Small, Sincere Iftars
Thank God there are still people who invite close friends to their homes for iftaar. In these small and sincere gatherings we not only eat iftaar, but also meet people, catch up with friends, and have heartfelt conversations. We leave these iftaars having learnt something from the other guests and having seen a new practice or a new style from the household. Some friendships take deeper root, some...

Climbing the Steep Hill
I haven't personally attended the iftaars organized in luxurious restaurants with crowded groups, but as I hear more and more about the amount of food that goes to waste in these so-called charity events, I can't help but write about the irony that such iftaars create with some anger-tinged sorrow.

When attendees in these events organized by this charity or that foundation see that kilos of meat a...

Its Beginning is Mercy, Its Middle is Forgiveness
It is related from our Prophet (s.a.w) that he said about Ramadan, “Its beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness, and its ending is liberation from the Hellfire.” The stage of mercy has come and gone; now is the time for forgiveness. The mercy of God surrounds us as a manifestation of his name Rahman, whether we want to or not, whether we deserve it or not. (His name Rahim, however, is more a...

The Purpose of Fasting: Accustoming to Self to God-Consciousness
Verse 183 in Surah Baqara prescribes fasting for all believers, and at the end of this verse Allah explains the wisdom behind this command. In the words of Quran commentator Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır: “Fasting has been prescribed on us as it has been prescribed on those before us, so that we may shield ourselves from all sorts of danger and reach the rank of God-consciousness by attaining the faculty o...