“If you don’t cry, force yourself to cry.” The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: "Seven [categories of people] will be shaded by Allah in His shade on the Day of Resurrection when there will be no shade except His shade.” In this Khutba, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus discusses the seven categories of people who will be shaded and explains how each of us has an opportunity to fall within at least one of those categories. The weekly Jumua, or Friday, Congregational prayer is livestreamed from Al-Maqasid from 1:15pm-2:10pm. Connect with us online at https://www.almaqasid.org/connect
Read More“If we really want the Quran to enter our hearts, we have to be connected to the heart that received the Quran.”
After turning to Allah the Exalted in repentance and cleansing our hearts of sin in the sacred month of Rajab, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin explains how sending abundant blessings (salawat) on the Prophet ﷺ in Sha’ban prepares us for the most blessed month of Ramadan. He also mentions many of the benefits of sending salawat and the smallest amount to do to be considered abundant.
Read More“If we spend our life following our desires, that’s not your true self.”
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught the Companions (and us all by extension) the importance of loving him ﷺ more than anything else—not for his own benefit ﷺ, but for the immense blessings it brings them.
In this timely reflection as Shaban, the month of the Prophet ﷺ, approaches, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus mentions three seminal Hadith and two verses in the Qur’an to explain why the degree to which we love the Prophet ﷺ is the degree to which we can reach the loftiest levels of iman (faith), and to which our soul can become tranquil (al-nafs al-mutma’inna), such that one no longer finds any hardship or difficulty in acts of obedience.
Read More“The people of the Quran are the people of Allah and His elect. His special choicest of people. They are the ones [whom] Allah (Glorious and Exalted) loves uniquely.”
One of the righteous, when reciting the Quran, tasted honey out of his love, reverence, and yearning for it. It has been said that if you want to gauge your relationship with Allah the Exalted, look at your relationship with the Quran.
In this Khutba, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin relates inspiring stories of people of the Quran and tells us how we can become one of them.
Read More“There are eight Gates to Paradise. All of them open at certain times and close at others—except for the Gate of Repentance.”
Imam Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad, a great scholar and sufi during the time of the salaf (first three generations after the Prophet ﷺ) was once a feared and infamous highway robber. Upon hearing the recitation of verse 16 in Surah al-Hadid (57:16), he made a complete repentance.
In this khutba, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin relates the story of Imam Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad’s remarkable transformation and discusses what it teaches us about hoping in Allah’s Mercy and receiving the Divine Gaze.
Read More“Allah has in His earth containers, hearts,…and the best of them are the purest, the firmest, and the most brittle.”
We can either follow the footsteps of Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, and repent when we transgress against ourselves or others; or follow those of Shaytan, the accursed, the archetype of arrogance.
In this reflection—which is especially relevant in this sacred month of Rajab, the month of repentance—Shaykh Yahya Rhodus quotes several verses from the Quran where Allah the Exalted warns about the dangers and consequences of pride and arrogance. He also mentions the value of making tawba (repenting) before reading the Quran, citing Surah al-Waqiah, 56:79.
Read More“There’s nothing wrong with asking, but where is the heart?” In the Quran, Allah the Exalted never commands us to outward means, but only to religious means. Ustadh Yusuf Weltch discusses four acts of worship where Allah the Exalted explicitly promises to help a believer in times of need. Ustadh Yusuf then ends with two specific prayers that should be done on a routine basis when seeking Allah’s help. The weekly Jumua, or Friday, Congregational prayer is livestreamed from Al-Maqasid from 12:15pm-1:00pm. Connect with us online at https://www.almaqasid.org/connect
Read More“The beginning of knowledge is silence.”
Allah the Exalted praises those who listen attentively to the recitation of the Quran and warns those who have a cavalier attitude. In fact, he states that listening is the key to all effective communication.
In this informative Khutba, Ustadh Hasan Petrus explains the three degrees of listening, the components of active listening and its benefits, signs of not listening, and the five steps to gaining knowledge.
Read More“O Allah, place light in my heart and light in my grave. Light in my hearing and light in my sight. Light in my hair and light in my skin. Light in my flesh and light in my blood…”
Ustadh Amjad Tarsin recites and provides scholarly commentary on this powerful and comprehensive Prophetic Dua (supplication) seeking Allah the Exalted’s Light that should be done consistently before Fajr.
This practice is especially important in these times of confusion, loss of morality, and inversion of realities.
Read More“The means is just an appearance and actually Allah [the Exalted] is doing everything behind the scenes.”
In this reflection, Ustadh Yusuf Weltch discusses the statement of Tawhid, la ilaha illallah (there is no god but God), and its opposite, shirk (associating partners with Allah the Exalted). He mentions several types of shirk, some of which take someone out of Islam, and others which are haram (impermissible).
He then focuses primarily on one type of shirk—believing the means are the actual cause of things—and its cure. This discussion is particularly pertinent today with the pandemic and other current tribulations.
Read More“Do whatever you can for Allah (Glorious and Exalted), but recognize that you have to do something.”
Every Muslim has the responsibility to tell the Truth as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and conveyed to us. We should share the Message of Islam with wisdom and beautiful reminders.
Ustadh Amjad Tarsin provides a beautiful example of the Companions‘ willingness to sacrifice all for the truth with the story of the Prophet’s cousin, Sayyidina Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, when he recited verses in the Quran about Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, to the Christian king of Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia) [Quran 19:16-35].
Read More