Al-Maqasid

“Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west…”   Islam is a comprehensive way of life, and we are expected to embrace the religion in its totality with the ultimate goal of coming to know Allah the Exalted. In this Khutba, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus explains how Allah the Exalted defines true piety in verse 177 of Sura al-Baqara. The weekly Jumua, or Friday, Congregational prayer...

“O Allah, through your knowledge of the unseen and your power over creation, give me life as long as you know that life is good for me…” Supplication is the essence of worship and an opportunity for an intimate conversation with your Lord. Supplication also teaches us what we need and how we should be. In this Khutba, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus recites, translates, and explains a comprehensive Prophetic...

“There is no [true] life after which there is death…and there is no true death after which there is eternal life.” According to a well-known hadith, Allah the Exalted does not look at our outward form but at our internal character and deeds. In this khutba, Ustadh Yusuf Weltch stresses that each person must carefully examine the state of his or her heart and provides four ways to discover one’s fa...

“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 th...

“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 Hadit...

“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 Q...

“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...

“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...

“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 h...

“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...

“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 practic...

“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...

“When you think of the deceased, consider yourself amongst them.” The definition of true success can be found in the Quran: “Whoever is spared from the Fire and admitted into Paradise will indeed triumph, whereas the life of this world is no more than the delusion of enjoyment.” [3:185] In this reflection, Ustadh Yusuf Weltch discusses the four signs of wretchedness that lead to the Fire, which th...

“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 wi...

In a well-known hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mentions  two qualities that Allah the Exalted loves, one of which is deliberation.  In this Khutba, Ustadh Hasan Petrus explains its meaning in the Islamic context and gives three examples of it in the Quran. He also mentions several benefits that arise from deliberating.  With today’s social media and the ability to pass on information instantaneous...

Habib Ali al-Jifri identifies four ways to protect one’s family and their faith from today’s challenges. In this series, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin explains each of them, beginning with establishing the family on the love of Allah the Exalted and the awareness that He sees us at all times. He also provides numerous practical examples on how to implement these teachings immediately in one’s family.

“[The heart] is the locus of the gaze of the Real.” In this both enlightening and practical khutba, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus gives a detailed discussion on Shaykh Ibrahim al-Khawas’s advice on how to rectify and purify one’s heart. Shaykh Ibrahim al-Khawas was among the elect of the righteous in the 3rd Islamic century and known for his complete trust (tawakkul) in Allah the Exalted.

“The things that are perceived at a sensory level, at a very superficial level, that’s not all of reality.” Ustadh Amjad Tarsin shares a profound hadith, which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described as “wondrous” (‘ajaban), that shows the benefits of performing righteous actions in this world which manifest and become a reality in the Unseen World.

“Allah Ta’ala gives His Knowledge to whom He pleases.” Shaykh Yahya Rhodus breaks down Ayat al-Kursi (Quran 2:255) into meaningful parts and suggests six key times when to recite it. He also explains the difference between ‘science’ and ‘scientism,’ noting the problem with the latter. The weekly Jumua, or Friday, Congregational prayer is livestreamed from Al-Maqasid from 12:15pm-1:00pm. Connect wi...

“The story of the whole world is between two sajdas.” It has been asked among scholars: “What verse in the Qur’an inspires the most hope?” In this extremely uplifting khutba, Ustadh Hasan Petrus discusses four different answers to this question. He also relates a beautiful story encompassing three of the verses, which involves Washi ibn Harb, the Companion who killed Hamza ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, ma...

“Nobility and the keys on that Day will be in my hands.” Focusing primarily on the Day of Resurrection, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin discusses some of the unique qualities and distinctions that Allah the Exalted has bestowed upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Included in the discussion is what it means to be “firm against the disbelievers” (see Quran 48:29), as well as a list of the five categories of intercessi...

“Nothing is more important after the shahada than the prayer.” Shaykh Yahya Rhodus continues his discussions on the importance of prayer, focusing on the congregational prayer and how to make it a priority. And although it is strongly encouraged to perform all five daily prayers in congregation in the masjid (mosque), Shaykh Yahya explains the minimum one should do in this regard.

“… to whomsoever Allah does not give light, he has no light.” (Surah an-Nur, 25:40, as translated) In this blessed month of our beloved Prophet’s birth, there is no better time to deepen our connection with him ﷺ. Ustadh Amjad Tarsin describes the Prophet’s three types of beauty and explains how reflecting upon these qualities will increase one’s love for him ﷺ.

“The One who gave them is still the same Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, who is ready to give us. But are we ready to receive it.” Through numerous verses of the Qur’an, Hadith, and inspiring stories of the pious, Ustadh Yusuf Weltch explains what it means to have reverence for the prayer and how to achieve it. Included in his Khutba are the conditions for establishing the prayer and how to obtain pre...

“To Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth.” Looking at several verses in Surah al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites), Ustadh Amjad Tarsin explains the soul’s innate desire to obtain honor and nobility and why this is praiseworthy. The weekly Jumua, or Friday, Congregational prayer is livestreamed from Al-Maqasid from 1:15pm-2:00pm. Connect with us online at https://www.almaqasid.org/conn...