By Ahmed Ali Siddiqui    In Palestine, an ancient land of dreams, Where olive trees and desert sands gleam, A people longing for freedom’s light, Have their voices silenced by the night.   The occupation’s heavy hand, Crushes hope and shatters the land, The separation wall- a barrier of shame, Divides a people, now in flames.   The refugee camps- a desolate sight, Where families live in endless plight, Their stories of loss and longing told, In the echoes of a distant fold.   Jerusalem- a sacred name, Three faiths and cultures intertwine and claim, The Western Wall- a ..read more

By Sadaf Azhar  Abdur Rahman bin Awf (rta) was one of the ten blessed companions who were promised Jannah by the Prophet (sa). An extremely wealthy and astute businessman, he was nevertheless always mindful of his duty towards Allah (swt) and his fellow Muslims. His character and business acumen Abdur Rahman bin Awf (rta) was extremely hard working, valued his independence and was a sharp businessman. As a Muhajir, he was in a vulnerable position. It was difficult for a refugee to set up a business because the markets were controlled based upon what they could sell, so some were controlle ..read more

By Sadaf Azhar – Sub Editor Hiba magazine Abdur Rahman bin Awf (rta) was one of the ten blessed Companions who were promised Jannah by the Prophet (sa). An extremely wealthy and astute businessman, he was nevertheless always mindful of his duty towards Allah (swt) and his fellow Muslims. Life in Makkah He was named Abd Kabah but the Prophet (sa) changed his name to Abdur Rahman bin Awf when he accepted Islam. His Kuniyah was Abu Muhammad. He belonged to the powerful tribe of Banu Zohra, the tribe of the Prophet’s (sa) mother, Amina bint Wahb, and Saad bin Abi Waqas (rta). He had a powerful po ..read more

By Umm Isam Prophet (sa) supplicated to Allah (swt): “O Allah, I ask You, as You are the Owner of praise, there is none worthy of worship but You alone, You are the Giver of all good (Al Mannaan). O Creator of the heavens and the earth, Owner of Majesty and Honour. O Living and Everlasting One.” (An Nasai) Al-Mannaan is one of Allah’s (swt) names mentioned in the Sunnah. Who is Al-Mannaan? Allah (swt) is the Bestower of favours that we benefit from every second of our life. We are not even aware of the countless blessings that allow us to live so we are incapable of asking Him for them. Likewi ..read more

By Sadaf Azhar The literal meaning of the word Ramadan is excessive heat or very light rain after extreme heat. If we spend the month sincerely worshipping Allah (swt), our fasting will ‘burn’ our sins. Like the sun melts objects, the reminders from the Quran and Sunnah ‘melt’ our hearts. We tend to prepare for Ramadan in terms of food preparation or Eid preparations. Spiritual growth often takes a back seat, often limited to simply fasting or Taraweeh itself. So it is important for each of us to have well-defined goals for Ramadan with the intention of pleasing Allah (swt). Prepare for your R ..read more

By Ammar Awais  Incidents of mob violence have become a frequent occurrence in Pakistan. The recent episode in Lahore’s Ichra Bazaar was yet another example of how ignorance and illiteracy can fuel violence. For those unfamiliar with the incident, a woman, accompanied by her husband, entered a shop wearing a long white shirt from a Middle Eastern brand that had the word “hilwa” – meaning good or beautiful –printed in Arabic calligraphy all over it. A man approached her and told her to “remove” the dress and wear a burqa instead. As they got into a heated argument, a charged mob gathered o ..read more

By  Maryam Sohaib – Freelance writer The last few months have left humanity reeling from  brutality. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than ten thousand children, and in doing so it has brought to light its long-standing oppression of Palestinians. An entire generation of youngsters, previously uneducated about this issue, have had their eyes forcefully opened about the reality of Palestinian struggle for freedom. As a result, Israel’s genocide in Gaza has proved to us that some of the most powerful voices in the world belong to those of young people. In fact, more and more ..read more

by Umm Isam  “… And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of Repentance and Merciful.” (Al Hujurat 49: 12) At-Tawwaab, one of Allah’s (swt) beautiful names, is mentioned in the Quran eleven times. Who is At-Tawwaab? He is the Acceptor of repentance, Who helps His slave to turn from a state of disobedience to the right station of obedience. At-Tawwaab’s Divine Care and Mercy doesn’t abandon the sinning slave. He first places a sense of realization in the slave as soon as the slave oversteps his boundaries and transgresses. Next, Allah, At-Tawwaab, accepts the sinner’s repentance and pardo ..read more

By Alia Moin Adil and Umm Isam Freelance Writer, Certified Life Coach and Hiba Magazine Writers During the current testing times, when we are witnessing some of the minor signs of the Last Hour, there are questions we all need to ask ourselves: As a Muslim Ummah, where are we headed? How do we reclaim our lost Muslim identity? How do we identify and tackle the trials we are facing today? Most importantly, how will we be remembered personally in history? Seldom do we think about ourselves as characters shaping tomorrow’s history. What we choose today and the kind of life we live now will deci ..read more

Huma Najam ul Hassan’s talk titled ‘Rajab’ Transcribed by Sadaf Azhar  Rajab is the seventh month of the lunar calendar and one of the four sacred months in which the pre- Islam Arabs would not wage warfare and would instead perform Umrah. Islam continued to consider these months as sacred, in which warfare was not instigated. However, Islam allowed the Muslims to defend themselves if attacked. Many Muslims believe that acts of worship will be rewarded more, but they forget the flip side of the coin- sins committed in these months are graver. It is similar to committing a sin in Makkah wh ..read more