Why are Muslim men allowed to marry a non-Muslim but Muslim women are not allowed? One theory is due to genetic and psychological differences between men and women, Muslim men will be better able to remain practicing Muslims and to bring up devout Muslim children even if their wives are Christian or Jewish, while Muslim […]
I’m just wondering how come some people who graduated from Al-Azhar ended up terrorists? Many of them have founded organisations such as Islamic brotherhood. I thought terrorism breeds as result of ignorance and incorrect knowledge, but since they receive proper ilm, on a scholarly level , then why this result? I can’t find neutral books […]
Below is a table that is like a “best sellers” list, except that it only includes books that were published at least 50 years ago. Many of today’s best-selling novels will be forgotten in a few decades. The test of a really good novel is that people continue to read it decades after it was […]
Mahram for umrah In ur mahram achives u have mostly given references of hadith regarding hajj which is fard and has to be performed but what abt voluntary umrah. If a woman wants to perform umrah frequently with any female friend or relative will it be halal? Secondly in ur mahram hadith research u quoted […]
Salam. This thing has bugged me for a while and I try to not care but it’s an important topic . Basically many scholars, many ahadith, are very sexist. The work of bukhari, ibn abbas, alkatherr , it feels like I can’t escape it and no matter how much I try to think that woman […]
Is there anything that contradicts itself in Islam There is nothing in the Quran that contradicts itself. I have read it over 100 times and have never been able to detect a single contradiction or unwise saying in it. I have never had the same experience with any other book. I read the Harry Potter […]
Salaam. I’ve heard many people talk about end of days, but you said that it isn’t mentioned in The Quran. What are your thoughts and arguments regarding that? Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, The Quran puts very little stress on the signs of the end of the world, and if you read it carefully you will realize […]
A review of Shakh Yasir Qadhi’s paper “‘The Unleashed Thunderbolts’ of Ibn Qayyim al-Ǧawziyyah: An Introductory Essay.” This 2010 paper by Yasir Qadhi is a study of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s al-Ṣawāʿiq al-mursala ʿalā al-Jahmīya wa-l-Muʿaṭṭila (The Unleashed Thunderbolts against the Jahmites and the Negators [of Divine Attributes]). I will focus on Ibn al-Qayyim’s positions as […]
Islamic Law and Jurisprudence: Studies in Honor of Farhat J. Ziadeh (published 1990) is a collection of papers written in honor of the Palestinian-American professor Farhat Jacob Ziadeh (1917-2016), founder and first chairman of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilization at the University of Washington. I bought this book after seeing it cited […]
Are there any books you would recommend to read apart from islamic books and quran? I recommend reading the great classic novels. Please check out the following page where I have made a list of over 100 good books you can check out: World’s Greatest Books You can also check out my about page where […]
Below is a response I wrote to someone who sent me a YouTube video in which the speaker argues that the hijab was necessary in ancient Arabia due to sexual harassment but that it is no longer necessary in the modern world I will first speak of the problem with her way of thinking, then […]
Do you hold certain school or mahdhab in Islam? If so, which one? Also, how do you pick one of them, or you don’t pick one at all and just go with what’s acceptable for you? Thank you. The concept of the madhhab is somewhat outdated because scholars are starting to have a multi-madhhab approach. […]
Free download (PDF) Free download (Mobi) (for e-readers and ebook reading apps) Buy as a paperback on Amazon.com Buy as a Kindle ebook on Amazon.com My new book An Intelligent Person’s Guide to Understanding Islam and Muslims is now available on Amazon.com. This book grew out of a review of Shahab Ahmed’s wonderful What is Islam? that […]
This article is an Islamic answer to Sam Harris and those who follow in his tracks. Below is a video that shows the dynamics of the free-will-denying discourse; the way it uses a collection of scientific facts to leap to the conclusion that there is no room for free will: The main argument of the […]
Can you please give me advice? My sister wants to marry a (Muslim) man that belongs to a different culture. Our mother has accepted the idea but my father is still angry about it- he says he’s always had trouble with members of this culture in the past, and he will not give his daughter […]
My qs is regarding qadr. A woman has 4 broken relationships 2 engagement and now her 2nd marriage which is in doldrums. Everytime she desperately wanted it to work out but some mistakes she made n some were misunderstandings. She tried to hold on to the dying relation but it slipped outta hand eventually. For […]
Is the Deathly Hallows sign illuminati or a sinful sign?? I know that the peace sign and all is signs of the devil, but is the deathly hollows simbol illuminati or the devils sign?? The Illuminati and other conspiracy theories are promoted on the internet so that people like you are distracted from the real […]
In your essay “God, Evolution and Abiogenesis,” you said an atom has no power to move on its own. It is God who has to move every single thing that moves in this world. Given that, does that mean we don’t have free will? On the atomic level, it is due to the chemical reactions […]
I am a Muslim but my personal opinion is that politics and Islam shouldn’t mix. The living examples of this are Muslim countries. I am not saying by any means that democracy is better, God knows how many people have died in the name of secular democracy. Although I know that the original intention and […]
In my view the most important reason why protectionism is necessary, or at least one of the most important reasons, is the prevention of technological servitude. A simple example illustrates the point: Your country cannot be a pioneer in aerospace technologies if your country is not producing airplanes. If all of your airplanes come from China, the […]
The last time I did any serious work in Islamic studies was four years ago, in March-April 2019, when I was busy showing that, according to my hadith verification method, none of the pro-predestination hadiths were reliable. I was never able to finish that work. I might possibly be “back” and I might be able […]
Salamu alikoum. I’m wondering what you think of woman who are intellectual? I’ve heard many negative comments from muslims that woman are stupid etc, and I’ve also read a lot of ahadith about it. SubhanaAllah I’ve met sisters with PHD in mathematics, physics , with degree in philosophy and psychology etc. I personally know many […]
Which one is better: delaying salah until we do it in the mood or forcing ourselves to salah and feel compelled to do it? And why? I would say doing it as soon as the time comes in is better because the Quran says: The prayer is a timed obligation upon the believers. The Quran, […]
Assalamualaikum. I need your opinion about something. I have a big family and we have certain members that we’re not a fond of because of their characters and things that they did. It’s very hard to forget because it really hurt and disappoint us. And I know that we should have mercy on people like […]
So I’ve been seeing a man for about 4 years now (I’m a agnostic woman) and he’s Muslim, however we started off dating and I thought it was ok in the beginning till later on he told me it wasn’t and our relationship is just a friend based thing. The thing is he wants me […]
Can a muslim woman be a pilot ? As she will be travelling with non mehram men Yes, please see these two answers: It is permitted for Muslim women to work in the police force and the army Can Muslim women be airline pilots?
Salam. Lately, I just find myself spending a lot of time seeking validation from guys. Maybe it’s just this age or hormones, but I get really scared that if no one finds me admirable or attractive, then I might miss out on finding someone, and these thoughts consume my mind for longer than I’d like […]
What’s the point of life? I can’t seem to find any meaning in it. The universe is a factory for creating true friends of God. Think of what “true friend” means. A true friend is someone who loves you and trusts you even though they have no mathematical proof that you love them. God throws […]
Salam Brother, You’ve said in your essay to ask god for forgiveness, guidance and mercy. Would it be an insult to ask god for specific traits, for example, give me the ability to do good? Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, My opinion on that has actually changed recently and I now believe that we should pray to […]
Salam alaikum. Brother, what are your thoughts on a man who found a woman in an online dating site, whom wants to get to know of her, felt good connection after few conversations because they have lots in common, but asks her to take off her hijab before any agreements for marriage? He didn’t force […]
assalamu aleikum, is it hypocritical to still pray when salah feels like a burden sometimes? Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, No, quite the opposite. Praying when you do not feel like it proves your loyalty toward God: you are able to override your instincts and make your ego perform its duties whether it wants to or not. […]
Alslam alikum Does not wearing hijab can be reason for not responding for my prayers (Du’aa) that I have been asking Allah for along time I’m so disappointed Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, God can have many reasons for not answering prayers at the time we expect and in the way we expect. We cannot say with […]
Sexual fantasies is not the same thing as having a “wet dream” where you are literally asleep and can’t control your dreams. To fantasise means your are leading your thoughts to imagine and visualise and thus stimulate yourself. To entertain such thinking is not moral and thus not normal or healthy. Instead of answering hormones […]
Do you support a government based on technocracy? Is there a type of government that is compatible with all types of cultures? Is there anything that could displace democracy? Technocracy can be democratic or otherwise. If a group of scientists seize power and force their views on the population, that would be technocracy. I do […]
Slam alicome my brother I really like your page and because of Allah and then you, I feel I become good and strong believer in Allah. My question actually is not a question : I know a woman who works in subway restaurant and we like talking about religions sometimes and It’s one of my […]
Asalam Walikum, why is it not considered rape if your spouse raped you? People have told me Islam does not consider that [rape] Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, There is no clear statement in the Quran or hadith on this question, so scholars have simply used their own personal and cultural opinions about it. Since they think […]
What you think about Iran? I mean about the Iranian Islamic government,do you think is that real Islam? Forcing woman’s to wearing hijab and forcing people to worship? The Shias have their own “contract” with God and are responsible for the truth as they know it. I believe all humans have a conscience (what some […]
Nidhal Guessoum’s Islam’s Quantum Question (originally published in French in 2009, published in English in 2011) is well worth reading, mainly for its detailed refutation of various pseudo-scientific defenses of Islam and the Quran that have been offered by others. His detailed critique of Iʿjāz literature and its supporters (such as Zaghloul El-Naggar), who purport to show scientific […]
Asalaamualaykum, how do I convince my parents to accept the woman I want to marry? The basis of their rejection is bc she has a different cultural background. She is a practising muslimah, and her family approve, but mine are being difficult? Any advice? Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, Parents can have good reasons for not liking […]
Is it true that a woman can’t divorce a man unless he says “we are divorced”? What if the woman has ood reasons wanting to get divorced In classical Islamic law while a man had the right to divorce his wife of his own initiative, a woman had to get her husband’s approval, and if […]
السلامعليكم! I have been considering taking shahada for almost 10 years now, yet there’s always something that seems to be holding me back. My values and beliefs are inherently Islamic-influenced and I have read and understood the Qur’an multiple times as independent study. I’m just unsure of what’s holding me back and making me apprehensive. […]
Assalamu Aleikum, i have a question on which i always get mixed answers, is it haram for a person not to have love towards a parent as long as we dont disrespect them? I don’t have a relationship with my father at all and although it used to make me sad it doesn’t anymore because […]
Salaam. What is your take on Islam and politics? Do you think Islam has a politic system that matches the teachings of Islam or is it free to us to decide which politic system to use to regulate our nations and country? I remember that 1400 years ago, Prophet Muhammad used to rule an Islamic […]
Assalaamu ‘Alaikum, In cities and towns with ridiculously high rent and living costs, young Muslim men are doomed. Apparently they’re not allowed to marry if they cannot fully financially support the wife? If that’s true, then how would one reconcile him now being exposed to immense fitnah (since they may have a women they love […]
Assalamualaikum… what should I do if I care so much about someone’s relationship with Allah ﷻ that it brings me depression because that someone is too far away from Him? I’m trying to help but I can’t, and I can’t bear this sadness either. Should I keep trying or should I take a step back? […]
I don’t know if you received this or not, but I asked if there were any surahs which stop making you jealous, or any dikhr. Thanks. Sorry I don’t think I received it. I don’t know of any surahs or dhikrs to do for jealously. This is a character problem that would require commitment to […]
Assalamualaikum, is studying STEM topics considered an ibadah, and if so, how do we make sure that the things we study may benefit us in the akhirah. Thank you. Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, My own thinking is that if we do the minimum of daily worship necessary to maintain a high character, and if our life […]
Asalam Walikum, I have an issue. I feel that I can’t stop having these intimate desires for this person, I can’t stop feeling hormonal about it. I do like someone else but I like that person romantically not sexually. I do fear that if I end up with that someone else I’ll still have sexual […]
Assalamualaikum. My friend told me about an imam in her village who was found passing away in a brothel. After an investigation on how he could end up there, it was found that the imam actually frequented the brothel to use the service. This really troubles me, how can someone who’s in worship more frequent […]
Does it matter to God what religion we embrace? And is it important to us to know which of all the religion that exists on earth is the true one? It matters because God has His own plans about how history should unfold. A person born in Islam is part of Islam’s historical timeline, inheriting […]
Aoa could you tell me the ruling on watching movies? Even innocent ones? Whenever i look up rulings on this people always say things like all movies are filled with nude women and corruption and it confuses me what am i supposed to do in all my free time if most things young people do […]
Assalamu’alaykum wa rahmatullah. Brother, can a Muslim majority country be run by a non-Muslim? Do the Quran have any specific verse that applies to the prohibition of the non-Muslim to lead them or do the Quran allows them to? (Be it as a President of the whole republic, or as a governor/mayor of the regional […]
Asalamaleikum.. I have gone thru hard time for almost a year. I try to stay high in faith and sabr but it’s very hard. I keep waiting for something good to happen, but nothing has happened yet.. feeling depressed. Is it actually true that if I am grateful I will get more? Because I’m waiting, […]
Salaam, brother. Does reading the Quran and internalize then act upon it is better than just memorize it and wear it as a pride of being a Muslim? Does we have to memorize and act upon the Quran? What if I don’t have the intention to memorize all the entire Quran, but only want to […]
I’ve been starting to feel disconnected from Allah (SWT), and I don’t know what to do. I keep trying to pray, understand, stay close, but I feel that I’m drifting. My life has been going down an unfortunate path and I feel that God isn’t answering my pleas for help. I don’t know what to […]
Assalamualaikum brother, I wanted to ask you if you know anything about what happens to the souls of animals when they die. I wonder do Angels come to them when their souls depart?do they have a place in the hereafter? I read somewhere that on the day of judgement even the disputes between animals will […]
I became interested in the Christian theologian William Lane Craig after reading Jacobus Erasmus’s The Kalām Cosmological Argument: A Reassessment, a 2018 book that reconsiders Craig’s views on this argument for God’s existence and tries to strengthen it. I was surprised by just how strong this argument is, although it does not reach the level […]
my husband is occasional alcohol drinker。when he drunk he became the most terrible person in the world。he comeback home midnight says very bad words about me and even my family。most of the times when he drunk he thinks I cheated on him but I never did that kind of haram things,and in our marriage happened […]
Assalam brother, Islam encourages us to seek knowledge and in one of the hadith said it is better to seek knowledge than to perform the daily spiritual activities (e.g. zikr, reads quran, perform sunnah), my question is what kind of knowledge do we need to seek according to the hadith? I think I’m lacking in […]
AOA! I had severe depression for more than 2 years that I could neither focux on my studies nor on my daily routine tasks. My family wasn’t supportive and I had no friend to talk to, as my father doesn’t let me leave home much.I was a mere dead soul. So one day I started […]
How do you know the person is the one you should marry? It’s just that there are so many options and I don’t want to regret this major decision that is going to change my life. There is no criterion that you can use to know with absolute certainty who the right person is. So […]
Salaam, I feel like everything in my life seems to be going wrong. I am losing my faith in Allah and his plan for me. I am a good and genuine person, all I want is to build for my future etc, I cannot find a job although I have two good degrees, I started […]
Can I be a good muslim woman without a hijab? Not wearing hijab is like any other small sin; we all have our sins. You can still practice Islam and plan in your heart to one day wear the hijab when you have the strength of character to do it. But there is no way […]
Salaam,I’m 19 years old,I hope this is not sounds dirty or weird but I don’t wanna do zina and I don’t want to marry,but I have to do something so I’m watching erotic videos,is it sin? But if I don’t watch these I know I will do some bad things,so I’m rather watching erotic videos,is […]
Assalamualaikum,I want to start namaz,but I want to make my namaz according to the Qur’an,I am not one that fits the sects,only the Qur’an, Allah and the Prophet.I see as my guide,the Quran is not mentioned very clearly from namaz, the number of rakats and prayers to be read is not said.So that’s mean that […]
Salam, I am drawn to the approach of Islam you & others like you take, and when I read the understanding of the permissibility of things like music or drawing it makes sense to me. However, I worry that I’m actually just accepting the rulings that align more with my personal preferences rather than doing […]
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh. Thank you in advance for answering the questions. Last year I learned about tasawwuf & was immediately hooked. The problem now is lately I’ve been feeling rather self-righteous & troubled that other doesn’t have the same ‘in-tasawwuf’ way of thinking. I feel this is a sign of arrogance and try […]
Assalamualaikum. A few days ago you posted a quote “Superficial knowledge breeds arrogance; true knowledge induces humility.” by Sh. Dr. Yasir Qadhi. Since you have dealt with lots of knowledge, may I know your opinion of this quote? Thank you very much and have a blessed day. Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, Knowledge is like other blessings; […]
(1) Greetings. I have been following your blog and are fascinated by your wisdom in viewing life through Islamic lenses, but does not fail to be logical. I am a Muslim young woman in her mid-twenties and am thinking to be a transgender, because ever since I was little I sometimes thought myself as a […]
Salam Brother, I hope you’re doing well. I was reflecting the other day and I think I am on the right path now, but I had a past life that isn’t the greatest. I noticed that people have not moved on from my past life even though I have. It’s like I have changed completely […]
Assalamu alaikum, can i ask on how to stop masturbating? Ive tried and stopped for a week, but then i accidentally started again. Repetitively failing to control myself had me felt useless, and ive starting to lose hope with myself. Thank you for your consideration. Your ability to control your impulses only matures after the […]
AOA, Akhi! few days ago I met an aunt of me.She and her daughters are very social and they all are well known in their fields.My father couldn’t afford our studies so we sisters are just graduate.Also my father never allowed us to go out much so we are kind of staying at home type […]
Assalamu alaikum! Lately I’ve been anxious about bad things happening to me or my family. I don’t know if this is related to that, but I don’t pray 5 times a day, although I’m trying to get better. But every time something bad happens to me, I wonder if it’s a punishment from Allah because […]
I feel like I failed God’s test that was sent to me, miserably. What do I do? Ask for forgiveness and realize that you will be tested again and again every day of your life. If you fail one test, you still have the opportunity to pass thousands of tests in the future. Never let […]
A hadith found in three places in Sahih al-Bukhari suggests that birth control is not recommended in Islam: We asked (the Prophet PBUH) about it and he said, ‘There is no harm if you do not do [coitus interruptus], for if any soul (till the Day of Resurrection) is predestined to exist, it will exist.” […]
Salamalaikum, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer the questions posed to you with so much in depth research (my earlier ones included). May Allah reward you. To my questions, what are the signs/indications of magic done on a person or household. And if black magic is something we Muslims believe can happen? […]
I have a sort of personal question i feel like by nature im a very bitter and harsh person i cant help but hv cruel thoughts while im never willfully malicious to ppl i always have the urge to very mean and antisocial it makes me feel very bad and i try to be nice […]
[1] Salam, don’t know if this is the best place to ask, but I feel you give perceptive answers that make a lot of sense, & you have answered questions relating to writing poetry etc aswell as reviewed a contemporary romantic novel Ayesha At Last on your blog. Personally I hope to one day write […]
It was on Thursday night that I was checking my Twitter account and I found a beautiful and at the same time heart breaking post: some supplications for those who died in the Bosnian genocide, back in the nineties. I was a little child when this happened, I was not even a Muslim by then. […]
Allah tells in the Quran how He showed a miracle to Zakariya عليه السلام by bestowing an offspring in a very unlikely age which was a very impossible thing. Are these just for prophets or can we also expect and hope such impossibles to happen with us with sincere dua. You d say with Allah […]
Salam! Have you seen the new series netflix trailer called ‘the messiah”? They’re apparently making a show about Dajjal! Second question: What is your take on the Netflix trailer of a show called messiah which people are saying it’s about the Dajjal? a lot of negative reactions and people saying they are scared, but Allah […]
assalamu aleykom, i truly hope my questions is going to be clear and reach u in good health. i would like to know what’s the position of reading (the act of reading but also the act of seeking all sorts of knowledge) in islam. is it truthful to say that islam in itself is the […]
What if I pray to Allah SWT that I wanna die. Would he listen to me? Cux I’m in so much,mental pain from years and it’s been a long time now but my life isn’t changing. Things are becoming worse and worse. No idea how to keep living even when all I see is dark. […]
Assalamualaykum. May Allah bless you and your family for your efforts to help this ummah, aameeen. I want to ask your advice about my dad who secretly watched porn videos on his phone. Me and the whole family, especially my mom, were devastated. We thought he already made a توبة, but this morning my mom […]
I have a really bad masturbation problem that causes me to do it mutinies times a day, do I still have to make ghusl every time? Sorry about your condition. Ghusl is necessary if you want to pray after masturbating (if you are a man). You cannot pray until you make ghusl. For help on […]
Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah, ive recently been struggling with materialism and its making me miserable. at school everyone i see seems to be either smarter, prettier, richer, or more pious than me and thats been distracting me a lot. i havent read salah or quran as often recently and i keep thinking about changing myself […]
Why do you think Allah created things like depression and anxiety? I want a refund on my current life. For the same reason He created things like poverty and loss. God wants this universe to be a testing hall for humanity. The best humans prove their love and loyalty toward God by maintaining a close […]
Assalamualaikum I’ve been studying Islam for the last year or so. I feel the pull and I’m grateful for the hidaya that Allah (SAW) has given me. However I struggle to part from christianity. Any advice on what to do? Or is it my own journey to make? Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, I recommend that you […]
How to do we get khushoo in our salah? Sometimes I feel like I’m not completely focused and I start thinking of things that aren’t important. I have found that my feeling of closeness to God outside the prayer is what matters most when it comes to whether I can focus on the prayer or not. And […]
I seek to know more about Islam. What is the approach to child brides and Forgive my word; Pedophilia. I’ve heard conflicting sides and I seek a solid answer regarding it as to put to rest any concerns surrounding it. I thank you. Islam lets each culture determine the age of marriage for themselves. Generally […]
Salaam. Do Muslim women need a mahram to go on a journey? Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, There is a strong hadith that comes from multiple Companions that says a woman shouldn’t go on a journey that takes a day and night (24 hours) unless there is a mahram with her. It is allowed (by Ibn Jibrin) […]
Alslam alikum The last Ramadan I was upset from big problems that happened to me so I started to get far from Allah ,I didn’t fast even one day Now I regret it I don’t know what to do Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah, Simply repent sincerely, that’s all that you need to do, and try to […]
I don’t know how to word this properly, but for a really long period of time, I just feel when troubles come up in life, I get extremely emotional and overly sensitive. I can’t focus on school and my worth ethic drops and I spend all my time crying or distracting myself. A lot of […]
Assalamualaikum, Allah swt says in the Quran on the day of Judgement those who will be near to the Lord will be Many from the Early Generations, and a few from the later generations. I feel disheartened seeing this because I feel how can I be as great as they were, how can I possibly […]
I don’t know how to word this properly, but for a really long period of time, I just feel when troubles come up in life, I get extremely emotional and overly sensitive. I can’t focus on school and my worth ethic drops and I spend all my time crying or distracting myself. A lot of […]
How to have barakah in all aspects of our life? I believe the way to do that is to avoid sins and to dedicate a certain amount of time everyday to extra worship, such as reading the Quran for an hour everyday. Reading the Quran helps you avoid sins, correct character defects, and recognize the […]
Salaam. Many ulema in Indonesia agreed that the Caliphate is one of Muslim obligation to be established, while I’ve read your essay that you do not agree on the re-establishment of the Caliphate. Your essay mentions only for the Western, that it do not need a Caliphate. Does your thoughts and opinion also applied to […]
How do we finish things? Like I usually have a problem of finishing reading a book,after some time I get bored and just stop reading and completely abandoning the book. This also goes for everything else like trying to learn something. Unfortunately your motivation to finish things is strongly influenced by the neurochemical balance in […]
Do people follow certain mazhabs just because it is simply what their previous generation have done? Do they follow not because there is mentioned of benefits found in the Quran and authentic hadith but merely as a way to preserve their identity considering what mazhab could define them? The different madhhabs spread in different places […]
I feel God doesn’t exist. my life is about to end. i feel so hurt. But nobody cares. Allah doesn’t help. He don’t care about his mankind. In my own life there have been periods where I felt I was abandoned by God, but I realize that it was always due to may own actions […]