. Seventy camels. And eight swords.They had not come prepared for battle. They had expected a small caravan escort — ten, twenty, thirty men at most. They found an army.And they did not turn back.The Leadership of the Prophet ﷺWhen the Prophet ﷺ chose a campsite on the plains of Badr, a companion — al-Hubab ibn al-Mundhir — approached him and asked a remarkable question: Ya Rasulullah, is this position based on revelation from Allah, or is this your personal judgement?The Prophet ﷺ said: personal judgement.Al-Hubab said: in that case, may I suggest we move further forward — to the wells of Badr — so that we control the Quraysh's access to water?The Prophet ﷺ accepted. He moved the entire army.This is a man who could have said: I am the Prophet of Allah, my opinion is final. He said nothing of the sort. He distinguished clearly between what came from Allah and what came from his own thinking. And when a companion had a better idea, he took it.A leader who cannot be corrected is a leader who will eventually fail. The Prophet ﷺ modelled the opposite: you are not any stronger than me, and I am not any less in need of the reward from Allah. When they shared rides on the 160-kilometre journey — three men, including the Prophet ﷺ, rotating on one camel — his companions begged him to ride the whole way. He refused. He walked his share.The Night BeforeThat night, with a thousand armed men across the plain, Allah gave the Muslims a gift: sleep.Anyone who has had a major exam, a difficult interview, a high-stakes day ahead knows what that night feels like. You lie awake. The mind races. The Muslims knew what was coming — and they slept.Allah also sent light rain on the Muslim side. The ground compacted. The march in the morning would be firm underfoot. On the Quraysh side, Allah sent heavy rain. Sleepless. Muddy ground. No access to water. Before a single sword was raised, the advantage had already shifted.The Prophet ﷺ spent much of that night in dua — arms raised so intensely that his shawl fell to the ground. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, waking before Fajr, wrapped it back around his shoulders and stood listening. Among the duas the Prophet ﷺ made that night: Ya Allah, if You destroy this group, You will never be worshipped on this earth again. These were the best of the Muslim men. Most of them. If they fell here, there would be no rebuilding.The dhikr of Badr — the one the Prophet ﷺ repeated through that night and into the battle — was Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum. The Ever-Living. The Ever-Sustaining. The One who holds everything in existence. Repeat this in your own difficult nights.Islam Is a Salad BowlWhen the Prophet ﷺ organised his army on the morning of battle, he divided them into three groups: the Muhajirin on the right, led by Sayyidina Ali; the Ansar on the left, led by Sayyidina Sa'd ibn Mu'adh; and a mixed group at the centre, where the Prophet ﷺ stood himself, with the banner held by Mus'ab ibn Umayr — the first companion to migrate to Madinah, the man through whose teaching most of the Ansar had embraced Islam.Why keep them separate? Why not one unified mass?Because Islam does not erase identity. It never has. The Muhajirin were Meccan. The Ansar were Medinan. Different dialects, different traditions, different cultures — and at this point in history, genuinely different peoples. Islam acknowledged that difference and worked with it. Each group fought with the strength that came from who they were.Islam is not a melting pot. It is a salad bowl. A tomato remains a tomato. A cucumber remains a cucumber. Mixed together, each contributing what it is — they serve something greater than any one of them alone.Keep your cultural identity. Be proud of who Allah made you. Learn your mother tongue. And be equally proud to be Muslim — guided by Islamic principles, united by La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah, with Arabic as the thread that connects the entire ummah across every language and culture.Help Comes in Ways You Cannot SeeWhen the battle began, most of the Muslims did not know they were being assisted by angels. They raised their weapons and fought with everything they had. Some were injured. Some were martyred. They had to show up. They had to put in the effort. The help came — but it came to those who were already in the field.Jibreel came wearing a yellow turban, marked like Mus'ab ibn Umayr. A thousand angels — one for every Quraysh soldier — came wearing white, on white horses. The Quraysh saw them coming from across the plain. They did not know what they were seeing.And then Iblis — who had marched alongside the Quraysh in the guise of Suraqah ibn Malik, who had promised them safety, who had said I am with you, no one can defeat you today — Iblis was the first to see the angels. He turned and fled.I see what you do not see. I am afraid of Allah.The Quraysh: You were the one who convinced us to come! You were the one who promised us victory!Iblis said nothing more. He left.This is who Iblis is. He is there when things are going well. The moment the cost becomes real, he disappears. The friends you make in sin will not be there when the consequences arrive.Abdullah ibn Mas'ud — a man so small he stood barely above a metre — captured Sayyidina Abbas, the Prophet's uncle, a giant of a man with a voice that could carry across a battlefield. Abbas was humiliated. He told everyone who saw him: it wasn't this small man — there was someone bigger, someone else who took me down. When Abdullah ibn Mas'ud brought Abbas to the Prophet ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ confirmed: it was not you, Abdullah. You were assisted by an angel.Do not be arrogant with your success. You put in the effort. But the victory was never yours alone to claim.The Secret of Badr — And of RamadanThe Quran tells us the secret of Badr in Surah Ali Imran in two words: sabr and taqwa.Sabr is steadfastness — continuing on the right path regardless of how difficult it becomes. Taqwa is your living connection with Allah.Ramadan trains both. Every day of fasting hones sabr — the steadfastness to stay on the right path regardless of hunger and exhaustion. Every night of prayer and Quran builds taqwa — the connection with Allah that carries you through what the day alone cannot prepare you for.The Prophet ﷺ won his greatest military victory in Ramadan — on the 17th, on the plains of Badr. His greatest political victory, the Conquest of Makkah, was also in Ramadan. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas defeated the Persian Sassanid Empire at the Battle of Qadisiyyah in Ramadan. Amr ibn al-As conquered Egypt in Ramadan.The pattern is not coincidence. It is a formula.Fast your days. Pray your nights. And trust that when you show up on the field with whatever weapons you have, Allah will send what you cannot seeBadr Wallpaper for smartphonesBadr Wallpaper for tablets.Badr wallpaper for computersAfter Witr tonight insha'Allah — Salawat Badriyya.Following along with the series? Consider a paid subscription to receive a free digital copy of the Surah Al-A'raf Study Guide and Workbook. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit groundeddaily.substack.com/subscribe

A quick note before we begin: from tonight, we recite Dua Qunut in Witr. The Shafi'i madhab holds that Qunut in Witr is only in the second half of Ramadan — following the practice established by Sayyidina Umar ibn al-Khattab when he unified the companions behind one imam for Taraweeh and instructed Sayyidina Ubay ibn Ka'ab to lead with Qunut in the final nights. May Allah enter us among those who pray with the imam from beginning to end, and receive the reward of a full night's prayer.The Battle of Badr — ApproachingThe Muslims left Madinah on the 12th of Ramadan. Tonight, in the timeline of history, they would have been settling into the plains of Badr — fasting, outnumbered, about to face something no one had fully planned for.The original aim was to intercept Abu Sufyan's caravan returning from Syria — laden with the wealth the Quraysh had confiscated from the Muslims at the time of Hijrah. Abu Sufyan's scouts, however, found camel droppings containing date pits from the farms of Madinah. He understood: the Muslims are tracking us. He rerouted the caravan and sent the fastest rider back to Makkah with a call for reinforcements — the rider even smeared camel blood on himself for dramatic effect, to ensure the message landed with urgency.Abu Jahl raised 1,300 men. By the time they reached the plains of Badr, the caravan had already escaped via a different route. Three hundred of the Quraysh army turned back — the property was safe, their reason for coming was gone. But Abu Jahl pressed forward with a thousand. This was no longer about a caravan. This was about crushing Islam once and for all.When the Prophet ﷺ chose a campsite on the plains of Badr, one of the companions asked: Ya Rasulullah, is this position based on revelation, or is this your personal judgement? The Prophet ﷺ said: personal judgement. The companion said: in that case, may I suggest we move further, to control the Quraysh's access to the wells?The Prophet ﷺ accepted. He moved the entire army.In that moment — a Prophet, the most beloved of creation, moving his troops based on a suggestion from a companion — is a masterclass in leadership. A good leader takes counsel. A good leader distinguishes between revelation and personal opinion. A good leader is not too proud to be corrected.We continue the story of Badr tomorrow insha'Allah.The Blame Game Has No EndReturning to Surah Al-A'raf — yesterday we saw the people of Jahannam blaming each other as they entered. The followers blamed the leaders. The leaders said: you chose to follow us. Taste what you earned.Now Allah introduces a further dimension: the former and the latter — early generations and those who came after.Think about what this means personally. If someone in your family tree was the first to introduce something harmful — idol worship, a corrupt practice, a tradition that led generations away from Allah — and their descendants followed without question, then when all of them meet in Jahannam, the descendants will turn to the ancestor: you started this. This is your fault. You deserve more.It is a sobering thought. The decisions we make do not end with us.The Reverse Is Also TrueBut the reverse is equally real — and this is where the heart lifts.A thousand years ago, the ancestors of many Muslims sitting in our community tonight were not Muslim. The Malays were Hindu and Buddhist. The Turks were sky-worshipping pagans on the steppe. The Indonesians had their own traditions. And then — somewhere up that family tree — one person made a decision. I am going to be a Muslim.Because of that one decision, generations of descendants were born into Islam. Every salah they prayed, every fast they kept, every act of charity they gave — a portion of that reward travels back up the chain to the one who made the original call.That ancestor has been in his grave for perhaps 700, 800 years. And he is still receiving dividends. Still collecting on that one decision. This is the real passive income. Not a pyramid scheme — a multi-level reward that compounds across generations until Yawmul Qiyamah.And in Jannah, insha'Allah, we will find that ancestor. We will say: thank you. Because of you, I did not have to make the hard choice. I was born Muslim. All I had to do was protect what you gave me.For those among us who did make that hard choice — who came to Islam as adults, who chose this path when no one around them did — your reward carries the same weight. Every person in your lineage who comes after you and remains on this deen is a continuation of your decision. Do not underestimate what you started.Do Not Trivialise Small Good DeedsThis is why we must never dismiss small acts of goodness as insignificant.Teach one child Quran. That child teaches his children. His children teach theirs. How many generations between now and Yawmul Qiyamah? Every one of them who recites the Quran — you carry a portion of that reward. A tiny portion, yes. But multiplied across centuries, across an entire family tree — it becomes something beyond calculation.Whatever good deed you start, its consequences ripple outward in ways you will never live to see. A Muslim thinks in generations, not just in lifetimes. The question is not only: what am I doing today? The question is: what am I starting?The Camel and the Eye of the NeedleFor those who reject the ayat of Allah, who are arrogant against His guidance — la tufattahu lahum abwab al-sama'. The gates of heaven will not be opened for them. Their good deeds will not ascend. The angels carry our deeds up twice daily — at Fajr and Maghrib, which is why these are the great times of morning and evening dhikr, when two shifts of angels overlap and the same act is recorded twice. But for the one who rejects Allah, those deeds remain earthbound. He gets what he intended — praise from people, a legacy among men — and nothing more.Hatim al-Ta'i was the most celebrated generous man in Arab history. His name became a byword for generosity — Arabs still use it today, 1,400 years later. His son asked the Prophet ﷺ about his father's fate. The Prophet ﷺ said: he never gave for Allah's sake. He gave to be known as generous. And Allah gave him exactly that. He is still being praised. His intention was fulfilled in full.You get what you intend for. If you intend for Allah, Allah rewards you. If you intend for people, people reward you. But the gates of heaven remain closed.And if a person who rejects the ayat of Allah still imagines they might enter Jannah — Allah gives us the measure of that hope: try fitting a camel through the eye of a needle first. In Arabic this is the expression for the impossible, the never-happening, the stop-dreaming. It will not happen. Not through arrogance. Not through denial. Not through rejecting the messenger.Tomorrow insha'Allah — the people of Jannah. The Quran always balances: after the warning comes the glad tidings.Following along with the series? Consider a paid subscription to receive a free digital copy of the Surah Al-A'raf Study Guide and Workbook. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit groundeddaily.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comA Ramadan Halftime Check-InBefore we dive into today's ayat, I want to take a moment to remind myself and all of you — today marks the 15th of Ramadan. We are at the halfway mark of this blessed month.It's time to pause and reflect on our first half. How has it been? Have we been building momentum? Because here's the thing — it is no longer time to warm up. We should already be warmed up by now. We are gearing up and preparing ourselves to hunt for the greatest night of the year: Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Power, which will fall on one of the odd nights in the last ten nights of Ramadan.So let's make sure our ibadah is increasing every single night — our Quran recitation, our prayers, our charity, our kindness to family, friends, and neighbours. Everything must now be on an upward trajectory so that when the last ten nights arrive, we are ready to go all out. We're hunting for a night that is greater than a thousand months. Let's not miss it.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Where We Left OffLast week, we explored how Allah was preparing Rasulullah ﷺ for the enormous mission ahead. The Prophet was troubled by the verbal abuse and humiliation inflicted on him and his followers by the Quraysh. And what was Allah's prescription? Stand up at night. Pray. Recite the Quran. Make dhikr — mention the name of your Lord.This is how we find the strength to face every challenge in life, especially the challenge of becoming and remaining a good Muslim. The more we connect with the Quran, the more we connect with Allah, and the more everything else becomes easier.Allah then told Rasulullah ﷺ to take Him as a Wakil — the One who looks after all your affairs. When you have Allah as your Wakil, you do a little and things become a lot easier. Then Allah turned directly to the Quraysh and warned them of chains, choking food, and a burning fire.Now we come to a new passage where Allah expands the audience. He is still addressing the Quraysh, but He is also speaking to every single one of us.A Messenger as Witness — For Us or Against UsAllah says: “Indeed, We have sent to you a messenger as a witness over you.”Think about that for a moment. Rasulullah ﷺ is going to stand on the Day of Judgement as a witness. The question is — will he be a witness for us, or against us?If he testifies for us, that means shafa'ah — intercession. He will stand before Allah and say: “Ya Allah, this person is from my ummah. They followed my teaching, they followed my sunnah, they tried their very best.” He will intercede on our behalf, asking Allah to forgive our sins and tip the scales in our favour.But he could also testify against us. And Allah has already recorded in the Quran what that looks like. On the Day of Judgement, Rasulullah ﷺ will say: “O my Lord, my people — they received this Quran and just put it aside.” They chose to ignore it. Chose not to put it into practice. Chose not to be guided by it.That is a terrifying thought. If the Prophet ﷺ — Habibullah, the beloved of Allah — testifies against us, who is going to stand up to defend us? Who would dare?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comHalfway. Fifteen nights in, fifteen nights to go.The warm-up is over. From here, we accelerate. The last third — the ten nights of salvation — is coming. But before we get there, the middle ten: the days of forgiveness. Use them.A brief note before tonight's tafseer: on the 17th of Ramadan, we commemorate Yawm al-Furqan — the Day of Criterion, the Battle of Badr. The Muslims left Madinah on the 12th of Ramadan, fasting, unprepared for full battle, setting out on the instruction of the Prophet ﷺ immediately after prayer. 313 men. In a few days, they would meet an army of a thousand. What happened at Badr is the most important battle in human history — the moment truth and falsehood were separated with finality. We will cover it over the coming nights insha'Allah.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The Worst Wrongdoer“Who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah?”This phrase — faman azlamu mimman iftara ala Allahi kadhiban — appears in multiple places in the Quran. It is one of the gravest charges the Quran levels. And it falls into two categories.The first is inventing objects or forms of worship and attributing them to Allah. The Quraysh who worshipped idols and claimed these were the daughters of Allah, that Allah commanded their worship — this is the obvious example. Creating your own god and calling it Allah's command.The second is subtler and closer to home: declaring halal and haram without knowledge. Pronouncing that something is forbidden or obligatory without proper grounding in revelation — and then attributing this ruling to the Sharia of Allah. This too is lying against Allah. This too is a grave sin.The early imams understood this acutely. They rarely used the word haram unless something was explicitly stated in the Quran or Sunnah. If their ijtihad pointed toward avoidance, they would say: stay away from it. They would not say haram. Because to declare something haram without certainty is to speak about Allah without knowledge — and that is the very sin this ayah is addressing.Over time, something interesting happened. When the imam said “stay away from it,” later generations heard: it's not haram yet — we can still do it. So the scholars had to escalate to “haram.” And then people started asking: is it a major sin or a minor sin? If minor, Allah is most forgiving — carry on. The language had to become stronger because the taqwa had become weaker. The early generation did not need to be told something was haram. The imam's caution was enough.Be very careful about declaring things halal or haram. That is the domain of Allah alone.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S34) The Treaty of Hudaybeeyah was broken by the Quraysh and their allies. The Banu Khuza'a joined the Messenger's ﷺ side and the Banu Bakr joined the Quraysh. The Banu Bakr attacked the Banu Khuza'a. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه was angry and had nothing to do with this. The Messenger ﷺ sent Dhamura رضي الله عنه to give the Quraysh a message: Break away from the Banu Bakr, play the blood money for the men of Banu Khuza'a you killed. If not, we will go to war.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comAllah does not leave us alone on this earth.After Adam's descent, after the warnings about Shaitan's tactics, after the long passage of advice to the children of Adam — Allah makes a promise. Ya Bani Adam, imma ya'tiyannakum rusulum minkum. O children of Adam, surely a messenger from amongst you will come to you.That word surely is embedded in the Arabic itself. The verb does not simply say ya'tikum — he will come. It says ya'tiyannakum — with a heavy nun at the end, what grammarians call nun thaqilah. In Arabic, sound carries meaning. That heaviness is emphasis. That emphasis is a promise. Allah will not send you into this world and abandon you without guidance.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.A Prophet From Among YouThe first audience of this ayat was the Quraysh. And the message to them was pointed: this messenger is from amongst you. He is Arab. He is Qurayshi. If he succeeds, it is your success. If his message spreads, it is the Arabs who are elevated.Consider their situation. The Arabian Peninsula sat sandwiched between two of the greatest empires in human history — the Sassanid Persian Empire to the east and the Roman Empire to the west. Alexander the Great had swept across the known world but did not even bother to venture south into Arabia. Rocks and camels, they said. The Arabs had no comparable civilisation, no unified identity, no place in the story of the great powers.And here was a prophet — from among them — carrying a message that would unite them, give them identity, and ultimately make them the inheritors of both those empires within a generation.Even some of the Quraysh leaders who resisted Islam quietly acknowledged this. Why should we fight him, they reasoned. If he wins, the victory belongs to us. If he loses, the Romans or the Persians will deal with him. Why are Arabs fighting Arabs?Allah was asking the same question. Why are you against this?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit groundeddaily.substack.comOne third of Ramadan is behind us.There is a narration — its grading is discussed among scholars, but widely used as a reminder — that the first ten nights carry the overwhelming mercy of Allah, the second ten His forgiveness, and the final ten His guarantee of salvation from the fire. Though in reality, every single night holds all three. Ramadan does not divide itself neatly into chapters. But the framing is useful: if the first ten was a warm-up, the second ten is time to accelerate.Do a honest pit stop. How have the first ten days been? Whatever the answer, Ramadan is a marathon, not a sprint. The goal is not to peak on night one. The goal is to be better in the second third than the first, and better in the final third than both.Grounded is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The People Who Think They Are GuidedAllah divides humanity into two groups in this passage: those who follow guidance, and those for whom misguidance has become their reality.Why does misguidance become their reality? Because they have taken Shaitan as their wali — their loyal, protective ally. And Shaitan, as we discussed, is a wali who flatters in good times and abandons at the worst possible moment.But here is the sobering part: they think they are guided.This is not about people who know they are doing wrong and do it anyway. This is about people who have followed Shaitan's logic so completely that it feels like wisdom. The Quraysh doing tawaf naked genuinely believed they were being more pure, more sincere before Allah. The logic made sense to them.This is the danger of reason untethered from revelation. On an individual level, so many harmful things can seem reasonable. Take riba — interest. Two people agree, both are happy, both see benefit. What is the harm? But apply that same logic across an entire economy and you get 2008. Families losing homes. Businesses collapsing. Lives broken. The short-term individual logic disintegrates when it scales.Our intellect is a gift. But it needs guidance. The Quran is that guidance. Without it, we are capable of convincing ourselves that almost anything is fine — and feeling guided the entire time.Dress Nicely for Prayer

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S29) The Messenger ﷺ camped at Hudaybeeyah. He ﷺ sent Kharraash Ibn Umayyah رضي الله عنه as the first ambassador. The unbelieving Quraysh killed his camel and almost killed him! رضي الله عنه. Umar رضي الله عنه recommended sending Uthmaan رضي الله عنه, as he رضي الله عنه had family in Makkah and would be safer there. Uthmaan رضي الله عنه goes to Makkah. The rumour was spread that he رضي الله عنه had been martyred and thus the famous pledge under the tree was taken. ~1,400 Companions رضي الله عنهم pledged to the Messenger ﷺ. Everyone (رضي الله عنهم) who pledged to the Messenger ﷺ under the tree on that day is free from the fire. اَللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ.

Nine nights in. If you've been reading one juz a night, you've just passed Surah Al-A'raf in your recitation — the very surah we're studying together. A good reminder of how the Quran works on multiple levels simultaneously.The Naked Tawaf — ContinuedLast night we left off with the Quraysh practice of doing tawaf naked around the Kaaba. Tonight, a detail worth noting: the Quraysh themselves were exempt from this practice. They claimed to be the pure people of Makkah, above sin — so they could do tawaf in clothing. It was only the outsiders, the pilgrims who travelled from afar, who had to choose: strip down, or buy fresh garments from the Quraysh merchants.A shameless practice, with a profitable business model built into it.And when challenged, their answer was simple: our ancestors did this, and Allah commanded it.Allah's response was immediate: “Allah does not command shameless things. Are you saying about Allah what you do not know?”This is the danger of reason untethered from revelation. The argument the Quraysh made — that you were born naked and sinless, so the purest worship is naked worship — has an internal logic to it. You can follow it step by step and almost be convinced. But it leads somewhere Allah never intended. Modesty is not a burden placed on human nature. It is human nature. The nafs, the animal side of us, knows no shame. Haya is what lifts us above it. When we strip away modesty, we strip away something uniquely human.What Allah Actually Commands: Qist“Say: My Lord commands justice — qist.”Two Arabic words are both translated as justice in English: adala and qist. But they are not the same.Adala is doing what is right at a given moment — even if one party walks away unhappy. A judge delivers adala. The winning side praises him. The losing side calls him the worst judge they've ever seen. That is the nature of adala — it is correct, but not always mutually satisfying.Qist is higher. It is the middle path that brings both parties to a place of genuine acceptance. Not just legally correct, but humanly resolved. Adala is passing. Qist is excellent.Allah commands us toward qist — in our worship, in our dealings, in how we carry ourselves in this world.The Cure for ShamelessnessHere is what is striking. Allah has just spoken about shamelessness — the Quraysh doing tawaf naked, Shaitan's mission to strip humanity of modesty. And what is the cure Allah prescribes?Not a dress code. Not isolation. Not a list of prohibitions.Prayer.“Establish your faces at every masjid.”The word masjid here goes back to its root — sajada, to prostrate. This surah is Makki; the only masjid at the time was Masjid Al-Haram, surrounded by 365 idols. So Allah is not speaking about a building. He is speaking about the act itself. Every time and place of sujud — turn yourself fully toward Allah.And why wajh, face? Because the face is the most honourable part of a person. In Arabic, the most honourable portion can denote the whole. When you bring your face to the ground in sujud — the most honourable part of you touching the lowest point — that is the full surrender of the entire self.This is how prayer protects us from shamelessness. Allah says elsewhere in the Quran that prayer prohibits a person from fahsha — from indecency and evil. But how? We all know people who pray and still fall into wrong.The answer is in the word aqimu — establish. Not just perform. Not just go through the motions. To establish prayer is to be present in it. To actually stand before Allah, to speak to the Lord of the universe, to feel that you are seen.Think about it this way: if you were called to the principal's office this morning and firmly reminded of your responsibilities, how would you behave for the rest of the day? Even a difficult student behaves for at least a few hours after that meeting.Now imagine the meeting is with the Lord of the universe. Every morning before sunrise. Fajr carries you through the morning. Then Dhuhr arrives before you can wander too far. Then Asr. Then Maghrib. Then Isha. If you are truly present in each one — truly establishing, not just performing — there is barely a gap for shaitan to work in.The prayer, established with presence, is the antidote.We Began Without Clothes — We Return Without ClothesAllah closes this passage with a reminder: just as we entered this world, we will return to Allah. Naked. On the plains of Yawmul Qiyamah, everyone resurrected the same way.Sayyidatuna Aisha asked: won't we be ashamed — with everyone around us?The Prophet ﷺ said: the day will be too great. No one will have the capacity to think about anyone else. Even the greatest prophets — Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa — when people come to them seeking intercession, they will say: nafsi, nafsi. Myself, myself. I have my own account to answer for.Only the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will say: this is what I was created for. And he will intercede.On that day, the sun will feel as though it is a hand span above our heads. People will be drowning in their own sweat. But some will be shaded — elevated on hills, wearing shining crowns, alongside their spouses. People will look up and wonder who they are, what they did to deserve this.They will be told: your children memorised the Quran.If the parents of Quran memorisers are raised to such a station — what of the memorisers themselves?It Is Never Too LateThe Prophet ﷺ received his first revelation at 40. Abu Bakr accepted Islam at 38. Neither said: I am too old for this.If memorising the entire Quran feels out of reach, change the target. One ayah a day, understood deeply, revised slowly, carried with you. One juz a year. In thirty years, you have the whole Quran — memorised with comprehension, not just repetition.And if life takes you before you finish? The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever makes a consistent effort toward something and is prevented from completing it, Allah will complete the reward for them.Start. Stay consistent. Do not give up.Anything attached to the Quran becomes elevated in the eyes of Allah.We stopped here tonight. Tomorrow insha'Allah, we continue.Following along with the series? Consider a paid subscription to receive a free digital copy of the Surah Al-A'raf Study Guide and Workbook. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit groundeddaily.substack.com/subscribe

Surah Quraysh (Part 2) — delivered by Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera as part of The Last Ten Surahs: The Power of the Message series in Ramadan 2026 — continues the tafsīr by drawing deeper attention to the moral and spiritual responsibility that accompanies divine favor. Building upon the themes of security and provision discussed in Part 1, this session reflects on how material stability and social unity are not ends in themselves, but signs meant to awaken humility and devotion to Allah. In this series we explore the profound wisdom of the last ten surahs of the Quran during Ramadan 2026. Link to donate: https://www.whitethread.org/donate/

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S24) The battle of the trench: This battle took place in the year 5 A.H. The Jews instigated this. They went to Makkah to rally a force to attack the Messenger ﷺ. The Jewish tribes told the Quraysh to lead and that they'll follow. The Jews prostrated to Jibt and Thaaghoot (2 Idols) to prove their oath. The Messenger ﷺ received intel from Abaas رضي الله عنه that ~10,000 men were coming. The believers had one week to prepare. Salman al-Farsi رضي الله عنه suggested digging a trench as this was a tactic he saw in his lands before. Thus a trench was dug around the northern side.

Surah Quraysh (Part 1) — delivered by Dr. Mufti Abdur-Rahman Mangera as part of The Last Ten Surahs: The Power of the Message series in Ramadan 2026 — begins a reflective tafsīr journey into the themes and historical context of Surah Quraysh. This session explores Allah's blessings upon the Quraysh tribe, their security, unity, and prosperity through sacred protection and trade, and how these favors were meant to lead them toward sincere worship and gratitude.

Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb رضي الله عنه (S21) The second encounter at Badr: 4 A.H, in Shabaan. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه got a messenger to tell the believers that they (the unbelievers) were in even larger numbers than before. This tactic didn't work. The Messenger ﷺ said: “I shall keep the appointment with the unbelievers, even if I have to go alone!”. The Messenger ﷺ set out with ~1,500 men. Abu Sufyaan رضي الله عنه had ~2,000. The Messenger ﷺ camped at Badr for 8 days. False propaganda was spread that the Muslims were weak. This propaganda was destroyed when the people saw the Muslims camping at Badr, engaging in trade and making loads of profit. The Quraysh were humiliated and not a single drop of blood was spilt.

The life of Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (RA) is one of the most moving examples of patience, sacrifice, and unwavering faith in early Islamic history.Among the first ten people to accept Islam, Khabbab (RA) embraced the truth at a time when doing so meant severe persecution. A slave and skilled blacksmith in Makkah, he was subjected to brutal torture by the Quraysh. Burning coals were placed on his back, and he faced constant abuse and humiliation, all because of his belief in Allah and his loyalty to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.Despite unimaginable suffering, Khabbab (RA) never turned away from Islam. His pain only strengthened his conviction, and his endurance became a source of guidance and inspiration for others. Later, he migrated to Madinah, took part in all major battles, and lived to see Islam flourish, a faith he once endured torture for believing in.He eventually passed away in Kufa, honored as a righteous and respected Companion. His life reminds us that truth demands sacrifice, but Allah never lets the struggle of sincere believers go to waste.This episode revisits the remarkable journey of a man whose scars told the story of faith and whose patience helped shape Islamic history.

Should believers pay taxes? Should they vote, work for the government, or obey modern laws? In this uncompromising episode of The Mahdi's Manifesto, we address one of the most difficult and controversial questions believers face today — authority. From Moses versus Pharaoh, to Jesus and Caesar, to Muhammad and Quraysh, the message has always been the same: God alone appoints legitimate rulers. This episode exposes the forgotten truth that religion was never meant to be passive or purely spiritual. The prophets were not just preachers — they were kings, leaders, and heads of state. Their followers were not conformists — they were the resistance.

War was never the plan. So how did the situation change so quickly? The Muslims left Madinah intending to intercept a caravan. But once the caravan escaped, new information reached both sides, and the direction of events shifted. In episode 76 of the Seerah, Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan explains how matters developed as Quraysh continued advancing toward Badr. Their numbers, leadership, and intentions become clear, as does why some tribes chose to turn back while others pressed on. The episode also follows the decisions made by the Prophet ﷺ as the reality of a battle became unavoidable. Consultation takes place, different opinions are voiced, and firm commitments are given by the companions, especially as responsibility settles on those who would bear the greatest cost. You'll learn how the Muslims prepared on the ground, how information was gathered, how positions were chosen near the wells of Badr, and how Allah supported them through the night with calm, rest, and stability. The Prophet ﷺ spends the night in duʿa, while the army prepares for what lies ahead. The battle has not begun yet. But everything needed for it is now in place. Sign up now to AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amauofficial/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAU Telegram: https://t.me/amauofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAUofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUofficial iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/al-madrasatu-al-umariyyah/id1524526782 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08NJC1pIA0maaF6aKqZL4N Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouch BarakAllahu feekum. #AMAU #Islam #Dawah

War was never the plan. So how did the situation change so quickly? The Muslims left Madinah intending to intercept a caravan. But once the caravan escaped, new information reached both sides, and the direction of events shifted. In episode 76 of the Seerah, Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan explains how matters developed as Quraysh continued advancing toward Badr. Their numbers, leadership, and intentions become clear, as does why some tribes chose to turn back while others pressed on. The episode also follows the decisions made by the Prophet ﷺ as the reality of a battle became unavoidable. Consultation takes place, different opinions are voiced, and firm commitments are given by the companions, especially as responsibility settles on those who would bear the greatest cost. You'll learn how the Muslims prepared on the ground, how information was gathered, how positions were chosen near the wells of Badr, and how Allah supported them through the night with calm, rest, and stability. The Prophet ﷺ spends the night in duʿa, while the army prepares for what lies ahead. The battle has not begun yet. But everything needed for it is now in place. Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Precap and Introduction 00:02:45 - The Number of Disbelievers in Badr 00:04:41 - Iblees Steps in 00:08:22 - The Enemies March Towards Badr 00:10:34 - The People Assigned to Feed the Army 00:15:30 - The Path the Disbelievers Took 00:16:17 - Abu Sufyan and the Spies 00:24:47 - The Prophet ﷺ Hears About Quraysh's Plan 00:29:09 - Sahabah's Reaction to the Unexpected Battle 00:37:41 - The Prophet's ﷺ Prediction at Badr 00:40:35 - Scouting with Abu Bakr 00:46:40 - Settling Into Position at Badr 00:51:50 - Sa'd ibn Mu‘adh's Advice 00:54:26 - Abu Bakr's Courage at Badr 00:57:26 - Battle Preparations Begin 01:04:59 - The Prophet's ﷺ Battle Instructions AMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amau... Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAU Telegram: https://t.me/amauofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAU... Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUoffici... iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/... Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouch BarakAllahu feekum. #AMAU #Islam #Dawah

The journey to Badr didn't begin with a battlefield. It began with small moments that tested the companions one by one. Some were told to return, others tried to stay hidden, and lessons were given on the road that shaped the mindset of the entire group. What seemed like a simple march became a series of decisions that revealed what each person carried in their heart. Meanwhile in Makkah, a sudden wave of news moved through the city and forced Quraysh to react. What they chose next set both sides on a path neither could step away from. Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan explains how these moments built the lead-up to Badr and why they changed the direction of the story. The clash hasn't begun yet, but the turning point is close. Sign up now to AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amauofficial/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAU Telegram: https://t.me/amauofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAUofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUofficial iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/al-madrasatu-al-umariyyah/id1524526782 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08NJC1pIA0maaF6aKqZL4N Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouch BarakAllahu feekum. #AMAU #Islam #Dawah  

The journey to Badr didn't begin with a battlefield. It began with small moments that tested the companions one by one. Some were told to return, others tried to stay hidden, and lessons were given on the road that shaped the mindset of the entire group. What seemed like a simple march became a series of decisions that revealed what each person carried in their heart. Meanwhile in Makkah, a sudden wave of news moved through the city and forced Quraysh to react. What they chose next set both sides on a path neither could step away from. Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan explains how these moments built the lead-up to Badr and why they changed the direction of the story. The clash hasn't begun yet, but the turning point is close. Time Stamps: 00:00:00 - Precap and Introduction 00:02:20 - Role of Anas ibn Malik in the Battle of Badr 00:03:59 - Disputed Participants in the Battle of Badr 00:04:55 - Count of Badr Warriors 00:09:15 - Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: The Man of His People 00:13:55 - Punishment for Minor Shirk 00:15:35 - The Story of a Doctor 00:18:55 - Victory is from Allah 00:24:34 - The Young Sahabah Who Showed Up 00:26:30 - Preparing the Battalions 00:29:16 - Eating on the Day of Badr 00:29:24 - The Route to Badr 00:35:18 - Abu Sufyan Hears About the Prophet's ﷺ Army 00:38:45 - The Dream of ‘Atikah Bint Abdul Muttalib 00:51:40 - The Quraysh Gear Up for Battle 00:53:32 - Why Umayyah ibn Khalaf Avoided the Battle 00:59:15 - Benefits From the Lesson AMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amau... Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAU Telegram: https://t.me/amauofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAU... Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUoffici... iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/... Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouch BarakAllahu feekum. #AMAU #Islam #Dawah

A caravan returning from Sham set the stage for the first major battle in Islam. In this episode, Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan explains how a simple attempt to intercept Quraysh's wealth became Yawm al-Furqan, the day Allah separated truth from falsehood. He covers the precise date of Badr (Friday, 17 Ramadan, 2 AH), why the Prophet ﷺ left Madinah without calling for a full mobilisation, and how a small group of Sahabah was chosen for a test they never expected. You'll also hear why the people of Badr were given a unique status, along with early incidents that showed Allah's support for them. This session establishes the cause and context of Badr before the military details continue in the next episode. 0:00:00 - Precap and Introduction 0:03:52 - The Greatness and Virtue of the Battle of Badr 0:08:07 - Distinct Features of the Battle of Badr 0:15:42 - The Background to the Battle 0:22:23 - Setting Out for the Caravan 0:28:09 - How Many Were the Sahabah? 0:33:04 - Those Who Didn't Participate 0:43:50 - What We'll Cover Next AMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amau... Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAU Telegram: https://t.me/amauofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAU... Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUoffici... iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/... Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouch BarakAllahu feekum. #AMAU #battleofbadr #seerah #prophetmuhammad #islamicknowledge

A caravan returning from Sham set the stage for the first major battle in Islam. In this episode, Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan explains how a simple attempt to intercept Quraysh's wealth became Yawm al-Furqan, the day Allah separated truth from falsehood. He covers the precise date of Badr (Friday, 17 Ramadan, 2 AH), why the Prophet ﷺ left Madinah without calling for a full mobilisation, and how a small group of Sahabah was chosen for a test they never expected. You'll also hear why the people of Badr were given a unique status, along with early incidents that showed Allah's support for them. This session establishes the cause and context of Badr before the military details continue in the next episode. Sign up now to AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amauofficial/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAU Telegram: https://t.me/amauofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAUofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUofficial iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/al-madrasatu-al-umariyyah/id1524526782 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08NJC1pIA0maaF6aKqZL4N Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouch BarakAllahu feekum. #AMAU #battleofbadr #seerah #prophetmuhammad #islamicknowledge  

The expeditions had begun. Quraysh's caravans - loaded with the wealth stripped from the Muslims in Makkah - became the new target. The first expeditions passed without major confrontation, but each one edged closer to the inevitable clash. Then came Nakhlah.A sealed letter. A mission meant only to observe. Twelve men who suddenly found themselves standing at a crossroads: strike the caravan now and risk spilling blood in the sacred month, or let it pass and lose the chance forever. One arrow was loosed. A man fell. Captives were taken. The first spoils of war were in Muslim hands.What followed shook everything. Accusations, anger, and uncertainty filled Madinah. Even the Muslims themselves were unsure of what had just happened - until revelation from Allah ﷻ descended, clarifying the truth and turning the tide.In this episode, Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan explores:- The Prophet's ﷺ earliest expeditions and why only the Muhajirun participated in them.- The Nakhlah raid and its far-reaching consequences.- A tender moment that gave ‘Ali رضي الله عنه the name Abu Turab, and a chilling prophecy about his fate.- Lessons from deviation, and why the chains of scholarship protect the Ummah.A single decision at Nakhlah pushed the Muslims closer to what Quraysh had long feared: open battle.Timestamps:00:00 Precap & Introduction03:00 The First Expedition10:27 The Second Expedition11:28 The Third Expedition18:18 Story Behind ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib's Nickname: Abu Turab30:13 The Death of ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib42:54 The Final ExpeditionAMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amau...Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAUTelegram: https://t.me/amauofficialYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAU...Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUoffici...iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/...Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/...Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouchBarakAllahu feekum.#AMAU #seerah #prophetmuhammad #islamiclectures #islamicknowledge

The expeditions had begun. Quraysh's caravans - loaded with the wealth stripped from the Muslims in Makkah - became the new target. The first expeditions passed without major confrontation, but each one edged closer to the inevitable clash. Then came Nakhlah. A sealed letter. A mission meant only to observe. Twelve men who suddenly found themselves standing at a crossroads: strike the caravan now and risk spilling blood in the sacred month, or let it pass and lose the chance forever. One arrow was loosed. A man fell. Captives were taken. The first spoils of war were in Muslim hands. What followed shook everything. Accusations, anger, and uncertainty filled Madinah. Even the Muslims themselves were unsure of what had just happened - until revelation from Allah ﷻ descended, clarifying the truth and turning the tide. In this episode, Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan explores: - The Prophet's ﷺ earliest expeditions and why only the Muhajirun participated in them. - The Nakhlah raid and its far-reaching consequences. - A tender moment that gave ‘Ali رضي الله عنه the name Abu Turab, and a chilling prophecy about his fate. - Lessons from deviation, and why the chains of scholarship protect the Ummah. A single decision at Nakhlah pushed the Muslims closer to what Quraysh had long feared: open battle. Sign up now to AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amauofficial/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAU Telegram: https://t.me/amauofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAUofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUofficial iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/al-madrasatu-al-umariyyah/id1524526782 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08NJC1pIA0maaF6aKqZL4N Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouch BarakAllahu feekum. #AMAU #seerah #prophetmuhammad #islamiclectures #islamicknowledge

Between 622 and 628, Muhammad and the first Muslims made a home from themselves in Medina, fended off assaults from the Quraysh and others, and changed the course of history forever. New Spotify Bonus Content Channel: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/lahbonuscontent/subscribe New Patreon Store: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory/shop Episode 115 Quiz: https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-115/ Episode 115 Transcription: https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-115-the-life-of-muhammad-part-2 Bonus Content: https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@literatureandhistorypodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/literatureandhistorypodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/literatureandhistory TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lahpodcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lahpodcast.bsky.social X https://x.com/lahpodcast

Donate to our charity partner Baitulmaal here: http://btml.us/thinkingmuslim Help us expand our Muslim media project here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/membershipThe Prophet Mohammad PBUH was the first activist in Islam. He lived a mujahid and died a shaheed, dedicating his life to spreading the message of Islam and fighting the injustices of his community of Quraysh and even the two giant powers of the time, the Byzantine and Sassanian empires. And yet today, we have lost the essence of this and strayed from the Prophet's PBUH principle of standing for justice. In today's episode, we discuss how we, as Muslim youth, can follow in the Prophet PBUH path of correcting injustices and emulating the greatest man that ever lived. Become a member here:https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/membershipOr give your one-off donation here: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/donateListen to the audio version of the podcast:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vXiAjVFnhNI3T9Gkw636aApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-thinking-muslim/id1471798762Purchase our Thinking Muslim mug: https://www.thinkingmuslim.com/merchFind us on:X: https://x.com/thinking_muslimLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-thinking-muslim/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Thinking-Muslim-Podcast-105790781361490Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkingmuslimpodcast/Telegram: https://t.me/thinkingmuslimBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thinkingmuslim.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.com/@thinkingmuslimpodcastFind Mohammad Arhaam here:X: https://x.com/ArhaamMukatiFind Muhammad Jalal here:X: https://twitter.com/jalalaynInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalalayns/Sign up to Muhammad Jalal's newsletter: https://jalalayn.substack.comWebsite Archive: https://www.thinkingmuslim.comDisclaimer:The views expressed in this video are those of the individual speaker(s) and do not represent the views of the host, producers, platform, or any affiliated organisation. This content is provided for lawful, informational, and analytical purposes only, and should not be taken as professional advice. Viewer discretion is advised. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He was on the verge of becoming king — until the Prophet ﷺ arrived. In public, he claimed Islam. Behind closed doors, he stirred conflict, mocked the believers, and fed secrets to their enemies. ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy wasn't just any man — he was the head of the hypocrites in Madinah. In this gripping episode, Ustadh Abdulrahman Hassan traces his story: from his bitter heart at being sidelined, to his fake conversion after Badr, to the moments he disrespected the Prophet ﷺ to his face — and the chaos he sparked among the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم. You'll learn: - Why the Prophet ﷺ gave his own cloak for his burial - How his plots nearly divided the believers - What the Quraysh told him in a secret letter — and how he responded - How Allah exposed him in the Qur'an - The events that led to unrest in Madinah and heightened tensions with Quraysh A man driven by envy. A city at a crossroads. Watch now to witness one of the most dangerous figures in the early Seerah — and the Prophet's ﷺ response to him. Sign up now to AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Academy: https://www.amauacademy.com/ AMAU Junior: https://amaujunior.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amauofficial/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AMAU Telegram: https://t.me/amauofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AMAUofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMAUofficial iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/al-madrasatu-al-umariyyah/id1524526782 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08NJC1pIA0maaF6aKqZL4N Get in Touch: https://amau.org/getintouch BarakAllahu feekum. #AMAU #Islam #seerah #prophetmuhammad #madinah

Today's poem is 5 A.M. by Michael Ondaatje. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “The nature of my youth was one in which my passion for art lived out in my passion for life. At times, there was a recklessness about it. Like Greg, Quraysh, and me spilling out of a Soho bar at first light, having debated literature and writers with a seriousness that felt like life mattered, truly mattered.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.com/rjm4synp