al-Qurtubi begins his tafsir of surah al-Zumar [39] - also sometimes referred to as surah al-Ghuraf - by writing:

[قال وهب بن منبه : من أحب أن يعرف قضاء الله - عز وجل - في خلقه فليقرأ سورة الغرف ]

Wahb ibn Munabbih said: Whoever would like to know about Allah's final judgement of His creation should read surah al-Ghuraf.

[Jaami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an 15/207]

Translator's note: This theme of the surah is especially clear in its latter part in which Allah vividly describes events of the Day of Resurrection.

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيم

The Ayah calls us to apply our standards consistently. We may guard our wealth carefully yet give created beings a place in our hearts that belongs only to Allah through fear, dependence, or excessive attachment. Though we profess Allah as the Provider, we may act as if someone else controls our future.

Fearing a manager more than Allah, believing someone guarantees our provision, compromising honesty for approval, abandoning prayer due to social pressure, treating wealth as our source of security, or neglecting Allah's obligations for people's opinions should make us question: Have we allowed a created being to occupy a position that belongs only to A

Every day is a new opportunity to come to Allah. This is why we are here on this earth.

Your best days are the days in which you managed to be mindful of Allah and obedient to Him.

A day that is spent without Allah being your highest priority will be a liability on the day of judgment no matter how much worldly success you achieved in it.

Every day is for you or against you!

As They Recognize Their Sons Reading Surah al-Baqarah (2:146) through Hadith

I keep returning to the beautiful comparison Allah (SWT) makes in this ayah: يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ “They recognize him as they recognize their own sons.” A parent knows their own child. No need to look twice or search for signs of recognition. It is a certainty so familiar to us that the comparison needs little explanation. And yet, what follows makes me want to read these words more carefully.

The pronoun in يَعْرِفُونَهُ — “they recognize him” has been understood in two ways by classical commentators. Al-Tabari, reading the ayah in the context of the change of qiblah, explains that the l

A beautiful verse ending all the statuses of the world.

Alot of people around us (and sometimes us) live for legacy - to have a son that continues our lineage, to have wealth that's left behind, a name in the society. This verse brings an end to all of it. None of this matters. What matters are your deeds that you left behind.

Another point to note is how the commonalities across thousands of years still exist. Prophet Muhammed SAW was called Abtar, he was mocked. And this happens till today, people around you mock you for not having kids (or a boy), you are looked down up for not having wealth.

But none of this matters to Allah SWT. In the end, the only thing you leave behind are your

Once, my exam's result came out, and I had passed. I had scored exactly the minimum marks required to pass. In medical school, even getting those passing marks means a lot.

After passing, I went to my mother and told her, “Mom, you know, before every exam, I would always pray to Allah, saying, ‘Allah, even if I get the opportunity to look at someone else’s paper during the exam, I will not copy. I will not write down answers after hearing them from someone else. Please prepare me well enough for the exam so that I can sit for it and complete it with honesty. Allah, this is my commitment to You: whatever marks I earn, I will earn them honestly.’”

Normally, people think,I must get the passin

ALLAH, THE SUSTAINER NEEDED BY ALL

So, I was studying flowering plants and how they reproduce. When I reached the topic of embryo development, a particular line caught my eye. It stated, "Most zygotes divide only after a certain amount of endosperm has formed. This is an adaptation to provide assured nutrition to the developing embryo." And I wondered: The Lord who prepares the sustenance of a tiny embryo before it even begins to develop, just to ensure that it receives the nutrition it needs. The Lord who doesn't forget an embryo hidden beneath layers and layers of protection. The layers: Ovary → Ovule → Integuments → Embryo sac → Zygote → Embryo. Then how can He forget about me? How can

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ مَنْ قَرَأَ بِالآيَتَيْنِ مِنْ آخِرِ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فِي لَيْلَةٍ كَفَتَاهُ‏" ‏‏.‏

Narrated Abu Mas'ud: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If somebody recited the last two Verses of Surat Al-Baqara at night, that will be sufficient for him." Sahih al-Bukhari 5009

As part of our night routine, we recite these 2 ayaat as protection for the night – at least that has been my intention for as long as I can remember. Until I came across the statement in the book أول مر

Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah often. 33:21

There are many Sunnahs that we need to revive in our daily lives, and one of these is active listening. The Prophet ﷺ was attentive to people and gave them his full attention when they spoke to him ﷺ.

Active listening is at the core of counselling or helping relationship. Listening without interruption, judgement, or distractions helps people feel heard and safe, and it builds trust.

How many times have we felt unheard because someone was not listening attentively, perhaps rushing to respond or listening while browsing their phone.

People are go