In Surah Nisaa, Allah says: وَدُّواْ لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُواْ فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاء فَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنْهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء حَتَّىَ يُهَاجِرُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَخُذُوهُمْ وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ وَجَدتَّمُوهُمْ وَلاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ مِنْهُمْ وَلِيًّا وَلاَ نَصِيرًا Translation: They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they forsake (their homes) in Allah’s way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper (Surah Nisaa, 4:89)1

In Surah Nisaa, Allah says: فَمَا لَكُمْ فِي الْمُنَافِقِينَ فِئَتَيْنِ وَاللّهُ أَرْكَسَهُم بِمَا كَسَبُواْ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَهْدُواْ مَنْ أَضَلَّ اللّهُ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللّهُ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُ سَبِيلاً Translation: What is the matter with you, then, that you have become two parties about the hypocrites, while Allah has made them return (to unbelief) for what they have earned? Do you wish to guide him whom Allah has caused to err? And whomsoever Allah causes to err, you shall by no means find a way for him.

Eman has six pillars. To deny any one of the pillars, in part, or in whole, is the same as denying everything–it takes you out of Islam, and may Allah protect us all from that. The pillars are: Allah: Believe that Allah, Lord of the Worlds, exists, and believe in his asmaa wal sifa. Books: Believe in all the divine revelation, including the Torah, the Injeel, and the Qur’an. They are really the same book (but now, the original Torah and Injeel no longer exist).

Imagine that your time is water. Every day, you get 24 liters to use as you wish. You keep it in one giant metal bucket and carry it around with you. The bucket leaks–if you don’t pour your time into buckets and use it effectively, most of it will end up spilled on the ground, lost. Each day, you pass by some plants, and you have to stop and water them, or they die–the big, thick bush of family.

Allah says, in the Qur’an: وَإِذَا حُيِّيْتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّواْ بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُدُّوهَا إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا Translation: When a (courteous) greeting is offered you, meet it with a greeting still more courteous, or (at least) of equal courtesy. Allah takes careful account of all things (Surah Nisaa, 4:86)1 If your brother or sister in Islam gives you salaams, return it. So respond to “as-salaamu ‘alikum” with “wa’alikum as-salaam wa rahmatullah” and “as-salaamu ‘alikum wa rahmatullah” with “wa’alikum as-salaam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh” (but don’t go beyond that).

In the Qur’an, surah Nisaa, Allah says: فَقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ لاَ تُكَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَكَ وَحَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَكُفَّ بَأْسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَاللّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْسًا وَأَشَدُّ تَنكِيلاً Translation: Then fight in Allah’s cause – you are responsible only for yourself – and rouse the believers. It may be that Allah will restrain the fury of the Unbelievers; for Allah is the strongest in might and in punishment (Surah Nisaa, 4:84)1

All of us, and especially those of us in educational institutes, run into tests and projects and assignments. And often–too often–we aim merely for a pass. A 60% or 50%, and we’re good to go. But, imagine if you will, an archer shooting at a target. High above his head is 100%. Somewhere level with him is 50%–a pass. And below, lesser marks. He draws back his arrow. He aims. 50%?

Salaah is the springboard of eman. Everytime you perform salaah, your eman should go up. In Surah Baqarah, Allah says: “And seek help in patience and prayer. Indeed it is difficult, except for those with kushu“. Here are some tips inshaAllah to help you achieve awesome salaah: Pray as if it is your last prayer. We hear imams say this a lot. But what does it mean? How would your salaah be if you knew it was your last salaah before you returned to Allah, Lord of the Worlds?

When you seek knowledge, seek from the best sources–the most authentic, and those closest to the source. The companion Abdullah ibn Zubayr (رضي الله عنه) was 10 years old when the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) went on his farewell Hajj. Abdullah ibn Zubayr went, too, and witnessed the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam)’s hajj first-hand. After the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) passed away, Abdullah ibn Zubayr became the definitive source of the fiqh of Hajj–starting at age 10–until he passed away at 73.

Pain is often an instigator of change. Pain works as one method to break people out of their cycles or mindsets. Look at the story of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. In Mecca, before he became Muslim, he was one of the toughest on the Muslims. One of his relatives, Umm Abdullah, prepared to leave for Habasha. He asked “where are you going?” and she said “To Habasha.