Al-Maqasid

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this...

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this...

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this...

“Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [Quran 17:1] Of the most significant events that occurred in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the Isra’ wa’l Mi‘raj (the Night Journey and Heavenly Ascension). On this...

As the 27th of Rajab approaches, the night our beloved Messenger ﷺ traveled to Jerusalem and ascended into the Divine Presence, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus reminds us of the tremendous blessing of believing in the Unseen, the first pillar of taqwa (see Surah Baqara, 2:3). He explains how belief in the Unseen is necessarily connected with the belief and love of the Messenger ﷺ. And because we believe in th...

In this fascinating discussion, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus explains the four steps in decision making: thought, inclination, judgment, and intention. He discusses in detail the sources of one’s thoughts, as well as how to combat and discourage thoughts that lead to bad actions and how to embrace and encourage thoughts that lead to good actions. To listen to the other Khutbas in the series: soundcloud.com...

Our ultimate goal is to know Allah the Exalted in this world and to be near Him, in eternal bliss, in the next. In this highly encouraging reflection, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus discusses the next trait of Futuwwa (spiritual chivalry) mentioned in al-Sulami’s book, Kitab al-Futuwwa: seek knowledge of Allah through Our knowledge. He discusses the ranks of the righteous and the type of knowledge about Alla...

Seeking the company of the good is among the virtuous traits of Futuwwa (spiritual chivalry) mentioned in al-Sulami’s book, Kitab al-Futuwwa. It has been to said, “Don’t ask about a man, ask about his friends.” In this reflection, Shaykh Yahya discusses the importance of carefully choosing one’s companionship in this life as it impacts the next. He mentions the hadith about the three traits of the...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

Allah the Exalted says, Allah bears witness that there is no god except Him—as do the angels and people of knowledge.” [Quran 3:18] Allah the Exalted also says, Allah will elevate those of you who are faithful, and ˹raise˺ those gifted with knowledge in rank. [Quran 58:11] And the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever Allah wills good for, He grants him an u...

On the cusp of this sacred month of Rajab—the month which has a great outpouring of divine gifts, favors, and blessings—Ustadh Amjad Tarsin explains how to take advantage of Rajab and Sha’ban in preparation for Ramadan. The weekly Jumua, or Friday, Congregational prayer is livestreamed from Al-Maqasid from 1:15pm-2:00pm. To listen to the other Khutbas in the series: soundcloud.com/al-maqasid/sets/...

The next virtuous trait of Futuwwa (spiritual chivalry) mentioned in al-Sulami’s book, Kitab al-Futuwwa is to hold on to the truth in all circumstances. Shaykh Yahya Rhodus discusses three verses in Surah az-Ahzab (33:21-23), which mention how true believers fulfill their pledge to Allah the Exalted in the most difficult of circumstances. He also mentions the greatest tribulation that the Prophet...

Shaykh Yahya Rhodus discusses the next virtuous trait of Futuwwa (spiritual chivalry) mentioned in al-Sulami’s book, Kitab al-Futuwwa: keep continuous repentance and doubt that your repentance is accepted. He also explains how seeking forgiveness is the key for making things right in the world (see Surah Nuh, 71:10-12) and the protection afforded to humanity by the actions of the pious. For other...

Stories have a powerful impact on us. Stories can give your heart life, connecting you with Allah the Exalted, and increasing your certitude. But stories can also pull you away from Allah. In this khutbah, Ustadh Amjad Tarsin explains how learning the stories of the prophets, messengers, and the righteous protects one’s deen (religion) and brings one closer to Allah. And he asks, “What stories are...

"It is from Futuwwa (spiritual chivalry) for a servant to keep an eye on how he spends his time and not to waste a single moment." Shaykh Yahya Rhodus looks at this next virtuous trait mentioned in al-Sulami’s book, Kitab al-Futuwwa, as well discussing eight things that productive and successful people don’t do. For other lessons from the series on Futuwwa: soundcloud.com/al-maqasid/sets/futuwwa-s...

Allah the Exalted describes the Qur’an as a reminder, healing, guidance, and mercy. Ustadh Amjad Tarsin explains its many blessings through verses in the Quran, stories of the pious, and several lines in Imam al-Busiri’s poem The Burda. And as Ramadan soon approaches, he encourages us to develop our relationship with this “most beautiful teaching.” [Quran 39:23] To listen to the other Khutbas in t...

“It is from Futuwwa (spiritual chivalry) to not let anything distract one from his Lord and to bear tribulations on the path of seeking closeness to Him.” In this comprehensive discussion, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus discusses this next virtuous trait of Futuwwa found in Imam al-Sulami’s book on Futuwwa. He discusses the criteria used by those on the spiritual path in deciding whether to act, the definiti...

In this next Khutba in the series on intention, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus explains how, through our intentions, we can reach things that we could not reach in other ways. He looks at the Quranic story of Sayyida Maryam (peace be upon her), and other stories of the pious, to show that making the right intentions can lead to amazing things in one’s life. For more Jumu'a Khutbas, please access our playlist...